Transplanting Plants into the Small World

After toying with the Weasel-tailed Mouse, the Mandala Snake flicked its tongue and slithered away in satisfaction,

returning to the tree to bask in the sun.

It left behind only the Weasel-tailed Mouse, so frightened that it twitched and kicked its legs where it lay.

Lu Shi could sense everything happening within the Small World. He reflected that after the Mandala Snake's cultivation age increased,

it had even developed intelligence and emotions.

In the past, the Mandala Snake would have swallowed the Weasel-tailed Mouse in one bite.

How could it possibly have toyed with it like this?

Outside the Small World, Lu Shi continued searching for new Soul Beasts and soon discovered a caterpillar-type Soul Beast:

the Leaf Velvet Worm.

It was nearly palm-length, with a plump emerald-green body the same color as the leaves, allowing it to blend perfectly into its surroundings. It reproduced rapidly and grew extremely fast.

It was currently burying itself in food, its serrated mouthparts continuously slicing through green leaves and stuffing them into its mouth.

Low-level Leaf Velvet Worms knew only how to eat and reproduce. Their brains were so tiny that they did not even understand fear.

Their only fate was to become food for other predators.

As for high-level Leaf Velvet Worms... there had never been any high-level Leaf Velvet Worms in this world.

Lu Shi reached out, grabbed it, and sent it into the Small World as well.

Caterpillar-like Soul Beasts in this world generally fell into two categories.

One was like the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm: unable to evolve, it could reach nine hundred and ninety thousand years of cultivation and still look like a fat silkworm.

The other could evolve, changing form at the threshold from ten years to a hundred years, or from a hundred years to a thousand years, becoming Soul Beasts such as butterflies or moths.

He did not know which kind the Leaf Velvet Worm was.

He would put it into the Small World and see.

Of the three Small Worlds, only the Mandala Snake's Small World was suitable for these Soul Beasts. The Flame Spirit Eagle's place was full of lava and terrifyingly hot; only Soul Beasts with similar attributes could survive there. The Thunder-Patterned Sacred Tiger's side was no good either, with thunderstorms descending all day long.

This forest really was too small and too ordinary. After searching around, Lu Shi had found no Soul Beasts worth his attention.

Maybe I should check out the market?

Everything in the town revolved around the Star Dou Forest. There were soul-hunting teams, weapon and armor shops, as well as markets centered around trade in plant-type and animal-type Soul Beasts.

Hunters brought in certain body parts of Soul Beasts or live Soul Beasts to buy and sell, while others gathered Plant-Type Soul Beasts for sale.

Quite a few nobles enjoyed raising Soul Beasts. The higher the cultivation age of the Soul Beasts they kept, the more it demonstrated their wealth and strength. What they ate were not captive-bred Soul Beasts, but wild ones.

The Soul Beast market was quite bustling. A fishbone-shaped main road ran through it, lined with shops on both sides. Some shops even placed cast-iron cages outside their doors, with all kinds of Soul Beasts imprisoned inside.

Thumping impacts and howls rang out from time to time.

The Soul Beasts displayed outside all had very low cultivation ages. Anything stronger was difficult to keep confined.

Spotted Cats... Silver Wolves... Crocodile Bears... Rockhide Rats...

After making a round, Lu Shi bought dozens of species, around forty animal-type Soul Beasts in total. The highest cultivation age among them was only ten years. High-cultivation Soul Beasts were simply too expensive; it was better to catch them himself.

Now that he had Soul Beasts from the ground and sky, he still needed aquatic Soul Beasts and plant Soul Beasts.

There were almost no aquatic Soul Beasts in the market, and the few that existed had already rolled their eyes white.

He could transplant some plant Soul Beasts instead.

Further ahead, all the stalls sold Plant-Type Soul Beasts. Their cultivation ages were somewhat higher, and they were even less dangerous.

Thorn Vines... Poison Cage Grass... Green Bamboo... Whisker Ginseng?

Lu Shi spotted a medicinal herb laid out on a table. It had three emerald-green heart-shaped leaves atop its stem and red threadlike roots. Consuming it replenished one's vitality and blood, while absorbing its Soul Ring could grant a minor healing skill for restoring wounds.

Right, I could transplant some medicinal herb-type Soul Beasts. They would not take up much space, and having them planted would prepare for any unexpected need.

With the Mandala Snake around, he would not need to worry about other Soul Beasts stealing them to eat.

Lu Shi entered the shop and bought all ten ginseng roots. He also purchased five Three-Leaf Gecko Grasses, whose golden stamens resembled crouching lizards.

After browsing a few more streets, Lu Shi brought the medicinal herbs he had bought to an uninhabited part of the forest.

With a thought, the scenery around him warped, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived inside the Small World.

The Mandala Snake was still lazily basking in the sun. Since all the newcomers were low-level Soul Beasts, its initial curiosity had quickly faded.

It only needed to release a little of its aura to keep them from approaching the central area.

As long as they did not come disturb it, that was enough.

"Hiss~"

Sensing Lu Shi's arrival, it shot toward him. Its snake body, over a meter long, coiled around his upper body, its crimson scales reflecting the sunlight.

Its little head continuously rubbed against Lu Shi's cheek.

The only one it liked in this world was Lu Shi.

Lu Shi rubbed the Mandala Snake's head and went to a pile of rocks beneath the banyan tree, where he transplanted Jadebone Vine.

It was a grayish-white vine with knuckle-like protrusions at its joints and small silver-white flowers blooming from its tips. Its nodes could strengthen bone toughness, and absorbing its Soul Ring had a high chance of granting a soul skill that formed a bone membrane to withstand physical impacts.

It could be fed to any strength-type Soul Beasts he subdued in the future.

Then, beneath the Mandala Snake's curious gaze, he planted medicinal herbs such as Moonlight Angelica, Ironthorn Wood, and Three-Leaf Frostgrass.

"These are all useful medicinal herbs for the future. Keep an eye on them for me, and do not let those Soul Beasts eat them."

Lu Shi instructed the Mandala Snake.

Of course, he had not forgotten that the Mandala Snake liked fruit. He carefully planted more than ten different fruit trees as well.

After finishing all that, Lu Shi played with the Mandala Snake until noon before leaving.

In truth, the Soul Beasts most suited for the Small World were the kind that enhanced luck, such as the Golden Tortoiseshell and Three-Eyed Golden Beast.

Unfortunately, he could not find any at the moment. Besides, if he brought the Three-Eyed Golden Beast over, Di Tian might very well go mad.

On the third day, Zhao Wuji took Oscar and Tang San to obtain Soul Rings.

They left in the morning and returned the following evening.

According to Oscar, within the Star Dou Forest, Zhao Wuji grabbed them by the backs of their collars and used a Soul Saint's speed and spiritual power to help them find Soul Beasts.

The wind had nearly blown their mouths crooked.

It was clear just how cautious Zhao Wuji had been this time.

The Soul Beasts they absorbed were both around fifteen hundred years old.

Still hung up over the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, Oscar's third Soul Ring came from a Soul Beast similar to the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent. His sausage could provide a speed boost, though the effect was much weaker.

Tang San, meanwhile, continued absorbing a venomous snake-type Soul Ring. It came from a brightly colored poisonous snake that lived in swamps, called the Three-Eyed Witch King Snake.

Its venom was clearly extremely potent.

Because in merely two days, Tang San had become another shade darker, officially transforming from a Black Bear Spirit into a Charcoal Spirit.

He was so dark that he barely looked human anymore.

When he returned, everyone was startled and nearly failed to recognize him.

Everyone laughed at Tang San's new appearance. Only Xiao Wu did not laugh; not even the corners of her mouth twitched.

Tang San felt a surge of emotion when he saw that. Xiao Wu really was good to him.

Once everything had been settled, they set off for Shrek Academy.

After experiencing an accident, there was less childishness on everyone's faces and a little more maturity. Tang San especially looked even older with his darker, rougher skin.

At a glance, he looked like he belonged to the same generation as Zhao Wuji.

On the way back, Lu Shi pondered that since he had obtained the Eight Spider Lances, it was time to find Ah Yin.

That was a hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor.

As the emperor among Plant-Type Soul Beasts, the Blue Silver Emperor contained extraordinary life force and could communicate with ancient life energy.

It held absolute dominion over all Plant-Type Soul Beasts.

It was simply the best choice for him.