However, Dugu Bo remembered that he was hunting a Soul Ring for Chen Mo, so he did not strike to kill. He only injured the Ancient Tree of Life's main body, robbing it of most of its fighting strength.
"Come, young friend Chen Mo. I've already wounded it. You deliver the final blow!"
Dugu Bo called to Chen Mo, who was hiding behind a tree.
Chen Mo poked his head out from behind the tree and nodded. Taking a deep breath, he charged toward the Ancient Tree of Life.
Although Dugu Bo had severely wounded the Ancient Tree of Life, it still had some fighting strength left.
Sensing the threat from Chen Mo, it lashed its remaining branches at him from every direction like long whips.
Three branches stabbed straight at Chen Mo's chest, abdomen, and head. Two swept across from the left, while another two thrust upward from the right, trying to launch him into the air.
Chen Mo's gaze sharpened, and his Second Soul Skill sprang up beneath his feet!
"Second Soul Skill, Vine Binding!"
Countless Soul Devouring Vines burst out of the ground and wrapped around the Ancient Tree of Life's branches.
Although the Ancient Tree of Life was immensely strong and the vines could only restrain it for a second or two, that was already enough.
Chen Mo seized that opening and lunged forward, unleashing his First Soul Skill at the same time.
"First Soul Skill, Life Drain!"
A beam of emerald-green light shot from Chen Mo's palm and struck the Ancient Tree of Life's trunk.
Chen Mo ravenously absorbed the Ancient Tree of Life's vitality, and its trunk withered at a speed visible to the naked eye.
But the Ancient Tree of Life was, after all, a Soul Beast around 9,500 years old.
It shuddered violently, breaking free of Vine Binding, and lashed a branch at Chen Mo's head from the side.
Chen Mo reacted extremely quickly, leaning backward as the branch skimmed past the tip of his nose with a fierce gust of wind.
Chen Mo followed through with a backflip, putting some distance between them.
Chen Mo looked at the Ancient Tree of Life, a trace of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.
"I can't drag this out any longer," Chen Mo murmured. "I have to end this quickly."
Chen Mo took a deep breath and mobilized all the Soul Power in his body.
He unleashed his First Soul Skill and Second Soul Skill simultaneously!
"Vine Binding! Life Drain!"
The vines once again entangled the Ancient Tree of Life's branches, while the light of Life Drain struck its trunk.
Seizing the instant when the Ancient Tree of Life was restrained, Chen Mo pushed hard off the ground with both feet and leaped into the air.
Chen Mo spun in midair, brought his palms together, and condensed a huge ball of energy with his Soul Power.
"Big Ball Rasengan, shatter!"
Chen Mo dove down from above, viciously smashing the ball of energy in his hands into the Ancient Tree of Life's trunk.
Boom!
With a tremendous crash, a large hole was blasted open in the Ancient Tree of Life's trunk.
The Ancient Tree of Life let out a shrill howl, and the outline of the human face on its trunk gradually faded away.
The Ancient Tree of Life's body withered completely, and a deep-purple Soul Ring, almost black, rose from it.
Around 9,500 years old-a Thousand-Year Soul Ring at the very limit.
Chen Mo landed on the ground, gasping for breath. This battle had drained almost all his Soul Power.
Dugu Bo walked over, his eyes filled with shock and admiration.
Dugu Bo said, "Well done, lad. Very good indeed. You controlled the rhythm of the battle extremely well."
"You flatter me, Senior." Chen Mo smiled. "Sorry for the trouble, Senior, but please stand guard for me."
"Don't worry. Just focus on absorbing the Soul Ring. If you truly can't hold on, I'll intervene."
"Thank you, Senior."
With that, Chen Mo sat down cross-legged and began absorbing the Ancient Tree of Life's Soul Ring.
The moment the Soul Ring's energy surged into his body, Chen Mo felt the difference.
This energy was more than ten times as violent as that of the 4,200-year-old Soul Devouring Vine!
Moreover, an ancient will was battering Chen Mo's mental world.
"Human, you dare absorb my Soul Ring! I'll annihilate both your body and soul!"
The Ancient Tree of Life's remnant soul roared within Chen Mo's mental world.
Chen Mo gritted his teeth and activated the Divine Tree of Creation Martial Soul within his body, beginning to break down the Soul Ring's energy.
At the same time, he used his spiritual power to resist the will of the Ancient Tree of Life's remnant soul.
The Divine Tree of Creation's roots grew wildly, absorbing and breaking down the violent Soul Ring energy bit by bit.
But the energy of a Soul Ring around 9,500 years old was simply too immense. Chen Mo's meridians began to swell painfully, as though they were about to split apart.
"Young friend Chen Mo, how are you doing?"
Dugu Bo asked somewhat nervously, "Do you need me to interrupt you?"
Dugu Bo could not help being nervous. After all, Chen Mo also held both his life and his granddaughter's in the balance.
"Don't worry, Senior..." Chen Mo said through gritted teeth. "I can still hold on..."
As he persevered, Chen Mo channeled part of the Soul Ring's energy into his Divine Tree of Creation Martial Soul to promote its evolution.
As the Divine Tree of Creation Martial Soul absorbed the Ancient Tree of Life's energy, Chen Mo could feel its roots growing more developed, its crown more luxuriant, and its trunk thicker.
After gritting his teeth and holding on for two hours, he finally absorbed all the Soul Ring's energy.
The Ancient Tree of Life's remnant soul was also crushed by Chen Mo's spiritual power, becoming part of it.
Chen Mo opened his eyes and sensed the Third Soul Skill within his body.
Third Soul Skill: Life Blessing. Effect: Area healing. Restores allies' health and Soul Power while increasing all their attributes by 10% for fifteen minutes. As his level increases, the attribute bonus and duration will also increase.
Chen Mo was overjoyed.
This Soul Skill was practically a divine tool for a team!
Area healing plus an attribute boost would be immensely useful in team battles.
"You succeeded?" Dugu Bo asked excitedly. "You really absorbed a 9,500-year Soul Ring?!"
"I succeeded, Senior," Chen Mo said with a smile. "My Third Soul Skill is Life Blessing."
"By the way, Senior, I'm already 'level 40' now. C-could I trouble you to help me hunt for my Fourth Soul Ring?"
"What did you say?"
Dugu Bo stared at Chen Mo, so shocked that he was struck speechless.
Chen Mo was only six years old!
Yet he was already a level-40 prospective Soul Ancestor. Of his three existing Soul Rings, even the youngest was a thousand years old, while the oldest had reached 9,500 years.
This was no longer a genius. This was a monster-and the best possible grandson-in-law for him!
Dugu Bo took a deep breath, then said:
"Young friend Chen Mo, you... do you really want to keep going?"
Chen Mo smiled and answered without addressing the question, "Ahem, ahem, ahem. Senior, I'm already level 40 now!"
Dugu Bo froze, then understood what Chen Mo meant.
Seemingly worried that Dugu Bo would not understand, Chen Mo stopped speaking in riddles and said directly, "Senior, let's keep going."
"Also, for my Fourth Soul Ring, I'd like to try one around 15,000 years old."
Dugu Bo: "..."
He felt that he had been shocked more today than in the past several decades combined.
Dugu Bo glanced at the sky and said, "Ahem, ahem, ahem. It's too late now."
"Let's head back. It's Yanyan's first time there, and I'm afraid he won't be used to it. You can also take the opportunity to stabilize your cultivation. We'll continue tomorrow."
Hearing Dugu Bo say that, Chen Mo felt he had a point. After all, Dugu Yan was still only a little girl of seven or eight.
"All right. Sorry for the trouble, Senior."