The very next second, while he was still rejoicing, the mantis swung its scythe from another direction, slashing straight at Toji.
Toji quickly sidestepped, but the edge of the scythe still left a deep wound on his shoulder, and blood instantly welled out.
"Hiss-"
Toji retreated several steps, putting distance between himself and the mantis again.
Seeing that its attack had failed to kill him, the mantis also retreated, its entire figure vanishing into the thick foliage.
Toji stared intently at his surroundings, trying to catch sight of it, but the mantis's camouflage made it blend almost perfectly into its surroundings, making it difficult to distinguish.
"Camouflage?"
It seemed this Soul Beast also fought like an assassin, and its camouflage blended perfectly with the environment.
He had unknowingly wandered into the mantis's territory. Perhaps it had spotted him from close range long ago, while he had failed to notice the Soul Beast.
Gripping his broadsword, Toji gave it one hundred and twenty percent of his attention to guard against another sneak attack from the mantis.
Suddenly, the leaves to his left rustled slightly. Toji inwardly cursed, knowing he wouldn't have time to react, and the barrier released by his soul tool unfolded again.
Yet the mantis's attack came from the right. Its scythe-like forelimb tore through the Soul Power barrier again, leaving a wound on Toji's waist.
"Puchi!"
Blood splattered everywhere, and Toji let out a muffled grunt. The Soul Beast's speed and attack power far exceeded his expectations. Its camouflage in particular made it impossible for him to pinpoint its location.
What was more, this Soul Beast was extremely cunning. It struck only once before immediately slipping away, giving Toji no chance to counterattack.
"Let's see how long you can keep hiding."
Toji plunged his broadsword into the ground, raised a hand to rub his neck, and rolled it, producing cracking sounds.
Then he suddenly stomped down with all his strength. The tremendous force shattered the ground in an instant, sending dirt and broken stones bursting into the air.
Toji raised his hand, his fingers striking the stones flying around him like lightning.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
The stones shot in every direction at astonishing speed, each carrying tremendous force and instantly gouging cracks all over the surrounding trees and ground.
"Puchi!"
A stone struck the mantis hidden among the leaves, instantly slicing a gash in its abdomen. Green blood mixed with fluid ran down and dripped onto the ground.
"Found you." Following the blood, Toji pinpointed the mantis's position and immediately charged forward, the broadsword in his hand chopping straight at it.
The mantis let out a pained screech and emerged from the leaves. Its abdomen had been cut open by the stone, and blood flowed continuously from the wound. It was clearly badly hurt.
It was obviously the type with high attack and low defense.
Seeing Toji charging straight at it, the mantis raised and swung its forelimbs, blocking his attack.
Toji's attack did not stop there, however. The instant the mantis blocked, he activated the Soul Bone Skill in his left leg.
Teleportation.
Silver light flashed, and Toji appeared directly at its side, his broadsword once again hacking toward its enormous belly.
"Puchi!"
The broadsword plunged fiercely into the mantis's belly, and blood instantly gushed out.
Toji gripped the broadsword tightly and kept dragging it downward through the belly. As the mantis wailed, its lower abdomen was sliced in two.
With injuries like that, it could no longer survive, but it was still capable of a dying counterattack.
A vicious light flickered in the mantis's eyes, and the emerald-green glow around its body grew even brighter. It turned its head and fired a beam of green energy from its mouth, straight at Toji.
Toji used Teleportation again, dodging the attack and appearing behind the mantis. He raised his broadsword high and chopped straight at its head.
The mantis brought its forelimbs across in front of itself, forcibly blocking Toji's fatal blow.
"Clang!"
The broadsword and scythes collided with a piercing metallic crash. Seeing his blow blocked, Toji released the broadsword without hesitation. His right hand shot out like lightning and seized the mantis by its slender neck.
"Crack!"
Toji squeezed, crushing the mantis's neck. Green blood spurted out, splashing across his face with a fishy stench.
The mantis did not even have a chance to scream, but its scythe-like forelimbs had already fallen toward Toji under their own momentum, attempting to deliver one final blow before it died.
Toji had been prepared. He reached out with his left hand and caught the swinging scythe.
"Puchi!"
Ignoring the blood flowing from his hand, Toji reversed the scythe and stabbed it into the mantis's body. Its sharp blade instantly pierced the shell, and green blood mixed with fluid gushed out.
The mantis's body shuddered violently, then collapsed limply to the ground. The light gradually faded from its eyes, until they finally went completely dull.
Toji panted heavily. He lifted his foot and stomped hard on the Jade Shadow Mantis's head, producing a muffled bursting sound.
"Bang!"
The mantis's head was crushed completely, green blood and brains splattering everywhere.
After he finished it off, a Soul Ring as black as ink rose from the mantis's corpse, radiating the powerful pressure of a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
"Congratulations, congratulations! You hunted down a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast all by yourself."
Only then did Du Busi show himself. He looked at Toji with great satisfaction.
"This Soul Beast is rather unusual. Its camouflage is exceptionally powerful, and its attacks are much stronger than those of others at the same level. Its weakness is its exceptionally low defense."
"If I absorb this Soul Ring, can I gain its means of attack?" Toji asked. "Especially that move that can Ignore Defense. It would suit me perfectly."
"That's right. Though it's an insect-type Soul Beast, if you get that outstanding ability of its, I can hardly imagine it," Du Busi said with a smile. "You're lucky. Come on, kid, sit cross-legged and circulate your Qi and blood. Slowly establish a connection with the Soul Ring, then bring it into your body and begin absorbing the energy inside it."
Toji sat cross-legged and took a deep breath. The Qi and blood in his body began to circulate slowly.
"Remember, the energy in a Soul Ring is extremely violent, especially in a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring. The slightest mistake and it will backlash against you," Du Busi said gravely. "You need to use your Qi and blood to guide it and slowly resonate with it. Whatever you do, don't rush. Let your body absorb the Soul Ring's energy slowly."
"Especially since it's your first time and you're not practiced at it."
Toji closed his eyes and focused his mind inward. His Qi and blood surged through his meridians like rivers.
He slowly reached out and gently touched the surface of the Soul Ring with his fingertips.
In an instant, a violent surge of energy rushed into his body like a flood.
That energy rampaged through his meridians like blades, bringing intense pain.
"Use your Qi and blood to guide that energy," Du Busi's voice sounded beside his ear. "Just like when you normally absorb the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth. Take it slowly..."
Toji did not answer. He concentrated fully on controlling the Qi and blood in his body, absorbing the Soul Ring's energy.
As time passed, the Soul Ring's energy was gradually suppressed by Toji's Qi and blood and began to slowly merge into his body.
The violent energy gradually grew gentle, like a tamed beast, obediently following Toji's commands.
"Very good. Keep guiding it and let it merge completely with your Qi and blood," Du Busi continued.
Toji continued circulating his Qi and blood. The Soul Ring's energy was gradually resonating with his body, as though becoming a part of him.
Finally, after a long ordeal, the Soul Ring's energy merged completely into Toji's body.
He opened his eyes, immediately stood up, took out a crystal ball, and placed his hand on it.
Level forty-one.
"I did it."
A satisfied smile appeared on Toji's face. He was finally a Soul Ancestor.
"Kid, show this old man what your Fourth Soul Skill is like." Du Busi looked at him expectantly. His breakthrough to Soul Ancestor this time was another enormous improvement.