NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 5: Chapter 4: This Works Too?!
After Yuhao's earlier bluff—or rather, very persuasive argument—Tang Ya had decided to pursue a plant-type soul ring. She insisted that if this choice harmed her, it would be her own responsibility and she wouldn't blame Yuhao.
(Electrolux: 'Do you think this old man is joking? I'm the one recommending this!')
They had moved to a different area of the Star Dou Forest's outskirts, one populated by plant spirit beasts to search properly.
(Datura Snake from Original Plot: 'No, you just abandoned me? Love really does fade, doesn't it?')
Currently, the trio was observing a moderately sized but wild-looking tree swaying its branches in the wind. The Zadrin tree possessed tremendous vitality but weak combat power—unable to defeat even a normal hundred-year animal spirit beast despite being approximately 1,600 years old. Its age could be determined by leaf color and branch count: pale green leaves indicated a hundred-year-old specimen, with each branch representing a century. After a thousand years, the branches merged into the trunk and the leaves turned bluish. This one had six branches and bluish-green leaves, marking it as about 1,600 years old.
"Are you sure about this, Sister Xiao Ya?" Yuhao asked. She nodded firmly. "Yes, Little Yuhao. You helped me understand that clinging to past glory without innovation would never let me improve!"
'Huh? When did I say that?' Yuhao thought internally.
'I think she means that speech about innovation you gave,' Skydream chimed in.
"Don't worry, Junior Brother Yuhao. Xiao Ya and I believe you're right," Bei Bei said sincerely. Yuhao's words about balancing tradition with innovation had resonated deeply with him. Had he known Yuhao was completely bluffing, he might have coughed up blood in frustration.
"The Zadrin tree has low offensive power but extraordinary vitality. Its leaves emit a sleep-inducing powder when disturbed," Bei Bei explained. "If Xiao Ya absorbs this soul ring, even if she gains no offensive abilities, she certainly won't lose out." He'd considered this carefully—if nothing else, it would grant Tang Ya valuable area control.
Bei Bei took a deep breath as blue scales emerged across his arm, his eyes glowing with arcs of lightning—Martial Soul Possession. With one slash, he nearly severed the tree's trunk.
"It's... healing?" Yuhao observed. Though the cut was visibly mending, the process wasn't slow at all!
"Tang Ya!" Bei Bei called out. She released her Blue Silver Grass, ensnaring the wounded tree as it released sparkling blue-white powder into the air. With a sharp tug, she snapped the trunk completely.
Strangely, the sleep powder didn't affect them—a testament to Tang Sect's mastery of antidotes, as they'd clearly taken preventive measures.
As the purple soul ring materialized, Tang Ya sat cross-legged and began absorption.
Bei Bei and Yuhao stood guard. Soul ring absorption typically took between minutes to hours.
"Senior Brother Bei Bei," Yuhao called suddenly, summoning his soul ring. Bei Bei's eye twitched at the sight of that first purple ring—something he'd need to get used to. "My first soul skill is detection-type. Should we use it for security?" Yuhao suggested as earlier, he had been talking to Skydream internally.
He'd learned several things during their mental conversations: despite being a million-year spirit beast, Skydream's combat power barely reached the hundred-thousand-year level, and he'd been imprisoned as an energy source for ten thousand years due to carelessness by other hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beasts. While Yuhao wouldn't become overly cautious, he resolved to maintain vigilance until stronger.
"Alright," Bei Bei agreed, curious. Suddenly, he felt a mental force connecting them. Allowing the link, his vision transformed into a three-dimensional awareness encompassing every particle's movement within a radius of sixty-five meters.
"Oh... OH!" Bei Bei exclaimed. This was an incredibly powerful scouting ability—he could monitor everything around Tang Ya—
"Senior Brother Bei? Why are you blushing?" Yuhao asked confused.
'Yuhao! Some things... children shouldn't know about,' Skydream interjected. Comprehension dawned on Yuhao—he was mature for his age.
"Pervert," Yuhao declared, eyeing Bei Bei with disdain and deepening his blush.
Yuhao dismissed the 'perverted brother' from his thoughts. He, Skydream, and Electrolux all assumed Tang Ya and Bei Bei were a couple—their teacher-student roleplay only reinforced this belief.
Bei Bei decided against asking for skill details after seeing Yuhao's expression of disdain, opting to quietly guard Tang Ya instead.
About twenty minutes later, Tang Ya awoke, absorption complete.
"Little Yuhao! It worked!" She summoned her martial soul. The formerly common Blue Silver Grass now bore faint yellowish veins—subtle but present.
"My third soul skill is 'Verdant Life'! It heals whatever my Blue Silver Grass wraps, sustained by my soul power. The effect isn't too fast, but the cost for Soul Power is low!" she announced excitedly. "The grass's toughness increased too—its like the vitality enhanced its durability!"
When Yuhao didn't respond to her excitement, Tang Ya turned to look at him only to find him staring blankly in shock.
The reason?
[Ding! Invested 'Thousand-Year Zadrin Soul Ring' in Tang Ya! Received x400 Return! Obtained 'Talent: Super Regeneration'!]
'No way, buddy... this works too?!'