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"Yes, this is the one!"
Dai Weisi was instantly overjoyed. The Bloodsucking Vine resembled the Ghost Vine that Little Thug hunted when obtaining his second soul ring—both were parasitic soul beasts that lived off other plants by absorbing their nutrients.
The most distinctive feature of the Bloodsucking Vine was the dense array of barbs covering its body, which it used to draw energy from its host plant.
If Anna could hunt and absorb this soul ring, she might gain a similar ability as a soul skill.
"Nana, this is a Bloodsucking Vine with nearly seven hundred years of cultivation. It's a very suitable choice for your first soul ring. However, the age is quite high… I'm not sure if you'll be able to absorb it successfully."
"Brother Weisi, I'm willing to try. If it doesn't work out, please step in and stop me in time." Determination gleamed in Anna's eyes, her expression solemn and resolute. There wasn't the slightest hint of hesitation—she radiated the spirit of someone ready to stake everything on success.
Seeing this, Dai Weisi nodded lightly. He had faced a similar situation when absorbing his fourth soul ring. No madness, no survival; no success, then death!
"Very well! Nana, with such unyielding will, you're bound to succeed! Uncle Li, it's your turn—pull that Bloodsucking Vine down for me!"
"Yes, sir!"
Against a seven-hundred-year-old plant-type soul beast, Li Hu didn't even need to summon his martial soul. Soul power gathered beneath his feet as he launched himself into the air.
Whoosh! In the blink of an eye, he was in front of the Bloodsucking Vine. Reaching out with one massive hand, he firmly grasped one of its tendrils.
His legs stuck to the tree trunk as if glued, his body bent at a perfect right angle. With a full-body effort, he easily yanked the vine down from the trunk.
Once it hit the ground, the Bloodsucking Vine writhed like a crimson chain snake. It seemed to sense danger and tried to crawl away from the scene.
But after all, it was still a plant—its mobility wasn't great, only slightly faster than an earthworm.
Dai Weisi handed a dagger to Anna and said, "Nana, finish it quickly. Just slice it into a few pieces, then get ready to absorb the soul ring."
"Okay."
Anna took the dagger and, without hesitation, struck once, slicing the vine cleanly in two.
Had it been an animal, she might have felt a pang of sympathy. But for a plant? Not at all. Over the years, she had unknowingly trampled more blades of grass than she could count.
After chopping the vine into eight pieces, a pale yellow soul ring emerged from the remains, coalescing in the air into a beautiful ring that floated before Anna.
"Nana, now's the time!"
"Got it, Brother!"
Anna immediately sat cross-legged and, following the method Dai Weisi had taught her, began attaching the soul ring to her martial soul.
Boom!
As the soul ring merged with her martial soul, a surge of vast and terrifying energy poured into her small body.
At that moment, Anna resembled a monk cultivating beneath a waterfall. Her soul power was the waterfall—torrential and unrelenting. If she could endure the impact, her strength would rise to a new level. But if she were swept away by the force, it would mean certain death!
Gritting her teeth, Anna relied on sheer willpower to withstand the torrent of soul power. Beads of sweat the size of pearls rolled down her forehead, and her entire body was soaked with cold sweat.
"Your Highness, isn't a seven-hundred-year soul ring too much for Miss Anna?" Li Hu asked in surprise. In his eyes, asking a young girl to absorb such a high-level soul ring was no different from sending her to her death.
Dai Weisi, however, simply smiled. He had great faith in Anna. "Don't worry, Uncle Li. Nana is very resilient, and the ten-thousand-year whale glue she's taken has made her physique far stronger than average. Her martial soul is the Herb Spirit, so absorbing a plant-type soul ring will go much more smoothly for her."
Dai Weisi waited patiently. Two hours later, Anna had safely passed the danger zone and was now calmly absorbing the energy of the soul ring. She would emerge stronger than before.
Seeing this, Li Hu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Though her martial soul was plant-type, her innate soul power was at level nine—a rare talent. He would have hated to see someone so gifted perish prematurely.
Another half hour passed before Anna opened her bright eyes. The first thing she saw was Dai Weisi, and she smiled cheerfully. "Brother Weisi, I did it! I absorbed the soul ring! I'm finally a soul master!"
"That's right! Congratulations, Nana—you're officially a soul master now." Dai Weisi grinned and playfully pinched the soft cheek of the little girl.
Then he asked the question that had been on his mind: "Nana, what's your soul power level now? And what's your first soul skill?"
"Brother, my soul power has already reached level thirteen!"
"Level thirteen? Not bad!"
Dai Weisi nodded slightly. He recalled that Tang San also reached level thirteen after absorbing his first soul ring—but Tang San had innate full soul power and had cultivated the Xuantian Technique for three months beforehand.
In contrast, Anna had rushed to obtain her first soul ring as soon as she broke through level ten. Clearly, the seven-hundred-year-old soul ring had provided her with a significant boost in soul power.
"Nana, what's your first soul skill?"
Anna explained, "Brother, my first soul skill grants me the ability of the Bloodsucking Vine to absorb the essence of plants. Watch closely!"
She walked up to a large tree, released her Herb Spirit martial soul, and channeled soul power into her newly acquired soul ring. At once, the ring lit up with a pale yellow glow.
Her martial soul underwent a dramatic transformation—what was once a warm green blade of grass now turned a deep blood-red, sprouting countless barbs, looking nearly identical to the Bloodsucking Vine itself.
"First Soul Skill: Bloodsucking Bind!"
Anna called out crisply. In an instant, her Herb Spirit turned into blood-red vines that tightly wrapped around the large tree. The barbs extended and hardened like steel needles, piercing deep into the trunk and drawing out the tree's essence.
Immediately, the tree began to wither at a rate visible to the naked eye. In just two minutes, it was completely dead, while Anna's soul power had risen slightly.
Seeing this, Dai Weisi couldn't help but reveal a shocked expression. "Nana, is this really your first soul skill?"
"Yes, Brother," Anna nodded. "My first soul skill allows me to absorb the essence of plants and convert it into soul power, which helps me cultivate faster.
I can also directly absorb the soul power of plant-type soul beasts without the risk of exploding due to overload. But I can only absorb soul power from plant-type beasts—animal-type soul beasts won't work.
Also, this soul skill is capable of growth. As my strength increases, the speed at which I absorb plant essence will also increase."
"My heavens, this is practically a divine skill!" Dai Weisi exclaimed in delight. "Even though this soul skill doesn't have high offensive power, it's incredibly practical. With this ability, you can raise your level in a short amount of time.
Nana, I believe it won't be long before you become a powerful soul master!"
Based on Dai Weisi's judgment, even if Anna's Bloodsucking Bind couldn't absorb the soul power of other soul masters, the sharp barbs alone gave it offensive capabilities comparable to Tang San's Blue Silver Bind.
And it could still assist in cultivation and rapidly boost soul power—what more could anyone ask for?
(End of Chapter)