A yellow spirit ring appeared beneath Sisi's feet. She quickly shouted,"First Spirit Skill: Tenacity!"
The branches of her Thorn Datura Flower rapidly lengthened and thickened, transforming into a crystalline, bamboo-like structure. It rose like a protective shield between the datura snake and Sisi.
Before she could even catch her breath, the snake's sharp fangs shattered the branches. Despair washed over Sisi as the fangs lunged for her neck, her face turning deathly pale.
At that precise moment, a small hand covered in black light shot forward, gripping the snake's vital point. No matter how fiercely it struggled, it could not break free. The black light burrowed into the snake's body, spreading through its energy.
Sisi's fear finally overwhelmed her, and she collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.
Two hours later, the emerald green of the Mandragora Snake in Chu Tianxiu's hand gradually faded to a dull earthy color. Its toxins and soul power had vanished, leaving it weaker than a ten-year-old soul beast. Chu Tianxiu flicked his wrist, sending the snake flying far into the forest.
Only then did Sisi notice a swirling orb of black and green light hovering above Chu Tianxiu's hand, emitting an eerie glow.
"Sister Sisi," Chu Tianxiu said calmly, "this light is the essence of the Mandragora Serpent. We're lucky — a suitable soul beast has come to us as soon as we entered the forest. Judging from the number of its joints, it's at least six hundred years old."
Sisi, still trembling slightly, asked,"Brother… brother, how did you figure out its age?"
Chu Tianxiu gently pinched her nose, a playful glint in his eyes."Sister, look. From the seventh inch to its tail, it has six joints. The sixth joint is much smaller than the first five, so it must have just surpassed six hundred years. It might be tricky for you at first, but with me here, there won't be any problems."
Although Sisi was vain and admired strength, she also possessed the courage of a true Soul Master. She kissed Chu Tianxiu quickly before sitting cross-legged and circulating her soul power, preparing to absorb the essence of the Mandragora Serpent.
Seeing her ready, Chu Tianxiu remained silent. He guided the essence of the serpent toward her martial soul hovering above her head. As the two energies merged, the light cluster began to fracture. The green energy of the serpent flowed into the Datura Flower, gradually transforming its form.
Just as the final wave of absorption occurred, Sisi's face flushed crimson. She spat out a mouthful of dark red blood, her breathing weakening.
'Too much energy… the Datura's capacity can't handle it,' Chu Tianxiu thought, frowning.
The Mandragora Snake's overwhelming energy had caused a violent overflow into Sisi's body. Her constitution was too weak to endure the last surge of venom and chaotic soul power. Chu Tianxiu immediately raised his right hand, channeling his own soul power into her, stabilizing the erratic flow and guiding it safely into her martial soul.
Gradually, Sisi's breathing steadied. Chu Tianxiu withdrew his hand once he was certain the danger had passed.
After a long moment, Sisi finally completed the absorption. She immediately leapt forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Chu Tianxiu in a suffocating hug. He could feel her gratitude and relief, and only when he was nearly gasping for air did she finally release him.
'Strong… but still a child,' Chu Tianxiu thought with a faint smirk. 'She's got potential, but I need to make sure she grows safely. That Mandragora Serpent was just the beginning.'