Pain!
Though the thick vine had struck the Heavy Xuan Ruler, the violent shock still made Yang Fan see stars.
Judging by that lash's force, this Saint Soul Grass was at least 15,000 years old.
"Heh~" Yao Lao chuckled. "Little one, your adaptability needs work."
As he spoke, Bone Chilling Cold Flame erupted from his palm, forcing back surrounding vines.
"You tricked me!" Yang Fan accused.
Yao Lao's ancient eyes softened.
Yes—Yang Fan trusted him implicitly, which led to the ambush.
With an ethereal hand, he ruffled Yang Fan's hair. "Besides your grandfather, never fully trust anyone you meet. Understand?"
In that moment…
Yao Lao remembered his own betrayal.
"Master, I can trust you," Yang Fan said firmly.
Yao Lao's weathered eyes glistened. Dou Qi surged around him. "Delay invites disaster. Claim this Saint Soul Grass now!"
He'd planned to act himself—but Yang Fan spoke up:
"Master… let me try."
Every thousand years elevated a soul beast's power exponentially. Even as a plant-type, this 15,000-year beast matched a Soul King.
Before, Yang Fan might've struggled.
But now? He was a true Dou Shi. Could he not defeat a Soul King?
"Go!"
With Yao Lao's blessing, Yang Fan charged, dragging the Heavy Xuan Ruler.
Pushing through dense shrubs, he froze at the sight before him.
This is grass?!
A colossal tree stood—its trunk requiring ten men to encircle. Its height (over 30 meters) seemed modest compared to its girth. Above, canopy-sized vines coiled like a gargantuan cauliflower.
"The Saint Soul Grass's core is a wrist-thick rootstock—the energy nexus and our target ingredient. Do not damage it," Yao Lao warned.
Yang Fan breathed easier.
Refining this entire plant would require a cauldron the size of a house!
Now—
Sensing threat, the Saint Soul Grass lashed out. Thick vines whipped through the air like serpentine dragons.
Instants later, dozens slammed toward Yang Fan.
He instantly shifted tactics.
Stowing the ruler, he weaved through vine gaps with agile footwork, planting seeds of flame on each tendril.
Fire was the natural bane of plant-types!
The Infernal Delicate Apricot's divine flame utterly suppressed the Saint Soul Grass.
Dozens of vines ignited in seconds.
The beast hoisted burning vines skyward, smashing them down to extinguish flames.
But it underestimated the fire's stickiness!
The motion fanned the blaze, igniting adjacent vines.
Its tendrils thrashed wildly—a 15,000-year-old entity never encountering such an unscrupulous foe.
Then—
It wrapped unburnt vines around the roots of flaming ones and ripped them off.
A desperate move—it sacrificed power to avoid total combustion.
The severed, root-bound vines twisted into thick ropes (two men could barely encircle one) and crashed toward Yang Fan.
His response was bold, decisive—
He charged forward!
Dou Shi speed carried him to the rootstock's heart in a blink.
Feel the Xuan-tier technique's might!
Yang Fan's fist slammed into the core. Eight layers of hidden force exploded into the trunk.
This was his first Octane Blast as a Dou Shi—and the eight layers manifested effortlessly, as if destiny itself guided his strike.
Creak… creak…
Plant-types couldn't express pain like beasts, but Yang Fan felt its agony.
No matter its size, this was just a 15,000-year soul beast.
"Octane Blast!"
Yang Fan hated prolonging suffering. One decisive punch ended the Saint Soul Grass.
The towering tree still looked vibrant—but Yang Fan knew it was dead.
Summoning the Broken Soul Spear, he pierced near the root. Soul perception quickly located the core rootstock Yao Lao described.
When extracted, it resembled a peeled bamboo shoot—smaller than expected.
"This is it! Let's go!"
Any disturbance in the soul beast forest risked attracting predators—especially with Elephant Armor Sect hunting him.
Truthfully—the forest was a place where no one played fair.
You could steal from others… while someone else plotted to steal from you.
Yang Fan didn't linger. Securing the rootstock, he fled.
An hour later, at a streamside, he finally paused. Catching his breath, he pulled out the rootstock.
Hard to believe this unremarkable lump was a soul-repairing treasure.
He stored it carefully.
Saint Soul Grass—acquired!
Tier-9 Ginseng King—located!
Now only one ingredient remained: a spirit-type head bone.
Yao Lao stressed: the soul-mending pill's efficacy depended entirely on the head bone's age. Higher age meant stronger restoration.
Yang Fan had a lead:
The Continental Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament!
If his presence hadn't altered history yet, a 60,000-year spirit-type head bone would appear at the tournament in six years.
To claim it, he saw two paths.
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