As she spoke, she deliberately blinked, a faint pink glow flashing in her eyes.
Though she hadn't used any Soul Power, it already carried some of the bewitching agility unique to the Bewitching Fox Soul.
"Group control!"
Su Yu was somewhat surprised—was her first Spirit Ability actually group control?
Bi Bidong also nodded approvingly: "Not bad, this Spirit Ability is quite practical. Three seconds of dizziness may seem brief, but in a duel between Soul Masters, it's enough to decide the outcome."
"It seems the Soul Ring from that Bewitching Fox was the right choice."
Receiving recognition from both her teacher and Su Yu, Hu Liena smiled even more happily. She trotted over to Bi Bidong's side, tugging at her sleeve and shaking it gently:
"Then, teacher, should we help Brother Su Yu find his Soul Ring next?"
"Mm," Bi Bidong looked toward Su Yu.
"Your body can withstand a high-year Soul Ring. Let's go deeper and find a suitable thousand-year Soul Beast."
Most Soul Beast Forests maintained by the various duchies were intended for Soul Masters' first and second Soul Rings.
After searching for three hours, they had encountered quite a few seven or eight hundred-year Soul Beasts, but not a single thousand-year one.
"Teacher, are there really thousand-year Soul Beasts in this Soul Beast Forest? Why haven't we seen any?"
Hu Liena kicked a pebble at her feet in frustration.
"Nana, there are only one or two thousand-year Soul Beasts in this Soul Beast Forest. Let's keep looking!"
"Alright!"
Hu Liena responded and skipped toward a dense thicket ahead.
"Nana, be careful! Don't run off!"
Seeing this, Bi Bidong quickly called out a warning, her feet already instinctively following.
Before Bi Bidong's words had fully faded, a panicked cry came from the thicket ahead:
"Teacher!"
"Nana!"
Bi Bidong's expression changed abruptly. Grabbing Su Yu, she rushed over.
Pushing aside the thicket, the scene before them made Bi Bidong's heart tighten—the anticipated danger wasn't there, and Hu Liena was nowhere in sight.
"Nana!?"
She called out loudly, a trace of barely perceptible urgency in her voice.
"Teacher, I'm up here!"
The voice came from above. Both Bi Bidong and Su Yu looked up.
They saw Hu Liena hanging upside down from a dark purple vine.
Her hands and feet were tightly bound, her face flushed red as she struggled to twist free.
Following the vine, they saw an ancient tree thick enough for one person to embrace, its trunk entwined with countless dark purple vines.
These vines writhed and coiled like living creatures, covered in fine barbs and exuding a chilling aura.
"It's a Ghost Vine! And it's thousand-year level!" Bi Bidong recognized this Soul Beast, a hint of delight appearing in her brow.
Ghost Vine is a parasitic Soul Beast among plant-type Soul Beasts, usually parasitizing other plant Soul Beasts.
In its early growth stages, it absorbs the Soul Power of its host plant. After a hundred years, it begins hunting small Soul Beasts for additional nutrition.
The vines of a thousand-year Ghost Vine are extremely tough and carry a mild toxin.
Once it reaches a thousand years, the Ghost Vine's aggressiveness greatly increases, typically hunting small to medium-sized Soul Beasts that pass through its territory.
This Ghost Vine's attributes and age are both suitable for Su Yu's Soul Ring. Truly, misfortune and fortune are intertwined!
"Teacher, I can't move..."
Hu Liena cried out pitifully, trying to channel her Soul Power to break free, but the Ghost Vine's tendrils only tightened further.
"Don't be afraid, Nana." Bi Bidong reassured her, then turned her gaze to Su Yu. "Step back a little, Xiao Yu."
Before her words faded, Soul Power surged at her fingertips, and a sharp purple light blade shot through the air, precisely severing the vine entangling Hu Liena.
"Rip—"
The vine snapped instantly. Hu Liena let out a startled "Ouch!" as she fell, but Bi Bidong caught her swiftly.
"Thank you, Teacher..."
Hu Liena clung to Bi Bidong's neck, still shaken.
After having its vine severed, the thousand-year Ghost Vine seemed thoroughly enraged.
Several dark purple vines shot out abruptly from the trunk with a sharp whistling sound, hurtling toward them!
Bi Bidong shielded Hu Liena and Su Yu behind her, her eyes narrowing as she spoke in an icy tone:
"Foolish overconfidence."
Her Soul Power surged dramatically around her, a faint purple halo spreading out to form an invisible barrier.
The wildly attacking vines crashed violently against the barrier, instantly shattering into countless fine purple particles.
"Xiao Yu, this Ghost Vine's age and attributes are compatible with you. Use it for your first Soul Ring."
Bi Bidong spoke without turning her head, her tone carrying an undeniable resolve.
"Alright! Thank you, Teacher!"
A flicker of excitement crossed Su Yu's eyes as he nodded firmly.
Bi Bidong's fingertips twitched slightly, and several purple light blades cut down the few stray vines that had slipped through.
She gently set Hu Liena down and turned to Su Yu, instructing:
"Watch over Nana, don't let her run off. I'll be right back."
Before her words fully dissipated, Bi Bidong's figure vanished from their sight.
Su Yu immediately stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Hu Liena.
After about three minutes, the vines ahead ceased their thrashing, and the main trunk of the thousand-year Ghost Vine gradually withered.
Bi Bidong reappeared before them, cradling a fist-sized sphere of light in her palm.
The sphere shimmered with a faint green glow, within which tiny, intertwined vines could vaguely be seen.
This was the Ghost Vine's Vine Heart—the core of such Soul Beasts.
"Xiao Yu, this is the Ghost Vine's Vine Heart. Eliminate it, and you can absorb the Ghost Vine's Soul Ring."
Su Yu took the Vine Heart from Bi Bidong. "Thank you, Teacher!"
"Alright, absorb it quickly!"
"Mm!"
Su Yu drew a short knife from the Soul Guidance Device at his waist and plunged it into the Ghost Vine's Vine Heart.
"Pfft—"
A crisp cracking sound echoed as green sap slowly trickled down the blade, carrying the pungent scent of vegetation.
As the Vine Heart was pierced, its surface glow visibly dimmed.
The tiny vines inside lost their vitality, completely withering.
Within moments, a deep purple Soul Ring slowly rose from the withered Vine Heart.
After circling once in the air, it hovered before Su Yu.
Su Yu glanced up at Bi Bidong, and seeing her slight nod, he hesitated no longer.
Sitting cross-legged, he regulated his breathing and began guiding his internal Soul Power to establish a connection with the purple Soul Ring.
The purple Soul Ring descended gradually, enveloping his body as a surge of immense power flooded through him.
Su Yu gritted his teeth, veins faintly pulsing on his forehead, while the cyan-green glow of his Wood Release Spirit illuminated his skin.
Bi Bidong stood guard quietly nearby, her spiritual energy constantly monitoring Su Yu's condition to prevent any mishaps.
Hu Liena also held her breath, watching Su Yu nervously, her small hands tightly clutching the hem of her clothes.
Time passed second by second, sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on Su Yu's body.