"Good brother, thank you. I'll follow you from now on," Sisi said, finally releasing Chu Tianxiu from her tight hug.
Chu Tianxiu took a deep breath, straightening himself."Alright, Sister Sisi. Show me your martial soul."
Sisi summoned her martial soul, the Thorn Datura Flower, now dramatically mutated from its ordinary form. The white petals shimmered with a green glow, and the crystalline bamboo-like segments of the branch had transformed into dark green spurs, each covered in sharp thorns—six segments in total. Driven by Sisi's soul power, it moved with an almost seductive allure, its energy humming with lethal potential.
"First Soul Skill: Resilience!" she shouted.
Instantly, the thorny flower coiled around a nearby tree like a living python. The tree trunk twisted and splintered under the pressure, snapping into fragments. A two- or three-meter-long tree lay shattered on the ground, the broken ends glistening with traces of venom.
Sisi stared at the damage in shock. 'This… this is incredible! My first soul skill used to be just a weak shield. It was practically useless in combat. But now… it can kill!'
Her heart surged with exhilaration. The fusion with the Mandragora Serpent's essence had awakened hidden potential, granting her martial soul serpentine characteristics she had never imagined. Her shield could now constrict, entangle, and even inject venom.
Chu Tianxiu observed quietly, a faint smile on his face."Sister Sisi, now your martial soul possesses a trace of serpentine traits. You can use more strangulation and entanglement techniques in combat from now on."
Sisi nodded eagerly, eyes sparkling with excitement."Okay, little brother. Now that my soul power cultivation has reached level twenty, let's hunt down my second soul ring before we leave."
Chu Tianxiu returned her nod, and the two of them ventured deeper into the forest, moving with purpose and silent determination.
'With her now gaining real combat power, she'll rely on me completely… good. That's exactly what I want,' Chu Tianxiu thought, a calculating glint in his eyes as they disappeared among the thick trees.