Half an hour later.
"Rustle, rustle…" On the other side of the stream, behind a cluster of shrubs, came the unnatural sound of branches shaking.
"Hm?" Yang Yunhai, who had already been half-focused on his surroundings, was immediately alerted. His eyes snapped open in an instant.
Looking up, he saw a flying snake. It was over two meters long, its body a faint red, thin wing-like membranes stretched along its sides, and a crimson lump stood out on its head.
It flew less than three meters above the ground, but its speed was not slow. In the blink of an eye, it had swept across the riverbed and was heading straight toward him.
"A flying Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent. No wonder it could slip past the Blue Silver Grass's sensing range and make it here." Yang Yunhai's eyes glinted. Without hesitation, he summoned his Martial Soul and muttered, "Perfect timing. Just right for testing my Martial Soul's current devouring ability and storage effect."
With that, he flicked his right hand. A vine shot out like lightning, meeting the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent head-on as it dove.
With less than 400 years of cultivation, the snake's speed was far from beyond his vision. Besides, with a body over two meters long, the target was not small.
Puff! The vine struck squarely at its waist.
"Zzzt…" The crackle of electricity rang out. The snake's body spasmed, and it crashed to the ground, twisting in pain.
"Gotcha!" Yang Yunhai raised an eyebrow. He immediately tightened the binding force of the vine, wrapping the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent into a neat, immobile bundle.
Then he drove the barbed tip straight into the crimson lump on its head, activating his devouring ability.
"What the—? Even bodily fluids are getting sucked up. My barbs really are like needles now?" He was shocked.
But his brows furrowed quickly. "This won't do!"
"The effect is too aggressive. Way too close to being seen as an evil soul skill. I'll have to spend time learning to control this power."
Closing his eyes, he focused on the liquid and energy being drawn from the lump, carefully slowing the pace to sense and adjust.
Two quarters of an hour later, when the snake was almost drained dry, inspiration struck.
"If the barbs are needles, then the vine is a tube. If it can draw out… can't it also…" He suddenly recalled the IV drips from his past life.
Acting on the thought, he pushed soul power to force the absorbed liquid back into the snake's lump.
Instantly, he felt its vitality surge back. The snake thrashed violently, regaining strength.
"It really works!?" Yang Yunhai's jaw dropped in amazement.
"Hey, no need to panic. I was terrified the first time I had an IV too!" he muttered, before once again turning on the devouring ability.
To master this new ability, he reluctantly kept the poor snake as his "test subject" for another hour.
Finally, he let go.
"Brother, thanks for your service. You're free to go!" He waved as the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent shot back into the forest without looking back.
"Storage capacity at the roots seems to be about a tenth of my soul power. Not bad. As for devouring—blood, fluids, soul power—it all works. If only it could drain spiritual power too, that would be incredible." Shaking his head, he walked back to sit by the fire.
For now, his Martial Soul could only take in tangible energy. Spiritual power or souls were clearly off-limits.
Glancing at the girl still unconscious nearby, he closed his eyes and meditated.
Two quarters later, another hundred-year soul beast stumbled into his camp—another test subject.
Then a third. Then a fourth.
Yang Yunhai grew more and more adept at controlling his devouring.
By dawn, after testing seven soul beasts in total, he had a fat white rabbit corpse at his side—kept aside for breakfast.
"Still not awake?" He sighed, got up, and carried the rabbit to the stream to skin and clean it.
Wading into the shallow water, he worked quickly—when suddenly he froze.
"Rustle, rustle…" Beneath the sound of flowing water, he heard faint movement. It wasn't loud, but he caught it. Something was approaching.
And not just one—many.
The sounds came from every direction.
A pack.
Frowning, Yang Yunhai leapt ashore, set the rabbit meat down, and summoned his Martial Soul. Whatever it was, it was already here.
In the next moment—whoosh! A gray wolf over two meters long burst from the brush, not far from where the girl lay.
Then another. And another.
Within seconds, seven wolves had surrounded them, green eyes gleaming, sharp fangs bared.
"Awoo…" The largest howled, and the pack closed in.
Yang Yunhai narrowed his eyes. The leader's gaze wasn't fixed on him, but on the unconscious girl behind him. Drool dripped from its jaws.
Then it snapped back toward him, mane bristling as two blades of wind formed and shot forward.
"!!" Instantly, eight vines lashed out from Yang Yunhai's back. Two whipped forward, cracking against the blades of wind.
The others darted like spears, piercing the wolves that lunged at him, twisting savagely. The wind blades struck his vines, but didn't even cut the skin.
"Awwoooo!" Wolves shrieked in pain. Seeing things turn, the alpha spun and bolted.
"Mm…" A faint groan sounded behind him.
"You're not escaping that easily!" Yang Yunhai's eyes went cold. His vines shot out, coiling around the alpha's legs and dragging it down.
Not even 500 years old, it had no chance to outrun him.
"Awwooo!" It howled in agony as its legs tore.
Thud! A sharp sound came from behind.
"!?" Yang Yunhai turned quickly. The girl was on her feet, crouched low in a battle stance, fingers curled like claws.
Looks like the wolf's howl had woken her, and she had sprung up instinctively.
Her flexibility was remarkable. And with that figure—her "potential" was extraordinary, he thought to himself.
"Gale Demon Wolves!?" The girl's face drained of color as she recognized them. But a quick glance at her clothes, then the battlefield, told her the truth.
Clearly, this boy had saved her, dressed her, guarded her through the night, and even fended off waves of soul beasts.
Especially these Gale Demon Wolves.
She knew well what kind of fate awaited if she had fallen into their claws. She would have chosen death long before.
"Many thanks, young lady, for saving my life." She raised her head and, taking in Yang Yunhai's pale yet striking face, spoke with rare solemnity.
(End of Chapter)
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