The next morning, Chu Tianxiu and Sisi purchased dry food and a tent at the market before heading straight into the Soul Beast Forest.
After spending the night together, their relationship had grown noticeably closer. While they hadn't taken the final step due to limited resources, they had explored each other's bodies thoroughly.
Sisi's full figure, slender waist, and pert buttocks captivated Chu Tianxiu, whose body was only six years old but whose soul had matured nearly thirty years. Likewise, Chu Tianxiu's lean, muscular physique — honed from fighting soul beasts — drew Sisi's admiration and desire.
Dressed in a red outfit with a white trench coat draped over it, Sisi led the way, pushing thorns aside and clearing a path.
"Little brother," she asked cautiously, "with just the two of us… one a Soul Master, the other a Soul Warrior, won't we be in danger?"
Chu Tianxiu walked leisurely beside her, his tone calm and confident."Don't worry, Sister Sisi. I've lived here for over a year. The strongest soul beasts here are a few seven- or eight-hundred-year-olds. Before, I could only handle five-hundred-year-olds, but after awakening my martial soul, I can take on the stronger ones too."
Sisi's wariness eased. She could sense Chu Tianxiu's familiarity with the forest and the beasts, and for a moment, it felt as if she had returned home.
Curiosity flickered in her eyes."Little brother… what kind of soul beasts are we looking for this time?"
Chu Tianxiu thought for a moment before replying,"Sisi, although your martial soul, the Thorn Mandala, mutated from a common mandala flower, it has an advantage: the sharpness of its thorns. Also, your first soul ring is already a hundred years old — that alone surpasses most Soul Masters. We'll mainly look for soul beasts that possess both potent poison and sharpness."
Sisi frowned slightly."Why those two types? Shouldn't a flower-type martial soul focus on bewilderment or support?"
Chu Tianxiu leaned close and kissed her cheek. Sisi gasped softly."Sisi, your martial soul is inherently sharp. Absorbing soul beasts with sharp attributes will evolve your martial soul fastest, while absorbing poisonous soul beasts will give you more options when facing enemies in the future."
Sisi pressed a grateful kiss to his forehead."Good little brother, you're so good to your sister. When you grow up, I'll definitely thank you properly," she said with a flirtatious wink.
Chu Tianxiu smirked faintly in his mind. 'She says that, but she may not really mean it…' He remained silent outwardly.
In truth, Chu Tianxiu had his own plan. Tang San, the original protagonist, had a 400-year-old Mandragora Snake as his first spirit ring and a 780-year-old Ghost Vine as his second. Chu Tianxiu intended to intercept Tang San's first two spirit rings. Originally, Grandmaster had planned to hunt a 423-year-old Snake Vine Flower for Tang San, but due to a twist of fate, obtained the Mandragora Snake instead. By striking first, Chu Tianxiu could greatly weaken Tang San in the early stages.
By noon, Sisi and Chu Tianxiu were resting and eating their dry rations when danger struck.
A Mandragora Snake, hidden on a banyan tree behind them, launched itself at Sisi.
Sisi sensed a foul gust of wind from behind and turned just in time to see the venomous snake, its emerald-green segmented body coiling, two fangs bared, lunging straight at her. Her face paled instantly.
"Ah!" she cried, summoning her martial soul.
From the ground ahead of her, a white datura flower sprouted, its stem bristling with sharp thorns that glimmered in the sunlight.
'Here we go… time to show her how this little brother handles danger,' Chu Tianxiu thought, stepping forward with a calm, confident smile.