From the Soul Motion Machine onwards, the Mechanized Douluo

Chapter 99 Life and death hang in the balance, prosperity and decline are but a thought away! [Please subscribe! Please vote!]

The next morning, on the northwest outskirts of the Starry Sky Forest, amidst verdant mountains and lush green hills, the bright sunlight shone on the dewdrops on the dense branches and leaves of the tall, verdant trees, casting dappled, colorful halos.

In the dense forest, Chen Hong and his group walked slowly through the woods, with small wild animals occasionally perched on tall branches, curiously observing them.

The morning dew dampened Chen Hong's trouser legs. He stood in the center of the Shrek Academy Soul Master team with Ning Rongrong, Oscar, and others. Zhao Wuji was in the lead, while Ning Quan lagged far behind, his aura concealed. Even Zhao Wuji, who was a realm higher than him, could not sense Ning Quan's exact location.

The group formed a battle formation, protecting the three weakest support Soul Masters in the center, while Tang San, Dai Mubai, and other combat Soul Masters stood on both sides, alert to any possible situations that might arise.

"By the way, Teacher Chen Hong, can you still make the soul tool clothes you gave Ning Quan? Don't worry, I'll offer plenty of compensation!"

On the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, Zhao Wuji, at the Soul Saint level, was basically someone who could walk sideways. However, since it was the first time the Shrek Seven Devils had traveled together as a team, he had to let them personally experience the formations that should be used in the Soul Beast Forest. Therefore, he proceeded slowly in a battle formation.

Because Chen Hong said they didn't need to worry about time, he wanted to get one or two plant-type soul beasts with shorter lifespans to study.

Although Shrek and his group didn't understand what was so interesting about studying soul beasts, did studying them increase the drop rate of soul bones?

"Well, if Teacher Zhao has enough materials, I can make it for you when I have time. Even if the materials aren't good, I can still make it, but the effect definitely won't be as good as the ice-gold trench coat Ning Quan is wearing."

Walking in the middle of the group, Chen Hong curiously observed the small animals that appeared from time to time while answering Zhao Wuji's question from ahead.

Along the way, Zhao Wuji began to covet Ning Quan's ice-gold trench coat, because Zhao Wuji suddenly discovered that the soul tool coat could not only blur the unconscious perception of soul masters, but also the unconscious perception of soul beasts.

Since entering the outer reaches of the Star Dou Great Forest, they have encountered three attacks from hundred-year-old spirit beasts. And all of these attacks started from behind the Shrek Academy team. Why? Because in the spirit beasts' perception, there were no powerful spirit masters behind the Shrek Academy team. Meanwhile, Zhao Wuji, in front, encountered no spirit beasts at all. The hundred-year and thousand-year-old spirit beasts on the outer reaches of the Star Dou Great Forest could all sense Zhao Wuji's aura from hundreds of meters away and would instinctively avoid him.

Ning Quan, who was at the rear, would often walk shoulder to shoulder with the "blind" soul beasts. After startling those hundred-year-old and thousand-year-old soul beasts, Ning Quan only scared them away and did not kill them.

Ning Quan's aura was subtle, and Zhao Wuji began to realize how terrifying he was.

"Great! I'll get one when I get back!" Zhao Wuji said excitedly.

Chen Hong simply smiled and said nothing. Ning Quan's Secret Soul Windbreaker was merely a small experimental product; Chen Hong would definitely later form this Secret Soul Divine Pattern into a Soul Power Array and apply it to his Soul Guidance Combat Suit.

If a specific effect is desired, the best material would undoubtedly be Deep Sea Secret Soul Gold. Of course, it's not necessary; Chen Hong can achieve an aura concealment effect on ordinary soul-guided metals through his 'gilding' technique, which is expected to provide about seven or eight layers of effect. The least effective method is to directly use Secret Soul Runes, wrapping soul power with mental energy and inscribing it onto ordinary metal; this would significantly reduce the aura concealment effect.

"Watch where you're going, Teacher Zhao." Chen Hong, who was moving forward in the group, suddenly noticed something and said, "There's movement on the big tree to the left."

Upon hearing this, Shrek and his group slowed down and turned their gaze to the large tree that Chen Hong had pointed out, a tree whose lush canopy was covered with lifeless vines.

Zhao Wuji led the group slowly closer, carefully using his spiritual power to sense what was on the tree, and finally a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

At this moment, Tang San, whose dark blue eyes flashed with a faint purple hue, looked at the canopy covered in vines and exclaimed in surprise, "It's actually a withered and flourishing vine with a faint vitality! Observing its nine cracks on its surface, and the yellowish flesh inside the cracks, it's actually a withered and flourishing vine that's over nine hundred years old!"

At this moment, the other members of the Shrek Seven Devils also walked up to Tang San. Ma Hongjun asked curiously, "Brother San, is there any story behind this plant-type soul beast?"

Zhao Wuji stepped forward and tugged at the withered vine that had fallen to the ground. The vine only swayed slightly, as if in protest.

Tang San looked at the withered vine with surprise and said, "Teacher said that the withered vine is the gentlest of the plant-type soul beasts. It has a weak mind and hardly reacts to the outside world. Moreover, it is very large. A withered vine with a nine-hundred-year cultivation level means that its vines exist within a radius of a hundred meters."

"But that's not even its most amazing feature. 'Withering and Flourishing,' the core root of this plant-spirit beast is only a small section. Every so often, or if its core root is killed by a spirit master, all the vines within a hundred-meter radius will instantly release their life force, gathering all their power to bloom into thousands of petals in a single moment! It's known as the 'Funeral Song of Life'!"

Life and death are but a thought away, as are prosperity and decline.

"Is it really that amazing?" Ning Rongrong asked with a hint of curiosity.

Tang San continued, "However, the difficulty in witnessing that spectacle lies in finding the core root of the Withered Glory Vine. The only good thing is that the Withered Glory Vine has virtually no defensive or offensive capabilities, so it won't pose any danger to Soul Masters."

Dai Mubai walked to the ancient trees around him and took a closer look. He indeed found that the canopy and trunk were covered with a large number of vines that looked like they had withered. They were part of the myriad bodies of the withered and flourishing vine.

Zhao Wuji said with some regret, "If this Withered Flourishing Vine had reached the thousand-year level, it would actually be quite suitable for Xiao San. The soul skills given by these plant soul beasts are generally linked to vitality. Unfortunately, this one is only over nine hundred years old, so it's not worth our effort."

If the cultivation level of this withered vine is just over a thousand years, then Zhao Wuji would be happy to dig three feet into the ground and dig out the core root of the withered vine.

Of course, Tang San could choose to make do, but he had plans for his third spirit ring and didn't think much of this non-toxic withered vine.

However, just because he doesn't like it doesn't mean that someone else doesn't like it either.

(End of this chapter)