Russell wasn’t surprised by this outcome.
Against a Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo, projectiles like arrows were the least effective method.
Close combat wasn’t viable either.
The reason plant-type Soul Beasts were called Soul Beasts was because they would retaliate upon sensing an enemy!
However, Russell’s objective was achieved.
While the arrows hadn’t caused significant damage, the attached glass vials had shattered, drenching three or four bamboo segments with murky fuel oil.
“Continue!” Russell continued to draw his bow and notch arrows.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh—!
After exhausting the fuel oil, a layer of oily film coated the surface of the Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo, slowly dripping downward.
Russell retrieved another type of arrow: “The final arrow—explosion!” Ignition!
Gathering materials for gunpowder was difficult, resulting in the explosive arrows having only moderate power.
But as a remote ignition device, a single spark was enough to start a major fire.
Red and blue flames silently erupted.
The Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo swayed its body, trying to shake off the flames.
But the fuel oil had been synthesized, enhancing both its adhesive properties and sustained burning capability.
With its limited range of motion, there was no way it could escape.
Crackle!
Pop!
The burning bamboo emitted crisp sounds.
The Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo struggled frantically, but to no avail.
Its underground roots drew up moisture, attempting to extinguish the flames, which played right into Russell’s calculations.
By now, the soil had long been contaminated with herbicide.
Russell kept tossing the remaining herbicide nearby, so the last moisture the Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo absorbed likely carried a dose of poison with every portion of water.
The flames persisted for five minutes—not because they burned the Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo to death, but because its violent shaking caused its 45-meter-tall body to snap off at the burning section.
A four-hundred-year-old plant Soul Beast lacked the intelligence for complex thought, but biological instinct gave it the courage to abandon its “damaged body” and start anew.
“That saves me some time.” Russell was momentarily stunned, then quickly accepted the fact that he was getting a bargain.
He had originally kept a few explosive arrows for a final blow against the Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo, but now it seemed they wouldn’t be needed.
He cautiously approached, confirming that the Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo’s root system couldn’t be used for attacks, and finally felt at ease moving closer.
“One last bottle, to send you off.” Russell opened the most toxic bottle of herbicide.
This was a product of a fortunate coincidence.
Since he only had the materials for one batch, it could only be used for the final cleanup.
The Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo seemed to sense the impending death crisis.
Its remaining bamboo segments began to tremble, attempting to uproot themselves.
Russell wouldn’t let it have its way.
The herbicide flowed down the bamboo segments, seeping into the soil.
The segments visibly blackened and withered.
A yellow Soul Ring slowly rose.
“Mission accomplished.” Russell breathed a sigh of relief.
After all this preparation, the time for harvest had finally arrived.
He attempted to store the Soul Ring with the Synthesizer, and the Soul Ring vanished.
“As expected, as long as I can capture it, the Synthesizer can store it.” Russell didn’t plan to absorb the Soul Ring at the bottom of the canyon; the place felt somewhat eerie.
He pondered if he had left anything behind.
The arrows had all burned up and didn’t need retrieval.
Suddenly, he remembered something.
He released the Soul Ring again and used the Synthesizer to combine the Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo’s root system with its bamboo segments.
“Due to its bamboo segments resembling dragon scales, even a dead Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo can sell for a three-digit sum in Gold Soul Coins.
The money for researching medicine and redeeming the house is secured.” “Besides, this is a Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo with intact roots.
It should sell for at least two hundred more gold coins, right?” Russell happily stored away the Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo and the hundred-year Soul Ring, slung his hunting bow over his back, and returned to the rope area, climbing upward.
Five minutes later, he reached the mountaintop, tossed the rope into the canyon, confirmed no one was nearby, and returned to last night’s campsite.
Under the familiar giant rock, Russell released the Soul Ring.
Gazing at the floating hundred-year Soul Ring, he sighed: “If it weren’t for the uncertainty of whether the Synthesizer could preserve the Soul Ring and prevent its dissipation, waiting until after leaving the Soul Hunting Forest to consider absorbing and fusing it would be the safest option.” Russell hesitated no longer.
His Soul Power recovered quickly under the influence of his cultivation technique, so there was no need to wait for additional recovery.
“Activate the technique, guide the Soul Ring onto the Martial Soul…” The Soul Ring settled onto the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.
A surge of powerful Soul Power violently rushed into Russell’s meridians, bringing intense pain.
Yet, under the control of the Three Treasures Spirit Nourishing Art, everything remained within his grasp.
The Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo was a four-hundred-year Soul Beast.
Otherwise, Russell wouldn’t have gone to such great lengths to plan for it.
It took a full two hours to completely finish the fusion.
Russell opened his eyes.
Before he could even test the Soul Skill, a sudden, sharp pain struck his chest, as if bones were trying to burst through his flesh.
Eventually, the area gradually swelled.
“What is this?” Drenched in sweat, Russell leaned against the rock, gently touching the spot on his chest.
The texture felt smooth and hard.
He removed his upper garment, and what met his eyes was an oval-shaped bone resembling a segment of the Dragonscale Tortoise-back Bamboo.
An External Spirit Bone!
Russell identified it in his heart.
‘Ha, you bamboo, after all the torment I put you through, you still left me an External Spirit Bone.
You…’ Russell closed his eyes to sense it.
Perhaps because the Spirit Bone’s age was too low, he couldn’t discern its specific abilities.
He simply used the Synthesizer to check.
[External Spirit Bone · Heart Protector] Category: Biological Bone.
Quality: Excellent (Blue) Traits: Reverse Scale, Tortoise Longevity.
Description: Dragons possess a reverse scale, the hardest scale on their body, protecting the vital heart.
Defense of the heart area +200%.
Nurtures the heart, accumulates life force consumed by vital activities, increases maximum life force, and extends lifespan.
Evaluation: The protective range of the reverse scale is too small.
Even if it’s harder than teeth, would you really block attacks with your chest?
The lifespan extension effect is not significant for Soul Masters without life attributes.
Russell somewhat agreed with the Synthesizer’s evaluation.
This External Spirit Bone couldn’t compare to the Eight Spider Lances or the Dark Gold Terror Claws, nor even the Six-Winged Purple Light Wings or Fox Tail.
“The lowest tier…
Forget it, a free Spirit Bone is still a free Spirit Bone.
And in the future, it might be possible to find a suitable Spirit Bone for synthesis.” He released his Martial Soul.
The Super Blue Silver Grass had now undergone a dramatic transformation.
The stems and leaves had become structures resembling bamboo segments, similar to vines, without becoming too rigid and inconvenient for binding.
“First Soul Skill, Blue Silver Bamboo-Scale Armor!” As soon as the words were spoken, the Blue Silver Grass grew wildly, wrapping around Russell.
After three seconds, the growth stopped, and Russell was clad in a full suit of armor.
The armor was entirely silver-blue, its surface composed of Blue Silver Grass transformed into Dragonscale Bamboo plates, arranged in an orderly yet staggered pattern.
It was very lightweight, not hindering combat.
The waist and arms bore Blue Silver Grass patterns that reflected silver light under the sun, making him look heroic and handsome.
“A defensive Soul Skill…
no, it should be called an equipment-type Soul Skill.” Russell dug a pit and performed some challenging movements: high kicks, iron bridge, jumps, rolls…
“Excellent.
It doesn’t hinder movement, can be applied to others, and allows one to temporarily serve as a support-type Soul Master.” “The bamboo armor provides defense three times the toughness of Blue Silver Grass.
For other Blue Silver Grass Soul Masters, this would at best be an ordinary defensive Soul Skill, given that Blue Silver Grass is notoriously fragile.” “The only commendable aspect is its comprehensive protection—it defends vital areas and offers additional defense without interfering with the stacking of defensive Soul Skills from support-type Soul Masters.”