Chapter 77: Affinity?

The massive hammer, bearing violet thunder, slammed toward the fire spirit beast.

"Sss"

The fire spirit beast emitted a strange wave; the plant Soul Beast beside it seemed to receive some summons, and spiky vines suddenly lunged at Tie Li.

The violet‑black vines carried surging lightning light, and their thorns also contained neurotoxin.

The fire spirit beast can survive in Baidi, so it must have hidden means.

The First Soul Ring on Tie Li lit up, and violet Lightning Armor covered the hammer, extending all the way to his chest.

The vines attacking Tie Li shot out like a spear, the sharp tip stabbing toward Tie Li's chest.

But Tie Li had no intention of defending; the thunder hammer, with unstoppable momentum, struck the fire spirit beast.

The cruelty in the fire spirit beast's eyes gradually gave way to fear; it began to recklessly expend spirit power to summon the plant Soul Beasts in Baidi.

"Buzz"

Several more vines thrust out, but Tie Li remained unmoved.

"Boom"

With a single hammer blow, the fire spirit beast, terrified, was smashed by the thunder hammer into a meat patty.

"Clang clang"

Several vines pierced the Lightning Armor; the collision of thunder and lightning sprayed abundant flames, yet the Lightning Armor remained intact.

The martial soul's enhancement causes the soul skill to change due to the martial soul's strength.

The First Soul Technique's Thunder Hammer Form previously mainly served to amplify attack power and add thunder‑and‑lightning damage; the Lightning Armor covering the arm provided some defensive effect;

but now the First Soul Technique, besides increasing attack and adding thunder‑and‑lightning damage, greatly boosts the Lightning Armor's defense and possesses a Division Effect: any single‑point attack that lands on the Lightning Armor has its damage divided, making it hard to break through the armor's defense.

This is why Tie Li dares to take the vines head‑on; moreover, he is wearing metal inner armor, giving him ample time to kill the fire spirit beast before dodging.

Having lost the fire spirit beast's mental summons, the vines returned to Baidi.

The fire spirit beast's most valuable part is its hide; Tie Li drew a dagger and cut the hide off. Its flesh is slightly sour, unpalatable, and fetches only a few coins when sold.

The cut hide was stored in his storage ring; the remaining flesh and blood Tie Li tossed directly into Baidi, where plant Soul Beasts would instantly break it down as nourishment.

Having adjusted his condition, Tie Li continued meditative cultivation.

The flickering violet arcs outside his body sought to re‑align with the Thunder Attribute plant Soul Beasts in the gathering place, but this time it was different.

"Sss"

A vine suddenly lunged at Tie Li; his quick reaction let him roll and dodge.

The suddenness gave Tie Li a start; such a situation had never occurred before. Fortunately he was prepared, otherwise he would have been severely wounded.

"What's going on?" Tie Li furrowed his brows, his face showing contemplation.

The most likely cause is that the fire spirit beast used its mental wave to command the plant Soul Beasts to attack itself, giving them instinctive hostility toward it.

This is the most probable, and since Baidi's Outer Perimeter is so vast, he can move elsewhere to continue meditative cultivation.

For safety, Tie Li temporarily abandoned this area.

In the wild, every place carries some danger; one can only choose a relatively safe spot.

Tie Li gave up the cliffside and came to a Qiaoshi Di.

Here are various oddly shaped stones; Tie Li selected the largest, leaned his back against a massive rock, and faced Baidi.

He stayed alert to all sides, yet the rear is often the hardest to sense danger; having a huge rock behind him made it considerably safer.

Sitting cross‑legged on the ground, he meditated; this time no plant Soul Beast attacked.

The external flickering violet arcs gradually aligned with the plant Soul Beasts' lightning light, and Tie Li's cultivation speed quickly rose.

When the frequencies matched, a pressure from the deepest Baidi followed immediately.

The mental pressure was hard on Tie Li, yet it also served as a way to train spirit power.

When his spirit could no longer bear the pressure, Tie Li chose to descend the mountain and rest.

Back at his dwelling, Tie Li urgently needed rest; he could not properly meditate now and required sleep to recover.

The eased Tie Li let out a sigh; mental burdens often feel worse than physical injuries.

"It's been so long, and Ning Ning still hasn't returned?"

Tie Li rummaged around his dwelling but found no trace left by Ning Ning.

Ning Ning knows his dwelling; if she had come looking for him and found no one, she would certainly have left a mark.

But now no mark was found.

She's been gone this long?

Tie Li felt an uncommon anxiety.

"Let's wait a bit longer," Tie Li thought.

After the spirit gets a buffer, he can use normal meditative cultivation to gradually restore spirit power.

This time the recovery was slightly faster than the last, though the time difference wasn't obvious.

Recovered, Tie Li proceeded to the Thunder Attribute plant Soul Beast gathering place on White Mud Mountain to meditate.

It was still the Qiaoshi Di spot, back against a massive rock, sitting cross‑legged.

When the thunder‑and‑lightning frequency on Tie Li's body matched that of the plant Soul Beasts, his cultivation speed quickly rose.

The advantage here isn't just cultivation speed; the interweaving of thunder and lightning refines each other's thunder‑and‑lightning attribute, making it purer.

This explains why the Thunder Attribute plant Soul Beasts inside Baidi are stronger than those elsewhere.

The same 500‑year‑old Lightning Vine, in Baidi its lightning is more destructive.

Tie Li, a few meters outside Baidi's Outer Perimeter, did not cultivate within it, so the effect was greatly weakened.

If Tie Li dared to cultivate inside the Outer Perimeter, the thunder‑and‑lightning frequency released from his body would instantly align, and the thunder‑and‑lightning emitted by surrounding plant Soul Beasts would not only refine their own thunder‑and‑lightning attribute but also serve as a cultivation method perfectly suited to his body.

But Tie Li still dares not enter the Outer Perimeter; if suddenly attacked by plant Soul Beasts, he would of course defend, and his inner soul power isn't solely Thunder Attribute— it might provoke surrounding plant Soul Beasts to swarm.

At that time, could I, with my own strength, escape while being besieged by a horde of Plant Soul Beasts?

For now, training outside the Outer Perimeter is enough for me as I am now.

The mental pressure from Deep Baidi follows immediately.

But this time, Tie Li has trained longer, and his mental resistance has improved slightly.

Before leaving Baidi, Tie Li experiences an illusion, unsure whether it stems from prolonged mental pressure.

The Thunder and Lightning Attribute within his body seems to have a tiny affinity with that of the Plant Soul Beasts?

The sensation is too faint, which makes Tie Li think it's an illusion.

Back at his residence, Tie Li eagerly falls asleep; the mental burden makes him desperately need rest.

(End of Chapter)