Chapter 9

In the mountain forest, all the trees rustled without any wind. The thick trunks made a series of creaking sounds, as if they were about to break at any moment.

Cai Xiaoxian was startled and quickly hid behind Bu Li. Bu Li was like a mountain, shielding Cai Xiaoxian from the wind and rain.

Following Bu Li's gaze, the towering mountain seemed to be shrouded in a thick layer of mist. In the mist, something like a python or a dragon was wriggling around, struggling desperately. Every time it tried to break through the mist, it would be caught again by an invisible hand, silently shouting but unable to break free.

The moisture in the mountain forest rose and soon condensed into clouds in the air, just like the grand scene described in legends of a tribulation. Bu Li was dumbfounded, were all these things created by that old immortal? Thinking of this, a chill suddenly ran down his back. From now on, he really shouldn't say anything bad about him behind his back... That old ghost could easily kill him if he wanted to.

The entire vine struggled like a dragon in shallow water, but it was always powerless to break free from the surrounding mist. Rocks crumbled and fell, like a mudslide, with the rumbling sound echoing through the mountains.

Seeing the vine come to life and become vivid, Bu Li's eyes lit up. It was this guy, indeed, he hadn't been wrong!

Bu Li originally thought that the vine would be at most fifty to sixty feet long. Seeing the apocalyptic scene before him, he was shocked. If it weren't for Hu Wu coming along, he might really not be able to subdue this guy.

Indeed, he had been too arrogant. He never thought that even a vine at the top tier of markings would be so powerful. Thinking of the vine's strength being completely his after it was marked into his skin, bones, and soul, Bu Li couldn't help but feel his blood boil. This was a completely different kind of power, the very power he had been pursuing all along.

Compared to the vine's resistance, the white-marked beast was as gentle as a pet. No wonder Hu Wu agreed to let him choose the vine as his first marked beast; this guy was indeed more powerful than ordinary wild beasts.

A flame of ambition burned deep in his heart, making Bu Li's emotions ache. To become stronger, to find a way home, to take Cai Xiaoxian back, and to see what his lost memories were—this was all Bu Li's thoughts.

Standing straight like a long spear in the distance, Bu Li didn't move, letting the flying sand and stones hit him. He didn't dodge, only staring intently at Hu Wu subduing the vine, not daring to miss a single moment.

This was a brand new world, one that Bu Li had thought about countless times but could never approach. Hunting wild beasts in the mountain forest was only in the outermost part of the Western Mountains; he would never dare to venture deeper. Seeing this old vine was purely by chance. To familiarize himself with the old vine, Bu Li had carefully found a path that didn't belong to any powerful wild beast's territory over the years.

After years of painstaking preparation, it was finally about to become reality. Bu Li's eyes gradually narrowed, and the cigarette butt in his hand was almost burning his fingers, but he didn't notice.

The commotion was earth-shattering, but it didn't last long, only a few minutes. The thick mist had already completely obscured the mountain, making it impossible to see what was happening inside. The trees in the forest no longer rustled, only the stench of wild beasts spread far with the wind.

A black shadow gradually appeared from the thick mist, becoming clearer. Hu Wu, with one hand dragging a long, seemingly endless vine, and the other hand holding a yellow bamboo bottle, walked out of the mist. The black figure emerged from the mist with a domineering aura. This was Hu Wu? For a moment, Bu Li was dazed.

The cigarette finally burned to the end, and only then did Bu Li realize it. He quickly threw it away and put his finger in his mouth to relieve the burn.

"Is this the guy?" When Hu Wu approached, Bu Li carefully examined the vine being dragged by the old man, feeling a bit strange. It looked only a bit thicker, with nothing particularly unusual. And it was... very long?

"The whole mountain has been rooted by it, so of course it's this guy. Fortunately, it seems to be sick, otherwise it would have cost me my life. It's more powerful than I imagined, so be careful," Hu Wu said grimly. As he spoke, countless rocks rolled down the mountain behind him, like a mudslide after a heavy rain, with a shocking momentum. Cai Xiaoxian and Bu Li were dumbfounded; neither of them expected that catching a marked beast would cause such a big scene.

"What next?" After a while, Bu Li asked, repeatedly examining Hu Wu and the yellow-green vine.

"It's up to you." Hu Wu casually threw the vine on the ground, rubbed his hands, and seemed oddly excited.

"There are two methods. After marking you, the vine's soul can be immersed in the marking. The advantage of this method is that it is a mature technique, and for nearly ten thousand years, people on the Soul澜 Continent have been doing it this way, with almost no risk, and the pain you will endure will be much less. The downside is that the vine will lose its consciousness, and even after being marked, it will only be another form of consciousness, almost like your puppet. The other method is one I have researched, but it hasn't been verified yet. If you agree, it would be a good opportunity to help me verify whether my idea is correct," Hu Wu said, smoking and speaking expressionlessly, but the pride in his voice showed that even a strong person like Hu Wu was proud of this second method.

Bu Li frowned and asked, "What benefits will I get from the second method?"

"Of course, all the vine's abilities... well... you should be able to use them, or most of them. And as you practice through the skin, flesh, and bone layers, the vine's soul will naturally strengthen. It won't die; it will just live in a different environment."

Damn! Bu Li cursed inwardly. How did he sound like a pile of cow dung, having to nourish the vine and keep it alive, this...

"What are the risks?" Although Bu Li was not afraid of dangerous battles, it didn't mean he was reckless. No matter how beautiful Hu Wu's words were, he needed to be alive to enjoy them.

Hu Wu seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Bu Li's caution, glaring at him fiercely, his eyes like lightning under the black hood.

"Risks? What doesn't have risks? Great wealth comes with great risks. Are you afraid?" Hu Wu sneered at Bu Li.

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