In the end, although his mind was full of rage and thoughts of revenge, he didn't blindly attack the said [Red Skull Bandit Group]. He might not want to admit it himself but without his beast, he's powerless as [Body Tempering-Stage] cultivator. Also, Celia, who is his strongest beast, was currently busy.

Besides, he didn't even know where to attack them in the first place. He didn't know yet where the location of the bandit group. Again, if he wanted to search for their base, Celia was the best candidate for the job.

Due to this, although he wanted nothing but to slay his village's tormentors, he have to postpone it until his beast was all finished and recovered. Although this might not ensure his victory, it will increase his odds to very large margin.

And since he's not yet to do anything, he diligently cultivated this time, wanting to increase his strength even for a little bit, hoping to contribute somehow to the upcoming battle.

This time, he's focusing on cultivating his [Myriads Beast Soul-Branch Technique]. He can't cultivate the [Heavenly Beast God Technique] as Shelly was focus on recuperating while his [Dantian Genesis Cultivation Method] was not focused on combat. Although the [Myriads Beast Soul-Branch Technique] wasn't combat-based art too, but this technique greatly complimented his [Unseen Hands Technique]. He was also greatly surprised with this fact.

In truth, the [Unseen Hands Technique] was almost identical to his [Myriads Beast Soul-Branch Technique]. Both the essence of the technique was splitting the soul, the only difference was their purpose. The other one was for beast taming while the other was forming an hands made of spiritual energy. They were connected since the hands he could form actually correspond to the number of his soul branch. Since his [Myriads Beast Soul-Branch Technique] was at [Peak Third Stage] and already have a total of eight soul branches, he could also form a total of eight unseen hands.

The good thing about this scenario was that he don't need to train the [Unseen Hands Technique]. His progress to his [Myriads Beast Soul-Branch Technique] was also his progrees to [Unseen Hands Technique].

The [Unseen Hands Technique] could be use as offense, that was why he decided to cultivate the [Myriads Beast Soul-Branch Technique] first. He intended to use the technique the way Ricky used his [Free Water Bending Skill], makes weapon float and overwhelm his opponent with number of weapons. It might not be the best way to utilize the technique but it was currently he could think of at the moment.

The [Unseen Hands Technique] was not really invisible. It was only invisible to the normal eyes but it could be sensed by spiritual energy.

The [Myriads Beast Soul-Branch Technique] might look like it was set aside since his [Heavenly Beast God Technique] was already at fifth-stage but in truth, it was not. In fact, he cultivates this technique with the same amount of time like [Heavenly Beast God Technique] but no matter what he do, it didn't make any progress. He can't form the ninth branch and enter the fourth stage. It was as if his soul tree was accumulating more spiritual energy.

But eventhough it was like this doesn't mean he didn't make any progress at all. In fact, since his soul tree seems to accumulating more energy, the soul looks and felt more firm and sturdier. It was like it became a true tree instead of a tree made of spiritual energy.

Cole chose to cultivate inside the [Inner World]. This was becuase there was this [Spiritual Jade] Pisces trusted to him before they levelup to Tier-3.

Spiritual Jade [Heaven Rank] Emits a constant spiritual energy and nourished the nearby creatures soul.

The spiritual energy it emits was beneficial both to him and beast alike. The energy helps him with his [Myriads Beast Soul-Branch Technique] while it help to strengthen his beast's soul.

It was truly very beneficial, specially to his beast and very to Groot. [Elementals] were born with special, strong soul but they have no body, it could be said that they were the exact opposite of [Plant-Species]. Plants have sturdy body but they have very weak soul.

Some always said that plants are also alive and also have their own soul. Of course, most of people didn't believe this. At most, they'll believe that plants are alive but they definitely don't have their own soul. But it seems that the hearsay had some truth after all.

Plants first develop their body, like a tree who was born from a seed to a tall, wonderful tree. And after all those passing years, their plant soul was nourished naturally by nature until they develop their consciousness. However, this was not certain or else the world will be dominated by them.

Plants have strong body, although it may not as strong as beast, but their definitely more powerful than humans innately. However, they have weak soul, and the process of their soul strengthening was much more longer and harder than any other creatures. But the [Spiritual Jade] emits help them big time. It could be said that the [Spiritual Jade] was the best treasure for [Plant-Species].

And Groot, who practically takes root beside the [Messiah Tree] received the most benefit. Although he didn't achieved yet to the point that he could talk, but he's definitely smarter more than before.

Blue and Celia also received tremendous benefits. They were both beast who focus on souls, receiving the equipments' effect was a great boon to their strength.

Of course, the others also received their own benefit.

Suddenly, an idea struck Cole's mind; the [Spiritual Jade] was a equipment! A [Heaven-Rank] at that! As the blood binding was introduced to him just recently, he didn't yet drop a blood to it.

Without opening his eyes, Cole stirred his soul and locate the location of the [Spiritual Jade]. Fortunately, it didn't take much of an effort since he cultivate near it.

After he locate it, he activate the [Unseen Hands Technique]. A hand made of spiritual energy emerge from his head, he then will it and it brought the [Spiritual Jade] to him. Cole smile inside, this technique was very convenient.

Cole prick his finger and drip a drop of blood to the [Spiritual Jade]. He instantly feel some kind of faint connection to the equipment. However, this time, it didn't go smoothly like before.

Before, be it the [Identity Token] or the [Life-Indicator Crystal], the process go smoothly without any problem or anything. Yet, this time, he felt some kind of... repulsion. The [Spiritual Jade] actually trying to sever their building connection.

Cole frown. This was the first time he encounter this. As far as he knew and as far as he encounter, this didn't happen before. After all, they were all just things...

Does this mean that the [Spiritual Jade] had some kind of consciousness? Soul?

Although he have yet to encounter this kind of thing but this wasn't out of his expectation. He already saw a living tree, a fairy, and human's who could crush stones barehanded which is all just fantasy to Earth, a living thing were already in his expectation.

But expecting and encountering was two different things. This still gave him quite a shock.

Feeling the rejection, as if on instinct, his blood and soul both stirred. His blood boil as it wanted to create a stabilized connection with [Spiritual Jade]. After some time, it succeed. The blood as the ladder that connect him to the equipment, soul energy rush in to that connection.

After his soul energy arrived inside the [Spiritual Jade], a strange scenery appear. His consciousness enter the [Spiritual Jade] and there he encounter a blue flame... Was this the equipments' soul?

Seeing and feeling the intrusion, the blue flame puff out and change from being gentle flame to berserk one.

After the change, Cole felt that the repulsion become strong. The flame was trying to send him out of it's place.

Cole question himself; does he have to subdue this soul flame to claim the [Spiritual Jade] as his?

Acting on his idea, he tried to send out more soul energy towards the mysterious space using the blood as his ladder until his soul energy inside takes form a shape of a tree, the same as his soul's original shape.

Feeling the threat, the blue flame tried to close the space. It tried to sever the blood connection but no matter what it did, it failed. It wanted to sever connection so that the intruder can't send more soul energy.

The blood connection seems like a tree that deeply rooted inside the space, it was hard to removed.

Seeing that it's action were futile, it abandon the tasked and instead focus on sending out the soul tree of the intruder. It intensify its fire, intending to burn its opponent.

Feeling the heat, Cole started to felt threatened. This heat actually damaged soul and soul damage were known to be hard to deal with. Fortunately, although he could feel the heat and its threat, it didn't do any actual damage. His soul's defense were high due to long time of energy accumulation, added to the fact that his soul was sturdy and strong in the first place.

After some time, Cole started to retaliate. He stirred his soul tree and his soul energy cover the entire space.

The soul flame was threatened and it burn more fiercely. It tried to fight with all of its ability but no matter what it did, it still got overwhelmed gradually as time passes by. Feeling the incoming result, the soul flame felt indignant. This was his place, his domain, yet it got overwhelmed and will be defeated soon.

Cole didn't attack the soul flame, he just wanted to trap it. If he succeed, then the soul flame should know that he was not his opponent and battle will not break out between them. Afterall, he's not here to slay but to make the [Spiritual Jade] submit to him.

Fortunately, his plan succeed and the soul flame stop struggling after he was trapped from Cole's soul energy. After the flame return to being a gentle one, he removed the soul energy that traps it.

Fortunately, after Cole removed the cage, the soul flame didn't attempt to retaliate again. It remain to being gentle flame. It seems to know its circumstances and accept its fate.

After their ordeal, the growing connection between Cole and [Spiritual Jade] started to deepen more smoothly, without being hindered. Moments later, their connection fully established.

Feeling the secured connection, Cole started to withdraw his soul energy out.

The soul flame swayed as if it was saying goodbye. No matter how unwilling it was before, it can't deny the fact that that soul tree was it's new owner.

The moment all of his soul energy return to his main soul, his soul tree stirred while the [Spiritual Jade] on his hand vibrates answering the summon.

A rich amount of soul energy got transferred from [Spiritual Jade] to his soul tree, nourishing it further. Cole's soul tree started to get more vivid than before. It gets more sturdy. Cole felt his mind get more clearer than before.

Sometimes later, his soul tree seems have enough as if it was got finally full. The rich soul energy that was transferred to him from [Spiritual Jade] continued, but this time, it didn't fused with his soul tree, instead, it started to accumulate within the base of his soul tree and after sometime it started to form a what seems likes a puddles of water...?

It was truly did forming some kind of body of water but compose of rich, soul energy.

The process only stop after it formed a pond and the [Spiritual Jade] finally stop sending soul energy. His soul which has a formed of tree was submerged halfway from the pond.

After some time and it was fully stabilized, his soul tree stirred again until it formed... a ninth branch!

The [Myriads Beast Soul-Branch Technique] finally reached fourth-stage!

Moments later, Cole finished his cultivation and open his eyes, new information appeared in his mind; Soul Sea and Soul Mimicry!