Mandala Snake

It was night, and a bright moon hung high in the sky!

In a relatively open clearing in the central region of the Star Dou Great Forest, the Shrek group was resting. They sat around a bonfire, with medicinal powder scattered around the perimeter to repel snakes, insects, rats, and ants, forming a simple campsite.

The Spirit Beast forest was far more dangerous at night than during the day, so they had no choice but to camp where they were.

At that moment, Chen Yuan sat leaning against a large tree, with Ning Rongrong beside him, asleep against his shoulder. Even Chen Yuan had entered a light sleep. Even in the Star Dou Great Forest, it was impossible to remain vigilant at all times. Proper rest was essential.

Up in the tree Chen Yuan leaned against, Zhu Zhuqing hid among the branches. Perhaps because of her Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul, she liked staying in high places. First, it allowed her to watch the surroundings, and second, it made it easier for her to strike. This way, she could always seize the initiative in battle. Her exceptional balance and coordination also meant she did not need to worry about falling.

As for why she had chosen this tree, perhaps it was because she felt that Chen Yuan and Ning Rongrong beneath it were more trustworthy and dependable.

By the bonfire, Ma Hongjun and Oscar sat close together, huddling together for warmth. Oscar also needed Ma Hongjun's protection. Of the team's two Support Spirit Masters, Ning Rongrong had Chen Yuan to protect her. Oscar was not a born bootlicker, so naturally, he was too embarrassed to shamelessly crowd over to them.

On the other side of the bonfire, Tang San and Xiao Wu were rather interesting. The two, who had always been so close, were noticeably more distant this time.

Both harbored secrets in their hearts. Tang San could not understand how Xiao Wu and the Titan Giant Ape could coexist so peacefully, while Xiao Wu was deeply conflicted. She did not know how much longer she could keep her greatest secret hidden.

Everyone else was resting. The only one standing guard was Zhao Wuji, who stood at the edge of the camp with his arms folded across his chest.

He was a Spirit Saint, and his mental strength was greater than the others'. Going without rest for a while would not affect his strength.

At this moment, he felt that this spirit hunt had been utterly terrible. First, they had offended Snake Granny of the Peerless Dragon Snake, and then they had encountered the king of the forest, the Titan Giant Ape. The former was manageable, but the latter was a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast that even Titled Douluo would not dare provoke lightly.

They had run into all of that in a single day. Fortunately, it had all ended without disaster. Otherwise, he would have been scared to death.

Just as he was feeling irritated, a rustling sound suddenly came from the previously tranquil forest. Zhao Wuji's expression changed, and he immediately became alert.

"Brats, wake the hell up! Some Spirit Beast has come into the forest. Don't let it sneak attack you."

His shout woke everyone who had been resting. Though some were still groggy, they quickly gathered around Zhao Wuji.

Tang San asked cautiously, "Teacher Zhao, can you tell what kind of Spirit Beast it is?"

Zhao Wuji shook his head, then beckoned to Ma Hongjun.

"Ma Hongjun, come on. Spit some phoenix fire into that darkness. Light it up and force that Spirit Beast out."

Hearing Zhao Wuji's order, Ma Hongjun immediately used Martial Soul Possession. His body was covered in a fiery red glow, and even the temperature seemed to rise somewhat. He shouted, "First Soul Skill, Phoenix Fire Line!"

After speaking, he opened his mouth and spewed out a stream of flames. The flames were incredibly hot and seemed to startle the Spirit Beast lurking in the darkness, forcing it to dart out on its own. The fire illuminated the surroundings brightly, finally revealing the Spirit Beast's true form.

It was a snake-type Spirit Beast, eight or nine meters long, brightly colored and strange in appearance. A pair of wings grew from its head, and it moved with astonishing speed.

Tang San recognized it immediately. He was very familiar with this kind of Spirit Beast, because his First Spirit Ring had come from one of them. A Mandala Snake, an extremely terrifying venomous snake-type Spirit Beast.

The moment he recognized the Spirit Beast, Tang San's heart burned with excitement. It was an exceptionally powerful Spirit Beast. If its age was suitable, absorbing its Spirit Ring would surely grant him an enormous boost and greatly enhance the paralysis toxin added by his First Spirit Ring.

Tang San immediately shouted, "Nobody act rashly. This is a Mandala Snake, an extremely terrifying venomous snake-type Spirit Beast. Snake-type Spirit Beasts are highly sensitive to temperature, so it may have been drawn here by our bonfire. Do not get close to it lightly. Ma Hongjun, keep suppressing it with Phoenix Fire Line. I'm not afraid of poison, so I'll kill it. It might become my Third Spirit Ring."

As soon as he finished speaking, he stepped into Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and chased after the Mandala Snake.

Xiao Wu was somewhat worried, but she did not rashly go forward. Her close-combat soul skills truly were not suited for dealing with a Mandala Snake.

Zhu Zhuqing was the same. Without sufficient poison resistance, fighting a Mandala Snake was simply courting death.

After hearing Tang San's words, Ma Hongjun did not need to fight at close range, so he obediently continued suppressing it with Phoenix Fire Line.

Zhao Wuji looked at Oscar and said, "Little Ao, prepare some Detoxifying Little Sausages for me. It is a Mandala Snake, after all. If Tang San can't handle it, I'll have to step in personally."

Oscar hurriedly began chanting an incantation, using Soul Power to condense a pile of Detoxifying Little Sausages, which he handed over to Zhao Wuji.

Then Zhao Wuji saw Tang San continuously closing in on the Mandala Snake, his hands covered in a layer of icy jade light. Like a butterfly flitting among flowers, he hurled all kinds of Hidden Weapons at the Mandala Snake's weak points—its eyes, mouth, and more.

Seeing this, Zhao Wuji shuddered as he recalled Tang San dealing with him. The foot he had intended to step forward with stopped in place.

The Mandala Snake was not so easy to deal with. It was incredibly fast, and its scales were hard. Ordinary attacks could not break through its defenses. But if it bit you even once, you would surely die.

Relying on Tang Sect techniques, Purple Demon Eyes, Mystic Jade Hand, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track... Tang San continuously attacked the Mandala Snake, and for a time, neither side could gain the upper hand.

Chen Yuan watched with great interest. This was Tang San's cheat, the martial arts recorded in the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record. Unfortunately, Tang San had always kept them tightly hidden and had never taught them to outsiders. Chen Yuan was interested, but there was nothing he could do. Unless he read Tang San's memories, getting him to reveal them himself would be harder than ascending to heaven.

Then, after a period of entanglement in the forest, Tang San deliberately revealed an opening and lured the Mandala Snake into attacking.

Unhurriedly, he took out a strange weapon, aimed it at the Mandala Snake, and pulled the trigger. In an instant, a dense barrage of crossbow bolts shot into the Mandala Snake's mouth and eyes.

The Mandala Snake immediately let out a painful wail, twisting its body wildly as though it had gone completely mad.

Only after a long while did it finally collapse to the ground without moving. Streams of white air emerged and condensed into a purple Spirit Ring. The Mandala Snake was completely dead.

Tang San walked up to it, his eyes blazing. "The Godly Zhuge Crossbow succeeded in a single strike, killing this Mandala Snake of around sixteen hundred years. It did not disappoint my expectations. Unfortunately, it is only sixteen hundred years old, not even seventeen hundred. Still, the Mandala Snake suits me very well. Fine, I'll absorb you."