Grappling Kill, a Hundred Year Mandala Snake?

"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring? System, are you serious?" Wang Xiao nearly spat out a mouthful of blood in shock.

A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring!

What kind of concept was that?

He still remembered that in the original Douluo Dalu book, Tang San had nearly been blown to death just absorbing the Soul Ring of a four-hundred-year Mandala Snake.

And now, the System wanted him to absorb a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring in one go. That was far more serious than simply being blown to death!

He would probably be reduced to nothing, right?

Not to mention, where was he supposed to find such a Soul Beast in the Soul Hunting Forest?

"System Sister, this is the Soul Hunting Forest, not Sunset Forest, the Star Dou Great Forest, nor the Extreme North or Sea Region. There probably aren't even Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts here! Where would a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast come from? Are you here to make me laugh?" Wang Xiao complained weakly.

As far as he knew, in the original Douluo Dalu book, the Soul Hunting Forest was an imperial captive forest. There shouldn't have been any Soul Beasts over ten thousand years old.

Much less one hundred thousand years old.

That was why he felt the System's side quest was rather unreliable.

"Ding! Xiao Xiao, stop talking nonsense. If this System says there is one, then there is one. Just do as you're told. Why do you have so many questions?" the Loli Voice System said, somewhat exasperated.

Wang Xiao was speechless. "Fine. Heaven and earth may be vast, but you're the biggest. If System Sister says there is one, then there is one. Happy?"

"Ding! That's more like it!"

"Ding! But Xiao Xiao, whenever you hear about Ten-Thousand-Year and Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, you look terrified. Isn't that way too cowardly?" The Loli Voice System's words dripped with sarcasm.

Damn it...

Wang Xiao got angry. "System Miss, can we not joke about this? Even if you told me to absorb a thousand-year or ten-thousand-year Soul Ring, I could grit my teeth and endure it."

"But a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring! Do you even understand what that means? Only a Titled Douluo probably has the endurance to bear one, right?"

"Ding! Xiao Xiao, there's no need to be afraid. Didn't you just tell that little girl beside you that fortune is found in danger? Well, this System is giving you that opportunity, helping you head west and obtain the true scriptures. What's not to like?"

"Fine... System, you've got guts! If I get blown to death, you won't survive either." Wang Xiao was completely convinced and furiously snapped back at the System.

"..." The Loli Voice System fell silent.

Wang Xiao knew that once his System decided on something, it could not be described using normal logic. It simply had to be done.

So he stopped bothering to tag it.

Fine, a hundred thousand years it is!

Maybe with the Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart backing him up, he might not necessarily die even if he wanted to.

The key was whether there was actually one. If there wasn't, he could not complete the mission. Did that mean he would never be able to leave the Soul Hunting Forest?

Ah... heavens.

"Heavens, earth, please save this tiny and miserable human being?!"

After Wang Xiao argued with heaven, earth, and the air, he felt much better.

Then again, if he really absorbed a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, would he be able to fight Tang Hao and Bibi Dong?

Wang Xiao's heart leaped with joy. Fine!

He had only absorbed a Ten Year Soul Ring so far. He had not even found Hundred Year, Thousand Year, or Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings yet, and he was already thinking about a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. That was a little absurd!

(｀皿) Hmph!!.

But what if he really got himself killed? What then?

Wouldn't that just benefit Tang San?

No, he absolutely could not fail. Success was his only option!

For no other reason than the protagonist position in Douluo Continent, he had to hold the fort!

And there were all those girls, too.

Wahaha~

Wang Xiao let out another demonic laugh, startling birds, beasts, and insects in every direction into fleeing.

He nearly scared them to death.

"Brother Xiao Xiao, what are you muttering to yourself about?" Xiao Yan walked behind him and heard Wang Xiao talking alone.

She asked curiously, "Did absorbing that Soul Ring just now damage your brain?"

Wang Xiao turned around, jumped up, and gave Xiao Yan a light knock on the head. "Your brain is damaged! It was only a Ten Year Soul Ring. You think that could damage my brain? You're underestimating me too much."

"Then what were you saying just now..."

Rustle, rustle, rustle...

Hearing the strange noise, Wang Xiao suddenly leaped forward and tackled Xiao Yan to the ground.

He wrapped an arm around her neck and rolled behind a clump of bushes, covering her mouth with one hand to stop her from making a sound.

Then he whispered into Xiao Yan's ear, "A Soul Beast is nearby. Don't make a sound."

Xiao Yan was startled, frightened, and embarrassed by the sudden turn of events.

This was her first time being so intimately close to a boy. Her oval face had already turned bright red, like a little apple.

Fortunately, Wang Xiao was behind her. Otherwise, she would have been embarrassed to death.

Only after Wang Xiao saw that Xiao Yan had stopped moving did he release her and look toward where the sound had come from.

Several hundred meters away, atop a large tree, a pointed head emerged. Its pair of scarlet eyes looked so ghostly that no one dared meet its gaze directly.

Xiao Yan took one look and shuddered. She whispered in his ear, "It's a Hundred Year Mandala Snake. Its body is extremely resilient!"

"For a Soul Beast of this age, unless you hit its vital point—the eyes—it is basically impervious to blades and spears."

"Besides, its venom is extremely potent. If a Soul Master gets bitten and has no healing ability or help from others, death is certain."

"Only a high-level Soul Master might be able to force the poison out on their own."

"Of course, a Hundred Year Mandala Snake could not possibly be a match for a high-level Soul Master."

As Wang Xiao listened, he muttered to himself. This Xiao Yan sounded so much like Xiao Gang when she spoke.

She was still so young, yet this little girl knew quite a lot.

Wang Xiao also thought it over. According to the explanations given by Xiao Gang and Tang San in the original book—

The age of a Mandala Snake Soul Beast could generally be judged from its body length.

For every year of cultivation, its body grew roughly one centimeter longer.

Ten years meant ten centimeters, one hundred years meant one meter, and one thousand years meant ten meters.

It could be said that they did not grow very quickly.

The one before them was only about 1.2 meters long. In other words, it had around One Hundred and Twenty Year of cultivation. It was not too big.

But it was not small, either.

Xiao Yan was only a level-ten Spirit Scholar.

Being able to absorb a Hundred Year Soul Ring as her First Soul Ring would already be an incredible feat.

Based on one of Xiao Gang's ten core competitiveness theories of the Martial Soul World, Wang Xiao's Chicken Blood Vine martial soul and this Mandala Snake's Soul Ring should have been a perfect match.

However, it did not catch his eye this time.

Wang Xiao had already decided that he would not absorb a second Soul Ring below five hundred years.

He could only give it to her. "Xiao Yan, I'll give you this Hundred Year Mandala Snake's Soul Ring."

"Surprised? Unexpected?"

"Me?" Xiao Yan was not merely surprised; she was also shocked.

Why was he being so generous? But then she suddenly thought of something, and her expression darkened.

"But Brother Xiao Xiao, my Nine-Leaf Red Lotus is a plant-type Martial Soul. I'm afraid I can't absorb the Soul Ring of a Beast Martial Soul!"

There was no such claim in Xiao Gang's new theory of the ten core competitiveness principles of the Martial Soul World!

It was only because Soul Masters had been constrained by the old traditional teachings of the Douluo Continent Soul Master world that none dared test the new theory.

That was why Xiao Yan had such a biased way of thinking and would miss out on good opportunities.

"I don't think so," Wang Xiao denied.

Xiao Yan gave an "Oh" and looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Wang Xiao said directly, "You saw me absorb that Ten Year Soul Ring just now, right? Wasn't it the Soul Ring of a Six-Winged Jade Centipede Soul Beast?"

"And my Chicken Blood Vine martial soul, just like your Nine-Leaf Red Lotus Martial Soul, is also a plant-type Martial Soul."

"Since I succeeded in absorbing it, why can't you?"

"I..." Xiao Yan hesitated.

Wang Xiao continued, "Little Yan Yan, could it be that your Martial Soul looks especially different? Or is it naturally all looks and no substance, too weak to withstand even a breeze?"

"Your Martial Soul is the weak one! It's the one that can't withstand a breeze!" Xiao Yan was furious.

My Nine-Leaf Red Lotus Martial Soul is far more impressive than his Chicken Blood Vine martial soul. How did it become weak and fragile when he said it?

No, she could not let him look down on her.

Xiao Yan considered it and found that his theory actually made a great deal of sense.

Since his Chicken Blood Vine martial soul was also a plant-type Martial Soul and could absorb a Soul Beast's Soul Ring, why couldn't hers?

Wang Xiao added, "Take a Soul Beast like the Mandala Snake. Its body is long and extremely resilient, and it is also highly venomous."

"If your Nine-Leaf Red Lotus absorbs its Soul Ring, wouldn't both its resilience and the poison it carries give your Plant Martial Soul greater toughness and offensive power?"

"Then your Nine-Leaf Red Lotus Martial Soul would not merely be a support-type Martial Soul. You could also control your Martial Soul to poison and attack enemies. Wouldn't that be more perfect?"

"Huh?" Xiao Yan scratched her head. It actually made some sense.

She looked at Wang Xiao again and studied him carefully, as though she had not seen him clearly before.

She could not help suspecting this six-year-old boy. Why did he speak so maturely, know so much, and even create his own set of theories? He seemed to know more than the academy teachers.

"Brother Xiao Xiao, are you saying that if I absorb the Mandala Snake's Soul Ring, not only can I increase my Soul Power, but I can also turn my support Martial Soul into one with two types of abilities—able to support, defend, and attack?"

"How about this? No matter how much I say, it won't be as convincing as showing you. I'll demonstrate my Chicken Blood Vine martial soul for you now and let you see whether it can both support and attack."

"Mm." Xiao Yan grew somewhat excited. If that was true, could her fate change from then on?

She would no longer need to rely on others for protection. When facing a powerful enemy's attack, she would also have the ability to fight back and protect herself.

Hisss, hisss, hisss~

The Hundred Year Mandala Snake had already lost its patience. Its more-than-one-meter-long body sprang forward and reached the two of them like lightning, opening its jaws to bite Xiao Yan's nose.

Xiao Yan stood dumbfounded. Completely unprepared, she was so frightened that she did not even have the courage to dodge. She could only close her eyes and await death.

In that instant, she felt her body grow light as something wrapped around her slender waist and moved her elsewhere.

She immediately opened her eyes and saw that someone had wrapped an arm around her waist, allowing her to evade the Hundred Year Soul Beast's strike.

For the first time in her life, being held around the waist by a boy, her oval face instantly flushed as red as a little apple.

Tsk, tsk, tsk~

That shy little appearance was so alluring!

Wang Xiao had no time to look at her. Facing the pursuing Hundred Year Mandala Snake, a white ring rapidly rose from beneath him.

It expanded and emitted a dazzling light. It was the Ten Year Soul Ring he had absorbed not long ago.

He spread his right hand, and a Blood Red plant rapidly grew from his palm.

Before long, it had reached a length of ten meters.

Its leaves were as tough and straight as three pairs of wings, able to extend and fold.

They could rotate freely, resembling six sharp blades.

Good!

Excellent!

It seemed that after he absorbed the Soul Ring of the Six-Winged Jade Centipede Soul Beast, his Chicken Blood Vine martial soul had also mutated.

Not only had its vines grown longer and become ten times more resilient.

Even its leaves had mutated, taking on the shape of the Six-Winged Jade Centipede's six pairs of wings.

"First Spirit Skill, Grappling Kill!" At the command, the Chicken Blood Vine martial soul moved like a living creature.

Several vines shot out at high speed, instantly surrounding and binding the Hundred Year Mandala Snake that had leaped before them.

The six-winged leaves on the vines immediately spun like propellers in three-hundred-and-sixty-degree rotations, beginning to slice through the Mandala Snake's body from top to bottom.

It opened its blood-red maw and spat venom directly at the stems and leaves of the Chicken Blood Vine martial soul.

It wanted to use its poison to devour the Chicken Blood Vine Tendrils and leaves binding it, so it could break free.

But what the Mandala Snake had not expected was that the venom it spat out not only failed to devour the Chicken Blood Vine's stems and leaves, but was completely absorbed by them.

Not a drop remained. Unable to struggle any longer, it could only give up its life and perish.

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