Fighting a Battle of No Retreat, Joining Forces to Kill the Snake!

"Teacher, it seems something is coming."

In the darkness, Tang San's eyes glimmered with a faint purple light. As he watched the unknown forest, unease crept into his heart.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the distance. Then, following the sound of scales scraping against the ground, a sweetly fishy odor drifted over.

"Something poisonous!"

The moment Tang San caught the scent, he blurted out.

"Luo luo, luo luo, luo luo..."

On the ground, Luo San Pao also let out a series of urgent cries.

"Over there! It's a Giant Snake!"

In the darkness, using the night vision of the Eye of Insight, Bai Ge saw a huge triangular Ink Green Snake Head appearing and disappearing amid the nearby bushes. Two Scarlet Vertical Pupils glowed like ghostly flames.

Hearing Bai Ge's words, Tang San quickly took out a Fire Starter and tossed it in the direction Bai Ge had pointed. In an instant, firelight flared, and a massive Snake Head appeared before the three of them.

"It's a Mandala Snake!"

Seeing the Snake Head under the firelight, Grandmaster could not help but suck in a cold breath.

"Teacher, is that the Mandala Snake you mentioned before?"

Hearing Grandmaster's words, Tang San could not help asking.

"Yes, but it is nighttime, and the Mandala Snake found us first. If we had discovered it first, with my preparations, we might have found a way to kill it. But under these circumstances, we have no chance of dealing with it."

Grandmaster smiled bitterly.

"I hope it's only a Ten-year Nether Wolf—no, a ten-year one. But judging by the size of its Snake Head, it is at least Starting from a Hundred Years."

Taking a deep breath, Grandmaster's expression turned serious again.

"Xiao San, Bai Ge, I will teach you a theory now: if you have many rings and bones, strike with everything you have; if you have few rings and bones, turn and run! The rings refer to Spirit Rings, and the bones refer to Spirit Bones. I will explain Spirit Bones to you later.

"In other words, when your number of Spirit Rings and Spirit Bones clearly exceeds your opponent's, you must use your Spirit Skills and Soul Power to attack with all your strength and utterly crush the enemy. But when your Spirit Rings and Spirit Bones are clearly fewer than your opponent's, do not hesitate. Run immediately.

"This Mandala Snake has Cultivation above a Hundred Years. At night, we cannot possibly be its match. While it is still wary of the Realgar Powder we scattered, we must hurry and flee. Remember, once we leave here and enter the forest, split up immediately. Perhaps one more of us can survive."

At this point, a bitter smile appeared on Grandmaster's lips.

Why was he always so unlucky? Ever since childhood, nothing had ever gone smoothly for him. He had merely wanted to teach a Ten-year Nether Wolf a lesson, yet he had attracted a Hundred-year Mandala Snake instead. His luck was truly terrible!

"Teacher, we still have a chance."

As Bai Ge looked at the Mandala Snake, his heart instead calmed down.

Humans could not outrun animals. If they split up, one of them would certainly die. In this situation, they could only choose Fighting a Battle of No Retreat.

The reason Grandmaster was so pessimistic was simply that it was nighttime, and human vision was greatly limited. But Bai Ge and Tang San were not ordinary people. Tang San had the Purple Demon Eye and could see in the dark, while Bai Ge had the Eye of Insight and could also see in the dark. Thus, darkness would not have much of an impact on Bai Ge and Tang San for the time being.

Moreover, Bai Ge and Tang San were not ordinary children. They were Martial Artists who practiced martial arts, and compared to Bai Ge, Tang San possessed even more exquisite Hidden Weapon techniques.

As long as Bai Ge could find an opportunity to make the Mandala Snake open its mouth, Tang San could use a Hidden Weapon to fire directly through the Mandala Snake's soft upper palate and into its brain. No matter how formidable the Mandala Snake was, it would still die instantly!

"Do you two have a plan?"

Hearing Bai Ge's words, Grandmaster was somewhat astonished.

"Teacher, please believe in us."

That was all Bai Ge could say, because there was no time to explain.

"Fine. Then I'll leave it to you two."

They had already been driven into a desperate situation, so Grandmaster could only sigh.

"Teacher, have San Pao blast the Mandala Snake in a moment, then we'll all run. After that, I'll use the Cloud-Soaring Vine to ambush the Mandala Snake and make it open its mouth. Finally, Tang San will throw the dagger through its mouth and into its brain, killing it. That is my plan."

Keeping his eyes on the distant Mandala Snake, Bai Ge spoke calmly.

"Don't force yourselves. This is far too dangerous!"

Grandmaster did not know what to say after hearing Bai Ge's words. Though the plan sounded somewhat feasible, in this pitch-black environment, the risk was simply too great. The chance of success was likely less than one in ten thousand.

Of course, that applied to ordinary children. Tang San and Bai Ge were not ordinary children.

"Teacher, please believe in us."

After hearing Bai Ge's plan, Tang San also voiced his support.

"Fine."

Since both disciples had said so, Grandmaster had no choice. Besides, his two disciples were willing to live and die alongside him. Even if they failed in the end, Grandmaster felt that his life would have been worthwhile!

"Tang San, take the dagger."

As the Mandala Snake drew closer, Bai Ge handed the dagger in his hand to Tang San.

"You only have two chances."

"Don't worry. One will be enough."

Tang San sounded extremely confident.

"Teacher, we can begin."

Seeing that everything was ready, Bai Ge spoke at once.

"San Pao, a fart like thunder—Heaven-Shaking Thunder, Di Luo San Pao!"

Seeing that the Mandala Snake was about to cross the circle of Realgar Powder, Grandmaster shouted. Following Grandmaster's movement, Luo San Pao rapidly inhaled, then leaped high into the air and turned around.

Immediately afterward, accompanied by a thunderous boom, a massive, condensed yellow ball of gas blasted toward the Mandala Snake. Struck by the gas ball, the Mandala Snake was hurled high into the air. At that moment, Grandmaster gave the order: "Run!"

The three immediately ran toward the other side of the forest. Although the Mandala Snake had been blasted away, it had not suffered much damage. Almost only a few seconds later, it caught up with them.

"Hisss~"

A snake's hiss sounded from behind them. The Mandala Snake was incredibly fast, like a flash of lightning. In the blink of an eye, it shot forward more than ten meters. It had initially been thrown far behind them, but once it began its pursuit, it was nearly upon them in less than half a minute.

"Tang San!"

As the Mandala Snake drew closer and closer, Bai Ge grew anxious.

Without wasting words, Bai Ge shouted a warning to Tang San, then immediately came to an abrupt stop and swiftly turned around as he braked.

"Cloud-Soaring Vine, come forth!"

Turning around quickly to face the rapidly approaching Mandala Snake, Bai Ge gave a low shout and suddenly summoned several Cloud-Soaring Vines.

Several Black Purple Cloud-Soaring Vines rapidly grew out under Bai Ge's control and twisted together. At that moment, Bai Ge activated the Eye of Insight. As his purple eyes turned silver-white, everything before him began to slow down.

At that moment, everything else vanished from Bai Ge's sight. Only the increasingly close Snake Head of the Mandala Snake remained, along with its fist-sized Scarlet Vertical Pupils.

Because Cloud-Soaring Vines were far heavier than ordinary vines of the same grade, several twisted together were as thick as a wrist and nearly as heavy as an Iron Chain of the same thickness. The nearly six- to seven-zhang-long Cloud-Soaring Vines weighed over a hundred jin. Bai Ge swung them with all his strength, his entire face flushing red.

"Go!"

Bai Ge roared and hurled the twisted Cloud-Soaring Vines in his hand with all his strength. The tightly entwined vines produced a fierce shriek through the air before lashing violently into the eye of the charging Mandala Snake.

"Bang!"

"Hiss!"

The sudden, intense pain immediately made the Mandala Snake raise its head and let out a long hiss.

"Tang San!"

Seeing such an opportunity, Bai Ge's eyes turned red.

"Whoosh!"

As Bai Ge's ambush nearly blinded the Mandala Snake, Tang San also opened his Purple Demon Eye.

Holding the dagger, he quickly moved into the best position. By the time he heard Bai Ge's shout, Tang San had already prepared to attack. The instant the Mandala Snake raised its head and hissed, he threw the dagger in his hand.

The incomparably sharp dagger let out a piercing shriek through the air, drilling with perfect accuracy into the Mandala Snake's mouth. It instantly pierced its soft upper palate and shot into the Mandala Snake's brain.

The Mandala Snake's painful and furious hiss came to an abrupt end. With its brain destroyed, its entire body stiffened and collapsed onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.