Wang Chuan Defeats the Mandala Snake

Deep within the Soul Hunting Forest, where towering ancient trees blotted out the sky, urgent, violent footsteps suddenly thundered through the woods. Every step struck heavily against the ground carpeted with fallen leaves, making the surrounding shrubs tremble as though the entire earth were quaking beneath them. At the same time, a terrified man's shout pierced the forest mist. "Xiao San, run! Don't look back!"

Looking toward the sound, they saw a Mandala Snake covered in emerald-green scales that gleamed with a venomous sheen. Like an out-of-control bolt of green lightning, it sped through the dense forest, its flickering tongue carrying a nauseating stench as it relentlessly pursued the two people ahead—a stern-faced middle-aged man dragging along a child roughly his own age as they fled for their lives. The Mandala Snake was rapidly closing the distance. Its cold Serpent Eyes brimmed with killing intent, like Death's scythe hanging overhead as it mercilessly neared its prey's throat.

At that critical moment, a figure suddenly burst out from behind an ancient tree at an angle. It was Wang Chuan. Without hesitation, he charged straight toward the Mandala Snake at full speed, calling forth his martial soul with a low shout. "Nothingness!" An ancient, unadorned saber instantly appeared in his hand. Before the snake could draw near, Wang Chuan twisted his wrist and slashed at the Mandala Snake's weak point. Though the saber remained sheathed, a fierce force wrapped around its blade as it crashed heavily against the snake's scales with a crisp clang.

The Mandala Snake recoiled in pain, violently twisting its body. Its attack on the middle-aged man and child abruptly stopped, its momentum deflating as though it were a punctured ball. Its glinting head turned toward Wang Chuan, confronting him head-on. The next instant, it opened its gaping maw, exposing its Poison Fang as it lunged for Wang Chuan's throat like a starving tiger pouncing on prey. Wang Chuan had already prepared himself. He lightly pushed off the ground and nimbly dodged aside, barely evading its jaws. Then he turned his wrist and unleashed the Seven Kill Saber Technique he had just learned. Saber shadows rained down like a furious storm, every strike landing precisely near the Mandala Snake's vital points and forcing it to retreat again and again.

However, the Mandala Snake was still a savage soul beast. Though it cried out in pain from the repeated blows, it had not suffered any severe injuries. Instead, it was thoroughly enraged. Its tail suddenly lashed out with a piercing whistle, sweeping toward Wang Chuan. At the same time, it opened its mouth again and sprayed a stream of pale green venom at him. Its assault was even more ferocious than before, as though it intended to tear the human before it into pieces.

Wang Chuan's eyes narrowed. Knowing he could not drag this out any longer, he planted his feet firmly on the ground and shouted at the Mandala Snake, "First Soul Skill—River Severance: No Return!" As his voice fell, he violently drew his saber. The blade instantly became stained blood-red, like a crescent moon forged from congealed blood, steadily blocking the Mandala Snake's sweeping tail. At the same time, the world within a hundred-meter radius centered on Wang Chuan suddenly lost all color. The emerald trees, the brown fallen leaves, even the mist in the air all faded into grayish white in an instant. An aura of nothingness spread outward from the saber like a rising tide, and wherever it passed, even the air seemed to congeal.

Enveloped by the aura of nothingness, the Mandala Snake's body abruptly stiffened, and its previously violent movements instantly slowed. Its speed, strength, defense—every attribute fell by roughly forty percent in an instant. It was as though its backbone had been ripped out. Its once-upright body went limp, and the killing intent in its eyes was replaced by weakness. It could barely maintain its posture.

Wang Chuan seized that fleeting opportunity. He forcefully kicked off the ground and soared into the air like a bird, raising the blood-red saber in his hand once more. Facing the Mandala Snake below, he shouted again, "Slash!"

A fierce Blade Qi burst from the saber, cutting through the gray-white space like a rainbow piercing the sun as it flew straight toward the Mandala Snake. This strike was not aimed at its head. Wang Chuan knew this was someone else's prey, so he deliberately avoided the fatal blow and targeted the middle of its body instead. With a wet slash, the Blade Qi struck the Mandala Snake squarely. Its body was instantly severed in two, and the wound continued to be eroded by the power of nothingness. That power was like countless ants, madly devouring its flesh and Soul Power. The Mandala Snake did not even have time to scream before it completely lost the ability to move. Its two halves crashed heavily onto the ground, writhing futilely as their aura grew weaker and weaker. It was clearly on its last breath.

Wang Chuan sheathed his saber, turned, and gestured to the middle-aged man and child still standing dumbfounded nearby. His voice was calm as he said, "You two, do you want this soul beast? If so, come absorb it quickly. Any later, and it'll stop breathing entirely."

Only then did the middle-aged man come to his senses. He hurriedly led the child over and cupped his hands toward Wang Chuan in thanks. "Thank you for saving our lives, friend! My name is Yu Xiaogang, and this is my student." As he spoke, he pointed at the child beside him, then looked at the dying Mandala Snake on the ground and asked uncertainly, "May I... may my student absorb this snake's soul ring?"

"Of course." Wang Chuan nodded and pointed at the Mandala Snake. "If you need it, kill it quickly. Its aura won't hold on much longer."

Tang San hurriedly thanked him and no longer hesitated. He took a small dagger from his waist and walked resolutely to the Mandala Snake's head. Aiming at its eye, he thrust the dagger in hard. As the blade pierced it, the Mandala Snake's body convulsed violently once before falling completely silent. A yellow soul ring slowly rose from its corpse. Tang San immediately sat cross-legged and began guiding the soul ring, preparing to absorb it.

While Tang San absorbed the soul ring, the middle-aged man beside him—Yu Xiaogang—once again cupped his hands toward Wang Chuan. His tone carried both gratitude and apology. "Thank you again for saving us, sir. My name is Yu Xiaogang. I have yet to ask for your name. Would it be convenient for you to tell me?"

"My name is Wang Chuan," Wang Chuan replied indifferently. He then looked at Yu Xiaogang and casually asked, "How did you end up in the Soul Hunting Forest and nearly get killed by a Mandala Snake?"

Yu Xiaogang revealed a bitter expression and sighed. "As you can see, I brought my student Tang San here to hunt for his first soul ring. However, my martial soul suffered a malignant mutation years ago, greatly reducing my Soul Power. I was no match for this Mandala Snake at all. If you had not drawn your blade to help us just now, Xiao San and I would likely have become its food."

At this point, Yu Xiaogang's eyes suddenly became fervent. His gaze landed on the saber at Wang Chuan's waist as he spoke eagerly. "Also, I am a scholar who studies martial souls... Your martial soul is simply astonishing. I have never seen one so unique, and I am terribly curious. Would you allow me to study your martial soul? I promise I mean no offense. I merely wish to record some data."

Just as Wang Chuan was about to speak and reveal his martial soul to fulfill the request, a dignified voice suddenly rang out from above. At the same time, a figure lightly descended from a high tree branch. The newcomer wore a white robe, with white hair and beard, and held a slender Long Sword in his hand. An awe-inspiring wave of Soul Power radiated from his body.

"Yu Xiaogang." The newcomer's gaze fell on Yu Xiaogang, his voice carrying a hint of displeasure. "Do you not know that asking a soul master you have just met about his martial soul is extremely impolite? Especially when he just saved your lives."

The instant Yu Xiaogang saw him, his expression changed. He hurriedly bowed in greeting, his tone filled with respect and surprise. "Sword Douluo! Why are you in the Soul Hunting Forest? Could it be... this young brother named Wang Chuan is your disciple?" Only then did he realize how rude his request had been. He hurriedly added, "My apologies, my apologies! My scholarly instincts got the better of me just now, and I forgot my manners. I beg Sword Douluo to forgive me!"

Chen Xin—Sword Douluo—glanced at Yu Xiaogang. When his gaze shifted to Wang Chuan, his tone softened slightly. "He is not merely my disciple. He is my direct disciple. Therefore, I do not wish to see that sort of offense happen a second time."

"Yes, yes, yes! It was my mistake!" Yu Xiaogang hurriedly nodded and admitted his fault. "I will never make such a mistake again. Please forgive me, Sword Douluo."

Chen Xin did not pursue the matter further. Instead, he turned to Wang Chuan and said to Yu Xiaogang, "It so happens that I need to point out Xiao Chuan's shortcomings in that battle. I will also stand guard for you while I'm at it. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not!" Yu Xiaogang hurriedly waved his hands, his face lighting up with delight. "It is our honor to have Sword Douluo stand guard for us. We would be grateful beyond words. How could we possibly mind?"

Chen Xin nodded slightly before turning to Wang Chuan. His tone immediately became stern. "Xiao Chuan, I saw everything about your saber technique just now. You have more than enough strength, but not enough precision. Many of your strikes relied purely on Soul Power to force your way through. It was nothing but brute force, without the slightest bit of technique. And as for the Seven Kill Saber Technique, you have only learned its superficial forms. You have not grasped even thirty percent of its essence. After returning to the sect, you must train the basic forms of the Seven Kill Saber Technique, as well as all kinds of precise single-point attacks, twice as hard. Do you understand?"

Wang Chuan immediately put away his relaxed manner and bowed to Chen Xin respectfully. "This disciple understands, Master. After we return, I will train diligently and never make the same mistakes again."

Only then did Chen Xin nod in satisfaction. His gaze shifted to Tang San, who was absorbing the soul ring, and he said nothing more. The forest fell quiet once again, leaving only the faint sounds of Soul Power fluctuating as Tang San absorbed the soul ring, along with the occasional cries of birds and roars of beasts from the distance.