"Director Su, leave these injured beasts to me!"
"This will be a good chance for Little Yin and Little San to see how to handle Soul Beasts in actual combat!"
Yu Xiaogang stood up, puffed out his chest, and spoke in a low, impassioned voice.
The next moment, he waved a hand, and amid a flash of purple light, he summoned his Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao.
A strange creature appeared beside Yu Xiaogang in an instant. Its body was pale purple, while its belly and face were white. It looked rather plump, like a little pig, yet shaped like a small dog. It had a pair of large ears and was fat all over.
What kind of Martial Soul is that?
Tang San couldn't help but freeze for a moment.
He didn't remember seeing anything like it in the Soul Beast books at the library yesterday!
But before Yu Xiaogang and Luo Sanpao could even get into position, another sound came from the woods behind the Nether Wolves—swifter than before, accompanied by a sharp hiss as it cut through the air.
"Watch out!"
Director Su's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly shielded Tang Yin and Tang San behind him, staring fixedly into the darkness.
A giant snake, as thick as a barrel and several meters long, burst from the woods like lightning. Its entire body was an eerie ink-green, and a fleshy crest rose from the top of its head!
Its cold, vertical pupils fixed on the wounded Nether Wolves, then swept over everyone in the camp. Its scarlet tongue flicked in and out, and a nauseating stench and oppressive menace radiated from it.
"A Hundred-Year Datura Snake! Judging by its length and color, it's at least four hundred years old!"
Director Su sucked in a sharp breath, his voice tense.
Although he was a Soul Elder, the Datura Snake was incredibly fast and its venom vicious. It was also one of the most formidable Hundred-Year Soul Beasts, making it extremely difficult to deal with.
Fighting this kind of Soul Beast in the forest was far too risky.
And he also had to split his attention between protecting two children and an unreliable "Grandmaster."
"Yu Xiaogang! Get the children and run! Head east, where the terrain is open! I'll hold it off!"
Director Su made his decision at once. Three Soul Rings—one white, one yellow, and one purple—rose beneath his feet. A timeworn longsword appeared in his hand, its blade shimmering with the sharp radiance of Soul Power.
He had to buy Tang Yin and Tang San time to escape!
Yu Xiaogang was stunned.
He hadn't expected a Hundred-Year Datura Snake to suddenly appear!
The courage he'd mustered to deal with the injured Nether Wolves vanished in an instant, and his face turned slightly pale.
At Director Su's shout, he instinctively reached to grab Tang Yin and Tang San.
But Tang Yin reacted even faster!
The moment the Datura Snake appeared, Tang Yin grabbed Tang San and took off running.
Although he knew his little brother Tang San had the strength to kill this Datura Snake, Tang Yin, as someone who'd transmigrated here, had no intention of letting Tang San take the old path of being misled by Yu Xiaogang into giving his Blue Silver Grass poison.
And since he wasn't planning to kill this Datura Snake and let his little brother absorb its Soul Ring—
When facing a Hundred-Year Soul Beast this fast and deadly poisonous, the best thing to do was run!
When Yu Xiaogang saw Tang Yin pull Tang San along and sprint off, leaving him completely behind, he was dumbfounded.
"Little Yin, Little San, wait for me!"
After seeing Director Su charge at the Datura Snake and engage it, Yu Xiaogang hurriedly ran after them with his Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao.
But as Tang San ran ahead, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
That damned Yu Xiaogang. Not only did he insult Big Brother's Mysterious Jade Hand, he profaned my Tang Sect Secret Arts!
And earlier, he even wanted me to absorb a Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo Soul Ring.
He was practically begging to die!
I couldn't touch you at the academy.
But now, just watch me finish you off!
As he ran, Tang San activated his Purple Demon Eye. Spotting a pebble up ahead, he kicked it into the air, caught it in one hand, then flung it backward like a Hidden Weapon, his first shot.
"Whoosh!"
With a faint whistle, the pebble struck Yu Xiaogang in the left calf.
"Ow!"
With a pained cry, Yu Xiaogang pitched forward onto the ground. He felt as though something had hit his left leg, and it hurt terribly.
Meanwhile, when the Datura Snake realized it couldn't do anything to Director Su, it flicked its scarlet tongue, turned, and darted around him like an ink-green bolt of lightning, heading straight for Yu Xiaogang, Tang Yin, and Tang San.
"You damned beast!!"
Director Su was frantic, but as a Soul Master who was only a Soul Elder and specialized in tool-type Martial Souls, he simply couldn't catch up to the Datura Snake.
The Datura Snake quickly reached Yu Xiaogang, who was sprawled on the ground.
"No! Please, no!"
As Yu Xiaogang screamed in terror, the Datura Snake whipped its tail at Luo Sanpao, who had tried to come to the rescue, sending him flying. Then it opened its cavernous jaws and swallowed Yu Xiaogang whole.
"Oh, wow!"
Hearing the commotion, Tang Yin turned his head as he ran. Thanks to his Martial Soul, the Purple Demon Eye, he could see in the dark. When he witnessed what had happened, his expression turned strange.
"Grandmaster got eaten!"
In the Douluo Continent he'd transmigrated to, the renowned Grandmaster Gangzi had met his end this quickly?
Could this be the fastest Gangzi the Grandmaster had ever gone out?
Beside him, Tang San watched the Datura Snake swallow Yu Xiaogang, then turn and slither into the dark, dense woods. He couldn't help feeling a deep sense of satisfaction.
That hateful little flat-top is finally dead!
That'll teach you to insult Big Brother and profane my Tang Sect Secret Arts!
Tang San clenched his fists and thought to himself.
He could tolerate people insulting and humiliating him.
But he would never allow anyone to insult Big Brother, or the Tang Sect that stood supreme in his heart!
"Grandmaster got eaten?"
At last, Director Su came running up, panting hard. When he saw that the Datura Snake had eaten Yu Xiaogang, he couldn't help letting out a bitter laugh.
"How am I supposed to explain this to the dean when I get back?"
Beside him, Tang Yin offered some comfort.
"Director Su, please don't worry!"
"This wasn't your fault. Who could've expected a four-hundred-year-old Datura Snake to suddenly pop up on the outskirts of the Soul Hunting Forest?"
"Besides, Grandmaster insisted on coming along on this trip to the Soul Hunting Forest. You can't be blamed!"
"That's right! Don't worry too much, Director Su!"
"Big Brother and I will both vouch for you. This was an accident!"
Tang San chimed in as well.
At this point, Director Su could only let out a helpless sigh. There was nothing he could do.
"After eating its fill, the Datura Snake will probably find somewhere safe to digest its prey. It won't come back."
"Let's return to the camp."
"We'll rest for the night. Tomorrow, I'll continue looking for suitable Soul Beasts for you."
Led by Director Su, the three returned to the camp, ready to rest for the night and set out again tomorrow to look for suitable Soul Beasts.
Now that the Datura Snake had eaten the Grandmaster, Tang Yin and Tang San would have to take turns keeping watch with Director Su.
Neither of them minded.
The next morning, at dawn.
After getting up, Tang Yin washed up quickly.
Then, after eating some hardtack and boiling some water to drink with his little brother Tang San and Director Su,
the three set out, ready to venture deeper into the Soul Hunting Forest and search for suitable Soul Beasts.
Before you continue