How the Hell Did I Get Injured?

Just then, Luo Sanpao, who was keeping watch outside, let out a series of urgent, "Luo, luo, luo..." cries.

Yu Xiaogang, who had already stepped into the tent, quickly walked back out.

Tang San also cast aside his messy thoughts, immediately standing up to scan his surroundings with vigilance.

A faint rustling sound reached Tang San's ears clearly, and vaguely, the air seemed to grow heavy with a fishy scent—not overpowering, but carrying a subtle sweetness and the aroma of tea.

Tang San twitched his nose and blurted out instinctively, "Poisonous creature."

This scent was all too familiar; he had smelled it often back in the Bashu Tang Sect in his previous life.

"It seems the previous calm was just the silence before the storm." Yu Xiaogang frowned, manifesting both his spirit rings onto Luo Sanpao.

As Tang San pointed a finger, a fire starter flew out, illuminating the surroundings.

A Mandala Snake, making a grand entrance!

Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang's face changed drastically: "A Mandala Snake! How could such a vicious beast appear on the outer perimeter of the Soul Hunting Forest? I hope it's only a ten-year one!"

Zhang Tianyu also frowned. This wasn't right, was it?

Shouldn't the Mandala Snake have appeared in the first half of the night, before they rested? Why show up now, when Tang San had already finished a full sleep?

"It seems the plot and timeline have shifted again," Zhang Tianyu muttered to himself. "My arrival has inevitably triggered changes in the story. I must act even more cautiously from here on out. System, is the preparation complete?"

"Notification: Not yet fully prepared. Please wait a moment, Host. Rest assured, this system will certainly finish before you leave any traces."

Back in the Soul Hunting Forest, the battle between man and beast had begun!

Yu Xiaogang directed Luo Sanpao to fire three consecutive farts at the Mandala Snake before grabbing Tang San and fleeing wildly.

The Mandala Snake hadn't intended to kill them all, but those three farts had thoroughly enraged it.

What?

Are snakes inferior?

Do snakes have no self-respect?

Must a snake endure the humiliation of being blasted by a pig's flatulence?

No!

The Mandala Snake would demand an explanation for being blasted! It would seek justice!

And so, it pursued Yu Xiaogang relentlessly.

In truth, its target was only Yu Xiaogang; it had no desire to chase Tang San, but since Yu Xiaogang was dragging Tang San along in his frantic escape, the Mandala Snake had no choice but to pursue them both.

Seeing the Mandala Snake closing in, Yu Xiaogang decisively commanded Luo Sanpao to charge forward and sacrifice itself.

True to expectations, Luo Sanpao was bitten.

The resulting injury was simultaneously transmitted to Yu Xiaogang.

From this, one could see just how "wise" Yu Xiaogang was.

In such a situation, he shouldn't have ordered Luo Sanpao to charge and block the Mandala Snake, but rather sent it off in a different direction to lure the beast away—it might have worked.

After all, it was the one who released the gas, so the Mandala Snake's hatred was focused on it. Since it was a spirit beast that could exist independently, perhaps the snake would have followed it elsewhere.

Many people couldn't grasp the nature of a spirit that existed independently outside the spirit master's body, let alone a four-hundred-year-old soul beast.

Besides, even if it couldn't be lured away, it could be recalled at any time and redeployed to draw attention, only sacrificing it as a last resort.

Instead, he had Luo Sanpao charge in to die, choosing the most dangerous method. One can only conclude that he was not just a failure, but a fool.

Of course, that wasn't the point.

Zhang Tianyu hadn't just been watching the show; the moment the Mandala Snake appeared, he had already applied an item to the pair—

[Empathy Talisman]—

It acted on both individuals simultaneously, linking their sensations so that if one was injured, the other would suffer the same wound in the same location.

Note: This item is non-lethal. If a target is on the verge of death or dies due to the item's effect, the item deactivates, and the target is instantly restored to full health.

This item includes a [Memory Erasure] effect; once the injuries heal, the target will lose the memory of this event.

Price: 99 points.

Naturally, Zhang Tianyu didn't have that many points, so he was using a free trial.

Master and disciple must be kept in perfect sync!

If Yu Xiaogang is hurt, you, Tang San, must be hurt too!

If Yu Xiaogang is poisoned, you, Tang San, must be poisoned too!

As a filial child, you must be sensible and share the joys and sorrows with your master, experiencing everything together!

The reason Zhang Tianyu used this item was precisely for the [Memory Erasure] effect.

This effect was something the system had newly concocted after his rebirth, specifically to help Zhang Tianyu remain hidden and undiscovered.

In his previous life, this effect did not exist, which caused all those bizarre experiences Yu Xiaogang and Tang San endured to be deeply etched into their minds.

Because of these memories, they ended up suspecting Zhang Tianyu more than once.

These were all telltale clues.

Those gods were all incredibly clever, and as bystanders, it would be easy for them to trace Zhang Tianyu through such clues.

Therefore, The effect of Memory Erasure came into being.

As for whether this would allow Zhang Tianyu to hide himself better, that remained to be seen as things developed. In the words of the system, it should be effective; otherwise, it would have all been for nothing.

Inside the Soul Hunting Forest.

Yu Xiaogang's face was deathly pale.

Tang San's face was equally pale.

The inexplicable, sharp pain radiating from his arm and the numbing sensation of being poisoned left him completely bewildered!

He was utterly clueless!

How the hell did I get injured?

How the hell did I get poisoned?

Can someone explain this to me?

Tang San was completely stunned!

Realizing he was poisoned, Tang San knew he couldn't delay any longer.

If he dragged it out, the deeper the poison would sink, and the weaker his combat power would become. He had to resolve this fight with the Mandala Snake right now!

Thinking of this, he shook off Yu Xiaogang's arm.

The movement made him wince and grit his teeth in pain!

Yu Xiaogang had grabbed him with his uninjured arm, but he had been holding onto Yu Xiaogang with his injured one!

Damn it!

How the hell did I even get injured?!

He couldn't worry about that now. Tang San immediately deployed his Sleeve Arrow, but after the Mandala Snake dodged it, Tang San pulled out the short sword Yu Xiaogang had given him and began to exert all his abilities to the fullest: Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Purple Demon Eye, Mysterious Jade Hand, and Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon.

However, slaying this snake was not as easy for him as it had been in the original plot.

Because his arm was injured!

When he used Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon to pull the snake's head toward him, a sharp pain surged through his arm, and the short sword nearly flew out of his hand.

But he still put every ounce of his strength into driving the short sword into the Mandala Snake's mouth.

The Mandala Snake struggled violently and whipped its tail toward him. Just as he was about to use Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, the pain in his arm made him break out in a cold sweat.

In that split second of hesitation, the Mandala Snake's tail struck his left leg.

"Ah!"

Tang San let out a miserable scream!

It hurt like hell!

I'm dying, I'm dying!