"It's a Thousand-Year Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent!"
The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent had already fled near the Shrek Seven Devils and was spotted by Zhu Zhuqing. After hearing her description, Tang San identified the snake.
"It's well suited to Little Ao's martial soul. It should grant a speed-boosting soul skill."
"It's incredibly fast. I'm afraid it won't be easy to hunt," Zhu Zhuqing said.
"Snakes fear birds of prey. Fatty's martial soul is a phoenix, so it should be able to suppress it to some extent," Tang San guessed.
"It's here."
Tang San activated his Soul Power, and countless Blue Silver Grass blades instantly burst from the ground, forming a massive net that trapped the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent within.
Seeing the path ahead blocked, the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent turned and shot upward.
Tang San's Blue Silver Grass rapidly grew upward as well, forming another huge net and trapping it again.
The resilience of Tang San's Blue Silver Grass was now slightly greater than it had been at this point in the original story. The Thousand-Year Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent was trapped inside and could not break free at all.
"Little San, you're so cool!"
Oscar quickly rushed to the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's side. A dagger appeared in his hand, aimed at its ruby-like fleshy crest.
"Stop!"
The Snake Matriarch finally arrived with Meng Yiran and slowly stepped forward.
"This old woman is Chao Tianxiang." As the Snake Matriarch introduced herself, six Soul Rings—two yellow, three purple, and one black—appeared around her.
Seeing the Snake Matriarch's six Soul Rings, Zhao Wuji smiled confidently. Seven Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, and three black—also pulsed into existence around him. "What is it?"
"Hello, respected Soul Saint. You cannot kill this Soul Beast. We discovered it first." Though the Snake Matriarch spoke respectfully, there was not the slightest hint of respect in her words.
"How could you have found it first? When we found it, there was no sign of you!" Seeing his Soul Ring about to be snatched away, Oscar shouted.
"There are wounds on its belly left by my grandmother's Serpent Cane. See for yourselves," Meng Yiran said.
Hearing that, Tang San stepped forward and examined the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's belly before nodding at Zhao Wuji.
"Aren't those people from that Pheasant Academy?" From the shadows, Osler looked down at Tang San and the others.
"They seem to be disputing ownership of that Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent with the Snake Matriarch." Yu Tianheng recognized her and spoke thoughtfully.
"Should we beat them up again?" Osler said eagerly. "Yesterday, we forgot to beat up that dead Fatty and let him get away with it."
"Not yet." Di Lintian shook his head.
"Dragon Duke and Snake Matriarch are always inseparable. Dragon Duke should be nearby," Dugu Yan said.
"I'm afraid that won't do, Senior Snake Matriarch. One of my students has just reached level thirty and urgently needs this Soul Ring." Zhao Wuji shook his head.
"Oh? One of these children has broken through to level thirty?" The Snake Matriarch looked at Tang San and the others, who were all younger than her own granddaughter.
"Yes, Senior Snake Matriarch. Oscar."
"Here!" Oscar stepped forward and gave the Snake Matriarch a deep bow. "Senior Snake Matriarch, this junior's Soul Power is at level thirty."
"In that case, let your student spar with my granddaughter. Whoever wins gets the Soul Ring," the Snake Matriarch said.
"I'm afraid that would be inappropriate. This student of mine is a food-system Soul Master," Zhao Wuji said.
"Teacher Zhao, how about I fight in Little Ao's place?" Tang San stepped out from behind Oscar.
"Isn't that the kid whose head got stuck in the ceiling?" Yu Tianheng said as he watched Tang San walk out.
"This kid doesn't even know his own strength. Isn't he just handing over the Soul Ring?"
Zhao Wuji and the Snake Matriarch nodded. The other six Shrek Devils swiftly moved aside, leaving the arena to the two of them.
"Meng Yiran, martial soul Serpent Cane, level-thirty battle Soul Master."
"Tang San, martial soul Blue Silver Grass, level-twenty-nine control-system battle Soul Master."
"Blue Silver Grass? It's nothing but a useless martial soul." Meng Yiran mocked him, but her movements were not slow. Her Serpent Cane transformed into a spear and smashed down at Tang San's head.
Tang San ignored Meng Yiran's mockery. Using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, he quickly flipped backward.
As he flipped, Blue Silver Grass burst from the ground and rapidly wrapped around Meng Yiran.
"First Soul Skill, Blue Silver Pole Vault!"
A straight stalk of Blue Silver Grass emerged beneath Meng Yiran, growing larger bit by bit.
Seeing the Blue Silver Grass rapidly growing beneath her, Meng Yiran sensed trouble. Her body moved lightly as she slipped through a gap in the grass.
"First Soul Skill, Snake Blade!"
Before Meng Yiran even landed, the Serpent Cane in her hand emitted a pale purple glow and stabbed toward Tang San.
Tang San once again evaded Meng Yiran's attack with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
Although Tang San had not absorbed a Ghost Vine Soul Ring, his Blue Silver Grass still possessed sharp barbs that shredded Meng Yiran's clothes, exposing large swaths of snow-white skin.
"Damn it!" Meng Yiran flew into a rage. The Serpent Cane in her hand instantly split into dozens of copies and shot toward Tang San.
"Second Soul Skill, Blue Silver Stilts!"
The instant he spoke, Blue Silver Grass grew from beneath his feet and lifted him as high as the trees beside him.
The Serpent Canes struck the Blue Silver Stilts one after another, yet failed to damage them in the slightest. Tang San did not even feel the slightest tremor.
"First Soul Skill, Blue Silver Pole Vault!"
Using the Blue Silver Stilts beneath his feet, Tang San instantly leaped above Meng Yiran's head.
"Mysterious Jade Hand!"
Tang San's hands turned white as jade. He seized the other end of Meng Yiran's Serpent Cane and continuously poured in his Soul Power.
"You want to compete with me in Soul Power?" Meng Yiran sneered and also began pouring Soul Power into it without pause.
The Mysterious Heaven Skill allows my Soul Power to flow endlessly and without interruption. If this continues, she definitely won't be my match, Tang San thought.
Watching the scene, which differed drastically from the original story, Di Lintian finally could not resist tampering with it.
A faint halo of Soul Power flickered around his head, and a silent spiritual attack slipped into Tang San's mind.
Having lived two lives and cultivated the Purple Demon Eye, Tang San's spiritual power far surpassed that of Soul Masters at the same level. But compared to Di Lintian, it was still far too weak.
Di Lintian's transformation was unlike that of other Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. Although he no longer possessed the strength of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, his spiritual power remained. In other words, his spiritual power was still at the level of a Titled Douluo.
The spiritual attack Di Lintian used came from that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone in his head. Rather than a spiritual attack, it was more accurately described as Mental Interference.
This Mental Interference caused no harm at all. It could only disrupt an enemy's thoughts and make them freeze for a moment. It was common among spiritual attacks, but as a soul skill produced by a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, it naturally had something unique about it.
Its strength lay in the words "silent and undetectable." Unless someone stood right beside Di Lintian, they could not detect the slightest spiritual fluctuation.
Tang San suddenly felt his head grow heavy, and the flow of Soul Power from his hands slowed. Meng Yiran had no idea why Tang San had weakened his Soul Power.
Since you've reduced yours, then I'll increase mine!
Meng Yiran increased the frequency of her Soul Power output, while Tang San's continued to slow.
The next moment, Tang San was blasted away by the enormous surge of Soul Power and was caught midair by Zhao Wuji.
"I won!" Meng Yiran raised her Serpent Cane and pointed it at Zhao Wuji.
"Little Ao, I'm sorry." Tang San had already returned to normal and spoke to Oscar.
"It's fine, Little San. This isn't your fault. At worst, we'll hunt another Soul Beast." Oscar patted Tang San's shoulder.
"Senior Snake Matriarch, according to our agreement, this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent is yours." Zhao Wuji had not wanted to let it go so easily, but since Oscar had said so, he could not keep pressing the matter as their teacher. "Let's go."
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