Master's Practical Combat Goes Awry, Luo Sanpao Nearly Scared Himself Pee-Pee

"Stop playing tricks here."

Yu Xiaogang retorted to Su Hang, stopping just inside the forest entrance as he raised his hand to retrieve a small cloth pouch.

The pouch opened to reveal a grayish-yellow powder with a pungent medicinal odor.

He sprinkled the powder in a circle around their feet and patted a few pinches onto his hem.

"In the Soul Hunting Forest, many low-level soul beasts aren't worth wasting your energy on."

"This Beast Repellent Powder can make most ordinary soul beasts avoid us."

"Tang San, remember, soul hunting isn't about brute force; preserve your condition first, then search for your target."

Tang San nodded.

"Teacher, I'll keep that in mind."

Hearing this, the tightness in Yu Xiaogang's chest eased slightly.

He had been heavily suppressed by Su Hang last night, but now that they had entered the forest, he was finally in his element.

Theory, experience, judgment.

These were the things that gave him confidence.

Xiao Wu stood beside Su Hang, her nose twitching before she immediately took half a step back.

"This smell is so strong."

"Brother Su Hang, I don't like it."

Su Hang also smelled the medicinal scent.

The powder was mixed with several types of grass roots and gland powder, which could indeed repel some small soul beasts.

However, the problem was also obvious.

Snake-type soul beasts relied on scent to navigate, and some special varieties were actually sensitive to this kind of irritating medicinal powder.

Especially in an artificially enclosed area like the Soul Hunting Forest, where soul beasts had been harassed by humans for so long, their reactions were already erratic.

Su Hang lifted his chin.

"Master, your powder is useful against ordinary small beasts."

"But if we encounter snakes with special senses, it might not be a good thing."

Yu Xiaogang's hand paused.

The composure he had just regained was pricked once again by Su Hang's words.

"Su Hang, the Beast Repellent Powder is based on years of my compiled experience."

"You've just entered the forest, and you're already in a rush to negate it?"

Su Hang glanced at the powder on the ground.

"I'm just giving a reminder."

"If you want to prove yourself, that's fine."

"Just don't blame the weather later."

Xiao Wu immediately chimed in.

"And don't blame the wind direction either."

Yu Xiaogang felt a blockage in his chest as the two of them sang in harmony to provoke him.

Tang San stood to the side and offered a word of persuasion.

"Su Hang, since Teacher dares to use it, he naturally has his reasons."

"The situation in the forest is complex; let's follow Teacher's arrangements for now."

Su Hang didn't argue.

He lifted his foot and walked forward.

"Fine."

"Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth."

Yu Xiaogang's expression tightened further upon hearing this.

The words sounded normal, but coming from Su Hang, they didn't sit right at all.

The group walked along the forest path.

The surrounding foliage was dense, the ground was damp, and occasionally, soul beast claw marks could be seen.

Yu Xiaogang walked in front, occasionally crouching down to inspect the soil and explaining things to Tang San.

"This footprint was left by a Bamboo Green Deer; its age isn't high, and its aggression is weak."

"There are bite marks on the grass leaves over there, indicating that herbivorous soul beasts have passed through nearby."

"A truly suitable Mandala Snake won't appear in too open an area."

Tang San listened intently.

He held a few pebbles in his hand, his knuckles rotating with nimble precision.

Su Hang noticed, but he did not point it out.

The Tang Sect techniques were hidden quite deeply.

Yet, the more Tang San hid them, the more it proved the point.

Xiao Wu followed beside Su Hang, lowering her voice.

"Brother Su Hang, you said the powder would attract snakes earlier—is that really true?"

Su Hang looked toward the grass ahead.

"Snakes won't necessarily be the first to arrive."

"But trouble has already come."

As soon as he finished speaking, the bushes to the left suddenly erupted in chaos.

Several mottled shadows darted out from the low grass, moving with great speed, their claws tinged with a faint cyan hue.

They were not large in size, their backs covered in chaotic patterns, with thorns at the tips of their tails.

Variegated Cat Beasts.

Common low-level poison-type soul beasts in the Soul Hunting Forest.

Their age was not high, but they were agile and loved to flank their prey.

Xiao Wu immediately pressed herself behind Su Hang.

"Is this the trouble you were talking about?"

Su Hang nodded.

"An appetizer."

Yu Xiaogang immediately stepped half a pace forward.

"Tang San, don't panic."

"These Variegated Cat Beasts are only a few decades old; their primary method of attack relies on claw poison."

"This is the perfect opportunity for you to see how a soul master handles a sudden combat situation."

He waved his hand.

"Come out, Luo Sanpao!"

Yellow light surged from in front of Yu Xiaogang.

A round, yellow little beast landed on the ground, its ears drooping as its four short legs kicked a few times.

"Luo-luo!"

As soon as Luo Sanpao landed, Yu Xiaogang pointed forward.

"Farts like thunder, shaking the heavens and splitting the earth, Luo Sanpao!"

Luo Sanpao's belly swelled up, its hind legs kicked off, and it struck a pose facing the lead Variegated Cat Beast.

Bang!

A yellow gust of air sprayed out.

The cat beast in front was flipped over, rolling twice on the ground.

Yu Xiaogang was just about to continue his explanation.

"Did you see that? The use of soul skills must be timed correctly."

The next moment, another, smaller Variegated Cat Beast darted out from the grass on the right.

It did not charge at the people, but instead circled directly behind Luo Sanpao, its claws scraping against the ground.

Luo Sanpao's short legs trembled, and its just-swollen belly immediately deflated.

"Luo-luo-luo!"

It spun in circles on the spot, tucked its tail between its legs, and dove straight behind Yu Xiaogang's legs.

Yu Xiaogang was nearly tripped, stumbling back two steps.

"Luo Sanpao, steady yourself!"

"Luo-luo!"

How could Luo Sanpao possibly stay steady?

The cat beast lunged forward again, causing Luo Sanpao to shriek even more frantically as its entire body slammed into Yu Xiaogang's calf.

Yu Xiaogang staggered, his instructional composure completely shattered.

Xiao Wu couldn't help it, clutching her stomach as she laughed.

"Brother Su Hang, is it about to pee itself from fear?"

Su Hang gave a light cough.

"Give the Master some face."

"Even if that face is already on the ground."

Tang San did not laugh.

The Variegated Cat Beasts were pouncing at high speed, and one of them had already circled toward Yu Xiaogang's flank.

With a flick of his wrist, a pebble flew from between his fingers.

Snap!

The pebble struck the joint of the cat beast's front paw.

The cat beast's body tilted, its pouncing trajectory forcibly diverted, and it slammed into a tree root nearby.

Immediately after, a second pebble followed, striking another cat beast on the forehead.

The movements were clean, the angles tricky.

Su Hang stood where he was, not rushing to speak.

This technique was not something an ordinary blacksmith's son could practice.

Yu Xiaogang also glanced at Tang San.

He had originally intended to offer a few words of praise, but Luo Sanpao was still scurrying around his legs, so he had to focus on pinning the little beast down first.

"Luo Sanpao, come back!"

"Luo-luo."

Luo Sanpao retreated to Yu Xiaogang's side, its ears drooping even lower.

The remaining Variegated Cat Beasts were blocked by the pebbles, but they did not retreat.

They circled the group, claws digging into the soil, clearly agitated by the Beast Repellent Powder on the ground.

Su Hang lifted his foot and took a step forward.

Xiao Wu immediately called out.

"Brother Su Hang, be careful, their claws are poisonous!"

Su Hang did not stop.

Dark purple lightning spread out from beneath his feet.

The aura of the Chaos Thunder Shadow Dragon pressed forward through the forest.

A low dragon roar echoed through the woods.

The bodies of the Variegated Cat Beasts stiffened, their front paws pressed to the ground, and their tails tucked completely between their legs.

The low-level spirit beasts that had been scurrying about just moments ago were now all sprawled on the dirt, not daring to move a muscle.

Su Hang waved his hand.

"Scram."

The cat beasts scrambled away, diving back into the underbrush and vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Xiao Wu immediately ran to Su Hang's side, her eyes shining brightly as she grabbed his sleeve.

"Brother Su Hang is amazing!"

"You didn't even have to lift a finger, they just collapsed on their own!"

The pebble in Tang San's hand came to a halt.

Watching the way Xiao Wu naturally gravitated toward him, his chest felt tight again.

They had only known each other for a short while, yet Xiao Wu trusted Su Hang to such an extent.

Meanwhile, he couldn't even get a pleasant expression in return for a normal greeting.

Yu Xiaogang brushed off his clothes and forcibly recalled Luo Sanpao.

"That was just an accident."

"Variegated Cat Beasts are easily stimulated by scents, and there were more of them than usual."

Su Hang looked at the powder remaining on the ground.

"Master."

"Is there any difference between that and what I just warned you about?"

Yu Xiaogang choked.

Tang San put the pebbles back into his cloth bag and spoke up for Yu Xiaogang.

"There are many variables in the forest; the teacher couldn't possibly predict everything."

Su Hang nodded.

"That, at least, is the truth."

"So, in the future, stop presenting the experience you've gathered as ironclad rules."

Yu Xiaogang flicked his sleeves and continued walking forward.

"The target is the Mandala Snake."

"Don't waste time on low-level spirit beasts."

Xiao Wu whispered to Su Hang.

"He's flustered."

Su Hang lifted his feet to follow.

"See through it, but don't call it out."

High up among the branches and leaves.

Yue Guan stood upon a phantom image of flower petals, watching the group below depart.

He had originally only been tracking Su Hang, but he had seen those few pebbles Tang San threw just now with perfect clarity.

Gui Mei hid behind the tree shadows, black mist flowing against the trunk.

"That child's technique just now doesn't look like that of an ordinary farm boy."

Yue Guan flicked a petal with his fingertip.

"It's normal for Tang Hao's son to hide a few things."

Gui Mei did not reply immediately.

"But that technique was too practiced."

"Accurate, ruthless, and the retraction of force was clean."

"For a six-year-old child to train to this level, there must be something behind it."

Yue Guan narrowed his eyes.

"His Holiness the Pope wants to investigate Su Hang; it seems now that Tang San isn't clean either."