Mandala Snake Clue, Su Hang Found It First

"More than just unclean."

Yue Guan stepped on the phantom images of flower petals, looking down at the small path trampled into the forest floor.

"It's understandable for Tang Hao's son to have some strange tricks up his sleeve."

"But for a six-year-old child to hit a pebble with that level of precision, that's going a bit too far."

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

"Make a note of it for now."

"What His Holiness the Pope wants is likely more than just information on Su Hang alone."

Down in the forest, Yu Xiaogang tidied his robes and recalled Luo Sanpao.

That previous display had been somewhat unsightly.

Tang San didn't mention it, remaining by his side.

After walking a few steps, Yu Xiaogang stopped before a patch of muddy ground and used a wooden stick to push aside the grass blades.

"Tang San, look here."

"Blue Silver Grass is inherently fragile; if you only follow a strength-based path, it has almost no future."

"But plant-type martial souls have one advantage: they can use soul rings to supplement their characteristics."

Tang San crouched down, looking at the broken edges of the grass.

"Does Teacher mean to follow a control path?"

Yu Xiaogang nodded, finally regaining some of his rhythm.

"Correct."

"The key for a control-type soul master lies in restricting the opponent."

"If Blue Silver Grass can acquire toughness, toxicity, and binding abilities, it can carve out a path from being a trash martial soul."

"Therefore, your first soul ring should ideally come from a soul beast with strong poison or binding power."

Tang San pinched a blade of grass between his fingertips; the cross-section was yellowed, with signs of corrosion along the edges.

Poison, control, binding.

These words fell into his heart, aligning perfectly with the methods of the Tang Sect.

Hidden weapons relied on catching the enemy off guard, and poison also relied on controlling the target before killing them.

If Blue Silver Grass could bind an enemy, it would indeed be suitable when combined with Tang Sect hidden weapons.

He put the grass blade down and bowed his head slightly to Yu Xiaogang.

"Teacher, this path is feasible."

Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang straightened his back a little more.

"I'm glad you understand."

"Many people only look at the surface of a martial soul, forgetting that the development of a martial soul depends on its direction."

"Blue Silver Grass may be weak, but as long as the route is correct, it can still be useful."

Not far away, Xiao Wu curled her lip and leaned toward Su Hang, whispering.

"Brother Su Hang, he makes it sound quite convincing."

Su Hang crossed his arms and tapped his toe against the ground.

"A theory sounding smooth doesn't mean it will be stable in actual combat."

Xiao Wu nodded immediately.

"Got it, a king of words, let's see how it goes when we hit the ground."

Su Hang was almost amused by her remark; this little rabbit hadn't been in the human world for many days, but she learned slang quite quickly.

Hearing the commotion, Yu Xiaogang tapped the ground with his wooden stick.

"Do not be distracted while in the Soul Hunting Forest."

"If you are only here to watch the show, stay further away."

Su Hang didn't argue with him.

Since entering the forest, the heat left behind by that Luck Deprivation Card had been clinging to his meridians.

It had only been a faint warmth earlier, but now, the further he walked, the more pronounced the heat became.

The direction was to the front left.

However, the path Yu Xiaogang was taking veered toward the low-lying area on the right.

The Mandala Snake was indeed nearby, but it wouldn't necessarily wait foolishly to be beaten according to the original plot.

Once luck was marked, the ownership of opportunities began to loosen, and the positions between hunter and prey were shifting.

Su Hang lifted his foot to take a half-step to the left, and Xiao Wu noticed immediately, tugging on his sleeve and lowering her voice.

"Did you find something?"

Su Hang didn't look at her, his eyes fixed on the tree roots and gaps in the grass ahead.

"From now on, don't stray too far from me."

"How far is too far?"

"Don't exceed three steps."

"Then I'll walk two steps."

Su Hang swept a glance at her.

"You certainly know how to leave yourself some wiggle room."

Xiao Wu clutched her small bundle, looking righteous.

"It's about staying alive, gotta be precise."

Up ahead, Tang San also noticed Su Hang's footsteps veering off course.

"Where are you heading?"

Su Hang tilted his chin.

"High ground."

Yu Xiaogang spoke up immediately.

"Mandala Snakes prefer the edges of wetlands; it's easier to find their tracks in low-lying areas."

"Going to the high ground will only be a waste of time."

Su Hang crouched before a tree root and used a twig to push aside the grass blades.

Beneath them were a few crushed and bent leaves with blackened edges, and faint friction marks left in the soil.

Not far away, a scale was wedged into a crack in the stone—ink-green, with a pale yellow luster along the edge.

He flicked the scale up.

"Then take a look, what is this?"

Yu Xiaogang walked over, staring first at the grass blades, then at the scale, his staff hovering in mid-air.

Tang San leaned in to look as well; the corroded grass, the snake's friction marks, and the scale fragments all pointed to the same target.

Yu Xiaogang spoke quickly.

"A Mandala Snake."

Tang San looked up.

"Is it really it?"

Yu Xiaogang nodded.

"Judging by the color of the scales, the age shouldn't be low."

"If we can take it down, it would be perfect for your first spirit ring."

Xiao Wu secretly tugged at Su Hang's sleeve.

"He seems quite happy."

Su Hang tossed the scale back onto the ground.

"Happy too soon."

The momentum Yu Xiaogang had just built up was dampened once again.

"Su Hang, what are you trying to say now?"

Su Hang stood up and pointed to several patches of grass nearby.

"The tracks left by this snake are scattered, and the direction the grass is flattened is chaotic."

"It didn't move in a straight line."

"It's circling."

Tang San immediately turned to the other side, where there were also friction marks on the grass roots; when connected to the previously discovered location, they indeed formed a semi-circle.

Yu Xiaogang pondered for a moment, but still insisted on his judgment.

"Mandala Snakes are inherently cunning; circling is quite normal."

Su Hang continued.

"The age is also higher than you estimated."

"The range of the grass corrosion is this wide, and the edges of the scales have already darkened; the toxicity is very potent."

"An ordinary hundred-year Mandala Snake couldn't reach this level."

The staff in Yu Xiaogang's hand scratched against the muddy ground.

"The higher the age, the higher the value of the spirit ring."

"Tang San has innate full soul power, and his physical foundation far exceeds that of his peers. It is worth a try."

Tang San did not express his stance immediately. He watched the traces on the ground, the pebble between his fingers spinning faster.

A high-age soul ring carried great risk, but the rewards were equally significant if successful.

Su Hang's first ring was already purple, a weight pressing down on the heads of all the new students.

If he settled for a common soul ring for his first, the gap between them would only continue to widen.

He tucked the pebble back into his sleeve.

"Teacher, I am willing to try."

Xiao Wu felt a bit anxious hearing this.

"Are you two really going to chase after it?"

Yu Xiaogang looked up.

"Isn't soul master cultivation all about seizing opportunities? If you fear risk, don't enter the Soul Hunting Forest."

Su Hang smiled, lifted his foot, and walked toward the high ground on the left.

"Fine, then you two follow."

Xiao Wu hurried to catch up.

"Brother Su Hang, aren't we going to stop them?"

Su Hang wasn't walking fast; he paused as he passed a protruding rocky slope.

"Stop them from what?"

"If they want to prove their theory, let them prove it."

Xiao Wu glanced back at the low-lying shrub area. Tang San and Yu Xiaogang had already started moving downward, following the tracks.

The grass in that area was denser, the air more humid, and visibility was poor.

She trotted up to Su Hang's side.

"Then why are we taking the high ground?"

Su Hang stepped onto a high rock, a position that offered a view of half the basin below.

"To see the full picture."

"If we really need to make a move, it'll be convenient."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Wu immediately leaned in beside him.

"Then I'll stand behind you."

Su Hang looked at how she had already tucked herself away.

"You're quite practiced at choosing your position."

She poked half her head out.

"Practice makes perfect."

Below, Yu Xiaogang used his staff to push aside the shrubs.

"Tang San, watch your step."

"Before a Mandala Snake attacks, it will use tree roots and shrubs to conceal its body."

"You need to pay attention to the swaying of the grass blades."

Tang San nodded, lightening his footsteps.

As he walked, he scanned his surroundings with his peripheral vision.

In the low-lying area, the chirping of insects had diminished significantly, and the bird calls that could be heard earlier had ceased.

This place was too quiet.

Tang San raised a hand to press against the cloth bag at his waist, where he kept his prepared hidden weapons.

Yu Xiaogang was still staring at the ground.

"There are fresh drag marks here."

"It passed by not long ago; we should be able to find it if we keep moving forward."

Tang San stopped.

"Teacher."

"What is it?"

Tang San didn't answer immediately, looking around instead.

The shrubs reached his waist, and several tree roots were intertwined in the mud, with scrape marks visible on the bark.

Yet, there were no signs of small soul beast activity nearby.

If the Mandala Snake were merely passing through, the surroundings shouldn't be this clean.

This area felt more like something had deliberately cleared it out, waiting for prey to wander in.

On the high ground, the heat within Su Hang's body suddenly intensified, and the system prompt followed.

[Mandala Snake body has appeared.]

[Tang San's first spirit ring destiny shift progress: 30%.]

Su Hang looked down at the low-lying area and reached out to shield Xiao Wu behind him.

Xiao Wu immediately fell silent, her footsteps freezing in place.

In the branches far away, Yue Guan and Gui Mei stopped simultaneously.

Yue Guan pushed aside the flowers and leaves blocking his view.

"It's here."

Gui Mei glided forward half a zhang, clinging to the shadows of the trees.

"The age of this snake is higher than what Yu Xiaogang estimated."

Yue Guan chuckled softly.

"That makes things interesting."

"Su Hang occupied the high ground in advance, and Tang Hao's son has walked into the hollow."

"This stroke of fortune is truly starting to change owners."

Down in the hollow, Tang San had just raised his head when he saw a pair of cold, sinister snake eyes snap open in the darkness.