A Fierce Battle with the Datura Snake

Within the Soul Hunting Forest, the trees grew denser and denser, and the light around them gradually dimmed.

Tang San followed the drag marks along the ground, moving forward with light steps.

Though he had no experience hunting soul beasts in this world, as a disciple of the Tang Sect in his previous life, determining the range of wild beasts' activities was one of his specialties.

The farther he went, the more distinct the faint, fishy-sweet scent in the air became.

Tang San stopped and plucked a leaf from beside him. He found that the edge of the leaf had already turned slightly black, as if it had been brushed by some kind of poison.

"It really is a venomous snake."

His eyes lit up, and anticipation grew within him.

Although he did not know the exact species of this snake-type soul beast, judging from the traces it had left behind, its cultivation age could not be low.

As long as he could kill it, he would obtain his first soul ring and truly embark upon the path of a soul master.

By then, the Mysterious Heaven Skill would break through to the first level, and his strength would surely rise again.

He would sooner or later personally reclaim all the humiliation he had suffered today.

At that thought, the oppressive feeling in Tang San's chest finally eased somewhat. He continued forward along the drag marks and soon arrived at a relatively open patch of forest.

The bark of several large trees nearby bore extensive black marks left by corrosion, while the ground was scattered with the remains of several small beasts.

Tang San crouched down and was just about to inspect one of the carcasses when a faint scraping sound suddenly reached his ears.

Rustle...

The sound came from overhead.

Tang San's body tensed instantly. He stomped down and threw himself to the side.

Almost at the same moment he left his spot, a dark green shadow pounced down from the canopy, its open jaws viciously biting where he had just been crouching.

Crack!

The dry bones on the ground were crushed to powder.

Tang San rolled across the ground, swiftly rose to his feet, and stared fixedly ahead.

It was a gigantic snake nearly four meters long, covered in dark green scales. A ring of strange patterns adorned its triangular head, while two sharp fangs protruded from its mouth, constantly dripping thick venom.

The venom fell onto the dead leaves and immediately gave off pungent white smoke.

Tang San's expression turned grave.

This snake's venom was even more potent than he had expected.

More than ten meters separated them, yet the Datura Snake did not launch a second attack right away. Instead, it raised its head, its cold vertical pupils firmly locked onto Tang San.

Tang San did not retreat either. Right now, the only person he could rely on was himself.

If he could not even kill the soul beast before him, what right did he have to catch up to Qian Renyuan?

"Come on."

Tang San slowly lowered his body as the Mysterious Heaven Skill began to circulate within him.

In the woods not far away, Qian Renyuan and Xiao Wu had also stopped.

Thick branches and leaves concealed them. Tang San's attention was entirely focused on the Datura Snake ahead, and he had not noticed their presence at all.

Jiangmo Douluo landed soundlessly behind Qian Renyuan. His gaze swept over the giant snake ahead, and he quickly judged its condition.

"Your Highness, this is a Datura Snake. Judging from its size, its cultivation age should be close to four hundred years."

"This kind of soul beast has hard scales and extremely potent venom. It is very dangerous for a child who has yet to obtain a soul ring."

As Jiangmo Douluo spoke, he glanced at Tang San.

As long as Qian Renyuan gave the order, he could turn the Datura Snake into a pile of minced flesh with a casual strike of his staff.

Qian Renyuan did not have Jiangmo Douluo intervene. Leaning against a large tree, he watched Tang San's wary expression, the interest in his eyes growing stronger and stronger.

He had deliberately allowed Tang San into the Soul Hunting Forest because he wanted to see what this Child of Destiny could still stir up after losing Yu Xiaogang.

If Tang San could not even handle a Datura Snake, then this leek was far too fragile to harvest.

"Just watch."

Qian Renyuan curled his lips into a smile, making no effort to conceal his malicious amusement.

"Didn't he boldly claim at the entrance that he could hunt soul beasts?"

"Since he has been given the chance, he should prove it properly."

Jiangmo Douluo heard the mockery in Qian Renyuan's words and tactfully stepped back.

Ahead, the Datura Snake finally lost its patience.

Its thick tail slammed violently against the ground. Its huge body shot forward with the force, its jaws racing straight for Tang San's head.

Tang San had been prepared. His footwork shifted, and his body twisted away from the snake's jaws at an odd angle. Then he kicked two stones off the ground and swiftly flicked them out with both hands.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The two stones shot straight toward the Datura Snake's eyes.

The Datura Snake instinctively tilted its head. One stone missed, while the other struck hard against the scales at the corner of its eye.

Smack!

The stone shattered instantly, but the scale bore only a faint white mark.

Tang San's heart sank. Such hard scales.

The Datura Snake was completely enraged by the blow. Its body twisted sharply in midair, and its thick tail swept across.

Tang San hurriedly raised both arms to block.

Bang!

A dull impact rang through the forest. Tang San was sent flying by the snake's tail, his back slamming heavily into a tree trunk as his face went deathly pale.

The injuries from yesterday had not fully healed in the first place. After taking this blow, Tang San felt as though his organs were churning, and a fishy sweetness rose in his throat.

He gritted his teeth and forcibly swallowed the blood back down.

The Datura Snake gave him no time to catch his breath. Its massive body slid swiftly over the ground as it pounced again.

Enduring the pain in his chest, Tang San used the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to continuously change positions.

Man and snake pursued each other through the clearing. Though the Datura Snake was incredibly fast, its huge body was ultimately not agile enough among the trees. Several consecutive lunges and bites were narrowly evaded by Tang San.

Tang San gradually noticed this as well. He deliberately moved toward the densest cluster of trees, using the large trunks to restrict the Datura Snake's movements.

The Datura Snake crashed into the trunks several times. Fine cracks had already appeared in the scales atop its head, and its attacks grew increasingly frenzied.

Tang San seized the opportunity. He stomped heavily against a tree trunk and leapt into the air with the borrowed force.

Driven by the Mysterious Jade Hand, his right hand turned lustrous white like jade. He clenched his fingers into a fist and smashed it viciously toward the Datura Snake's injured spot.

Bang!

As his fist landed, several dark green scales immediately shattered.

The Datura Snake let out a sharp hiss, wildly flinging its head and directly throwing Tang San off its body.

Tang San hit the ground, and the surging blood in his chest could no longer be suppressed. He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Yet he had no time to wipe the blood from his lips. He quickly rolled behind a large tree.

The Datura Snake pursued him closely and rammed headfirst into the trunk.

Tang San had already circled around from the other side and bent down to grab a handful of broken stones.

More than ten stones flew toward the Datura Snake from different angles.

Most of the stones shattered the instant they struck its scales, but one grazed the top of the Datura Snake's head and shot precisely into its already injured eye.

Dark green blood splattered out. The Datura Snake let out a miserable hiss, its enormous body rolling wildly across the ground and snapping several small trees around it.

Tang San panted heavily, and at last, a faint smile appeared on his face.

As long as he attacked places not protected by scales, he had a chance to kill this soul beast.

Behind the trees, Qian Renyuan watched the entire scene clearly, and genuine excitement appeared in his eyes.

Very good. The more tenaciously Tang San struggled, the greater his pain would be when Qian Renyuan personally took this hope from him.

At the thought of Tang San's expression as he watched the opportunity for his first soul ring be destroyed before his very eyes, Qian Renyuan felt that this trip to the Soul Hunting Forest had been well worth it.

"At last, I haven't waited for nothing."

Qian Renyuan straightened up, his gaze locked firmly on the scene ahead.

He was even beginning to look forward to how many more surprises Tang San could bring him.