The Man in Green and the Ten-Thousand-Year Datura Snake

"Help~"

"Teacher, it sounds like someone is crying for help."

Huo Lei said in surprise.

"I heard it too. It was a man's voice. Perhaps he was being chased by a soul beast."

Jin Shan calmly voiced his judgment.

"Teacher, hurry! Let's go see what's going on!"

Huo Lei rose to his feet and headed toward the source of the voice.

Jin Shan said nothing and merely followed behind him.

"Help~"

The cry for help rang out again, clearer and louder this time.

Huo Lei quickened his pace and ran toward the sound.

Jin Shan remained close behind him.

After taking more than a dozen steps, Huo Lei abruptly stopped, because he had finally spotted the person crying for help.

A man in green, around thirty years old, was running frantically. A massive yellow snake was rapidly pursuing him from behind.

"Help~"

The green-clad man's movements were unpredictable. Every shift in position carried him more than ten meters away. He seemed to have noticed Huo Lei, and as his figure flickered, he rapidly approached Huo Lei's location.

"What a peculiar movement technique. Is that a soul skill?"

Huo Lei was deeply captivated by the green-clad man's footwork.

At that moment, Jin Shan appeared beside Huo Lei. "A ten-thousand-year Datura Snake. Rare! Very rare."

"Senior, save me!"

The man in green shouted desperately at Jin Shan.

"Teacher, sorry for the trouble, but please save his life."

Huo Lei looked earnestly at his teacher.

Jin Shan said nothing, only giving a slight nod. He then took a single step and was already more than ten meters away.

The green-clad man arrived before Jin Shan and pleaded, "Senior, save me."

Jin Shan ignored him and directly raised his right hand. A surging wave of golden Soul Power descended upon the rapidly approaching Datura Snake.

The Ten-Thousand-Year Datura Snake was instantly suppressed against the ground, unable to move. With a wave of Jin Shan's right hand, the Datura Snake crashed into a nearby tree. Jin Shan's hand continued to wave, again and again. After several repetitions, the Datura Snake had been smashed senseless and dizzy, lying on the ground on the verge of death without moving.

Huo Lei had caught up by then. He stood quietly to one side, staring in astonishment as his teacher effortlessly battered the Datura Snake. At the same time, he could not stop marveling inwardly. Is this the strength of a Titled Douluo? Truly terrifying.

The man in green stood nearby, panting heavily as he stared dumbfoundedly at the scene before him.

Jin Shan withdrew his Soul Power and gave a light cough, bringing the stunned man in green and Huo Lei back to their senses.

Startled awake by Jin Shan's cough, the man in green hurriedly bowed over and over. "Thank you, Senior, for saving my life! Thank you, Senior, for saving my life!"

"You are quite young, yet your strength is remarkable. Which family do you come from? Why were you being chased by a ten-thousand-year Datura Snake?"

Jin Shan scrutinized the man in green and questioned him.

"Reporting to Senior! This junior is named Lin Yin. My martial soul is the Illusionary Dragon, and I am thirty-three this year. I was born into a commoner family and am now all alone, with no one to rely on. By chance, I cultivated to level sixty and came to Sunset Forest with two companions in search of a Soul Ring. Unfortunately, we encountered the Ten-Thousand-Year Datura Snake. While fleeing, my two companions had already died in its jaws!"

As Lin Yin spoke of his grief, he began to choke up.

"So young, yet already level sixty—and from a commoner background at that. He could only be called a genius. Even more valuable, he possesses the relatively rare Illusionary Dragon martial soul. The records say that the Illusionary Dragon excels most at stealth and infiltration."

"He just said he is alone now. Heaven is truly helping me. If I bring him over to my side, I'll have some assurance when dealing with Tang San from now on."

Huo Lei hurried to his teacher's side and whispered something into his ear.

Jin Shan understood and gave Huo Lei a reassuring look.

"Kid, seeing how loyal and devoted you are, this old man will give you the Datura Snake on the ground."

Jin Shan glanced at the grieving Lin Yin.

Upon hearing Jin Shan's words, the sobbing Lin Yin froze for a moment. Then he came to his senses, hastily wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and bowed. "Thank you for your great kindness, Senior. Thank you for your great kindness, Senior..."

Jin Shan impatiently urged, "Enough. Go absorb it already!"

Lin Yin obediently nodded, took out a short sword, and walked toward the twitching Datura Snake on the ground.

The Datura Snake was already covered in wounds and had lost all ability to attack.

Lin Yin aimed at the Datura Snake's mouth and brought his blade down, ending its life.

A pitch-black Soul Ring condensed and formed, floating in the air as it pulsed continuously.

A smile rose on Lin Yin's lips. He immediately sat cross-legged and began absorbing it.

"Brat, why did you want to take in this kid named Lin Yin?"

Jin Shan looked at Huo Lei in confusion.

"I think he is strong and young, with plenty of room to improve in the future. He is very suitable to be my helper and may become a great aid to me someday. Besides, Teacher, you cannot stay by my side forever. Even if you are with me, I cannot ask you to handle everything. With a helper, things will be much easier for me."

"Alright, Teacher, I'm going to check out that Datura Snake and collect some useful stuff."

After rattling off his thoughts, Huo Lei chuckled and turned to leave.

Watching his disciple's retreating back, Jin Shan sighed with emotion. "This kid possesses such a mind at such a young age. Given time, he will surely shock the continent."

Huo Lei crept closer to the Datura Snake, afraid of disturbing Lin Yin, who was absorbing the Soul Ring.

Huo Lei fixed his gaze on the Datura Snake's enormous body and exclaimed in shock, "This snake is really huge. If I didn't know it was a soul beast, I would have thought it was a python! It has to be over eight meters, maybe close to nine."

"If I remember correctly, in The Unrivaled Tang Sect, Bei Bei once explained some knowledge about Datura Snakes. A yellow Datura Snake was the mark of one that had reached ten thousand years, while its body length indicated its exact cultivation age. It grew one meter for every thousand years. By that calculation, this Datura Snake had cultivated for nearly nineteen thousand years."

"Back then, a Datura Snake with only four hundred years of cultivation nearly killed Yu Xiaogang. This one has nearly twenty thousand years of cultivation, so its venom must be even more vicious. A Soul Sage would probably be in serious trouble after a single bite. If I collect some and coat my arrows with it, that would be perfect."

"Heh heh heh~"

Thinking of the wonderful possibilities, Huo Lei could not help but snicker.

"Brat, what are you laughing so happily about?"

Jin Shan walked over and lightly smacked Huo Lei on the head with his right hand.

"Nothing! Nothing!"

Huo Lei stopped laughing and waved his hands repeatedly. At the same time, he took a small white bottle and the dagger he had used before from his Storage Ring, then walked toward the Datura Snake's head.

After some effort, he collected a full bottle of Datura Snake venom and put it away with satisfaction.

An hour later.

The black Soul Ring around Lin Yin finally finished being absorbed as well. Two yellow, three purple, and one black Soul Ring appeared at once. After circling his body and pulsing several times, they vanished.

Lin Yin opened his eyes, and a sharp glint flashed through their depths before disappearing, too faint for anyone to notice. He rose, dropped to one knee, and clasped his fists before him as he thanked Jin Shan beside him. "Thank you, Senior, for saving my life and for your generous gift. I have no way to repay you, so I am willing to follow at your side and serve you faithfully."

Jin Shan and Huo Lei exchanged a knowing look, both showing delight.

Jin Shan resumed a stern expression and asked solemnly, "Do you truly wish to follow this old man?"