Watching the Tigers Fight from the Mountain

Night fell over Soul Hunting Forest.

The campfire burned quietly among the trees, broken now and then by the soft crackle of wood.

Chu Heng hid behind an ancient tree not far from Tang San's camp, its dense foliage concealing him.

A moment ago, Yu Xiaogang had suddenly risen to his feet.

"Something's coming."

Tang San opened his eyes the instant he heard Yu Xiaogang and rose to join him.

"Teacher?"

"Keep quiet for now."

Yu Xiaogang raised a hand, signaling Tang San to be silent.

A faint rustling came from the darkness in the distance.

Rustle...

At the camp, Yu Xiaogang had already pinpointed its direction. Pale purple Soul Power surged from him.

"Luo Sanpao!"

At his low shout, a plump figure appeared out of thin air.

Hidden in the shadows, Chu Heng saw Yu Xiaogang's martial soul with his own eyes. It was a peculiar, round-bodied soul beast that looked part pig, part dog.

Chu Heng's mouth twitched. He had to admit, seeing the creature for the first time was quite a shock.

Luo Sanpao's appearance did nothing to deter the shape in the darkness. The sounds grew louder.

Then a pair of faintly glowing snake eyes emerged from deep within the bushes, and a thick serpentine body slithered out of the shadows.

"A Mandrake Snake."

Yu Xiaogang's expression shifted.

"Over four hundred years old..."

That age put it beyond what he could handle.

"Tang San, get back!"

Yu Xiaogang barked the warning.

But the Mandrake Snake had already attacked.

"A fart like thunder, Luo Sanpao shakes heaven and earth!"

Yu Xiaogang shouted, and Luo Sanpao's body suddenly swelled.

Boom!

A powerful blast erupted straight ahead.

The Mandrake Snake's charge faltered, and it was hurled backward. But before Yu Xiaogang could breathe a sigh of relief, it raised its head again.

Enraged by the attack, the Mandrake Snake flicked its tongue and lunged once more.

Yu Xiaogang directed Luo Sanpao to block it, but the gap in strength was far too great. After several clashes, Luo Sanpao was clearly struggling to hold on. Yu Xiaogang's Soul Power was draining fast as well.

Tang San had remained off to the side, but Chu Heng saw his hands lower to either side of his body. Something seemed to be held between his fingers.

Hidden weapons?

Chu Heng watched the fight. At one point, the Mandrake Snake swept past Yu Xiaogang, its sharp fangs leaving a wound on him.

Yu Xiaogang staggered back several steps, and Tang San rushed to his side.

"Don't worry about me..."

Yu Xiaogang forced out the words.

"The Mandrake Snake's venom is potent. Deal with it... first..."

Yu Xiaogang swayed, then lost consciousness.

"Teacher!"

Tang San caught him and laid him to one side. When he stood again, his expression had changed.

Hidden in the shadows, Chu Heng perked up.

Here it comes.

Now for the real show.

"Hiss..."

The Mandrake Snake flicked its tongue.

It seemed to sense that this human was far weaker than the last. It slowly coiled, then launched itself at him.

But the instant it lunged, Tang San's body blurred.

Chu Heng's pupils contracted. Tang San had been standing right there, yet in the next instant he moved with a bizarre series of steps and slipped past the Mandrake Snake.

Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track!

Chu Heng knew of this secret Tang Sect technique.

But knowing about it and seeing it with his own eyes were two different things.

The Mandrake Snake missed and immediately twisted around to pursue him.

Tang San kept changing position. Every dodge looked perilously close, yet he always slipped past the attack at just the right moment.

His hands were busy too. A cold gleam suddenly shot from his palm.

Clink!

The tiny hidden weapon struck the Mandrake Snake's scales, raising only a spark.

Tang San kept evading with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, but the gap in strength was too great. The longer the fight dragged on, the worse his position became.

Chu Heng could see that too. He slowly drew an arrow, nocked it, and pulled back the bowstring.

Only one chance.

Chu Heng held his breath, tracking the Mandrake Snake with his eyes.

Then Tang San seemed to seize an opening and leaped to the side. The Mandrake Snake followed close behind, raising its head. Its bone-white fangs flashed in the firelight.

Now!

Chu Heng's eyes sharpened, and he released the string.

Whoosh!

The arrow tore through the air. The sudden sound startled Tang San.

Someone's there!

But before he could locate its source, the arrow buried itself squarely in one of the Mandrake Snake's eyes.

"Hiss—!"

A shrill screech rang through the forest. The Mandrake Snake thrashed wildly, the arrow lodged deep in its eye socket as blood poured from the wound.

Tang San's eyes lit up.

Someone's helping me from the shadows!

He was wary, of course, but this was no time to investigate who it was.

Kill the Mandrake Snake first!

Tang San shifted his footing and charged forward with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track once more.

The long pursuit had already drained much of the Mandrake Snake's strength. Now blind in one eye, it began to leave openings in its movements.

Tang San seized the chance, firing hidden weapons in quick succession to disrupt it.

Chu Heng, meanwhile, made no further move.

For one thing, the Mandrake Snake would be on guard now. For another, he wanted to see how Tang San would finish off a soul beast over four hundred years old.

In the clearing, Tang San dodged another sweep of the snake's tail and quickly scanned the surrounding trees.

Whoever had struck from the shadows had neither attacked again nor shown himself.

Did he not want to reveal himself?

Or was he waiting for me and the Mandrake Snake to wear each other down?

Tang San's thoughts raced. Whatever the answer, he could not reveal all his trump cards.

So he held back during the rest of the fight, until the Mandrake Snake's movements grew slower and slower.

Tang San decided to end it.

He darted forward and drove the blade in his hand into the Mandrake Snake's most vulnerable spot.

Blood sprayed. The Mandrake Snake went rigid, then its thick body slammed into the ground.

Boom!

A swath of rotting leaves flew into the air.

The Mandrake Snake continued to twitch on instinct, but its movements gradually weakened until it fell completely still.

Pale yellow light slowly gathered above the corpse. Before long, a yellow soul ring had formed over the Mandrake Snake, pulsing quietly.

Tang San stood where he was and looked toward Chu Heng's hiding place.

"Friend, thank you for helping me just now."

There was no answer.

Tang San frowned slightly.

So he doesn't intend to come out?

Just as he heightened his guard again, a nearby bush rustled.

Rustle...

Tang San lowered his right hand, and several hidden weapons slid silently into his palm.

But a familiar figure stepped out from behind a tree.

"Impressive."

Chu Heng walked toward him, unable to resist applauding.

"Really impressive. You managed to take down a snake that big..."