Dodging Around-Is That Any Way for a Man to Fight?

"Begin!"

Guga stared wide-eyed at the field. "It's starting, guga!"

Meng Yiran struck first. She flicked her Serpent Cane through the air, sending a serpentine streak of emerald energy from its tip. It shot straight for Tang San's face with a piercing whistle. The Snake Blade was a ranged poison attack; the air warped slightly in its wake, and a sweet, fishy smell spread through the clearing. It was clearly steeped in deadly venom.

Tang San pushed off lightly and activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. He drifted aside like a falling leaf. The Snake Blade skimmed past his shoulder and struck the tree behind him, instantly eating a charred black hole into its trunk.

Before Tang San had found his footing, Meng Yiran's second attack arrived. She swept her Serpent Cane sideways, sending a curved green blade of light toward his waist with a shrill rush of air. Its cutting force carved a line through the fallen leaves on the ground. Tang San dodged again, turning in midair and tapping a nearby tree trunk with his toes to swing around to her flank.

Blue Silver Grass spread from the ground toward Meng Yiran's ankles.

Meng Yiran gave a cold snort and stepped down sharply. Her body twisted like a snake, and the Blue Silver Grass slid beneath her shoes without catching her. Tang San flipped his left hand, sending another strand whipping in from the side. Meng Yiran swept her Serpent Cane across it. Green Soul Power erupted and knocked the grass whip away, though the impact left the web of her hand tingling.

She turned her wrist and changed her Serpent Cane's attack. Snake Blades became streaks of light that shot again and again toward Tang San.

Tang San wove through the streaks of light, driving Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to its limit. His movements were impossible to pin down. He tapped a tree trunk with his toes and flipped into the air as though he weighed nothing. Three Snake Blades swept beneath him, cutting three charred cracks into the trunk behind him. Blue Silver Grass reached for Meng Yiran from every angle, but her serpentine footwork was extraordinarily nimble. Each time it was about to catch her, she twisted free.

The two traded attacks. Snake Blades and Blue Silver Grass collided repeatedly in midair, scattering green poisonous mist and fragments of purple grass. Beads of sweat had formed on Tang San's forehead, and Meng Yiran's breathing had grown faster. Both knew the other would not be easy to defeat.

Xiao Wu stood to one side talking with Lin Yuan. Her gaze wandered around the clearing. She glanced at the fight now and then, but soon looked away. She paid little attention to Tang San.

Tang San kept stealing looks in her direction. He hoped Xiao Wu would watch him fight. But she didn't. She was chatting happily with Lin Yuan, smiling without once looking his way.

Something seemed to lodge in Tang San's chest, leaving him stifled and restless.

Tang San caught another glimpse of them out of the corner of his eye, and his heart sank.

He gritted his teeth and quickened his assault. Blue Silver Grass spread in from every direction, sealing off Meng Yiran's escape routes.

Trapped amid the Blue Silver Grass, Meng Yiran remained calm. She drove her Serpent Cane into the ground, and her Second Soul Ring lit up—Snake Blade Storm!

Countless green blades of light burst from the Serpent Cane and swept outward like a storm. They shredded the Blue Silver Grass, sending fragments flying. Tang San had to retreat to avoid them.

"Is dodging all you can do?" Meng Yiran sneered. "Dodging around like that—is that any way for a man to fight?"

Guga crouched beside Xiao Wu and muttered, "What a fierce woman, guga..."

Tang San's expression changed.

Meng Yiran's words stabbed into his heart like a thorn. He looked toward Xiao Wu at the edge of the field. She had her head turned toward Lin Yuan and was smiling as she spoke to him. She hadn't spared Tang San a glance.

A thought flashed through his mind—use a Hidden Weapon. With his technique, Meng Yiran could never dodge at this distance. But his reason fought back. This was a contest, not a battle to the death. Using a Hidden Weapon would cross the line.

Yet Meng Yiran's taunt still rang in his ears, and Xiao Wu's smile flashed before his eyes.

A savage glint crossed Tang San's eyes.

He raised his hand, and a black object slid from his sleeve into his palm.

Meng Yiran charged again. A Snake Blade became an emerald streak that stabbed straight toward Tang San's chest.

Tang San turned aside, letting the Snake Blade skim past his shoulder. He flipped his left hand, firing a black Sleeve Arrow from his cuff toward Meng Yiran's shoulder at point-blank range.

Meng Yiran's face changed. She tried to dodge, but it was too close. There was no time.

Pfft.

The Sleeve Arrow pierced Meng Yiran's shoulder. Blood instantly stained her clothes red.

Meng Yiran gave a muffled groan. Her Serpent Cane slipped from her hand, and she staggered back several steps, clutching her shoulder. Her face had gone pale.

Tang San's fingers trembled. He hadn't expected himself to actually do it, much less strike so hard.

Chao Tianxiang's expression changed at once.

"Yiran!"

She rushed to Meng Yiran's side and caught her granddaughter. After one look at the wound, she raised her head toward Tang San, her expression cold.

"You've got a ruthless hand, boy."

Tang San looked down at his hand. His fingertips still held the chill of the Sleeve Arrow. He had let his emotions take over and actually fired it.

Chao Tianxiang slowly straightened. Soul Rings shimmered around the serpent-headed cane in her hand. She looked at Tang San, her voice icy. "That Hidden Weapon you used wasn't a Soul Skill. This was supposed to be a contest. Don't you think that went too far?"

Zhao Wuji's expression shifted. He strode forward and stood in front of Tang San.

"Chao Tianxiang, please calm down."

Chao Tianxiang gave him a cold look. "Zhao Wuji, your student wounded my granddaughter with a Hidden Weapon. You expect me to let it go?"

Zhao Wuji fell silent for a moment, then leaned close to Chao Tianxiang's ear and whispered something.

Chao Tianxiang's expression changed instantly.

She whipped her head toward Tang San, her eyes filled with shock and conflicting emotions.

"He... he's...?"

Zhao Wuji nodded.

Chao Tianxiang was silent for a long while. At last, she let out a deep sigh.

She turned and helped Meng Yiran up. "We're leaving."

Meng Yiran gritted her teeth. "Grandma—"

"Come."

Chao Tianxiang did not look back. Supporting Meng Yiran, she walked step by step into the depths of the forest until they vanished among the shadows of the trees.

Zhao Wuji breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Oscar. "All right, stop standing there. Hurry up and absorb the Soul Ring."

Oscar snapped out of his daze. Knife in hand, he hurried to the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent and plunged the blade into its head.

Black Tortoise Guga poked his head out of Xiao Wu's arms and tried to move closer for a look. Lin Yuan reached out and held him back. "Don't get too close."

Black Tortoise Guga drew his neck in and obediently settled back in Xiao Wu's arms, though his gaze remained fixed on the rising purple Soul Ring.

The purple Soul Ring slowly rose from the serpent's body. Guided by Oscar, it gradually merged into him.

About an hour later, Oscar opened his eyes. A keen light flashed in them.

Guga yawned. "That took forever, guga..." Three Soul Rings rose from beneath Oscar's feet—two yellow and one purple. The purple third ring was especially striking. He let out a long breath and felt an entirely new power within him, warm and lively.

Zhao Wuji nodded with satisfaction. "Congratulations. Your third Soul Ring is yours. Come on, show us what the Soul Skill does."

Oscar blushed. He raised his right hand, stammering as he recited the incantation. "I've got a Mushroom Sausage!"

A strange sausage appeared in his hand. It was shaped like a mushroom and shimmered with a faint purple glow.

Dai Mubai couldn't help laughing. "Mushroom Sausage? What does it do?"

Oscar cleared his throat and announced proudly, "Mushroom Sausage, my third Soul Ring skill—its effect is flight."

The laughter stopped dead.

"Flight?"

"Yeah. One minute of flight at the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's speed."

Everyone froze.

Flight was an extraordinarily rare ability in the Soul Master World, let alone flight that could carry an entire team.

One minute at the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's speed would take them at least two thousand meters.

Seeing everyone stare in astonishment gave Oscar a secret thrill, and a broad grin spread across his face. He tossed the Mushroom Sausage lightly in his hand, showing it off like a treasure.

"If you want one of my Mushroom Sausages from now on, you'll have to ask me nicely."

Black Tortoise Guga poked his head out of Xiao Wu's arms and stared at the Mushroom Sausage for a long time. "Guga wants to fly too, guga..."

Xiao Wu stroked Black Tortoise Guga's head. "I'll ask Oscar for one later and carry you while I fly."

Black Tortoise Guga nuzzled Xiao Wu's hand and narrowed his eyes in contentment. "Xiao Wu is the best, guga!"