Failed Soul Beast Hunt?

A searing pain spread through Tang San's eyes in an instant.

It was as if scalding acid had been poured into them. Tears streamed down his face, and he could not even open his eyes.

Fortunately, Tang San had been an outer disciple of the Bashu Tang Sect in his previous life. He had plenty of experience dealing with venomous snakes.

He darted aside with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, swept a hand over the Twenty-Four Bridges Bright Moonlit Night, and took out a water flask.

He poured the clean water into his eyes to dilute the Mandala Snake's venom while circulating the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

"Damn you, Mandala Snake! You've given me every reason to kill you!"

Veins bulged on Tang San's forehead as he roared inwardly.

He had never expected one mistake to have such serious consequences.

Though Tang San had reacted quickly, this was not Bashu.

The Mandala Snake was no ordinary venomous snake.

Its venom was highly toxic. It could paralyze its victim and damage a Soul Master's nerves.

Yu Xiaogang had told him as much earlier.

The Mandala Snake was among the most terrifying poison-type Soul Beasts.

Venom splashed directly into the eyes could blind a person through its corrosive power alone.

Tang San was not blind yet, but he had more than enough trouble on his hands.

"Purple Demon Eye!"

Tang San could no longer spare a thought for anything else.

He immediately activated the Purple Demon Eye, hoping to see his surroundings clearly.

But this time, his vision was nothing like its usual clarity.

A faint gray haze veiled what the Purple Demon Eye showed him.

When Tang San strained to see through it, a sudden burning pain stabbed through his eyes.

Then he could no longer use the Purple Demon Eye.

The Purple Demon Eye isn't completely unusable!

My eyes are injured, but I'm not blind!

If I can borrow Xu Yuan's Wish-Granting Tree Martial Soul, there's still hope they'll heal!

Tang San tried to reassure himself, but his tightly clenched fists betrayed his fear.

"Xiao San... Xiao San... where... are you?"

Yu Xiaogang lay on the ground, calling Tang San's name in agony.

Yu Xiaogang! You useless fool!

Tang San's eyes reddened with rage, and he breathed like an ox.

If Yu Xiaogang had not been so useless, how could a four-hundred-year-old Mandala Snake have poisoned his eyes?

And could his theories be trusted at all?

Hadn't he said that vicious Soul Beasts like the Mandala Snake lacked patience and would give up after a short chase?

How much more persistent could that snake have been?

Wang Sheng's words flashed through Tang San's mind.

Could Wang Sheng have been right? Was Yu Xiaogang just a useless freeloader living off his connections at Nouding Academy?

Killing intent surged through Tang San. Without quite realizing it, he had aimed the Silent Sleeve Arrow on his arm at Yu Xiaogang's head.

One slight pull of the trigger would send this world-famous Grandmaster to his grave!

But...

Teacher did see through my Twin Martial Souls at a glance!

And what he said matched Dad's words exactly.

That can't be a coincidence. Maybe this was just an accident!

Yu Xiaogang was known for his theoretical knowledge, after all. It was understandable that he was no good in a fight.

After a moment's hesitation, Tang San put away the Silent Sleeve Arrow.

It was not a sudden burst of kindness. Something had occurred to him.

If his teacher died on their first Soul Hunting trip, would that not tarnish his spotless reputation?

With that thought, Tang San stepped out slowly.

Without the Purple Demon Eye, his eyes were merely bloodred, and his vision remained blurred.

"Teacher, are you all right? That Mandala Snake was terrifying. It struck me and knocked me unconscious."

Tang San put on the manner of a six-year-old child. The lingering fright on his face made the act more convincing.

The bloodshot swelling around his eyes dispelled any other suspicions Yu Xiaogang might have had.

"Xiao San, what happened to your eyes?"

Yu Xiaogang struggled to his feet and looked at Tang San in panic.

If Xiao San went blind, wouldn't his father, the Clear Sky Douluo, tear Yu Xiaogang apart?

"I'm fine, Teacher. A little Mandala Snake venom splashed into my eyes. It's nothing serious."

Tang San forced the words out despite the pain in his eyes.

The world spun around Yu Xiaogang. Mandala Snake venom had splashed into Tang San's eyes, and he called that nothing serious?

Yu Xiaogang might have been a fraud who traded on a false reputation, but he had not read all those books in Spirit Hall's library for nothing.

Few could match his knowledge of Soul Beasts.

That was precisely why he knew how terrifying Mandala Snake venom was!

Venom entering the eyes directly could corrode the eyeballs and eventually cause blindness!

"Quick, rinse them with clean water!"

In a panic, Yu Xiaogang had Tang San take out water and rinse his eyes again.

Only after confirming that Tang San would not go blind for the moment did Yu Xiaogang collapse to the ground.

"Teacher, are you all right?"

"Xiao San, I'm fine. You're the one who suffered because of me. The Mandala Snake chased you, and your eyes were hurt!"

Despair rose in Yu Xiaogang's heart.

He could not understand what was wrong with the world.

For Tang San's safety, he had deliberately stayed out of the Soul Hunting Forest's core, afraid they might encounter such ferocious Soul Beasts.

Who could have imagined that after wandering around the outskirts, they would still run into a four-hundred-year-old Mandala Snake?

"Wait, where is the Mandala Snake?"

Yu Xiaogang instantly went on guard. He tried to summon Luo Sanpao, but his injuries prevented it.

"Don't worry, Teacher. The Mandala Snake has left!"

"It left? What a pity. If we could have killed it, your First Soul Ring would have been settled!"

Disappointment showed on Yu Xiaogang's face.

The Mandala Snake fit exactly what he had been looking for.

Unfortunately, it was too strong for the two of them to defeat.

"Teacher, what should we do now?"

Tang San ignored Yu Xiaogang's nonsense.

If the Mandala Snake had not withdrawn when it did, whether either of them would have survived was another matter!

"Ah, it's fine. We'll just have to keep looking!"

Putting on a brave face, Yu Xiaogang patted Tang San's shoulder.

It was too late to leave the Soul Hunting Forest now.

If the teachers and students of Nouding Academy learned that his first Soul Hunting trip with a student had gone so badly, he would be nailed to the pillar of shame!

Yu Xiaogang could not tolerate that.

As for leaving the Soul Hunting Forest to ask another Soul Master for help...

How could he put it?

Before entering the Soul Hunting Forest, Yu Xiaogang had made his disdain for those Soul Masters clear to Tang San.

Going back to ask them for help now would be a slap in his own face!

But if the Soul Hunting takes too long, people will notice!

Yu Xiaogang grew agitated.

He absolutely could not allow anything else to go wrong on this trip!

But after only two steps, dizziness swept over him!

No!

Was I poisoned by the Mandala Snake too?

Yu Xiaogang immediately recalled Luo Sanpao being bitten.

A Beast Martial Soul was one with its host, and an External Beast Martial Soul was no exception.

If the Martial Soul was poisoned, its host was poisoned too.

No. I can't collapse yet!

Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth. His body swayed as he circulated every bit of Soul Power he could muster to suppress the poison.

I still have this mess to clean up! A Soul Beast to hunt! Theories to prove to the world!

If I fall here, Xiao San will be left to prop up a building with a single beam. But I can't hold on much longer!

How can I help him hunt a suitable Soul Beast for his Soul Ring in so little time?

Maybe I should have him go back and kill that Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo?

The thought suddenly surfaced in Yu Xiaogang's mind.

Just as a chill ran down Tang San's back, an opportunity appeared!

"Hiss..."

A venomous snake about two meters long slithered out of the grass nearby, gray-green patches covering its body.

"Could that be... a two-hundred-year-old Corrosive Swamp Venomfang Python?"

Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up.