"To think you could detect my presence in my poison fog. Young people these days really are remarkable."
Virus showed no sign of panic despite his nearly crippled hands.
The others did not let their guard down, either.
They unleashed their respective Soul Skills, attacking Virus in seamless coordination.
Facing this onslaught, Virus merely bared a mouthful of corroded, blackened teeth.
Then his seventh, black Soul Ring lit up. The surge in Soul Power forced Qian Renxue and the others to slow their assault.
Jade Phosphorous Toad Avatar! Poison engulfs the world!
In an instant, poison fog even fiercer and denser than before billowed out.
Croak!
A toad's cry resounded through the mountains, shaking Tang San's internal organs. He had to force his heart to pump harder, using energy-rich blood to steady his entire body.
So this was the might of a Soul Saint? How overwhelming!
Tang San's horizons had broadened. Rather than panic, he felt excitement.
The Jade Phosphorous Toad, one of the jade phosphorous five poisons. Its poison was not potent, but it would slowly eat away at its victim. By the time the illness reached the marrow, there was no saving them.
This knowledge suddenly sprang into Tang San's mind, but he felt no misgivings. He had long since grown accustomed to it.
At that moment, Tang San also learned how to deal with the Jade Phosphorous Toad.
But if he simply said it aloud, his opponent would catch on. He needed to find a way to goad him.
"Everyone, be careful! My Purification Dewdrop isn't very effective against the poison fog of his Martial Soul Avatar!"
Tang San shouted the warning. It was the truth.
Qian Renxue nodded. "Then we'll have to end this quickly."
"Heh heh, blue-haired brat, at least you've got a discerning eye. But ending this quickly? Not a chance!"
Virus gave a sinister chuckle, and waves of wolf howls rose from all around them.
It was the Wolf Bandits. They were already controlled half-corpses, so they rushed over without restraint.
Still, the fact that only a little over two hundred Wolf Bandits remained showed how much work the mercenary group had done.
Tang San worried about how Ma Hongjun, Li Zhanya, and Black Rose were doing. They had also joined the battle to wipe out the Wolf Bandits.
"Get them!"
Virus ordered the Wolf Bandits to surround and attack the Golden Squad and the others.
He stayed on the perimeter, constantly releasing various poisons and Soul Skills to hinder Qian Renxue and her companions.
"Get ready!"
Qian Renxue's gaze sharpened slightly as she looked at the mass of Wolf Bandits and gave a low shout.
Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and the others understood at once and changed formation.
Then the siblings' auras began to intertwine.
"A Martial Soul Fusion Skill?!"
Virus cried out in horror. He had never expected them to possess such a deadly trump card.
Tang San had not expected it either. It seemed his own plan was no longer necessary.
Virus's heart jolted. He knew how formidable a Martial Soul Fusion Skill was. It was not as simple as one plus one-the two users' strength was multiplied!
Xie Yue and Hu Liena were both Soul Ancestors close to the Soul King level. Once they completed their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, they could probably unleash power rivaling a Soul Saint's!
He immediately redirected the Wolf Bandits, concentrating their strength in an assault on Xie Yue and Hu Liena.
But this was precisely where Yan, Xiao Wu, and Li Kai came in. Together, they held the tide of Wolf Bandits at bay.
Seeing this, Virus gathered strength in his hind legs and leaped up, trying to crush them like Mount Tai bearing down and interrupt the Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
"Not a chance!"
Qian Renxue and Zhang Ping shot into the sky, where their Martial Souls could fight more effectively.
"Heh heh, come get a taste of the extra seasoning I've prepared for you!"
Intercepted in midair, Virus did not fly into a rage. Instead, he smiled as though his scheme had succeeded.
Qian Renxue was the strongest of them. Luring her upward would allow him to unleash his next skill unhindered.
The Jade Phosphorous Toad's enormous mouth snapped shut, then instantly spewed a mass of thick, shit-green sludge.
Its astonishingly pungent stench sent Qian Renxue and Zhang Ping scrambling away.
Qian Renxue quickly stirred her Soul Power and recovered. Without hesitation, she unleashed Holy Light Slash to disperse that indescribable filth.
But the equipment she wore had a spirit of its own and showed a trace of resistance, delaying her attempt to help.
Fortunately, Tang San, who was accustomed to situations like this, kept his composure.
"You two! If you don't want shit raining down on your heads, give me a hand!"
Tang San shouted to Gao Yuli and Xu Yu. Both reacted immediately, applying their enhancement-type Soul Skills to him.
Feeling his strength rise, Tang San immediately commanded his blue silver grass.
Blue silver heavenly locks!
Countless strands of blue silver grass burst from the ground, shooting several meters high before intertwining like chains, weaving a barrier without a single gap.
It shielded everyone from Virus's killing move.
This was why Grandmaster had recommended Tang San. After his special training, Tang San had stronger resistance to this sort of thing.
"Spin!"
Then Tang San controlled the blue silver heavenly locks, setting the entire dome spinning. It flung off the corrosive filth and blocked a large number of Wolf Bandits.
All of this seemed lengthy, but in reality, less than three minutes had passed.
Xie Yue and Hu Liena had also completed their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
Demon Charm!
A vast cloud of red mist spread out, instantly obscuring everyone's vision and making it difficult to see.
At the same time, their Soul Power and movement were suppressed by fifty percent.
Within this red mist, Demon Charm was the sole sovereign!
In an instant, countless Wolf Bandits died beneath the ring-shaped Moon Blade.
Unwilling to accept his inevitable defeat, Virus knocked aside Zhang Ping when she tried to intercept him and charged into the cave.
Qian Renxue immediately followed. Demon Charm could do little to suppress her six-winged angel martial soul.
Tang San also slipped into the cave. The Asura Eyes granted by his Asura Demon Heart Art could likewise break through the red mist's suppression.
Demon Charm was busy slaughtering Wolf Bandits and therefore did not notice Tang San's movements.
[Xiao San, let me tell you this in secret. I may know that Evil Soul Master. I met him once while traveling the continent. He was highly skilled in medicine and pharmacology.]
[I learned these few methods of preparing medicines and medicinal baths from him. The poison miasma on the mountain is very similar to a medicine he once showed me.]
[Later, I heard that the town had been attacked by an Evil Soul Master. I went to investigate, but nothing came of it.]
[I'm not asking you to spare Tom. I just hope you'll find out how and why this happened, then give him a quick end.]
[No matter how miserable his past was, now that he's become an Evil Soul Master, you can't afford to be softhearted.]
[You should understand that.]
Recalling Grandmaster's secret instructions, Tang San ventured deep into the cave.
Then he saw an utterly astonishing scene.
Qian Renxue had withdrawn her Martial Soul and fallen into a daze, a strange smile lingering on her face.
"Hehe~ Daddy, Mommy, Grandpa..."
Tang San instantly grew wary, then caught a bloody, sweet scent.
"This is bad!"
Tang San covered his face with blue silver grass, forming a mask. Its abundant vitality filtered the toxins from the air.
"It's Five-Stone Powder-and extremely pure, at that."
Recalling the beautiful vision he had just seen, Tang San shook his head, refusing to let it cloud his judgment.
He approached Qian Renxue and used his vitality to help purge the poison from her.
She soon emerged from her delirium, but the immense contrast in sensations made her pass out.
Tang San was puzzled. How could Qian Renxue have fallen prey to this? She possessed the six-winged angel martial soul.
"Cough, cough. Boy, you really are impressive. You actually overcame the supreme bliss brought on by Five-Stone Powder."
"No, I just got lucky. Should I call you Virus now, or Tom?"
Before you continue