Snatching the Soul Ring!

Qin Chao and Hu Liena were still on their way, but Grandmaster and Tang San had already prepared to face the enemy.

The sickly-sweet scent of tea flooded their nostrils. Tang San instinctively activated the Mysterious Heaven Skill within him, pushing his Purple Demon Eye to its limit.

"It's a Mandala Snake!" Grandmaster sucked in a breath.

The Yellow Soul Ring on Luo Sanpao flashed again. A thunderous boom rang out, sending the enormous snake flying and pointing Qin Chao and Hu Liena in the right direction.

"Over there!" Holding Hu Liena's little hand, Qin Chao sprinted toward the sound.

If he remembered correctly, after three farts, Tang San and Grandmaster would start fleeing. Without those farting sounds to guide him, finding them again would be a real headache...

"Fart like a cloud of smoke! Send them into slumber, Luo Sanpao!" Grandmaster unleashed another powerful move. A cloud of yellow gas sprayed from Luo Sanpao's plump backside, spreading through the air.

Seizing the opportunity, Grandmaster pushed his speed to the limit, pulling Tang San along with one hand as he raced away.

Just as in the novel, Luo Sanpao was still bitten by the Mandala Snake. The pair slowed down, and to escape with his life, Tang San had no choice but to reveal his secret hidden weapon techniques.

Thick white radishes flew toward the Mandala Snake one after another. Tang San's movements were clean and precise as he narrowly evaded each of its attacks.

There were plenty of radishes, but sooner or later, they would run out.

In the novel, Tang San had briefly halted the Mandala Snake's attacks with his Silent Sleeve Arrow before finally killing it with his dagger.

But now...

Qin Chao's experience of obtaining a Soul Ring had stirred Tang San's interest, leading him to waste considerable time searching the hilltop for traces of soul beasts. The Silent Sleeve Arrow, which should already have been completed, was still nothing more than iron mother. With his radishes exhausted and nowhere left to dodge, a faint despair seeped into Tang San's eyes...

I crossed into another world, thinking I could spread the Tang Sect's might here. Who would have thought I would meet my end in this place!

A faint regret rose within him. Had he known it would come to this, he would have found a stronger teacher. Though Grandmaster had a profound understanding of soul beast theory, his strength ultimately fell a little short. If only he were a little stronger, perhaps Tang San would still have a chance to turn the tables...

What a pity. It's already too late for regrets...

At that moment, with his life hanging by a thread, Qin Chao and Hu Liena finally arrived.

Hu Liena had already reached rank thirty-one. With her there, Qin Chao naturally had no need to act.

"Foxfire!"

A slightly husky female voice rang out, accompanied by a burst of searing flame.

The flames illuminated the Mandala Snake's body and rekindled Tang San's hope of survival.

Qin Chao had said he wanted this "spicy strip" dead, so Hu Liena naturally showed no mercy.

The scorching Foxfire shot straight toward the Mandala Snake's vulnerable spot, seven inches below its head. That was a serpent's weakest point. If the attack landed squarely, the Mandala Snake would be gravely wounded even if it survived.

Unfortunately, the Mandala Snake reacted far too quickly. Just as the Foxfire reached it, it twisted its body sharply. In the end, the flames missed by several inches and struck its hard scales instead.

Once the flames touched its body, they clung like maggots burrowing into bone, impossible to extinguish. The Mandala Snake rolled across the ground in agony, strange croaking cries spilling from its mouth.

Seeing the Mandala Snake's jaws gape wide, Tang San seized upon an idea, and his dagger instantly flipped into his palm.

Using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, he swayed slightly, then swiftly flipped onto the snake's head.

At the sight, Qin Chao immediately thought, This is bad.

He certainly had not raced here in the dead of night merely to watch the excitement. From the outset, he had intended to prevent Tang San from obtaining his Soul Ring. Yet now, although the process differed from the novel, the outcome seemed scarcely changed...

"Bind!"

Qin Chao certainly would not sit and wait helplessly. Even if there was only a sliver of hope, he would stop Tang San from obtaining his Soul Ring. This was precious luck value at stake-he could use it for draws!

Surging soul power poured into his right hand, and the little golden tower abruptly grew larger. Only after draining every last drop of soul power from his body did Qin Chao swing his hand and throw the Heaven and Earth Tower.

Bang!

Under the immense suction within the Heaven and Earth Tower, the snake's body slammed violently against the tower walls. Qin Chao's soul power was still a little too low. Taking in people and small soul beasts went relatively smoothly, but capturing a hundred-year Mandala Snake was rather difficult.

Apart from its scales, this enormous creature was all muscle, and the strength of its resistance was truly formidable. Qin Chao struggled to control the constantly shaking Heaven and Earth Tower, entirely failing to notice the small figure still standing on the Mandala Snake's body...

The instant the Heaven and Earth Tower descended, the nearly frenzied Mandala Snake flung Tang San off its head, dropping him onto its coiled body. Powerful suction burst from within the tower, enveloping not only the Mandala Snake but Tang San as well.

In such cramped quarters, the Tang Sect Secret Arts' Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track actually performed beyond its usual limits.

Tang San twisted and darted across the thick, slippery snake, occasionally driving his dagger between its scales to gain leverage, making the Mandala Snake struggle even more wildly.

The suction within the Heaven and Earth Tower grew stronger and stronger, while anguished cries poured from the Mandala Snake's mouth. Tang San seized his chance and plunged his dagger, glinting with cold blue light, deep into its forked tongue...

"Croak!" A shrill, agonized cry echoed inside the Heaven and Earth Tower.

A martial soul was closely connected to its soul master. Realizing something was wrong, Qin Chao hurriedly recalled the Heaven and Earth Tower.

Bang! The enormous snake crashed to the ground, sending clouds of dust flying. A sword a foot and two inches long was buried deep in its head, reaching all the way into its brain.

Perhaps the unseen force of the plot was at work. Qin Chao had still failed to change the outcome.

The Mandala Snake was dead after all, slain by the sharp blade in Tang San's hand.

Seeing Tang San tumble down with the Mandala Snake, Grandmaster hurried forward, pulled him into his arms, and carried him to safety off to one side.

Qin Chao had intended to kill the Mandala Snake before Tang San could, but instead, he had ended up helping him. With his hopes of altering the plot and seizing luck value shattered, he could only make other plans.

"Thank you both, young friends, for lending a hand and saving my disciple and me from danger!" Grandmaster cupped his hands and bowed to Qin Chao and Hu Liena, his voice filled with relief.

With his scheme having fallen through, Qin Chao was naturally in low spirits. He waved listlessly. "It was only a small effort. Please don't mention it, Grandmaster..."

The forest was already dim, and Qin Chao and Hu Liena were wearing masks, so Grandmaster had not recognized them at all. Only after hearing Qin Chao identify him outright did he speak hesitantly.

"You two know me?"

Qin Chao removed his mask. "It's only been a few days since we last parted. Surely you haven't forgotten us, Grandmaster!"

Looking at that delicate little face and the child's familiar figure, Grandmaster naturally recognized the pair.

"You're Qin Chao? Your strength has already reached such heights?!"

Tang San, hovering on the brink of death, might not have noticed, but Grandmaster had seen everything clearly from the sidelines.

Qin Chao's golden, tower-shaped martial soul had borne two Soul Rings, one yellow and one purple. He was already a Soul Grandmaster-and one with a Thousand-Year Soul Ring at that!

For the first time in his life, Grandmaster began to doubt his own theories...