"Is... is this a pig? What a cute little piggy!"
Xiao Wu leaned closer curiously and poked Luo Sanpao's soft belly.
Then she tilted her head and looked at Yu Xiaogang in puzzlement.
"But Grandmaster, this little pig looks so soft. Can it really beat a Mandala Snake?"
Beside her, Tang San reflexively covered his mouth and nose and backed away three steps.
The scene from the back hill that day instantly surfaced in his mind.
That "fragrant" sight of Luo Sanpao attacking Tang Tian with a fart.
The shadow it had left on his mind was simply more terrifying than facing a Soul Beast.
"Ahem... this Martial Soul certainly is rather unique."
Tang San spoke vaguely.
Dean Zhang clearly already knew all about Luo Sanpao and took it in stride.
Instead, he watched with interest as Yu Xiaogang took several plump white radishes out of his Soul Tool.
He began feeding Luo Sanpao.
"Oink, oink."
Luo Sanpao ate happily, crunching through a whole radish in just a few bites.
"Dean, why is he feeding this Martial Soul radishes?"
Xiao Wu asked like an inquisitive child.
The corner of Dean Zhang's mouth twitched, and he nearly failed to hold back his laughter.
He looked at Yu Xiaogang rather unkindly.
"Ahem, well... Grandmaster, you'd better explain it yourself."
Yu Xiaogang's expression darkened.
But he still braced himself and explained.
"My Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao, is a detached mutated Martial Soul."
"Its method of attack is rather... special."
"By instantly compressing and releasing the gas inside its body, it can generate a powerful impact."
"Feeding it white radishes increases its gas reserves. In other words... it replenishes its ammunition."
After hearing that, Xiao Wu went completely numb.
She was a bunny who loved eating carrots, too!
Though what she ate were carrots.
But that did nothing to stop the idea of "eating radishes to attack with farts" from making her physically uncomfortable.
"Eating radishes... farting... to attack?"
Xiao Wu silently glanced at the dried carrots Tang Tian had just given her.
Suddenly, the snack in her hand no longer seemed appetizing.
Her little face scrunched up in distress.
"Then if I eat this... will I end up like that, too?"
Tang Tian bent down slightly and leaned close to her ear.
"Silly girl, what nonsense are you thinking? What I gave you were ruby carrots."
"Our Xiao Wu is a little fairy. Even a fairy's breath is fragrant."
"That sort of undignified thing only happens to certain middle-aged men."
Xiao Wu froze for a moment, then her cheeks instantly turned scarlet.
Tang Tian's words were a little twisted, but why did they sound so pleasing?
The disgust in her heart instantly vanished like smoke and clouds.
In its place came a trace of sweet, secret delight.
Meanwhile, the corner of Tang San's mouth was still twitching.
Grandmaster's way of fighting was far too undignified!
Seeing Tang San retreat another few steps, a trace of hurt and indignant sorrow flashed through Yu Xiaogang's eyes.
I'm planning to take you as my disciple!
Are you serious about that look of disgust?
Just then, Tang Tian, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly spoke.
He stepped forward with a solemn expression.
Patting Tang San's shoulder, he declared with righteous conviction.
"Little San, Xiao Wu, it's wrong of you to laugh at Grandmaster like this!"
"There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters..."
"Ah, no, I mean only Soul Masters who don't work hard!"
"Grandmaster is sacrificing his image to feed Luo Sanpao precisely to prepare for the battle ahead!"
"Doesn't his willingness to tarnish himself to protect us deserve our admiration?"
Tang Tian's voice rang with fervor, as though he had truly been moved.
"How can you look down on Grandmaster?"
"Grandmaster is gathering his strength! He's doing it to keep us safe!"
This was the art of praising someone to their downfall.
The higher you raised them, the louder the crash when they fell.
After hearing his older brother's words, Tang San immediately felt overcome with shame.
Yes, Grandmaster's methods might be unusual, but his intention was to protect everyone.
Everyone who fought earnestly deserved respect!
"I'm sorry, Grandmaster. I was being shallow."
Tang San apologized sincerely and put aside his contempt.
Xiao Wu also stuck out her tongue.
She hid behind Tang Tian in embarrassment.
Dean Zhang saw Tang Tian in an entirely new light.
This child might be a little less gifted than Tang San, but his generosity of spirit was beyond reproach. He was a promising seedling!
Even Yu Xiaogang was very surprised, and warmth welled up in his heart.
To think the one who best understood my painstaking efforts was Tang Tian, who had always opposed me!
This brat... wasn't quite so irritating after all.
However, that atmosphere did not last long.
Before long, a strange sweetness suddenly drifted through the air, mingled with a faint scent of tea.
"Careful! It's poisonous!"
Tang San had, after all, cultivated the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record and was especially sensitive to poisons. He immediately shouted a warning.
"Hiss, hiss-"
Accompanied by a scraping sound that made their scalps prickle, the bushes ahead were violently forced apart.
A dark green, triangular snakehead rose high.
A pair of small, ruby-like eyes shone with an eerie, cold light.
They stared fixedly at the group.
It was none other than a Mandala Snake!
Yu Xiaogang's expression turned grave, and he immediately launched into commentary.
"A Mandala Snake! Its venom is extremely potent. Not only does it cause paralysis, it can also damage the nerves! It's one of the most terrifying poison-type Soul Beasts!"
"Its body is as tough as iron, and ordinary blades can hardly injure it. Only its mouth and eyes are weak points. But it protects them well, and it's extraordinarily fast!"
Dean Zhang was in no hurry to act.
Instead, he observed from the side, wanting to see how the youngsters reacted.
He discovered that neither Tang Tian nor Tang San, nor even Xiao Wu, showed the slightest fear. Instead, they seemed rather eager to try.
"Judging by its size..."
Yu Xiaogang narrowed his eyes as he estimated.
"Before it evolves to the thousand-year level, its body grows one centimeter longer for every additional year of cultivation."
"This snake is nearly four meters long. That means its cultivation is already close to four hundred years!"
"Exactly the limit for Tang San's first soul ring!"
"It's coming!"
The Mandala Snake clearly had little patience for his commentary.
Its body sprang forward like a streak of green lightning, lunging toward the group in an instant!
"I'll handle it!"
Remembering Tang Tian's praise just now.
Yu Xiaogang felt he had to stand tall and salvage his dignity.
With Dean Zhang there to back him up anyway, what did he have to fear?
"Fart like thunder, Earth-Shattering Luo Sanpao!"
Yu Xiaogang shouted.
Two yellow rings of light rose beneath his feet.
"Luo, luo!"
Luo Sanpao cried out and leaped up, aiming its backside at the approaching Mandala Snake.
Boom-!
A yellow blast of air gushed out with a deafening roar.
It slammed hard into the Mandala Snake.
However...
This seemingly formidable strike.
Hit the Mandala Snake's tough scales.
And merely made its body pause slightly. It did not even scrape its skin!
The four-hundred-year-old Mandala Snake was enraged.
Its tail lashed out with a howl of wind.
Like a steel whip, it struck Luo Sanpao viciously.
"Awooo-"
Luo Sanpao let out a miserable cry.
It was sent flying outright.
"Pfft!"
Yu Xiaogang was sent flying along with it.
He spat out a mouthful of blood, and before he could even react.
He landed on his backside, his face as white as paper.
Dead silence fell over everyone.
His earlier words, "Let me deal with it."
Came back like a boomerang and struck Yu Xiaogang squarely in his own face.
Smack!
What a resounding slap.
Meanwhile, inside Tang Tian's Sea of Consciousness.
"Hahahahaha! You're killing me!"
Little Iron Hammer rolled wildly through the air.
Red light flashed chaotically, as though she were clutching her belly with laughter.
"That's what he calls an attack?"
"Letting out a fart, then getting himself swatted away? So weak!"
"It's an insult to the very word 'attack'!"
Before you continue