The night was deep, and the bright moon hung high in the sky.
In the central region of the Star Dou Forest, in a relatively open grassy area, the Shrek group was resting. They had set up a simple camp around a bonfire, with some repellent powder scattered around to keep snakes, insects, and rodents at bay.
The forest at night was far more dangerous than during the day, so they had no choice but to set up camp here.
At the moment, Chen Yuan was sitting against a large tree, with Ning Rongrong leaning on his shoulder, fast asleep. Even Chen Yuan had drifted into a light sleep. Even in the Star Dou Forest, it was impossible to remain alert at all times. Necessary rest was indispensable.
On the same tree Chen Yuan was leaning against, Zhu Zhuqing was hidden among the branches. Perhaps because of her Nether Spirit Cat martial soul, she preferred staying in high places. It allowed her to stay vigilant and ready to strike at any moment, giving her the upper hand in combat. Her excellent balance and coordination also ensured she wouldn't fall.
As for why she chose this particular tree, it was likely because she felt that Chen Yuan and Ning Rongrong below were more trustworthy and reliable.
Near the bonfire, Ma Hongjun and Oscar were huddled close together, sharing warmth. Oscar also needed Ma Hongjun's protection. Among the team's two support-type soul masters, Ning Rongrong had Chen Yuan to protect her, and Oscar, not being a natural sycophant, naturally felt too embarrassed to shamelessly cling to her.
On the other side of the bonfire, Tang San and Xiao Wu were acting quite strangely. The two, who were usually very close, now seemed noticeably distant.
Both were hiding secrets. Tang San couldn't figure out how Xiao Wu and the Titan Giant Ape had coexisted so peacefully, while Xiao Wu was deeply conflicted, unsure how much longer she could keep her biggest secret hidden.
Everyone was resting, and the only one on guard duty was Zhao Wuji. He stood at the edge of the camp with his arms crossed.
As a Soul Sage, his mental fortitude was stronger than the others. Staying awake for a while wouldn't affect his strength.
At the moment, he felt that this soul hunting trip had been a complete disaster. First, they had offended the Snake Lady of the Dragon-Snake Duo, and then they had encountered the forest's king, the Titan Giant Ape. The former was manageable, but the latter was a 100,000-year soul beast that even Titled Douluos dared not provoke lightly.
In just one day, they had encountered all of this. Fortunately, they had survived unscathed, or he would have been scared to death.
Just as he was feeling frustrated, a rustling sound suddenly came from the quiet forest. Zhao Wuji's expression changed, and he immediately became alert.
"Kids, wake up! There's a soul beast in the forest. Don't let it sneak up on us."
His shout woke everyone who was resting, and even if they weren't fully alert, they quickly gathered around Zhao Wuji.
Tang San cautiously asked:
"Teacher Zhao, can you tell what kind of soul beast it is?"
Zhao Wuji shook his head, then gestured to Ma Hongjun:
"Ma Hongjun, come here. Spit out a Phoenix Fire Line into the darkness. Light it up and force the soul beast out."
Hearing Zhao Wuji's order, Ma Hongjun immediately activated his martial soul. His body took on a fiery red hue, and the temperature around him seemed to rise. He shouted:
"First Soul Skill, Phoenix Fire Line!"
After speaking, he spat out a stream of flames. The intense heat seemed to startle the soul beast in the darkness, forcing it to dart out. The flames illuminated the surroundings, revealing the soul beast's true form.
It was a snake-type soul beast, about eight to nine meters long, with vibrant colors and a strange appearance. It had a pair of wings on its head and moved with incredible speed.
Tang San immediately recognized it. He was very familiar with this type of soul beast, as his first soul ring had come from one—a Datura Snake, an extremely terrifying venomous snake-type soul beast.
The moment he recognized it, Tang San's heart burned with excitement. This was a powerful soul beast. If its age was suitable, absorbing its soul ring would bring him a significant boost and greatly enhance the paralyzing toxin from his first soul ring.
Tang San immediately shouted:
"Everyone, don't act rashly! This is a Datura Snake, an extremely dangerous venomous snake-type soul beast. Snake-type soul beasts are sensitive to temperature, so it might have been attracted by our bonfire. Avoid close combat. Ma Hongjun, keep suppressing it with your Phoenix Fire Line. I'm immune to its poison, so I'll take it down. It might become my third soul ring."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tang San activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and charged toward the Datura Snake.
Xiao Wu was worried but didn't rush forward. Her close-combat soul skills weren't suitable for dealing with the Datura Snake.
Zhu Zhuqing was in the same boat. Without significant poison resistance, engaging the Datura Snake in combat was suicidal.
Ma Hongjun, hearing Tang San's instructions, obediently continued suppressing the snake with his Phoenix Fire Line.
Zhao Wuji turned to Oscar and said:
"Little Ao, prepare some Detoxification Sausages for me. This is a Datura Snake, after all. If Tang San can't handle it, I'll have to step in."
Oscar quickly chanted his incantation, using his soul power to create a handful of Detoxification Sausages, which he handed to Zhao Wuji.
Zhao Wuji then watched as Tang San, his hands covered in a jade-like icy sheen, moved like a butterfly through flowers, hurling various hidden weapons at the Datura Snake's eyes, mouth, and other weak points.
Seeing this, Zhao Wuji shivered, recalling how Tang San had dealt with him before. He hesitated, stopping in his tracks.
The Datura Snake wasn't easy to deal with. It was incredibly fast, and its scales were tough, making it difficult to penetrate its defenses. But if it bit you, you were as good as dead.
Tang San relied on his Tang Sect techniques—Purple Demon Eye, Jade Hands, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track—to continuously attack the Datura Snake, engaging in a fierce battle.
Chen Yuan watched with great interest. This was Tang San's golden finger—the martial arts from the Mystic Heaven Record. Unfortunately, Tang San had always kept them hidden, never teaching them to anyone else. Although Chen Yuan was intrigued, there was no way to learn them unless he could extract Tang San's memories. Getting Tang San to reveal them willingly was nearly impossible.
In the forest, after a prolonged struggle, Tang San feigned an opening, luring the Datura Snake to attack.
He calmly took out a peculiar weapon, aimed it at the snake, and pulled the trigger. In an instant, a barrage of arrows shot into the Datura Snake's mouth and eyes.
The Datura Snake let out a painful howl, thrashing wildly as if it had gone completely berserk.
After a while, it finally lay still, lifeless. A stream of white energy emerged, condensing into a purple soul ring. The Datura Snake was dead.
Tang San walked up to it, his eyes burning with excitement:
"The Zhuge Divine Crossbow worked perfectly, killing this 1,600-year Datura Snake. It didn't disappoint me. Unfortunately, it's only 1,600 years old, not even 1,700. But the Datura Snake is perfect for me. Fine, I'll absorb you."
(End of Chapter)
Word Count : 1,265
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