Chapter 23: Psychedelic flower

The iron gate to the forest emitted an ancient and mysterious aura. Master took out a token, and upon seeing it, the leader of the guards seemed to recognize something extraordinary. He hastily ordered the soldiers to open the gate to the Forest of Hunting Spirits.

Three people entered the forest, and the bustling noise of the market gradually faded away, replaced by an eerie silence.

"Luo San Pao, come forth!" Master commanded.

With a flick of his wrist, a soul beast that bore a resemblance to a "pig" appeared before Qin Feng and Tang San. The Luo San Pao had head that resembled balloons, giving it a comical appearance.

"This is my Martial Soul, you can call it Luo San Pao," Master introduced to Tang San and Qin Feng.

Tang San, intrigued by the unusual appearance of the Luo San Pao, asked with surprise, "Teacher, how did your Martial Spirit manifest? Normally, Martial Spirits of beasts can't take on different forms, can they?"

Seeing the amusing and adorable Luo San Pao, Qin Feng plucked a tuft of dog's tail grass from the ground and playfully interacted with them.

"This Luo San Pao is golden, and it seem to possess an inherent dignity, but they're also cute, like pigs," Qin Feng observed.

In simple terms, they resembled a blend of manga and anime characters. For some inexplicable reason, Qin Feng perceived the Luo San Pao before him as genuine beings, radiating a concealed majesty akin to a golden divine dragon.

"As Xiaofeng mentioned, I indeed possess a mutant Martial Soul," Master affirmed, looking at Qin Feng with a sense of pride.

Master had initially assumed that Xiaofeng was someone who shied away from delving into theory, but it appeared that the young man had been concealing this aspect of himself.

"If you don't have the right knowledge, you'd never know about this," Tang San remarked, casting a slightly resentful glance at Qin Feng. He couldn't help but feel that Qin Feng seemed to know everything.

Qin Feng smiled gently and shrugged. "Martial Soul mutations are generally categorized into two types. One is a successful mutation, like Xiaofeng here, who went from an ordinary hammer to a two-meter Tiangang hammer. The other type involves a mutation from a powerful Martial Soul to an ordinary one, like mine."

Master smiled wryly and continued, "I'm sorry, I brought up a sensitive topic."

Tang San quickly apologized, realizing that even though his teacher appeared composed on the surface, he was undoubtedly a resilient person. Yet, despite his resilience, his Martial Soul had failed to mutate. At nearly fifty years old, he still struggled to reach level 30. It was a deep wound that had proven nearly impossible to heal.

"I carry no scars or wounds. I've grown used to it over the years," Master said with a faint smile. Despite his apparent acceptance, Tang San could discern the lingering sense of frustration in his eyes.

"Let's put this aside for now. Luo San Pao, lead the way," Master directed.

With that, the Luo San Pao rushed ahead. However, after just a couple of steps, a strange sound of friction echoed through the forest, and a distant mist began to creep in silently.

"It's a psychedelic flower. Hurry, get my special mask, and follow me closely to avoid inhaling too much of the poisonous gas," Master urged. They hadn't walked for more than two minutes before encountering this toxic mist.

Master quickly distributed masks to everyone and provided instructions on how to breathe safely in the presence of the poisonous gas.

Luckily, they had prepared in advance, or they might have faced a grim fate here before even finding the soul ring.

The psychedelic flower was notorious for inducing rapid hallucinations. The mist surrounding it was a poisonous vapor released by the flower. If one inhaled it, they would fall into a coma. If lucky, they might wake up eventually, but if not, they could become prey for other monsters while unconscious.

All defenses were based on the assumption that people remained conscious. Once they fainted, their defenses crumbled, leaving them vulnerable.

"It's finally over," the Master gasped, his expression tinged with a sense of relief as if he had just been granted a new lease on life.

After the Master emerged from the psychedelic flower's mist, Qin Feng and Tang San followed suit. Although they, too, were breathless, they seemed to have fared much better than the Master.

"Are you both all right?" The Master anxiously checked Qin Feng and Tang San. While he, at level 29, might endure the effects of the poison gas, the two youngsters had only recently reached level ten, and it was unfortunate that they had been exposed to the toxic mist.

"Xiaosan, your mask has been penetrated. Let me have a look!" The Master carefully examined Tang San, but after a thorough inspection, a perplexed expression crossed his face.

"This is strange. The mask has been penetrated, and the toxic pollen should have come into contact with your mouth and nose. Yet, there's no sign of it," the Master said, regarding Tang San with astonishment.

The pollen of the psychedelic flower was highly toxic and entered the body through inhalation, but the special anti-virus mask should have effectively blocked the highly toxic pollen.

This was a unique anti-virus method developed by the Master.

However, this anti-virus method had a drawback: it allowed the accumulation of pollen within the mask through breathing. When individuals with lower levels breached the mask, it could lead to contamination outside the mouth and nose.

Now, Tang San's mask appeared to have been breached around his mouth and nose, yet it remained intact, leaving the Master somewhat puzzled.

"Perhaps my dad used herbal medicine to bathe me," Tang San suggested. He possessed his own means of virus resistance, and the poisonous mist posed no threat to him. However, he was concerned that the Master might come over to inspect the effects of the poisonous mist. If he was discovered, it could lead to trouble, so he fabricated a reason for the Master.

"Your dad? Well, that's a possibility," the Master mused, stroking his chin with a thoughtful expression.

Tang San's father was Tittle Douluo, a figure with deep heritage. If he had been bathed with special herbs since childhood, it could indeed produce extraordinary effects.

Tang San was slightly surprised that the Master had readily accepted his explanation. He had expected to have to provide a more elaborate excuse.

Meanwhile, Qin Feng was feeling the pressure. The Master was heading in his direction. While he had remained untouched by the poisonous mist due to the bug's ability to navigate it freely, Qin Feng had to come up with a plausible excuse. It needed to satisfy Tang San's curiosity and successfully deceive the Master.

Currently, the Master remained unaware that he had brought two students who were, in fact, a pair of hidden powerhouses beneath their outward appearances.

"Xiaofeng, let me take a closer look," the Master requested, approaching Qin Feng as he inspected him closely.