Chapter 24: 3 stinky cannons

"Xiaofeng, why are you so clean?" Master asked as they met.

Qin Feng didn't have a speck of pollen on him, which was quite unusual.

When you're surrounded by psychedelic flowers, it's expected to be covered in pollen. Normally, only someone at the level of a Soul Emperor could avoid it completely, but Qin Feng was just at the tenth level.

"Well, Master, it's a bit strange. I ran into a Soul Beast with bright eyes in the mist, and I summoned my hammer and gave it a good whack."

Qin Feng explained, looking innocent and puzzled.

"Are you talking about the Tiangang hammer?" Master asked, looking thoughtful.

He wasn't very familiar with the Tiangang hammer and its specific effects. The only information he found last night was the phrase, "One side kills life, second side chase soul."

"Yeah," Qin Feng replied with a nod, maintaining his calm demeanor.

It seemed like he had indeed encountered a Soul Beast earlier, and now there was a good reason to ponder it. As soon as Qin Feng uttered those words, he couldn't help but notice a peculiar look from Tang San.

Tang San had witnessed something different. On their journey, he had seen various poisonous mists swirling around Qin Feng. Even with the Tian Gang hammer summoned halfway, there should have been some stains on his clothes at least.

Tang San, hailing from Tang Men, had an extraordinary knack for observation that set him apart from ordinary folks.

"What?!" Tang San's magical pupil tingled, and he had a faint inkling that the distant grass was in motion.

"What's going on, Xiaosan?" Master inquired, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Just then, the sound of footsteps drew near.

It was a pack of nine ghost wolves!

Master didn't hesitate to summon the Luo San Pao. He blessed one of the two yellow lights behind him onto the Luo San Pao.

"You two, quickly put on masks. This cheeky little ten-year nether wolf dares to challenge me; he's asking for trouble!" Master exclaimed, his voice commanding as he addressed Qin Feng and Tang San.

Qin Feng swiftly donned his mask, much faster than when dealing with the psychedelic flowers earlier. Meanwhile, Tang San wore an expression of confusion, not quite grasping the teacher's intent.

Then, there was a resounding "Boom!" as Luo San Pao stomach expanded to its limit, creating a sound akin to a mountain collapsing right where they stood.

"Did he just...fart?" Tang San's lips twitched, and he stood there, utterly bewildered.

"Xiaosan, fetch two white radishes from the bag I gave you earlier," Master instructed calmly, breaking the silence as he looked at Tang San.

"Does San Pao still enjoy eating white radish?" Tang San asked before passing the white radishes to Master.

"As you can see, the primary attack of the Luo San Pao is based on farting, and white radish is known to aid in flatulence," the Master explained, and Tang San thought he could detect a hint of wryness on the usually stoic face.

Indeed, their teacher was a proud and formidable individual. Who would have thought that such a martial arts expert would rely on flatulence as an attack? It was quite hard to judge who was behind this peculiar choice of offense.

Moreover, the smell of this fart was downright unbearable.

"I never expected you to be a 'Three Gun.' You almost smoked me to death," Qin Feng chuckled after the fart had dissipated, playfully rubbing his head against San Pao's furry one.

In novels and anime, it had always been depicted as a misty, harmless spray, like a smoke bomb attack with no real olfactory impact. But now, Qin Feng was experiencing it firsthand. It was a putrid odor, a blend of decaying snakes and mice. Thankfully, they were in the forest; if this had happened on the street, people might have thrown up their last meal right then and there.

The poor ghost wolves on the ground were no better off, foaming at the mouth and looking quite aware of their grim fate.

Then, a white light shimmered over the nine deceased ghost wolves, and a white halo materialized.

"These are Soul Rings. They appear after defeating a Soul Beast. You can use your Soul Force to draw them in," Master explained hurriedly, demonstrating the process of absorbing a soul ring.

"Got it?" After a few demonstrations, the Master turned to Tang San and Qin Feng.

Both nodded in agreement.

"Let's continue our search," the Master suggested, and the three of them continued through the forest, with the sun slowly setting.

Throughout their journey, they encountered over twenty different types of Soul Beasts. However, either the soul ring was unsuitable or its age didn't meet their requirements, leading the Master to reject them one after the other.

"This bamboo looks promising," the Master finally remarked as night fell, spotting a soul ring that seemed suitable.

"Bamboo?" Tang San inquired.

Tang San gazed at the bamboo, surprise in his eyes and a hint of doubt.

"Have you forgotten what I told you? What feature are we looking for in a soul ring?" Master smiled gently, fixing his gaze on the two of them.

"My Blue Silver Grass is best suited for the control system. When searching for a soul ring, we should be looking for two characteristics: toughness and defensiveness. Conversely, the Hammer is meant to enhance strength and attack power," Tang San replied, recalling their previous lessons.

On their journey, they were truly learning in the wild, and their teacher continued to impart knowledge without pause.

"Do you think this bamboo possesses the qualities of toughness and defense?" Master asked.

"Hmm," Tang San murmured, suddenly grasping the point.

Hearing the teacher's words, Tang San had a sudden realization.

"Teacher, should we go ahead and defeat this plant-based bamboo for the soul ring?" After a full day of walking, Tang San was quite tired, and Brother Feng hadn't acquired his soul ring yet.

"No need to rush, Tang San. This bamboo is suitable for you, but it's still relatively young. If we don't find a better one ahead, we'll come back for it," Master said, patting the bamboo before continuing on.

Qin Feng and Tang San followed closely behind. Qin Feng appeared a bit more impatient than Tang San, but his curiosity about this place was evident. As for the soul ring, he believed it would come in due time. After all, he had a system, and as a modern enthusiast well-versed in novels and comics, he had encountered many tales of systems assigning tasks to their hosts. Although his own system was currently quiet, he knew that when a task did arise, it would be an opportunity for growth.

"Hello, hello..." A discordant cry suddenly echoed through the forest as Luo San Artillery, leading the way, perked up.

"What was that?!" Soon after, rustling sounds emerged from the woods.

A sense of danger filled the air, and Qin Feng and Tang San immediately surveyed their surroundings.

"Teacher, over there in the low jungle!" Qin Feng spotted Tang San's eyes glowing with a purple hue, focused on a particular spot just ahead.

In an instant, a black snake darted out.

"It's a Black Mandala Snake!" Master's eyes contracted, and two soul rings swiftly attached to Luo San Pao!