Chapter 188: The Mandala Snake – A Malignant Mutation

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Yu Xiaogang, his eyes red with emotion, stepped out of his room. Flender and Liu Erlong, noticing his state, looked at him with concern. They called out one after another: 

"Xiaogang..." 

However, Yu Xiaogang ignored them. Instead, he walked straight to Tang San, firmly placing both hands on his shoulders and saying: 

"Xiao San, don't be intimidated by Wang Li. His martial soul mutating and breaking through so quickly is simply due to Poison Douluo hunting powerful soul beasts for him. The stronger the soul beast, the greater the enhancement he receives." 

"You're about to break through to Rank 70. For your seventh soul ring, Flender, Liu Erlong, and I can assist you. With our Martial Soul Fusion Technique, the Golden Holy Dragon, we can help you hunt a soul beast that's over 50,000 years old." 

"Your second martial soul can't have any more soul rings due to the conflict with your soul power, but the three rings you've already attached still provide significant amplification. Absorbing a 50,000-year soul ring shouldn't be an issue." 

"With this soul ring, your so-called 'waste martial soul,' Blue Silver Grass, will transform into something truly powerful." 

Tang San hesitated, uncertain whether he should still trust Yu Xiaogang. He had seen Wang Li's Blue Silver Grass—radiant like sapphire, completely different from his own, which was sinister, grotesque, and resembled the legs of a demonic spider. 

The beliefs he had once held so firmly were now shaken. Why was the difference so vast? 

Seeing his hesitation, Yu Xiaogang tightened his grip on Tang San's shoulders and said urgently: 

"Xiao San, Xiao Wu is imprisoned in the Worship Hall. You need enough strength to save her. My sect was destroyed by the Spirit Hall—if I want revenge, I can only rely on your power. Trust me, as your teacher, I would never harm you!" 

Hearing this, Tang San's expression became resolute. Though Yu Xiaogang hadn't been able to bring Xiao Wu back, at least he had confirmed her location. Tang San knew his teacher was truly looking out for him. 

Without further hesitation, Tang San nodded and said, "Teacher, I will speed up my cultivation. I'm confident I can break through to Rank 70 within ten to fifteen days." 

At this, Yu Xiaogang finally smiled. He knew he was a failure—useless, even. Though he would never admit it, as long as he could nurture Tang San into someone great, no one would dare to look down on him. 

From that day forward, Tang San trained with relentless determination. Using the mysterious Xuantian Technique, he continuously refined and condensed his soul power, cycling through his techniques over and over. 

Finally, on the ninth day— 

Tang San successfully broke through, reaching Rank 70 and becoming a quasi-Soul Saint. 

Yu Xiaogang was overjoyed. Without hesitation, he pulled Flender and Liu Erlong along, declaring, 

"Flender, Erlong, you both must help me this time. Xiao San needs a truly powerful soul ring for his seventh ring—to awaken his Martial Soul True Body." 

They had been friends for decades. Naturally, Flender and Liu Erlong didn't refuse. 

Before leaving, Flender instructed Zhao Wuji and the others to take care of the academy while they were gone. Even if there weren't many students left, the academy's facilities mustn't be stolen. 

After all, everything was academy property. If they ever had to sell the academy in the future, it had to fetch a good price. 

That's right—Flender, the cunning businessman, had already planned how to raise the selling price. 

With their preparations complete, Yu Xiaogang, Flender, Liu Erlong, and Tang San set off toward the nearest prime hunting ground—the Sunset Forest. 

The Sunset Forest, the largest wild soul beast reserve within the Heaven Dou Empire, might not have 100,000-year-old soul beasts, but it was still home to creatures over 50,000 years old. 

Upon arriving at the forest— 

Among them, only Yu Xiaogang was a mere Grandmaster, while Flender and Liu Erlong were high-level Soul Saints. Even Tang San, now at Rank 70, was a quasi-Soul Saint. Confident in their strength, they quickly ventured deep into the forest. 

After a day of searching, their luck finally turned on the second day. 

They encountered a 50,000-year-old soul beast—the Mandala Snake. 

A Mandala Snake that had lived for over 50,000 years could even be considered a Mandala Snake King. 

Its massive, terrifying body radiated an almost tangible killing intent. From its gaping maw, droplets of venomous saliva dripped to the ground, filling the air with a nauseating stench. 

Yu Xiaogang's face lit up with excitement as he turned to Tang San and explained: 

"Xiao San, your first soul ring came from a 400-year-old Mandala Snake, granting you the powerful soul skill, Constrict. This Mandala Snake King, over 50,000 years old, will undoubtedly elevate your martial soul to new heights. It will no longer be just ordinary Blue Silver Grass!"

Tang San recalled his near-death experience in the past—how even a mere 400-year-old Mandala Snake had left the then Rank 29 Yu Xiaogang helpless. A 50,000-year-old Mandala Snake King was undoubtedly the perfect choice for his seventh soul ring. 

His gaze swept over the battlefield, and his expression changed. He shouted urgently: 

"Be careful! It's coming!" 

As his voice fell, Tang San immediately activated his Killing God Domain. A chilling white light spread out, and even the Mandala Snake King found its movements slowing under the pressure of the murderous aura. 

Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Liu Erlong swiftly took their positions. Yu Xiaogang shouted: 

"Sun and Moon Radiance, Golden Transformation!" 

Amidst a dazzling golden glow, Luo San Pao was the first to appear, its body enveloped by two soul rings. Moments later, Flender's seven soul rings and Liu Erlong's seven soul rings fused into its form. With enough energy amassed, Luo San Pao evolved, transforming into a colossal Golden Holy Dragon, stretching dozens of meters in length. 

The core of this Martial Soul Fusion Technique was Yu Xiaogang himself—or more precisely, Luo San Pao. The Golden Holy Dragon was its true form. However, due to Yu Xiaogang's own limitations, he had never been able to provide sufficient energy to unleash its full potential. 

With Flender and Liu Erlong acting as his living "power banks," the Golden Holy Dragon finally displayed its might. 

With overwhelming strength, the Golden Holy Dragon crushed the Mandala Snake King within the Killing God Domain, leaving it severely wounded and on the verge of death. 

At that moment, Tang San stepped forward, gripping his Clear Sky Hammer. He delivered the final blow, completely ending the Mandala Snake King's life. A black soul ring, formed from swirling dark energy, took shape above its fallen body. 

After the battle, Tang San turned his gaze to Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Liu Erlong, who had just withdrawn from their Martial Soul Fusion Technique. Seeing Yu Xiaogang nod at him, Tang San finally felt at ease. He sat cross-legged and began absorbing the black soul ring. 

The black soul ring drifted toward him, encircling his Blue Silver Grass before gradually merging into it. A domineering surge of power erupted through his body. 

Almost instantly, Tang San felt as if he were trapped in a sea of fire. 

As Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul absorbed its seventh soul ring, it activated his Martial Soul True Body. However, an unforeseen disaster struck— 

His Blue Silver Grass's core essence was far too fragile to withstand the enormous power of a 50,000-year-old Mandala Snake King. 

Its martial soul core shattered upon contact, disintegrating instantly. Fortunately, Tang San's physical body was strong enough to barely endure the forced fusion of the Mandala Snake King's power. But something was clearly wrong— 

Typically, a martial soul's core essence absorbs and integrates foreign power, strengthening itself. However, in this case, the foreign power was actively reshaping his martial soul's core essence instead. 

As a result, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass underwent a malignant mutation. 

It failed to transform into Dark Blue Silver Grass—a process that required his martial soul's core to voluntarily assimilate dark energy. Instead, his Blue Silver Grass was being forcibly corrupted, its very foundation twisted beyond repair. 

His once-promising martial soul was now on the brink of becoming a true waste soul. 

Normally, when a plant-based martial soul absorbs an animal-type soul ring, it wouldn't be a fatal issue. While their attributes and cores differed, the soul ring would still enhance the martial soul, albeit without directly strengthening its core essence. 

However, Tang San's previous six soul rings, aside from the Ghost Vine soul ring, had contributed little to enhancing his Blue Silver Grass's essence. Worse yet, due to their sinister properties, they had actively suppressed his martial soul's life force. 

Previously, the bloodline of the Blue Silver Emperor had sustained his martial soul's core. But now? There was nothing left to support it. 

With his martial soul's core essence crippled, forced to passively merge with foreign power, this kind of malignant mutation was irreversible. 

Yu Xiaogang could not comprehend what had happened. 

As a half-baked Grandmaster, he didn't even understand the concept of soul beast spiritual resonance, let alone the fact that a Rank 70 quasi-Soul Saint required an adequately strong martial soul core to absorb a seventh soul ring. 

Otherwise, they would be lucky just to survive the process. 

(End of Chapter)