Chapter 41: “The Titan Python”

"Ma Hongjun, if you don't want your teacher to collect your corpse, you'd better not have those kinds of thoughts."

Flender said sternly, his expression cold.

Startled, Ma Hongjun quickly nodded in agreement. He was still confused about why Flender had slapped him, but he understood that Flender genuinely meant well.

Meanwhile, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing were up ahead, scouting for danger. Unlike their usual behavior of sticking together affectionately, they were unusually serious and alert.

According to the original plot, this was supposed to be the moment where the Cockscomb Phoenix-Tail Serpent appeared. But since the group had come to hunt soul beasts more than a month later than expected, the storyline had already veered off course.

"Hmm?"

Dai Mubai suddenly noticed something moving ahead and instinctively pulled Zhu Zhuqing to a stop.

"Hold on, something's up."

Hearing his warning, Zhu Zhuqing immediately halted. But their strange stance left Flender and the others utterly baffled.

What was going on?

Why were Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing standing on the side of the tree—not on the branches, but on the tree trunk itself!

Up until now, everyone had been moving so quickly that no one noticed. But now that the two had stopped, their abnormality became obvious.

The group was left with countless questions in their minds. But this clearly wasn't the time to ask about such things.

"Mubai, what's the situation?"

Zhao Wuji called out.

"There's a ten-meter-long python up ahead. Judging by its size, it should be no less than a thousand-year soul beast."

Standing on the tree trunk, Dai Mubai replied without any change in expression.

A ten-meter-long snake as thick as a water bucket—this was already an impressive size for a python.

Of course, Dai Mubai's estimate of its thousand-year age was conservative. Many ten-thousand-year soul beasts weren't even this large.

"What?"

The sudden appearance of a giant python blocking their path startled everyone.

Zhao Wuji exchanged a look with Flender, who nodded. Zhao Wuji then stepped forward to take a closer look himself. He wanted to see exactly what kind of snake dared to obstruct their way.

Within moments, Zhao Wuji reached Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's position and gazed forward.

"Hiss…"

The snake's patterns, its color, its overall appearance—he had absolutely no idea what kind of species it was!

Scratching his head awkwardly, Zhao Wuji admitted, "I don't know what species it is either."

"Judging by its aura, though, it's definitely a thousand-year soul beast. As for its exact age, I can't tell."

"Right. Oscar, Tang San, Xiao Wu—you three come over here!"

Better to directly ask the three of them if they needed this soul ring. If it wasn't suitable, they could just let the python go.

Soon, Tang San, Oscar, and Xiao Wu approached, with Flender, Ma Hongjun, and Ning Rongrong trailing behind.

Before Zhao Wuji could speak, Xiao Wu's pink eyes shrank the moment she saw the python.

Her expression stiffened as her mouth twitched slightly. Clearly, she knew what this python was.

"Take a look. If it's suitable, we'll kill it. If not, we'll let it live."

Zhao Wuji stated bluntly.

Oscar examined it carefully but immediately shook his head. He didn't recognize the python, and if he absorbed its soul ring and ended up with an unsuitable soul skill, it would be a complete waste.

Tang San, on the other hand, had a gleam in his eyes.

From the snake's patterns and color, it looked exactly like the Titan Python his teacher had told him about!

Not just similar—practically identical!

The Titan Python was renowned for its immense strength and formidable defenses.

If he could obtain this python's soul ring, the toughness of his Blue Silver Grass would improve by leaps and bounds. Combined with his first soul skill, Blue Silver Bind, very few Soul Elders would be able to break free.

Before coming to the Star Dou Forest, Yu Xiaogang had given Tang San detailed information about several potential soul beasts: the Thousand-Year Mandala Snake, the Crypt Demon Spider, and the Titan Python.

Among them, the Titan Python was incredibly rare. Encountering one was like a blessing from the heavens.

"I want this soul ring. Xiao Wu, Oscar—you two can look for others, all right?"

How could he let such an opportunity slip away?

Xiao Wu and Oscar: "..."

For some reason, Oscar felt unusually irritated after hearing Tang San's tone.

Although he didn't need this soul ring, Tang San's words were somehow grating.

As a Food-type Soul Master, Oscar didn't dare voice his annoyance. He merely nodded in agreement.

Xiao Wu, meanwhile, didn't need to hunt soul beasts at all—she could condense soul rings herself.

But Tang San's tone made Xiao Wu freeze for a moment.

Has Tang San always been like this?

Why did his words feel… off? Had she just not noticed it before?

After her "encounter" with Dai Mubai, it was as though Xiao Wu's mindset had shifted. Subconsciously, she had begun to distance herself from Tang San.

It felt as if, by not distancing herself, she would somehow be betraying Dai Mubai. After all… that had happened between them.

Noticing Xiao Wu's hesitation, Tang San grew anxious.

Was Xiao Wu planning to fight him for this Titan Python's soul ring?

"Xiao Wu, let this python go to me. Your martial soul isn't suited for it."

Xiao Wu: "..."

She stared at Tang San, bewildered.

When had she ever said she wanted this soul ring?

On the contrary, she wanted to warn Tang San against taking it. This python's soul ring was utterly useless!

"San Ge, its soul ring won't be of much use. Why don't we let it go?"

"What? Let it go? That's impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Tang San was stunned.

How could the Titan Python's soul ring be useless?

This was a super soul beast!

It was on the same level as the legendary Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear! How could its soul ring not be valuable?

Encountering it on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest was nothing short of a miracle for Tang San.

Xiao Wu was just too softhearted, Tang San thought. She was actually asking him to spare such a perfect soul beast!

Xiao Wu: "..."

Is Tang San misunderstanding something?

Did he actually believe this python was a "Titan Python"?

It did look similar, but there was no way the real Titan Python could be this small!

Even a hundred-year Titan Python would be bigger than this…

This species just happened to look like the Titan Python. Apart from both being serpents, there was no other connection.

The snake had evolved this way purely to resemble the Titan Python so that ordinary soul beasts would avoid it.

Tang San wasn't explaining why he insisted on taking this python's soul ring.

Did he think that if he mentioned the Titan Python by name, Xiao Wu and Oscar would try to compete with him for it?

With that thought, Xiao Wu felt a little dejected.

But strangely, a sense of relief also settled over her. That lingering feeling of betrayal… slowly began to fade.

(End of Chapter)