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Yu Xiaogang's screams echoed through the silent Star Dou Forest, shrill and jarring against the stillness.
Flender and Tang San immediately rushed to the edge of the pit and peered down.
The bottom was pitch-black, but they could faintly make out Yu Xiaogang's struggling figure.
"Xiaogang! Are you alright?"
Flender shouted anxiously, releasing his martial spirit and preparing to jump down and rescue him.
Tang San, however, stood by with cold, sharp eyes, showing no intention of moving.
He activated his Purple Demon Eye, scanning the darkness as if searching for something.
Earlier, Yu Xiaogang had screamed the word "ghost," which made Tang San suspicious.
In the depths of Star Dou Forest, strange and eerie occurrences were not uncommon. But for something to terrify Yu Xiaogang like this, it had to be extraordinary.
Tang San speculated it might be some special kind of soul beast.
"Dean Flender, be careful. There could be danger below," Tang San warned flatly, his tone laced with indifference.
After all, he wouldn't mind if Yu Xiaogang died in the maw of a soul beast.
Flender nodded but misinterpreted Tang San's words. Without hesitation, he leapt down.
With his owl martial spirit, he could fly and his vision was razor-sharp.
Looking around, he spotted a black spider pinning Yu Xiaogang beneath it.
Its jaws opened wide, fangs sinking viciously into Yu Xiaogang's thigh with a sickening crunch.
If Yu Xiaogang hadn't twisted at the last moment, that bite might have torn open his abdomen.
"AHHH!!"
Yu Xiaogang's agonized scream shook the forest, his leg instantly turning pitch-black.
He writhed in pain on the ground, cold sweat dripping down his forehead, his voice trembling.
"Help… help me… Flender!"
Flender's face darkened. The aura of a seventy-eighth-rank Soul Saint burst forth.
In a flash, he was ready to kill the thousand-year Human-Faced Demon Spider — but Tang San's voice suddenly stopped him.
"Dean, don't kill it!" Tang San said coolly, his tone calm yet cold. "I need its spirit ring."
Flender froze, frowning deeply. "Tang San, Xiaogang's life is more important! For a mere thousand-year ring, I can find you another!"
Tang San shook his head, his voice firm and commanding: "This is a Human-Faced Demon Spider. Its ring suits me perfectly. Missing it would be a waste. Besides… Teacher won't die so quickly."
Flender felt a flash of irritation but, considering Tang San's talent and future potential, he reluctantly relented.
Still, frustration simmered in his chest, which he vented upon the Human-Faced Demon Spider.
With a cold snort, he shot forward, his clawed hand slicing through the air.
In an instant, soul power condensed into a massive eagle talon that seized the spider, wrenching it off Yu Xiaogang and flinging it away.
Against the might of a Soul Saint, the thousand-year spider's tough carapace cracked open under a single blow.
Thick, black ichor sprayed through the air, splattering the ground as the spider crashed near Tang San.
Its eight legs twitched violently, then slowed. It was on the verge of death.
But Flender had held back, and with its tenacious vitality, the spider staggered back to its feet.
Its multiple eyes gleamed with ferocity, the grotesque human face on its belly contorting as it shrieked.
In the blink of an eye, it lunged like a bolt of black lightning straight at Tang San.
Tang San sneered, confident in his Purple Demon Eye.
But he forgot — his Purple Demon Eye had only just reached the Insight level. Against swift enemies, he couldn't fully track their movements.
Though only a thousand-year soul beast, the Human-Faced Demon Spider's speed was no joke.
All Tang San could see were faint afterimages, barely able to guess its trajectory.
"Hmph, speed is useless against me. I still have hidden weapons! Watch me use the Zhuge Divine Crossbow to turn you into a pincushion!"
He reached for his Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges — only to find he couldn't open it.
His face changed drastically. "What?! Why won't it open?!"
What Tang San didn't know was that Lan Minghua had already refined the artifact. Without destroying it, only Lan Minghua could open it now.
That brief distraction nearly cost him his life. The spider's spear-like leg stabbed down at him.
Tang San rolled away in desperation using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step, barely avoiding the fatal strike.
Shock and fury filled him. Yu Xiaogang's so-called gift had betrayed him at the crucial moment!
As the spider attacked again, Tang San shouted, panic lacing his voice:
"Dean Flender, save me!"
Flender instantly struck.
Moving like lightning, he appeared behind the spider and slammed it to the ground with a thunderous palm strike.
The spider convulsed violently, its movements ceasing.
Tang San wasted no time. He delivered the killing blow, finishing off the Human-Faced Demon Spider.
He then sat cross-legged and began absorbing its spirit ring.
Meanwhile, Yu Xiaogang's screams weakened. The venom had spread up his thigh, inching dangerously close to his groin.
His face turned deathly pale, his breathing ragged.
Flender's heart clenched. "Tang San! You know about poisons — hurry and save Xiaogang!"
But Tang San, eyes shut in concentration, spoke coldly: "Dean, I must absorb this spirit ring immediately. If I delay, its energy will weaken and affect me. As for Teacher… I can't cure the poison right now. After absorbing the ring, perhaps my new ability will help."
Flender frowned deeply, uncertain if Tang San was telling the truth. Dissatisfaction welled in his chest.
Still, Xiaogang was his old comrade.
But for Tang San's sake, he swallowed his frustration and turned to comfort him.
"Xiaogang, hang in there. Tang San will be done soon."
Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth, hatred flashing in his eyes.
He knew Tang San too well. Tang San would never truly forgive him. With his vengeful nature, Tang San might even want him dead.
But the venom was already spreading toward his torso. Without intervention, he would die.
"Flender… cut off my leg!" Yu Xiaogang rasped hoarsely, his tone resolute.
Flender froze. "What? Cut off your leg?"
"Do it! If you don't, I'll die!" Yu Xiaogang roared, despair in his eyes.
After a moment's hesitation, seeing the venom spread, Flender gritted his teeth and nodded.
Condensing soul power into his hand, he swung down.
Crack!
With a clean slice, Yu Xiaogang's poisoned left leg was severed.
"AHHHH!"
His scream was bloodcurdling. His eyes rolled back as he fainted.
Flender immediately staunched the bleeding, or he would have bled out.
Half a day later, Tang San successfully absorbed the spider's spirit ring and stood up.
His first glance went to Yu Xiaogang, hoping to see him dead.
To his disappointment, Yu Xiaogang had only lost a leg and still clung to life.
Feigning concern, Tang San walked over and said with false regret, "Teacher, why so rash? Once I absorbed the ring, I could have used my new ability to purge the poison. Why didn't you wait?"
Yu Xiaogang forced a weak smile. "It's nothing… As long as you got a suitable ring, Teacher is relieved."
But deep in his eyes burned venomous hatred.
He knew Tang San had never intended to save him — perhaps had even orchestrated this outcome.
Tang San, too, understood that Yu Xiaogang had seen through him.
But for reputation and mutual benefit, both master and disciple had no choice but to keep up the charade.
Watching what seemed like a harmonious scene, Flender nodded in satisfaction.
In his mind, he had helped Tang San and saved Yu Xiaogang. Pleasing both sides — what a clever move.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Xiao Wu, who had parted ways with Tang San under the pretext of fearing the Star Dou Forest, returned to the Lake of Life.
Tears streaming down her face, she cried out to the lake:
"Da Ming, Er Ming is dead!"
(End of Chapter)