"Cough, cough! Master... Master, spare me... I... I'm drowning... Cough, cough..."
A'yin hadn't expected Xiao Yexuan to be so skilled.
Each relentless attack buried her deeper in the viscous sea, coating every inch of her body.
It was too brutal.
"Heh heh! A'yin, this is good stuff. You've seen how Tang San secretly sneaks over to Xiao Wu's place every day to steal these nutrient packs and drink them."
Xiao Yexuan ignored A'yin's pleas. New toys were meant to be played with thoroughly.
A'yin despaired, her eyes rolling back in their sockets.
"Huh? Tang San's facing that Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast now. Heh heh, this is going to be good."
Xiao Yexuan suddenly changed his mind and released A'yin.
A'yin was utterly humiliated. She couldn't believe she had been reduced to such an undignified state, forced to pretend it was her choice.
This was too much. She would never be able to face her daughter or Tang Hao again!
Still, A'yin focused intently on Tang San. She still had a chance to turn things around, as long as he didn't exploit Xiao Wu or covet her Soul Ring and Soul Bone.
If Tang San could resist that temptation, she could win their initial bet and take him away from here.
And if A'yin never mentioned what had happened here, no one would ever know.
In the Sunset Forest, as Tang San and Xiao Wu were fleeing at top speed, their loud movements ultimately alerted a Giant Palm Black Tiger that was hunting nearby.
Before them now stood a black tiger, its fur as dark as ink, save for a white "王" (King) character emblazoned on its forehead. The massive creature stretched five meters in length.
Its bones were thick and robust, particularly its four broad, powerful paws.
The Giant Palm Black Tiger was a formidable soul beast renowned for its prowess in close combat. Tiger-type soul beasts traditionally held high status in the forest, yet few surpassed the hundred-thousand-year cultivation mark to ascend further.
This was because tigers' innate dominance meant that those who broke through the hundred-thousand-year barrier might threaten the established rulers' authority.
Thus, this ten-thousand-year Giant Palm Black Tiger was far more formidable than ordinary soul beasts of its age.
When Tang San spotted the creature, he felt a surge of relief. Good, it hasn't left. Otherwise, my plan would have been ruined.
Still, he maintained an act of fearlessness and unwavering resolve.
Turning to Xiao Wu beside him, he declared:
"Xiao Wu, the Spirit Burst Pill should only be used in dire circumstances. Stay put—I'll handle this ten-thousand-year soul beast!"
As Tang San spoke, he released his Martial Soul.
Two yellow and two purple spirit rings materialized around him.
Instantly, a barrage of vines shot toward the Giant Palm Black Tiger, aiming to restrain the beast and create an escape opportunity for the two humans.
However, Tang San possessed hidden weapons and had spent days crafting poisons, capable of instantly killing the Giant Palm Black Tiger before him.
But how could Xiao Wu possibly sacrifice herself to him if he never faced genuine danger?
As expected, the Giant Palm Black Tiger, a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, treated Tang San's vines like mere toys.
The Giant Palm Black Tiger had already received orders from Xiao Yexuan to eliminate any humans attempting to flee this place.
Its eyes burned crimson as it locked onto the pair, as if they were an endless treasure trove.
With Xiao Yexuan now in control of the area, soul beasts that performed great deeds for him would be richly rewarded—with treasures that could accelerate their growth and even enhance their bloodline power.
The Giant Palm Black Tiger craved such power desperately.
Thus, it held nothing back.
After shattering the Blue Silver Grass with a single swipe, it lunged toward Tang San.
The Giant Palm Black Tiger's speed was terrifying, and Tang San deliberately feigned weakness.
Tang San had deliberately placed herself in danger, but she gripped her hidden weapon tightly.
She could watch danger unfold, but she refused to be passive.
If Xiao Wu didn't arrive in time to save her, she would personally send this Giant Palm Black Tiger to meet her great-grandmother!
However, Xiao Wu was growing impatient.
Seeing Tang San in peril, she quickly swallowed an Exploding Soul Pill and blocked the Giant Palm Black Tiger's claw with a single punch.
Xiao Wu's expression darkened.
The Exploding Soul Pill truly only provided a brief burst of power, and the side effects were severe.
Xiao Wu pushed harder, forcing the Giant Palm Black Tiger backward.
By now, she was panting heavily from exhaustion.
Tang San rushed over, concern etched on his face. "Xiao Wu, you... why did you use the Exploding Soul Pill so early? Go rest in the back immediately. You can't take another one."
"Third Brother... I'm fine. I drove the soul beast back—it shouldn't attack again... Watch out!"
Xiao Wu had hoped that revealing a fraction of her hundred-thousand-year soul beast power would frighten away these ten-thousand-year soul beasts.
But the Giant Palm Black Tiger before her had been briefed by Xiao Yexuan and knew about Xiao Wu.
The tiger itself was incredibly excited. Devouring a hundred-thousand-year soul beast would undoubtedly grant it a tremendous boost in power.
The Giant Palm Black Tiger lunged forward again.
Seeing this, Xiao Wu swallowed another Exploding Soul Pill and stomped the tiger's head into the ground, creating a large crater.
For a thick-skinned soul beast like this, the impact was minimal—at most, a slight dizziness.
But Xiao Wu was different. With each Exploding Soul Pill, her body felt as if every bone was being crushed, the pain making her eyes bloodshot and blood vessels burst.
As Xiao Wu reached for another pill, Tang San's face twisted with worry. He sprinted toward her, shouting:
"Xiao Wu... no... don't eat any more... please... ah..."
Ironically, on the flat ground, Tang San tripped, rolling several times until he landed right beside the Giant Palm Black Tiger.
The Giant Palm Black Tiger was stunned. Was its prey truly within reach?
Forgetting Xiao Wu for the moment, it opened its massive, blood-drenched maw and lunged at Tang San below.
Xiao Wu's eyes widened in horror. Abandoning her measured approach, she swallowed the remaining three Exploding Soul Pills whole.
Instantly, Xiao Wu's hundred-thousand-year power erupted. With a desperate charge, she rammed her head into the Giant Palm Black Tiger's jaw.
The tiger's skull shattered instantly. It was dead beyond all hope of revival.
Xiao Wu collapsed, her body undergoing a grotesque transformation. Patches of her skin morphed into soul beast features, her veins burst open, and blood soaked her fur.
"Xiao Wu! Xiao Wu! Xiao Wu! You... you're such an idiot... Why didn't you listen to me? Why did you eat all the Exploding Soul Pills? Don't you know they'll kill you? You... you're such an idiot... All for me..."
Tang San's anguished cries tore through the air, his grief seemingly boundless.
To anyone unaware of the truth, it might have seemed he genuinely cared for Xiao Wu.
But those with clear eyes could see through his act. Even A'yin, watching from the shadows, felt despair. Her daughter...
He truly was a scumbag! Her life was about to be ruined by Tang San's hands!