Chapter 44: Tang San and Grandmaster’s Crisis—A Glimmer of Hope

[🎉 Shoutout to _Gezerus_ for joining patreon. Thank you very much.🤗]

Elsewhere, thousands of meters away.

Both Tang San and the Grandmaster kept their eyes fixed on the massive, dark green snakehead emerging from the bushes not far away.

Under the clear moonlight, the Grandmaster finally saw the snakehead's true form and involuntarily gasped in horror.

"This… this is a Mandala Snake, and it's nearly 400 years old!"

"Four hundred years?"

Upon hearing this, Tang San's heart skipped a beat.

From what the Grandmaster had just told him, even a ten-year spirit beast was comparable in strength to a human Spirit Master, and a hundred-year beast could only be faced by a Great Spirit Master.

But while his teacher was a Great Spirit Master, his martial spirit was far too weak.

Facing a savage Mandala Snake with a cultivation approaching 400 years, the Grandmaster would be no match!

"Tang San, you must leave! I'll hold it off with Three Cannon!" the Grandmaster said sternly, his eyes never leaving the Mandala Snake.

"No! Teacher, we live and die together. If I abandon you in danger, how would that make me any different from someone ungrateful and treacherous?"

Without hesitation, Tang San rejected the Grandmaster's suggestion, his voice firm and resolute.

He had thought deeply about this.

Armed with his Tang Sect abilities, he was confident that the Mandala Snake, though formidable, wouldn't necessarily be able to defeat him.

He wasn't about to let a mere hundred-year Mandala Snake leave a flaw in his heart.

"Xiao San, you… ah…"

Hearing Tang San's response, the Grandmaster sighed, yet at the same time, he felt a deep sense of pride.

He had no children of his own, and accepting such a filial disciple had been the wisest decision of his life.

But someone as useless as him, dying wouldn't matter… Xiao San, however, was still young, and with his twin martial spirits, he was destined to shake the entire Douluo Continent. To die here would be a terrible waste!

"No! I must ensure Xiao San gets out of here safely!"

Taking a deep breath, the Grandmaster's expression grew serious.

"Xiao San! The Mandala Snake is hesitating to approach because of the sulfur we scattered around, but it won't hold off for long. We need to leave quickly."

"I'll have Three Cannon attack it soon. When the moment comes, you must run toward the densest part of the forest."

"The Mandala Snake is fierce but lacks patience. If we can outlast it for a while, it might give up the chase."

"Yes, Teacher!"

Tang San's face grew equally solemn.

While the Grandmaster kept an eye on the Mandala Snake, Tang San activated his Purple Demon Eyes and surveyed the surroundings. He quickly identified a distant, densely wooded area.

With so many trees, they could move without being impeded, but the massive Mandala Snake would struggle to get through. Even if it did manage, its speed would be greatly reduced.

"Are you ready?"

The Grandmaster's tense voice suddenly broke the silence.

Tang San immediately replied, "Ready, Teacher!"

"Good! Three Cannon!"

The Grandmaster roared.

At his command, a peculiar, pale purple beast, resembling a pig but with two large ears, suddenly dashed in front of him. The creature leaped into the air, and a yellow spirit ring instantly shot from the Grandmaster's arm, enveloping the creature—his martial spirit, Luo San Pao.

"Fart like thunder, shake the heavens and earth, Luo San Pao!"

As the spirit ring settled on Luo San Pao, the Grandmaster shouted once more.

Luo San Pao's already rotund body swelled even larger as it inhaled deeply. Then, with a sudden turn in mid-air, it let out an explosive sound akin to thunder.

A concentrated burst of yellow fog shot out from Luo San Pao's rear, hurtling toward the Mandala Snake like a cannonball and sending it flying through the air.

Amidst the Mandala Snake's sharp, agonizing screech, the Grandmaster yelled, "Xiao San, run!"

Without waiting for a reply, the Grandmaster spun around and dashed away from the snake. Tang San was already on the move as well.

However, before they had covered much ground, they heard an enraged hiss behind them, followed by the rapid slithering sound of scales scraping against the earth.

The Mandala Snake had barely been affected by Luo San Pao's attack and had swiftly given chase.

Its speed was terrifying—like a bolt of lightning, it crossed more than ten meters in an instant, quickly closing the distance on the Grandmaster and Tang San.

"Damn it!"

The Grandmaster cursed as the snake loomed closer.

"Three Cannon, go! Block it for us!"

At this point, the Grandmaster had no choice but to send his martial spirit to stall the Mandala Snake.

Since his martial spirit was part of him, as long as he remained alive, Luo San Pao would not perish permanently.

"Oink oink!"

Luo San Pao responded, charging toward the approaching Mandala Snake on its short, stubby legs. With a defiant squeal, it leaped toward the snake.

But compared to the four-meter-long Mandala Snake, the half-meter-tall Luo San Pao was hopelessly small.

The Mandala Snake's enormous head loomed over Luo San Pao, and in a flash, the snake's jaws opened wide, swallowing the martial spirit whole in a single bite.

With a snap of its jaws, Luo San Pao was crushed and scattered into countless glowing particles.

"Damn it!"

The Grandmaster was furious, but he had no choice. Luo San Pao had only managed to delay the snake for a fraction of a second.

"If only my martial spirit hadn't mutated, how could I be chased like this by a mere 400-year Mandala Snake?!"

Frustration overwhelmed the Grandmaster.

Though he had been scorned and ridiculed for years, he had never resented his weakness as much as he did now.

He didn't care about himself. He was useless anyway, but Xiao San—kind, intelligent, and blessed with twin martial spirits—was the son of a legendary figure. How could he let Xiao San die here?

"Teacher, watch out!"

Tang San's anxious voice rang out from behind.

The Grandmaster turned to see that, in his moment of distraction, the Mandala Snake had silently slithered up behind him. It was now towering over him, its massive, dark green head rearing back with its blood-red mouth wide open, sharp fangs poised to strike.

"Teacher!"

Tang San's desperate cry echoed in the distance, but the Grandmaster could no longer hear anything.

In his eyes, there was only the Mandala Snake's gaping maw, ready to devour him whole.

"Is this the end? For someone like me, death might be a relief…"

The Grandmaster closed his eyes, resigning himself to his fate.

But suddenly, a sharp voice pierced the air, "Beast! Stop right there!"

The expected death didn't come. Instead, there was a sickening sound of something sharp tearing through flesh, followed by the Mandala Snake's agonized screech.

"Who…?"

Saved from the jaws of death, the Grandmaster's eyes shot open. Both he and Tang San looked toward the source of the voice.

From the darkness, a shadowy figure was racing toward them at incredible speed.

═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═

patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator

🥰 Support the translation and help me grow.🤓

Read upto 20 Extra chapter in Patreon