Chapter 7: Datura Snake
They ventured deeper towards the outer periphery of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Tang Ya would always explain the medicinal herbs, edible wild fruits, poisonous insects, venomous snakes, and knowledge about Spirit Beasts they encountered to Huo Yuhao from behind. Bei Bei would supplement any missed points. Huo Yuhao benefited greatly from this.
For Spirit Beasts of lower age, the two of them tried their best to drive them away, rarely engaging in combat. Plus, with Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection skill, they could avoid any powerful ones they encountered.
As they spent time together and felt their meticulous care, Huo Yuhao felt increasingly indignant on their behalf. The trial of the Qiankun Asking Love Valley actually used Bei Bei's family heirloom as a test, making him cut it off himself? What kind of person could come up with that?
Even though he didn't really cut it, for a man, could that shadow ever be erased?
Looking at the scholarly young man's back protecting him from the front, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. Cutting off his own... what kind of courage and resolve was that? He didn't even dare to think about it.
Even as a god, you shouldn't use so-called trials to harm people, right? And since when did other people's feelings need to be tested by so-called gods?
"Yuhao, stop daydreaming, a Spirit Beast is coming!" Bei Bei shouted loudly. Although he didn't know why Huo Yuhao was staring blankly at his back, now was not the time to be lost in thought.
About a hundred and thirty meters away, among the dense trees, on the tall green canopy, a pink elongated figure swiftly slithered. The trees rustled, and those towering trees seemed like its personal swimming pool.
A flash of purple intent passed through Bei Bei's eyes as he clearly saw the approaching figure. "It's a Thousand Year Datura Snake. Xiao Ya, protect Yuhao!"
Two yellow and one purple spirit rings pulsed at his feet before settling on his thick, blue-scaled right arm. The Dragon Claw was extremely sharp. Thunder surged around Bei Bei's entire body, his eyes filled with Battle Intent.
In just an instant, Bei Bei was a completely different person from before, his scholarly demeanor transforming into ferocity.
Tang Ya's body and footsteps twisted in a bizarre posture. With a few swift movements, she blocked Huo Yuhao. spirit rings also lit up on her body, and blue vines wrapped around her, ready to unleash a Spirit Ability at any moment.
Huo Yuhao had been keeping Spiritual Detection active, capturing their movements in his vision. So this was the Tang Sect Secret Arts: Purple Demon Eye and Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
The Datura Snake's cold vertical pupils stared directly at the three, its eyes full of greed. Spirit Masters were also great nourishment for Spirit Beasts; devouring them could increase their own cultivation age.
"This Datura Snake is suitable for me. Bei Bei, get it!" Tang Ya was quite excited, thrilled to see her desired prey.
It sprayed venom, targeting Bei Bei.
Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes and activated Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's second Spirit Ability: Faint Prediction. This skill could briefly foresee the opponent's next move.
Simultaneously, the flow of spirit power within the Datura Snake and its energy nodes became clear. This was the third skill: Insight into Essence, which could see through all illusions, disguises, and weaknesses.
"Be careful!" Huo Yuhao warned.
The menacing Datura Snake, motionless one second, bared its fangs the next. spirit power wrapped around the venom as it shot forth rapidly.
Bei Bei moved with wind-like speed, swiftly dodging.
The venom landed on the grass, corroding a large patch and producing white mist. About a two-meter radius of soil was rotted by the venom into a poisonous pool.
After launching the venom, the Datura Snake didn't stop. It launched itself from the tree like a pink whip lashing towards Bei Bei, its tail gathering spirit power, radiating light.
A single whip from this Thousand Year Datura Snake's big pink tail would be hard for even Bei Bei, a Three-Ring Soul Elder, to withstand.
The Datura Snake, now in close combat, entered Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection range.
In Bei Bei's vision, the Datura Snake's movements seemed to slow down considerably, and even its weaknesses became discernible.
"Thunder Dragon Claw! Overwhelming Thunder!"
Bei Bei shouted, launching his first and second Spirit Abilities consecutively. Electric currents crackled and hummed. Activating Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, he leaped into the air. His powerful Dragon Claw, carrying violent thunder, struck towards the Datura Snake's seven-inch vital spot.
The strike landed successfully. Overwhelming Thunder was released, an electric net enveloping the Datura Snake's entire body, electrocuting it and eliciting a hoarse, painful hiss.
Even after receiving Bei Bei's first and second Spirit Abilities, the Datura Snake could still launch a counterattack.
It spewed a large cloud of pink mist from its mouth, a sickly sweet scent spreading through the air.
However, after releasing the poison mist, the Datura Snake was spent. Even the tenacious life force of a Thousand Year Spirit Beast couldn't withstand a violent thunder attack hitting its vital spot.
Bei Bei promptly delivered the finishing blow, leaving the Datura Snake with only a breath of life, then quickly took out and swallowed a Detoxification Pill.
Tang Ya also carried Detoxification Pills with her. She quickly took one out from her storage soul tool and stuffed it into Huo Yuhao's mouth.
The touch of warm, smooth fingers against his lips made Huo Yuhao quickly realize what it was, and he hurriedly swallowed the pill.
The poison mist dissipated quickly, but he had already inhaled a tiny bit.
After taking the Detoxification Pill, the feeling of dizziness vanished.
"Xiao Ya, hurry!" Bei Bei urged in a low voice.
Tang Ya nodded, took out a dagger, and ended the Datura Snake's life. A purple ring rose, signifying its death.
"Absorb it now. I'll be your Protector." Bei Bei said rapidly, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
Tang Ya didn't hesitate for a moment. She quickly sat cross-legged on the ground, using her own spirit power to guide and absorb the spirit ring into her body.
The fourth Spirit Ability, thanks to the power of the Heavenly Eye Martial Soul, was a variation from the spirit ring absorbed by Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, which originally had no offensive capabilities. It became an offensive Spirit Ability: Heavenly Eye Divine Light. It could fire an energy beam combining mental force and spirit power, though its power was unknown.
There was no chance to release it now anyway. Bei Bei had already taken care of the Datura Snake; his boyfriend power was simply off the charts.
"Yuhao, come closer. I can't protect you well if you're too far away." Bei Bei, his Dragon Claw still not retracted, beckoned to Huo Yuhao, his expression both vigilant and concerned.
"Mhm, Brother Bei Bei, you're amazing. Taking down a Thousand Year Spirit Beast with just one strike." Huo Yuhao walked closer, praising sincerely.
If he had faced this Datura Snake alone, he wouldn't have lasted two rounds. The first hit would be the venom, the second would send him flying with the whip... Although he had a Divine Rank Spirit, this body couldn't yet unleash their inherent power. His combat experience against Spirit Beasts was also zero; fighting the Wind Baboon couldn't provide any real experience.
Hearing Huo Yuhao's praise, Bei Bei first seemed noncommittal, then gently shook his head.
"Although I am a Three-Ring attack system Battle Spirit Elder, if I really had to fight this Thousand Year Datura Snake alone, I couldn't have ended the battle so cleanly and decisively. To win, I would have needed to go through a fierce and grueling struggle. It was precisely because of your detection skill that I could prepare my reactions in advance and land that precise strike on its weakness. That's all your credit."
Moreover, without Huo Yuhao's timely warning just now, that high-speed flying venom would likely have hit him. Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track emphasized bizarre footwork; it couldn't achieve teleportation.
Bei Bei frowned. The more he thought about it, the more upset he felt. Little Yuhao's first Spirit Ability was truly such a pity.