Pfft!
The red-hot dagger sliced through the dead, poison-corroded flesh with sickening ease. A spray of purple-black blood gushed from the wound, carrying with it a foul, fishy stench. Seeing this, Tang San pushed harder, putting more of his strength into the cut.
Clang!
Just as he thought he was about to sever the arm completely, the dagger struck bone, stopping with a jarring impact. The snake venom had somehow made the bone in Yu Xiaogang's shoulder incredibly hard and dense. The force of the blow sent a tremor up Tang San's arm, nearly knocking the dagger from his hand, even with his Mysterious Heaven Skill reinforcing his grip.
He took a sharp breath, steeling himself against the gruesome sight. After steadying his breathing, Tang San raised his right arm high and brought it down again with all his might.
CRACK!
In the dead quiet of the night, the sound of bone snapping was horrifyingly loud and clear. Even though he had prepared himself for it, Tang San couldn't help but flinch.
He immediately applied the medicinal powder he had prepared to the stump of the arm. Channeling his Mysterious Heaven Skill, he worked to seal the blood vessels, and the bleeding quickly slowed to a stop. Then, using his Mysterious Jade Hand to protect himself from any lingering poison, Tang San picked up the severed limb and threw it far into the darkness of the forest. It was a difficult thing to look at, and he was even more afraid of how his teacher would feel if he woke up and saw it lying there.
"Cough!"
At that moment, Yu Xiaogang, who had been completely still, suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"The blood is still slightly black," Tang San muttered to himself, his expression grim.
He noticed a faint black energy still clinging to his teacher's body, a sign that some of the venom had already entered his bloodstream and was circulating through his meridians. He had to force the rest of the poison out immediately.
Tang San activated his Mysterious Heaven Skill again, using his internal energy to press down on four of Yu Xiaogang's major meridians. He then began to carefully guide the toxins back through the channels, forcing the tainted blood toward the open wound on his shoulder. Slowly, dark blood trickled out, and the black energy surrounding Yu Xiaogang's body began to fade.
"Aaargh!"
Without warning, an agonized scream tore from Yu Xiaogang's throat.
The sound instantly woke Huo Feng, who had been pretending to be asleep in the nearby grass. Peeking through the blades of grass, he saw Tang San pressing on Yu Xiaogang's chest, forcing dark blood from the stump of his arm. When his eyes fell on the spot where his teacher's entire right arm used to be, he had to stifle a gasp.
"Damn, kid. You're ruthless," Huo Feng thought with a strange mix of shock and admiration. "Truly the master's best disciple!"
His original plan was to wait for Tang San or Yu Xiaogang to find him and see his "serious injuries." But after witnessing that brutal scene, he decided it was best to just stay put. He closed his eyes and continued to "sleep." It was still a long time until morning, after all.
Back by the fire, the pained look on Yu Xiaogang's face gradually subsided, and his moans ceased. Fresh, bright red blood was now seeping from the wound, a sign that the poison was gone. Seeing this, Tang San immediately stopped circulating his Mysterious Heaven Skill. He took out more herbs from his pouch and carefully applied them to the wound to prevent infection. An injury like this wasn't like a simple cut; it involved flesh, muscle, and bone. If it got infected, Yu Xiaogang would surely die.
Looking down at his teacher, who was pale but breathing steadily, Tang San finally let out a long, shaky sigh. The first, most dangerous step was a success. Though he was exhausted, he didn't dare sleep. He kept watch over his teacher for the rest of the night.
The next morning, Tang San "found" Huo Feng lying in the tall grass, looking seriously injured and unconscious. The sight of him shocked Tang San. What could have happened after he passed out?
He quickly knelt and placed a finger under Huo Feng's nose. "He's still breathing."
But Tang San was confused. Not only was he breathing, but his breathing was deep and even. He checked his pulse, and that felt normal and strong, too. It seemed that despite his appearance, Huo Feng wasn't seriously harmed; he was probably just in a deep coma. Tang San gently shook his shoulders.
"Huo Feng? Can you hear me, Huo Feng?" he called out.
As expected, the boy with his eyes closed began to stir. He slowly opened his eyes and stared at Tang San with a blank expression, his voice weak.
"Tang... San? Where am I?"
Tang San explained that he had found him in the bushes and helped him to his feet. Huo Feng played his part perfectly, leaning on Tang San as they walked back to the campfire where Yu Xiaogang lay.
"Master! What's wrong with him?" Huo Feng cried out, his face a mask of horror. When he saw Yu Xiaogang's missing right arm, his shocked expression was completely believable for a six-year-old.
"The teacher was poisoned by the Mandrake Snake. To save his life, I had to..." Tang San trailed off, his gaze falling on Yu Xiaogang's bandaged shoulder. The meaning was clear. "Huo Feng, what happened yesterday after I was knocked out?"
"Ah," Huo Feng sighed dramatically, launching into the story he had rehearsed in his mind. He explained that after Tang San fell, he tried to fight the Mandrake Snake himself but was no match for it and was knocked unconscious. After that, he remembered nothing.
Tang San nodded, accepting the story without the slightest doubt.
For the next three days, Yu Xiaogang remained in a coma. Tang San and Huo Feng had no choice but to stay in the Spirit Hunting Forest, watching over him.
"What... what happened to me?"
Yu Xiaogang finally woke up around noon on the fourth day. He felt incredibly weak, with no strength in his body. The world spun before his eyes, and even lifting his head felt like a monumental effort. He tried to move his right hand but felt nothing.
"Teacher, you're awake," Tang San said, rushing to his side.
Yu Xiaogang's mind cleared a little. He remembered being poisoned and then fainting. A terrible feeling began to grow in the pit of his stomach. With great effort, he turned his head to look at his right arm.
There was nothing there.
Boom.
It felt like he had been struck by lightning. In an instant, he understood everything, but understanding didn't make it any easier to accept.
Thump.
At that moment, Tang San dropped to his knees beside him. He kowtowed three times, his head hitting the dirt floor. With tears streaming down his face, he choked out his explanation.
"Teacher, by the time I found you, the poison in your right arm was too deep. It couldn't be saved. To protect your life... I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands and remove it." As he spoke, his voice trembled with emotion.
Yu Xiaogang was silent for a long moment, then slowly shook his head. "That's all... It doesn't matter. You saved my life." He took a shallow breath and continued, "Once I recover a little, we need to leave this place."
Tang San nodded. The forest was no place for someone to recover from such a wound. He felt a pang of disappointment, realizing they would be returning from their trip empty-handed.
Just then, Yu Xiaogang spoke again. "In my current state, I can't help you hunt a high-level spirit beast. We'll have to settle for the next best thing."
Hearing this, Tang San's eyes lit up with a flicker of hope. What did his teacher mean?
Yu Xiaogang continued, his voice thin but firm. "Do you remember that Solitary Bamboo I showed you before?"
Not far away, Huo Feng, who was listening quietly, nearly choked. The Solitary Bamboo? That useless ten-year spirit beast?
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