Chapter 199: Fatty, just hold on and it'll pass!

"Hmph!" Zhao Wuji let out a cold snort, and the earth-yellow soul power light on his body instantly enveloped the three.

The three instantly felt the gravity on them increase severalfold, making even moving their feet extremely difficult.

Zhao Wuji coldly looked at the three and said, "Tang San is your teammate, a comrade-in-arms; now he's in trouble—do you really just want to stand by and watch?"

Seeing that escape was impossible, Oscar said awkwardly, "Teacher Zhao, I've been getting angry lately, my tongue is all rotten; besides, I'm just a support-type Soul Master, my body is weak—if I go help, I'm afraid I won't even hold up myself."

Zhao Wuji gave him a cold glance, then shifted his gaze to Dai Mubai.

Dai Mubai hurriedly said, "Teacher Zhao, you know my status; if I did this, I'd probably lose even the chance to compete with my elder brother."

Zhao Wuji was taken aback by his words, then realized Dai Mubai's status indeed made him unsuitable for this, so he turned his gaze to Ma Hongjun.

Ma Hongjun instantly panicked, his legs went weak and he slumped to the ground, his lips trembling as he said, "Zhao… Teacher Zhao, I too…"

Zhao Wuji cut him off, asking, "What? Is your tongue rotten too?"

Upon hearing that, Ma Hongjun immediately nodded vigorously.

"Then stick out your tongue so I can see if it's the same as Oscar's!"

"This… this… Teacher Zhao, my wound… is too deep inside, I'm afraid… you won't be able to see it." Ma Hongjun's eyes darted about, not daring to meet Zhao Wuji's gaze.

"Hmph, cut the nonsense—it's you, come over now. You didn't exert any strength earlier; now's your chance to perform." Zhao Wuji let out a cold snort, stopped wasting words, and kicked Ma Hongjun over with one foot.

"Ah~" Ma Hongjun cried out in pain, his body already arriving before Tang San.

Looking at the wound oozing poisonous blood, he couldn't bring himself to put his mouth on it! Ma Hongjun felt utterly despondent, clutching his pants, his palms slick with sweat.

"Xiao Bai, go help him." Seeing Ma Hongjun still unmoving, Zhao Wuji decided to have Dai Mubai lend a hand.

"Sure thing, Teacher Zhao." Dai Mubai gave a lopsided smile, cracked his knuckles, and walked toward Ma Hongjun.

Although he felt some sympathy for Ma Hongjun, "if one Daoist friend doesn't die, the poor Daoist won't"—if Ma Hongjun refused, it would be his turn.

Moreover, he clearly remembered Ma Hongjun earlier gloating and mocking him for being sprayed with blood all over his face.

"Hehehe!" Dai Mubai gave a wicked chuckle, approached Ma Hongjun, and said earnestly, "Fatty, close your eyes, endure a moment and it'll be over—don't be afraid."

"If you're not afraid, you come do it—talking while standing doesn't hurt your waist." Ma Hongjun rarely roared at Dai Mubai in anger, his eyes faintly flashing with fire, his grief and indignation spilling over.

Faced with this desperate situation, he found it hard to keep joking around; he felt as if the sky were about to collapse.

"Hmph! Stop pretending—you've even touched a sixty-year-old old woman, what's this?" Dai Mubai's face showed contempt; seeing Ma Hongjun dare to talk back, he gave him no leniency whatsoever.

"You…" Ma Hongjun, seeing his old habits exposed, pointed a trembling finger at Dai Mubai.

"What's with all this you-you-me-me!" Dai Mubai began circulating his soul power.

But Dai Mubai firmly pressed down on his head—how could a mere Soul Elder escape from a Soul Ancestor, especially one skilled in strength?

Ma Hongjun felt a deep sense of despair, thinking he was done for.

"Fatty, you've already touched it—just endure a bit more and it'll be over. If my tongue weren't wounded, I'd definitely be the first to help Tang San suck out the poison." At this point, Oscar also came over to console: "When Tang San wakes up, you'll surely get your reward; then let him make you a few more hidden weapons for self-defense."

Ma Hongjun despondently closed his eyes, afraid his useless tears would spill, but Oscar's words also sank in—they did make some sense.

Anyway, he'd already touched it—taking another mouthful of poisonous blood wouldn't make a difference; if he still refused to cooperate, who knew what inhumane things these Dai Mubai and others might do to him.

"Fatty, if you cooperate well, after this I'll take you to the most prosperous spot in Heaven Dou City for flower wine." At that moment, Dai Mubai leaned in and whispered in his ear.

In an instant, Ma Hongjun opened his eyes, a glint flashing—he suddenly felt Tang San's wound wasn't so disgusting! Immediately, Dai Mubai's tempting voice sounded again in his ear: "Fatty, one isn't enough—two, if two aren't enough then three—I'll make sure you're drained to exhaustion."

"All right!" Ma Hongjun's eyes narrowed, his face full of resolve; after glancing down, he closed his eyes, steeled himself, and began.

Seeing Ma Hongjun cooperate so quickly, all four were stunned.

Seeing this, Dai Mubai quietly loosened his tiger claw grip, and together with the other three watched Ma Hongjun suck out the poisonous blood.

Oscar walked over, patted Dai Mubai on the shoulder, gave a thumbs-up, and said, "Still, Boss Dai, you've got a way—actually making the fatty willingly comply so easily."

Dai Mubai crossed his arms, shook his head, and said, "What kind of method is this? Just money can make ghosts turn millstones."

"Hmm… I'll cover this fatty's expense." At that moment, Yu Xiao Gang pondered a moment, then stepped forward with a sense of responsibility.

"Master, how can this be?" Dai Mubai immediately objected.

"Mubai, this matter arose because of me; just consider it my compensation for the fatty's mental loss—don't say more." Yu Xiao Gang's tone left no room for argument.

Seeing that, Dai Mubai said no more.

Meanwhile, Ma Hongjun, believing that prolonged pain is worse than short pain, sucked out the poisonous blood quickly—within two minutes he had drained it all.

However, his lips inevitably ended up stained with some toxin.

Even though his mouth had no wound, this caused the four around him to keep their distance from him out of respect.

Seeing Ma Hongjun stagger over to sit by a chair, Oscar pinched his nose and walked over; afterward, Oscar's attention followed the crowd to Tang San.

At a glance, he couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth and frown; he unconsciously turned his head to glance at Ma Hongjun.

"What? Still poisonous blood?" Ma Hongjun, not understanding, thought he hadn't sucked it clean.

Oscar gave an embarrassed smile, "No… none left, fatty—your lung capacity is impressive."

Facing Oscar's teasing, Ma Hongjun weakly waved his hand, then turned his head to Dai Mubai and muttered, "Don't look for me for this kind of thing again. Also, don't forget what you promised me."

Dai Mubai patted his chest, promising, "When have I ever lied to you? Rest easy—tomorrow, I'll definitely take you!"

"All right, Boss Dai, you're really something!" Ma Hongjun gave a hehe laugh, his heart surging with excitement, evil light blazing in his eyes, forgetting all previous displeasure. With Ma Hongjun's help, the poisoned part of Tang San no longer oozed poisonous blood, the wound stopped expanding, but the skin there remained black‑purple, showing the toxin had seeped deep into flesh and blood.

Yu Xiao Gang took out a white cloth from the Storage Soul Conduit, dipped it in strong liquor, wiped Tang San's wound clean, then gathered up the bedsheet and Tang San's messy pants.

Just then, Fland finally returned.

In his hand he held an elderly man about sixty years old—the resident healing Soul King of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Ma Si Nuo.

Ma Si Nuo's face was dark as iron, glaring at Fland.

This is understandable—being woken from a sound sleep in the middle of the night would annoy anyone; moreover, Fland had barged straight into his room and hauled him over without explanation.

Fortunately he had the habit of sleeping in pajamas; otherwise he'd likely have been dragged over naked.

Had he not seen Fland's body glowing with seven soul rings, he would have already cursed him out.

"Hmph!" Ma Si Nuo let out a cold snort and broke free from Fland's grasp.

Fland gave an embarrassed smile and apologized, "Master Ma Si Nuo, I was rude just now; please forgive me—this is truly an emergency, so hurry and check on Little Three's condition."

"Yes, yes, yes, Master Ma Si Nuo, please hurry and save Xiao San," Yu Xiao Gang said anxiously.

Ma Si Nuo glanced at Fland, said little, and walked up to Tang San.

"Hiss!" Ma Si Nuo, upon seeing Tang San's dire condition, involuntarily inhaled a cold breath, his brows slightly furrowed, thinking to himself, "This situation is truly critical; if we wait even a half‑minute longer, this kid might …"

"How is it? Is Xiao San okay?" Yu Xiao Gang quickly asked.

"Quiet!" Ma Si Nuo muttered impatiently.

"You …" Yu Xiao Gang was about to erupt when Fland stopped him.

Seeing Ma Si Nuo's tightly knit brows, Fland got a bad feeling and leaned in.

After a short while, Ma Si Nuo said, "Fortunately most of the toxin has already been drawn out; otherwise we'd have to cut away all the organs around the wound."

Fland signaled Yu Xiao Gang not to worry, then asked, "Master Ma Si Nuo, what do you mean?"

Ma Si Nuo nodded slightly, then said slowly, "That thing on his right …"

He paused there, and Yu Xiao Gang's heart tightened suddenly.

"It must be removed!" Ma Si Nuo's tone was resolute.

Yu Xiao Gang suddenly flung Fland's arm aside, clutched Ma Si Nuo's shoulders with both hands, his eyes blood‑shot, and shouted, "Think of a way quickly; there must be a way to save everything!"

"What are you doing? Let go!" Seeing Yu Xiao Gang's frantic look, Ma Si Nuo jumped back in alarm, his expression turning tense.

"Xiao Gang, calm down," Fland hurriedly embraced Yu Xiao Gang and pulled him away.

"Calm? How can I stay calm? If we cut out Xiao San, it will become a heart‑demon on his cultivation path; how will he ever advance to Title Douluo?" Yu Xiao Gang roared at Fland, spitting on his face.

Stung by the rebuke, Fland grew angry and asked sternly, "Then what do you propose? Can you heal him? If you can, go ahead and treat him; I won't stop you!"

At the same time, he understood Yu Xiao Gang's feelings; he had just examined Tang San's injuries carefully. If his disciple Ma Hongjun had suffered such a wound, he might not lose control like Yu Xiao Gang, but would be extremely depressed.

It should be known that as a Soul Master progresses, one's mindset is increasingly tested; a wound like this almost inevitably spawns a heart‑demon.

If thoughts are blocked, how can one reach the pinnacle? Moreover, Yu Xiao Gang's expectations for Tang San far exceed those for Ma Hongjun.

Nevertheless, understanding aside, he still had to stop Yu Xiao Gang from doing something foolish; otherwise Tang San might not be saved at all, which would be far worse.

"I… I…" Yu Xiao Gang could not speak, slumped down to sit on the ground, his gaze fixed on Tang San on the bed, full of bitterness.

Seeing this, Fland said no more, turned to Ma Si Nuo, and asked with hopeful expression, "Master Ma Si Nuo, is there really no way to save everything?"

Ma Si Nuo sighed, "Saving just one is already good enough; to save all, one would need the miracle of a healing‑type martial soul—the Nine‑Heart Begonia martial soul!"

"Really?" Fland's eyes lit up; he indeed knew someone possessed the Nine‑Heart Begonia martial soul, and that person was a student of his dream goddess.

But Ma Si Nuo's next words poured cold water on him.

"Even with the Nine‑Heart Begonia martial soul, one must have Title Douluo cultivation to possess the limb‑regeneration ability!"

"This …" Fland couldn't help but show a bitter smile; his student of Er Long Mei certainly lacked Title Douluo cultivation, and he sighed, "Looks like we'll have to make Xiao San suffer a bit!"

"Stop hesitating; if we wait any longer, we'll have to cut everything out. The rope of your sect did stop the toxin from spreading," Ma Si Nuo said impatiently.

Sitting on the ground, Yu Xiao Gang kept listening to their conversation; hearing this, he panicked and hurried, "Master Ma Si Nuo, then please treat Xiao San right away."

Because he feared Tang San might become a Light Staff Commander, Yu Xiao Gang's tone unintentionally became more polite.

Ma Si Nuo nodded slightly, opened his medical box, which contained only simple tools but was sufficient, after all doctors on Douluo Continent rely on their own soul skills for a living.

He took out an oil lamp, lit it, placed a pair of medical scissors over the flame for a moment, then took a sip of strong liquor and splashed it onto the scissors.

Then, after wiping them clean with a white cloth, he raised the sterilized scissors and approached Tang San…

The onlookers, Zhao Wuji, Dai Mubai and others, felt a chill down their spines, daring not to breathe, watching Tang San undergo this minor surgery with dread.

The operation was simple and swift; in less than a minute, Ma Si Nuo pulled out a small chunk of rotten flesh, turned to the crowd and asked, "Where should this go?"

……

(End of chapter)