At that moment, Yu Xiaogang realized it wasn't time to dwell on regrets. He quickly instructed, "Oscar, hurry, give Tang San the recovery sausage!"
Then, turning to Su Ming, he added, "Su Ming, quickly, heal Tang San!"
Oscar wasted no time rushing over to deliver the sausage, while Su Ming, though slightly annoyed at the situation, knew he had to keep his word. Xiao Wu had certainly done a great job, but Su Ming knew he had promised to help. Begrudgingly, he prepared to heal Tang San.
However, just as Yu Xiaogang was about to give Tang San the sausage and Su Ming was about to use his fourth soul skill, a sudden change occurred!
Tang San's Eight Spider Lances erupted uncontrollably from his back. Two of the spider legs supported him, keeping him barely standing, while the other six flailed wildly in every direction.
At that moment, Tang San felt as if his soul power was about to spiral out of control, his entire body racked with pain, and his spider legs completely unresponsive.
"Everyone, retreat quickly!" Zao Wou-Ki shouted urgently. Tang San's spider legs had lost control, and they were venomous. If anyone got hit, it could be deadly!
No one needed further prompting; Su Ming and the others immediately backed away, distancing themselves from the rampaging Eight Spider Lances.
Everyone, except for one person: Yu Xiaogang!
Being a mere rank 29 Grandmaster with a rare external spirit called Luo San Pao, whose two soul rings both had... less than impressive farting skills, Yu Xiaogang wasn't exactly combat-capable. As such, his reaction time was slow, and, being closest to Tang San, he got caught!
"Aaaaah!" Yu Xiaogang's agonizing screams pierced the air.
"Xiaogang, what's wrong?" Flender shouted as he turned to see what had happened. What he saw left him speechless: Yu Xiaogang was lying on the ground, curled up like a shrimp, clutching his... sensitive area, his face contorted in pain.
Flender quickly realized what had happened and shouted to Su Ming, "Su Ming, hurry! Get Xiaogang over here!"
Without hesitation, Su Ming used his foot to summon vines, which swiftly pulled Yu Xiaogang over.
Su Ming was shocked. Isn't this the scene from the original where Tang San's Eight Spider Lances went out of control? Except, in the original, it was Ma Hongjun who got hurt, not Yu Xiaogang. Because of Xiao Wu, the butterfly effect had changed things drastically.
After pulling Yu Xiaogang over, Flender checked him out and saw that his most private area had been completely severed, with the wound turning a sickly purple, the poison spreading around it!
Su Ming saw this too and thought, Yu Xiaogang sure has bad luck. During the trip to the Star Dou Forest, Su Ming's misfortune talisman had caused him to be poisoned by the Mandala Snake. Even though the snake was a mere 400-year-old spirit beast, it had badly affected Yu Xiaogang. Still, thanks to timely treatment, he had managed to keep "everything" intact, though it had lost functionality. Only a very powerful healing spirit master could fix that.
But now, things were different. Like Ma Hongjun, it seemed Yu Xiaogang had no hope of recovery.
Luckily, the three women noticed that Yu Xiaogang was clutching that part of his body and wisely stayed away, sparing themselves from the awkward scene.
As Su Ming glanced at the ground, he noticed a small lump of purple flesh, about two centimeters wide. It must have been dragged along when he pulled Yu Xiaogang over.
Flender, seeing Yu Xiaogang's sweat-drenched, pain-stricken face and noticing the lump on the ground, sighed heavily. It seems like there's no hope for Xiaogang and Erlong now, he thought. And to think Erlong waited for him for so many years.
But there was no time for further thoughts on the matter. Flender urgently instructed, "Oscar, quick! Detox sausage and recovery sausage, now!"
"Su Ming, hold Tang San down with your vines for now!"
Oscar understood the urgency and immediately tossed Flender the sausages he had already prepared. A few seconds later, he handed over the detox sausage as well.
Su Ming, using his Wood Release, summoned a pair of large wooden hands to restrain Tang San. The Eight Spider Lances instinctively attacked in response but were no match for the life force inherent in Su Ming's wood-based technique, rendering their poison useless.
Flender hurriedly fed Yu Xiaogang the sausages, but after a brief moment, the purple hue around the wound lightened only slightly before stopping altogether. Flender's face darkened; Oscar's second soul skill couldn't completely neutralize the venom from the Man-Faced Demon Spider.
Still, after eating both sausages, Yu Xiaogang felt somewhat better. The pain subsided enough that he could speak again, and he motioned for Flender to help him up.
In this situation, the poison in his most sensitive area wasn't the most urgent matter. The only way to cure it was for Tang San to use the Eight Spider Lances to absorb the poison.
Su Ming: I could actually heal you with my fourth soul skill, but since you didn't ask, I'm not going to volunteer. Heh!
To be fair, it wasn't Flender or Yu Xiaogang's fault they didn't ask Su Ming to use his fourth soul skill. They only knew it could restore stamina and heal injuries, unaware that it could detoxify as well.
Su Ming: My life-attribute enhancement is all-encompassing, but if they don't know, it's their loss. Heh!
Yu Xiaogang had originally intended to have Tang San demonstrate the Eight Spider Lances after the group battle, but this unexpected event made that unnecessary. His sharp eye immediately recognized the spider legs as the highly coveted External Spirit Bone, a rarity in the spirit master world.
With Flender's support, Yu Xiaogang limped over to Tang San and weakly instructed, "Xiao San, concentrate and try to control your Eight Spider Lances. Slowly retract them into your body."
He then turned to Su Ming. "Su Ming, use your fourth soul skill to heal Tang San. Oscar, get ready to give him a recovery sausage."
After being treated by both Su Ming and Oscar, Tang San's injuries finally stabilized, his soul power calmed, and his consciousness fully returned.