No Need to Rush, Titan Giant Ape

The facts proved that the method she had worked out last night for obtaining hidden quests really did work.

As long as she wasn't the one who actively changed the plot, there was a good chance she could obtain a hidden quest.

This time, Xiao Wu had taken the initiative to question Tang San, unlike in the original story, so she had ended up completing a hidden quest too.

Ning Rongrong smiled thoughtfully, leaving Zhu Zhuqing beside her torn between laughter and exasperation. "Won't doing that make Xiao Wu even more dissatisfied with Tang San?"

Ning Rongrong shook her head and smiled. "It's not that serious. Just watch. Those two can't live without each other. I'm just adding some fun to their boring daily lives. They might even thank me for it someday."

After stroking Zhu Zhuqing's little head, Ning Rongrong checked her system rewards.

As for the relationship between Xiao Wu and Tang San...

To be honest, she didn't care much.

Most of the reason she was close to Xiao Wu now was simply that Xiao Wu was currently close to Zhu Zhuqing, so she couldn't avoid her, or perhaps it was because their interests had yet to clash.

It simply didn't matter.

When she and Tang San went their separate ways in the future, Xiao Wu would still choose Tang San.

Even if a God King came, he couldn't break those two apart.

Besides, the only person she really cared about at Shrek Academy was Zhu Zhuqing.

"Ding~"

"Congratulations, host, on completing the hidden quest-pointing out Tang San's hypocrisy."

"Ding~"

"Congratulations, host, on receiving the hidden quest rewards: 2,000 Identity Points and 10,000 years of true age for any Soul Ring."

Hmm, a fairly standard reward.

Apart from the extra 2,000 Identity Points, there was nothing different this time.

Ning Rongrong once again gave the 10,000 years of true Soul Ring age to her second Soul Ring.

With that, her target stat panel received a small update, though the Soul Skill bonuses remained unchanged.

Stat panel:

Identity: Ning Rongrong

Soul Power Level: 30

Soul Rings:

First Soul Ring age: 50,300 years.

First Soul Ring skills: Strength, Divine Strength.

Soul Ring trait: Ten Treasures Ultimate Slash.

Second Soul Ring age: 20,500 years.

Second Soul Ring skills: Speed, Divine Speed.

Soul Ring trait: Flight.

Third Soul Ring age: 10,000 years.

Third Soul Ring skills: Soul Power, Divine Soul.

Soul Ring traits: Ten Treasures Soul-Seeking Array, Ten Treasures Soul-Seeking Slash.

Soul Bones: None.

Healing Sword uses: 500.

Identity Points: 8,250.

"My Identity Points will reach 10,000 soon." Ning Rongrong let out a long sigh. Her gaze suddenly became a little sympathetic as she looked in the direction Xiao Wu and Tang San had left, blinking her eyes.

Tang San, I really wasn't targeting you on purpose. It's just that these Identity Points are too irresistible, you know?

Her Identity Points, which hadn't budged in ages, had actually increased by 2,000 just from pointing out Tang San's hypocrisy.

And Tang San was hypocritical an awful lot.

Fleece him a little. I have to fleece him a little!

While she was still at Shrek Academy.

Everyone waited for Oscar to absorb his third Soul Ring.

Although Zhao Wuji was also very worried about Xiao Wu and Tang San suddenly leaving the group, Oscar's Soul Ring absorption was more important at the moment, so he stayed behind as well.

But every now and then, he whispered in Oscar's ear, "Oscar, the key to absorbing a Soul Ring is not to let yourself be distracted. Don't let anything outside affect you, even though Xiao Wu and Tang San have gone deep into the Star Dou Great Forest and we don't know if they're alive or dead."

"Oscar, it wasn't easy for everyone to help you hunt down a Soul Ring. Once you've finished absorbing it at your own pace, we'll go look for Xiao Wu and Tang San."

"Oscar, I know absorbing a Soul Ring takes time, but you've been at it for almost two hours now. Aren't you worried about Xiao Wu and Tang San?"

"Oscar, I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush. You can't be too relaxed about it either. You should hurry a bit, but not too much. Do you understand what I mean?"

"..."

Oscar nearly suffered an attack of anxiety and failed to absorb it as a result.

Fortunately, the boy did have some talent. Despite the immense pressure Flender put on him, he ultimately succeeded in absorbing his third Soul Ring, though it took him twice as long as it normally would have.

Afterward, the way he looked at Zhao Wuji changed considerably.

He was probably thinking all along, You old bastard, are you that eager for me to die? Rush, rush, rush!

Two hours later.

Once everyone was ready, they hurried deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest in pursuit, hoping to keep Xiao Wu and Tang San from coming to harm.

Along the way, they ran into a strange old woman named Chao Tianxiang and her granddaughter, Meng Yiran.

Chao Tianxiang asked if they had seen an injured Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent. They all flatly denied it, though they were a little nervous.

Zhao Wuji asked Chao Tianxiang if she had seen two children, a boy and a girl. Chao Tianxiang also flatly denied it, though she too seemed a little nervous.

Ghosts knew what had happened.

In any case, things didn't quite match the original story anymore.

Perhaps time had made them a little fragile...

Of course, Ning Rongrong could more or less guess part of it.

Both sides were lying, that was all.

But exposing the lies to their faces wouldn't do anyone any good. It was better to forget each other in the jianghu—or rather, forget each other in the Star Dou Great Forest.

That girl Meng Yiran, though, was reasonably pretty, and Ning Rongrong lingered on the memory of her for a while.

They continued onward.

They had initially relied on Tang San's Purple Demon Eye to find their way, and now that they no longer had it, their speed had been considerably affected.

After traveling for roughly another hour, just as Zhao Wuji decided to turn back,

Suddenly-

The surroundings abruptly changed.

The ground shook violently, opening countless fissures. The trees not far ahead sank into the enormous cracks.

The pungent stench of monkeys also filled the air.

Zhao Wuji immediately sensed trouble and released his Martial Soul. The Great Strength Vajra Bear instantly possessed him, and he pulled Dai Mubai and Oscar, who were closest to him, behind him. Then he hurriedly said to Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing behind him, "Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, hurry and get behind me too. Huh? You two?"

But before Zhao Wuji could finish, he turned his head and saw that Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing had already flown into the air.

"Holy shit..."

He had nearly forgotten that the Little Demoness had just gained a flying Soul Skill, a powerful Soul Skill that even he didn't possess.

But he had no more time to be surprised, because when he turned back, an enormous figure had silently appeared before them.

It was a mountain-like being, pitch-black all over. Although it was on all fours, its shoulders were definitely more than seven meters high.

If it stood upright, it would probably be over fifteen meters tall.

In appearance, the huge creature looked like both a monkey and a gorilla.

Presumably, this was the legendary Titan Giant Ape.

A powerful hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, the Titan Giant Ape!

No wonder they had smelled such a strong monkey stench just now.

To the side of the enormous figure, they also spotted Xiao Wu and Tang San, who had been missing for a long time.

Xiao Wu's expression was fairly normal, but Tang San's was rather comical.

His mouth was open wide enough to fit one of the Titan Giant Ape's fists.

Maybe the next second he'd let out a dolphin-pitched scream.

A true pigeon king indeed!