An Unchangeable Fate

The next day, the Spirit Hall group once again headed deeper into the forest.

Over the next few hours, Liu Xiaoxiao and Chen Fang deliberately and subtly led the group slightly off course. In the vast Star Dou Great Forest, even the slightest deviation in direction would keep them far enough away from Xiao Wu's location.

Suddenly, Chen Fang spotted an extremely tiny and peculiar mark on a tree. If not for his head Spirit Bone, he might not have been able to see it clearly.

Ordinary people who saw that mark would likely assume it was a naturally formed pattern in the bark. Only they knew that it was a mark representing Shrek. It was also a signal He Qiang had told them about before Dugu Bo and the others set out.

They're here, Chen Fang said in his heart the moment he saw the mark.

Follow the original plan. Lead them toward Xiao Wu, then use the Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape's strength to wipe them out in one stroke. A barely perceptible cold gleam flashed through Liu Xiaoxiao's eyes.

Before long, Bibi Dong ordered everyone to rest.

Liu Xiaoxiao and Chen Fang were extremely close to Tang San at that moment. Liu Xiaoxiao's lips moved slightly, and Tang San gave an imperceptible nod.

Not long afterward, Tang San suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale.

Hu Liena hurriedly poured Soul Power into Tang San's body, while Bibi Dong, Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, and the others flickered forward, arriving before Tang San in an instant.

Bibi Dong stared at Tang San without saying a word, while Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo did not dare speak rashly either.

Before long, Tang San recovered and sat upright.

"Tang Yin, what happened?" Hu Liena hurriedly asked.

Tang San said, "I was trying to check the surrounding area and see whether there were any soul beasts suitable for me. But I unexpectedly encountered an exceptionally powerful presence. It was actually able to detect my Spiritual Power and launch a mental attack at me. If I hadn't reacted quickly, that blow would have nearly killed me."

"An exceptionally powerful presence? How powerful? Where is it?" Chrysanthemum Douluo asked.

"It must be a Title Douluo. My Spiritual Power is fairly strong among soul masters of the same rank. Only a Title Douluo could injure me from such a distance. It's in that direction." Tang San pointed in a direction as he spoke.

"Better to kill wrongly than let one escape. Move." As Bibi Dong spoke, she shot toward the direction Tang San had indicated. Liu Xiaoxiao picked up Tang San and followed with the Spirit Hall group.

After passing through a stretch of forest, the Spirit Hall group arrived beside a clear little lake.

The Titan Giant Ape stood beside the lake, while Xiao Wu sat atop its body.

"Good. The intelligence was indeed correct. The Titan Giant Ape is here too." Bibi Dong laughed, but Liu Xiaoxiao and Chen Fang both revealed a trace of strange expressions in their eyes.

What's going on? Why did Bibi Dong know that the Titan Giant Ape was here too? Liu Xiaoxiao transmitted mentally.

"Perhaps the timeline has deviated," Chen Fang said. "Spirit Hall has many people. It isn't strange for someone to have seen the Titan Giant Ape in the Star Dou Great Forest."

Just then, the Sky Azure Bull Python's enormous body emerged from the lake, its expression icy.

"Yue Guan, Gui Mei, Two-level Stasis Domain!" Bibi Dong shouted.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo immediately rose and unleashed their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the Two-level Stasis Domain.

Under the control of this Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the two super soul beasts were instantly frozen in place.

Just as Bibi Dong was about to act, a faint laugh came from the distance. "Your Holiness the Pope, I didn't expect to encounter you here as well."

Bibi Dong turned around and saw Ning Fengzhi, Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, and Bone Douluo Gu Rong walking in their direction. Her face immediately darkened.

"Do you think your strength is enough to stop me?" Bibi Dong said coldly.

"Of course not." Ning Fengzhi smiled. "But holding you back until the two kings of the forest break through the Martial Soul Fusion Skill's seal should not be a problem. By then, Your Holiness the Pope, the one who will remain here forever may be you. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong immediately understood their objective. She shouted in a low voice to the Spirit Hall group, "Move! Take that rabbit and withdraw immediately."

As she spoke, all nine of Bibi Dong's soul rings lit up, blocking Ning Fengzhi and the others' path.

The instant Bibi Dong spoke, Tang San moved. With a flick of his fingers, Liu Xiaoxiao pretended to collapse. Then, using the Mother-Child Soul Chasing Life-Taking Gall and the Eight Spider Lances, Tang San took out seven Spirit Hall Soul Sages in succession. He then used the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone to fly into the air, wrapped Xiao Wu in Blue Silver Emperor vines, and immediately fled into the distance.

"Go after them!" Chen Fang shouted in a low voice. The remaining thirteen Soul Sages immediately gave chase, while Chen Fang stayed where he was and did not follow.

Liu Xiaoxiao and Chen Fang both sighed inwardly. They knew that Tang San's fate was likely impossible to change. The tragedy would still unfold along its predetermined course.

Seeing this, Bibi Dong was about to pursue Tang San, but Poison Douluo and Bone Douluo launched fierce attacks as well, leaving Bibi Dong unable to break away.

Before long, Liu Xiaoxiao, who had pretended to fall, stood up and chased forward alongside Chen Fang and Hu Liena.

When they caught up, they happened to see a sheet of red light spreading out from Xiao Wu's body, and they immediately sighed inwardly.

When the red light spread to the vicinity of the little lake, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo spat out blood. The Two-level Stasis Domain was finally broken, and the two kings of the forest rushed toward the source of the red light with reddened eyes.

Seeing this, Bibi Dong's expression turned ugly. She immediately snorted coldly and left with the barely living Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo.

Dugu Bo, Ning Fengzhi, and Gu Rong all silently gazed in the direction from which the red light had come, saying nothing.

With their experience, they naturally guessed what it was. A sacrifice—and the sacrifice of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

Liu Xiaoxiao, Chen Fang, and the others quietly retreated along with the remaining Spirit Hall members. There was no longer any point in staying here.

"How did it go?" He Qiang's voice sounded in Liu Xiaoxiao's mind.

"One piece of good news and one piece of bad news," Liu Xiaoxiao replied.

"I understand." He Qiang let out a long sigh.

"Fortune and misfortune truly depend on each other," Chen Long sighed as well.

"What exactly happened? Explain it clearly." Li Hong could not help asking.

"Tang San didn't die. Xiao Wu did," Chen Fang said directly.

"Is fate truly impossible to change..." Little Fatty let out a long sigh and said.

"Perhaps it isn't impossible to change. Perhaps we simply lack the power to change it," Fan Yihuang said. "If we were strong enough, we could have completely prevented this tragedy."

"In any case, continuing according to the original plot isn't necessarily a bad thing," Qi Xiaomin said. "At least, as long as the process is correct, the result will still be perfect. This trial will only make their love more resolute."

"Once Tang San returns to Shrek Academy, it will be time for us to request to join the Tang Sect," He Qiang said. "With the Tang Sect Ultimate Arts at our disposal, we will have a greater chance of becoming gods—and a greater ability to change the future."

"To prevent tragedy from happening to us, and to ensure we will not be powerless to turn things around at a crucial moment, become stronger as quickly as possible," Chen Long said solemnly.

After the call ended, Lin Bo paced back and forth alone in his bedchamber, muttering to himself, "As expected, he escaped another disaster. If this continues, won't I really end up with a miserable fate just like in the original plot? No. I can't let that happen."

A cold gleam flashed through Lin Bo's eyes. "During the Heaven Dou Palace Change, I have to get rid of him! I want to live! I am the true winner, the true great villain!"