Xiao Wu and the Titan Giant Ape

At night, after finding a suitable spot in the Star Dou Great Forest, Zhao Wuji, the Shrek Seven Devils, and the group of three led by Dragon Duke and Granny Meng set up tents to rest.

As Meng Yiran sat by the fire, eating a late meal, she recalled the strength Zhu Zhuqing had displayed when killing the Man Faced Demon Spider, as well as Zhu Zhuqing's current age. Curious, she went over and sat beside Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhu Zhuqing, how do you cultivate? How did you become so strong so quickly?"

Meng Yiran was not the only one who wanted to know. Dragon Duke and Granny Meng also wished to know just how Zhu Zhuqing had cultivated to reach level thirty at such a young age.

"I work hard normally," Zhu Zhuqing replied flatly, saying something that was as good as saying nothing.

Meng Yiran felt somewhat discouraged. She had always considered herself quite talented, but after meeting people like Zhu Zhuqing, Oscar, Tang San, and Xiao Wu, she realized that she was not as exceptional as she had imagined.

"Brother Zhao, the students in your class are truly astonishing," Meng Shu, seated nearby, said as he looked at Zhao Wuji on his left.

Moreover, since the two sides were now considered partners, Meng Shu had become much more courteous.

"Not at all, not at all. Brother Meng Shu's granddaughter is also among the finest of her generation." Zhao Wuji smiled modestly and returned the compliment.

"But Brother Zhao, could you tell your old brother how Zhu Zhuqing reached such strength at her age?" Meng Shu was genuinely curious.

"Well..." Zhao Wuji murmured.

"Could it be that it cannot be discussed? True, cultivation matters are private. I was being presumptuous." Seeing Zhao Wuji's expression, Meng Shu did not press the matter further.

"Ah, it's not that it cannot be said. The reason Zhu Qing reached level thirty at this age, aside from her own diligent cultivation, also has to do with someone else."

"Who?"

"A physician named Gu Ye. He is quite extraordinary, possessing formidable medical skills as well as mysterious knowledge, such as Martial Soul Blood."

"Martial Soul Blood?" Dragon Duke Meng Shu looked at Zhao Wuji in confusion.

It was the first time he had heard of such a thing.

Zhao Wuji gave a brief explanation, then stopped speaking after directing Dragon Duke and Granny Meng's attention toward Gu Ye.

Having learned about Martial Soul Blood, Dragon Duke and Granny Meng became deeply curious about Gu Ye.

Zhu Zhuqing, Meng Yiran, and the others continued chatting merrily.

But at that moment, Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu, and Chao Tianxiang's expressions suddenly changed.

"Everyone, get behind us. If anything happens later, don't worry about me. Leave this place immediately and get out of the Star Dou Great Forest first."

The grave expressions on Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu, and Chao Tianxiang's faces gave Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing, and Meng Yiran a bad feeling.

They hurried behind the three and asked, "Teacher Zhao, what happened?"

Yet Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu, and Chao Tianxiang simply stared ahead without saying a word. Then, drops of cold sweat began to stream down their faces.

In the direction they were watching, two towering trees slowly parted to either side, and a massive figure silently emerged from between them.

When they saw that giant creature, everyone seemed to stop breathing.

They finally understood what Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu, and Chao Tianxiang were so worried about.

It was a being like a mountain.

Its pitch-black fur glimmered faintly beneath the weak light of the stars and moon.

Though it stood on all fours, its shoulders were still well over seven meters high.

If it stood upright, it would likely exceed fifteen meters in height.

It looked somewhat like an ape and somewhat like a gorilla. Aside from its lantern-sized eyes, which shone with a yellow crystal-like gleam, its entire body was black. In the night, if it had not been moving, they might not even have been able to see its body. This giant was simply far too enormous.

"The King of the Forest, the Titan Giant Ape!!"

Staring at the colossal creature before them, Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu, and Chao Tianxiang's faces turned extremely ugly.

Even with Meng Shu, a Soul Douluo, together with Chao Tianxiang, a Soul Emperor, and Zhao Wuji, a Soul Sage, the three of them joining forces would still be unable to defeat the King of the Forest, the Titan Giant Ape.

After exchanging glances, Meng Shu, Zhao Wuji, and Chao Tianxiang stepped forward together, shielding Zhu Zhuqing, Meng Yiran, and the others behind them.

"Honorable King of the Forest, we mean no offense. If this is your territory, we are willing to withdraw immediately."

Meng Shu said in a deep voice.

He knew that the Titan Giant Ape could understand him.

Because beneath that terrifying pressure, his instincts told him that the other party was already a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts could understand human speech.

Yet the Titan Giant Ape gave no response. It looked at Xiao Wu, who was standing behind Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu, and the others.

Boom! The ground trembled.

The Titan Giant Ape took a step forward.

But that single step made Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu, and the others feel as though their hearts had leapt into their throats.

When Zhu Zhuqing, protected behind Zhao Wuji and Meng Shu, saw the Titan Giant Ape, her face remained calm, but she was just as terrified.

When facing life and death, few people could remain indifferent.

Subconsciously, Zhu Zhuqing thought of Gu Ye.

She clutched her chest tightly, gripping the life-saving item Gu Ye had given her.

What Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and the others failed to notice was that Xiao Wu beside them kept shaking her head at the Titan Giant Ape, signaling for it to leave quickly.

Boom! The ground trembled once more.

The Titan Giant Ape took another step forward.

Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu, and Chao Tianxiang wore grim expressions. They knew there was no peaceful resolution to this.

"Yiran, leave this place with them immediately. We'll hold this thing back." After Meng Shu spoke, eight dazzling soul rings lit up around him. The Dragon Cane flashed into his hand as he charged toward the Titan Giant Ape.

"Mubai, Tang San, leave now. Take them out of the Star Dou Great Forest. Quickly."

Likewise, Zhao Wuji threw out those words before the seven soul rings around him blazed brightly. He charged toward the Titan Giant Ape as well.

Faced with a life-or-death crisis, Meng Shu, Zhao Wuji, and Chao Tianxiang did not hesitate in the slightest to join forces, holding back the Titan Giant Ape to give the younger generation a chance to escape.

Yet Zhu Zhuqing, Meng Yiran, Tang San, and the other five were clearly not the sort to fear death, much less abandon their teammates and family to flee alone.

"Rongrong, support us."

"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, first ability: Strength."

"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, second ability: Speed."

In the midst of the crisis, the eight who had not fled could not spare any thought for anything else.

Along with Ning Rongrong's brief, crisp chant, three beams of light shot out at once.

They landed precisely on Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu, and Chao Tianxiang.

The most formidable trait of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul was that its boosts ignored level differences. Ning Rongrong's current amplification was thirty percent. In other words, regardless of how strong the recipient was, the increase would always be thirty percent—even for the seventy-sixth-level Zhao Wuji and Meng Shu, a Soul Douluo.

This was also one of the reasons why the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda could become the continent's number one support-type Martial Soul.

Sure enough, under the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's amplification, Zhao Wuji's speed suddenly increased, and the Soul Power coating his two bear paws visibly grew stronger.

Meng Shu's Dragon Cane and Chao Tianxiang's Serpent Cane also became more powerful.

With all three attacking at full strength, they might have been able to fight even a Titled Douluo.

However, before the Titan Giant Ape—especially one determined to take Xiao Wu away—they were nothing.

At that moment, the Titan Giant Ape swung its enormous palm down at Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu, and Chao Tianxiang.

The wind howled as the massive palm descended at high speed, instantly arriving before Zhao Wuji, Chao Tianxiang, and Meng Shu.

Bang! Without the slightest surprise, all three were sent flying and crashed heavily to the ground.

Roar!!

The Titan Giant Ape threw back its head and roared, then swung its fists and gave itself a few affectionate iron-fist blows before sweeping its palm down toward Tang San, Xiao Wu, and the others.

The sight of Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu, and Chao Tianxiang being instantly defeated by the Titan Giant Ape had left Dai Mubai, Tang San, and the others stunned.

Seeing the Titan Giant Ape's enormous palm about to come down, Xiao Wu hurriedly stepped forward and stood in front of them.

The moment it saw Xiao Wu, the Titan Giant Ape paused. Then it seized her in one motion and sprinted away.

The Titan Giant Ape's sudden departure stunned Ning Rongrong and the others, but once they saw it leave, they finally let out a breath of relief.

Zhao Wuji climbed up from the ground. Before he could even recover, he saw the Titan Giant Ape leave, leaving his mind full of confusion.

Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang were the same.

But Tang San was different. Xiao Wu, who had been beside him, was gone. She had been taken by the Titan Giant Ape.

His eyes instantly turned bloodshot. Staring at the rapidly retreating gigantic figure, he roared, "Xiao Wu!"

Sitting on the Titan Giant Ape's shoulder, Xiao Wu seemed to hear Tang San's cry. She turned her head back, intending to respond.

But she was currently riding on the Titan Giant Ape and could not attend to her Third Brother.

Besides, the Titan Giant Ape gave Xiao Wu no such opportunity and simply ran off at full speed.

Having not seen Xiao Wu for so long, it wanted to take her back and play with her properly for a few days.