Roar!
Feeling the formidable might erupting from Ruyi Jingu Bang, the Titan Giant Ape protected Xiao Wu well and let out a fierce roar, a deep black radiance bursting from its body as it swung its massive fist to face the attack head-on.
In terms of sheer strength, aside from a certain individual, it had never feared anyone.
Boom!
As the staff and fist collided, they unleashed a raging wave of black energy like a shockwave that tore everything within a hundred-meter radius into fragments.
Although the might erupting from Sun Sheng's staff strike was equivalent to the full-strength blow of a Spirit Saint-level powerhouse,
it still could not contend with the Titan Giant Ape's fist.
He only held out for a brief moment before he was blasted flying by the black energy wave, crashing through several giant trees in succession before finally coming to a stop.
His blood surged turbulently, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, which finally made him feel much smoother.
Fortunately, his Adamantine Body was indestructible and possessed extremely formidable defense.
Otherwise, all the bones in his body would have long since shattered, leaving him on the verge of death.
Damn it, Elder Ghost, if you don't show up soon, your boy is finished.
Sun Sheng had been scared witless by the Titan Giant Ape's overwhelming strength, and channeling his Soul Power, he hurriedly cried out for help at the top of his lungs.
He knew that Pope Bibi Dong must have sent someone to protect him in secret.
After all, his talent was astounding, and he enjoyed Bibi Dong's deep regard; she would never let anything happen to him.
Otherwise, he would never have dared to stand up to Zhao Wuji.
And what made him so certain of this judgment was an inference he had made based on the original work, where Bibi Dong had once dispatched Yue Guan to guard Hu Liena.
As for why he was so certain that the person guarding him from the shadows was Ghost Douluo, it was based on the inexplicable bond between the two of them.
It was precisely this bond that had made Ghost Douluo his recommender for entering Spirit Hall.
Sure enough, just as Sun Sheng had anticipated.
The moment his shout died away, a black shadow flitted past, placing itself single-handedly before Sun Sheng.
That's right, this person was none other than Ghost Douluo, Gui Mei.
Those nine soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, and black—slowly hovered down, complementing one another.
"A Titled Douluo?"
"Erming, let's fall back!"
Upon seeing Ghost Douluo's nine soul rings, Xiao Wu immediately instructed the Titan Giant Ape to retreat.
Actually, she hadn't wanted to harm Sun Sheng; she had merely wanted to have Erming teach him a lesson.
Now that a Titled Douluo had appeared, there was naturally no need to stay here any longer.
Anyway, Sun Sheng was in a somewhat miserable state now, so her goal had been achieved.
Roar!
The Titan Giant Ape let out a low roar, glanced at Ghost Douluo and Sun Sheng, and then bounded away with Xiao Wu.
Although it didn't fear Ghost Douluo, it was afraid that if a fight broke out, Xiao Wu might be accidentally injured.
After all, a Titled Douluo was not so easily dealt with.
Seeing the Titan Giant Ape leave, Ghost Douluo secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Asking him to fight a hundred-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape—wasn't that just asking to be tortured?
Fortunately, the Titan Giant Ape had left.
Otherwise, he would have had no choice but to grab Sun Sheng and run for his life.
"Sun Sheng, what's going on here? How on earth did you manage to provoke a Titan Giant Ape, and how could you dare to trade blows with it? Isn't this just walking the path to your own death?"
"Who is that little girl, and why would the Titan Giant Ape listen to her?"
"And where did you get this hundred-thousand-year soul ring?"
Ghost Douluo turned to gaze at Sun Sheng, who was slowly getting to his feet, and immediately fired off several questions.
"Cough, cough, Elder Ghost, what are you talking about? Where on earth would I get a hundred-thousand-year soul ring?"
"And besides, didn't you get it wrong? That little girl was clearly hijacked by the Titan Giant Ape, alright?"
Sun Sheng gave two light coughs, rolled his eyes, and argued evasively.
First, he certainly didn't want to expose his hundred-thousand-year soul ring.
Second, he didn't want Ghost Douluo to discover Xiao Wu's identity.
Otherwise, he would definitely inform Bibi Dong to come and hunt down Xiao Wu to obtain a hundred-thousand-year soul ring.
"Brat, don't try that nonsense with me; it won't work. Hurry up and confess honestly, or I'll drag you back to Spirit Hall and have His Holiness the Pope interrogate you."
"By then, you'll see how much fun you're in for."
Ghost Douluo was, after all, an old monster who had lived for nearly a hundred years; how could he fail to see through the thoughts of a little imp like Sun Sheng? He immediately knocked him on the head with a rap of his knuckles.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch! I'll confess honestly, alright?"
Sun Sheng rubbed his faintly throbbing pate, harboring a tiny bit of resentment as he spoke.
"Quickly speak, or you'll be sorry."
Ghost Douluo gestured with his hand, seeming to imply that if Sun Sheng didn't start telling the truth, he was going to take action.
"Actually, this hundred-thousand-year soul ring was sacrificed to me right before he died by an old grandfather who raised me since I was little."
"Back then, I only learned that the old grandfather was transformed from a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, and before he took me in, he had already suffered heavy injuries..."
Sun Sheng's mind spun at lightning speed, and he immediately came up with a suitable excuse, falsely claiming that it was obtained from the sacrifice of an old grandfather who had raised him and had long since passed away.
This was the most reasonable and persuasive excuse he could think of at the moment.
After all, there was no way he could hunt a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, let alone absorb a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, unless it was through the sacrifice of a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast.
In order to appear a bit more convincing, Sun Sheng even intentionally touched a bit of saliva in secret, smeared it on his face, and put on the appearance of extreme grief.
Sure enough, upon hearing his explanation, Ghost Douluo chose to believe it.
Because he also felt this was the most logical explanation.
"Then how did you manage to offend the Titan Giant Ape? And who was that little girl?"
Ghost Douluo continued to question him, clearly unwilling to let the matter go.
"Sigh, don't bring it up; words can't capture the tears..."
Next, Sun Sheng started spouting nonsense again.
He claimed that the Titan Giant Ape had a peculiar penchant for pretty young human girls, and while roaming about outside, it had happened to run into students from Shrek Academy, prompting it to attack and snatch one away to make her its bandit chieftain's bride.
This was completely adapted by him from the plot of King Kong, and the way he told it was simply exceptionally vivid and touching.
After listening to it all, Ghost Douluo almost believed it was true.
However, he didn't continue questioning him.
Through the bamboozling Sun Sheng had just pulled, he could roughly guess the truth.
Sun Sheng probably had no idea what was going on either.
The reason he had concocted such an utterly absurd excuse was most likely that he had taken a fancy to the little girl and wanted to protect her.
As for this point, he was somewhat inclined to believe it.
After all, he understood Sun Sheng's womanizing character fairly well.
"Cough, cough, Ghost Douluo, I've confessed honestly too. How about we just let this matter pass? Just pretend nothing happened at all, how about that?"
Seeing that Ghost Douluo had finally stopped asking, Sun Sheng assumed that he had bought it.
He gave an awkward, light cough and tentatively asked.
"You want to seal my lips? Sure, but you ought to pay something for it," Ghost Douluo said meaningfully.
"Elder Ghost, I get it, I get it. Rest assured, as long as you don't spread this outside, I'll give you whatever you want, as long as it's within my power."
Upon hearing his words, Sun Sheng instantly understood his meaning.
"Cough, cough, you're the one who said it."
"Actually, I don't want that much—just five Soul Orbs will do."
Ghost Douluo held up five fingers, a triumphant smile blooming on his face.
"Five Soul Orbs? Are you robbing me? No way, that's way too many! Three at most, I don't have any more than that."
Upon hearing this, Sun Sheng instantly blew his top and immediately began to complain.
"Fine, three it is then. It's a deal."
As expected of an old hand, Ghost Douluo had foreseen that Sun Sheng would try to haggle, so he had deliberately raised the terms to trick him into the trap.
Sure enough, upon hearing Ghost Douluo's words, Sun Sheng wanted nothing more than to slap himself across the face.
Damn it!
He'd fallen for it!
This old bastard was playing him.
The older the ginger, the spicier it is.
Although he felt deeply resentful about this, in order to shut Ghost Douluo's mouth, he had no choice but to take a little loss.
Before you continue