Titan Giant Ape Attack

Meng Yiran left, and Oscar began absorbing the Spirit Ring.

About an hour later, Oscar successfully absorbed the Spirit Ring.

However, just as Oscar was about to show off his Flying Mushroom Sausage, Bai Ge cut him off. "What's there to be proud of? Xiao San has also broken through level thirty. Besides, I've reached level forty myself this time and need a fourth Spirit Ring."

Sure enough, the moment Bai Ge finished speaking, Tang San opened his eyes and rose to his feet. He said to Zhao Wuji, "Teacher Zhao, perhaps because Meng Yiran put me under so much pressure during our battle just now, my Soul Power has finally broken through level twenty-nine and reached level thirty.

"So, I also need a Spirit Ring to advance."

Everyone fell silent.

They had been wondering how Bai Ge knew, but Tang San immediately slapped them in the face with the truth.

Tang San breaking through to Soul Elder at twelve was already considered genius-level, yet now there was Bai Ge, this freak who had broken through to Soul Ancestor at twelve!

Oscar was instantly crushed into silence.

The two pupils in Dai Mubai's evil eyes strangely merged into one.

The fat Ma Hongjun's mouth fell open.

Zhu Zhuqing's cold expression turned to astonishment.

Two dimples appeared on Ning Rongrong's gentle, pretty face.

Xiao Wu, meanwhile, excitedly grabbed Tang San's arm in a hug.

But no matter what, this was a good thing.

Zhao Wuji did not let everyone rest where they were, because he feared that Dragon Duke might appear and return with Snake Woman. Though the possibility was small, they still had to be cautious.

That night, he led the eight Shrek Academy students another ten li or so in a different direction. Only after erasing all traces of their passage did they set up camp.

Zhao Wuji's worries proved unnecessary, and the night passed without incident.

After a night of rest, everyone's energy had returned to its peak.

Early the next morning, they resumed their search for Spirit Beasts. This time, however, the ones seeking Spirit Beasts were Tang San and Bai Ge rather than Oscar.

Grandmaster had long ago planned out what sort of Spirit Beast Tang San should choose for his third Spirit Ring.

Thus, Tang San believed that finding a Spirit Beast should be easier for him than it had been for Oscar.

After all, among the several Spirit Beasts in Grandmaster's plan, some were relatively common. As long as their cultivation age was suitable, they could become his third Spirit Ring.

As for Bai Ge, he planned to find a lion-type Spirit Beast with the Light Attribute or Thunder Attribute.

As for its age, it had to be at least twenty thousand years. But he had not told Zhao Wuji that. He only intended to mark the location first, then quietly ask Sword Douluo for help.

He was still somewhat wary of Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beasts. He did not yet dare venture deep into Star Dou Great Forest.

He needed Sword Douluo's help.

As for why he wanted a lion-type Spirit Beast with the Light Attribute or Thunder Attribute, it was because the fourth ring corresponded to the Leo Palace inheritance.

(See Chapter One and the author's note for this chapter for an explanation.)

Yet things did not go as planned. Two full days passed, and despite Zhao Wuji leading everyone in a careful search, they never found a Spirit Beast suitable for Tang San.

Because they had previously encountered Snake Woman Chao Tianxiang and her granddaughter, Zhao Wuji had become somewhat apprehensive. Coupled with the inherent dangers of Star Dou Great Forest, he adopted a more conservative strategy in searching for Spirit Beasts. He did not venture deep into the forest, instead leading everyone to search its outer regions.

Although they encountered several thousand-year Spirit Beasts along the way, none of those types were suitable for Tang San.

The rest were all hundred-year Spirit Beasts.

Zhao Wuji could not be blamed for taking a conservative approach. After all, he was the only teacher on this trip. Everyone could naturally handle low-level Spirit Beasts, but if they encountered a powerful one, Zhao Wuji was not confident he could protect every single person.

These students were all little monsters of Shrek Academy, and several came from extraordinary backgrounds. Zhao Wuji did not dare take risks.

If anything happened to any one of them, the consequences would be fatal.

Although food supplies were not a problem for everyone after two days, living every day in the perilous Star Dou Great Forest still kept them on high alert, making them more prone to exhaustion.

However, it was precisely because of this danger that the students gradually became more coordinated with one another.

Tang San, Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, and Ma Hongjun were responsible for fighting whenever they encountered Spirit Beasts.

Zhu Zhuqing was responsible for scouting the surrounding area.

Oscar and Ning Rongrong provided support from the middle.

Bai Ge held the rear to ensure nothing went wrong.

Even without Zhao Wuji's help, as long as they did not encounter a Spirit Beast over ten thousand years old, nothing could pose any threat to their small group.

Do not forget that Bai Ge had once used a single Galactic Starburst to blast the fifty-thousand-year Golden Earth Dragon King to death.

Night fell, and it was time to rest again.

They could not light fires in Star Dou Great Forest. While most Spirit Beasts feared fire, a small number were exceptionally fond of it.

And among that small number were mostly deadly creatures.

There was no need for Zhao Wuji to direct them anymore. The male students were responsible for setting up temporary tents, while the female students prepared food.

The tents were not large enough for everyone to lie down and sleep, but there was no problem with everyone sitting inside to cultivate.

For them, maintaining peak combat readiness at all times was far more important than sleeping.

As the teacher, Zhao Wuji naturally took on the task of keeping watch.

After hurriedly finishing dinner, Zhao Wuji told the others to enter the tents and rest, but called Tang San over to him.

"Xiao San, are you getting anxious?" Zhao Wuji asked with a smile as he looked at the youth before him.

Tang San shook his head. "Finding Spirit Beasts is a matter of luck. There's no use rushing it. Teacher Zhao, don't worry. I'm patient."

Zhao Wuji sighed softly. "Even Star Dou Great Forest is starting to grow desolate now.

"Many years ago, I still remember how bustling this place used to be.

"Back then, even in the outer regions of the forest, thousand-year Spirit Beasts could be seen everywhere.

"But now there are far fewer Spirit Beasts. I don't know whether they have all moved deeper into the forest or whether there is another reason."

Hearing this, Bai Ge's thoughts stirred. Could they all have gone to drain the Ice Silkworm of the Heavenly Dream? Thinking about the timing, it really does seem about right.

"Everyone, leave the tents, now!"

Zhao Wuji let out a low roar, his deep voice carrying into the tents.

After several days of working together, the students had already developed a certain level of coordination and swiftly crawled out of the tents.

"Teacher Zhao, what is it?" Dai Mubai asked in confusion as he dashed to Zhao Wuji's side.

Zhao Wuji did not answer. "Everyone, get behind me. If anything happens later, do not worry about me. Leave this place immediately and get out of Star Dou Great Forest first.

"Bai Ge, if I'm not here, the responsibility of protecting everyone falls to you."

Neither Dai Mubai nor Tang San, nor anyone else, understood what could have happened to make Zhao Wuji—who had always been so confident in his strength—this nervous.

Then, at that moment, they suddenly witnessed an eerie sight.

In the direction Zhao Wuji was staring, two towering trees slowly parted to either side, and an enormous figure silently emerged from between them.

At the sight of this giant, everyone seemed to stop breathing. They finally understood what Zhao Wuji had been so worried about.

It was a being like a mountain. Its entire body was covered in black fur that gleamed faintly under the dim starlight and moonlight. Though it was on all fours, its shoulders still stood well over seven meters high.

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