Xiao Wu Returns

Ning Rongrong snorted when she heard Tang San's words. "Are we that close to you? Don't forget, this is the Star Dou Great Forest. Trying to appeal to our feelings won't work."

Shen Tianchen, standing nearby, had a different idea.

If they abandoned Tang San now, even if they did not encounter the Man Faced Demon Spider again today, who knew whether he would run into one next time? After all, the Eight Spider Lance Spirit Bone was simply too overpowered.

Since Tang San was asking him for help, he could take another approach—one that would earn Tang San's gratitude while keeping him from absorbing the Man Faced Demon Spider's spirit ring. The best of both worlds.

"Tang San, it's not that I don't want to help you. You know as well as I do that the Titan Giant Ape is a genuine Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the undisputed overlord of the Star Dou Great Forest."

"As I see it, our strength isn't even enough to serve as its warm-up. Even if we chase after it, we'd only be throwing away our lives."

Then his tone shifted. "But since you've asked, we can't just stand by and do nothing."

"We definitely can't accompany you in pursuit right now, but I can see that your Soul Power has already reached rank thirty. We can wait until you absorb your third spirit ring before heading over. That way, you'll at least have some ability to protect yourself, and our chances of success will be higher. What do you think?"

Tang San lowered his head. After a long silence, he finally nodded in agreement.

The moment the Man Faced Demon Spider had appeared, he had already considered this. According to the plan laid out by his teacher, Yu Xiaogang, the Man Faced Demon Spider had also been among his options.

It was only because he lacked the strength to defeat it.

Ning Rongrong was puzzled by Shen Tianchen's words. "Brother Tianchen, why are you helping this guy? We..."

Shen Tianchen did not respond to Ning Rongrong's question.

After all, there was no way to explain that he had a god's-eye view. He could hardly say he had dreamed of the future, could he?

In the original timeline, although Tang San and the others defeated Spirit Hall and claimed the final victory, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect gained almost nothing.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had provided Tang San with immense help throughout his growth. Yet what did they receive in return?

To save him, the sect's two guardian Douluo died and vanished from the world. The sect heir, Ning Rongrong, and Oscar both became gods and entered the divine realm together.

Ironically, the two of them did not leave behind a single child in the mortal world.

Even the legendary Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda was not passed down.

By doing this, Shen Tianchen could also help the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect vent some of its anger.

"Your martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, right? A plant-type martial soul. On our way here, we came across a Thorn Demon Vine around eleven hundred years old. It's extremely suitable for you."

"If you're willing, we can take you there to hunt it now."

Tang San fell silent upon hearing that.

This went against his teacher's plan, but he had no right to choose.

Still, rescuing Xiao Wu was the most important thing right now. For Xiao Wu's sake, he was willing to go against his teacher's wishes.

Ordinary plant-type soul beasts remained rooted in one place for long periods before breaking through to one hundred thousand years.

Plant-type soul beasts around one or two thousand years old generally did not have much offensive power.

Not to mention Shen Tianchen and Tang San joining forces. Killing that Thorn Demon Vine could not have been easier.

Before long, the group arrived at the Thorn Demon Vine's location. Shen Tianchen and Tang San joined forces, and the Thorn Demon Vine was killed before it could even react.

Tang San quickly entered a meditative state and began absorbing the Thorn Demon Vine's spirit ring.

Watching Tang San absorb the spirit ring, Ning Rongrong asked in confusion, "Brother Tianchen, as far as I know, you're not someone who likes meddling in other people's business. Why are you different when it comes to Tang San?"

She always felt that Shen Tianchen seemed to be anticipating something, but she could not put her finger on it.

Shen Tianchen casually made up an excuse. "Tang San dared to pursue the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Titan Giant Ape alone for love. That devotion is worth my help."

After saying that, he dry-heaved inwardly.

To put it bluntly, Tang San was merely showing reckless courage in his eyes. Forget absorbing a third spirit ring—even if he absorbed a fifth or sixth one, without all those cheats helping him, the Titan Giant Ape could still slap him to death.

"Brother Tianchen, it's already generous enough that we helped him hunt a soul beast. Are we really going to stand guard for this guy too?" Ning Rongrong pouted and complained.

As Tang San's aura became increasingly steady, she felt no happiness for him at all. Instead, she found him deeply irritating.

In Ning Rongrong's view, since the Titan Giant Ape had appeared, why was Tang San completely uninjured? Could it be that the Titan Giant Ape had gone through all that trouble just to capture a little girl who had only just reached rank thirty?

Clearly, Tang San had failed to protect Xiao Wu. Now he was putting on this act for others to see.

Just as Shen Tianchen saw that Tang San was nearly done absorbing the spirit ring and was preparing to leave, a rustling sound came from the grass nearby. A figure immediately sprang out.

"Xiao Wu?" Shen Tianchen quickly recognized the newcomer.

When Xiao Wu saw Shen Tianchen and Ning Rongrong, surprise filled her heart. "You're... Shen Tianchen? Why are you here?"

Before Shen Tianchen could answer, Ning Rongrong spoke first. "What else could it be for? Naturally, we're guarding your Third Brother while he absorbs his spirit ring. We were even the ones who helped hunt the soul beast."

After hearing this, Xiao Wu looked at Tang San. Seeing that he was unharmed, she assumed Ning Rongrong was telling the truth and immediately bowed to thank them.

Then Ning Rongrong asked, "Earlier, your Third Brother said that you were taken away by the Titan Giant Ape. How did you return completely unharmed?"

Xiao Wu paused before saying hesitantly, "The Titan Giant Ape took me near a small lake. Then I suddenly heard a bull's roar, and the Titan Giant Ape was frightened away like a mouse seeing a cat."

Ning Rongrong had no idea what that bull's roar was. She merely assumed Xiao Wu did not want to explain, so she curled her lips and said to Shen Tianchen, "Brother Tianchen, since Tang San and the others are fine and we've done what we promised, it's time to go."

"If some powerful soul beast suddenly jumps out, we might not even be able to run away."

Shen Tianchen had no intention of staying any longer anyway. By stopping Tang San from absorbing the Man Faced Demon Spider's spirit ring, he had indirectly bought himself more time to grow stronger.

He did not care what soul beasts Tang San hunted in the future. If he happened to encounter him, though, he could give it a try.

With that, Shen Tianchen left with Ning Rongrong.

Along the way, Ghost Leopard Douluo, who had been following them in secret, sent a voice transmission to Shen Tianchen. "Young Master, I keep feeling that there's something wrong with that girl's identity."

"She gives me a strange feeling, as though she is deliberately concealing something. She must have something on her."

"That girl's aura somewhat resembles that of a soul beast, but it's extremely faint. It should have been forcibly hidden by something."

Shen Tianchen suddenly stopped walking. "I'm going to relieve myself. Rongrong, keep walking ahead slowly."

Ning Rongrong did not think much of it and continued forward, while Shen Tianchen ducked into the bushes beside them.

Not long afterward, Ghost Leopard Douluo arrived at Shen Tianchen's side.

"Young Master, do you know something? Do you know that little girl's background?"

Shen Tianchen did not answer Ghost Leopard Douluo's question. Instead, he asked, "The Titan Giant Ape is a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, an undisputed overlord of the Star Dou Great Forest. Under normal circumstances, once Xiao Wu fell into its hands, she should have had absolutely no chance of surviving."

Ghost Leopard Douluo did not fully understand Shen Tianchen's meaning, but he immediately grew excited. "I understand, Young Master. That girl is ninety-nine percent likely to be a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in Humanoid Form. Please wait here for a moment, Young Master. I'll go capture her right—"

Shen Tianchen frowned and called out to Ghost Leopard Douluo, who was about to leave. "Elder, don't rush. Let me finish."

"That fellow Tang Hao is probably watching this place from somewhere in the shadows. If we make a move right under his nose, with our current strength, he'll still beat us black and blue."

"Tang Hao isn't someone to be trifled with either. Once he comes to his senses, Spirit Hall will have quite the headache."

According to future events, there was still plenty of drama left to unfold. Xiao Wu, one of the main characters, could not be missing.

"You must have heard Xiao Wu mention that bull's roar during our conversation just now. Let me ask you: what kind of existence could make the Titan Giant Ape flee like a child who had made a mistake?"

Ghost Leopard Douluo had lived for decades and was no fool. He immediately understood. "Young Master, you mean there is another mysterious powerhouse behind Xiao Wu, and this mysterious powerhouse is even stronger than the Titan Giant Ape."

Shen Tianchen nodded slightly. "That possibility is very high. Besides, even after taking Humanoid Form, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast still holds an extremely high status among soul beasts. If you touch her, do you think the soul beasts in the forest will let you go?"

"Those fellows would probably howl as they rushed at you, eager to tear you to pieces."

Ghost Leopard Douluo nodded thoughtfully.