"Everyone, pay attention. Get ready to retreat. Try not to make any sudden movements." Zhao Wuji's expression was grave. Even his Soul Power had been shaken by that roar just now.
"Teacher Zhao, there's a huge creature getting closer to us." Using his Purple Demon Eye, Tang San saw the Titan Giant Ape, as large as a mountain, approaching them.
"It's a Titan Giant Ape." Tang San struggled to get the name of the Soul Beast out. The Titan Giant Ape was a top-tier Soul Beast, an ancient species said to have the bloodline of the ancient god Tai Tan. Among Soul Beasts of the same age, it was practically invincible. And Tang San had never heard of there being a second Titan Giant Ape in the Star Dou Great Forest. This had to be the King of the Forest.
"Teacher Zhao, we have to retreat now. We can't wait any longer!" Tang San shouted anxiously.
"Jiang Siming, get everyone out of here. I'll cover the rear." Zhao Wuji released his Martial Soul, his face showing a pained expression, though his eyes were full of determination.
"Teacher Zhao!" everyone cried in unison. Their eyes were already reddening, tears welling up and threatening to spill.
"I'm not dead yet! Jiang Siming! Move!" Zhao Wuji roared again.
"Everyone, go! If you stay here, you'll only let Teacher Zhao's sacrifice go to waste," Jiang Siming said calmly.
"Jiang Siming, do you know what you're saying?!" Dai Mubai snapped at him for the first time.
"I'll say it again! Get out of here!" Jiang Siming shouted back.
"It's too late," Tang San murmured.
The Titan Giant Ape's massive body was already right before them.
Zhao Wuji's Seventh Soul Ring lit up at once. He turned and roared again, "Go!"
Then he transformed into a Vajra Bear and roared furiously at the Titan Giant Ape.
As Tang San and the others looked at the Titan Giant Ape's towering form, they were overcome by a sense of helplessness.
"Let's go! Don't let Teacher Zhao die for nothing." Dai Mubai gave in, too. In a situation like this, either one person died or everyone did.
The others began to retreat. Jiang Siming went with them, glancing now and then at Xiao Wu, whose face showed her concern.
Even with his Martial Soul Avatar, Zhao Wuji stood several yards tall, but compared to the Titan Giant Ape, he was still utterly insignificant.
Zhao Wuji swung a palm at it. Soul Power formed a gigantic handprint that shot straight toward the Titan Giant Ape.
Sensing the provocation of a fellow beast, the Titan Giant Ape roared and swatted back. Its palm shattered Zhao Wuji's Soul Power handprint in an instant.
With a boom, Zhao Wuji was slapped straight into the ground. The tremendous force swept through the surrounding trees, felling them; some were even uprooted. Zhao Wuji's fate was unknown.
The Titan Giant Ape paid Zhao Wuji no further attention and rushed toward the Shrek Seven Devils.
With the group about to be caught, Jiang Siming finally released his Martial Soul. Three peerlessly ferocious swords sprang from their sheaths, flashing coldly as he controlled them with Soul Power.
"Evil Aura" and "God of Slaughter Possession" were both activated. His third Soul Ring lit up as well. "Prison" was unleashed.
Everyone immediately felt their strength drop to less than seventy percent of its peak. "Prison" reduced all their attributes by fifty percent, severely limiting their fighting power. It also slowed their escape, but Jiang Siming had no time to hesitate. He wanted to find out whether he had any chance of completing this sign-in.
"One Sword Separates the World"—Jiang Siming's only offensive Soul Skill. Three enormous sword auras shot straight toward the Titan Giant Ape.
The Titan Giant Ape was stunned. It had suddenly felt its strength drop, and now three powerful sword auras were flying at it. They even felt like a threat, though not a fatal one.
The Titan Giant Ape raised its thick right arm in front of itself. A layer of rocklike material formed over its massive limb. It meant to block the three sword auras. As a top-tier Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, its defenses were terrifying.
Of the three sword auras, the Immortal Extinction Sword's was the sharpest, leaving the deepest gash. But the real danger came from the other two Immortal Swords.
The Titan Giant Ape roared furiously. It had suffered only a superficial wound, but for a mighty Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast to be injured by a mere human Soul Master was a disgrace to its kind.
Even worse, the killing power carried by Jiang Siming's Immortal Slaying Sword made it extremely uncomfortable. The Immortal Trapping Sword also made the memories of Xiao Wu's mother's death and Xiao Wu's departure all the more vivid in its mind.
The Titan Giant Ape stopped caring what lay ahead. It rushed at the Shrek Seven Devils at top speed and snatched Xiao Wu away.
Then came Tang San's heart-wrenching roar.
Jiang Siming looked helplessly at the situation. He had known all along that this would happen, but seeing Tang San in such agony still pained him.
"Stay here. I'll go after them." After calling out, Jiang Siming turned and ran after the Titan Giant Ape.
Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing grew worried for Jiang Siming's safety and tried to follow him, but Tang San stopped her.
"Zhuqing, this has nothing to do with you. I'll go alone," Tang San said resolutely.
"Tang San, we're a team. If you say something like that again, I'll—I'll..." Dai Mubai angrily grabbed Tang San by the collar.
Meanwhile, Jiang Siming had made his choice.
In the end, Jiang Siming decided to take a chance. After all, he was Xiao Wu's friend, so there was a thirty percent chance that Daming and Erming wouldn't kill him. Of course, there was also a seventy percent chance they would kill him to conceal Xiao Wu's identity. That was the optimistic estimate, though. Considering his relationship with Tang San could raise the odds of survival by another fifty percent. But factoring in the risks of bringing up the Lake of Life changed things. And if all of that went well, Beast God Di Tian's attitude would be the final hurdle.
Of course, if one of Jiang Siming's guesses was right, his odds might improve considerably. Nothing came without risk. Fortune favored the bold.
Hope of a Successful Sign-In
Erming's enormous body left a wide trail through the forest. His formidable aura as the King of the Forest kept the other Soul Beasts away, which gave Jiang Siming a considerable advantage.
Jiang Siming followed the trail in pursuit. The Star Dou Great Forest was simply too vast. He pushed himself to the limit, using his second Soul Skill to boost his speed. Otherwise, Xiao Wu might have finished forming her Soul Ring and returned before he got there, leaving him no chance.
After two hours, Jiang Siming was exhausted, but at last he reached the unnamed lake where Daming and Erming lived.
As soon as he stopped, a massive figure burst through the still surface of the lake.
It had a bull's head and a python's body. Golden light shimmered across its scales, and mysterious patterns gleamed on its horns. Its two bell-like eyes stared straight at Jiang Siming.
"Human, this is no place for you. Leave at once, and I'll spare your life." A stern, cold voice came from the Sky Azure Bull Python.
Jiang Siming took a deep breath, feeling the immense pressure. A sense of helplessness rose within him.
But after only a moment's hesitation, his spirits rallied. As a man with a system, Jiang Siming would sooner or later become one of the strongest people on the continent.