Tang Hao's self-sacrificing hammer strike, launched at the cost of shattering his first eight Soul Rings, not only severely wounded the Titan Giant Ape Er Ming's body but also forcibly hammered its desire to search for Xiao Wu back to clarity.
The excruciating pain from its abdomen made Er Ming instantly realize that this seemingly inconspicuous black-robed human possessed the power to truly kill it!
If it continued fighting, even if it managed to take the other party down with it, it would undoubtedly suffer irreversible injuries and might even perish.
Its initial impulse had been to approach and take Xiao Wu away, but before the threat of death, that impulse had no choice but to be forcibly suppressed.
"Roar..."
With a low roar filled with pain and unwillingness, Er Ming first looked at the black-robed man, then quickly glanced at the figure among the distant crowd that it longed for with all its soul.
Amid the chaos, Xiao Wu had quietly retreated to a spot somewhat behind the others. Shielded by dust and trees, she was not fully exposed within Er Ming's direct line of sight, but her aura had already been locked onto.
I can't stay here! I'll die! This thought took the upper hand.
Er Ming endured the churning agony in its abdomen and suddenly exerted force with its forelimbs, supporting its mountain-like body.
It hesitated no longer. It did not even dare let out another roar at the black-robed man as a show of defiance. Staggering slightly as it turned around, it ignored everyone and plunged headlong into the depths of the forest with heavy, somewhat panicked steps.
The direction it chose was neither the way it had come nor the direction Xiao Qing's group had retreated. Instead, it was to the side, completely avoiding the black-robed man's line of sight.
Every step still made the ground shake, but its movements had lost their previous fury and indomitable momentum, replaced by a sense of wretched haste.
They watched a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the king of the forest that had just driven them into such desperation, become a monkey severely wounded by a single hammer blow and forced to flee in disgrace.
The psychological impact this scene had on Xiao Qing, Zhao Wuji, and the others was even stronger than when Tang Hao had swung that hammer. It was the most direct and brutal realization of the gap in absolute power.
After the Titan Giant Ape's aura had completely vanished from his senses, Tang Hao, who had swung that hammer, withdrew the Clear Sky Hammer and the scarlet Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring beneath his feet.
The moment the Clear Sky Hammer vanished, his body swayed almost imperceptibly. Shattering his first eight Soul Rings, even for him, came with tremendous exhaustion and backlash.
Yet to prevent the Titan Giant Ape from returning, he remained standing steadily where he was, as though that hammer strike had merely been a casual blow.
Should I kill that severely wounded Titan Giant Ape?
The thought flashed through Tang Hao's mind, only to be rejected immediately. In his current condition, pursuing a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that was determined to flee and still retained considerable combat power carried no small risk. It was highly likely that both sides would suffer.
More importantly, apart from obtaining a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, killing it held little meaning for him. After all, all his Soul Rings were already full.
Right now, ensuring his son Tang San's safety was the highest priority.
Tang Hao slowly turned around, his wide black hood concealing most of his face. From a distance, his gaze calmly swept over the still-shaken group.
His eyes paused briefly on Zhao Wuji before settling on Tang San for a long while.
Though Tang San could not see the eyes beneath the hood, at that instant, he felt as though he had been seen through completely.
Zhao Wuji had finally recovered from his immense shock and the daze of having narrowly escaped death.
He hurriedly stepped forward, cupped his fists toward the black-robed figure, and bowed solemnly. His voice carried heartfelt gratitude and lingering fear.
"Thank you, Senior, for saving our lives! I am Zhao Wuji of Shrek Academy. May I ask Senior's honored name? Another day..."
He did not finish speaking.
Because the instant he raised his head after cupping his fists, the black-robed man had already vanished from where he stood.
There was no fluctuation of Soul Power, no distortion of the air, not even an afterimage. He had simply disappeared without warning, as though he had never been there.
Only the devastated battlefield around them, the dust not yet fully settled in the air, the faint scent of blood, and that unforgettable hammer strike etched into their hearts proved that what had just happened was no illusion.
Zhao Wuji's raised hand froze in midair, and the gratitude on his face stiffened as well, eventually turning into a trace of awkwardness and deeper awe.
He slowly lowered his hand, looked at the clearing where the black-robed man had disappeared, and sighed softly. "Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao... so it really was him."
The moment that Clear Sky Hammer had appeared, Zhao Wuji had already begun to suspect. Combined with that terrifying cultivation and Soul Ring configuration, he had become certain.
Looking across the entire continent, the Clear Sky Sect had sealed itself away for years. Other than Tang Hao, the youngest Titled Douluo of his generation, who had once shaken the continent, who else could possess such strength?
As for why Tang Hao had appeared here by such a coincidence, and why he had not hesitated to shatter his Soul Rings to save them...
Out of the corner of his eye, Zhao Wuji discreetly glanced at Tang San, who was still staring in the direction where the black-robed man had vanished.
Understanding suddenly dawned on Zhao Wuji, and he thought to himself:
So this kid is actually Clear Sky Douluo's son! No wonder his talent is so monstrous, and his temperament so calm and resilient... He truly hasn't tarnished his father's reputation in the slightest.
This discovery instantly elevated Zhao Wuji's assessment of and regard for Tang San to another level. With a father like that, Tang San's future was destined to be anything but ordinary.
The crisis seemed to have been temporarily resolved.
The Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast had been driven away, and the mysterious Titled Douluo had departed. As their nerves, stretched to the limit, suddenly relaxed, intense exhaustion and lingering fear flooded over them like a tide.
"Stop standing around! Check your injuries and count how many supplies you still have! Hurry up. This isn't a place to linger. The smell of blood and the disturbance just now may attract other Soul Beasts. We must leave Star Dou Forest as soon as possible!"
Hearing Zhao Wuji's order, everyone finally snapped out of their thoughts and began checking themselves and their packs in a flurry.
Tang San also recovered from his shock and thoughts regarding the Clear Sky Hammer and the black-robed man's identity.
He shook his head hard. Now was not the time to think about that. Leaving the forest safely was the top priority. He instinctively turned his head, habitually searching for Xiao Wu.
"Xiao Wu?"
He looked around him. She was not there. He looked beside Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, who were checking their supplies. She was not there. She was not beside Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, or Oscar either.
Tang San's heart suddenly sank, and a sense of dread instantly spread through him.
"Xiao Wu? Xiao Wu!"
He raised his voice, which became slightly distorted from urgency.
Hearing him, the others stopped what they were doing and looked around as well.
"Wasn't Xiao Wu just here?"
Ning Rongrong asked in confusion. She remembered seeming to see Xiao Wu beside her during the chaos.
"Yeah, when we were running, I even saw Tang San holding her hand."
Ma Hongjun scratched his head.
Tang San's face instantly turned deathly pale. He forced himself to calm down as his mind raced through his memories.
When the black-robed man had appeared and swung that hammer, triggering a heaven-shaking explosion and clouds of dust, he had been as stunned as everyone else. He had instinctively dodged the shockwave and flying debris.
Could he and Xiao Wu have been separated then?
After that, his attention had been completely captured by the Clear Sky Hammer and the black-robed man's identity. He had actually... actually never noticed when Xiao Wu had disappeared from his side!
"Xiao Wu is missing! Teacher Zhao! Xiao Wu is missing!"
Tang San rushed in front of Zhao Wuji. His voice trembled with panic and self-blame, and his eyes were filled with confusion.
He did not dare imagine what dangers Xiao Wu would face alone in the perilous Star Dou Forest, after they had just endured the pursuit of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!
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