Er Ming's Fury, The Plan Succeeds

Without a moment's hesitation, Zhao Wuji unleashed his soul skill. Leveraging the momentum of his charge, he pushed his physical strength to the absolute limit, aiming directly for the abdominal wound on the Titan Giant Ape that had been blasted open by Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer!

That was the most vulnerable spot on the Titan Giant Ape at this very moment.

"Get the hell out of my way!"

Zhao Wuji roared, swinging his right fist—now covered in dark golden fur—and slammed it viciously into the center of the Titan Giant Ape's abdominal wound!

"BOOM—!!!"

A dull, teeth-grinding sound of impact erupted.

Enhanced by his Avatar of the Martial Soul and the Blood-Nourishing Sausage, the power of this punch far exceeded any full-force strike Zhao Wuji had ever delivered.

Old wounds reopened, and new ones were struck! The massive body of the Titan Giant Ape, Er Ming, shuddered violently, letting out a muffled grunt of pain and fury.

The beast, which had been kneeling on the ground, was sent stumbling backward by the force of the blow, its enormous feet carving two deep furrows into the earth. The wound on its abdomen tore open once more, and blood sprayed out like a fountain.

The injuries it had managed to suppress flared up again under Zhao Wuji's assault. The excruciating pain caused its consciousness to blur for a split second; more blood spilled from the corner of its mouth, and its aura visibly withered.

At this moment, Er Ming's heart was filled with shock, agony, and a subsequent, overwhelming rage!

It had been immersed in the joy of finally seeing "Sister Xiao Wu." As for the wounds inflicted by Tang Hao, to a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that had grown up fighting in the Star Dou Forest, they were serious but not unbearable.

However, this human who had suddenly appeared dared to launch such a blatant sneak attack, striking precisely at its most painful wound!

This was no longer just a provocation; it was naked injury and insult!

"ROAR—!!!"

Er Ming jerked its head up, the last shred of hesitation and restraint caused by Xiao Wu's presence instantly replaced by killing intent!

It locked its gaze onto Zhao Wuji, who had just struck it, and let out a deafening roar!

It would tear this damned human into pieces!

Ignoring the searing pain in its abdomen, Er Ming kicked off the ground, blasting a massive crater into the earth, and charged toward Zhao Wuji with the force of a collapsing mountain!

Although its speed was hampered by its injuries, the terrifying pressure it exerted remained suffocating.

After throwing that punch, Zhao Wuji had already anticipated the Titan Giant Ape's furious counterattack.

He did not choose to meet it head-on. With the speed boost provided by the Blood-Nourishing Sausage, he displayed a level of agility that defied his massive, bear-like frame.

Facing the charging behemoth, a provocative smirk even appeared on Zhao Wuji's face. He gestured at Er Ming with a highly insulting hand sign, then turned and ran without the slightest hesitation!

He did not run in a straight line, but instead bolted toward a complex area of jagged rocks and uneven terrain to his side.

In such an environment, the Titan Giant Ape's massive size would become a hindrance, while Zhao Wuji could use his relatively "petite" frame and agility to maneuver around it.

"ROAR!!"

Seeing that Zhao Wuji had not only ambushed it but dared to provoke it further before fleeing, Er Ming's rage surged to its peak.

At this moment, only one thought remained in Er Ming's mind: catch this detestable human and smash him into meat paste with its fists!

As for "Sister Xiao Wu," who had been nearby just moments ago, she was temporarily forgotten under the surge of rage and Zhao Wuji's deliberate guidance.

Filled with fury, Er Ming roared, stopped hesitating, and took long strides, chasing Zhao Wuji into the jagged, rocky area.

Its massive body smashed through blocking boulders and snapped exposed tree roots. Although its speed was affected, its momentum was ferocious, showing no intention of stopping until it caught its target.

At the very moment Zhao Wuji successfully drew away the vast majority of the Titan Giant Ape's attention, Xiao Wu, who had been on edge and worried about Er Ming's condition, snapped back to reality as Zhao Wuji suddenly appeared, attacked, and lured the beast away.

The complex, indescribable expression on her face was instantly replaced by anxiety. Why is Teacher Zhao here? And why did he attack Er Ming? Could it be...

Xiao Wu immediately realized that Zhao Wuji's appearance meant the others from Shrek were likely nearby! And the person most likely to be there—the one she cared about most—was naturally her Third Brother!

Without a second thought, she began to look around anxiously. Her heart hammered against her ribs; she was worried about Er Ming's injuries, but even more desperate to find out if Tang San was safe.

"Third Brother? Third Brother, are you there?"

Xiao Wu called out in a whisper, her voice carrying a tremor she couldn't quite suppress.

Before she could finish speaking, or even fully scan her surroundings, she felt a tightening around her waist and a soft yet firm force pulling her.

Looking down, she saw a familiar strand of Blue Silver Grass already wrapped around her slender waist.

It was Blue Silver Grass! It was her Third Brother's Blue Silver Grass!

Xiao Wu's heart was instantly filled with immense joy and a sense of security. She immediately abandoned all resistance and, following the pull at her waist, leaped lightly backward.

At the same time, Tang San, who had been lurking behind a giant boulder waiting for the perfect moment, activated his Blue Silver Grass the instant the Titan Giant Ape was successfully lured away!

Tang San utilized his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, reached out a hand, and firmly grasped the arm of Xiao Wu, who had been pulled over by the Blue Silver Grass. He whispered sharply, "Let's go!"

As he took Xiao Wu away, Tang San's gaze swept quickly over her, confirming she had no obvious external injuries. He felt a slight sense of relief, but now was not the time for talk.

"Xiao Wu, follow us, hurry!"

Tang San's voice was urgent. He didn't know how long Zhao Wuji and Xiao Qing could hold out; every second was precious.

Seeing that Tang San was unharmed, Xiao Wu's eyes reddened slightly, but she knew the situation was critical. She nodded firmly and followed closely behind Tang San.

Without a moment's hesitation, the two of them pushed their speed to the maximum, retreating at full tilt in the opposite direction of the Titan Giant Ape!

With a few bounds, their figures vanished into the dense forest, rapidly distancing themselves from the center of danger.

Just as Tang San and Xiao Wu successfully rescued Xiao Wu and began their retreat, the chase on the other side entered a new phase.

Relying on the buffs provided by the Blood-Nourishing Sausage and the terrain of the rocky area, Zhao Wuji circled with the Titan Giant Ape for a moment, successfully widening the distance between them and buying precious time for Tang San and the others to retreat.

As he ran, he observed Xiao Qing on his flank through the corner of his eye; Xiao Qing was currently riding Xiao Feng, lingering at the edge of the battlefield and maintaining a distance that was neither too close to draw the beast's extra attention nor too far to prevent him from providing support at any moment.

Estimating that Tang San and the others should have run far enough by now, Zhao Wuji felt a sense of certainty in his heart.

He knew that running blindly was no solution, and if he remained on the defensive, the Titan Giant Ape might lose patience or realize that Xiao Wu had already been rescued, potentially turning back to pursue them, which would be even more troublesome.

He had to apply enough "pressure" and "aggro" to make it fixate on him.

After rushing past a protruding, massive rock wall, Zhao Wuji slammed on the brakes.

He turned around abruptly to face the Titan Giant Ape, which had grown increasingly irritable from being repeatedly obstructed by the terrain.

Seeing that this detestable human who had been running away finally stopped, Er Ming snorted two streams of scorching white steam from his nostrils, his eyes flaring with a fierce, murderous light.

Er Ming clenched his fist, whipped up a foul wind, and smashed it down fiercely toward the stationary Zhao Wuji!

Although this punch lacked a bit of finesse due to his injuries and rage, the power remained terrifyingly peerless; before the fist even arrived, the wind pressure had already sent the hair on Zhao Wuji's body flying in disarray!

However, at the very moment the Titan Giant Ape swung its fist, an unexpected change occurred!

"Chi chi chi chi--!"

Over a dozen incredibly condensed cyan wind blades shot out suddenly from the tree canopy to the side and rear!

These wind blades were blindingly fast and struck from tricky angles, precisely covering the joint connections of Er Ming's arm, his armpit, and the relatively soft fur on the inner side of his arm!