Using his Soul Skill, Zhao Wuji didn't hesitate for a moment. Riding the momentum of his charge, he pushed his strength to its absolute limit, aiming straight for the wound on the Titan Giant Ape's abdomen—the one Tang Hao had struck head-on with his Clear Sky Hammer!
That was the Titan Giant Ape's most vulnerable spot right now!
"Drop dead!"
Roaring, Zhao Wuji swung his right fist, covered in dark golden fur, and slammed it into the center of the wound on the Titan Giant Ape's abdomen!
"Bang—!!!"
A dull, bone-rattling crash rang out.
Amplified by his Martial Soul Avatar and the Blood-Nourishing Sausage, Zhao Wuji's punch far surpassed his usual full-powered strike!
Its old wound still unhealed, the Titan Giant Ape was struck again! Er Ming's enormous body shuddered, and a pained, furious grunt escaped him.
The punch sent his half-kneeling body staggering backward. His massive feet plowed two deep furrows into the ground. The wound on his abdomen split open again, and blood gushed out like a spring.
The injuries he had been suppressing flared up once more under Zhao Wuji's attack. The agony made his consciousness blur for an instant, and even more blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. His strength visibly waned.
Er Ming was stunned. Pain wracked him, and then came a towering fury!
He had been lost in the joy of finally seeing "Sister Xiao Wu" again. As for the injuries Tang Hao had inflicted, they were serious, but for a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast like him, raised in the blood-soaked struggles of the Star Dou Forest, they were bearable.
But this human who had suddenly appeared actually dared to ambush him so brazenly—and land a blow right on his most painful wound!
This was more than a provocation. It was a blatant assault and humiliation!
"ROAR—!!!"
Er Ming jerked his head up. The last trace of hesitation and restraint born of Xiao Wu's presence was instantly replaced by murderous intent!
He fixed his gaze on Zhao Wuji, who had just punched him, and let out a deafening roar!
He would tear that damned human to shreds!
Er Ming ignored the agony in his abdomen. His hind legs slammed into the ground, blasting open a huge crater, and his mountain-like body surged toward Zhao Wuji in a furious charge!
Though his injuries had slowed him from his peak, his terrifying presence was still suffocating.
After throwing that punch, Zhao Wuji had already anticipated the Titan Giant Ape's furious counterattack.
He chose not to meet it head-on. The speed boost from the Blood-Nourishing Sausage let him move with a nimbleness that belied his enormous bear-like body.
Facing the charging beast, Zhao Wuji even flashed a provocatively mocking grin. He made an incredibly insulting gesture at Er Ming, then turned and ran without the slightest hesitation!
He didn't flee in a straight line, instead darting toward a rugged stretch of terrain strewn with jagged rocks.
In this environment, the Titan Giant Ape's enormous size would become a liability, while Zhao Wuji could use his comparatively "petite" frame and agility to keep it at bay.
"ROAR!!"
Seeing that Zhao Wuji had not only ambushed him but dared to taunt him before running away, Er Ming's fury surged straight to his head.
At that moment, only one thought remained in his mind: catch that loathsome human and smash him into a pulp with his fists!
As for "Sister Xiao Wu," who had been nearby moments ago, the violence of his rage and Zhao Wuji's deliberate baiting pushed her temporarily from his mind.
Consumed by fury, Er Ming roared and charged after Zhao Wuji into the rugged, rock-strewn terrain without a moment's hesitation.
His massive body smashed aside boulders in his path and snapped exposed tree roots beneath his feet. Though the terrain slowed him down, he still thundered forward, determined not to stop until he caught his quarry.
At the very moment Zhao Wuji successfully drew away most of the Titan Giant Ape's attention, Xiao Wu—who had been anxiously keeping a close eye on Er Ming—snapped out of her daze as Zhao Wuji suddenly appeared, attacked Er Ming, and managed to lure him away.
The complicated expression on her face gave way to anxiety. Why was Teacher Zhao here? Why had he attacked Er Ming? Could it be...
Xiao Wu immediately realized that Zhao Wuji's appearance meant the others from Shrek might also be nearby! And the one most likely to be there—and the one she cared about most—was her Third Brother!
She looked around anxiously without a second thought. Her heart pounded, filled with worry over Er Ming's injuries and an urgent need to find out whether Tang San was safe.
"Third Brother? Third Brother, are you there?"
Xiao Wu called out in a very soft voice, the faintest tremor in it.
Before her words had even faded—and before she had time to fully take in her surroundings—she felt a tug around her waist, gentle but firm.
Looking down, she saw a familiar strand of Blue Silver Grass had quietly wound around her waist at some point.
Blue Silver Grass! It was Third Brother's Blue Silver Grass!
A rush of overwhelming joy and security filled Xiao Wu's heart. She immediately stopped resisting and, following the pull at her waist, leaped lightly backward.
At the same time, Tang San, who had been hiding behind a boulder and waiting for the perfect moment, unleashed his Blue Silver Grass the instant the Titan Giant Ape was successfully drawn away!
Tang San used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and reached out with one hand, catching Xiao Wu's arm precisely as the Blue Silver Grass pulled her toward him. He barked, "Go!"
As he led Xiao Wu away, Tang San's gaze swept quickly over her, confirming that she had no visible injuries. His heart eased, but this wasn't the time to talk.
"Xiao Wu, stay with us. Move!"
Tang San's voice was urgent. He didn't know how long Zhao Wuji and Xiao Qing could hold out. They couldn't afford to waste a single second.
Seeing Tang San safe and sound, Xiao Wu's eyes reddened slightly. But she knew the situation was urgent, so she nodded firmly and followed close behind him.
Without hesitation, the two of them pushed their speed to the limit and fled in the opposite direction from the Titan Giant Ape!
After a few bounds, they disappeared into the dense forest, quickly putting distance between themselves and the heart of danger.
Just as Tang San and Xiao Wu successfully rescued her and began to retreat, the chase elsewhere entered a new phase.
With the boost from the Blood-Nourishing Sausage and the rocky terrain, Zhao Wuji kept the Titan Giant Ape occupied among the boulders for a while. He managed to put some distance between them, buying Tang San and the others precious time to escape.
As he ran, he watched Xiao Qing out of the corner of his eye. Xiao Qing was riding Xiao Feng, keeping to the edge of the battlefield and maintaining a careful distance from the Titan Giant Ape—never so close as to draw the beast's attention, but always ready to provide support.
Once Zhao Wuji estimated that Tang San and the others had already gotten far enough away, his heart settled.
He knew that running forever wouldn't work. If they kept taking blows passively, the Titan Giant Ape might lose patience—or realize Xiao Wu had been rescued—and turn back to chase them. That would be even worse.
They had to keep up the pressure and feed its hatred, so it would stay locked onto him.
After charging past a huge jutting rock wall, Zhao Wuji suddenly skidded to a halt.
He spun around to face the Titan Giant Ape, whose fury had grown with every time the terrain had gotten in his way.
When Er Ming saw that the loathsome human who had been running away had finally stopped, two streams of hot white breath burst from his nostrils, and a savage light flared in his eyes.
Er Ming clenched his fist, whipping up a gale as he brought it crashing down toward Zhao Wuji, who had stopped and turned to face him!
Though his injuries and fury had robbed the punch of some finesse, its power remained terrifying. Before his fist even reached Zhao Wuji, the force of the wind sent the fur on Zhao Wuji's body flying!
But the instant the Titan Giant Ape swung his fist, something unexpected happened!
"Shh-shh-shh-shh—!"
A dozen or more razor-sharp green wind blades suddenly shot out from the treetops behind and to the side!
They were astonishingly fast and came at tricky angles, precisely covering the joints in Er Ming's arm, his armpit, and the relatively soft-furred skin on the inside of his arm!
Before you continue