Titan Giant Ape

Near the Star Dou Great Forest, at an inn in Hunter Village.

In front of Ning Rongrong, her companions were already fighting the people from Canghui Academy. She sat behind them, watching as she skillfully used her first two Soul Skills. They came more naturally than the other two, and were more than enough to deal with these people.

Under the tremendous amplification, the Shrek students slaughtered their opponents from Canghui Academy in an overwhelming victory.

Everyone was excited. Even Zhao Wuji was happy to see how strong his students had become.

Everyone except Ning Rongrong.

Yesterday had been a wonderful day, if only they hadn't run into Huo Shengsheng.

After hearing those words—"The Holy Spirit Cult has its eyes on you"—Ning Rongrong had stayed on guard throughout the entire journey that day. She hadn't spotted any sign of the Holy Spirit Cult, but she was already mentally exhausted.

"Teacher Zhao is leading the team this time, so nothing should go wrong, right?"

Ning Rongrong sighed.

Her companions had gathered around her, marveling at how much stronger her support abilities had become. It was only natural. The Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda was a top-tier support Martial Soul, and she was exceptionally talented besides.

On the third day after regaining control of their bodies, the group entered the Star Dou Great Forest.

They hadn't been in the forest long before they spotted a red figure. As they drew closer, they saw it was a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent.

Thinking the Soul Beast would be perfect for Oscar, they began hunting it.

The snake was incredibly fast. Even Zhu Zhuqing, boosted by Ning Rongrong's second Soul Skill, could barely keep up.

Zhu Zhuqing and the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent fought high in the sky. Seeing that the serpent was about to use a skill, Dai Mubai charged up after them. Watching the three figures against the clear sky, Ning Rongrong rubbed her eyes. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she thought she saw black energy—the kind unique to Evil Soul Masters...

"Rongrong, watch out!"

"Huh? Me?"

Zhu Zhuqing's shout snapped Ning Rongrong back to her senses.

Ning Rongrong froze for a moment, then realized the skill the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent had been preparing to use against Zhu Zhuqing had changed direction. It was aimed at her!

At the same time, the serpent took advantage of their distraction and charged straight at Ning Rongrong.

It was incredibly fast. The others had been focused on the sky, and Zhao Wuji was the farthest from Ning Rongrong. As the serpent's attack closed in, her hands moved on instinct.

She used her third Soul Skill, Poison Attribute Amplification, on herself, then activated her reversed first Soul Skill. A purple barrier appeared before her, blocking the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's smoke. The serpent slammed straight into the barrier and fell to the ground.

Ning Rongrong was still dazed. She hadn't meant to do that. It had felt more like a bodily instinct.

"That's the instinct my body learned during training that night..."

At the Great Soul Arena, she had activated her Reversal Soul Skill on the Soul Fighting Arena only in the instant before an attack struck. She remembered hearing the words, "That way, the damage will be greatest." She had used it so many times that night that her body had developed this instinct: to activate the Soul Skill in the instant before taking damage, without needing to recite its incantation.

The purple light from the first level of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda was still growing stronger. It fell on the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, and a purple Soul Ring appeared above its head.

Only then did Ning Rongrong remember that Trapped Beast had another effect: it could directly suppress Soul Beasts. Her wide-ranging knowledge also reminded her that only the person who dealt the final blow to a Soul Beast could absorb its Soul Ring. So she was the only one who could absorb this one.

But she didn't need a Soul Ring. This thousand-year Soul Ring would go to waste.

The others hurried to Ning Rongrong's side. They looked at her, then the Soul Ring, then Oscar, and fell silent.

"I can't be blamed, can I? It charged into me and died on its own." Ning Rongrong wore an innocent expression. How was it her fault that she'd forgotten what her Soul Skill did? Who spent all day hunting Soul Beasts, anyway?

Their gazes shifted between Ning Rongrong, the Soul Ring, and Oscar. In the end, Oscar sighed, bringing the whole matter to a close.

Xiao Wu looked troubled, but ultimately said nothing. She had seen the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent charge into Ning Rongrong and knock itself to death.

"Forget it. I guess this Soul Beast and I weren't meant to be. We'll find another one."

Zhao Wuji nodded. Tang San was a little reluctant, but he had no choice, so he nodded too.

After the others left, Dragon Duke and Snake Granny appeared beside the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's corpse.

"This Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent is even better than the one we saw yesterday. A pity it's already been absorbed."

Snake Granny shook her head, regretful.

"How did we not notice this snake earlier? And its movements were strange, too. You saw it just now—it was fighting a girl in the air. Why did it suddenly change its target?"

"You mean someone was controlling it?" Snake Granny's aged voice was full of doubt. "But who could have that kind of ability?"

Dragon Duke looked around before answering. "I'm not sure, but someone must be capable of it. I once... took part in a special operation to wipe out a group the Spirit Hall called Evil Soul Masters. Their methods were bizarre beyond belief—not something ordinary people could understand. Something's about to happen in this forest. Take Yiran and leave."

Just then, Dragon Duke's face twisted into a grimace as he looked toward the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Why have they been stirred up, too?"

-

Deeper in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Ning Rongrong was surrounded by Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun. She figured the black energy she'd seen earlier was just a trick of her exhausted mind. She understood why the three of them were protecting her, too: if another Soul Beast charged into her, they'd have to waste time finding another one.

Once Ning Rongrong was under their protection, everything went smoothly enough. Another Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent appeared, and the group worked together to wound it badly. Oscar absorbed its Soul Ring.

After the battle, Tang San also broke through to level thirty. The group changed their plan: they would help Tang San get a Soul Ring, then return to Shrek Academy.

But then, everything changed.

As Oscar tried out his Soul Skill, the earth shook. A massive Soul Beast burst from the ground and appeared before them.

"This is... a Titan Giant Ape, at least ten thousand years old!"

Tang San cried out in alarm, and Zhao Wuji's expression turned grim.

The Titan Giant Ape should have been in the core region. Why had it appeared here? They could barely find any ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts in this area!

Zhao Wuji had already activated his Martial Soul Avatar.

"Respected King of the Forest, we mean no offense. If this is your territory, we'll leave at once!"

The Titan Giant Ape was an incredibly powerful creature, one that could defeat other ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts even when it was only a hundred years old. Zhao Wuji knew he couldn't stand against it. If they could avoid a fight, that would be best.

But the Titan Giant Ape paid no attention to Zhao Wuji. It took a single step, closing the distance between itself and the Shrek group, then reached out and grabbed at them.

"Damn it! Dai Mubai, get them out of here! I'll hold it off!"

Zhao Wuji roared and used four Soul Skills at once.

Gravity Amplification, Gravity Squeeze, Immovable Wisdom King Body, Vajra Palm!

He unleashed the set of Soul Skills at the Titan Giant Ape's hand. Zhao Wuji had no confidence he could fight the entire Titan Giant Ape. He could only hope to slow it down and buy his students the slimmest chance of survival.