Xiao Wu could only explain in greater detail:
"Back then, the Titan Giant Ape had me clenched in its hand, and I could barely breathe. My consciousness grew hazier and hazier. I don't know when it happened, but I vaguely seemed to hear a bull bellow—maybe a long cry, maybe a threat. I couldn't tell. The Titan Giant Ape paused. At least, I felt the hand gripping me stop for a moment. Then I felt my body loosen, and I could breathe again. But right after that, I was thrown away. As I flew through the air, I heard another bull bellow, and my organs trembled. I was in terrible pain. After that, I don't remember anything. When I woke up, there were more than ten Soul Beast corpses lying around me, including a thousand-year Lightning Rabbit. Its Soul Ring hadn't dissipated yet, and I'd just broken through level thirty, so I absorbed it..."
Everyone was even more bewildered. They were starting to doubt their own ability to understand what they were hearing.
Why couldn't I make heads or tails of this?!
Two quarters of an hour later,
Xia Yan made his way through the dark Star Dou Great Forest. The moon shone brightly overhead, but its light only reached the treetops.
Only now and then did it seep into the forest.
That didn't slow Xia Yan down. Even if a Soul Beast suddenly appeared, it wouldn't pose a threat.
Suddenly,
Xia Yan stopped short. Moonlight streamed through the trees ahead, where two figures stood quietly beneath its glow.
He narrowed his eyes and looked.
He recognized the girl in purple. It was Meng Yiran.
Beside her stood a tall, slender old man.
He leaned on a long, gleaming silver cane four meters tall—twice the old man's height—with a lifelike dragon's head at the top.
The old man wore a smile,
yet his bearing commanded awe.
...Dragon Duke Meng Shu?
What were the two of them doing here?
Should he go over or not?
After a moment's hesitation, Xia Yan decided to approach. There was a good chance they were waiting for him.
He crossed the twenty meters between them
and cupped his hands before Dragon Duke. "Might you be Senior Dragon Duke?"
Even if he knew, he had to act as if he didn't.
The moment she saw him,
Meng Yiran's eyes darted around awkwardly, and she pinched the hem of her clothes...
Like Serpent Granny, Dragon Duke's hair was white, gleaming silver in the moonlight.
He had cleared this small patch of ground himself; otherwise, there wouldn't have been any light at all.
Just moments ago,
he and his wife, Chao Tianxiang, had been pursuing a fleeing Man Faced Demon Spider with their granddaughter, Meng Yiran, when they sensed Xia Yan's presence.
Serpent Granny had recognized Xia Yan.
He was one of Zhao Wuji's students, and judging by his Soul Power, he was above level thirty. His talent was terrifying.
He and her granddaughter Yiran would make a perfect match.
Dragon Duke had recognized Xia Yan too.
He was that peerless prodigy who had appeared out of nowhere three years ago and hunted Wolf Bandits in many parts of the continent!
Dragon Duke had seen Xia Yan's portrait!
He hadn't expected to meet him here.
Xia Yan's talent was unrivaled across the continent, but his own granddaughter Yiran was no slouch either. They were a perfect match.
Only after Dragon Duke explained did Serpent Granny realize that this was Xia Yan!
Damn,
if only she'd spent more time with Xia Yan earlier. That dark-haired boy really had been in the way.
Hearing her grandparents mutter about what a perfect match they'd make, Meng Yiran stomped her foot in exasperation. She didn't even want to speak to them anymore.
What kind of grandparents were they?!
Still, when she thought of Xia Yan's good looks, she wasn't entirely against it.
It was just that the gap between their talents was enormous. Xia Yan also had three gorgeous girls by his side, each far more beautiful and well-proportioned than her.
There was almost no chance Xia Yan would take an interest in her.
She told Dragon Duke and Serpent Granny to stop wasting their effort.
But Serpent Granny shook her head. "Don't talk nonsense, dear granddaughter. How could they compare to you?"
Xia Yan was an excellent young man, but whether he and Meng Yiran would work out was anyone's guess. They hadn't even spoken yet.
The Man Faced Demon Spider, on the other hand, was right there for the taking.
So naturally, they didn't want to give up on it.
After discussing it, Serpent Granny, Chao Tianxiang, decided to pursue the Man Faced Demon Spider, while Dragon Duke, Meng Shu, would stay with their granddaughter Meng Yiran to intercept Xia Yan.
The main reason was that Zhao Wuji, the unruly demon king, was with Xia Yan. He'd dared to provoke Spirit Hall at level sixty-something, and now that he was a Soul Saint, he'd be even harder to deal with. If trouble broke out, Dragon Duke could overpower him.
There was no chance anything would go wrong.
Dragon Duke sensed the fluctuations of Soul Power around Xia Yan. Sure enough, he was above level thirty, perhaps even close to level forty, despite being only twelve or thirteen years old.
He was unrivaled across the continent!
He smiled and stepped forward.
"No need for formalities. Are you Xia Yan, young friend?"
His manner was exceptionally friendly. If anyone who knew him had been there, they would have been astonished.
He was not usually a gentle man.
Xia Yan thought, As expected.
"That's right. May I ask, Senior Dragon Duke, were you waiting for me?"
Dragon Duke Meng Shu nodded with satisfaction.
Good, good.
"Not exactly waiting. I simply didn't expect you'd be alone in the Star Dou Great Forest, young friend. This place is dangerous. There are Soul Beasts three or four thousand years old here, even some five thousand years old."
"My Yiran has always been kindhearted. When she saw that something was wrong with you, she urged me to hurry over, afraid you might meet with an accident..."
Meng Yiran wanted to cover her face. It was so fake.
Far too fake...
As he spoke, Dragon Duke Meng Shu smiled.
"But truth be told, I'd already planned to come and ask you about it. If you really were in trouble, I couldn't very well stand by and do nothing."
Dear granddaughter, Grandpa knows what he's doing. This is how you say it.
His manner was warm, almost like that of a kindly elder.
"Young friend, did you get separated from your companions?"
Xia Yan shook his head.
"Senior, a Soul Beast carried off one of my companions. The others are all injured. I have to catch up and bring her back."
Hearing this,
Meng Shu was even more pleased. Good—loyal and true to his friends.
But he was also curious. Zhao Wuji was a Soul Saint. Where was he?
Why wasn't Zhao Wuji here?
Xia Yan cupped his hands. "Teacher Zhao is looking after the others. I came ahead to catch up."
Meng Shu nodded. "I see. What a terrible misfortune. If I'd been there, I would certainly have kept you all safe."
In his heart, though, he chuckled. Immovable Wisdom King Zhao Wuji couldn't even protect his students on the outskirts of the Mixed Zone...
Hah. Some protector...
"Though I'm not especially powerful, I am a Soul Douluo. Since fate has brought us together, neither Yiran nor I can stand by and watch you come to harm. How about this? My granddaughter and I will go with you and find your companion."
But in his heart, he'd already written that companion off.
She was probably dead.
Meng Yiran thought they could indeed lend him a hand, but she was already wondering what to say if they came across severed limbs.
As for her being alive... The chances were slim.
Soul Beasts usually killed a Soul Master as soon as they caught them. Otherwise, it would be difficult to carry them off.
Xia Yan declined.
"It's far too dangerous. I couldn't trouble you, Senior."
Dragon Duke Meng Shu let out a startled laugh.
Dangerous?
Nothing in the Star Dou Great Forest could threaten him. Was the boy trying to turn him down?
Then he heard Xia Yan say:
"The Soul Beast was a fifteen-meter-tall Titan Giant Ape, likely between eighty and ninety thousand years old, perhaps even a hundred thousand. You're powerful, Senior, but I doubt even you could handle it alone..."
Meng Shu:
"..."
"?!"
"A hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape?!"
His face twitched as he blurted out in shock.
His first thought was that Xia Yan was making it up. A hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape couldn't possibly be on the outskirts of the Mixed Zone. And even if one were there,
how could a group whose strongest member was only a Soul Saint still be alive?!
And it had only carried off one person?!
How could that be?!
But Xia Yan's expression didn't look like he was lying. After thinking it over for a moment,
Dragon Duke came to a firm conclusion: he didn't believe him!
It was ridiculous!
Before you continue