Substitute! System Powers Up!

Seeing this massive creature, everyone froze, as if they had stopped breathing.

Its mountain-like physique was covered in pitch-black fur that shimmered with a brilliant silver luster.

"This is actually the King of the Forest, the Titan Giant Ape!" Tang San was utterly shocked.

How could this king of the forest appear in the outer perimeter?

"Tang San, Dai Mubai, protect the students! Go quickly, I will hold him off!" Zhao Wuji roared, then released his martial soul and charged toward the Titan Giant Ape.

However, after so many days together, they had already developed a tacit understanding; could they really just abandon their teacher and run?

The answer was naturally no. Tang San and Dai Mubai both chose to stay, and Dai Mubai released his third soul skill—White Tiger Vajra Transformation.

Ning Rongrong also released her soul skill: "Seven Treasures Famous, one is Power, two is Speed!"

Instantly, the strength of both Dai Mubai and Zhao Wuji increased by another 30%.

At this moment, Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu launched their attacks simultaneously, attempting to strike from the trees.

All eight of them were fighting, yet only Murong Ci stood by watching the show, as the system claimed the timing was not yet right.

I do not know where his confidence came from, but with the amplification of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, Zhao Wuji actually went head-to-head with the Titan Giant Ape in a contest of strength.

Unsurprisingly, he was swatted away, and once Zhao Wuji was sent flying, the Seven Devils nearby naturally became the targets.

The shockwave from Zhao Wuji's clash with the Titan Giant Ape also sent the other seven flying.

In an instant, the roles of attacker and defender had reversed!

Tang San was worthy of being the protagonist; his reaction speed was truly astonishing. As that shockwave swept over, he released his Blue Silver Grass, pulled Ma Hongjun to his side, and flung Xiao Wu away.

However, what Tang San did not expect was that after the Titan Giant Ape broke free from the attack, its massive hands reached out straight for Xiao Wu!

"No! Let Xiao Wu go!" Tang San roared, unleashing all his hidden weapons toward the Titan Giant Ape.

When Zhao Wuji saw Xiao Wu being snatched by the Titan Giant Ape, he disregarded his injuries and immediately released his seventh soul skill, the Avatar of the Martial Soul.

Combining the Avatar of the Martial Soul with Ning Rongrong's amplification, he threw a punch directly at the Titan Giant Ape!

The Titan Giant Ape knew that in this state, Zhao Wuji could pose a minor threat to him.

The Titan Giant Ape tilted his body slightly, causing Tang San's hidden weapons to strike his tough skin rather than his eyes, while he used his powerful right arm to tank Zhao Wuji's punch.

"BOOM—!"

A shockwave, even more intense and sudden than the last, exploded from the center, blasting Tang San away.

"No!" Xiao Wu screamed in anxiety, and the Titan Giant Ape let out a low roar before rushing toward the depths of the forest. With a single leap covering a thousand miles, he was unstoppable.

Everyone gasped in agony and despair; their classmate and partner had been snatched away by the Titan Giant Ape—this was truly devastating news.

"Oscar, Mushroom Sausage, Young Miss, amplification."

Murong Ci's voice was cold and detached as he called out to them.

Oscar and Ning Rongrong looked at Murong Ci in disbelief.

"You... you are going to save her?" Tang San asked incredulously, grabbing Murong Ci's shoulder as if clutching a life-saving straw.

"Take me with you, let's go together!"

"Forget it, you are too heavily injured."

"That is my sister!"

Tang San roared, and Murong Ci could not help but ponder for a moment.

"Fine, if you think you can keep up with me, then follow."

By now, Oscar had finished chanting his lewd incantation and handed over two sausages, while Ning Rongrong had already cast her speed amplification.

"Come on, system!"

[It's here, kid. The game... begins!]

In an instant, Murong Ci's body underwent a massive transformation.

The gray light of Yongzhen suddenly expanded, enveloping him. When the light dissipated, the youth before them possessed sword-like brows and star-bright eyes; the immaturity had faded, replaced by a sense of maturity.

Inside the sea of consciousness, the positions of Murong Ci and the system had swapped. Murong Ci watched himself being controlled by the system and felt a sense of anticipation.

[You at eighteen, that is, you six years from now. The duration is three hours, and it can be canceled at any time. Watch closely.]

The system's voice echoed throughout the sea of consciousness.

8D surround sound? Not bad.

Outside, everyone was stunned. What was this? What had happened? He had grown up, become more handsome?

Without waiting for them to react, "Murong Ci" softly recited a line of poetry.

"Riding the wind to tread the heavens and chase the clouds, in a blink of ten thousand miles to slay the demons!"

After reciting, he soared into the air. The air beneath his feet exploded as if it were solid, sending fallen leaves and gravel within a radius of several yards flying.

His figure turned into a streak of light, and with the help of Ning Rongrong's amplification and Oscar's flying Mushroom Sausage, he broke through the air instantly, leaving only a slowly fading afterimage behind.

It seemed he had truly achieved the "ten thousand miles in a blink" mentioned in the poem. Compared to the Titan Giant Ape, he was even faster.

Therefore, Tang San truly could not catch up to him. Yet, Tang San was indeed striving forward with all his might to pursue.

On the other side, the Titan Giant Ape brought Xiao Wu to the Life Lake.

"Er Ming, stop! Don't go any further! Xiao San is injured!" Xiao Wu said anxiously.

The Titan Giant Ape—Er Ming—did indeed stop. He lowered his head to look at Xiao Wu, his massive eyes filled with confusion.

Xiao Wu was originally a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit and was acquainted with Da Ming and Er Ming, though this information was known only to Murong Ci.

Xiao Wu thought that since she had been brought out by Er Ming, she might as well complete her third soul ring here; there was no one around anyway.

Thinking this, Xiao Wu sat cross-legged. She pinched orchid fingers with both hands, her right palm facing upward and resting flat on her thigh, while her left hand stood upright before her chest.

Just then, an uninvited guest arrived: it was none other than Murong Ci.

Er Ming let out a roar, a thunderous bellow that sent birds in the forest scattering and beasts fleeing in all directions.

If a human discovered the secret of Sister Xiao Wu, there was only one outcome! Death!

Xiao Wu was also incredibly panicked at this moment, abandoning her plan to absorb the soul ring.

"Murong Ci, you... how did you follow me here..."

Her words were filled with a guilty conscience.

"The shockwave from the clash between Er Ming and Zhao Wuji hit me. I am furious, and I have come to seek justice!"

Of course, this was merely Murong Ci's one-sided story; in reality, he just wanted to play around.

"Er Ming, how did you know..."

Xiao Wu was terrified in her heart. He must know that she was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form, he must!

The Titan Giant Ape was already prepared to destroy the body and eliminate the evidence.

He threw a punch directly at Murong Ci! The giant fist descended like a small mountain. Wherever the fist wind passed, the air was compressed and exploded, emitting a piercing sonic boom, and a deep trench was plowed into the ground.

"I have long heard that the King of the Forest is renowned for his strength; I would like to experience it myself!"

With a loud bang, the All-Encompassing Martial Soul flashed brilliantly, and a giant golden dragon appeared behind Murong Ci. The dragon's phantom coiled in mid-air, every scale shimmering with a metallic, icy light. Its dragon eyes opened slightly, looking down upon all living things, and a pressure originating from the depths of its bloodline crushed toward all directions like a tidal wave.

"Golden Dragon King? Or a Golden Dragon?"

The real Murong Ci shouted in his sea of consciousness, Is this the amplification effect brought by the Ultimate Power later on? Then this...

[Both, and I have told you, the All-Encompassing Martial Soul can simulate martial souls, soul beasts, and their soul skills.]

"Golden Dragon Bloodlust, Golden Dragon Roar!"

"Murong Ci" let out a great roar, and the golden dragon erupted with a vivid, blood-red color! Blood-colored patterns spread across the dragon's body like magma, and a violent, domineering aura soared into the sky.

This was the Golden Dragon Bloodlust skill, increasing attack power by 30%!

When the Golden Dragon Roar was unleashed, the phantom seemed to solidify. It appeared before him, its body glowing with intense golden light, and charged head-on to meet the Titan Giant Ape's punch!

BOOM!

Fist and dragon collided, and the heavens and earth changed color! A terrifying wave of air swept out from the center of the impact. The surface of the lake was forcibly pressed down several feet, ancient trees as thick as a man's embrace on the shore were uprooted, and flying sand and rocks blotted out the sky.

The Titan Giant Ape took a full step back. The hard fur on his thick, stone-pillar-like arms stood on end, and his eyes were filled with fear and shock.

This was the awe of a soul beast ancestor originating from his bloodline.

"Who... who are you?" The Titan Giant Ape finally spoke, his voice deep and thick, yet carrying an unmistakable tremor.

In reality, Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts could speak; he had only kept his mouth shut earlier to avoid attracting attention, but now, he could no longer hold back.

"I am the one who is going to beat you up!"

"Murong Ci" roared again and soared into the sky, the golden dragon phantom behind him expanding suddenly, blotting out the sky. "Golden Dragon Prison-Suppressing Kill!"

In an instant, Er Ming felt himself dragged into an invisible space, and everything around him fell into dead silence.

His soul and body felt as if they were being gripped by a pair of invisible giant hands, crushing him from all directions.

Excruciating pain exploded from every inch of his bones and every muscle.

He wanted to struggle, but his limbs were tightly bound, unable to move even a fraction.

He could only let out painful roars, shaking the soul beasts of this realm until they trembled; some of the more timid ones had already been shaken to death.

"No! Don't kill him!" Xiao Wu screamed in terror!

This strike could truly kill Er Ming!

"I will not kill him."

"Murong Ci" withdrew his hand, and the effect of the Golden Dragon Prison-Suppressing Kill dissipated.

Er Ming collapsed to the ground in agony, gasping for air, his eyes filled with horror. His mountain-like body twitched slightly, and every breath was as heavy as pulling a bellows.

He could not help but crawl and kneel, whispering a plea for mercy: "Spare me..."

Just then, a splash sounded on the water's surface, and a massive, bull-headed, snake-bodied soul beast emerged. It, too, was trembling all over, signaling its submission.

This was the Sky Azure Bull Python, the Emperor of the Forest who possessed the bloodline of the dragon race, but at this moment, feeling that ultimate pressure, he had no choice but to yield.

"Your Excellency... what brings you to our Star Dou Forest..." the Sky Azure Bull Python stammered.

"I didn't intend to kill him, just here for a bit of fun."

Fun? The Sky Azure Bull Python's pupils constricted. Causing such a massive commotion, just for fun?

"Rest assured, I will return in the future. For now, just have Er Ming stand guard for Xiao Wu and let her finish absorbing her spirit ring."

Murong Ci gestured toward Xiao Wu and the Titan Giant Ape collapsed on the ground. There was no killing intent in his eyes, only a hint of gentleness, a complete transformation from his previous demeanor.

He then turned his gaze back to the Sky Azure Bull Python. "As for you, find me a Demon Eye Magic Tree over five thousand years old. I need to absorb my third spirit ring."

"You... you are only at the second ring right now?!"