Thunder Dragon Shadow

After comparing Soul Power with Meng Yiran, Tang San had also broken through to level thirty. Oscar's Soul Ring was not easy to find, so they came to an area with the most plant-type Soul Beasts.

"Tang San, what kind of Soul Beast do you want to find?" Zhao Wuji asked.

"Teacher Zhao, my first two Soul Rings both came from Lone Bamboo. Before I left Nuoding City, my teacher told me to absorb bamboo-type Soul Beasts whenever possible in the future, to keep strengthening the resilience of my Blue Silver Grass." Tang San repeated Yu Xiaogang's instructions.

"There is a bamboo forest nearby, though there probably won't be any Lone Bamboo. We can perhaps look for other bamboo-type Soul Beasts." Zhao Wuji nodded.

"Prepare for battle!"

Zhao Wuji abruptly rose from the ground. The Vajra Bear Martial Soul instantly possessed him, and seven Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, and three black—appeared.

Without the slightest hesitation, the Seventh Spirit Ring erupted with dazzling light as he directly entered his Martial Soul Avatar state.

Dai Mubai, Tang San, and the others also rose to their feet, releasing their Martial Souls and warily watching their surroundings.

"Teacher Zhao, what is it?" Dai Mubai asked.

Before Zhao Wuji could answer, the ground suddenly shook. A Titan Giant Ape, like a small mountain, swept over everyone's heads and stopped before Zhao Wuji.

"This is... a Titan Giant Ape!" Tang San recognized it at once. "A hundred-year Titan Giant Ape can rival a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Judging by its size, this one should be ten thousand years old."

"Honored King of the Forest, we mean no offense. If we accidentally entered your territory, we will leave immediately." Zhao Wuji bowed respectfully.

Yet the Titan Giant Ape ignored Zhao Wuji's words. Its enormous fists repeatedly pounded its chest before finally slamming heavily into the ground.

A powerful shockwave instantly spread outward, blasting everyone from Shrek except Zhao Wuji backward.

"Ah—"

Oscar cried out miserably and stretched out a hand, barely grabbing hold of a small tree, though his body was still being dragged backward.

"Fatty, let go!"

Ma Hongjun hurriedly reached out and grabbed Oscar by the ankle.

"No! I won't let go even if you beat me to death." Ma Hongjun shook his head repeatedly.

"Gravity Enhancement!"

The surrounding gravity abruptly intensified, suppressing and dispersing the fierce shockwave unleashed by the Titan Giant Ape.

"You go first. I'll stay and help Teacher Zhao." The moment Dai Mubai landed, he spoke to Tang San and the others.

"Third Soul Skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"

"Second Soul Skill, White Tiger Intense Light Wave!"

Dai Mubai activated two Soul Skills in succession. A platinum-white White Tiger Intense Light Wave shot from his tiger maw straight toward the Titan Giant Ape.

"I'll stay and help them too." The Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda appeared in Ning Rongrong's hand. "Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, first: strength, second: speed."

Two streams of seven-colored light flew from the top of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda and entered Zhao Wuji and Dai Mubai's bodies.

In the distance, Di Lintian and Na'er, who had just emerged from the Core Area of the Star Dou Forest, also sensed the violent tremors caused by the Titan Giant Ape.

"The Titan Giant Ape seems to have just encountered Shrek. Let's go take a look," Di Lintian said. Dark Dragon Wings extended from his back as he picked up Na'er and sped toward the source of the sound.

Before he arrived, he saw that the Titan Giant Ape had already turned and left, seemingly holding something in its hand.

The Titan Giant Ape had taken Xiao Wu. Next, Tang San should chase after it in fury.

Di Lintian continued flying toward the site of the battle. As soon as he arrived, he saw Tang San absorbing a purple Soul Ring.

"Young Master, the Man Faced Demon Spider is here." Red Fire appeared beside Di Lintian, handed him a storage pouch, and explained the situation. "The Titan Giant Ape knocked Tang San unconscious and took away his companion. The moment he woke up, he killed a thousand-year Sword Bamboo to use as his third Soul Ring."

"Mm." Di Lintian nodded. Tang San really was obsessed with bamboo. Why did he keep absorbing bamboo Soul Rings? This time, I didn't interfere either.

"Let's go meet up with Yu Tianheng and the others in town." Di Lintian flew toward the town, but his gaze kept inadvertently drifting northward.

Di Lintian had already completed Destiny Convergence with the Three-Eyed Golden Lion and condensed his fourth Soul Ring in the Core Area.

Outside the town.

"Why haven't the boss and big sis come out yet?" Osler said anxiously.

"Don't worry, Osler. With Teacher Red Fire there, he should have taken the boss into the Core Area to obtain a Soul Ring." Yu Tianheng comforted him.

A moment later.

Before the eyes of the five Imperial Dou Team members, a pitch-black meteor flew out of the Star Dou Forest and crashed into their camp, sending thick smoke billowing everywhere.

After the dust settled, the people within were revealed.

"Boss, big sis, you're finally back." Osler spoke with immense relief.

"I have already absorbed my fourth Soul Ring. We'll rest tonight and head to Suotuo City tomorrow," Di Lintian said.

"I'm afraid that won't work, boss. I've also broken through to level forty and need a fourth Soul Ring." Yu Tianheng waved away the dust that had yet to disperse before his nose.

"Then we'll enter the Star Dou Forest again tomorrow and hunt a thousand-year Soul Ring for you."

Yu Tianheng had broken through much faster than in the original story. Di Lintian remembered that Yu Tianheng was supposed to reach level forty only after his battle against the Shrek Seven Devils.

"Dugu Yan, what level is your Soul Power now?" Di Lintian turned to Dugu Yan and asked.

"Level thirty-eight. What's wrong, boss?" Dugu Yan was somewhat puzzled, not knowing why Di Lintian had suddenly singled her out.

"I have a two-thousand-year Man Faced Demon Spider here. There is a high chance it will produce an External Soul Bone, but its cultivation is too low for a fourth Soul Ring. Decide for yourself whether to absorb it." Di Lintian then explained to Dugu Yan what an External Soul Bone was.

Giving this Man Faced Demon Spider to Dugu Yan was a decision he had carefully considered. The five members of the Imperial Dou Team all possessed decent talent and Martial Souls, making them worth nurturing.

Di Lintian felt that if they consumed an Immortal Herb, they might well be able to inherit divine positions in this Douluo I era, where divine inheritances were everywhere. Once this trip to Suotuo City was over, he would visit Dugu Bo's medicinal garden.

"I... need to think about it," Dugu Yan said after hesitating for a moment.

A priceless treasure comparable to a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring or Soul Bone greatly tempted Dugu Yan, but it only had a high chance of appearing rather than being guaranteed. This concerned her future, and she needed to consider whether to take the gamble.

Early the next morning, the Imperial Dou Team entered the Star Dou Forest once more. Rather than lingering in the outskirts, they headed directly deep into the Mixed Area.

Not long after wandering through the Mixed Area, they discovered an electric-attribute crocodile of a lesser dragon species.

Using another Soul Skill from his hundred-thousand-year head Soul Bone—Soul Illusion—Di Lintian let it experience a painless death.

After Yu Tianheng absorbed it, he gained a powerful offensive Soul Skill: Thunder Dragon Shadow.

After that, no one else broke through to level forty, and the Imperial Dou Team smoothly set off for Suotuo City.