Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?!

"Ten-thousand-year soul beast!"

Zhu Zhuqing was so startled when the Titan Giant Ape actually spoke that she cried out. A legendary ten-thousand-year soul beast with human intelligence, capable of speaking human language—she had actually encountered one!

And what exactly was Xiao Wu, whom this ten-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape called "Sister Xiao Wu"?!

"That's right. I'm also a ten-thousand-year soul beast. A ten-thousand-year Soft-Boned Rabbit." Xiao Wu sat on the Titan Giant Ape's shoulder, swinging her legs.

"How... could that be? Then Tang San too..." Zhu Zhuqing could tell that Xiao Wu's feelings for Tang San contained not the slightest impurity. If Xiao Wu was a soul beast, then could Tang San be one as well?!

"You're not allowed to mention Third Brother!" Xiao Wu sharply cut her off, her eyes nearly bloodshot.

Ever since Zhu Zhuqing had appeared, Tang San's gaze would occasionally fall upon her. Every time Xiao Wu noticed, her heart grew a little colder. Tang San was the one she had chosen, the man she held closest to her heart. She would not allow any unforeseen change to occur. Right now, Third Brother was only somewhat interested in Zhu Zhuqing; it had not yet reached the point of becoming affection. As long as Zhu Zhuqing died, everything would return to how it was.

"Er Ming, crush her to death."

"It can also avenge the ten-thousand-year Soft-Boned Rabbit whose soul bone was produced in her body." Xiao Wu spoke coldly, utterly devoid of her usual lively and adorable demeanor.

Er Ming had long wanted to do this. Both he and Da Ming had been raised by Xiao Wu's mother. Since this person's soul bone skill was so heaven-defying, it must have come from a Soft-Boned Rabbit on the verge of breaking through to one hundred thousand years. Anyone who harmed a Soft-Boned Rabbit was his enemy.

The massive hand gradually tightened. Zhu Zhuqing could only stretch out her arms, but how could she possibly resist the strength of a hundred-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape?

Her body was being crushed. Zhu Zhuqing could only cover her heart in despair. Am I really... never going to see him again? she thought hopelessly.

But at that moment, Zhu Zhuqing felt the pendant at her chest—the one that had rested against her body, the one she had caressed countless times—suddenly grow scorching hot before abruptly shattering.

The next second, Zhu Zhuqing's vision blurred, and she landed on the back of a galloping horse.

Huo Yuhao had originally been rushing along at full speed when he sensed a familiar fluctuation. In the next instant, he had been transported elsewhere.

He was being held in the palm of a Titan Giant Ape. Without hesitation, he summoned the Ghost Sculpture.

The blade of the Ghost Sculpture gleamed with an eerie blue light as it slashed toward the Titan Giant Ape's thumb.

Even a hundred-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape renowned for its defense was like tender tofu before a divine artifact. The Titan Giant Ape, whose defenses Zhao Wuji and the others had been unable to breach, instantly felt a sharp pain in its finger and released Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao effortlessly twisted in midair and landed lightly on the ground. With a wave of his hand, the Ghost Sculpture flew back on its own and hovered at his side.

His Spirit Eyes swept across the scene, and he immediately understood the situation.

"Who are you?!" Xiao Wu had never seen a weapon capable of effortlessly breaking through Er Ming's defenses. She immediately assumed an attacking stance. Zhu Zhuqing's sudden disappearance had to be connected to this man!

"..." Looking at the obvious youthful version of his "mother-in-law" before him—dressed in pink fighting clothes, wearing rabbit-ear ornaments, with a scorpion braid hanging down her back—and the Titan Giant Ape behind her in a guardian's stance, what was there left for Huo Yuhao not to understand? This Titan Giant Ape had to be Tang Wutong's second father.

"You won't talk? Then take this! First soul skill—Waist Bow!" Xiao Wu leaped forward, both legs striking directly at Huo Yuhao's neck. Huo Yuhao merely shifted slightly to the side, and her legs struck empty air. When the first blow missed, Xiao Wu arched backward in midair and reached with both hands for Huo Yuhao's waist. Borrowing the force of her swinging waist, she attacked his lower body, but Huo Yuhao's legs seemed rooted to the ground. No matter how hard she struggled, she could not move him.

When that attack also failed, Xiao Wu was about to strike again when Huo Yuhao caught her hand. He then used Grasping the Crane, Seizing the Dragon to restrain her, pinning her to the ground with his knee pressed against her waist.

With both hands restrained and unable to break free, Xiao Wu still did not give up. She turned her head and unleashed her second soul skill at Huo Yuhao—Bewitchment. Her pink eyes stared straight into his.

"Pfft!" Xiao Wu felt an intense pain explode in her mind. Her vision went dark, and she spat out a mouthful of blood before completely passing out.

Although Huo Yuhao's spiritual power had only recovered to the level of a Grand Soul Master, its resilience and his control over it were fundamentally beyond comparison to hers. Not to mention the defensive ability that came with the Three-Eyed Golden Lion skull bone.

"Sister Xiao Wu!" Er Ming roared in fury and tried to rush forward to rescue Xiao Wu, but the five-inch dagger flashing with blue light before him blocked his path.

"Human, release Sister Xiao Wu." Er Ming snorted heavily through his nose and helplessly clawed at the ground before Huo Yuhao.

"You triggered the Darknorth Substitution I left on the Red Dust Blessing." Huo Yuhao bound Xiao Wu with the Ice Silkworm Belt before turning to Er Ming, his tone utterly certain.

"Release Sister Xiao Wu. What happened before was all my doing alone." Er Ming growled at Huo Yuhao.

"Two things, and I can spare her life for now." Huo Yuhao spoke indifferently. Those two ingrates, Da Ming and Er Ming, would definitely be put to the fullest use. As soul beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest, they had enjoyed the protection of the Imperial Auspicious Beast's fortune, yet they had still dared to plot against it. That was an unforgivable crime.

"You!" Er Ming raged helplessly.

"Three Saint Soul Grasses that are at least ten thousand years old, along with their seeds, and the golden-green metal in the Lake of Life, at least the size of a human head." Huo Yuhao directly stated his terms.

"I can give you the Saint Soul Grass, but don't even think about the thing in the Lake of Life." When Er Ming heard Huo Yuhao demand those two items, his heart trembled as well. Who exactly was this man?! How could a human Soul Master know what was in the Lake of Life?! Even for them, the depths of the Lake of Life were a forbidden area.

"I've stated my demands. Whether you can get them is your concern. I'll give you one day. If I don't see the items by this time tomorrow, I won't mind turning her directly into a hundred-thousand-year soul bone." After saying that, Huo Yuhao no longer looked at Er Ming. With a wave of his hand, the Ghost Sculpture left Er Ming's sight and instead hovered above Xiao Wu's head.

Huo Yuhao's actions left Er Ming completely constrained.

Er Ming could only viciously rake the ground once before racing toward the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest. If he could not think of a solution, then he would find someone with a brain.

After Er Ming ran off, Huo Yuhao's gaze fell upon Xiao Wu, whose breathing was weak as she lay on the ground. He directly grabbed her by the collar and climbed into a tree.

The canopy was broad. Huo Yuhao placed her beside him and pondered the current situation.

With Xiao Wu here, Tang San naturally could not be too far away. Tang Hao would be even less likely to stray too far from his precious son in a place like the Star Dou Great Forest.

Perhaps the other party was observing the situation from somewhere even now. With that thought, Huo Yuhao turned his palm, and a small golden hammer appeared in his hand.

Holding the hammer in his right hand, he lightly tapped it against his left palm.