The Dragon Duke Guesses Qian Ni's Origins, the Titan Giant Ape Appears

Oscar's absorption of the Soul Ring went smoothly, and Shrek's purpose in coming to the Star Dou Forest had been achieved.

Zhao Wuji immediately announced that after resting for half a day, they would return to Shrek Academy at once.

As for Meng Yiran, although her grandfather, the Dragon Duke, had a violent temper, after coming to blows, they could no longer be considered friends.

But she was Qian Ni's trophy. Zhao Wuji couldn't gauge Qian Ni's background and feared his shocking Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings, as well as that gutter-like soul skill, so he kept silent and pretended not to see Meng Yiran.

Ma Hongjun had already described that unusual bonfire party to Zhao Wuji.

Dai Mubai had nearly become a one-testicle warrior, and the matter of being left a lone commander also made Zhao Wuji want nothing to do with Qian Ni.

Even the Dragon Duke Meng Shu, a Soul Douluo, had fallen victim to it. He couldn't think of any reason why he could withstand it himself.

The Shrek camp fell silent for a time.

After several days of searching, everyone's taut nerves finally relaxed.

Zhu Zhuqing had already begun teaching Meng Yiran the duties of a probationary lackey.

She was now responsible for managing the villa's Universal Capsule, and the cleaning and organizing work inside the villa could conveniently be delegated.

Ning Rongrong, that Pagoda-Bearing Princess, had no self-awareness whatsoever. She was purely a food-making machine and couldn't share even a bit of Zhu Zhuqing's work.

This made little Zhu realize just how unreliable this plastic sisterhood was.

As for Qian Ni? He was meditating and cultivating while waiting for the Titan Giant Ape to arrive.

With the Ultimate Power reined in, even the faint trace of murderous intent leaking out vanished. The forest around them once again filled with signs of Soul Beasts.

Elsewhere, Chao Tianxiang struggled as she carried Meng Shu to the edge of the Star Dou Forest.

Relying on the powerful Soul Power of someone above level eighty, he endured until Qian Ni's soul skill expired.

Once the Flower Bloom soul skill wore off, all the bodily tissues that had mutated and grown within his intestines returned to normal.

His various heightened senses also returned to normal, but those hellish memories still echoed in his mind.

The aftereffects of the Demon Pill's distortion had not completely faded, and the pain continued.

Under Chao Tianxiang's care, Meng Shu opened his eyes with a waxy complexion and a deadened expression.

"Old woman? Where are we?

"Where's Yiran?"

Chao Tianxiang hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell him the truth.

"She's still in the Star Dou Forest, though she's already near the edge.

"Yiran stayed behind with Shrek Academy."

Upon hearing that, Meng Shu's eyes snapped open. He didn't even care about the agonizing pain in his lower body.

A dying man bolted upright from his sickbed—his granddaughter could only rely on himself.

"What! Why didn't you bring Yiran with you!

"How could you leave her there!

"That, that... little..."

"Listen to me, listen to me." Chao Tianxiang patted Meng Shu's chest and soothed him.

"Old man, you're far too hot-tempered.

"I know you care about Yiran and fear she'll be deceived, but Yiran will have to grow up eventually.

"Leaving her there was also my decision.

"As long as you and I are still around, even if Yiran stays with Shrek, no one will dare do anything to her.

"No one wants to face the revenge of the two of us joining forces."

Meng Shu had already calmed down. He said nothing, clearly somewhat dissatisfied with Chao Tianxiang's choice.

Chao Tianxiang continued, "I could tell that Yiran truly likes that boy, yet you didn't ask a thing before trying to give him a show of force.

"And now? You ended up hurting yourself after fighting him.

"..."

As she spoke, she stopped again. Only after a moment did she speak uncertainly.

"From our previous encounters, I thought Qian Ni was just an ordinary child—rather handsome and somewhat talented, that was all.

"For Yiran to take a liking to him was his good fortune.

"Who would've known... Old man, did you see it clearly?

"That Soul Elder brat's Soul Rings...

"All three were black Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings!"

Her face was filled with solemnity. After repeatedly going over it in her mind, Chao Tianxiang had also begun to regret leaving her granddaughter behind.

But she still maintained a stubborn front.

Meng Shu didn't respond. His eyelids drooped as though he were considering something.

The surroundings were silent, with only the rustling of leaves, insects chirping, and birds calling echoing through the air.

"That boy may have come from overseas..."

Meng Shu finally spoke.

Chao Tianxiang looked at him in confusion as he continued.

"You've used those Whale Glue Pellets that suddenly began circulating among the nobles of the two great empires these past two years.

"I, along with some old friends, have contacted some of the families selling Whale Glue Pellets. Some are pure noble families, some are connected to the royal family, and some are Soul Master clans.

"Though the information everyone provided was vague, it all pointed to one place.

"Vast Sea City.

"That was where Whale Glue Pellets first appeared.

"There are reports that Vast Sea City has had extensive dealings with the islands overseas these past two years.

"Whale Glue Pellets can strengthen a Soul Master's body and allow them to absorb Soul Rings of a higher age.

"If the three Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings on that boy aren't some deceptive trick like a disguise soul skill, then he can only be from overseas.

"The birthplace of Whale Glue Pellets!

"He must have used even higher-grade Whale Glue Pellets!"

Meng Shu turned to look at Chao Tianxiang.

"Old woman, perhaps it was right to leave Yiran there.

"I was too hasty before.

"That boy... Qian Ni may become Yiran's greatest opportunity!

"But..."

Meng Shu struggled to stand.

But after being twisted, his lower body was in excruciating pain, turning such a simple movement into torture.

"I'm still worried. Once I recover a little, we'll go back and watch from afar. First, we'll make sure Yiran is safe."

Chao Tianxiang helped her husband up and said worriedly.

"But your body!"

"It's nothing!" His wife's concern seemed to trigger something. Meng Shu stiffened his back stubbornly, trembling as he defended his masculine pride.

"It's just a little hardship!

"I'm a Soul Douluo! How could such a minor injury bring me down? That boy has some ability. A Soul Elder who can fight me must have an extraordinary background!

"If Yiran can truly follow him, it wouldn't be a bad choice!"

He trembled as his Soul Power circulated wildly, clearing his twisted muscles and tendons while easing the pain.

The wind in the Star Dou Forest was somewhat noisy, almost on the verge of weeping.

Who knew whether a Soul Douluo's testicular torsion, if not treated in time, would lead to necrosis.

The Shrek camp was filled with laughter and cheerful voices.

Perhaps because he was so happy, the sausages Oscar made seemed a little more delicious as well.

Dai Mubai and the others rested for half a day before casually beginning to pack up the camp, pulling down the tents and preparing to leave the Star Dou Forest.

No one noticed the worried expression that occasionally flashed across Xiao Wu's face.

Except Qian Ni.

The Universal Capsule had already been put away and was being kept by Zhu Zhuqing.

Watching a large house get stored inside a small capsule in the blink of an eye once more, the Shrek Seven Monsters still clicked their tongues in amazement.

They merely assumed it was some kind of spatial Soul Tool they had never seen before.

At the front of the camp, a thick Whale Bone Spear stood planted upright in the ground.

Qian Ni leaned against one side of the spear, his fingers continuously tapping its surface. After the vibrations echoed through the acidic blood inside, they spread outward again, forming a strange rhythm.

A faint tremor came from the ground.

The groups of Soul Beasts that had become active again around them half a day earlier fell silent once more.

Even the wind felt somewhat oppressive.

Rustle, rustle—

The violent shaking of the canopy suddenly rang out, then quickly vanished.

Tang San, who had just stored the tent in Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges, called out to Xiao Wu and was about to speak.

Suddenly, his heart lurched, and he abruptly looked up.

A pair of enormous eyes the size of lanterns appeared within the canopy overhead.

They stared fixedly at the Shrek group.

The Titan Giant Ape! It had come!

"Teacher Zhao! Enemy attack!" Tang San circulated the Mysterious Heaven Skill and compressed his voice into a line, sending it into Zhao Wuji's ear.

But what answered him was Qian Ni's somewhat crazed laughter.

"Finally, you're here!

"Second Soul Skill! Declaration of the Gods! Anal Gungnir!"

The Whale Bone Spear loaded with the Acid-Blood Bladder!

It shot through the air, aimed directly at the Titan Giant Ape!

As everyone knew, apes were also chordates.