His Holiness Is Training You-Just Do It

As soon as Qin Xiao spoke, everyone turned their eyes toward him.

"To be honest, I want to take a look around the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest."

Faced with their puzzled expressions, Qin Xiao spoke frankly.

However...

Everyone grew even more confused.

You're the big shot here. If you want to go, just go. Who could possibly stop you?

Forget the depths-even if you wanted to enter the very heart of the Star Dou Great Forest, no one would dare say no!

"Ahem."

Qin Xiao understood the meaning hidden in their eyes. He cleared his throat and added, "I'd like you to come in with me."

"No problem."

Ning Rongrong was the first to agree. "Then let's all go together..."

But when she noticed the strange looks from Zhao Wuji, Zhu Zhuqing, and the others, realization suddenly struck her.

"Wait!"

"You mean you want us to go into the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest with you?"

Ning Rongrong had thought he meant they would leave together first.

Qin Xiao nodded slightly.

The mission called for working with his teammates to hunt a soul beast over five thousand years old...

Qin Xiao figured they ought to hunt one at least fifty thousand years old, right?

"Th-that... doesn't sound like a good idea..."

Ning Rongrong shrank back.

Though she loved playing and making mischief, she still knew what she should and shouldn't do.

If Qin Xiao were taking only her, that would be one thing, but there was a whole crowd behind him!

Could he really protect them all?

But could they refuse?

The others were deeply reluctant too, but they still gave in...

And so, everyone followed Qin Xiao deeper and deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest...

"Your Holiness, this must be the territory of soul beasts at least fifty thousand years old, right?"

"Amazing! Even this old Zhao has never been here before."

After a long while, Zhao Wuji spoke with shining eyes.

Teacher Zhao, something's wrong with you...

Dai Mubai, Oscar, and the others all gave Zhao Wuji strange looks.

After all, they were scared out of their minds.

Fifty-thousand-year soul beasts...

If just a few appeared, even Qin Xiao might not be able to protect them, right?

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

Yet the very thing they feared came upon them.

The earth began to tremble noticeably. Even without a warning from Qin Xiao, everyone could guess that something enormous was approaching.

Before long...

An enormous face loomed over them, gazing down from above.

"Your Holiness..."

The curiosity on Zhao Wuji's face vanished, replaced by tension.

"Don't be afraid. It's a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, the Titan Giant Ape."

Qin Xiao turned his head slightly and glanced at the frightened group, reassuring them.

Thud...

His reassurance only made things worse. After hearing Qin Xiao's words, Ma Hongjun's knees went weak, and he collapsed onto the ground.

Qin Xiao: *"..."*

Was that really necessary?

"Roar!"

At that moment, Er Ming, the Titan Giant Ape, fixed his gaze on Qin Xiao. He was certain that this utterly relaxed young man was the person Sister Xiao Wu wanted to find!

"Human, die!"

Though his words came haltingly, everyone could hear the icy killing intent in them.

"Coming after me?"

Qin Xiao paused in surprise.

Normally, a hundred-thousand-year soul beast possessed intelligence equal to a human's. Faced with someone as powerful as him, it shouldn't have reacted so violently.

Moreover, Qin Xiao was certain that there was no grudge between him and the Titan Giant Ape.

Wait, there are familiar presences behind the Titan Giant Ape. Xiao Wu... and Tang San...

Qin Xiao instinctively glanced behind the Titan Giant Ape. Something was faintly concealed in the darkness.

He understood at once.

So someone had put the Titan Giant Ape up to this.

Heh. Then you can't blame me.

Qin Xiao laughed coldly to himself. Originally, he had intended to hunt a soul beast around fifty thousand years old.

But now the Titan Giant Ape had delivered himself to his doorstep. He had once felt some fondness for this lovable blockhead from the original story, but now that fondness had vanished completely.

After all...

If you became someone else's blade, you had to be prepared for what that entailed.

"Prepare for battle!"

Qin Xiao gave a low shout.

"Mm-hmm! You can do it!"

Ning Rongrong waved her little fist. In spirit, she supported Qin Xiao wholeheartedly.

Of course, it would have been even better if she had stood beside him to offer that support instead of hiding behind a tree more than ten meters away.

Dai Mubai and Oscar hurriedly dragged Ma Hongjun back several steps as well.

As for Zhu Zhuqing, Qin Xiao noticed that she had already vanished. She had probably activated her Nether Civet Martial Soul and concealed herself in the darkness.

"Ugh, what is this supposed to be?"

He sighed helplessly.

"Ma Hongjun, Dai Mubai, come here."

He called out immediately.

"Y-Your Holiness..."

Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai were terrified, but they still approached, trembling. Bracing themselves, they asked, "What are your orders?"

"Activate your martial souls and attack him!"

As Qin Xiao spoke, he pointed at the Titan Giant Ape.

In truth, he had no choice. After all, the mission specifically required them to work together.

He couldn't be sure whether the mission would count as completed if these people didn't attack.

"What? Attack him?"

Ma Hongjun was dumbfounded. Wasn't Qin Xiao setting him up?

That was nothing short of courting death.

"If you won't attack him, I'll attack you instead. Make your choice."

As Qin Xiao spoke, crackling arcs of electricity were already dancing between his fingers.

"What are you standing there for? His Holiness is kindly helping you temper your courage!"

"Even when facing an enemy whose cultivation far exceeds your own, you must dare to attack!"

"Hurry up! Don't let His Holiness's kindness go to waste."

Seeing the pair hesitate, Zhao Wuji shouted at them, exasperated by their failure to rise to the occasion.

Qin Xiao: ┐('~`;)┌.

Actually, I just want those two to get a hit in on the monster. I really wasn't trying to train or temper them.

But after hearing Zhao Wuji's interpretation, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun were clearly greatly encouraged.

All hesitation disappeared from their eyes, replaced by firm resolve.

"White Tiger Possession!"

"Phoenix Possession!"

The pair completed their martial soul possession in an instant.

At the same time, they each unleashed a soul skill.

"White Tiger Fierce Light Wave!"

"Phoenix Fire Line!"

Two ranged attacks, one white and one red, struck the Titan Giant Ape in the blink of an eye.

The result was obvious.

To the Titan Giant Ape, their attacks amounted to little more than scratching an itch...

But while the damage was negligible, the insult was tremendous.

Though they inflicted no real injury, they successfully ignited the fury in the Titan Giant Ape's heart.

Boom, boom, boom...

The Titan Giant Ape rose upright and pounded his chest repeatedly, as though beating a war drum. It was plain to see that he was about to go berserk.

"Ning Rongrong, give me a shot of milk. Then, Oscar, give everyone Mushroom Sausages. You can wait for me outside the Star Dou Great Forest, or head back to Shrek first."

Qin Xiao figured that should count as working together, right?

As for Zhu Zhuqing not attacking the Titan Giant Ape, that was fine. Didn't Lanling's stealth and sneaking count as taking action too?

He would count her contribution as psychological intimidation.

Oscar had no objections to Qin Xiao's arrangements and instinctively got to work.

Ever since seeing the Titan Giant Ape, he had been wound tight with tension. Only when Qin Xiao called his name did he finally snap out of it.

"Y-you want me to do what?"

After hearing Qin Xiao's words, Ning Rongrong instantly flushed scarlet.

How mortifying...

How could he say something like that...?

"Uh."

Qin Xiao hadn't expected Young Lady Ning to misunderstand him at a time like this.

"I meant, use the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to support me!" he explained again.

"Oh, so that's what you meant."

Ning Rongrong understood. With no time to dwell on her embarrassment, she cupped her hands, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda appeared in them.

"Seven treasures turn, revealing glazed tiles. Seven Treasures Have Names, the first: strength!"

"Seven treasures turn, revealing glazed tiles. Seven Treasures Have Names, the second: speed!"

Whoosh, whoosh!

Two beams of light fell upon Qin Xiao.

"So this is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's support ability? It truly deserves its reputation as the world's finest support."

Qin Xiao could feel his strength increase considerably.

Boom! Boom!

By then, the Titan Giant Ape had nearly finished venting his rage. In two strides, he reached Qin Xiao, raised a fist larger than an iron cooking pot, and smashed it down viciously.

"I'd like to see just how strong you are!"

There was no fear in Qin Xiao's eyes. He likewise stepped forward and threw a punch!

Crack, crack...

An invisible ripple burst outward. With the two of them at its center, trees within dozens of meters snapped at once.

"Go! Get out of here!"

Fortunately, Zhao Wuji reacted swiftly. Grabbing Ning Rongrong in one hand and pulling Oscar with the other, he hurried away.

At his shout, Zhu Zhuqing, Ma Hongjun, and Dai Mubai followed him as well.

For a moment, only Qin Xiao and the Titan Giant Ape remained facing each other.

However...

There were actually three more pairs of eyes watching everything from afar, their owners so shocked that their mouths hung open.

"Heavens!"

"Grandma, am I seeing things? Isn't that young man over there one of Zhao Wuji's students? H-he actually has the strength to clash head-on with the Titan Giant Ape!"

In the dense forest, Meng Yiran spoke in disbelief.

The sight seemed so unreal that she even rubbed her eyes hard.

Snake Granny's face was equally astonished. Then a glimmer of understanding appeared in her eyes. "Yes. That must be it. The danger I sensed earlier must have come from this young man. To think his strength has reached such heights!"

As she spoke, relief washed through her heart. Thank goodness she hadn't attacked.

Otherwise, by the time Dragon Duke arrived, even her ashes would have been scattered, wouldn't they?

"What? Old woman, are you saying they're the ones who snatched that Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent earlier?"

Beside the two stood a thin old man, who asked in disbelief.

"That's right."

Snake Granny slowly nodded, giving an affirmative answer.

"Hiss..."

Hearing this, Dragon Duke sucked in a sharp breath, and beads of sweat the size of beans immediately appeared on his forehead.

"Thank goodness, thank goodness. Escaping unscathed from a powerhouse like that was already a blessing amid misfortune."

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, still shuddering at how close they had come.

"But the Man Faced Demon Spider we were tracking has run over to that person again..."

Meng Yiran spoke with considerable helplessness.

Dragon Duke sighed. "Yiran, use your head. At a time like this, you're still thinking about that Man Faced Demon Spider? If we rush over now, that person and that soul beast could very well take us for enemies."

But...

Meng Yiran's expression immediately dimmed.

Just then, Snake Granny asked again, "Old man, who do you think will win their battle?"

Dragon Duke thought it over carefully. "A hundred-thousand-year soul beast's combat strength is enough to defeat an ordinary Titled Douluo, let alone a Titan Giant Ape."

"That youth is certain to lose even if he has the combat strength of a Titled Douluo. You'd need combat strength above rank ninety-seven before you could even talk about defeating a Titan Giant Ape!"