Danger Descended

Ma Hongjun did not finish absorbing his soul ring until the afternoon. He gained a soul skill called Phoenix Wing Flowing Fire, which gave him the same attack ability as the Lie Yan Eagle.

Since Zhu Zhuqing still had not found a suitable soul ring, they would have to continue searching for soul beasts tomorrow, so they would spend the night in the Star Dou Great Forest. After finding a relatively secluded spot, they began setting up camp and preparing for the night. Tang Xuan had brought a small, simple tent of his own. Once he set it up, he ducked inside.

He quietly began meditating in his tent, reaching out to the Godslayer Sword.

"Brother San, doesn't Brother Xuan seem a little strange? Just standing in front of him makes my heart race!" Recalling Tang Xuan's gaze, Ma Hongjun could not help shivering.

"Fatty, my brother's probably just been too tired lately. He should be fine after some rest. Don't overthink it." Tang San assumed Tang Xuan was merely irritable from exhaustion. Ma Hongjun nodded in agreement, then went off to work.

Tang San could scarcely have imagined Tang Xuan's actual predicament. Inside the tent, sweat covered Tang Xuan's forehead as he desperately circulated his soul power. Within his spiritual sea, Tang Xuan's soul form was using soul power to suppress the Godslayer Sword. Trapped inside a barrier formed from his soul power, the sword thrashed wildly, repeatedly slamming against it. Eerie black vapor poured from the blade and gradually began gathering into shape. Seeing this, Tang Xuan hurriedly struck with his sword fingers, and a burst of sword energy instantly scattered the vapor. As though frightened, it no longer dared to gather again.

This black vapor was the baleful energy that had long accumulated within the Godslayer Sword. The murderous intent Tang Xuan amassed in battle, along with the resentment mingled in the power he absorbed from soul beasts, had gathered within the sword and formed this baleful energy over time. As Tang Xuan's strength continued to grow, its power grew as well, constantly influencing him and eroding his will.

Within his spiritual sea, Tang Xuan wielded the Clear Sky Hammer to force the black vapor back into the Godslayer Sword. The sword and hammer divided his spiritual sea in two, each holding its own ground, though the Clear Sky Hammer still seemed to have the upper hand, suppressing the Godslayer Sword and keeping it stable. Whenever the baleful energy inside the sword began to stir, the purple lightning coiling around the hammer would suppress it.

Suddenly, Tang Xuan opened his eyes and shot out of his tent.

"Everyone, get out of your tents!" Zhao Wuji, who was keeping watch outside, shouted. Tang Xuan exchanged a glance with him. Both wore grave expressions; both had sensed the approaching danger. Hearing the shout, the Shrek Seven Monsters hurried out of their tents.

"Teacher Zhao, what happened?" asked Dai Mubai, who was in the lead.

Neither Tang Xuan nor Zhao Wuji spoke. They stared ahead with solemn faces. Seeing the two poised for battle, the Shrek Seven Monsters no longer dared to be careless. Their drowsiness vanished in an instant, and they raised their guard.

In the end, we still couldn't avoid it, Tang Xuan thought. His presence had delayed the Shrek Seven Devils' hunt for soul rings, and they had already missed the clash with the Dragon Duke and Snake Granny. He had thought this hunt would be more peaceful. Yet some things were unavoidable after all. Once Xiao Wu's aura appeared in the forest, how could the Titan Giant Ape not come looking for her? Tang Xuan knew the Titan Giant Ape meant them no harm, but he still worried about what unforeseen trouble the appearance of such a powerful soul beast might bring.

"Mubai, take everyone and leave. Teacher Zhao and I will cover your retreat. Hurry!" he told Dai Mubai.

Under the moonlight, the forest seemed deeper and quieter, but Tang Xuan could find no beauty in it. It was already too late to leave-or rather, escape had never been possible. The surrounding trees began shaking violently, and even the stones on the ground trembled. Suddenly, an enormous figure leaped out of the forest, its body so vast that it completely blocked the moonlight. Tang Xuan and the others, engulfed by its shadow, seemed to have plunged into an endless night. The massive figure landed before them. He bore some resemblance to the Great Strength Vajra Monkey Tang Xuan had previously killed, but the two were worlds apart, utterly beyond comparison.

"The king of the forest, the Titan Giant Ape!" Zhao Wuji's voice trembled. "Legend says an adult Titan Giant Ape lives in the Star Dou Great Forest, with at least sixty thousand years of cultivation. But this one has probably already reached a hundred thousand years!" Before the Titan Giant Ape, the overwhelming pressure made it difficult for any of them to move.

The Titan Giant Ape's bloodline was extraordinarily rare, descended from the Primordial Titans. Even a ten-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape could fight a hundred-thousand-year soul beast one-on-one. A Titan Giant Ape that reached a hundred thousand years truly deserved the title of king of the forest. Merely standing there and looking at them with his lantern-like eyes placed tremendous pressure on Tang Xuan and the others.

"Honored king of the forest, we have no intention of trespassing on your territory. We will leave at once," Zhao Wuji said respectfully. "Roar!" A furious bellow was his only answer. The Titan Giant Ape kept staring at them-or, more precisely, his attention remained fixed on Xiao Wu behind Tang San. Suddenly, he reached toward Tang San and Xiao Wu, trying to scoop them up. Tang Shan grabbed Xiao Wu and swiftly dodged away.

"Xuan, take everyone and run. I'll hold him off!" With that, Zhao Wuji charged forward.

"Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul Avatar!" In his Martial Soul Avatar form, Zhao Wuji instantly grew several meters taller. Long, shaggy hair sprouted over his body, turning him into something resembling a giant bear, and he charged straight at the Titan Giant Ape.

Watching Zhao Wuji fight with everything he had, Tang Xuan thought, If you really could hold him off, I would take them and leave. But trying to escape from the king of the forest, the Titan Giant Ape, is simply laughable.

Facing Zhao Wuji's attack, the Titan Giant Ape merely raised his hand and pressed his palm down, stopping him in his tracks. No matter how hard Zhao Wuji fought, he could not force the Titan Giant Ape back even half a step.

"Hurry up and leave!" Zhao Wuji shouted again. He could not maintain his current form for much longer.

"We can't leave! We can't abandon Teacher Zhao!" Before anyone else could speak, Ning Rongrong spoke up.

"That's right! We can't leave!" the others echoed.

"Seven treasures turn, revealing colored glass. First: Strength! Second: Speed!" Rainbow light swirled in Ning Rongrong's hands as two yellow soul rings rose around her. She bestowed her support on everyone present.

"Third Soul Skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"

"Third Soul Skill, Phoenix Wing Flowing Fire!"

"Second Soul Skill, Netherworld Hundred Claws!"

Tang Xuan watched them unleash their soul skills, utterly speechless. If that would help, I'd have attacked already.

Tang San moved both hands at once, hurling several kinds of hidden weapons in an instant. Like rain filling the sky, they descended on the Titan Giant Ape, aimed straight at his vital points. Yet the four attackers' strikes had no effect on him whatsoever, as though they were merely scratching an itch. The Dragon Whisker Needles Tang San fired at his eyes were stopped with a simple blink.

To the Titan Giant Ape, this was nothing but provocation. He increased the strength in his hand, pressing down on Zhao Wuji. The shock waves sent Tang San and the other three staggering back. At last, Zhao Wuji could hold out no longer. His Martial Soul Avatar was forcibly dispelled, and he was hurled backward, landing unconscious on the ground. With everyone scattered, the Titan Giant Ape seized Xiao Wu nearby, turned, and ran off into the distance.

"Xiao Wu!" Seeing her taken, Tang San's eyes nearly split with rage. He scrambled up to pursue her, and the others moved to follow.

"Don't chase him! You aren't fast enough to catch the Titan Giant Ape. Stay here and look after Teacher Zhao. I'll rescue Xiao Wu." With that, he tossed Tang San a pill.

"This is a fourth-grade Origin-Recovery Pill. Give it to Teacher Zhao and wait here for me." Tang Xuan beat his Dragon Wings and raced off in the direction the Titan Giant Ape had gone. As he flew, he considered his options. I definitely can't beat him in a fight. I should try talking first. Making friends with the king of the forest wouldn't be a bad thing.

A few minutes later, Tang Xuan finally caught up with the Titan Giant Ape. The ape noticed him behind him as well, surprised that this human could actually keep pace with him. Still angry over what had happened earlier, he reached back, uprooted several large trees in succession, and hurled them at Tang Xuan. Flying at full speed, Tang Xuan looked up to see several towering trees hurtling toward him. With a sweep of his sword fingers, he cut them apart.

"Er Ming, don't hurt him. He's my friend," Xiao Wu said from her seat on Er Ming's shoulder. The Titan Giant Ape gave no response and continued attacking.

"Sister Xiao Wu, we have to shake him off! We can't bring him to the Lake of Life!" the Titan Giant Ape said in a deep, rumbling voice. Xiao Wu understood that too. "Then go easy on him. You absolutely mustn't hurt him."

Suddenly, Tang Xuan appeared directly in front of the Titan Giant Ape. While the ape was distracted, Tang Xuan had climbed sharply, flown over him, and moved ahead of him. The two humans and one beast stared awkwardly at one another. The Titan Giant Ape was still holding a large tree he had yet to throw.

"Titan Giant Ape, don't worry. I mean no harm," Tang Xuan hurriedly said.

"Oh, right. You can understand what I'm saying, can't you?" Tang Xuan asked uncertainly. The answer was the Titan Giant Ape's enormous fist. He unleashed a savage punch, his fist as large as a small hill, and sent Tang Xuan flying as though launched from a springboard. He truly was flying. Tang Xuan could feel the wind howling past his ears. Several times, he tried to beat his Dragon Wings to control his speed, but he could not manage it.

At that moment, the Titan Giant Ape was thinking, Hmph! How dare you suggest I can't understand human speech? I'll beat you to death!

"No!" Tang San screamed, his voice tearing with anguish. After Zhao Wuji took the pill and woke up, Tang San had set off in pursuit. The others could not possibly let him go alone, so they had all followed. Yet the moment Tang San caught up, he saw Tang Xuan being punched away by the Titan Giant Ape. That was a hundred-thousand-year soul beast! No matter how formidable Tang Xuan's physique was, Tang San and the others could scarcely believe he could survive that punch without any defenses.

The Titan Giant Ape had already run far away. Tang San collapsed onto the ground. Xiao Wu had been taken, and Tang Xuan's fate was unknown. The two people most important to him were both in mortal danger. The blow to him was devastating. Tang San released the Eight Spider Lances from his back and raced off to search in the direction Tang Xuan had flown. Seeing his frenzied state, none of the others could rest easy. Zhao Wuji led them after him.