King of the Forest!

Tang Tianlin did not turn around. With his hands clasped behind his back, he quietly watched the dense forest ahead.

Just then, Xiao Wu, who stood at the very back, suddenly trembled.

Tang San noticed something was wrong and asked with concern, "Xiao Wu, what's wrong?"

"I..."

Before Xiao Wu could explain, the ground ahead suddenly began to shake violently.

Immediately afterward, several trees dozens of meters tall were roughly pushed aside like weeds.

Amid flying wood chips and falling leaves, an enormous black silhouette like a small mountain slowly emerged from the depths of the forest.

It was a giant ape covered in black-and-red fur.

Standing on all fours, it reached a full ten meters at the shoulders. Its arms were exceptionally long, hanging almost to the ground.

At that moment, the giant ape's lantern-sized, dark-gold eyes were coldly looking down at the four people before it.

The instant Tang San saw the giant ape, his eyes widened.

"This is bad! It's a Titan Giant Ape!"

Elsewhere, the dejected Shrek group walked through the forest, the mood among them gloomy.

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun followed closely behind Zhao Wuji, constantly watching their surroundings, afraid that a Soul Beast would ambush them while they were weakened.

Beside them, whenever Oscar thought of how the Soul Ring that had practically been in his grasp had simply flown away, he felt that life had lost all meaning.

Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong walked at the very back, talking quietly about something.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Suddenly, a series of rhythmic booms came from nearby, making even the ground tremble.

"Everyone, stay alert!"

Zhao Wuji reacted first. With a roar, he sent earthy-yellow Soul Power surging around him. The phantom of a Great Strength Vajra Bear appeared behind him as he shielded everyone at his back.

The Shrek students also immediately summoned their Martial Souls and warily surveyed their surroundings.

"Look over there!"

Oscar suddenly pointed toward the forest ahead and to one side, calling out in a low voice.

Everyone looked where he indicated and saw an enormous giant ape like a small mountain brutally smashing through the obstacles in its way. Ignoring the Shrek group behind the trees, it charged toward the dense forest in the distance.

Watching the giant ape's retreating back, Zhao Wuji let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Teacher Zhao, wh-what Soul Beast was that?" Ma Hongjun asked in a trembling voice.

In all his life, he had never seen such a terrifying Soul Beast.

Zhao Wuji wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said gravely, "That was a hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape, one of the overlords of the Star Dou Great Forest, known as the King of the Forest!"

At that name, everyone from Shrek sucked in a breath of cold air.

A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast-that was an existence comparable to a Titled Douluo!

"Strange..."

A trace of puzzlement crossed Zhao Wuji's face. "Titan Giant Apes usually live in the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest. Why would it come out to the outskirts?"

"And judging by its behavior, it seemed to be searching for something..."

Dai Mubai said nothing. He stared fixedly in the direction where the Titan Giant Ape had vanished, and a sudden realization flashed through his mind.

He abruptly turned to look down the path they had come along, his eyes widening at once.

"Wait, did any of you notice? The direction it's heading... is where that senior was!"

At those words, everyone fell deathly silent.

"Holy shit, you're right!"

Ma Hongjun's mouth fell open in shock. "Could that giant ape be coming for that senior?!"

If that really was the case...

Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai exchanged a glance, each seeing excitement in the other's eyes.

If that man and beast really fought and both ended up injured, wouldn't they be able to reap the fisherman's rewards?

At that thought, Ma Hongjun walked over to Zhao Wuji and whispered a few words.

Hearing him, Zhao Wuji wore an odd expression and looked at him as though he were an idiot.

He seriously wondered whether Ma Hongjun had been hit in the head that day and lost his wits.

A Soul Grandmaster wanted to pick up scraps from a Titled Douluo?

"Teacher Zhao, what do you think of my suggestion?"

Ma Hongjun had not noticed Zhao Wuji's expression and was still secretly pleased with himself.

Zhao Wuji sneered and delivered a kick straight to Ma Hongjun's jutting backside, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Teacher Zhao, even if you're excited, you don't have to kick me, do you?"

Ma Hongjun clutched his backside, looking indignant.

"Excited?"

Zhao Wuji cast a wary glance in the direction where the Titan Giant Ape had disappeared, the veins in his forehead throbbing. "A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast fighting a Titled Douluo-is that something you can go and gawk at?"

"Forget picking up scraps! With those scrawny little bodies of yours, if you get within a hundred meters of the battlefield, the mere aftershocks of the Soul Power spilling out from their clash will pulverize you into meat paste!"

Seeing this, Dai Mubai could not help feeling fortunate.

Luckily, he had not stepped forward to ask just now. Otherwise, he would have been the one with his backside split open.

Still, Zhao Wuji's words had reminded him.

When Titled Douluos fought, the aftershocks alone could kill a Soul King. What could he possibly use to pick up the scraps?

His life?

Behind them, Zhu Zhuqing watched the scene coldly, her eyes filled with mockery.

Even at a time like this, all Ma Hongjun could think about was taking shortcuts and exploiting an opportunity.

He could not even see the disparity in their strength. Such foolish arrogance was simply beyond saving.

Ning Rongrong also curled her lips, a trace of disdain flashing through her eyes.

She really must have lost her mind to join a place crawling with fools.

"What are you all standing around for? Waiting to die?!"

Seeing them still in a daze, Zhao Wuji shouted angrily, "Turn around immediately and head in the opposite direction! Suppress your auras as much as possible. Not one of you is to make a sound!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Tang Tianlin looked at the behemoth before him, a little curiosity rising within him.

The Titan Giant Ape had been called the King of Strength in the original story. He wondered which was stronger-his current strength or its own.

Unfortunately, the current circumstances were not very suitable for using the Golden Dragon King's power.

After all, a certain being possessed of world-shaking wisdom might already have set his sights on him.

Beside him, Tang San pushed his Purple Demon Eye to its limit, trying to see through the giant ape's true capabilities.

He could not see through them.

He could not see through them at all.

That aura was like an invisible mountain barring his path, pressing down until his chest felt tight.

Tang San had a feeling that this Titan Giant Ape's strength was not even inferior to his eldest uncle's!

Suddenly, the Titan Giant Ape moved.

It raised its right arm slightly, slowly opening a hand larger than Tang San's entire body. Its five fingers were like iron pillars as it reached toward the group.

Tang San's pupils abruptly contracted, and his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track was already poised to carry him into motion.

"Er Ming! Don't do anything rash!"

Suddenly, a clear female voice rang out.

Xiao Wu rushed out from behind Tang San, spread her arms, and planted herself in front of Tang Tianlin, tilting her head back to shout at the giant ape.

The Titan Giant Ape's lantern-sized, dark-gold eyes abruptly narrowed, and its previously savage aura instantly receded.

The next second, under Tang San and Dugu Yan's gazes, as though they had seen a ghost.

This forest overlord, whose ferocity towered to the heavens, actually gave two aggrieved whimpers like a child who had done something wrong.

Tang San: "..."

Dugu Yan: "..."

The two stared, dumbstruck, their minds instantly grinding to a halt.

This was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!

How could it act like a large dog in front of Xiao Wu?