Another Encounter

Another week passed.

Jiang Che successfully completed Zhu Zhuqing's special training.

"Teacher, will we meet again?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, reluctant to part.

Although it had only been two months, Zhu Zhuqing's use of the word "teacher" was utterly sincere.

After all, over these two weeks, she could feel her strength advancing by leaps and bounds, and she greatly admired Jiang Che. Even now, she found it hard to believe that a Soul Grandmaster possessed such monstrous strength.

Although Jiang Che had felt extremely awkward about being called "teacher" at first, he grew used to it after hearing it often enough.

"Of course. Before long, I'll be going to Suotuo City too."

"Goodbye, Teacher. I'll defeat Dai Mubai." Zhu Zhuqing waved farewell and gradually disappeared from view.

"Ah, who knows how much this move of mine will change the course of the future plot," Jiang Che sighed.

He had no intention of leaving the Star Dou Great Forest yet. He planned to leave after earning enough Skill Points.

Jiang Che's gaze fell on the Profound Water Turtle again.

"You're still not leaving?"

The Profound Water Turtle clearly understood the look in Jiang Che's eyes.

The Profound Water Turtle's gaze was resolute, practically declaring that they would share blessings and shoulder hardships together.

Jiang Che could do nothing about it. Since this damned turtle stubbornly refused to leave, he simply ignored it. If it wanted to follow, so be it.

[Ding-!]

[Killed a 455-year-old Demon Sunflower. Gained 5 Skill Points.]

[Killed a 555-year-old Mountain Armor Beast. Gained 10 Skill Points.]

[Killed a 654-year-old Demon Tiger. Gained 10 Skill Points.]

[Current Skill Points: 541.]

"Rooaar-!"

A terrifying roar suddenly exploded from the dense canopy above Jiang Che's head.

That Wind Ape climbed onto a horizontal branch of the towering tree overhead, staring down at Jiang Che and roaring incessantly.

"Holy shit! This fucking thing chased me all the way to the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest!"

Jiang Che's expression changed. He had never imagined that, after two weeks, this Wind Ape still would not give up.

"Flight!"

Jiang Che unleashed his Soul Power and fled deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest!

If he fled out of the Star Dou Great Forest, the increasingly sparse woods would actually hinder his escape. By fleeing inward instead, he could use the thick trees to slow the Wind Ape down a little.

But this time, there was no valley bristling with jagged rocks to help Jiang Che escape.

The Wind Ape's roar exploded behind him, making Jiang Che's eardrums ache. Sure enough, the thing had sped up.

"Fuck."

Jiang Che cursed, swerved sharply, and plunged into an area thick with vines to his left.

The Blue Silver Emperor surged from his palm, wrapped around a vine ahead, and yanked it down as he ducked and slid beneath a clump of thorns.

Branches splintered behind him. The Wind Ape smashed apart the horizontal branch he had just passed with one swipe, sending wood fragments flying everywhere.

The trees here were certainly thick enough that he could not have wrapped his arms around them, but the Wind Ape's agility in this environment far exceeded Jiang Che's expectations.

Its arms were extraordinarily long. Grabbing a branch overhead, it swung more than ten meters at a time. Once it landed, a push with all four limbs sent it hurtling another great distance.

"Flight."

His Soul Power erupted again, lifting his body three feet and carrying him clear of the Wind Ape's sweeping claw below.

The claw swept past the soles of his feet and snapped a bowl-thick sapling behind him in half.

Jiang Che used the momentum to shoot upward, but before he could break through the canopy, a shadow fell over him.

At some point, the Wind Ape had circled above him. It hung upside down from a horizontal branch, baring its teeth as it looked down at him.

Without hesitation, Jiang Che flipped backward off the branch, adjusted his posture in midair, and planted both feet against another tree trunk to launch himself diagonally away.

The Wind Ape lunged at empty air. Its claws sank into the trunk and gouged several deep furrows before it resumed its pursuit.

The distance was shrinking.

At first, roughly seventy or eighty meters had separated them. Now it was forty at most.

His speed through the woods had already reached its limit. His Soul Power drained wildly, and every time he landed, he had to rely on Profusion to recover some stamina.

But he could not hold out much longer like this. Even the Blue Silver Emperor's ability to restore Soul Power had its limits.

The light ahead suddenly grew a little brighter.

Jiang Che's heart lurched.

The canopy was thinning.

He was running deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest, but the terrain here had begun to change. Tall trees gradually gave way to low shrubs. Although he was not yet completely exposed, the view was already far more open than before.

In terrain like this, the Wind Ape would only have a greater advantage.

It was already too late to turn back.

Jiang Che had misjudged his direction from the very first turn.

He had thought the trees would grow denser deeper in the forest. Who could have known that this area happened to be a transition zone? Rather than growing denser, the trees were becoming sparse.

Trying to double back now would only send him straight into the Wind Ape, which was no different from seeking death.

"Fuck."

Jiang Che gritted his teeth, turned again, and plunged toward a slightly denser patch of woods on his right.

That was the only direction that looked as though it still offered anything he could use.

The Wind Ape let out a low growl behind him, seemingly impatient with his change of direction. There was a note of assured mockery in its voice.

It knew Jiang Che was struggling in his death throes.

This patch of woods was indeed a little denser, its branches crisscrossing and growing every which way. Jiang Che scrambled into it on hands and feet, the Blue Silver Emperor constantly extending ahead to clear a path, wrapping around obstructing branches and wrenching them aside.

But after the Wind Ape chased him into these woods, its movements became even more violent.

It did not avoid the branches at all. It simply barreled through.

Crack after crack rang out behind him, like a moving wall closing in.

Suddenly!

The Wind Ape leaped, closing in on Jiang Che in an instant.

The thing pounced down through the branches overhead, its claws whistling through the air.

With no time to think, Jiang Che unleashed all his Soul Power and slashed out with Water Tribulation Blue Silver Blade, simultaneously circulating the True Qi within him at full strength.

Five Water Blades flew diagonally upward.

The Wind Ape twisted sharply in midair, avoiding three of them, but the other two still sliced across its shoulder and flank.

The Water Blades cut through its fur and skin, exposing the muscle beneath. Droplets of blood spattered out.

The Wind Ape roared in pain and fury. Upon landing, its claws dragged several deep grooves through the mud as it steadied itself.

Jiang Che seized the opening to land, retreated several steps, and pressed his back against a tree trunk.

Maintaining Flight for a long time would only consume more Soul Power.

The Wind Ape lowered its head to inspect the wound on its shoulder, licked it with its tongue, then raised its blood-red eyes to stare at him.

That look sent a chill down Jiang Che's back. The beast had been enraged.

"Roar-!"

The Wind Ape blurred into motion, moving so fast that Jiang Che could barely see it.

He only had time to throw himself to the side.

Jiang Che rolled back to his feet and slashed out with another Water Tribulation Blue Silver Blade.

The Wind Ape had learned this time. It twisted aside to dodge while thrusting out its long arm, whipping up a fierce gust that actually scattered two Water Blades.

The remaining three still struck it, but their power had clearly diminished, merely adding a few shallow cuts to its flesh.

Rather than retreating, the Wind Ape advanced. Taking advantage of the brief opening just after Jiang Che used his Soul Skill, it swept a claw at him.

Jiang Che bent sharply at the waist, and the claw skimmed over his head.

At the same time, the Wind Ape's other hand scooped upward from below, heading straight for his abdomen.

There was no dodging it.