Lin Kong and the other seven were all hurled away by that violent current of air, their bodies suspended helplessly in midair like rootless fallen leaves.
The Titan Giant Ape took an indifferent step forward. With a light scoop of its enormous, palm-leaf-fan-sized hand, it caught Xiao Wu securely in its palm. Without another glance at the others, it turned and strode into the depths of the forest, its heavy footsteps gradually fading as it stirred up a howling gale.
Those who had been flung away were already on the verge of falling.
At that hairbreadth moment, Lin Kong reached out and grasped. Several supple blades of Dark Blue Silver Grass shot out like lightning, wrapping around Zhu Zhuqing's waist beside him. Then he pulled hard, dragging her to his side. Holding each other, the two fell toward the ground together.
At the same time, Lin Kong's second soul ring burst into brilliant light!
On the ground, countless strands of Dark Blue Silver Grass sprouted wildly at a speed visible to the naked eye. In an instant, they grew two or three meters tall, forming a thick, dark green cushion. The others fell one after another, crashing heavily onto the soft blades of grass, which absorbed a large portion of the lethal impact.
Thud!
Lin Kong landed first, his back striking the thick grass cushion. Before he could catch his breath, Zhu Zhuqing fell straight onto him. Their bodies pressed tightly together, the warm sensation distinctly clear. The surrounding Dark Blue Silver Grass happened to weave into a secluded little space, enclosing them and blocking outside eyes.
The boy's and girl's gazes collided in midair. After only an instant, they darted away as though shocked by electricity, one turning left and the other right. Neither spoke again.
Rustle, rustle, rustle-
The Dark Blue Silver Grass slowly withdrew into the ground, revealing everyone lying there.
"Xiao Wu-"
Tang San's agonized wail suddenly rang out. He struggled to his feet and stretched out a hand, pointing fixedly in the direction the Titan Giant Ape had gone. His eyes were bloodshot, and tears streamed down uncontrollably.
Everyone's expression was unbearably heavy. They lowered their heads, unable to bear looking at Tang San's grief-stricken state.
Dai Mubai drew a deep breath and was the first to walk toward Lin Kong and Zhu Zhuqing-he had seen perfectly clearly that the two had fallen while holding each other.
By now, Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face had turned completely red, and even the tips of her ears were tinged with pale pink. Standing motionless, she slowly turned to look in the direction the Titan Giant Ape had left.
Seeing this, Dai Mubai hurriedly averted his gaze, silently muttering to himself, Mm, it must be because her blood surged during the fall. There was absolutely no other reason.
Ning Rongrong also noticed what was happening over there. She pursed her lips and gave a soft huff, deliberately turning her head aside, her thoughts unknown.
Zhao Wuji deactivated his Martial Soul Avatar. His enormous body rapidly shrank back into human form. His face was pale, and a trace of blood still clung to the corner of his mouth as he asked hoarsely, "Is everyone... all right?"
No one answered.
Everyone instinctively looked toward Tang San, then quickly looked away again.
Xiao Wu had been taken by the Titan Giant Ape, her fate unknown. He was undoubtedly the most heartbroken and anguished of them all.
"Oscar, give me a Mushroom Sausage."
A low, hoarse voice suddenly rang out. At some point, Tang San had appeared beside Oscar. His eyes were frighteningly red and filled with blood vessels, and his expression was terrifyingly savage. His usual calm and self-control had vanished completely.
Oscar froze in alarm at the sight of him and instinctively stepped half a pace back, only to be pierced by the despair in Tang San's eyes.
"Give it to me!" Tang San's voice abruptly rose, carrying an unquestionable command.
"Please, give it to me!" The next second, he lowered his voice again, his tone filled with pleading. His hoarse voice made the listeners' hearts tighten.
"Ah!" In the end, Oscar could not harden his heart. He sighed heavily and swiftly mobilized his Soul Power. Light flashed in his palm, and a Mushroom Sausage appeared in his hand. After a moment's hesitation, he handed it over.
Tang San snatched the sausage and shoved it into his mouth without thinking. Dense Soul Power burst inside his mouth, and a pair of wings unfurled from his back. Without pausing at all, he beat his wings and flew swiftly in the direction the Titan Giant Ape had gone, leaving only one resolute declaration echoing through the woods:
"I'm going to find Xiao Wu."
"What?"
Everyone paled in shock, their expressions changing all at once.
This was the Star Dou Great Forest, and the Titan Giant Ape was an existence akin to the king of the forest! Under these circumstances, how was leaving the team any different from going to his death?
But before anyone could recover from their shock, another figure rose into the air after him.
It was Lin Kong!
He actually flew after Tang San as well.
No one had noticed that, when everyone fell earlier, a Mushroom Sausage had dropped into the grass and been quietly picked up by Lin Kong. Now, an identical pair of wings beat behind him, carrying his figure swiftly out of sight into the depths of the forest.
"Brother Lin!"
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing cried out almost simultaneously, their hearts leaping into their throats and their faces filled with anxiety.
"Holy shit! Brother Lin!" Ma Hongjun was also so frantic that he stamped his feet and spun in circles, wishing he could chase after him immediately.
"Damn it!" Zhao Wuji cursed furiously and stamped his foot hard. Turning toward Oscar, he roared, "What are you standing there for, brat? Hurry up and make more Mushroom Sausages! We'll all chase after them!"
Oscar wanted to cry but had no tears, his face scrunching up like a bitter melon. "Teacher Zhao, I... I don't have any Soul Power right now!"
Earlier, to deal with unexpected situations, he had made quite a few sausages in one go, consuming most of his Soul Power long ago. He had to eat those unused sausages first and recover the Soul Power he had spent before he could free up enough to make a Flying Sausage for everyone.
And that took time!
Elsewhere, deep in the Star Dou Great Forest, the Titan Giant Ape was advancing with steady strides. Each step of its mountainlike body covered dozens of meters. Its thick limbs brushed past dense branches and leaves, yet strangely made not the slightest sound, as though it had become one with the forest.
Xiao Wu sat quietly on its broad shoulder, her slender lower legs swinging leisurely back and forth. Not a trace remained of her earlier dazedness and fear.
"All right, Er Ming, this is far enough." Xiao Wu's voice was clear and gentle.
"Mm, Sister Xiao Wu." The Titan Giant Ape answered in a deep, muffled voice. Its enormous body came to a steady halt, its movements so gentle that it seemed afraid of disturbing the person on its shoulder.
Xiao Wu looked up toward the depths of the forest, yet the final scene before she was taken away involuntarily surfaced in her mind.
One was Tang San, whose bloodshot eyes had been filled with heart-rending agony, as though his entire world were collapsing. The other was Lin Kong. From over ten meters away, his gaze had rested directly on her, the light surging in his eyes so astonishingly scorching that she found it somewhat incomprehensible.
As for the others...
The instant the Titan Giant Ape caught her, despair had filled their faces. They had not stared fixedly at her like Tang San and Lin Kong, until her figure disappeared entirely into the dense forest.
Only those two had done that.
Xiao Wu shook her head lightly, casting aside all the distracting thoughts in her mind. A lighthearted smile curved her lips. "I've just broken through to level thirty, too. I'll obtain my third soul ring right here!"
Meanwhile, at the other end of the forest, Tang San was beating the wings on his back, recklessly flying in the direction the Titan Giant Ape had gone. The biting wind swept across his cheeks, but could not disperse the anxiety and resolve in his eyes.
Suddenly, he whipped his head around-
Lin Kong was actually following close behind him, likewise beating his wings as he approached with a composed expression.
Tang San's pupils abruptly contracted, and towering waves surged through his heart.
Why were you chasing after me?
I was doing this for Xiao Wu, to save her. Even if a dragon's pool or a tiger's den lay ahead, I would not hesitate! What were you doing it for?
I wasn't afraid of death. Were you unafraid, too?
Hadn't there always been a rift between us? No, it had long since become more than a rift! Ever since you stole the limelight again and again and disrupted my plans time after time, I had developed a hatred for you that I could barely restrain!
Why had you followed me?!
Countless thoughts surged through his mind, finally becoming one hoarse question: "Why?"
Lin Kong's expression was extremely taut, even his jawline stiff as he said in a low voice, "There's no reason!"
He had no choice but to remain stiff.
He feared that, if he relaxed even slightly, all the emotions surging in his eyes would be exposed.
Not following Tang San was even less of an option.
He knew the original story's plot all too well.
Later, Tang San would encounter a nearly dead Man Faced Demon Spider and kill it after a desperate battle. He would also clash with the Dragon Duke and Snake Granny again, inviting a heap of trouble. Yet at that point, the Shrek group would actually manage to find him in the vast Star Dou Great Forest-the odds were so low that it was practically impossible.
This forest was boundless. Once separated, a person would be swallowed by the sea of trees in the blink of an eye. Finding them again would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Lin Kong dared not gamble on being able to find Tang San's trail in this forest where danger lurked on every side.
So he could only risk following him.
Risk.
He was already intimately familiar with that word.
This time, for the one-of-a-kind External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances, even the greatest risk was worth it!