"Isn't that great? That's a ten percent boost to all attributes!"
Dai Mubai patted Oscar hard on the shoulder, delighted.
Ning Rongrong was just as surprised. This Soul Skill's support ability had already caught up to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Oscar stammered, "There's just a bit of a side effect."
"What side effect?" everyone asked curiously.
This time, Oscar refused to say anything more, no matter what. The others grew even more curious and kept asking.
Just then, everyone felt the ground tremble.
Before long, the mountain-like Titan Giant Ape appeared before them.
"That's the Titan Giant Ape, the king of the forest!"
Tang San was the first to recognize him. His face filled with shock, and his heart sank.
The Titan Giant Ape possessed unparalleled strength and speed. Given their strength, they were absolutely no match for him.
Zhao Wuji stepped in front of the others and said in a deep, respectful voice:
"Esteemed king of the forest, we mean no offense. If this is your territory, we are willing to leave."
The Titan Giant Ape ignored Zhao Wuji and did not attack the group directly.
Suddenly, a powerful presence erupted from the core of the Star Dou Great Forest. Cyan thunder surged first, followed by a flash of sacred light that illuminated the entire sky.
The Titan Giant Ape immediately let out a roar, stepped forward, and reached straight for Xiao Wu.
Zhao Wuji gritted his teeth. "I'll hold him off. Get out of here! Xiao Ao, give me a few of your Excitement Sausages!"
Oscar hurriedly activated his Soul Skill and tossed out several pink sausages.
Zhao Wuji took a bite and couldn't help sucking in a breath of cold air. His legs clamped together uncontrollably, and his face turned green.
Even a rugged tough guy like Zhao Wuji had tears welling in his eyes.
"Xiao Ao, why does your trash Soul Skill have a side effect like this?"
Zhao Wuji felt a searing pain in his lower body, as though it had been marinated in pickled peppers.
But he couldn't worry about that now. Forcing back his tears, Zhao Wuji charged at the Titan Giant Ape.
Seeing that Zhao Wuji dared to resist, the Titan Giant Ape became even more enraged. His enormous palm swept down over them as though blotting out the sky and sun, carrying an unparalleled striking force.
Zhao Wuji, Dai Mubai, and the others felt as though they were suffocating.
Xiao Wu shook her head, her pretty face full of anxiety, and screamed in panic, "Don't!"
The Titan Giant Ape unconsciously held back some of his strength, but Zhao Wuji, Dai Mubai, Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing, and the others were still sent flying like cannonballs. They crashed to the ground in sorry states, each coughing up a large mouthful of fresh blood.
That single blow had nearly displaced their internal organs. Oscar and Ning Rongrong, the two support-type Soul Masters, were in even worse shape.
Zhao Wuji bore the brunt of the attack. Covered in blood and severely injured, he couldn't even move.
Only Xiao Wu was protected by a force and remained unharmed.
After swatting the others away, the Titan Giant Ape seized Xiao Wu in his hand and raced toward the depths of the forest without looking back.
"No-let Xiao Wu go!"
Seeing Xiao Wu carried off by the Titan Giant Ape, Tang San's eyes instantly turned red.
He flung out a succession of Hidden Weapons, but they didn't even catch the Titan Giant Ape's exhaust.
Tang San silently walked over to Oscar, his eyes so red they looked ready to drip blood. He stared straight at Oscar, his voice cold and harsh.
"Xiao Ao, if you still consider me your brother, give me a few of your Excitement Sausages and Recovery Sausages."
Everyone knew what Tang San intended to do. Zhao Wuji shouted angrily, "Tang San, what are you doing? That's the king of the forest! If you chase him now, even if you catch up, you'll be going to certain death!"
He turned to Oscar and shouted coldly, "Xiao Ao, don't give them to him!"
Tang San looked at Zhao Wuji and said in a restrained voice, "I'm sorry, Teacher Zhao. I have to find Xiao Wu. Even if she's already dead, I have to bring her body back!"
Oscar sighed, recited his soul incantation, and handed Tang San three Excitement Sausages. He didn't forget to warn him, "Xiao San, rest for a while after the effects wear off before eating the second one. Otherwise, you'll suffer injuries that are difficult to heal."
Tang San nodded, puzzled, and took a bite of an Excitement Sausage.
Then he too couldn't help clamping his legs together. The pain in his lower body made cold sweat pour down his forehead, but an exhilarating power surged from his groin through his entire body.
Enduring the pain in his own flesh, Tang San turned and gave chase into the depths of the forest.
"Seven Treasures Have Names, second: speed."
Ning Rongrong lent him a helping hand.
"You... you..."
Zhao Wuji was too furious to speak.
Tang San was Tang Hao's son. If anything happened to him, not only would Zhao Wuji lose his life, but Oscar and Ning Rongrong, who had helped Tang San, and perhaps even everyone at Shrek Academy would also be called to account by an enraged Clear Sky Douluo.
Zhao Wuji struggled to give chase, but his whole body had gone numb. He could only shout angrily at Oscar, "You little brat, hurry up and give me your Recovery Sausages! If we're going after him, we're going together!"
Ghost Leopard Douluo had been following Tang San in secret all along.
He found it very strange. Tang San had run into such danger, so where had Tang Hao gone?
Tang San darted through the forest, following the trail left by the Titan Giant Ape. Five minutes passed in the blink of an eye.
Tang San felt the Excitement Sausage's boost gradually wear off, but there was still no sign of Xiao Wu.
Tang San gritted his teeth and ate the second Excitement Sausage.
The pain in his lower body grew even more intense, as though it were being roasted over a blazing fire.
Tang San's legs began to shake, but his powerful will kept him steadfastly pursuing them.
The Titan Giant Ape raced toward the Lake of Life with Xiao Wu as though he had gone mad.
Xiao Wu complained, "Er Ming, those people are all my friends. You shouldn't have attacked them."
Er Ming said in a muffled voice, "Big brother has run into an enemy. I have to get back quickly!"
Xiao Wu said quietly, "Even so, you shouldn't have hit them so hard. Forget it, let's hurry back and help Da Ming!"
Xiao Wu was also very worried.
The Titan Giant Ape sped along like wind and lightning, and before long he returned to the Lake of Life.
But there was no sign of the Sky Azure Bull Python here, only the lingering smell of blood in the lake water.
The Titan Giant Ape let out a furious roar that resounded throughout the forest.
Xiao Wu's face turned pale, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Da Ming... did something happen to Da Ming?"
The Titan Giant Ape furiously destroyed everything around him, roaring again and again, his voice filled with anger and remorse.
Why hadn't he listened to big brother? If I had stayed at the Lake of Life and faced the enemy with big brother, would he have been spared?
It was his fault big brother had died!
Xiao Wu had thought of the same thing. Her face grew even paler, and she collapsed to the ground.
If she hadn't released her presence to draw Er Ming over to pick her up, would Da Ming still be alive?
After venting his fury, the Titan Giant Ape's eyes were filled with hatred and anger.
He roared again, but this time was different from before. It was a command to stir up a beast tide, something only a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast could initiate.
Spurred on by that cry, the Star Dou Great Forest turned violent in an instant. Countless Soul Beasts let out excited cries in response to the Titan Giant Ape.
"No! Er Ming!"
Alarm and worry showed on Xiao Wu's face. She wanted to stop the Titan Giant Ape, but it was already too late.
Tang San and the others were still in the Star Dou Great Forest. Once the beast tide began, they would have only a narrow chance of survival.
Xiao Wu's heart filled with worry.