Titan Giant Ape

Each held one end of the Serpent Cane, and their Soul Power erupted through it at the same time. Ghostly green light collided and intertwined with Tang San's pale blue Soul Power, filling the air with the smell of scorched vegetation.

Meng Yiran gritted her teeth as beads of sweat ran down her cheeks. The scale patterns on the Serpent Cane flickered between light and dark; she had pushed her Soul Power to its limit.

But no matter how hard she strained, the blue Soul Power opposing her was like an immovable wall, pressing steadily against her without retreating an inch.

Wang Xingyu stood at the edge of the clearing and unfolded his fan, giving it a few waves.

Tang San had yet to use even his Mysterious Heaven Skill. The foundation of his Soul Power alone was enough to give him a firm upper hand.

Meng Yiran refused to let go. Her arms were trembling and her lips had turned white from biting them, but she stubbornly held on, refusing to retreat.

Snake Granny watched from the side for a moment, regret on her face. "We've lost."

Zhao Wuji could also see that the outcome was decided. The two stepped forward almost simultaneously, preparing to separate the combatants and end the contest whose outcome was no longer in doubt.

But just as they took a step, before they could get between the two, Meng Yiran suddenly gritted her teeth and shouted, "I haven't lost yet!" With the last of her strength, she poured all her Soul Power into the Serpent Cane. The scale patterns on its shaft blazed, and a surge of Soul Power exploded out of control. Snake Granny's pupils shrank. "Don't!"

With a muffled bang, the air between the two exploded.

Tang San staggered back several steps before steadying himself. Meng Yiran was blasted off her feet.

Wang Xingyu's Blue Silver Grass shot out, coiling firmly around her waist in midair and pulling her back to the ground.

His Second Soul Ring lit up at the same time, and he activated Flying Fluff. Several silvery-white dandelion seeds drifted over and settled on her, transforming into gentle Soul Power and life force that slowly soothed the Soul Power the explosion had thrown into disarray.

He remembered that the Peerless Dragon Snake had helped the Shrek Seven Devils later in the original story. There was no need to sour relations here, especially since they would meet again shortly. It was a simple favor, a way to sow goodwill.

Meng Yiran stood where she was, head lowered, without a word. Snake Granny sighed and spoke for her. "Thank you, young friend. Yiran, let's go."

She looked at Tang San, then at Wang Xingyu's thousand-year Second Soul Ring. After a moment's silence, she said that the younger generation was formidable and that they would accept their loss; the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent was theirs. With that, she turned and led Meng Yiran into the woods. Meng Yiran kept her head lowered the entire time and never looked back.

Xiao Wu walked over to Tang San and looked up at him. "Third Brother, are you all right?"

Tang San shook his head.

Beside him, Wang Xingyu unfolded his fan and waved it at Tang San. "Don't worry. Even if your Third Brother had to do it again, he'd have no trouble."

Zhao Wuji turned and shouted at Oscar, "You little rascal, hurry up and absorb the Soul Ring!" Oscar sprang to his feet, ran over to the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, and crouched beside it. He drew a small knife and stabbed it into the serpent's head.

A purple Soul Ring slowly rose. Oscar sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

About two and a half hours later, the purple ring abruptly contracted and disappeared completely into his body. He opened his eyes, leaped to his feet, and flipped his right hand over. An oddly shaped Mushroom Sausage appeared in his palm.

Everyone gathered around him.

Oscar explained, "I have a big Mushroom Sausage! Eat it, and you can fly at the same speed as a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent for one minute!"

"It's that powerful?"

Ma Hongjun looked surprised. "Too bad it only lasts a minute. Let me try it first."

"No, no, ladies first." As he spoke, Oscar looked at Ning Rongrong, but Ma Hongjun paid him no mind and reached out to snatch it.

Zhao Wuji watched them fool around for a while, then put away his smile and clapped his hands. "All right, next up-we help Tang San get a Soul Ring."

Everyone began helping Tang San search for a Soul Beast. Dai Mubai led the way at the front, using his tiger claws to brush aside the shrubs in their path. Suddenly, he frowned. "Why does it feel like there are fewer Soul Beasts around? We've been walking for ages and haven't even run into a hundred-year one."

Wang Xingyu crouched down and pressed his Blue Silver Grass into the soil. Its roots burrowed underground, and the Soul Power fluctuations within two hundred meters spread through his mind. There really were fewer.

There had been plenty of Ten-Year Soul Beasts in these woods before, but now even those little creatures had all fled. It was unnaturally quiet within two hundred meters. He knew what was happening-Xiao Wu's brother, Er Ming, was coming.

Zhao Wuji also sensed that something was wrong and raised a hand, signaling everyone to stop. "Something's wrong. Something's coming closer. Fall back."

He turned around and discovered that the light behind him had dimmed. A gigantic shadow fell from above the treetops. Zhao Wuji looked up and met a pair of enormous dark-gold eyes, so close that he could see his own reflection in them.

The Titan Giant Ape. A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the overlord of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Zhao Wuji took a deep breath and placed himself in front of the others, keeping his voice extremely low and steady.

"Honored overlord of the forest, we're only passing through. We mean no harm, and we'll leave at once."

The Titan Giant Ape looked down at the little creature glowing all over, opened its mouth, and roared. The blast of sound shook the surrounding leaves loose, sending them rustling to the ground.

Zhao Wuji knew he couldn't wait any longer. He flipped his right hand over, and his Fifth Soul Ring blazed to life. "Fifth Soul Skill, Gravity Squeeze! Run!"

The Titan Giant Ape raised a massive palm and swatted casually. The vortex of Gravity Squeeze scattered like a scrap of paper, and Zhao Wuji was sent flying sideways.

Everyone activated their Martial Souls and faced the Titan Giant Ape, prepared to fight for their lives.

In the distance, from the direction where Zhao Wuji had disappeared, a muffled roar suddenly erupted. "Go!"

The earth shook, and an earthy yellow light shot into the sky. A gigantic figure rose from the dust-the Martial Soul Avatar, the Great Strength Vajra Bear.

"Everyone, lend me your Soul Power!" Wang Xingyu instantly wrapped his Blue Silver Grass around the wrists of everyone present. Apart from Ning Rongrong, the Soul Power of all six people surged into him through the grass, and he then channeled all of it into Ning Rongrong in one rush.

"Ning Rongrong, boost Teacher Zhao!" Ning Rongrong took a deep breath and operated the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda at full power. A beam of boosting light unlike any before pierced the night sky. "First: strength!"

Zhao Wuji felt the boost surge into his body. His bones crackled like popping beans, and he vaguely felt that he had reached the Soul Douluo level. "Hahahaha, that's the stuff."

He roared and charged forward with a punch, only for the Titan Giant Ape to slap him back. After that, he never had another chance to strike. Palm after palm slammed him into the ground. He struggled to his feet, only to be slapped down again, then sent flying.

Fortunately, Zhao Wuji held out for three and a half minutes rather than two and a half.

In those three and a half minutes, everyone had eaten a Mushroom Sausage. Pairs of translucent wings unfolded on their backs, and they flew into the air.

The Titan Giant Ape raised its head and strode forward, catching up to them in two steps. Its huge palm reached straight for Xiao Wu. She was caught in its grasp, but she didn't scream. Her eyes merely widened.

Wang Xingyu's Blue Silver Grass shot out and coiled around Xiao Wu's waist. He was dragged along, dangling behind the Titan Giant Ape like a kite.

As he flew, he shouted, "Little San, it's all right! I'm following her!"

"No!"

Tang San let out a shout and shot forward, his entire body turning into an afterimage.

He pushed his speed to the limit and vanished into the depths of the dense forest in the blink of an eye. Dai Mubai reached out to pull him back, but before his hand could touch him, Tang San's retreating figure had already disappeared from sight.

Zhu Zhuqing wanted to give chase, but the Hell Spirit Cat couldn't even get up to speed in time against the Titan Giant Ape. The others hung in midair, watching the figures disappear in three different directions. A deathly silence fell.