3 chapters will be uploaded on daily basis i.e. 21 Chapters will be uploaded every week apart from the bonus chapters.
1 Bonus Chapter will be uploaded for every 50 Power Stones or 1000 Collections.
All interested readers can read advanced chapters on:
[email protected]/Lord_Of_Fics
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Before the morning mist had completely dissipated, sunlight, like shards of gold, was already filtering through the branches and leaves of the Starry Sky Forest.
The branches of the ancient tree, which has stood for thousands of years, are so thick that it takes several people to encircle them. The verdant canopy is woven into a dome, and the hanging aerial roots are like silver ribbons, swaying gently in the breeze.
The ground, covered with decaying leaves, was soft as a carpet, making a soft "rustling" sound when stepped on. Occasionally, colorful mushrooms could be seen peeking out from under the dead branches, their caps still glistening with dewdrops.
A blue shadow suddenly swept through the woods; it was a Reeves's Pheasant spreading its wings adorned with eye-like markings, startling the swifts perched on the branches.
In the distance came the low roar of an unknown beast, mixed with the crisp sound of the stream hitting the rocks, echoing slowly through the deep forest valley.
On the tree trunk entwined with vines, several bright green stick insects are mimicking the shape of branches. Only by careful observation can one discover their tiny, wriggling toes.
In this forest, life is quietly growing in countless forms amidst the interplay of light and shadow.
A group of eight people were continuing their journey through the forest.
"Xiao San, are you getting impatient?"
"Finding soul beasts is all about luck. There's no use rushing it. Don't worry, Dean, I have patience."
"Alas, there used to be many thousand-year-old soul beasts suitable for you on the outskirts of the forest. Many years ago, I remember this place was very bustling. Even ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts would occasionally appear on the outskirts of the forest. But now there are far fewer soul beasts."
"Whatever the reason, there must be an element of interference from us humans. We humans are far more ferocious than soul beasts."
"What do you mean?"
"A Soul Master's lifetime of cultivation, spanning only a few decades, requires an average of five Soul Rings. Soul Beasts, on the other hand, cultivate for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, requiring far longer. This imbalance will only lead to a decrease in the number of Soul Beasts. Many years from now, we might not even encounter Soul Beasts over a thousand years old in the outer regions."
"What you said makes a lot of sense. The Spirit Hall has also encouraged Spirit Masters to hunt Spirit Beasts, but unfortunately, it was to no avail."
As Flander spoke, the image of his beloved Liu Erlong involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
Back then, after being abandoned by Yu Xiaogang on her wedding night, Liu Erlong almost single-handedly wiped out an entire Soul Beast Forest.
Humans should adhere to the principle of not eating, killing, using, or killing spirit beasts.
The Spirit Hall has always advocated that unless one is advancing to a higher level as a Spirit Master, one should not indiscriminately kill Spirit Beasts.
However, Liu Erlong, driven by resentment and seeking only her own pleasure, did not do so for food, nor for obtaining spirit rings, nor for acquiring spirit bones with extremely low drop rates. Instead, she vented her anger towards Yu Xiaogang on the spirit beasts, nearly wiping out an entire forest of spirit beasts.
Flander, not wanting to speak ill of his beloved, said, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. These things are beyond our control. If we still can't find a suitable spirit beast tomorrow, we'll go deeper into the forest to find one that suits Tang San. Don't worry, Tang San, in this vast forest, there's bound to be a suitable spirit beast for you."
Tang San smiled slightly, but suddenly, the smile on his face vanished instantly.
At the same time, Flander's expression changed slightly.
With a hoot of an owl, Flander summoned his martial soul, and the owl instantly possessed him.
"Everyone get out of the tents! Quick, quick, quick!"
Flander's voice was filled with endless anxiety.
After a period of cooperation, the new Shrek Seven Devils—Tang San, Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, Oscar, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Tai Long—emerged from the tent.
Dai Mubai quickly walked to Flander's side and asked in confusion, "Dean, what's wrong?"
Flander urged, "Everyone, get behind me. If something comes up beyond my control, don't worry about me, just get out of here immediately. Mu Bai, Tang San, I'm leaving everyone to you!"
Just then, Xiao Wu stared blankly into a certain direction.
As for the others, they didn't understand why Flander was so alarmed, but they still obediently walked behind him.
In the direction Xiao Wu was looking, two towering trees parted outwards, revealing a massive figure.
Upon seeing this enormous creature that had suddenly appeared without a sound, everyone held their breath.
It was a mountain-like structure.
Its skin was dark, shimmering faintly in the moonlight.
It stood on all fours, exceeding seven meters in height. If it stood upright, its height would certainly be over fifteen meters.
It appeared to be a creature that resembled both an ape and a chimpanzee, its entire body jet black except for a pair of lantern-sized eyes that gleamed with a yellowish-brown luster. Not only was its body enormous, but every inch of it was covered with powerful muscles more terrifying than granite, bulging like small hills.
It's truly amazing.
Such a large and magnificent creature moved without making a sound.
Tang San exclaimed in astonishment, "This is... the Tai Tan Giant Ape, the King of the Forest!"
Titan Ape, King of the Forest.
Wherever it appears in a forest, it is a dominant force. A Tai Tan Giant Ape with a lifespan of 100 years can defeat a Soul Beast with a lifespan of 1000 years, and it can even contend with a Soul Beast with a lifespan of 10,000 years.
Tai Tan Apes possess unparalleled strength and speed, with virtually no weaknesses in attack or defense. Most terrifyingly, they can also unleash skills similar to soul techniques.
No one knows what the Titan Ape's soul skill is, because everyone who knew it is dead.
Legend has it that since the birth of Soul Masters, only one person has ever defeated the Tai Tan Giant Ape.
No one present expected that the King of the Forest, who only appears in the core area, would appear on the outskirts of the forest.
Flander bowed deeply to the Titan Ape with utmost respect, saying, "Your Majesty, King of the Forest, we have no intention of offending your territory. If this is your territory, we may leave here and never return."
As he spoke, Flander cautiously observed the King of the Forest's movements. His eyes were fixed on the latter as he steadily retreated.
"roar!"
Flander and his men had only taken a few steps back when the Titan Ape let out an angry roar.
"roar!"
Humans and spirit beasts indiscriminately kill each other, and the spirit beasts are filled with hatred for humans. As the kings of the forest, they also harbor great hatred for humans.
Flander said in a deep voice, "Everyone, hurry up and go. I'll hold him off."
"Dean!"
Zhu Zhuqing called out, not wanting to leave the dean alone.
The seventh spirit ring pulsed upwards, and Flander unleashed his true form as a cat-owl.
"Hurry up!"
"I'm not leaving!"
Zhu Zhuqing responded quickly to Flander.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Golden Feather Blade!"
Flander unleashed his fourth soul skill, releasing ten extremely sharp air blades capable of slicing through targets.
The soul skill landed on the Tai Tan Giant Ape, but it didn't leave any wounds on the Tai Tan Giant Ape; it was as if it was just scratching an itch.
Flander urged again, "Hurry up, or none of us will be able to leave!"
Ning Rongrong was deeply moved. "Dean!"
Tang San whispered, "Everyone should leave. If we stay, we'll only be a burden to the Dean. Only by leaving can the Dean fight with peace of mind."
Tai Long couldn't bear it and said, "If only the Dean is left alone, I'm afraid he won't survive!"
Tang San sighed, saying helplessly, "What's the use of us staying? The Tai Tan Giant Ape is over 100,000 years old. Even a Title Douluo might not be its match. We can't let the Dean down. We need to make his efforts more worthwhile!"
As Tang San spoke, he took Xiao Wu's hand without hesitation and turned to leave.
Xiao Wu hesitated for a moment, then let Tang San lead her, turned her head to look back, and her eyes fell on the Tai Tan Giant Ape.
"Bang!"
Flander was no match for the Titan Ape. He was punched from mid-air and slammed to the ground, crashing through six large trees.
Zhu Zhuqing cried out with heartache, "Dean!"
Flander stretched out his hand to stop Zhu Zhuqing, who was rushing towards him, and shouted, "Go! That's an order!"
With that, Flander flapped his wings again, soaring from the ground into the air, his entire body enveloped in a golden barrier. This was his only defensive sixth soul skill, Golden Feather Barrier.
Zhu Zhuqing clenched her fists tightly, staring at Flander, who was hanging in the air with blood at the corner of his mouth. Her fear and unease suddenly turned into unwavering determination. "Tang San, you take everyone and go. I'll go help the Dean!"
After giving her explanation, Zhu Zhuqing's martial spirit possessed her.
"The other woman"
Dai Mubai looked at Tang San.
Tang San shook his head. "We can't win. We really can't win. That's a Tai Tan Giant Ape. Leaving one more person alive will only result in another corpse."
"Bang!"
Sounds echoed from the sky.
Flander's protective aura was shattered instantly. He was no match for the Titan Ape.
The seven-ring Soul Saint is not in the same league as the Forest King, who has a lifespan of 100,000 years.
As expected, Flander was once again knocked from the sky to the ground by the Titan Ape.
The Titan Ape realized that Tang San was grabbing Xiao Wu's wrist and "escaping" with her. His emotions flared even more violently; he clenched his fists and pounded his chest repeatedly.
"Boom boom boom!"
A thunderous sound rang out.
The sound alone was enough to send Zhu Zhuqing, who was trying to help Flander, sliding across the ground.
Sand and stones flew everywhere.
Tang San was anxious, thinking to himself, "I really shouldn't have wasted my breath talking to you. If I had left earlier, I might have already left. Now I can't even leave if I want to!"
The wind whipped up leaves and rotten humus from the forest, making the air smell terrible.
The object obscured the view, to the point that it was pitch black.
A moment later, Feng Ping finished speaking, and Flander wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He said with a wry smile, "We're finished. Now you can't leave even if you want to!"
Just when everyone felt that they were doomed to die, a figure descended from the sky.
"King of the Forest, Titan Ape!"
The sound contained no fear, only boundless excitement.
He was dressed in a bright red ceremonial robe that only titled Douluo were qualified to wear. The red robe was inlaid with gold and silver patterns, especially the jewel on his chest, which was as big as a baby's fist and shone with golden light, exuding an air of nobility.
His voice was hoarse, indicating his advanced age. He had white hair and rosy, fair skin.
Flanders recognized the person and whispered, "Platinum Bishop Tuoba Xi!"