All the Spirit Beasts that sensed it were trembling—this was the King of the Forest's wrath.
Xiao Wu, perched on the Titan Giant Ape's shoulder, was deeply puzzled.
When had such a powerful Spirit Beast appeared in the Star Dou Great Forest?
And why were they so brazenly provoking Da Ming and Er Ming? What was their goal?
"Da Ming, Er Ming, could this be a trap?" Xiao Wu voiced her concern.
"Hmph, no Spirit Beast is a match for us!" the Sky Blue Bull Python snorted coldly.
The constant provocation from the two Emerald Dragon Snakes had enraged it completely.
But as time passed, they had already reached the Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast Zone of the Star Dou Great Forest and still hadn't caught even a glimpse of the enemy.
The two 100,000-Year Soul Beasts had no choice but to halt.
"The sound has disappeared!" the Titan Giant Ape's eyes darted around.
Without the provocative mental fluctuations, they were completely lost.
Not far from them, the two Emerald Dragon Snakes nimbly hid among the leaves.
They had been tasked by Dugu Feng to lure the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Blue Bull Python here.
Their next step was to follow them covertly.
The Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Blue Bull Python, however, refused to give up and continued searching the Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast Zone.
Suddenly, the Titan Giant Ape stopped in its tracks.
"Hey, Sister Xiao Wu, I've found someone from your Shrek Academy!" the Titan Giant Ape rumbled.
Xiao Wu's face lit up with joy. Who could she possibly encounter here?
Although her motives for entering the human world were impure, after spending so much time there, she knew that the people of Shrek Academy all had significant backgrounds.
They might prove useful in the future.
"It's that cold, elegant girl in the black leather outfit. She's in a bad state and is being hunted!" the Titan Giant Ape reported.
"It's Zhu Qing! Which direction is she in? Let's split up for now. Da Ming, Er Ming, you two secretly take care of her pursuers. I'll go meet her!" Xiao Wu leaped down from the Titan Giant Ape's body.
The Titan Giant Ape immediately pointed her in the right direction. "To the south. Be careful!"
Xiao Wu nodded and, taking three steps in two, bounded into the forest.
Before long, she sensed human presence.
"I'd rather die than go back with you!" Zhu Zhuqing's cold voice carried a hint of despair.
Xiao Wu froze—the voice was clearly directed toward her.
"It's me, Zhu Qing!" Xiao Wu hurried forward a few steps, appearing in front of Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing had detected her movements first.
At the sight of Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu was astonished. Zhu Zhuqing's Soul Power Level was significantly higher than hers.
After Tang San returned to the Clear Sky Sect to train and she communicated with Tang Hao, she too had left the human world.
Based on her experiences there, she had enough foundation to rapidly increase her Soul Power Level.
After returning to the Star Dou Great Forest and training with full dedication, her Soul Power Level had reached level 56.
She thought she had surpassed her former classmates.
Yet, Zhu Zhuqing's Soul Power Level seemed to be one level higher than hers.
Her progress was astonishingly fast.
"Xiao Wu, it's you? I thought it was my pursuers!" Zhu Zhuqing's eyes brightened momentarily before dimming again.
With only Xiao Wu here, there was little help to be offered.
Xiao Wu quickly walked to Zhu Zhuqing's side and took her hand: "Zhu Qing, you're someone of status! Who would dare hunt you like this!"
"It's Dai Mubai. You know about our relationship. Ever since leaving Heaven Dou City, I've been training near the Star Dou Great Forest to avoid the Star Luo Imperial Family's surveillance, but they still found me!" Zhu Zhuqing said coldly.
She held nothing back from Xiao Wu, as all the Shrek Seven Devils knew her identity.
Xiao Wu immediately showed a smile: "I see! So they want to capture you to make you the Crown Princess. Who told our Zhu Qing to be so charming!"
Though they hadn't seen each other for years, they had once shared a bed.
Xiao Wu spoke without restraint.
Zhu Zhuqing glared at her fiercely, "Stop joking! This place is dangerous, we should think about how to escape!"
Xiao Wu acted as if she sensed no danger at all: "Come with me, I'll take you somewhere!"
She pulled Zhu Zhuqing through winding paths in the forest, not stopping until nightfall when they set up a tent to rest.
They hadn't moved particularly fast. Zhu Zhuqing had initially worried about being pursued, but after some time passed, there was no movement from behind.
This made Zhu Zhuqing think of Xiao Wu's identity.
Last time in the Star Dou Great Forest, Xiao Wu had rescued Tang San from the Evil Soul Masters.
Could it be that the powerful expert behind Xiao Wu had taken action!
Thinking this, Zhu Zhuqing immediately felt relieved.
She saw Xiao Wu even lighting a bonfire, casually preparing dinner without any concern.
She felt quite envious.
What identity did Xiao Wu possess that allowed her to be so carefree?
"Zhu Qing, there's just over a year left until the five-year agreement. Will you return to Heaven Dou City?"
While eating, they began chatting.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded: "I definitely have to go back. I can't return to the Star Luo Empire. Maybe I can join Heaven Dou Empire's Soul Master Legion or the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School for protection.
The Heaven Dou Crown Prince is thirsting for talents and actively developing soul master teams!"
Xiao Wu ate roasted meat with an approving expression. Once she cultivated to Soul Emperor level, she would be no different from normal humans - even a Titled Douluo wouldn't be able to see through her identity.
Then she could also join human factions.
"Perfect, we can go together. We'll find Rongrong then - I wonder how her cultivation is progressing now!" Xiao Wu said.
Zhu Zhuqing immediately showed a yearning expression: "Even in supply towns I've heard news about Rongrong. She and Dugu Feng have been hunting Wolf Bandits in the northern borderlands, earning her the title of Glazed Goddess.
Together with Dugu Feng, they're called the Divine Couple!"
Xiao Wu's eyes widened immediately, "Tell me quickly! I've been cultivating all this time and didn't know Rongrong had become so amazing!"
This struck Zhu Zhuqing as strange - the titles of Poison Demon King and Glazed Goddess were known throughout the Spirit Master World. She wanted to ask: Xiao Wu, have you been completely isolated from the world?
Zhu Zhuqing didn't dwell on it and seriously began explaining to Xiao Wu.
She spoke incessantly, and without her realizing it, a Core Pearl flew out from within her body.
Then, while Xiao Wu was eating, it entered Xiao Wu's body along with the food.
After the Core Pearl evolved, Zhu Zhuqing's body contained two Core Pearls.
Dugu Feng naturally wouldn't let this opportunity slip. He had arranged for Xiao Wu to rescue Zhu Zhuqing precisely to find a home for this Core Pearl.
With Xiao Wu under control, there would be much more he could do in the future.
Hidden in the shadows, Dugu Feng no longer concerned himself with Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu after handling the Core Pearl.
Not far from the two girls, the Titan Giant Ape was secretly protecting them.
As for Dai Tianqing, who had been pursuing Zhu Zhuqing, along with the dozen or so Soul Masters from the Star Luo Empire, they had long been crushed to death by a single slap from the Titan Giant Ape.
Their deaths were utterly unjust.
They never could have imagined encountering a 100,000-Year Soul Beast even in the outer regions of this forest.
(End of Chapter)