Chapter 68: Picking Up a Disciple?

Liu Erlong's expression suddenly changed. She grabbed Jiang Zhu's shoulder and pulled her forward. At the same time, her martial soul possessed her body. She entered a dragonized state, dragon scales spreading across her skin.

"Roar…!!!"

Suddenly, a beastly roar echoed from deep within the forest.

It sounded like muffled thunder.

The rhythmic tremor beneath their feet quickly vanished.

Zhou Sheng'an narrowed his eyes and quietly moved farther away from Liu Erlong.

As expected, the Titan Giant Ape was about to appear…

From the direction they were looking, two towering trees slowly parted to the sides, and an enormous figure silently emerged from between them.

The moment she saw the creature, Liu Erlong seemed to forget how to breathe.

Jiang Zhu was even more terrified, her face pale as a sheet, barely able to maintain her martial soul.

That thing was like a living mountain. Its entire body was covered in dark fur that shimmered faintly under the weak rays of the setting sun.

Even crouching on all fours, its shoulders easily stood over seven meters high.

If it stood up, it would probably surpass fifteen meters.

It looked like a mix between a gorilla and a monkey. Apart from its lantern-sized eyes glowing with a yellow crystal-like brilliance, it was pitch black all over.

A hundred-thousand-year soul beast—the Titan Giant Ape!

The Titan Giant Ape didn't move after appearing. It simply stared at Liu Erlong and Zhou Sheng'an.

Liu Erlong's mind was buzzing. 'Why would a beast like this appear near the outer edges of the forest?!'

Against this monster, she who never specialized in speed had no chance of escaping!

"Zhou Sheng'an, I'll hold it off. You take Jiang Zhu and run! Don't look back! Don't worry about anything else, do you hear me?" Liu Erlong transmitted her voice with a cold, determined expression.

Jiang Zhu was nearly scared senseless, trembling like a leaf.

Zhou Sheng'an shook his head slightly and said, "Dean Liu, don't be so tense. I can tell this soul beast doesn't have hostile intent. Relax—it's not as bad as you think."

"!!" Liu Erlong glared at Zhou Sheng'an, almost laughing from sheer frustration.

A hundred-thousand-year soul beast shows up and you're still trying to deceive yourself?

Even if it wasn't aggressive, it could easily kill you—how could you take it so lightly?

Liu Erlong slowly stepped forward, shielding Zhou Sheng'an and gently setting Jiang Zhu down behind her.

"Respected King of the Forest, we mean no harm…" Liu Erlong said calmly.

The Titan Giant Ape suddenly moved, reaching out its hand toward Liu Erlong.

"Run!!!" Liu Erlong shouted, her body erupting into flames as she charged straight at the Titan Giant Ape's palm!

Bang!!!

Before Liu Erlong could even activate her martial soul true body, she was swatted away like a fly by the Titan Giant Ape's palm.

But the Titan Giant Ape didn't follow up. That slap wasn't aimed at Liu Erlong—it continued reaching forward, toward Zhou Sheng'an!

Facing a hand large enough to wrap around his entire body, Zhou Sheng'an didn't dodge. He allowed himself to be grabbed.

The thick, trunk-like fingers didn't apply much pressure. Zhou Sheng'an was lifted into the air without feeling any force pressing on him. He looked into the Titan Giant Ape's eyes—they didn't carry the frenzy of a murderous beast.

"Let him go!" Liu Erlong roared, transforming into a fire dragon and charging at the Titan Giant Ape once more.

The Titan Giant Ape casually swatted her away again, then turned and swiftly ran into the depths of the forest with Zhou Sheng'an in tow.

Its speed was terrifying. In the blink of an eye, it vanished into the trees.

Liu Erlong had been flung over a hundred meters. She got up and was about to give chase when she suddenly remembered Jiang Zhu. She stopped in her tracks.

"Damn it! Why did it turn out like this?!"

Liu Erlong stomped the ground in frustration.

As if things couldn't get worse, the beast tide that the Titan Giant Ape had previously scattered had regrouped. Worse yet, they were now closing in on Liu Erlong—they'd taken her for an invader.

A horde of massive lizards, each seven to eight meters long, came charging at her.

"It's over! You bastards! You're the ones who caused all this—now pay with your lives!"

Liu Erlong shouted furiously.

...

Hidden in the treetops, the Leopard Cat Soul King watched Liu Erlong fighting off the Giant Lizards while protecting Jiang Zhu. A cruel smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"What a heaven-sent opportunity!"

"This way, I can retrieve that soul bone for His Majesty!"

"No one is more loyal or capable than me!"

"And that wretched woman who dared to humiliate me… once you're injured, I'll repay that insult a hundredfold!"

The Leopard Cat Soul King's expression twisted with malice.

...

Meanwhile, deep in the forest, the Titan Giant Ape brought Zhou Sheng'an to a flat area in the inner zone, though not all the way to the core region.

Standing on the open ground was a young girl in a pink outfit, waiting with a bright smile.

When she saw the Titan Giant Ape approach, she waved excitedly and called out, "Er Ming! I'm here—put Mister down!"

The Titan Giant Ape stopped and gently placed Zhou Sheng'an on the ground.

Zhou Sheng'an landed steadily, looking at the docile Titan Giant Ape, then at the sweetly smiling Xiao Wu.

He shook his head slightly. 'Why would the Titan Giant Ape recognize a rabbit as its big sister?'

The contrast was way too much.

"Mister Zhou, I'm sorry for scaring you…" Xiao Wu said with a cheeky grin, the long scorpion braid behind her swaying gently.

If it were anyone uptight, they'd probably turn and leave at her playful attitude.

But Zhou Sheng'an didn't mind and said, "Just say what you want."

Xiao Wu nodded lightly and smiled. "I want to become your disciple! My name is Xiao Wu, like the character for 'dance.' I'm a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form! If you accept me as your disciple, then in the future, whatever soul rings you want, Er Ming can get them for you!"

Xiao Wu got straight to the point. She'd already tested this in the simulation—Zhou Sheng'an had too high a moral standard.

Even if she didn't offer a deal, he wouldn't harm her.

But she wanted Zhou Sheng'an to genuinely treat her as a disciple, so of course, she needed to be open and generous.

Zhou Sheng'an raised his eyebrows slightly. In the simulation, Xiao Wu and the two soul beasts hadn't shown up much, so he hadn't paid them much attention—he only vaguely recalled them during post-simulation review.

He didn't expect Xiao Wu to reveal herself like this in reality.

Still, the benefits of this deal far outweighed the risks.

With Er Ming backing him, at the very least, he now had a guaranteed escape route.

Zhou Sheng'an pondered for a moment before asking, "Why do you want to be my disciple?"

Xiao Wu answered immediately, "I've admired your knowledge ever since you were at Nuoding Academy, and I know you're a very upright person…"

"So, would you be willing to take me as your disciple?"

She blinked nervously. If this worked out, becoming Zhou Sheng'an's disciple would open a bright future. But if she failed...

"Alright." Zhou Sheng'an nodded decisively.

Taking on a disciple and gaining the support of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast? Only a fool would turn that down.

Xiao Wu exclaimed in surprise, "Really? Teacher?!"

"You already called me teacher. Why bother asking again?" Zhou Sheng'an said with a smile.