After the opponent burrowed underground, no matter how much Soul Power and mental energy he expended, Flender couldn't sense them at all.
The opponent's strength was at least that of a Soul Saint.
In the sky, Flender was the hunter—but underground, he was completely helpless.
Xiao Wu's words earlier had been directed at him.
The determination in her eyes, coupled with the fact that she had been safely returned after being captured by the Titan Giant Ape, made Flender believe that Xiao Wu must possess something special.
The reason she gave upon her return wasn't flawless, and someone as shrewd as Flender had immediately found her suspicious.
Could Xiao Wu also have a special identity? Was there a powerful bodyguard following her who had rescued her from the Titan Giant Ape?
This was the most plausible explanation Flender could think of.
Xiao Wu cared deeply for Tang San. If this were truly the case, perhaps they could rely on this bodyguard to bring Tang San back.
"Dean, are we really letting Xiao Wu go alone?" Oscar asked in confusion.
"Given her relationship with Xiao San, stopping her would be impossible. Let's rest here for now and wait for her return!" Flender finally declared.
Flender's reaction left the rest of the Shrek Five Monsters and Zhao Wuji baffled.
The first time Xiao Wu had been taken by the Titan Giant Ape, Flender had fought desperately to save her.
But this time, after Tang San was abducted by an unknown Soul Master, Flender had initially been furious—yet after Xiao Wu gave chase, he had calmed down.
Could Xiao Wu really bring Tang San back?
For a moment, doubt filled everyone's hearts.
As soon as Xiao Wu left, she immediately released her aura.
She hadn't yet left the Star Dou Great Forest—the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Blue Bull Python couldn't have gone far.
Within moments, Xiao Wu turned her gaze in a certain direction—Da Ming and Er Ming were already rushing toward her.
"Xiao Wu-jie, come with me! I've already sensed what just happened!"
Er Ming's voice echoed in Xiao Wu's mind.
Overjoyed, Xiao Wu leaped onto Er Ming's lowered shoulder in one smooth motion.
The two of them moved with perfect coordination.
Meanwhile, underground.
Within a dark space, surrounded by the roots of a withered tree—each as thick as a person's embrace—lay a hollowed-out cavern.
Tang San lay unconscious, bound to one of the roots with his arms wrapped around it.
"Young Master, it's time to act!" Old Scorpion reminded.
The one who had made the move earlier was naturally Old Scorpion, using his Fifth Soul Skill—Earth Escape.
This ability had allowed him to drag Tang San underground with his Soul Power.
His timing had been impeccable—just as Tang San had retracted his Eight Spider Lances, and Flender and Zhao Wuji were at their most relaxed.
With one final strike, he had successfully captured Tang San.
After bringing Tang San underground, Old Scorpion had knocked him out and tied him to the roots, waiting for Dugu Feng to act.
"You little bastard, every time I see you in the story acting like a hypocrite—playing the saint while doing the vilest deeds—it makes my blood boil."
"Your External Soul Bone devours life force more viciously than any Spirit Beast, yet you have the gall to preach about only absorbing the Spirit Rings of evil Spirit Beasts."
"During the Soul Master Competition, when you detoxified the Spirit Hall Team, you even drained their life force."
"Not that there's anything wrong with that—you should be ruthless toward your enemies."
But afterward, he puts on a righteous face—how can someone be so shameless and hypocritical!"
Dugu Feng inwardly cursed, then softly uttered, "Jade Phosphorous Serpent, possess me!"
A green diamond-shaped scale appeared between Dugu Feng's eyebrows, and his pupils turned violet.
From his shoulders, his External Soul Bone burst forth.
The crystalline green Scorpion Pincers at the front stabbed directly into Tang San's back.
Once the pincers pierced through, Dugu Feng quickly sensed the eight ribs flanking Tang San's spine.
The energy of the Eight Spider Lances was concentrated within these eight ribs.
Having an External Soul Bone himself, Dugu Feng was intimately familiar with its energy.
When an External Soul Bone was in use, it manifested as a physical bone, akin to a part of a Spirit Beast's body.
But within the body, it existed purely as energy—energy that fused with the corresponding parts of the Soul Master's own body.
His Scorpion Pincers' energy was fused with his shoulder bones.
Tang San's Eight Spider Lances were fused with these eight ribs in his back.
"Tang San just obtained the Eight Spider Lances—the fusion between this energy and his ribs isn't deep yet!"
Dugu Feng sensed it clearly: "It's as distinct as black and white."
"Perfect. Devour!"
The Scorpion Pincers stabbed precisely between two ribs, and with the aid of his Core Pearl, unleashed an overwhelming devouring force.
Ripples of green light shimmered across the pincers.
Tang San's body trembled violently, his entire frame shaking as if on the verge of shattering.
This was his instinctive struggle.
But in his unconscious state, Tang San had no means to resist Dugu Feng's External Soul Bone.
The two large pincers had now turned a mix of violet and green.
Streams of violet energy flowed through the pincers, absorbed into Dugu Feng's body.
This energy traveled along the Scorpion Pincers, descended past his shoulders, and then followed his spine downward.
Finally, it settled into two of his own ribs.
Dugu Feng's heart trembled. He had schemed for so long—even provoking Tang Hao to the point of fury, setting Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect against each other—all part of his grand plan.
Otherwise, during Tang San's first trip to the Star Dou Great Forest, Tang Hao might have been secretly protecting him.
The results proved his planning was correct.
The Eight Spider Lances were becoming his own External Soul Bone.
Tang San's body convulsed violently. His two ribs gradually softened, and even the marrow originally belonging to them was partially absorbed during the devouring process.
"Continue!"
The Scorpion Pincers withdrew, repositioning to absorb the third and fourth ribs.
Meanwhile, on Dugu Feng's back.
Two bulges formed on either side of his spine.
In an instant, the bulges split open, and deep violet spider legs, as thick as a fist, emerged.
At this moment, Dugu Feng was completely at ease.
His plan to seize Tang San's External Soul Bone had been flawlessly executed.
Beside him, Old Scorpion was numb with shock.
Following the young master meant witnessing miracles every day.
An External Soul Bone—a legendary artifact—had appeared for the second time.
And now, the young master had taken it for himself, growing it on his own body.
No one would believe such a tale if told.
Old Scorpion cast a sympathetic glance at Tang San. Serves you right for catching the young master's attention.
Tang San was indeed unlucky.
He was trapped in a nightmare—one where Xiao Wu had been captured by the elders of the Tang Sect.
At the edge of the Hell Peak's cliff, they threatened him to surrender.
He clearly remembered arriving in the Douluo Continent—how could he have returned to the world of the Tang Sect?
This had to be a nightmare.
The terror of a nightmare lies in knowing it's a nightmare yet being unable to wake up.
Tang San's body convulsed violently.
Behind Dugu Feng, six spider legs had already emerged.
The final two legs were beginning to swell into shape.
Tang San's back seemed to collapse inward, becoming soft and unsupported.
How utterly satisfying!
Tang San, so this is your fate.
Dugu Feng let out two loud laughs!
-Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LegendaryTL
Thanks!