Xiao Wu, who was in the middle of pulling up carrots, witnessed everything that had just happened, and was scared into a cold sweat.
However, she was, after all, a 100,000-year-old soul beast, and quickly calmed down, revealing a maturity that didn't match her youthful appearance.
Seeing the Human-Faced Demon Spider killed with a single blow, Ling Yun finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He slowly approached Xiao Wu, his tiger eyes gazing at her.
"Little girl, are you alright? I chased this Human-Faced Demon Spider here.
It almost hurt you, I'm sorry."
"Big kitty, I'm fine, don't worry."
Xiao Wu shook her head, her bright eyes curiously sizing him up.
A flicker of goodwill arose within her for this courteous soul beast.
In her experience, soul beasts capable of human speech were few and far between.
Besides herself and her late mother.
Within the entire Star Dou Great Forest, only the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape could speak.
Both were bona fide hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, and ancient variants at that.
Others like the Thousand-Jins Ant Emperor and the Underground Spider King.
Were unable to speak because they hadn't truly reached the hundred-thousand-year level.
This "big kitty" before her, with only seventy-thousand years of cultivation, could surprisingly speak, which naturally piqued her curiosity. "Big kitty..."
Ling Yun twitched the corner of his mouth. He was, after all, a Three-Tailed Nether Tiger, a creature of absolute power and domineering presence.
Yet, in Xiao Wu's eyes, he was just a harmless kitty?
Truly worthy of being a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast; her words were delightfully capricious.
Ling Yun suddenly frowned.
The keen senses inherited from the Three-Tailed Nether Tiger allowed him to feel a monstrous threat rapidly approaching.
The ground trembled with increasing intensity, confirming Ling Yun's guess.
Ling Yun wasn't the least bit worried. He had a good idea that the Titan Giant Ape was the one approaching.
A soul beast like the Titan Giant Ape, with its focus on physical attacks…
He felt no fear. He simply ignored it and continued chatting with Xiao Wu.
"Rustle… rustle…"
Rows of dense trees were forcibly pushed aside, revealing a figure that resembled a mountain.
Its entire body was covered in black fur, like ink, and its eyes, as large as millstones, were filled with bloodshot veins.
The terrifying aura emanating from it made Ling Yun feel some pressure.
Just as described in the original novel, even on all fours, its shoulder height exceeded seven meters.
If it stood upright, its height would exceed fifteen meters.
Ling Yun originally had no concept of such descriptions.
When he witnessed the horror of this forest king with his own eyes, he still subconsciously swallowed his saliva.
Even though his current identity was the Three-Tailed Nether Tiger, considered a giant among beasts, he was still like an infant compared to the being before him.
"Little tiger! Who gave you permission to enter the core area? Leave immediately, or you should know the consequences…"
The Titan Giant Ape looked down at Ling Yun, almost ordering him to leave.
Its terrifying aura pressed down on Ling Yun like a mountain.
Facing the intimidating Titan Giant Ape, Ling Yun felt considerable pressure.
But his previous life as a human, and the pride that came with it, made him unwilling to submit, especially since the Titan Giant Ape was being so rude.
If it had asked politely, Ling Yun might have given it some respect and left.
But this guy started questioning him right away!
Why?! Just because it was strong? That wouldn't work with Ling Yun!
Ling Yun raised his head high, confronting the Titan Giant Ape without being servile or arrogant.
"Hmph, does this little master need anyone's permission to enter the core area?
We're all soul beasts, so why is it that only you can dominate the Star Dou Great Forest's core area? Is it because of your chamber pot-sized head?"
Ling Yun raised his right claw, challenging the Titan Giant Ape.
"I'm telling you, this little master is challenging you today.
Don't think I'm afraid of you just because you're a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. If you've got the guts, accept the challenge! Whoever chickens out is a grandson!!!"
Ling Yun's response left the Titan Giant Ape somewhat stunned.
Not only because a seventy-thousand-year soul beast dared to defy the forest king, but also because it was declaring a challenge.
More importantly, it was because a mere seventy-thousand-year soul beast could actually speak human language.
This was a phenomenon that overturned its understanding, something its big brother probably hadn't even heard of.
The Titan Giant Ape didn't respond for a long time. Seeing this, Ling Yun pressed forward step by step.
"What? You don't even dare to accept my challenge? If you don't dare, call me Grandpa and let me hear it!"
The Titan Giant Ape was directly amused by Ling Yun's tone.
A seventy-thousand-year-old soul beast, what capital did it have to dare to provoke it? If it didn't even dare to accept the challenge of a seventy-thousand-year-old soul beast, then its title as the King of the Forest should be relinquished.
"Little tiger, I see you don't know how to spell the word 'death'! Today, I'll let you learn a lesson!"
The Titan Giant Ape's momentum surged, its aura constantly pressing towards Ling Yun.
It wanted to force him to submit, but how could Ling Yun be so easily subdued? Sensing the tension between the two, Xiao Wu quickly put away her comb and ran between the two beasts, stopping the fight.
She glared at Er Ming, scolding him in a cute but fierce manner.
"Er Ming, can't you be less reckless? This is a new friend of mine, do you understand?"
Even though Er Ming was the king of the Star Dou Great Forest, his aura immediately weakened by three points under Xiao Wu's scolding.
"Sister Xiao Wu, Big Brother just sensed two soul beasts trespassing into the core area.
To protect your safety, he sent me to drive them out..."
"Da Ming sent you to protect me, not to bully my companions! Stop it right now!"
Xiao Wu raised her voice by several decibels to show her anger.
With that, Er Ming's momentum was weakened by another three points, and he was already considering giving up on teaching Ling Yun a lesson.
However, Ling Yun wouldn't give up. He knew that in the Douluo world, strength was paramount to earning respect.
Whether in the human world or within the Star Dou Great Forest, the law of the strong always prevailed.
Even though Ling Yun admitted he couldn't defeat the Titan Giant Ape, he had his second-stage enhanced innate skill, "Waterification," to rely on.
He was confident he could survive the Titan Giant Ape's attacks and even find an opportunity to counterattack.
He raised his tiger claw and gently moved Xiao Wu to the side.
"Little girl, you stay out of this fight. I want to see what this simple-minded, muscle-bound brute is really made of!"
"But you can't beat it. The difference in your cultivation is tens of thousands of years."
Xiao Wu hesitated, wanting to dissuade Ling Yun and prevent him from courting death.
"No buts. This is a battle between men, you stay out of it."
Ling Yun pushed Xiao Wu aside, his gaze sharp as he stared at Er Ming, issuing a challenge.
"Do you dare to accept my challenge?"