Everyone surrounded Tang San, offering congratulations. Even Gu Chen and Gu Yuena smiled slightly and said in unison, "Congratulations, Xiao San."
Tang San tentatively asked, "Teacher Zhao, do you think we can stay and find a suitable spirit beast for me?"
Zhao Wuji smiled and nodded. "Of course, you deserve it. Not only will we help you find a spirit beast for your third spirit ring, but we will also ensure that you get the most suitable one. It seems we will have to extend our stay in the Star Dou Forest for a while longer."
After a night's rest, everyone had recovered to their best condition.
Early the next morning, they continued searching for a spirit beast, but this time, the one needing a spirit ring was Tang San, not Oscar.
Grandmaster had already planned what kind of spirit beast would be ideal for Tang San's third spirit ring. Therefore, Tang San thought that his search would be easier than Oscar's. After all, some of the spirit beasts on the list were relatively common. As long as they found one with the right cultivation level, it could become his third spirit ring.
However, things did not go as planned. Two days passed, and despite their careful search under Zhao Wuji's lead, they still couldn't find a suitable spirit beast for Tang San.
They had encountered a few thousand-year-old spirit beasts along the way, but none were suitable. The rest were just hundred-year-old spirit beasts.
Although food supplies were not an issue, spending every day in a dangerous forest kept everyone mentally tense and made them feel more exhausted.
That said, it wasn't always dangerous.
Most spirit beasts sensed Gu Chen's presence from a hundred meters away. If they were unsuitable for Tang San, Gu Chen would use his dragon aura to scare them away, leaving only a few to get close to avoid raising suspicion.
Night fell again, signaling time for rest. In the Star Dou Forest, fire was not an option. While most spirit beasts feared fire, some were drawn to it—and those were often deadly.
Without needing Zhao Wuji's instructions, the male students set up temporary tents while the female students prepared food. Of course, Oscar was an exception—Dai Mubai and Tang San had already classified him as one of the "female students."
"Xiao San, are you getting impatient?" Zhao Wuji suddenly asked with a smile.
Tang San shook his head. "Finding a spirit beast is a matter of luck. Being anxious won't help. Don't worry, Teacher Zhao. I have patience."
The two sat down and started chatting.
Suddenly, Zhao Wuji's smile disappeared. His hand shot out, grabbing Tang San's shoulder and pulling him back. A terrifying aura erupted from Zhao Wuji's body as he let out a low growl, summoning his Martial Soul. The Vigorous Vajra Bear instantly possessed him.
"Everyone, get out of the tent, now!" Zhao Wuji's deep voice echoed inside the tent.
After days of working together, the students had developed an understanding and quickly emerged from the tent.
"Teacher Zhao, what's wrong?" Dai Mubai rushed to Zhao Wuji's side and asked.
Zhao Wuji ignored him. "Everyone, stay behind me. If anything happens, don't try to help me—just leave immediately and exit the Star Dou Forest. Mubai, if I'm not here, it's your responsibility to protect everyone."
Just then, in the direction Zhao Wuji was staring, two towering trees slowly parted, revealing a massive figure moving silently toward them.
It was like a mountain—its entire body covered in dark fur that shimmered faintly under the dim moonlight. Even though it walked on all fours, its shoulders stood over seven meters tall. If it stood upright, it would likely be more than fifteen meters.
It resembled both an ape and a gorilla, with a pair of lantern-sized eyes glowing with a yellow crystal-like luster. Aside from its eyes, the rest of its body was pitch black, making it difficult to see in the night unless it moved.
The Titan Giant Ape roared, shaking the air: "Roar!"
"Your Majesty, Er Ming has come to rescue you!"
Gu Chen rubbed his forehead and used sound transmission to speak to Er Ming: "Don't harm them. Find an opportunity to take me, Na'er, and Xiao Wu with you."
Er Ming nodded slightly in understanding.
"Respected King of the Forest, we mean no offense. If this is your territory, we are willing to leave immediately," Zhao Wuji said seriously. He knew that Titan Giant Apes could understand human speech. This one was especially strong—its cultivation had clearly surpassed ten thousand years. He couldn't think of any spirit beast stronger than it.
After all, to most human Spirit Masters, their understanding of the Star Dou Forest only extended to the Titan Giant Ape, Er Ming.
However, Er Ming ignored Zhao Wuji's words. Instead, it simply took one step forward, instantly making everyone's hearts race.
Gritting his teeth, Zhao Wuji said, "I'll hold it off. You all take Oscar's flying mushroom sausage and leave immediately. I won't be able to last long. Move quickly!" With that, he took a deep breath, his seven spirit rings shining brightly as he charged toward the Titan Giant Ape.
And so, another dramatic scene unfolded—
"Go! Leave me behind!"
"No! I won't abandon you! I want to stay with you!"
Gu Chen smacked his forehead, his expression dark. Here we go again...
After feigning a battle with Tang San's group, Er Ming scooped up Xiao Wu in one hand. Then, he extended another hand. Gu Chen took Gu Yuena's hand and, without anyone noticing, leaped onto Er Ming's palm.
"No! Let go of Brother Chen, Sister Na'er, and Xiao Wu!" Seeing Gu Chen and the others fall into the Titan Giant Ape's grasp, Tang San's eyes turned red. Without stabilizing himself on the ground, he pushed off with one foot and leaped toward the Titan Giant Ape, using a nearby tree to propel himself higher. He flicked his wrists, sending over a dozen hidden weapons flashing toward the Titan Giant Ape's eyes.
Tang San's heart sank. He knew that with the Titan Giant Ape's strength, even a slight squeeze of its hands would be fatal for Gu Chen and the others. No matter how strong they were, they wouldn't survive.
Zhao Wuji also witnessed them being captured.
Releasing his Martial Soul's true form, he lunged at Er Ming—only to be swatted aside by its massive arm, blood surging up his throat.
Tang San crashed into a tree and slid to the ground, blood dripping from his lips. He was seriously injured.
Er Ming carried Gu Chen and the others away at high speed.
Gu Chen's expression darkened. "Didn't I tell you not to harm them? Are you ignoring my orders now?"
Er Ming whimpered, lowering its head with an innocent look: "Master, they attacked me first. I only defended myself."
"Forget it. Just remember—don't do it again," Gu Chen sighed.
Just then, Gu Chen noticed something on the path ahead—a spider.
It was a bizarre creature with a body diameter exceeding 1.5 meters and eight long spear-like legs over three meters in length. Its entire body was covered in glossy black armor. Its sharp legs pierced the ground silently with each step, showing their deadly nature.
Gu Chen extended his spiritual power to examine the spider's abdomen.
There, white patterns contrasted against its black body, forming a grimacing human face. Eight eerie purple-glowing eyes were clustered near its abdomen—though two of them were bloodied and destroyed. Even its exoskeleton had several cracks.
"This must be Xiao San's Man-Faced Demon Spider," Gu Chen murmured before commanding Er Ming, "Injure that spider—heavily."
In the original story, this spider was severely wounded by Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang before Tang San killed it. If it were at full strength, Tang San might not have been able to obtain its spirit ring.
Er Ming nodded and smashed its fist down. The Man-Faced Demon Spider's exoskeleton shattered instantly, and toxic fluid spilled out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[T/N: The novel was written before DD4]
As for the Dragon God's strength, I based it on the novel Douluo Dalu: Divine Realm Legend, page 49, line 8:
"The Dragon God, who once ascended from the human world to the Divine Realm, once possessed power beyond a first-class deity."
This leads to my conclusions:
The Dragon God is definitely stronger than a first-class deity.
However, its power did not reach the level of a God-King, as the novel states it surpassed first-class gods, not God-Kings.
I know some other parts of the original novels might suggest the Dragon God is even stronger…
Well, Tang Jia San Shao tends to contradict his own lore. What can I do?
I'll just pick whichever version fits. Please be understanding, okay?
(End of Chapter)