Tang San initially planned to keep the Man-Faced Demon Spider for poison extraction, but Dai Mubai had taken it first, which puzzled him.
The Man-Faced Demon Spider was inedible and, apart from poison crafting, served little purpose.
After a moment of thought, Dai Mubai explained, "The Man-Faced Demon Spider doesn't have much use for us. I plan to gift it to Dugu Yan and see if she can extract its venom for self-defense."
Man-Faced Demon Spider venom was infamously lethal, so Dai Mubai's reasoning was perfectly sound.
Tang San nodded in agreement. He was well aware of Dugu Yan's expertise with poison and her current strength as a Soul King. It made sense for Dai Mubai to bring her a "small gift" after helping Tang San hunt for spirit rings.
Yet something about the situation felt off to Tang San, though he couldn't pinpoint why.
Even so, he couldn't object. He certainly couldn't tell Dai Mubai that he wanted the spider for his own poison crafting.
"Boss Dai, that's thoughtful of you. The venom of the Man-Faced Demon Spider is truly potent—perfect for Dugu Yan's use in self-defense," Tang San remarked with a wry smile.
Internally, though, he felt a pang of regret. If the spider had been left to him, he could have crafted a poison capable of injuring even Soul Emperors and Soul Sages.
Dai Mubai waved dismissively. "Forget that for now. Let's focus on finding a suitable second spirit ring for your second martial soul."
Tang San nodded firmly. "The sooner I complete my second martial soul, the better my chances of leading Shrek Academy to victory in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament!"
His fists clenched with determination, his confidence unshaken.
Dai Mubai, meanwhile, twitched inwardly.
With or without you, Tang San, do you really think Shrek Academy could lose the tournament?
Still, Tang San's motivation aligned well with Dai Mubai's own goal—completing the Death God's first trial required winning the tournament championship.
Tang San's participation, especially with at least four purple rings in his arsenal, meant Dai Mubai could take a backseat.
"Tang San, I have high hopes for you!" Dai Mubai said, patting Tang San's shoulder with feigned sincerity.
Tang San, elated, couldn't help but smirk inwardly.
Even though Dai Mubai is a Soul King, he still needs to rely on my strength to secure victory. Without me, the Shrek team would surely fall apart!
As the sun set, its golden rays filtered through the trees of the Sunset Forest.
Under the shade of the trees, Dai Mubai and Tang San stood pointing at a resting soul beast not far away.
"Tang San, how about this Flameburst Ape? It's around 3,500 to 3,900 years old, with fire and strength attributes. It should suit your Clear Sky Hammer perfectly," Dai Mubai suggested.
The Flameburst Ape, though a fire-and-strength-type beast, was a species known for its "one-sided" development. Its primary attribute was overwhelming strength, while its fire attribute was usually secondary—merely enhancing its physical attacks with explosive damage.
Rumor had it that Flameburst Apes carried traces of the Titan Giant Ape's bloodline. Their unparalleled physical strength made them formidable opponents.
Of course, they were still far from top-tier powerhouses like the Titan Giant Ape, Thousand-Jin Ant, or Tyrannosaurus Rex.
"Hmm… Why does this Flameburst Ape's fire attribute seem unusually strong? What's going on here?" Dai Mubai mused, his suspicions growing.
With the keen senses granted by the projection of Hadina, his Death God martial soul, Dai Mubai noticed that this ape's fire attribute rivaled that of higher-tier fire-elemental beasts.
It was abnormal, to say the least.
"Boss Dai, you're mistaken," Tang San interjected confidently. "This Flameburst Ape is only 3,300 years old. Judging a Flameburst Ape's age isn't just about the size of its fists but also the bright red tuft of hair on its head."
"Oddly enough, its fists suggest it's around 3,000 years old, but its head tuft indicates it's 3,500 years old."
Tang San's tone was laced with self-satisfaction as he dissected the beast's characteristics.
"Let's go with this one. Its attributes are a great match for my Clear Sky Hammer."
Tang San gripped his hammer tightly and declared, "This time, you don't need to step in, Boss Dai. Let me handle this Flameburst Ape myself!"
As he spoke, the Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his hand, accompanied by a single purple spirit ring that rose from his feet.
The powerful fluctuation of soul energy immediately caught the attention of the resting Flameburst Ape, which opened its eyes with a roar.
"Roar!"
Dai Mubai stepped back with a nod. The less he intervened, the better.
Still, something about this Flameburst Ape felt off.
Tang San's getting a little cocky after obtaining his first spirit ring for the Clear Sky Hammer. Let's see how this plays out…
The Flameburst Ape, its strength comparable to a mid-tier Soul Elder or low-tier Soul Ancestor, thumped its chest with a deafening roar. Flames erupted as it spat a fiery jet in Tang San's direction.
"Whoosh!"
Dai Mubai: "???"
Tang San: "???"
"I knew something was wrong with this Flameburst Ape!" Dai Mubai exclaimed.
"This thing's clearly mutated! Most Flameburst Apes are strength-oriented, but this one's leaning heavily into fire attributes!"
Flameburst Apes were typically pack animals. This one, however, had been cast out—likely due to its abnormal fire attribute.
Tang San was stunned.
Flameburst Apes attack with fire-enhanced fists. Why is this one breathing fire?
Without time to ponder, Tang San activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, narrowly dodging the flames.
But the Flameburst Ape wasn't finished. With a roar, it threw a punch into the air, launching a fireball from its fist toward Tang San.
Dai Mubai and Tang San: "…"
Good grief. A "warrior" beast turned into a "mage."
Dodging again, Tang San relied on Purple Demon Eye to perfectly track the fireball's trajectory.
Frustrated, the Flameburst Ape raised both arms overhead, conjuring a massive fireball nearly a meter wide before hurling it at Tang San.
Tang San froze.
If I don't realize by now that this ape is mutated, I don't deserve to call myself…
(Chapter ends.)