Boom!
A deafening explosion sounded through the air as the Fire and Ice Heart Lotus was shattered on the spot!
The Titan Giant Ape, now free, charged forward like a wild beast, its massive frame barreling toward Xiao Tianyang with unstoppable force.
"You big monkey, why don't you ever learn?" Xiao Tianyang muttered, shaking his head as he began to retreat.
Meanwhile, the Titan Giant Ape plowed through the forest like a bulldozer, carving a wide path through the trees.
"Human! If you have the guts, don't run! Fight me head-on!" the Titan Giant Ape roared, frustrated that it couldn't catch up to Xiao Tianyang.
"If you can catch me, I'll won't run and let you fight me!" Xiao Tianyang taunted, turning around and walking backward, his fingers beckoning mockingly.
"Roar! You're infuriating!" The Titan Giant Ape pounded its chest in rage, its roars shaking the surrounding trees.
"Er Ming, stop!" A commanding voice suddenly rang out.
Xiao Tianyang paused, startled by the voice.
On the other side, the Titan Giant Ape, which had been so aggressive moments ago, immediately calmed down, as if doused with cold water. It halted its pursuit and stood still.
Following the voice, Xiao Tianyang saw a soul beast approaching—a creature with the head of a bull and the body of a python.
"That must be the Sky Azure Bull Python," Xiao Tianyang thought, his eyes narrowing.
The Sky Azure Bull Python moved gracefully to the Titan Giant Ape's side, standing tall and matching its height.
"Human, you claim to be Sister Xiao Wu's friend. How can you prove it?" it asked, its tone calm and measured, a stark contrast to the Titan Giant Ape's fury.
"Isn't what I just said proof enough?" Xiao Tianyang replied, landing softly on the ground.
He looked up with a smile and added, "Besides, if I had any ill intentions toward Er Ming earlier, he would already be dead."
"Bullshit! If we really fought, you'd stand no chance against me!" the Titan Giant Ape bellowed, its anger flaring up again.
However, the Sky Azure Bull Python intervened, stopping its companion's reckless behavior.
It turned to Xiao Tianyang and said, "If you can prove your claim, I'll believe you."
"That's easy," Xiao Tianyang said with a confident smile.
He flicked his right hand, and an object materialized in his palm. Instantly, both the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python tensed, sensing a deadly threat. A flicker of fear even appeared in their eyes.
Item: Apollo
Function: Explosion within a ten-mile radius
Introduction: The pinnacle of alchemy from another world.
"How about now? Do you believe me?" Xiao Tianyang asked, tucking the item away. The two soul beasts visibly relaxed, their bodies no longer taut with tension.
"I can believe what you've said," the Sky Azure Bull Python conceded. "But there's one thing I don't understand. Why did you provoke Er Ming into a fight?"
"Then you should ask him what he did last time," Xiao Tianyang replied, his expression darkening slightly.
Realizing there might have been a misunderstanding, the Sky Azure Bull Python turned to the Titan Giant Ape. "Er Ming, what did you do?"
The Titan Giant Ape scratched its head awkwardly and recounted the events of their last encounter.
For a creature of its size and strength, lying was not an option, and its limited intelligence made it even harder to fabricate a story. It was reckless, but not malicious.
"Bullshit!" the Sky Azure Bull Python exclaimed, its eyes widening. "Sister Xiao Wu clearly said he was a friend. Why did you throw him out?"
"Because he's human," the Titan Giant Ape muttered defensively.
The Sky Azure Bull Python was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.
"Ahem," Xiao Tianyang interjected, breaking the awkward silence.
"I was just sparring with Er Ming. I'm not here to demand an explanation." He paused, then added with a smirk, "But before we move on, you have to admit that I won this round. That's not too much to ask, is it?"
"You won?" The Titan Giant Ape's eyes widened in disbelief, its expression turning fierce as if it wanted to challenge Xiao Tianyang again.
"What? You still want to fight?" Xiao Tianyang taunted, pulling out Apollo once more. "Don't worry, we're friends. This will only hurt you a little, not kill you."
The Titan Giant Ape's bravado faltered. Even if it doubted Xiao Tianyang's words, it wasn't eager to test them.
"Er Ming, admit defeat," the Sky Azure Bull Python said firmly.
It then whispered something into the Titan Giant Ape's ear, too quiet for Xiao Tianyang to hear.
Whatever it was, the Titan Giant Ape's expression shifted, its eyes lighting up with a hint of joy.
'Are they scheming something? Why are you happy after losing?' Xiao Tianyang wondered, a big question mark forming in his mind.
Before he could ponder further, the Titan Giant Ape pounded its chest and declared, "This time, you won by half a move. So, you win!"
As soon as the words left its mouth, a system notification chimed in Xiao Tianyang's mind.
Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the side mission, [Tit for Tat]!
Reward: Soul Skill Sublimation Card!
It's worth noting that Xiao Tianyang hadn't truly defeated the Titan Giant Ape.
As a result, while the mission was considered complete, no additional lottery value was awarded.
This was the system's way of penalizing Xiao Tianyang for exploiting loopholes.
Still, Xiao Tianyang was satisfied. He clasped his hands and said with a smile, "In that case, I'll let bygones be bygones. See you later."
"Wait," the Sky Azure Bull Python interjected, stepping closer.
It attempted a smile, though to Xiao Tianyang, it looked more menacing than friendly. "Since Sister Xiao Wu returned last time, she hasn't stopped talking about how delicious your cooking is. I was wondering if we might have the chance to taste it ourselves."
Xiao Tianyang blinked, then burst into laughter.
"Why are you laughing?" the Titan Giant Ape asked, scratching its head in confusion.
"Cooking? That's easy!" Xiao Tianyang said generously. "Let's go to your place. I'll cook as much as you can eat!"
Truthfully, as long as they weren't enemies, Xiao Tianyang didn't mind sharing his food with anyone.
After all, it was always gratifying to hear someone praise his cooking.
For him, cooking was about two things: making money and earning praise. And since money was no longer a concern, he cherished the compliments most.
Even if the Sky Azure Bull Python's words were merely polite, Xiao Tianyang didn't mind. If a soul beast praised him, he'd take it. He was easy to please, after all.
…
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