The Golden Ape’s Demise

Luo Yingkong and Jiaofeng landed amidst a landscape of jagged stone mountains. No trees graced the area; only massive boulders, taller than a man, dotted the terrain.

“It’s just ahead.”

It was springtime, and a magnificent ape lay stretched out on a flat rock, basking in the sun. Its fur shone with a pure golden hue, and if it were to stand, it would easily reach over a zhang in height. Its two massive arms suggested immeasurable power.

“That’s a Golden Ape, also known as a Giant-Arm Ape,” Jiaofeng analyzed, a hint of trepidation in his voice. “Its hide is tough, its flesh thick, and its strength surpasses even mine. I fear we shouldn’t provoke it…”

“Provoke it we must! Aren’t you its equal in cultivation? What is there to fear? Go, quickly!”

“Hey, wait… this isn’t like you. It’s still sleeping; shouldn’t we launch a sneak attack? Your grenades should be able to severely wound it.”

Jiaofeng hesitated to advance. Observing the ape’s colossal physique, he knew he’d be lucky not to be beaten senseless.

“What happens when the grenades run out? Using them now yields little benefit. If we can resolve this by other means, there’s no need to reveal our trump card.”

Luo Yingkong had expended her remaining grenades during the illusionary trial. With her technological arsenal dwindling, she had realized that these weapons were best saved as a last resort.

“Don’t dither! Go up there and test its strength!” Luo Yingkong shoved Jiaofeng forward, then quickly hid behind a large rock to observe.

Jiaofeng braced himself. After all, they were of the same cultivation stage; even if he couldn’t win, he could at least fly away. He transformed into his Ink Flood Dragon form, spewing a mouthful of venom at the Golden Ape before lunging forward!

The Golden Ape sensed the danger and quickly scrambled to its feet. Seeing Jiaofeng charging as if fighting for his life, it was startled. This Ink Flood Dragon’s cultivation was on par with its own; had it lost its mind to invade its territory?

Since its territory had been invaded, it would not be polite. It inhaled deeply, then pounded its two fists against its chest before unleashing a deafening roar!

Sound waves were almost visibly propagating outwards. Jiaofeng, momentarily stunned, chose to evade, rapidly ascending into the sky. The sound waves blocked the venom, and a distant rock was instantly pulverized by the sonic impact!

As the sonic attack ceased, Jiaofeng seized the opportunity, swooping down from above! This was his specialty. He would use the momentum of his descent to strike at a vital point, a tactic that had never failed him.

‘Impressive. If that dive hits the ape’s face, the outcome will likely be decided,’ Luo Yingkong analyzed from the side. The two demonic beasts used no magical artifacts; they relied solely on brute physical strength in combat.

The Golden Ape refused to be outdone, smashing a fist upwards! The two demonic beasts collided with a dull thud, and the ground beneath the Golden Ape’s feet immediately caved in, forming circular cracks!

Jiaofeng, however, was sent flying backward, the flesh on his colliding forelimb splitting open. The Golden Ape, in contrast, appeared largely unharmed. Fortunately, the ape could not fly, allowing Jiaofeng a moment to recover in the air.

Though the Golden Ape lacked true sentience, it possessed a degree of cunning. It hoisted a nearby boulder and hurled it fiercely at Jiaofeng in the sky!

“Throwing rocks?” Jiaofeng was unafraid. He smashed the incoming boulder with a single punch. Just as he was secretly congratulating himself, he was struck on the wing by a second, swiftly following rock. He struggled to stabilize himself, but then two more rocks slammed into him in quick succession! He plummeted from the sky…

“Master, retreat quickly! We can’t defeat this fellow!”

The Golden Ape, seeing Jiaofeng fall, charged forward with surprising speed.

“Hmph! A mere monkey dares to be so arrogant!” Jiaofeng scrambled to his feet, preparing for a head-on clash. The Golden Ape wound up its fist, then suddenly leaped two zhang high, bringing its full weight down on Jiaofeng!

“Get out of the way!” Luo Yingkong’s forehead pulsed with veins. She kicked Jiaofeng aside, then spun on the spot, summoning her colossal cauldron to smash it back at the ape!

“Boom!!”

The massive cauldron emitted a crisp, muffled clang. The Golden Ape was thrown backward, sliding several zhang across the ground. Jiaofeng was stunned. Luo Yingkong could actually match the Golden Ape in strength, and this was despite being an entire major realm lower in cultivation.

The ape’s previous punch had been incredibly powerful; even Jiaofeng would have been severely wounded if struck. Yet, Luo Yingkong had repelled it with a single strike of her cauldron!

The colossal cauldron hovered beside Luo Yingkong, whose body was only one-twentieth its size. Compared to the two demonic beasts, she appeared incredibly petite. However, the Golden Ape dared not be careless. It had used almost its full strength just now, yet it had been repelled.

How could a mere Qi Condensation stage human possess such immense strength? It must have been a special cultivation technique, or perhaps the magical cauldron itself was extraordinary.

With this thought, the Golden Ape charged again! Luo Yingkong, fearless, had already gauged its strength. Grasping the massive cauldron, she met its charge head-on!

Dull thuds and the resounding dong-dong of the cauldron echoed across the field. Jiaofeng watched in awe. Luo Yingkong’s movements were utterly dominant, like a colossal beast herself. Each strike was devastatingly powerful, forcing the Golden Ape into a continuous retreat. The Golden Ape, renowned for its strength, was unable to overcome a Qi Condensation human—and a young girl at that.

Infuriated, the Golden Ape’s body flashed with golden light, and a massive aura surged forth. Its right fist drew back, gathering power. Luo Yingkong had a premonition of danger and quickly put away her cauldron, drawing out her rusty dagger.

‘I’ve been waiting for this moment!’ Executing the Cloud-Treading Steps in conjunction with the Muscle Gate Art, Luo Yingkong’s petite body became even more agile, her speed noticeably faster than before.

The Golden Ape’s punch roared past, the sheer wind pressure nearly blowing Luo Yingkong away. Her Flowing Body Movement technique allowed her to shift, darting past its arm. The dagger plunged into its arm, carving a long, bloody gash!

Though it possessed immense strength, its speed was lacking. By the time the Golden Ape reacted, Luo Yingkong had already leaped onto its back, slashing wildly with her dagger!

This was the giant ape’s weakness, as it could not reach its own back. It could only endure Luo Yingkong’s slashes. At first, it paid little heed, believing even a top-grade magical artifact couldn’t harm it.

But the intense pain instantly sobered the Golden Ape. Blood streamed uncontrollably from its arm, and its back became a bloody mess! It quickly leaped high, then landed on its back, slamming itself against the ground to crush its passenger!

Though this move forced Luo Yingkong back, the ape itself sustained severe injuries. Escape was impossible. Realizing this, the Golden Ape’s eyes turned crimson, and it charged at Luo Yingkong, heedless of its wounds!

“Master, be careful! This guy’s death throes are dangerous!”

Luo Yingkong, of course, knew the danger. She channeled spiritual energy into her jade pendant, forming a sturdy protective shield. Yet, the Golden Ape’s punch merely paused against the shield for an instant before shattering it!

This was a top-grade magical artifact! It had blocked everything before, yet it was broken! Luo Yingkong, unable to dodge in time, quickly crossed her arms in front of her. Upon impact, she was sent flying backward…

Seeing this, Jiaofeng quickly gathered his spiritual energy and flew over, grabbing Luo Yingkong and ascending high into the sky.

****

This position was relatively safe. Luo Yingkong also deactivated the Muscle Gate Art. The Golden Ape roared furiously on the ground, but it was helpless; it couldn’t throw rocks that high.

“Master, that dagger you bought was truly worth it. The Golden Ape’s recovery is usually very strong, yet its wounds can’t heal.”

Watching the demonic beast bleed incessantly, gradually losing vitality until it finally collapsed, the two only then descended back to the ground.

Jiaofeng handled the corpse. He extracted an inner core from its chest and a bottle of essence blood from its arm.

“This is the inner core. It can be refined into Longevity Pills, Creation Pills, and Core Stabilizing Pills. Taking it directly can stabilize one’s realm, increase cultivation, and extend lifespan, but the effect is mediocre. It’s best refined into pills,” Jiaofeng explained, handing both items to Luo Yingkong.

“And this bottle of essence blood is the beast’s vital essence. It can be absorbed into the body to accelerate physical growth.”

“Absorbed directly into the body? Won’t I get AIDS?” Luo Yingkong asked, perplexed. AIDS on Earth originated from infusing ape blood into humans…

“What disease?”

“Nothing…”

For the remaining corpse, Luo Yingkong summoned Corrupting Butterflies to drain its blood, while Jiaofeng devoured the meat until nothing was left. He possessed the divine ability of the Sky-Swallowing Beast, with a special space in his belly that allowed him to consume anything.

Since practicing the Jade Bone Heart Scripture, Luo Yingkong’s duration for using the Muscle Gate Art had lengthened, and its side effects were negligible, possibly due to her reduced body size.

“Let’s go. There are still some medicinal herbs in the sect that are untended. If we don’t go back soon, they’ll wither.”