Chapter 106: One Slash
The Dao Fire Ape had a skinny body, more like a monkey, with a pointed snout and protruding forehead, fangs growing outward. Its speed was extremely fast, soaring in mid-air like a piece of fire cloud, catching up to Yin Twenty-Five.
Its claws, sharp as knives, swung out, forming a streak of crimson red radiance, the air crackling as if burning.
Yin Twenty-Five only felt the entire heaven and earth behind him burning, the air pressure bearing down on him, nowhere to dodge, nowhere to escape. He had no choice but to muster the scant remaining magic energy of Zu Tian, grit his teeth, turn around, and swing his saber in fierce combat.
“Bang!”
The two streams of magic energy collided, then erupted in an explosion.
That shore area was filled with flying sand and rolling stones, wind force raging wildly.
Resisting this strike, Yin Twenty-Five spat blood from his mouth, his body flung flying, only able to support himself by kneeling on one knee. The zhanmadao saber remained tightly gripped in his hand, but his entire arm ached to the point of near numbness, trembling nonstop.
Martial cultivators on various ships by the shore were alarmed, gathering toward the deck, railings, and windows, many with the mentality of watching the spectacle.
“This black-clothed man’s combat power is not weak; he clashed with the Dao Fire Ape for over a dozen moves before being defeated.”
“Is he a Nine Springs Supreme Person of the Jiu Li tribe? He looks unfamiliar; I haven’t seen him before.”
“Perhaps he’s a Nine Springs Supreme Person secretly trained by the Jiu Li tribe. He’s already very strong, but unfortunately, his opponent is a Pure Immortal Body. Below the Five Seas Realm, the Dao Fire Ape’s combat power is among the top in the entire Lingxiao Life Realm.”
……
On the row of large ships by the water, the martial cultivators from various Jiu Li tribe divisions had ashen faces, heavy moods, unable to laugh and jest like the other martial cultivators.
They didn’t know who Yin Twenty-Five was, but daring to step onto the arena to challenge the Dao Fire Ape made him a hero of the Jiu Li tribe, worthy of admiration.
At the very least, he was telling the world under heaven that the Jiu Li tribe still had people, still had courage and bloodiness.
“Boom!”
The Dao Fire Ape cackled sharply, landing heavily on the ground, its feet stomping out a dent.
Its body was like lapis lazuli treasure jade cast, the flames burning on its fur at extremely high temperatures, the ground hissing, the mud and stones about to burn and melt.
The Dao Fire Ape looked at Yin Twenty-Five, kneeling on one knee with no strength left to fight, not hurrying to strike, instead deliberately laughing loudly to let all the martial cultivators in the entire water area hear its words: “This is it? I told you, the Jiu Li tribe has no Supreme Persons—why do you have to be so stubborn?”
These words naturally enraged countless Jiu Li tribe martial cultivators on the ships.
But all dared to be angry yet not speak.
Tian Ya Ridge’s might overshadowed the Southern Territory; even the Four Extremes Ape King had come to Li Zhou. It could be said that the Jiu Li tribe from top to bottom was suppressed to the point of barely breathing. This kind of humiliating predicament and oppressive pressure like a knife hanging overhead could only be truly felt by those in it.
Yin Twenty-Five’s eyes were cold and sharp, gripping the zhanmadao saber steady again, saying nothing, slowly standing up, in a posture vowing to fight to the death.
The Dao Fire Ape’s eyes turned stern: “The sixth-generation grandson has already issued the order for all you Jiu Li tribe Spring Gushing Realm martial cultivators to get lost, not to covet the opportunities in Zangxian Town, or kill any you see. Yet you don’t take his words to heart at all, no respect whatsoever. Instead, you insist on holding some Mang Mountain Grand Sacrifice. No choice then—starting from tomorrow’s bullshit grand sacrifice, we’ll hunt you all down. Zangxian Town will bury the Jiu Li first!”
Yin Twenty-Five raised his voice: “The Jiu Li tribe may have declined these past few centuries, fallen behind this era in combat power. But if even the last shred of bloodiness is lost, if there’s no courage to fight to the death, then there’s truly no hope!”
“Well said!” From the inner hall of a massive dark iron skeleton ship far away, someone with ears that could hear ten li away murmured this softly.
Then, a tribe leader-level figure pushed open the cabin door and said to a Five Seas Realm old man guarding outside: “Go save him! The Dao Fire Ape has already broken the rules, chasing and killing after leaving the arena—simply lawless.”
This tribe leader was very angry but very helpless, wanting very much to take this chance to strike and kill the Dao Fire Ape, but the Tian Ya Ridge demon tribe leader was in Yaoguan City, and Sui Sect leader Yao Qian was there too.
If he struck and killed the Dao Fire Ape, he would certainly provoke those two.
……
The Dao Fire Ape sensed a Jiu Li tribe Five Seas Realm martial cultivator rapidly approaching with feet treading the river surface, a mocking smile appearing on its face, then flames surged on its arm, clawing out for the heart.
“You dare!”
That Jiu Li tribe Five Seas Realm old man was still on the water surface a hundred zhang away, only able to roar this sharply, hoping to intimidate the opponent.
Unfortunately, the Dao Fire Ape didn’t take him seriously at all.
Under the gaze of countless eyes, all thinking Yin Twenty-Five was surely dead, sighing over the Jiu Li tribe’s dire straits.
But then.
From the nearest large ship flying the medicine character flag, a golden saber light rose, illuminating the sky so that even the sun’s brilliance dimmed.
The figure and saber together crossed nearly ten zhang in an instant, fiercely cleaving down.
Zhanmadao saber, long and heavy.
“Boom!”
Sparks exploded on the Dao Fire Ape’s body, its lapis lazuli-like Pure Immortal demon body shot straight flying out, smashing through a dock dozens of meters away, splintered wood scattering.
Its body plowed a long furrow in the ground, lying at the end of the furrow, unable to climb up again.
One saber decided victory, domineering and straightforward.
That Jiu Li tribe Five Seas Realm old man arrived, stepping ashore from the water, seeing this scene, stunned in place. His gaze fell on the black figure standing tall in front of Yin Twenty-Five, holding the zhanmadao saber, exuding heroic poise.
His heart held no great joy, instead inwardly crying “trouble.”
In his view, Li Weiyi was surely a Five Seas Realm martial cultivator.
Even if the Dao Fire Ape broke the rules first, a Five Seas Realm striking against a Spring Gushing Realm—how could the Tian Ya Ridge demon horde let it rest?
“Swish! Swish! Swish…”
A group of Spring Gushing Realm demonic creatures rushed up together, stunned by the scene before them, then surrounding the Dao Fire Ape.
Some demonic creatures wanted to help it up.
The Dao Fire Ape immediately stopped them: “Don’t… don’t move… broken, all my ribs are broken, chest cavity shattered, quick, quick, call a strong practitioner from the tribe…”
An ape demon hurriedly struck out a spiritual light talisman.
“Boom!”
The spiritual light talisman flew straight into the sky, exploding in mid-air into a bright demon cloud that lingered long.
Li Weiyi paid no heed to all this at all. He himself was Spring Gushing Realm; Spring Gushing Realm killing Spring Gushing Realm—as long as no one wanted to immediately tear faces and erupt in tribe-exterminating war, everyone could only pinch their noses and accept it. Or find a way to get even in secret.
If the Jiu Li tribe didn’t even dare to push back on this, then they were doomed to extermination, no fault of any other power.
“Satisfied now?”
Li Weiyi turned his head, looking toward the gravely injured Yin Twenty-Five.
Yin Twenty-Five shook his head: “Not satisfied! I want to pick the exotic medicine that metamorphoses into a Pure Immortal Body—at that time, who wins or loses won’t be so certain.”
“You’ve reminded me! That Dao Fire Ape even offered an exotic medicine as bounty.”
Li Weiyi carried the blood-drenched zhanmadao saber, walking toward the Dao Fire Ape collapsed on the ground, gravely wounded and dying, inwardly sighing—weakened too much by the twelve broken spring needles, unexpectedly failing to kill with one saber chop.
On ship after ship, countless martial cultivators were stunned.
“What’s he doing? I feel the killing intent on him is very heavy?”
“Good heavens, he’s not thinking of finishing it off, is he?”
“Defying Tian Ya Ridge so fearlessly and iron-blooded?”
……
Some Jiu Li tribe martial cultivators were excited, blood surging: “Kill! The Jiu Li tribe has long needed such a Five Seas Realm iron-fisted strong practitioner to strike, cleaving that wildly arrogant demon monkey.”
“You only know kill—do you know the consequences of killing the Dao Fire Ape? Who can bear the Four Extremes Ape King’s fury?”
“You just live your life in fear forever!”
……
That group of Spring Gushing Realm demonic creatures surrounding the Dao Fire Ape saw Li Weiyi approaching with saber in hand, unafraid, over a dozen charging forward, baring fangs.
“Human, you’re dead meat. Heavily injuring Fire Ape Lord, you won’t live till nightfall.” An ape demon angrily shouted.
Another demonic bird sensed Li Weiyi’s imposing aura, feeling something amiss, thus threatening: “The spiritual light talisman is already sent out; our demon tribe strong practitioners will arrive soon. If you flee now, perhaps there’s still a way to live.”
“What level of demonic creature dares threaten me?”
Li Weiyi couldn’t understand—was the aura on him not strong enough to intimidate them?
Thus, the one-and-a-half-meter-long zhanmadao saber in his hand swept out horizontally, the saber light extending several zhang, scaring that group of demonic creatures into fleeing in panic. Two dog demons couldn’t retreat in time, swept by the saber light, instantly severed in two, blood spilling across the ground.
Ignoring the distant clamor of those demonic creatures, Li Weiyi walked to the Dao Fire Ape, looking down and asking: “Where’s the exotic medicine?”
The Dao Fire Ape was baffled, not knowing what the other was talking about.
It lay on the ground, unable to move, blood continually overflowing from its chest.
Li Weiyi crouched down, groping over the Dao Fire Ape’s body, eyes lighting up as he pulled out a rectangular wooden box.
Wooden box, heavy with yin energy.
Made from the coffin wood of an otherworld coffin.
Opening it, strands of immortal radiance and medicinal fragrance overflowed. A white medicinal herb lay quietly inside, three grass leaves, with over a dozen red fruits in the center.
Grass leaves like jade, fruits like fire, nurtured by immortal radiance into mutation, absolutely of great value.
Li Weiyi quickly closed the wooden box, tucking it into his bosom, his impression of the Dao Fire Ape changing greatly, laughing: “I thought, with your arrogant personality, the so-called exotic medicine bounty was just talk. Didn’t expect you not to bluff at all—actually carrying a real exotic medicine.”
The Dao Fire Ape was so furious its chest heaved violently, blood surging fast from the wound where all its ribs had been severed by that one saber.
Li Weiyi shouted to the martial cultivators on the ships by the shore: “Everyone bear witness—I’m only taking what’s due me; it offered the exotic medicine bounty itself for the arena fight.”
An ape demon trembled with rage: “You’re courting death.”
Li Weiyi asked: “You want to fight me?”
The ape demon immediately shut its mouth, choosing to endure and restrain.
That Jiu Li tribe Five Seas Realm old man was truly enlightened, never having seen such a freak in the tribe, using magic energy to transmit sound to Li Weiyi: “Hurry and flee, or you won’t be able to escape!”
“Roar!”
“Awoo!”
Two earth-shaking demonic cultivator roars echoed dozens of li, making the river surface surge with waves, boats rocking.
Two Five Seas Realm-level demonic cultivators arrived at the dock, one tiger demon, one wolf demon. Their cultivation profound, already taking initial human form, able to walk upright, but still tiger and wolf bodies, fur not receded.
The tiger demon went to check the Dao Fire Ape’s injuries, only to find…
It had stopped breathing, the ground full of blood.
“What exactly happened?” The tiger demon was furious.
The crowd of Spring Gushing Realm demonic creatures trembled under the tiger demon’s might, all kneeling down.
The ape demon tremblingly said: “It still had breath at first… Fire Ape Lord was literally angered to death by that human martial cultivator.”
Li Weiyi had just returned, joining Yao Yin and Yin Twenty-Five, hearing this and immediately surprised.
It actually died?
After understanding the situation clearly, the tiger demon and wolf demon’s killing intent surged, in these ten years of chaos under heaven, Tian Ya Ridge had always been the ones killing others—it was the first time encountering someone daring to swing the butcher’s blade at them.
The two demons advanced menacingly toward Li Weiyi’s trio, violent demon energy clouds spilling from their bodies.
That Jiu Li tribe Five Seas Realm old man hesitated a moment, ultimately stepping forward to block the two demons: “The Dao Fire Ape broke the rules first; our tribe’s Nine Springs martial cultivator had already conceded and left the arena, yet it still pursued and killed.”
The wolf demon, body towering four meters, said: “You mean the Dao Fire Ape deserved to die? It’s a Nine Springs Pure Immortal Body—how many cheap lives of your Jiu Li tribe would it take to compensate?”
The tiger demon said: “This matter won’t pass so easily. First take those three lives, bring them back to report to the sixth-generation grandson.”
From inside a towering three-story ship deck giant ship very close to the medicine character flag large ship, a clear and pleasant female voice rang out: “Spring Gushing Realm clashes, you Five Seas Realm intervening looks bad. This isn’t regaining face for Tian Ya Ridge, but losing even greater face.”
All gazes turned toward that giant ship.
Some surprised, some baffled, some shocked.
What did she mean—the human man who cleaved the Dao Fire Ape dead with one saber was actually a Spring Gushing Realm martial cultivator?
How was that possible?
Li Weiyi also looked over; he’d only struck once, yet his real or not was seen through. There were plenty of masters present—why was her discernment alone so sharp?
Unfortunately, that giant ship’s hull towered like a city wall, unable to see the identity of the speaker.
