Chapter 77: The Situation Has Changed

[Species: Demon Clan]
[Name: Vajra Ape]
[Cultivation: Peak Profound Stage]
[Weapon: Blackiron Staff (Peak Profound Stage)]
[Note: The Vajra Ape is a power-type demon beast, with tough skin and thick flesh, difficult to injure, and extraordinary endurance. However, it is very playful and is currently in its youth. Once it matures, it is certain to reach at least the Earth Stage.]

An Earth Stage demon beast was an existence on par with, or even stronger than, those at the Spirit Gang Realm. Yet, this giant ape would possess such incredible power merely upon reaching adulthood.

"Comparing oneself to others is infuriating, but comparing oneself to a beast is even more unbearable!"

Qingxi felt life was truly difficult!

He glanced at the trembling Dragon Horse, then looked in the direction where the mighty Vajra Ape had departed, and could not help but cover his face and mutter, "You’re a spirit beast at the very least—how can you be such a coward?"

The Dragon Horse could not control its own body. It didn’t want to tremble, but there was simply no way to stop. Although it had been a dragon in its previous life, in this one it was merely in the body of a celestial steed. Even with enhancements, it still had an instinctive fear of high-level demon beasts.

After a long silence, a sudden idea struck it. It bared its teeth and said, "I just follow my master!"

No sooner had it spoken than the Dragon Horse regretted it. Seeing the sly smile on Qingxi’s face, it sensed trouble.

"I’ll give you a chance to rephrase that—never mind, I take it back!"

Qingxi raised his hand and delivered a swift, alternating slap to the Dragon Horse.

Afterwards, he turned to Qiu Yingying and asked, "Senior Sister, that giant ape is too strong. Could you handle it with your current strength?"

"No. Even if I fought with all my strength, I couldn’t break through its defenses. If we were of the same cultivation level, then maybe there’d be a chance," Qiu Yingying admitted, unable to deny the Vajra Ape’s power.

If one were to distinguish between strong and weak among demon beasts of the same stage, the Vajra Ape would definitely be called a prodigy among its kind.

In a battle of equals, Qiu Yingying believed she could suppress the giant ape. But as things stood, she was only at the mid-Innate stage, while the Vajra Ape had already reached the peak Profound Stage, equivalent to the very summit of the Innate realm.

Even if she had mastered the complete "Sevenfold Sword Wave," she still wouldn’t be able to hold her own against this prodigy-level ape. The gap of two minor realms was simply insurmountable.

Qingxi was instantly curious. "Then how did you get to the stone wall before?"

Qiu Yingying replied, "Previously, I came with the Grand Elder. He kept the guarding ape occupied while I slipped into the core area to study the ultimate techniques inscribed on the stone wall."

"So why didn’t the Grand Elder come along this time?"

Qingxi looked around but saw no sign of the Grand Elder. With his cultivation at peak Innate, even if he wasn’t a match for the Vajra Ape, at the very least he could have held it at bay, buying them a chance to approach the stone wall.

"He’s too scared now."

Qiu Yingying looked a little embarrassed as she explained, "The Grand Elder accompanied me five times in total. Each time, he was thoroughly routed by the guarding ape, and it was only through those five chances that I managed to comprehend the fifth level of the 'Sevenfold Sword Wave.' Unfortunately, time was too short for the last two levels."

Though Qiu Yingying glossed over the details of the Grand Elder’s bouts with the Vajra Ape, Qingxi recalled the scene of the ape sending elders and disciples of the Scarlet Flame Sect flying, and his expression became somewhat peculiar.

He suddenly had a feeling that the Grand Elder had served as a sandbag five times. If that were true, anyone would be traumatized—no wonder he dared not come again.

After all, there’s nothing pleasant about being used as a punching bag.

"So what now?" Qingxi looked up at the sky and saw the moon about to reach its zenith. Midnight was approaching.

Qiu Yingying had said that only when the moonlight at midnight shone upon the stone wall would the ultimate techniques appear, and they would last only a few minutes.

If they failed to reach the wall before midnight, all their efforts tonight would be wasted.

"I’ll go distract the Vajra Ape. You seize the chance to get into the core area, memorize the techniques on the stone wall as quickly as you can, then retreat," Qiu Yingying laid out her plan.

She formed a hand seal, pressed her palm against Qingxi’s back, and said, "I’ve left a sword aura within you. In a moment of crisis, it will save your life. Remember, if anything changes, withdraw at once; your life is what matters."

"No problem," Qingxi nodded, then tugged at the Dragon Horse’s ear. "You’re fast. In a moment, come with me into the core area."

But seeing the horse’s legs still quaking uncontrollably, he covered his face and said, "Forget it, you’d better stay here!"

The two of them and one horse waited in silence.

As midnight approached, Qingxi and Qiu Yingying set out swiftly, scaling a toppled city wall and entering the core area.

This was once the palace of the ancient Luo Dynasty.

The stone wall bearing the ultimate techniques was deep inside the palace.

A thunderous roar erupted as the Vajra Ape sensed unfamiliar presences within the palace grounds—a roar both intimidating and oddly excited, as if to say, "Come fight me!"

Then, the night sky was blotted out by its massive figure.

Before Qingxi could even prepare himself, the Vajra Ape had already leapt across the sky, blocking their path, pounding its chest with a massive fist and letting out a guttural, mocking laugh.

"Remember, withdraw at once if you face danger you cannot withstand!"

With these words, Qiu Yingying summoned her gold-element sword soul and unleashed a ten-meter-long golden sword wave that cut through the air like a bolt of lightning, its aura awe-inspiring.

But the Vajra Ape simply swung its forty-meter blackiron staff, shattering the sword wave into countless fragments of golden light, like a rapidly fading starry sky.

The ape shouldered its staff, a mocking, almost human sneer on its face.

Atop its head, the fire-lynx let out a string of gleeful, chittering laughter.

Unable to bear such mockery from two demon beasts, Qiu Yingying unleashed her strongest move—the fivefold sword wave, each crest after another, stirring up a violent wind.

This time, the Vajra Ape showed a little seriousness, gripping its staff with both hands and smashing down. The sword waves burst apart on contact.

Though Qiu Yingying had been prepared for this, seeing her strongest attack shattered with such ease still left her incredulous. She unleashed a flurry of sharp sword lights, sealing off the air and obscuring vision.

Seizing the opportunity as Qiu Yingying and the ape clashed, Qingxi slipped away amidst the ruins, employing Arrow Step, Wave Treading Step, and Seven Star Step to skirt the battlefield and dart deeper into the palace.

Spotting a dilapidated hall aglow with golden light, he knew that was where the stone wall lay and hurried on.

He activated his scanning ability, remaining vigilant at all times.

Suddenly, a huge boulder flew toward him, heavy with menace.

Qingxi stepped aside lightly and dodged, but the boulders kept coming, one after another, seemingly endless. He was forced to keep evading.

"Throwing rocks? How crude!"

Qingxi was annoyed. He’d nearly reached the stone wall, only to be blocked by this unexpected foe.

As he dodged another boulder, his scanner picked up a two-meter-tall yellow-furred ape.

It was hurling those massive rocks from dozens of meters away.

"Another Vajra Ape?"

Qingxi was dumbfounded.

Hadn’t Qiu Yingying said there was only one guardian? How was there another?

After a quick scan, he realized this ape was still in its juvenile phase, with a cultivation only at the peak Human Stage, equivalent to the completion of the Qi Refining realm.

"So, just a demon beast of my own level—let’s see if I can smash your rocks!"

Qingxi unleashed his perfected Vajra Fist. With a thunderous crash, he shattered the incoming boulder to pieces.