After returning to Fulu Town, the Old Ape of Zhengyang Mountain had a cursory spar with the Great Li Prince, Song Changjing. He did not remain at the Li residence for long before racing out of town. At the place where the straw-sandaled youth had entered the mountains, he paused briefly, then returned to where he had thrown his punch earlier and carefully studied the depth of the youth's footprints in the mud.
Besides that, the Old Ape also saw a string of faint adult footprints. He guessed they had most likely been left by that young sword cultivator from Wind Thunder Garden. When he had struck at the Mud Bottle Alley Youth, that man had clearly intended to rob a burning house, and for an instant, Sword Qi had leaked out. Though it had vanished in a flash and been concealed deeply, the Old Ape had fought through countless battles. Moreover, he had cultivated for a full thousand years on Zhengyang Mountain, where "Sword Qi ran rampant and shattered Baoping." He was far too familiar with Sword Qi and sword intent.
This mountain-guarding ape of Zhengyang Mountain had lived too long and thus seen too much. He had seen Sword Immortals skilled at nurturing superior flying swords, possessing dozens of exquisite tiny flying swords, each as minute as a strand of hair or an ox's bristle. He had also seen Natal Flying Swords as vast as mountain peaks; with one slash, rivers were cut apart.
After concentrating on the matter, the Old Ape continued onward. Upon entering the mountains, he first passed through thickly overgrown weeds, then reached a bamboo grove. The ground was covered with dead leaves accumulated since the previous autumn and winter. Yet because it lay closest to the town, the grove did not appear desolate