Fighting Ape

The Sword Light was icy and sharp,

reflecting the cold sky like a lightning poison dragon coiling through the air!

Its edge was peerless,

and merely looking at it once gave one the sensation that their eyes would be torn apart by the blade's edge!

The Monkey King Demon Ape seemed to sense Zhang Qingyuan's threat as well. The steel-needle-like fur all over its body stood on end, while surging Demonic Power erupted like a flood, stirring up a storm visible to the naked eye that rippled in every direction.

"Roar!!!"

A tremendous roar rang out, like a thunderclap exploding from flat ground.

Its millstone-sized palm neither dodged nor evaded. Gathering Demonic Power, it slapped directly toward the incoming silver streak of lightning, seemingly intending to smash the entire sharp Sword Light to pieces!

However,

the Silver Shadow in Zhang Qingyuan's hand this time was no longer the Hundred-Refined Mortal Weapon he had wielded last time. It was a genuine top-grade low-rank Magic Tool. With True Essence poured into it, how could a mere Spirit Essence Realm Sixth Level Demonic Beast, one unsuited for defense, possibly withstand it?

As expected,

with a tearing sound,

blood sprayed out as the Sword Light wheeled around. The cushion-sized palm of the Monkey King Demon Ape was effortlessly ripped open by the sharp Silver Shadow, leaving behind a deep sword mark.

"Screech!!!"

Intense pain surged forth, and the Monkey King Demon Ape's palm jerked back as though it had been stung by a venomous bee.

Blood spurted out,

as it let out a shrill cry of agony.

Had the Monkey King not withdrawn its hand quickly, coupled with its dense Demonic Power and bones hardened through Demonic Power tempering, that single strike would likely have severed its entire palm on the spot!

The excruciating pain

instantly drowned the Monkey King Demon Ape's reason.

Scarlet light glowed in its eyes. Its feral nature erupted as black Demonic Power rose from all over the body, each strand of steel-needle-like fur standing erect!

Boom boom boom!!!

As if it had lost all reason, the Monkey King Demon Ape madly struck in every direction. Its immense strength battered the ground, and the earth shook violently, splitting apart into web-like cracks that spread and extended in all directions.

The Monkey King Demon Ape rampaged wildly, swatting at the empty air. The shadows of those Terrifying Attacks filled every direction.

Rolling smoke and dust swept up, and fierce Demonic Qi filled the sky,

creating an incomparably horrifying spectacle!

Zhang Qingyuan's expression did not change. He used Cloud Smoke Steps, his entire body like a drifting, elusive cloud of mist, evading before the Demon Ape's frenzied attacks could fall.

At the same time,

whenever the Monkey King Demon Ape revealed an opening, the Silver Shadow in his hand would tear through the air without hesitation, transforming into a fierce Sword Light that stabbed toward the Monkey King's weak point.

At the center of the field,

two figures were locked in an exceptionally brutal battle!

The Yao Monkey King was ferocious and savage, its momentum shaking the heavens.

Zhang Qingyuan's figure flickered unpredictably, while the Sword Light he occasionally unleashed was incomparably cold, reflecting the sky.

Before long,

the Monkey King Demon Ape had acquired dozens of wounds of varying sizes all over the body. Blood seeped out, mingling with the fierce Demonic Qi spreading around it, making it look utterly terrifying!

In contrast,

Zhang Qingyuan still had room to advance and retreat,

and had not expended much Spirit Essence inside the body.

Even his clothes had not become disheveled.

Not only that,

Cloud Smoke Steps and the Cloud Water Thirteen Sword Styles had instead improved slightly during this actual battle, becoming more integrated and more proficient.

Facing such a violent opponent,

Zhang Qingyuan focused his mind, his combat experience improving bit by bit.

Within the field,

this incomparably fierce Sixth Level of the Spirit Essence Realm Monkey King Demon Ape

had already been completely suppressed by Zhang Qingyuan!

This was not strange.

Within the Spirit Essence Realm,

the Third and Fourth Levels, as well as the Sixth and Seventh Levels, were both watersheds in strength.

Back then,

at the Seventeenth Branch, Yao Ping was claimed to be invincible below the Spirit Essence Realm Seventh Level within the Seventeenth Branch, while Zhang Qingyuan had merely been an ordinary, inconspicuous disciple without any noteworthy combat methods.

But after Zhang Qingyuan broke through to the Seventh Level and took twentieth place, no matter how unwilling Yao Ping was, he did not have the slightest intention of challenging him on the spot.

Instead, he waited until he too had broken through the bottleneck at the peak of the Spirit Essence Realm Sixth Level and advanced to the Seventh Level before challenging Zhang Qingyuan.

All of this

was because the gap in strength between the middle stage and the late stage—the watershed between them—was simply far too great!

Let alone

the frenzied Monkey King Demon Ape before him. By Zhang Qingyuan's rough estimation, it was likely still a notch weaker than Yao Ping at the peak of the Spirit Essence Realm Sixth Level.

Whether in the depth of its Spirit Essence,

or in speed and attack power,

Zhang Qingyuan surpassed the Sixth Level Monkey King,

suppressing it in nearly every aspect!

Therefore,

under Zhang Qingyuan's attacks, the Monkey King Demon Ape was almost utterly powerless to resist!

At this moment, faced with this slippery opponent,

every attack the Monkey King launched struck empty air. A moment of carelessness would see it wounded in turn by the sword's edge, leaving a blood-red sword mark on its body.

Such frustration—

not to mention a wild beast, even a human would likely have long since accumulated boundless fury!

"Roar!!!"

Another furious roar shook the air. The scar-covered Monkey King suddenly erupted, its powerful Demonic Power gathering like a tide!

At this moment,

it abruptly gave up all evasion, all defense,

gathering incomparably dense Demonic Power and slapping directly toward Zhang Qingyuan!

Powerful Demonic Power struck through the void, shaking the air,

like a meteor crashing toward Zhang Qingyuan, its momentum incomparably terrifying!

It was clear

that after the incomparably stifling battle just now, the Monkey King Demon Ape had already reached the limit of its rage. It gathered all its strength, abandoned every defense, and swore to swat this damned fly before it to death in one desperate gamble!

Facing the Monkey King Demon Ape's all-out blow,

even Zhang Qingyuan would likely be severely injured if he took it head-on.

Zhang Qingyuan's expression shifted slightly,

but his movements remained utterly calm.

His right hand held the Silver Shadow at his side, while his left hand clenched into a fist.

He gathered the countless streams of Spirit Essence rushing inside the body, surging like tides. The air faintly twisted and spiraled, as though forming a space vortex.

Then,

he threw a punch,

striking the void!

It was precisely the second-to-last stance of the Nine Refinements Bone Forging Fist—Sea Rushing!

As the fist flew out, wind and cloud stirred!

Although this move was less destructive than the final stance, Collapsing Mountain, within the Nine Refinements Bone Forging Fist, and could not compare to the ultimate technique formed from Water Essence Art Spirit Essence, whose might rivaled an Entry-tier Martial Skill,

still,

with the support of the vast fourth-layer Water Essence Art Spirit Essence, it already possessed a trace of the profound charm of the Combination Skill, Collapsing Mountain Modified!

One punch shattered the air.

The air currents ahead surged like a tsunami, exploding endlessly. Incomparably dense Spirit Essence stirred the air, making space shake violently like a mirror, as though it were about to shatter!

Rumble!!!

Sea Rushing collided with the Monkey King's all-out strike. Spirit Essence and Demonic Power clashed violently, and terrifying power completely exploded within that tiny space,

in an instant,

The force burst apart.

Wave after wave of Energy Impact spread in every direction, raising terrifying gales. Even the ground beneath their feet crumbled one layer after another!

A torrent of Air Waves swept out,

unleashing a tsunami-like shockwave in all directions. The violent impact Filled With and engulfed an area spanning more than ten zhang!

Those closer by,

whether human guards or demonic monkeys, were swept away by the impact and flung into the distance. With a cry, they spat out a large mouthful of blood, their internal organs injured by the violent shock.

Those farther away

were swaying on the verge of collapse beneath the storm raised from the flat ground. They planted their feet firmly in place, shielding their faces with their arms against the smoke and dust and fallen leaves whirling wildly in the wind,

while looking at the incomparably terrifying clash in the center without blinking!