The Brotherhood Alliance, the True Ape

A mountain need not be tall; with an immortal, it becomes famous.

Wangwu Mountain was clearly a spirit mountain brimming with immortal aura. Exotic fruits of every kind appeared within it, drawing people from all sides into endless battles.

In these battles, the strong stood out and struck fear into all living things.

The strong only grew stronger. They could not be challenged head-on.

People quickly sorted these powerful individuals into categories, choosing to stay away from dangerous areas where they were active. This way, they had a better chance of obtaining exotic fruits while competing against opponents of comparable strength.

Broadly speaking, the powerful forces and individual beings on Wangwu Mountain could be divided into three groups:

First, the native cultivation forces of Wangwu Mountain.

The Quanzhen Sect was one of the most prominent among them, powerful enough to command all the cultivation forces on Wangwu Mountain.

Besides them, some people had discovered that although the Celestial Master Temple had few members, many of them were elite fighters. Most of its active disciples were in the Meridian Channeling Realm, and it even had several in the Dragon Opening Realm.

Second, the Molting Beasts.

Powerful Molting Beasts had already awakened their intelligence. They had begun to think and understood the importance of banding together. By commanding numerous other Molting Beasts, they could establish forces of their own.

The Stone Scorpion, the Tree Python, and the True Ape.

These three Molting Beasts were the kings of the beasts rampaging across Wangwu Mountain. They killed everyone they saw, so most people didn't even dare approach their territories. They stayed far away, afraid of being targeted by the numerous Molting Beasts and ending up as dinner.

Besides these two major forces, there were also the Mutants.

The Mutants were a group that had risen alongside the exotic fruits. The fruits had altered their bodies, granting them powers resembling supernatural abilities.

Their strength did not come from day and night of cultivation. How powerful they were depended entirely on the effects of the exotic fruits they had consumed.

Powerful Mutants such as the Dragon King, Feitian, and the Black Tiger had all grown strong by consuming potent exotic fruits.

There were no top-tier Mutants on Wangwu Mountain at present, but one fairly well-known group had established itself there: the Brotherhood Alliance.

The Brotherhood Alliance was a coalition of three childhood friends. The exotic fruits they had obtained had granted them considerable combat strength. Building on that foundation, the three had joined forces and risen rapidly during this age of exotic fruits, swiftly accumulating power.

In just a few days, they had made a name for themselves on Wangwu Mountain and become leading contenders in the struggle for exotic fruits.

The forest shook. The slaughter began anew!

On the towering trees that blocked out the sky, parasitic vines dangled in every direction, gleaming emerald green and pulsing with life.

A green-patterned exotic fruit was growing on a vine swaying in the breeze, maturing at a pace that defied the seasons. It might ripen in less than a day.

With a savage roar, a hulking, humanoid ape emerged from the mountain forest, toppling every tree in its path. Its body was pitch-black, its skin like iron. It fixed its fierce gaze on the green fruit, threw back its head, and roared. Then it pounded its chest with both fists, the blows echoing like thunder.

The True Ape, a ferocious beast that rampaged across Wangwu Mountain.

Numerous Molting Beasts followed it everywhere, serving it as their master and willingly acting as its servants.

The instant the ape emerged, the humans gathered nearby went pale.

"Damn it, how did we run into this beast?"

"Wasn't it supposed to be deep in the spirit mountain? What's it doing here?"

"With that thing here, we've got no chance of getting the fruit!"

The True Ape was a force to be reckoned with, one of the three Molting Beasts that rampaged across Wangwu Mountain. It was savage by nature, and of the three, it was the one people least wanted to encounter.

"Let's go for it!"

A streak of light shot out from the crowd, aiming to seize the green fruit before the True Ape arrived. Even if it hadn't ripened yet, that was better than letting another creature take it and not getting to taste it at all.

He wasn't the only one thinking that way. Several figures charged out one after another, rushing toward the brilliant green light.

A sudden whistling sound rang out.

A martial artist charging toward the fruit exploded on the spot!

The crowd was horrified. They focused their gaze and saw that the weapon that had blown him apart was a white bone arrow as thick as a spear!

Even more astonishingly, it had come from the True Ape. The ferocious beast, over three meters tall, had raised an unknown bone bow again and was aiming at another person approaching the exotic fruit.

This time, the crowd heard it clearly. The bowstring's twang was exceptionally dull, yet carried extraordinary force, propelling the bone arrow through the air at incredible speed.

The man in its sights had been on guard, but he was still mercilessly shot down!

Thrum! Thrum!

The True Ape drew its bow again and again, each arrow taking the life of a human cultivator who dared approach the exotic fruit.

Such might chilled the blood.

With the might of a hundred beasts behind it, the True Ape advanced in a vast, imposing wave. Its Molting Beasts hadn't even attacked, yet they had already cowed everyone present. If they fought with all their strength, no one there could claim they were a match.

Just as people began to lose their nerve and turned to flee, another powerful presence swept toward them.

"Beast, don't get cocky!"

With a furious shout, three figures charged in one after another, followed by several hundred people. Their momentum was no weaker than the True Ape's.

"The Brotherhood Alliance!"

"Get it! Kill the beast!"

Xiao Tianjin, the alliance's leader, charged at the head of the group. Crimson flames poured from his right hand and formed a saber.

Someone knowledgeable recognized the technique. "He's undergone technological enhancement! That's the 'Warfire Saber'!"

"I heard the exotic fruit Xiao Tianjin consumed earlier made his body exceptionally strong. He can fight Molting Beasts with his bare hands. Now that he's got the Warfire Saber too, he's even more formidable. No wonder he's charging into the Molting Beasts alone!"

The True Ape raised its arm again. Its muscles bulged like mountain rocks, their contours clear, the strength coursing beneath them almost visible.

The instant the bowstring was released, its dull twang sounded more aggressive than ever.

The bone arrow vanished from sight.

A sharp blast echoed as Xiao Tianjin, charging at the enemy, was sent flying backward. When he landed, his legs sank into the ground and he skidded more than ten meters!

"So the beast's still stronger!" someone concluded.

Xiao Tianjin was also astonished by the True Ape's strength. "That beast must've eaten plenty more exotic fruits. And who knows where it got that bone bow? It's a lot stronger now. Second Brother, Third Brother, let's attack together!"

Fang Yan, the second brother, and Chen Quanhe, the third, nodded in unison and took their places beside Xiao Tianjin.

The burly Fang Yan channeled his strength. His clothes burst apart, revealing equipment resembling an exoskeleton, fused with his flesh and blood.

"More technological enhancement—the Vajra Exoskeleton!"

"Chen Quanhe's the same—technological enhancement, Alloy Heavy Legs!"

"What rich guys! These three pieces of martial enhancement must've cost at least seventy or eighty million to start!"

"They're all lucky enough to have consumed exotic fruits, and they've spent a fortune on enhancements too. Maybe the True Ape really will be killed by the three of them here!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Flames streaked through the air in a line of scarlet fire!

Fang Yan, wearing the Vajra Exoskeleton, stomped the ground with every step. He charged like a mammoth, unstoppable.

Chen Quanhe relied on his specialized Heavy Legs to dart through the forest, changing direction like an assassin.

The True Ape drew its bow again. Fang Yan smashed the incoming bone arrow apart with a powerful Vajra Heavy Punch. His advance slowed only slightly before he continued without a scratch. A few seconds later, he reached the beast and roared as he threw a punch. The air exploded around it, its force astonishing!

Roar! Roar!

The True Ape bellowed and showed no sign of retreat. Its beastly arm, comparable in size to Fang Yan, shot forward without even winding up, raising a chaotic wall of wind and scattering dead leaves across the ground.

Boom!!!

The sound was like thunder, and dust billowed backward.

The spectators were stunned by the sight.

"Is this what a battle between strong fighters looks like? That was explosive!"

The True Ape, renowned for its physique!

Fang Yan, whose already exceptional body had been strengthened by consuming an exotic fruit and further enhanced with the Vajra Exoskeleton!

Their clash was a savage test of strength. Each dull impact was so heavy it made people's bones ache, like the fiercest of roars!

The earth shook, and its crust tore loose, tumbling backward!

Amid the chaos, everyone saw Fang Yan flying through the air. He bounced and rolled across the ground like a ball until he crashed into a tree so wide that several people would have had to join hands to encircle it. Only then did he stop, embedded in its deeply cracked trunk!

Roar—!!

The True Ape had won the clash of strength. It roared even more wildly, declaring itself king of this territory, its aura surging!

Another roar rang out right after, but unlike the fierce bellow before, this one was filled with pain and rage!

The towering True Ape stumbled forward, blood spraying from its back. Xiao Tianjin had seized the opportunity to strike. His Warfire Saber, now two or three meters long, had stabbed viciously toward the True Ape's back, aiming to pierce its body and destroy its heart!

Unfortunately, the True Ape's body was far too tough. The Warfire Saber couldn't pierce all the way through. It left only a long, narrow gash across the beast's back.

Seeing that his all-out strike hadn't achieved the result he'd hoped for, Xiao Tianjin was disappointed, but he didn't dare waste time.

Because of the difference in their sizes, he'd had to leap into the air to reach the True Ape's back. Its heart was too high above the ground.

Clearly, hanging in midair like that was extremely dangerous if he couldn't fly!

Xiao Tianjin immediately tried to use the force of his strike to twist around and retreat, never suspecting that he had underestimated the True Ape once again.

Its body looked powerful but slow, yet it had an unusually fast reaction time. That swift reaction put Xiao Tianjin in grave danger!

A wall of howling wind struck almost the instant Xiao Tianjin slashed the beast's back and inflicted his wound!

Xiao Tianjin's eyelids twitched violently. He stared at the thick ape arm sweeping in from his left. His muscles tensed on instinct as he frantically drove his "core" into action, pushing the Warfire Saber to its limit.

The flaming saber slashed out in an instant, meeting the ape's arm, which swung like a giant pendulum!

Thud! Thud!

The flaming blade struck the arm, burning its fur and cutting through its flesh. But it couldn't stop the True Ape's savage ferocity. If anything, it only stirred up the beast's bloodlust.

Ignoring the pain, the ape summoned even more strength. Its arm whistled through the air even faster, the muscles tightening further!

"Big Brother, I'm coming!"

At the critical moment, Chen Quanhe arrived. He leaped to Xiao Tianjin's side, and a huge, visible current of air swirled around his right leg. Then he put all his strength into a sweeping kick, forcing out a wave of pressure as heavy as an executioner's axe.

Boom—!

The trail of compressed air exploded, and the flames vanished.

Xiao Tianjin and Chen Quanhe tumbled out of the clash, somewhat disheveled but uninjured.

"Third Brother, good thing you got here in time. Otherwise, I might've coughed up blood."

Xiao Tianjin looked wary. He hadn't expected the True Ape to be so strong. He'd thought the three of them could suppress it by working together, but they hadn't even managed to suppress it. He couldn't even hold his own against the beast.

The True Ape growled as it eyed the burn marks and wounds on its arm. Explosive sounds continued to rumble from its chest, white steam puffing from its nostrils as its rage mounted.

Roar—!!!

It roared furiously again.

At its command, the surrounding Molting Beasts charged at the members of the Brotherhood Alliance.

"Get in there! All of you!"

"What are you afraid of? They're just a few filthy beasts!"

Xiao Tianjin raised the Warfire Saber high and urged his members into the fray.

"Ma Dong, Wei Min, Zhou Shengshan, Wang Bo, Cui Xu... To catch the bandit king, you must first capture his horse. Come with us and kill the True Ape!"

Chen Quanhe added, "After we kill the beast, you'll get a share of the fruit on the vine too!"

Hearing that, the crowd didn't hesitate. With the three brothers backing them up, even those who weren't strong had the courage to fight their way into the battle.

But how could they have known what the brothers were thinking?

The three exchanged glances and silently nodded.

Boom! Boom!

The second battle erupted, and the scene turned bloody.

In a single exchange, Ma Dong was killed by a punch from the True Ape. He'd fought with all his strength to save himself before dying, but all he managed to do was leave another wound on the beast.

"Watch out!!"

Xiao Tianjin shouted, "Don't be afraid! It won't be able to keep this up for long!"

Surrounded by attackers, the True Ape went completely berserk. Its arms swung like two giant pendulums, whistling as they smashed through the air with terrifying force!

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Shengshan was hit again. He flew a hundred meters like a black streak and crashed into the forest, his fate unknown.

Those two blows alone left everyone else horrified.

In the middle of the fighting, Wang Bo noticed something. His eyes bloodshot, he challenged Xiao Tianjin:

"What are you three brothers doing? Using us as cannon fodder to wear down the True Ape?"

Chen Quanhe snapped, "What are you talking about?"

"Damn it! That's exactly what you're doing! You're the main fighters, but how many times have you made feints instead of attacking? Do you really think we're idiots?"

Seeing that their scheme had been exposed, the three brothers dropped the act.

"Now that you've figured it out, get back to work!"

"Anyone who dares to retreat will find out that my saber doesn't care who it cuts!"

Wei Min exploded with rage. He roared, "Fuck you! I can't do this job! If you've got the guts, kill me right now!"

"Exactly! Even if we die, we won't let you get your way!" Wang Bo chimed in, and the two of them were the first to start retreating.

Just then, Fang Yan stepped in front of them, his expression sinister.

"Are you sure about this? Did you forget that before you joined the Brotherhood Alliance, you submitted all your family information to us? If you don't obey, you'll die—and your families will suffer too... Heh heh."

At his words, the men trembled from head to toe.

"You—you... You bastards!"

"What does that matter? Get your asses in there! Anyone who retreats dies!"

"Your only choice is to give it everything you've got and kill that beast. Then you might have a chance of surviving."

"Don't just stand there, you idiots! We're in a battle! Run away and you're dead!"

The three brothers glared at them threateningly. If the men really turned to run, they'd likely be killed on the spot. Thinking of their families, they drew a deep breath and roared as they charged at the True Ape again. Hatred and helplessness had become their second weapons. They fought to the death, struggling for a chance to survive.

Thud! Thud!

One figure after another was blasted out of the fight. Some suffered shattered bones and twisted bodies. They fell to the ground and never got up again.

Using the brutal tactics of those cannon fodder to create an opening, the three brothers finally found their chance. They lunged forward at once, going straight for the True Ape's badly wounded right arm.

Roar—!!!

With a roar that echoed through the forest, one of the ape's massive arms was severed from its body, crashing heavily to the ground as the spectators watched in terror.

"We did it!"

The humans who didn't know the situation were thrilled. They might never get the exotic fruit themselves, but as fellow humans, they still hoped their side could overpower the Molting Beasts and win in the end.

"Something's wrong!"

The smiles on Xiao Tianjin and his brothers' faces barely had time to appear before a sudden sense of dread rose in their hearts.

With one arm severed, the True Ape went completely berserk, swinging its remaining fist in a mad fury!

The three brothers' hearts raced as they did everything they could to hold back the frenzied "beast in a cage."

"Fall back!"

Seeing that if they kept this up, they too might be dragged under by the maddened beast, the three brothers immediately decided to retreat.

The onlookers nearby were also startled and hurried back, not daring to linger within the True Ape's sight.

As a ferocious beast, it was at its most terrifying in this state.

The three brothers, Xiao Tianjin, Chen Quanhe, and Fang Yan, stood atop a distant peak, watching the True Ape rest beneath the dazzling green vines, their expressions grave.

"It's incredibly tenacious."

"It's recuperating."

Chen Quanhe said, "Big brother, second brother, we still need to find more people to wear it down. We can't risk our own lives—if we do, even getting the strange fruit in the end won't be worth it."

Fang Yan nodded. "Exactly. The three of us have to stick together."

It had to be said: although the three were devious, the bond between them was strong.

Xiao Tianjin nodded. "You're right. There are still plenty of unusual people in Wangwu Mountain. Second brother, take some men and bring them here. Third brother and I will keep watch here, so we don't miss the fruit ripening."

Fang Yan replied, "Understood."