Facing the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape, the Ancient Ruins Open (Seeking Reads, Seeking Collections)

"Human, you are courting death!"

Facing Xiao Ze's challenge, the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape let out an angry roar. Its beastly pupils instantly flooded with blood-red light, and a violent aura surged from its massive body.

Its eyes were crimson, as if its mind had been clouded by rage.

"Taste my staff!" Under its swing, the dozens-of-feet-long refined iron staff transformed into hundreds of terrifying staff shadows, each one carrying enough energy to shatter a mountain peak.

The sky-filling staff shadows descended, sealing off a radius of several hundred meters.

"Xiao Ze!" Yun Yun, standing to the side, felt a look of worry surface on her face.

"No matter! It is merely a crazed monkey. Watch as I slay it with a single sword—"

Xiao Ze chuckled, his figure instantly taking flight.

He stood atop the sky with the Taixiao Sword hovering above his head. Surging sword intent poured out like a tidal wave, and the sky-filling intent transformed into sharp, long swords—thousands of sword shadows coalescing into a terrifying sword domain.

"Holy Spirit Sword Technique: Sword Twenty!"

A surging aura erupted from within him. He raised his right hand high, gripped the hilt of the Taixiao Sword, and then, with a flash of cold light in his eyes, he slashed fiercely toward the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape.

A hundred-foot-long golden-red sword beam erupted outward. The brilliant golden radiance was like a scorching sun, so bright it blinded the eyes, and beneath that dazzling light lay terrifying sword energy.

Each strand of sword energy was like a potent force of power.

Under the weight of thousands of sword energies, even a Tier 6 Magical Beast renowned for its defense would eventually meet its end.

"You want to kill this king? Human, you are not yet capable!"

Sensing the sharpness of the strike, the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape's pupils constricted. It roared, tossing its refined iron staff high into the air before its palms moved with lightning speed, sending phantom palm prints flying from its body.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

These palm prints struck the refined iron staff incessantly.

The dull thuds sounded like rolling thunder, emitting a piercing hum.

As a continuous stream of Dou Qi poured into the magic staff, the once unremarkable weapon suddenly glowed with an eerie light. Pitch-black runes gradually became visible, radiating a chilling, icy intent.

"Ape Demon Strike!"

The Gold-Devouring Demon Ape roared.

The dozens-of-feet-long magic staff suddenly expanded, growing to a height of a hundred feet within a few breaths. The eerie runes flickered, and a phantom image of a demon ape appeared, wielding the staff to deliver this heaven-shaking blow.

Boom!

The magic staff collided with the sword energy.

The two terrifying energies entangled, rolling and intertwining as they erupted into surging ripples of power that battered everything in the vicinity.

Several mountain peaks were shattered to dust by the shockwaves of the exploding energy.

"You have some strength, but not enough!"

"Gold-Devouring Demon Ape, sleep here today!"

A massive cloud of dust rose into the air.

Just as the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape breathed a sigh of relief, Xiao Ze's figure suddenly appeared behind it. Its expression darkened, and as it turned its head, it saw a terrifying sight: hundreds of phantoms had appeared simultaneously above, below, and on all sides, trapping it completely.

Under its terrified gaze, every phantom raised its palm in unison, erupting with astonishing energy.

"Heaven Burning Palm!"

Dozens of giant flaming palms slammed down, striking the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape's body. In an instant, the flames exploded, turning into a sea of fire that completely engulfed it.

"Ah!" A shrill, miserable howl echoed from the sea of fire.

The sound was so mournful it seemed as if the heavens themselves were grieving.

"Stop!"

The moment the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape was attacked, several deafening roars rang out.

Immediately following, several terrifying energies blasted in from all directions, but their target was not Xiao Ze—it was the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape engulfed by the Heaven Burning Palm.

Within moments, the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape was rescued from the sea of fire.

"You finally appeared..."

Xiao Ze was not surprised. He withdrew his palm to see four other Tier 6 Magical Beasts, all at the Dou Huang level, standing beside the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape.

"I wondered why it was so bold; so you beasts were backing it up!" Xiao Ze said, his eyes cold as he looked at the four newly arrived Tier 6 Magical Beasts.

That was right.

The reason this Gold-Devouring Demon Ape had attacked without a word was because it had been instructed by the other beasts.

If they could force Xiao Ze to retreat, that would be best; if not, testing his strength would be advantageous for the upcoming struggle over the ruins.

Yet, they had not expected Xiao Ze's strength to far exceed their estimations.

In just a few exchanges, he had already left the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape severely wounded.

The strike was so swift that even the strongest among them failed to react in time.

Although they had managed to rescue the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape by working together, the beast was already severely wounded; half of its body had been scorched by the Heaven Burning Palm, with vast amounts of blood pouring from its wounds and its aura withered and weak.

Even its fur, which was as tough as refined iron, had been burned to a charred black.

The entire beast looked utterly wretched.

"Respected human powerhouse, on behalf of the Demon Ape, this King offers you an apology. All of this was its fault; we ask that you set aside this grudge for the time being, for the sake of the ancient ruins about to open."

"We would be immensely grateful."

A golden giant tiger, dozens of feet in length, slowly stepped forward. It had wings on its back wreathed in golden flames, and its white-browed, piercing eyes radiated the majesty of a king, with red-gold flames dancing within its brilliant golden pupils.

It was the Red Gold Fierce Tiger, the strongest among the sixth-order magical beasts present.

Even Xiao Ze could not help but show a look of gravity upon seeing it.

A seventh-order magical beast? No! Not quite yet... In his perception, the opponent's cultivation had reached the peak of a sixth-order magical beast, having even slightly touched the realm of the seventh order.

In terms of human cultivation, it was a terrifying powerhouse who had one foot in the ranks of the Dou Zong.

If his guess was correct, its goal for this trip was likely to find treasures within these ruins that would allow it to break through.

For instance—the Human-Form Pill.

"Since you have spoken, this Seat will grant you this face!" There were now four magical beasts with strength comparable to high-level Dou Huang, including one comparable to a half-step Dou Zong.

Although Xiao Ze did not fear them joining forces, with the ruins about to open, he did not want to invite unnecessary trouble.

"Many thanks for your understanding!" The Red Gold Fierce Tiger breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Unless absolutely necessary, it did not want to fight the human before it; from its own senses, it could perceive that this human's strength was truly terrifying.

Even if it joined forces with the other magical beasts, it might not be the opponent's match.

Better to avoid trouble than to invite it.

As long as it could obtain the treasure to facilitate its breakthrough from these ruins, once it advanced to a seventh-order magical beast, the human before it would be nothing more than prey in its grasp!

"Xiao Ze, are you alright?"

As Xiao Ze reached an agreement with the magical beasts, both sides naturally pulled back to a certain distance. Yun Yun flew to his side, her eyes filled with concern.

"I'm fine!" Xiao Ze said softly.

As the two sides ceased hostilities, a short while later, the pillar of light before them gradually split open, revealing a multicolored passage.

"Let's go!"

The moment the passage appeared, Xiao Ze did not hesitate and immediately rushed toward it with Yun Yun.

On the other side, the several magical beasts were not idle either; they each unleashed their own methods and rushed into the multicolored passage in unison.

In an instant, their figures were swallowed by the passage.

"A thousand years... has my destiny finally arrived?"

"Hehehe—"