Blazing Flames Temper the Demon Ape

By the time they had slain the second wave of Azure-Pattern Apes, they had finally drawn the attention of the Foundation Establishment demon beast.

With more than thirty Azure-Pattern Apes suddenly gone, the ape leader quickly noticed something was wrong and led its troop in pursuit.

"Run!"

Seeing the murderous ape charging toward them, the group hurriedly activated the Wind-Controlling Art and raced toward the valley.

They were only thirty li from the valley. At their cultivation, they needed merely two quarters of an hour to reach it.

But the demon ape was incredibly fast. After they had run barely a dozen li, the Foundation Establishment ape caught up. Its fury soared to the heavens as it charged at them with bloodshot eyes.

The physical body of a Foundation Establishment demon beast was nearly as tough as refined iron. If it got close, they would likely be torn in two.

At the critical juncture between life and death, the Second Elder brought out the Jiuyi Bell, spreading a curtain of light to protect them.

"Clang—"

With a thunderous boom, the demon ape slammed into the Jiuyi Bell and was sent flying back a hundred meters.

The Second Elder's face reddened slightly as he forced down a mouthful of blood surging backward, then said, "Go!"

The group had no time to think. Taking advantage of the demon ape being injured by the Jiuyi Bell's shockwave, they hurried toward the valley and widened the distance between themselves and the demon beast.

As one pursued and the other fled, the demon ape caught up several times, but the Jiuyi Bell blocked it each time. At last, they reached the valley.

"Get inside!"

The group rushed into the valley, luring the demon ape in after them.

Only then did they discover that, because the Foundation Establishment demon ape was so fast, it had pulled far ahead of the Tier 1 demon apes.

"A perfect chance."

The group exchanged glances and immediately activated the Blazing Sun Heavenly Flame Formation. Six Formation Flags fell into their hands, and roaring flames instantly descended, turning the entire valley into a living inferno.

To increase its power, they had covered the valley with dry firewood. Things that were usually worthless now added another thirty percent to the formation's might, burning the Foundation Establishment demon ape until it howled miserably.

"Put your backs into it! Burn it to death in one go!"

At this sight, everyone showed excitement and drove the Formation Flags to refine the demon ape.

This Tier 2 formation possessed boundless power. It burned the Foundation Establishment demon ape until it could no longer tell east from west, north from south, and it struggled wildly within the formation in a pitiful state.

After they had burned it for roughly a quarter of an hour, the large troop of demon apes arrived. Hearing their ancestor's miserable cries, the dozens of apes disregarded everything else and charged frantically into the valley to save it, only to fall beneath the towering flames.

"These demon apes..."

Chen Nianzhi's expression changed slightly. They had underestimated the Foundation Establishment demon ape, and they had also underestimated the strength of nearly a hundred demon apes.

Though the Blazing Sun Heavenly Flame Formation was powerful, burning so many demon beasts at once consumed their qi.

Chen Nianzhi's qi was far more abundant than that of ordinary people, but the others had all turned pale, clearly having expended a great deal.

The Second Elder in particular, who was controlling the Jiuyi Bell, had clashed head-on with the demon ape several times earlier. He had suffered backlash from the Jiuyi Bell and was already seriously injured internally.

His face was now white as paper. Clearly, his excessive qi consumption had aggravated his injuries.

Seeing that the situation was turning unfavorable, Chen Nianzhi quickly handed the Second Elder a Qi-Replenishing Pill. "Take it quickly."

"A Qi-Replenishing Pill?"

The Second Elder caught his breath slightly, snatched it up, and swallowed it.

This pill could restore seventy percent of a Late Stage of Qi Refining cultivator's True Essence, instantly replenishing the Second Elder's qi.

Yet perhaps because the backlash from using the Jiuyi Bell to clash head-on with the demon ape had been too severe, his face remained somewhat pale.

The flames raged for nearly half an hour. After consuming some pills and absorbing some Spirit Stones, the group had finally burned away nearly all the demon apes.

"Push harder. Aside from the Foundation Establishment demon ape, only a few remain."

Seeing their substantial gains, everyone revealed looks of delight.

But at that very instant, Chen Nianzhi's expression changed, and he shouted, "Watch out!"

The Blazing Sun Heavenly Flame Formation suddenly shuddered violently. The Foundation Establishment demon ape at the heart of the flames spat out its Demon Core, and the vast power of the core bombarded the formation.

A demon beast's inner core contained the essence of its entire body and was tied to its very life. Ordinarily, it would not be used lightly, but once unleashed, it possessed earth-shattering force.

The demon beast's Demon Core shone so brilliantly that it eclipsed even the Blazing Sun Heavenly Flame, blasting the Blazing Sun Heavenly Flame Formation apart in one strike.

However, after breaking the formation, the Demon Core's glow dimmed as well. Its power had clearly been exhausted.

Seizing this chance, the Foundation Establishment demon ape leaped up and crashed out of the valley, pouncing on them like a ferocious fiend.

Seeing the demon beast run rampant, everyone's hearts jolted, and a trace of fear rose within them.

"Don't hesitate!"

"The demon ape has been refined by True Fire, and its mana is already exhausted. It is only flaunting its ferocity through the strength of its body. Now is the perfect opportunity to kill it."

At this crucial moment, the Second Elder shouted loudly. As soon as his words fell, he brought out his treasured artifact, the Scarlet Copper Demon-Breaking Shuttle.

This artifact was merely Tier 1 High-grade, yet its power ranked among the finest. As it stabbed forward, however, it only pierced a small wound in the demon ape's skin and could not even tear through its muscles.

The others' artifacts struck the demon ape as well, but could only inflict superficial wounds. Even Chen Qingwan's high-grade dharma sword was slightly weaker in power; when it struck the demon ape, it rang like metal upon iron and scattered sparks.

Chen Qingwan could not help revealing a terrified expression at this sight.

"This demon beast is all steel sinews and iron bones. Even high-grade artifacts cannot injure it!"

"Watch out!"

At that instant, the demon ape endured the pain and forcibly took the group's artifacts head-on, actually pouncing right before them.

At the critical moment, the Second Elder stepped forward once more and shouted:

"Get behind me!"

As soon as his words fell, he once again forcibly activated the Jiuyi Bell, transforming it into a vast ancient bell that shielded everyone.

Then the Foundation Establishment demon ape lunged before them and crashed into the Jiuyi Bell.

"Clang—"

A thunderous boom erupted as the collision occurred in an instant. The Second Elder could no longer suppress his injuries and spat out a mouthful of blood before collapsing to the ground.

The phantom great bell formed by the Jiuyi Bell shattered with a boom, while the Foundation Establishment demon ape also lost its momentum and was knocked flying backward.

No matter how strong a physical body was, it had its limits. It could not compare with a same-tier artifact tempered a thousand times in an artifact furnace.

With its mana gone, this Foundation Establishment demon ape had still dared to clash head-on with a Tier 2 artifact. It had clearly suffered greatly, with several of its ribs broken by the impact.

"Now!"

"Clang—"

In that instant, Chen Nianzhi found the best opportunity to strike. He brought out the Scarlet Iron Saber Blank and slashed out, transforming it into a crimson saber glow aimed straight at the Foundation Establishment demon ape's throat.

Yet it was, after all, a Tier 2 demon ape. At the critical moment, it twisted its body aside and evaded the fatal strike, but Chen Nianzhi still cut off one of its arms with a single slash.

After suffering such grave injuries, the demon ape let out a miserable shriek. At last, fear appeared in its eyes, and it turned to flee into the distance.

"We can't let it escape!"