Chapter 599: White Ape (Supplemental Chapter)

Li Yi, walking through Xinzhou City, intended to find a good spot to wait quietly for the world's spirits and gods to come seeking him; according to his reasoning, this would happen at night, since spirits and gods were ethereal beings who, though bolstered by incense devotion and spiritual energy, could still move during daylight.

But fundamentally lacking physical form, they needed to avoid direct sunlight to minimize their own depletion.

"That place will do."

Suddenly,

Li Yi spotted a towering pavilion at the center of Xinzhou City—a structure with over a dozen stories, from whose summit one could overlook the entire city.

At once, he headed toward it.

If many spirits arrive, I might take this opportunity to ask about my father's whereabouts—he crossed over with a Primordial Spirit cultivation base, so he must now possess considerable power and cultivation, perhaps even become a mighty god.

Not long after,

Li Yi neared the pavilion, which was called Yaoxing Tower, situated within the Prince of Xin's mansion—a residence with heavy security, impossible for ordinary people to enter.

"So it's a prince's mansion."

But he paid it no mind; he activated his invisibility technique, vanishing from sight, bypassing ordinary eyes, and walking straight through the main gate.

The two stone lions before the mansion seemed to sense Li Yi; they growled and bristled, ready to leap—but his Dragon-Tiger aura crushed them instantly, causing them to wither, curl into corners, and dare not move.

Though lions exuded majesty, dragons and tigers were true sovereigns.

Li Yi walked through the mansion grounds.

Indeed, nobility in any world enjoyed luxury: this estate was springlike year-round, filled with birdsong and floral fragrance, towering ancient trees, and beautiful maidens constantly passing by; rare flowers, exotic herbs, mountain treasures, and ocean gems were everywhere—he saw an ancient tortoise in the pond spitting out pearls, a spirit bird nesting in a tree, and a nine-leaf ginseng blooming in the flowerbed.

Moreover, white foxes played about, and ancient apes danced with swords.

"All are spirits," Li Yi glanced and realized the animals here were no ordinary creatures—they had all awakened consciousness and possessed some cultivation.

Yet even these spirits willingly served in the mansion, kept as pets.

The reason was simple.

Nobles were born sharing vast incense devotion; these spirits entering the mansion could partake in its benefits, aiding their cultivation, receiving protection, free from illness and disaster—far better than living in the wild. And if they cultivated successfully and served the imperial court, they might even be officially enshrined as gods.

But entering the mansion was not easy—it required being favored.

Suddenly, a loud shout rang out: "Stop! Where did this Daoist come from, daring to use magic and sneak into the mansion? Draw your sword!" A white ape perched atop an ancient tree had spotted him—his eyes brightened, as if seeing through Li Yi's invisibility—and he leapt down, wielding an ancient sword, charging straight at him.

Though separated by a hundred meters, the white ape moved with uncanny agility—just one leap, and he was already before Li Yi.

Li Yi said nothing; he simply rolled his robe, blocking the sharp ancient blade, then stepped back slightly.

The white ape flew backward as if struck by a colossal dragon—his sturdy body smashed through countless flowers, trees, and shrubs, finally crashing into a rock garden with a thunderous boom, burying himself beneath rubble.

"Wah!" The white ape spat blood, his eyes filled with human-like terror.

What kind of strength was this?

One gentle push, and he'd been hurled over ten zhang away—if the Daoist hadn't held back, he'd have exploded on the spot; survival would have been impossible.

"Sorry, I misjudged my strength—it was a bit too much," Li Yi said. "You're already speaking human speech—you've truly become a spirit. I'm just passing through, seeking a place to rest. Pretend you didn't see me, and I won't trouble you. How about that?"

"I'm the Prince's Wangshan Ape, assigned to guard this place! How can I let some mountain Daoist wander in and out freely?" The white ape rose from the ruins, his fur stained with blood, still gripping his ancient sword tightly.

Li Yi said: "This is the only place large enough in the entire city. Tonight, when I perform my ritual, the disturbance here will be minimal. After tonight, I'll leave. Isn't it better to coexist peacefully? If we fight, I might accidentally kill you—and that would be a waste. If you agree, I'll teach you a technique—how about my invisibility spell?"

He tried bribing the white ape.

The white ape's eyes darted around, hesitating—he couldn't defeat this Daoist, and learning a technique was no loss. He finally said: "Is your invisibility spell genuine? Or some heretical trick?"

"Authentic Daoist transmission—perfectly orthodox," Li Yi replied.

"Then fine. Teach me invisibility, and I'll let you stay in the mansion for one day—but only one day. After that, you must leave." The white ape nodded in agreement.

Li Yi smiled: "Then come to Yaoxing Tower tonight—I'll teach you the technique."

"The Prince holds a banquet at Yaoxing Tower tonight. You must not go there before the hour of Xu," the white ape said.

Li Yi replied: "I can use invisibility—I'll sit quietly without being noticed." The white ape scratched his head, thought a moment, then said: "Alright. I'll come find you after the banquet ends. Don't break your word."

"Why would I deceive a monkey?" Li Yi said. "But how did you see through my invisibility? My technique isn't powerful, but it shouldn't be detectable by a spirit."

"Before I came here, I cultivated in the mountains—watching the sun by day, the moon by night. Over time, my eyes changed—I can now see through many illusionary techniques." The white ape said. "Combined with the refined sword art I learned, few spirits can match me."

"I see—training your eyes with sun and moon. No wonder they're extraordinary," Li Yi nodded slightly.

This cultivation method must have unintentionally aligned with some technique's principles; if refined, it might become a new Daoist art. My invisibility was just a casual technique from a Daoist manual—its flaw being exposed by his eyes was natural.

"But your swordplay isn't good—not refined at all. Barely usable," Li Yi added.

The white ape said: "Do you understand sword art too?"

"A little."

Li Yi extended a finger—a blade of qi surged, slicing through the air, cleaving a rock garden in half, then shot into the sky and vanished.

The white ape stared—his pupils contracted. He saw the rock garden split like tofu. He froze—had that blade struck him, he'd have lost his head instantly.

"Is that… flying sword?" he exclaimed in shock.

No mistake—this content is correct!

Li Yi said: "Not a flying sword—just sword qi. Are there people here who use flying swords?"

He hadn't expected this world of incense-deity cultivation to have flying swords—wasn't that a technique of cultivators from the Xuanxian Continent?

"One Daoist invited by the Prince knows flying swords—he can refine a precious sword into a sword pellet, swallow it, then spit it out to transform into a flying sword, unstoppable," the white ape said.

It seemed Daoists in this world had real skill—but he didn't know how their sword pellets compared to the spirit weapons of Xuanxian cultivators.

"But I can use that flying sword too," Li Yi smiled lightly. "Though the technique isn't powerful—I rarely use it."

He only needed to channel the metal qi from his lungs, exhale, and it would become a flying sword—though he'd never tested its power.

"Master, you're truly a high cultivator—knowing so many techniques! Tonight at the banquet, why not display a few? The Prince might favor you, and wealth and honor will be endless," the white ape now sounded like a shrewd broker, trying to recruit Li Yi into the mansion.

"Haha, I'd love to enjoy wealth and honor—but I haven't finished my major task. I must keep traveling," Li Yi laughed.

But the commotion had drawn attention—two patrolling soldiers approached.

"White Ape, who are you talking to? Has a thief entered the mansion?" one soldier asked.

The white ape's eyes darted—he saw the Daoist had vanished, nowhere to be found. He quickly replied: "No thief. I was distracted staring at the sun and fell from the tree. I was just cursing."

"I see. Keep watch closely these two days. Today, the city's government office collapsed—rumor says a powerful demonic Daoist did it. He's still at large—if he enters the mansion, disaster will follow," the soldier said.

"Understood," the white ape immediately replied.

After dismissing the soldiers, the white ape whispered: "Master, Master, are you there?"

"I'm here."

Li Yi stepped through a courtyard wall, his form reappearing.

"Master, what technique is that?" The white ape's eyes burned with curiosity, scratching his head.

Li Yi said: "Wall-piercing technique—a trivial little spell. I'm leaving. Remember to find me tonight. If you're late, don't blame me for refusing to teach you."

Saying this, he turned and walked toward Yaoxing Tower.

"This Daoist's techniques are powerful, his aura pure—he's no demonic Daoist. The demonic one must be someone else," the white ape reflected on the soldier's words after watching Li Yi depart. He shook his head, certain Li Yi was a true cultivator.

"But I want to learn that wall-piercing technique… what should I do?"

He scratched his head, pondering how to learn the technique from Li Yi.

His eyes darted to the tortoise in the pond, spitting out its pearl. He picked up his ancient sword and strolled over with a grin.

(End of Chapter)