Chapter 348

"Hah, this time it's convenient."

After sensing the faint energies below.

The black bear sighed and patted its belly: "Could it be we've grown too lazy, even Slain Hunyuan cultivators dare venture this deep?"

As it prepared to act, the Silverback Ape Emperor seized it by the arm.

"What are you doing?" the black bear turned back in confusion.

"I…"

The Silverback Ape Emperor glanced at the motionless lion, then glared at the black bear before reluctantly snarling: "Use your dog brain—last time, cultivators from Xuanguang Cave came. Do you think they'll let this pass?"

"Do you really think this bunch of scattered cultivators could get word of the Executive's dwelling?"

Hearing this, the black bear nodded half-understandingly: "So we're not guarding anymore?"

The Silverback Ape Emperor withdrew its gaze in exasperation.

Did it really have to say outright that the lion should go first?

After a long pause, the Ape Emperor spat: "Go!"

No matter what, if this mission fails, Lei Ti, the Ape Emperor, won't spare them.

Shen Yi remained standing quietly.

Only when Lady Qinghua swiftly returned did he move toward the light barrier.

The three great demons successively vanished into the light barrier.

About an incense stick's time later.

Two figures finally appeared in the air.

The first was a middle-aged man in a clean black robe; behind him, the woman wore a robe of black and white Daoist fabric.

"Master, shall we enter now?"

The woman opened her palm, revealing a strange, slightly repulsive seed.

The seed pulsed faintly, as if drawing something.

"Almost ready."

The man in the black robe lowered his gaze toward the light barrier.

He had come today primarily to capture at least one Ape Emperor—exploring the dwelling was secondary.

Xuanguang Cave had suffered repeated setbacks lately.

Many disciples had vanished without cause.

Among them were pillars like Zhang Mingxuan and Liu Jingyuan, who had come together.

He truly wanted to know what had happened.

"Make them scatter and flee."

"Disciple understands."

The woman applied slight pressure, squeezing the seed in her palm; dark red fluid, like blood, oozed from between her fingers.

She glanced sideways at her master.

A hint of reverence surfaced in her eyes.

Capturing an Ape Emperor—no one else would even dare dream of it.

Bringing benefit to all living beings—this is great merit.

Her master is truly worthy of being named alongside True Person Qingfeng.

…

Inside the dwelling.

Several cultivators were sprinting out when suddenly their eyes were shrouded in black mist.

As Slain Hunyuan Realm cultivators, they staggered and collapsed to the ground, rolling over repeatedly, curling and twitching like boiled shrimp.

"Listen to the Dharma… listen to the Dharma… how foolish I was, to believe Xuanguang Cave's lies."

Someone cried out in anguish, but only managed to struggle upright, obediently separating from the others, stumbling forward alone.

"Fellow cultivators, take care."

The others forced themselves up through the pain, daring not to pause a moment.

They had received invitations claiming True Person Zhang Xuanyan of Xuanguang Cave had emerged from seclusion and was traveling here, willing to share cultivation insights.

Instead of hearing a single word of Dharma, they had merely swallowed a Qingxin Jingshen Pill—and been sent into the Thousand Demon Cavern.

Who could have imagined such a thing could be done by a Daoist master in an immortal sect's black robe?

But now, cursing was meaningless.

All they hoped for was to escape the demons' grasp and find a way to remove the seals within them.

The only thing offering them any comfort was that, so far, they had sensed no demonic energy… had the demons forgotten this place?

"Are you going to act or not?"

At this moment, the Silverback Ape Emperor, watching the lion stroll lazily beside it, could no longer hold back: "Don't forget—you killed Manshan. If this mission fails, Lei Ti, the Ape Emperor, will take your head."

"…"

Shen Yi cast it a casual glance and ignored it.

"Do you two really need to do this?"

The black bear licked its lips, its patience wearing thin: "Could it be there's no ambush at all—maybe Xuanguang Cave just didn't dare come? I don't want to waste time here."

"Hmph!"

The Silverback Ape Emperor whirled on it, baring its fangs in a snarling grimace.

It had planned to wait until the Golden-Eyed Lion Emperor left, then drag the black bear into action—if there really was an ambush, it wouldn't target them first.

Unexpectedly, this lion, though arrogant, clung like a medicinal plaster, impossible to shake off.

"I was just making things up—you decide."

The black bear was startled and quickly averted its gaze.

At that moment, its massive form suddenly froze; its already hunched body slowly lowered its front paws to the ground.

"Afraid to come? Why? Because of you few?"

In the distance, a figure in dark robes walked slowly.

Facing three terrifying Beast Emperors, he displayed utter calm.

Behind Zhang Xuanyan, the woman wore a gloomy expression, as if blaming herself for failing to assist her master.

Facing such seemingly calm words, yet brimming with contempt.

The Silverback Ape Emperor did not grow angry; instead, it stepped back another pace behind the black bear, then casually clenched its fist—out appeared a peculiar weapon with spearheads at both ends.

At the same time, it let out a strained laugh: "When did your dark-robed Great Cultivators dare come here? What, afraid of dying here and being crushed under Mount Wutong for life? I recall you have only four dark-robed True Persons, right?"

"Xuanyan has not yet entered the late Soul Transformation stage—he's not as important as you think."

Zhang Xuanyan slowly brushed his sleeves: "But dealing with you few rotten fish and spoiled shrimp? More than enough."

If they could be separated, that would be best.

If it truly won't work, it wouldn't matter much anyway.

The strongest of the three Beast Emperors was none other than the Silverback Ape Emperor of the Thirty-Fourth Cave; the other two weren't worth mentioning.

"Since you've seen my master, why not put down your weapons? Perhaps you'll still be granted a chance to live."

The female cultivator of Xuan Guang Cave coldly rebuked.

Upon hearing this, the black bear looked questioningly behind it.

"..."

The Silverback Ape Emperor barely held back the urge to stab its brain through with its spear.

But at this critical moment, it forced down its fury and shouted loudly: "In the past, I truly feared you a bit—but now, my Golden-Eyed Lion brother has greatly advanced in cultivation; if we truly fight, you won't necessarily gain the upper hand."

At these words, Zhang Xuanyan's gaze immediately fixed on the towering lion.

It stood motionless, unassuming on the surface, yet far calmer than the other two beasts.

The Silverback Ape Emperor's single sentence had diverted the opponent's attention to the lion; it sighed inwardly with relief, tensed its legs, and prepared to retreat.

Yet what it had never anticipated happened.

In an instant.

A sharp claw struck with lightning speed, slamming hard against its occiput.

Crack—a muffled thud!

The Silverback Ape Emperor's skull shattered, its entire body crashing to the ground.

Yet as a Beast Emperor, its life force far surpassed that of a cultivator.

It instinctively rolled over and thrust its spear upward.

With demonic power surging, the spear exploded with the force to split mountains and sever rivers—only to be tightly gripped by the giant claw.

Boom—

Shen Yi held the spear in one hand and slammed his foot hard onto its chest.

Causing the old ape's body to arch, spewing foul, bloody pulp.

It widened its eyes in terror, meeting a pair of brilliant golden eyes—and under the Golden-Eyed Lion Emperor's gaze, it felt as if plunged into an icy abyss, shrieking desperately: "You dare betray us?!"

The Silverback Ape Emperor's reply was the lion's cruel gaze.

It bent low, reached out, and seized the ape's head—its five fingers suddenly pierced inward.

After completing the Nine Beasts Transforming into Demons Art, the force Shen Yi's body could unleash during body tempering had already exceeded twice that of the Qingling Beast Emperor.

Later, upon breaking through to Soul Transformation, those nine celestial beasts surged again.

At least within the Soul Transformation Mid-Stage, no demon or beast could match his strength.

"Aaaah!"

The Silverback Ape Emperor, lifted by its head, could only roar in agony through its fingers.

Its silver-gray fur along the spine rapidly grew, accompanied by a violent expansion of its body—soon it stood as tall as the lion.

Its two long arms thickened like piles of flesh.

It furiously pounded the lion's chest and abdomen, tearing through the sturdy muscles and driving deep into the lion's body.

Yet it felt no joy—only growing dread.

Why… this sensation felt so false.

Like some illusion technique—even the blood spurting out had no warmth, as if deliberately fabricated.

"He's not the Golden—"

Before the words finished, the eight-zhang-tall majestic lion demon crushed its skull with a sudden squeeze.

The black bear trembled violently, watching the scene before it.

Its entire mind had turned to mush.

It couldn't understand…

Instantly, the black bear spun around to flee—but before it could even lift its hind legs.

Shen Yi gripped the spear with both hands and thrust it instantly through its skull, pinning it firmly to the ground!

(End of Chapter)