Chapter 55: The Leeks Are Thriving, the Primordial Relic Species: Demon Ape

Jun Xiaoyao regarded Ji Xuan as if he were meat on a chopping block.

Ji Xuan, in turn, cast a glance at Jun Xiaoyao, his eyes subtly heavy.

Jun Xiaoyao was shrouded in divine radiance and mist, making him indistinct.

Yet it was precisely this hazy impression that deepened Ji Xuan’s wariness.

Then his gaze shifted to Jun Zhangjian beside him, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

He could not guarantee what would happen if he faced Jun Xiaoyao.

But against Jun Zhangjian, Jun Xuehuang, and others, Ji Xuan still had confidence.

“I really want to crush Ji Xuan into the ground!”

Seeing the faintly mocking smile on Ji Xuan’s lips, Jun Zhangjian’s face darkened.

This bastard dares not provoke Jun Xiaoyao, so he turns to provoke me instead.

“Stay calm. We’ll deal with this once we reach the Supreme Secret Vault,” Jun Xiaoyao said calmly.

If Ji Xuan behaved himself, Jun Xiaoyao might merely seize his opportunity without harming him.

But if Ji Xuan insists on dancing before him, Jun Xiaoyao would have to teach him humility.

Next, Jun Xiaoyao and the others plunged deep into the Taihuang Forest.

Naturally, those at the top ranks were the elite prodigies of the immortal sects.

Next came the prodigies of top-tier sects and first-class factions.

The chief disciple of Daoji Tianzong also set out, but he kept close behind Jun Xiaoyao and the others.

Earlier, a Daoji Tianzong elder had warned them: to avoid trouble, the safest path was to stay near the Jun family’s divine heir.

Roar!

A ghost-faced bear, corrupted by gray mist, lifted its head and let out a deafening bellow.

It stood upright, three zhang tall, like a black hill, radiating murderous aura.

Its paw lashed out, crushing several disciples of major factions at the Divine Bridge realm into pulp.

But in an instant, a vast golden magic palm imprint slammed down from ahead.

With a thunderous crash, the powerful ghost-faced bear also became pulp.

Jun Xiaoyao calmly retracted his hand. “Keep moving.”

Jun Zhangjian and the others were unfazed—they already knew Jun Xiaoyao’s strength.

But the Daoji Tianzong chief disciple behind them swallowed hard, his eyes filled with shock.

“No wonder he’s the Jun family’s divine heir—this ghost-faced bear, which ordinary Divine Bridge cultivators struggle to defeat, he crushed with one palm.”

Of course, it wasn’t just Jun Xiaoyao who acted with ruthless efficiency.

Ji Xuan was the same.

He moved with casual ease, sacred runes glowing on his right arm, divine radiance bursting forth.

A simple push of his palm, a flick of his finger—rays of light shot out, tearing apart the ferocious beasts ahead without effort.

“The Ji family’s young sage possesses invincible bearing—merely lifting a hand or stepping a foot, he can crush mighty beasts.”

“Of course—he fused a fragment of a Saint-King’s hand bone into his arm. He doesn’t even need to activate martial arts or divine techniques; even a casual palm strike carries earth-shattering power.”

Many prodigies from first-class factions marveled.

Prodigies born into immortal sects truly had advantages—even Saint-King hand bones could be fused.

Of course, beyond these immortal sect prodigies,

some surprising dark horses had emerged.

“Hmm, who is that hooded figure? His strength is astonishing!”

Some cultivators had noticed a shadow cloaked in a hooded cloak.

He revealed no face, yet a single punch unleashed swirling azure dragon patterns, effortlessly shattering the beasts ahead.

This surprised many—they hadn’t expected such a dark horse to appear.

“Tsk tsk, the Jiucai has finally appeared. Looks like it’s growing well, thriving—no disappointment…”

Here, Jun Xiaoyao sensed something, his peripheral vision catching the hooded figure.

He immediately knew it was Xiao Chen.

But Jun Xiaoyao made no move.

He knew Xiao Chen wanted to hide his identity, pretend to be weak, ambush him in the secret realm, seize opportunities, grow immensely strong, and then crush him.

But…

Dreams are full, reality is thin.

Xiao Chen thought he was on the second layer, while Jun Xiaoyao was on the first.

He didn’t realize Jun Xiaoyao was already on the fifth layer.

The entire situation lay under Jun Xiaoyao’s control.

“Xiao Chen, I’ll give you one last chance to dream. When I harvest you, don’t say I showed you no mercy.”

Jun Xiaoyao’s lips curled into a faint smile.

Beneath the hood, Xiao Chen’s face was resolute, tinged with quiet excitement.

His chance to rise had finally come.

“Jun Xiaoyao, once I fuse the ancient dragon bone and perfect the Azure Heaven Dragon Transformation Scripture, I’ll crush you beneath my feet before everyone’s eyes!”

The battle raged on.

The cultivators who had entered the Taihuang Forest clashed violently with the forest’s beasts.

Aside from Jun Xiaoyao and a few others who could push forward unimpeded,

the prodigies of major factions and many lone cultivators suffered heavy casualties.

“We’re not even on the same level as the heirs of immortal sects.”

A lone cultivator spat bitterly, staring at the distant, transcendent silhouettes deep in the forest, sighing endlessly.

Jun Xiaoyao moved like a white-robed divine king, radiating invincible might—no beast could withstand him for more than two or three strikes.

Soon after, Jun Xiaoyao and the others were the first to penetrate the deepest reaches of the Taihuang Forest.

Before them, a vast black fissure stretched across the ground like a wound upon the earth.

Strange gray mist seeped from within.

Jun Zhangjian and the others shielded themselves with magic power to repel the mist.

But this drained them severely.

Moreover, within the mist, they faintly sensed a suppressive force.

But Jun Xiaoyao was different—he made no effort to shield himself.

For he was the Primordial Saint Body, utterly yang and unyielding, impervious to all evil, his blood itself golden.

The Saint Body’s qi and constitution possessed fierce resistance against all demonic and yin energies.

“It seems the Supreme Secret Vault lies beneath this earth fissure—but something strange has changed,” Jun Xiaoyao murmured.

As soon as he finished speaking,

another roar echoed.

A pitch-black ape, crowned with a single horn and bearing fleshy wings, leapt forward, stomping its feet and collapsing a cliff dozens of zhang high.

“It’s a primordial relic species—the Demon Ape!”

Some cultivators who had penetrated this far couldn’t help crying out in shock.

Primordial relic species carried a trace of bloodline from the ancient era, far stronger than ordinary beasts.

This Demon Ape radiated murderous aura, its power already at the Guiyi realm.

And at the same realm, primordial relic species were stronger than humans.

Even an immortal sect’s Guiyi prodigy would find this Demon Ape difficult to handle.

Most importantly, Jun Xiaoyao’s current realm was only Divine Bridge.

Roar!

The primordial relic species, the Demon Ape, let out a furious bellow.

After being corrupted by the gray mist, its eyes glowed crimson, its already violent nature now fully berserk as it charged straight at Jun Xiaoyao.

Along the way, it smashed through several mountain ridges.

All eyes locked onto the scene.

Above the Taihuang Forest, in the void,

the Observing Mirror reflected the scene outside the Supreme Secret Vault.

“Your Jun family’s divine heir may be in trouble,” Elder Ji Bangyin of the Ji family smiled faintly.