The mouth of the valley was narrow, choked by dense branches and foliage jutting out from both sides. Cluttered piles of jagged rocks further obscured the entrance, making the valley seem to vanish and reappear amidst the landscape. The Blazing Thunder Squad must have expended considerable effort to discover this hidden spot.
“The number of Fire Spirit Apes around here is no small matter either.”
Mu Chen stood a short distance from the entrance, catching a scent on the wind. A pungent stench assailed his nostrils, a clear sign that the valley was teeming with Fire Spirit Apes, just as Lei Cheng had described.
“Get ready.”
Lei Cheng gave the order. Lin Zhong and a few others quickly went around to gather dry firewood, piling it up and setting it ablaze.
“Cover your noses and mouths, and try to hold your breath.”
Lei Cheng produced several pungent, grey medicinal pellets. Just a whiff of them was enough to induce drowsiness.
Lin Zhong and his men had already prepared coarse cloth towels soaked in spring water, distributing them to everyone. Seeing that preparations were complete, Lei Cheng tossed the medicinal pellets into the fire, and a wave of thick, intoxicating fumes billowed outward.
“Everyone, channel your spiritual energy and blow the smoke into the valley!”
Lei Cheng barked in a low voice, taking the lead. His robes whipped wildly as spiritual energy surged from his body, conjuring a fierce gale that swept the smoke deep into the valley.
The others followed suit, their combined winds driving the thick, sleep-inducing smoke forward until it completely enveloped the valley. Gradually, the raucous cries of the apes within began to quiet down. Lei Cheng peered into the misty depths, tilting his head to listen for any lingering movement. After a moment, he let out a soft sigh of relief and waved his hand:
“Move out, and be careful!”
“Go!”
Unable to contain their excitement any longer, everyone nodded in unison and pressed forward, slipping through the entrance. Inside, a heavy mist hung in the air, and the ground was littered with rows of apes with fiery-red heads. These Fire Spirit Apes were all sleeping so deeply they might as well have been dead; the anesthetic Lei Cheng and his group had prepared was incredibly potent.
“The Jade Spirit Tree is at the very end of the valley. Let’s hurry, the fumes won’t keep them under for long.”
Lei Cheng urged them on, immediately quickening his pace. He darted past the slumbering Fire Spirit Apes strewn across the ground, heading straight for the depths of the valley.
Mu Chen led his team close behind. But just as they penetrated deeper into the valley, a sharp, sudden screech echoed from the cliffside. A shadow whipped past like a falling star, accompanied by a howling gust of wind. Squinting through the mist, they saw a massive Fire Spirit Ape charging straight toward Tang Qian’er, who was bringing up the rear behind Mu Chen.
Caught off guard by the sudden assault, Tang Qian’er was startled. She reacted swiftly, raising her hand to draw her short sword. Channeling her spiritual energy, she thrust the blade into the beast's body, leaving a shallow, bloody gash. Though it dealt no significant damage, it successfully halted the ape's momentum for a split second. In that instant, Mu Chen spun around with the agility of a specter, a sharp dagger slipping from his sleeve. Dark spiritual energy wrapped around the blade as he slashed it across the Fire Spirit Ape's eyes. Fresh blood sprayed. The ape opened its jaws to let out an agonized shriek, but before the sound could leave its throat, the dagger plunged deep into its windpipe, cutting the cry short.
“Thump.”
The massive body of the Fire Spirit Ape crashed heavily onto the rocky ground, shattering the loose stones around it. Mu Chen landed lightly beside it, wiped the fresh blood from his dagger, and looked at the pale-faced Tang Qian'er, asking:
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Tang Qian'er wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. Nearby, Mo Ling and the others stood dumbfounded, their minds still struggling to process what had just transpired. In the blink of an eye, Mu Chen had already swiftly dispatched a Fire Spirit Ape. It wasn't just them, either; even the members of the Blazing Thunder Squad were stunned. Mu Chen's reaction speed was incredibly sharp, and his execution was clean and decisive.
“Impressive. The strength of this Fire Spirit Ape had likely reached the late stage of the Spiritual Movement Realm.”
Lei Cheng praised.
“Its speed was severely hindered by the intoxicating fumes. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to kill.”
Mu Chen shook his head. Even if these Fire Spirit Apes weren't completely unconscious, their senses were still heavily dulled by the intoxicating fragrance.
“The intoxicating drug has its limits, after all. Fire Spirit Apes at the late stage of the Spiritual Movement Realm can resist its effects. There are probably no fewer than twenty of them at this level in the valley right now. Fortunately, even if it doesn't put them to sleep, it still suppresses their strength, making them much easier to handle.”
Lei Cheng nodded, then suddenly crouched down, his expression turning grave as his gaze locked onto the distance.
“Here comes our big, troublesome friend.”
Mu Chen squinted into the distance. At the far end of the valley, where the intoxicating fragrance had mostly dissipated, sat a massive, fiery-red beast—their ultimate target. Its entire body burned like fire, glowing as if clad in armor of solid flame. It squatted on the ground, its powerful legs bent, radiating a fierce, overbearing aura that swept across the valley. The violent fluctuations of spiritual energy it emitted far surpassed those of the ordinary Fire Spirit Apes. Clearly, this was the ruler of the valley: the Fire Spirit Ape King.
Mu Chen felt the heavy pressure of its spiritual energy, and his gaze grew increasingly serious. Beside him, his companions showed hints of fear; that beast was indeed a genuine mid-tier spirit beast.
Mu Chen stared at the Fire Spirit Ape King for a moment before his gaze shifted behind it, where a crevice about two *zhang* wide split the rock. Growing out from the crevice was a small tree, its trunk about one *zhang* in circumference. The tree gleamed with a pristine, white-jade luster. Hanging from its lush, verdant branches were round, jade-green fruits. Even from this distance, the rich, sweet fragrance of ripe fruit wafted over, instantly clearing their minds and refreshing their spirits.
“It really is the Jade Spirit Tree!”
Mu Chen stared at the small tree, unable to hide the joy in his eyes. The tree had fully matured, and a quick count revealed at least thirty fruits hanging from its branches. This joint venture was indeed incredibly lucrative.
“Little brother, I will lead five of my men to draw the Fire Spirit Ape King's attention. The rest of my squad and your team will handle the other conscious Fire Spirit Apes nearby. You must bide your time, wait for the perfect opening to use the Spirit-Shattering Pearl, and seize the chance to deliver the fatal blow!” Lei Cheng outlined the plan.
“Alright.”
Mu Chen nodded, pondered for a moment, and said:
"If anything unexpected happens, I suggest we retreat immediately. If you cannot bear to part with the Jade Spirit Fruits, I will take my people and leave first. I'll just write off the loss of the Spirit-Shattering Pearl. No matter how precious the Jade Spirit Fruits are, they aren't worth our lives."
Hearing this, Lei Cheng forced a wry smile and nodded. If it really came to that, they would indeed have no choice but to retreat and chalk it up to bad luck.
"Get ready to move."
Lei Cheng waved his hand. Lin Zhong and five members of the Blazing Thunder Squad unleashed their spiritual energy, warily advancing toward the Fire Spirit Ape King deeper within the valley. Although a faint, intoxicating fragrance still lingered in the air, the Fire Spirit Ape King was clearly far superior to ordinary Fire Spirit Apes. The moment Lei Cheng and his men drew within ten zhang, its bloodshot eyes snapped open and locked onto them. Its massive, powerful frame leaped forward, utterly enraged that mere humans dared to trespass upon its territory.
"Roar!"
It roared in fury, its long, muscular arm reaching out to grab a massive boulder, which it hurled violently at Lei Cheng. The heavy stone tore through the air with a deafening screech, carrying immense weight.
"Charge!"
Lei Cheng roared, his body hurtling forward. His fingers gripped the hilt of his crimson saber, and spiritual energy surged as he slashed downward. A sharp arc of saber light sliced the boulder clean in two. Without losing any momentum, he charged straight at the Fire Spirit Ape King, with the members of the Blazing Thunder Squad hot on his heels.
The two sides clashed instantly, and a fierce battle erupted. Spiritual energy surged, and cold blades flashed, carving wounds into the Fire Ape King's flesh. The moment Lei Cheng gave the signal, Mo Ling and his group, along with the remaining members of the Blazing Thunder Squad, also charged forward. They engaged the other conscious Fire Apes, keeping them from interfering in the main battle.
Mu Chen stood a short distance away, watching the battle with absolute focus. Pinched between his fingers was a fiery-red Spirit-Shattering Pearl, silently pulsing with violent spiritual energy. The Spirit-Shattering Pearl possessed the destructive power of a Spirit Wheel Realm expert, but he only had one. He had to wait for the perfect opportunity; a single mistake would mean the entire operation would fail at the final hurdle.
The clash between the Fire Ape King and Lei Cheng's group—coordinated with Lin Zhong and the five Blazing Thunder Squad members—was the most brutal. They attacked with everything they had, leaving several deep gashes on the Fire Ape King's body. However, the hands they gripped their weapons with were also split open and drenched in dark red blood, the sheer force of the impact taking a heavy toll. Under these circumstances, had Lei Cheng not been taking the brunt of the Fire Ape King's fury, the others would have struggled to hold their ground.
"Thunder Blade Cleave!"
After a prolonged, grueling struggle, Lei Cheng felt his hands trembling from the impact and roared.
"Boom!"
At his command, Lin Zhong and the five men suddenly lunged forward, lightning crackling along their long blades. They struck with all their might, unleashing five streaks of lightning-like energy that slashed viciously across the Fire Ape King's back.
"Slash!"
The Fire Ape King's back, which was as tough as iron, was torn open by the combined strike, and fresh blood sprayed outward.
"Roar!"
The pain in its back instantly enraged the Fire Spirit Ape King, causing it to roar furiously. Its powerful ape arm swung up, and violent spiritual energy swept out, sending the five squad members spitting blood as they flew backward.
"Die, beast!"
Lei Cheng leaped into the air with a loud shout. As spiritual energy surged within his body, he slashed his long blade downward. A blade aura of spiritual energy, several zhang long, erupted from the blade and cleaved toward the Fire Spirit Ape King's head.
"Clang!"
Sensing the fierce attack, the Fire Spirit Ape King reacted with extreme speed. It crossed its arms, using them as a shield to block the sharp blade. The blade cut deep into its flesh but failed to sever its arms.
"Mu Chen!"
Lei Cheng roared. The moment his shout rang out, Mu Chen, who had been waiting for this exact moment, dashed forward like a nimble ape and appeared behind the Fire Spirit Ape King. His two fingers, enveloped in dark spiritual energy as sharp as daggers, plunged directly into the deep gash on its back. Fresh blood gushed out profusely. He retreated instantly, just as a surge of extremely violent spiritual energy began to pulse within the beast's wound.
"Boom!"
The moment that fluctuation spread, a terrifying shockwave erupted. It was as if a devastating bomb had exploded inside the Fire Spirit Ape King's back, sending flesh and blood splattering everywhere. The surrounding earth and rocks were shattered by the impact.
"Hoooooow!"
The Fire Spirit Ape King howled madly, but the wound on its back gushed blood like a spring, looking as if a massive hole had been gouged out of it. It staggered a few steps before crashing to the ground. Mu Chen landed lightly, letting out a soft sigh of relief as he watched the Fire Spirit Ape King fall.
"We did it!"
Seeing this, Lin Zhong and his men were filled with wild joy. They struggled to their feet and dragged themselves forward. Even Lei Cheng let out a sigh of relief and smiled.
"Something's wrong!"
However, just as they were relaxing in their excitement, Mu Chen's expression suddenly changed. He saw a faint red glow beginning to emanate from the Fire Spirit Ape King's body.
"Be careful!"
Lei Cheng, too, noticed the sudden turn of events and shouted in alarm. A red aura engulfed the Fire Spirit Ape King's body, and the bleeding from its back instantly ceased. Everyone watched in horror as it shook its head and stood up once more, its fiery red fur visibly growing longer.
"Hoooooow!"
The Fire Spirit Ape King tilted its head back and howled toward the sky. The red aura swirling around its body now faintly shimmered with a pale jade-green light. That color was identical to the Jade Spirit Fruits hanging on the tree. Amidst its roars, the Fire Spirit Ape King's aura suddenly surged, growing significantly stronger.
"Damn it, I didn't expect it to break through at a time like this!" Lei Cheng could clearly feel the rising aura of the Fire Spirit Ape King, and his expression became extremely tense. Mu Chen's face also grew serious. It seemed this beast had consumed quite a few Jade Spirit Fruits; the current situation was truly going to be troublesome!