Chapter 103: Fire Ape

Over a month later, Wang Changsheng and Wang Yaozong arrived at Baiyun Market Town. In the backyard of the Spirit Puppet Pavilion, they listened to Wang Mingjiang's report.

More than four months prior, while hunting demonic beasts in Baiyun Ridge and pursuing a severely injured Golden-Spotted Leopard, they unexpectedly discovered a hidden mountain cave. Taking advantage of a second-tier Fire Ape's absence for foraging, they entered the cave and found a Yellow Moon Mango Tree and a first-tier high-grade Fire Ape inside.

Wang Mingjiang made a decisive decision: he immediately returned to the market town and sent someone back to Qinglian Mountain to inform Wang Yaozong.

After listening, Wang Yaozong instructed, "With a second-tier Fire Ape, Changsheng and I, along with the Golden-Beaked Eagle and the second-tier puppet beast, can definitely handle it. Mingjiang, lead the way for us!"

Wang Changhao's eyes darted around as he said, "Second Grand-Uncle, I want to go too. I want to see it for myself.""Second Grand-Uncle, I'd like to go as well," another Wang clan member chimed in."Me too, I also want to witness it," yet another added.Other Wang clan members spoke up eagerly.

"It's not advisable to bring too many people on this trip, as it might attract attention. Changhao and Changming can come along; everyone else should stay in the market town. Do not wander off before we return. Let's go!"

And so, the six individuals—Wang Yaozong, Wang Mingjiang, Wang Mingsen, Wang Changsheng, Wang Changhao, and Wang Changming—set off into the mountains, heading directly for the Fire Apes' lair.

Five days later, the six, including Wang Changsheng, appeared in a narrow valley, where the weeds outside were taller than a person.

Wang Changsheng controlled a monkey puppet to walk ahead, with the six of them following behind, each enveloped in a protective shield.

Before long, they reached the end of the valley, where a cliff several hundred zhang high blocked their path.

At the base of the cliff was a cave several zhang in size.

"Second Uncle, Changsheng, this is it. I made a mark," Wang Mingjiang said, pointing to a yellow stone near the cave entrance.

Wang Changsheng turned to Wang Changming and Wang Changhao, cautioning them, "Sixteenth Brother, Eighteenth Brother, your cultivation is too low. Just stay far back and observe; don't get too close."

"Understood, Ninth Brother."

"I'll lure the Fire Apes out. We'll proceed according to the plan. Once those two Fire Apes emerge, eliminate them as quickly as possible."After speaking, Wang Changsheng controlled a monkey puppet and entered the cave.

The cave was dimly lit, but this did not hinder Wang Changsheng's movement. After walking about a hundred paces, it opened up into a vast cavern before him.

In the upper left corner of the cavern, two massive apes, their bodies covered in red fur, were sound asleep beneath a fruit tree over two zhang tall.

Three crescent-shaped yellow mangoes hung from the tree, emitting an enticing aroma.

As soon as Wang Changsheng approached the cavern, the two red giant apes awoke. Seeing the unfamiliar presence of Wang Changsheng, they let out strange roars and swiftly charged towards him.

They were extremely fast. Before even reaching him, each ape spewed a thick pillar of crimson fire, as wide as an adult's arm, towards the monkey puppet.

"Two second-tier Fire Apes? Wasn't it supposed to be one?" Wang Changsheng frowned, sensing the aura of the two Fire Apes.

The monkey puppet was only a first-tier low-grade. The two thick crimson fire pillars struck the puppet, engulfing its body in rolling flames. In less than two breaths, the monkey puppet turned to ash.

Wang Changsheng raised both hands, sending a dozen foot-long white ice cones flying towards the two Fire Apes. With his right foot, he stomped hard on the ground, and a dazzling yellow light vanished into the earth from his heel.

The next moment, with a resounding "boom," a yellow earthen wall, several zhang high and about two feet thick, rose from the ground, blocking the cavern's exit.

As soon as the dozen white ice cones neared the two Fire Apes, they dissolved into a cloud of white mist.

Wang Changsheng's action infuriated them. They pounded their chests with both hands, letting out strange roars, and spewed flames that shattered the yellow earthen wall.

Wang Changsheng had already fled. Without a second thought, they immediately pursued him out.

Outside the cave, Wang Yaozong, Wang Mingjiang, and Wang Mingsen stood near the entrance, looking somewhat tense.

A series of booming sounds echoed from within the cave, and then Wang Changsheng rushed out.

"It's not one second-tier Fire Ape, but two! Everyone, be careful. Sixteenth Brother, Eighteenth Brother, get far away," Wang Changsheng said, simultaneously releasing three puppet beasts of varying forms.

These included a giant bear puppet over two zhang tall, holding a gleaming spiked club; a massive green eagle puppet; and a red python puppet over ten zhang long.

Wang Yaozong released the Golden-Beaked Eagle and conjured two azure short swords, about two feet in length.

Wang Changsheng took out a blue orb. After infusing it with spiritual power, a vast amount of white mist surged forth, enveloping the entire valley.

Just as he finished, the two Fire Apes charged out of the cave.

"Attack!" Wang Yaozong shouted, controlling his two azure short swords to slash at the two Fire Apes. The Golden-Beaked Eagle flapped its wings, sending dozens of foot-long azure wind blades flying like lightning towards the two Fire Apes below.

Wang Mingsen threw five gleaming yellow seeds. The moment they landed, they rapidly grew into five yellow vines covered in thorns, swiftly entangling the two Fire Apes.

Wang Mingjiang took out a blue command flag. With a gentle wave, it grew larger with the wind, and a dozen blue water arrows shot out from its surface.

"Roar!" Both Fire Apes simultaneously opened their mouths, each letting out an enraged roar. Two waves of red sound energy flew out from their mouths in succession, meeting the incoming attacks.

As the azure wind blades, azure short swords, and blue water arrows neared the two waves of red sound energy, the azure short swords were immediately sent flying back, while the azure wind blades and blue water arrows directly dispersed.

The two Fire Apes opened their mouths, each spewing a thick pillar of crimson flame onto the yellow vines wrapped around them, burning the vines away.

One Fire Ape felt a sharp pain in its leg. Looking down, it saw a massive red python biting firmly onto its leg.

"Roar!" This Fire Ape let out an enraged roar, opened its mouth, and spewed a thick pillar of crimson fire, striking the red python. Crimson flames enveloped the python's body.

As the other Fire Ape tried to help, a massive black bear puppet charged forward, swinging a giant spiked club towards it.

At the same time, a massive green eagle puppet swooped down from high above, its giant claws aiming directly for one of the Fire Apes' skulls.

One Fire Ape clapped its chest with both hands, opened its mouth to spew a thick pillar of crimson flame at the green eagle puppet, and swung its hairy fist towards the black bear puppet.

"First, focus fire on the Fire Ape entangled by the giant python puppet. Kill this one first, then concentrate our attacks on the other," Wang Yaozong ordered, controlling his two azure short swords to slash at the Fire Ape whose leg was bitten by the giant python puppet.

The Golden-Beaked Eagle flapped its wings, sending dozens of azure wind blades flying towards one of the Fire Apes, while simultaneously swooping down from high above.

Wang Changsheng cast several incantations onto the blue orb. A large number of blue light points appeared out of thin air, quickly forming a blue water wall several zhang high and about a zhang thick.

"Arrow Rain!" With Wang Changsheng's soft cry, hundreds of blue water arrows shot out from the blue water wall, striking the two Fire Apes.

The two Fire Apes had thick hides and flesh, so the blue water arrows could not harm them. However, under the combined assault of the three second-tier puppet beasts and the Golden-Beaked Eagle, they soon couldn't hold out.

The giant python puppet bit firmly onto the Fire Ape's leg, its massive body coiling tightly around the ape.

Dense torrents of blue water arrows struck the two Fire Apes. While they didn't injure them, they turned into puddles of clear water.

Soon, the ground beneath the two Fire Apes' feet became thoroughly soaked.

Wang Changsheng quickly formed a hand seal, then flicked his ten fingers in succession. Ten streaks of white light shot out, instantly vanishing into the ground beneath the two Fire Apes' feet.

The already soaked ground quickly froze, trapping both Fire Apes' feet in ice.