Chapter 328

Chapter 328
## Chapter 328. Spirit Hunt (3)

—

Our steps finally crossed into the Demonic Realm.

As expected, the density of hostile creatures grew significantly higher the moment we crossed the border.

Even so, it failed to pose any serious threat.

By this point, the squad members had transformed into proficient martial artists of Muk-rim. They executed their coordination with veteran efficiency, extracting the Poison Dabs by slicing open the abdomens of the fallen beasts, and dividing the Spirit Pills among themselves.

Aside from that routine, the journey remained largely uneventfully quiet.

Under normal circumstances, navigation should have grown increasingly perilous as the raw energy of the Spirit Veins intensified.

“Our path lies in this direction.”

The reason for our smooth progress was simple: our gathering possessed another individual capable of tracking the Spirit Veins besides Yang-ja-pyeong.

“Eun-ho.”

“Listening, *Dae-sa-hyung*.”

“Would you not agree that my talents are rather remarkable?”

“…….”

Whenever Yang-ja-pyeong found himself disoriented, I stepped in to clarify the path. Because of this, our advance through the treacherous terrain of the Demonic Realm barely faltered.

“……Come to think of it, the chaotic din has quieted down.”

Nam-gung-seon-hwa remarked, her gaze drifting toward a dense thicket of trees.

It was exactly as she noted. The tumultuous sounds that had reverberated unceasingly through the wilderness for four days and nights had vanished abruptly, leaving an eerie silence in their wake.

“……You are entirely unaffected, correct? Young Master.”

Nam-gung-seon-hwa directed her inquiry toward me with a peculiar look.

I offered a casual, dismissive reply.

“Ah, naturally. Is there any particular reason I should be d-distressed?”

“…….”

I wasn’t suffering in the least; my core wasn’t twisting with even a shred of envy.

Though it served as a mere administrative requirement, the cartography of the Demonic Realm was steadily progressing. Once this layout was finalized, our responsibilities within Muk-rim would draw to a close.

At that point, all that remained was to bide our time at the primary encampment until our mandatory period concluded, and then journey back to the Academy.

“They say many drops make an ocean…… the accumulated harvest truly becomes substantial when gathered in this manner.”

The companions who had consumed the Spirit Pills harvested from the beasts and the wild flora I gathered under the cover of night experienced a highly gratifying expansion of their inner reserves.

‘Though it remains utterly incomparable to my own gains.’

Once more, I recognized that the Blue Dragon Ring was a genuinely anomalous artifact. Without swallowing a single Spirit Pill or wild fruit, I had amassed a greater volume of internal energy than any of them.

As darkness claimed the land, we settled into our newly established campsite…

*Rustle.*

The distinct rustling of a human presence echoed from the dark woods.

Instantly, every member of the squad drew their weapons and assumed a combat-ready formation.

Moments later, a recognizable individual forced his way through the dense undergrowth.

“……Instructor?”

Seong-mo-ran murmured in confusion, her eyes resting upon No-jin-ha.

Her hesitation was entirely warranted, given that his current state bore little resemblance to the formidable Instructor No-jin-ha we had encountered just days prior.

“Did you encounter trouble?”

A heavy dressing covered one of his eyes, and severe, angry burn scars marred his features.

He demanded answers with a low, venomous snarl.

“Did a Spirit cross this path?”

What sort of absurd interrogation was this supposed to be?

“You miserable brats didn’t happen to slaughter a Spirit, did you?”

No-jin-ha and his subordinates glared fiercely at me.

“Answer me, Jin So-woon. Did you slaughter a Spirit?”

“What kind of…… absolute rubbish……”

Before I could vent my irritation, Sa-ryeon stepped forward with unyielding composure.

“We have not caught sight of anything resembling a Spirit.”

“I will show no leniency to liars.”

“What reason would compel us to deceive you? Had we successfully taken it down, boasting of the feat would only bring us renown. It is hardly as though we have transgressed against the laws.”

Hearing Sa-ryeon’s rational retort, No-jin-ha’s jaw twitched before he let out a sharp sneer and pivoted away.

“Hmph, as if the pathetic remnants of the Tae-eul Sect could ever hope to bring down a Spirit.”

Spouting that parting insult, No-jin-ha quickly vanished back into the tangled brush.

Seong-mo-ran let out a soft sigh, mixed with mild awe.

“It appears their endeavor to capture the Spirit met with severe resistance.”

“Undoubtedly. The instructors currently deployed possess skills matching or exceeding the rank of Hall Masters within the Alliance…… and a significant force from the Righteous Alliance was committed to the task as well.”

I concurred with her assessment, feeling a wave of quiet relief wash over me.

Had our squad foolishly joined that particular hunt, we would have been the ones absorbing those devastating losses.

“If significant fatalities occurred during this operation, the instructors will find it impossible to evade accountability…… will their positions remain secure?”

Amused by Seong-mo-ran’s musings, I allowed a satisfied smirk to grace my lips.

“Why should that concern us?”

In this world, one must ultimately lie in the grave they dig for themselves.

Nighttime enveloped the expanse of Muk-rim once more.

Suppressing my aura completely, I slipped away from the encampment.

Yang-ja-pyeong, who broke his slumber every *sijin*, would inevitably realize my absence, but his awareness was no longer a pressing issue.

The rich flora I delivered to him after every excursion had sealed his lips more securely than an iron deadbolt.

Because the frequency of monster encounters had surged since entering the Demonic Realm, my nocturnal rounds demanded far more exertion than our time near the base camp, yet it remained well within my capabilities.

In fact, the increased danger presented a perfect chance to harvest an even greater quantity of Poison Dabs.

Once we returned to the central camp, the scrutiny of countless observers would restrict my freedom, preventing me from slipping away into the shadows.

Consequently, this window represented my final opportunity to rapidly cultivate my internal reserves.

Driven by that urgency, I successfully extracted and absorbed eight total Poison Dabs, continuing until my fingers lost all sensation, before casually strolling back toward the slumbering squad.

“The Demonic Realm is remarkably barren of spiritual flora.”

Within this chaotic stretch of Muk-rim, which appeared to flourish entirely devoid of natural law, there was not a shred of predictability to be found.

Even though the flow of the Spirit Veins pulsed with far greater intensity, it yielded a baffling absence of fruits capable of storing that potent energy.

Nevertheless, I continued to scour the dark corners of the Demonic Realm, expanding my Spirit-sense to its absolute threshold…

*Whoosh.*

Out of nowhere, a brilliant, incandescent blaze erupted through the dark veil.

“What is that?”

For a split second, utter bewilderment gripped me.

The perception I was currently utilizing was solely attuned to tracking the currents of the Spirit Veins.

There was absolutely no logical reason for a physical fire to manifest in this manner…… so why was a torch-like radiance blaring in my perception?

Yet the moment I dialed back my Spirit-sense, the fiery light vanished instantly, leaving only the natural dark.

Could it truly be?

Suddenly, my pulse raced with a violence I hadn’t experienced in a very long time.

‘This incredible magnitude of a Spirit Vein…….’

Executing the Breath-holding Step to its absolute limit, I directed my advance toward the blazing essence of the Spirit Vein.

The instant I focused my inner senses to ascertain its exact nature from a mere stone’s throw away…

*Whoosh.*

A massive, humanoid silhouette rose from the earth, draped in a swirling vortex of roaring fire.

*Uwooooooo!*

The creature possessed a stature that dwarfed any common ape by several orders of magnitude.

That colossal primate radiated pure heat from every inch of its frame, fixing me with eyes that burned with unadulterated malice.

“……Well, now.”

Why in the world…… are you appearing in a place like this?

**328. Spirit Hunt (3) [Continued]**

The Sun Ape (*Hwa-hu*).

While its literal designation translated to a blazing monkey, the term was universally understood to describe a legendary primate that absorbed the concentrated essence of a Spirit Vein, overflowing with pure Yang energy.

The inner dantian harvested from a Sun Ape was revered as an absolute pinnacle among miraculous panaceas, capable of granting boundless power to any practitioner, particularly male martial artists who relied on Yang-aligned techniques.

Reflecting upon how Mo-yong-sang-won, the young heir of the prestigious Mo-yong Clan, had desperately attempted to safeguard the inner dantian of such a creature even while staring down his own demise…

‘It requires no explanation to understand its legendary status within the *Kang-ho*.’

Furthermore, the value assigned to the inner dantian of a Sun Ape stemmed not merely from its profound benefits, but from the extreme peril involved in acquiring it.

Who possessed the capability to snare a hyper-agile primate imbued with a ceaselessly burning aura? A master of martial arts? A master tracker?

For those exact reasons, despite having read of its existence within the pages of the *Kang-ho Spirit Medicine Book*, I had never seriously contemplated searching for a Sun Ape.

Tracking down a miraculous plant that remained rooted to a single spot was grueling enough; the notion of pursuing the elusive tail of a Sun Ape across the wilderness seemed absurd.

I had dismissed the possibility entirely from the beginning.

*Uwoooooooo!*

I had held those precise reservations, yet…

Before me stood a monstrous ape of immense, muscular proportions, baring fangs as formidable as human thumbs while unleashing a deafening, savage roar.

Calling this creature a mere monkey felt like an understatement; its sheer mass easily surpassed that of a large grown man.

*Whoosh!*

Moreover, a blistering, oppressive heat waves emanated continuously from its thick coat.

This attribute alone set it entirely apart from the mundane monsters I had dealt with throughout Muk-rim.

“……So, you must be the legendary Sun Ape that Great Hero Yang spoke of?”

*Uwoooooooo!*

The Sun Ape bellowed in response, projecting an aura of lethal intent that served as its definitive answer.

“……It makes perfect sense why he deemed a successful hunt an impossibility.”

To bring down a monstrosity of this caliber?

Had those planners lost their minds?

The bloodlust rolling off this beast was potent enough to rival the aura of an accomplished master of the unorthodox path.

The concentrated energy of the Spirit Vein vibrating within its core was easily tenfold greater than that of any creature I had previously encountered.

*Thump, thump, thump, thump.*

Across its broad chest, dark, leathery skin showed through the gaps in its fiery coat. Every time the beast hammered its fists against that exposed hide, the surrounding air vibrated with a metallic *tung-tung* reverberation, sounding as though it were striking solid iron plates.

My thoughts spun as I tried to conceive how an ordinary martial artist could hope to overcome such a force.

“……Ha, this is truly turning into a madness.”

The moment I attempted to carefully step back, hesitating to engage, the Sun Ape bared its fangs further and executed a massive, ground-covering stride forward.

In that blink of an eye, my path of retreat was completely severed.

It was deploying Original Qi (*Won-gi*), a sophisticated pressure that typically only seasoned masters of the martial arts could wield.

‘Can this beast truly be classified as an animal?’

No matter how highly evolved a Spirit Beast it claimed to be, its fundamental lineage was undeniably rooted in the animal kingdom.

Yet it was suppressing the immediate space exactly like a human martial artist.

It watched intently, poised to capitalize on the slightest lapse in my concentration.

Hah, this really is an absurd predicament.

“Confound it…… can we not simply part ways? I am entirely unrelated to the group that vexed you.”

*Grrrrr.*

“Damn…… I knew such reasoning would prove useless.”

True to its fierce, brutal countenance, diplomacy was never an option.

I was left with no alternative.

Clinging to the hope that the Sun Ape’s agility could not outpace the speed of my Heavenly Lone Step, I shifted my weight and angled my frame.

“Until our next…… wait, what?”

Something caught my attention, breaking my focus.

I had intended to vanish from the clearing immediately, but the beast’s current posture gave me pause.

Ordinary monsters launched themselves into a frenzy the instant they registered a human presence.

The Sun Ape clearly harbored a desire to tear me apart, yet underneath that ferocity, I detected a distinct undercurrent of hesitation.

Rather, it felt as though it were putting on a grand display of aggression, desperately hoping to intimidate me into retreating.

*Uwooooooo!*

*Whooooooosh!*

Accompanying a piercing, resonant howl, an intense wave of heat washed outward, searing enough to blister bare skin.

As the wide ring of flames illuminated the immediate surroundings, something else became clear.

‘Injuries…….’

Trailing from its lower leg all the way up to its thigh was a deep, jagged laceration, caked with heavy, dark clots of dried blood. Furthermore, the very fist it used to beat its chest was missing a digit, leaving an oozing, raw gap.

These were not ancient scars faded by time; they were fresh, severe wounds that had only recently begun to inflame.

Judging by the clean, sharp nature of the cuts, it hadn’t suffered these from the claws or teeth of a rival beast.

Moreover, none of the indigenous monsters inhabiting Muk-rim possessed the capability to inflict such harm upon it in the first place.

Suddenly, the various pieces of information I had gathered since venturing into Muk-rim clicked into a single, cohesive realization.

‘This was the exact quarry the instructors and the Academy elites have been desperately tracking.’

The elusive Spirit that had locked horns with the Academy forces over the past several days was none other than this Sun Ape.

Having broken through their encirclement, the battered creature had inadvertently crossed paths with me in the depths of the forest.

“Ah, so that is the truth of the matter.”

*Kwoooo!*

I halted the flow of the internal force I had been funneling into my legs for escape.

“I lack the knowledge of who instructed you, but masking fear with bloodlust is……”

Refining my intent, I began to channel the *Tae-eul True Scripture*, redirecting its flow to serve a vastly different purpose.

Instead of pooling in my feet, the energy surged through my entire physical vessel.

And the focal point receiving the absolute maximum concentration of that internal might was…

*Shring.*

The crimson length of the Red Light Sword gripped firmly in my right hand.

“Is a trait I can match effortlessly.”

*Kyaaaaaaaaak!*

A terrifying, oppressive aura of lethal intent bled from the glowing edge of the Red Light Sword.

The Sun Ape, which had been relentlessly pounding its chest, visibly faltered and took a step back, emitting a low growl while flashing its sharp canines.

No matter the circumstances, I had no intention of walking away from an opportunity to deliver the final blow.

The very instant I shifted into an aggressive stance, the Sun Ape launched itself forward, securing the initiative.

It possessed an innate understanding of the immense value of a preemptive strike.

*Keong!*

The intense flames dancing along its mane surged down its massive arm as it drove a monolithic fist directly toward me.

*Bang!*

Though I rapidly swept the Red Light Sword up to intercept the trajectory, the sheer kinetic force failed to dissipate.

The momentum lifted my feet from the dirt, sending me crashing violently backward into a thick trunk.

*Kwakwang!*

What kind of absurd, monstrous strength was this?

A single, deflected exchange had left my internal organs reeling from the shockwave.

“Ugh.”

The remarkably resilient timber of Muk-rim creaked and nearly splintered entirely from the impact.

Vaulting back to my feet instantly, I vacated the spot just as the compromised tree snapped at its base, collapsing heavily and sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.

*Kukung.*

Mercifully, the physical trauma wasn’t as crippling as I had anticipated.

Or perhaps my perception of the pain had been blunted?

Even with an optimal deployment of internal force, completely nullifying that degree of impact should have been impossible…… was this the protective benefit of the Diamond Blue?

As those thoughts flashed through my mind, I scanned the clearing for my opponent, but the Sun Ape had already vanished from its previous position.

“Damn it, it retreated…… wait!”

*Kwakwang!*

A blazing, crimson fist erupted directly through the veil of settling dust.

*Thud! Thud-thud!*

Just as my torso was about to be pulverized, propelled off a boulder toward another oncoming tree trunk, I gritted my teeth and forcefully twisted my frame mid-air to realign my center of gravity.

*Chwaaaaak.*

My boots plowed deep furrows into the earth as I stabilized my stance. The moment I raised my eyes, the Sun Ape was already descending upon me, its heavy foot targeting my head.

Confound it, what manner of sophisticated martial training dictates these movements!

Reaching out, I clamped my hand around the beast’s thick ankle, immediately executing the fluid principles of the Flowing Cloud Divine Art: Lotus (*Yeon-hwa*) to drive its massive form into the ground.

*Uwoooooo!*

Yet the impact seemed to barely register; utilizing its powerful tail as a counterbalance, the creature snapped back to an erect posture almost instantly.

Phew, it feels as though my joints are finally getting a proper awakening after a long period of stagnation.

“Shall we see how you handle my offense?”

*Chwa-ra-ra-ra-rak.*

The intricate phantoms of the Illusionary Sword, birthed from the fundamentals of the Great Heaven Sword Art, cut off the beast’s direct front before rapidly sweeping around to blockade its flanks.

*Ta-da-dak.*

*Ta-da-dak.*

Evading the incoming projections with hyper-accelerated contortions, the primate quickly recognized that it had been funneled into a restrictive perimeter of steel, snarling in sheer exasperation.

Refusing to grant it a moment’s respite…

I seamlessly transitioned my form from the Great Heaven Sword Art into the oppressive sequences of the Twin Heaven Sword Formula, suffocating its options.

*Chwa-ak, chwa-ak, chwa-ak.*

Regardless of its unnatural reflexes, there was a hard mathematical limit to dodging an overwhelming volume of strikes.

Fresh, shallow lacerations began to map themselves across the creature’s hide.

‘Its constitution is incredibly dense.’

Though my edge was undeniably making contact, the sensation mirrored hacking into treated, solid paulownia timber; the blade found it difficult to cleave deep into the underlying structure.

Discarding any remaining traces of complacency, I began to manifest the raw power of Sword Force (*Geom-gang*).

Where previously the surrounding gloom had been pierced only by the embers of the beast’s mane, now a brilliant, azure-hued Sword Force crackled to life across the clearing, focusing its lethal intent directly toward the primate’s vital vulnerabilities.

Just as I prepared to sever the throat and limbs of the cornered beast with an inescapable net of energy…

The creature’s entire coat flared into a white-hot, incandescent state, and it charged directly into the storm.

*Ske-guk, ske-guk, ske-guk.*

I anticipated the beast would collapse in a torrent of blood within moments, yet…

Disregarding the secondary lacerations, the primate closed the gap with immense, explosive strides, adjusting its trajectory just enough to shield its fatal zones.

Its movements mirrored a seasoned warrior who possessed intimate familiarity with countering Illusionary Swords and Changing Swords.

“……What in the world, are you serious!”

Even as my fundamental understanding of reality was tested, the rapid concentration of heat within the beast’s upper limb demanded my undivided focus.

“When your intentions are that blatantly telegraphed, there is no way I will misread them, you brute!”

Channeling the singular objective of flattening the beast into the dirt by manifesting Snow Flower (*Seol-hwa*), I extended my strike.

*Thud!*

Simultaneously, a crushing force slammed into my midsection, causing a bitter taste of bile to surge into the back of my throat.

‘It…… it deployed a feint?’

As my body went airborne, I lacked the mental luxury to analyze how a mere wilderness ape could replicate sophisticated human tactics.

Before I could recover, the primate drove forward a fist packed with its residual momentum.

*Kwang!*

Under the weight of that immense kinetic discharge, I was launched backward like a bolt from a crossbow.

“Keo-huk!”

Expectorating a mouthful of dark blood, my clogged chest actually felt a degree lighter.

Prior to colliding with the tree line, I deployed the Flying Dragon Claw with practiced reflex, arresting my backward momentum.

“Indeed…… there is a very good reason the world fusses over things dubbed Spirits.”

The Sun Ape stood across the clearing, glaring at me with its elongated arms hanging low, reverting to a primal posture.

I cleared the bloody fluid from my mouth while maintaining lock on its position.

“However…… having invested this much effort, I have zero intention of leaving empty-handed.”

Infusing my legs with the absolute maximum threshold of my internal energy.

*Bang!*

Shattering the topsoil beneath my boots, I exploded forward.

If the creature possessed an edge in brute strength, I simply needed to overwhelm it with sheer velocity.

*Ske-guk.*

My calculations proved correct; for the first time, I managed to carve a significant, deep wound into its frame.

*Kyaaaaak!*

The Sun Ape shrieked in sudden agony, staring down at its newly severed digit.

With a sharp snap of my wrist, I cleansed the Red Light Sword of residual fluid and pressed the offensive once more.

The Small Heaven Sword Art, executed at its absolute zenith, carried the full weight of my Sword Force as it sought out the primate’s lethal vulnerabilities.

“Let us see you shrug this off!”

As intense fires erupted across its entire mane once more, the biting sharpness of my Sword Force found its cutting potential significantly impeded.

‘What manner of mystical principle is this?’

Under standard conditions, my Sword Force could cleave through refined steel as though it were soft curd…

Yet the beast’s skin, superheated by its inner fire, resisted penetration as though it had transitioned into Diamond Skin.

“Even with that defense, do you truly believe you can endure my blade indefinitely!”

*Ske-guk, ske-guk, ske-guk.*

The primate’s burning coat undeniably offered a formidable tier of protection.

However, that barrier alone could not completely nullify the piercing quality of the Sword Force; to survive the onslaught, it was forced to actively concentrate its fiery essence toward the specific targets I targeted.

Each time it shifted its energy to guard a vital spot, I relentlessly altered my trajectory, carving fresh wounds across its unprotected flesh.

Ultimately, as vital fluids began to escape in steady streams from the myriad of cuts covering its body, the creature reached its breaking point and turned to flee.

“You will not escape me!”

Its retreat through the dense canopy, leaping flawlessly from limb to limb, was remarkably swift, yet it remained insufficient to shake off the pursuit of the Heavenly Lone Step.

‘My initial anxieties were entirely unwarranted.’

As I trailed the brilliant wake of sparks the creature left in its flight, its physical form suddenly expanded, pulsating as though it were on the verge of detonating, and then…

*Flash!*

An immense, blinding supernova of light saturated the forest, momentarily rendering me completely blind.

The sudden, overwhelming flash seared my vision, forcing me to rely on instinct. By the time the brightness receded and I could reorient my gaze, every physical trace of the creature had vanished into thin air.

“What kind of trick is this……”

It defied logic. To simply vanish from sight without warning?

It hadn’t ascended into the heavens, nor had it burrowed into the bedrock.

Quickly, I redirected my perception to trace the localized Spirit Veins.

Regardless of how effectively it masked its physical form, it remained incapable of concealing the massive concentration of spiritual energy vibrating within its core.

“Ha…… you even possess the intellect to manipulate Natural Formations?”

The Sun Ape was crouched low, compressing its frame within a secluded pocket a short distance away.

It was successfully obscuring its presence by nesting inside a localized Natural Formation.

Feigning ignorance, I cast my gaze around the empty clearing and spoke aloud.

“Ah, where could it have fled? I have completely lost the trail. Perhaps it is best if I simply return to camp……”

Mid-sentence, I unleashed a sudden, concentrated burst of Sword Qi!

*Pop, pop, pop, bang!*

*Uk-ki-ik!*

Emitting a high-pitched, thoroughly animalistic shriek, the Sun Ape erupted from the concealed undergrowth.

I immediately resumed the chase, my mind reels at the sheer absurdity of the tactics the creature began to employ.

With every stride, it would snatch a fallen branch and hurl it backward, causing its physical form to vanish or causing the very topography of the path ahead to warp in my vision.

Seriously, what is this creature, some incarnation of Sun Wukong?

Was it going to manifest duplicate illusions next?

‘It possesses a flawless comprehension of Muk-rim’s geography and actively weaponizes the natural formations to evade a lethal pursuit?’

Had I lacked the specialized ability to decipher the currents of the Spirit Veins, the Sun Ape would have slipped from my grasp long ago.

While conventional wisdom dictates that any quarry can be overcome through overwhelming numbers, I realized with absolute certainty that capturing this beast within Muk-rim without the aid of Spirit Vein tracking was an impossible task.

Furthermore, even if one could track it, the hunter needed the personal strength to withstand its volatile aura.

“Regrettably for you, your fortune has run out.”

*Pop, pop, pop, bang!*

As the precise bursts of Sword Qi shredded its protective mane and detonated against its skin, the creature screamed in genuine agony.

*Uk-ki-i-ik!*

“Because you happened to encounter someone who reads the Spirit Veins as easily as breathing.”

The Sun Ape tumbled across the dirt, a severe, elongated gash crippling its lower limb.

To conclude the engagement and break its remaining resistance, I brought the full weight of my Sword Force down upon it.

*Kwang!*

For the first time in the encounter, the Sun Ape was sent flying bodily through the air.

Though the velocity of its flight didn’t quite match the speed at which I had been propelled earlier.

Battered but unbroken, the creature pushed itself back up the moment it impacted a tree, dropping into a low, defensive crouch while locking its intense gaze onto me.

*Grrrrr.*

The standoff was profoundly bizarre.

Just as it had previously blockaded my escape, I had now completely cut off its avenues of retreat.

I had aligned every variable to cleanly decapitate the beast the exact moment it made a single misstep.

Yet the clever primate refused to budge a single inch.

It was as though it accurately perceived every single point where my intent had established a invisible barrier.

“Hahaha……”

I was genuinely losing the ability to discern whether I was locked in combat with a wild beast or a calculating human master.

“Naturally, even given your brilliance, the final outcome remains unchanged.”

Stepping into the intricate patterns of the Tae-eul Eighty Thousand Divine Steps, I manifested three distinct phantoms to fracture its focus…

*Uk-ki!*

The moment its burning fist overcommitted and pulverized one of my illusions, leaving it wide open, I targeted its crown.

The fiery fur along the arm it frantically raised to parry flared brilliantly, but…

“Hah!”

Its reaction was a fraction of a second too slow.

*Kwa-kwa-kwang!*

Accompanied by a deafening, concussive blast, the Sun Ape was sent rolling across the forest floor.

*Grrrrr.*

It made a desperate attempt to rise despite a fractured limb and a ruined leg, but its physical form refused to comply with its iron will, causing it to collapse repeatedly.

Observing its unyielding combative spirit even in the face of absolute defeat, I had to admit that a Spirit Beast truly earned its legendary title.

Even so, a lingering sense of pragmatic regret remained.

“If your species possessed the capacity for human speech, I might have reconsidered my need to extract your inner dantian for consumption.”

Gazing upon its unique form, I couldn’t help but calculate the immense commercial windfall this creature represented.

I possessed little doubt that showcasing such a specimen in a major metropolis would effortlessly secure a year’s worth of operating capital for the Great Heaven Merchant Group.

Yet, as if it actually comprehended the nature of my words, the Sun Ape’s maw began to twitch and form distinct shapes, as though it were attempting to speak.

The sheer abnormality of that display sent a chill down my spine, prompting me to tighten my grip upon my weapon instantly.

“I shall put your inner dantian to excellent use.”

Reversing my hold on the Red Light Sword, I drove the blade straight down toward the center of its chest…

*Thud.*

Accompanied by a sound akin to solid stone cleaving apart, the Sun Ape’s eyes bulged wide.

*Shlk.*

The moment I extracted the Red Light Sword from its torso, a geyser of vital fluid erupted from the narrow entry wound.

And then,

From the trembling, blood-flecked lips of the dying Sun Ape…

“Heav, Heavenly Demon (*Cheon-ma*)……”

A distinct, human phrase slipped into the air, causing me to freeze entirely in place.

“…….”

How…… how could a beast possibly speak those words?