Chapter 2913 - The Ape Ancestor
Su Yi and his companions appeared out of nowhere in the Spirit Treasure Celestial City’s Abhorrent Evil Origin Zone.
River Ancestor Shen Xiao warmly invited them to a banquet in the city. There, they could finally relax. After all, they had only just overcome a perilous brush with death. Returning alive was naturally cause for celebration.
Su Yi pondered briefly, then agreed. Relaxing was a part of cultivation just as much as tension was.
While he was at it, he seized the opportunity to chat with River Empress Peacock and River Ancestor Lu Shu about the Monarch of Endless Tribulations and the Buddha of Non-Existence. This was part of his preparations for his trip to the Abyss of Endless Tribulations.
When Su Yi accepted River Ancestor Shen Xiao’s invitation, the others naturally did, too.
But before they could set off, a thunderous boom went off beneath the distant skies. Before the echo faded away, a figure appeared out of nowhere.
He was a ten-foot-tall, broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted man with a monkey’s head and skin covered in black fur. He wore worn-out warrior’s robes, and he carried a thick black spear on his shoulders.
As soon as he appeared, he said with seething murderous intent, “Who killed Winged Dragon? Whoever it was, get the hell out here!”
The Ape Ancestor! River Ancestor Shen Xiao and the other river denizens recognized him at a glance. This was the ruler of the Blackwater Forbidden Zone, an expert famed for his ruthless brutality and combat strength. He’d fought the Heavenly Sovereigns of the Eternal Heavens Domain on numerous occasions, developing quite a reputation in the process.
There was no doubt about it. He’d come here on account of Heavenly Sovereign Winged Dragon.
“Ol’ Ape, Winged Dragon is dead, and by his own hand at that,” said River Ancestor Shen Xiao, stepping forward to greet the new arrival. “Everyone here saw it, so don’t bother seeking revenge.”
“He killed himself?” The Ape Ancestor frowned. “Who’d believe something like that?”
River Ancestor Shen Xiao frowned. “Given my status, what need do I have to lie to you?”
The air was instantly rife with tension.
The Ape Ancestor laughed coldly. “There are no depths to which you wouldn’t sink for the Key to Endless Tribulations. Lying is entirely within the bounds of possibility.”
River Ancestor Shen Xiao’s eyes flashed with murderous intent. “I understand. You aren’t here for Winged Dragon at all; you’re just after the Key to Endless Tribulations!”
The Ape Ancestor said coldly, “Everyone is qualified to compete for this good fortune. Why shouldn’t I try my hand?”
He scanned the group. “Let me make myself clear. Tell me the truth of how Winged Dragon died, or tell me who acquired the Key to Endless Tribulations. Refuse, and none of you will leave this place alive!”
His attitude was incomparably domineering and tyrannical.
“Are you sure?” River Ancestor Shen Xiao said coldly.
The Ape Ancestor said expressionlessly, “Have I ever been the type to renege on my word?”
“Go ahead and try it, then.” River Ancestor Shen Xiao sneered.
“This works too.” River Ancestor Lu Shu stepped forth. Su Yi now held the Key to Endless Tribulations. Given the circumstances, he naturally wouldn’t remain a bystander.
Su Yi, Wang Zhiwu, and the others watched coldly from the sidelines. The Ape Ancestor wouldn’t have dared to be so aggressive with River Ancestor Shen Xiao if he weren’t an extraordinary figure in his own right.
“Who are you?” The Ape Ancestor looked at River Ancestor Lu Shu. He seems somehow familiar, but I can’t seem to recall where I’ve seen him before.
River Ancestor Lu Shu said calmly, “My name is Lu Shu. During the Primordial Era, some of my friends in our shared pursuit of the Grand Dao honored me with the title ‘River Ancestor.’”
“R-River Ancestor Lu Shu!?” The Ape Ancestor’s eyes widened. “Didn’t you die a long time ago?”
“There are most likely rumors to that effect, but no,” said River Ancestor Lu Shu.
River Ancestor Shen Xiao was losing patience. “Ol’ Ape, are you going to fight or not?"
The Ape Ancestor looked at River Ancestor Lu Shu, then at River Ancestor Shen Xiao, and turned to leave, shouting, “As if I’d fight you both! You really think I’m stupid, huh?”
Before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, he vanished.
The group was unwittingly stunned. You only just got here, and with such fierce bluster, too. How could you just up and leave in the blink of an eye?
“I knew the ol’ ape would wimp out!” River Ancestor Shen Xiao sneered.
River Ancestor Lu Shu said, “All that remains of me is my Destiny Soul. I’m afraid that even if we’d fought together, we wouldn’t have been able to take him down.”
River Ancestor Shen Xiao laughed. “It’s enough that we scared the ol’ ape off.”
“Given the Ape Ancestor’s disposition, there’s no way he’ll just give up.” River Empress Peacock frowned. “If he spreads word that we acquired the Key to Endless Tribulations and gathers a few capable helpers, it’s sure to be trouble.”
The rest of the group frowned. It was highly likely that he’d do just that!
River Ancestor Shen Xiao shook his head. “No need for excessive concern. Here in the River of Destiny, I’m no pushover either.”
This interlude passed quickly, and the group left the Abhorrent Evil Origin Zone and returned to the city proper.
Meanwhile, the Ape Ancestor appeared somewhere along the periphery of the Abhorrent Evil Origin Zone, a place swathed in mists. There, he saw a man in bronze armor.
The man gripped a spear. His features were coarse, but his eyes shone like the sun and the moon.
This was none other than Li Shouhu, a top expert of the Dao of the Spear!
He’d once used his spear to shatter the limits of the Five Realms of Eternity and everything between him and the Far Shore of Destiny!
Earlier, in the Cave of Obsession, Lu Shi drew upon his avatar to force River Ancestor Shen Xiao back.
Even Li Shouhu’s avatar was terrifyingly strong. It was thus easy to imagine how terrifying the real deal was.
“The group that entered the Cave of Obsession has returned,” the Ape Ancestor said with a scowl. “But there’s no sign of Lu Shi or River Emperor Winged Dragon. I suspect the two of them are truly dead.”
Li Shouhu had been Lu Shi’s pillar of support, while the Ape Ancestor was River Emperor Winged Dragon’s pillar of support.
Although no one in the city knew it, River Emperor Winged Dragon and Lu Shi were working together on the behest of their respective backers!
“Lu Shi’s dead, huh...? What a pity,” Li Shouhu whispered, his voice like blades scraping together, stinging the ears.
There were few on the River of Destiny that Li Shouhu thought highly of, but Lu Shi was one of them. Moreover, Lu Shi had been tasked with a heavy responsibility, yet now, he’d died in the Cave of Obsession. Li Shouhu found it rather hard to take.
“Who acquired the Key to Endless Tribulations?” asked Li Shouhu.
The Ape Ancestor shook his head. “I’m not sure. River Ancestor Shen Xiao was there, as well as River Ancestor Lu Shu. When I saw that the situation didn’t go well, I retreated at the first opportunity.”
“River Ancestor Lu Shu is actually still alive!?” Li Shouhu exclaimed, “His body is nothing but bones, and his heart became the Cave of Obsession long ago, during the Primordial Era. How could he possibly still be alive? Are you sure that was really him?”
The Ape Ancestor said staunchly, “There’s no mistake.”
Li Shouhu mulled that over. “What about the others? Are any of them worth taking note of?”
The Ape Ancestor paused, then said, “There were also two River Emperors, and... ah, yes. There were two human cultivators there, too.”
He waved his sleeve, creating a curtain of light depicting Su Yi and Wang Zhiwu.
Li Shouhu’s gaze immediately focused on Su Yi. His eyes widened, and he exclaimed, “What’s he doing here?”
The Ape Ancestor looked over, then furrowed his brow in confusion. “You recognize that kid, senior? I examined him at the time, and he’s only in the Divine Wandering Realm. He was the weakest one there.”
Li Shouhu burst into laughter. “What do you know? His name is Su Yi, and he’s prey that I’m dead set on hunting down!”
His expression filled with excitement. “I wouldn’t have guessed he was participating in this, too. What a coincidence!”
The ape couldn’t help but be surprised. He knew Li Shouhu as a terrifying expert from the Far Shore of Destiny. His status and position were transcendent beyond imagination.
Who could have imagined that someone like him would react so strongly to a young Divine Wandering Realm cultivator?
The ape couldn’t help but wonder, Just who is Su Yi? How is he worthy of being Li Shouhu’s prey?
“No matter what, don’t leak a word of this!” Li Shouhu took a deep breath and forced himself to be calm. “Also, don’t try to probe any further. I’d hate for you to alert my target. All I ask is that you keep a close watch on their whereabouts!
His eyes flashed like lightning as he fixed his gaze on the Ape Ancestor.
The Ape Ancestor’s heart tensed. He instinctively lowered his head. “Understood!”
“If we succeed, I wouldn’t mind giving you an opportunity to continue your cultivation on the Far Shore,” said Li Shouhu, his eyes flashing coldly. “But if you screw it up... Don’t blame me for my rudeness!”
The Ape Ancestor stiffened, then hurriedly promised to give it his all.
Inwardly, tidal waves of shock coursed through him. Is Su Yi seriously that important? Li Shouhu is even threatening me over him!
“It’s a pity, but my true body is busy serving His Excellency Yun Wuxiang. It won’t be able to come here any time soon.” Li Shouhu furrowed his brow. “That’s a bit troublesome.”
This was just a clone. Still, he was naturally confident that he could kill a River Ancestor... assuming, of course, that they fought above the River of Destiny.
Here beneath the water, the restrictions of the natural order of Destiny meant that even if he went all out, he could at most defeat a River Ancestor. Actually killing one would be difficult.
Li Shouhu pondered briefly, then said, “I’ll give you a month. Gather a few other River Ancestors, then return. Use the Key to Endless Tribulations as bait, and I’m sure you’ll find others willing to join forces with you.”
The Ape Ancestor nodded repeatedly, but inwardly, he was frantic. Who should I ask for help? River Ancestors aren’t cabbages; you can’t just go outside and pick them. I’m only close to a select handful, and there’s no guarantee that any of them will be interested in joining forces.
“Senior, when do you plan to attack?” asked the Ape Ancestor.
“I plan to leave for a while, then attack when I return!” said Li Shouhu. With that, he turned and set off immediately; it seemed he couldn’t hold back any longer.
All of this left the Ape Ancestor gobsmacked, but more than that, he was increasingly certain that Su Yi was incomparably important. Otherwise, why would such a terrifying expert from the Far Shore of Destiny take him so seriously?
Within the blink of an eye, Li Shouhu shot out of the Spirit Treasure Celestial City and toward the surface of the river.
Along the way, he was beside himself with excitement. The reincarnation of the Big Boss of Sword Sovereign City really is hiding beneath the surface of the River of Destiny! And I just happened to bump into him! If I report this to His Excellency Yun Wuxiang, he’s sure to reward me!
“Do you recognize this person?”
Suddenly, Li Shouhu sensed someone’s divine sense spreading out, carrying with it a question. He looked over and saw a man in a feather coat leading a white deer. He was asking a giant river denizen some questions.
Li Shouhu had planned to leave, but when he caught an inadvertent glimpse of the portrait the man in the feather coat was carrying, his eyes widened.
It was a portrait of none other than Su Yi!
Li Shouhu’s expression darkened. Don’t tell me that he’s after Su Yi, too? If so, he really deserves to die! No matter who he is, no one is allowed to steal my prey. Anyone who tries must pay!
Li Shouhu silently came to a halt.
