Light flashed ceaselessly around Elder Heavenape’s chest as Evan Chu once again threw all his strength into yanking out the Heavensbane Demonblade lodged inside. He drove his Earthstar Core to its very limit, and this time, the demonic blade actually budged.
Seeing movement at last, Evan’s spirits surged. He pulled harder, and with every inch the blade came free, Elder Heavenape’s massive body shuddered and roared in agony—clearly, the pain was unimaginable.
Time dragged on, sweat pouring off Evan like rain. More than half his Chaos Qi was spent, and now only the tip of the Heavensbane Demonblade remained buried inside.
Just then, a patch of Chaos Qi on his palm was completely corroded away, and a wisp of demonic qi snaked up his arm, heading straight for his dantian.
That discovery was no small matter—but this was the most critical moment. If he gave up now, everything would be wasted. “Damn it! Get out of there, you bastard!”
He used every ounce of strength he had, but still couldn’t pull the sword out completely. Evan felt like he was about to collapse.
At that moment, Elder Heavenape suddenly spoke: “Thank you, my little master. Step aside—I’ll handle the rest myself!”
Hearing those words, Evan felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders—it was like music from heaven. He instantly activated Shadowstep and darted to a corner of the cave.
Elder Heavenape looked to be in unbearable pain, his massive body trembling all over. Evan knew that forcing out the Heavensbane Demonblade would seriously injure him, so he kept his eyes glued to the scene, afraid to miss a single moment.
Now, Elder Heavenape’s roars sounded noticeably weaker than before. Accompanied by a heart-wrenching scream, Evan watched as the Heavensbane Demonblade slowly emerged, inch by inch.
With a sharp whoosh, Elder Heavenape finally forced the Heavensbane Demonblade out of his body using pure stellar power. The blade shot straight into the stone wall of the cave and vanished inside.
Evan Chu watched clearly as black miasma erupted around the stone wall, instantly melting the rock and exposing more of the blade's body.
A massive hole had opened in Elder Heavenape’s chest, blood pouring out nonstop—a terrifying sight that left Evan Chu’s heart pounding.
“Are you all right?” Evan Chu asked quietly. The crisis was over, but who knew if this beast might turn on him next? He stayed on guard, just in case.
“I won’t die just yet. That damned demon blade tormented me for ten thousand years, but now I’m finally free—thank you, my new master!” Elder Heavenape instantly transformed into a human form, appearing once again as a white-haired old man.
His chest was still soaked in blood, with a fist-sized hole where even his internal organs were visible.
Surviving even that? Unbelievable. Evan Chu couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.
“Senior, please don’t call me master—I’m really not worthy! What do you plan to do with the demon blade?” Evan asked, regaining his composure.
“The Heavensbane Demonblade isn’t some ordinary weapon. I must reclaim it—if it ever falls back into Demon Lord Solus’s hands, it’ll be a disaster. By the way, master, are you all right? I sensed a lot of demonic qi entering your body. And one more thing—how do you possess Chaos Qi?” Elder Heavenape asked in his elder form.
As soon as Elder Heavenape finished speaking, he waved his hands. The Heavensbane Demonblade embedded in the wall flew straight into his grasp and then vanished. Evan Chu realized he must have stored it in a spatial treasure, but curiously, there was no storage ring on his hand.
Evan Chu didn’t press for details—after all, this guy used to be a top-tier powerhouse. Some things are better left unknown.
“Chaos Qi? I have no idea how I got it. All I know is, it’s a bit stronger than stellar power, but it’s way slower to absorb.” Evan fumbled for an explanation, guessing Elder Heavenape probably knew about Luna, the Sword Spirit, but just hadn’t asked yet.
“Chaos Qi is extremely rare—never thought my master would possess it. Honestly, I can barely believe it myself.” Elder Heavenape said, the blood at his chest finally slowing, though his appearance was still frightening.
“Is your wound okay? I can’t sense the demonic qi that got inside me anymore—maybe my Chaos Qi already refined it. What’s the deal with that stone gate behind you?”
Evan Chu didn’t want to waste any more time. Rhea Yang and the others outside must’ve heard Elder Heavenape’s earlier roars; right now, they were probably worried sick about him, and might rush in at any moment.
“This wound will heal in a few years, but I’ll never get back to my old strength. Don’t worry, master—when you reach the Azure Tide Ruins, I’ll have a surprise waiting for you.” Elder Heavenape replied, seeming not to care about his own injury at all.
“Azure Tide Ruins? You mean you’re heading to the Azure Tide Ruins?” Evan Chu asked in shock.
“That’s right. See the portal behind me? It’s a teleportation gate straight to the Azure Tide Ruins. Too bad it can only be used once—otherwise, you could use it to follow me in the future.”
The more Evan Chu listened, the more confused he got. “Only usable once? What do you mean, exactly? Can you explain it clearly?”
Elder Heavenape produced a palm-sized stone radiating powerful energy. Evan Chu could sense the waves of stellar power—like a high-grade Starstone, only much stronger.
Could this be a supreme-grade Starstone? Evan Chu was about to ask when Elder Heavenape spoke up: “It’s a shame—I only have this one Starstone Crystal left. If I had two, maybe the portal could be preserved.”
“This teleportation portal is actually something I brought from the Azure Tide Ruins. Back then, I was gravely wounded and just wanted a quiet place to recover. Who knew, when I teleported, the portal itself came with me—and this cave is where I ended up.”
I tried leaving before, but whenever I got close to the cave entrance, some invisible force dragged me back. I’m not sure what it is—only that it comes from the portal itself.
To use the portal, you need two Starstone Crystals. Sadly, I’ve only got one left. If I use it, I’ll make it to the other side, but the portal will be destroyed.”
Evan Chu figured he wasn’t lying, so he asked, “Why do you have to go back? Wouldn’t it be better to stay here?”
“I’d like to stay, but there are things I must handle back there. After ten thousand years, I’ve finally broken free—so I’m sure others can too. And I have to take the Heavensbane Demonblade back and deal with it properly. Forgive me for being selfish, master.” Elder Heavenape said with a helpless sigh.
“It’s fine—go take care of what you need to. I’ll make it to the Azure Tide Ruins someday; we can meet up then.” Evan Chu grinned, though he couldn’t help but feel a little speechless. After all that effort to save you, you’re just going to leave?
But thinking it over, it was only natural. It’s not like he expected anyone to owe him just for helping out—he wasn’t that kind of person.