Man and ape clashed fiercely in the valley beneath the cliff. Quinn Shepherd’s arms grew numb, and he was gradually forced onto the defensive by the Demon Ape, struggling to hold his ground.
Before long, the Demon Ape battered him black and blue again, but it never went for the kill—holding back just enough strength to keep the fight going.
“Eat. Strong!”
The Demon Ape swung a fist—its force split into nine distinct currents, the third form of the Thunder Chant Eight‑Form: Nine‑Dragon Thunder Rush. As it attacked, it urged Quinn to eat more, to grow as robust as itself.
“Divine Firmament Heaven Eye—open!”
Quinn’s yuanqi surged, flooding into his eyes, where he inscribed the first‑layer Divine Firmament Heavenly Gang Pattern of the Ninefold Heaven Eye Art. Instantly, it was as if a new layer of vision opened within his pupils.
With the Divine Firmament Heaven Eye activated, Quinn found the world before him growing impossibly vivid, deep, and ordered. Even the Demon Ape’s incoming punch became strangely fascinating under his gaze.
He could see every hair on the Demon Ape’s fist ripple through the air, every tendon and muscle shifting beneath its skin, even the exact flow and direction of its power!
Grandpa Blind’s Ninefold Heaven Eye Art revealed the truth hidden beneath appearances, letting Quinn grasp the structure and control of both his own and his enemy’s power in ways he’d never imagined.
As Quinn’s fist met the Demon Ape’s, in the instant before impact, his five fingers flicked out one after another, slicing through the air with the shrill whistle of a bowstring snapping!
Thunder Chant Eight‑Form, second move: Thunder‑Pluck Pipa Flick.
Grandpa Mark’s fist techniques weren’t just fists—they included finger arts too. Thunder‑Pluck Pipa Flick was one of his most refined. Quinn flicked his first finger against the Demon Ape’s massive fist, instantly draining its power.
Quinn’s second finger flicked out—the Demon Ape felt the tendons in its arm shudder violently!
Quinn’s third finger flicked—the muscles in the Demon Ape’s arm trembled fiercely, panic rising in its eyes.
Quinn’s fourth finger flicked—the Demon Ape’s arm jerked up against its will, exposing its chest.
Quinn’s fifth finger struck the beast’s chest; the Demon Ape felt as if hundreds of Great Ruins bison had crashed into its torso and was sent tumbling backward, utterly helpless!
Quinn stared, stunned. Was Grandpa Blind’s Ninefold Heaven Eye Art really this terrifying?
The true power wasn’t in his technique, but in his eyes. With the Divine Firmament Heaven Eye, Quinn could easily see through the Demon Ape’s force and trajectory, pinpointing the flaw in its punch. His first finger found the weakness, dissolving the Demon Ape’s overwhelming strike!
Whoosh—
Lost in thought for a split second, Quinn was ambushed—the Demon Ape exploded into action, smashing him flying with a punch. It leapt overhead, clasped its fists together, and hammered down. The ground shook as Quinn crashed into a deep pit.
The Demon Ape landed with a thud and hammered its fist into the pit. Before its punch could connect, Quinn’s fingers flicked out again, striking the Ape’s fist.
In the next instant, the Demon Ape’s massive body bounced high into the air. Quinn leapt out of the pit and caught up with it mid-flight.
“Nine‑Dragon Thunder Rush!”
Bang, bang, bang—a rapid barrage of blows rang out. The Demon Ape’s enormous body was battered like a falling star, crashing through more than a dozen trees.
After a long while, Quinn and the Demon Ape fought their way up to the cliff top, then collapsed side by side, panting heavily, too exhausted to continue.
The Divine Firmament Heaven Eye was powerful, but it devoured yuanqi at an alarming rate. Even with Quinn’s deep reserves, he could barely keep up.
After a brief rest, the Demon Ape sat up and gave a big thumbs-up, pointing to itself: “Me, brother!”
Quinn sat up too, shaking his head: “Me, brother. You, younger.”
The Demon Ape grew furious, flexing its fist, its arm bulging with muscle: “Me, strong!”
Quinn grabbed one of its fingers, swung the Ape around, and slammed it to the ground: “Me, stronger!”
The Demon Ape flipped upright, and man and ape brawled again. Soon, both were spent, collapsing side by side and gasping for breath.
Once Quinn recovered a bit of strength, he stood and demonstrated the Thunder Chant Eight‑Form atop the cliff. The Demon Ape sat up too, watching intently.
Yesterday, Quinn had only taught it the basics—a rough outline. Now, he showed every detail, explaining the secrets behind each move’s power.
The Demon Ape learned at a shocking pace. Within a few hours, it had mastered the full Thunder Chant Eight‑Form, making Quinn’s scalp tingle—he started to wonder if he could still beat this big guy.
“This creature really is a martial arts prodigy. Can even a beast have such spirit? Then… could it cultivate?”
Quinn pondered, then sat down and began teaching the Demon Ape how to breathe and guide qi, passing on his Overlord Three‑Core Art.
The Demon Ape earnestly imitated his breathing and guiding. The Overlord Three‑Core Art was really just a simple guiding method—just moving and channeling yuanqi.
It didn’t take long for the Demon Ape to grasp the basics. Its breathing was steady and natural. This matched its nature—it ate only plants, was quiet and gentle, and its mind was pure. That’s why it learned so quickly.
“This guy is truly a martial arts prodigy.”
Quinn was sincerely impressed by its progress. “Big guy, keep cultivating. Tomorrow I’ll come back and fight you again.” With that, he leapt off the cliff and headed back toward the village.
The Demon Ape watched Quinn leave, then sat down again, murmuring softly, “Little one…”
Over the next ten‑plus days, Quinn came every day to spar with the Demon Ape. After each fight, the Ape would share fruit with him, and Quinn would teach it more about cultivation—including Crippled Joe’s Stealing‑Heavens Leg Art.
The Demon Ape had always been skilled with its fists, but its legwork was clumsy. After learning the Stealing‑Heavens Leg Art, its kicks became deviously sharp—even Quinn would suffer if he let his guard down.
Quinn’s strength grew rapidly, but the Demon Ape’s progress was downright frightening. Its yuanqi soon reached a respectable level; in their matches, if Quinn didn’t activate the Divine Firmament Heaven Eye, he couldn’t gain any advantage and would often be forced onto the defensive.
(This chapter isn’t finished yet ^.^—please click next page to continue reading!)
One afternoon, after their usual fight, Quinn went to help out at the Mute Smith’s forge as usual, standing by the furnace to ‘watch the fire’ as taught.
Inside his Spirit Embryo Treasury, his yuanqi burned like fire, tempering the Spirit Embryo. Everything seemed normal—until suddenly, the Spirit Embryo began frantically devouring the golden radiance from the inner golden sea. Countless streams of golden light poured into it.
Quinn panicked, completely at a loss as to what was happening.
The Mute Smith couldn’t see what was happening inside Quinn’s Spirit Embryo Treasury, so he had no idea that a strange transformation was underway within Quinn’s body.
The Spirit Embryo absorbed more and more golden light—then abruptly stopped, ceasing all breathing and yuanqi circulation, falling silent.
Quinn tried to move his Spirit Embryo, but it remained completely still.
“Did my Spirit Embryo die?”
The boy grew anxious. After a long while, his Spirit Embryo slowly recovered and awakened.
Quinn breathed a sigh of relief and continued to watch the fire. Suddenly, he felt his yuanqi grow fiercely intense. As his Spirit Embryo breathed and circulated the energy, the yuanqi ignited—and even as it flowed out of the Spirit Embryo Treasury, it didn’t extinguish!
Quinn was startled and stopped watching the fire, but it was too late—his clothes spontaneously burst into flames!
Mute Smith immediately grabbed a huge water vat and dumped it over Quinn’s head, dousing the fire.
Mute Smith lifted the vat, revealing Quinn soaked like a drowned rat.
Mute Smith stared, checked Quinn’s scorched clothes, then tossed aside his hammer and iron bar and rushed to the village chief, gesturing frantically.
The village chief was astonished and quickly had Deaf and Mute carry him over. “Quinn, try watching the fire again!”
Quinn didn’t know why the chief was so serious, but obeyed. As he watched the fire, his Spirit Embryo Treasury once again became a blazing furnace, surrounding the Spirit Embryo.
Then a wave of heat surged from within, and the temperature of his skin soared!
The chief’s eyes lit up, guiding him gently: “Quinn, keep your mind steady. Focus, and treat your palm as a blade—strike out with it for me!”
Quinn emptied his mind, focusing only on the furnace before him. His yuanqi surged naturally, and he swung his hand like a blade.
Whoosh—
His palm erupted in flame, slashing down like a burning fire blade!