C21 His Strength Increased and He Went down the Mountain

Wang Pingfan eyed the bowl of monkey wine before him with a bemused expression. He reached out and touched the bowl, realizing that it appeared to be crafted from a large piece of medium-grade spirit stone. If he wasn't mistaken, the material alone could be worth tens of thousands of medium-grade spirit stones. A part of him was tempted to absorb it right then and there, but he resisted; it belonged to someone else, after all.

Just then, the little white ape couldn't resist the allure and sidestepped Wang Pingfan to take a sip. With just one gulp, it had consumed over half the bowl, but then it immediately collapsed and fell into a deep sleep, its spirit energy whirling autonomously.

Wang Pingfan watched in astonishment. He hadn't anticipated the wine's potency; even the robust little white ape had been knocked out by a single mouthful. He figured that if he tried it, he'd likely hit the ground before he could even finish a sip.

The giant ape chuckled at Wang Pingfan, "This little one is simply too gluttonous. After stealing such a large Green Scale Fruit, it probably hasn't even digested the medicinal effects. Now, after guzzling the wine, it might not wake up for ten days or even half a month. But don't worry, there's plenty left for you. Just remember to drink within your limits, or you'll end up unconscious like this little fellow, and some of the benefits will be lost."

Wang Pingfan lifted the large bowl and started drinking the monkey wine. Before long, he had finished what remained in the bowl.

Drowsiness crept over him, and all he wanted was to sleep soundly. However, he quickly composed himself, sat down cross-legged, and began to practice the Chaos Scripture.

As he sat there, not only was he enveloped in spiritual energy, but also an invisible force seemed to swirl around him. The giant ape, witnessing this, was taken aback and promptly stood up and approached Wang Pingfan, yet it refrained from interrupting.

The old giant ape recognized this invisible force as Spiritual Force, a hallmark of the Martial King. Typically, only humans who practiced a cultivation technique of the heavenly level or higher could awaken their Spiritual Sea prematurely. Could it be that this young man before him had mastered a technique of such caliber? But the thought was quickly dismissed; heavenly level techniques were exceedingly rare, found only in the central continent, while the other four continents boasted, at most, earthly top-grade techniques.

It seems that some serendipitous event must have awakened his Spiritual Sea—his luck was truly remarkable! Having consumed the Monkey Wine he crafted himself, his Spiritual Force might well ascend to a new level. It's intriguing to ponder how far this young one will go. His meeting with Little White must have been a stroke of fortune.

Wang Pingfan was basking in a sense of comfort akin to lounging in the warm glow of the afternoon sun.

Time slipped by unnoticed until Wang Pingfan opened his eyes, feeling a surge of elation. Both the Qi Refining and Divine Refining sections of the Chaos Scripture had reached the second tier of Minor Completion, while the Body Refining section had achieved the second tier of Great Completion. His physique now rivaled that of a six-star Martial Master, and his cultivation had peaked at a nine-star Martial Cultivator. Should he encounter the two Zhao family elders again, with the added defense of his beast armor, they would likely struggle to harm him even if he stood still and allowed them to strike.

Just then, from the depths of the cave, a towering white ape emerged. Previously, Wang Pingfan had seen it seated in meditation, but now, standing tall, it was truly imposing.

A telepathic message reached Wang Pingfan, "Little friend, you've finally awakened. You've been seated for half a month, which suggests significant gains."

Wang Pingfan bowed respectfully to the giant ape and replied, "I owe you my thanks for the Monkey Wine, senior. Without it, my breakthrough wouldn't have been possible." He realized that half a month had passed, and the pre-selection competition organized by the City Lord's Palace was just days away. It was time to descend the mountain.

Soon after, a beastly roar echoed nearby. The little white ape had also awakened. It appeared to be frantically searching for something, as if it had misplaced a treasured item, and it even cried out to the giant ape in distress.

The giant ape chuckled, producing a three-meter-long staff from behind and tossing it to the little white ape. The little ape caught the staff, looking puzzled, but after the giant ape called out a few times, it became overjoyed, swinging the staff with delight.

The giant ape explained to Wang Pingfan that it had crafted a staff using the giant teeth as the primary material, along with many other special substances.

This staff was the equivalent of a third-tier weapon for humans. Wang Pingfan hadn't anticipated that the giant ape was capable of weapon forging, let alone creating an item comparable to a third-tier weapon.

After playing with the staff for a bit, the little white ape seemed to grow bored and gestured to Wang Pingfan with a beckoning finger. Wang Pingfan was eager to test his own strength, curious about the level he had achieved. Together, the man and the ape left the cave and stepped onto a flat expanse of land.

Several tiny apes, each less than a meter tall, frolicked on the ground, their steps unsteady as if they had only recently been born. The little white ape took its place at the center and let out a roar, prompting the other little apes to scatter. It then gestured for Wang Pingfan to approach. Wang Pingfan walked over and stood face to face with the little white ape, drawing the attention of many other white apes who cheered on in excitement. Setting the staff aside, the little white ape charged at Wang Pingfan with a roar. Wang Pingfan, undeterred, clenched his fists and charged as well.

The collision sent both the little white ape and Wang Pingfan reeling back three meters. They eyed each other with surprise. The little white ape had previously considered the human no match for it and was astonished to find that Wang Pingfan had caught up in strength. Meanwhile, Wang Pingfan was amazed that his retreat was due to the beast armor he wore, realizing that when it came to physical defense, the little white ape still surpassed him.

Undaunted, the little white ape shook its head and lunged forward again, and Wang Pingfan met the challenge head-on. Neither used their Spiritual Energy, yet the destruction they wrought was on par with a three-star Martial Master.

Even with the use of Spiritual Energy, Wang Pingfan might not reach the destructive force of a four-star Martial Master, while the little white ape could potentially exhibit the power of a five-star Martial Master. After exchanging a thousand punches, the little white ape stood its ground, and Wang Pingfan was sent flying.

The little white ape enthusiastically pounded its chest with both hands, its joy visibly increasing. The other white apes joined in, thumping their chests and letting out such thunderous roars that Wang Pingfan felt his eardrums might burst.

Approaching Wang Pingfan, the little white ape hoisted him to his feet and gave him a vigorous pat on the back, almost making Wang Pingfan feel like he was going to cough up blood. He quickly blocked the little white ape's palm, wondering to himself whether the creature was trying to assist or injure him. Thus, Wang Pingfan spent several days on the mountain, sparring daily with the little white ape. Each time, he ended up being the one thrown back, and that was without the ape even wielding its staff, which would have surely resulted in an even quicker defeat.

Realizing it was time to descend the mountain, Wang Pingfan bid farewell to the white ape leader. The little white ape attempted to embrace him, but Wang Pingfan quickly pushed it away. After several days of being hugged by the little white ape, nearly having his waist twisted out of shape, he was not eager to endure further harm.

With a smile and a wave of his hand, Wang Pingfan took his leave, the little white ape looking on with a forlorn expression. Before departing, the elder white ape presented Wang Pingfan with a crystal containing a golden hair. "Keep this crystal with you," it conveyed through the hair, "and no other demonic beasts will dare attack you as you descend the mountain."

Without any fuss, Wang Pingfan gratefully accepted the gift and started his journey down the mountain. The little white ape watched him leave with a gaze full of reluctance, as if saying farewell to a dear friend.