Beheading Zhang Mang, Dancing with the Monkeys
At this moment, Zhang Lingxiao had already flashed away and hidden himself within the branches of a giant tree. His gaze was sharp as lightning as he looked down at the one man and one ape battling below.
The fight between the man and the ape was exceptionally fierce. Punches struck flesh again and again, each blow carrying immense power and surging Aura.
What was particularly shocking was the Six-Armed Giant Ape's offense. Its attacks were as violent as a raging storm, every strike packed with terrifying strength, as if it intended to tear apart everything before it.
However, to everyone's surprise, the ape did not seem to take Zhang Mang—who had temporarily stepped into the Xuanwu Realm—seriously at all. It had not even used its innate runic technique.
On the other hand, Zhang Mang was clearly struggling.
As time passed, the Mystic Force circulating through his body gradually dissipated. His originally powerful Aura began to weaken, eventually regressing back to the Ninth Heaven of the Lingwu Realm.
Not good! If I keep wasting time with this damned monkey, the medicine's effects will completely wear off. I'll definitely die! Zhang Mang thought anxiously, his eyes filled with worry.
This Six-Armed Giant Ape was truly difficult to deal with. Even when he had temporarily stepped into the Xuanwu Realm, he had been unable to kill it.
Now that his strength had fallen back to the Ninth Heaven of the Lingwu Realm, resisting it had become even harder.
Faced with such a predicament, Zhang Mang burned with anxiety, yet he could find no solution.
He could only watch helplessly as his strength continued to decline, his heart filled with despair.
"Cousin Zhang Lingxiao! I know you're hiding nearby. Come out and help me!"
"Let's kill this Giant Ape together. Afterward, I'll share the Legacy with you. I won't even pursue revenge for my father's death!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Lingxiao sneered inwardly.
Putting aside whether the two of them combined could defeat the Six-Armed Giant Ape, he simply had no interest in cooperating with Zhang Mang.
Moreover…
Zhang Lingxiao's deep eyes shifted toward the Six-Armed Giant Ape's enormous palm.
In his view, that massive palm was very likely the key to opening the stone door at the end of the cave.
"Zhang Lingxiao! Get the hell out here!"
Zhang Mang was becoming increasingly exhausted under the ape's relentless assault. Desperation overtook him, and he abandoned persuasion in favor of furious curses.
The Six-Armed Giant Ape was rapidly draining his Qi, and his Realm was dropping faster and faster.
Seeing this, Zhang Lingxiao finally spoke.
However, his words were not directed at Zhang Mang, but at the Six-Armed Giant Ape.
"Brother Giant Ape! I'll help you!"
"Roar!"
The Six-Armed Giant Ape roared, clearly not understanding what the human meant.
What was this human plotting now?
Moments later, Zhang Mang saw Zhang Lingxiao leap down from the giant tree, landing steadily in front of him.
Zhang Mang was overjoyed.
"Good cousin! Quickly help me kill this beast!"
The Six-Armed Giant Ape halted its attack and stared at Zhang Lingxiao with its massive eyes.
Its expression seemed to say: A mere First Level Lingwu Realm brat dares to act so boldly?
However, it did not sense any killing intent from Zhang Lingxiao.
Zhang Lingxiao chuckled lightly.
"Brother Giant Ape, there's no need for you to personally deal with such trash. Leave him to me. Consider it a gift for our first meeting. Let's be friends."
With that, Zhang Lingxiao drew the Tianji Sword. His gaze turned icy as it landed on Zhang Mang.
"Zhang Mang, the grudges between us should end today."
Zhang Mang's expression froze.
His voice trembled with disbelief.
"Zhang Lingxiao, what are you doing?"
"There's a powerful enemy right in front of us. Don't be stupid!"
"We're both from the Zhang family. We're both human! You're not seriously going to help that monkey kill me, are you?!"
"Noisy," Zhang Lingxiao sneered.
Then—
A brilliant flash of sword light erupted.
Swish!
A head, still twisted in anger and disbelief, flew high into the air.
The Six-Armed Giant Ape casually caught it and stuffed it into its mouth.
"Hehe, good kid. I like you already."
The ape chuckled before picking up Zhang Mang's headless corpse and tossing it into its mouth as well.
At the same time, the Six-Armed Giant Ape stretched out a massive palm and grabbed toward Zhang Lingxiao.
Now that he had entered the Lingwu Realm, Zhang Lingxiao's perception had grown far sharper than before. He could easily detect the slightest movement.
He sensed no hostility from the ape.
Thus, he allowed himself to be lifted into its palm.
"You're called Zhang Lingxiao?"
The Six-Armed Giant Ape studied him curiously.
Zhang Lingxiao's skin was delicate and his flesh tender. He probably tasted much better than the loud fellow just now.
Thinking this, the ape swallowed its saliva.
"Brother Giant Ape, Zhang Lingxiao is indeed my name."
The Six-Armed Giant Ape grinned.
"I know why you want to befriend me. You want me to open the stone door in the cave, right?"
Zhang Lingxiao was slightly surprised.
He had assumed the Six-Armed Giant Ape was simple-minded, but it clearly understood everything.
"Precisely," Zhang Lingxiao admitted without hesitation.
"Very well. I was originally guarding the Ancient Tomb for my master, waiting for a qualified inheritor. Since you're the only little fellow left in this Ancient Tomb Space, I'll choose you."
Zhang Lingxiao was overjoyed.
However—
"Brother Giant Ape, weren't there still a few people inside the cave earlier?"
"They left," the ape said indifferently. "They took advantage of the chaos during the battle and escaped the Ancient Tomb Space together."
"Now you're the only human martial artist left here."
"Otherwise, why do you think I wouldn't just eat you?"
"I'm tired of guarding this tomb for him. I want my freedom too."
A trace of frustration appeared on the ape's face.
It had been trapped in this space for far too long.
If someone had inherited the Legacy earlier, it would have regained its freedom and roamed the Nine Heavens long ago.
Hearing this, Zhang Lingxiao secretly felt a little regret.
The Six-Armed Giant Ape was far too powerful. He had no chance of killing it, so he had to abandon any thoughts of obtaining its innate runic technique.
However, he was absolutely confident he could have killed Dragon Spring Tooth.
Yet the man had escaped during the chaos. If they met again outside, killing him and seizing his Dao would not be so easy.
As for Ma Ying'er leaving as well, that had been unexpected.
That girl abandoned her fiancé just like that…
Perhaps I really need to reconsider this marriage. Her heart is far too cold.
"Brother Giant Ape, let's go open the stone door," Zhang Lingxiao said.
The Six-Armed Giant Ape nodded and placed Zhang Lingxiao on the ground.
Zhang Lingxiao glanced at the cave entrance, then at the ape's towering body.
How would such a massive creature even fit inside?
Just as the thought crossed his mind—
A chilling sound of bones grinding echoed through the air, as if countless skeletons were rubbing together.
The Six-Armed Giant Ape's towering body began shrinking rapidly before Zhang Lingxiao's eyes.
In moments, it had reduced itself to roughly two meters in height—about the size of a human.
At the same time, the other two pairs of arms beneath its armpits retracted into its ribs like living creatures, leaving only two arms visible.
"Alright," the ape said. "I'll accompany you. Once you complete the Legacy, you can leave this place."
"Thank you, Brother Giant Ape!" Zhang Lingxiao said respectfully, cupping his fists.
"Just call me Six Arms," the ape replied.
Zhang Lingxiao smiled and nodded.
Then the two walked side by side into the cave.
When they arrived before the stone door, Six Arms extended his palm and pressed it firmly into the huge groove above it.
Clang!
A dazzling light burst forth.
With a deafening rumble, the tightly sealed stone door slowly slid apart until it was fully open.
"You go in," Six Arms said lazily. "There's no danger inside. I won't enter."
He yawned, clearly uninterested in the Legacy, like a tool that existed solely to fulfill his master's final wish.
"Thank you, Brother Six Arms."
Zhang Lingxiao once again cupped his fists in gratitude.
Six Arms waved his hand dismissively and walked out of the cave.
Zhang Lingxiao watched him leave for a moment before stepping through the stone door.