Chapter Fifty-One: Slaying the Infernal Demon Ape

The figure that appeared was precisely Chu Han. He had just arrived in time to witness the scene, and without a moment to think, he had no choice but to act. Otherwise, the girl would have met a tragic end at the hands of the Infernal Demon Ape.

Yet, Chu Han was also struggling to withstand the ape's mighty fist. He could barely hold his own. After all, the Infernal Demon Ape possessed pure strength of about one hundred twenty to one hundred thirty thousand catties—though it matched Chu Han in power, brute force was the beast's innate talent.

"Run, hide quickly!" Chu Han shouted, his eyes burning bright red as blue lightning coiled around his body. A sudden surge of power forced the Infernal Demon Ape back several steps.

The girl behind him hurriedly retreated, pulling her junior brother with her, and hid behind a large boulder. She watched the fight between Chu Han and the Infernal Demon Ape without blinking.

"Sister, do you think he can defeat the Infernal Demon Ape? That thing’s strength is terrifying!" the young man whispered, astonished that Chu Han had managed to withstand the ape’s punch. For a human to stand firm against such a monster’s power was beyond most people’s imagination.

The girl shook her head. She too was shocked by Chu Han’s strength, but to defeat the Infernal Demon Ape with just that power was little more than wishful thinking. She could only hope Chu Han had another trick up his sleeve.

At that moment, the Infernal Demon Ape, blocked by a human, became furious. It howled and charged forward. Chu Han’s expression darkened, his fists clenched tight. When the ape reached him, Chu Han vanished in a flash of lightning, leaving only a streak of blue light.

He reappeared behind the ape and drove his fist hard into its back. The force of thunder and fire erupted, burning a bloody hole through its flesh. Blood poured out, the scent of charring filling the air. Yet even such a wound could not threaten the Infernal Demon Ape.

"Such incredible speed!" The girl was stunned; her eyes could no longer follow Chu Han’s movements. The devastating power of his attack made her silently marvel.

Wounded, the Infernal Demon Ape grew even more berserk. It turned, swinging its fist in wild fury—precisely what Chu Han intended. He wanted to enrage the beast.

Creatures like the Infernal Demon Ape possessed a measure of intelligence, but were prone to violent outbursts. Once angered, they fought without any method or reason, giving Chu Han a chance.

Dodging the ape’s attacks, Chu Han appeared at its feet, seized its right leg, and shouted. Lightning enveloped the beast’s body, and it collapsed with a howl, paralyzed by Chu Han’s thunder. Though massive, the ape was highly resistant to the effects; it recovered in seconds. Yet for Chu Han, those seconds were all he needed.

As the beast hit the ground, a bolt of lightning formed on Chu Han’s right fist. He plunged it into the ape’s neck.

The Infernal Demon Ape was formidable in defense; minor wounds were nothing to it. But its neck was a weakness. If pierced there, it would lose the ability to fight.

Indeed, as the lightning bolt stabbed into its flesh, the ape howled in agony. Blood pooled beneath it as it convulsed on the ground, and after a short while, it lay still.

Chu Han finally let out a breath. Defeating the Infernal Demon Ape had proven far more difficult than he’d expected. Though he’d seemed to dominate the beast throughout the fight, only he knew how perilous it truly was.

One careless moment, and had he been struck, even if he survived, he would have been gravely wounded. Fortunately, he had dealt with it.

"You can come out now, it's over," Chu Han said with a gentle smile, beckoning to them as he began searching the ape’s body.

Generally, beasts above the second rank developed some intelligence and produced a magic core within their bodies—a valuable item. Not only was it useful for alchemy, the beast’s energy was concentrated within the core, and it would prove useful in the future.

Sure enough, Chu Han found a deep blue magic core within the ape’s skull, almost ready to advance to the third rank—just what he needed.

"I’ll take the magic core, then. You two should hurry down the mountain; this place isn’t safe for you. You wouldn’t stand a chance against a beast like this," Chu Han said, deciding to claim the core. After all, he had slain the beast, so the spoils were rightfully his. Still, he offered a few words of advice; with their abilities, wandering the mountain was far too dangerous.

"Savior, may I know your name? I am Leng Ye, an inner disciple of Nine Immortal Island, and this is my junior brother Zhang Han. Thank you for saving our lives. I hope you’ll come with us to Nine Immortal Island, so we may properly express our gratitude," Leng Ye said, her cheeks flushed as she cupped her hands in respect. The battle between Chu Han and the Infernal Demon Ape had left her utterly awestruck—it was beyond what a human could accomplish.

Beside her, Zhang Han gazed at Chu Han with excitement. If Chu Han went to Nine Immortal Island, perhaps he could learn a few moves from him and his own skills might improve dramatically.

"Nine Immortal Island? No, I have other matters to attend to. I was merely passing by and lent a hand. There’s no need for names—just hurry down the mountain," Chu Han replied, shaking his head as if remembering something, but ultimately refusing Leng Ye's kind invitation. He walked away, soon disappearing from their sight.

Leng Ye stared after him, lost in thought. She had no idea who he truly was, but Chu Han’s figure was already deeply etched in her heart.

The two set off down the mountain together, and as they reached halfway, they encountered reinforcements from Nine Immortal Island.

"Junior Sister Leng, are you alright? What happened just now?" A burly man approached, concern etched on his face. Seeing that only two members of their party remained, he was shocked.

"Senior Brother, it was the Infernal Demon Ape. If not for a man who came to our rescue, we’d be dead. He was extremely powerful—he killed the Infernal Demon Ape single-handedly," Zhang Han spoke up before Leng Ye could answer, his words filled with admiration for Chu Han, which made the burly man quite unhappy.

As Chu Han was mentioned, Leng Ye’s cheeks reddened and her lips curved in a smile—a look the burly man had never seen before, fueling his jealousy.

"The Infernal Demon Ape is nothing. I could handle it myself. Let’s head up the mountain. The sect leader still needs us to gather medicinal herbs. With so many of us, there shouldn’t be any danger," the burly man said coldly, then turned to Leng Ye with a forced smile, trying to curry favor. His name was Xiao Feilong, also a disciple of Nine Immortal Island, and a standout among the younger generation, but deeply infatuated with Leng Ye.

Hearing his words, Leng Ye and Zhang Han hesitated. The danger they had just faced on the mountain was terrifying, and returning made them uneasy. Yet, seeing Xiao Feilong and the others, they nodded.

After all, their purpose in coming to the mountain had been to gather herbs, and failure would mean punishment. Thus, they put Chu Han’s warning to the back of their minds, nearly at the cost of their lives.

Meanwhile, Chu Han continued to ascend. He had a persistent feeling that something existed atop the mountain—a suspicion he’d had since interrogating the wolf clan member earlier. Though he sensed great danger, he pressed onward to see for himself.