189: Chapter 188 Central Plains

A month later. Central Plains, deep within the Hengduan Mountains.

"Roar—!"

A pitch-black, mountain-sized wild ancient ape slapped a boulder to pieces, sending debris flying like cannonballs.

An old man and a youth were forced back to the edge of a cliff, their backs pressed against the cold rock wall, their faces deathly pale, with nowhere left to retreat.

Before them were over twenty Tier 7 wild ancient apes, baring their fangs and snarling, a foul stench rushing towards them.

The strongest one had even reached the Tier 7 Advanced stage, equivalent to a human in the Body Integration Late Stage.

"Grandpa, I can't hold on!" the youth gritted his teeth; his spiritual energy shield was already covered in cracks and was on the verge of collapsing.

The old man was no better off, covered in blood and panting like an ox. He shielded the youth, his voice hoarse: "Don't be afraid, Grandpa is here."

But his hands were also trembling.

With over twenty Tier 7 ancient apes, including a leader at the Body Integration Late Stage, and them being only one at the Body Integration Early Stage and one at the Void Refining Peak, what could they possibly use to fight?

"Roar—!" The ancient ape leader roared at the sky, its voice shaking the surroundings, as it raised a fist the size of a millstone and smashed it down towards the old man's head.

The old man closed his eyes. It was over.

"Boom—!"

A giant sword descended from the sky, slamming onto the ancient ape leader's head like divine punishment.

The blade pierced through its skull, exited through its chin, and nailed it fiercely into the ground.

The ancient ape leader's fist stopped in mid-air, froze for a moment, and then its massive body crashed to the ground, blood gushing out like a spring, splashing all over the old man.

The battlefield instantly fell silent.

The remaining ancient apes widened their eyes, watching in disbelief as their leader was split in two by a single sword strike.

That giant sword was stuck in the ground, its body shimmering with brilliant light, radiating a suffocating Sword Intent.

Some ancient apes instinctively took a step back, their legs turning to jelly.

The old man and the youth were also stunned.

The old man opened his eyes, looked down at the still-twitching corpse of the ancient ape at his feet, and then looked up at the sky.

The youth's mouth hung open, unable to utter a single word, with only one thought in his mind: One sword strike... to kill a Body Integration Late Stage ancient ape? What kind of god is this?

Under the gaze of everyone, a handsome and elegant figure descended from the sky, landing beside that giant sword.

He wore a black Dragon robe, his long hair tied up, his face handsome, his temperament refined, and his entire being exuded the demeanor of an expert. —It was exactly Xiao Ye.

He reached out and pulled out the taihuang sword stuck in the ground, casually shook the blood off the blade, and sheathed the sword, his movements smooth and fluid.

Then, he turned around, looked at the old man and the youth, then looked at the trembling ancient apes around him, and smiled slightly, his tone as kind as if he were asking for directions: "Sorry, excuse me. I'm asking for directions. Once I'm done, you can continue fighting."

The old man's mouth twitched. The youth was dumbfounded. The ancient apes looked at each other in dismay.

You killed our leader, and then said after asking for directions you'd let us continue fighting? Is that human language?

A Tier 7 Middle Stage ancient ape roared and lunged at Xiao Ye.

Xiao Ye didn't even turn his head, waved his hand casually, the taihuang sword unsheathed by an inch, a streak of Sword Qi swept out, and that ancient ape was split in two in mid-air, blood splashing everywhere.

The remaining ancient apes collectively retreated.

Xiao Ye sheathed his sword and looked at the old man with a smile: "Asking for directions, I'll leave once I'm done."

The old man opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back.

He looked at the two ancient ape corpses on the ground, then at Xiao Ye's harmless smiling face, and took a deep breath: "Young hero, ask whatever you want, this old man 'Baishitong' will definitely tell you truthfully. It's just, young hero, our situation..." He glanced at the ancient apes that hadn't dispersed yet, his eyes full of "you know what I mean."

"How about now?" Xiao Ye smiled.

Before his words finished, the taihuang sword unsheathed again. This time, he didn't hold back.

Thousands of sword shadows exploded, dancing like silver snakes, Sword Qi crisscrossing, spiritual energy surging.

The over twenty Tier 7 ancient apes didn't even have time to escape before their heads fell to the ground one after another, their corpses littering the field.

From drawing the sword to sheathing it, it took no more than three breaths.

The old man was stunned. The youth was also stunned.

The two looked at the pile of ancient ape corpses on the ground, then looked at Xiao Ye, with only one thought left in their minds: This person, is he also at the Body Integration Early Stage? They clearly perceived that Xiao Ye's Realm was the same as theirs, both just having entered the Body Integration stage. But this combat power, how is it like the Body Integration Early Stage? One sword strike for a Body Integration Late Stage ancient ape, killing over twenty Tier 7 ancient apes in three breaths, who would believe this if told?

What kind of medicine did he take? So strong!

"Speak." Xiao Ye sheathed his sword, stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering, his whole body exuding the aura of an unattainable expert.

The old man came back to his senses and quickly cupped his hands: "Oh, oh, okay."

He paused, suddenly realizing he was so nervous that his tongue was tied, so he quickly took a deep breath, trying to calm his heartbeat, "Right, hero, what did you just want to ask?"

Xiao Ye stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze deep: "In which direction is the Hao Family of the Central Plains?"

"Hao Family? Do you mean the Hao Family of Hao Sailei?" The old man was stunned and asked in return.

"Oh! Is Hao Sailei that famous? Where is his home?"

Baishitong pointed to the north, "Three thousand li to the north, cross the Hengduan Mountains, then fly three hundred thousand kilometers to the northwest, there is a purple bamboo forest, and the Hao Family is there. Young hero, the Hao Family has not been peaceful recently..."

"Many thanks." Xiao Ye didn't wait for him to finish, stepped into the air, and turned into a stream of light, disappearing into the horizon.

The youth stood where he was, watching that departing figure, and muttered to himself: "Grandpa, who is this person?"

"I don't know. This person can instantly kill an ancient ape comparable to the Body Integration Late Stage while at the Body Integration Early Stage; he must be a Saint from some Holy Land," the old man shook his head, "The Central Plains, I'm afraid it's going to get lively."

The wind blew across the Hengduan Mountains, kicking up the stench of blood everywhere. Those ancient ape corpses lay scattered about, as if silently recounting something.

And in the distant horizon, Xiao Ye's figure had long since disappeared.

Hao Family of the Central Plains—Hao Sailei's daughter, I'm coming.