Chapter 5 Three Years Later

The star calendar ticks over to 129593, time flowing as years shuttle past. Three years vanish in the blink of an eye.

While three years might seem substantial for an individual, for the Xingchen Continent, accustomed to tens of thousands of years of tranquility, it remains incredibly inconspicuous.

The entire continent, under the rule of the Three Great Empires—Falaisi, Xingyue, and Huanyu—appears outwardly peaceful as always.

Fell Woods, famous for its Demon Beasts, perpetually draws numerous Mages and Martial Artists seeking treasure, wealth, or self-improvement.

Despite varied motives for venturing into Fell Woods, they all contribute to upholding the spirit of the super-expert nature on Xingchen Continent. However, a common unspoken rule binds all visitors: never attempt to breach Fell Woods' core area, harboring tenth-order Sacred Realm Demon Beasts. There are even rumors of Divine Realm Demon Beasts in the deepest, forbidden Great Ominous Land—a realm that lacks Divine Realm experts on Xingchen Continent. Provoking these legendary creatures often leads to a certain death.

Hence, even renowned Sacred Realm experts hesitate to penetrate Fell Woods' heart unnecessarily. The chasm between the Divine and Sacred Realms mirrors the overwhelming power of Divine Realm experts over the Continent.

Consequently, Fell Woods witnesses more Adventurers on its periphery and fewer in its inner regions. The inner domain harbors seventh to ninth-order Demon Beasts, equivalent to the expertise of Master Magi and Martial Venerables among humans, deterring most Adventurer Squads from risking their lives.

However, Tyr Squad isn't an ordinary team. It comprises experienced Veterans, led by Tyr, a middle-aged man in his 40s, at the peak of Martial Venerable cultivation.

The squad includes one more Martial Venerable aside from Tyr, at the Early Stage, and nine Martial Ancestors, with most at the Late Stage or peak, and one who recently achieved Martial Ancestor status. Additionally, there are two Mages, one of them titled Elder Mage.

Mages hold higher status than Martial Artists on the Xingchen Continent, with their ability to wield Forbidden Spells in large-scale wars. This grants them considerable influence, favored by the Empire.

Overall, Tyr Squad boasts significant strength, enabling them to survive in the perilous Fell Woods. They periodically venture into the inner regions to hunt high-end Demon Beasts for valuable Demonic Cores, securing a comfortable income.

This time, as they explore the inner area of Fell Woods, Tyr remains vigilant, advising the less experienced members:

"I've said it countless times, but I must emphasize it again for our venture into the Inner Domain. Don't provoke the overlord there—the Three Eyed Vajra Ape! We're no match for it."

One member chimed in, "I'm aware. That beast has the Bloodline of the Immemorial Demon Ape and has cultivated for nearly a thousand years, reaching the Ninth Order peak. It's as strong as a Sacred Realm expert. We wouldn't stand a chance, even a collective of Master Magi or Martial Venerables."

"Indeed. The Three Eyed Vajra Ape isn't to be trifled with. Its power rivals that of a Mage's Forbidden Spell, remaining unbeatable for centuries. Even a Sacred Realm expert might hesitate to face it," Tyr nodded, expressing his concern.

Another member cautioned, "But let's be cautious and avoid trespassing into its territory; no one should provoke it intentionally."

The team members nodded in agreement, seemingly confident that nobody would challenge the dominant creature openly.

As they finished speaking, a sudden roar echoed in the distance, a blend of an orangutan and an ape, brimming with fury and lethal intent. The sound pierced through the jungle, startling the entire Tyr Squad.

"Oh my God, is that… the Three Eyed Vajra Ape's roar? Did someone truly provoke the beast? That's incredibly audacious…" murmured the man who spoke earlier, his disbelief evident.

Tyr also regained composure, whispering, "Impossible, could it be a Sacred Realm expert? Daring to provoke the Three Eyed Vajra Ape… no!" Tyr abruptly shook off his contemplation and hurriedly directed his teammates.

"Quickly! This inner area is about to turn chaotic; we must leave now," Tyr urged nervously.

The other team members snapped out of their daze and hurriedly followed their Leader toward the outer region.

Deep within Fell Woods, in a secluded valley, a ten-foot-tall giant ape roared toward the sky, emanating rage. Its fiery red fur and unblinking third eye identified it as the undisputed overlord of this domain for centuries—the Three Eyed Vajra Ape.

The ape, typically rampant in Fell Woods, felt unusually displeased today due to a human nearby.

The human appeared to be merely 17 or 18 years old, a mere juvenile in human standards, daring to openly challenge its territory. For centuries, no one had dared to challenge its authority, inciting the Three Eyed Vajra Ape's ire at this affront.

Is it because I've kept a low profile for centuries that a mere human child dares to provoke me?

This thought further incensed the Three Eyed Vajra Ape. Its tone, though seemingly calm, was layered with a chilling intent as it addressed the human, "Humans, challenging me is the gravest mistake of your life. But you won't have the chance to regret it because…"

Before it could finish, the ape swung a massive palm toward the youngster. The human, with a composed and smiling countenance, swiftly made several marks on his chest and vanished in an instant.

With a thunderous boom, the Three Eyed Vajra Ape's palm slammed into the earth, creating a large crater. The ape, startled but intelligent, noted that this human, despite lacking any visible use of Arcane Arts or Dou Qi, evaded its attack with incredible speed.

However, thinking he can escape my wrath is naive!

The ape's eyes gleamed fiercely as it leaped to a cliff's top, matching the human's sudden appearance. As the youngster appeared, the shadow of the Three Eyed Vajra Ape loomed over him.

"Bring it on…" The youngster sneered and reached out to block a scarlet-red fire pillar, calmly uttering, "Ice-Style: Ice Mirror Reflection!"

An ice mirror materialized above the youngster, perfectly reflecting the fire pillar's impact without leaving a mark. Astonishingly, the reflected fire pillar grew more potent, exploding toward its original caster—the Three Eyed Vajra Ape.

Impressed by the human's unexpected move, the ape swiftly countered, shattering the fire pillar with a direct sword-like slash. Acknowledging the strength of the local overlord, even Master Magi or Martial Venerables would struggle against such a fiery assault.

As the dispersed flames subsided, a touch of respect surfaced in the Three Eyed Vajra Ape's eyes as it spoke after a moment of silence, "Human boy, what's your name?"

The human youth smirked, "Finally acknowledging my presence? I'm Feng Zichen, encountering the uncrowned king of Fell Woods…"