Chapter 64: Observing the Battle

Deep in the dense forest, Song Lixin and his four companions halted under a large tree, no longer advancing.

The blood trail they had been following suddenly disappeared, and the Yellow Spirit Monkeys they had been chasing for half a day were nowhere to be found. Song Lixin surveyed the forest ahead carefully.

The forest was eerily quiet, an unnatural silence pervading the air. Furrowing his brows, Song Lixin formed several hand seals, sending out multiple spells into the forest.

The resulting blasts of energy shredded the surrounding underbrush and trees, reducing the dense forest to a flattened clearing. Dust billowed up, momentarily obscuring their vision.

With the combined force of a Qi Refining stage cultivator at the peak of his power, the once thick forest was quickly turned into a level area.

As the dust settled, it revealed a small hill about a hundred meters high.

Upon closer inspection, the hill spanned several hundred acres, with a few lush fruit trees standing tall, each about several meters high, bearing scattered red fruits.

Chen, one of the cultivators, exclaimed in surprise, "It's the Jade Spirit Fruit! We're in luck!"

The other cultivators were equally excited. They had followed the Yellow Spirit Monkeys precisely to find their spiritual treasure trove, and Song Lixin's prediction had proven correct. The four cultivators praised Song Lixin effusively.

Song Lixin nodded in satisfaction at their flattery. "Don't get too excited just yet. Finding the treasure doesn't mean it's ours. Yellow Spirit Monkeys live in groups. Small tribes have a dozen or so, while larger tribes can have over a hundred. We will have to fight to get the Jade Spirit Fruit."

"Let's be clear," he continued, "I want forty percent of the fruit. You four can divide the remaining sixty percent. Any objections?"

Chen immediately protested, "Song, with all due respect, while you are the leader and the strongest among us, forty percent is too much. That leaves us with too little."

The other three agreed, forming an unspoken alliance. Concerned with their own gains, none wanted to lose out.

"Alright, thirty percent, no less," Song Lixin conceded. "That's my bottom line. If you don't agree, I'll back out."

Under pressure, they grudgingly accepted the revised split. Song Lixin secretly planned to show them his true capabilities once the battle ended, a faintly sinister smile playing on his lips.

Despite finding the treasure, discord brewed among the five cultivators, each scheming for the best outcome.

"Now that we've found the treasure, let's move closer and gauge the Yellow Spirit Monkeys' strength," Song Lixin suggested.

Leading the way, Song Lixin advanced toward the hill.

Half a quarter of an hour later, they reached the base of the hill, stopping about a hundred meters away to observe.

The hill was anything but calm. The sounds of monkeys echoed through the air, and nearly a hundred Yellow Spirit Monkeys congregated under the largest Jade Spirit Fruit tree.

A meter-tall Yellow Spirit Monkey, with brown fur interspersed with streaks of gold, sat on the tree. Its powerful aura indicated it was a late-stage Qi Refining monster, the tribe's leader.

Watching the injured monkeys before it, the leader's eyes flashed with a murderous glint. Leaping down from the tree, it led the group in a charge towards the forest's edge.

Song Lixin's group, each wielding their spiritual weapons, cautiously advanced into the forest. Within a hundred meters, they were ambushed.

Nearly a hundred Yellow Spirit Monkeys surrounded them, attacking without hesitation.

The leader, faster than the others, led the charge. Its sharp claws aimed directly at Song Lixin. Behind it, groups of three to five monkeys followed, targeting the five cultivators.

Despite the overwhelming attack, the cultivators remained calm, forming a defensive circle and coordinating their counterattacks.

Song Lixin summoned a gourd-shaped spiritual weapon, releasing a large wave of white frost. Three massive ice pythons emerged, lunging at the Yellow Spirit Monkey leader.

The agile leader evaded, but a mid-stage monkey behind it wasn't so lucky and was killed instantly.

Despite the setback, the Yellow Spirit Monkeys' attack didn't waver.

The leader's claws came dangerously close to Song Lixin's head. If struck, he would be killed instantly. In desperation, Song Lixin used a mid-tier spiritual shield, barely blocking the attack.

The leader's claw left a deep gash on the shield, severely damaging it. Song Lixin retreated quickly, widening the distance.

The enraged Yellow Spirit Monkeys intensified their assault, their ferocity increasing.

In the fierce battle that followed, the monkeys suffered heavy casualties. Most of the initial-stage monkeys were dead, leaving only about twenty, alongside more than twenty mid-stage and eight late-stage monkeys.

With their strength severely reduced, Song Lixin and the other four cultivators struggled, each fending off multiple monkeys. The pressure mounted as they were separated and surrounded.

Chen, panting heavily, found himself cornered. His spiritual energy nearly depleted, he used his last defense talisman, summoning a wall of earth. But it only held for a few seconds before the monkeys broke through, swarming him. His terrified screams echoed as he was torn apart.

Seeing Chen's gruesome end, the other cultivators panicked. "Song, stop holding back, or we'll end up like him!" one shouted.

Spurred by fear, they unleashed their strongest techniques. Talismans and spiritual weapons filled the air as they fought desperately.

Song Lixin and the leader battled fiercely. Both were gravely injured, their strength waning. Finally, the leader, realizing defeat was imminent, fled into the forest with the surviving monkeys.

Exhausted and wounded, Song Lixin chose not to pursue. The risk of encountering other monsters was too great in their weakened state.

As the Yellow Spirit Monkeys vanished, the cultivators began to relax. Unbeknownst to them, Lin Shiji's group had been silently approaching, ready to strike while they were vulnerable.