Li Xuanfeng gave a slight nod, not underestimating the demon's power but mindful that, with Yuan Su's instructions in mind, he had to handle this task alone first. He didn't dismiss Yuan Huo'e's offer of assistance outright.
After only a few breaths, a white light appeared in the distance, drawing closer. It was indeed a massive water ape, its fur white with a metallic sheen, large enough to rival a building, with eyes as big as carriage wheels glowing a deep crimson.
The water ape was a strange sight—its white fur glinted with metallic tones as it surged forward on the waves, holding a massive pillar in its hands that looked like a formidable dharma artifact. Landing at the edge of the island, it roared, "Old Yuan! You finally came to your senses... Not bad, not bad. Now, let me come down and take a look..."
The water ape's voice rolled like thunder, reverberating above the island. Zhong Qian felt a tremor of fear, yet his eyes fixed on the middle-aged man before him, who finally drew his bowstring.
Swish!
From his quiver, an arrow leaped nimbly upward like a golden phoenix, obediently fitting itself onto the string.
In that instant, everyone felt a prickling chill on their backs, as if their skin were being sliced by knives. The Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators managed to withstand it, but Zhong Qian stumbled back several steps, his lips cracking and dripping red blood. His face felt as if it would bleed, and he was inwardly terrified, By the heavens... this Daoist wasn't bluffing! That bow... that arrow...
Beside him, Yuan Huo'e was equally startled, frozen in shock for several breaths before realizing he needed to shield Zhong Qian. Both self-doubt and awe swirled in his mind, How could I have been so foolish? How could someone favored by a Daoist Master be anything but formidable? With such mastery over the bowstring, there is likely no one else in the entire Yue State who could match him...
Li Xuanfeng, fully focused, was oblivious to the reactions around him. His bowstring held steady, a gleaming golden arrow aimed skyward. With a calm release, he shouted, "Strike!"
The brilliant golden light vanished in an instant. Li Xuanfeng drew his bow once more, slowly rising on the wind to adjust his angle, squinting at the distant target.
The water ape, still basking in its own arrogance, hadn't finished speaking when the island's great formation blazed into action again. Startled, the water ape stomped furiously as though being toyed with, roaring, "Yuan Huo'e! You—"
Before the ape could finish its angry tirade, pain tore through its left eye, and it shouted in shock, "How dare you! How could..."
"Argh!" The water ape barely had time to raise a defensive light over its face before the arrow exploded with a thunderous blast. The massive demon let out an earth-shaking cry, sending seawater crashing upward as clouds scattered in all directions.
Buzz.
A slender thread of golden light shot back to its origin. The water ape recoiled rapidly, clutching its left eye as blood poured down like rain from the sky, dripping steadily.
Zhong Qian wiped the silver-white beast blood from his face. The rain of blood that followed was blocked by the formation that had sprung up around them. He heard Yuan Huo'e beside him marvel, "With just one strike... that old demon has already lost an eye..."
Looking up at the golden streak soaring across the sky, Zhong Qian felt for the first time a hazy glimpse of what mastery over weaponry truly meant. Excitedly, he remarked, "Everyone says weapon mastery falls short of immortal techniques, and immortal techniques are inferior to divine abilities... But now, it seems... it is not that weaponry is lacking—it is that those wielding them fall short!"
"Hahaha!" Yuan Huo'e laughed heartily, shaking his head. "This Daoist comes from a Family of sword immortals... though he is but one of their younger generation. If you had been born a few decades earlier and witnessed the likes of Li Tongyao the Celestial Moon Sword or Li Chejing the Qingsui Sword ... that would show you the peak of weapon mastery! Even..."
Yuan Huo'e paused, reminiscing. Though he had never witnessed these figures himself, he had heard enough stories to last a lifetime. Watching the battle unfold in the sky as though admiring a fine scene, he recounted the tale of the sword that once cleaved Maha.
This story was widely told in Yue State, though lesser-known in the Eastern Sea. Those around listened in wonder, utterly amazed.
————
Above the market.
Li Xuanfeng's archery excelled in suddenness, with speed and immense power, often yielding effective results in just one strike. He wasn't surprised that his first arrow had injured the careless demon. Riding the wind, he pursued.
The demon, now wounded, had only a dark, empty socket where its left eye once was, while its remaining eye glared with anger and visible shock, still shouting, "How is this possible! Who are you? How dare you! I am..."
At that point, the ape's expression changed, and its massive form began to shrink rapidly, deflating like a balloon. The water ape spat out several mercury-jade tokens, dull and pale, which spun protectively around it.
Buzz!
The second arrow streaked through like a meteor, shattering the mercury-jade token in front of him. The water ape let out a frenzied roar, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
An Immortal Foundation technique? Impressive! Li Xuanfeng cast a glance at the arrow as it obediently returned to his quiver. The mercury-jade token was a specialized spell crafted with Immortal Foundation energy; the arrow hadn't pierced the water ape directly but had instead shattered the token before returning.
It has the flavor of a substitute-death spell... Li Xuanfeng had battled countless demons in the Southern Border and was familiar with all manner of strange demon techniques. Unfazed, he drew his bow once more, releasing two arrows in quick succession.
The water ape, which had spent years refining its five mercury-jade tokens, was horrified that one had been shattered so quickly. In panic, it recited incantations to cast spells, but the golden arrowlight came at it once again, forcing it to raise the remaining tokens in defense.
Boom!
The power of this arrow was not as overwhelming as before, only bursting in a flash before him. The water ape, gritting its teeth through the impact, suddenly paused, then broke into a grin. "So he cannot use that attack too often! Almost had me fooled!"
Just as the water ape prepared to recall its defensive spells, it was stunned to find that the clear light and protective energy before it had spread and was now forcefully pushing its spells aside, trapping them in an eddying vortex like mud.
Buzz!
Terrified, blood dripped from the water ape's ears and eyes. A sharp pain tore through its abdomen as a flash of golden light streaked by, opening a fist-sized wound that oozed silvery blood.
He's trying to kill me! He really means to kill me! This isn't just intimidation or a warning! Realization finally dawned upon the water ape. From the very start, it had fallen completely out of sync, losing its usual rhythm in combat. Coming alone to this island, it had played directly into its opponent's hands, responding to strength with its own weaknesses. It had taken two arrows from an unknown powerhouse, and its strength was already halved.
The water ape excelled at stealth, underwater movement, sea control, and spell manipulation—all these skills, along with its eighteen secret arts and demon-control talismans, had been rendered useless, leaving it with significant injuries.
The water ape was well-connected and understood the significance of what it was facing. Seeing that someone from the Azure Pond Devil Gate was determined to take its life, it muttered, "Master... the Master cannot even protect himself... has given up on this old ape... no wonder... no wonder..."
Activating its Immortal Foundation to the fullest, it began to fade from view, disappearing into thin air, yet its spirit was utterly crushed. Feeling hollow and icy, it looked at the figure before it, a man clad in black-gold armor whose face was obscured. A mixture of pain and a deep, cold despair filled its heart. "Today, this old ape... shall meet its end here!"