With the Sharingan's penetrating vision, Ye Qiu moved like a fish through water.
Ghostly shadows flickered beneath his feet as his speed surged through the uneven terrain.
Standing atop the canyon, black robe billowing, Ye Qiu inhaled deeply—
—and leaped down without hesitation.
Falling rocks tumbled loose, alerting the apes.
One of them spotted him mid-fall.
Its rough black face twisted with fury as it let out a shrill cry.
The canyon erupted.
Dust filled the air as the apes charged.
Using the bushes clinging to the canyon wall, Ye Qiu landed lightly, knees bending to absorb the impact, hands steady in the air—
The trial had begun.
Swish! Two sharp daggers appeared in Ye Qiu's hands.
A shadow suddenly fell over him. A monstrous ape nearly two meters tall—barely qualifying as a hundred-year soul beast—stood beside him. Its massive, fan-like palm slammed downward.
Ye Qiu's pupils contracted slightly.
The ape froze in place.
Rolling aside, Ye Qiu casually slashed at the joint of its leg with his dagger.
Thud!
His movements were swift and fierce like a tiger, yet the damage dealt was minimal.
"They really are tough and resilient…" Ye Qiu sighed while looking at the faint spray of blood. The physical strength of soul beasts was indeed terrifying.
Ignoring the injured ape behind him, Ye Qiu focused on his true objective and charged toward the oncoming troop.
Under the Sharingan's gaze, every movement became sluggish, riddled with flaws.
Dodging their heavy palm strikes, Ye Qiu avoided direct confrontation. Using the Ghostly Shadow footwork, he weaved through the battlefield, steadily closing the distance to the Ape King on the opposite side of the canyon.
Gradually, he reached the center.
Before he realized it, he was surrounded.
Whoosh!
A three-hundred-year-old Violent Ape launched a cannon-like punch at Ye Qiu's back.
Ye Qiu leaned backward and leaped into the air, narrowly dodging the blow. While airborne, he flicked open a homemade sleeve dart.
Whoosh!
Pfft!
The short arrow pierced straight through the ape's eye, bursting the eyeball.
"Roar—!"
A mournful scream echoed as blood gushed out. The ape beat its chest violently, black fur standing on end—it had entered a berserk state, unable to distinguish friend from foe.
Several weaker apes were swept aside. The once-coordinated troop instantly fell into chaos.
Roar!
The Ape King's roar shook the canyon as it asserted control. The injured ape thrashed wildly before collapsing to the ground. A yellow soul ring slowly formed above its corpse.
Its death only further enraged the troop.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several Violent Apes leaped toward Ye Qiu at once, attacking from all directions.
Ye Qiu's eyes glowed crimson as he dragged them into an illusion, redirecting their attacks toward each other.
He leapt high, stepping off one ape's shoulder, and escaped the encirclement.
Suddenly, Ye Qiu's expression changed.
The Ape King—clearly visible just moments ago—had vanished.
At that moment, Ye Qiu was suspended midair.
A dark shadow covered the ground beneath him.
He turned his head—
The Ape King was charging toward him through the air.
"Sharingan Genjutsu! Mystic Jade Hand!"
Bang!
Ye Qiu twisted midair and threw a punch. His fist struck the Ape King squarely on the forehead, sending the massive beast flying backward.
Thump!
The Ape King crashed into the ground, its head ringing.
Ye Qiu slammed into the dirt as well, rolling several times before stopping. He clutched his shoulder and exhaled sharply.
"That was close… Whew."
If not for the Sharingan deflecting the attack, he wouldn't have survived. Even so, his shoulder had been scraped badly.
Roar!
The Ape King roared as the surrounding apes fled in terror. Their king had entered a berserk state.
Bloodshot eyes filled with madness, it charged toward Ye Qiu at full speed.
"Ghostly Shadow!"
For an enemy unaware of its surroundings, kiting tactics were still effective.
During the fight, Ye Qiu realized that while the Sharingan consumed little soul power, the mental strain was significant.
"I need to finish this quickly."
As time passed, the Ape King's berserk state faded. Its speed slowed, fatigue setting in after the burst of power.
Ye Qiu's figure flickered like an afterimage as he circled behind it.
The Ape King froze, eyes spinning like magatama.
Ye Qiu locked onto its vital point and thrust his dagger forward.
Ultimate Martial Technique — Bullseye!
"Roar—!"
Blood sprayed as the Ape King let out a miserable howl. One hand beat its chest while the other clutched its back.
It collapsed to the ground, fangs trembling, glaring fiercely at Ye Qiu.
"Though the Thousand Years of Death technique is unethical… its effectiveness is undeniable," Ye Qiu muttered, coughing lightly.
The Ape King roared again and attempted to rise, each movement aggravating its wounds.
"Sharingan! Genjutsu!"
Bang!
Both fists slammed down, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The surrounding apes watched anxiously.
As the dust settled, Ye Qiu was held aloft in the Ape King's grasp.
"Whoa—! Roar!"
The apes cheered in celebration, rushing forward to praise their king.
"Hehe…"
Ye Qiu wrinkled his nose at the stench. With a thought, the Ape King let out a soft growl, dispersing the others.
Upon closer inspection, three tomoe spun in its eyes—it was under Ye Qiu's control.
"It seems controlling five-hundred-year-old soul beasts is fairly easy," Ye Qiu mused. "I can use them as 'tool beasts' for future hunts."
Standing atop the Ape King's head, Ye Qiu gently rubbed his eyes, satisfied with his martial soul's abilities.
He guided the Ape King out of the canyon. Before leaving, he ensured the beast would regain consciousness within half an hour.
He didn't retrieve the dagger embedded in its body—partly as a keepsake, and partly because it made him uncomfortable.
Leaving the canyon behind, Ye Qiu began searching for his next target.
These soul beasts were still too weak.
His goal was a thousand-year soul beast.
Against Tang San and Tang Hao, who possessed twin martial souls, only absolute power would guarantee his advantage.
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