According to the original story, even if Ye Wushuang had not intervened, the Sect Master would have been forced to use the sect’s secret treasure to stop the Black Demon Ape.
At that point, the trial in the sect’s secret realm would have been halted immediately.
Those who had dared to confront the Innate Black Demon Ape head-on—Lin Langtian, Liu Ruyan, and the others—would naturally have earned the highest scores.
Everyone else would have been reduced to mere background characters.
Some might find that unfair, but the protagonist’s fortune has never been bound by reason.
Down in the valley, the Black Demon Ape sent Wang Teng crashing into the rock wall with a single slap.
Blood sprayed from Wang Teng’s mouth, and he passed out completely.
Lin Langtian was down on one knee, the clothes over his chest completely shredded and his skin covered in extensive bruising.
The long sword in his hand had already snapped in two, yet he continued to glare at the Black Demon Ape without the slightest hint of retreat in his eyes.
Liu Ruyan had just crawled out from where she had been smashed into the rock wall. Her veil was nowhere to be seen, and her stunning face was covered in dust and blood.
Ye Wuxin was still struggling to hold on. The Cold Jade Ice Soul Sword continuously released icy spiritual energy in an attempt to freeze the Black Demon Ape’s movements.
But the physical strength of an Innate great demon far exceeded her expectations. The moment a layer of ice formed, it was shattered by the ape’s sheer force.
Ye Wuming hid behind a boulder, his face filled with terror and his legs trembling uncontrollably.
“Ye Wuming really is a good-for-nothing.” Ye Wushuang shook her head.
Then again, for someone in the True Essence Realm to hold out this long against an Innate great demon was already quite impressive.
Roar—!
The Black Demon Ape flew into another rage and began pounding the ground furiously with both fists.
The entire valley shook violently. The earth split apart, and shattered rocks flew in every direction.
The shockwaves from that attack sent Ye Wuxin flying.
The spiritual shield around her shattered, and she slammed heavily into the ground, coughing up a large mouthful of blood.
“Sis!” Ye Wuming cried out, but he still did not dare to rush out.
“I can’t hold on much longer…” Lin Langtian gritted his teeth, a feeling of helplessness he had never experienced before surging through his heart.
In his previous life, he had been the Heavenly Demon Emperor, ruling the Southern Border for five hundred years. When had he ever fallen into such a miserable state?
Unfortunately, this body’s cultivation was far too weak. He could not even display half a percent of his former strength.
He still had life-saving techniques at his disposal, but the moment he used his ancient demonic art, he would no longer be able to remain in the Profound Heaven Sect.
The Black Demon Ape locked onto Ye Wuxin, who was lying on the ground, and began walking toward her step by step.
Every footfall made the earth tremble.
It raised its enormous palm high into the air and smashed it downward with enough force to destroy heaven and earth.
Everyone’s hearts seemed to stop for a beat.
Just as the giant palm was about to descend—
A figure dropped from the sky and landed steadily in front of Ye Wuxin.
The newcomer wore a green robe. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail, and although her back was slender, it was as straight as a sword.
It was Ye Wushuang.
“You…” Ye Wuxin raised her head and stared at that back, her expression dazed.
Ye Wushuang did not turn around. She merely said casually, “Stay down. Don’t come over here and get in the way.”
Boom!!!
The Black Demon Ape’s giant palm came crashing down.
Ye Wushuang clenched her right fist. The Nine-Phoenix Flame Phoenix Physique fully activated, and the surging Lunar spiritual energy within her body poured into her right arm.
Flame Phoenix True Fire Divine Ability!
Dark flames blazed across her fist.
She raised it and met the descending palm head-on.
Boom—!!!
An earth-shaking explosion tore through the valley.
The shockwave spread wildly from the two combatants as its center. The ground was ripped open into trenches several dozen feet wide, while entire sections of the surrounding rock walls peeled away and collapsed.
The Black Demon Ape’s giant palm came to a halt.
Its palm, powerful enough to crush an ordinary Innate Realm cultivator, had been stopped by Ye Wushuang’s single fist.
“No… Impossible!” Ye Wuming’s eyes widened, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.
Lin Langtian’s entire body shook as well, his gaze fixed on Ye Wushuang’s back.
Liu Ruyan’s pupils constricted, and her breathing quickened.
Roar?!
The Black Demon Ape let out a baffled roar.
It stared at the tiny human before it with blood-red eyes, unable to believe that she had actually caught its full-powered strike.
The next moment, the corners of Ye Wushuang’s lips curled slightly upward.
“That’s it?”
She suddenly exerted force with her right fist.
Crack!
The bones in the Black Demon Ape’s giant palm shattered inch by inch.
“Roar—!”
The Black Demon Ape let out a pained howl. Its enormous body was actually blasted backward more than thirty yards by Ye Wushuang’s punch.
It staggered backward, snapping several towering trees before finally managing to steady itself.
The entire valley fell deathly silent.
Everyone seemed to have been frozen in place, staring wide-eyed at the green-robed figure.
Ye Wushuang flicked the dust from her fist and rolled her neck.
“Warm-up’s over.”
She raised her right hand. The Yin-Yang Tai’e Sword automatically flew from its sheath and into her grasp.
The black-and-white blade radiated dazzling light as the terrifying pressure of a mid-grade Earth-ranked weapon poured forth.
The Black Demon Ape sensed the killing intent emanating from the sword. For the first time, fear appeared in its blood-red eyes.
It turned and tried to flee.
“Trying to run?”
Ye Wushuang tapped the tip of her foot against the ground, and her entire body transformed into a blur.
She moved so quickly that no one present could see her trajectory.
She appeared above the Black Demon Ape’s head, the Yin-Yang Tai’e Sword raised high in her hands.
The Supreme Lunar Profound Qi Breathing Art circulated at full force, and the terrifying spiritual energy of the peak Grotto-Heaven Realm poured into the sword.
Dark Flame Phoenix True Fire wrapped around the entire blade, distorting and warping the surrounding space with its heat.
“Slash.”
Whoosh—!!!
A black sword arc several dozen yards long tore through the air. Wrapped in Flame Phoenix True Fire capable of incinerating all things, it cleaved the Black Demon Ape in two from the crown of its head to the soles of its feet.
Scalding demonic blood sprayed into the air, splattering across the entire valley.
The Black Demon Ape’s massive body crashed heavily to the ground, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.
In the next instant, Flame Phoenix True Fire completely devoured its corpse, reducing it to ashes.
Only a fist-sized demonic core remained, floating in midair and radiating a dark golden glow.
Ye Wushuang reached out and caught the demonic core, then casually tossed it into her storage ring.
“Done.”
The valley fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone stared blankly at Ye Wushuang standing beside the beast’s ashes, their minds completely blank.
The Black Demon Ape, an Innate Realm beast, had been sent flying with a single punch and then killed with one sword strike.
From the moment she attacked to the moment it was over, less than ten breaths had passed.
Lin Langtian’s lips trembled faintly. As the Heavenly Demon Emperor in his previous life, this was the first time he had felt genuine wariness toward someone.
“Grotto-Heaven Realm… No, her spiritual energy fluctuations far exceed those of the Grotto-Heaven Realm. She’s at least… at least at the peak of the Grotto-Heaven Realm, or perhaps even higher!”
A terrifying thought flashed through Lin Langtian’s mind.
“Just how much of her strength has she been hiding?”
Liu Ruyan stood rooted to the spot, her entire body icy cold.
She had originally believed that she understood just how terrifying Ye Wushuang was, but only today did she realize that she had vastly underestimated this woman.
A tenth-grade talent and a supreme physique—yet even those combined seemed insufficient to explain Ye Wushuang’s terrifying combat prowess.
Canglan Spirit Venerable’s voice came from within the ring, carrying a trace of trem tremor. “Yan’er… The flames on that sword contain some extremely ancient law of destruction… Your master is finding it harder and harder to see through this woman.”
Ye Wuxin lay on the ground, gazing up at Ye Wushuang’s back.
That punch and that sword strike had been clean and decisive, without the slightest trace of hesitation or wasted movement.
When had the younger sister she had looked down on since childhood become this powerful?
Ye Wuming remained huddled behind the boulder, unable to utter a single word.
