Chapter 65: Chapter 63: First Battle "Is there any chance we could wipe out this pack of Cyan Wood Apes?" Ji An asked. In his view, this group of Ape Demons was quite valuable. Chu River chuckled twice and said: "When I first joined the team, I was just like you, always thinking we could just charge in and take down the demon beasts to get rich! Indeed, wiping out this group of Cyan Wood Apes would maximize our gains, but it’s easier said than done, as difficult as climbing to the heavens." Jiang Qiuyue gently shook her head: "Junior Brother, you’ve oversimplified demon hunting. Qi Refining Cultivators have little advantage against demon beasts of the same level, as these beasts are equivalent to very powerful Body Cultivators with thick skin and tough flesh. Our magical artifacts aren’t enough to deliver fatal blows even to mid-stage Qi Refining Cyan Wood Apes. Ape Demons rarely act alone and are adept at working together. If they sense a threat to their lives, they will certainly call for help. Not to mention those late-stage Qi Refining Ape Demons, even the mid-stage ones would pose a significant threat when they charge at us." Chen Moxuan said: "We’ve tried dealing with this group of Cyan Wood Apes long ago. We’ve tried many methods but haven’t achieved any major results. No matter how ferocious a solitary demon beast is, we can wear it down, but a pack of them leaves us without any foolproof strategy. The Jade Spirit Fruits will ripen within a month; we must secure the Spirit Fruits before the Ape Demons devour them; otherwise, we’ll have to wait another five years." Disciples who haven’t participated in demon hunting naïvely assume it’s not difficult, unless there is an overwhelming level difference or an ambush; otherwise, it’s a tough battle. Without using magical artifacts, even a late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator is likely not a match for a demon beast of the same realm. Those disciples who rushed into the wild for demon hunting without adequate preparation mostly ended up as fertilizer for miscellaneous spirit medicines. Tian Yulei’s voice was gruff as he said: "When we lure the Cyan Wood Apes over, and you, Junior Brother, are the main attacker while we cover you, you’ll see how naïve your initial thoughts were." Let the newcomer suffer a bit, and they’ll become more sensible. "Alright." Ji An nodded. He was of the same mind, viewing this as an evaluation of his combat capabilities by the team. The Cyan Wood Ape is a Wood Element Demon Beast, so he wanted to try out the damage a Geng Metal Finger at the Perfection Level could inflict. He could now easily pierce through stone half a foot thick with Geng Metal Finger, and since metal overcomes wood, it would presumably be effective against the flesh and blood of the Cyan Wood Ape. However, these were just theories; real combat would reveal his current level. Everyone sprinkled some medicinal powder on themselves to disperse their scent, which had a light grassy fragrance; only Ji An did not use the powder. The group moved toward the mountainside, and after half an hour, they found a suitable hiding spot and stopped. Tian Yulei took a plump, brown and yellow Spirit-Seeking Rat from the Spirit Beast Bag and released it onto the ground. The Spirit-Seeking Rat bared its teeth, with a fierce glint in its eyes. Ji An raised an eyebrow slightly, recognizing the beast as a hybrid descendant of a Spirit-Seeking Rat and an Earth Rock Rat, with the latter’s lineage being more dominant. Over time, as the Demon Rat continued to advance, the Spirit-Seeking Rat’s lineage might become increasingly suppressed, possibly losing its ability to find Spiritual Objects. Jiang Qiuyue covered her face and muttered: "Since seeing Junior Brother Ji’s Spirit-Seeking Rat, I feel Junior Brother Tian’s beast is a fake." Tian Yulei smiled sheepishly: "I think it’s fine; it has the ability to find spirit medicines and possesses decent combat prowess." The Spirit-Seeking Rat had been cultivated to the sixth layer of Qi Refining and was particularly skilled at unleashing the Earth Magic Rock Spike, even capable of launching deadly bites from underground. He held the Beast Taming Token and gave the Spirit-Seeking Rat a simple command, then threw out a fist-sized Red Pine Fruit. The Red Pine Fruit was a tier one lower grade spiritual fruit, much loved by the Cyan Wood Apes. The plump rat possessed agility unmatched by its size, gracefully leaping three feet high to snatch the Red Pine Fruit. Its tail flicked flexibly, then settled firmly on the ground. With a few bounds, the Spirit-Seeking Rat disappeared into the dense forest. Chu River laughed softly, "Junior Brother Ji, feeling nervous?" "A little." In his previous life, he never even killed a chicken, and now he was about to face a ferocious demon beast, so naturally, he felt a bit nervous. But what dominated Ji An’s heart was the excitement, akin to sharpening a sword for ten years and testing its edge in the cold today; he knew that among Qi Refining disciples, those who mastered spells at the Perfection Level were exceptionally rare. Even if there were some, they were typically older cultivators who had honed their spells for years. Chu River patted his shoulder and said: "It’s good to keep your mind taut; just don’t be overly tense. We will hide nearby; if the Cyan Wood Ape sees too many enemies, it will call for reinforcements. If it only sees one cultivator, it might choose to enjoy the catch alone." Human Race bodies are conduits. In the eyes of demon beasts, human cultivators are like treasures, helping them condense their demon bodies and awaken their Spiritual Wisdom more effectively. Such good things are best enjoyed alone. "If the Cyan Wood Ape we lure is too strong for you, Junior Brother, you can slowly move towards where we’re hiding." After giving this reminder, Chen Moxuan, along with the others, hid nearby, maintaining a distance of at least ten zhang from Ji An, even for the closest person. He and Tian Yulei huddled together, speaking in hushed tones: "Old Tian, how long do you think Junior Brother Ji can hold out against an eighth-layer Qi Refining Cyan Wood Ape?" He didn’t really think the newcomer could win; after all, the attack magical artifact looked defensive, suggesting he was cautious about his life. "His attack magical artifact is the cumbersome Mountain and River Seal, which wouldn’t be effective against such agile apes unless he knows a spell to restrict movement." "I think he can hold out for quite a while; his defensive magical artifact is of high quality, plus his strong Divine Sense gives him a natural advantage." "Do you think he can kill an eighth-layer Qi Refining Cyan Wood Ape?" "It’s doubtful! If the Mountain and River Seal can hit the Cyan Wood Ape, I’d be willing to eat dirt," Tian Yulei chuckled softly. Chen Moxuan shook his head lightly. Junior Brother Ji had only been in the sect for five years, and he spent his days tending to the Spirit Field, so how adept could he be at magical combat techniques? Reaching a Minor Success Level would already be commendable! Alas, it seemed unlikely they’d witness Old Tian eating dirt. Ji An released his Spirit-Seeking Rat, instructing it to hide. If he couldn’t achieve a swift victory, it would unleash magic techniques to constrain the enemy. Placing the Stone Turtle Shield in front of him, he diligently adjusted his breath. After about two quarters of an hour, a low, urgent ape call echoed from the mountains. Soon after, Ji An spotted the Spirit-Seeking Rat with the Red Pine Fruit darting back, swerving around him and disappearing into the distance. He immediately cast the Wind Control Technique. Ape Demons taller than the average person bounded out, surrounded by a layer of azure spirit light, indicating a Protective Spirit Light Shield formed by Wood Element Spiritual Energy, akin to a cultivator’s Golden Armor Technique. ’Damn, it’s an eighth-layer Qi Refining Ape Demon; Junior Brother Ji could be in danger.’ Chen Moxuan’s heart skipped a beat. Slaying this Ape Demon would greatly benefit their plan, but he couldn’t pin his hopes on a newcomer who had never battled demon beasts. All he wished was for him to be clever enough to draw the Ape Demon into the trap. This same thought crept into the minds of the other team members. The Ape Demon halted suddenly upon seeing Ji An, its pupils constricting as it sniffed vigorously. Detecting no other suspicious scents, the Ape Demon’s eyes gleamed with cunning and ferocity. It took a step forward and emitted a low growl. The roar carried a ferocious, primal aura, causing Ji An to instinctively lean back slightly. At that moment, a sudden change occurred. Countless vines erupted from beneath his feet, instantly binding his ankles. Simultaneously, the Ape Demon leapt forward with open arms. Its eyes flashed with a cruel gleam; as soon as it embraced its enemy, it planned to crush their bones instantly and savor its prey alive! Unmatched sharpness accompanied a streak of golden light as it flashed by; the Ape Demon’s pupils constricted abruptly before its consciousness plunged into endless darkness.