Austin was well-prepared for what he would find, but he was still shocked by the giant shadow in front of him. He held his breath, afraid to make even the slightest of sounds, in order not to be discovered. Although he had been at the medium stage of Sky Realm, he was quite sure that he would end up spectacularly dead if he challenged this giant beast right now.
Austin had never been too cocky about his capabilities. Even though his abilities had improved along the way, he had always remained humble and respectful towards anything that was stronger than him. Modesty helps one progress, and he had benefited a lot from this facet of him.
The sun was shining bright and the giant ape could show its true features without holding anything back. The giant ape was jet black without a spot of white, and as Austin took a good look at it, its body looked hard as if it was made of solid iron, and it glittered with metal-like luster under the sun. The ape looked so overwhelming. Its muscles rippled and one could sense that it could muster a lot of power in its punches.
It finally turned towards Austin. Its face got a fierce visage and it glared at him with ferocity. Weirdly, there was a pointed black horn in the middle of its forehead. If one looked carefully, there were intricate but obscure etchings on this horn, which gave Austin an impression that the ape had been living since eternity, but its strength had never faltered.
"Is this the mythical level-ten ancient evil ape? Huh, it does live up to its reputation! I guess ordinary cultivators would freak out with just one glance. It is a shock to look at, to say the least!" Austin murmured.
The giant ape had noticed him long back and was now staring at him with his scarlet eyes. The stare was enough to make Austin's blood run cold. He had slightly panicked after being stared at maliciously and had felt his throat tighten.
Meanwhile, the ancient ape was measuring Austin with its bucket-like eyes. Deep in its heart, it was mocking the young man's audacity to challenge it. It was all too ridiculous. Hot, pungent stench like that of a rotten fish accompanied its each breath. A hint of a sarcastic smile rested on the corner of its mouth. For a moment, Austin thought it was almost human-like.
"What a surprise here!
Even a tiny human boy dares to have a finger in the soul-recovering fruit! This is the biggest joke ever!
Boy, you'd better not bite off more than you can chew.
But it's okay. It has been a long time since I have tasted a human's flesh and blood. Since you're knocking on my door yourself, then I will kindly accept this as a small gift to me. It's a lucky day for me, isn't?"
Much against Austin's expectation, the ancient ape cou
sts.
Austin was busy with forming one seal after another. At the same time, the mysterious symbols kept being conjured, showing no signs of stopping.
Austin didn't know before that these symbols would never stop absorbing his spiritual sense after they came into being. Their appetite shocked Austin.
However, now that it was playing out like this, there was no turning back. He had to keep pressing himself to draw the spiritual sense out of his Soul Sea continuously. He had to hold on, whatever the cost.
On the other side, the ancient ape was approaching Austin with vigorous, wide strides. Its legs were as wide as the bark of a tree and it left a massive pit on the ground with each step. Clouds of dust followed his movement.
Although the pace of the giant ape was as large as one hundred meters, Austin was quicker. He made one leap after another to keep a safe distance.
The ape tried its best to catch up with Austin, and even got tantalizingly close a few times. But Austin was deftly escaping the beast.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
The ape was getting increasingly furious, frustrated that it was unable to grasp Austin. Suddenly, it stopped chasing and bent its giant body a little forward. Hurling its arms backwards, it stamped its feet on the ground.
With a gust of wind, it jumped up in the air.
The wind it brought along was stronger than a Force Ten Hurricane. It blotted out the sky and the entire valley was shrouded in darkness. It catapulted towards Austin like a mountain.
Austin held his breath in awe and his faced turned pale. If the giant ape smashed him under his feet, he would end up in a heap of flesh and bones. It didn't matter how formidable his physical conditions were.
Peng!
With a loud thud, the ape landed heavily on the exact spot where Austin was standing.