Just as Han Wen was enduring the pain of parting, he was met with a statement that made his blood boil.
"Even if you speak until the sky breaks, it’s useless. I don’t have the Wooden Flowing Sand."
Upon hearing this, Han Wen shot up to his feet, "Wen Ping, the items I offered already show my sincerity. This Ten Talents Token alone far exceeds the value of the Wooden Flowing Sand. It is of no use to you, so why do you keep making things difficult for me? I’ve paid the price for previous offenses, but if you don’t give me the Wooden Flowing Sand, don’t blame me if I go crazy!"
Seeing that Han Wen was on the verge of losing his composure, Wen Ping replied, "If you don’t believe me, so be it. I have other matters to attend to; you can leave the mountain on your own."
Han Wen shouted, taking a few steps forward and unexpectedly grabbed Wen Ping’s shoulder.
But seeing Wen Ping’s cold glare as he turned his head, Han Wen was so scared he stepped back two paces. Perhaps feeling embarrassed about being intimidated, Han Wen straightened his posture even more.
Wen Ping said coldly, "Do not test my patience."
Han Wen gritted his teeth as he uttered these three words.
Hei Mu, standing by his side, quickly spoke up, "Young Master, this..."
"There’s no need to say more. We’ll deal with the Wooden Flowing Sand issue when we return to Extreme Realm Mountain."
Han Wen coldly watched Wen Ping’s departing back. Then he, too, turned to leave the way he came.
Honestly, as the Young Master of Extreme Realm Mountain, he had already shown Wen Ping a great deal of respect, owing to the Immortal Sect’s power deserving of his regard. He had no guardians with him who could rival the Immortal Sect at the moment. Yet this didn’t mean Wen Ping could let him wait at the foot of the mountain all day and still refuse to return what was originally his.
Since Wen Ping was unwilling to hand over the Wooden Flowing Sand, acting so disrespectfully, he could only return to Extreme Realm Mountain and let his father intervene.
In any case, he must obtain the Wooden Flowing Sand.
Whoever obstructs me will die!
The Red-eyed Giant Ape lay under the tree branch, stretching and looking up at the sky through the leaves’ gaps. After a long time, it got up reluctantly.
It had accepted the fact it was tasked with planting trees after lying there for two days.
Seeing the shovel beside it, however, it couldn’t help but glare angrily—how it wished to crumple it into a ball and toss it off Yunlan Mountain.
Eventually, it stood up, picked up the pickaxe, and decided to dig a hole first.
With one swing, the iron pickaxe broke on impact.
The Red-eyed Giant Ape stared blankly at the scene before it, guessing that there were stones beneath the soil and couldn’t help but curse, "Which fool made this iron pickaxe? It breaks at the first brush against stones?"
Well, there was only one pickaxe, and it broke.
Angry, the Red-eyed Giant Ape pounded the soil with its fist, intending to shatter the rock beneath that broke the pickaxe.
However, the punch only left a shallow pit.
The Red-eyed Giant Ape tried another spot, punching again, yet only a small shallow pit remained on the ground.
Now the Red-eyed Giant Ape was thoroughly angry.
As a Demon King, how could it not even create a big pit in the soil!
After a dozen or so hits, the Red-eyed Giant Ape looked at the barely indented soil in front of it and instantly deflated.
Realizing the earth’s hardness, the Red-eyed Giant Ape headed towards the Thousand Layers, muttering as it walked, "How do you plant trees in this soil? You’re playing with this king!"
Meanwhile, Wen Ping went to the kitchen and carried half a bucket of well water upstairs.
He scooped a ladleful, swirled it in the sunlight, watched it ripple, and then gulped it down.
"Good water!" Wen Ping couldn’t help but exclaim once more.
He had to admit, the well water was becoming more "thirst-quenching" the more he drank it, and the rule of three ladles per day only made him itch with longing.
At this moment, Qin Shan entered the kitchen and, upon seeing Wen Ping, asked, "Sect Leader, I seemed to see the Young Master of Extreme Realm Mountain earlier. What brings him to the Immortal Sect?"
Wen Ping could tell Qin Shan’s interest in Han Wen’s visit was intentional and knew he had come specifically to inquire.
But there was nothing wrong with divulging it, so Wen Ping said directly, "Mm, he came up the mountain to see me."
Upon hearing this, Qin Shan promptly added, "Sect Leader, a friendly reminder: the people of Extreme Realm Mountain are like a tiger; it’s best not to believe whatever they say. Dealing with tigers rarely ends well, and many One-star Sects that cooperated with them ended up being slowly squeezed dry."
Wen Ping smiled, scooped another ladleful of water, tasted it like tea, and said, "He’s dealing with the Vortex Map, missing only one last material. But unfortunately, I have the last piece, and he wants it back, but I didn’t give it to him."
"The Vortex Map! Sect Leader, are you certain?"
"What’s there to be uncertain about?"
With Wen Ping’s affirmation, Qin Shan fell into deep thought, a sense of unease creeping into his heart, considering returning to Flying Fish Island immediately.
Flying Fish Island could only slightly suppress Extreme Realm Mountain now, just barely, which was why the two factions never stopped their open and secret struggles.
The news that Han Wen was working on the Vortex Map was unknown on Flying Fish Island; no one knew that Han Wen needed only one last celestial material, meaning the Vortex Map could soon be realized, while Flying Fish Island remained oblivious.
By then, Extreme Realm Mountain would produce an Anomalous Vein disciple, disrupting the balance between Extreme Realm Mountain and Flying Fish Island, allowing it to overpower Flying Fish Island.
Qin Shan then asked again, "Sect Leader, is the last celestial material truly in your possession?"
As Wen Ping responded, his expression suddenly changed the next moment.
The ladle in his hand was tossed into the bucket as he rushed towards the Thousand Layers.
Unfortunately, he was too late.
At the edge of the square, Han Wen’s follower from the Profound Realm lay sprawled there like a bloody mess, no longer alive.
And Han Wen was now being held by the Red-eyed Giant Ape, lifted into the air by his head. He had no courage to resist, not even to struggle.
The Red-eyed Giant Ape glared at Han Wen angrily, roaring, "You little brat, stealing this king’s Golden Shuttle Leaf, run, go ahead, just keep running."
Facing the fierce eyes of the Red-eyed Giant Ape, Han Wen cried out in terror, "I’ll return the Golden Shuttle Leaf to you, name anything you want, and I’ll do my best. My father is the Sect Leader of Extreme Realm Mountain and can get you whatever you want."
Han Wen was scared out of his wits now.
He never dreamed that the Red-eyed Giant Ape wasn’t dead but living right here in the Immortal Sect, and just when he was about to leave, he ran into it.
The Red-eyed Demon King!
Even his father could only escape from it, possibly only his great-grandfather at the Upper Profound Realm could stand against it.
Yet here it was, grasping his head!
Han Wen’s screams and fear were ignored by the Red-eyed Giant Ape, and just when Wen Ping was about to intervene, the Red-eyed Giant Ape tightened its grip.
Han Wen’s head burst open.
After killing Han Wen, the Red-eyed Giant Ape vented its frustration over planting trees on Han Wen’s corpse, kicking it harshly two more times.
Qin Shan saw this scene and was at a loss for words.
He had just been worried about Han Wen creating the Vortex Map, giving rise to an Anomalous Vein disciple in Extreme Realm Mountain, thereby breaking the balance between Flying Fish Island and Extreme Realm Mountain.
Unexpectedly, in the next moment, Han Wen died in the Immortal Sect.
By now, Wen Ping had also walked up to Han Wen and, after averting his eyes from the grim sight, he raised his head and stared coldly at the Red-eyed Giant Ape, saying sternly, "Red Eye, what do you think you’re doing!"
Red Eye replied blandly, as if the death of the Young Master of Extreme Realm Mountain was as insignificant as swatting a mosquito.
Wen Ping was at a loss for words.
However, his gaze soon fell on the azure storage ring on Han Wen’s finger.