Chen Fan experienced excruciating pain as if his meridians and bones had been torn and shattered, and he had difficulty breathing. The agony was concentrated in his back, where each inch of his spine felt like it had snapped.
Even though he had pushed the Myriad Elephants Divine Art to its limits, a strike from the rampaging Violent Ape carried a weight of 6,000 jin. He would have been reduced to meat paste if he had been struck by an iron club or a similar object instead of a tree.
His vision turned dark, and he nearly fainted.
The sheer terror of the Violent Ape's power was undeniable. Once it went on a rampage, even ordinary sixth-level demon beasts would pale in comparison.
Chen Fan bit the tip of his tongue, forcing his woozy mind to clear up. He gritted his teeth tightly and swiftly rose from the ground. He dashed toward the protective cover of the dense forest, shielding only his head.
His chances of survival would increase if he could enter the forest, as the dense trees would provide him a good cover.
He was hurting all over like he would die, unable to muster any strength. However, Chen Fan powered through it all, running forward while vomiting blood.
When the ape saw that Chen Fan was alive and well enough to run again, it let out a ferocious roar.
The Violent Ape, wielding a thick tree, spun and swung it with tremendous force, generating terrifying whooshing sounds that reverberated through the air. The resulting gales struck Chen Fan, making him stagger.
“This can’t continue. Any more, and death would just catch me in its arms!”
Chen Fan's eyes darted around as he tried to devise a plan.
His injuries were too severe. Even if he gritted his teeth and persisted, every step he took aggravated his wounds, forcing him to suck in mouthfuls of cold air from the pain. After every step , he would have to pause; the ape would catch up to him quickly.
Should the Violent Ape land another blow, his life would be in jeopardy.
“Right, the Jade Lotus Flower!”
A flash of inspiration hit Chen Fan. He took out the Jade Lotus Flower hidden in his bosom as he ran and stuffed it into his mouth. He swallowed the palm-sized herb in a single gulp, akin to consuming a jujube without discerning any taste.
Instantly, a refreshing sensation surged from Chen Fan's abdomen, rapidly spreading throughout his limbs and bones. The pain from his injuries dissipated entirely.
The sensation spread throughout his body, transforming into a comforting current that enveloped his organs.
“Ah, this feels so good.”
Chen Fan couldn’t help but moan.
The Violent Ape, in hot pursuit, sensed the aura of the flower it had guarded so painstakingly disappearing. Realizing that Chen Fan, that detestable human, had eaten it, the ape became even angrier. Its hair bristled like steel needles.
The ape quickly hurled the big tree in its hands violently at Chen Fan.
Noticing the sounds coming from behind, Chen Fan hurriedly returned to his senses. Turning around, he saw a colossal silhouette flying toward him, prompting him to hasten his pace out of fear.
The Jade Lotus Flower quickly healed Chen Fan’s injuries. The primeval qi in his dantian also became very active, rapidly circulating and flowing to his legs, increasing his speed.
The Violent Ape chased relentlessly, knocking down numerous trees with its massive frame.
Chen Fan had entered the forest and made several turns, hoping to throw the Violent Ape off his tail. However, the beast effortlessly closed the distance with each stride, covering four to five meters. Oblivious to the obstacles in its path, the creature forcefully tore the trees, uprooting and hurling them aside to forge its path.
As a result, no matter how many turns Chen Fan took, the Violent Ape had him locked in its sight, chasing him like a bloodhound.
“Big guy, can’t you just forgive and forget? Isn’t it just a Jade Lotus Flower? Once my cultivation is high enough, I’ll venture deep into the mountain range and find you a better, more precious treasure! Don’t be so petty!” Chen Fan shouted.
In response, the Violent Ape roared; it was louder and infused with heightened anger.
“Ah... You and your one-track mind. How troublesome!”
Chen Fan was dejected, as he could only do one thing now: Keep running while simultaneously channeling the power of the Heaven Seizing Art to fully activate the Jade Lotus Flower's efficacy.
One human and one ape engaged in a relentless pursuit, causing the entire forest to descend into chaos and creating resonating booming noises.
Chen Fan didn’t know how long he had been running; after a while, he sensed the commotion behind him diminishing. He turned his head to look back and found the ape slowing down and acting cautious.
Chen Fan was a little puzzled.
Suddenly, a loud noise rang from his offside front.
The trees started shaking before a powerful force crushed them.
The forest resounded with tumultuous noises akin to the upheaval of the seas. A black python with crimson eyes abruptly entered Chen Fan’s sight.
“A Blood-pupiled Black Python!”
Chen Fan jumped in fright, his heart nearly stopping.
Blood-pupiled Black Pythons were authentic sixth-level demon beasts, about forty to fifty feet long and thick as a bucket. It was black from head to tail and covered in palm-sized scales, their edges sharp as knives and shining with a metallic cold light.
The python’s eyes were blood-red, resembling two red lanterns that emitted an icy, malevolent light. Its tail coiled and its upper body raised, the python flicked its tongue out, hissing menacingly.
Should one become constricted by a Blood-pupiled Black Python, its horrifying strength could effortlessly crush them.
The Blood-pupiled Black Python was drawn here by the loud commotion.
Its nest was not far away from here. The stare from the python made Chen Fan feel like he had fallen into an ice cellar.
However, the Blood-pupiled Black Python ignored Chen Fan after glancing at him. Instead, its gaze shifted toward the Violent Ape, and the frequency of its tongue flickering increased.
These two demon beasts were the overlords of the surrounding area.
It was a classic example of the old saying: A mountain couldn’t house two tigers. Both demon beasts despised each other and desired to eliminate the other, yet they also feared each other. Neither could inflict harm upon the other.
The Violent Ape chased Chen Fan so furiously because that stalk of Jade Lotus Flower could help it become a sixth-level demon beast, making him stronger than the python. And after devouring its nemesis, the ape would become a seventh-level demon beast.
However, now that Chen Fan had stolen the Jade Lotus Flower, all that was no longer possible. So, how could it not be furious?
The Violent Ape also stopped paying attention to Chen Fan and focused on the python—its nemesis. The ape pounded its chest furiously with its fists, wanting to overwhelm the Blood-pupiled Black Python with its aura.
Seeing this situation, Chen Fan felt a sense of relief wash over him.
Taking advantage of the distraction, he cautiously retreated. As the Violent Ape and Blood-pupiled Black Python remained engrossed in their confrontation, paying no heed to his presence, Chen Fan broke into a frantic sprint, swiftly disappearing into the depths of the forest.
To be safer, Chen Fan ran away very far before making an extensive turn, returning to the valley stream, where he decided to rest for a while.
Chen Fan flopped on the ground, panting heavily. He was extremely exhausted.
After all that running with a tense mind, he could finally relax. His mouth felt dry, so he hurriedly crawled to the stream, drinking the spring water like a man possessed.