Revenge of the Giant Scarlet Arm Ape

"Oh Wu Ming, You found the boy!" 

Shan Bao laughed as he approached Xiao Zhou and the dagger guy, who's name is Wu Ming.

"Yeah, found him at the edge of the cliff. By the way, big brother Shan Bao, might if I…you know," Wu Ming speaks to Shan Bao in a humble manner. He wanted to harvest the rest of the red crystal from the Red arm apes that they killed, but was hesitant to tell his thoughts to Shan Bao.

Shan Bao gives Wu Ming the okay signal, which he bows and cup one fist in the other hand, then dashes to the corpses of the apes, eyes glittering with greed. 

"Now then," Shan Bao turned his attention to Xiao Zhou, who had cold sweat dripping all over his face, and slightly trembling.

"You were trying to do something just now, right?" 

Xiao Zhou jumps a little by the question. He never expected Shan Bao would notice his intention towards Wu Ming. 

"What do you mean?" Xiao Zhou replied, pulling a poker face, both his hands were tightly gripped together, as if to keep himself from panicking from Shan Bao's pressure. 

"Hmm…was it my imagination then, that I felt a killing intent coming from you a moment ago?"

Xiao Zhou's heartbeat was thumping loud, his leg unconsciously pressed the ground so hard that it slightly burrowed in it. 

"Me? Killing intent? How is that possible! Sir and your companion are Wu Zhe. I am just a humble boatman. What chance do I stand to go against you all? Hahaha!" He laughs awkwardly, trying to appear docile and weak. 

Shan Bao lowered his towering body and slowly approached his face, his gaze holding Xiao Zhou captive, sharp and calculating. 

At this moment, Xiao Zhou felt like a newborn doe in the mercy of a hungry lion. The only thing left he could do is laugh, laugh like a fool he is, laugh like a weakling he is. His forced laugh hung heavy in the air, sounding thin and unconvincing even to his own ears. 

On the counter side, his hand was in a ready position to take the black tortoise shell out of his shirt and gamble his chance with it. 

Shan Bao finally said, his voice low and rumbling, "Is that so?". He pulled his gaze away from Xiao Zhou, leaving Xiao Zhou immediately panting heavily for air. "You do have a point, even if you try to do something, what chance do you, a normal boy, against a grown man Wu Zhe!"

He lets out a mockery laugh as he walks away from Xiao Zhou, his hand signals him to follow suit.

("Am I safe now? I should be, right?")

Xiao Zhou released a sigh of relief, he then obeyed Shan Bao's order on harvesting the red crystal from the red arm ape on his behalf. His hands touched the hidden black tortoise shell once more, assuring himself that he had a way of fighting his way out if the situation deem necessary. 

("I will find my chance. Three at one time will definitely spell death to me.")

He took the harvest knife given to him by Shan Bao, and started carving out the red crystal hidden within the big arm of the red ape. 

("As of now, patient.")

With his mind set, Xiao Zhou focuses on the task at hand. Blood welled out like a fountain as he worked his way deeper into the arm. Despite his small stature, Xiao Zhou not only successfully harvested the red crystal, he also did it faster than the other two grown up men, Jin Fei and Wu Ming, who already had their entire clothes painted in red by their clumsy attempts. 

Xiao Zhou was trained to be able to gut fishes in a fast and effective way, when he was done harvesting the first red crystal, he had already known his way to navigate the bloody task with practiced ease.

"Even a normal boy can work faster than you two Wu Zhe, hahaha!" Shan Bao continues to mock his two subordinates as Xiao Zhou continues to place more red crystal into the bag he prepared. He himself was laying on the smooth surface stone, enjoying the view of his leadership. 

Wu Ming and Jin Fe cursed inwardly as they continued with the bloody task. 

Thick smell of blood occupies the area as they continue the harvesting, and because of this, they unintentionally provoke something, which is not far from where they are.

A flock of birds suddenly took off at a distance, followed by the grassy floor trembling with a weak pulse, pulsing stronger with each moment passess. 

Wu Ming and Jin Fe stopped their task, their hands reflectively holding the handle of their weapon, ready to draw out anytime. 

"Something's coming, and it's big," Shan Bao leaps off the stone he was laying, his broad sword already out and shining.

Within a few seconds, the weak pulse from before has turned into heavy stomping, the sound of branches snapping and leaves rustling can be heard, a strong gust of wind flows to their direction, and finally, a huge shadow figure leaps out within the mossy trees.

The landing of the figure created a massive force of wind that sent Xiao Zhou flying backward. 

When he regained his footing and lay his eyes upon the figure, he saw one hairy massive living being. It was an ape that looked similar to the red arm ape, only with a bigger body frame, the fang growing out of its mouth, and the iconic giant red arm, only this time, red violent energy flowing out from it.

"This is ...Giant scarlet arm ape!" Jin Fei shouted, fear can be seen in his expression. 

"Its strength is equal to the peak of Wu Zhe level, or reaching to the level of Wu Wei! How are we going to fight it?!" 

Wu Ming's voice can be heard shaking. His legs were already prepared to retreat at any given moment. 

Shan Bao, on the other hand, was in his battle stance. A cruel smile twisting his lips, "Giant scarlet arm ape huh? Interesting!" 

He charges in headfirst, his board sword letting out an energy as he lets out his battle cry. 

The massive red ape responds by charging, its fiery red fist listed high up in the air.

The two clashed, one with a sword, one with fist. The clash causes a burst of energy waves, knocking Xiao Zhou backward until he grabs hold on a tree. 

The fist of the massive ape proved to be more powerful than Shan Bao's sword as he got pushed away. 

"Jin Fei! Wu Ming! We will attack together!" He gave a stern look to his two subordinates, who had already lost the will to fight.

As much as they don't wish to fight, they hesitate a while, before gripping their weapon tight and leap towards Shan Bao, preparing to join the fry. 

"Give me some time while I channel my attack!" Shan Bao then leaps one step backward and enters into a state of focus. 

"Two Ban Wu Zhe stopping a monster that is the peak of Wu Zhe level's strength?" Is he nuts?!" Wu Ming murmured in anger, yet he can only obey the order as his life depends on Shan Bao's strength. 

With a battle cry that ripped from their throats, they launched themselves toward the ape. The giant scarlet arm ape turned its fiery gaze upon the duo. It let out a guttural roar, the sound shaking the very leaves on the trees.

With the intention of buying time for Shan Bao, they tried their utmost to dodge and run any assault thrown by the ape. Sparks fly as Jin Fei parries its fist, the skin thick as steel, sending him flying as well. Jin Fei, with his two dagger, dances around the flurry attack, but fails to take account of the force generated from each attack, which creates a small burst of whirlwind, causing him to lose his footing balance and get knocked away. 

Craters were formed everywhere, dust and stone were flying around as the ape raging its assault.

On the other hand, Xiao Zhou was hiding in an undergrowth, his heart thumping loudly at the scene happening in front of him, and his hands were already holding the black tortoise shell, readying himself for anything. 

The duo Ban Wu Zhe tumbles backward in a pitiful sight. Their weapon and armor were already worn and chips. With their weapon as support, they forcefully stood up again, staring at the furious ape in despair.

"Alright! Move out of the way!" 

Shan Bao, who had been so quiet from the start, finally spoke out loud. 

He raises his broadsword high up in the air, green energy spiraling around it, getting powerful and more destructive with each spin. 

"Feast your eyes to the power of a blue rank skill!" adrenaline of excitement rushes around Shan Bao as he aims at his attack on the massive red hairy target in front of him.

"River splitting slash!"