Chapter 56: Chapter 54: Fire Ape Spirit Fiend

His Divine Thought spread out like silken threads, blanketing the area for a li in every direction. Like a spiderweb, it seeped into every inch of the earth.

The Fire Ape Spirit Fiends came from deep within the earth and could travel freely underground. This meant their surprise attacks, bursting from the ground, were impossible to defend against.

An ordinary Cultivator’s Divine Sense could only spread through the open air. Even for an expert like Hou Han, an Innate Second Realm Perfect Realm master, his Divine Sense could only penetrate half a meter into the ground.

That was why he was completely unable to detect the Fire Ape Spirit Fiends hiding deeper underground, which was precisely how the previous three adventurers had died.

As their captain, Hou Han blamed himself deeply, feeling it was his responsibility.

Jiang Jichen’s arrival gave him a glimmer of hope, though deep down, he found it hard to believe that such a young Seventh-level Mortal Warrior could sense the Fire Ape Spirit Fiends hidden so far beneath the surface.

’Even if he possesses a Divine Sense Secret Technique, his Cultivation Realm is simply too low!’

Jiang Jichen didn’t push his Divine Sense to its limits, using only sixty percent of its power. Even so, he could already perceive everything that lay five meters beneath the earth within a one-li radius.

His Divine Sense had mutated, perhaps a result of his soul’s rebirth through transmigration. It was miraculously powerful; it seemed nothing could obstruct its path.

They advanced along the mountain forest path. After traveling for several dozen li, Jiang Jichen raised a hand, signaling for everyone to stop.

"Little Jiang, did you sense the Fire Ape Spirit Fiends?"

Su Fei asked softly from beside him, a curious glint in her beautiful eyes.

Jiang Jichen nodded, his expression turning grave. The surrounding forest was teeming with a dense swarm of Fire Ape Spirit Fiends; there was hardly a safe spot to be found.

Jiang Jichen expanded his Divine Sense to eighty percent of its capacity and finally found a path with only two Fire Ape Spirit Fiends. They were the two weakest ones here, their strength equivalent to that of an Eighth-level Mortal Realm Spirit Cultivator.

However, stronger Fire Ape Spirit Fiends from other areas underground were already rushing toward this path. Time was of the essence. If they delayed any longer, this safe route would be gone. Their only way forward would be to confront the Fiends directly and carve out a path of blood.

Jiang Jichen’s gaze sharpened. He pointed in a direction and said in a low, firm voice, "We go that way. Quickly!"

With that, he took the lead and started down the path.

However, Jiang Jichen’s voice had barely faded when a mocking tone came from behind. "So he’s just a trash Seventh-level Mortal Warrior after all. He can’t even sense the two Fire Ape Spirit Fiends on this path, yet he has the gall to claim he can lead us past their ambushes. It seems you joined our team with ulterior motives—trying to lead us into a deathtrap. How vicious!"

The speaker was a young man named Liu Zhuo, one of Song Zian’s companions. They had been waiting for Jiang Jichen to make a mistake, and now that they had a rare chance to catch him in one, they certainly weren’t going to pass up the opportunity to get rid of him.

Jiang Jichen could tell with a single glance that this was all Song Zian’s doing.

But the situation was critical, and he couldn’t be bothered to explain. He was just about to tell the others to follow him.

But Song Zian didn’t give him a chance to speak, saying coldly, "Jiang Jichen, do you dare claim there are no Fire Ape Spirit Fiends on the path you pointed to?"

Jiang Jichen was currently using an alias. Hearing Song Zian’s question, he remained calm and replied, "There are indeed Fire Ape Spirit Fiends on this path, but..."

However, before Jiang Jichen could finish, Song Zian cut him off rudely. "The fact that there are any is enough! Once we’re past this section, I’ll take your dog’s life!"

After speaking, Song Zian turned to the group and said, "I didn’t sense any Fire Demon Spirit Beasts on that path over there. Let’s go that way!"

Jiang Jichen swept his Divine Sense over the path Song Zian had chosen, and his expression changed abruptly!

On that path, dozens of Fire Ape Spirit Fiends lay hidden five meters underground. The strongest among them had already reached the Innate Second Realm, while the weakest were at the Ninth Level Mortal Realm. It was a deathtrap. Stepping onto it meant certain death.

But before Jiang Jichen could utter a warning, Liu Zhuo, at Song Zian’s side, reacted the fastest. He quickly started down that path, saying, "Listen to Young Master Song! He’s at the Innate First Realm Perfect Realm and has a Divine Sense Secret Technique. He’s way better than some useless Seventh-level Mortal Warrior. That path is perfectly safe. Everyone, follow me!"

As he spoke, Liu Zhuo was already walking onto the path Song Zian had indicated. It happened so fast that Jiang Jichen didn’t even have time to stop him.

It wasn’t just Liu Zhuo. Another young adventurer, who was close to Liu Zhuo and always followed Song Zian’s lead, also unhesitatingly supported Song Zian’s decision.

"FWOOSH..."

However, the two had only taken a few meters down the path when a terrifying sea of fire erupted, instantly engulfing them.

"AHH!"

No one had time to react. A scream tore through the air as two enormous Fire Ape Spirit Fiends burst from the ground. With giant maws made of pure flame, they swallowed the two men in a single bite, reducing them to cinders in an instant.

It was only then that Jiang Jichen finally saw what a Fire Ape Spirit Fiend truly looked like. It was formed from a massive ball of fire, shaped exactly like a Red Fire Ape King, only much, much smaller.

It all happened so fast. The sudden turn of events shocked and terrified everyone.

Jiang Jichen, however, was perfectly calm. His Divine Thought swept through the depths of the earth, and he sensed that five meters below, the stronger Fire Ape Spirit Fiends were about to move in and occupy the path he had chosen.

"Everyone, follow me now! If we delay, the situation will change!"

As he spoke, Jiang Jichen cast aside all other concerns and quickly advanced along the path he had pointed out earlier.

"But... aren’t there Fire Ape Spirit Fiends there too?"

Many people shouted as they saw Jiang Jichen move, their voices laced with despair.

However, Hou Han and Su Fei had already noticed the difference. Jiang Jichen had walked more than ten meters without encountering any danger, whereas on the path Song Zian chose, his followers were devoured and incinerated after just a few meters.

Yet, on that fatal path, neither Hou Han nor Su Fei had sensed any Fire Ape Spirit Fiends. It was obvious the fiends were too powerful and hidden too deep underground for them to detect.

"Follow Little Jiang!"

Su Fei gave the order first and immediately followed him. Hou Han was next.

Seeing their captain and vice-captain both take that path, the rest no longer hesitated and followed. Besides, with Jiang Jichen and the others clearing the way, any Fire Ape Spirit Fiends would encounter them first.

Jiang Jichen was at the very front. He finally reached the spot where the two Fire Ape Spirit Fiends lay dormant. Seeing him approach, they suddenly burst from the ground, transforming into masses of fire poison as they lunged at him.

Without even a glance, Jiang Jichen channeled Spiritual Power into his palms and slapped out twice. The two Fire Ape Spirit Fiends instantly dissolved into wisps of black smoke and vanished.

Fire Ape Spirit Fiends were mutations that occurred when the fur of a Red Fire Ape King absorbed Earth Spirit Fire Poison. As long as the ape fur was destroyed, the Fire Ape Spirit Fiend would naturally disappear.

But the others were utterly stunned by this scene. They couldn’t believe that Jiang Jichen, a mere Seventh-level Mortal Warrior, had dispatched two Fire Ape Spirit Fiends so effortlessly.

"AHH!"

But just then, the last adventurer in the line let out a bloodcurdling scream and was incinerated by a burst of flame that erupted from the ground.

Everyone’s face fell. They crossed the rest of the path at top speed.

As soon as they were clear, Song Zian stormed up to Jiang Jichen, pointed a finger at him, and roared, "You led the way! You got our team member killed! I’ll make you pay with your life!"

Looking at Song Zian pointing at him—the villain playing the victim—Jiang Jichen’s eyes turned ice-cold. A resolute killing intent toward the man had already formed in his heart.