"Roar!" The Violent Ape King suddenly clenched its fist, pushed hard with both legs, and its massive body shot skyward, charging directly at the blood mark as if intent on shattering it completely.

"A mere speck of dust daring to compete with the sun and moon! You truly do not know the meaning of death!" Liang Xiaoke roared, while the third eye on his forehead continuously shot out beams of bloody light, causing the blood mark to swell larger and larger.

"Rumble!" Several sharp cracks sounded in succession as the massive blood mark slammed violently into the Violent Ape King’s fist. Instantly, the Ape King’s arm, tougher than adamantine, shattered entirely. The trickles of blood that flowed out were immediately absorbed by the blood mark.

The Violent Ape King’s blood was golden. As a result, streaks of golden light now laced the blood mark, making it appear far more imposing.

The colossal blood mark continued its descent, crashing down upon the Violent Ape King's head. Its skull burst open, yet every splatter of brain matter, blood, and torn flesh was devoured by the mark.

Not only that, the blood mark swept downward, completely submerging the Violent Ape King’s immense form. A chorus of agonizing screams erupted from within the mark—not the cry of the Ape King, but the simultaneous wail of ten thousand wronged souls.

It was like the depths of a Shura hell.

At this moment, the blood pupil on Liang Xiaoke’s forehead began to absorb the bloody luminescence of the mark. The mass of blood rapidly shrank, thinning until, in moments, it vanished entirely, leaving behind only a bead of crimson-gold the size of a fist suspended in the void.

This was the Violent Ape King's inner core, the core of a Sacred Beast, equivalent to the True Elixir of a Martial Saint, containing nearly eighty percent of the Ape King's power.

Seeing this golden-red core, a satisfied smile spread across Liang Xiaoke's face. However, his three eyes were wide open, demonic markings writhed across his features, making him appear terrifyingly grotesque.

This scene, observed by Yu Wushuang a short distance away, struck her with absolute shock. The Violent Ape King was a genuine Seventh-Tier Sacred Beast; though its combat strength didn't equal a Martial Saint, it was infinitely stronger than any ordinary Grandmaster. Yet, Liang Xiaoke had seemingly slain it without much effort, consuming every last trace of bone and flesh. Just how powerful was this Liang Xiaoke?

His great mouth opened, and a suction force emanated, drawing the golden-red core directly into his maw. The moment he swallowed the bead, he felt a surging power detonate within his body. Countless golden lights shot out from him, instantly making him resemble a crimson-gold sun. The markings on his face continued to twist, but the scales on his body slowly receded, and his massive physique gradually reverted to its original shape. His long, black hair, however, faintly pulsed with a sanguine glow.

Gradually, the crimson-gold light faded away, and the third eye on his forehead slowly closed. The chilling, bloody aura vanished without a trace.

"Thud!" Liang Xiaoke landed heavily on the ground, restored to his normal size. His oppressive aura had disappeared completely, seemingly unchanged from before. But only he knew that by devouring all the potent essence and power of the Violent Ape King, he had thoroughly ascended to the third tier of the Corpse Emperor realm—equivalent to the peak of the Martial Saint stage. Had it been through his own cultivation, it would have taken decades, perhaps even a century, without the massive blood energy and strength gained from the Violent Ape King.

Once one entered the Saint tier, every incremental step required vast amounts of time, provided one cultivated naturally. After all, at such a high level, the energies circulating in the world were far from sufficient to satisfy one's needs for absorption.

At this moment, the battle between Duke Mo and Little Peach had only just begun. It must be admitted that Duke Mo, a Sacred Beast infused with countless spiritual elixirs, possessed immense strength, dominating Little Peach through sheer momentum and raw power.

Had Duke Mo not reached the Saint tier, it might have feared the Dragon Qi emanating from Little Peach. But having entered the Saint tier, its intellect bloomed, making it immune to such influences.

Duke Mo’s colossal body thrashed about, plumes of vapor spitting from its mouth. Any flora or stone touched by this vapor instantly dissolved into foul liquid. Even Little Peach was forced to retreat constantly, dodging the noxious fog.

Slowly, vast swathes of the area were enveloped by this vapor, constricting Little Peach's maneuvering space. Meanwhile, the Violent Apes that had been besieging Bing Ming had already seen several dozens slain by him!

In the distance, Gongsun Sheng, having just evaded the terrifying arrow shot by Hu Yanqi, saw his Violent Ape King cut down and his old butler blasted backward, igniting a furious rage.

His gaze pierced through a thousand meters, landing directly upon Ye Jingyu, who had returned to the Medicine Valley.

His own ethereal body ascended into the air, waves of cyan light pouring from within to mend the wound on his back. As for the small hillside, it had been razed to flat ground.

"Xu, locate that Sacred Archer and kill her!" Gongsun Sheng commanded coldly, his own figure already rushing toward the canyon. The opponent who killed his Violent Ape King would not be spared!

"Bing Ming, move quickly and intercept Xu!" Ye Jingyu’s divine sense was vast; he naturally perceived Gongsun Sheng charging toward them, while Xu was lunging toward the direction of Hu Yanqi and the others. Against experts who had reached this level, once an archer missed their first strike, their position ceased to be a secret.

Although Chi Yixiu, Hu Yanqi, and the others had all seen significant power increases—and Hu Yanqi held the Sunset Bow—Ye Jingyu still doubted they could survive against a Saint-level powerhouse, even an injured one. Only Bing Ming, an equal Saint, could effectively hold Xu back.

Just then, Little Peach ceased direct confrontation with Duke Mo. A light flashed in her eyes, and golden ripples formed before her, surging toward the charging Duke Mo like waves—the Dragon Clan divine skill, the Dragon Scale Battle Wave.

"Boom!" With a deafening crash, Duke Mo was sent flying backward, its surrounding vapor instantly dispersed. However, its resilient carapace showed no sign of cracking. Little Peach did not press the attack, seizing the opportunity to flash away and appear beside Ye Jingyu.

At this moment, Gongsun Sheng’s figure was already upon them. Liang Xiaoke had rushed to Yu Wushuang's side and was about to embrace her to break out of the encirclement when his brow suddenly tightened. He let out a cold snort, and his body pitched straight down toward the earth...

(Two more chapters this afternoon)