Chapter 124: Strike While the Iron Is Hot

"Stop testing me. I will tell you directly: kill it, take the spirit core inside, and go back. Yao Zhaoxi will be able to help you find the answer."

The system unexpectedly did not refuse to answer this time; it even provided the method. Ji Jiuxuan was actually somewhat surprised, but since the system said to kill it, she did not hesitate. Having the experience of the first time, even though the Xuantian Spirit Ape before her was more powerful, dealing with it was somewhat easier.

With a loud "bang," Ji Jiuxuan struck the Xuantian Spirit Ape to the ground. Sensing the time, she realized there was very little left. She hurriedly extracted the spirit core from the Xuantian Spirit Ape and collected anything else of value.

Nie Xingyuan and his senior sister appeared again very quickly. He swept Ji Jiuxuan onto his flying sword and left rapidly. Before leaving this time, Nie Xingyuan threw something at the original location, causing the surrounding aura to become extremely chaotic.

"System, you just said there were a few more locations. How many are there?" Thinking of the records in the book regarding the Xuantian Spirit Ape, she couldn't help but ask, "Is there a Xuantian Spirit Ape in every one of those places?"

The Xuantian Spirit Ape, a creature that believes strength is king, is not solitary but lives in groups. Currently, in this ancient forest, the two she had seen were so far apart, and there were no traces of other Xuantian Spirit Apes in the vicinity. This was completely unusual.

"Yes. If you want to know the specific situation, then take all the spirit cores here." This matter would eventually implicate the little girl, so it was better for her to know in advance and be prepared. Even if it alerted the enemy, it was better than struggling to cope with sudden circumstances.

Just after Ji Jiuxuan and the others left, the spirit beast formed from the giant stone appeared again beside the dead Xuantian Spirit Ape. It looked around, but found nothing. The fluctuating spiritual energy in the surroundings revealed that it was extremely angry at that moment, and an invisible ripple was emitted. Somewhere in the ancient forest, something seemed to start moving. Such movement caused the spirit beasts throughout the ancient forest to tremble, and some even began to run about in anxiety.

Nie Xingyuan, flying in mid-air, sensed this and felt that the ancient forest was very wrong. Looking at the little girl sitting obediently in front of him, he did not dare to take risks, fearing he would regret it if they truly encountered a situation.

"A-Jiu, our training for today ends here. Let's head back."

Ji Jiuxuan had wanted to tell her junior uncle about the ancient forest, but seeing his serious expression, she understood instantly: her junior uncle must have sensed something. She had a bad premonition in her heart, so she did not ask to stay and look for the other locations of the Xuantian Spirit Apes.

"Okay!" Ji Jiuxuan looked as obedient as ever, but the system was already speaking in her mind.

"Are you not planning to look for the other Xuantian Spirit Apes? It has something to do with your parents."

"Just tell me, what is your goal? Also, can Junior Uncle and Senior Sister handle the danger here?" This was her main concern. Her parents' situation was very complex; they were both high-level cultivators, yet they had gone missing. For so many years, her grandfather and maternal grandfather had searched privately countless times, but there was absolutely no news, only the knowledge that they were still alive. Recently, waves of people had come to capture her; the matter here was definitely not simple. She was afraid of implicating her junior uncle and senior sister.

The system was silent for a moment before saying, "There is a chance of winning, but it depends on the specific situation."

"That's just it. If I force us to stay, I would be being unreasonable. If Junior Uncle and Senior Sister encounter danger, that would be my greatest fault. I will not allow such a thing to happen." Ji Jiuxuan was very firm at this moment. She decided to take the two spirit cores back first and let Senior Sister Zhaoxi take a look; perhaps she would know something.

"You don't want them to face danger, but if they drop you off, they will eventually have to come back anyway. You might as well take action now before there are any strange movements." The system remained persistent.

Ji Jiuxuan was somewhat puzzled as to why the system was so insistent. "What do you mean?" She understood the words, but as for the strange movements, they had already left, and her uncle and the others were not people who liked to meddle in others' business.

"In short, if you don't eliminate all the Xuantian Spirit Apes deployed here now, then by the time your maternal grandfather gets the news and sends your uncle to collect them, it will definitely be too late."

It was rare for the system to reveal so much information. Ji Jiuxuan did not hesitate any longer and turned to Nie Xingyuan: "Uncle, I feel that the Xuantian Spirit Apes here are not right. Let's kill them all!"

Nie Xingyuan had already sensed the movements in the ancient forest to some extent. He looked at the ancient forest below with a serious expression and finally refused: "We are going back. It is not safe here."

"Uncle, I sensed that those spirit cores contain the same aura as the black-clothed men who attacked me last time. This might have something to do with Father and Mother."

Ji Jiuxuan knew that her uncle might not agree no matter what she said, but if it had to do with her parents, that was not necessarily the case. Looking earnestly at the little girl, Nie Xingyuan asked, "Are you sure?"

Not all spirit beasts have spirit cores, and even the Xuantian Spirit Apes are the same. Spirit cores are rare to come by, yet both the ones little Jiu killed just now had them. Ji Jiuxuan nodded solemnly, "I am sure."

"Uncle, shall we go and look?" She knew the danger, but she had to tell him.

"Okay." Without any hesitation, Nie Xingyuan began to investigate. When he discovered the tracks of a Xuantian Spirit Ape, he flew directly toward the location.

"A-Jiu, if you want to obtain the spirit cores, you must be the one to kill the Xuantian Spirit Apes. Your senior sister and I will provide protection on the side." His and Meng Jiao's cultivation levels were relatively high; if they struck, they would definitely kill the Xuantian Spirit Ape in one blow, but that might also cause the spirit core to disappear directly. Little A-Jiu's cultivation was lower; if she killed the opponent, there would be no intense spiritual energy shock, and preserving the spirit core would be no problem at all. She had already obtained two cores just now.

"Okay." This time, Ji Jiuxuan did not wear the gravity ring. At this moment, training was no longer the priority. She was worried that if they delayed too long, it would bring endless danger to everyone, and she would regret it too late.

At this moment, Ji Jiuxuan understood why the system said it would be too late if she waited for her uncle and the others to come and investigate later. Because spirit cores were useless and troublesome to obtain, and one could not have high-level cultivators kill the Xuantian Spirit Apes, otherwise they would easily be shattered by the powerful spiritual energy fluctuations.

Leaping down, she headed quickly toward a nearby Xuantian Spirit Ape without any hesitation. Without the effect of the gravity ring, Ji Jiuxuan utilized the Shadow-Leaping Step, leaving only afterimages along the way. Because she had already fought two Xuantian Spirit Apes, she was very familiar with their moves and had even found ways to deal with them. This Xuantian Spirit Ape felt stronger than the previous two, but Ji Jiuxuan, without the gravity ring, was like a wild horse released from its reins. The moment she drew her sword, the Xuantian Spirit Ape fell to the ground, never to rise again. It died without even seeing which bastard had killed it.

"Junior Sister's sword has become faster." Compared to when she had seen her use her sword before, Meng Jiao felt that both the speed and the sharpness of the sword technique had improved significantly.