Translator: CinderTL
Shi Man's heart burned with jealousy as she watched Chi Pei's gaze linger on Qi Luo's alluring figure. Her resentment toward Qi Luo intensified.
Before anyone else could speak, she quickly interjected, "Young Master, this subordinate has uncovered some clues."
Chi Pei's attention immediately shifted from Qi Luo's seductive form to Shi Man. "Elaborate," he commanded.
"Yes, Young Master!" Shi Man replied, clasping her hands in a fist salute, a flicker of excitement in her eyes.
Though she couldn't match Qi Luo's beauty, she could still serve Chi Pei by solving his problems. Qi Luo, that shameless harlot, was nothing more than a bedmate, skilled only at pleasing men.
"A trusted friend revealed that one of their deceased elders personally witnessed the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape at Rotting Miasma Ridge," Shi Man reported.
"Is this true?" Chi Pei pressed urgently. "Where exactly did this elder encounter the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape?"
"That... this subordinate doesn't know. My friend's elder didn't specify the location," Shi Man admitted.
The joy on Chi Pei's face vanished, replaced by a dark scowl.
The clue Shi Man had gathered merely confirmed what he already knew: that a Blood-Eyed Divine Ape existed at Rotting Miasma Ridge. He needed no further proof of this.
"Useless trash," Chi Pei hissed coldly.
Shi Man's face paled. She quickly lowered her head, avoiding his piercing gaze.
She bit her lower lip, her heart filled with resentment.
All the clues she had painstakingly gathered were dismissed by Young Master Chi Pei without a second glance.
Just then, Qi Luo's voice suddenly rang out.
"Young master, please don't be angry. Elder Shi Man has already done her best. It's just that this information... isn't quite comprehensive enough."
Qi Luo's voice was soft and delicate, drawing Chi Pei's gaze back to her.
"Qi Luo, have you uncovered any useful leads?"
Qi Luo lowered her eyes, a hint of melancholy in their depths, her trembling voice filled with self-reproach.
"Young master, this subordinate is incompetent. I only managed to confirm that the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape has appeared in the Rotting Miasma Ridge. As for its exact location, I couldn't ascertain it. I've disappointed you."
"As long as you've done your best, I won't blame you," Chi Pei said.
Seeing this, Shi Man's jealousy and resentment intensified.
Qi Luo, like her, had failed to uncover any useful information. Yet Chi Pei's attitude toward them was starkly different.
Chi Pei turned his gaze to Tang Gui and Sang Bu, who stood together.
"Have either of you made any progress?"
Tang Gui stepped forward and spoke.
"Reporting to the young master, this subordinate has uncovered some information."
"Oh?" Chi Pei's interest piqued. "Have you determined the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape's precise location?"
"My subordinate made contact with several rogue cultivators near Phoenix Feather City. One of them, out of curiosity, had gathered intelligence on the Giant Apes of Rotting Miasma Ridge. I spent spirit stones to purchase this information from him," Tang Gui reported.
As he spoke, a jade slip suddenly appeared in his hand—the very map Chi Pei had given him earlier, showing the uninhabited regions of Rotting Miasma Ridge.
Tang Gui channeled his spiritual power into the slip, causing it to glow with streaks of white light. A vast topographical map materialized in the air.
The map was marked with dozens of red dots, scattered across Rotting Miasma Ridge. Some clustered in the core regions, while others dotted the outer fringes. However, all the markers were concentrated in the eastern part of the ridge, near Qicang Domain, with none in the western areas bordering the Qianchang Wilderness.
"Young Master, these red dots indicate locations where fourth-tier or higher Giant Apes have been sighted. The apes vary in species, and I have yet to determine if any of them are the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape you seek," Tang Gui explained.
Chi Pei nodded slightly, though a hint of disappointment flickered in his eyes.
While Tang Gui's intelligence held some value, the sheer number of locations was overwhelming.
In other circumstances, this wouldn't be a problem—they could simply investigate each site one by one. However, Rotting Miasma Ridge was shrouded in miasma and teeming with demon beasts. Exploring these locations individually would be perilous, with the constant threat of encountering powerful demonic creatures.
"Ye Hua, have you uncovered any leads?" Head Chi Pei asked Song Wen.
Song Wen bowed respectfully. "Young Master, while at the Iron Mountain Ghost Market, I encountered a Senior in the Divine Transformation Realm. He claimed to have witnessed a hundred-zhang-tall Giant Ape battling an Earth Barbarian Bull in the Rotting Miasma Ridge. Based on his description, this Giant Ape is highly likely the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape. I spent a thousand high-grade spirit stones to purchase the location of this encounter from him."
As he spoke, Song Wen produced a jade slip map of the Rotting Miasma Ridge and activated it with his spiritual power.
Instantly, another topographical map materialized in mid-air, identical to the one Tang Gui had summoned earlier. However, Song Wen's map was marked with a single red dot.
The red dot pinpointed the exact location where Song Wen, Ye Bing, and their group had first encountered the hundred-zhang-tall Giant Ape and the Earth Barbarian Bull.
Based on Chi Pei's behavior since his arrival, Song Wen deduced that Chi Pei had also failed to obtain any specific clues about the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape's whereabouts. Therefore, Song Wen proactively revealed the location of their initial encounter with the creature.
Though Song Wen harbored ulterior motives for this expedition, he didn't want Chi Pei and his group to blunder aimlessly through the Rotting Miasma Ridge.
If they stumbled upon a sixth-tier or even seventh-tier demon beast, he would inevitably become collateral damage.
In this case, it would be better to directly provide Chi Pei with clues about the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape. Then, while Chi Pei and his group battled the ape, Song Wen could seize the opportunity to act. Moreover, though the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape was powerful, Song Wen was confident he could escape its pursuit. For him, the Blood-Eyed Giant Ape was far safer than the unknown demon beasts lurking in the Rotting Miasma Ridge.
Chi Pei stared intently at the map.
The red dot marking the ape's location lay deep within the Nether Miasma Mountain Range, perfectly aligning with previous clues they had gathered.
"Ye Hua, are you certain this clue you investigated is genuine?" Chi Pei suddenly asked, his initial excitement giving way to suspicion.
He didn't doubt Song Wen's intentions, but rather feared Song Wen had been deceived by the information seller.
After all, Chi Pei and his group of five had found few useful leads, while Song Wen had provided an extremely precise location for the Blood-Eyed Giant Ape's lair. This discrepancy naturally aroused Chi Pei's suspicions.
"In my humble opinion, this lead is genuine," Song Wen said. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have offered a thousand high-grade spirit stones for it."
Chi Pei pondered briefly before tossing a storage pouch toward Song Wen.
"Ye Hua, you've done well. Here are two thousand high-grade spirit stones as compensation and reward. We'll head to the location you mentioned immediately. If we truly find the Blood-Eyed Giant Ape, this young master will bestow an even greater reward."
"Thank you, young master," Song Wen said, catching the storage pouch, his face flushed with excitement and joy.
Elder Shi Man, watching from the side, was instantly filled with regret.
If only I had asked about the Blood-Eyed Divine Ape's whereabouts on the way here, she thought. I could have seized the lead from 'Ye Hua' and claimed Young Master Chi Pei's praise for myself.
If that had happened, I would be the one receiving his commendation now.
(End of the Chapter)
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