The ape could lift a hundred-zhang mountain with a single hand, and throw it effortlessly, possessing a might unlike any creature of the mortal realm!

“This painting… it doesn’t depict an ordinary beast… it’s a True Beast! Who painted this? Not only is the art extraordinary, but without having seen a True Beast with his own eyes, it would be absolutely impossible to paint such a lifelike image!”

Soon, Su Changkong regained his senses, and he too, could not help but exclaim in admiration.

The Giant Ape in this painting must be a True Beast, and the painter himself was no ordinary person either, capable of seeing a True Beast and capturing it on paper.

“Could this be… the ’Demon Ape Picking Star Picture’ by Paint Saint Bai Xingzhi?”

At that moment, a voice tinged with a hint of surprise rang out beside him. It was Cangwen Yu, who had also seen the painting hanging in the Cultivation Room.

“Paint Saint Bai Xingzhi? ’Demon Ape Picking Star Picture’?”

Su Changkong couldn’t help but look towards Cangwen Yu, his curiosity uncontainable.

Cangwen Yu immediately explained, “Bai Xingzhi is an extremely ancient figure, proficient in the art of painting, especially skilled at portraying various birds and beasts.”

“Bai Xingzhi approached enlightenment through painting. He traveled the world, painting the creatures he encountered, creating lifelike works effortlessly. However, he was never satisfied with his paintings, often destroying them after completion.”

“Ultimately, Bai Xingzhi only left behind just over thirty pieces of work for posterity, which he considered his masterpieces. Among them is this ’Demon Ape Picking Star Picture’. It is said that Bai Xingzhi was himself believed to be a Martial Saint, possessing the divine skill ’Painting Becomes Reality’, an inconceivable ability, hence he was posthumously named Paint Saint!”

Cangwen Yu revealed the divine status of Bai Xingzhi.

Bai Xingzhi was a legendary figure from an era long before the establishment of the Great Flame Empire. Capable of ’Painting Becomes Reality’, he was a Martial Saint of ancient times, known as the Paint Saint!

“A painting by Bai Xingzhi, the Paint Saint of the ancient era? Bai Xingzhi must have seen a True Beast with his own eyes to be able to create such an image…”

Su Changkong stared at the hanging painting, his eyes betraying a hint of peculiarity.

With just over thirty pieces of Bai Xingzhi’s artwork surviving to the present day, his highest masterpieces, could they all possibly depict True Beasts?

This ’Demon Ape Picking Star Picture’ should indeed be an original work by Bai Xingzhi, also something that Kuotuo had obtained from somewhere unknown.

Kuotuo himself was fond of calligraphy and painting, and he treated this ’Demon Ape Picking Star Picture’ from the hand of Paint Saint as a treasured possession, placing it in his Cultivation Room for constant appreciation.

However, Kuotuo and the black-robed elder had previously fled, leaving the painting behind, which now fell into Su Changkong’s hands.

“This ’Demon Ape Picking Star Picture’ might just be my greatest gain from this journey!” Su Changkong took down the painting, rolled it into a scroll, and thought to himself.

To others, the ’Demon Ape Picking Star Picture’ might just be a peerless piece of art, a treasure of artistry, but Su Changkong could feel that this painting might be of help to his Martial Arts!

“Let’s part ways here.”

Outside the great hall, Su Changkong bid everyone to leave.

“Senior Blade, I will never forget your kindness today. If there’s anything you need, feel free to seek me at the Nanzhi Sect anytime!”

Those Innate Martial Artists, each and every one, wanted to establish a good relationship with Su Changkong.

After all, he was a powerful individual who could slay Qi Gang!

Su Changkong simply nodded, maintaining his aloof demeanor.

After Cangwen Yu and the others had left, Su Changkong then proceeded to extract the Crystal Cores from the corpses of all the Monster Warriors, refining Innate Qi from those that had reached the Innate Level.

In total, he obtained 39 Demon Monster Crystal Cores and 15 strands of Innate Qi, undoubtedly a bountiful haul.

Afterward, Su Changkong dealt with all the corpses before setting off to leave.

This journey had been filled with unexpected events, and for the high-tier Spirit Pill recipes, Su Changkong accepted Cangwen Yu’s invitation to take part in this operation, which, in the end, turned out to be a huge windfall!

“I should lay low and go into seclusion for a while after I return,” Su Changkong thought to himself.

When he returned to the Spirit Taoist Sect, several days had passed, and everything within the sect was as usual.

Helian Yuan and the others had no idea that Su Changkong had achieved remarkable feats during his absence, having slain Qi Gang, the third-ranking official of the Demon Suppressing Department, and annihilated a branch of the Life Extinguishing Association!

“I’ll make another trip to Cangyun Pavilion after some time. I’ve already tasked Cangwen Yu with purchasing the ingredients for the Heavenly Spirit Pill. For now, I will study this ’Demon Ape Picking Star Picture’.”

Within the manor of Su Changkong in the Spirit Taoist Sect, he held a painting scroll.

Although he had been tricked by Qi Gang, the Heavenly Spirit Pill Recipe he had obtained from him was genuine. Su Changkong had scrutinized it carefully. After all, in Qi Gang’s eyes, Su Changkong and the others were as good as dead. There was no need to give them a fake recipe. If discovered, it could lead to unexpected complications, so Qi Gang did not tamper with it.

The Spiritual Medicines needed for the Heavenly Spirit Pill were very precious, and even with the resources of the Cangyun Sect, it would be time-consuming and strenuous to gather them all. Apart from waiting, Su Changkong naturally would not waste time. He needed to thoroughly study the ’Demon Ape Picking Star Picture’!

He unfolded the scroll and hung it on the wall, studying it carefully.

The painting wasn’t large; unfolded, it was less than ten zhang long and just over a meter wide, but the black Giant Ape within it was vividly lifelike.

Su Changkong stared intently at the picture, his spirit inevitably immersing in it.

In the wild mountain ranges, where thousand-zhang high mountains were commonplace, spreading for thousands of miles, inhabited by countless odd and rare Alien Beasts—the most powerful among them was a Giant Ape akin to a demon lord!

With extraordinary potential and insight, combined with the charm captured in the painting, Su Changkong felt as if he entered the perspective of Bai Xingzhi, witnessing the true form of the Demon Ape.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Madara Web Novel