Among them, one was a human figure about 1.8 meters tall, and the other was a massive raptor creature.

Undoubtedly, in the hands of the White Ape were Xu Binghu and the Peregrine Falcon.

The initially excited villagers saw the illusory figures in the swirling dust and were on the brink of collapse.

In a short span of time, a stunning reversal occurred, causing their hearts to rise and fall dramatically, as if constantly crossing the gate of hell.

"Why... why are Binghu and the Peregrine Falcon captured by the White Ape?"

"Wasn’t that White Ape heavily injured by the phantom behind the Peregrine Falcon just now?"

"How could this happen? Wasn’t the White Ape hurt?"

"This must be an illusion, it must be an illusion."

...

The villagers looked at the scene of Xu Binghu and the Peregrine Falcon being picked up, unable to believe it was a reality.

Elder Qi was also staring blankly at this scene, silent for a long time.

"Alas---" he finally let out a helpless sigh, "It seems this time, the heavens are truly determined to destroy our Great Wilderness Border Village!"

Initially, the White Ape was an absolute dimensional reduction strike for the Great Wilderness Border Village. However, the mysterious white mist surrounding Xu Binghu gave them a shred of hope, but it was shattered in the end, their first hope broken.

Afterward, Xu Binghu and the Peregrine Falcon, working together, managed to injure the White Ape, giving them hope once more, only for it to be shattered again, their second hope broken.

Now, the fierce silhouette behind the Peregrine Falcon appeared. They thought it could confront the White Ape and indeed it seemed the White Ape was severely injured, but now the situation is like this, and their third hope is broken.

Once energetic, then weakened, and finally exhausted.

Especially as this concerns life and death.

Even a well-experienced person like Elder Qi, having seen much, found his spirit broken by these three waves of turmoil. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

As Xu Binghu’s wife, Lian Ji watched Xu Binghu and the Peregrine Falcon being held in the White Ape’s hand, like two defenseless chicks, she braved the immense pressure constantly emitted by the White Ape and, with her body devoid of any cultivation, took a step forward.

"Binghu, Little White!"

Lian Ji cried out in anguish.

She couldn’t believe how the situation, just looking so positive, could change in an instant?

Even though all she saw was a shadow now, Lian Ji was all too familiar with the figures of Xu Binghu and Little White, unwilling to deceive herself.

At that moment, as the dust gradually dissipated, the shadowy figures once obscured began to emerge. When the scene was fully revealed before everyone, true despair filled their hearts.

The Peregrine Falcon’s body was devoid of intact feathers, its flesh was riddled with wounds, oozing fresh blood from every part, its wings drooping in the air, devoid of any vitality, its once sharp eyes half-open and lifeless, teetering on the brink of death.

The situation for Xu Binghu was even more dire.

His arms were twisted a full three hundred and sixty degrees, fingers bending backward, legs awkwardly folded at ninety-degree angles, blood streaming from all seven orifices. Were it not for his clothing, Xu Binghu would have been unrecognizable, the only sliver of good news being his still faint breath.

If not for the Innate Qi within keeping him on his last gasp, he would likely have fallen already.

The Innate Qi Xu Rande bestowed upon Xu Binghu had once again saved his life.

"You two ants, your life force is truly tenacious, and you’ve had quite the fortuitous encounters."

The White Ape, holding Xu Binghu and the Peregrine Falcon in his hand, expressed some surprise.

Especially towards Xu Binghu, whose cultivation was low, yet despite such circumstances, he held onto his last breath.

"The gap between us is like heaven and earth, which cannot be smoothed over by a trivial external force."

"Though the Kunpeng Essence Blood is indeed formidable, under the Peregrine Falcon’s boost, I did need to expend some effort to slay it."

"For a swift conclusion, I had to lure the enemy deeper!"

The White Ape knew that the Peregrine Falcon’s Kunpeng Aura burst forth violently just now, and even as its aura enveloped the entire Great Wilderness Border Village, the iron-like black clouds above were manifestations of its aura.

Yet a meticulous plan could also have flaws. In the Great Mountain, beasts stronger than itself were few yet not absent, with quite a few of similar cultivation levels.

Those powerful Great Demons could sense even a thread of the Kunpeng Aura. If they were to come, it would lose the opportunity to possess the Kunpeng Essence Blood.

Therefore, it had no choice but to employ this method, which indeed proved effective.

The White Ape licked the blood trickling from the Peregrine Falcon with its crimson tongue and instantly relished it.

"Mmm~~~" the White Ape sighed, "This taste is Kunpeng Essence Blood, delicious, so delicious."

Then it tossed Xu Binghu, who was barely holding onto life, as if it were disposing of trash, focusing all its attention on the Peregrine Falcon.

"You little ant, having Kunpeng Essence Blood within you is truly wasteful."

"But now there’s no need to worry. I will devour every bit of you. I will bring the Kunpeng Essence Blood to greatness, become the true master of the Great Mountain, and even leave this frontier land for a larger world!"

The White Ape’s face contorted, its already violent aura becoming even more chaotic.

With that, the White Ape began to tighten its grip on the Peregrine Falcon. Its already muscular arm suddenly bulged thicker.

The Peregrine Falcon, under immense pressure, widened its eyes. Within them, a blood-red aura flickered — the last bit of protection from the Kunpeng Essence Blood within it.

However, the blood-red aura was slowly dissipating, turning into a fine thread, weakening continuously, until only a speck the size of dust, imperceptible to the naked eye, remained.

Seeing this, the White Ape’s twisted grin widened, the Kunpeng Essence Blood right before its eyes, and it grew excited like a maniac.

"Haha, the Kunpeng Essence Blood will be mine. Once I consume it, I will restore my ancestral bloodline and become the strongest demon beast in the Great Mountain."

"By then, I shall establish a kingdom solely for demon beasts and trample the King of Yue’s court underfoot!"

The White Ape’s voice echoed throughout the Great Wilderness Border Village,

Just as that dust-sized red speck was about to disappear.

Suddenly, from the long-overlooked Xu family courtyard, a brilliant violet light burst forth, dispersing the black clouds that the White Ape had brought.

Before the first ray of sunlight had even reached the Great Wilderness Border Village, dazzling violet light already filled the entire region, a dense purple aura resembling a slowly surging sea of purple clouds gradually spread out.

This purple sea was deep and noble, resembling light gauze, yet also heavy mist, quickly converging towards the Xu courtyard. At the edge of this purple aura, a hint of barely discernible golden light was hidden within.

As the purple aura filled the entire Great Wilderness Border Village in an instant, it seemed as if the space collapsed, rapidly contracting, gathering wholly within the purple sphere in the Xu courtyard.

"Crack---"

A clear cracking sound was heard.

Everyone looked towards the source of the sound and saw a crack appearing on the violet sphere.

One crack, two cracks, three cracks...

Gradually, the cracks spread throughout the entire purple sphere.

"Crack----"

Soon, the purple sphere shattered completely, and within, a figure appeared in everyone’s sight.

It was a child, covered in golden runes from head to toe, mysterious and enigmatic. The whole body was like a porcelain doll, crystal clear, without any flaw.

A moment later, the golden runes covering the body slowly integrated within, aura reserved, standing before everyone as if just an ordinary child, returning to simplicity.

This child was Xu Ran, who had just finished his cultivation, the very one Xu Binghu and the Peregrine Falcon had risked their lives to protect.

...