Chapter 21 — Spirit Elixirs Quicken the Body, Strength Uproots Mountains

In the mountain forest, Shen Mu raced and ran among the trees, fists and feet swift as lightning, madly striking and kicking, smashing and lashing at tree after tree. A tree two men could barely encircle took only three punches and two kicks before he broke it clean through!

Uncomfortable.

Far too uncomfortable!

The Alchemist's Primal-Condensing Elixir was simply too potent. Even as he ran, driving the "Mystic Body Three Elixirs Art," he could not dissolve it. He felt his body stretched as though about to burst, and could only unleash, in utter frenzy, the martial arts the Lame Elder and Grandpa Huo had taught him, venting the surplus power of the medicine!

Within his primal-embryo spirit repository, the tiny human-shaped spirit embryo was also frantically breathing in and out, drawing in the surging primal energy, refining and purifying it. This little Shen Mu too was worked until he could scarcely catch his breath.

"Little Runt, die!"

Suddenly the mountain forest shook, and a Dark-Tusked Demon Ape, sunk in berserk fury, rose to its feet among the trees, roaring and bellowing, its hill-sized fist smashing down at Shen Mu, who was laying waste to the forest!

It turned out that Shen Mu, his mind addled by the medicine's power, had unknowingly come again into the Dark-Tusked Demon Ape's territory. When that ape saw that the one trespassing on its land was this same Little Runt, it was, as the saying goes, enemies meeting with eyes doubly red, and without another word it attacked!

Shen Mu's eyes were blood-red. He suddenly raised his head, the medicine's power erupting madly within him until his whole body's primal energy seemed about to explode, and he actually leaped up and drove a fist straight at the Demon Ape's fist!

Boom—

A dull, heavy crash rang out. Shen Mu's body flew backward, snapping several large trees in succession. The Dark-Tusked Demon Ape came leaping in excitement, raised a leg and whipped it sideways at Shen Mu, who had just landed, that thick leg sweeping over like a massive black pillar!

Shen Mu roared in fury and in an instant kicked out he did not know how many times, striking again and again at the place where the Demon Ape's enormous leg joined muscle and tendon. The Demon Ape at once felt the strength drain from its leg, and without a word smashed a fist down from above.

Shen Mu raised his arms to block, and was once more sent staggering back.

The Demon Ape closed in, fists and feet tearing through the air with whooshing sounds, raising gust after gust of wind as it attacked. Shen Mu, as though fallen into madness himself, actually met this strange beast blow for blow, unafraid even as he was forced onto the defensive.

The Dark-Tusked Demon Ape grew ever more enraged, and went mad as well, pummeling and kicking at Shen Mu, each blow heavier than the last.

Man and ape, one large and one small, wherever they passed, trees fell and shattered stone flew.

Suddenly Shen Mu leaped like the wind, running up the Demon Ape's arm, and in the next instant arrived before its face.

Thousand-Arm Vajra!

His two arms seemed to become a hundred, striking out afterimages, a hundred fists pounding in succession upon the Demon Ape's soft, flabby nose.

The Demon Ape's tears streamed from the pain; it fell flat on its back, then swung its huge palm and slapped Shen Mu hard, sending him flying!

The Demon Ape rolled over and scrambled up, blood streaming from its nose. It swept its gaze around and saw Shen Mu plastered spread-eagled against the cliff, his whole body seemingly inlaid into the rock face. This pleased it greatly. "Little Runt, die."

That tiny figure embedded in the cliff suddenly twitched, then braced both arms and tore free of the spread-eagled imprint, charging at it like a madman.

The Demon Ape was startled. It beat its chest with both fists, leaped like the wind, and roared as it charged to meet Shen Mu: "Little Runt! Die!"