The pain of losing his parents—tragically taken during the beast riot orchestrated by the Dark Guild—weighed heavily on Chan Wei. These painful memories, soaked in grief and anger, merged with his current resolve, fueling his impulse to confront the members of that nefarious organization. Every step he took toward the dark procession was marked by determination, a burning desire for justice for his parents and for all who had suffered at the hands of the Dark Guild.
As Chan Wei advanced toward the dark procession, unleashing his thousands of shadows, a true bestial parade began to take shape behind him. Each of these creatures, once formidable adversaries, now marched beside him—a monstrous army moving in unison with his steps. Their massive and menacing silhouettes stood stark against the horizon, an unstoppable force ready to answer Chan Wei's call.
This spectacle was both terrifying and awe-inspiring, symbolizing the power and influence Chan Wei had attained in the realm of demonic beasts. The released shadows obeyed his every command with absolute loyalty, prepared to fight alongside him against the Dark Guild.
As Chan Wei moved away, Nie Li stood still, watching with deep admiration for his brother's bravery. His emotions were a complex mix of pride for Chan Wei's courage and concern for his well-being. He dashed off toward Ye Ziyun, knowing that as long as there were no Black Gold Demon Spiritualists among their opponents, his brother would face no immediate danger. Even so, a lingering anxiety remained in Nie Li's heart—a feeling of urgency entwined with an unwavering trust in his brother's strength and determination.
Chan Wei, though resolute, remained cautious in his approach. As he began his charge toward the position of the fifteen Dark Guild members, he skillfully blended into the shadows of the trees lining the open space where his enemies gathered, using the dense foliage as cover.
Suddenly, a multitude of shadows erupted from the woods—an army of varied demonic beasts rushing toward the evil men. The diversity of these creatures amplified the chaos descending upon the Dark Guild members.
"Deacon Yun Hua, a tide of beasts is coming!" one of the guild members cried out, his voice laced with panic as he witnessed the unstoppable advance of the creatures.
Fear quickly spread through the Dark Guild's ranks as Deacon Yun Hua, realizing the magnitude of the threat, ordered an immediate retreat. Transforming his body into its beast form, his powerful and imposing figure surged forward, his gold-ranked speed allowing for a desperate escape. He darted away, fleeing for his life as the shadows of the creatures relentlessly pursued him.
Yun Hua's subordinates, however, weren't as fortunate. The gold-ranked wolves, driven by their master's thirst for vengeance, mercilessly tore through the fourteen remaining members, only pausing to chase after their fleeing leader. In a final act of desperation, Deacon Yun Hua burned his life essence, pushing his physical abilities to their utmost limits, and barely managed to escape the deadly pursuit.
The cries of despair from the fourteen men echoed through the night as their bodies were swarmed by countless predators—serpents, wolves, and other beasts—drawn to the chaos and destruction. They met a fate worse than death, a cruel and merciless end.
Amid this whirlwind of violence and carnage, Chan Wei, like a general on the battlefield, established a strategic formation, collecting the demon spirits of the fallen before securing a commoner's house. This home became their temporary refuge, a haven amid the turmoil, protected by cunning traps and invisible barriers.
In the silence of night, Chan Wei cultivated with unwavering determination, his thoughts immersed in deep meditation. Like a patient gardener, he observed each seed of wisdom he planted, nurturing it to grow and blossom in the radiance of spiritual light.
As the hours slipped by, a subtle change began to affect the nature of his shadows. Like a gentle breeze carrying whispers of wisdom, the spiritual insight of the ape spread throughout them, imbuing each entity with its enlightened essence. It was as if the stars themselves had bowed in respect to greet their new destiny, illuminating the path toward new heights of power and greatness.
By noon the next day, under the sun's benevolent gaze, the fruits of his labor revealed themselves. Chan Wei had transcended the limits of his cultivation, raising himself to Gold rank, three stars—an achievement that spoke of his unwavering determination and unyielding will.
Yet despite this meteoric rise, a strange enigma lingered within the fabric of his existence. His cultivation, though powerful, had an odd constraint—his own level would not rise through the cultivation of his shadows unless every single one had reached its maximum potential: five stars for Bronze rank, five stars for Silver, and two stars for Gold.
Fortunately, Chan Wei didn't need to fill every possible slot in his army to improve, or else a full-scale shortage of demonic beasts would surely arise.
In a gesture of respect to the ape who had granted him the fruit of his hard work, Chan Wei decided to grant it a well-deserved promotion. Not only this one, but nine of its brethren were also elevated to Gold rank. This transformation reshaped the ten giant apes into creatures of immense stature, their forms resembling the sheer force of mountains and the solidity of stone.
Their eyes, once simple mirrors of animal instinct, now glowed with spectral wisdom—as though they had tapped into the very depths of human soul. Each glance they cast seemed to hold centuries of knowledge, eons of experience etched into their gaze, bearing witness to their newfound depth of understanding.
"You will be Simia from now on, and you shall command all monkey species among my shadows," declared Chan Wei in a deep voice, locking eyes with his once-mighty adversary, now his most trusted subordinate.
Simia acknowledged his new name with a sharp nod of recognition, gratitude shimmering in his newly golden eyes.
"Are there demonic beasts stronger than you within these ruins?" asked Chan Wei, his tone laced with a thirst for knowledge and a readiness to face the trials ahead.
"MONF," rasped Simia, pointing firmly in a specific direction before placing his massive hand in front of Chan Wei. Then, in a theatrical motion, he pointed to himself, mimicked death with startling accuracy, and once again indicated the same direction.
"So the creatures over there are stronger than you, even though you're now a Gold rank, two-star Giant Ape?" Chan Wei asked, a note of perplexity in his voice. After all, according to every explorer who had ventured into these ruins before, only Bronze and Silver ranked beasts remained. Cases like Simia's, who was nearly Gold even before Chan Wei's intervention, were exceedingly rare.
Simia nodded with unwavering certainty, his golden eyes gleaming with resolute intensity. It was clear that what he had to share was of critical importance, even if he couldn't express it in words.
With agile movements, Simia began forming complex signs with his hands—a silent yet visually expressive language. His gestures wove a story, painting a picture of the dangers that lurked beyond—creatures whose power far outmatched any beast Chan Wei had encountered so far.
Chan Wei watched closely, deciphering Simia's movements with intense concentration. Each sign seemed to carry meaning, every shift of the hand revealing a piece of truth about the foes that awaited them.
"Ants? An entire colony? So it's not so much their individual strength, but their overwhelming numbers that pose the real threat," Chan Wei interpreted after grasping the information Simia had conveyed.
"But let's go anyway. I've got numbers too," he added with a confident smile. "If I'm facing a colony of Bronze-ranked monsters, it's the perfect opportunity to finally test the limits of my Bronze shadow troop capacity."
Chan Wei followed Simia with remarkable agility, moving through the treetops with the fluidity and grace characteristic of the apes. Every motion was a synchronized dance with the canopy, a perfect fusion of man and nature.
Upon reaching the edge of the ruins—where the vegetal world gave way to the empire of ants—Chan Wei could only stand in awe at the sight before him. A colossal anthill towered from the earth like an ancient monument, its imposing silhouette rising more than twenty meters high. It was as if nature itself had sculpted this monumental structure, a marvel of insectoid engineering.
Surrounding the anthill, a true army of giant ants moved with chilling efficiency. Their razor-sharp mandibles were instruments of death, dragging away the corpses of demonic beasts that had failed to escape their relentless hunger. Every movement was synchronized, every action radiating perfect coordination and unshakeable purpose.
Under Chan Wei's sharp, analytical gaze, he assessed the colony's forces. His piercing eyes detected every nuance and detail, mentally mapping the layout and strength of each unit.
The worker ants—responsible for constructing and maintaining the anthill—were all Bronze-ranked. Their swift, coordinated movements showed total dedication to their collective cause. On the surface alone, there were at least eight hundred of them, each one contributing to the colony's operations with remarkable efficiency.
In contrast, the soldier ants—fearless guardians of the colony—stood out as Silver-ranked. Their imposing presence and natural armor made them formidable foes, ready to defend their home with unwavering resolve. Though fewer in number compared to the workers, their individual strength more than made up for it. Around a hundred and fifty of them stood watch, ensuring the safety of the mound.
"How has such an army not already overrun the ruins?" Chan Wei muttered aloud, caught between awe and perplexity at this strange state of coexistence. But before he could ponder further, Simia responded with a series of expressive gestures, swiftly pointing in three different directions.
Intrigued, Chan Wei followed Simia's cues and turned his gaze toward the three designated spots. What he saw left him both amazed and horrified—a majestic yet ominous sight filled with danger and mystery.
(Author note : And that's it for today. Since I haven't received a reply from Yilmaz about a desired image, I'm publishing two here that I hope you'll enjoy: Simia and Chan Wei.)