Ye Qinghe had no intention of making a move.
Long-Armed Apes were not exotic beasts. To ordinary people, they were fierce and dangerous, but to martial artists, they were nothing special.
More importantly, she wanted to be lazy.
She was also genuinely curious about Ning Qi's current strength.
The memory of when Ning Qi had just stepped onto the martial path was still vivid in her mind. That terrifying comprehension ability had left a deep impression on her. With that level of talent, Ye Qinghe felt that her Ning Qi should at least be at Major Achievement of Muscle Forging, and perhaps even at Perfection.
With that level of cultivation, dealing with a few Long-Armed Apes should pose no problem.
Ning Qi met Ye Qinghe's smiling gaze and shrugged.
"Alright."
It felt a little strange to keep treating Ye Qinghe as a bodyguard. Besides, he had already promised her monkey wine earlier. Since the opportunity had come knocking, it would be unreasonable to refuse. It was a small task anyway—he might as well consider it repayment for Senior Sister accompanying him today.
Ning Qi glanced at the little white ape.
Then, he calmly stepped forward.
The little white ape was exceptionally perceptive. The moment Ning Qi moved, its eyes lit up. It immediately slipped behind the two of them, then bowed repeatedly toward Ye Qinghe, its expression full of flattery.
Ye Qinghe shot it a cold glance.
The white ape scratched its head awkwardly and stopped.
At the same time, the Long-Armed Apes let out low growls, baring their teeth as Ning Qi approached.
When Ning Qi took two more steps forward, one of the apes suddenly picked up a stone and hurled it at him. The stone tore through the air with a sharp whistling sound, heavy and fast.
At once, the surrounding Long-Armed Apes surged forward.
They were aggressive by nature. Even if Ning Qi and Ye Qinghe had done nothing, an attack would have been inevitable.
Ning Qi lightly tapped the ground with his foot and twisted his body slightly, narrowly avoiding the stone. His movements were smooth and effortless, causing Ye Qinghe to glance sideways in surprise.
But what truly shocked her was what followed.
Ning Qi reached out and grabbed the arm of a charging Long-Armed Ape. With a simple turn of his wrist, he flung it away—as casually as if tossing aside a sack.
Like a Buddha throwing an elephant.
Boom!
The ape slammed into a tree trunk, letting out a miserable cry before collapsing to the ground, unable to rise.
Ning Qi stepped forward.
One hand, one ape.
Long-Armed Apes were sent flying one after another, crashing into trees and rocks. The forest echoed with dull impacts.
The little white ape behind them trembled violently.
This human child… was terrifying.
Ning Qi's expression remained calm throughout.
With his current strength, fighting Long-Armed Apes felt no different from an adult disciplining unruly children.
He did not pursue the fallen apes further.
Instead, he lifted his gaze.
Ye Qinghe followed his line of sight, her expression subtly changing.
A deep, oppressive roar echoed through the forest.
A massive figure emerged.
It stood upright like a Long-Armed Ape, but its body was far larger and sturdier. Its muscles bulged visibly, especially its arms—dark, dense, and metallic, like forged iron.
Iron Arm Ape.
A variant among Long-Armed Apes.
Its strength was terrifying. A single arm could lift over a thousand catties, and its iron arms were incredibly resilient. The strongest among them could even contend with Bone Forging Realm martial artists.
Ye Qinghe instinctively stepped forward—
Then stopped.
She retreated instead.
A trace of curiosity flickered in her eyes.
Ning Qi had been far too relaxed earlier. She suddenly realized that she might have underestimated him.
She decided to use this Iron Arm Ape to test his limits.
At the same time, it would serve as real combat training.
Still, her focus sharpened completely. If Ning Qi showed even the slightest sign of danger, she would intervene instantly.
Ning Qi, meanwhile, felt a hint of excitement.
He rarely fought seriously.
Occasionally, he would test himself against fierce beasts within the True Martial Sect's territory, but he had never encountered an Iron Arm Ape of this level.
The Iron Arm Ape roared, its aura surging as it glared toward the white ape. Then, it beat its chest and let out another roar, clearly warning Ning Qi to leave its territory.
Ning Qi ignored it.
In the next instant—
The Iron Arm Ape attacked.
It tore a tree trunk from the ground, leaped high, and descended like a falling mountain. Its two iron arms smashed down together, the force creating a piercing wind that made the scalp go numb.
Ye Qinghe's expression tightened.
This Iron Arm Ape was no ordinary one.
Her Inner Strength surged, ready to strike.
Ning Qi's small frame stood before the descending beast like a mantis facing a chariot.
Yet his expression did not change.
He raised both hands.
No fancy movements.
No excessive force.
He simply guided, embraced, and caught the Iron Arm Ape's arms mid-strike.
Then—
With a sudden burst of power, like an ancient overlord awakening, Ning Qi lifted the massive body and smashed it straight into the ground.
Boom!
The earth trembled. Leaves scattered violently.
"Still pretty sturdy."
Ning Qi lifted it again—and smashed it to the side.
This time, the Iron Arm Ape completely lost its ferocity. Its eyes went blank, its body limp, as if all its bones had been shaken loose.
The little white ape shuddered, its fur standing on end.
Too brutal.
Far too brutal.
Ye Qinghe stood frozen.
The Inner Strength she had gathered dissipated abruptly, almost throwing her qi into chaos.
She had imagined many outcomes—but this was never one of them.
A four-year-old child smashing an Iron Arm Ape like a sack?
She seriously questioned reality.
This… is really my Ning Qi?
Ning Qi's voice pulled her back.
"Hey, big guy," he said calmly, stepping on the Iron Arm Ape's shoulder,"My Senior Sister wants to drink monkey wine. Hand it over, and I'll spare you."
Ye Qinghe felt a strange warmth in her chest.
She hadn't spoiled him in vain.
The Iron Arm Ape was dazed and terrified, its arms aching unbearably. It stared at Ning Qi in fear, unable to understand human speech. Strange beasts had intelligence, but that did not mean comprehension.
Seeing Ning Qi raise his hand again, the Iron Arm Ape let out a pitiful cry.
The little white ape rushed over immediately.
It bowed repeatedly to Ning Qi, then pointed at itself, then at the Iron Arm Ape, chattering loudly—clearly volunteering to negotiate.
Ning Qi's eyes flickered with surprise.
This white ape was clearly special.
Its strength was pitiful, yet its intelligence far surpassed ordinary beasts.
He nodded.
The little white ape bowed deeply—then, when Ning Qi wasn't looking, kicked the Iron Arm Ape squarely in the face.
The damage was negligible.
The insult was devastating.
Ning Qi heard the commotion and smiled faintly.
Interesting fellow.
The Iron Arm Ape was furious, its face twisted, yet it dared not resist.
The white ape strutted proudly, hands on its hips, chattering animatedly.
The Iron Arm Ape showed clear resistance—but eventually gave in.
Losing wine was better than losing its life.
Mission complete.
The little white ape bounced excitedly back to Ning Qi and Ye Qinghe.
Ning Qi smiled.
"Lead the way."
The two followed the apes deeper into the forest.
Only then did Ye Qinghe finally lower her voice and ask:
"Little Nine… be honest with me."
"What realm are you in now?"
Ning Qi thought briefly.
"Bone Forging."
He chose his words carefully.
He didn't say Perfection.
Bone Forging Perfection was still Bone Forging. That wasn't lying… right?
Ye Qinghe was stunned.
One year.
Bone Forging Realm.
What kind of monster was this?
At last, she understood why Master had repeatedly hinted that they should not ask too much about Ning Qi's cultivation.
It wasn't to protect Ning Qi.
It was to protect them.
Ye Qinghe stared at Ning Qi's innocent face with a complicated expression.
She silently made a decision.
From now on—
She would truly be honest.
And never ask again.