Great Demon Sun Wukong

Watching Sun Wukong’s stunned expression, Xi Zhao couldn’t help but feel amused. However, he didn’t say anything, just nodded to signal that he was all right. Although Xi Zhao was curious about the method Wukong had used to help him recover, he didn’t ask. Not only because Xi Zhao knew that everyone had secrets of their own, but he was also aware that Wukong was not an ordinary person.

He was born in accordance with the major trends of the world and was destined to lead an extraordinary life.

But most importantly, the moment Xi Zhao’s eyes opened, he saw those three people at Spirit Flower Peak. Xi Zhao didn’t recognize them, but judging from the Demon Qi emanating from the trio, he was certain they were the pursuers from the Myriad Demons Country. Therefore, as soon as he opened his eyes, he wasted no time in using his soul to search for their location!

The powerful presence he had just scanned had led Xi Zhao to feel that the three were definitely masters. He could sense that two of them were at the peak of the Eight Patterns, but one person, in particular, caught Xi Zhao’s attention.

His initial feeling was that this individual also had the strength of the peak of the Eight Patterns, but as Xi Zhao’s presence withdrew, he sensed a much larger force hidden deep within the person’s soul origin. That power was comparable to the Saint Armor Turtle!

Furthermore, the weapons carried by the three made Xi Zhao wary. Although he had not seen them with his own eyes, the terrifying killing intent and pressure emanating from their three weapons allowed Xi Zhao to clearly sense that they were no ordinary items.

Moreover, these were weapons from the Material Realm, just like Sun Wukong’s Golden Hoop and the World Suppressing Stele—they were not from the Netherworld.

Weapons that could break through the Netherworld’s locks and enter the Netherworld in their material forms were likely Divine Weapons, possibly even Supreme Divine Artifacts.

But when Xi Zhao’s soul probed again, he found nothing at all. Unwilling to give up, Xi Zhao examined the area a second time, but still came up empty. It was as if everything he had just sensed was an illusion. However, Xi Zhao knew for sure it wasn’t an illusion, as that presence had half the strength of his living self, impossible to be misperceived.

The only explanation was that the three knew Xi Zhao had discovered them and therefore went into hiding!

This was troublesome—out in the open, attacks can be evaded; yet secret strikes, powerful and perhaps poison-tipped, are harder to defend against, and one misstep could mean death.

Seeing Xi Zhao wake up and frown in silence, Sun Wukong couldn’t help but ask, "Xi Zhao, are you feeling okay? How do you feel?" Startled by Wukong’s question, Xi Zhao shook his head and replied, "I feel great, and it seems my strength has greatly improved. But, Monkey, when my presence exploded just now, I discovered that our pursuers have already arrived!"

"Pursuers? The ones after the little fox? How many and what strength?"

"Three of them, two at the peak of Eight Patterns, and one, if we take into account his hidden strength, nearly matches the Saint Armor Turtle! They are probably hiding because they were afraid of the aura I just released. But we’re still in danger, and what worries me more is that they may have accomplices!"

Previously delighted by Xi Zhao’s recovery, Sun Wukong suddenly realized just how perilous their situation had become. If they were only against the peak of Eight Patterns, they could still put up a fight, but if it was strength like that of the Saint Armor Turtle, there would be no point in fighting. He might not even have a chance to wield the World Suppressing Stele!

The two fell momentarily silent, their gazes inevitably turning to the little fox. Sensing their looks, the little fox’s swaying tail gradually came to a stop, and then it curiously stared back at Sun Wukong and Xi Zhao.

Noticing the Soul Penetrating Fragrance on the little fox’s tail, Sun Wukong suddenly spoke, "Xi Zhao, you better eat that Soul Penetrating Fragrance and get rid of its scent!"

But just as Wukong finished speaking, Xi Zhao smiled and said, "No need, the stink of that mushroom is already gone. Let the little fox have the Soul Penetrating Fragrance. Besides, having a big man smell too sweet would be too weird."

After Xi Zhao spoke, the little fox reacted first, stretching out its tail and swallowing the Soul Penetrating Fragrance in one gulp. At the same time, Sun Wukong held Xi Zhao’s hand and sniffed it carefully, realizing indeed that the odor was gone! Surprised, he wondered what change had taken place in Xi Zhao.

"Let’s rest for a bit. Once the little fox refines the Soul Penetrating Fragrance, we’ll find a way to avoid those three and make haste on our journey! By the way, Monkey, how did you do it? How were you able to make me recover so quickly? And my strength seems to have even increased?"

"I just placed all the Spirit Flower Soul Beads and Soul Crystals together, and then refined them with the flames from the Five-Colored Divine Stone, and somehow it turned into a fist-sized droplet of Chaotic Liquid. I merged a drop into myself and found it to be very effective, so I merged the rest into your body!" Nôv(el)B\\jnn

After hearing Sun Wukong’s explanation, Xi Zhao was stunned. He felt waves of fear and was utterly shaken. Then he started checking his own body nonstop for half a Chinese Hour before finally halting with a look of confusion. He then regarded Sun Wukong with the eyes one might use to look at a monster.

"What’s the matter? Why are you looking at me like that? Is something wrong?"

"Monkey, no, I mean the Great Sage Equalling Heaven of the Water Curtain Cave of Flower Fruit Mountain, the Beautiful Monkey King Sun Wukong, my lord, you almost played me to death, you know?"

"Ah? While your address is flattering, I only aimed to save you, Wukong never had any intention of harming you!"

"I’m telling you seriously now, in Netherworld World, different types of things absolutely cannot be fused together. Even things of the same type can’t mix if they have different properties. For example, merging a Soul Crystal with a Soul Bead is a huge taboo.

Not only is it impossible to integrate smoothly, but even if you somehow succeed, the end result might not be something definite, it could well turn into a mass of resentment! Here, you can absorb anything, but never ever fuse them!"

"Why is that? I fused so many things and nothing bad happened, and I even saved you!"

"Everything in this world is made of souls, and souls are the most peculiar things in the universe. Each soul is sacred, and even when you absorb, you’re only absorbing the soul’s energy, not the will of the soul. When people of the Huangquan World die, their souls turn into Soul Crystals, which contain both soul energy and will.

When people absorb them, the soul’s will is ejected and dissipates, leaving only energy to be absorbed. But when you used firepower to fuse them, you also merged the will, and the final outcome is a large mass of resentment and evil thoughts combined. Such things are like potent poison to us who are made of souls!"

Xi Zhao explained everything in one breath and still felt somewhat apprehensive. Although he didn’t know why the stuff Sun Wukong had fused hadn’t harmed him, Xi Zhao still couldn’t fully relax. Having a thorough understanding of souls, he knew that if a soul problem occurred in this world, it would be a huge hidden danger even after resurrection!

"Er, so you’re fine, right?"

"I haven’t found any problems for now, and for some reason, the stench of that rotten mushroom is gone!"

"What? Wasn’t it you who got rid of the mushroom smell?"

"Of course not, if it had been me, I would have dealt with it long ago, why wait until now. It must have been the effect of that big lump of stuff you dealt with. Anyway, let’s focus on the matter at hand!"

"Do you have any good ideas? I don’t think we can beat them in a fight."

"I was thinking the same, so our only option is to find a way to get around them once Little Fox wakes up. Since they’ve spotted us, I don’t think they’ll go far. I suspect they are likely on the mountain peak right in front of Spirit Flower Peak."

"Alright, once Little Fox wakes up, we’ll go down the mountain and then circle around through Mountain Sect!"

But just as Sun Wukong finished speaking, Xi Zhao suddenly changed color, then with a burst of strength, he pushed Sun Wukong to one side, while using the momentum to move back himself. The cave, however, was too narrow, and the two of them could only move a short distance apart.

As soon as they split up, Sun Wukong saw a giant sword with a pitch-black body and several blood-red lines on it thrusting straight down from the ceiling of the cave above his head. The huge sword had torn a large hole in the top of the cave. If Xi Zhao hadn’t pushed him away just now, that sword would have landed right on his head.

Once the giant sword pierced the ground of the cave, three dark figures jumped in from the hole above. The three were dressed almost identically in black, tight-fitting clothes, but each had a different treasured sword embroidered on them.

One of them, with a giant sword embroidered on his clothes, was standing right on the hilt of the sword stuck in the ground!

"Greetings, let me introduce myself – I am Yao Wumeng, and I’m here to kill you!"

(By the way, friends, feel free to join the group if you’re too few: 214501643, Great Demon Sun Wukong. Come on in if you support Sanzang!)