Chapter 69 – Come Knocking
Deep within the mountain range, at Moonhowl Ridge.
Moonhowl Ridge occupied an area of 5,000km. The mountain stood low, yet it was like an ancient colossus that lay on the ground, giving out a desolate, bloody, and powerful aura, as if it was the king of the lands and looked down on the world!
This place was the residence of the Roc King, Zhan Feng.
The dense demonic qi here transformed into numerous ramrod straight pillars of smoke that shot into the sky and formed roiling dark clouds that enveloped the area below the sky all year long, seeming to be displaying the monstrous power of its owner.
“Have you heard, our King joined forces with four other demon kings this time, and they spent three months to capture eight human cultivators in one go.”
“How could I not know of such a sensational event? I even heard that the King intends to refine those eight human cultivators into a cauldron of medicinal pills!”
“Medicinal Pill? No wonder the King doesn’t kill them, so it’s for the sake of refining medicinal pills.”
“Shh! Softly! Do you want to die!?”
“Looks quickly! That’s…”
“The Copper Mountain’s Thunderhawk King and the Aqua Cavern’s Black Ape King!”
At the outer area of Moonhowl Ridge, two greater demons on patrol were whispering in discussion. Seeming to have noticed something, they abruptly raised their heads and looked towards the sky. There, two figures covered in billowing demonic qi stepped on the clouds and mist as they swiftly flashed towards the distance like meteors.
…
“Xue Yu, why are you following me?” In midair, a figure that was suffused with demonic qi had abruptly stopped before glancing backward with a gloomy expression. He wore green robes and had white hair, possessing a handsome appearance. It was shockingly the Aqua Cavern’s Black Ape King, Yuan Tong.
As he spoke, another figure followed up to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. This person had a gaunt figure and eyes that were like lightning, an eagle nose and thin lips. He wore a violet coat, seeming to be extremely cold yet graceful. He was one of the seven great demon kings, the Copper Mountain’s Thunderhawk King, Xue Yu.
Xue Yu acted curious as he said, “It’s nothing, it’s just that I saw Big Brother Yuan’s brows knitted, it seems… you have a load on your mind?”
“Hmph! What load could I have on my mind? You’re truly a strange fellow.” Yuan Tong grunted coldly, then turned and left; yet his heart was filled with misgivings.
Three months ago, when he’d complied with the invitation of the Roc King, Zhan Feng, and come to Moonhowl Ridge, he noticed that besides him, the Copper Mountain’s Thunderhawk King, the Moonlight Lake’s Dark Wyrm King, and the Sunset Forest’s Azure Python King had already been there since long ago.
Only afterwards did he find out that the Roc King had actually noticed a group of human cultivators. These cultivators were scattered throughout the depths of the mountain range and all possessed Violet Palace Realm cultivations. The Roc King invited them over for the sake of capturing these human cultivators, as he desired to refine them into a cauldron of Bloodsoul Fortune Pills!
The Bloodsoul Fortune Pills possessed a miraculous effect. Once consumed, it was able to heighten the chances of a Violet Palace Realm cultivator advancing to the Golden Hall Realm, and it was an extremely valuable medicinal pill. However, so long as they agreed to join forces with the Roc King and capture these human cultivators, then once the Bloodsoul Fortune Pills were refined, they would be able to obtain a portion of them.
When faced with such temptation, all four demon kings, including Yuan Tong, had agreed directly. They had spent three months, but were only successful in capturing eight human cultivators. They still lacked one last human cultivators before they could start refining the Bloodsoul Fortune Pill. They’d bitterly searched for many days, yet weren’t able to discover a single one.
The pill refinement plan was at an impasse, but Yuan Tong had instead recalled Chen Xi. For the sake of the extremely valuable Seventhgold Swordbamboo in Chen Xi’s possession, he was unwilling to reveal this matter to the other demon kings. He planned to go alone and seize the Seventhgold Swordbamboo before capturing Chen Xi and sending him to the Roc King. He never expected that the Thunderhawk King seemed to have noticed something and brazenly followed him…
“Big Brother Yuan, wait for me.” Xue Yu chased up once again, then glanced at Yuan Tong with a spurious smile on his face before saying, “I, your brother, am unoccupied and have nothing to do. How about I go stay at Big Brother Yuan’s place for two days?”
Rage flashed on Yuan Tong’s face, then he took a deep breath and said coldly, “Xue Yu, if you have something to say, then be frank. What’s the point of beating around the bush?”
Xue Yu rubbed his palms together and laughed loudly. “Great! Since Big Brother Yuan has said this, then little brother will be frank. I heard that there’s still a human cultivator hidden in Moon’s Embrace Mountain. I wonder if it’s true?”
“You…” Yuan Tong’s heart sank and he burst into rage. “You placed informants in my territory?”
Xue Yu laughed and replied with a question. “Big Brother Yuan, aren’t you the same?”
Yuan Tong’s face froze, yet he was speechless. His territory was right next to Xue Yu’s territory. For the sake of being on guard against each other, to prevent the other from taking over their territory, they’d placed informants in each other’s territory. This matter was something that both of them already knew.
“Big Brother Yuan, don’t be oversensitive. I have absolutely no intention of fighting for him with you. Now that the Bloodsoul Fortune Pill only lacks one Violet Palace Realm cultivator before it can be refined, if the two of us capture this person back to the Roc King, it would surely be a great merit. Once the medicinal pills are refined, both of us will be able to obtain a little more, right?”
“Alright, I agree. But after we capture that kid, all his possessions are mine. Otherwise, there’s no room to discuss this matter any further.” Yuan Tong’s expression was extremely gloomy, yet he heaved a sigh of relief in his heart. So long as he doesn’t seize my Seventhgold Swordbamboo, so what if I agree to his request?
“Big Brother Yuan is straightforward as expected!” Xue Yu laughed heartily. “With little brother helping you stand guard at the side, wouldn’t that kid be captured easily?”
“Hmph! Before we capture that kid, I still have a matter to attend to. Do you want to come along?” Yuan Tong’s gaze flickered and revealed a jet of hatred.
“Of course!” Xue Yu answered readily.
…
Spiritdove Mountain.
Xiong Pi was concentrating on cultivating in his abode when he suddenly felt two terrifying Perception Forces sweep pass his body, and he was suddenly terrified. Could it be that the Black Ape King has come knocking to get even with me?
“Xiong Pi, get the fuck out!” An explosive shout abruptly resounded out, and it was like billowing thunder as it exploded out on Spiritdove Mountain, shocking the nearby demons to the point they fled hastily in all directions.
It really is the old demon!
Xiong Pi seemed to have expected the arrival of this day since long ago. He had a calm expression as he stood up and walked out of his abode, then gazed at the green robed, white haired young man in midair and said, “Black Ape King, you’re really slow.”
“Hmph! You’re still so stubborn when you’re about to die.” Yuan Tong looked down at Xiong Pi and said coldly, “Offer up your head on your own accord. Otherwise, it will be like how I killed your younger brother that year, and I will smash you into a pool of meat pudding with a single swing of my staff!”
“Younger brother…” Xiong Pi’s rugged face warped, seeming like he was crying for a moment then laughing for a moment, and his stalwart body ceaselessly trembled. He gazed at Yuan Tong who stood there in midair, his eyes were sprung open like saucers and contained a red hue yet revealed madness from extreme rage, and he roared loudly. “Black Ape King, your doom is imminent. I’ll wait for you in hell, HAHAHA!”
It was at this moment that a saber light that was like a bolt of lightning flashed past, instantly chopping off Xiong Pi’s head. Its speed was so swift that Xiong Pi didn’t even have time to react, and that enraged and insane laughter stopped abruptly along with this.
“What’s the point of talking so much with a madman? It will only bring disgrace to our status.” Within the clouds, the Thunderhawk King, Xue Yu, appeared suddenly, then he lightly laughed as he grabbed Xiong Pi’s head up from across the space and casually tossed it to Yuan Tong.
Yuan Tong said coldly, “I have to remind you, if you dare take my things the next time, I’ll surely kill you!”
“Looks like I’ve indeed made an unnecessary move.” Xue Yu laughed indifferently, and a trace of indistinct disdain flashed deep within his eyes.
After a short moment, Yuan Tong returned to his own territory. Yet, he didn’t stop and directly lead the 1,000 plus demons of various strengths under his command and moved towards the Moon’s Embrace Mountain in a formidable array.
One hundred plus Congenital Realm greater demons and over a thousand minor demons gathered together were simply like a black current that surged in a formidable array through the mountain range. Demonic qi roiled and their imposing might billowed.
“Haha! It’s still the first time that I’ve battled together with so many brothers, and we even have the King to command the overall situation. Wouldn’t we kill that kid to the point he wets his pants?”
“Why, isn’t the King being too cautious? It’s only killing a single human cultivator, is there any need to mobilize the forces?”
“Hmph! What do you know? This is called a show of force! The King wants to let all the greater demons and minor demons see that any fellow who dares offend him will die!”
“So that’s how it is, the King deserves to be called farsighted and prudent.”
…
Some of these thousand plus demons still maintained their demon beast form. They were undisciplined and carefree by nature, so they naturally wouldn’t be as highly disciplined as a human army. They were clamoring and making noise excitedly all along the way. Their appearance wasn’t like they were going to kill an enemy, but was instead like they were going sight-seeing.
“What did you bring so many subordinates for? Could it be that we’re unable to capture a single human cultivator with our cultivation?” In mid air, the Thunderhawk King, Xue Yu, glanced at the ground. The unscrupulous and clamorous noise from those demons caused him to feel extreme disgust.
“I have my own plan.” Yuan Tong answered with an expressionless face.
Xue Yu smiled but said no more.
Before long, the vast and imposing crowd of demons dashed to stand before Moon’s Embrace Mountain. They didn’t rashly charge up the mountain because of Yuan Tong’s restraint.
Even then, such an enormous group of demons appearing near Moon’s Embrace Mountain had still drawn the attention of the other nearby demons.
“As expected! I knew that the Black Ape King wouldn’t let that human cultivator off so easily.”
“Fortunately, we left early that day and didn’t form a relationship with that human cultivator. Otherwise, I’m afraid we wouldn’t be able to escape disaster today as well.”
“Such a great show of strength. Could it be that the Black Ape King did this intentionally, and his objective was to make an example as a warning to others?”
“We’re doomed! The Black Ape King is finally unable to endure it and wants to purge Moon’s Embrace Mountain…”
Numerous gazes looked over here in unison. Practically all these demons that cultivated near Moon’s Embrace Mountain knew that a Violet Palace Realm human cultivator stayed in Moon’s Embrace Mountain. When they saw this scene, how could they not know what was about to happen?
At this moment, greater demons gathered and killing intent shot into the sky. Within a 50km radius around Moon’s Embrace Mountain, an oppressive and murderous aura silently suffused into the air.
A storm was arriving!