Chapter Nineteen: The Monkey That Sprang from the Stone

Chapter Nineteen: The Monkey Leaping from the Stone

The night breeze blew gently, causing the tall grass to sway softly. The rustling of the leaves sounded like a faint whisper. This breeze passed over the giant sword and stretched across the Southern Wilderness Grasslands, continuing onward into the distance.

At the edge of the Southern Wilderness stood a mighty fortress. When the night wind reached it, it collided with the thick, towering walls and then climbed upward.

A jade hand reached out lightly into the wind, capturing a trace of its breath. The owner of the hand brought it beneath her nose and inhaled deeply.

Her brows knit slightly. Nan Fenglang sighed softly and said, “The restless souls there have yet to find peace.”

“The departed are long gone. Miss Nan Feng, do you know how the battle is faring?” An old man standing beside Nan Fenglang asked, his face pale and marked by his wounds, still far from healed.

“From the latest reports, the main battlefield remains at a stalemate—deadlocked. The allied forces’ first counterattack failed, but they have driven the demon clans north of Misan Mountain,” Nan Fenglang replied.

“That is to be expected. The demon clans are born warriors in almost every case. Though they lack formal battle tactics, their combat strength is formidable,” the old man said.

“Indeed. Fortunately, the demons do not understand strategy or formations, or it would be impossible to hold them. The Realm Lord has personally taken command of the main battlefield, and I believe a second counterattack will come soon,” Nan Fenglang said.

The old man gazed out over the vast grasslands beneath the fortress, then raised his eyes to the cold moon hanging in the night sky. “Any news from Misan Mountain?”

Nan Fenglang’s expression faltered, worry plainly visible. “The squad sent to Misan Mountain has lost all contact.”

The old man’s heart sank.

“But the demon army has not appeared there either, which means they are still holding on. You need not think the worst. That boy, Zhou Yu, is clever—he will be fine,” Nan Fenglang said gently, knowing the deep bond between the old man and the young warrior.

The old man remained silent for a long while, then said to Nan Fenglang, “My old life is drawing to a close. Thank you for your aid, Miss Nan Feng. Next time there is a battle against the Beast Sect, I volunteer to fight.”

Nan Fenglang looked at him, seeing the resolve in his words. Even if she refused, he would go to the battlefield on his own. She sighed and said, “The battlefield is perilous and unpredictable. Iron Man, please be careful.”

That day, the old man singlehandedly slew over ten elite Beast Sect cavalry before being surrounded. Just as he was about to be slain, Nan Fenglang transformed into the wind and arrived in time to save him.

The Beast Sect knights, seeing Nan Fenglang’s arrival, had over a dozen wounded knights hold the rear and all perished, while the rest retreated safely.

That battle, fought by a force composed mostly of scattered cultivators, was nearly a total rout. Yet the elite Beast Sect cavalry also paid a heavy price—it was a bitter victory for the Beast Sect.

Since the Beast Sect openly rebelled, battles of that scale have played out repeatedly across the Southern Wilderness Grasslands. Scattered cultivator reinforcements supporting Nan Feng’s family often fall into ambushes by the Beast Sect, usually wiped out entirely, their heroic souls forever enshrined in the Southern Wilderness.

Nan Fenglang watched the old man’s departing figure and sighed lightly, her face weary. In recent days, she and several elders from her family had rushed to aid scattered cultivator forces everywhere while also organizing defenses against the Beast Sect’s iron cavalry. Out of the thirty-six cities under Nan Feng’s domain in the Southern Wilderness, fifteen had already fallen to the Beast Sect. Moreover, the Beast Sect had acquired the Sacred Beast. The situation was dire beyond words.

Pingjiang Crossing.

Once considered the safest crossing over the river, it had now become the most perilous place. Its importance and ease of crossing made it the battleground fiercely contested by both demons and humans.

Brutal combat occurred here almost daily. Countless human soldiers, demon beasts, and cultivators found their eternal graves in the waters or the nearby woods. Some bodies were swept away by the river, some recovered by comrades, but many simply disappeared.

In the military tent, General Xuan Jue of the Xuanming Kingdom stared at the military orders just received from the imperial palace.

His face, still bearing faint traces of blood, was framed by a scraggly beard. His once-mighty armor, originally a bright yellow, was now tattered and stained a dark red.

The oil lamp flickered as Xuan Jue’s face darkened like iron. He set down the orders and looked long at his bandaged, blood-streaked hands before stepping out of the tent.

He entered the wounded soldiers’ camp, where many lay awake through the night, tormented by their injuries. A resolute expression appeared on Xuan Jue’s face.

He bent down to straighten the blanket of a young soldier, then made a circuit through the camp before leaving for the officers’ quarters.

In the distance, the officers’ quarters still held a few glowing lights.

Xuan Jue furrowed his brows, suppressed his aura, and approached.

As one of the five great demon kings, the Blue Bull Demon King, stood among the most powerful warriors, Xuan Jue’s martial prowess was comparable. Now, he deliberately lowered his steps and concealed his aura. Passing the sentries, he was like a breeze slipping by, unnoticed.

“News from the capital: The great general must relinquish command and return to the capital to recover,” came a whisper.

“That way, we can act freely.”

“Hmph! I wonder what kind of potion Lingjing has fed Xuan Jue to push our Xuanming troops to the front lines. If this continues, casualties will be severe. How can we unify the realm afterward?”

“General Xuan Jue cares deeply for the realm, his courage and loyalty commendable, but it conflicts with the kingdom’s future. The capital has no choice but to recall him to retire.”

Xuan Jue listened from outside, his face darkening. He knew these officers were planted by the capital, but as a show of loyalty in the other direction, he had never acted against them, even deliberately leaking some secrets. How else could the capital have obtained such confidential orders?

“What if Xuan Jue refuses to step down?”

“Then we must act.”

“I don’t think he will ever yield command. We must prepare for a coup.”

“But what if the demons take advantage of the chaos?”

“For the kingdom’s greater good, we can’t afford to worry now. When the time is right, we will expel the demons again. Prolonged stalemate only weakens us while others remain intact.”

At that moment, a gust of wind blew into the tent, snuffing out the lamps. A few sharp sounds followed, and hot blood splattered across the canopy.

Xuan Jue stepped out and swiftly eliminated several imperial spies disguised as sentries, their true strength formidable.

The next day, Xuan Jue summoned all officers and publicly executed one hundred and three of them.

Five days later, the imperial capital received a reply from Xuan Jue with four bold characters: “Never retreat!”

“General Xuan Jue truly is a renowned hero of our age, one who cares deeply for the realm—it is our good fortune,” Ling said by the river, speaking with one of Lingjing’s five elders.

Even Ling Youzi, peerless in cultivation and at the pinnacle of his realm, showed a trace of weariness on his face.

“The road ahead is still very long.”

In the dense forest at the foot of Lingjing Mountain, Jack lay leaning against a towering tree, clutching his wounded abdomen with his right hand and breathing heavily.

Hua Queyue, looking exhausted, tended to his injuries.

On the day when the cliff was held against the demon army, it was one of Hua Queyue’s clones standing alone. After killing several demon beasts, the clone self-destructed to block the path down the mountain temporarily.

Led by Tianlang, the demon army blasted a path around the destroyed cliff trail using demon explosives.

Hua Queyue’s body had yet to recover fully—his hands were still unable to form seals. The clone technique required much time and energy and was performed using his feet with the aid of a clone talisman.

The talisman did not itself supply the energy needed but made the technique easier to perform. That single clone consumed nearly half of Hua Queyue’s energy.

After the demons breached the path, Hua Queyue cast countless talismans, killing many demons. After a fierce battle with Tianlang, Hua Queyue, handicapped by his inability to form hand seals, was forced to retreat. Seizing a critical moment, he unleashed dozens of talismans to temporarily repel Tianlang and escape.

Because of heavy losses, and with the Demon Emperor White Bone Cry sending messages by crows to urge caution, Tianlang did not pursue the faster Hua Queyue.

Cautious by nature, Tianlang feared traps and decided to march with his entire demon force, slowing their advance.

Until just one day ago, they found the cultivators in the dense forest at Lingjing’s mid-slope. After a fierce fight with mutual losses, the Lingjing forces retreated again.

During that battle, Jack was seriously wounded by Tianlang’s claws while blocking him.

Hua Queyue frowned deeply. Jack’s injuries were severe; if he could not be taken to Lingjing quickly, he might die. After administering emergency treatment, Hua Queyue led the travelers in a rapid retreat down the mountain.

He calculated that by now, the allied forces’ counterattack should have concluded, fulfilling their mission.

Saving Jack now was a priority—as soon as they reached the foothill, Lingjing’s reinforcements would ensure his safety.

Abuli carried Jack on his back, with Hua Queyue leading the way. Their group moved in a scattered formation down the mountain.

Meanwhile, the demon army under Tianlang’s command steadily marched downward.

Partly due to Tianlang’s cautious nature, but also because he awaited reinforcements.

The Demon Emperor White Bone Cry had promised to send over ten thousand demons under Tianlang’s command to support the ongoing assault on Lingjing’s defenses. Tianlang had no choice but to wait.

Thus, Hua Queyue’s group was never pursued again, finally moving safely.

A plump mountain goat had just been devoured clean by Zhou Yu and the colored monkey.

Zhou Yu rubbed his belly and sighed contentedly. “I didn’t expect you to eat so much.”

The colored monkey chewed on a bone, its jaws cracking. “I’m the kind of guy who can even eat dirt.”

Zhou Yu nodded. “We really are alike—about equally tough, equal strength, and about the same appetite.”

The monkey nodded back. “That’s why we’re good friends.”

Zhou Yu stretched and said, “So, my good friend, where to next?”

The monkey tossed aside the bone. “Conquer the world!”

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. “Be serious.”

The monkey said, “Fine, then we’re going home.”

“Home? That’s wonderful!” Zhou Yu said happily.

The monkey gave him a disdainful look. “To my home, not yours.”

Zhou Yu’s eyes and mouth widened, speechless for a long moment. “You have a home? Weren’t you born from a crack in a stone?”

The monkey scratched his head. “How did you know?”

Zhou Yu was shocked. “You really did leap from a stone?”

The monkey answered earnestly, “Really.”