NOVEL NEXT Chapter 237 Recognition
"What trickery is this? I've heard people say that Sun Wukong is most skilled in the Art of Transformation. He likes to change into flies or mosquitoes on normal days, and the most terrifying thing is that he often disguises himself as a little demon and falsely claims to be an acquaintance to extract information,"
Saying so, he glanced at the monkey again and added, "Huh! The way you speak is just like yours."
When the monkey heard the earlier part of the conversation, a murderous intent had already begun to brew in his heart. In that moment, he directly pulled out his iron rod and swung it at the head, but alas, he hit nothing but air.
The little demon had already employed the Substitute Technique; what he struck down was just a wooden stake.
"So you really are Sun Wukong!"
As the little demon bantered with a playful smile, the monkey was slightly startled. His attack had been spontaneous, yet the little demon seemed to have known it was coming, easily evading it. The Substitute Technique used by the demon was executed flawlessly, completely undetectable. If a little-known demon in these hills possessed such a skill, how formidable must the Demon King at the peak be?
With this thought, he had made up his mind that he must not let this little demon live to return; otherwise, it would be incredibly difficult for his group to sneak past the mountain.
"Demon, halt! Eat my, Lao Shun's, rod!" The monkey lifted his iron rod and flashed in front of Lu Yu, aiming a blow at his head.
Unexpectedly, the demon beneath his strike turned into a puddle of clear water, again using the Doppelganger Technique. However, this spell seemed all too familiar to the monkey. If the previous Substitute Technique felt somewhat new to him, this Water Clone seemed as familiar as could be—it was the spell that one guy had demonstrated in front of him countless times.
Opening his Brass Eye, he indeed saw a faint layer of mist shrouding the little demon, obscuring a clear view but revealing an all too familiar aura.
A smile spread across the monkey's face as he said, "Well, Scholar, it seems you've come to trick me." He playfully pointed at Lu Yu, grinned, and spoke.
In the midst of talking, he reverted back from his transformation, and a fluffy monkey appeared, dressed in a tiger-skin skirt, with the Band-tightening Spell on his head, and eyes shimmering with a golden light—it was indeed the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, who had once caused an uproar in the heavens five hundred years ago.
"Usually, it's you who frighten others with your tricks; now you've had a taste of your own medicine," Lu Yu said with a smile, clapping his hands as he too dispelled his disguise, revealing a Scholar in green robes.
"You still have the nerve to say that. After subduing the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes, you left in a hurry without catching up with me. What brings you here, and why assume such a guise?" The monkey asked, his face brimming with mirth as he approached and playfully thumped Lu Yu's chest, inquiring with a laugh.
"Alas! I nearly capsized in a ditch, and then you wouldn't be able to see me anymore," Lu Yu replied with a soft sigh, his heart still racing from the earlier peril. He had never thought that he, too, could come so close to death.
The monkey's face changed upon hearing this, carefully looking Lu Yu up and down before letting out a relief sigh, then becoming furiously angry, "Who laid a hand on you? Tell me, and I, Old Sun, shall avenge you!"
Lu Yu, feeling a surge of warmth seeing the enraged monkey, still interjected to restrain his friend about to fly into a rage, saying, "Don't be hasty; startling the snake will do us no good. Let me tell you the full story."
He then recounted in detail his actions in Holy Elephant World, the subsequent pursuit of the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes, how he fell into a trap and was surrounded, and how he narrowly escaped death.
The expression on the monkey's face changed with Lu Yu's story: first, wistful and nostalgic, then sharing in the thirst for vengeance, followed by a face full of regret, and ending with a sense of relief.
"I thought my own journey had been quite turbulent," the Monkey couldn't help but exclaim, "who would have imagined, Scholar, that yours was filled with even grander waves."
"Alas! It's also my fault, for after my power greatly increased, I became increasingly arrogant, lost my sense of reverence, thus encountered this calamity. Had it not been for the help of the Earth God of Lion Camel Ridge, I am afraid I really would not have been able to see you again," Lu Yu said, still scared by the close shave.
The Monkey nodded in strong agreement. Even from just listening to Lu Yu's recounting, he could feel the dangers involved. It served as a silent warning to himself. Lu Yu's mindset wasn't so different from his own current mindset. Ever since he had advanced to become a Great Spiritual Practitioner with the Five Qi in his chest, he too had grown proud. If he didn't change, he might suffer a major loss in the future. Now, through Lu Yu's experience, he realized this as well.
"By the way, I have something good for you," Lu Yu then said with a smile.
In response to the Monkey's puzzled look, Lu Yu pulled out a drop of golden blood. As soon as this blood appeared, it emitted a pure white light that sanctified the area around them. Fortunately, Lu Yu had already set up a Formation to prevent this vision from leaking out.
Even though it was clearly blood, the Monkey smelled no blood at all. Instead, there was a strange aura that lingered at the tip of the nose. Clear sounds of elephant trumpeting reached his ears, and faintly, a little elephant seemed to be roaring skyward from within the blood.
"What is this?" the Monkey seemed incredulous.
Lu Yu nodded and said, "Essence Blood of the Holy Elephant. In our cultivation of terraforming transformations, to transform into these ancient Sacred Beasts, only with Essence Blood as the guide can it be done. This is specially saved for you."
The Monkey was deeply moved and asked Lu Yu, "What about you?"
"Didn't I tell you that I already have a little Holy Elephant? When I get back, I'll just coax another drop with some tasty treats," Lu Yu said with a smile, sounding very relaxed.
However, just thinking about the little Holy Elephant's nasty temper made Lu Yu feel a wave of stomachache coming on. He had already prepared himself for a big loss this time.
"On this path, I don't know how many favors I've taken from you, I'm somewhat embarrassed," said Lao Shun.
"Who are we to each other? When there were Peaches of Immortality and Golden Cores, you were the first one I thought of. Let's just call this a return gift," Lu Yu consoled the Monkey.
After catching up, they finally got down to business. Lu Yu disclosed all the information he had gathered about the Demon Kings, and the Monkey's brows furrowed as he listened.
"Just what are the origins of these three demons, their power doesn't seem like that of some nameless nobody!"
Lu Yu stayed silent, simply pointing westward with his hand. The Monkey immediately understood, but his face showed some irritation as he said, "It's a joke that they let such monsters harm people, yet they fancy themselves suited to save all sentient beings."
"The Saint regards the people as straw dogs. In their eyes, the lives of these people are nothing more than an insignificant mist amidst the ages, probably not even worth a glance," Lu Yu also said with a sneer.
These Immortal Gods stand aloft, indifferently watching the world below. How many of them truly maintain a heart of compassion? No wonder the Human Path rejects the Immortal Gods, precisely because these powerful beings don't truly care about the life and death of the human race.