Jade Dynasty

Ferocious Monkey

Red light flickering constantly, illuminated the entire huge space like daylight, the strong stench of blood filled the air, a wide platform formed a path and extended out from the cave entrance, until the middle of the huge cave. Xiao Hui carefully walked out from the tunnel and jumped onto this platform, its tiny figure seemed especially insignificant in this huge cave.

Clearly, this was a place different from the others, even if it was the active and curious monkey, it also could sense something, did not immediately ran forward, instead stood where it was, three eyes looking around. Everywhere was a red tone, red shadows moved in the air, occasionally noises broke the silence but it was a strange red breeze brushing past, and under the monkey, the ground below the platform, also revealed in a strange dark red.

Xiao Hui stood where it was and looked around for a while, and then slowly moved forward, in the huge space, there was only it, a tiny figure moving, red flickering light continued to shine down, against its figure, leaving a long shadow behind it.

It continued to move ahead, Xiao Hui continued to look around, the atmosphere although was extremely weird but nothing happened to it while it moved ahead, soon it reached the end of the platform. Standing at the end, the blood stench was at its thickest, assaulting the nose, even if it was Xiao Hui, it also couldn’t help but reveal disgust on its face, kept using its hands to fan before its nose.

The end of the platform was situated in the middle of the huge cave, below was the deep blood pool, Xiao Hui slowly came to the edge and carefully stuck it head out to look down.

Appearing before it, was a huge blood pool, the pool fluid was red like blood, tiny bubbles continuously bubbled from deep below, frothing and breaking at the surface, releasing thick smell of blood. And within the pool, four huge spiritual beasts, as if being incarcerated, almost immersed in the pool, looked lifeless, extremely exhausted, most of the time motionless.

Suddenly, Xiao Hui seemed to freeze, at the same time the third eye abruptly lit up.

Among the four beasts, a beast like-dragon-but-not-like-dragon, sharp teeth fangs, one look and it seemed to resemble a pig, it was the wilderness ‘Zhulong’; the other with a lone foot and huge body, cries like the sound of thunder, soaking in the pool like a small hill, it was East Ocean ‘Kuiniu’.

Xiao Hui had never seen these two beasts, with a few glances it turned away but the other two, it recognized them, one looked like phoenix, beautiful feathers, indistinctly a king of hundred birds demeanour, it was that ‘Yellow Bird’ in the west marsh guarding the Celestial Emperor Treasury; and the last beast, causing surprise and anger in Xiao Hui, once followed the Beast Deity and befriended Xiao Hui, the ferocious beast ‘Taotie’.

It didn’t matter that the other three beasts were incarcerated, Xiao Hui wasn’t acquainted with them anyway, furthermore Xiao Hui had some grudges with the Yellow Bird, looking at its plight now, Xiao Hui most likely would happy and clap its hands. But Xiao Hui had close relationship with Taotie, watching as it lifelessly immersed in the pool, Xiao Hui immediately panicked, [zhi zhi zhi] screeching loudly on the platform.

With this cry, immediately it broke the silence, the four beasts although incarcerated but they were not common beasts, though their energies were almost sucked out, they still looked up at the same time.

Far above, at the platform, a monkey appeared, screeching down.

The other three beasts before they could react, Taotie immediately recognized Xiao Hui, its huge head moved and made a roar, just that halfway the sound dropped due to lack of energy, evidently most of the energy was gone, making it extremely weak.

Xiao Hui saw its state, felt even more infuriated, but while being mad, it did not know what to do, scratched its ear and rubbed its checks, kept turning around in anxiety. And below, the other beasts could tell Xiao Hui’s unusual expression, different from the humans who usually casted spells from there, for a moment bird cries and thunder roars, including Zhulong strange and undescribable [heng heng hou hou] cries, were heard, in it beseeching pleas.

The four beasts in the blood formation, were all heaven and earth spiritual beasts with immerse powers, dominating the world, scorning everything, not to mention beseeching like this. Right now one could imagine the formation evil, even these ancient heaven and earth beasts, also could not withstand the torture.

Waves of cries were heard, Xiao Hui in a state of urgent, turned round and round, suddenly, it seemed to decide something, stamped its feet and jumped down from the platform.

The beasts saw it jumped, immediately stirred but Xiao Hui’s tail kept swishing, in the mid-air turned back, like being blown by the wind, [pa] a sound it landed on the stone pillar below the platform. Its nature was skilled in climbing, though this pillar was towering high but it was extremely thick, rocks jutting out everywhere, humans feared it but to Xiao Hui it was the best landing place.

Xiao Hui swiftly descended on the pillar, a distance of several zhangs high, in a short time it had already neared the pool. The blood stench was even stronger, invoking a nauseous feeling, red colour water everywhere, bubbles continued to froth and then emitting light popping sounds.

The nearest to the pillar was not Taotie, it was Kuiniu instead, Taotie was at the left front side of Kuiniu, Xiao Hui grabbing the pillar and peering around, with its wits, it would not think to touch the terrible and strange blood water.

The next moment, it seemed to notice something, shrank and then leapt, with this lunge, it leapt out and was at least half a zhang distance, landed just nice on Kuiniu’s stomach and then using this spot, jumped again, its grey shadow casting a smooth trajectory on the water surface, landing onto the only part of Taotie’s head which was above the water.

[Zhi zhi, zhi zhi…]

Once landed, Xiao Hui immediately called out, at the same time both hands rubbed on Taotie’s head, seemed concerned and wanted to see what injury was Taotie was suffering from. The ferocious Taotie right now, seemed gratified by Xiao Hui’s arrival, emitting low groans, at the same time its head turning slowly.

Surrounding, the other beasts also quietened down, did not make any noise again, only quietly watching them.

Xiao Hui rubbed a while on its head, stopped and seemed perplexed, for a moment could not understand the situation, crouching on Taotie’s head, it scratched its head. Unexpectedly, Xiao Hui seemed to be careless, it had forgotten that TaoTie was unlike Kuiniu, only its head was above the water and not much space for Xiao Hui, it relaxed for a moment and its tail dipped into the blood water.

[zhi zhi]

Xiao Hui, like being scalded, jumped up, the other beasts also stirred, low cries unceasing, Taotie too but it did not dare to move with Xiao Hui on its head, afraid that big movements might caused Xiao Hui to drop into the water, it only kept groaning, at the same time its saucer eyes tried to look up, wanted to see what had happened, resembling a human rolling their eyes, extremely comical.

Xiao Hui caught its tail and brought it to its eyes, with just a slight dip, though the skin was not broken but it seemed burnt, like in a fire, the monkey was stunned and then puffed its cheeks and blew a few times at its tail, not knowing if it could slightly alleviate the pain.

And then, it let go of its tail, carefully stood and then patted Taotie’s head, relaying that it was alright, Taotie then quietened down and the surrounding beasts too.

Just that the next moment, Xiao Hui’s gaze swept past Taotie and the other three beasts, saw them weak and trapped in the pool, immediately its eyes filled with rage, its tail had only just touched the water and it was already that strong, these four beasts immersed in the pool for the whole day, couldn’t imagine the torture of it.

The anger in Xiao Hui’s eyes turned stronger, abruptly jumped up on Taotie’s head, [zhi zhi] calling, at the same time pulled Taotie and wanted to pull it up from the water. The other beasts saw its actions and started their cries again, Taotie was not pulled up but instead it slowly shook its head.

Xiao Hui was stunned, [zhi zhi] called out twice and seemed puzzled.

At this moment, a deep thunder sound was heard ahead, it was from Kuiniu, the rest of them looked over, seemed like Kuiniu was trying to say something, after a groan, it entire body seemed to shake, it appeared to be trying to stand up.

The other animals watched Kuiniu, it was the largest among them and its strength was also the best, but after it struggled for a while, when it seemed to be half standing and half crouching, suddenly above them, four beams of red light, like having a structure, immediately eveloped the four beasts. And Kuiniu’s struggling body, almost losing all of its strength, like a hill collapsing, [pu tong] again fell back to the pool, water sprayed everywhere, in the harsh scene it carried a trace of desolate.

And the others in the red beams, revealed pain at the same time, Xiao Hui standing on Taotie’s head, also under the beam but maybe Xiao Hui was not incarcerated, it was not affected.

The four light beams soon under the flicking red light, wisps of white spiritual energy, drifted out from the beasts and quietly headed up.

Looking at this scenario, Xiao Hui seemed to understand something, looked up, its three eyes round, and that third eye flickered with golden light. The dark red light beams, looking at it from below, seemed to turning from thick to thin, gradually ascending, until the end it was coming from a cauldron which was even higher than the platform several zhangs.

Xiao Hui stared intently at that cauldron, suddenly with a sharp cry, leapt up, leaving Taotie’s head and towards Kuiniu. The others watched Xiao Hui, saw it glided in the air but its body had a strange change, the golden light in its eye surged, emitted dazzling golden light and its body also emitted [ge ge] violent sounds, as if the bones were shaking.

More than a zhang distance, Xiao Hui leapt over, when it landed on Kuiniu’s huge body, its body was already enveloped in a layer of golden light, its body one size bigger than usual but this clearly was not the end, Xiao Hui almost did not pause on Kuiniu, in its shrieks, it again jumped, its body up in the air again, this time heading towards the stone pillar.

And this time when it glided, Xiao Hui’s body changed again, deep within the golden light, a strange red light surface, mixed with the golden light, a sound of [rumble], the three-eyed monkey grew in size, turning into a huge monkey several zhang tall, three eyes red like blood, sharp fangs emerged from its mouth, imposing stance, powerful vicious energy.

[Pu!]

A loud sound, Xiao Hui which had already transformed into a huge beast, pounced onto the pillar, the entire pillar shook. At the same time Xiao Hui without hesitation, howling ceaselessly, swiftly climbed up.

Several zhang high pillar, in between the huge monkey’s limbs, was now only a short length, the next moment Xiao Hui’s huge body had already flipped over the platform, with a rumble landed on the surface, it looked up at the floating cauldron, its huge arms beat its chest, loudly roared!

The roar was truly powerful, giving a feeling of change the countenance of the heaven and earth, the silent atmosphere of the cave, was finally utterly broken. The roar reverberated far off, the dark red light in the mid-air trembled, the halo above the cauldron also trembled, and the red beams, as if having spiritual intelligence, started to turn over here.

Facing this strange formation and the unknown thing, Xiao Hui bared its teeth at it, ferocious look on its face, lifting it head and roared loudly, the next moment, it leapt up, several zhang high distance it flew up, the red shadows receded and it looked like it was about to hit the cauldron.

But this formation was not a simple one, when Xiao Hui was about to hit it, a layer of red light suddenly appeared, when Xiao Hui collided with this light, the huge force was instead absorbed and Xiao Hui again landed back.

And closely following it, the formation had started to retaliate.

Numerous dark red lights and shadows gathered, looking from afar, the cauldron was like a red sun, thousands of red beams surrounding it, forming a huge light screen. And above this screen, hundred over red hills gradually emerged, each three chi square, rumbling sounds filled the entire cave, the red hills exploded together, terrible strange round things shot out like blood bubbles, as if raining from the sky, like a storm targeting Xiao Hui.

Xiao Hui roared to the sky, the sound like thunder, the golden and red light blazed brighter, once it landed it rolled, its agility made it appeared weightless. When those round things hit the platform, immediately pits appeared on the platform, [si si] sounds were heard too.

Without waiting for Xiao Hui to recover, the terrible light screen continued its attacks, several red hills emerged again but this time, each was half a zhang big, and extremely fast, the hills exploded again and red skeleton shadows appeared instead, each holding either knives or swords, or spitting poisonous fluid from their mouths, some even fire or ice, with a scream they rushed towards Xiao Hui.

Such terrible scene, like being in hell, urgent wind whipped around the cave, the blood pool started to churn, the four beasts also seemed extremely infuriated, roars and howls heard ceaselessly.

On the platform, several skeletons pounced down but Xiao Hui facing these, its ferocious countenance never changed, both hands beat its chest, roared loudly and advanced, charged towards the army.

[Rumble!]

The huge roar like a shock of thunder exploding, tore across the world, Xiao Hui charging left and killing right, its huge arms waving around, immediately those skeletons at the front were thrown out, one of them slashed its knife at Xiao Hui, Xiao Hui beat it with its fist and that knife instead slashed into the skeleton’s own skull, with a kick, Xiao Hui kicked this skeleton far out, over the platform and into the pool.

The skeletons made strange howlings, besieging Xiao Hui without any fear, the next moment, Xiao Hui’s fur had five or six wounds, some even turning black, clearly poisonous.

Under the pain, the huge monkey seemed even more infuriated, hitting back with a palm strike, like thunder rumbling, strong winds swept past, three skeletons’ skulls landed on the floor and even were spinning, the rest of the bodies charged forward a few steps and collapsed.

Xiao Hui had already incapacitated several skeletons but it also sustained several wound, the wounds seemed to trigger its fury, its eyes glowed with redness, with a loud roar, charged towards the remaining skeletons.

Those skeletons also charged forward without fear, Xiao Hui charged in and immediately kicked one of it into pieces, and then felt a pain at its back, a skeleton had slashed deeply on its back with a sword, with a loud roar Xiao Hui turned around, blood sprayed its back, the skeleton seemed to stun for a moment, Xiao Hui’s huge hand grab the skeleton, with a loud roar, flung it strongly away, the skeleton crashed onto the rock walls and broke into pieces.

Before it could see the skeleton’s end, Xiao Hui’s gaze turned even more ferocious, turned around and pounced, a skeleton beside stabbed with a spear, without even looking Xiao Hui caught it with its hands and pulled, unexpectedly the skeleton was also ferocious, refused to let go and was pulled over, in the mid-air still struggling to stab Xiao Hui. Xiao Hui was even more mad, lifted up the spear and started to spin it, [wu wu wu] wind sounds immediately was heard, that skeleton with the spear instead became a weapon in Xiao Hui’s hand, surrounding several skeletons were hit flying out, though the platform was spacious but to Xiao Hui and the skeletons, it was like a round table, each started to fall off the platform and dropped into the pool.

[pu tong, pu tong] sounds were heard ceaselessly, the skeletons landed into the pool, most were still struggling, trying to continue their missions and again return to the platform to fight. However before they could find their footing in the pool, huge shadows appeared before them, the formation was currently busy fighting Xiao Hui and so the dark red beams had been removed from them, though their spiritual energies had been sucked out but they were still ancient powerful beasts.

[pa pa, pa pa] crisp sounds unceasing, the four beasts although could not wield their powers like in the past but they still had their huge bodies and directly leaned over, crushing the several skeletons. The beasts had huge grievances and fury, crushed the skeletons several times, panting angrily and still seemed unsatisfied.

And one or two who landed further and managed to avoid being crushed, was about to swim and escape, the beasts abruptly turned and each opened their predator’s mouths, bit them and swallowed.

The spiritual beasts below venting their angers, the fierce battle above was still fighting, several skeletons were already knocked off from the platform, leaving three or four, slashing Xiao Hui unceasingly. However to Xiao Hui, these are not even a concern, charging among them and immediately disabled a few, leaving one who still viciously pounce down, Xiao Hui’s ferocious nature reacted, not even looking at the weapon approaching it, with a loud roar pounced over, hit it with a palm, opened its mouth and bit the skull, piercing it with its fangs.

The skeleton wavered a few times, and then crumbled into pieces, Xiao Hui stood up, surveyed the surroundings, was extremely satisfied, lifted its head and roared at the cauldron, both hands beating its chest, extremely savage.

The cauldron in the air seemed unexpected at Xiao Hui’s strength, pausing for a moment and then the red light started to lit up, this time the light beams shone inwards, the cauldron slowly rotated among the beams, the devil face’s eyes on the cauldron suddenly glinted, like coming alive, extremely savage.

But although the cauldron’s vicious energy surged, the light dagger ‘Qian Kun Lock’ was still tightly nailed on it, seemed not affected by its actions, no matter how the cauldron's red rays attacked a few times, but like a nail in the devil’s forehead, preventing the surrounding blood energies from gathering.

And when the cauldron was having its internal struggle, the battle atmosphere had a temporary respite, Xiao Hui’s huge body stood at the platform, roared loudly at the cauldron, challenging it but there was no response from it.

Xiao Hui watched it intently for a moment, golden light flickering on it forehead, suddenly it paused, seemed to notice something, with a low roar, grabbed a broken skeleton and flung it towards the cauldron.

Sharp piercing sound whistled, turning shrill, Xiao Hui’s strength had turned immesely powerful after the transformation, although the light shrouding the cauldron was stable and steady but for some reason, most of the cauldron’s power seemed to be used to attack that tiny light, the outer blanket of light initially was stable and then started to waver.

Xiao Hui saw it clearly, immediately its confidence boosted, strange cries undulating, broken bones like rain, flung up from below, towards that dark red light sheet.

Ever since the formation started, it never was in such sorry state, especially facing its foe, which was also only a monkey, although Xiao Hui was not an ordinary monkey and the formation itself had an internal trouble too but if Mr Ghost and the rest saw this, most likely would throw up blood in anger.

Watching as the cauldron was under Xiao Hui’s infuriated assaults of bone pieces, the light sheet defended and almost could not sustain, and on the cauldron, red blood rays continued to attack the devil’s face, evidently to the cauldron, the white ‘Qian Kun Lock’ was apparently more important.

And at this critical moment, Xiao Hui who was happily throwing things at the cauldron suddenly was stunned, there was actually nothing else for it to throw anymore, all of the broken bones had all been thrown out. Xiao Hui with an angry roar, looked up, saw that after it had stopped, the cauldron seemed to take a breather, appearing to again slowly composing itself.

Xiao Hui stomped its feet and screeched, extremely angry, suddenly pounded on the floor, the floor however sturdy would not be able to absorb the force, immediately stones flew. Xiao Hui’s three eyes lit up, pounded madly on the floor, smashing sounds and rumbles were heard, stones flew everywhere, Xiao Hui without hesitation, grabbed the large rocks and flung it at the cauldron again.

The hard rocks were harder than the skeletons, the broken bones storm previously, increased in force three times more and ammunition unlimited, like a storm turbulently howling over, the light sheet which had just stabilized again in a chaos, under the attack of the stones, with a fragile sound it finally dispersed, revealing the cauldron.

Xiao Hui who saw it all, cried out with an excited shout, even the four beasts in the blood pool, became excited and cries undulating.

Xiao Hui without hesitation, grabbed the biggest rock near it, almost the size of a human, with a loud shout, flung it at the cauldron.

The stone flew like lightning, with powerful force, without the light sheet to obstruct, it hit directly onto the cauldron, making a [dong] groan.

The cauldron shook violently, the red beams on it immediately in a chaos, and the blood energy gathered around the devil’s face started to recede, the ancient cauldron which was hovering peacefully in the air was finally unstabilized by Xiao Hui.

But maybe it was also because of that, the red light on the cauldron lit up completely, the entire cauldron seemed to turn red, a huge and mysterious energy, finally appeared again, and like in response, the “Qian Kun Lock’ dagger burst forth in brilliance.

Thick blood smell flooded the space, the cave started to quake, stones fell from the walls, like a devil awakening, red rays exploded, savagely watching that monkey below.

The quakes swiftly became bigger, like a violent force quaking the entire Majestic Fox mountain range, far from the blood pool, the Ghost King headquarters again enveloped in despair and fear. In the Ghost King residence, Ghost Li and Mr Ghost abruptly looked up, thick blood stench filled even their room, strong quakes below them, and after their initial shocks, the astrolabe before them, seemed to be stimulated by some force, started to have some changes.

And even further away, in the cold stone room, the violent quakes and the stones rolling down from the surrounding walls were almost similar to the quakes previously, in the hell-like scenario, Ghost King instead slowly stood up, a strange expression on his face, like wild delight, like excited, like cruelty, like hunger, his voice hoarse and low, spoke in the empty room, “This day, is finally here?”

And on the mountain summit, Xiao Bai who was standing and facing the wind was also shocked, the quakes shook below her feet, she was not mistaken, the entire mountain was quaking, it never happened before in a thousand years, and happened today.

A mocking smile flitted past her face, suddenly her white figure floated, she was heading down the mountain, looking at the direction, it seemed to be towards Ghost King headquarters entrance.