As Monkey stepped out of the palace gates, Tina Ao's piercing scream quickly drew the attention of the entire Dragon Palace guard. On the ground, layers upon layers of shrimp soldiers and crab generals assembled, while all manner of eerie deep-sea spirits hovered in midair, sealing off every exit so tightly that not even water could leak through.
Looking up, Monkey saw three enormous whale demons slowly gliding overhead.
With a mocking smile, Monkey turned his gaze to Tina Ao, slung over his shoulder. "Tell me, bandit bride—do you think they can stop me?"
She stared at Monkey, her brows tightly knit. Biting her lip, she thought for a long time, her face flushing red, before finally muttering in a low voice, "Make way."
"Make way?" The crab general at the front was dumbfounded.
The soldiers exchanged bewildered glances, completely lost.
"Did you hear that? She told you to make way!" Horace Coil rushed forward to seize the moment and show off.
But he quickly lost his nerve when the soldiers, instead of stepping aside, pressed forward, tightening the circle around them.
Seeing this, both he and the shark demon hurriedly retreated.
"King, they won't move. What should we do?"
Monkey shot him a contemptuous glare.
He was tall and burly, but a coward at heart. No wonder he'd been chased across the world by the Celestial Army.
The crab general beckoned the soldiers back, then transformed his left arm into a massive claw and strode forward, calling out in a loud voice, "Princess Tina, your servant does not understand."
Tina Ao blinked her bright eyes, lowered her head, and sighed weakly, "He can fight Erik Yang to a standstill. You can't stop him. Make way—there's no need for needless deaths."
At her words, the soldiers erupted in shocked murmurs.
"He... can fight Erik Yang to a draw?"
The crab general unconsciously stepped back.
"Did you hear that!" Horace Coil found his confidence again, waving his trident and shouting, "You can't stop him—even if our king is carrying your princess and fighting one-handed with his Cloudwalker Staff, you still can't stop him!"
Who is Erik Yang, anyway?
To most, Erik Yang might be just a famous name, but in the Dragon Palace, it's not that simple.
Along the way, the two demons Monkey brought cursed and grumbled nonstop, while Tina Ao remained silent. Behind them, a full unit of the Dragon Palace Imperial Guard followed closely, and soon they arrived at the kelp forest where the Ocean Pillar Rod was hidden.
Arriving before the sky-piercing pillar he had dreamt of day and night, Monkey set down Tina Ao, who had long since stopped struggling. He gazed excitedly up at the Ocean Pillar Rod.
The Imperial Guard, arriving in force, quickly encircled the entire kelp forest but dared not come closer. They slowly opened a passageway, at the far end of which stood Gavin Ao.
He entered with the Turtle Chancellor, making his way through the corridor to stand directly before Monkey.