Although Blossom Mountain is nominally still in a state of war, the core team all understand that the tacit agreement with South Heaven Gate is enough to guarantee Blossom Mountain’s temporary safety. This pseudo-war status will persist for quite some time. During this period, the demons of Blossom Mountain cannot simply cease all production.
Otherwise, the hard-won time they’ve secured would become completely meaningless.
As dawn approached, following Monkey King’s orders, the four city gates opened as usual, and many demons, just as before, took their tools and headed out to work.
However, almost no one dared to use the South Gate where the Nine-Headed Wyrm was stationed.
For a great demon like the Nine-Headed Wyrm, not even Monkey King—let alone Heaven—would take him lightly. After the Nine-Headed Wyrm’s arrival, Monkey King had his strength assessed and distributed the report. Now, everyone in Blossom Mountain knows that there’s a demon at the South Gate whose power rivals Monkey King’s—and he’s not leaving.
Under these circumstances, any demon with a bit of sense would rather take a longer route than leave through the South Gate. As a result, the South Gate—which should have been bustling—is now open but deserted, with only the gate-guarding demon soldiers forced to stand there for work, each one trembling with fear.
Demon City at Blossom Mountain differs from human city-states in many ways. One major difference is the enormous flow of traffic through its gates.
This is mainly because, in human cities, those living inside and those working outside are entirely separate groups. Most outsiders enter the city just for the market. But in Demon City, it’s different.
On a normal morning or evening, the South Gate’s guards would be busy checking thousands of waist tokens, but today they’re idle and restless.
In fact, they’d rather be busy; if they were, maybe they could forget that a great demon is lurking nearby and not feel so unnerved.
Of course, there was one final option: simply kill the Nine-Headed Wyrm and be done with it.
But is the Nine-Headed Wyrm so easy to kill? Even if he led Blossom Mountain’s war champions and called on the South Heaven Gate, after a round of fighting it would be no problem to capture him, but the destruction caused…
Don’t forget what this guy’s true form is. If he transforms into his demon body, he could set all of Drake City ablaze in an instant.
If things really got that out of hand, it would definitely delay Blossom Mountain’s development and waste the hard-won precious time. If possible, Monkey would never choose this path.
Thinking this, Monkey couldn’t help but sigh.
He suddenly felt that the Nine-Headed Wyrm squatting at the gate was so much like himself back when he knelt at the entrance of Crescent Star Cave. Only now, he was the one standing in Master Sage Silverwood’s place.
“The barefooted don’t fear those wearing shoes.” He couldn’t help but laugh.
He hadn’t expected that the one inside the gate would be more conflicted than the one outside.
Back then, did Master Sage Silverwood also struggle as he faced me?
Reputation, status, and responsibility go hand in hand. Now, it seems they’re not all good things. The more you gain, the more you’re bound, and the more you lose.
That title “Great King” was truly earned.
To seek a place for demons to survive, to one day go to the underworld and revive Birdie by checking the Book of Life and Death, to fight against the mighty one who manipulates his fate from the shadows—he had struggled so hard to reach this point. But is this really what he wanted?
Maybe, when all is said and done, he’ll want to retire with Birdie.
If that day ever comes.
Turning his head, he saw Tina Ao standing not far away, secretly watching the Nine-Headed Wyrm through the fence.
Monkey raised his voice a little and called out, “Do you know him?”
Tina Ao was startled, quickly lifted her skirt and hurried over to Monkey, keeping her head low: “Shh! I haven’t decided whether to let him know I’m here!”
Monkey glanced at the Nine-Headed Wyrm outside the city, eyes closed, then at the nervous Tina Ao, and asked, “You really know him?”
“Met him once,” Tina Ao replied casually, then went back to carefully observing the Nine-Headed Wyrm through the fence.
Her serious look left Monkey a little surprised.
Just how many sides does Tina Ao have?
Back at the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, she seemed like a refined lady, skilled in strategy. Originally, he thought bringing her to Blossom Mountain would make her a military adviser, but once she arrived, she became uninhibited, teasing Monkey all day long.
Of course, it’s good she never crossed Monkey’s bottom line, or she’d have been locked up long ago. In that sense, she knows how to keep boundaries—she’s smart.
But what’s with this serious look? It’s been a long time since she looked so earnest.
Tina Ao quickly noticed Monkey watching her, turned her head, and casually asked, “What?”
Staring at Tina Ao, Monkey asked earnestly, “That guy looks like the type who goes around flirting with naïve girls. You… haven’t been flirted with by him, have you?”
Tina Ao glanced at Monkey, then rolled her eyes and said, “Do I look that easy to trick?”
Monkey grinned, “You’re not easy to trick, but you’re easy to tease.”
Tina Ao ignored him, her attention returning to the Nine-Headed Wyrm outside.
After a moment, she whispered, “Monkey, why do you think he’s here?”
Monkey replied quietly, “To beg for a Peach of Immortality—for his father-in-law, the Azurewave Dragon King.”
Tina Ao thought for a moment, then said, “If you give him the peach, will he leave?”
Monkey shook his head. “Who knows? Maybe he’ll stay, maybe he’ll go. That’s what troubles me.”
Tina Ao smiled faintly, “Then why not set some conditions for him?”
Monkey gazed at the Nine-Headed Wyrm, lost in thought, and didn’t answer.
Outside the gate, the Nine-Headed Wyrm remained motionless, sweat beading on his brow, still waiting for the king’s answer.