From afar, they saw Nathan Young streaking toward the demon city. The demon soldiers standing atop the ramparts tensed their bowstrings, and even the giant crossbows on the warships drew back, ready to fire.
Shortbeak, already returned to Monkey's side, asked in a low voice, "Should we attack?"
"Wait a moment," Monkey replied casually.
Anna Yang, standing on his other side, watched Nathan anxiously.
Riding atop the Wind-Fire Wheels, Nathan blazed across the sky like a fireball, circling Blossom Mountain's demon city at high speed. Through the towering ramparts, he glimpsed the dense, orderly formations inside and was taken aback.
Just in this short time, what on earth had happened to Blossom Mountain? Or had he simply misjudged it last time he came?
He’d been lazy in recent years, but had still fought plenty of demon forces—never had he seen an army so well-equipped and disciplined as this.
Vaguely, he began to suspect that Erik's words back then carried a hidden meaning. Maybe Blossom Mountain wasn't as simple as he'd imagined.
Hovering a li above the city gate, Nathan dispersed the flames around him, brandished the Flame Spear, and shouted toward the demon city: "The illustrious Third Prince of Heaven, General Nathan Young, is here! Demon Monkey, come out and meet your death!"
Monkey was about to charge out when Anna grabbed his arm.
"Don't hurt him," Anna pleaded, blinking at Monkey.
Gently pulling Anna's hand away, Monkey replied calmly, "Whether he's hurt or not, that's hard to say. But I promise I won't take his life."
After a brief hesitation, Anna bit her lip and nodded firmly.
Monkey turned and leapt from the demon city in a flash of golden light, hovering a hundred zhang away, facing Nathan.
As soon as he appeared, boos erupted from the South Heaven Gate fleet.
"Is this the Handsome Monkey King?"
Several demon kings hiding in the distance squinted and studied Monkey closely.
In terms of appearance, Monkey was quite ordinary: medium build, dark-gold fur, wearing a set of black armor—finely made, but nothing more than mortal gear. He looked very different from the Handsome Monkey King they had imagined.
What surprised everyone most was that he entered the field empty-handed.
According to King Roc's previous investigation, Blossom Mountain should have its own magical artifacts and elixir sources. Yet as king, he went out to fight without a single artifact—wasn't that a bit...
When he got a clear look at Monkey's face, Lord Jiao let out a startled cry.
"What's the matter?" King Bullhorn asked.
"He... he looks a lot like a demon I used to know."
Suddenly, Lord Jiao remembered the monkey he had loathed at Dragon's Pool.
"Oh? You knew him before?"
Lord Jiao stroked his whiskers, then shook his head after a moment: 'Probably not. Maybe it's just a resemblance. There are plenty of similar-looking demons in the world.'
Even as he spoke, his brow furrowed, full of doubt.
King Roc turned and asked, 'How many rounds do you think he can last against Nathan?'
He came out empty-handed, so maybe he has some powerful artifact hidden. But ten moves, at most. If Nathan goes all out, he won't be able to withstand it. If Nathan kills him, we can take over Blossom Mountain. With our strength, plus Blossom Mountain's, we might not defeat General Lee's army, but at least we could hold them off.
He knows it's Nathan, yet doesn't avoid the fight. As a demon king, isn't that a bit reckless?
Most of the demon kings present agreed with these remarks.
Among these demon kings, only the Nine-Headed Wyrm, King Bullhorn, and King Roc had strength above Nathan; King Macaque and King Liontusk might fight him to a draw. If it was a sneak attack, King Gloomape might have an edge, but Lord Jiao couldn't win against him no matter what.
And that's not even considering Nathan's strange artifacts. With those, even those stronger than him might only fight to a draw, and those equal to him would have to flee.
As for those weaker than him, they might not even be able to escape.
If even these famed demon kings are so constrained, what chance does the newly-risen Handsome Monkey King have?
At the city gate, Nathan took a deep breath, straightened his Flame Spear, and pointed at Monkey: 'Where's your weapon? Don't tell me you're here to surrender. For the record, I don't hold back.'
Monkey looked at him expressionlessly, reached up and picked his ear, and pulled out a thin needle.
Without a word, the thin needle quickly enlarged, transforming into a long staff in his hand.
Huh? He changed weapons?
"Let's not waste time—let's both go all out from the start," Monkey suggested.
Nathan was briefly taken aback, then laughed: 'You said it yourself, so don't blame me for not showing mercy.'
With that, Nathan gripped his Flame Spear in front of him, and his whole body was quickly engulfed in searing flames.
"It's the Three Heads and Six Arms!"
"The Third Prince is going all out!"
The South Heaven Gate fleet erupted in cheers.
General Lee, who had unconsciously stepped to the front of the viewing pavilion, silently stroked his long beard, his expression grave.
King Guardian, standing beside him, lowered his voice: 'General, I feel the Third Prince is acting strangely today. He seems to know this demon monkey already.'
'Mm.' General Lee responded blandly, saying no more, but his hand involuntarily tightened around the base of his pagoda.
Compared to the excitement of the South Heaven Gate fleet, Blossom Mountain's side was much more composed.
Most people knew Nathan had visited Blossom Mountain and fought Monkey with his three-heads-six-arms form. The only thing missing was the result of the battle.
In an instant, the flames around Nathan faded, revealing three heads and six arms, and a dazzling array of magical artifacts: Flame Spear, Universe Ring, Heaven-Swaddling Ribbon, Wind-Fire Wheels, Demon-Slaying Sword, Demon-Cutting Blade, Demon-Binding Rope, Demon-Subduing Staff, and a decorative ball... all were on display.
All six eyes stared at Monkey: 'Your turn!'
"No need," Monkey said, spinning his staff and settling into an attack stance.
"No need?" Nathan sneered, shouting, "Arrogant!"
With that shout, he flew straight at Monkey.
Monkey calmly gripped his staff, clenched his teeth, and swung it with all his might!
The end of the Golden-Hooped Staff suddenly grew longer and larger, and with a swing, it struck Nathan's arm.
It happened so suddenly that Nathan had to block with one of his magical artifacts.
With a deafening crash and sparks flying, Nathan was sent flying in front of everyone!
He flew for three miles before finally stopping, all six hands gripping his artifact trembling and numb.
Looking up, he saw Monkey's Golden-Hooped Staff had returned to its original form, and Monkey was smiling at him.
Earlier, he couldn't use his full strength without a proper weapon. But now—being struck by Monkey's Golden-Hooped Staff at full force was a whole different pain.
With that blow, the previously jubilant South Heaven Gate fleet fell silent, while cries of astonishment rang out from the demon city.
The six demon kings in the forest, along with the Nine-Headed Wyrm, all stared wide-eyed in shock, mouths agape.
"What... what did he just do?"
"What's going on? Nathan went all out and was sent flying? What level is Monkey—Golden Immortal?"
Nine-Headed Wyrm suddenly chuckled: 'So that's it. No wonder you wanted me involved. With this kind of strength, if we fought one-on-one, who knows who'd win.'
At this, General Lee's face turned grim. He quietly instructed King Guardian: 'Go investigate what kind of artifact that staff is.'
"Yes, sir."
Nathan, still in his three-heads-six-arms form, slowly approached Monkey, stopping only when they were a hundred zhang apart.
"What weapon is that?"
No need to ask." Monkey slung the Golden-Hooped Staff over his shoulder, grinning: "I won't make things difficult for you. Go back and report to your father that you lost. Let's end it here. What do you think?
Don't be so arrogant, demon monkey!
Suit yourself. I've said what I needed to say. If anything happens next, don't blame me." With that, Monkey took up his stance again.
With a shout, Nathan unleashed his decorative ball, Heaven-Swaddling Ribbon, Demon-Binding Rope, Universe Ring, wielded his Flame Spear, Demon-Cutting Blade, Demon-Slaying Sword, Demon-Subduing Staff, and rode his Wind-Fire Wheels, charging at Monkey in a dazzling display that lit up the sky.
Yet another incredible scene unfolded.
Monkey spun his staff in midair, stretching and shrinking it at will. With each flourish, it struck out like the tentacles of a giant octopus, knocking away Nathan's swiftly approaching artifacts.
Next, he swung the Golden-Hooped Staff at Nathan again.
Nathan was startled and quickly dodged.
But Monkey's staff shrank and then extended from behind, with a flying spin, landing squarely on Nathan and smashing him to the ground.
All the demon kings and the South Heaven Gate fleet were stunned. Cheers erupted in the demon city, while Anna Yang covered her mouth in shock, eyes wide, only relaxing when she saw Nathan slowly stand up through the dust.
He was a lotus-root person, so there was no blood, but his battered armor and scraped shoulder showed he'd been lightly injured.
Leaning on his Flame Spear, Nathan slowly stood up from the crater, gazing up at Monkey, who was smiling with his staff.
Gritting his teeth, he charged again with his artifacts, shouting, 'Demon monkey, prepare to die!'
Seeing this, Monkey could only shake his head and spin his staff once more.
In an instant, Monkey sent Nathan flying again, this time crashing into the woods and burning a charred scar through the dense forest.
He kept attacking, but was knocked away each time.
From afar, it looked like a moth repeatedly flying into a lit lantern, only to bounce off the glass again and again, helpless.
At this point, Nathan was thoroughly suppressed.
He and Monkey had always had a huge power gap, evident from their first fight. Back then, Monkey lacked a suitable weapon, so even with strength, he couldn't go all out.
Now, not only was his strength fully unleashed, but his staff technique was also on display.
With a staff that could change length, Monkey's technique had no 'life' gate, only 'death.' The only way to deal with it was to block, but the power gap meant Nathan couldn't do so.
As for Nathan's array of magical artifacts, none could get close to Monkey with his rapidly extending and shrinking staff.
How did he get such a high-level weapon in so little time? Did Anna help him? Nathan wondered as he fought.
After a long while, General Lee finally couldn't bear to watch. He quietly told the messenger: 'Tell him to come back.'
With that, he leapt toward Monkey.
With that, he leapt toward Monkey's direction.