Anna Yang barged into the Monkey King's room, using her shoulder to push open the door. With a casual flick, she threw the two little demons straight onto the floor.
By now, the Monkey King was already awake, sitting cross-legged on his bed. His wrists were shackled with the mystical iron cuffs sent by Master Sage Subhuti. His eyes were bloodshot, muscles taut and trembling, and his slightly parted lips revealed two fangs, as if he might erupt at any moment.
He only glanced at the two little demons before fixing his fierce gaze on Anna Yang.
His eyes were filled with hostility.
"Kill them," Anna Yang said expressionlessly. "Blood will quickly ease your pain."
Upon hearing this, the two little demons immediately huddled together in terror.
The Monkey King continued to glare at her and, trembling, said, "You’re deliberately isolating me, aren’t you?"
Anna Yang didn’t answer, simply pointed at the two little demons and urged, "Kill them."
"Answer me—!" the Monkey King suddenly roared, his voice deafening.
Instantly, his muscles swelled even more, but the black shackles on his wrists glimmered faintly, suppressing his rage.
Taking a deep breath, Anna Yang avoided the Monkey King's gaze and said, "So what if I did? You chose the wrong master. Master Sage Subhuti has only ever schemed against you. From the moment you entered, he’s been calculating every step. Haven’t you noticed? If you’re isolated, even expelled, isn’t that for the best? I can take you to meet Jade Cauldron—you’ll become a legendary hero, just like my second brother, Erik Yang!"
"Don’t mention Erik Yang to me. He’s him, I’m me!" the Monkey King croaked with a raspy laugh. "Subhuti scheming against me? And what about you? Haven’t you schemed too?"
The Monkey King clenched his fist and slammed it onto the bed, splintering a wooden plank instantly.
Hearing the commotion, Belle rushed in from outside. The moment she saw Anna Yang, anger flashed across her face.
"You’re not welcome here!" she snapped.
Seeing their identical attitudes, Anna Yang turned away in anger and said, "I’m done arguing with you two! Fools!"
With that, she strode out, leaving only the Monkey King, Belle, and the two little demons in the room.
"Who are they...?"
Ignoring Belle’s question, the Monkey King simply stared at the two trembling demons—one big, one small.
Both had assumed human form, but not completely—likely due to their lack of cultivation.
Both wore tattered clothes, their hair wild and faces so dirty their features were hard to make out.
One was adult-sized, with two goat horns and a scruffy beard—clearly a goat spirit, resembling a beggar elder.
The other looked like a little beggar, but had two fox ears.
Though obviously different species, when huddled together they looked just like a grandfather and grandson.
Their appearance was even more wretched than the Monkey King before he joined the sect.
......
Outside the room, Anna Yang’s expression shifted slightly as she looked up at the nearby cliff.
With a cold snort, Anna Yang soared into the air and swiftly landed atop the cliff.
As soon as she stood firm, Anna Yang’s body trembled slightly, as if sensing something. She gazed blankly toward the pitch-dark forest in the distance.
A trace of loneliness flickered in her eyes.
Before she could recover, a figure silently appeared before her.
"Eugene?" Anna Yang turned to see who it was, then smiled softly. "What, here to settle the score from last time? I’m game if you are."
Eugene snorted, then pulled something from his sleeve and tossed it toward Anna Yang.
Anna Yang caught it and opened her palm to reveal a pill emitting a faint mist. It was still warm, as if freshly made.
"Give this to Uncle Sun later," Eugene said coolly.
Holding the round pill in her palm, Anna Yang examined it under the moonlight. "Did Master Sage Subhuti send this?" she asked.
Eugene didn’t reply, but his silence was answer enough.
"Oh, now he cares? Last time, when the injury was so bad, he didn’t even bother to check in. Some master he is."
Eugene said coldly, "Master asked me to deliver two messages."
"Speak," Anna Yang said, raising her elegant, willow-shaped brows.
"The first message is for Uncle Samson. Master said this pill has a calming effect, but it only temporarily suppresses the violent energy. He must cultivate with restraint and never let his rage spiral out of control again."
"Tch." Anna Yang sneered. "Just restraint? In the end, rage needs to be released to be cleared away. What else?"
"The other message is for you. Master said: This is Spiritridge Mountain, Crescent Moon Three-Hearts Cave, not Feather Spring Mountain, Golden Mist Cave. Everything here must be kept in balance—if you go too far, there’ll be trouble."
Anna Yang was stunned at first, then gradually laughed. "Is that a threat? He won’t teach his own disciple, but won’t let anyone else teach him either?"
With that, she tossed the pill in her hand, occasionally glancing at Eugene with playful interest.
"How dare you speak that way!" Eugene snapped, his hand gripping his sword hilt.
Anna Yang ignored Eugene completely, tucked the pill into her sleeve, and crossed her arms with a smile. "I’m not afraid of the Jade Emperor—why should I fear Subhuti? What do you think the third daughter of the Yang family is? I despise schemers who hide in the shadows. If the Monkey King wants to break through and asks me for help with medicine, it’s all voluntary. Who cares about boundaries?"
Her charming eyes were full of challenge, as if daring Eugene to fight her.
Suppressing his anger, Eugene said coldly, "You’d better watch yourself. If you really anger Master, not even your brother, the newly appointed Erlang True Lord, can protect you!"
With that, he turned and leapt away.
Watching Eugene’s departing figure, Anna Yang muttered to herself, "A fight would’ve been nice—maybe even forced Subhuti to step in. Eugene really can hold back. He is Subhuti’s most trusted second-generation disciple, after all. Heh, I wanted a fight to vent a little. Wait, whose disciple is he again?"
(This chapter is not finished yet~.~ Please click next page to continue reading!)
After glancing once more at the pitch-dark forest, Anna Yang leapt off the cliff and returned to the wooden hut. She pushed open the door, placed the pill from Subhuti on the table, and said to the Monkey King, "Take it. Your master sent this, said it’ll suppress things for now." Without waiting for a reply, she turned to leave, but then paused, scanning the room before frowning and asking, "Where are those two little demons?"
"I let them go," the Monkey King replied without even lifting his eyelids.
"You let them go!" Anna Yang’s voice shot up eight octaves as she turned to rush outside.
"Don’t bother chasing them. If I could let them go, I wouldn’t let you catch them again."
"You!" Anna Yang spun around, glaring at the Monkey King, momentarily speechless. After biting her lip for a while, she finally pointed at him and shouted, "Do you know how far I chased those two demons? Spiritridge Mountain is filled with immortal energy, and Subhuti’s Daoist temple is set here, with countless formations both hidden and visible. It’s not a place demons can just approach!"
"That’s your problem. I don’t recall asking you to catch demons for me." The Monkey King glared right back.
Anna Yang stomped her foot in anger. "Are you crazy? Just two little demons! You never show mercy to your fellow disciples, but now you’re feeling sorry for them? You actually let them go? Cultivators are supposed to kill demons to purge rage—what do you want to kill, then? People? Immortals?"
With that, she swept the teapot and cups off the table, sending them crashing to the floor.
The Monkey King remained unmoved, staring straight ahead and ignoring her. "Did you forget? I’m a demon too."
......
On the rugged mountain path, Belle carried a lantern and led the two trembling little demons, walking slowly until they stopped in front of a cave.
"Hide here for tonight. Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you down the mountain," Belle said to the two little demons.
The goat spirit immediately dropped to his knees with a thud, then tugged at the dazed fox spirit, and together they knelt before Belle.
"What are you doing?" Belle blinked in surprise.
The goat spirit sobbed and pleaded, "Please, Immortal, take us in! If we go down the mountain, there are patrol generals above and demon kings below—we’re doomed either way. Please, great Immortal, let us stay!"
"I... This... How could I?" Belle stammered in panic. "I’m just a Daoist disciple. To take in outsiders on my own... I..."
The goat spirit looked up and said, "You only need to inform your fellow disciples who patrol the mountain. We’ll settle at the foot, just seeking shelter—we’ll never cause trouble! In this life—no, in this very moment—I’ll do anything for you, Immortal. Please, grant us mercy!"
After much hesitation, seeing the two demons sobbing, Belle finally agreed.
Most of the time, Belle had one flaw—her heart was too kind.
She couldn’t just watch them die, could she?
She’d heard stories about demons before, but she simply couldn’t bring herself to drive them away and watch them perish.
But agreeing was easy—the real headache would come later.
How was she supposed to explain this to her senior brothers and uncles?
Belle couldn’t help but frown, pouting as she wandered dazedly along the long stone steps.
Just as her thoughts grew muddled, a purple figure descended from the sky.
"Little Belle, you’ve gotten me into trouble! Didn’t we agree I’d only take that Kuoling Pill in absolute emergencies? Now Elder Gale is coming to settle the score with me!"