Gradually, the cave grew lively again as Monkey listened quietly to each of them voice their opinions.
Under the gaze of the assembled demons, he strode step by step toward the throne, turned, sat down, and quietly surveyed the room.
At this moment, perhaps still shaken by his earlier actions, the group of demons standing before him seemed uneasy.
Pressing his lips together, Monkey said slowly, "Let's begin. Since you called me here, I assume you have a lot to say? One at a time—speak your minds."
The demons glanced at each other. After a moment, Horace Coil stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Great King, since you've asked us to speak, shall I go first?"
"Go ahead," Monkey nodded.
"I've heard the Six Demon Kings want to form an alliance with us and provide urgently needed alchemy materials. I think this is a workable plan!"
"I think so too."
"Yes, yes, it's doable. We shouldn't cling to old grudges and let them cloud our judgment in matters like this."
After thinking for a moment, Shortbeak said, "Let me go first. Here's my view: the old blood feud between Blossom Mountain and the Serpent Lord is one we must settle sooner or later. If we don’t, how could we ever face the wronged souls of Dragonpool Cove? Once we’ve overcome the Heavenly Fleet and grown stronger, we should strike at the Six Demon Kings and exact vengeance—blood for blood!"
Gradually, the cave grew lively again as Monkey listened quietly to each of them express their opinions.
Some spoke with passion, some hesitated, some stumbled over their words, while others spoke fluently—but their meaning was strikingly unified: they all supported forming an alliance with the Six Demon Kings to weather the current crisis together.
Throughout, Anna Yang remained silent, occasionally glancing at Monkey.
After a long while, once everyone had spoken, Monkey stroked his chin and asked, "I've heard all your opinions. Now let me pose a hypothetical: suppose we join forces with the Six Demon Kings, defeat the Heavenly Fleet, and survive Blossom Mountain's greatest crisis—what then? How should we define our relationship with the Six Demon Kings after that? What are your thoughts? Speak up."
This question stunned the demons before him; they looked at each other, unsure what to say.
"Slaughtering the donkey after it’s done turning the mill is no act of a gentleman!" Louis Quickpaw stepped forward, cupped his hands to Monkey, and said, "Besides, even if we defeat the Heavenly Fleet, the Heavenly Court will still be there, and there’ll be plenty more hardships ahead. Who’s to say we won’t need the Six Demon Kings again? If we’re going to ally, let’s make it a real alliance—not just a marriage of convenience to be tossed aside when the work’s done."
Anna Yang, too, looked at Monkey in puzzlement.
No one spoke up first, so someone had to be singled out.
Turning his head, Monkey's gaze settled on Shortbeak.
After thinking for a moment, Shortbeak said, "Let me go first. Here's what I think: the old score between Blossom Mountain and the Serpent Lord is one we must settle sooner or later. If we don't, we can't face the wronged souls of Dragon's Pool. Once we've overcome the Heavenly Fleet and grown stronger, we should strike at the Six Demon Kings and demand blood for blood!"
Who could stomach that?
Yet those voices were already much fewer than before.
Monkey didn't speak, merely smiled faintly and sat up straighter, silently watching them.
Among them, Monkey noticed a group whose brows had begun to furrow.
"So you're saying we just forget the vengeance for White Ape, Bull King, and the tens of thousands of demon brothers who died?" Rhino demanded loudly.
"To betray allies once they've served their purpose is no act of a gentleman!" Louis Quickpaw stepped forward, cupped his hands to Monkey, and said, "Besides, even if we defeat the Heavenly Fleet, the Heavenly Court will still be there, and many more challenges will follow. We may well need the Six Demon Kings again. If we're going to form an alliance, it should be a full alliance, not just a temporary one."
Of those present, aside from Monkey and Anna Yang—who were in a class of their own—Louis Quickpaw was the only one with the authority to challenge Shortbeak.
Whether or not anyone cared about being 'gentlemanly' was beside the point—they were demons, after all. But his next point, that 'the Heavenly Court will still be there, and more challenges await,' hit home.
"Look ahead? Then tell me—what do you see? Sharing drinks and laughing with the very enemies who butchered our kin?" Isabel Su, who had been standing quietly beside Anna Yang, couldn't help but sigh bitterly.
Shortbeak's eyes went wide. And not just Shortbeak—many of the demons who had agreed with him earlier were just as surprised.
How could anyone tolerate that?
If Monkey had said this himself, they would have kept silent. They knew his character: even if he didn't attack the Six Demon Kings directly, he'd never stop setting traps for them. But coming from the bookish Louis Quickpaw...
That, they absolutely could not accept!
Shortbeak flew into a rage, but before he could speak, someone else jumped in.
"So you're saying we just forget the vengeance for White Ape, Bull King, and the tens of thousands of slain demons?" Rhino demanded loudly.
"This isn't just about revenge—everything comes down to choices," Louis Quickpaw replied, turning away from both Shortbeak and Rhino and addressing Monkey instead. "If we betray our allies, who would ever want to join us in the future? It might be even harder to form alliances than it is for the Six Demon Kings now. If we had any other choice, would we ever have considered an alliance with them?"
"Alliances with other powers?" Shadow snorted. "You're dreaming. The demons of North Julu and Western Ox have already been wiped out, the Six Demon Kings hold the South, and East Victory is our turf. Who else could possibly ally with us? Heaven itself?"
"Who can say what the future holds?" Horace Coil interjected, trying to calm things down. "We should look ahead, not back! If we're going to ally, it should be wholehearted. If we harbor doubts, how can we fight together when war comes? What kind of alliance would that be?"
"Look ahead? Then tell me, what do you see? Sharing drinks with our enemies?" Yisu, who had been standing quietly beside Anna Yang, couldn't help but sigh.
Instantly, the entire cave erupted into chaos.
Louis Quickpaw had always carried himself with a certain scholarly air. Now, being mocked for cowardice—especially by someone with far less status and learning—was more than he could bear.
So Louis Quickpaw switched from defense to attack, unleashing a torrent of sharp, roundabout barbs—acidic scholar’s language, full of subtle insults and twisted logic.
Normally, this wouldn’t matter—most demons couldn’t make heads or tails of his words. Unfortunately, Shortbeak’s camp included a handful of good students, ones who’d learned to read and write and even dabbled in literature.
Suddenly, the debate devolved into a shouting match—reason gave way to a war of words, and it looked like it would soon descend into a full-blown brawl, with everyone yelling like fishwives on the street.
Seeing the chaos, Anna Yang could only sigh helplessly. She glanced sideways at Monkey and asked quietly, "Aren’t you going to say something?"
"No need. It’s not time yet." Monkey’s lips curled in amusement as he watched the crowd with great interest. "Let them argue. It’s about time they hashed this out. Isabel, pour us a couple of cups of tea. Let’s sit back and enjoy the show."
"Mm." Isabel Su bowed slightly and turned to leave.
...
Outside the cave, Bai Su crept out from beneath the trees, careful and hesitant with every step.
"You?" The young white dragon, Aiden Ao, nearly jumped out of his skin before exhaling in relief. He lowered his folding fan—barely a weapon at all—and asked, "What are you doing out here so late?"
"Nothing, just taking a walk."
"Eh? Are you crying?"
"No! Of course not!" Bai Su hurriedly turned her face away.
Her long hair tumbled down, hiding her face.
"Not crying, huh? I can see it plain as day." Aiden Ao flicked open his fan, craned his neck, and tried to comfort her: "It’s nothing to cry about. Little girls cry all the time—it’s normal. My sister used to bawl her eyes out when she was young."
"I said I’m not!" Bai Su’s brows were already furrowed so tightly they could wring out water, but she didn’t dare lift her head, afraid Aiden would see her tear-streaked face.
"Alright, alright, fine—you’re not. So, who bullied you?"
Bai Su said nothing.
"Let me tell you, if anyone bullies you here on Blossom Mountain, you just go to that old dragon who brought you in—he’s got some clout around here, he’ll stand up for you."
Bai Su bit her lip, voice full of resentment: "Even if I did, it wouldn’t help."
"Wouldn’t help?" Aiden Ao was taken aback. "Who bullied you… don’t tell me it was Monkey? If so, there’s nothing you can do—he’s the boss around here."
Bai Su bit her lip and said nothing.
"Was it really him? How did he bully you?"
Bai Su still said nothing.
Seeing Bai Su’s head buried so low, Aiden Ao lowered his voice and asked softly, "Did he take liberties with you? If so, there’s actually a way to complain—just go to Anna Yang and tell her. I guarantee she’ll stand up for you."
Bai Su suddenly looked up, forgetting the tear marks on her face, and stomped hard on Aiden Ao’s boot.
"Ow—! What was that for?" Aiden Ao stared at Bai Su, wide-eyed.
Bai Su glared at him fiercely and snapped, "Quit running your mouth!"
Her sharp retort left Aiden Ao flustered and blinking in confusion.
The two of them just glared at each other, awkward and silent.
After a moment, Aiden Ao huffed angrily: "I was just trying to help, and you—you stomped on me! If you’ve got guts, go take it up with Monkey. What does his bullying you have to do with me?"
He raised his foot, as if to stomp back. But Bai Su didn’t flinch or dodge—she just stared at him, stubborn as ever.
They glared at each other for a long moment, but in the end, Aiden Ao’s foot never came down. "I’m done with you and your wild temper!" he said, turning away.
With that, he turned and hurried off toward the outskirts of Blossom Mountain, muttering, "Survival comes first."
The flight ban on Blossom Mountain was stricter than anywhere else—it meant that if you wanted to escape, you had to rely on your own two feet.
Bai Su suddenly looked up, forgetting the tear marks on her face, and stomped hard on Aiden Ao’s boot.
"Ow—! What was that for?" Aiden Ao stared at Bai Su, eyes wide.
Bai Su glared at him fiercely and snapped, "Quit running your mouth!"
Her sharp cry startled Aiden Ao, leaving him blinking in confusion.
The two of them just stared at each other, stunned.
After a moment, Aiden Ao huffed angrily: "I was just trying to help, and you—you stomped on me! If you’ve got guts, go take it up with Monkey. What does his bullying you have to do with me?"
He raised his foot, as if to stomp back. But Bai Su didn’t flinch or dodge—she just stared at him, stubborn as ever.
They glared at each other for a long moment, but in the end, Aiden Ao’s foot never came down. "I’m done with you and your wild temper!" he said, turning away.
With that, he turned and hurried off toward the outskirts of Blossom Mountain, muttering, "Survival comes first."
The flight ban on Blossom Mountain was stricter than anywhere else—it meant that if you wanted to escape, you had to rely on your own two feet.