Above the Sixth Heaven, the main battle forces of the Heavenly Court were already gathering.
The South Heaven Gate armies that had left Blossom Mountain had already begun their return journey.
Even the final contingent of reinforcements for the Heavenly Fleet, laden with supplies and led by General Tianqin from Cloudrealm Sky Harbor, was now within striking distance of Blossom Mountain.
The entire Heavenly Court was bearing down upon this place.
If he closed his eyes, he could almost hear the thunderous, earth-shaking march of their footsteps.
Yet Blossom Mountain itself remained unchanged—no outside help, old wounds lingering, new injuries mounting, and devastation everywhere.
From a distance, gazing at the Heavenly Fleet entrenched in a hemispherical outward-facing Heavenly Net formation beneath the setting sun, Monkey suddenly felt—the tide had truly turned against him.
At this moment, he could not imagine any possible way to win.
"If... I mean, if... If one day this world could find a place for demons, help me see that beautiful world."
"That wish... is truly hard to realize." Thinking this, Monkey gave a helpless, bitter smile.
Suddenly, he remembered that moment at Dragon’s Pool, gripping the Cloudwalker Staff as he charged through the demon horde to face General Skyler head-on. The situation back then—wasn’t it much like this?
Turning to glance at the drifting clouds on the horizon, Monkey sighed lightly. “You don’t have to risk yourself for me. You still have Rina, and the Azurewave Dragon King…"
“I’ve already sent them away.” Nine-Headed Wyrm stroked his chin and said, “Do I look like the kind of guy who’d run off alone when trouble hits?”
Monkey gazed quietly at Nine-Headed Wyrm.
“Since I boarded your pirate ship, I really haven’t had much choice.” Nine-Headed Wyrm bared his teeth. “You know what my father-in-law is like. If I bailed on Blossom Mountain now, he’d never look me in the eye again. You tell me, is my life easy?”
He said this, then lazily cast a glance at Monkey.
The two exchanged glances and laughed together.
Monkey reached out and patted Nine-Headed Wyrm on the shoulder, letting out a long sigh. “Those two Peaches of Immortality were worth it.”
“Definitely worth it. I just don’t get how you’re so sharp when you’re tricking me, but when it comes to this stuff… you always end up doing losing trades.”
“Aren’t you the same?”
Nine-Headed Wyrm paused, then quickly caught on and sighed, “Yeah, I sold myself for two Peaches of Immortality—lost everything but my underwear. Actually, I’ve always wanted to ask: are you hiding some secret trump card? I keep feeling like you are.”
“I do, but it’s pretty risky.”
“How risky?”
“About as risky as praying for safety at some random roadside shrine.”
“That’s risky, all right. Hahaha!”
As they were talking, Anna Yang and Shortbeak landed behind them.
“Everything’s ready,” Anna Yang said.
“Good.” Monkey clapped Shortbeak and Nine-Headed Wyrm on the shoulder. “I’ll leave things here to you two.”
“Don’t worry.”
Turning away, Monkey disappeared into the darkness of his cave-manor.
Once Monkey vanished, Anna Yang’s form shimmered, transforming into Monkey’s likeness. She leaped onto a nearby warship in a single bound.
In the sky, the demon army was massing. On the decks, demon soldiers roared in unison with the pounding of the Thunder Drums, their shouts shaking the heavens and earth.
Lowering his head, Marshal Silver saw the demon horde surging up the mountainsides like a tide, slowly pressing toward him.
Everything before his eyes was utterly different from the start of this campaign.
Those warships were now battered and on the verge of collapse, and the once-fierce demon warriors were covered in wounds and exhaustion. They barely held themselves together, putting on a show of ferocity by sheer willpower.
“Looks like they’ve already gotten word and are making a desperate last stand. The High Sky Throne Hall’s decision was only just made, yet their response is so swift… That means whoever leaked the news to them must be someone who can stand in the Throne Hall itself. Who could it be?” Thinking this, Marshal Silver smiled wryly. “Pity—I probably won’t live to find out.”
“Rest assured, Marshal—we’ll hunt that person down no matter what!” General Trent declared, face impassive.
Lifting his head, Marshal Silver gazed across more than ten li, locking eyes with Monkey, who sat on the throne at the prow of the demon flagship.
The Heavenly Fleet’s positions were now completely surrounded. Could they really break through this outward-facing Heavenly Net?