Chapter Twenty: The Monkey Demon

Thunder rumbled...

Just as Li Yang was secretly pleased, the coffin on the ground suddenly began to tremble violently and slid some distance down the slope before shooting into a cave on the hillside with a swish.

"What a beast, truly cunning..."

He had thought that with the oppressive noon sun, even the most powerful corpse king would have no tricks left, yet he hadn't expected that after long years of cultivation, it had gained a measure of intelligence, knowing how to seek fortune and avoid disaster.

"There have always been legends of a corpse king on this mountain, and it must refer to this creature," Chen Yulou said gravely as he watched the coffin vanish into the cave.

"Blast it, this mountain really is cursed. First, a six-winged centipede, now a corpse king from Xiangxi—how am I supposed to deal with all this?" Old Luo slapped his thigh, his face full of worry.

"This zombie was once a general of the Yuan dynasty, a killer in life and a terror in death. With the passage of centuries, it has become a true monster, far more formidable than ordinary zombies and extremely difficult to deal with," Li Yang said, looking into the bottomless cave. "We don't know what's down there. Too many people would only make things worse. I'll go down alone to investigate—wait here for my signal."

"Be careful, Daoist Li," Partridge Whistle said with concern. "Zombies are formed from the most toxic energies of heaven and earth, their bodies as hard as steel, and they exude deadly poison. If you cannot subdue this one, don't risk your life in vain."

"Don't worry, everyone. With the six-winged golden centipede protecting me, even if I can't capture it, I can retreat unscathed." Li Yang smiled nonchalantly, looking relaxed and confident.

The cave entrance was small, and not as deep as one might have imagined.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Li Yang had barely entered and the world darkened before him, when the coffin on the ground suddenly burst open.

A deafening roar erupted as a dried corpse, clad in Yuan dynasty armor, sprang from the coffin and lunged at Li Yang.

The fierce sun had already drained much of the creature's corpse energy, and the corpse king's hatred for Li Yang was intense. The moment it sensed his presence, it couldn't wait to tear him limb from limb.

Li Yang felt the rush of foul wind as the corpse king attacked. Though he could not see clearly, his sharp instincts took over; he rolled aside, dodging the assault, and released the golden toad and six-winged golden centipede.

Clang! Clang!

Hiss! Hiss!

The six-winged golden centipede spun in the air, its body swelling, and collided headlong with the attacking corpse king. With a sound like clashing metal, the centipede roared, and the two monsters rolled together in a furious tangle.

Both were possessed of steel-hard bodies and immense strength. Their violent struggle filled the cave with thunderous crashes and billowing dust.

After a while, Li Yang's eyes adjusted to the gloom. He saw that the six-winged golden centipede, using its size to its advantage, was gradually overpowering the corpse king. At once, Li Yang communicated with the centipede through his mind, instructing it to bind the creature tightly.

Hiss!

Beside him, the golden toad was gulping air, its rope-like tongue shooting out to wrap around the corpse king. Seizing the moment, Li Yang chanted a shamanic incantation, his blood surging.

A hazy red glow enveloped the golden toad. In his mind's eye, the pictograms for "ward off evil" flickered in and out of view, and the toad's tongue began to emit a gold-red light of exorcism.

With a howl, the toad's tongue, like a heated brand, pressed deep into the corpse king's flesh. The monster screamed in agony, white, foul-smelling smoke billowing from its body.

Sensing its peril, the corpse king struggled desperately, corpse energy seething around it, reeking of corrosion. The exorcising glow on the toad's tongue began to fade.

Just as the golden toad was about to falter, the six-winged centipede lunged again. Its massive mandibles pierced the corpse king's abdomen.

In an instant, the creature's belly was run through, and with a flick, the centipede knocked loose a hazy gray corpse pearl the size of a pigeon egg.

As the pearl left its body, the corpse king suddenly went limp and collapsed.

Li Yang picked up the pearl and, after confirming that the corpse king was truly dead, leaped atop the six-winged centipede and shot out of the cave.

"How did it go, Brother Li? Are you hurt? Is the corpse king dealt with?"

As soon as Li Yang emerged, the others crowded around, bombarding him with questions.

"I did not fail you. The fiend is dead, and you may enter the cave to collect the treasures. However, be warned: the corpse king's body is extremely poisonous. Be careful not to approach it rashly." Li Yang smiled lightly at their eager faces.

"I knew you could do it, Brother Li! You never let me down!" Old Luo cheered, his face lighting up. "All right, men, it's our turn! Be careful—anyone who breaks anything will answer to me!"

Just as the group was about to enter the cave, a sudden cacophony of shrill cries erupted from the dense forest on either side.

A troop of monkeys had silently surrounded them, leaving the soldiers frozen in place.

"Blast it! A bunch of beasts—what's there to be afraid of? Open fire and drive them off!" Furious that his men were cowed by monkeys, Old Luo barked his orders.

Gunshots rang out, and the monkeys scattered, vanishing into the woods.

"Useless cowards! Get down there, now!" Old Luo cursed, kicking one of his subordinates.

"Enough, Marshal Luo. There have been too many mishaps lately, and the men are exhausted. Some jumpiness is to be expected. Don't be too harsh," Chen Yulou said, pulling Old Luo aside.

"Marshal Luo, Chief, you stay here to gather the treasures. Those monkeys appeared too suddenly—I’ll go see what’s going on and be back shortly," Li Yang said, mounting the six-winged golden centipede and speeding off in the direction the monkeys had fled.

"A bunch of monkeys—what’s he so interested in? I’ll never understand Brother Li..." Old Luo muttered, shaking his head as Li Yang disappeared.

"Brother Li is a true cultivator—he has his own ways. You and I, Marshal, cannot understand," Chen Yulou replied, then led his men into the cave.

The six-winged golden centipede moved with blinding speed, leaving streaks in the air as it quickly overtook the fleeing monkeys in the forest.

Standing atop the centipede, Li Yang was shrouded in a thin veil of blood-red energy, shielding himself from the fierce winds. He focused his gaze on the monkey troop.

At the head of the troop was an old ape, nearly two meters tall, with white fur and a black face.

When Li Yang looked at him, the old ape sensed it at once. He turned, baring his teeth menacingly, a spark of intelligence glinting in his eyes, clearly no ordinary beast.

"Go!"

At Li Yang’s command, the golden centipede surged forward toward the monkey troop.

Sensing his approach, the monkeys began to howl threateningly. The old ape leaped forward, baring its fangs and pounding its chest in a display of intimidation.