Cuihou Peak

Although no one knew how the Si Mu Tiger Demon had ended up here, the Dugu Family had no choice but to stay on guard.

They also wanted to learn some specific details from Xu Chang and Lin Chan so they could prepare accordingly.

"Then I'll have to trouble Brother Dugu once more."

Xu Chang had been wondering how to repay Dugu Ye's favor.

When the time came, they could exchange information, and that would count as repaying this debt of gratitude.

"No trouble, no trouble. As it happens, I also have some questions for Brother Xu about Foundation Establishment."

Dugu Ye said with a smile.

After watching the two board the Floating Cloud Boat and drift away, Dugu Ye looked at his most beautiful niece.

"Do you feel wronged because I asked you to serve that young man from Shu Mountain?"

Dugu Ye said coldly, with none of the kindness he had shown Lin Chan and Xu Chang earlier.

"Uncle, I already did my best, but that young master only knew how to eat. He never even glanced at me, as though he were blind."

The beautiful young woman said aggrievedly.

"Who are you calling blind?"

Dugu Ye pinched the girl's cheek between two fingers and lifted her up, making her face ache fiercely.

"The family has given you so many resources, yet you still can't even reach mid-stage Qi Cultivation. I sent you to seduce a hot-blooded young fledgling, and you couldn't even manage that. Is it that you don't want to do it, or that you can't? Half the Inner Sect Disciples of Shu Mountain have a chance at Foundation Establishment. Even if he merely favored you for one night, your status would become completely different. Yet you still won't put your heart into it!"

Dugu Ye said coldly.

Looking into Dugu Ye's icy eyes, the terror chilling her heart overwhelmed even the pain on her face.

She did not know why Dugu Ye was so angry. Seducing disciples of great sects had never had a high chance of success. Was there any need for him to be this furious?

After venting his anger, Dugu Ye lowered his hand and said icily:

"Li Yuxiang came to me before and asked for your hand. I agreed. In a few days, you will marry him!"

"Uncle! I was wrong! Give me another chance! Please! Don't marry me off to that old man!"

The girl said in utter panic.

The man Dugu Ye spoke of was an Old Man who had faithfully served the Dugu Family for decades, diligent and conscientious, and whose first wife had only recently died.

Rather than marry such an old man, she would rather truly become a great sect disciple's plaything for one night.

The girl continued to beg bitterly.

But Dugu Ye did not even turn back to look at her again.

As the current head of the Dugu Family, Dugu Ye naturally had the right to decide his niece's marriage.

After another half day of travel, the Floating Cloud Boat brought the two within sight of lush, verdant mountains in the distance.

Before they even landed, they heard the cries of apes echoing through the mountains.

"Senior Brother, why not let A Li go scout out the situation first?"

Lin Chan asked.

"Your little cat has only cultivated for a few years. Is its intelligence sufficient? Don't let the monkeys on the mountain catch it and skin it."

Xu Chang said with a smile.

He had once seen monkeys skin a cat. He found the sight both bizarre and absurd.

"Senior Brother is right."

Lin Chan did not argue.

"You stay here and don't wander off. I'll catch a Green Monkey and question it thoroughly."

Xu Chang found a large tree and left Lin Chan there.

Lin Chan had no choice but to sit down obediently with Little Li.

Xu Chang was extremely fast. Following the cries of the apes, he soon caught a Green Monkey.

There was a tuft of green fur by the Green Monkey's ears. Caught by Xu Chang, it struggled without pause.

Only after Xu Chang released a little Foundation Establishment pressure did the little Green Monkey settle down.

Xu Chang swept it with his divine sense, found its cultivation too shallow, and released it before catching another.

The next one understood the language of Wu Country, so Xu Chang spoke to it in that language:

"Don't be nervous. I won't harm your life. I am a Shu Mountain disciple, and I wish to meet your Great King and offer him some gifts. Can you lead the way?"

"Shu... Shu Mountain? What Shu Mountain?"

The Green Monkey before him, with ten years of cultivation, spoke somewhat tremulously.

"It is a human cultivation force, a member of the Dao Alliance."

Xu Chang explained further.

"The Dao Alliance? We Green Monkeys only fish for the moon in the water. We haven't done anything bad, so don't capture us."

After saying that, the Green Monkey seemed a little guilty.

It usually liked stealing the clothes of mortals bathing in the stream, then watching them fail to find their clothes, their faces flushing as red as monkey buttocks.

If human cultivators were going to eliminate them over that, it would be far too unjust.

"Go back and call your elders here."

Xu Chang released the Green Monkey.

Who knew how long it would take if he kept catching them? It was better to let the Green Monkeys notify their own people.

Afterward, Xu Chang returned to Lin Chan, and the two waited there together.

After a while, an old monkey nearly two meters tall, with white brows and beard, swung over through the giant trees on vines.

Old Green Monkey had a hundred years of cultivation. Even the green fur by his ears had turned somewhat white. He had once been the master of Cuihou Peak.

After the Si Mu Tiger Demon occupied Cuihou Peak, it did not drive him away. Instead, it allowed him to remain there and live as before, so he willingly became the Si Mu Tiger Demon's subordinate.

"You two are disciples of Shu Mountain?"

Old Green Monkey sat cross-legged before them and asked.

Xu Chang glanced at Lin Chan, signaling that it was now his turn to take the stage.

"That is correct. We came this time to request an audience with the great demon Four Eyes."

Lin Chan said calmly.

True Person Xuan Chen had sent him because he knew the Si Mu Tiger Demon. Naturally, he could not show weakness.

"I heard Shu Mountain's Monster Locking Pagoda is renowned far and wide. Have you come to capture our Great King? Why would Shu Mountain send two wet-behind-the-ears brats like you?"

Old Green Monkey bared his teeth and let out a long howl.

Lin Chan's heart panicked for a moment, but he quickly calmed himself, closed his eyes, and silently recited several calming incantations he had read.

With the calming incantation and the effect of the [Heart Like a Mirror] talent, Lin Chan barely managed to steady himself.

This was the intimidation of a great demon with a century of cultivation.

Xu Chang, meanwhile, had already entered Foundation Establishment. He could contend with Old Green Monkey, and he coldly glared at him without yielding an inch.

Lin Chan steadied his uneasy heart, opened his eyes, and said:

"If Shu Mountain truly intended to capture you, would we have sent only the two of us? Go tell that Tiger Demon that the seeker of immortality who once eked out an existence in the Broken Temple wishes to visit an old friend."

Old Green Monkey turned his gaze toward Lin Chan, rose to his feet, and slowly approached him.

With one hand, Xu Chang formed a spell to use Sword Riding. In the other, he held a golden talisman, ready to rescue Lin Chan at any moment.

Lin Chan carried the Lesser Merit Record on him. Unafraid of Old Green Monkey's gaze, he looked calmly back at him.

"Wait here!"

Old Green Monkey stretched out a finger and pointed repeatedly at the two before turning and leaving.

Half an hour later, Old Green Monkey returned with a kindly expression and a face full of smiles.

"You two are honored guests who have come from afar for our Great King. Everything just now was a misunderstanding. Please follow me, and let this old fellow properly entertain you both."

Old Green Monkey then led them up the mountain, while a group of little Green Monkeys swung after them on vines, chattering noisily.

After bringing them beneath a huge tree hollow, Old Green Monkey called for the little Green Monkeys to bring over fruit.

"These are Spiritual Fruits from the mountain, crisp, sweet, and delicious. Please enjoy them."

Old Green Monkey pointed at the fruits on the stone table.

"We won't eat them."

After exchanging a glance, Lin Chan and Xu Chang shook their heads.

"That won't do. The Great King said we must entertain our two guests well. If you aren't used to the fruit, there is Spiritual Wine, as well as plump and tender Ground Honey Worms and nuts. I have also sent my monkey children and grandchildren to catch chickens and fish. You only need wait a little longer."

Old Green Monkey had brought out nearly every edible spiritual creature in the mountain to entertain them.

Seeing Old Green Monkey treat them with such courtesy, Lin Chan and Xu Chang knew that the Si Mu Tiger Demon still remembered its old friendship with Lin Chan. They were finally at ease. Their trip to Wu Country had gone remarkably smoothly.

However, Lin Chan still decided not to linger in the mountains, lest complications arise.

"Senior, there is no need for such courtesy. Please lead me to see Great King Four Eyes."

Lin Chan looked at Old Green Monkey and said.

"Sir, just call me Old Cui. Before you, I cannot be called a senior."

Old Green Monkey repeatedly waved his hands, deeply alarmed that Lin Chan had addressed him as a senior.

Afterward, regarding Lin Chan's wish to see the Si Mu Tiger Demon, Old Green Monkey hemmed and hawed.

"The Great King is currently in secluded cultivation and cannot conveniently meet you two. If you have anything to say, just tell Old Cui here. I will report it to the Great King afterward."