Chen Tong laid the three staffs out in front of Sun Wukong.
The Golden Cudgel shimmered with colorful patterns and glowed with rosy light. It was clearly the finest treasure of the three.
The Silver Cudgel was a tier below, but it still radiated the rosy glow and precious aura of a high-grade treasure.
Chen Tong had racked his brains to figure out how to give the Golden Cudgel to Sun Wukong.
The difference was so obvious that even a fool should know which one to choose, right?
The monkey stared at Chen Tong, who looked neither human nor ghostly in the middle of the river. His furry face and thunderous, goggle-eyed look grew wary at once.
"You... what kind of demon are you, daring to put on a magic show in front of me, Old Sun?"
Chen Tong sized up the figure before him, Sun Wukong, who was dressed like a beggar.
He couldn't help wondering to himself: This yellow-haired monkey calls himself "Old Sun," and looks just like that. Could he really be the Great Sage Equal to Heaven who'll wreak havoc in the Celestial Palace all by himself in the future?!
"I'm no demon. I'm a good person!"
"Pah! You're obviously a river ghost who's turned into a demon. I'll beat you until your soul scatters!"
Without another word, Sun Wukong raised his fist and swung it at Chen Tong.
Damn it!
This Mischievous Monkey was so unreasonable!
Chen Tong frowned. The river water surged in front of him, forming a defensive barrier.
Boom!
The water exploded like a thunderclap.
Sun Wukong, on the other hand, staggered back a few steps, staring in shock at Chen Tong, who was completely unharmed.
He'd returned from his studies with the strength of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, yet that punch hadn't even broken through his opponent's defenses!
This river ghost was astonishingly powerful!
But he refused to accept it.
He'd graduated from the prehistoric realm's top academy, the "Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave." How could he fail to beat a mere river ghost?!
If word got out, wouldn't that bring shame on Patriarch Bodhi?
The monkey leaped backward, reached behind his neck, and plucked out a tuft of fur. He blew hard on it in his palm.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the monkey hairs filled the air. After landing, each one transformed into a Monkey Spirit, all charging fiercely at Chen Tong.
This was Sun Wukong's signature move—Body Outside Body!
But Chen Tong showed no fear. At a thought, the river water surged.
One after another, emerald water chains shot out like arrows, piercing the Monkey Spirits as they rushed toward him.
A few chains flew farther, pointing straight at Sun Wukong.
Sun Wukong turned to flee, but the water chains beat him to it, binding his hands and feet.
"Demon, let me go! If you've got the guts, come up here and fight me for three hundred rounds!"
"Shut up! I'm just returning something you lost. Don't get so cocky, you Mischievous Monkey!"
Chen Tong's expression darkened.
Sure, he was the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, but that didn't mean he could act like a brute and attack people without finding out what was going on!
Tathagata had taken advantage of Sun Wukong's fiery temper. With a small trick, he'd completely duped him, and in the end, the monkey had obediently set off on the journey to the West to fetch the scriptures...
Once Sun Wukong realized how powerful Chen Tong was, he naturally didn't dare underestimate him. He forced down his temper and said, "Fine... fine! Since you say you're returning my staff, then hand it over!"
"So, I'm asking you—which staff did you lose...?"
"An iron staff. I lost an iron staff!"
Sun Wukong pointed at the ordinary iron staff on the far right. It had no spiritual aura and didn't feel quite right in his hand, but it was definitely the one he'd just lost.
"You could've said so earlier."
Chen Tong was about to hand the iron staff to the monkey, but then he realized... wasn't his mission to give the Golden Cudgel to Sun Wukong?
Damn it! He'd almost gotten so angry that he forgot the most important part of the mission!
"Wait. Are you sure this useless iron staff is the one you dropped?"
Chen Tong asked.
But in his mind, he wondered: Could this monkey really be an idiot?
No way. No way! Were there still monkeys in this day and age who didn't like the Golden Cudgel?
"Yes, this is the iron staff I lost!"
The monkey nodded firmly.
"Is that so?! Then..."
Crack!
Chen Tong gripped both ends of the iron staff and smacked it hard against his thigh. Like snapping a sugarcane stalk, he broke it in two.
"You!!!"
Seeing Chen Tong break his weapon, Sun Wukong flew into a rage. "You bastard! Give me back my weapon!"
The water chains looked soft, but no matter how hard Sun Wukong struggled, he couldn't break free.
Chen Tong tossed the iron staff into the water with a casual flick. A smile appeared on his face as he continued:
"Young monkey~"
"Did you lose this Golden Cudgel..."
"Or this Silver Cudgel?"
Sun Wukong knew he was no match for the river ghost, so he stopped struggling and calmly inspected the Golden Cudgel and the Silver Cudgel.
Seeing Sun Wukong focus on the staffs in front of him, Chen Tong let out a deep sigh of relief.
Hopefully he wouldn't choose the wrong one this time!
A moment later.
Sun Wukong suddenly pointed at one of the staffs before him and said to Chen Tong, "I want this one!"
The golden staff looked like it was a higher grade, but if he wasn't mistaken, that was exactly the one the river ghost wanted him to choose, right?
He, Old Sun, wouldn't fall for it! What did the river ghost think of that?
"That's right... right? You've got to be kidding me!"
Chen Tong's expression changed.
He clearly saw that the monkey's paw was pointing at the Silver Cudgel.
Chen Tong was truly running out of patience now.
He grabbed the Silver Cudgel and flung it into the air. It shot up like a meteor and vanished without a trace.
Then Chen Tong spoke again.
"Young monkey~"
"Did you lose this Golden Cudgel..."
"Or this Golden Cudgel..."
"Or this Golden Cudgel?"
Sun Wukong was left speechless by Chen Tong's three questions in a row.
Damn it!
Why even ask? There was only one left!
"I... lost this Golden Cudgel..."
"Right you are! Here, take good care of it!"
Chen Tong cheerfully handed the Golden Cudgel to Sun Wukong. Once Sun Wukong took it, the water chains vanished on their own.
Sun Wukong twirled the staff a few times, then suddenly looked astonished.
Why did the Golden Cudgel feel so natural in his hands?
It was as if it had been made to be his weapon!
"How's that? This Golden Cudgel is much better than your iron staff, isn't it?"
"It can also change size and length according to your thoughts. It's a rare treasure in this world!"
Sun Wukong shrank the Golden Cudgel to the size of an embroidery needle and tucked it behind his ear. Then he cupped his hands and bowed to Chen Tong. "Wukong thanks you, senior, for bestowing this divine weapon!"
To casually give away such a treasure was proof enough that the person before him was extraordinary!
Sun Wukong feared nothing under heaven, but he valued righteousness. He naturally had to express his gratitude.
"There's no need to thank me. But, monkey, I have to warn you: you don't have much time left."
"I studied the Immortality Technique under my master at Mount Fangcun. How could I not have much time left? Senior, you..."
Sun Wukong lifted his head, but when he looked toward the surface of the river, it was completely empty. Chen Tong was nowhere to be seen.
"What kind of being was that guy, anyway?!"
The mountain forest was shrouded in mist.
A gray-furred monkey leaped nimbly through the trees.
Whoosh!
A black panther sprang out of a blind spot and lunged for the gray monkey's neck, jaws wide.
But the gray-furred monkey seemed to have eyes on the side of its head. It sank low, dodging the deadly ambush.
"Gek, gek, gek!"
The gray-furred monkey cackled, its six ears twitching.
Suddenly, its gaze was drawn to a huge boulder ahead, covered in moss.
A silver staff carved with dragons and phoenixes soaring among the clouds was stuck into the boulder...
Before you continue