A Horde of Two-Silver Monkeys

Two consecutive cries of apes echoed across the mountains and rivers.

So the clear, sweet ape cries they had heard earlier had actually come from these fierce, loathsome creatures?

Lin Jue had no time to think about it. The largest, strongest ape was already charging toward him, and the apes behind it hurriedly dropped their book bags and followed.

What were these things trying to do?

Lin Jue's eyes widened, but he had no intention of backing down. He gripped his dagger tightly and drew a deep breath.

"Hiss..."

Though it was midsummer, the scorching air turned cool as it entered his mouth. Once it reached his belly, it stirred the Fire Qi hidden within him, and instantly grew blazing hot.

His cheeks puffed out, and he blew a breath.

"Whoosh..."

A ball of flame burst forth, spraying ahead!

"Ah!"

The apes shrieked in alarm, their cries piercingly sharp.

At the same time, the apes all stopped in their tracks and retreated a little, watching Lin Jue warily.

For the moment, the two sides faced off, sizing each other up.

Lin Jue knew these apes were no ordinary apes. They were nearly as tall as he was, and it stood to reason that they were likely stronger than ordinary people, too.

For now, all he could do was use fire to drive them back and hope they feared flames like ordinary wild beasts.

It seemed he had been right.

The apes indeed dared not approach again.

A few even chose to retreat and continue rummaging through the things in Lin Jue's book bag.

But Lin Jue soon realized that although these apes feared fire, they were very clever—

They knew how to throw rocks at people!

"Crack..."

Fortunately, the two sides were still some distance apart. With his full attention and nimble movements, Lin Jue was able to dodge by retreating and wasn't hit.

Only after he had been forced back quite a way, leaving the book bag at a distance, did the apes stop driving him away. Even then, every one of them kept its eyes on him.

Lin Jue gritted his teeth in anger, but for the moment, he couldn't think of a solution. All he could do was watch the apes eat his provisions, rummage through his book bag, and eye him menacingly as they faced off against him.

His grip tightened again and again around the little knife in his hand.

Just then, he heard the sound of hoofbeats behind him.

The apes ahead raised their heads, gazing past Lin Jue toward his back.

"Clip-clop, clip-clop..."

The hoofbeats drew closer at speed.

Lin Jue was wondering whether he should turn around and take a look—and whether the apes might suddenly attack if he did—when he heard a faint whistle of something cutting through the air.

"Whoosh!"

Then came a muffled thud.

An ape ahead was struck by an arrow and fell backward.

The whole troop of apes was thrown into chaos.

"Whoosh!"

Another arrow flew, but missed.

At the same time, the hoofbeats reached Lin Jue's back and came to an abrupt stop.

Lin Jue no longer worried that the apes might take advantage of his turning to attack him. He quickly looked back and saw a man in plain clothes, who looked quite young. He rode a tall horse with a cloth-wrapped spear hanging from its side, a long saber at his waist, and a bow and arrow in his hands.

One man looked up; the other looked down.

"What a bold scholar! You dare travel this road alone, and even face off against these strange monkeys!"

"What kind of monkeys are these? How did they get so big?"

"You don't know?"

"I don't..."

"No wonder you're so bold!" the man said. "Didn't you see everyone else stop in the village behind us to form a group? People only travel this road in numbers."

"I didn't see anyone..."

"You really don't know!"

The man on horseback looked surprised. Then he explained, "These strange monkeys used to live in the mountains. Starting last year, they began coming near the road, running wild and committing every kind of evil. When they come across a man traveling alone, they bite and beat him before stealing his food and livestock. If there are women in a group, they carry them off to torment and abuse them. Only skilled martial artists and men traveling together dare to pass through here."

As he spoke, the strange monkeys gathered together like people. They not only examined the injured ape but also seemed furious, roaring nonstop.

Still, they were clever enough not to approach again. Instead, they kept looking past the two men.

Every so often, they roared as if communicating with each other.

Lin Jue couldn't help turning to look again.

A group of people was approaching from behind, about twenty or thirty men. They led mules, horses, and donkeys, and most appeared to be merchants and travelers.

The strange monkeys were wary of them.

"You're lucky today—you happened to run into me," the man on horseback said. "When the people behind us arrive, go with them."

"They? What about you?"

"Me? Hahaha!"

The man burst into hearty laughter, with a touch of the roguish spirit of the martial world. "The county magistrate of Danxun County has put out a bounty for these strange monkeys' heads: two silver coins apiece. I've been traveling a while, and I'm running a little short on money... These monkeys are fierce, hold grudges, and are bent on revenge, but they're also sly and cautious. With so many of you, they'll only run away. Once you've gone, they'll bring their heads right to me."

"You're going alone?"

Lin Jue stared at him, momentarily stunned.

These strange monkeys, as tall as people, weren't something one person could handle easily, even with a bow, arrows, and weapons. But when Lin Jue had been in Shu Village, he had often listened to the village elders tell stories in the bridge pavilion—not only tales of the supernatural, but also of the chivalrous heroes of the martial world. There were often martial artists of extraordinary skill, brimming with courage and vitality, who could even cleave ghosts and gods with a saber and slay demons with a sword.

Could this man be one of them?

"Go pick up your belongings!"

The man didn't answer. He simply urged his horse forward.

By now, the twenty-odd merchants and travelers had arrived. Some among them carried knives or staves. They were all somewhat afraid when they saw the strange monkeys, and talked among themselves as they followed the man's horse.

They had strength in numbers. Even without meaning to, they cut an imposing figure.

So the group advanced, and the monkeys retreated, until they left the road and watched from the trees in the distance.

Lin Jue hurried over to his book bag.

He quickly gathered his belongings and checked for damage.

Nearby, he heard the merchants and travelers talking.

"Hero, these strange monkeys won't be easy to deal with alone! Besides being huge, I hear their leader can spew clouds and mist, and frightens horses so they won't advance! The county yamen runners have come here several times, but they couldn't do a thing about them. Don't risk your life here for a little bounty. Next time, bring a few friends!"

"What kind of magic could strange monkeys know? Could clouds and mist stop blades and spears?" The man on horseback ignored the warning and even declared, "Have none of you heard the story of the previous dynasty's general who slew a Yaksha by night?"

That had been a story from before the general of the previous dynasty joined the army.

Legend had it that his concubine had died, and her body was laid in the mourning hall. One night, a Yaksha came to devour it. The general had not yet made a name for himself, and he was understandably afraid, but he couldn't bear to see his beloved concubine's body eaten. So he mustered his courage and went out with his treasured sword. His sheer presence frightened the Yaksha away, and the one that ran too slowly even took a slash from his blade.

The others had nothing more to say, so they left together.

Lin Jue continued checking his belongings.

Apart from his provisions, which had all been eaten, the canopy on top of his book bag had been torn, his water flask had been trampled, and one of his books had been damaged in several places after the strange monkeys tossed it around.

The provisions were no big deal. He could buy more—or, at worst, go hungry for the rest of the journey. But the other things were different.

The book bag had been a gift from Old Master Wang of Heng Village. Whether or not he had much of a connection with Old Master Wang, a gift was a token of affection. It was more precious than simply buying a new one on the street. As for the other books, though he had brought them mostly to conceal the Ancient Book, none of them had been bought by Lin Jue. When he borrowed books in the village, their owners had taken pity on him and been moved by his love of learning, so they had given the books to him.

The water flask, too, had been made by his uncle, who had personally gone up the mountain to cut the bamboo.

These things! What vile beasts!

Lin Jue was furious, practically gnashing his teeth.

How could he possibly swallow this anger?

A man who could face a Monster and summon the ferocity to frighten it away, who could face a soldier's ghost and calmly speak with him—would he really be afraid of a pack of somewhat larger wild beasts? If he simply left after facing these brutes today, then how would he deal with demons and ghosts on his path to seek immortality next time? How would he keep his nerve?

Lin Jue calmly packed his belongings into the book bag and lifted his head. He glanced aside and saw that some of the merchants were already moving on, while others had stopped to wait for him as he gathered his things.

But he was looking at the weapon in a burly man's hand.

"Sir! Lend me a blade!"

"Hm?"

"I, too, shall emulate the general of the previous dynasty!"

"You..."

A broad saber was tossed over, landing at his feet.

"How do I return it?"

"At the teahouse by the north gate of Danxun City."

"Thank you, brother!"

Lin Jue picked up the broad saber, then turned to the martial artist beside him and said through gritted teeth, "I'll help you out. I'll cut off their heads, and you can keep the bounty!"

"What a fine scholar!"

The man readily agreed, his eyes lighting up.

"My name is Luo Seng!"

"Lin Jue."

"This place won't do. Let's find another spot."

"Suit yourself!"

After exchanging a few words, they headed farther away.

The strange monkeys were still watching them from the trees, their eyes full of anger and hatred. When the two men left, the monkeys followed.

Luo Seng chose a bend where a river and a stream met and deliberately walked into it. When the troop of monkeys gave chase, he trapped them in the angle between the two waterways. Both sides occasionally glanced back at the merchants and travelers as they gradually disappeared into the distance.

At last, the strange monkeys ahead grew restless.

A chorus of grunts, howls, and cries rang out.

The strange monkeys could no longer hold back.

The martial artist surnamed Luo remained unhurried. He nocked an arrow and drew his bow.

"Whoosh!"

The arrow flew into the troop.

"Thunk!"

A muffled sound came from behind as the arrow struck a tree trunk.

That move enraged the monkeys completely.

"Woo! Ah!"

The troop's strongest leader glanced at the arrow in the tree trunk, then immediately rose to its feet and spread its arms in a show of strength. It shook the branches beside it as if rallying its subordinates, and a chorus of cries rose in response.

Roars rang out beside the river, carrying far into the distance.

Then the woods and undergrowth began to shake.

The troop of strange monkeys charged at them.

Lin Jue had never experienced a fight like this before. He had already crouched, fully focused, watching the strange monkeys ahead and gripping the wooden shaft of his broad saber tightly.

Beside him, the martial artist Luo remained composed. He first lowered a hand to grasp the long spear on his horse, but after a moment's thought, released it and drew his saber instead. Unhurriedly, he dismounted and walked toward the troop.

One side scrambled and charged; the other advanced with steady steps.

In an instant, they collided.

Lin Jue could hear the sound of sabers cutting through the air. The sun was high, and the scorching sunlight often glinted off the long blades, its reflections falling in the shadowy woods or sweeping before his eyes. But he never looked at them, never even blinked. All he could see were the two strange monkeys charging at him.

Both monkeys were as tall as people, with long arms. One followed the other, and both were fierce.

Lin Jue didn't dare relax for an instant.

Although the broad saber was longer than a regular saber and counted as a polearm, its blade had a very limited reach. In plain terms, it was just a Firewood Knife attached to a long pole. He had to control his distance.

Otherwise, the broad saber would become nothing but a stick.

His nerves did nothing to hinder his thinking.

In the blink of an eye, the monkey in front had reached him. It slowed slightly, keeping a wary eye on the broad saber in his hands as it tentatively advanced, swinging its arm at him.

The monkey behind it was even more aggressive.

A thought flashed through Lin Jue's mind, and he swung the broad saber with both hands.

The Firewood Knife at its tip felt very heavy; the head was weighty and the shaft light, so it naturally gained momentum as he swung, and its force was considerable.

"Grrr!"

The Firewood Knife sliced through the air, leaving a streak of light.

The first monkey had clearly been prepared. It hurriedly rolled away, while the monkey behind it took the opportunity to speed up. It bared its sharp teeth and charged at Lin Jue with a shriek, clutching a jagged rock in its hand.

The broad saber was long, and its blade end was heavy. It had plenty of power when swung, but if it missed, swinging it back took even more strength and covered even more distance—perhaps because they had fought so many people, these creatures were cleverer and more familiar with humans than Lin Jue had thought.

But they didn't know that Lin Jue was prepared, too.

Although the broad saber had already swung past, Lin Jue's face still pointed in that direction. His lungs were already full of air, and his cheeks had puffed out.

"Pff—whoosh..."

A breath of Fire Qi surged forth, and a spray of flames exploded. It was just like a street-fair trick, yet it instantly halted the monkey's attack.

The flames also blocked the view of both sides.

Lin Jue didn't care. His heart was full of rage. He gripped the broad saber tightly and swung with all his strength.

"Grrr!"

The pole whistled through the air, the blade flashed coldly, and the Firewood Knife swept horizontally through the blaze, a tail of flame trailing its edge.

"Pfft!"

Blood sprayed. The monkey's head fell at an angle.