Seeing Little Golden Monkey so excited, Bald Bird immediately grew suspicious and said, "Dead monkey, are you bragging? Even I have no way to break this restriction—can you?"
"Maybe it really can." Chen Fan was startled, recalling how the golden runes on Little Golden Monkey's body had once ignored the restrictions in Heartless Valley.
Little Golden Monkey grinned and cheerfully leaped onto Chen Fan's arm, reaching toward the ancient painting.
The Heavenly Eye between Chen Fan's brows grew faintly hot, once more lighting up with a glow the size of a grain of rice.
He saw the golden runes on Little Golden Monkey's body begin to flow again, like a pool of golden liquid coursing over its body, carrying an ancient yet powerful aura.
Some of the golden runes flowed outward, slowly approaching the ancient painting. Starting from the formation eye at the painting's center, they spread along it like a river surging through lines of formation patterns. Moments later, the Fat Daoist's eyes and hair in the painting had turned golden. His figure began to twist and grow vivid, as though he were about to break free from the painting and manifest his true body.
"Damn, it really can?" Bald Bird's eyes widened as he cried out.
Chen Fan's expression tightened slightly as he watched Little Golden Monkey control the ancient painting. The painting flew from Bald Bird's grasp, drifting in the air before Little Golden Monkey. The Fat Daoist within grew increasingly solid, as if he truly were about to emerge.
Rumble—!
The clouds overhead began to churn as well. Wind and clouds changed color, as though a storm were about to descend, and the sky turned pitch-black.
Yet this change existed only above the barren mountain where Chen Fan and the others stood. Everywhere else remained clear