The instant that voice fell, Wukong's arm stiffened.
The golden light on the Golden Cudgel receded an inch.
But Great King Linggan's twin hammers were already bearing down.
Boom!
A dull thud rang out from Wukong's body, and his shoulders and back were forced half an inch lower.
The cudgel lay crosswise beneath the twin hammers, humming from the impact.
Wukong looked up.
Great King Linggan looked down at him.
"Good little monkey, where did your strength go?"
He chuckled softly. "Getting anxious?"
Great King Linggan's voice changed again, sounding just like Subhuti.
Wukong clenched his teeth and spat a curse.
"Shut up."
Great King Linggan tilted his head slightly and said gently:
"Good little monkey, don't fret."
"The best part is still to come."
As he spoke, the twin hammers suddenly grew heavier.
Wukong's shoulders and back sank another inch, and the bluestone beneath his feet cracked.
Great King Linggan's smile deepened.
"Why not take another look at your masters?"
"It'll be your last."
The words had barely left his mouth.
Black water spread from beneath Great King Linggan's feet.
At first, it was only a thin sheet of water.
The next instant, the cave walls receded, and the stone ceiling soared.
Their surroundings swayed.
**Whoosh-**the roar of water came crashing down.
In the blink of an eye, the Three Star Cave became a vast, muddy river.
The Tongtian River.
River water surged down from above, carrying flecks of red light like threads of blood.
Great King Linggan and Wukong stood in the river.
One wave crashed over them, and the water rose to just below their knees.
The next wave struck, and it was already at their waists.
The twin hammers still pressed down on the Golden Cudgel, while waves struck their bodies, throwing up black spray.