Vajra Monkey

Red Peach Ridge, Monkey Valley.

Following the direction from which the Crimson Tail Monkey troop had come, the three members of the Zhou Family soon reached the place where the troop usually lived.

It was beneath a cliff beside the mountain. There were few trees nearby, and judging from the various scorch marks on the ground, the mischievous monkeys had probably burned all the surrounding trees away while playing with fire.

About three zhang above the ground, on the cliff face, a fruit tree resembling an orange tree had taken firm root in the sheer rock. A dozen or so fruits of various sizes hung from its branches—red, yellow, and green alike.

"It really is the Vermillion Sun Fruit, but unfortunately, not a single one is fully ripe!"

Looking at the dozen round fruits on the tree, Zhou Jiapeng first nodded, then shook his head and sighed with a face full of regret.

The Vermillion Sun Fruit was an Exotic Fruit that bloomed and bore fruit irregularly. Its fruits often needed more than a dozen years, or even several decades, to mature.

Only mature Vermillion Sun Fruits could purify the bloodline and improve the cultivation of Demonic Beasts like the Crimson Tail Monkey.

The mature spirit fruits on this Vermilion Sun Fruit Tree had long since been eaten by the Crimson Tail Monkeys. Even the fruit closest to maturity would need at least another year or two before it might ripen.

The blow was clearly a heavy one for Zhou Zhengyong. An expression of utter disappointment immediately appeared on his face.

Zhou Chun suddenly spoke up. "I remember the records saying that the Vermilion Sun Fruit can be transplanted. As long as we transplant the fruit tree back to the Lineage, Brother Yong, what does it matter if you wait another year or two? It's still better than coming all this way for nothing!"

Hearing this, the downcast Zhou Zhengyong's eyes suddenly lit up, and hope returned to him.

But Zhou Jiapeng soon shook his head slightly and poured cold water on them. "There's naturally no problem with transplanting the fruit tree, but after it's moved, I'm afraid the Crimson Tail Monkeys will abandon this place as well. Besides, the transplanting process will damage the tree's vitality considerably. Whether the spirit fruits on it can survive is also hard to say."

"This..."

Zhou Zhengyong's brows furrowed again, and his face filled with indecision.

Seeing this, Zhou Chun gently patted his shoulder and consoled him in a low voice. "Brother Yong, there's no need to agonize over it. Even if the spirit fruits on the tree really can't be preserved after the transplant, it will still add another foundation to the Lineage. The clan leader and Family Elders will surely reward you."

After a pause, he added softly, "When the time comes, as long as you explain your original intentions, the clan leader and the others will surely be willing to help make your wish come true!"

Hearing this, Zhou Zhengyong not only regained his confidence but also relaxed and looked pleased.

Even Zhou Jiapeng looked at him in surprise and could not help nodding in agreement. "That's a fair point. I didn't expect you, Zheng Chun, to see things so clearly despite your young age."

With Zhou Jiapeng's experience and wisdom, he would have thought of this sooner or later.

However, Zhou Zhengyong had been anxious to help his spirit pet break through, so for a time, Zhou Jiapeng had focused all his attention on the Vermilion Sun Fruit and had not considered anything else.

Zhou Chun, as an onlooker, had seen the situation more clearly. He had immediately recognized the stakes and thought of this roundabout solution.

This quick wit immediately made Zhou Jiapeng think more highly of this junior of the Lineage.

Recalling that the magical artifacts Zhou Chun had used in battle earlier, as well as the spirit pets he raised, were all quite impressive, Zhou Jiapeng silently committed Zhou Chun's name to memory. His attitude toward him also soon changed somewhat.

After the three discussed matters, Zhou Jiapeng first rode the Iron Feather Eagle back to the Lineage to find a Family Elder to come and transplant the Vermilion Sun Fruit Tree.

Zhou Chun and Zhou Zhengyong would remain behind to guard the fruit tree, preventing the Crimson Tail Monkeys from returning and also guarding against other cultivators entering to pluck the spoils of victory.

The distance was more than seven hundred li, but at the Iron Feather Eagle's speed, it only needed half a day to carry Zhou Jiapeng back to the Zhou Family.

Even counting the time it would take the Zhou Family Elder to come here, a single day would be more than enough.

Thus, while Zhou Chun and Zhou Zhengyong waited in Monkey Valley, they did not think they would encounter any danger.

But what the two never could have imagined was that, just over two hours after Zhou Jiapeng left, the Crimson Tail Monkeys came storming back.

And they had not merely returned—they had brought reinforcements.

In Monkey Valley, six Crimson Tail Monkeys, including the Monkey King, followed behind a Golden Fur Ape and surrounded Zhou Chun and Zhou Zhengyong menacingly.

"This is bad. It's a First-grade High-tier Demonic Beast, a Vajra Monkey!"

The two stared fixedly at the Golden Fur Ape with four pairs of eyes, their expressions sinking as they cried out inwardly that things had gone wrong.

Although both were First-grade High-tier Demonic Beasts, the Vajra Monkey's strength was far more than a notch above that of the Crimson Tail Monkey King.

It was like how someone with Level Nine Qi Refining cultivation was also in the late Qi Refining Stage, while someone at Level Twelve Qi Refining cultivation was likewise in the late Qi Refining Stage.

Moreover, compared with the Crimson Tail Monkey, whose combat ability was merely average, the Vajra Monkey was a battle monkey among its kind. It excelled at fighting and killing, and its strength was far beyond that of ordinary Demonic Beasts of the same level.

It could be said that this one Vajra Monkey alone would require Zhou Chun and Zhou Zhengyong to join forces to deal with it.

"There's no other way. I'll find a way to hold that Vajra Monkey back for a while. Brother Yong, lure those Crimson Tail Monkeys out of the valley, then find a way to escape. I'll have my own way out by then."

Zhou Chun's thoughts raced. Before the Vajra Monkey and the six Crimson Tail Monkeys could attack, he hurriedly stated his plan.

The Demonic Monkeys had overwhelming numbers. They had no chance of winning in a head-on clash, so they could only find a way to escape with their lives first.

Thus, after stating his plan, Zhou Chun did not wait for Zhou Zhengyong to respond. He immediately tossed the silver short sword magical artifact into the air. As his magical power surged, he sent the sword flying in the form of a streak of silver light straight toward the Vajra Monkey.

At the same time, the Rock Earth Turtle crouching beside him struck the ground forcefully with its paw. Several sharp stone spikes burst from the earth, instantly piercing through the belly of a First-grade Mid-tier Crimson Tail Monkey and pinning it to the ground.

Such a fierce display naturally drew their hatred in an instant.

The Vajra Monkey's eyes flashed with fury. It let out a shrill, furious roar, and a layer of golden protective light erupted around its body. Raising its palm, it struck the incoming silver short sword.

The golden and silver lights collided, ringing with the crisp clang of metal against metal.

The silver short sword soon exhausted its momentum and was knocked away with a mournful whine.

The Vajra Monkey, however, was completely unharmed. It merely shook its palm before lunging viciously toward Zhou Chun.

Only then did Zhou Zhengyong come to his senses. He shouted at Zhou Chun, "Then, Thirteenth Brother, take care of yourself! I'll leave first!"

After saying this, he fled toward the mouth of Monkey Valley with his own Crimson Tail Monkey.

Just as Zhou Chun had expected, when the Crimson Tail Monkey King saw Zhou Zhengyong attempting to escape, it immediately led the remaining Crimson Tail Monkeys in pursuit.

At the same time, facing the lunging Vajra Monkey, Zhou Chun gave an order, and the Rock Earth Turtle raised its thick shell to block its path.

The Vajra Monkey was extremely confident in its own strength. Seeing the giant turtle blocking the way, it did not even consider going around.

It leaped directly onto the Rock Earth Turtle's back and raised its palm to smash down at the turtle's head beneath it.

But the Rock Earth Turtle seemed to have eyes in the back of its head. It abruptly retracted its head, which vanished into its shell in an instant.

At this moment, Zhou Chun once again infused the silver short sword, which the Vajra Monkey had knocked away, with magical power and sent it slashing toward the monkey's head.

Seeing this, the Vajra Monkey could only keep swatting at the silver short sword, not daring to let the sharp weapon truly strike its body.

Thus, with the Rock Earth Turtle's cooperation, Zhou Chun unexpectedly fought the Vajra Monkey back and forth for a time without falling far behind.

However, such an intense battle consumed his magical power tremendously.

With his current magical power, he estimated that this fierce battle would exhaust him in less than two ke of an hour. He absolutely could not fight for long.

Therefore, after entangling the Vajra Monkey for nearly a quarter of an hour, Zhou Chun estimated that Zhou Zhengyong should have gone far enough. He immediately took out a First-grade Mid-tier Talisman, the "Thorn Entanglement Talisman," and flung it at the Vajra Monkey.

The talisman burned in midair, then instantly transformed into several wrist-thick, dark green thorns that wrapped around the Vajra Monkey and bound it in place.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhou Chun quickly moved forward and put the Rock Earth Turtle into the Spirit Beast Pouch. Then he flicked his sleeve and summoned the bamboo-leaf-shaped flying magical artifact, stepping onto it and flying straight into the sky.

Bang, bang, bang!

Just as Zhou Chun had flown less than thirty zhang into the air, the Vajra Monkey exerted its strength and tore apart all the thorns binding it. Then, roaring furiously, it raised its palm and swiped at him. A pale golden blade of light tore through the air toward him.

But at that moment, a pitch-black iron shield appeared out of nowhere and blocked the pale golden blade of light.

Zhou Chun took the opportunity to keep climbing higher and higher. Before long, he had reached an altitude of more than a hundred zhang.

At this height, even if the Vajra Monkey's long-range offensive spell could reach him, it could no longer lock onto him for an attack.

And because they were far enough apart, Zhou Chun could dodge with relative ease.

Therefore, after flying to this height, Zhou Chun did not continue climbing.

He had once tested it before. The flying magical artifact could carry him to an altitude of several hundred zhang.

But flying at such a height meant that, under the assault of the fierce winds, he had to constantly maintain a spell barrier to resist them and preserve a normal flight path. The drain on his magical power was enormous.

At an altitude of one or two hundred zhang, however, as long as he did not encounter particularly strong winds, he did not need to add a spell barrier while flying.

At this point, seeing Zhou Chun ride his artifact toward the mouth of the valley, the Vajra Monkey was furious beyond measure. It raced after him through the mountain forest, displaying the spirit of Kua Fu chasing the sun.

But Red Peach Ridge had complicated terrain. How could a creature that could not fly possibly catch Zhou Chun?

He simply chose to fly through the dangerous ravines and gorges rising one after another. Before long, Zhou Chun had shaken off the Vajra Monkey, then landed on a mountaintop to rest.