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 ventured deeper into the valley and soon arrived at the place where the Crimson Tail Monkeys usually dwelled.

It was beneath a cliff beside the mountain, with few trees nearby. Judging from the various scorch marks on the ground, those mischievous monkeys had likely burned all the surrounding trees while playing with fire.

High on the cliff, about thirty feet above the ground, an orange-tree-like fruit tree had taken firm root in the sheer rock face. A dozen or so fruits of varying sizes hung from its branches—red, yellow, and green alike.

"It really is Vermillion Sun Fruit. What a pity, 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.

Vermillion Sun Fruit was an Exotic Fruit that flowered and bore fruit irregularly. The fruits it produced often required more than ten years, or even several decades, to ripen.

Only ripe Vermillion Sun Fruit could purify the bloodline and increase the cultivation of Demonic Beasts such as Crimson Tail Monkeys.

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

This blow was clearly rather severe for Zhou Zhengyong, and extreme disappointment immediately appeared on his face.

Zhou Chun suddenly spoke at this moment. "I remember the records saying that Vermillion Sun Fruit Trees can be transplanted. As long as we move the tree back to the Lineage, Brother Yong, what does it matter if you wait another year or two? It is still better than truly coming up empty-handed!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhengyong's downcast eyes immediately lit up, and hope returned to him.

But Zhou Jiapeng quickly shook his head slightly and poured cold water over them. "Transplanting the fruit tree naturally will not be a problem. But after it is moved, those Crimson Tail Monkeys will likely abandon this place as well. Moreover, transplantation will greatly damage the tree's vitality. Whether the spirit fruits currently on it can be preserved is also hard to say."

"This..."

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

Seeing this, Zhou Chun gently patted his shoulder and comforted him in a low voice. "Brother Yong, there is no need to agonize over it. Even if the spirit fruits on the tree truly cannot be preserved after transplantation, it will still add another foundation to the Lineage. The Patriarch and elders will certainly grant rewards."

He then added softly, "When the time comes, as long as you explain your original intention, the Patriarch and the others will surely be willing to help you fulfill your wish!"

Hearing this, not only did Zhou Zhengyong regain his confidence, his expression relaxing into happiness.

Even Zhou Jiapeng looked at him with slight surprise. He could not help nodding in agreement. "That is indeed a fair point. I did not expect Zheng Chun, at such a young age, to already see matters so clearly."

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

But because Zhou Zhengyong was anxious for his Spirit Pet to break through, Zhou Jiapeng had temporarily focused all his attention on the Vermillion Sun Fruit and had not considered other possibilities.

Zhou Chun, on the other hand, had a clearer view as an observer. He immediately saw the stakes involved and thought of a roundabout solution.

This quick wit immediately made Zhou Jiapeng regard this younger member of the Lineage more highly.

Then he recalled the magical artifacts Zhou Chun had used in battle earlier, as well as the Spirit Pet he had raised. Both were quite impressive.

He silently remembered Zhou Chun's name, and his attitude soon changed somewhat compared to before.

After discussing matters, the three decided that Zhou Jiapeng would first ride the Iron Feather Eagle back to the Zhou Family and bring a Family Elder over to 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 while also guarding against other cultivators barging in and reaping the fruits of their victory.

The distance of over seven hundred li could be crossed by the Iron Feather Eagle, carrying Zhou Jiapeng back to the Zhou Family, in only half a day.

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

Therefore, while Zhou Chun and Zhou Zhengyong waited in Monkey Valley, neither felt there would be any danger.

But what neither of them could possibly have expected was that, barely more than two hours after Zhou Jiapeng departed, those Crimson Tail Monkeys came charging back.

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

In Monkey Valley, the six Crimson Tail Monkeys, including the monkey king, all followed behind a Golden Fur Ape as they fiercely surrounded Zhou Chun and Zhou Zhengyong.

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

The two stared fixedly at the Golden Fur Ape, their faces sinking as alarm rang through their hearts.

Though it was likewise a First-grade High-tier Demonic Beast, the Vajra Monkey was more than a notch stronger than the Crimson Tail Monkey King.

It was like how Level Nine Qi Refining cultivation counted as the late Qi Refining Stage, while Level Twelve Qi Refining cultivation also counted as the late Qi Refining Stage.

Moreover, unlike the merely average Crimson Tail Monkeys in combat, Vajra Monkeys were the fighting monkeys of the monkey clan. They excelled at slaughter and battle, and their strength was far beyond that of ordinary Demonic Beasts of the same level.

It could be said that this Vajra Monkey alone required Zhou Chun and Zhou Zhengyong to join forces to handle it.

"There is no other way. I will find a way to hold that Vajra Monkey back for a while. Brother Yong, lead those Crimson Tail Monkeys out of the valley, then find a way to escape. I have my own means of getting away afterward."

Thoughts raced through Zhou Chun's mind. Before the Vajra Monkey and six Crimson Tail Monkeys could attack, he hurriedly voiced his plan.

The Demonic Monkeys were too powerful. They had no chance in a head-on fight and could only think of saving their lives first.

Thus, after stating his plan, Zhou Chun did not wait for Zhou Zhengyong's response. He tossed the silver short sword magical artifact into the air and, channeling spiritual power into it, controlled it into a streak of silver cold light that shot straight toward the Vajra Monkey.

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

Such ferocious performance immediately drew their hatred.

A flash of fury appeared in the Vajra Monkey's eyes. It let out a shrill, enraged roar, and a layer of protective golden light erupted around its body. Raising a palm, it slapped at the incoming silver short sword.

The golden light collided with the silver light, producing a crisp clang of metal striking metal.

Then the silver short sword quickly exhausted its force and was sent flying away with a mournful cry.

The Vajra Monkey, however, was completely unharmed. After merely shaking its palm, it lunged viciously at Zhou Chun with a savage expression.

Only then did Zhou Zhengyong come back to his senses. He shouted at Zhou Chun, "Thirteenth Brother, be careful yourself. Your elder brother will leave first."

Having said that, he fled toward the outskirts of Monkey Valley alongside his Crimson Tail Monkey.

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

At the same time, facing the Vajra Monkey pouncing toward him, Zhou Chun gave an order, and the Rock Earth Turtle blocked its path with its thick shell.

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

It leaped directly onto the Rock Earth Turtle's back, raised its palm, and viciously struck at the turtle's head below it.

But the Rock Earth Turtle seemed to have eyes on the back of its head. It suddenly retracted its head, drawing it into its shell in an instant.

At this moment, Zhou Chun once again infused spiritual power into the silver short sword that the Vajra Monkey had knocked away and directed it toward the monkey's head in a fierce slash.

Seeing this, the Vajra Monkey could only keep swinging its palm at the silver short sword, not daring to let the sharp weapon truly land on its body.

In this manner, with the Rock Earth Turtle's cooperation, Zhou Chun actually traded blows with the Vajra Monkey for a time and did not fall much into the disadvantage.

But such fierce fighting consumed a great deal of his spiritual power.

With his current spiritual power, such an intense battle would likely drain him in less than half an hour. He absolutely could not fight for long.

Therefore, after tangling with the Vajra Monkey for nearly fifteen minutes, Zhou Chun estimated that Zhou Zhengyong should have gone far enough. He immediately took out a mid-grade first-rank talisman, the Thorn Entanglement Talisman, and launched it at the Vajra Monkey.

After the talisman burned in midair, it instantly transformed into several bluish-black thorns as thick as wrists, binding the Vajra Monkey in place.

Zhou Chun seized the opportunity to quickly collect the Rock Earth Turtle into his Spirit Beast Pouch. Then, with a sweep of his sleeve, he brought out the bamboo-leaf-shaped flying magical artifact, stepped onto it, and flew directly into the sky.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Just as Zhou Chun rose less than a hundred feet into the air, the Vajra Monkey exerted its strength and snapped every thorn binding it. Then it roared, swung a palm at him, and sent a pale golden blade light slashing through the air toward him.

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

Zhou Chun seized the chance to fly ever higher, swiftly rising to an altitude of over three hundred feet.

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

At the same time, because the distance was great enough, Zhou Chun could evade more easily.

Thus, after reaching that altitude, Zhou Chun did not continue flying any higher.

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

But flying in such high skies, maintaining a normal flight path amid the howling winds required constantly reinforcing himself with a spell barrier against the gale, consuming an enormous amount of spiritual power.

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

At this moment, seeing Zhou Chun fly away from the valley on his magical artifact, the Vajra Monkey became so furious that its anger seemed ready to burst through the heavens. It raced after him through the forest, carrying something of Kuafu chasing the sun in its pursuit.

But Red Peach Ridge's terrain was complex. How could it, unable to fly, possibly catch Zhou Chun?

Zhou Chun simply flew over the treacherous terrain of ravines and gorges that rose and fell one after another. Before long, he had shaken off the Vajra Monkey and landed atop a mountain peak to rest.