Only a Name

Little Drill Wind of Lion Camel Ridge.

That classic little demon who sang, "The king sent me to patrol the mountain," had been an inconspicuous bit player in the original story, yet he was far better known than countless Heavenly Soldiers and Generals.

More importantly, the very concept of Lion Camel Ridge was one of the most fearsome places in the world of Journey to the West.

The three fiends-Green Lion, White Elephant, and Golden-Winged Great Peng-were all notorious, ruthless figures.

First, he would put up the framework of Lion Camel Ridge and establish Little Drill Wind's name, then gradually fill in the three kings. That route would bring him combat power the fastest in the early stages.

Besides, the three demon kings' true forms... a green lion, a white elephant, and a golden-winged great peng, were nothing bizarre. He could find corresponding creature cards and materials in the dungeon world.

Once conditions were right, he could put down the three cards, and the complete concept of Lion Camel Ridge would fall naturally into place.

Having made up his mind, Su Mu swept his gaze over the hazy gray land beyond Flower-Fruit Mountain.

In the original story, Lion Camel Ridge stretched for eight hundred li, its murderous aura soaring into the heavens.

Even counting every last bit, he currently had only one square kilometer of dungeon space. Clearly, creating it all in one go was impossible.

He would start with a one-square-kilometer mountain, set up the conceptual framework, and gradually expand it later.

He directed his consciousness toward an empty patch of land east of Flower-Fruit Mountain and began pouring in soul power.

[Soul power -1]

[Soul power -1]

[Soul power -1]

The ground began to tremble as gray-brown rock and soil bulged up from beneath it, slowly piling up and rising.

Unlike when he had created Flower-Fruit Mountain, Su Mu deliberately controlled the shape of the mountain this time, making it steeper and more menacing, its ridgeline thrusting diagonally into the sky like a blade.

Only after he had spent a full ten points of soul power did the mountain's basic skeleton stand firm.

Su Mu added no more height, setting the main peak at around fifty meters. He spent five points of soul power refining the terrain, making the mountain look more like the barren mountains and treacherous waters where "demons held sway."

When he was done, Su Mu checked the dungeon's combat index.

It had risen by 150 points.

That was no surprise. The combat value gained from constructed structures was tied to soul power. Spending fifteen points of soul power had provided 150 combat value.

With the mountain built, Su Mu moved the mountain-patrolling little demon onto it.

As soon as the little demon landed on the new mountain, his whole demeanor visibly changed.

He was no longer as timid and restrained as he had been on Flower-Fruit Mountain. His strides grew longer, and he straightened his back. He walked the steep mountain paths as if they were level ground, his nose twitching now and then, as though sensing something.

The card's attributes remained unchanged.

Su Mu did not stop.

He focused on the new mountain and said in a low voice, "This mountain shall be named Lion Camel Ridge."

[Soul power -10]

A message came from the depths of his soul. Among the rocks at the foot of the mountain, a dark blue-black stone stele slowly emerged from the earth, three large characters on its surface glowing dimly.

But Su Mu waited two seconds.

The little demon's attributes still showed no change.

He frowned, then quickly relaxed.

As expected, Lion Camel Ridge alone was not enough.

Although the name Lion Camel Ridge was already a powerful weapon within the concept of Journey to the West, the "relationship" between it and the little demon had yet to be established.

It was just like Flower-Fruit Mountain and the stone left over from mending the heavens. A mountain alone would not do; there also had to be a stone and the name "mending the heavens." Only when the two corroborated each other would the concept take shape.

Su Mu looked at the little demon on the mountaintop and spoke again:

"This demon shall be named Little Drill Wind."

[Soul power -10]

The instant the words left his mouth, the little demon's whole body jolted.

A dark blue-black demonic aura burst from within him, sweeping across the mountaintop like a gale.

Within the demonic aura, he grew taller at a speed visible to the naked eye. His skin changed from blue-gray to dark blue, a cold gleam spread over his short blade, and his straw sandals shattered, becoming a pair of short boots wreathed in black qi. His comical short hemp jacket was replaced by a pattern of fine, densely packed scales.

The image on the card changed dramatically. The once crude, simple portrait became detailed and menacing, and even the outline of Lion Camel Ridge appeared faintly in the background.

Su Mu focused on the information panel.

Name: Little Drill Wind

Tier: A

Level: None

HP: 4900/4900

Attack: 420

Defense: 196

Speed:: 385

Combat index: 6548

Skills: Intelligence Perception (greatly enhances perception within Lion Camel Ridge, allowing him to scout enemy activity within range),

Mountain-Patrolling Steps (increases movement speed by 100% within Lion Camel Ridge; remains active in combat),

Lion Camel Ridge Glory (allows him to exert 150% of his strength within Lion Camel Ridge),

Call for Aid (when he realizes his own strength is insufficient, he will take the initiative to call Lion Camel Ridge for aid. If forced to fight until his HP falls below 30%, he will flee and call for aid, with speed increased by 200% while fleeing. No one is currently available to answer the call; skill unavailable.)

Su Mu stared at the string of numbers, his eyelid twitching violently.

From E-tier to A-tier, he had jumped three whole tiers.

His HP had increased sevenfold, as had his attack, while his defense and speed had also skyrocketed across the board. His combat value contribution had soared from over five hundred to just over eight thousand.

He drew a deep breath.

It was only a name.

He had expected an improvement, but not one this dramatic.

Su Mu stood stunned for several seconds before slowly breathing out a stale breath.

"Journey to the West... that's seriously ridiculous."

He could not help marveling inwardly.

And it was not just the numbers that had skyrocketed; even the skills had undergone a transformation. The two unremarkable basic skills had become three brand-new skills suited to the concept of Lion Camel Ridge, with an extra hidden ability, "Call for Aid."

Most importantly, Su Mu knew very well that the mountain-patrolling little demon and Little Drill Wind actually looked nothing alike.

The little demon on the card had a pointed mouth, monkey-like cheeks, and blue-gray skin, with a short blade tucked into his belt and straw sandals on his feet.

The real Little Drill Wind, as Su Mu remembered him, wore a headscarf and a small suit of leather armor, with a bronze gong hanging from his waist. That appearance was worlds apart from the blue-skinned demon before him.

Even with their appearances mismatched, a name and a mountain alone had brought about an improvement of this magnitude.

If the appearance matched perfectly too, and the concept was anchored without a single flaw, just how terrifying would this card become?

Something stirred faintly in his heart.

But he soon calmed down.

Su Mu stared at the words "No one is currently available to answer the call" after the "Call for Aid" skill on the panel. With no one to call on for aid, the skill was currently just for show.

But even excluding that skill, Little Drill Wind's current stats already made him a small-scale killing machine.