Chapter 200 — Black Bat

Yet just as Jin Pingyue was thinking this and even feeling a shade of worry for the monkey, she saw Xiao Hui's form, within the blue-green light, begin to grow steadily larger. In mere moments, it had gone from a gray monkey less than three feet tall to a three-eyed spirit monkey that nearly filled the entire cavern, roaring in fury, all three eyes blood-red.

The two colossal beasts collided in midair with a thunderous crash.

The surrounding stone walls seemed unable to withstand so violent an impact and began to shake severely; Jin Pingyue even felt the ground beneath her feet begin to quake. But Ming Li, standing not far in front of the two giant beasts, slowly regained a composed expression, and a faint trace of a smile even seemed to hover at the corner of his mouth—utterly heedless of the falling rocks and the murderous aura that filled the air.

The giant black demon bat was clearly startled by this suddenly appearing giant ape, yet it still lunged fiercely forward. Then a gray colossus swept past, and Xiao Hui agilely slipped inside the bat's twin claws, reaching out with two enormous hands to seize the roots of the wings close to its body.

The demon bat gave an utterly shrill shriek, as though feeling fear for the first time; but the three red eyes before it were more terrifying still. Sharp fangs flashed briefly in the dark, and then the ape threw back its head and howled at the heavens.

That howl surged through the cavern like a raging tide, irresistible—as if taunting all things in this world with wild, unruly defiance!

Beneath the flicker of black and blue-green light, between the alternation of ferocity and wrath, the giant ape roared wildly, its enormous arms flailing like a demon howling in ecstatic dance!

"Rip!"

Blue blood sprayed out in an instant. The giant black demon bat was torn in two by main force by the three-eyed spirit monkey and hurled far away.

Far off, the echoes of that long howl still rolled on, layer upon layer, without cease.

Such was the terror of a single burst of wrath!

The giant ape slowly turned around and looked down. The man still stood where he had been, watching it.

The blood-red glow in its eyes slowly faded. Suddenly, it raised a hand and scratched its head, baring its teeth in a grin, and its body rapidly shrank, soon returning to its original size, becoming Xiao Hui once more.

It crouched on the ground, turned its head to look at its master, and kept rubbing its head with its right hand while the long tail behind it swayed gently. Ming Li looked at Xiao Hui, and a gentle smile slowly came into his eyes. Only for this monkey could he smile with such wholehearted warmth.

Smiling, he reached out a hand.

Xiao Hui gave a few "chitter-chitter" calls, bounced on its feet, and in a few hops scrambled back onto Ming Li's shoulder, where it lay down, grinning ceaselessly, looking very pleased.

Ming Li thought for a moment, then reached out and lifted the monkey Xiao Hui up, holding it in both hands and bringing it before him. He looked it over carefully from top to bottom, while the gray-furred monkey blinked all three eyes together, not knowing what Ming Li meant to do. Jin Pingyue now slowly walked up as well and stood to one side, watching Ming Li, a thoughtful look on her face, though none could say what was in her mind.

Ming Li looked at Xiao Hui for a moment, nodded, set it back on his shoulder, and patted its head. Then, with a sudden smile, he said:

"Once we get out of here, I'll buy you some wine!"

Jin Pingyue had been lost in her own thoughts, and this remark caught her so off guard that for a moment she could not react. Her mouth fell open in astonishment, and her mind went blank for an instant. The monkey, by contrast, was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed, chittering and capering without end, prancing and waving its limbs on Ming Li's shoulder. A moment later, it seemed to suddenly recollect itself, seized the large wine sack it had carried so long—long since empty and flat—and, without even looking, flung it hard to the ground with a "smack" that sent dust flying high.

Ming Li smiled faintly and walked on, gradually blending into the darkness; yet beneath the blue-green light, his figure stood out so vividly against the dark, and the joyful form of that gray-furred monkey was in such harmony with him—as though the two were one body, inseparable. Jin Pingyue walked slowly forward a few steps, and watching the figures of that man and monkey, she could not help feeling a chill. Yet without her noticing, the light of Ming Li's Soul-Devourer had left the surroundings, and it gradually grew dark. Jin Pingyue came to herself, extended her right hand, and violet light flared up, illuminating the area once more.

She steadied herself and was just about to quicken her pace to catch up with Ming Li when she suddenly saw a dark shape stir in the darkness ahead—and come darting toward her.

Jin Pingyue was startled and hastily gathered herself on guard, but when the figure came near, illuminated by the violet light, it turned out to be the monkey Xiao Hui.

Jin Pingyue frowned, though she breathed a sigh of relief. She only wondered what business this monkey—as strange as its master and just as formidable—could have in suddenly running back.

Xiao Hui bounded a few times to stand before Jin Pingyue, glanced around, and suddenly an angry look came over its face. It began barking and snarling at Jin Pingyue loudly. Jin Pingyue was taken aback, spread her hands, and said in surprise, "What are you doing?"

Xiao Hui glared at Jin Pingyue with all three eyes. Jin Pingyue was a rare beauty, but such beauty clearly had no effect on a monkey. Xiao Hui wore an exasperated expression and pointed indignantly at the ground beneath her feet. Jin Pingyue looked down, gave a cry of "Ah!", and stepped back—she had planted her foot squarely on the big wine sack Xiao Hui had just thrown away.

Xiao Hui, full of indignation, picked up the wine sack again, patted the dust off it with its hand, and actually slung the big sack back over its body. Jin Pingyue felt both annoyed and amused, and scolded, "Hey, you wretched monkey, you threw it away yourself! Why are you being so fierce with me?"

Xiao Hui gave two strange "chitter" cries at Jin Pingyue, bared its teeth in a grimace, then with a "whoosh" darted back the way it had come, vanishing into the darkness ahead in the blink of an eye—clearly off to chase after Ming Li.

Jin Pingyue stood stunned for a moment, then at last shook her head with a wry smile and followed.

Deep within the Ancient Cave of Demon Suppression, the flames in the brazier still burned in solitude. Dust-laden memories seemed to echo softly still in this silent cavern. Neither the Beast Sovereign nor the mysterious woman in the darkness spoke; both were silent, as though still steeped in that unbearable past. Even the Taotie nearby lay upon the ground as if weary, seemingly asleep.

But in the midst of that silence, the Taotie suddenly seemed roused by something. It raised its head abruptly from between its forepaws, fixed its great bronze-bell eyes on the distant exit, and let out a piercing roar tinged with unease.

The Beast Sovereign slowly opened his eyes and frowned slightly, and in the darkness, the woman seemed to give a soft "Hm?"

That faint, distant howl, though it had grown somewhat weak, still came rushing from afar like a wild, untamed beast, recklessly shattering the silence and crashing down upon them.

"Someone is coming," the Beast Sovereign said mildly.

The woman in the darkness was silent for a moment, then suddenly sneered, "That someone could find this place at all—most likely that old man Yun Yifeng sent them here to die, and to sound out your depths while he was at it."