Chapter 10: The Birth of the Monkey King

On the summit of Tianqing Mountain, the sea of clouds churned as if a fairyland had descended upon the earth. A dark figure with wings spread stood silently upon the peak, gazing down at the landscape below.

"Great Sage Equaling Heaven, if you do not emerge soon, I shall end up becoming a Demon King of a generation myself," Yu Qiye murmured, his eyes filled with complex emotions as he looked toward the direction of Mount Huaguo.

Just then, a graceful figure emerged from the roiling clouds.

"My King, the Black Tiger Cave has been secured. Thirty-two lesser demons were subdued, one great demon was captured, and the rest have either fled or been slain," Qingqiu Xue reported, her expression icy. "In the hidden treasury of the Black Tiger Cave, we found a significant amount of fine wine, various ores and refined iron, and even a single Spirit-Nurturing Grass."

With that, she held out a small, four-leafed herb that pulsed with a faint spiritual light. The Spirit-Nurturing Grass was a treasure of heaven and earth, capable of nourishing the body and refining demonic essence.

"A fine treasure indeed." With a light laugh, Yu Qiye accepted the grass and swallowed it in one gulp. It melted upon contact. A warm, comforting energy surged into his body, flowing through his limbs and bones. At that moment, he could clearly feel his demonic power becoming significantly purer.

"Distribute the wine to the Scorpion Spirit and the others, and bring the ores and refined iron to me," Yu Qiye commanded, having quickly grown accustomed to his role as 'My King.'

"As you command, My King." With a soft response, Qingqiu Xue retreated silently. She was a great demon of immense power who would not normally bow to other demons, certainly not to an ordinary demon general. However, because Yu Qiye had slain the Black Tiger King, he was her benefactor. Out of gratitude, she was willing to assist him in his quest to reign as a king. Yu Qiye was pleased with this arrangement; he was not fond of dealing with the intricacies of demon society, and having the fox manage such affairs was ideal.

Soon, under Qingqiu Xue's orders, a pile of ores and refined iron was presented. Though she looked on with confusion—wondering if her King possessed the skill of weapon forging—she did not pry. Yu Qiye raised his right hand toward the pile.

*Boom!*

A faint suction emanated from his hand. Strands of metallic essence drifted from the ores and iron, flowing toward him. This was the result of his 'Iron-Eating' trait, which allowed him to consume metal and use its essence to strengthen his physical form. Previously, his wings had served as a defensive measure, but he realized that if he relied on them now against stronger foes, they would likely be torn asunder. He needed to fortify them.

*Boom!*

As his wings vibrated, a cold, sharp aura radiated from them. Golden light flickered within the black feathers. "It works." Pleased, Yu Qiye set his sights on his future path: consuming the flesh of the Black Tiger and炼化 (refining) metal to temper his wings.

Years passed in the blink of an eye. Unbeknownst to the world, a new Demon King had completed his initial accumulation. He was known as the 'Blood Crow,' and his subordinates called him the 'Heavenly Crow King.' Though technically a demon general, many demons found him more terrifying than an average Demon King.

[Race: Blood Crow Variant]
[Rank: Peak Demon General]
[Traits: Destined One (Color: Rainbow), Hidden Poison (Red), Fleeting Flash (Red), Flesh Evolution (Red), Ultimate Metamorphosis (Red), Crow Cry Over Mountains and Rivers (Red), Storm Bringer (Red), Metal-Consuming Qi Refining (Red)...]

Deep within a mountain range, near a mineral vein, Yu Qiye stood suspended in the sky, carried by the flowing breeze.

"Skree..." With a sharp cry, Yu Qiye transformed into his true form. His wings unfurled, blotting out the sun, his blood-red eyes shining like suspended moons. He opened his mouth toward the mineral vein below.

*Boom!*

Wisps of metallic essence transformed into streams, surging into his body. It seemed endless. Visibly, his jet-black wings began to glow with a golden light. Each feather grew as cold and sharp as forged steel.

[Ding! You have continuously refined metallic essence to nourish your wings... Iron-Feather Wings (Purple) upgraded to Divine Iron Wings (Red).]

[Divine Iron Wings (Red): Possess hardness far beyond the mundane. Not only can they fire ten thousand black feathers, but they also serve as a personal defense, comparable to a standard spiritual treasure.]

"Finally, it is done." Yu Qiye returned to his human form and examined his wings. They were now interwoven with countless ancient, complex patterns and shimmered with a gilded luster, exuding a noble and extraordinary aura. This was his natal spiritual treasure, birthed from his own essence—much like the horns of a bull demon or the tusks of a boar demon.

With a thought, his right wing rose like a blade. *Slash!* A crisp sound echoed, and a deep, ten-zhang-long gouge appeared on a nearby mountain, several feet deep.

"In this world, cultivation realm represents longevity and the pursuit of the Dao, not necessarily combat prowess," Yu Qiye reflected. "Though I am a demon general, with the support of my powerful traits, I am a skilled warrior and attacker. Those skilled in defense hide beneath the nine earths; those skilled in offense strike from the nine heavens." He looked up, his eyes glowing with a mysterious, moonlit hue.

That day was ordinary. Yu Qiye remained atop Tianqing Mountain, practicing day and night with only Qingqiu Xue by his side. Suddenly, he looked up, sensing something. In the distance, two golden beams of light pierced the heavens, shaking the earth and startling the gods.

"You have finally emerged," he sighed, his tone filled with complex feelings.

"Xue'er."
"I am here, My King." Qingqiu Xue looked toward Mount Huaguo, stunned, before turning back. "What are your orders?"
"From now on, you shall guard the Heavenly Crow Cave in my stead."
"My King, what do you mean?"
"My destiny has arrived. I must go."

With those words, Yu Qiye transformed into a black crow and spread his wings, flying toward Mount Huaguo.

At Mount Huaguo in the Aolai Kingdom, a Stone Monkey had been born. He had claimed kingship over the monkeys and, leaping through a waterfall, had discovered a cave dwelling known as the 'Water Curtain Cave,' complete with stone bowls, basins, beds, and stools.

On that day, as the Handsome Monkey King drank merrily with his kin, a small black crow arrived uninvited. It had eyes like blood moons and wings that shimmered with the cold texture of metal. It landed in a corner of the cave, observing. The monkeys found it amusing, and several began to jump and try to catch the blood crow.

However, they did not notice that their King, the Handsome Monkey King, tilted his head, his eyes flashing with deep golden light.

"Little Blood Crow, I have seen you before."