Chapter 32: A Trial of Skill

The sun was just beginning to rise. Yu Qiye sat cross-legged atop the mountain peak, surrounded by swirling clouds that made the scene resemble a celestial realm. He was absorbing the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, breathing in the vital energy of the sun and moon. Perhaps due to the awakening of his Golden Crow bloodline, he found that he could gather this essence and circulate it several times faster than before. With a single inhalation, strands of morning light pierced the sky and surged toward him. In moments, a warmth suffused his entire body, as if he were draped in a golden radiance.

Suddenly, sensing something, Yu Qiye raised an eyebrow. "You've returned, then..." As if he had anticipated this, he looked toward the east. There, a familiar figure came tumbling through the air.

"Brother Crow, long time no see! Have you missed me?" It was the voice of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong.

"Need you even ask?" With these words, Yu Qiye spread his wings, tore through the clouds, and dashed toward his junior brother. Upon meeting, there were no polite inquiries or long-overdue embraces—only an explosion of demonic energy.

*Bang!*

The sudden collision sounded like a thunderclap, shattering the very firmament and scattering countless clouds. Looking toward the source of the sound, one could see the two figures each throwing a whip-kick, colliding mid-air. A sparring match was the best way to greet one another.

"You've grown stronger again," Yu Qiye observed, his eyes narrowing slightly. It had not been long, yet his junior brother had already reached the late stage of the True Immortal realm. He estimated that it wouldn't be long before he stepped into the Profound Immortal realm. This was what one called profound heritage; there was simply no comparison.

"You're not bad yourself," the Monkey King chuckled, his eyes filled with surprise. As a stone monkey born of heaven and earth, with spiritual essence naturally flowing within him, it was no surprise that he had reached the late True Immortal stage after a breakthrough. But why had his 'Brother Crow' managed to near the mid-stage of the True Immortal realm in just a few short years? More importantly, even though his cultivation was lower than his own, his combat prowess seemed no less formidable. This was absurd!

However, that first clash was only the beginning. *Boom, boom, boom...* The sound of repeated, even more terrifying collisions echoed across the sky.

"My heavens, what kind of world-shaking demon kings are fighting up there?"
"Is this real? Do we really have such powerful demon kings in our Mount Huaguo?"
"Hey, this isn't a joke, right? They seem to be tearing the sky apart!"

Exclamations rang out as countless demons near Mount Huaguo watched in shock, their mouths agape as they stared at the heavens. Above, clouds were shattered in succession, and rings of shockwaves rippled outward. Occasionally, a shockwave would graze a mountain peak, causing it to silently vanish into thin air. A few demons gulped, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.

Deep within the mountains, a beautiful woman dressed in colorful, luxurious robes watched with flickering eyes. "How can our Mount Huaguo harbor such peerless demon kings?" she wondered, unable to believe it. She had lived on this mountain for hundreds of years and had never heard of such powerful beings. Most of those who called themselves demon kings were merely at the level of demon generals, occupying small hills and putting on airs. But now, two true demon kings had appeared, and they were far from ordinary.

On a distant peak, a green serpent over thirty feet long watched the sky, his face pale with lingering fear. He recognized one of the combatants: the Heavenly Crow King, who had been remarkably low-key yet unfathomable in recent years. He had known the Crow King was strong, but he hadn't realized he was *this* strong. The mere aftermath of their battle was enough to obliterate him.

The fight continued, shaking all of Mount Huaguo and stunning its inhabitants. What they didn't know was that even with such a massive commotion, Yu Qiye and the Monkey King were holding back. As Yu Qiye had said, cultivation realm does not equal combat power. While they appeared to be True Immortals, their strength rivaled that of some Profound Immortals. This was understandable: one was a sacred spirit born of heaven and earth with a naturally formidable physique, and the other had stolen destiny and seized the laws of creation for himself. Both were monsters among monsters, and their true combat potential was beyond measure.

When the sparring ended, the two stood on separate peaks, drinking wine and chatting.

"Thank you," the Monkey King suddenly said.
"For what?" Yu Qiye asked, caught off guard.
"For looking after the monkey troop on Mount Huaguo while I was away." The Monkey King had visited the mountain and learned of the 'Demon King of Havoc' incident.
"You're too kind," Yu Qiye replied with a smile, then asked, "Before you left, did our master mention me?"

"He did, he did," the Monkey King chuckled. "Master said your heart is as high as the heavens and your ambitions like those of a swan. He also asked me to pass on a message."
"What message?" Yu Qiye asked, his heart stirred.
"The road to immortality is long; take good care of yourself."

Listening quietly, Yu Qiye’s expression grew complex. "Master," he murmured, looking toward the direction of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars Cave, and offered three deep bows.

In the West Continent, atop a mountain shrouded in billowing clouds, two figures stood silently. One was an old man with white hair and beard, looking like a celestial immortal; the other resembled a woodcutter wearing a straw hat.

"I wonder if we will have the chance to see our two junior brothers again," the woodcutter said, his face showing a lingering reluctance.
"If it is destined, we shall meet again," the white-haired elder replied, waving his sleeve. His figure began to blur until he vanished entirely. "Blessings and misfortunes are intertwined; what happens next depends on their own destiny."

Neither Yu Qiye nor the Monkey King knew of the Patriarch Bodhi's departure. They were still standing in the clouds.

"Brother Crow, let me tell you, my Somersault Cloud is the pinnacle of speed in all the world—one somersault covers a hundred and eight thousand miles!" Having found their martial skills evenly matched, the Monkey King’s eyes darted around as he thought of speed. He had always envied Brother Crow's ability to soar through the skies, and now that he had mastered the Somersault Cloud, he wanted to show it off.

"Shall we have a race?" Yu Qiye suggested. He knew the terrifying nature of the Somersault Cloud—the ultimate speed of heaven and earth. However, he was not lacking either. As a bird, he was naturally gifted at flight, and he had focused his cultivation on Wind-Control techniques. Over the past few years, he had also acquired a red-tier ability related to speed: 'Lightning-Fast.' With these three combined, his speed far exceeded his peers.

"Let's try it, let's try it!" the Monkey King laughed.

The two looked toward a distant horizon. "Go!" With a light shout, the Monkey King performed a somersault and vanished instantly into the sea of clouds.

However, at that very same moment—*BOOM!* A gale force wind swirled back, with arcs of electricity crackling through the air. A dark silhouette streaked by like a teleportation, moving so fast that it left behind only fading afterimages.