Chapter 38 Elusive and Unpredictable
The Macaque King’s dwelling was not large.
In fact, it was exceedingly crude.
It was nothing more than a stone cavern.
Deep inside stood only a stone table and several stone chairs.
Clearly, this fellow placed little importance on worldly possessions.
He was more like an ascetic.
At present, the three great demon kings had taken their seats, and the Macaque King had somehow produced some spirit fruits and fine wine.
“I have long heard of the Macaque King’s renown. At last, I have the honor of meeting you today.”
One could only say that the Handsome Monkey King truly deserved his reputation as the social butterfly of the demon race.
Whenever he met anyone, he showered them with praise.
“During his journey to seek a master, he may not have learned much else, but he certainly learned a great deal about dealing with people.”
Yu Qiye could not help grumbling inwardly.
No wonder this fellow had managed to befriend so many heroes and make friends with so many worthy figures.
The moment he opened his mouth, he unleashed a torrent of flattery. Who could possibly withstand it?
The world was, for the most part, simple and pure.
To put it plainly, the strong were revered.
The Handsome Monkey King possessed extraordinary strength, enough to make all the great powers wary of him.
Yet this fellow’s mouth seemed to be honey-coated. He praised everyone he met.
No wonder he had been able to make a name for himself throughout the demon realm in his early days, and later, after ascending to the Heavenly Court, had made countless friends.
“I spend all my days cultivating in seclusion. What renown could I possibly have? You, on the other hand, Handsome Monkey King—you do not look very old, yet you possess such astonishing strength.”
Though the Macaque King was an ascetic, his eloquence was no less impressive.
One praised, the other returned the compliment.
They conversed with great delight.
As for Yu Qiye, he did not participate much in their conversation.
By the standards of outsiders, he was what one might call cold and proud.
...
They drank and reveled, discussing everything under the heavens.
No one knew how much time had passed before both the Handsome Monkey King and the Macaque King began to show signs of drunkenness.
“Little Brother Monkey, let me tell you something. Though our demon race has declined, there are still quite a few demon kings of real ability.”
“For instance, the Great Bull Demon King. His strength is boundless, and he is vicious beyond compare.”
“And then there is the Roc Demon King, said to possess the fastest speed beneath the heavens...”
...
The Macaque King truly lived up to his great reputation as a demon king.
When it came to the demon race, he knew the details as though they were at his fingertips.
At that moment, Yu Qiye roughly understood why the Handsome Monkey King would later come to know so many demon kings.
The Macaque King was practically the demon race’s encyclopedia.
There was hardly a demon king whose affairs he did not know something about.
But just then, the Macaque King shifted his gaze toward Yu Qiye.
“Brother Sky Crow, however, has never made much of a name for himself. May I ask where you learned your arts?”
Yu Qiye raised an eyebrow.
So that was it.
After circling around for so long, the Macaque King had actually been interested in him all along.
No—
More precisely, he was puzzled and curious.
After all, many people knew of the Handsome Monkey King’s origins.
On the day of his birth, golden light had filled his eyes, and his aura had pierced the Heavenly Palace.
It had shaken the entire world.
Yu Qiye, however, was different.
“I have no master. By chance, I obtained the inheritance of a wandering Daoist and have cultivated painstakingly ever since.”
“Ah, I see.”
As he spoke, a hint of admiration appeared on the Macaque King’s face.
“Brother Sky Crow truly possesses extraordinary talent. With nothing but an inheritance, you have managed to reach such heights.”
“Hahaha...”
Sudden laughter came from the side.
It was the Handsome Monkey King.
A proud expression appeared on his face as he said repeatedly, “Let me tell you, my brother Sky Crow is second to none in talent.”
“And when it comes to combat strength, he is ferocious indeed.”
At this, the Macaque King raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?”
With a soft exclamation, he smiled and said, “Would King Sky Crow be interested in exchanging a few moves?”
Since he could not discover Yu Qiye’s lineage, he would simply test him directly.
The Macaque King trusted his own judgment. Even if Yu Qiye revealed the slightest trace, he would be able to discern his origins.
“That is precisely what I had in mind.”
With a long cry, Yu Qiye spread his wings and rose into the air, transforming into a streak of light that shot out of the cavern.
Idle conversation was not what he desired.
The only thing that truly interested him was the Macaque King’s trait.
Now, the Macaque King’s proposal had practically delivered itself into his hands.
...
High above the heavens, the two figures faced one another.
One was Yu Qiye.
His twin wings stretched across the sky, his expression cold and stern.
The other was the Macaque King.
He gripped an iron staff, his face grave.
“This fellow seems even more terrifying than I imagined.”
The Macaque King was deeply shaken.
He was extraordinarily perceptive, and his senses were astonishingly sharp.
He had faintly sensed the true terror concealed within Yu Qiye.
Those blood-red eyes seemed to see through everything, carrying an indescribable and overwhelming menace.
Those pitch-black wings moved slowly, as though they might tear the heavens apart.
And the gale that raged everywhere around them seemed to be the extension of his power...
“Brother Macaque, here I come.”
The Macaque King was older, so Yu Qiye addressed him as “Brother.”
But although the form of address was courteous, the moment he attacked, even the Macaque King’s pupils constricted.
Boom!
The twin wings behind Yu Qiye suddenly spread wide.
Ssssh, ssssh, ssssh...
Countless black feathers shot toward the Macaque King like a volley of ten thousand arrows.
Fast.
Incredibly fast.
Yet at the instant the black feathers arrived, his figure seemed to vanish.
“Where did he go?”
Golden radiance flashed briefly within Yu Qiye’s eyes.
The Macaque King had disappeared.
He had truly vanished.
His aura was gone. Even his presence had been erased.
But in the very next instant, as though he had sensed something, Yu Qiye’s gaze suddenly hardened.
Far away in a certain direction, ripples seemed to bloom in the air.
“Go.”
With a furious shout, the countless black feathers transformed into a dark torrent and rushed straight toward the place where the ripples had appeared.
“What?”
A startled cry rang out.
The Macaque King had just poked his head out from the ripples when his pupils abruptly contracted.
How had this fellow known where he would appear?
Was it real?
Or merely a coincidence?
What the Macaque King did not know was that Yu Qiye’s eyes were innate divine eyes he had seized from the Handsome Monkey King.
They could not only see far and near; they could also perceive things ordinary people could never see.
“This must be the Macaque King’s golden trait—Vanishing Without a Trace.”
Yu Qiye pondered.
The Macaque King’s figure seemed to disappear without warning, only to reappear just as inexplicably.
He truly was elusive and impossible to fathom.
However, seeing that the countless black feathers were almost upon him and difficult to evade, the Macaque King drew his long staff.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As the staff spun at tremendous speed, it stirred up a terrifying storm that blocked the countless black feathers.
“That staff technique is beautiful.”
Atop a high mountain, the Handsome Monkey King sat upon a huge boulder. He praised the display while drinking his wine, looking thoroughly carefree.
Clang... Clang...
Suddenly, a strange sound caught the Macaque King’s attention.
It resembled the ringing of a blade.
His enormous ears twitched slightly, and his expression changed drastically.
“Not good.”
His body immediately retreated.
At that very moment, mixed among the countless black feathers, one seemingly ordinary black feather abruptly accelerated. It erupted with terrifying sharpness and shot straight toward the Macaque King.
It was Yu Qiye’s wish-fulfilling divine weapon—the Willow-Leaf Flying Knife.
Hidden among the sky-filling feathers, it was meant to catch the enemy off guard.
The Macaque King’s retreat had given him time to react.
He tightened his grip on the long staff and suddenly raised it, positioning it before him.
Clang!
Accompanied by a shower of sparks, the Macaque King’s entire body trembled.
But before he could relax his vigilance, a slender figure had already appeared behind him.
It was Yu Qiye.
He had activated his red trait—A Fleeting Flash.
His gaze narrowed slightly as he exchanged positions with a black feather.
Then he raised his sharp claw and thrust it straight toward the Macaque King’s back.
“When did you...?”
The Macaque King sensed the forceful wind rushing toward him from behind, and his expression changed dramatically.
How was this fellow even stranger than he was?
Yet in the next instant, the Macaque King’s figure once again vanished from the world with startling abruptness.
“He disappeared again?”
Yu Qiye’s claw struck empty air, but he paid it no mind.
As though deep in thought, he slightly raised the corners of his lips, revealing a subtle smile.