Chapter 43: The Demon Clan’s Spark
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In the past, Yu Qiye had not known.
But now, at last, he understood what the future Seven Great Sages of the Demon Race truly represented.
They were the chosen prodigies of the younger generation of demons.
They were the true sparks of hope for the Demon Race.
Each possessed extraordinary talent and limitless potential.
Take the present Handsome Monkey King, for example. His birth had shaken heaven and earth, stunning the entire world.
His natural gifts were beyond question.
Or take the Macaque King, who possessed an inner grotto-heaven and was peerless in his strangeness.
And then there was the Flood-Overturning Demon King, whose fame resounded far and wide. Disdaining the bloodline of the Dragon Race, he lived in the world as a demon, brilliant and astonishingly gifted.
Yet sadly, nine out of ten of the Demon Race's elders had perished, and no one remained to protect its sparks of hope.
The future Seven Great Sages would ultimately amount to nothing.
Even the mighty Handsome Monkey King would be forced to enter the Buddhist path.
Even the Bull Demon King would face a siege from all sides, leaving him separated from his wife and children.
And on this very day, the Flood-Overturning Demon King—one of the future Seven Great Sages—had finally reached his thousandth birthday.
...
Somewhere in the North Sea.
The vast ocean had long since been split in two, revealing a magnificent palace at its deepest point.
From the depths on either side, countless shrimp soldiers and crab generals surged forth.
They stood in perfect formation, like an army.
Waiting.
Welcoming.
"Ten Thousand Mountains Macaque King has arrived!"
Suddenly, a shrill voice rang across half the sea.
At the same time, a figure resembling a golden monkey landed before the palace gates.
"Empty Moon Peak Roc Demon King has arrived!"
As the words fell, a tall, slender figure appeared at the entrance of the palace. He had a hooked nose and an arrogant expression.
...
One powerful figure after another continued to arrive.
The entire Sea-Overturning Palace grew lively.
It was clear that the Flood-Overturning Demon King possessed considerable fame beyond the seas.
"What a grand occasion. Truly grand."
High in the clouds, a figure clad in golden armor, with a furry face and a thunder-god's mouth, scratched his ears and cheeks while sighing repeatedly.
"Brother Flood-Overturning's reputation is no small thing."
Over the years, Yu Qiye had come to understand more about the Flood-Overturning Demon King.
He was extraordinarily gifted and possessed immense talent.
He had also sworn to overthrow the Dragon Race that ruled the Four Seas and unite all the aquatic clans beneath heaven.
With such ambition, combined with his own strength, he was more than capable of making his name resound across an entire region.
"Come on. Let's go down."
With that, Yu Qiye and the Handsome Monkey King, Sun Wukong, leaped from the clouds together.
At that very moment, outside the Sea-Overturning Palace, a sharp-eyed figure resembling a turtle seemed to notice something and immediately announced it:
"Flower-Fruit Mountain Handsome Monkey King has arrived!"
"Azure Sky Mountain Sky Crow King has arrived!"
The repeated announcements drew the sidelong glances of many powerful figures.
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It had to be known that there were not many demons whom the steward of the Sea-Overturning Palace would personally announce.
The Macaque King had kept a low profile, but quite a few demons still knew something of him.
As for the Roc Demon King, there was no need to say more.
He was known as the "Fastest Under Heaven," able to spread his wings across one hundred thousand miles.
He was, by all accounts, a figure of great renown.
But the Handsome Monkey King and the Sky Crow King were strange.
"Have you ever heard of the Handsome Monkey King or the Sky Crow King?"
"No. This is the first I've heard of them."
"Where did these two suddenly come from?"
"If the Turtle Commander personally announced them, they must be extraordinary."
The demons whispered among themselves.
In the end, only a small number of demon kings had come.
Most of the guests were aquatic clans from the Four Seas, along with various great demons and demon generals.
"Chitter, chitter..."
Hearing the gossip around him, the Handsome Monkey King bared his teeth.
He cared greatly about his dignity and disliked being questioned.
"So this is the stone monkey whose birth once shook heaven and earth?"
Deep within the Sea-Overturning Palace, the Roc Demon King, already seated, slowly raised his eagle-like eyes. His gaze seemed to cross space itself and settle upon the Handsome Monkey King.
"That is correct."
The Macaque King replied from beside him. Then, as though he had thought of something, a teasing smile appeared on his face.
"Brother Roc, you had better be careful."
"What do you mean?"
The Roc Demon King looked puzzled.
"The Handsome Monkey King can travel one hundred and eight thousand miles with a single somersault. He is the fastest beneath heaven. And the Sky Crow King's explosive speed is even more terrifying. I'm afraid your position as the 'King of Speed' may not remain secure."
The Macaque King was teasing him.
They had known each other for many years. Though their bond was not especially deep, a little good-natured banter was harmless.
The Roc Demon King did not respond. His eyes merely narrowed slightly, and a strange light flashed through them.
He had heard the Macaque King's wariness of those two demons.
The Handsome Monkey King was one thing.
He was, after all, a naturally born exotic creature, and there were rumors that some mighty being stood behind him.
But where had this Sky Crow King come from?
And why would the unfathomable Macaque King be wary of him?
...
Led by a mussel spirit, Yu Qiye and the Handsome Monkey King entered the depths of the Sea-Overturning Palace.
The hall was already filled with distinguished guests.
There were carp spirits and serpent demons,
as well as tiger demons and deer spirits from the depths of the mountains.
Every one of them had human bodies and demonic heads.
They looked fierce and terrifying.
Most of them sat around the edges.
Only eight seats had been left at the center.
Two of them were already occupied.
One was the Roc Demon King,
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and the other was the Macaque King, whom Yu Qiye and the Handsome Monkey King knew quite well.
"Hahaha! Brother Sky Crow, Brother Sun, come, come! I specifically saved two seats for you."
Seeing Yu Qiye and the Handsome Monkey King arrive, the Macaque King called out to them repeatedly.
"Your old Sun has arrived."
The Handsome Monkey King was an impatient sort. With a few bounding leaps, he had already landed in his seat.
Yu Qiye, however, was in no hurry.
He strolled leisurely, as though taking stock of the surroundings.
"We truly came to the right place this time."
As his gaze shifted, a barely perceptible delight appeared on Yu Qiye's face.
The demons had gathered, bringing with them countless traits.
Many of those traits made Yu Qiye's eyes light up.
Suddenly, Yu Qiye stopped.
His gaze fell upon a female demon in the corner.
She was beautiful.
Her figure was light and graceful, her waist supple, her features delicate and lovely, her presence ethereal.
A pale crimson skirt patterned with five-colored plum blossoms adorned her lower body, while a light smoke-colored jacket touched with the hue of flames rested over her shoulders.
"Alluring as the maiden of Celestial Terrace, no less lovely than the famed Daji of old."
Moreover, she possessed none of the fierce, vicious aura common to demons.
She looked more like a celestial maiden who had fallen into the mortal world.
Among all those fearsome and savage demons, she stood apart like a crane among chickens, instantly capturing Yu Qiye's attention.
[Race: Apricot Tree]
[Rank: Mid-level Great Demon]
[Traits: Millennial Apricot Heart (Red), Purity (Red), Bewitching Heart (Red)...]
"So it is her."
Yu Qiye raised an eyebrow as recognition dawned upon him.
She was one of the mountain spirits and tree monsters of Thorn Ridge on the journey to the West in the distant future.
He had never expected her to appear here.
Still, when he considered the timing, it made sense.
The Journey to the West would take place only seven or eight hundred years from now.
As a tree spirit, Apricot Immortal possessed a long lifespan. Several centuries were not a long time to her.
Perhaps she had only recently cultivated a human form and was traveling the Four Seas when she happened to hear of the Flood-Overturning Demon King's birthday celebration and came to pay her respects.
"My lord, is she beautiful?"
The white fox lying against Yu Qiye's shoulder suddenly spoke in a human voice.
For some reason, Yu Qiye felt that Qingqiu Xue's tone was a little cold.
Very cold.
A faint chill rose along his back.
"Her appearance is passable."
Yu Qiye answered honestly.
The white fox curled her lips, leaped from his shoulder, and transformed into an exceptionally graceful and alluring beauty.
The sight drew cries of astonishment from the surrounding demons.
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