Chapter 997
Absolutely no chance of survival!
"Master, I'm sorry!" Sun Wukong hoisted the limp Tang Sanzang onto his shoulder, took out a handful of hairs, chewed them, and spat them out.
"Change!"
Hundreds of clones identical to Sun Wukong instantly appeared in the main hall, surrounding the Golden-Winged Roc that had just regained its footing and the Green-Haired Lion Monster who had gotten up from the ground.
"Brother Monkey... take Chu Yang with you..." Tang Sanzang cried weakly as he lay on Sun Wukong's back.
"Master, don't worry, I, Old Sun, will never abandon him!" Sun Wukong carried Tang Sanzang, somersaulted to Chu Yang's side, and scooped up the unconscious Chu Yang under his arm.
"You impudent monkey! Don't run away!" The Golden-Winged Roc was furious at the hundreds of Sun Wukong's clones around him. With a sudden flap of his wings, a golden gust of wind instantly tore dozens of clones to shreds.
"Old demon, you can keep playing with my monkey brethren! I'm off!"
Sun Wukong laughed wildly, carrying Tang Sanzang and Chu Yang on his back. His somersault cloud instantly condensed, transforming into a golden meteor that crashed through the thick dome of the central palace and sped towards the endless sky outside Lion Camel Ridge, leaving only the three demon kings roaring in impotent rage within the ruined hall.
The wind howled like ghosts wailing in his ears. Sun Wukong had pushed the speed of his somersault cloud to its limit, leaving a long golden trail in the sky. However, the chilling demonic aura followed him relentlessly, drawing ever closer.
Sun Wukong looked back and saw a golden cloud spreading rapidly across the sky hundreds of miles away. It wasn't an ordinary cloud; it was the overwhelming wings of the Golden-Winged Roc! Every golden feather reflected a cold, cruel metallic luster in the sunlight, and each flap of its enormous wings whipped up a violent hurricane, instantly tearing the clouds in its path to shreds.
"That feathered beast, what speed!" Sun Wukong cursed through gritted teeth. He felt Chu Yang's breathing growing weaker and weaker under his ribs, and drops of bright red blood were dripping from Chu Yang's mouth onto the somersault cloud, a horrifying sight. On his back, Tang Sanzang's hands were tightly wrapped around his neck, his whole body trembling violently from extreme fear.
"Wukong...Wukong...has that monster caught up with us?" Tang Sanzang kept his eyes tightly closed, and the wind rushed into his mouth, making his voice sound fragmented.
"Master, don't panic! With me here, he won't even touch a hair on your head!" Sun Wukong said this, but his brows were furrowed in a deep knot. Normally, in a one-on-one fight, he would have a thousand ways to pluck all the feathers off that giant bird. But now, he not only had to protect Tang Sanzang, a mere mortal, but also Chu Yang, who was severely injured and almost completely drained of spiritual energy.
"Sun Wukong! You cowardly turtle, where do you think you can escape to!"
A sharp, piercing cry came from behind, piercing through the layers of clouds like a thousand steel needles simultaneously striking eardrums. The Golden-Winged Roc's voice was filled with mockery and cruel killing intent.
Before he could finish speaking, a series of rapid whooshing sounds came from the sky behind him. Sun Wukong turned around abruptly, his pupils shrinking. He saw golden feathers raining down like a storm, each feather enveloped in a sharp demonic aura, tearing through the air and emitting a teeth-grinding shriek, covering the Somersault Cloud from above.
"Master, bow your head!" Sun Wukong roared, pressing Tang Sanzang down from his back with one hand, while simultaneously pulling Chu Yang under his ribs closer to his chest. His free right hand swiftly drew his golden cudgel, wielding it in front of him to form an impenetrable golden shield.
"Jingle bells!"
A series of metallic clanging sounds exploded in mid-air, sparks flying everywhere. The golden feathers, as hard as iron, struck the Golden Cudgel, making Sun Wukong's hands go numb. Although he blocked most of the attacks, a few feathers still grazed the edge of the Somersault Cloud, and the sharp gusts of wind instantly tore long gashes in Tang Sanzang's robe.
"Ah!" Tang Sanzang exclaimed in fright, his face turning ashen.
"Your Majesty, do not kill that monk directly! If your golden feathers tear Tang Sanzang's flesh apart, it will lose its freshness!"
From the ground below came a roar like muffled thunder. Sun Wukong looked down and saw dust billowing as a gigantic blue phantom and a yellowish-brown phantom raced through the mountains and rivers at an astonishing speed. It was the Blue-haired Lion Monster and the Yellow-tusked Elephant Monster. Although these two old demons couldn't fly, their speed on land was no slower than that of the celestial beings. Wherever they passed, mountains crumbled, forests were leveled, and two wide ravines were carved into the earth.
"Third brother, quickly force them down! I'll open my mouth wide and swallow that monkey too!" The green-haired lion monster ran wildly, laughing wildly as he looked up at the sky, his blood-red mouth opening wide and spewing out a nauseating stench.
The Golden-Winged Roc let out a long cry in the air, its wings flapping once more, increasing its speed even further. "Don't worry, Big Brother and Second Brother, this monkey won't be able to escape today!"
The Golden-Winged Roc's figure instantly transformed into a golden lightning bolt, actually surpassing the Somersault Cloud and appearing directly in front of Sun Wukong, blocking his path. A halberd had appeared in his hand, its tip gleaming with a chilling light, pointed directly at Sun Wukong's throat.
"You impudent monkey, let's see where you can escape to now!" The Golden-Winged Roc grinned maliciously, wielding its halberd with the force to split mountains and shatter rocks, and cleaved down at Sun Wukong's head.
Sun Wukong was forced to stop in mid-air, with nowhere to retreat. He shielded Chu Yang and Tang Sanzang behind him, gripped his golden cudgel tightly, and slammed it down hard against the halberd.
"clang--!"
A deafening roar, almost shattering the heavens, erupted from the clouds. A violent shockwave spread outwards from the two figures, instantly clearing away the surrounding clouds to reveal the deep blue sky.
Sun Wukong felt an overwhelming force surge from his golden cudgel, causing his somersault cloud to sway violently in mid-air and be forcefully pushed back dozens of feet. The Golden-Winged Roc was also not unscathed; his hands gripping his halberd trembled slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: "This monkey, carrying two burdens, still possesses such strength!"
"Monster! Do you really think I, Old Sun, am afraid of you?!" Sun Wukong was furious, his eyes shining brightly with golden light. "If it weren't for my master and brothers, I, Old Sun, would definitely pluck all your feathers and roast them to eat with my wine!"
"You stubborn mule! Let's see how long you can protect them!" The Golden-Winged Roc sneered, its body transforming once again into countless golden afterimages, unleashing a storm of attacks around Sun Wukong.
The halberd came from all directions, each strike aimed directly at Tang Sanzang and Chu Yang's vital points. Sun Wukong dared not be careless in the slightest, his golden cudgel flashing up and down, blocking all the attacks. But such a passive defense made him extremely frustrated.
"Hu-hu-"
Just then, two extremely muffled whistles came from below. The Green-Haired Lion Monster and the Yellow-Toothed Elephant Monster had arrived below. The two old demons pushed off the ground with their legs and shot into the sky like two heavy cannonballs, heading straight for Sun Wukong in mid-air. "You impudent monkey, take this!" The Green-Haired Lion Monster's nine-ringed broadsword stirred up a black, bloody wind, blocking Sun Wukong's escape route on the left.
"Little fly, let's see who can save you this time!" The yellow-toothed old elephant monster's long trunk stretched out like a giant python, coiling towards Chu Yang on Sun Wukong's right.
We are surrounded by enemies on three sides: the sky and the ground!
Sun Wukong gritted his teeth, a hint of madness flashing in his eyes. He took a deep breath, his chest heaving.
"Roar--!"
Sun Wukong let out a deafening roar, a roar that combined the authentic Buddhist lion's roar with the supreme Taoist energy, transforming into tangible sound waves that spread outwards with a thunderous boom.
This sudden attack caught all three demon kings off guard. The Golden-Winged Roc was the first to be hit, its body momentarily stunned by the sonic wave, its eardrums throbbing with pain. The Green-Haired Lion Monster and the Yellow-Toothed Elephant Monster were even more severely shaken, tumbling several times in mid-air, their attacks instantly crumbling.
Taking advantage of this critical moment, Sun Wukong did not hesitate at all. With a sudden somersault, he plunged headfirst into the deep forest below.
"Trying to run into the forest and hide? Dream on!" The Golden-Winged Roc was the first to react, its wings folding as it swooped down to pursue the enemy like an arrow released from a bow.
Below lies a primeval forest where sunlight never shines. Trees tower into the clouds, their branches intertwined, vines entwined, and the ground is covered with a thick layer of decaying leaves, emanating a miasma-like atmosphere.
Sun Wukong, riding his somersault cloud, darted left and right through the extremely narrow gaps in the forest at incredible speed. Although the Golden-Winged Roc was unparalleled in speed, in this dense forest with its extremely complex terrain, his massive wings became a burden. Each flap of his wings snapped countless trees, greatly reducing his speed. He could only circle above the forest, emitting angry shrieks.
"Big brother, second brother! Search down there! Don't miss any tree holes! This monkey can't have escaped far!" the Golden-Winged Roc shouted from the air.
"Don't worry, Third Brother, this forest is only so big, they can't escape!" The heavy footsteps of the Green-haired Lion Monster and the Yellow-toothed Elephant Monster echoed through the forest, each step shaking the earth.
Sun Wukong traversed the forest for about half an hour before finally discovering a hidden cave concealed by thick vines beneath a cliff halfway up the mountain. He immediately put away his somersault cloud, led Tang Sanzang and Chu Yang inside, and quickly set up a small concealment array at the cave entrance.
The cave was dark and damp, filled with a strong musty smell. Water droplets occasionally dripped from the stalactites on the cave ceiling, making a clear "plop" sound.
Sun Wukong gently put Tang Sanzang down, and then placed Chu Yang flat on a dry stone.
"Brother Chu Yang! Brother, wake up!" Sun Wukong anxiously patted Chu Yang's pale cheek. Chu Yang's eyes were tightly closed, his brows were furrowed in pain, and his breathing was so weak that it seemed he might stop breathing at any moment. The white shirt on his chest was now completely stained red with blood, the backlash from the forced shattering of the Immovable King Formation.
"Wukong...Young Hero Chu...is he alright?" Tang Sanzang, disregarding his own disheveled state, scrambled to the rock, his eyes reddening as he looked at the unconscious Chu Yang. "It's all my fault for dragging you all down...If it weren't for saving me, Young Hero Chu wouldn't have been so badly injured. Amitabha, I'm so sorry, so sorry..."
"Master, stop chanting!" Sun Wukong waved his hand impatiently, grabbed Chu Yang's wrist, and continuously channeled his pure true energy into Chu Yang's body.
After a long while, Chu Yang let out a painful groan, his long eyelashes trembled a few times, and finally he slowly opened his eyes.
"Cough cough... Brother Monkey..." Chu Yang coughed up a mouthful of dark red blood as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Brother, don't speak yet, protect your heart meridian." Sun Wukong breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to wipe the blood from the corner of Chu Yang's mouth.
Chu Yang weakly shook his head, forcing himself to sit up and lean against the cold stone wall. He looked around, then at the faint light filtering in from outside, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Did we... shake them off?"
"We're hiding for now." Sun Wukong slammed his fist on the stone wall beside him, smashing a large rock, and said through gritted teeth, "Those three old demons outside are still searching the mountain. That dead bird is watching from the sky, and that lion and elephant are searching like a carpet carpet below. It's only a matter of time before this place is discovered."
"Boom—!"
As if to confirm Sun Wukong's words, a loud noise suddenly came from the distant mountain outside the cave, followed by the rough roar of the Yellow-Toothed Elephant Monster: "Sun Wukong! Get out here! Didn't you call yourself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven? How come you've turned into a burrowing rat!"
Immediately following was the sound of trees being snapped and rocks collapsing. Clearly, the two demon kings on the ground were conducting a destructive search, trying to force them out.
Hearing the commotion outside, Tang Sanzang trembled with fright, clasped his hands together, and quickly began chanting the Guanyin mantra.
Sun Wukong's eyes flashed with ferocity. He grabbed the golden cudgel from the ground and turned to leave, shouting, "These persistent beasts! I, Old Sun, will go out and fight them! At worst, it'll be a fight to the death. Even if I die, I'll knock out two of that elephant's tusks!"
"Stop..." Chu Yang suddenly reached out and grabbed Sun Wukong's tiger-skin skirt at the waist. Although the force was light, it was unusually firm.
"Brother, let go." Sun Wukong turned around, his eyes bloodshot. "These three demons are not to be underestimated, especially that Golden-Winged Roc. If I don't go out and lure them away, once they find their way here, neither of you will have a chance of survival!"
"If you go out... will you win?" Chu Yang stared intently into Sun Wukong's eyes, breathing heavily. "The speed of that roc... is above yours. Those lions and elephants... have thick hides. How can you fight three of them by yourself? Once you get entangled... if even one of them slips through... Master will really be thrown into the boiling oil."
Sun Wukong shuddered, the bottom of his golden cudgel slamming heavily into the ground, creating a deep crater. He knew, of course, that Chu Yang was telling the truth. This was precisely the fundamental reason why he had been fleeing all the way, not daring to linger in battle. (End of Chapter)