Chapter 45: Battle with the Blue Wind Monkey
Chapter 45: Battle with the Blue Wind Monkey
"What are we waiting for? Why don't we just kill these monsters and pluck these spirit fruits? Then we won't have to risk our lives for Spirit Stones anymore. As cultivators, we contend with the heavens for our destiny. Where is it not full of risks? Fearful at the beginning and the end, how can one achieve the Dao?" said a cultivator with the surname Ding.
Wang Hong initially felt something was amiss. It was unlikely that such a large orchard of fruits had gone unnoticed before. There must be some hidden dangers to have preserved it until now.
However, others had already launched an attack on the Blue Wind Monkey, and his attempts to dissuade them were futile.
If he were to leave on his own, walking alone in the Black Dragon Marsh would probably be even more dangerous.
So, he also wielded a Flying Sword to slash at the demonic monkey, while keeping a vigilant eye.
Elder Ge, at the sixth level of cultivation among the five, possessed the highest cultivation level. He used a Fire Element Flying Sword enveloped in scorching flames. The first strike cleaved the smallest Blue Wind Monkey into two without any resistance.
The cultivator named Lei, at the fifth level of cultivation, wielded an axe Magical Weapon and struck at another monkey. The monkey evaded by leaping aside, simultaneously swinging its claw and sending a green wind blade toward Lei's waist.
The remaining four monkeys pounced on the group, with Elder Ge, the female cultivator Shi, and Ding each intercepting one. An extra one headed straight for Ding.
Ding, with only a cultivation level of four, had two defensive Talismans on him and wielded a Low-Quality Magical Weapon long sword. Dealing with two Blue Wind Monkeys alone, he was in a precarious situation.
Wang Hong battled a Blue Wind Monkey for a while and realized that these creatures were fast and agile. Several attacks were dodged, and he narrowly avoided being hit by the wind blades.
Taking advantage of a defensive Talisman, he withstood a wind blade and seized the opportunity to shoot two iron thorn seeds. The monkey leaped, avoiding them.
Before it could land, he shot six more seeds in various directions. This time, three landed on the monkey, two of which quickly sprouted and entangled the creature. Thorns grew on the vines, piercing into the monkey's flesh, causing its Spiritual Energy to stagnate.
Simultaneously, a Flying Sword circled its neck, and its head rolled off, blood spurting several feet high.
With the opponent dealt with, Wang Hong surveyed the battlefield. Currently, the most perilous situation was Ding's. However, judging by his movements, though dangerous, he managed to narrowly evade each danger. It seemed he could hold on for a while.
Rescuing him hastily might lead to a stalemate, not conducive to a quick resolution. Instead, Wang Hong decided to assist the other team members in killing the monkeys, causing more harm to them.
Wang Hong formulated a battle plan, took a gulp of Spirit Wine, and said to Ding, "Friend Ding, hold on a little longer. I'll come to your rescue shortly."
"Friend Wang, hurry, I can't hold on much longer," Ding responded, his face turning red.
At the same time, Wang Hong shot three thorn seeds at a Blue Wind Monkey entangled with Elder Ge. Only one seed hit, quickly entwining the monkey. Seizing the opportunity, Elder Ge beheaded it with a swift stroke.
Then, Elder Ge rescued Ding, while Wang Hong, according to plan, assisted Lei.
After a short while, the two killed one monkey and moved towards the remaining three.
Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, the three remaining monkeys squeaked and fled towards the depths of the Stone Forest. The thick mist made it too risky to pursue.
"Many thanks, Friend Wang, for your assistance. Otherwise, I don't know how much longer I would have been entangled with it," Lei thanked Wang Hong. In this battle, Wang Hong had the most merit, and the others also expressed their gratitude. Wang Hong modestly responded.
Having driven away the monkeys, the group took a short break before swiftly climbing the spirit fruit trees. They used both hands to pick the spirit fruits, fearing that a slight delay would result in others grabbing them all. They regretted not having more hands.
Wang Hong, not in a rush, drank some Spirit Wine at the back. Only after his Spiritual Energy recovered did he climb the spirit fruit tree.
It's okay to pick fewer spirit fruits. Wang Hong, now earning two or three thousand Spirit Stones every month, couldn't afford to put himself in danger for a small amount of Spirit Stones. If his Spiritual Energy ran out and he encountered danger, it would be troublesome.
Standing on a branch, Wang Hong plucked a spirit fruit and sniffed it. It had a faint and delicate fragrance.
"Crunch." He took a bite. The taste was goodcrisp, juicy, and melted into liquid with each chew, leaving no residue.
After finishing a Red Silk Fruit in three or two bites, while others had already picked more than half of a tree in this short time, Wang Hong extended both hands and picked over ten spirit fruits in an instant.
When he had picked half a tree, others had finished one tree and began picking from another.
Suddenly, Wang Hong stopped, sniffing the air. He detected a foul smell wafting from all directions. Although his vision was obstructed by the White Mist, and his divine sense could only reach a few dozen yards, his sense of smell remained acute.
Most Immortal Cultivators relied on divine sense, lacking distinctive features in other aspects like their five senses.
Unless a cultivator practiced special techniques to enhance a specific organ.
For example, some could see through illusions with special eye techniques. Wang Hong speculated that his Mirage Mask might be exposed to such techniques.
"Friends, it seems we are surrounded," Wang Hong cautioned.
"How does Friend Wang know? Do you know what it is?" asked Lei, a cultivator, without halting his fruit-picking.
"It could be the monkeys," Wang Hong responded, avoiding how he knew and focused on the imminent threat.
While Lei and Ding continued picking, Shi, the female cultivator who had initially stopped, hesitated and joined them.
Only Elder Ge, after a sip of Spirit Wine, stood with his sword.
Wang Hong also wielded his Long Spear, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
Suddenly, a dozen figures pounced from various directions, releasing over a dozen wind blades before arriving.
Wang Hong only had time to pat an Earth Armor Talisman on himself. Three wind blades were already upon him. He blocked two with his spear and dodged the remaining one.
At this moment, over a dozen monkeys emerged from the White Mist, unleashing more wind blades towards them.
Dodging the incoming blades, Wang Hong heard a scream. Glancing towards the source, he saw Shi, the female cultivator, losing an arm and sustaining a severe abdominal wound.
What angered him more was seeing Ding patting an Earth Escape Talisman on himself, disappearing into the ground during the chaos. He had taken advantage of the confusion to escape.
With over twenty monkeys closing in, the remaining three and a half people were surrounded. Escaping now was challenging.
The Earth Escape Talisman Ding used was a high-tier one, not easily found on the market. Wang Hong was fortunate to have one.
However, this type of talisman could only travel a dozen yards at a time, and it was too late for Ding to escape. Once he surfaced, he would likely face a barrage of wind blades.
Surveying the situation, Wang Hong identified the largest monkey, twice the size of the others, as the leader. It was blocking the direction they came from, creating a dilemma.
While fending off wind blades, Wang Hong shouted, "Later, I'll use Talismans. Everyone, scatter. Life and death hinge on this moment."
"Agreed. I also have several Talismans. We'll use them together in three breaths," thundered Lei, the cultivator.
The remaining two nodded in agreement.
Wang Hong and Lei took out a stack of Talismans each. They exchanged glances and simultaneously threw the Talismans towards the monkey group.
Numerous Talismans exploded in the monkey group, including Fireball Technique, Wood Thorn Technique, water arrows, and earth spikes. The monkeys were momentarily overwhelmed.
Seizing the chaos, Wang Hong activated an Earth Escape Talisman and vanished into the depths of the Stone Forest.
A dozen yards away, Wang Hong cautiously peeked out from the ground. Looking back, he saw that the monkey leader blocked the exit from the Stone Forest. As he anticipated, the other three had independently chosen to break through towards the outside of the Stone Forest.
Shi had been torn apart by the monkey group. Elder Ge and Lei managed to break through the encirclement but were now being chased by a large group of monkeys.
Silently, Wang Hong infiltrated deeper into the Stone Forest. He had sensed that Ding had also come in this direction.
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