Although he wasn't exactly thrilled about working with the former Stable Supervisor he had a grudge against, Qin Ming had to admit—the difficulty level of this world really was a bit too high, and the characters here were undeniably strong.
Whether it was plot-relevant characters or bosses, none of them were easy to deal with.
So Qin Ming had no choice but to finally seek out allies again, deciding to borrow the protagonist's power to fight.
And this time, Sun Wukong and his group were the faction Qin Ming chose.
Helping Sun Wukong and the others find Tang Sanzang wasn't difficult. With just a bit of information-gathering nearby, Qin Ming and the rest quickly figured out the local power structure.
Qin Ming's own town was a minor power in the area. The true local bosses were the two brothers—Gold-Horned King and Silver-Horned King.
What's more, these two happened to be the first-level bosses in Journey to the West: The Quest to Eliminate Calamity. So if they were looking for Tang Sanzang, going to them was the right move.
Sun Wukong and his group flew the old-fashioned way on clouds, while Qin Ming and his crew traveled in a more unorthodox manner, transforming into blood mist to zip through the air. In just a blink, they arrived at the base of a towering mountain.
And the first thing they saw at the foot of the mountain was a massive stone tablet, with a few large characters carved into it: Lotus Flower Cave!
Along the mountain path, a few monsters were lounging under trees, keeping watch over the place.
Seeing this, Sun Wukong and the others exchanged a glance and, without hesitation, flew down and attacked, weapons raised high as they charged the group of monsters.
With a flurry of crackling sounds, the battle ended quickly. Sun Wukong captured one of the monsters alive, grabbed it by the collar, and bellowed:
"Demon! I'm asking you—did you lot capture a monk?!"
Seeing his companions beaten to death, the little demon's legs went soft. Trembling with fear, he blurted out an answer immediately.
"Y-Yes! We did! Our King and Second King are getting ready to use him for drinking games!"
"Tchah!"
Hearing that, Sun Wukong flew into a rage on the spot. With one swing of his staff, he smashed the little demon to death, then stormed up the mountain with his team.
Qin Ming followed behind, frowning at how hot-headed they were.
"I think we'd best not rush in like this. Those two demons are far from ordinary."
Hearing that, Sun Wukong turned to look at Qin Ming, a sly grin suddenly appearing in his eyes.
"Hey now, you bat demon—you've got decent strength yourself, even count as a local monster king. How can you be so timid? Back when I, Old Sun, made havoc in Heaven, even the hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and generals couldn't stop me! The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King and the Third Prince Nezha were both defeated at my hands! Even that Erlang Shen Yang Jian couldn't subdue me! And now we're only up against two measly mortal monsters—what's there to be afraid of?"
Hearing Sun Wukong's boasting, Qin Ming narrowed his eyes slightly.
"But didn't you get knocked out by one of Supreme Lord Laozi's bangles back then?"
"T-That… That was a sneak attack! Otherwise, how could I, Old Sun, be taken down so easily?! Besides! This time we're not up against that old geezer!"
Scratching his furry cheek, Sun Wukong thought back to those days and couldn't help reaching up to rub the back of his head.
While they were chatting, they had already reached the entrance to the cave. After scattering the gatekeeping demons, Sun Wukong shouted with a thunderous roar:
"Tchah! Monsters! Come out here and meet your death!"
The sudden assault immediately alerted the monsters inside. Within moments, a large demon with silvery skin and a towering build came striding out with a group of lackeys.
When he saw Sun Wukong, he clearly froze for a second.
"It's you?"
"Oh? You know Old Sun too?"
"Of course I do! Aren't you that horse-keeper from Heaven?"
"You—!"
Once again reminded of his old job, the grin on Sun Wukong's face instantly froze. He was so angry he started scratching his ears and cheeks furiously.
Truth be told, the position of Bìmǎwēn (Stable Supervisor) wasn't exactly low. In fact, he had been in charge of commanding a hundred thousand heavenly horses—a major logistics official.
He was a legitimate, fully appointed celestial immortal. Countless demons envied that title.
But the problem was, compared to Sun Wukong's other identities, that particular post was rather hard to show off.
He had been personally bestowed the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven by the Jade Emperor himself. Even if it was only an honorary title, it still carried immense prestige—far more impressive than any mere horse-tender.
Throughout the journey to the West, nearly everyone who recognized Sun Wukong would respectfully address him as "Great Sage" and treat him with reverence.
Sure, he'd failed in his rebellion against Heaven, but his achievements were undeniable.
If you ran into a big-shot who once rebelled but failed, would you really look down on him just because he didn't win?
He couldn't defeat Heaven—but that didn't mean he couldn't defeat you.
From the gods in Heaven to the local land spirits below, the name "Great Sage Equal to Heaven" still held weight. Who wouldn't give Sun Wukong at least a little face?
But now, upon arriving in this region, he'd first been mocked to his face by a mere bat demon.
He'd been in the wrong that time, so he accepted the ridicule.
But now, this guy not only had the nerve to capture his master, he was now publicly mocking him and ripping open old wounds.
This time, Sun Wukong really lost his temper.
With a roar, he swung his iron staff and leapt into the air, bringing it crashing down.
"You damn monster! You're asking for it! Eat my staff!"
Seeing the dark shadow hurtling toward him, the Silver-Horned King was startled and quickly raised his sword to block.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sparks flew as the two clashed fiercely, neither gaining the upper hand at first.
After dozens of intense rounds exchanging blows, they finally pulled apart, each catching their breath.
The Silver-Horned King stepped back, a sudden glint flashing through his eyes. The next moment, he raised his sword high.
Etched on the blade was none other than the constellation of the Big Dipper—this was none other than the Supreme Lord Laozi's personal sword: the Seven-Star Sword!
"Seven Stars—Scatter!"
Voom!
Seven beams of golden light burst forth, shooting toward Sun Wukong like lightning.
Startled, Sun Wukong hurriedly raised his staff to defend, sparks flying as the iron staff collided with the golden beams.
But the golden lights moved at incredible speed, and their trajectories were completely unpredictable. Even after being deflected, they would loop around and come flying back again.
Even with his formidable martial skills, Sun Wukong quickly found himself overwhelmed by the relentless assault of the seven beams.
In a moment of distraction, one beam struck him squarely in the back. Though he possessed an innate Vajra Indestructible Body, he still let out a painful cry.
He wasn't injured—but he was in pain.
And that first hit was like a signal. From that moment on, Sun Wukong's defense grew sloppier under pressure.
Bombarded continuously by the golden beams, he eventually couldn't take it anymore. With a grimace, he leapt back, clutching his head and gritting his teeth in pain.
Across from him, the Silver-Horned King gave a snort, spun his sword, and recalled the seven golden beams with a flick.
Seeing that Sun Wukong was still completely unharmed, he couldn't help clicking his tongue in disbelief.
He'd heard plenty about this guy—born of a magical stone, blessed with monstrous strength and resilience, impervious even to the alchemical furnace of the Supreme Lord Laozi.
But he hadn't expected him to be this tough. Not even the Seven-Star Sword could leave a mark.
If that's the case...
"Hmph! Sun Wukong! So your bones are hard, I'll give you that! But don't get cocky just yet! Tell me this—if I call your name, do you dare answer me?!"
With a dramatic sweep of his cape, the Silver-Horned King sheathed his sword and suddenly raised a gourd in his hand.
The moment Qin Ming, who had been silently watching from the sidelines, saw this, his face darkened sharply. He instinctively pulled his team back and put some distance between them.
The ultimate magical artifact—the Crimson-Gold Gourd—had appeared!
(End of Chapter)