Chapter 514: The Great Sage Monkey Dances at the Heavenly Gate

As the phoenix jade pendant fell into their hands, Longling and the others felt the scene before them shift, as if they had crossed the boundary of time and space, arriving in a mysterious mountain range.

The scenery here was completely different from the previous fiery world; everywhere were lush peach trees, growing in every corner of the mountain range, with dense branches and leaves, and peach fragrance filling the air.

These peach trees were utterly unlike ordinary peach trees; their trunks were deep purple, their bark covered in strange patterns, as if containing some ancient symbol.

The leaves of the peach trees were an unnatural emerald green, almost translucent in sunlight, while the peaches were eerily pink, each seeming to have a faint glow on the surface and exuding an enticing fragrance.

Seeing this, everyone present realized these peaches were no ordinary fruit, but rare spiritual treasures.

"These peaches are called Spirit Peaches; legend says they have the miraculous effect of enhancing cultivation and healing injuries," a cultivator exclaimed in shock.

After prolonged exploration and battle, their bodies and souls were greatly drained; seeing these Spirit Peaches, they naturally felt drawn to them.

However, Longling felt a hint of unease.

The sudden appearance of these peach trees and Spirit Peaches was too abrupt, and the mountain range was filled with an eerie aura, making him wary.

"These Spirit Peaches are tempting, but we cannot be careless; the aura here makes me uneasy. When picking them, be careful and do not eat them indiscriminately."

Longling turned his head and gave a careful reminder.

Despite Longling's warning, some cultivators could not restrain their greed and stepped forward to pick the peaches.

They reached out and touched the pink peaches, feeling them icy cold, as if a spiritual energy flowed at their fingertips.

Some cultivators could not wait and took a bite; the peach juice was sweet as honey, and as it flowed into their throats they felt a warm current spread through their bodies, as if their cultivation had increased at that moment.

However, just as everyone was immersed in this warm current, an abrupt change occurred.

The peach trees from which the Spirit Peaches had been picked suddenly emitted a mournful wail, and the symbols on their trunks began to flash with blood-red light.

The entire peach forest seemed to come alive, the branches of the peach trees lashing out like tentacles, wildly attacking the cultivators.

"Watch out!"

Longling shouted loudly, and the Light Sword in his hand immediately swung, cutting off the attacking branches.

His eyes were full of vigilance; these peach trees were clearly not ordinary plants, but some powerful entity.

Heifeng's figure darted through the peach forest, the Ghost Dance Secret Art allowing him to move freely among the branches.

While dodging the branches' attacks, he observed the trees' changes, trying to find a way to counter them.

Fengyu and Yunying joined forces to cast spells, wind blades and cloud shields raging in the peach forest, attempting to suppress the frenzied peach trees.

Their spells formed whirlwinds in the air, blowing the branches this way and that, buying the group a brief respite.

Tie Ya and Tie Shan gripped their weapons, their bodies encased in thick iron armor, their strength growing greater in the peach forest.

They charged at the peach trees, using great strength to uproot them, hoping to stop their attacks.

However, the peach trees seemed to possess endless vitality; even when uprooted, their branches continued to flail wildly, continually attacking the group.

Moreover, as time passed, the eerie aura in the peach forest grew stronger, and the picked Spirit Peaches began to rot in the air, emitting a nauseating stench.

Longling and the others realized these peach trees and Spirit Peaches were not as simple as they had imagined.

They began to seek an exit, trying to escape this strange peach forest.

However, no matter which way they went, they seemed unable to leave the peach forest, as if trapped by some mysterious force.

Just as everyone fell into despair, Longling suddenly thought of something.

In ancient texts he had read, peach trees are plants closely linked to life and death, capable of bringing both vitality and demise.

He looked up at those peach trees and suddenly understood something.

"These peach trees are the guardians of this mountain range; their power is tied to life and death, so we should not merely attack them but try to communicate, seeking a way to coexist peacefully."

Longling said to his companions.

Hearing this, everyone stopped their attacks and began trying to communicate with the peach trees.

They used spiritual sense to convey their goodwill and requests to the trees; as they persisted, the branches gradually ceased their attacks, and the blood-red light began to fade.

"Zizila—"

The peach tree branches slowly retreated, the peach forest returned to calm, and the trees seemed to have accepted their request, no longer attacking them.

Longling and the others breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they had earned the trees' acknowledgment through wisdom and courage.

In the center of the peach forest stood the oldest peach tree, its trunk thicker than those around it and its foliage more lush.

Hanging from the crown of this tree was a huge Spirit Peach, its color deeper than the others, its surface suffused with a faint golden glow.

Longling stepped forward and lightly touched the Spirit Peach, feeling a powerful life force flow from his fingertips into his body.

This Spirit Peach is the essence of the peach forest, containing the purest life force.

He carefully plucked the Spirit Peach and then divided it among his companions.

After eating the Spirit Peach, everyone felt their cultivation greatly increased, and their fatigue and wounds were healed at that moment.

Nourished by the peach forest, Longling and the others regained their strength, their eyes flashing with determined light.

The peach tree branches swayed gently, the peach forest returned to tranquility, and the trees stood silently upon the mountain range.

"Let's go; there should be a similar jade pendant here as well—we must find it."

Longling said, and after hearing him, the others threw the peach pits onto the ground.

However, as the Spirit Peach pits fell to the ground, Longling and the others' gazes were drawn to a strange sight.

Upon touching the ground, the peach pits vanished like morning dew, replaced by countless mysterious runes rising from the earth.

These runes emitted a faint glow, drifting in the air as if alive, then all flew upward toward the sky.

As everyone marveled, the sky suddenly tore open, as if ripped by some invisible force.

A dark meteorite fell from the heavens, its surface densely engraved with red runes that flowed across it, exuding an eerie and powerful magic.

Just as everyone stared in shock, the meteorite crashed to the ground, shaking the earth and sending dust flying.

A figure leapt from the dust—a monkey whose entire body was wreathed in black flames.

Though the monkey was not huge, the aura it exuded was like a soaring bull's mansion, radiating terrifying magical power.

Its eyes flashed with a fierce light as it stared directly at Longling and the others.

The sudden appearance of the monkey made all the cultivators present feel an unprecedented pressure.

They knew this monkey was no ordinary creature, its power possibly far beyond their imagination.

The monkey's gaze finally fell on Longling, and the corner of its mouth curled into a provocative smile.

Then it clenched its big hand, and a jet-black staff condensed in its grip, the surface of the staff likewise etched with red runes, emanating powerful magical energy.

"Those who rashly intrude the Shen Palace, die!" the monkey's voice thundered like a clap of thunder, shaking everyone's eardrums painfully.

Longling knew the monkey's strength was formidable and its methods extremely uncanny, daring not to be the slightest bit careless.

Boom—rumble—

Behind her, a colossal White Bone dharma manifestation towered between heaven and earth; this is his dharma manifestation, formed from her cultivation level and will, possessing great power.

Longling's White Bone dharma manifestation wielded the Light Sword, colliding with the monkey's jet-black staff, producing a thunderous roar.

Their battle erupted instantly, terrifying shockwaves shaking heaven and earth, causing the surrounding peach trees to tremble.

Heifeng, seeing this, immediately unleashed his Ghost Dance Secret Technique, his body shuttling across the battlefield like a phantom, each appearance bringing a powerful strike aimed at the monkey's vital points, the attacks like black lightning, swift and deadly.

Fengyu and Yunying jointly unleashed blade after blade of wind and shield after shield of cloud; the wind blades were incredibly sharp, slicing through the black flames surrounding the monkey and striking its true body.

The cloud shields formed solid barriers in the air, blocking the monkey's fierce attacks.

Tieya and Tieshan were like two insurmountable peaks, their strength great and steady; each strike carried the force to split mountains and shatter rocks, rushing at the monkey, using great power to repel it and protect the team's safety.

The monkey, facing the combined assault of all, showed no sign of weakness.

Its staff technique was ever-changing, each strike accompanied by a sound of breaking space, neutralizing Longling and the others' attacks one by one.

Its body darted across the battlefield like a black bolt of lightning, each appearance bringing great power.

Longling's White Bone dharma manifestation and the monkey's battle grew ever fiercer; their forces collided in the air, forming ripples of energy that spread outward.

The peach trees in the peach grove, under the effect of these energy ripples, snapped one after another, turning to ash.

Longling knew that if they did not quickly find the monkey's weakness, they might become mired in a bitter fight.

He began carefully observing the monkey's fighting style, trying to find a way to counter it, discovering that although the monkey's attacks were fierce, each attack was followed by a brief pause, which might be its weakness.

Longling immediately told his companions of this discovery and directed attacks at the monkey's weakness.

Whenever the monkey paused after an attack, Longling and the others would launch a fierce assault, trying to break its defense.

The monkey seemed to realize its weakness as well, its attacks becoming more cautious, giving Longling and the others no openings.

Its staff technique grew even more uncanny, each strike wielding tremendous power, making it hard for Longling and the others to resist.

The battle grew ever fiercer; the combat between Longling and company and the monkey had surpassed what ordinary cultivators could imagine.

Each strike could easily destroy a mountain peak, each defense was impregnable, and the peach grove was devastated in their battle, reduced to a wasteland.

Although Longling and the others were powerful, facing such a formidable opponent as the monkey they also felt immense pressure.

Their bodies suffered severe injuries in the battle, and their strength began to gradually wane.

However, at the very height of the battle, Longling suddenly felt a mighty power surging within his body.

This power came from the phoenix jade pendant in her hand; at the critical moment it awakened Longling's potential, greatly boosting his strength.

A glint of resolute light flashed in Longling's eyes; she knew this was his only chance.

Her body suddenly burst forth with dazzling light; the Light Sword in her hand became even sharper, each swing resounding with a sound of breaking space, striking straight at the monkey's vital points.

The monkey, facing Longling's suddenly enhanced attack, also felt a hint of pressure.

Its staff technique began to show flaws; Longling and the others immediately seized the opportunity and launched a fierce assault.

Under the combined assault of Longling and company, the monkey finally suffered grave injury; its body was struck by Longling's Light Sword, letting out a painful roar as it began to collapse under the attack, dissolving into countless black flames that scattered in the air.

As the monkey dissipated, Longling and the others stood amid the ruins, his body exhausted to the point of collapse, yet his eyes flickered with the light of victory.

The ruins in the peach grove began to gradually recover; the peach trees that had been destroyed regrew, exuding vigorous vitality.

Longling and the others stood in the peach grove, able to sense that the land's vital force had been sublimated through their battle.

Longling stepped forward and lightly touched the newly grown peach trees, feeling that their vital force was now stronger than before.

However, just as everyone was preparing to take a brief rest, they suddenly discovered something unsettling.

Among the group that had entered together, Huang Daxian and Heifeng had actually vanished without a trace.

Everyone's hearts instantly went on alert; they looked around but found no clues.

Longling's brow furrowed tightly, realizing that the seal of the Shen Monkey Palace was not so simple.

"Everyone be careful, the seal here may be more complicated than we imagined," Longling said in a low, powerful voice, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, "The disappearance of Huang Daxian and Heifeng may be related to this seal."

Fengyu and Yunying immediately began casting spells, trying to sense the whereabouts of Huang Daxian and Heifeng.

Their spells formed halos of light in the air, attempting to penetrate the surrounding space to locate the missing companions.

However, no matter how hard they tried, they could not sense the aura of Huang Daxian and Heifeng.

"The space here seems to have been warped by some force," Fengyu's voice carried a hint of worry, "Our spells cannot penetrate this layer of distorted space."

Tieya and Tieshan gripped their weapons tightly, their bodies encased in thick iron armor, their power becoming even greater on this strange land.

They began searching the peach grove, trying to find traces of Huang Daxian and Heifeng.

"We must find them as soon as possible," Tieya said in a firm, powerful voice, "The environment here is too bizarre; we may have encountered danger."

Longling nodded, his heart filled with worry.

He knew the seal of the Shen Monkey Palace might have teleported them separately to different halls; they must find Huang Daxian and Heifeng quickly, otherwise they could fall into even greater peril.

Just as everyone was anxiously searching, a strange sound suddenly came from the peach grove.

This sound was like a whisper in the wind, yet also like a distant call, making it impossible to discern its source.

Everyone immediately grew tense, gripping their weapons and vigilantly watching their surroundings.

As the sound drew nearer, everyone noticed the peach trees in the grove beginning to undergo strange changes.

The branches of those peach trees began to twist, forming weird faces; their eyes flickered with a ghostly green light, as if peering at everyone.

"These peach trees… they've come alive!" Yunying's voice trembled with a hint of fear, his body involuntarily stepping back a few paces.

Longling's face grew grave; he knew these peach trees' changes might be related to the disappearances of Huang Daxian and Heifeng.

He immediately commanded everyone to prepare defenses, ready to face any possible attack.

Just then, a fierce wind suddenly blew up in the peach forest, carrying a strong foul stench that made people nauseous. In the gale, the peach trees' branches, like tentacles, madly lashed out at everyone.

"Watch out!" Longling shouted, his White Bone Dharma Appearance instantly appearing behind him, and the Light Sword in his hand swung, cutting off the attacking branches.

Fengyu and Yunying jointly unleashed gust after gust of Wind Blades and Cloud Shields; the Wind Blades were razor-sharp, slicing the peach trees' branches and striking straight at their trunks.

The Cloud Shields formed solid barriers in the air, blocking the peach trees' attacks.

Tieya and Tieshan were like two immovable mountains; their strength was great and steady, each strike carrying the force to split mountains and shatter stone.

They charged at those peach trees, using great strength to uproot them, trying to stop their attacks.

However, these peach trees seemed to possess endless vitality; even when uprooted, their branches continued to dance wildly, incessantly attacking everyone. Moreover, as time passed, the eerie aura in the peach forest grew thicker, the branches becoming stouter and their attacks stronger.

Although Longling and the others were powerful, facing these relentlessly attacking peach trees they felt immense pressure; their bodies suffered heavy wounds in battle, and their strength began to wane.

However, at the height of the battle, Longling suddenly felt a mighty power surging within his body.

This power came from the Phoenix Jade Pendant in his hand; at the critical moment it awakened Longling's potential, greatly boosting his strength.

A glint of determination flashed in Longling's eyes; he knew this was his only chance, his body suddenly burst with radiant light, the Light Sword in his hand becoming even sharper, each swing sounding like a tearing of the air, striking straight at the peach trees' vital points.

Under Longling's lead, everyone began to counterattack fiercely, their power intertwining with the peach trees' assaults, forming a fierce battle.

In the peach forest, the peach trees began to fall one by one under their attacks, turning to ash.

Boom—

In a thunderous roar, the last peach tree was also defeated by Longling and company, turning into countless wood chips that scattered in the air.

As the peach trees dissipated, the eerie aura in the peach forest gradually faded, restoring calm.

In the depths of the peach forest, Longling discovered a mysterious monkey-shaped jade pendant amid the ruins.

The pendant bore a lifelike monkey, its eyes flickering with an eerie light, as if containing some mysterious power.

Longling carefully picked up the pendant, and the moment he touched it, a mighty power enveloped him.

She felt as if she were being drawn into a vortex, the surrounding space beginning to twist and deform.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a mysterious snowy expanse.