Chapter 42: Egg of the Heavenly Demon, Earth-Shattering Reversal (Requesting Monthly Passes, Requesting Follows)

The second half of the night was calm and peaceful.

The next day, the bell rang,

until morning practice ended.

Jiang Yan went to the cafeteria and, amidst the terrified gazes of the novice monks, shamelessly ate ten people's worth of vegetarian meals, only leaving when they stopped serving food.

Everyone gathered once again.

They had originally intended to eliminate Jiang Yan as an unstable factor, but due to the sudden situation last night, one more person meant one more bit of strength.

The man in the suit spoke with a Solemn Expression: "Last night, it should have been the demon suppressed by Abbot Shou'e that was assaulting the seal."

Huang Mao nodded and said: "I also felt the earth shake and the mountains roar. Fortunately, the Abbot suppressed it. It seems this guy is the core BOSS of the Sick Domain."

Xiao Hei said: "Then do we still need to follow the original plan and explore the temple today?"

"Of course, otherwise we cannot complete the mission and leave the Sick Domain."

The man in the suit said: "But I have already checked several places in the temple. There were no abnormalities during the day. I estimate that even if we explore, we won't gain anything, and..."

"Last night, I was attacked by a skinned, blood-colored humanoid monster. Fortunately, it did not break through the limit of the side room in the end."

"What!?"

Everyone was shocked.

Especially Jiang Yan, who couldn't help but glance at this guy a few more times.

Huang Mao spoke with a Solemn Hue: "Could it be that the target of that guy is us?"

"Very likely. After all, the temple layout is fixed, and we are the only point of breakthrough."

Xiao Hei looked serious and murmured: "No gains during the day, and that demon is staring at us at night. What should we do?"

Being targeted by a demon suspected to be at the Dharma Seed Realm, even in a heavily injured state, was something they could not resist.

The Abbot could not protect them every moment; a single slip would mean being buried in the demon's belly.

Thinking of this, a trace of worry and fragility appeared on that delicate face, causing a strong desire to protect to surge in Huang Mao's heart.

Since entering the instance, he had always been treated as the core, and the man in the suit occasionally showed admiration.

Over time, Huang Mao also unconsciously gained a leader's mindset.

He used to be a sickly person, so he was excluded by the others, and thus hated his own weakness.

After becoming stronger, he even preferred to act alone.

He felt they would only drag him down, but now it seemed...

he could completely try to absorb these talents and build a suitable team, especially that pair of sisters, who had great potential.

Of course, that eatable sickly person was excluded.

Seeing him was like seeing his former self.

As long as there was no conflict of interest with himself and he didn't drag his feet, Huang Mao didn't mind letting the other person cling to his thigh and muddle through this instance.

Thinking of this, Huang Mao spoke: "In that case, I actually have an idea. Our goal and Abbot Shou'e's goal do not conflict. We might as well seek his help to find a way to completely resolve the demon."

Xiao Hei hesitated and said: "But even the Monkey King had to sacrifice himself. The Abbot probably has no way, right?"

The man in the suit and Xiao Bai held much the same attitude.

Huang Mao smiled confidently: "Our mission is not to kill the demon, but merely to explore. Only this method can allow us to ask the Abbot for key information and complete the mission.

At that time, we can advance to kill the demon or retreat to leave the Sick Domain."

"Brother Huang Mao is truly amazing."

Xiao Hei suddenly realized, a look of admiration appearing on his face, and his tone became a few degrees closer.

"This method is indeed good."

The man in the suit nodded slightly, glancing at Jiang Yan beside him, who looked slightly better in complexion but was still slacking off in the chaos.

Compared to a genius like Huang Mao, this guy was indeed far inferior.

He originally thought he was hiding his strength, but it seems he is truly ordinary.

As for Xiao Bai, he had been silent since morning.

In the Hall of Zen Liberation,

after listening to everyone's account, Abbot Shou'e had a complex expression. Finally, he sighed and said:

"Originally, this monk did not want to say it, but since everyone has the heart, I will tell everyone."

"The thing suppressed by the Monkey King is an egg of the Heavenly Demon. For some unknown reason, it rose from the depths of the river of history and fell into This World. Inside, a terrifying Heavenly Demon larva is incubating. Once it is born, it will surely bring disaster to all living beings.

And the blood-colored shadow figure you mentioned is the Shadow of the Heavenly Demon. It is good at seizing human bodies and claiming them as its own, with bizarre abilities."

Huang Mao looked at the exploration progress climbing rapidly to 5%. His mood was excited, but on the surface, he humbly asked for instruction:

"Then how should we resolve it?"

"It should not be said, but originally, after the Monkey King suppressed this egg of the Heavenly Demon, his body turned into a mountain. However, his three souls did not completely dissipate. They were stolen by the minions of the egg of the Heavenly Demon and hidden separately in three demon caves not far from the back mountain.

Before, it intended to use the Monkey King's soul as a condition to exchange for the egg of the Heavenly Demon, but I refused it."

"If everyone can retrieve the three souls of the Monkey King, perhaps this monk can try to dot the eyes of the Monkey King, call back his spirituality, and completely suppress the egg of the Heavenly Demon."

After hearing this, Huang Mao's eyes lit up.

Wasn't this... a hidden quest in the game?

If they could assist in suppressing the diseased egg of the Heavenly Demon, they would absolutely receive an S-rank evaluation.

However...

Huang Mao worried and asked: "Are these Shadows of the Heavenly Demon very strong?"

The Abbot Shou'e hasn't taken them down for so long. Could they all be demons at the Foundation Realm?

"At night, with the support of the egg of the Heavenly Demon, their strength is not inferior to this monk. But during the day, they are only at the peak of the Spirit Opening Realm."

Abbot Shou'e sighed: "It is a pity that I must guard the Monkey King statue at all times to prevent the egg of the Heavenly Demon from breaking free, so I cannot leave the temple. And they hide during the day and only appear at night."

Huang Mao smiled faintly: "Then leave it to me!"

That day, Huang Mao led this new team, crossed Peach Mountain, and arrived at a demon cave shaped like a skull.

Inside, a giant spider with a blood-red flower blooming on its abdomen was drinking water; upon seeing Huang Mao, its compound eyes showed shock, its spider legs moved, and it turned to flee.

It seemed unwilling to engage them!

"Monster, do not flee!"

Huang Mao snorted coldly; nine white-bone flying daggers flew from his body, instantly blocking its path.

His ability is named Dougang White Bone Flying Daggers, refining his own bones with his body's blood qi and gang qi.

The born flying daggers not only perfectly align with his own will, obeying like an arm or finger, achieving unity of man and blade.

They can also continuously collect gang qi to strengthen themselves, and after returning to his body, they can further enhance his physical constitution.

It must be known that the human body has 206 bones.

Refined to the extreme, in a single thought, 206 flying daggers can be condensed, allowing his own blood qi and soul to reside within them.

Transforming into Blade Escape.

Along this journey, relying on the Blade Control Art, Huang Mao was invincible, just like his life.

"Within the Spirit Awakening Realm, I am undefeated."

Huang Mao murmured, yet this Heavenly Demon Spider before him was indeed unimaginably powerful; the spider hairs on its body could even transform into sharp blades to break the air, blocking his blade needles.

For a moment, a stalemate ensued.

"We will assist you!"

The suit-wearing man acted; a fire dragon roared.

Little Black stepped lightly, lightning flashed at his wrist; he leaped into the air and punched out with a single fist.

"Divine Thunder Fist Technique—Evil Slaughter!"

It struck the giant spider's left side; its body stumbled, and it was quickly pierced by the flying daggers, severely wounded.

As for Little White, it stayed beside Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan asked: "Aren't you going to help?"

Little White grunted: "Afraid you'll be shaken to death by the battle's residual waves."

The two also felt that slacking off was not good, so they acted to help.

Jiang Yan used the power of the blood threads from the Coffin Spirit; Little White glanced a few times, then pulled out a...

Coiled Dragon Staff!

The fighting style was vigorous, every staff strike a critical hit.

Focusing on brute force and overwhelming power.

With everyone's combined efforts, they quickly subdued this giant spider.

Boom!

The Heavenly Demon Spider fell unwillingly, its compound eyes staring fixedly at Huang Mao before turning into flying ash, leaving only a blue orb of light.

"Without the Heavenly Demon Egg's support, it is nothing special."

Huang Mao used a special jade bottle given by Abbot Shou'e to seal it away; seeing the mission progress rise by 4%, he felt unprecedented confidence, preparing to press the advantage and seek the remaining two Heavenly Demon minions.

In another demon cave resembling a body, a giant black ladybug.

With everyone's cooperation, it was successfully slain.

Watching Jiang Yan and Little White talking and laughing, Huang Mao frowned, a hint of jealousy flashing in his eyes.

The last Heavenly Demon minion was a one-legged, one-eyed human-faced ox.

Its strength was formidable, its vitality tenacious; it nearly shattered Huang Mao's white bone flying daggers.

Forcing him to deploy several trump cards before finally subduing it.

The mission progress also changed from 5% to 17%.

Only one step remained to complete the historical mission.

"Heavenly Demons, nothing special!"

Slaying three demons in one day, with the admiration of the beauty Little Black and the trust of his companions, Huang Mao became extremely arrogant.

Mere Heavenly Demons, nothing special.

Instead, Jiang Yan had been slacking off the whole time, making Huang Mao secretly think he was lucky.

Returning to Monkey King Temple, it was already evening.

Huang Mao and others walked into the temple under the admiring gazes of many novice monks, full of spirit, radiating glory.

In the Jiechan Hall.

"Truly heroes and champions."

Abbot Shou'e praised, his gaze gratified: "Next, we can bestow the eyes upon the Monkey King; all of this must be thanked to Lord Huang Mao and your companions."

Huang Mao humbly said: "Venerable, you flatter me; all is for the sake of ending the calamity of the Heavenly Demons."

Speaking thus, he handed the bottle in his hand over, but before Abbot Shou'e could reach it, someone snatched it away midway.

"What!?"

Everyone looked over together, only to see Jiang Yan playing with the bottle in his hand, his gaze amused:

"This game is indeed interesting."

The suit-wearing man never expected this guy who had been slacking off to suddenly cause trouble, and demanded:

"Do you know what you are doing?"

Jiang Yan smiled and said: "Of course, to stop you from continuing to make mistakes."

Huang Mao frowned; the white bone flying daggers behind him floated up, flashing with cold light, and he said coldly:

"Hand over the item, and I will let bygones be bygones, allowing you to leave here with us."

Jiang Yan smiled and said, "Are you sure you want to give this thing to them?"

"Do not waste words with him. This fellow has likely had his mind twisted by the Demon Egg of the Heavenly Demons, becoming its puppet."

The man in the suit roared, but before he could strike, he was pierced through the body by the tail hook of the Shadow-Eating Great Serpent and pinned to a peach wood pillar.

His gaze was shocked, unable to believe...

He had actually been... instantly killed!

"Damn it, I knew you were no good!"

Seeing this, Little Black's hand flashed with thunder, wanting to provide support, but was whipped away by a tail, rolling endlessly on the ground.

At the moment of severe injury, she still turned to look at Huang Mao and said seriously:

"Brother Huang Mao, this fellow has a problem, run... run quickly!"

"Very well, you have thoroughly enraged me!"

Huang Mao's voice was cold; he gave the other no further chance. Nine bone-white flying daggers were summoned, whistling toward Jiang Yan's head and neck.

One strike, and the head would be severed!

However, imagination is beautiful,

but reality is...

The Shadow-Eating Great Serpent appeared, swallowed the nine flying daggers, and with a crunch, ate them as a snack.

Having watched for nearly two days, it had long wanted to taste them.

"Pfft!"

Huang Mao lost all nine of his innate weapons at once, instantly suffering a backlash. He suddenly spat blood and crashed to his knees on the ground with a thud.

He, had actually been defeated!

Jiang Yan picked up the bottle, sat on the platform at the foot of the statue, looked at Huang Mao's unwilling gaze, and said softly:

"With such strength and intellect, it is hard to survive this Sickness Domain."

The two-headed Shadow-Eating Great Serpent coiled behind him, its crimson snake eyes looking down upon everyone.

It played out a scene where the final boss snatched the fruits of victory.

Little White stared blankly at this scene and said in a trembling voice:

"Why?"

Jiang Yan looked at her, remained silent for a moment, and sighed:

"Those whose Dao differs cannot plan together."

As the words fell, Little White's body shivered; she seemed to understand something, and a bitter smile appeared on her face.

Huang Mao raised his head, wiped the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth, and said heavily:

"Committing violence in front of Abbot Shou'e like this, you are seeking your own death."

"Amitabha."

Shou'e lowered his eyes and spoke: "Hand over the Monkey King's soul, and I will let bygones be bygones; otherwise..."

While speaking, the temple trembled. The roof ridge beasts, shaped like tigers, suddenly came to life, their eyes fierce and cruel, emitting a terrifying aura.

They crawled down along the eaves, surrounding Jiang Yan completely, emitting a suffocating aura.

Each possessed the combat power of the Foundation Realm.

However, facing the layered encirclement, Jiang Yan looked at Huang Mao, opened the bottle mouth, inverted the bottle body, and smiled lightly:

"This is the first time I have seen someone eagerly offering 'themselves' to others."

"Might as well look again; is this the three souls of the Monkey King?"

"What do you mean?"

Huang Mao was stunned; he subconsciously looked into the bottle. The three light orbs that were originally there gradually lost their radiance, and instead, the three Demon Underlings slain today appeared, imprisoned within the bottle.

Only...

They had all grown a face.

Every single face was...

Huang Mao!

Two chapters totaling 6,400 words. Requesting monthly votes, follows, and recommendation votes. Everyone, you can also leave comments about which historical figures you would like to see in a dungeon.

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(End of Chapter)