Chapter 337: Hou Tu Tribe, Conflict

The three of them climbed along the body of Mount Wuzhi.

The higher they went, the heavier the Pangu pressure permeating the world became.

The invisible sense of oppression in the air constantly stacked up, like an invisible mountain pressing down on their heads.

The circulation of Sun Wukong's demonic power faced increasing resistance, and his strength was further suppressed.

Yet, Su Chen, walking beside Sun Wukong, was in a completely different state.

From the moment he stepped onto Mount Wuzhi, the *Thirty-Six Axes of the Heavenly Gang* within his body had not stopped circulating on its own, forming a natural resonance with the Pangu pressure emitted by Mount Wuzhi.

The heavy pressure falling upon Su Chen did not suppress him; instead, it was drawn in by the *Thirty-Six Axes of the Heavenly Gang*, transforming into strands of fine power that seeped into his tendons, bones, and flesh.

Su Chen could clearly feel his Qi and blood growing—not by a large margin, but continuously, like spring rain moistening all things.

"Using the spine as the Heavenly Pillar..." Su Chen murmured, his gaze fixed on Mount Wuzhi, which pierced through heaven and earth before him.

Mount Wuzhi itself was formed from Pangu's spine.

The *Thirty-Six Axes of the Heavenly Gang* he practiced compared the human spine to the Heavenly Pillar, simulating Pangu's physical body system.

Now that he stood beneath the true "Heavenly Pillar," his cultivation technique resonated with heaven and earth, which was equivalent to practicing in the place closest to the source.

Yan strode ahead, then suddenly stopped and turned around, grinning at the two.

"We're here." Su Chen looked up.

A massive tribe built against the mountain appeared in his field of vision.

The tribe used the skeletons of ancient giant beasts as pillars and the black boulders from Mount Wuzhi as walls, piling them up into rugged stone halls.

In the center of the tribe, a stone pillar several dozen zhang high rose from the ground, with a ball of reddish-gold bonfire burning at its top.

The firelight illuminated the entire tribe in a deep red.

In the open space between the stone halls, countless Wu Clan warriors were tempering their physical bodies.

They ranged in height from several zhang to over ten zhang, all bare-chested, their skin bronze or blue-black, their muscles coiled and knotted.

Sun Wukong looked around and clicked his tongue.

"These guys, they're all like iron towers."

Yan slapped his chest with pride: "Of course, the warriors of our Hou Tu tribe are all heroes!"

As the three talked, they walked into the tribe.

The Wu Clan warriors in the tribe saw Yan bringing outsiders back and curiously sized up Su Chen and Sun Wukong.

Suddenly, the few Wu Clan warriors closest to them sensed Sun Wukong's identity; they stopped what they were doing and looked at Sun Wukong.

"Demon Clan?!"

A Wu Clan warrior standing over ten zhang tall walked forward.

His skin was blue-black, he had an earthy-yellow totem on his forehead, and his arms were thicker than Su Chen's waist.

He glared with copper-bell-like eyes, staring fixedly at Sun Wukong, his tone icy.

"Yan! You brought a demon back?"

Yan blocked Sun Wukong, waving his hands to explain: "Brother Tunba, don't be impulsive, they are my guests..."

"Guests? Do demons deserve to be guests of our Wu Clan?!"

The Wu Clan warrior whom Yan called Tunba took a step forward, the ground beneath his feet shattering.

Behind him, four or five more Wu Clan warriors surrounded them, their Qi and blood surging, their killing intent released.

"How many of our brothers have the demons killed? And you actually brought them into the tribe!"

"Tear him apart!"

The emotions of the Wu Clan warriors were quickly ignited.

Their hatred for the Demon Clan was carved into their bloodlines; it needed no reason, no explanation.

Sun Wukong stood where he was, his golden pupils sweeping over the surrounding Wu Clan warriors.

He did not make a move, but he did not retreat a single step either.

The Ruyi Jingu Bang flew out from his ear and was gripped in his palm.

"Whoever wants to tear me apart, feel free to try."

Yan was sweating profusely, trying to persuade them left and right, but the Wu Clan warriors wouldn't listen at all.

The Wu Clan warrior named Tunba made the first move.

The ground beneath his feet collapsed, and his twelve-zhang-tall body was like a moving mountain, his fists raised high, carrying surging Qi and blood as he smashed directly toward Sun Wukong's face.

Su Chen took a step forward, blocking in front of Sun Wukong, and activated the *Dharma Heaven and Earth* divine ability, his figure rapidly growing until he was soon as tall as Tunba.

He did not activate his magic power, nor did he use the Guixu Divine Axe.

The Qi and blood transport method and muscle exertion techniques from the *Thirty-Six Axes of the Heavenly Gang* within his body circulated simultaneously.

Su Chen's spine trembled, and his entire body's Qi and blood gathered on his right shoulder and back in an instant.

He turned sideways, his right shoulder thrusting forward, and he slammed into him.

"Bang!"

A muffled sound exploded.

Tunba's twelve-zhang-tall body was struck in the chest by Su Chen's shoulder, and he flew backward.

Several hundred paces away, a stone hall built of black stone was smashed through by his body, rubble flying and dust rising into the sky.

The tribe was silent for a moment.

The Wu Clan warriors were stunned for a moment.

What had they just seen? A human who had originally been thin and weak had suddenly grown larger and used his shoulder to knock Tunba flying?

Tunba climbed out of the ruins, his chest caved in, and blue-black blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

He glared at Su Chen, his face full of disbelief.

"You!"

He roared and charged again.

Su Chen remained motionless.

Tunba threw a punch, but Su Chen turned sideways to let the fist pass, his right palm slapping Tunba's forearm, borrowing force to neutralize force and dissolving his attack.

Immediately after, Su Chen stepped in close, his knee driving into Tunba's abdomen.

Tunba's figure paused.

Su Chen's right elbow struck upward, hitting Tunba's chin.

Tunba's head tilted back, and his figure staggered backward.

Before he could stand steady, Su Chen was already on him, his right fist pounding the same spot on his chest.

Qi and blood poured in, the force penetrating the surface of the body.

Tunba flew backward again; this time he smashed into the ground and slid over a hundred zhang, plowing a deep trench.

From start to finish, Su Chen did not use a shred of magic power, using only pure physical strength.

Tunba lay on the ground, trying to push himself up twice but failing.

He knew the other party had held back; otherwise, those few strikes would have been enough to seriously injure him.

He lifted his head, looking at the approaching Su Chen, the anger in his copper-bell-like eyes gradually fading.

Tunba struggled to his feet and pounded his right fist against his own chest, emitting a dull sound.

"You are strong."

Su Chen stopped and looked at him calmly.

Behind Tunba, the Wu Clan warriors who had originally been filled with killing intent looked at each other for a moment, then one after another raised their fists and pounded their own chests.

"Thump, thump, thump..."

The dull sound of chest-pounding spread among the watching Wu Clan, uniform and rhythmic, like war drums.

This was the Wu Clan's salute to the strong.

Yan stood to the side, letting out a long sigh of relief, then gave Su Chen a thumbs-up.

Su Chen deactivated his divine ability, his body returning to its normal size, and he landed beside Sun Wukong, calmly accepting the Wu Clan's ritual. ===== CHAPTER 338 =====