Chapter 274 - 228: Clash

King of Summer Resort only felt as if there was an invisible giant net slowly descending upon Heaven and Earth, and he and his two brothers were the prey within the net, unable to break free no matter how they tried to escape.

At this thought, he gently squeezed the straw man hidden in his clothes, and a trace of reassurance crept into his heart.

After all, he had two masters standing behind him, and since they were so well-versed in the methods of the Buddhist Sect, perhaps they had a Dharma Technique for dissolution.

"Bring forth the finest wine and meat for me," he ordered, "Once I have filled my belly, I shall go and properly meet the disciples of the Tang Monk."

With King Bihan’s command, the Xuanying Cavern suddenly bustled with activity, as countless Little Monsters scurried about, gradually filling the tables with good wine and dishes.

King Bihan cast a glance at King of Summer Resort, who still looked downcast, and said with a smile, "Why worry, Second Brother? Hurry up and enjoy the fine food and wine so that we are ready to fight with them tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, King of Summer Resort forced an unpleasant smile and replied, "Exactly as Big Brother says, we need to fill our bellies to work efficiently."

At this point, King Bichen spoke with a hint of regret, "It’s only a pity that Sun Wukong has made it impossible for us to rest in peace; otherwise, today we brothers might have tasted the legendary Tang Monk’s meat and thereafter could have gained immortality, eternally living as long as Heaven and Earth, celebrating with the sun and the moon."

"No hurry, once we deal with his three disciples, we can then enjoy it to our heart’s content!"

After clinking cups and exchanging toasts, they each went to rest and prepare for the battle; they were all exhausted from exerting all their abilities in that day’s great battle and soon fell asleep early.

In the morning, just as dawn broke, a red sun slowly rose from the East, spreading a blanket of golden light over the land, draping a shimmering golden mantle that dispelled the darkness of night.

A ray of sunshine pierced through a small hole and into the Cave Mansion, but it still couldn’t rouse the three sleeping Demon Kings.

"It’s terrible!" A shrill scream pierced through the Cave Mansion, causing immediate chaos.

King Bihan suddenly leaped from his stone bed, squinting through bleary eyes, and shouted loudly, "What’s happened, to cause such panic?"

Just then, a Little Monster burst in and cried out, "It’s terrible, King! Sun Wukong has broken into the mansion and is killing people!"

Without a word, King Bihan called to his brothers, grabbed his weapons, and rushed out the door, only to see the Tang Monk attempting to escape.

A malicious smile appeared on his face as he said, "What’s this, Monk from the Eastern Land? Where do you think you’re going?"

Seeing the Demon King, Tang Monk’s legs went weak with fear.

"Bring the Monk here and guard him closely!" King of Summer Resort ordered a nearby Little Monster.

Then a loud noise erupted, and King of Summer Resort quickly turned his head as another Little Monster ran up, saying, "King, that bearded and fanged Monk has come again, and he’s brought two ferocious and malevolent monks; they’re attacking the gate right now."

"Hmph, they’ve gone too far," snorted King Bihan, "Today, we shall show them just how formidable we brothers are!" With that, he called out to his brothers and ran toward the entrance of the Cave Mansion.

Before long, a world-shaking clamor came from outside, and some little monsters hid within the depths of the cave mansion, not daring to raise their heads.

"The three monks outside look terribly frightening. I wonder if our three Demon Kings can defeat them?"

"What kind of beings are the Demon Kings? Those monks may look a bit fierce, but should a real fight break out, how could they be a match for our Demon Kings? Just watch, before long, our kings will return victorious."

Although this little monster spoke in such a way, his face was still filled with fear, indicating that his heart was not as certain as his words.

The commotion outside lasted for a long time, but for the little monsters inside, it felt like an eternity. News of the occasional death of a little monster came intermittently, adding to their fear.

Just then, cheers of jubilation suddenly came from outside, and the hiding little monsters quickly stood up and said, "Did our Demon King win?"

Since the cheering was clearly from the little monsters within the cave mansion, it was natural to conclude that the Demon Kings had been victorious in the battle.

The previously speaking monster immediately said with a smug look, "I told you our Demon King would never lose. Let’s go see what those monks who dared to come knocking at our door look like."

Driven by curiosity, the little monsters moved forward a few steps and stealthily peeped out. They saw Zhu Bajie with his huge ears and protruding tusks, which startled the little monsters so much that they quickly withdrew their heads and turned to their companions, saying, "That monk looks truly ferocious."

"Little ones, tie up these two monks, and when the time comes, we’ll cook them along with Tang Monk," said the Great King who Avoids Cold, brimming with pride.

This victory had inflated his ego immensely. Sun Wukong, known as the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, who had caused Havoc in Heaven, was not even a match for the ten thousand Heavenly soldiers, and yet now he was fleeing in defeat from the Demon King’s hands.

"I see this Great Sage Equalling Heaven is just so-so!" he laughed out loud.

King Bichen was also smugly satisfied beside him. This battle would surely spread the fame of the three brothers throughout the Three Realms.

"Big brother, third brother, now is not the time to be joyful. That monkey has escaped, and with his connections and relationships, it won’t take long before more people come knocking. Plus, now that he’s seen our capabilities, he’s bound to seek out those who can counter us. What then shall we do?" the King of Summer Resort asked in a grave voice.

"Old Second, you might be overthinking it. What tricks could that monkey have up his sleeve to call others to aid him?" King Bihan was still incredulous.

"Big brother, don’t forget that the monk is heading to Mount Ling to pay homage to Buddha. Now that we’ve captured him, won’t Sun Wukong seek out Mount Ling? Those bald monks are no trifling matter."

It was these words from the King of Summer Resort that finally woke King Bihan from his dreamlike state, realizing that this Tang Monk was indeed a hot potato. They had stirred up a hornet’s nest, and it seemed inevitable that before long, it would draw a continuous stream of people to them.

"What shall we do now?"

"Worry not so much about it," King Bichen finally spoke. "This is our turf. If we truly encounter an invincible adversary, we can just make a run for it. With all of Heaven and Earth available, what can they do to us? Besides, that monkey is serving a mere commoner, slaving away at his bidding. It’s unlikely he’s content with that. Perhaps he’s already turned back to the forest to resume his life as the Great Sage Equalling Heaven."

His words successfully quelled the worries of King Bihan, who also laughed and said, "Old Third makes a good point. Why be afraid before the battle has even begun? Old Second, how did you become so timid?"

Seeing their reaction, the King of Summer Resort knew he could no longer persuade them. He did not insist further, only letting out a soft sigh. Yet in his heart, he had already decided that should the situation turn dire, he would run for it first. If he could reach the safe place mentioned, he would have escaped this deadly jeopardy.