Chapter 276 - 230: Hidden Hand

"Demon Master!" the three monsters exclaimed in shock.

Though they were demons from Luzhou in the North, the name was anything but unfamiliar to them.

After all, to many demons, he was an idol, surpassing even the famed Seven Great Saints that had risen in prominence over the past few centuries. The Demon Master’s reputation had spread far and wide, steeped in legend.

For he was the one who nearly usurped the Heavenly Court alongside the Demon Emperor; despite the Court’s relentless pursuits over the years, he still remained elusively at large.

From the moment they first heard legends of the Demon Master in their childhood, this elder had become an idol in their hearts.

"We pay our respects to the great Demon Master!" the three promptly greeted with a bow.

The Demon Master, however, waved his hand and said, "Since you’ve come here, someone must have told you the reason, right?"

The King of Summer Resort said softly, "That senior mentioned that eyes were needed in the Xiniu Continent."

The Demon Master smiled and nodded, saying, "That’s correct. At this juncture, where the winds of turmoil converge within the Three Realms, I need a pair of eyes to watch the Buddhist Sect’s movements for me. You, being demons of the Xiniu Continent, are naturally less likely to arouse suspicion."

The candidness of the Demon Master immediately put the three Demon Kings at ease. Such a noble figure would surely not resort to deceit, and with this assurance, their lives were likely spared.

Meanwhile, outside, the relentlessly pursuing monkey and the two Star Lords exchanged glances, each seeing the confusion in the other’s eyes.

Such a huge monster, vanished without a trace.

"Did you two see any movement from the monster?" the monkey asked, clearly baffled.

The two Star Lords shook their heads gently, just as puzzled. They looked around but still found no trace whatsoever.

"It’s truly baffling, as if a living person could just disappear into thin air."

"Let’s go down and ask the Mountain God and Earth God if there’s a hidden Immortal’s cave mansion here," one Star Lord suggested, seemingly having an epiphany.

The three descended from the clouds, summoned the local Mountain God and Earth God, and inquired about any Immortal’s cave mansion.

The two, the Earth God and the Mountain God, looked at each other, and after a while, the Earth God finally opened his mouth and said, "Your excellencies, the Great Saint and Star Lords, there is no Immortal’s cave mansion here."

The three were momentarily stunned. With no Immortal’s cave mansion present, it must mean a superior being had intervened to rescue the monster.

The two Star Lords dared not think further. Anyone capable of rescuing someone from under their watch without a trace must be extraordinary. Since they were only there to help, why delve too deep?

"Great Saint, since we can’t find traces of the demon, let’s hurry to save your master," they said.

Upon hearing this, the monkey frowned slightly, feeling somewhat reluctant, but without any leads and worried about his master and junior, he had no choice but to return.

Inside Xuanying Cavern, the monkey was the first to rush ahead, entering the cave mansion to rescue Tang Monk and Eight Precepts.

"Wukong, I owe you a great deal this time!" Tang Monk said with a sigh.

"It’s because you couldn’t discern the real from the fake, master. This monster has been impersonating Buddha for years, and with you devoutly worshiping Buddha, you naturally fell prey. Fortunately, the four Star Lords were here to ensure your safety," he replied.

"Indeed, we are also grateful for the rescue by the several Star Lords," they said.

"Monkey Bro, this monster has gone too far with its deceit. Why don’t we eradicate it completely, leaving it without a place to call home?" Eight Precepts suggested fiercely from the side.

"Excellent idea!" the monkey’s eyes lit up.

The memories of being beaten and fleeing still echoed in his mind. He had planned to take his revenge, but to his surprise, those three monsters had run away, leaving a feeling of unvented anger and resentment boiling within him.

By now, Xuanying Cavern was a complete mess. Ever since King Bihan and his brothers had fled, the little demons in the cave mansion scattered like birds and beasts.

As Wukong entered the mansion now, he saw it was in utter chaos, the treasures amassed by King of Summer Resort and his companions had been looted clean.

"This is such bad luck, all of Old Demon’s treasures have been stolen by those little demons," Eight Precepts cursed.

He had originally planned to use this opportunity to make a fortune, but now not a single hair was left.

Just then, two straw men quietly resting on a stone table suddenly caught Monkey’s attention.

His intuition told him that these straw men were out of the ordinary.

Eight Precepts, too, noticed Wukong’s gaze and turned to look at the straw men on the table, uttering a soft ’huh’.

You should know that he was once Marshal Tianpeng, the commander of the Naval Forces, with extraordinary experiences, and he quickly perceived the mystery of the straw men.

"Could this be the power of fate?" murmured Eight Precepts.

He saw that these straw men were enveloped in a special kind of power. It was this power that had kept them unnoticed by the little demons who had fled with the treasures.

If it had not been for Wukong’s keen observation, even Eight Precepts would not have noticed the two straw men on the stone table.

For a moment, Eight Precepts’ eyes shone with an eager light. Such treasures made him itch to touch them. Just as he was about to reach for them, Wukong slapped his hand away.

Eight Precepts couldn’t help crying out in pain, "Monkey Bro, why hit me? These straw men are not much use, better let your junior brother handle them."

Monkey, however, grabbed his ear and laughed, "You fool, you think you can fool Old Sun so easily? These straw men are clearly rare treasures, and you dare to deceive me."

Having said that, Wukong slowly put the straw men into his bosom.

Suddenly, his mind was filled with a wealth of information, leaving Sun Wukong standing in place, stupefied.

"Monkey Bro?" Eight Precepts asked curiously, when he noticed the situation.

Wukong’s expression was complex, and he took a long time before saying, "It’s nothing. Let’s go."

Before they left, the brothers set a great fire in Xuanying Cavern, and soon the entire cave mansion was engulfed in flames, thus putting an end to the demonic stronghold that had persisted for years.

Wukong and Eight Precepts slowly approached Tang Monk and continued on their Journey to the West.

A few days later, with a howl of a wild wind, three figures appeared leisurely in front of Xuanying Cavern.

"Damn that stinking monkey, and that detestable Buddhist Sect!" King Bihan looked at the cave mansion that had been burned beyond recognition and spoke bitterly.

This cave mansion was the home of the three brothers, painstakingly managed to build such a base, and now, it had been turned to ashes by Sun Wukong’s fire.

"Big brother, let’s not act rashly out of anger, don’t forget the task the Demon Master has given us," King of Summer Resort said softly to comfort him.

"Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. I’ll settle this score with the Buddhist Sect sooner or later. Let’s go!" Having said that, he disappeared with his brothers, heading straight to the West.

On the way, King of Summer Resort was still full of doubts. The man and woman they had encountered, who exactly were they, and why even the Demon Master was so secretive about their identities, never mentioning anything about them.

Regrettably, no one could answer his questions now, and the very pair that he was curious about had already left the borders of the Xiniu Continent, heading straight for the Eastern Land.