UGB Chapter 24 Monkey Searches for His Brother
Chapter 24 Monkey Searches for His Brother
The monkey then searched all the way here.
It cannot ride the wind, let alone ride the clouds and mist.
However, naturally formed spiritual stones possess a different kind of spirituality.
After being carried by the tiger demon several times in the past few days, I have gradually come to understand some ways to use the wind to help me move around.
That's why I was able to rush over from Cuiyun Mountain, thinking only of getting faster and faster!
Without realizing it, I was so focused on speed that I actually caught a tailwind.
Then they ran faster and faster, gradually becoming like a gust of wind, and soon arrived here.
What used to be a hundred-mile journey that took a whole day to walk no longer felt so far.
As it approached the east gate of the city of Jisaguo on the wind, it quickly pressed down and was about to walk inside.
After walking only a few steps, they first looked to the left and saw a pagoda on a high place, its top radiating golden light, making the entire capital seem like a Buddhist kingdom on earth, truly sacred and benevolent. It should be known that the Kingdom of Jisa reveres Buddhism, and the Golden Light Temple in the east of the city is an important place of state religion, with flourishing incense and monks who are all highly accomplished.
Suddenly, the monkey noticed a caravan slowly making its way along the official road ahead.
A thought struck it, and it immediately chased after him to inquire about information.
Suddenly, the caravan saw a golden figure rushing recklessly from behind. The cattle and horses were all startled, bellowing and neighing in chaos.
The dust settled, and a golden-haired monkey stopped.
It leaned forward to ask, but its hairy face and thunderous mouth terrified the few men driving the carriage behind it.
They scrambled backward, yelling "Monster, monster!"
"Don't be afraid! Don't be afraid!"
Although the monkey was annoyed by their human reactions, it wasn't too bad, and it even offered some comfort.
It was anxious: "Brother Ren! I'm looking for Brother Ren!"
The monkey pulled out a piece of wood larger than the palm of his hand from his collar.
The painting prominently depicts a full-body portrait of a boy, with flowing sleeves and a gentle smile. However, his eyes are drawn exceptionally large, surrounded by radiating rays of light, resembling a shining sun, which makes it seem like a child's scribble.
But it didn't notice that the oxcarts and horse-drawn carriages were startled and stumbled wildly, with several loosely tied crates falling over with a clatter, scattering cloth and porcelain all over the ground.
Ignoring everything else, the monkey grabbed the collar of the person in front of it and asked, "Have you seen this before?"
In the blink of an eye, the caravan guards swarmed around, pointing their swords, spears, and clubs at the uninvited guest.
There was even a Taoist priest who came quickly with the caravan leader.
"what?"
The monkey was surrounded, with swords pointed at it, and it was stunned for a moment.
It looked down at the blades pointing at it, then looked up at the tense faces, and knew that these mortal weapons would only leave a white mark on its body.
It wasn't afraid of these people, but it was starting to get anxious.
From the moment I came up with the idea of actively seeking out Brother Ren when I came down the mountain.
The more I thought about it, the more anxious I became, wishing I could see my brother immediately and rush over to hug him tightly.
But these mortals are so annoying!
The monkey got angry and bared its teeth, letting out a low growl.
"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"
It slammed the heavy iron rod in its hand into the ground.
Bang!
A hole the size of a bowl was dug in the ground, and gravel flew everywhere.
This startled the guards, who quickly scattered.
The guards of the dozen or so caravans nearby looked at each other in bewilderment, and then some exclaimed in surprise that the monkey was a demon.
If he's not a real monster, how can he have such strength?!
And it's definitely not an ordinary monkey spirit.
A young man with a pointed face and monkey-like features darted around in the air and leaned closer: "You said you're looking for someone? Who is this person in the painting?"
"Brother! My brother!" The monkey raised the wooden board even higher, as if he wanted to shove it into everyone's face.
It wanted everyone to be able to see this charcoal drawing clearly.
The boy is depicted crookedly, with wide sleeves flowing, and his eyes are drawn exceptionally large, with a radiating circle of light around them, like a sun.
It looked quite proud, as if its drawing was not ugly at all.
Someone burst out laughing.
"This drawing... is your brother a monster? His eyes are shining?" A little girl with her hair in two buns covered her mouth and laughed.
"No, no!" the monkey cried out anxiously, its golden fur bristling.
"Brother Ren is handsome! His eyes are beautiful! Like mirrors! I can't draw them like him!"
The more anxious it became, the louder the laughter from the onlookers.
The young man with the pointed beak rolled his eyes again, reached out and took the wooden board, examining it from all angles: "Brother you... I think I've seen you before."
The monkey shuddered, its eyes widening in surprise.
It paused for a moment, then lunged forward and grabbed the young man's arm.
"Really?! Where? Where?!"
The monkey lost control of its strength, and the young man winced in pain: "Ouch, ouch, be gentle!"
"You beast! How dare you harm people!"
A loud shout rang out, and a wealthy-looking man who appeared to be the caravan manager pushed through the crowd and stepped forward.
Behind him followed a thin Taoist priest, with an air of otherworldly wisdom, holding a talisman in his hand.
The monkey looked over and then paused for a moment.
Because of the arrival of this wealthy-looking man, everyone else became respectful.
The lean Taoist priest standing beside him, with an air of otherworldly wisdom, stroked his long beard and said with a faint arrogance, "You demon monkey! Don't even think about acting so arrogantly. With me, the Great Immortal Wang, here, you won't be able to act so arrogantly! You'd better surrender and not let me make a move, otherwise it will be easy for me to make your soul disappear."
The monkey thought for a moment, then let go of the young man's hand.
However, the wealthy man reached out and stopped the Taoist priest.
"Master! Don't rush to make a move."
The wealthy man said slowly, "You monkey demon, let me tell you, you have to compensate me for something first—you rushed over just now and scared my oxen and horses. The oxen were startled, the horses ran away, and the goods were spilled. You have to compensate me for this loss, right?"
The monkey was stunned.
It glanced at the nearby cattle and horses and blinked.
The cattle and horses stood there peacefully; although they were startled, they didn't actually run away.
Now, people are comforting him, and he's chewing on hay; he doesn't look frightened at all.
The wealthy man, recalling some tricks from storytelling tales, was overcome with greed: "You'd better exchange it for some gold, silver, or treasures, or the ginseng and immortal fruits you found in the mountains. Otherwise, if the Taoist priest makes a move, you won't be able to escape, and you won't be able to beg for mercy!"
Master Wang then understood why this fellow could become a wealthy man.
Even a dead person can be squeezed for some oil, let alone a mere monkey demon.
The monkey suddenly stared at the young man from before and asked, "You really saw my brother?"
Its voice trembled, unable to conceal its excitement and anticipation.
The wealthy man glanced at the young man, who dared not speak.
He then retorted, "You demon monkey! This boy is my nephew. You'd better hand over the compensation first! Otherwise, I won't allow him to speak. And you certainly won't be leaving. Answer me honestly."
The monkey scratched its ears and cheeks in desperation, its expression pleading, "No, no! I have no money! How can I pay you back?"
The wealthy man stared wide-eyed, looked closely, and then spat out, "Bastard! Then take off all your clothes! I think that's a good idea."
The monkey was speechless, and its expression gradually darkened.
It gripped its favorite iron rod tightly, then touched its armor and breastplate, thinking of the unrestrained joy it had experienced at the Water and Land Gathering over the past two days, and how it had fought and defeated countless opponents while wearing them. How could it bear to part with them?
Besides, have these people really seen Brother Ren?
Maybe we can just ask someone else...
The monkey wasn't stupid; it vaguely sensed that they looked down on it and were probably just trying to deceive it.
Just as it was thinking that.
The wealthy man, however, was a shrewd individual. He subtly gave his nephew a meaningful look.
The nephew was shrewd; his eyes darted around, and he started making things up: "Hurry up and take it off! Otherwise, your brother... I just remembered, I saw him injured, and he had a companion with him! If you want to find him, you'd better hurry."
But it turned out to be a lucky guess.
The wealthy man chimed in, "Is that so? Well then, alright, alright, we'll let you go. Everyone, disperse and don't crowd around—this monkey, though not human, is still a creature of feeling and affection, recognizing a human as a brother, that's rare indeed."
Some people nearby laughed, while others felt sorry for the person watching.
It's truly a terrible thing! To torture a perfectly healthy monkey like this!
At first, the monkey didn't believe it, but when he heard the young man say that the man had a companion, he suddenly thought of the woman at the tea stall, and his mind exploded, and he believed it.
Its furry palms initially felt that the iron rod was too light.
But now it feels so heavy, so heavy that I can't hold it tightly, and my hand goes limp.
Clang!
The heavy black iron rod slammed to the ground with a dull thud.
Upon seeing it, the wealthy man's face revealed his greed and joy. He and the guards around him shared the same expression, knowing that this must be a top-quality weapon!
The monkey's eyes were filled with both hope and worry as it stared at the young man with the pointed beak. The young man instinctively looked away, unable to bear the gaze.
The furry monkey hands trembled as they reached to remove the breastplate from its chest, touching the cracks on it. The image of the powerful enemies that had shattered it came to mind.
The monkey untied the rope and carefully bent down to place it on the ground.
The monkey finally took off his breastplate and put it together with the iron rod. Then came his arm armor, leg armor, and that red cloak he'd stolen from the Water and Land Gathering... no, it was sewn together by Tiger Sister from some strips of cloth, saying it looked majestic that way.
A small pile was stacked on the ground.
The monkey stood there naked, its golden fur drooping, looking more like a little monkey caught in the rain than a majestic monkey king.
It remained silent, dejected, and no longer exuded any grandeur.
Then he silently looked up, staring intently at the wealthy man and the young man with the pointed beak.
Its voice, like a volcano temporarily dampened by rain, was filled with a heart-wrenching anticipation: "Now, can you tell me?"
The wealthy man's expression suddenly changed. He quietly took a few steps back and kicked the young man.
He ordered the young men to do the work, while the guards put away their iron bars and armor.
He then whispered to the Taoist priest, "Master Wang, are you ready to subdue the demon..."
Master Wang's expression was serious: "I know."
These two shrewd individuals, however, saw through it.
This monkey demon must be killed when the opportunity arises!
It's a good thing I was stupid enough to take off all my protective gear; otherwise, if I had known I'd been tricked, I would have turned around and harbored ill intentions!
The monkey clenched its fists, sensing an underlying malice.
It was surrounded by people, some of whom were recklessly picking up its iron bars and armor, as if tearing its flesh and blood piece by piece. It wanted to punch them to stop them, but the image of the people in its heart was like a five-fingered mountain pressing down on its unrestrained hands and feet.
"Speak! Where is my brother?"
The monkey's face gradually betrayed his growing impatience, and the air grew increasingly heavy.
People near the caravan noticed.
The steward, his nephew, and the Taoist priest all seemed poised to make a move.
You can even see the wealthy man's greeting gestures.
Some of the caravan guards gripped their steel knives tightly, while others, their hands damp with sweat, swallowed hard as sweat seeped onto their handkerchiefs.
The three men on the wealthy man's side also looked unpleasant, their joy gone.
They seemed to realize something, but they were now in a difficult situation.
Master Wang swallowed hard, then suddenly realized something—could this monkey demon, wearing such thick armor and weapons, have run so fast? Was it just the skill of an ordinary little demon? He couldn't help but wink at the wealthy man.
The monkey's expression gradually darkened, and the hope in his eyes slowly disappeared.
If it was anger, it felt furious, gradually sensing that these guys might be about to harm it. But its clever mind was quickly gripped by a growing worry—had Brother Ren really been in trouble? Had something already happened? Why wouldn't these people tell it?
The monkey thought of the female companion beside the human brother, and even had a wicked thought of beating her to death with a stick. All sorts of fantasies about the human brother that could harm him made the monkey's restless and fierce expression grow stronger. Its heart was burning with anger, and its facial features gradually became ferocious and distorted. Its breathing became unsteady.
The whole scene was like a powder keg that could be ignited at any moment.
Until someone—
I don't know who it was, maybe several people at the same time—
"Enough!" the wealthy man's young nephew suddenly shouted.
With a flick of his wrist, Master Wang unleashed his hidden magical power, instantly igniting the talisman in his hand.
The firelight was particularly conspicuous on the official road at dusk, igniting a tension in the minds of some people.
One of the guards stepped forward, and in a moment of impulsiveness, the others threw out their knives, spears, and clubs.
The first strike landed on the monkey's shoulder, and the gleaming blade bounced back.
A few monkey hairs floated down, and the skin was cut off, but there was hardly any blood. All that could be seen was the guard's wide-eyed stare and the tip of a spear thrusting in from the side. The guard's face turned red, but the spear didn't penetrate, and he was filled with terror.
"Y-youkai!"
"Demon monkey!"
"Kill it! Attack now!"
"Master Daoist!"
People were inexplicably terrified, and the guards shouted and began to hack and slash again.
Slashed with knives, stabbed with spears, and beaten with clubs.
There was even a ridiculous guard who tried to lift the black iron rod with both hands, but he was already struggling to lift it, let alone perform any fancy moves.
Suddenly, the golden-haired monkey, seemingly impervious to swords and spears, came this way.
With a single leap, taking three steps in two, it resembled a giant beast or a collapsing mountain.
Its momentum and surging force were like a mighty dam bursting its banks, arriving in the blink of an eye.
Snapped!
The hairy hand gripped the middle of the iron bar.
At the same time, with a bang, Master Wang's talisman transformed into a fireball and slammed over.
The fireball, imbued with magical power, set the beautiful golden fur on the monkey's right shoulder ablaze, yet the monkey's right hand remained firmly and resolutely gripping the iron rod, unwavering in the slightest.
A pair of sharp, monkey-like eyes pierced straight into the eyes of the guard before him.
"Monster!" The guard, emboldened by some unknown source of courage, or perhaps already broken down, exclaimed.
His legs were already weak, but his arms were tense, and he gritted his teeth and tried to pull the iron bar back.
But how can we defeat them?
Little by little, the monkey pulled the iron rod closer, but its body remained motionless, allowing the knives, spears, and clubs around it to approach.
The monkey was filled with fierce malice, and as soon as the other party loosened his grip, he raised the iron rod upwards.
In the blink of an eye, he clenched his hands, swung them high into the air, and almost smashed the head of the villain in front of him.
Somehow, it ended up veering off course.
With a snap, half of his shoulder blade was shattered, barely grazing past him.
The person in front of them screamed, and the others were stunned, but then screams and cries for help continued to ring out.
In the twilight, the golden shadow of the monkey moved nimbly, wielding its staff left and right, thrusting forward and stabbing backward.
Within two or three breaths, dozens of guards had their limbs broken, and blood and flesh splattered everywhere.
But it's still not enough! Not enough, not enough!
The more the monkey restrained itself from smashing the heads of the surrounding demonic shadows, the more intense the raging fire in its heart became, burning it with pain. Suddenly, it let out a sharp cry, abruptly turned its head, and its eyes shone with black golden light as it shone towards the three people.
It was none other than the wealthy man's nephew, Master Wang!
Meanwhile, Master Wang had already quietly grasped a talisman in his palm, sweat dripping from his forehead, gritting his teeth and preparing to fight to the death. The other disciples behind him also trembled and each grasped a talisman, not knowing whether the talisman drawn by their master could deal with this demon monkey that was no ordinary little demon!
Some people have even run to Jinguang Temple, several miles away, to seek help from eminent Buddhist monks!
Upon seeing this, the monkey demon and the thunder god with hairy faces curled up a look of extreme disdain and arrogance.
It couldn't bring itself to kill the guards earlier because it felt something was wrong.
I also remember what my brother said: never take a life.
But now that he finally saw something was wrong, the anger in his chest suddenly found an outlet.
Yes! This is the real culprit! These things are nothing short of beasts!
They even fooled a monkey!
The monkey's mind was clear and at ease; it had completely figured it out, and it walked over step by step.
Its golden fur gleamed coldly in the twilight, and its iron rod scraped against the ground with a grating sound.