Chapter 383 Tempering!

When the two returned, the monsters from Huaguo Mountain gathered in the open space in front of the Water Curtain Cave, and the atmosphere was solemn.

Sun Wukong and the Monkey King stood on a high place, their eyes swept over every demon brother below, their hearts filled with grief.

The old monkey king in the monkey group stroked his beard, frowned, and asked in a low voice:

“My lord, did everything go smoothly during this trip to Fangcun Mountain?”

Sun Wukong took a deep breath and spoke slowly. His voice was low but carried an irresistible force:

“Master…has passed away.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the monsters below were in an uproar. Many monster kings’ faces suddenly changed, with disbelief in their eyes.

The old monkey king shook his body, as if he had aged ten years in an instant, and said in a trembling voice:

“Ancestor, how could he… how dare the Heavenly Court do this!”

The Monkey King took a step forward, his voice carrying a hint of grief and indignation:
“The Heavenly Court has been pressing our demon race step by step, and now even Patriarch Bodhi is not spared. It is obvious that they want to completely eradicate us.”

“Before his death, our ancestor asked us to unite and fight against the Heavenly Court.”

Upon hearing this, all the demons fell silent, and the air seemed to freeze.

Sun Wukong looked at everyone with a sharp gaze, and said in a loud and firm voice:

“Brothers, the Heavenly Court sees us as a thorn in their side. If we do not resist, we will eventually be defeated one by one.”

“From today on, all demons must unite to fight against the Heavenly Court!”

Before he finished speaking, the demon kings invited by the Bull Demon King below raised their heads one after another, with complex lights flashing in their eyes.

Some are angry, some are afraid, and some are hesitant.

A tiger demon took a step forward and said in a rough voice:

“Great Sage, the power of Heaven is huge. If we, the demon race, act rashly, wouldn’t we be courting death?”

Sun Wukong sneered, his eyes like knives:

“So what if the Heavenly Court is so powerful? Should we, the demon race, just sit there and wait for death? Back then, I caused a big disturbance in the Heavenly Court, but they couldn’t do anything to me! Now, as long as we unite as one, we may not have no chance of victory!”

The demons heard this and their fighting spirit gradually ignited in their eyes. The old monkey king nodded vigorously and said firmly:
“Your Majesty is right! Rather than sit and wait for death, we might as well fight to the death! Although our demon tribe is scattered, if we work together, we may be able to compete with the Heavenly Court!”

Sun Wukong smiled slightly, with a hint of relief in his eyes:
“Okay, brothers, if you can be so determined, we have a chance of survival! However, our current strength is not enough to deal with the Heavenly Court.”

He paused for a moment and ordered someone to bring out a bronze furnace, which was the alchemy furnace stolen from Taishang Laojun.

When the monsters saw this, they all looked puzzled.

Sun Wukong said slowly:
“This alchemy furnace was once the most precious treasure used by Taishang Laojun to make elixirs. I used it to refine my Vajra-indestructible body. Now I will use its power to improve my strength again!”

The Monkey King stepped forward and whispered:
“Seventh brother, are you planning to enter the alchemy furnace again?”

Sun Wukong nodded, his eyes firm:

“Yes, I was tempered in the furnace before. Although it was extremely painful, I also benefited a lot…”

“However, although we now have the alchemy furnace, we lack natural materials and treasures. Brothers, we need to collect materials as soon as possible to temper our bodies and improve our strength!”

The demons nodded one after another. A wolf demon stepped forward and said in a hoarse voice:
“Don’t worry, Great Sage. We will go search right away. As long as it can help our brothers improve their strength, we will find them even if it costs our lives!”

Sun Wukong smiled slightly and patted the wolf demon on the shoulder:

“Good! Brothers, if you have the will, we have hope! However, the Heavenly Court may attack us at any time, so we must hurry up and collect all the materials in the shortest possible time!”

Upon hearing this, all the monsters took action.

For a time, the entire Flower-Fruit Mountain was bustling with activity, as various demon kings led their men to search for natural treasures.

Sun Wukong turned and walked into the Water Curtain Cave, sat on the stone chair, and looked deep.

The Monkey King followed in and whispered:
“Seventh brother, are you sure you can enter the alchemy furnace again this time?”

Sun Wukong smiled slightly, with a hint of calmness in his eyes:
“Fifth brother, don’t worry. I was already very familiar with refining in the furnace back then. Now I have found the refining method from Master. With the help of natural resources and treasures, I will definitely be able to improve my strength again!”

The Monkey King nodded, with a hint of worry in his eyes:
“Seventh brother, although tempering your body can improve your strength, the process is extremely painful. You must be more careful.”

Sun Wukong waved his hand and said with a smile:

“Don’t worry, Fifth Brother. I’m used to it. It’s just that the Heavenly Court is making frequent moves. I must complete my training as soon as possible. I also need you brothers to guard Huaguo Mountain and guard against sneak attacks from the Heavenly Court.”

The Monkey King nodded solemnly:

“Don’t worry, Seventh Brother. I will protect Huaguo Mountain and wait for you to come out!”

……

……

After this, about a month later, the Heavenly Court came to suppress the rebellion several times, but was repelled every time.

A month later, all the natural resources and treasures needed for the refining method have been found, and the refining is about to begin.

After starting his retreat, Sun Wukong turned around and walked towards the alchemy furnace without saying anything else, his eyes full of determination.

He raised his hand and the alchemy furnace slowly grew larger. Flames blazed in the furnace and heat waves hit his face.

Then, Sun Wukong took a deep breath, jumped and jumped into the furnace.

When the furnace cover was closed, flames shot up into the sky, illuminating the entire Water Curtain Cave in red.

The Monkey King stood beside the stove, his eyes solemn, praying silently in his heart:

“Seventh brother, you must return safely!”

However, not long after Sun Wukong entered the furnace, the Red-butted Horse Monkey came running from a distance, stopped beside the Monkey King, and said with a folded hand:

“Brother, the spies down the mountain reported that the heavenly soldiers and generals seemed to be making unusual movements.”

The monkey king frowned and raised his hand to signal the red-butted monkey to calm down:

“Keep exploring and report any movement immediately.”

The red-butted monkey took the order, turned around and left, and his figure quickly disappeared into the mountains and forests.

The Monkey King paced back and forth, looking up at the blazing alchemy furnace from time to time, and his worry grew even more.

When the red-butted monkey returned again, his face was heavy, his steps were quick, and a little sweat oozed from his forehead.

As soon as he arrived beside the Monkey King, he bowed and clasped his fists, speaking in a hurried tone:

“Brother, it’s bad! The army of Heaven is approaching, led by the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing and Prince Nezha. They are very powerful and have already stationed outside the Flower-Fruit Mountain!”

Upon hearing this, the Monkey King frowned suddenly, and a cold light flashed in his eyes:
“The Heavenly Court moves so quickly!”

The red-butted monkey took a breath and continued:

“The spies reported that the heavenly soldiers and generals are numerous and have set up a tight net. It is obvious that they want to wipe us out in one fell swoop!”

The Monkey King pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned around, strode toward the outside of the Water Curtain Cave, and shouted loudly:

“Gather the rest of the brothers, and have everyone come to the Water Curtain Cave to discuss matters immediately!”

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a commotion on the Flower-Fruit Mountain, and monsters gathered from all directions.

In just a moment, the six great saints, Bull Demon King, Dragon Demon King, Peng Demon King, Lion King, Monkey King and Ape King had gathered in the open space in front of the Water Curtain Cave.

The Bull Demon King took the lead, his voice as deep as thunder: “Fifth brother, what is so urgent?”

The Monkey King looked at everyone with a stern gaze:

“The Heavenly Court’s army is approaching, led by Li Jing and Nezha, and has stationed outside the mountain. We must immediately deploy defenses, otherwise Huaguo Mountain will be in danger!”

Upon hearing this, Demon King Peng’s eyes flashed with disdain, and he snorted coldly:
“Li Jing and Nezha? They are nothing special. Now that we demons have joined forces, what is there to fear?”

The Lion King crossed his arms and spoke in a low but powerful voice:
“Don’t underestimate the enemy. The Heavenly Court is coming with great force this time, and they must have a foolproof plan. We must respond cautiously and not attack rashly!”

King Yuxiong nodded in agreement, his eyes deep:

“Fourth brother is absolutely right. The Heavenly Court is obviously sending troops this time to wipe us out in one fell swoop. Instead of fighting head-on, why not use the terrain advantage of Flower-Fruit Mountain to set up an ambush and attack them by surprise!”

The Monkey King glanced at everyone and said firmly:

“My brothers, what you said makes sense. Although the Heavenly Court’s army is powerful, we have the advantage of terrain. If we can make good use of it, we may be able to fight.”

“However, my seventh brother is currently refining his alchemy in the furnace and cannot be disturbed. We must allocate some manpower to guard the furnace.”

The Bull Demon King nodded and said in a deep voice:
“Don’t worry, Fifth Brother. Leave this matter to me.”

He turned around and shouted to a demon general behind him:
“Immediately dispatch a thousand elite soldiers to guard the alchemy furnace day and night. We must not let the Heavenly Court disrupt Seventh Brother’s refining!”

The demon general responded and quickly led a team of demon soldiers towards the Water Curtain Cave.

The Jiao Demon King’s eyes were like torches, and he whispered:
“Since the Heavenly Court army has already stationed here, it is obvious that they are waiting for us to lose our composure. We might as well give them a taste of their own medicine and send out a small group of troops to harass and disrupt their deployment!”

Upon hearing this, Demon King Peng’s eyes flashed with a hint of coldness:
“Second brother, this is a brilliant plan. I have a tribe of birds under my command, which are most suitable for aerial harassment. I will lead the team myself and catch them off guard!”

The Lion King frowned, with a hint of worry in his tone:
“Wait a minute, third brother! The Heavenly Court must have been prepared this time. Although the bird tribe is good at flying, if we attack rashly, we may fall into their trap.”

King Yuxiong nodded in agreement:
“Fourth brother, what you said makes sense. The Heavenly Court sent Li Jing and Nezha to lead the troops this time. It is obvious that they want to proceed steadily and not fall into a trap easily. Why don’t we keep our troops in place for now and observe their movements before making any plans.”

The Monkey King hesitated for a moment, and a hint of determination flashed in his eyes:
“What you brothers said makes sense. In my opinion, we need to split our forces into two groups. One group will be led by me, my fourth brother, and my sixth brother. We will be responsible for sneak attacks and harassment, forcing the Heavenly Court to divide its forces…”

“The other group will be led by the second and third brothers. They will guard the gate of Huaguo Mountain to prevent the Heavenly Court’s army from attacking head-on. As for the alchemy furnace, it will be left to the eldest brother to guard personally.”

Upon hearing this, all the demon kings nodded.

The Bull Demon King waved his hand and said in a deep voice:
“Okay, let’s do it! Brothers, this battle is related to the life and death of our demon race, we must not slack off in the slightest!”

The demon kings clasped their fists and said in unison:

“Don’t worry, bro. We will do our best!”

As the order was given, everyone in Huaguo Mountain became busy, and the monsters acted according to the deployment.

The demon soldiers set up heavy defenses at the mountain gate, while the flying tribe quietly took off into the air, ready to strike at any opportunity.

The Monkey King stood on the mountain gate, his eyes as sharp as lightning, staring at the heavenly army vaguely visible in the distance.

Although he was worried, he was more determined.

“Heaven, since you are so aggressive, don’t blame us for repaying blood with blood!”

At the same time, in the Water Curtain Cave, the flames in the alchemy furnace were still burning fiercely, and the firelight reflected on the face of the Monkey King, making him look particularly cold. He turned around and glanced at the alchemy furnace, muttering in a low voice:

“Seventh brother, you must get out as soon as possible, the brothers are still waiting for you.”

Just as he finished speaking, a low horn sounded suddenly from afar, followed by the shouts of countless heavenly soldiers and generals.

“The Heavenly Army has begun its attack!”

The Monkey King’s eyes flashed, he turned around abruptly and strode out of the Water Curtain Cave.

His figure stretched out in the firelight, carrying a resolute aura.

“Brothers, follow me to fight!”

At this moment, the red-butted monkey ran into the water curtain cave in a panic:

“Report! Report! Heavenly King Li Jing and Nezha the Third Prince are leading the heavenly soldiers and generals to attack us!”

He was out of breath, holding his knees, and beads of sweat dripped down his monkey fur.

The Bull Demon King raised his thick eyebrows:
“It came so quickly!”

He turned to look at the other demon kings:
“It seems that the Heavenly Court has been prepared for this!”

The Jiao Demon King snorted coldly:
“What are you afraid of? We are brothers and are united. Are we afraid of them?”

The Demon King Peng flapped his wings and let out a sharp cry:

“Brother, let me go meet them first!”

King Yuxiong scratched his messy hair:
“I want to stretch my muscles, too!”

The Lion King said in a muffled voice:
“Don’t worry, let’s take a look at their formation first.”

The Bull Demon King looked around:
“Okay! Fourth, fifth, and sixth, each of you will lead a team to meet the enemy from the left, center, and right.”

“Second brother, third brother, you two will follow me to guard the center. Remember, you must protect the alchemy furnace!”

His voice was deep and powerful, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

After completing the deployment, Bull Demon King led Jiao Demon King and Peng Demon King to guard the alchemy furnace, staring at the flames in the furnace with serious eyes.

The alchemy furnace occasionally trembled slightly, as if something inside the furnace was about to break free.

The Bull Demon King paced back and forth, the stone slabs under his feet became slightly hot. From time to time, he looked up into the distance, his brows furrowed, and a hint of anxiety appeared on his face.

moment……

“Brother, the Heavenly Court is moving faster than we expected. They have already breached the outer defenses of Huaguo Mountain.”

The Jiao Demon King said in a low voice, with a hint of worry in his tone.

“No hurry, Old Seven’s refining is not yet complete, we have to guard this alchemy furnace.”

The Bull Demon King waved his hand, his eyes still fixed on the stove.

The Demon King Peng stood aside with a stern look in his eyes and his wings trembling slightly, as if he was sensing the movements around him.

He suddenly whispered:

“Brother, the troops from Heaven are approaching the Water Curtain Cave.”

Upon hearing this, Bull Demon King’s face darkened. Just as he was about to speak, the alchemy furnace suddenly shook violently, making a buzzing sound.

The furnace lid opened slightly, and a powerful breath gushed out, bringing with it a scorching wave of wind, and the surrounding air seemed to be torn apart.

“Old Seven is coming out!”

A hint of joy flashed across the eyes of the Bull Demon King, and he suddenly turned around and said to the Jiao Demon King and the Peng Demon King:

“Hurry, get ready to welcome Old Seven!”

At this moment, a deafening cry of killing came from outside the Water Curtain Cave, followed by the flags of the heavenly soldiers and generals waving at the entrance of the cave.

Li Jing and Nezha led the heavenly soldiers and generals and arrived at the Water Curtain Cave.

“Bull Demon King, why don’t you surrender!”

Li Jing held the pagoda in his hand and spoke in a loud and majestic voice.

(End of this chapter)