Call: Second Watch! Ten Thousand Characters Only Today! Time to Righteously and Boldly Ask for Votes!

"This is clearly one of our Mohist mechanical beasts. Where did you get it? Hand it over immediately!"

Mo Bai forced himself to remain calm, blocking the Demon God's attack. Seeing Long Que imposing and majestic, forcing the bronze automaton to retreat repeatedly, he still tried to assume the air of a senior and demanded it back from Feng Zikang. Feng Zikang only sneered, sweeping his gaze over Mo Bai as if looking at an idiot.

"Martial Uncle Mo, at this juncture, why continue with such talk? You know perfectly well in your heart that since I've revealed my hand, I might as well silence you permanently. You have only yourself to blame for stumbling here. Don't blame anyone else!"

His tone remained as calm as ever, but his attitude toward Mo Bai suggested the elder was already a dead man. "You!" Mo Bai already felt things were amiss, but he hadn't expected this rising star of the righteous path to utter such words so openly. He instantly regretted his carelessness.

hat means Feng Zikang had acquired that mysterious mechanical beast, and naturally, he wouldn't let the Mo family see it, lest it be confiscated. This strange divine magic formation was clearly not a technique of the righteous path. Feng Zikang revealing it now clearly meant he intended to kill Mo Bai! To still hold onto illusions at this point—was it any wonder he was mocked by a junior?

Since it was so, a fire ignited in Mo Bai's heart. You, a mere disciple at the Qi Condensation Middle Stage, relying on a few rare treasures, are so confident you can kill a senior who has established his Dao Foundation?

"Junior! You show me far too little respect!" With a furious roar, Mo Bai strained hard, his hemp clothes tearing open to reveal taut, muscular limbs. He chanted something under his breath, and his body became covered in five-colored light, blocking all the attacks from the divine demons.

"The Five-Color Untainted Divine Ability!" Feng Zikang had seen Mo Li use this ability; it was quite effective against vile and defiling magic. He slightly scoffed. Did Mo Bai assume it was an evil technique just because two of his demon heads looked hideous? There was also a Heavenly King and a Golden Net; their attack methods were upright, sweeping, and utterly forthright.

The Five-Color Untainted Divine Ability might work against the Dark Demon King and the Hairy Giant Beast, but its effect on the other two would be minimal! Indeed, the Heavenly King's giant pagoda unleashed dazzling divine light and crimson flames, passing through the Five-Color Untainted Divine Ability completely unimpeded. Mo Bai could only rely on his body to endure the blow. A patch on his back was scorched black, his face contorted in extreme pain and rage. However, his dense musculature was indeed tough. After this fierce and malicious strike, it only amounted to superficial wounds. Yet, his right arm was severely injured, pierced unexpectedly by Feng Zikang's sword. Establishing the Dao Foundation truly refined the body far more than before. Even for someone not specializing in body refinement, it was like fine steel polished a thousand times, difficult for ordinary weapons to harm. To seek further progress, Mo Bai had painfully tempered his body under waterfalls daily, enduring ten thousand jin of immense force. Although his cultivation hadn't rapidly increased, his flesh and hide had become solid. "Even finely tempered steel, once in my formation, I guarantee will be melted into juice!" Feng Zikang watched coldly, stroking the five-colored sash in his hand, deeply pleased with his foresight in knocking this magic tool away beforehand. What a formidable magic tool! Although it was only a Yellow Grade Six Rank, it possessed the great divine ability of Moving Mountains and Shifting Peaks. Crucially, this was not its limit; the Moving Mountains and Shifting Peaks divine ability was not fixed in rank but added ten extra layers on top of the wielder's original ability! This was extraordinary! The Moving Mountains and Shifting Peaks divine ability had unique methods in various sects. The Mo family's version wasn't exceptional, only Yellow Grade Six Rank, but it could still shift the Five Great Mountains, allowing one to swing a mountain to smash enemies during combat—an infinitely powerful technique.

If the Mountain Moving divine ability instantly increased by ten tiers, the size of the mountain that could be moved naturally increased tenfold. For instance, if Mo Bai could only move small hills like East Mountain before, holding this 'Driving Away Silk Ribbon' would allow him to move Mount Tai to smash someone. The difference between these two feats was immeasurable! Magic tools capable of amplifying divine abilities like this were generally the finest treasures of a sect. While the Moving Mountains and Shifting Peaks divine ability itself wasn't top-tier, boosting it by ten levels was enough to increase the combat power of an early Foundation Establishment disciple by two to three times—a valuable item indeed! "Junior Brother, you truly make this elder see you in a new light..." Huo Zhongguang emerged behind him, still just a faint, bloody shadow. When the Four Symbols Divine Demons came out to engage, he followed along. Looking at the Foundation Establishment expert trapped in the formation, he couldn't help but gasp in amazement.

Seeing Mo Bai's desperate struggle, Huo Zhongguang could only imagine his own fate in the formation would be even worse. His initial assessment—that this junior brother could easily crush him even if his body were intact—proved correct. If even a senior with a second-level Foundation Establishment who had cultivated for a hundred years looked this battered, Huo Zhongguang suspected he’d be finished in just a few moves!

The Heavenly King Pagoda blazed fiercely, the Golden Net crackled with angry lightning, the Dark Demon King was insidious and cunning, and the Hairy Giant Beast was ferocious and violent. Just looking at the Four Symbols Divine Demon Formation instilled fear. Huo Zhongguang sucked in a sharp breath and felt even more deeply convinced of Feng Zikang's capability. Then, Mo Bai roared in the formation, unleashing the thirty-second level of the Moving Mountains and Shifting Peaks divine ability.

From an unknown place, a great mountain floated down and smashed heavily toward the heads of the four divine demons. The demons each displayed their powers: the Heavenly King pushed his pagoda, the Golden Net held up its hands, the Demon King used the horns on his head to butt, and the Giant Beast used its shoulders to carry the weight. Only with great effort did they manage to knock the mountain away, and it cost them considerably. "Mo Bai is indeed formidable. A century of bitter cultivation has pushed his core technique's divine ability to the thirty-second level. If he still had the Mountain-Driving Silk Ribbon, my four divine demons would have had a much harder time! Fortunately, I dislodged that ribbon early..." Feng Zikang shook the five-colored silk ribbon in his hand with considerable composure. "Junior Brother's divine strategy is what is truly amazing!" Huo Zhongguang now dropped his airs and lavished excessive praise, dripping with sycophancy. Feng Zikang smiled faintly. "His demise now is a mere flick of the wrist. I didn't expect this trip to Mangcang Mountain would allow me to conveniently eliminate a Mo family Foundation Establishment elder. Testing the Mo family's divine abilities is also quite interesting." Huo Zhongguang scoffed dismissively. "What's so great about Mo family techniques? The methods of our Demonic Path are vast and boundless. Seeing your skill, Junior Brother, you are destined to become a pillar of the Demonic Path, leading us to reign supreme over the Three Teachings and the Nine Schools!" He openly positioned himself as a lackey of the Demonic Path, never forgetting to emphasize his sincerity in defecting at every moment. Feng Zikang's heart stirred, pondering thoughtfully. His several enemies were all experts at the Spirit Transformation stage, possessing not only profound cultivation but also backing from unfathomably powerful sects. To eliminate them and rebuild a Demonic Path sect capable of resisting them—this cohort might actually be useful. He glanced at Huo Zhongguang, nodding slightly. At that moment,

Mo Bai's agonizing scream echoed from within the formation. It was clear he had reached his last gasp. He gritted his teeth, covered in wounds, and suddenly plunged his right fingers into seven pressure points on his body, striking with brutal force. Oily blood streamed out, accompanied by a torrential drain of his vital essence, yet his physique instantly doubled in size, his muscles swelling grotesquely, making him even more terrifying to behold. "I didn't expect this wretch knew the Seven Star Puncturing Divine Ability! Junior Brother, be careful!" Huo Zhongguang quickly reminded him. Stabbing seven acupoints, using the outflow of vital essence to forcibly strengthen the body—this move was essentially self-mutilation, a desperate technique to unleash one's potential. After this battle, his cultivation would regress by at least one level. It seemed Mo Bai had finally recognized the situation, knowing death was certain without a final desperate struggle, and chose to fight back fiercely?

"A mere divine ability is not worth mentioning." Feng Zikang was contemptuous and disdainful, not even sparing it a glance. This type of technique that depleted vital essence to supplement the spirit was not considered truly powerful. It fell far short of the secret technique like the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Grand Method, which reinforced spirit, energy, and essence simultaneously. Although it caused greater damage to the body, what was the point of holding back even when fighting for one's life? "Indeed, it certainly cannot compare to the might of our Demonic Path techniques." Huo Zhongguang recalled the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Grand Method Feng Zikang had taught him. During the duel with Liang Si'an, it had doubled his spirit, energy, and essence at once. Combined with the Omnipotent One-Blade Slashing divine ability, he had succeeded in a cross-level challenge, defeating the newly Foundation-Established Liang Si'an while only at the peak of Qi Condensation. Compared to that, the Seven Star Puncturing Divine Ability truly counted for little. After all, in combat, while divine abilities were crucial, one's vital essence was a critical factor determining stamina, reaction time, and defense. A frantic depletion of vital essence meant that even a stronger divine ability only provided an offensive edge; if one couldn't break out immediately, it risked being counterproductive. As expected, after Mo Bai used the Seven Star Puncturing, although his initial offensive was fierce, forcing the four divine demons back, he still could not escape the entanglement of the formation. As his vital essence was consumed, he fell into increasing peril, far worse off than before. At this time, the bronze automaton had exhausted its power and was forcibly pinned to the ground by Long Que, then torn to shreds. It finally tried to self-detonate its core to take Long Que down with it, but Long Que was adept at dealing with self-detonations; with a single claw, he pulverized the core, leaving the mechanical man a pile of scrap metal.

The bronze automaton was forged from Mo Bai's heart's blood. Its destruction sent a massive shock through his mind, causing him to spit out another mouthful of blood.

"Now that this matter here is concluded, we should—" Feng Zikang, seeing the battle nearing its end, was turning to speak with Huo Zhongguang when his brow suddenly furrowed. His Wuxiang Heavenly Demon avatar sensed someone else approaching. "Mo Fenghuang arrives quite quickly." He shook his head, waving his hand to change the Four Symbols Divine Demon Formation. The four divine demons transformed into a surge of blood-red blades and light, enveloping Mo Bai securely, obscuring his form. This was the manifested illusion of the Four Symbols Divine Demon Formation; nothing could be seen from the outside.

"You should hide as well," Feng Zikang gestured toward Huo Zhongguang. Huo Zhongguang understood, leaning against the cliff face. Feng Zikang cast an illusionary spell on him, and the stout man instantly transformed into a rock with a patch of vibrant green on top. Even looking closely wouldn't reveal the deception. He then gathered up the remnants of Long Que and the bronze automaton. "Little Brother... is that you?" Mo Fenghuang descended on the clouds, her face etched with anxiety, calling out loudly. Feng Zikang replied in a clear voice, "Martial Sister Mo, your junior brother is here."

Mo Fenghuang flew over from a distance. Her cloud-riding skill was slightly inferior to her martial uncle's, naturally making her much slower. She had met Mo Bai at the ninth peak, briefly explaining the situation. Mo Bai had rushed ahead anxiously. When she followed, she saw a path of flowing blood, feeling both joy and astonishment while worrying for Feng Zikang. "Little Brother, how could you rush in alone? If anything untoward had happened, how could I live with myself?" Mo Fenghuang was heroic and spirited, a woman who yielded to no man. She grasped Feng Zikang's hand, tears welling in her eyes. "While I rejoice in your heroic deeds, Little Brother, I could never bear for you to face danger alone." Mo Bai had left in haste and naturally hadn't had time to expound the great righteousness of the Mo family to her. All she cared about was the death of her fiancé, Mo Li, and Feng Zikang's gallant venture into the thirty-six interconnected peaks of Mangcang Mountain for the sake of a friend. This bond of life and death weighed heavily on her heart, and only seeing Feng Zikang safe and sound now brought her relief. "Rest assured, Martial Sister Mo, a few mere monsters and devils are not worth mentioning in Feng's eyes!" Since she hadn't come to obstruct him from concluding this case by wiping out everyone in Mangcang Mountain, Feng Zikang naturally displayed a bold and heroic demeanor. He casually pointed toward the blood-red knives and light that the Four Symbols Divine Demon Formation had become, smiling, "This formation is trapping a great demon lurking in this peak. He will be minced into paste in a short while. Martial Sister need not worry." Mo Fenghuang took a cursory glance. The formation looked profound and powerful. Through the haze, she saw the trapped person struggling desperately, clearly not able to hold on for long.

Her heart settled, and she smiled radiantly, "Little Brother, you truly are amazing... Ah! You are injured!" Only then did she notice the wound on Feng Zikang's shoulder. Her heart ached terribly, and she quickly took out the Mo family's sacred healing medicine and began to dress his wound again. Feng Zikang was unwilling, but Mo Fenghuang ordered him with a sisterly, playful command. He finally unbuttoned his clothes to allow her to apply the medicine and bandage the injury.

Seeing the bloody hole in his shoulder, Mo Fenghuang pictured the perilous situation, her expression turning sorrowful, her brow furrowing, and tears involuntarily fell.

"Little Brother, you have truly suffered! If it weren't for A'Li, you wouldn't have had to—" This incident on Mangcang Mountain had nothing to do with this young Military School disciple, Feng Zikang, in the first place. If she hadn't selfishly wished for Feng Zikang to rescue Mo Li, he wouldn't have rushed here from a thousand miles away, nor would he have braved the thirty-six interconnected peaks of Mangcang Mountain alone with just his sword, sustaining such a severe injury. He was, after all, only a fifteen-year-old child!

Mo Fenghuang's heart softened, and the inherent maternal instinct in women surged, filling her with gratitude and tender affection for Feng Zikang. Just then, a sound of despairing wails echoed from within the Four Symbols Divine Demon Formation. Feng Zikang knew Mo Bai had met his end. With a light snort, he withdrew the formation. The four divine demons instantly transformed into four beams of light, along with Huo Zhongguang's bloody shadow, and were collected into his Sea of Consciousness. On the ground lay a figure like charred coke, smoke still rising from his body. Mo Fenghuang was startled. She had seen many corpses of demonic beings on her journey, but never one so repulsive. She let out a soft gasp. "Martial Sister, rest assured, this demon is dead." "Indeed!" Mo Fenghuang steadied herself, not glancing at the body again.

Feng Zikang calmly walked over, plucked the only intact storage pouch from the corpse, and secretly tucked it away. "Huh?" Mo Fenghuang suddenly realized something was amiss. "Little Brother, when my martial uncle pursued earlier, he must have intended to help you eliminate the demon. Calculating the travel time, he should have been much faster than me. Did you see him?"

Feng Zikang looked surprised, then spread his hands helplessly. "The Mo family senior arrived? That's great news! But I was held up by this demon here and didn't see Martial Uncle. I'm afraid we missed him..." Mo Fenghuang looked toward the front peaks but saw no trace of her martial uncle, letting out a disappointed sigh. "He must have missed us.

That martial uncle is truly muddle-headed." ...The chase caused some trouble.

This straightforward and righteous female disciple of the Mo school would absolutely not allow Feng Zikang to venture into danger alone and insisted on accompanying him. Feng Zikang frowned. Although Mo Fenghuang was not weak, having her nearby would inevitably restrict his movements, preventing him from using some of his ultimate trump cards carelessly. However, seeing her determined attitude, he found himself in a difficult spot. He pondered for a long time, finally agreeing to let Fenghuang accompany him, but with three rules: she must obey his instructions before doing anything else.

"If you cannot comply, do not blame me if I disregard your life!" Feng Zikang knew the White Bone Divine Monarch was an old demon at the Foundation Establishment stage. Rushing in blindly without assessing the strength was contrary to his Wuxiang Heavenly Demon's calculated, deliberate nature. He had originally planned to infiltrate the later nine peaks of the thirty-six interconnected ranges to ascertain the true situation before making plans. Bringing along a burden, while perhaps helping to conceal his identity, was problematic because Mo Fenghuang's nature was too upright; if she jumped up at the sight of any injustice, he would not be responsible for rescuing her. "Naturally!" Mo Fenghuang was now completely convinced of this young brother's capabilities. Hearing that he planned to infiltrate the demon's lair, she continuously praised him in her mind for being both brave and resourceful, agreeing wholeheartedly. "Don't worry, Martial Sister will not drag you down!" Perhaps not. Feng Zikang smiled. He didn't have much confidence in the Mo family members, but since he had his own scheme, he wasn't afraid of Mo Fenghuang making any slip-ups. "Martial Sister Mo, although your martial uncle has arrived, I see no unrest ahead. I wonder what the situation is? The White Bone Divine Monarch's demonic arts are potent. Even if Martial Uncle is powerful, he might fall for the demon's trick if he lets his guard down. I plan to disguise myself and sneak into the later nine peaks to scout the situation.

What do you think?" He used this as an excuse, neatly sweeping the matter of Mo Bai under the rug. Mo Fenghuang, also worried about her martial uncle, nodded in agreement. Feng Zikang lowered his sword light and found two small demons who had died cleanly enough, taking two sets of clothes. He and Mo Fenghuang found a secluded spot to change. Mo Fenghuang was a forthright woman and didn't mind the filth. She casually wiped off some bloodstains and threw the clothes on. The small demon wasn't as tall as her, and those who cultivated the Nine Nether Ten Darkness Soul Searching Great Method were all gaunt and withered

. Mo Fenghuang, wearing a set of dark-colored, coarse robes, was stretched tightly across her body, her exquisite figure completely revealed. "This won't do." Feng Zikang shook his head and found several feet of white silk for her, asking her to bind her chest tightly, so that at least her female identity wouldn't be immediately obvious. Mo Fenghuang complied, binding herself extremely tightly. Her chest, which had previously looked like rising peaks, was now flat. Feng Zikang was satisfied. He saw Mo Fenghuang fold a piece of coarse sackcloth and put it in her pouch. Feng Zikang knew that Mo family members valued simplicity; no matter their status, their clothes were merely roughly tailored pieces of sackcloth. Mo Fenghuang was no exception. As a woman, she likely wore no undergarments beneath the coarse fabric. Sackcloth was rough, and a woman's skin was delicate. Wearing it like that must have been quite uncomfortable. "The Mo family truly treats itself harshly," Feng Zikang shook his head. However, the method of bitter cultivation had existed since ancient times, circulating in all sects. The Mo family's austerity in clothing, food, shelter, and transportation could be seen as another path to the Great Dao. The two of them then sloppily smeared some mud and ash on their faces and hands, messing up their hair thoroughly. Looking at each other, they both appeared grotesque, unrecognizable from their original selves. Their disguise complete, the two headed toward the later nine peaks of the thirty-six interconnected ranges of Mangcang Mountain. That was where the White Bone Divine Monarch resided.

The moment Feng Zikang stepped into the later nine peaks of the thirty-six interconnected ranges of Mangcang Mountain, he noticed the atmosphere was vastly different from the previous, left, and right ranges.

The malevolent souls and fierce ghosts here carried a hint of profound, desolate energy. He understood that this place was similar to the Dragon-Tiger Mountain Secret Realm—an excellent spot for cultivating the Nine Nether Ten Darkness Soul Searching Great Method. The turmoil in the first twenty-seven ranges seemed not to have reached here yet. This was only because Feng Zikang had moved too quickly in his slaughter. Today, the leaders of the nine peaks, who were the nine disciples of the White Bone Divine Monarch, were gathered on the main peak, Dragon Bone Peak, feasting and celebrating the news that they belonged to the lineage of the Immortal Sea Prison Island and were finally acknowledging their ancestry. Feng Zikang proceeded directly to the front of the Xuan Yuan Cave on Dragon Bone Peak. This towering mountain pierced the clouds, its shape bizarre. Below the mountainside was a giant opening, almost hollowing out half the mountain structure, resembling a giant, gaping, blood-red mouth. The top and bottom of the cave were lined with strange, overlapping stones, like menacing teeth.

Stepping into the cave felt like being driven into the tiger's mouth. Two minor demons guarded the cave entrance. Inside, the sounds of revelry, drinking, and eating were boisterous, yet they were punished by having to stand guard, missing out on the feast, and they were currently arguing in frustration.

"Hutu Brother, it was you who angered the Divine Monarch, causing us to miss out on meat!" "Huli Brother, what are you saying? If I hadn't stood by you out of loyalty and taken the blame, why would I be punished to guard the gate? Think of it, Hutu Brother is a handsome young man and a favored grand-disciple of the Divine Monarch! If it weren't for being implicated by you, I would have already learned the Nine... Ten... Soul Searching Great Method and gone out to harvest souls for merit!" "You're talking nonsense!" "You are ungrateful!" The two bickered while saliva dripped from their mouths, their noses twitching at the scent of wine and meat wafting from the cave.

These two minor demons were full brothers, both fox spirits, though the wild foxes from the southwest lacked any real skill, so they ended up as apprentices—or rather, grand-disciples—under the White Bone God Monarch. The elder brother, Hu Tu, had a feminine appearance, quite beautiful in fact, and was favored by the White Bone God Monarch. However, these two were hopelessly muddle-headed and constantly messed things up. After several fits of anger from the God Monarch, they were demoted to guarding the cave entrance. For this grand celebration throughout the entire cave, they were given no food.

Feng Zikang observed them secretly for a while, a silent chuckle in his heart, then strolled out slowly with Mo Fenghuang, heading straight for the cave entrance.

“Halt!”

These two brothers, Hu Li and Hu Tu, were surprisingly diligent in their duties. Seeing strangers approach, they instantly ceased their bickering and drew their blades, pointing them outward.

“Who goes there? How dare you trespass upon the Xuan Yuan Cave of Dragon Bone Peak!”

“Brother Hu Tu! It’s one of us! One of our own!”

Feng Zikang deliberately put on a flustered expression, pasting a smile on his face as he hurried toward them. Hu Tu paused, bewildered. “Who are you? How do you know my esteemed name, Brother Hu Tu?”

Feng Zikang hurriedly performed a deep bow. “Brother Hu Tu’s fame rings through the land! All of us disciples from the collateral branches of the Right Nine Peaks have heard of it; seeing you now, indeed you are majestic! I recognized you instantly!”

The disciples of Right Nine Peaks had a more distant relationship with the White Bone God Monarch; in truth, it was simply that they had joined the ranks later, naturally placing them lower in status than the disciples of the Back Nine Peaks. The minor demon Hu Tu heard that these were disciples from the Back Nine Peaks and grandly nodded, accepting the greeting as a return courtesy.

Still, Feng Zikang’s words greatly boosted his ego. He turned back happily to his younger brother. “Brother Hu Li, what do you say? Even the brothers from the Right Nine Peaks know my great name! Do you realize how formidable your elder brother is now?”

This annoyed Brother Hu Li, who asked indignantly, “Hey you! Does the Right Nine Peaks only know my elder brother, Hu Tu, and not know of Hu Li?”

“Of course we know! Of course we know!” Feng Zikang nodded repeatedly. “The Hu Li and Hu Tu brothers have renowned prestige. Below the venerable White Bone God Monarch, we Right Nine Peaks disciples respect you two the most. It’s such a coincidence that we meet you both right at the cave entrance. I truly count this as the fortune of three lifetimes!”

After this round of flattery, the brothers Hu Li and Hu Tu were instantly overjoyed, deciding that this clever and quick-witted disciple from the Right Nine Peaks was the finest person they had ever met. Hu Tu grinned widely and slapped his shoulder several times with force.

“Well said! On account of your words, whatever difficulties you have coming to the Back Nine Peaks, just state our brothers’ names—there is no injustice we cannot right!”

“Yes, yes,”

Hu Tu then remembered he hadn't asked the purpose of this Right Nine Peaks disciple. He coughed affectedly. “Ahem! That... who are you? Which lineage from the Right Nine Peaks do you belong to? And what is your business at the Xuan Yuan Cave at this hour?”

Feng Zikang had already prepared his story. He smiled apologetically, “Brother Hu Tu, permit me to inform you: I am Luo Li from the Right Nine Peaks, and this is my younger brother, Luo Suo—” He pulled Mo Fenghuang forward and pointed at her. “—I have been sent here on the command of a certain Martial Uncle to report the recent movements of that disruptive Mo Family disciple. Might Brother Hu Tu grant us passage inside?”

He spoke off the cuff, not even bothering to fabricate a specific Martial Uncle’s name, simply saying ‘a certain Martial Uncle’ vaguely. These two dim-witted guards would never press for details.

Hu Li and Hu Tu exchanged a glance, and a sudden flash of cunning appeared in their eyes. Hu Tu stroked his pointed chin and sighed, “Well, well... under normal circumstances, that would be permissible. But right now, the entire cave is celebrating the ancestral recognition ceremony. Letting just anyone in right now might not be appropriate; even if my brothers made an exception for you, letting you in, you might not even find the venerable God Monarch...”

This was utter nonsense; the Xuan Yuan Cave was only so large, and once inside, how could one fail to find the White Bone God Monarch? But Feng Zikang had anticipated their excuse and immediately displayed an expression of tense anxiety.

“Then... then what is to be done? My Martial Uncle commanded that I must report to the venerable God Monarch as soon as possible. Brother Hu Tu, would you perhaps be kind enough to go in and announce me, say that I have an urgent matter requiring an audience with the God Monarch?”

Hu Tu thought, Here comes the opening I was waiting for. He laughed heartily, “Ha! Friend Luo Li, this is truly impossible. My brother and I have the grave duty of guarding the cave entrance and absolutely cannot abandon our posts.”

“We brothers will watch the gate for you, honored brothers!” Feng Zikang quickly thumped his chest.

The brothers Hu Li and Hu Tu were overjoyed. They had been maneuvering exactly to get these country bumpkin brothers from the Right Nine Peaks to say this exact thing. With someone guarding the gate for them, they could rush in to gorge themselves. As for reporting to the God Monarch, there would be plenty of time after they had eaten their fill!

“Hahaha! Good brothers, since that is settled, we shall go in to inform the God Monarch first. However...” Hu Tu scratched his head, finally showing a flicker of caution, not wanting these two to bolt in their absence and be discovered by the patrolling senior brothers, leading to punishment for the guards. “The God Monarch is somewhat difficult to locate; it might take some time. You two absolutely must not leave the cave entrance!”

“Certainly, certainly!” Feng Zikang bowed and scraped. “We will wait right here for our two brothers to return.”

Hu Tu was ecstatic and immediately bolted toward the cave entrance. Hu Li roared in anger, “Brother Hu Tu, you sneaky wretch! Trying to get ahead of me to snag an extra piece of meat again! Stop right there!” He too sprinted after him.

At the cave entrance, only Feng Zikang and Mo Fenghuang remained, exchanging knowing smiles.