Chapter 7: Wolf King Leopard Demon

Huaguo Mountain, a troop of monkeys was picking fruits in the forest below the cliff.

"Mommy!"

A young monkey suddenly tugged at its mother: "Why is there a sun in the west?"

The mother monkey looked up, and there was a streak of golden rainbow in the sky to the west, which, in the blink of an eye, plummeted towards them.

"That's not the sun!"

The mother monkey screamed loudly: "Quick, hide! A monster is coming!"

Other monkeys, noticing the golden light, also panicked and ran in all directions.

The golden light, with a terrifying power, landed on the ground, and all the monkeys, frightened, hugged their heads and hid behind rocks and among the bushes.

However, after hiding for a moment, everything was silent.

The bolder monkeys raised their heads and looked over; a two-meter-tall Stone Lion stood on the ground, its round eyes furiously glaring, extremely imposing.

"It's a lion!"

Upon hearing this, the timid monkeys frightenedly pulled their heads back again.

"Come out!"

They heard a familiar voice.

An old monkey joyfully emerged from the bushes and gazed at the Stone Monkey standing beside the Stone Lion.

"Great King!"

Upon seeing the Stone Monkey, monkeys of various sizes leaped out from the trees, surrounded the Monkey King, and began bowing and calling out.

"Great King, Great King, you've finally returned!"

"Great King, you've been away for a long time, and recently many demons have captured a lot of mother monkeys. We've been guarding our homes day and night without sleep. If the Great King had not returned soon, we would have had to concede our caves to them."

The words of the monkey troop startled Sun Wukong.

How could this happen? He had advanced his cultivation by two hundred years, so why was he still encountering demons? Could it be that the fate of heaven and earth had also shifted ahead?

Wukong quickly asked: "Is the demon calling himself the Demon Lord of Mayhem?"

"Demon Lord of Mayhem?"

The monkeys were shocked, then shook their heads.

"Great King, it's the Wolf King and the Leopard Demon from the north!"

Upon hearing this, Wukong relaxed.

"So it's them."

He felt relieved; both the Wolf King and the Leopard Demon were local demons of Huaguo Mountain and were among the Cave Masters of the 72 caves.

Since it wasn't the Demon Lord of Mayhem, it meant the story hadn't advanced two hundred years.

It didn't matter, since Sun Wukong had planned to subdue those 72 Cave Masters of demons anyway, and now was a good opportunity.

"Where did they take the young monkeys?"

Wukong asked.

"At a cave dwelling in the north."

The monkeys replied.

Wukong nodded: "In that case, do not be afraid, stay here and watch the Stone Lion while I go and rescue them."

With a leap, he turned into a streak of golden light and vanished.

The monkeys were startled, crouching on the ground in fear.

"Was that golden rainbow actually the Great King?"

"How did the Great King acquire such powers?"

The monkeys were astonished beyond measure.

In an instant, Sun Wukong arrived at the Wolf King's cave dwelling.

The cave dwelling was easy to recognize; a group of young wolves were frolicking outside the entrance.

Seeing Wukong, the young wolves ran away, but Wukong reached out and grabbed one in his palm.

"Tell your Great King, I am the Cave Master of the Huaguo Mountain Water Curtain Cave from the due south. He has captured my monkeys; if he doesn't release them and apologize to me, I will pluck out your Great King's fur!"

After speaking, Wukong tossed his hand, and the young wolf, hearing only the wind next to its ears, drifted weightlessly into the cave dwelling.

Inside the cave, the wolves were huddling around the Wolf King who stood three meters tall, majestic as a general, his body covered in white fur that shone with a platinum-like brightness.

Suddenly, a black shadow flew in from outside, crashing in front of the Wolf King's throne.

"Who goes there!"

The Wolf King picked up his treasure knife, ready to strike.

"Great King, Great King, it's me!"

The young wolf quickly kneeled on the ground, reporting: "The Monkey King from the Water Curtain Cave has returned. He demands you release the monkeys and come out to apologize, or else he'll pluck out your fur!"

"How preposterous!"

The Wolf King was furious upon hearing this; his white fur was extremely precious, who was this Monkey King to dare to speak so outrageously!

"My children, follow me out, and watch how I strip his skin bare!"

Wolf King grabbed his broadsword and rushed out of the cave first.

"Hey, you rascal monkey... Ouch—"

Before the pack of wolves could follow, they heard the sounds of a fight outside.

In an instant, the sounds of battle ceased, and the fully armed wolves, brandishing broadswords, charged out,

only to be so frightened the next moment that they threw their broadswords aside.

All one could see was Wolf King, his platinum fur scattered all over the ground, kneeling, blood-soaked, constantly kowtowing.

"Monkey King, spare my life, Monkey King, spare my life!"

Sun Wukong snorted coldly; dealing with such a minor demon didn't require even a flick of his finger.

"Where have you taken my monkey children? Have you harmed them?"

"No, no!"

Wolf King, terrified, tucked his tail between his legs: "They're all in the cave, weaving clothes for me!"

"Weaving clothes?"

Sun Wukong was taken aback.

He kicked Wolf King aside, walked past the trembling wolves, and upon looking inside the cave, indeed saw

twenty to thirty female monkeys, their feet shackled with iron chains, weaving clothes with silk threads.

The moment they saw Stone Monkey, they immediately knelt down joyfully.

"Great King, save us!"

Sun Wukong looked puzzled: "Why are you weaving clothes?"

"Reporting to the Great King, recently by the North Creek a fox demon took form, and this Wolf King wanted us to weave clothes to win her favor."

The female monkeys hurriedly explained to Stone Monkey.

Originally, Stone Monkey had taught the monkeys how to weave clothes, so Wolf King, to win the fox demon's affection, had captured those skillful female monkeys to weave day and night.

"Well, as long as you're safe."

Wukong waved his hand nonchalantly, unlocking the shackles. The female monkeys, freed and both shocked and overjoyed, knelt in gratitude again and again.

Stone Monkey, leading the female monkeys, left the cave and demanded of Wolf King: "Where is Leopard Demon's cave?"

"Right on the west side."

Wolf King, wrapping his body with lotus leaves and anxious, spoke: "I will take you there!"

"Good."

Stone Monkey nodded: "Lead the way!"

Wolf King hurriedly led the way.

The female monkeys, seeing Wolf King willingly leading their Great King and continuously trying to please him, felt as if they were dreaming.

How did our Great King become so formidable!

"Wolf King, let me ask you." On the way, Stone Monkey asked: "Is that Leopard Demon also like you, capturing my monkey children to weave clothes?"

"That's right, that's right!"

Wolf King nodded, his eyes shifting around: "He was the one who captured your monkeys; I just followed suit."

Sun Wukong snorted coldly.

Arriving at Leopard Cave, he, just like before, threw a small demon inside.

"Great King, Great King!"

The small demon fell on his buttocks before Leopard Demon, turned around to kneel and said: "The Huaguo Mountain Water Curtain Cave's Monkey King has returned and demands you release the captives."

"Monkey King?"

Leopard Demon laughed loudly: "What's so great about him?"

"Great King, do not underestimate him; he seems formidable."

The small demon, trembling all over and filled with fear, said: "That Wolf King, he got all his fur pulled out and is now serving him wrapped in lotus leaves!"

"Is this true?"

Leopard Demon's eyes lit up, thrilled beyond measure.

Fur is a symbol of beauty; with Wolf King without fur, wouldn't that reduce a rival in love?

"I heard those monkeys say that their Great King went seeking immortality and Daoist skill."

Leopard Demon laughed out loud: "I reckon he must have learned some fur-plucking Daoist skill."

The den of leopard demons gasped in astonishment.

"Fur-plucking Daoist skill!"

"There's such a terrifying Daoist skill in the world!"

The leopard pack exclaimed in shock.

"That Monkey King is truly terrifying!"

"Great King, be very cautious!"

"Underlings, do not panic!"

Leopard Demon, lifting his broadsword and full of swagger, declared: "Just watch how I skin and flay him, kill him and eat him!"

This was his last show of bravado before becoming furless.