Chapter 57: Sun Wukong
*Draconification*
My body transformed instantly. Two azure horns burst from my forehead, my scales shimmering with a celestial blue as my hair deepened in hue. My pupils narrowed, becoming reptilian slits, illuminated by a frosty glow. Sharp claws extended from my hands, while my torso was covered in scaly plates.
I clenched my fists, gathering Qi before unleashing all my energy. With each strike, wave-like claws of draconic force tore through the mass crashing down upon us. Despite repeated assaults, the impact’s force remained terrifying.
The next instant, the object struck my body head-on. It seemed to target me directly.
I gritted my teeth, absorbing the shock that made my bones tremble.
[I’ll intervene...]
*No, Aunt! I can handle this!*
Just before the final collision, the massive silhouette... vanished.
Or rather, it shrank.
"A... staff?"
The ground trembled as the object plunged into the earth.
A figure perched atop it appeared, their glowing red gaze gleaming with playful intent.
Before I could react, another flash of light illuminated the scene, revealing a second presence.
The first figure raised a hand in command.
"Don’t let anyone interfere, Yuying."
Then he turned his gaze to me, a provocative smile on his lips.
"I’ve been looking for you, Qing Long."
His staff began to sway beneath him, vibrating with the energy he emitted.
"I, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, challenge you to a duel."
He crossed his arms, confident.
"The so-called strongest of the younger generation... Let’s see what you’re truly worth."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Still giving yourself arrogant titles... What are you doing here? Sun Wukong!"
**End of POV**
***
"Who’s that guy?"
BaiShe wanted to melt into the shadows and disappear, but he was surrounded by a multitude of cultivators. If he tried to escape, he’d instantly destroy the image he’d meticulously built. Gritting his teeth, he hastily activated Omnis, his eye glowing with a mystical light as information unfolded before him.
[??? Sun ??? Wukong ??? 25 years old ??]
A violent spasm ran through him.
"Kh—"
A trickle of blood flowed from his left eye. A searing pain shot through his skull, as if his own mind refused to comprehend this individual’s existence.
"How...?"
The mist surrounding Sun Wukong’s figure was impenetrable. Omnis, which had always allowed him to assess any opponent’s strength, revealed no level—only his danger.
"I can’t see his level..."
He turned to Zhulan, his voice deeper than he intended.
"Zhulan, you should flee. This might get dangerous."
His tone left no room for argument. Zhulan hesitated, then nodded before cautiously retreating.
Hu Zhen, a sage who had cultivated for over a century, was considered a genius of his time. Yet, this Sun Wukong, a man who had lived only two and a half decades, emitted an even more crushing pressure. At this point, it was no longer about talent or genius. He was a monster.
That’s when BaiShe understood.
Even if he was the Devourer, even if he bore a title feared by all, he was nothing special. This world was filled with beings beyond comprehension, and he needed to be more cautious, more decisive.
He wiped the blood slowly trickling down his cheek.
"I should avoid interfering... This guy’s far too powerful. He must be in the Sage Realm."
He muttered to himself, yet part of him still refused to accept this reality.
At that moment, his voice echoed through the space.
"Don’t let anyone interfere, Yuying."
"Prince, I believe the Jade Emperor would agree—"
*Slash* A sound cracked in the air.
A brutal slap.
"...Did I ask for your opinion?"
An icy silence fell.
"No, Prince."
The woman who had spoken immediately lowered her head, her expression impassive.
BaiShe’s eyes widened.
A strange sensation gripped him.
*Ba-doom*
His heart pounded violently in his chest.
*Ba-doom*
A shiver ran down his spine, and a golden light fleetingly crossed his pupils.
He didn’t know why, but intense rage consumed him.
An ancient fury against Sun Wukong for slapping the woman.
A wrath so deep it didn’t seem his own.
"You dare!"
He roared, unable to restrain the murderous impulse, and lunged toward Sun Wukong.
***
BaiShe propelled himself forward, his body nearly disappearing in a blur of speed, charging directly at Sun Wukong with unquenchable rage. But just meters away, a figure abruptly blocked his path.
"If you want to pass, you’ll have to go through me."
Yushen raised a hand, and instantly, the ground beneath them trembled. A series of aqueous tendrils burst from the earth, slicing through the air with intense pressure.
"As you wish."
BaiShe reacted without hesitation. His body twisted with fluidity, dodging the water projectiles with disconcerting agility. He slipped through the rain of aqueous blades, dangerously closing in on Yushen.
BaiShe seized his wrist with terrifying force, his palm so hot that Yushen suddenly felt a burn along his arm.
Before he could understand what was happening, a fist brutally slammed into his abdomen.
"Kuh—"
The impact sent him staggering back, air escaping his lungs.
A violent roundhouse kick bent him double. He regained his balance, but BaiShe slammed his face into the ground with a brutal stomp, shattering his mask.
Using the shock’s force, BaiShe pushed off and leaped forward, using Yushen’s body as a springboard to close in on the princes.
"Back off."
But before he reached his target, a feminine figure appeared in his path. An oppressive pressure bore down on him.
Yuying’s voice was calm, but her tone left no room for compromise.
"Step aside."
BaiShe halted, muscles tense, but he didn’t immediately attack her. Something in him hesitated. This woman exuded a different aura, a power that wasn’t just about strength.
He didn’t understand why, but instead of wanting to attack her, he felt... the instinct to protect her.
"I can’t," she replied simply.
BaiShe gritted her teeth, then drew her sword with a flash of silver.
"I don’t want to hurt you."
Yuying’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her heart pounded as she looked at him, and a strange warmth rose in her blood.
It was an unsettling feeling. It wasn’t fear, nor apprehension. It was something deeper.
’My bloodline was reacting to this man? Who is he?’ She thought, frowning.
"Don’t worry," she murmured, a golden glow shining around her body. "You won’t be able to."