Free Web NovelChapter 12: Chapter 12: Lone Shadow on the Cold River
Faced with the Monkey King’s frenzied attack, Gu Yun was utterly unfazed, instantly unleashing his Perfection Level Wind and Thunder Saber Technique.
The blade light of his ’Wind and Thunder Roar’ carried the might of a thousand thunderbolts. Coupled with the power of his Minor Success Blade Momentum, lightning flashed and Sword Qi raged as he slashed unhesitatingly toward the Monkey King!
Gu Yun was confident. ’Even a typical cultivator at the Spiritual Martial Realm Ninth Layer Late Stage would die from this strike! Let alone this Monkey King, lost in its mindless rage.’
SHINK!
BAM!
With a deafening CRASH, the Monkey King let out an agonized shriek, but no matter how earth-shattering its cry, it could not escape its doom.
Closing in on the Monkey King, Gu Yun unleashed his Mountain-Breaking Fist without hesitation. The punch stirred the air, breaking the sound barrier as it shot straight for the Monkey King’s chest. For yards around, the very air seemed to shatter.
BOOM! The fist landed squarely on the Monkey King, caving in its chest and inflicting another grievous wound. Its massive body shot downward like a cannonball, crashing violently into the ground!
A powerful shockwave erupted outward, kicking up a storm of sand and rock. Trees all around toppled before the invisible force, and the gale winds sent rubble flying, filling the air with dust!
Gu Yun had no intention of pausing. ’Press the advantage; spare no monkey!’
His figure flickered. He flipped the Thunder Listening Saber in his hand and slashed forward viciously, sending a razor-sharp wave of Sword Qi soaring into the air.
The Sword Qi transformed into a flash of lightning, plummeting like a blue Flood Dragon churning the air, aimed straight for the Monkey King hidden deep within the dust and rubble of the crater below.
The gleam of the blade flashed as it pierced the heart of the dust cloud.
SHHIIINK! A massive, hideous head flew into the air, tumbled several times, and landed heavily on the ground.
As the dust settled, Gu Yun stood in the center of the battlefield. Before him, the towering corpse of the Monkey King remained standing, scalding blood gushing from the mirror-smooth cut at its neck.
Finally, the headless body collapsed to the ground.
’It’s finally dead.’
Gu Yun had originally planned on a peaceful journey back to the Sect.
But who could have guessed he’d accidentally wander into a troop of Monkey Demons? Left with no choice, Gu Yun could only send them on their way.
Gu Yun looked at the Monkey King’s body. ’This corpse is still quite valuable. Whether I eat it or sell it, a Monkey King on par with the Spiritual Martial Realm Ninth Layer is a pretty good find.’
’That said, since this is a monkey troop’s territory, they must have a lair nearby.’
At this thought, Gu Yun’s figure flickered, leaving a trail of afterimages in his wake.
A moment later, just as he’d expected!
Not far ahead was the Monkey King’s cave. Gu Yun drifted inside.
It was a moderately sized cave. About a hundred meters in, it opened into a chamber several hundred square meters large.
The light was dim, but to Gu Yun, the darkness made no difference.
As a Cultivator, his eyesight was superb.
Small rocks were scattered about, along with some half-eaten fruits discarded by the Monkey Demons.
Gu Yun walked over to the ’throne’ where the Monkey King used to sit. He suddenly spotted something and exclaimed in surprise, "Monkey Wine? Holy crap, it really is Monkey Wine!"
This Monkey Wine was brewed from various Spirit Fruits and was brimming with Spiritual Qi.
Gu Yun then found several wine jars in a corner near the throne. The moment he opened one, a rich, potent aroma filled the air, assaulting his senses!
Gu Yun took a deep breath of the mellow fragrance wafting from the jar. It was intoxicating, almost divine. ’These three jars of Monkey Wine must be worth a fortune!’
Gu Yun marveled at his recent string of good luck. ’First, I killed Bloodman Slaughter and got the Human Tier Top Grade Earth-Bursting Heaven-Shaking.’
’Then, on my way back to the Sect, a troop of monkeys just happened to "gift" me this precious Monkey Wine. It almost feels unfair.’
’With the help of these three jars of Monkey Wine, I should be able to make more progress in the Spiritual Martial Ninth Layer.’
But his gains in recent days weren’t limited to that. After several real battles, Gu Yun’s mastery of his Cultivation and Martial Techniques had also improved significantly.
Name: Gu Yun
Realm: Spiritual Martial Ninth Layer Middle Stage
Cultivation Technique: Celestial Thunder Technique (3rd Layer 74%)
Martial Techniques: Wind and Thunder Saber Technique (Perfection), Mountain-Breaking Fist (Great Success 60%), Wandering Dragon Step (Great Success 85%)
Techniques: Breath Concealment Technique (Beginner 15%), Celestial Thunder Technique (Minor Success 25%)
Sword Momentum: Minor Success Blade Momentum (10%)
「A short time later.」
After a thorough search of the Monkey King’s cave revealed nothing else of value, Gu Yun departed.
...
「A short while later.」
When a few Low Tier Cultivators eventually arrived, they discovered the area had been utterly devastated by a powerful expert. The surrounding trees were toppled, rubble was scattered everywhere, and a large crater was gouged into the earth.
They knew at once that a great battle had taken place. To their ecstatic surprise, they also found hundreds of Monkey Demon corpses still lying there. It seemed the powerful expert couldn’t be bothered with such Low Tier Demon Monkeys.
Of course, Gu Yun knew nothing of this.
...
At this moment, Gu Yun was on a river.
Gu Yun stood on a single stalk of bamboo, his hands clasped behind his back and his head slightly raised. The bamboo glided across the river’s surface, evoking the image of a master crossing the waters on a single reed.
He let the reed drift as it would, gliding over the vast and boundless waters.
Propelled by his Spiritual Power, the bamboo shot down the river like an arrow, cutting through the water’s surface and leaving ripples in its wake as it sped forward with lightning speed.
The green mountains on either bank blurred as they rushed past.
Gu Yun looked up at the sky. He hadn’t noticed when, but dark clouds had completely blanketed the heavens. The black layer was so thick it felt as though the sky itself was pressing down.
The black clouds roiled violently, like a stampeding army of ten thousand.
Suddenly, "BOOM!" A clap of thunder exploded from the sky, its force so immense it sounded as if the heavens were collapsing.
’It’s about to rain.’
As he felt the approaching storm, an inkling of enlightenment sparked within Gu Yun’s mind.
Before long—BOOM!—a bolt of lightning tore through the thick, dark clouds, instantly illuminating heaven and earth!
Immediately after, raindrops began to fall, one by one.
At first, it was a light drizzle, but it quickly intensified as fierce winds swept past, transforming it into a torrential downpour.
On the river, the rain hammered the surface, kicking up a white spray. Not another boat was in sight.
Between heaven and earth, only Gu Yun remained, a solitary figure amid the vast landscape.
He seemed to drift, as if having left the mortal world to stand alone.
Gu Yun stopped in the middle of the river. Facing the violent storm with his hands clasped behind him, he gazed up at the sky, his eyes distant. In a trance, he felt the boundless expanse of the world and his own insignificance, like a speck of dust.
A mayfly adrift in the world, a single grain in the vast ocean.
In that very instant,
the sounds of wind, rain, and thunder intertwined, echoing between heaven and earth! His mind achieved an unprecedented clarity.
An inexpressible truth swelled within Gu Yun’s heart, demanding to be voiced.
"Thunder, come!" he roared.
BOOM! A bolt of lightning instantly tore across the sky with a world-shaking crack, and for a moment, all was bright as day.
SPLASH!!
As the storm raged around him, the curtain of rain filling the sky parted, creating a space around Gu Yun.
"Hahaha! The waters of the Yellow River come from the heavens, rushing to the sea, never to return!" Gu Yun laughed heartily.
Suddenly, Gu Yun moved. The Thunder Listening Saber appeared in his hand, its faint blue light tearing through the heavy curtain of rain like a Flood Dragon soaring into the sky!
