Chapter 1012: Great Li Invades (II)

At the same time.

Golden Spear and the others fought more valiantly as battle dragged on. While they weren’t a match for the enemy, they managed to hold off the vanguard. The others fled for Silver Moon.

Ash Mountain was a winding and twisting place; it was very difficult to cross. One had to exercise utmost caution in ordinary times. But today, this was the last thing on everyone’s mind.

Great Lil’s vanguard was about to capture Golden Spear and the others when the void shook and a piercing eagle cry echoed through the air. It shook everyone’s hearts before a ferocious tiger howl swiftly followed it.

A massive ape brought a club down on the Great Li attackers!

“How dare you!” shouted a golden body expert. “It’s you guys!”

There were many monster spirits in Ash Mountain, but these four were infamous. They’d entered Great Li territory a few months ago and committed all manner of crimes, seizing the possessions of many Great Li powerhouses.

The monster spirits weren’t particularly strong, but there was something special about them. Their auras seemed to be part of the world. Added to the fact that the four normally traveled together, it meant that regular heavyweights could do nothing about them.

But today, one million Great Li soldiers marched together and their king was personally in attendance. How dare these monster spirits interfere with Great Li business??

“Roar!” answered the tiger. It brought a paw down on the golden body expert and drew several lines of blood. The monster spirit cried to itself—this body was so tough! Its claws were indestructible, but almost broke from the pressure!

How terrifying!

The tiger slightly regretted provoking these guys. This was a very dangerous group. But since they’d done so, there was no space for regret. It wasn’t a fight to the death, just saving some people to use as their toll through Silver Moon.

Are you as familiar with Ash Mountain as we are?

A powerhouse was sent flying with a thump of the ape’s club. The golden eagle screeched through the sky and grabbed onto Golden Spear and the rest. “Got them!”

“Let’s go!” The four monster spirits were as if bandits, running as soon as they rescued their targets.

They crossed a nearby mountain in the blink of an eye, arousing the attention of a formidable monster spirit that rose into the air. “How dare you trespass on this seat’s territory...” it erupted with fury.

“Great Li is here to kill us all!” transmitted the golden eagle. “Mad Cow King, they say they want to turn you into beef stew. Go kill them!”

The enormous cow spirit in front of them looked around with a mad light in its eyes. A single red horn jutted out of its head; it charged the Great Li soldiers coming from behind. “How dare northern savages be so arrogant?! This seat will eat you!”

The Great Li powerhouses were incensed by the monster spirit popping up out of nowhere. What an idiotic cow!

“You guys take care of this one, I’ll go after them...”

“Understood!” answered the other heavyweights. One golden body separated from the group, leaving the rest to fight the giant cow.

Off in the distance, the golden eagle shot through the sky. A ferocious tiger, giant ape, and gigantic snake followed swiftly on the ground. They purposefully set course for the major monster spirits in their path, startling another one awake.

“Great Li is invading and wants to exterminate all Ash Mountain monster spirits!” yelled the giant ape before anyone had time to collect their senses. “Brothers, let’s work together to kill the enemy! We will notify the monster spirit kings of the nine mountains and fight to the death!”

The major monster spirit jerked fully awake when it saw a golden body expert come its way. “Little ones, charge with your king! How dare you intrude upon Ash Mountain...” Its mental strength erupted.

Bam!

A punch slammed toward the Great Li expert.

Idiot monster spirits!

He was unable to restrain his anger. Those four were intelligent! Perhaps they were influenced by the crafty humans of Skystar, or they might come from the other side of Ash Mountain. The monster spirits to the south of Ash Mountain frequently came into contact with the dishonest Skystar humans.

Plainly, reason wasn’t going to work in this situation. And were they supposed to talk of logic with these stupid monster spirits?

What a joke! They would have to beat some sense into these idiots! Great Li had been prepared to capture the Ash Mountain monster spirits to begin with. This was just as good, they could start with these troublemakers first.

However, if those Silver Moon martial masters escaped, then word might leak of Great Li mobilizing its troops. This infuriated the golden body expert in pursuit. He had to kill those monster spirits ahead!

......

Up in the air, the golden eagle tightly gripped the humans in its grasp. Though they bled profusely, that wasn’t part of its responsibilities. “Who is Golden Spear?”

The man panted heavily as blood streamed from his injuries. His organs were crumbling and he answered weakly, “I am!”

“You’re one of the thirty-five pieces of trash?”

Golden Spear was speechless.

I think I know who these guys are.

Yuan Shuo once spent time in Ash Mountain, observing five monster spirits in order to meld his five auras together. But there were only the bird, ape, and tiger to be found here. Where was the bear and deer?

There was also a snake. Had Yuan Shuo once comprehended six auras and hidden one of them?

But the eagle had saved them and Yuan Shuo was in a hurry to return and deliver his report. He answered frankly since he couldn’t afford to offend it. “I suppose I am!”

“Do you know Earthturner Sword?”

“I do.”

“Good! Then do you know Silver Moon experts?”

Um... no shit?

“Yes!”

“That works... We wish to cross Silver Moon and reach the four seas. If we take you to Silver Moon, the province’s martial masters won’t give us a hard time, will they?”

“No,” Golden Spear responded swiftly. “If the monster spirit powerhouses bring us back to the Silver Moon experts on duty, we will be able to convey that Great Li is invading. Not only will they not stop you, but they will give you great benefits...”

He had to pin his hopes on this! The eagle was formidable and it could fly. This kind of monster spirit was very fast and could avoid much trouble. At the same time, it could avoid other powerful monster spirits because it was an Ash Mountain native.

Golden Spear and the rest stood a chance of returning with a warning only if they made it back alive.

“Great benefits?” The golden eagle didn’t care. “You guys look like you’re dying and you don’t even have enough Water of Life to save yourselves. What can you give us?”

These humans were so poor! There was nothing they could offer!

Golden Spear didn’t have time to consider the blow to his dignity. “We have a lot! Silver Moon martial masters have marched on Skystar City—the royal city of the dynasty—and established themselves there. Demon Sword Li Hao wields great authority and works with the ancient plant spirits. There is much we can offer you...”

Li Hao? That name sounded somewhat familiar.

Down below, the tiger’s tongue lolled from the fast pace they were setting. It suddenly bounded into the clouds and asked curiously, “Do you know a person called...”

“I do! He’s the Five Styles King Yuan Shuo!” Golden Spear answered before the monster spirit had a chance to ask its question. “I know who you’re talking about, he’s Demon Sword’s master. He’s also started to rise these days...”

Fine then!

“What level of strength is he?” the tiger asked curiously.

“Um... Arcanus?” Golden Spear responded after a surprised beat. Who knew? He’d been gone for a few months and didn’t know Yuan Shuo’s current condition, but the old man had already been close to Arcanus before.

“Arcanus?”

“Ah, that is to say, similar to you four...”

“Similar to us?” The tiger’s eyes lit up. “So he’s only an Arcanus?”

Then that means...

The four monster spirits were highly tempted.

So the guy who bullied us is only an Arcanus? Does that mean we can take revenge and beat that bastard to death?

“Do you know where he is?”

“I don’t... but I can find him!” Golden Spear realized something at this point, but that was all for later.

We need to get back first. Yuan Shuo... should be fine no matter what, right?

Whatever, screw it!

“I can take you guys to them!”

“Deal!” The other three quickly gathered together and attached themselves to the golden eagle. The eagle didn’t mind as it erupted with even more strength to hurtle through the void. Although Golden Spear and the others were dying... they weren’t dead yet, weren’t they? They just needed to deliver the humans to Silver Moon while they still lived. What did it matter if they died the next second?

As for exhausting their own treasures to save these humans... forget it. Those piss-poor Silver Moon martial masters might not be able to pay them for this act, so why save the humans?

As for Yuan Shuo, we can find him ourselves all the same.

The monster spirits shot through the void, quickly shaking off their pursuers. The other side of Ash Mountain was soon in sight. An excited shriek burst out of the golden eagle, they were home! They could already see their territory.

“Children, leave the mountain!” Mental ripples covered the area. “Head to the central plains, Ash Mountain is no longer safe! Follow us to Skystar where we will be kings!”

Countless monster spirits bayed and howled at the edges of the mountain. Nearly one thousand monster spirits quickly streamed out of various spots. There were flight monster spirits in the air that joined their kings. All of them were exhilarated—were they leaving their homes?

It was time to have fun in the human world!

Major monster spirits also gathered—they didn’t care about their territory. What good was there to be had in a dilapidated place like Ash Mountain? It was far better to run first.

......

At the foot of Ash Mountain.

There were outposts here as well. Director General Zhao had made certain preparations in order to defend against Great Li. He just hadn’t anticipated that many of the core origin replicas were killed by others, and a portion of those remaining were preoccupied by Great Li’s ancient replicas. The ancients were not having the effect that he wanted.

The first batch of core origin replicas to walk this world did so with mediocre strength. The world had been even less stable then, so some ancients had severed so little core origin that it would be a stretch to call them six element Arcanus.

Those could not stand against true Apexes.

When those on duty saw monster spirits flood out of the mountain, someone quickly sent a message that Ash Mountain monster spirits were on the loose!