บท 20: Chapter 19 The Fight with the Cobalt Monkeys and the Celestial Bead
They trek the small mountain-like marshland. Their destination is the Qingyuan village at a clearing in the middle of the mountain. They are being attacked by cobalt monkeys for weeks now. From kidnapping children to stealing their crops etc., these monkeys do anything to get food outside. Cobalt Monkeys since the earlier days have formed a kind of society in which they preserve their food source within their territories hence they steal from the outside.
After an hour and a half, they met a couple with 3 teenagers. These people just finished delivering their crops to the nearby town for profit and they are going back to the village. Liang Chen found out that the old couple were farmers and these teenagers help with moving their crops and as bodyguards. These teenagers have a cultivation base of Mortal realm level 5 and lower with rusted swords as weapons. At a glance, the 4 concluded that the condition of the village is getting worse. They could not even afford to hire experienced bodyguards from other villagers or towns.
As they approached the Qingyuan village, they see a commotion of people inside near the wooden gate wall. Liang Chen and the group including the couple with teenagers sped up their pace. They could hear subtle crying and angry voices. When they came inside, the couple introduced Liang Chen and the gang to the village chief. The village chief was so old, he needs the support of a cane to even stand up. The villagers including the village chief explained what happened. Just moments before they arrived, the village was attacked by cobalt monkeys. Their crops for tomorrow's tax payment were taken and a 6-year-old girl named Xiao Meng. One of the teenagers that returned with them named Xiao Zong Se instantly blurted that Xiao Meng was his sister. He has this urge to give chase immediately but was stopped by Shi Long. Shi Long tried to calm Xiao Zong Se and promised to get back his sister. Once everything was calmed down, Liang Chen and the gang got the position of the cobalt monkey's nest from the village chief and set forth immediately.
It took them around half an hour and they found the place. As they approached the cobalt monkey's nest, they spotted a group of them up ahead. Shi Long gave the signal, and the four of them charged forward. The cobalt monkeys were quick and agile, but the four friends were able to work together to catch them off guard. Liang Chen used his sword technique to slice through the air as one of the vanguards, while Shi Long and Wang Jun used their spells that throw sizable rocks and sprouting vines trapping them. Chen Fei as the 2nd vanguard used his agility to dodge their attacks and strike back with his own.
When the 1st group of cobalt monkeys was exterminated, more of them came from every direction. The cultivation base of these monkeys ranges from Mortal level 5 to 6 and a few levels 7 so there was no problem dealing with it. The monkeys are like paper piles going into a shredder with Liang Chen and the other's strength. After killing a few more, they heard a loud roar from a distance then at the top of the tree comes 2 big cobalt monkeys with yellow furs at their breast.
The yellow-colored fur indicates an evolved cobalt monkey. Shi long noticed this and warned the others immediately. "THESE ARE COBALT APES! IT HAS THE STRENGTH OF A QI REFINING REALM. BE CAREFUL!"
Liang Chen already knows about the cobalt apes when it entered his spirit sense and the Universal Guide warned him in advance. These apes were almost 4 meters tall and has the strength of the Qi Refining realm at level 1 and the other at level 3. He is not worried since with his cultivation base at Qi Refining realm level 2, he can burst an all-out attack with the strength of Qi Refining realm level 4. However, the other 3 will be pummeled like pancakes if he doesn't do anything. The 2 cobalt apes jumped in the middle of the battle and Wang Jun was startled, falling down and sitting. Chen Wei was swiped by the cobalt ape at Qi Refining level 3 with its big arm on the left, crashing into a tree and coughing a mouthful of blood. Liang Chen immediately threw formation flags and made a decagon formation. In this life-and-death situation, he doesn't need to hide his abilities and in his eyes, Shi Long and the others are trustworthy enough.
"BROTHER SHI LONG! YOU TAKE CARE OF THE REST AND STALL THE OTHER ONE AND I"LL HANDLE THIS BIG GUY. WANG JUN GET OUT OF THERE AND SEE BROTHER CHEN WEI!" Liang Chen shouted.
Shi Long acknowledged and jump into a small group of monkeys and started the massacre with his spear while Wang Jun ran towards Chen Wei. Liang Chen taunts the strongest cobalt ape, throwing disdaining remarks and slapping his butt. The cobalt ape Qi Refining level 3 did not understand what Liang Chen was saying but it knew it was being challenged. It hammered its chest and then charged at Liang Chen. Once it was in range, Liang Chen made some hand signs, and the array formation activated. This is a combined array formation consisting of an attack, trap, and gravity effects. The cobalt ape suddenly felt something was wrong but it has no time to react. The cobalt ape slowed down and tried to bash the barrier however with its strength reduced due to gravity, its punch was ineffective.
"This is retribution for all the children you've killed and food stolen." Liang Chen started the attack formation and tens of qi wind blades suddenly rushed toward the cobalt ape. The cobalt ape wasn't able to do anything and just raised its arms covering its face while the blades made slices on its body. After a few moments, the cobalt ape, drenched in blood is now on its knees and breathing heavily. Liang Chen released his flying sword and stabbed the ape through its neck and died. He immediately rushed towards Shi Long who is being besieged by the other cobalt ape.
Wang Jun was busy protecting Chen Wei while Shi Long was exhausted with full of scratches and his robes were torn like he was a beggar on the streets. He has been killing the cobalt monkeys and at the same time trying not to get hit by the cobalt ape. He stared at the cobalt ape in awe when he saw Liang Chen jump behind it and cut off its head. When the 2 cobalt apes were killed, the rest of the cobalt monkeys ran away. When the coast was clear, Shi Long lay flat on the ground relieved.
"Thanks, brother Liang Chen... Without you... We would have been dinner... for those monkeys" Shi Long said while catching his breath.
Wang Jun was helping Chen Wei walk towards them. "So this is why you are not scared of that Liu Yang. I didn't know brother Liang Chen is strong to this extent." Chen Wei said.
"No thanks needed, brothers, this is what this junior should do." Liang Chen cupped his hands.
"HAHAHA! From now on we are all brothers in the same straw! Don't call us senior brothers from now on, just brother Long is fine." Shi Long said smiling.
"Then just call me brother Chen as well." Liang Chen accepted.
While Shi Long and Chen Wei were resting, Liang Chen and Wang Jun went inside a small cave. They found Xiao Meng with 2 more kids beside a pile of bones. This pile of bones was a mix that came from adults and children. Liang Chen felt vexed about this. He knew that here, were the rules of the jungle and only the strong will survive. These beast doesn't care about children. Back on earth, you rarely see children dying at the hands of animals. Here it is rampant. He was thankful that he was born in a village surrounded by mountains and prevents strong demon beasts from entering the village.
Liang Chen started gathering some things left on the pile like small bracelets etc. He would give them back to the village chief and some of the family members may recognize them. The Universal Guide detected something and let Liang Chen look for it. He saw a small bead made of white gold with a marking of a tree on it. The Universal Guide explained that this bead is made out of celestial gold and is an immortal artifact. Liang Chen was stunned. The Universal Guide explained before that immortal artifacts can only be found in the immortal world and not here in a cultivation world. Since Liang Chen cannot activate or open the artifact, the Universal Guide is also unable to know what it can do. In determining an unknown artifact, as long as Liang Chen has enough cultivation base to handle the artifact, the Universal Guide will know its use. In this situation, since Liang Chen's strength is still low, it can only determine what it is made of and guess the grade but not its use. Liang Chen decided to keep it instead. The Universal Guide warned him not to give it back to the village and it may bring them endless trouble or worse. The artifact may not even be from them. Liang Chen understood. He doesn't want to have the village destroyed just because they have the Celestial Bead. Once he finished things up, he went back outside.
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