Chapter 158: Entry

Back on Flower Fruit Mountain, Yuan Wuji had once observed the Flood Demon King. The latter's strength was absolutely no less than that of the Bull Demon King. Yet, the Flood Demon King kept a low profile within the demon realm, and as a result, very few knew his name. However, the living beings who truly knew of the Flood Demon King were well aware of his terrifying might.

That the Flood Demon King had been able to slay three demon kings did not surprise Yuan Wuji in the least. What Yuan Wuji had not expected was that the Flood Demon King would actually participate in the martial arts competition for marriage on Mount Thunder-Accumulation. It seemed this event would not proceed as smoothly as he had imagined.

"Boom!"

A massive sound echoed from outside, followed by a message resounding throughout the minor world of Mount Thunder-Accumulation:

"The martial arts competition for marriage is about to begin. All demon kings, please gather at the Central Palace."

As the words faded, auras from all directions converged toward the Central Palace. Demon kings arrived one after another, scrambling to be first.

Yuan Wuji had not anticipated that the competition would begin so abruptly. The moment the sound rang out, he had cast a protective barrier around the Macaque King to prevent him from being startled while recuperating.

"Great King, should we be on our way as well?"

Seeing all the demon kings rushing toward the Central Palace, Hu Baisheng looked anxiously at Yuan Wuji.

"Alright, let's move."

Yuan Wuji withdrew his gaze from the Macaque King. By now, practically all the demon kings in Mount Thunder-Accumulation were heading to the Central Palace, so no other spirits would pose a threat to the Macaque King. Moreover, protected by Yuan Wuji's barrier, even if another demon king harbored malicious intent, the barrier could hold out for a while—more than enough time for the Macaque King to rouse from his recovery.

When Yuan Wuji and Hu Baisheng set off, they noticed that the Six-Eared Macaque was still waiting for them outside the hall.

"Brother Divine Ape, Brother Hu, you're finally out. Let's head there together!"

The Six-Eared Macaque extended an invitation to Yuan Wuji, primarily due to his own injuries. In his current state, even if he went, he would amount to no more than a minor player. Rather than that, it was far better to accompany Yuan Wuji; perhaps with Yuan Wuji around, his prospects would improve significantly.

"If you wish to follow me, then stand obediently in the back."

Yuan Wuji could naturally see right through the Six-Eared Macaque's petty scheme. Yet, compared to the unknown variables waiting at the Central Palace, was not the Six-Eared Macaque also playing right into Yuan Wuji's calculations?

Receiving Yuan Wuji's reply, the Six-Eared Macaque instantly appeared behind him, making no move to overstep and adopting an utterly flattering expression.

Hu Baisheng glanced sideways at the Six-Eared Macaque. Although he did not understand why Yuan Wuji would lug along such dead weight, Hu Baisheng knew Yuan Wuji's temperament well enough to realize that things were far from as simple as they appeared on the surface, for in Hu Baisheng's heart, Yuan Wuji was by no means a benevolent soul.

Furthermore, the Six-Eared Macaque failed to notice the trace of pity in Hu Baisheng's eyes, instead nodding in greeting, which only caused Hu Baisheng to sneer inwardly.

*I hope you can still manage to smile a little later.*

Yuan Wuji walked in the lead, with Hu Baisheng and the Six-Eared Macaque close behind. Since their quarters were closest to the Central Palace, by the time Yuan Wuji arrived outside, many demon kings were still on their way, leaving only a few demon kings and their subordinates gathered outside the hall.

Yuan Wuji also spotted an old acquaintance—the Bull Demon King.

The Bull Demon King had brought only two subordinates: one was the Four-Headed General from Mount Hao, and the other was a Centipede Spirit whose cultivation was at the Taiyi Loose Immortal realm.

When Yuan Wuji arrived outside the Central Palace, the Bull Demon King's gaze instantly locked onto him.

Yuan Wuji looked back at the Bull Demon King. Their eyes met in a fixed stare, the intense smell of gunpowder drawing the attention of every demon king present.

Yet, one courting-death fellow just had to jump out:

"Brother Bull Demon King, you've made me search all over for you!"

The Six-Eared Macaque, trailing behind Yuan Wuji, seemed oblivious to the strange atmosphere of the scene. The moment he caught sight of the Bull Demon King, he leaped forward.

He even hurried directly toward the Bull Demon King, completely forgetting Yuan Wuji's existence.

The Six-Eared Macaque's sudden departure brought a flicker of derision to the Bull Demon King's eyes as he looked at Yuan Wuji, as if to say: *Even someone like this is someone you take in?*

However, the moment the Six-Eared Macaque made his move, an attack from Yuan Wuji's hand was already descending upon his back. Before the Six-Eared Macaque could take a third step, a single palm strike from Yuan Wuji sent him flying.

Already nursing injuries, the unsuspecting Macaque King was struck squarely by Yuan Wuji, aggravating his wounds heavily.

"You..."

The Bull Demon King had not expected Yuan Wuji to be so direct; he himself had not reacted in time, let alone the Macaque King, who was now sprawled helplessly on the ground.

Nor could the Six-Eared Macaque comprehend why Yuan Wuji had launched a sneak attack without the slightest warning.

"Blame yourself for standing in the wrong place."

Yuan Wuji's words gradually made the Six-Eared Macaque realize that something was terribly wrong with the situation, but regret came too late. By now, the Six-Eared Macaque had lost all combat capability; whoever stepped up to deliver a finishing blow would undoubtedly seal his doom.

"As the eldest of the Seven Sages of Flower Fruit Mountain, why aren't you going to tend to your own brother?"

Yuan Wuji was well aware of the awkward standing of the title "Seven Sages of Flower Fruit Mountain" within the demon realm, and thus brought it up specifically to taunt the Bull Demon King.

Among the demon kings present, probably only Yuan Wuji possessed the audacity to heavily injure the Six-Eared Macaque and then mock the Bull Demon King.

Moreover, as time passed, more and more demon kings were gathering. Yuan Wuji's words undoubtedly left the Bull Demon King with no way out of the predicament—he had to rescue the incapacitated Six-Eared Macaque. Yet with the martial arts competition imminent, dragging along a burden meant no one could predict what might happen. If he refused to save the Macaque King, however, the Bull Demon King's reputation in the demon realm would be half-ruined.

Among the assembled demon kings, quite a few held no affection for the Bull Demon King, and thus joined in with jeers:

"Oh, isn't this the Macaque King? With such severe injuries, why isn't your brother coming over to give you a hand?"

These remarks made the Bull Demon King's expression darken, but he was forced to make a decision:

"Four-Headed, go over and help the Macaque King up."

Upon hearing the Bull Demon King's command, the Four-Headed General stepped forward to assist him. When the Macaque King saw the look in the Bull Demon King's eyes, he understood that the rescue was done purely out of forced obligation.

"Next, shouldn't we settle the score for beating your brother?"

The voice within the crowd had not ceased. Clearly, the speaker wanted to push the Bull Demon King further into a passive corner and provoke a full-scale war between the Bull Demon King and Yuan Wuji.

The other demon kings present hoped for precisely that outcome. If the Bull Demon King and Yuan Wuji fought to the death, it would eliminate two major competitors for them—a most welcome prospect.

Consequently, several others chimed in with provocative words, but their next action made them prudently shut their mouths.

"You're simply courting death."

The Bull Demon King was hardly of a patient temperament. He reached directly into the crowd of demons, grabbed the demon king who had just spoken, hauled him out, and right there in the center of the arena, tore him in half before tossing the remains back to where he had stood.

This single, obliterating strike made every demon king present acutely aware of their own weight. Aside from those whose cultivation matched the Bull Demon King's, the rest of the onlookers hastily retreated a full three zhang away.

"A lingering remnant."

Yuan Wuji perceived that the slain demon king had not been entirely destroyed by the Bull Demon King's hands; his primordial spirit had hidden itself the very moment the Bull Demon King locked onto him.

The spirit thought it had fooled the Bull Demon King, but it could not escape Yuan Wuji's perception. Yuan Wuji's palms seemed imbued with a magical force that paralyzed the fleeing primordial spirit, forcing it to submit obediently into his grasp.

This was naturally an ability bestowed upon Yuan Wuji by the Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Heart. Consuming the demonic heart allowed Yuan Wuji to easily capture the primordial spirits of living beings whose spiritual cultivation was inferior to his own. Such was the case with this demon king's spirit; once locked onto by Yuan Wuji, it lost all capacity to escape.

"Perish."

"Ah... ah..."

Yuan Wuji crushed the demon king's primordial spirit right in his palm. The miserable shrieks let all present know that Yuan Wuji was similarly not one to be trifled with.

Fighting the Bull Demon King, they might still stand a chance of fleeing with their primordial spirits intact, but fighting Yuan Wuji meant that defeat left not even a sliver of a chance to escape.

Those with formidable cultivation naturally felt no fear, but in the eyes of the weaker ones, Yuan Wuji was even more terrifying than the Bull Demon King.

"Everyone."

An old man walked out from the Central Palace and called out to the throng of demons. The demon kings turned their gazes toward him, letting go of the incident that had just transpired. Their purpose here was the martial arts competition for marriage, and they preferred to invest their energy there rather than on extraneous matters.

The old man emerging from the hall bore not the slightest trace of demonic characteristics; even his aura resembled that of humankind far more closely.

As the demon kings' gazes fell upon him, a hint of strangeness flashed in their eyes.

"I know that those present are somewhat curious about my identity. However, His Excellency the Fox King will give everyone an explanation for that in due time. What is far more important now are the rules of the martial arts competition, which I shall explain to you all."

The old man's words reminded them of their true purpose in coming to Mount Thunder-Accumulation. Since the Myriad-Year Fox King stood as guarantor, this old fellow presumably posed no problem. Rather than making an issue of this, it was far better to listen carefully to the rules of the competition.

"First, the Fox King has given me a list of several demon kings. These individuals may bypass my test and enter the hall directly. As for the rest of you, I will state the rules clearly so that you may pass my trial, enter the hall, and secure your eligibility for the competition."

"First, the Bull Demon King, followed by the Divine Ape King, the primeval fire ape Huoxing..."

Very few demon kings were granted direct entry into the hall. Yuan Wuji was one of them, and among those permitted entry, there were several whom he recognized.

"Why are there only a few? Are the rest of us not good enough?"

Naturally, some demon king felt disgruntled and could not help jumping out to challenge the old man.

"This is the Fox King's will. If you are unsatisfied, you may withdraw."

A single sentence from the old man silenced the protesting demon kings instantly. After all, this was Mount Thunder-Accumulation, not their own territory, and they lacked the qualifications to act according to their own whims here.

"Next, let those whose names I call enter the hall."