Chapter Ninety-Five: The Monkey Slays the Snake

He Tian felt no tension at all, yet his attention was intensely focused on the outcome of the “negotiations” between the monkey and the five-colored serpent. It seemed the monkey was fiercely protective of him—a fact that left He Tian puzzled. Despite his confusion, he was well aware that the monkey now stood on his side. All that remained was to see whether the enormous snake would retreat.

He Tian gripped his pistol, swapping its ammunition for armor-piercing rounds. Judging from the wounds on the serpent’s body, he knew these bullets posed a real threat. If necessary, he was not averse to joining the monkey in combat against the snake. Of course, if the monkey proved formidable enough, that was another matter altogether.

The five-colored serpent swept its tail, blood still seeping from its wounds and staining a wide swath of ground. Everywhere the blood flowed, all signs of life vanished. It was said that the five-colored serpent’s venom was deadly, and this rumor now seemed well-founded.

Suddenly, the monkey’s cries grew louder. In a flash, the serpent’s massive tail lashed out toward the monkey. Clearly, their “negotiation” had failed. Yet the monkey, agile and light, easily leaped aside as the tail swept across, moving far faster than He Tian could ever hope to match. With a fierce gleam in its eyes, the monkey bounded forward and, with a swipe of its claws, tore a chunk of flesh straight from the serpent’s body—a bloody mass that left He Tian utterly amazed. Such power in a single claw!

The serpent writhed in pain, its head and tail launching simultaneous attacks, its great body surging skyward to strike at the monkey. Yet compared to the serpent, the monkey was far more agile, effortlessly dodging every assault while tearing off fresh chunks of flesh with each counterattack. The tide was clear—the monkey was utterly dominating the five-colored serpent.

He Tian watched with fascination, especially the monkey’s nimble movements, which filled him with wonder. If he could learn this technique, then bolstered by his own internal energy, his speed and flexibility would surely increase dramatically. For a moment, He Tian was completely absorbed, and he gained something from his careful observation.

The thoroughly defeated serpent finally realized the monkey was not to be trifled with and began to show signs of wanting to flee. He Tian snapped out of his trance and fired his pistol. The five-colored serpent never expected He Tian to attack at that moment, and with no defense, it was struck directly in the eye. Blood poured from the wound.

The monkey turned to look at He Tian, surprise in its gaze.

“I want it dead!” He Tian declared, though he still didn’t know why the monkey was helping him. Nevertheless, he made his intention clear.

The monkey heard him, and to He Tian’s astonishment, seemed to understand. Its attacks, which had begun to taper, suddenly grew fiercer. As the serpent writhed in agony from its injured eye, the monkey lashed out with another claw, gouging out the serpent’s other eye in a bloody instant.

He Tian’s heart settled. The monkey was indeed strange, but it was undeniably on his side. As long as it was helping him, nothing else mattered for now. Killing the five-colored serpent was paramount. He Tian knew the serpent was formidable, but once dead, its body would be a treasure trove. The desire for its valuable parts—gall bladder, eyes, venom sac, tendons, skin, bones—filled him with longing. If he could deliver the serpent to the Dragon Chief, how many valuable items would emerge from it? Yet taking the whole serpent away was impossible; only key parts could be salvaged.

He Tian no longer intervened, for the monkey’s ferocity made the serpent appear utterly helpless. The monkey smashed the serpent’s head to pulp, and after a brief struggle, the great snake finally lay still.

He Tian pondered. The monkey’s strength was not necessarily greater than the serpent’s, but its agility was unmatched. Since the monkey could attack the serpent while the serpent could not reach the monkey, this outcome was only natural.

The monkey crouched atop the crushed head and looked at He Tian, the former ferocity in its gaze completely replaced by a gentle, puzzling softness. He Tian still couldn’t fully understand, but the monkey’s desire for closeness was unmistakable, and He Tian relaxed. He stopped circulating the Nine Dragons as One technique.

Suddenly, the monkey tilted its head and chirped anxiously. He Tian looked on in confusion as the monkey drew near, gesturing and sniffing at him.

“Is it this you want?” He Tian took off his backpack and produced the iron canister containing the golden medicine bug.

The monkey chirped and shook its head.

“No?” He Tian shrugged helplessly. “Then what is it?”

The monkey’s lively eyes darted about, and though it couldn’t speak, it was clearly searching for a way to express itself. Then, its gaze brightened, and it pursed its lips, blowing softly toward He Tian.

“Breath?” He Tian finally understood the monkey’s intention.

The monkey leaped about, chirping joyfully and nodding repeatedly.

He Tian reflected, noting the monkey’s changes before and after. He began to understand. He started the internal circulation of the Three Dragons’ energy, and the monkey immediately calmed, seeming to sense the aura emanating from He Tian. The gentle look appeared again in its eyes.

The monkey was drawn to the aura produced by the Nine Dragons as One cultivation technique. This realization surprised He Tian greatly. According to the Dragon Chief, this was the core method of the Dragon Soul, yet no one had succeeded in cultivating it for ages. How could this monkey be so sensitive to the internal energy generated by the technique? He couldn’t make sense of it.

“You like this aura?” He Tian tried asking the monkey.

Monkeys were the animals closest to humans, and this one was far from ordinary. Its intelligence was evident in every aspect. The monkey nodded—it liked the aura from He Tian.

“Have you ever seen anyone else with this aura?” He Tian asked again.

The monkey shook its head.

He Tian was surprised. From the monkey’s reaction, it seemed unlikely that any of his speculated “old acquaintances” of the monkey had cultivated the Nine Dragons as One technique.

“So you simply like it?” He Tian asked once more.

The monkey nodded decisively, its lively eyes blinking at He Tian. If not for the blood on its body and He Tian’s knowledge of its formidable combat prowess, the monkey’s adorable demeanor alone would melt the heart of any loving human. Its cuteness was simply overwhelming.

“Well then, why don’t you come with me?” He Tian couldn’t resist smiling as he reached out to touch the monkey.

The monkey made no move to resist, allowing He Tian to stroke its head and body. The monkey’s face even revealed an expression of enjoyment, which amazed He Tian yet again.

He Tian grew serious, looking at the monkey with earnestness: “When I say you’ll follow me, I don’t mean here—I mean out there, into my world. There are no jungles, no territory as you know it, and people everywhere… Would you be willing?”

This monkey was so endearing and had such affection for He Tian that he felt a greedy desire to keep it close. Beyond its fighting prowess, its cuteness alone would surely delight Wang Xinrou.

The monkey tilted its head, considering He Tian’s words. It understood and was simply thinking it over. Seeing this, He Tian’s resolve only strengthened. A monkey this intelligent, exposed to the outside world, could no doubt be treated almost as a person. And from its battle with the five-colored serpent, its strength was clear, along with a strong sense of territory. Having it guard the villa might not be a bad idea.

Suddenly, the monkey stood upright and gestured at He Tian.

“You want to come with me?” He Tian’s face was alight with joy.

The monkey chirped and nodded.

“I’m lost. Can you lead me out?” He Tian asked excitedly.

The monkey patted its chest in a very human gesture, as if taking full responsibility.

He Tian couldn’t help but laugh at its adorable manner. “All right, then. Go clean yourself up now—I need to deal with this snake first!” He Tian had not forgotten the enormous serpent, nor the wealth it represented.

The monkey nodded, pointed at the blood on itself, then at the snake, then at the areas stained by the snake’s blood, chirping all the while.

“I know! The snake is highly venomous, and so is its blood. I’ll be careful!” He Tian laughed, stroking the monkey’s head.

Satisfied, the monkey glanced at He Tian, then bounded off into the jungle.

He Tian smiled, reflecting on everything that had happened. It all seemed incredible—Devil’s Jungle, the golden medicine bug, the massive five-colored serpent, the miraculous monkey… It was all like a dream, yet so vividly real.