Chapter 21: The Battle of Two Kings! We’re Out of Here...

Chapter 21: Battle of Two Kings! Our Swift Escape

"Dammit! Do you really think you’re Sun Wukong now, that you can take them all on by yourself?" Zhou Yu shouted at the colorful monkey.

“No, I can’t,” the colorful monkey replied, clutching his long staff, “but they can’t kill me either. Why should I fear them? It’s not like I’ve never fought them before.”

Zhou Yu paced anxiously, frustrated that the colorful monkey was faltering at such a critical moment.

Suddenly, Zhou Yu stopped and straightened the colorful monkey’s posture. “You’re right—they can’t kill you. But you will get injured, you’ll be captured, and that means you’ll need time to heal and escape. And where will you find the time to train and improve your strength? Instead, you’re wasting it all! That’s why you’ve lingered at the Demon General level all these years—you spend your time nursing wounds!”

The colorful monkey showed a hint of emotion. “You might have a point, but that’s not my style. Especially now, with the Ruyi Jingu Bang in my hand, how can I retreat? That would be a disgrace to Sun Wukong.”

Zhou Yu pressed his hands firmly on the monkey’s shoulders, suppressing the urge to strike him out of frustration, and spoke calmly: “Since you mentioned the Ruyi Jingu Bang, let me ask you—if they find out you have it, won’t they try to snatch it away? Do you have the strength to protect it against two Demon Kings and two packs of beast demons attacking you?”

The colorful monkey shook his head honestly.

Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Yu continued, “Then you need to endure for now. Besides, this isn’t retreat—it’s a tactical maneuver.”

“What’s a tactical maneuver?” the colorful monkey asked, puzzled.

Zhou Yu began leading him down the rocks. “We’ll talk as we go—otherwise, if they arrive, we won’t even have the chance.”

The colorful monkey was pulled along, moving away.

In the eastern sky, a massive male eagle soared, followed by hundreds of smaller eagles. The Eagle King’s gaze fixed sharply on Zhou Yu and the colorful monkey as they moved away. With his keen eyesight, he had long spotted them.

However, his true purpose in Wild Ox Valley was not to capture the colorful monkey but to settle the issue of territorial control.

Thus, he made no move to stop them, relief washing over him at having one less complication.

Meanwhile, the Leopard Demon King sensed the arrival of a formidable presence in the sky from afar. Taking human form, he was tall and lithe, his blood-red eyes flashing fiercely as he coldly watched the horizon. The two distant figures barely warranted his notice.

“Vulture! Always opposing me! This time, I won’t hold back!” the Leopard Demon King growled and ordered his entire army to rush forward, determined to seize Wild Ox Valley first.

Zhou Yu and the colorful monkey sped away, deliberately avoiding the area, just as Zhou Yu had said. This was not cowardice or evasion—it was a tactical retreat.

When clearly outmatched and with an escape route available, why recklessly charge in and get beaten?

The saying goes that bystanders see clearly while those involved are confused. The colorful monkey was deeply involved and couldn’t see this, but Zhou Yu, as an observer, understood. It was like the time outside the Spirit Realm when Zhou Yu and Elder Zhou first clashed with Zuo Qi and others—outsiders thought it unnecessary, but Zhou Yu acted regardless. Having suffered losses before, he didn’t want the colorful monkey to suffer the same.

Inside Wild Ox Valley, the Leopard Demon King led his leopard-headed beasts, swiftly taking key positions. Each held weapons, pointing them skyward at the circling eagle beasts.

The Eagle King took human form, a pair of enormous wings fluttering behind him as he hovered in place.

“Leopard, take your useless minions and retreat at once!” His eyes flashed like lightning as he spoke coldly.

The Leopard Demon King smiled grimly. “And if I don’t?”

“Demon Technique—Eagle Rain!” Without further words, the Eagle King unleashed a surge of powerful demon energy, manifesting countless eagle feathers that rained down like bullets from the sky. He was well prepared.

“Roar!” The Leopard Demon King spat a multicolored demon orb toward the Eagle King.

The leopard-headed soldiers swiftly dodged into crevices or under massive boulders to shield themselves from the feather barrage. The eagle beasts swooped down in a dense, black storm, resembling a rain of arrows.

The feathers struck rocks and exploded, scattering shards and energy everywhere. Some unlucky leopard soldiers were hit by flying debris or energy blasts, bursting into bloody wounds and crying out in agony. Over ten fell wounded or dead.

The demon orb the Leopard Demon King fired was narrowly avoided by the Eagle King, but it exploded midair, the blast throwing nearby eagle beasts off course, spraying blood and feathers. Several fell straight to the ground lifeless.

The Eagle King was shaken by the blast but only fluttered his wings a few times, summoning a demon wind that steadied him. His innate protective demon energy shielded him from most of the impact.

“Leopard! You’re courting death!” The Eagle King, long prepared to ambush the Leopard King with his demon power, was enraged by the counterattack. His wings struck the air fiercely, transforming into a streak of black light as he charged toward the Leopard Demon King.

Far away, Zhou Yu and the colorful monkey stopped upon hearing the massive explosions, looking back at the dazzling energy burst in the sky.

“What’s going on?” Zhou Yu asked.

The colorful monkey grinned. “Looks like they’re fighting over control of Wild Ox Valley. Just as expected—no surprises here.”

“Why bother fighting over such a rundown place?” Zhou Yu wondered aloud.

The colorful monkey shook his head. “You don’t know. Wild Ox Valley may be small, but whoever controls it claims the surrounding five hundred-mile region.”

Zhou Yu was surprised. He hadn’t expected such a seemingly barbaric demon race to have rules akin to territorial waters on Earth. Reflecting on it, he understood—such clear boundaries must greatly reduce internal strife. Without them, each clan would claim whatever they pleased, sparking endless conflict.

“Since there’s such a rule, is it okay for them to fight now?” Zhou Yu asked.

The colorful monkey replied, “Right now, Wild Ox Valley is essentially unclaimed. Whoever moves in and holds it for seven days becomes the new ruler.”

Zhou Yu nodded. The demon clans were not as chaotic as he had imagined—not a loose scattering but governed by order. Thinking this, he couldn’t help but worry about the situation on Mysterious Mountain.