Chapter 154 The Great Demon King Li Chi

Endless withered leaves fell in the rustling wind as another late autumn arrived. The boundless primeval wilderness formed a picturesque landscape, vibrant and colorful.

Lin Feng maneuvered the Heavenly Gang Tiger-Subduing Spear and made his way toward the nameless pool. His primary task was to reshape Lichis physical body by retrieving the ice-diamond physique. The next step would be to venture deep into the wilderness to search for the other half of the Flawless Sword.

Soon, he located the unfathomable, secluded deep pool. After loosening his muscles slightly, he plunged into the freezing water. Within the span of half an incense stick, he finally dragged that ice-diamond skeleton up onto the shore.

"This skeleton is quite impressive. I wonder what it looks like with flesh grown on it. Why don't you go and try it out?"

"Heh heh, what about the Re-creation Pill? I'll let you witness this lord's supreme demonic arts in a moment!" A wisp of purple radiance escaped from the glazed Buddha beads and shot straight into the skeleton's skull.

A tiny flame slowly ignited within the skeleton's hollow eye sockets, gradually growing brighter like a furnace fire. Its upper and lower jaws snapped together a few times, and then, as if suddenly enlightened, it closed its mouth and tentatively stretched out its skeletal palm.

"Here, the Re-creation Pill. This pill needs to be dissolved in water and applied to the bones. I've already prepared it." Lin Feng took out an empty wine jar, filled it with water, dropped the crystal-clear pill into it, and motioned for Lichi to reach out his "hand" and stir it.

The skeleton nodded in acknowledgement, then little by little applied the water from the jar to every single bone. The red medicinal liquid did not run off upon touching the indigo bones; instead, it clung like a coat of red lacquer. Before long, the blue skeleton transformed into a red skeleton.

"A pink skeleton? Ha, is this skeleton by any chance a female?" Lin Feng deliberately cracked a joke.

The red skeleton's teeth clicked open and closed, seemingly mocking himself. Sure enough, tender flesh began to sprout across his pale red bones. Blood vessels, muscles, and meridians regenerated at a speed visible to the naked eye, and hair sprouted rapidly like wild grass after a spring rain. In less than an hour, the reborn Lichi stood proudly by the pool, inspecting his own powerful physique from all angles. This body was filled with wild, explosive power. His muscles were like the sturdiest bovine tendons, and a casual swing of his fist could whip up gales—frighteningly strong to the extreme. His long black hair danced wildly in the mountain wind, and his angular face was full of dominance and masculine vigor—a face capable of captivating countless romantic maidens.

"Ha ha, not bad! Given time, this lord will certainly reclaim my former glory. Hey, bring me a set of clothes!" Lichi commanded in a peremptory tone.

"I don't have clothes that fit you. How about this, make do with this for now to cover your modesty." Lin Feng tossed over a cloth robe. The size was indeed insufficient for Lichi to wear; his build was simply too massive, even sturdier than the Divine Whale Guards of Danhai.

"Heh, it doesn't matter. The feeling of breathing is truly wonderful! Hahaha, this lord is going to go taste something fresh first, wait here for me." Lichi tore the cloth robe apart, crudely tied a piece around his waist like an apron, leaped several zhang into the air, and bounded away into the distant mountain forest in a few strides.

"He's not going off to hunt for food, is he?" Lin Feng smiled, gazing out over the nameless cold pool. Two new lives were quietly forged here, yet it gave one a strange feeling—just as if, just as if one were leaning against a mother's side, intimate and natural.

"What is wrong with me? It's just a cold pool..." He shook his head, crossed his legs, and sat down to wait for Lichi to reappear.

"Awoo!" The miserable death shriek of a wild monster echoed from the distant forest. Lin Feng frowned, wondering what Lichi was up to.

"Hahaha! Such supreme delicacy, truly a rare sight! Quick, quick, quick, make a fire and roast it!"

A billow of smoke rolled up from the woods as Lichi dragged a giant bear back with him.

"Wind-Earth Bear!" Lin Feng was greatly startled. This bear was twice as robust as the one he had seen two years ago, yet its head had been crushed to a bloody pulp by a single punch from Lichi.

Bear paws were a delicacy requiring meticulous culinary preparation through multiple procedures before turning into a fine dish. No one had ever roasted bear paws directly over an open fire like this, utterly wasting such a heavenly treasure. Yet Lichi tore the giant bear apart, roasted it until it was six or seven parts done, and devoured it ravenously, his mouth smeared with blood.

"Won't you try some?" Lichi pointed at the bear meat.

"No need. Taoist cultivators rarely dine, nor do we have the habit of eating raw food." Lin Feng waved his hand and asked curiously, "This bear meat is tough and raw, how can you find it so appetizing?"

Lichi chuckled, "Where we come from, this is a rare delicacy. Without eating meat, how would one have the strength to fight? Normally, this lord would consume three oxen per meal just to have the strength to unleash my demonic arts. Even the Buddhas of the West eat meat; those monks consume an elephant or a dragon at every meal to maintain boundless energy at all times."

"An elephant per meal? A dragon? You aren't boasting, are you? Where would there be so many dragons and elephants?" Lin Feng smiled continuously as he looked at this tall fellow.

"Boasting? Elephant gardens, dragon gardens—have you never heard of them? Chickens, ducks, and geese can be raised, so why not dragons and elephants?" Lichi asked with a cold, mocking smile.

"Oh? That does make sense. But why must one consume so much food? We cultivators achieved Bigu long ago as a custom; there's no reason to experience the defilement of mortal grains anymore, right?" Lin Feng looked up at him.

"Heh heh, when you ascend to the Immortal Realm in the future, you'll understand. Wanting to eat food then will be difficult." Lichi chewed a bear paw voraciously and said, "Speaking of which, the mortal cultivation world is still more comfortable. Ah, I really don't want to go back."

Lichi really was a denizen of the Immortal Realm! Lin Feng's heart shook. There was a good chance this fellow's strength at his peak was on par with Shang Rong's, or even higher! Having entered and exited the Yinque Palace several times without Shang Rong noticing him—this was the only possible explanation.

"What are you staring at me for?" Lichi suddenly demanded.

"Lord Lichi, you must have met Shang Rong and the others of the Yinque Palace, right? I wonder who would emerge victorious if you compared yourself to them?" Lin Feng looked at him with a beaming smile.

"Heh heh, you mean that Fire Qilin? Naturally, this lord is far more illustrious and martial than he is. It's just that, well, having just changed vessels, my cultivation still needs time to recover. A year—no! At most half a year, and this lord will surpass him. Just you wait and see!" Lichi wiped his mouth. A Wind-Earth Bear had been devoured by him in the blink of an eye; heaven knows how he managed to fit it all in his stomach.

"So Shang Rong is an enlightened Fire Qilin. No wonder he's so formidable!" Lin Feng committed this to memory, extinguished the campfire, and said to Lichi, "I'm going to the Tengyun Pavilion to see the Great Ape King. Do you have anywhere you want to go?"

"What kind of place is the Tengyun Pavilion? As long as there's wine and meat, it's fine." Lichi washed his hands and face by the pool, stood up, and with his bare upper body looked precisely like a wild brute.

"There should be, there should be. Let's go."

The two of them stepped onto the long spear and sped directly toward the southeast.

The Five Palaces of the Wilderness each occupied a corner, with the Wanxiang Palace as the central boundary. The Nine Dragons Hall and the Tengyun Pavilion were closest to the Divine Land and not difficult to find. The journey was exceptionally calm. Although fierce beasts roared in the mountains, not a single one dared to fly out and cause trouble. These two uninvited guests moved as if through uninhabited territory, until a violent ape roar blocked their path with towering demonic qi.

"Where did these living mortals come from! How dare you run amok and act presumptuously above my Tengyun Pavilion!"

As the black iron smoke dispersed, a burly man wearing interlocking golden armor and carrying a three-zhang punitive staff on his shoulder materialized in the clouds.

"Heh heh, little monkey, you had a road to heaven yet refused to walk it, daring to crash into this lord. Hand over your monkey brains!"

Lichi let out a sinister laugh and prepared to strike and kill him. Lin Feng hurriedly pressed down on his arm, cupped his fists, and smiled, "It's a misunderstanding, brother. The two of us have important matters to pay respects to the Great Ape King, concerning Senior Che Chonglou and Brother Che Ba. Please be so kind as to make things convenient."

"Ha, you think your tricks can fool me, Zong Xing? Take this club!" The monkey general hoisted the punitive staff mid-air and smashed it howlingly down toward Lin Feng's head.

Clang! The punitive staff struck solidly against the Great Compassionate Vajra Dharma Image. Zong Xing's wrist went numb, he let out a muffled grunt, and his weapon flew out of his hand.

"Haha, brother, we harbor no ill intentions. Why not let us pass? Once we see the Great Ape King, everything will be clear." Lin Feng guided him patiently.

"Why waste breath on this little monkey? Watch me seize his soul!" Unable to restrain himself any longer, Lichi waved his palm, and a bloody demonic claw shot forth, snapping the air with loud cracks. With another grab into the void, Zong Xing was swept up just like a fleeing fish caught in a massive net, involuntarily sucked toward that claw.

"Don't take his life." Lin Feng hurriedly spoke out to stop him.

"I know, this lord is still counting on being a guest, how could I truly bicker with him." Lichi laughed heartily, captured the petrified Zong Xing with the blood-colored claw, and the two of them swaggered toward the Tengyun Pavilion.

Before traveling a thousand miles, they spotted a cluster of magnificent pavilions and palaces standing amidst cloud mists. Counting closely, there were precisely seven of them. Atop these pavilions piercing the clouds sat dazzling pearls that captured the brilliance of sun, moon, and stars, radiating starlight everywhere. The pavilions were silvery-white, reflecting the surrounding multicolored clouds in brilliant splendor, with windows on all eight sides—exquisitely beautiful. The central pavilion was particularly colossal, standing head and shoulders above the rest; presumably, that was where the Great Ape King resided.

"Audacious! You dare trespass in the Tengyun Pavilion and take our general hostage! Advance no further!" From the first pavilion, a thunderous roar suddenly burst forth. In an instant, demonic qi billowed and banners fluttered wildly, eclipsing the brilliance of the pearls.

"Hmm? A bunch of monkeys?" Lichi twisted his mouth and let out a foolish chuckle.

A mile ahead, an array of thousands of demon generals and soldiers of the Tengyun Pavilion in golden and silver armor stood waiting in formation, their killing intent piercing the nine heavens.

"Who's in charge here?" Lichi, who rarely spoke much, hadn't stopped babbling and showing off ever since he got his physical body back. Yet his outfit caused the monkey generals and soldiers before him to burst into giggles.

"Who are you? Dressed so shabbily, were you looted by bandits?" The leading general wore a double-feathered golden-winged crown, shining armor, and gripped a black-toothed bone-crushing spear, looking extremely fierce.

"Heh heh, this lord is precisely here at your Tengyun Pavilion to acquire some new gear. Where is your Great King?" Lichi tried his best to put on the posture of a superior being. Being much taller than ordinary men, he looked down from above with an air of absolute authority.

Lin Feng watched this troop of monkey soldiers from the perspective of an onlooker. Although they possessed human forms, in every gesture they still could not shake off their restless, hyperactive nature.

"If you are here as guests, release Zong Xing first and offer an apology, and we will take you to see the Great King." The leading general lowered his head in thought and spoke.

"Offer an apology? No, no, this lord doesn't have that habit. I'll return this little monkey to you first. Take us to see Che Shitu!"

Lichi flicked his wrist, and Zong Xing spun like a top right to the front of the monkey soldiers' formation.

The leading general, Kuang Bing, was also a quick-witted fellow. Having witnessed Lichi's little trick, he understood a bit and waved his hand, signaling the monkey soldiers to disperse. Amidst a wave of clamor, all of them retreated into the pavilion, coming and going like the wind without a trace.

"Who seeks an audience with this king?" From the central pavilion, a low, majestic voice resembling clashing metal suddenly echoed out, and an aura of royalty swept over them overwhelmingly, piercing straight into their souls.