A Troubling Rescue and a Sister’s Promise

A towering blood-red pillar of light pierced the sky, starkly visible. Just as Tou began to move, he spotted the peculiar phenomenon, realizing he no longer needed to descend into the massive chasm where Xiaobai had vanished to search the depths of the cave. The situation was now undeniably clear! Activating the Ruyi Jingu Bang’s omni-directional mobility gear, Tou swiftly propelled himself towards the source of the light. Upon his arrival, a fierce battle was already raging inside. Tou held back from entering, for he had spotted the Little Monkey and the Monkey King. The two of them were embroiled in a desperate struggle against a chaotic swarm of erratically flying eyes. These were the manifestations of Xiaobai’s forbidden technique; anyone possessed by such eyes would inevitably become her mindless puppet. The Little Monkey, inherently weak, and the Monkey King, already half-crippled from a previous encounter with Xiao Yuan, were clearly struggling immensely as the king valiantly tried to protect her against the eerie, encroaching eyes. Seeing the Monkey King’s tragic state—drenched in sweat, spitting blood, and clearly on the verge of collapse—Tou knew he could not hold out much longer. Tou, unable to simply watch them perish, noted that Ji Jie and Xiaobai were holding their own against Yue Ye Si within the blood-red pillar of light, a sight that eased his immediate concern. He decided to rescue the Monkey King first. The eyes, to his surprise, did not attack him, allowing Tou to descend with ease and effortlessly drive them away. Yet, why was the Monkey King so incredibly agitated upon seeing him, as if Tou were his own wife?

“Child! It’s truly wonderful that you’re unharmed!”

‘Child?’ Tou mused, a hint of suspicion in his voice. ‘When did I become a monkey’s child?’ Yet, the Monkey King’s tears streamed down like rain, and he was clearly about to lunge forward for an embrace!

“Ah! Get away from me!”

‘If such a massive monkey were to embrace him, wouldn’t he instantly be sent soaring into the heavens?’ As if by instinct, Tou controlled his grappling ropes, swiftly putting distance between himself and the Monkey King.

“Cheep, cheep, cheep! Cheep, cheep, cheep!”

As the Little Monkey hopped and skipped playfully, Tou’s mind replayed the vivid scene of her desperately rescuing him from the clutches of Four-Master. A tender chord within Tou’s heart was unexpectedly struck. His anger dissipated, he pointed at the Monkey King, adopting a stern, almost paternal expression.

“I’ve driven away all the eyes in the vicinity; you two should leave quickly!”

“Child, you should come with us! Those people are far too dangerous.”

“Child? I am not your child! I have a name, it’s Tou! Hurry and leave! Your presence here will only distract me!”

Despite the fresh surge of fury at being called ‘child’ once more, Tou managed to rein in his emotions. He adopted a stern, unyielding expression, determined to make them leave.

“Child, if you don’t leave, neither will we!”

“Cheep, cheep, cheep!”

The Monkey King stated with unwavering resolve. The Little Monkey, too, expressed her unwavering desire to remain, bouncing and hopping with determination.

‘This is truly troublesome! How did I end up getting entangled with these monkeys?’

“You stinking monkey! I’ve already told you, I’m not your child! Don’t you dare be so ungrateful, you vile ape!” This time, Tou was genuinely furious, letting loose a torrent of curses.

Tou’s sudden outburst startled the Little Monkey, who, looking visibly distressed, pressed herself mournfully against the Monkey King’s leg. She resembled a timid child, seeking refuge behind her father, utterly bewildered and lost for words in the presence of strangers.

“Don’t be afraid! Your sister is just joking; she’ll be fine in a moment!”

Upon seeing this, the Monkey King gently stroked the Little Monkey’s head with his large palm, and with a seamless motion, a golden protective barrier enveloped her. “Your name is Tou! You are human, I know this! But… you look so much like her! You resemble my deceased daughter, so much so. I brought you back, and the Little Monkey also took you for her sister…”

Through the Monkey King’s heartfelt explanation, Tou finally understood the situation. The entire incident had been ignited days ago, when the Village Chief brutally murdered two of the Monkey King’s children. Thus began the Monkey King’s vengeful rampage against the village. The Monkey King had five children in total: three sons and two daughters, with the three older ones being brothers and the two younger ones, sisters. The Village Chief had murdered the eldest and the youngest, Little Five. The Little Monkey had deeply cherished her younger sister, and upon learning of the tragedy, she had been inconsolable for a long time. Neither the Monkey King nor the other monkeys could console the grieving Little Monkey. It wasn’t until today, while the Monkey King was on patrol, that he spotted Tou from afar, whose golden fur shimmered beautifully, almost sparkling, under the moonlight. The sight instantly reminded him of his murdered daughter, and he envisioned bringing Tou back to soothe his grieving daughter. Therefore, he slew the Black-clad Swordsman who had abducted Tou and brought them to this very place. The Little Monkey was overjoyed to see Tou, even regarding them as her own younger sister. Her previous selfless acts for Tou were entirely born from the Little Monkey’s fierce, protective instincts as an older sister towards her perceived sibling.

“I have nothing else! Please continue to be the Little Monkey’s sister! She is the only child I have left, and I do not wish for her to live in pain!”

Ah, yes! The Little Monkey previously had two older brothers, the very two young monkeys slain by Yue Ye Si. Tou was at a loss for words, a profound sorrow gripping their heart, for those two monkeys had indeed perished protecting them. The Little Monkey had risked her life to save him, all because she had mistaken him for her younger sister. If he were to reveal that he was not her sister, how utterly devastated would she be!

“Well… considering how many times she saved me, I can agree to your request and not tell the Little Monkey the truth. However, you two must leave this place immediately!”

“Thank you, truly!”

The Monkey King, overcome with emotion, wept openly and was on the verge of kneeling to express his profound gratitude to Tou. However, with the Little Monkey present, he feared such a gesture would expose Tou’s true identity, so instead, he bared his teeth in a hearty, open smile.

“Alright, alright! Just hurry and leave! I still have many things to attend to!”

Tou waved their hand dismissively, feigning impatience.

“Chil… What are you staying for? Those three people are all in the Heavenly Human Realm now; wouldn’t going in be suicide? Come with us instead! I know this place well; we can shake them off by hiding in the Demonic Ruins!”

The Demonic Ruins, once the dwelling place of the Heart-Eating Demoness, were infused with violently chaotic demonic energy that, with prolonged exposure, could even corrupt one’s mind. It was, in essence, a forbidden land for all of humanity!

“No, no!”

‘If Tou had truly intended to flee, they would never have returned to this place!’ Moreover, they had no intention of venturing into those so-called Demonic Ruins; their path lay towards the Demon Fairy Fortress, where their other masters awaited.

“Cheep, cheep~”

“The Little Monkey is very worried about you too!”

As the Little Monkey tugged at Tou’s arm, the Monkey King, noticing Tou’s inability to understand monkey speech, stepped in to explain.

“Hah~, well… Sister, I need to go save someone very important, just as you protected me. So, I won’t run away! This matter has nothing to do with you; please leave first! Once I resolve things here, I promise I will come to see you!”

Calling someone ‘sister’ for the very first time, and to a monkey no less, Tou’s face flushed with a faint blush of awkward embarrassment.

“Cheep, cheep, cheep! Cheep, cheep, cheep!”

“You are also our most important family! If you don’t leave, we won’t either! Roar! I am very strong, and I can definitely help you if I stay here!”

While he couldn’t comprehend the Little Monkey’s words, her earnest expression clearly mirrored the Monkey King’s sentiments. ‘How utterly troublesome!’ Tou scratched their head in exasperation, deciding not to dwell on it, and reluctantly conceded to their staying.

“Just hide here and watch! There are some healing pills here; once you eat them, you won’t need to fear those eyes anymore. After I defeat my Four-Master, we’ll all leave this place together!”

Though he permitted them to stay, a gravely wounded Golden Body Realm demon beast was no match for a demoness. Therefore, Tou found a more secluded spot, instructing the pair to simply observe the unfolding battle obediently from a safe distance.

“Cheep, cheep, cheep~”

“Sister! Wait for me! I’ll be back very soon!”

The Little Monkey stepped forward, anxiously tugging at Tou’s arm, her unspoken words of concern palpable. Tou offered a gentle smile, reassuring the Little Monkey and setting a hopeful precedent.