Chapter 152, The Old Monkey King’s Gratitude

Translator: Raznick

 

With the emergence of the new king, the monkey troop followed the new king, leaving the clearing amidst the trees that had just flowed with the new king’s blood.

 

Even those old monkeys who had accompanied the old king for over a decade didn’t defy the troop’s survival laws at this moment.

 

The old king, abandoned by all his subjects, though filled with disappointment and resentment in his eyes, simply watched the troop disappear into the distance, not uttering a single sound.

 

“It is also your child. Your child has replaced you to become the king of the troop. What do you have to resent?

 

“Could it be that you cannot survive if you leave the troop?

 

“Have you already forgotten how you lived before becoming the king of the troop?”

 

Zhou Chun, looking at the Diamond Ape, who was incredibly dejected due to his failure, spoke in a low tone, posing a series of questions.

 

He used ape-beast language, unafraid that the Diamond Ape wouldn’t understand.

 

And upon hearing his words, the Diamond Ape quickly reacted.

 

His eyes turned, and a hazy memory appeared within them, as if awakened by Zhou Chun’s words.

 

Then he looked at the human before him.

 

Although it had been over a decade, because Zhou Chun had achieved Foundation Establishment, his face had become noticeably younger, and now he looked almost the same as when he first met the Diamond Ape.

 

Therefore, the Diamond Ape, recalling the past, instantly recognized him.

 

Of course, it had always known Zhou Zhengyong.

 

Recognizing Zhou Chun now, it also remembered the incident where Zhou Chun had just rescued it from his son’s grasp.

 

A flicker of gratitude appeared in the Diamond Ape’s eyes.

 

It suddenly stood up and knelt before Zhou Chun, respectfully bowing its head.

 

At the same time, it called out, “Thank you for your rescue. I owe you my life, and please allow me to follow you and repay your kindness!”

 

“Oh, you wish to become my spirit pet?”

 

Zhou Chun looked at the Diamond Ape in surprise, finding it difficult to believe that this monkey, accustomed to freedom, would willingly choose to end such a constraint.

 

“Not a spirit pet, but to follow you and fight for you!”

 

The Diamond Ape shook its head slightly, correcting Zhou Chun’s words.

 

Having commanded the monkey troop within the Zhou Clan beast enclosure for so many years, it had also seen many newly born monkeys taken away by Zhou Zhengyong and naturally understood what a spirit pet meant.

 

And just as Zhou Chun thought, how could it, accustomed to freedom, willingly choose to become a human’s spirit pet?

 

“Then forget it. With your current strength, you’d just be a hindrance to me.”

 

Zhou Chun waved his hand, instantly losing interest.

 

In fact, even if the Diamond Ape were willing to be his spirit pet, he would have to consider whether to accept it.

 

He was a Foundation Establishment cultivator now, after all, and the Deputy Clan Leader of the Zhou Clan. He could easily choose an average demon beast, or even a greater demon beast, as his third spirit pet!

 

Choosing a lesser demon beast like a Diamond Ape meant he’s going to have to spend extra effort finding the spiritual items needed for its breakthrough and evolution.

 

The Diamond Ape, seemingly unprepared for his reason for refusal, froze for a moment.

 

Then, an expression of utter dejection flashed in its eyes.

 

As expected, once the title of Monkey King was lost, not only would the monkey troop abandon it, but these humans would also view it as a failure, deeming it unworthy.

 

It thought this to itself, feeling that its monkey life held no further interest, with nothing left to cherish.

 

This shift in emotion, of course, didn’t escape Zhou Chun’s notice.

 

Seeing this, Zhou Chun pondered for a moment before saying to it, “Although you can’t provide me with any help in battle, if you’re willing, you can guard my cave in the future, and I’ll give you some assistance.”

 

“Guard the cave? What does that mean?”

 

The Diamond Ape looked at Zhou Chun with questioning eyes, unsure of his meaning.

 

“You can understand it as helping me defend my territory!”

 

Zhou Chun explained softly.

 

The Diamond Ape, upon hearing this, immediately nodded, “Alright, I’ll guard your cave for you from now on.”

 

With this agreement reached between the man and the monkey, Zhou Chun first sent the Diamond Ape to Flying Stone Peak, entrusting it to the care of the 【Wood Spirit Ape】.

 

Once it was settled, he led the Diamond Ape back to Pagoda Peak to guard the Central Palace, effectively securing it a job with room and board.

 

When Zhou Chun descended from Flying Stone Peak and returned to the Monkey Pen, the new Blazing Diamond Monkey was already holding a celebratory feast with the troop.

 

The bandage was still wrapped around the wound on its left cheek, yet it didn’t diminish its current joyous mood in the slightest.

 

It was encircled by the troop in the center, with two glossy-furred female monkeys on either side grooming its fur and searching for parasites, while the other monkey diligently gathered berry foods, offering them to the new king to enjoy.

 

It was at this moment one could discern the standing of the monkeys within the troop.

 

Those who presented food that the Blazing Diamond Monkey devoured with gusto were allowed to sit near it, continuing to partake in the leftover food.

 

Those who presented food that the Blazing Diamond Monkey merely tasted before discarding could only dejectedly pick up the discarded food and sit on the fringes.

 

And those who presented food, only to have the Blazing Diamond Monkey show absolutely no interest, not even a taste, knelt on the ground, their eyes filled with terror, pleading for forgiveness from the Blazing Diamond Monkey.

 

These monkeys either held a grudge against the Blazing Diamond Monkey previously or were loyal subordinates of the old monkey king, disliked by the Blazing Diamond Monkey.

 

If they were in the wild at this moment, even if the Blazing Diamond Monkey didn’t kill them, it would drive them away from the troop.

 

However, since these monkeys were property of the Zhou Clan, Zhou Zhengyong naturally wouldn’t allow them to suffer losses for no reason.

 

Therefore, under the intervention of Zhou Zhengyong, the Blazing Diamond Monkey ultimately didn’t drive them away, only lowering their standing to the lowest, requiring them to expend the most labor within the troop, and possessing no power.

 

“Brother Yong, look at this Blazing Diamond Monkey; when will it mate with a female monkey?”

 

From a distance, Zhou Chun, observing the troop’s celebratory feast for the new king, also casually asked Zhou Zhengyong, who stood beside him, about the troop’s propagation.

 

Upon hearing his words, Zhou Zhengyong immediately replied, “It should be very soon. Look at how it has a female monkey sitting beside it, grooming its fur and searching for parasites; this indicates it already has interest in the female monkey.”

 

He then continued, “I’ll observe for a few more days. If it doesn’t act, I’ll subtly test it with medication.”

 

“It’s best to let it pair with the mother monkey naturally; we’ve waited this long, what’s a little more time?”

 

Zhou Chun shook his head slightly, indicating that medication should not be used.

 

Using medication to induce heat in a demon beast is generally reserved for those reaching maturity outside of their designated period.

 

No one knows when the Blazing Diamond Monkey will reach its maturity period; if medication is used to force it to pair with the mother monkey, even if it does result in pregnancy, the fetus could develop some bloodline defects.

 

If something like that were to happen, it would be a loss for the clan.

 

“Okay, I understand.”

 

Zhou Zhengyong acknowledged, making a mental note of it.

 

Then, as if recalling something, Zhou Chun suddenly said, “Speaking of which, Nephew Xin Lan should be starting his cultivation now, shouldn’t he? Brother Yong, you need to pay extra attention to this; it would be best if your wife could guide him so he can grasp the fundamentals quickly.”

 

Hearing his words, Zhou Zhengyong immediately laughed, “There’s no need for you to worry about that, Thirteenth Brother; his mother is more attentive than anyone.”

 

Then, with some curiosity, he looked at Zhou Chun and asked, “But Thirteenth Brother, you have so many things to worry about every day, why bring this up suddenly?”

 

“If the Blazing Diamond Monkey truly can breed a population, and Nephew Xin Lan can enter cultivation before the second Blazing Diamond Monkey is born, Brother Yong, if you expend some clan merits, I’m confident I can help him bind it as his first spirit pet!”

 

Zhou Chun didn’t hold back at all, directly stating his intentions.

 

“Thirteenth Brother…”

 

Zhou Zhengyong stared at Zhou Chun, his eyes filled with emotion.

 

As a father and as the manager of the Monkey Pen, he hadn’t even dared to think about this.

 

He hadn’t expected Zhou Chun to proactively worry about this matter, which filled him with immense gratitude.

 

“Brother Yong, you needn’t say more. My actions are partly due to our friendship, but also because Nephew Xin Lan possesses commendable aptitude and conditions, perfectly meeting the requirements for a contract with Blazing Diamond Monkey.”

 

Zhou Chun waved his hand, dismissing Zhou Zhengyong’s attempts to express thanks, and laid out the reasons.

 

Then, he waved his hand again, saying, “In any case, whether this can succeed or not depends on whether the Blazing Diamond Monkey can successfully propagate a population, and secondly, whether Nephew Xin Lan himself will strive to achieve enlightenment quickly!”

 

“I understand. I will personally oversee these two matters with all my effort and definitely won’t let Thirteenth Brother’s efforts be in vain!”

 

Zhou Zhengyong nodded seriously, recording this gratitude in his heart.

 

After parting with Zhou Zhengyong, Zhou Chun also took the opportunity to check on the Musk Spirit Stag he had brought back.

 

As the most valuable free-roaming demon beast in the beast enclosure and throughout the Zhou Clan, the Musk Spirit Stag had its own designated habitat and was under the care of dedicated caretakers.

 

Within its habitat, numerous snakes and insects that enjoyed a particular diet were raised, along with a dozen ordinary female musk deer that the Zhou Clan had captured from various locations.

 

Despite using aphrodisiacs to encourage breeding between the Musk Spirit Stag and those ordinary musk deer multiple times, none of the female musk deer had yet become pregnant with musk offspring.

 

However, breeding a demon beast with ordinary wild animals is ultimately a matter of luck, requiring constant experimentation.

 

What could be confirmed was that demon beasts and wild animals of the same species do not have reproductive isolation!

 

After inspecting the habitat, Zhou Chun noticed that the Musk Spirit Stag’s living conditions were satisfactory and left with reassurance.

 

A few days later, Zhou Chun received a message from Zhou Zhengyong, confirming that the Blazing Diamond Monkey had already begun mating with the female monkeys and that the Beast Hall was monitoring the situation and would provide timely intelligence updates.

 

The proposal for capturing female wild deer in the Deer Pen was quickly submitted, and after reviewing it, Zhou Chun passed it on to the External Affairs Hall, where it would be handled by Zhou Clan members or select, permitted rogue cultivators.

 

It was true that the Zhou Clan had begun allowing a select few rogue cultivators who had earned their trust to accept missions from the External Affairs Hall.

 

This mainly consisted of low-paying, outward-bound missions that Zhou Clan cultivators weren’t particularly keen on taking, and forcibly assigning them would only cause complaints among the clan members.

 

Thus, Zhou Chun created a whitelist of rogue cultivators; anyone on the list could accept a portion of the Zhou Clan’s External Affairs Hall missions.

 

For those rogue cultivators, as long as they could earn spirit coins without too much danger, a bit of exhaustion and hardship was nothing to worry about.

 

Tasks like capturing common wild beasts, which required a significant time investment but offered low rewards, were beneath the Zhou Clan cultivator; however, they were considered excellent opportunities.

 

Time wasn’t valuable to them; cultivation actually cost money!

 

They were most willing to do things with extremely low difficulty that still allowed them to earn spirit coins.

 

As the various aspects of the Zhou Clan’s internal reforms unfolded smoothly, Zhou Chun began to focus on another important matter.

 

It was a clandestine transaction with the red dragon Guardian Lin Hongyu of the Dragonized Sect.

 

The matter emphasized extreme secrecy and could not be shared with ordinary clan members; many steps could only be handled by Zhou Chun himself.

 

For example, locating and confirming the transaction site, determining the approximate time, and securing the target, among other things.

 

For nearly a month or two, Zhou Chun remained occupied with this task.

 

Once he felt everything was roughly in place, he personally sent the transaction time and location to the other party using the contact method Lin Hongyu had previously left.

 

Then, around the appointed time, the Zhou Clan’s Third Elder Zhou Daoquan secretly departed Nine Peaks with a Wood Spirit Ape.

 

The Red Rock Mountains.

 

More than a hundred miles northwest of Red Cliff Market, three bandit cultivators concealed themselves within the treetops and undergrowth of a mountain peak, awaiting the passage of a person of destiny.

 

Bandit cultivators possessed remarkable patience.

 

They could often lie in wait in the wilderness for half a month or more.

 

Three years of dormancy, three years of feasting.

 

This was the most typical depiction of the bandit cultivator life.

 

Sometimes, a single contract allowed them to safely cultivate for a year or two without venturing out.

 

At this moment, the three bandit cultivators on the mountain peak had been lying in wait for four or five days, yet had not encountered a single person passing near the mountain.

 

But they were all remarkably patient, and no one complained.

 

Yet, as they patiently waited for their prey to appear, they failed to notice that they themselves had become prey in someone else’s eyes.

 

Hm?

 

Suddenly, one of the bandit cultivators in the trees detected a disturbance, quickly widening his eyes towards the source.

 

He soon spotted an Azure Giant Ape lumbering up from the mountain below.

 

Seeing it was a demon beast, a flicker of disappointment crossed the bandit cultivator’s eyes, but he still alerted his companions, instructing them to remain vigilant.

 

But just as the several bandit cultivators hesitated whether to attack the demon beast, several streaks of turquoise light suddenly shot from a distance, swiftly transforming into thorny vines and binding them.

 

“It’s a second-grade demon beast!”

 

A bandit cultivator emitted an utterly disbelieving cry.

 

Then, before they could even muster a struggle, they were already reeling from the prickling toxins of the thorns, their vision blurring as sleep descended.

 

And in the moments before they succumbed, they only glimpsed an Azure Giant Ape, its gaze chillingly cold, walking before them and lifting them off the ground.

 

It was through cultivation of the late Foundation Establishment level that Zhou Daoquan scouted and searched, then marked the location for the Wood Spirit Ape to capture them.

 

All ten bandit cultivators were seized within three days and transferred to a special place for confinement.

 

For security’s sake, the actual trade would be personally overseen by Zhou Clan Grand Elder Zhou Mingde.