Chapter 77: Mount Wu
Jiang Hong wasn’t actually lecherous. He had no idea what happened last night and didn’t realize when he had embraced Lu Xiu, but he truly liked Lu Xiu so much.
Jiang Hong wondered what Lu Xiu "that part" looked like when awake. Ever since he developed feelings for Lu Xiu, it seemed he instinctively understood male sensuality: the slight chest muscles, well-defined abs, long limbs, fair skin - so tempting! Especially when Lu Xiu wore simple white or black T-shirts, casually lifting them to wipe sweat, revealing his abdomen - utterly mesmerizing.
Plus, his long legs, fair skin, jet-black hair, and dark pupils. Occasionally shirtless, his beautiful collarbones and shoulder lines were incredibly thought-provoking.
"Jiang Hong, you took the wrong turn," Old Sun reminded, "You should have turned right at that last intersection."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Old Sun: "I'm just giving a small reminder. You don't have road rage, do you?"
Lu Xiu: "What are you thinking about? You’ve been distracted all morning."
"No, nothing," said Jiang Hong. "Brother, do you want some snacks? Have some snacks."
Lu Xiu didn't find it strange that Jiang Hong suddenly changed his form of address. Only Jiang Hong himself knew that calling him "Brother" unconsciously brought out a bit of coquettishness.
"No, I won't eat. Are we going to pass by the Three Gorges soon?" Lu Xiu suddenly asked.
"Yes, we'll stay overnight in Wuxian today," Jiang Hong said. "It's a five-hour drive. Have you been to the Three Gorges?"
Jiang Hong was curious; this was the first time since they met that Lu Xiu showed interest in a specific place.
"No," said Lu Xiu. "But there's a place I want to go."
"Sure!" Jiang Hong immediately responded. "Where to?"
The sun had risen from the west; Lu Xiu, who had never expressed a desire to visit even his birthplace, was now keen to visit "some place" in Wuxian?
"I'll check and send you the GPS later," Lu Xiu said. "Let's get going for now."
Jiang Hong left the highway and took a winding road along the river. It was summer vacation, and the road was bustling with many college students cycling, as well as people like them, touring in campervans.
"It's so beautiful!" Jiang Hong slowed down. Lu Xiu opened the passenger side window. After leaving Chongqing, they drove along lengthy riverside roads. On Jiang Hong's side were majestic mountains, and on Lu Xiu's, the roaring river and verdant hills on the opposite bank.
The river water was also emerald green. After the Jialing River joins the Yangtze, it flows eastward, deep and unfathomable in the summer.
"Is this your first time here too?" Lu Xiu asked.
"I've been here with my parents on a boat trip," Jiang Hong replied. "It was after graduating from elementary school. It's such a pity; I didn't know you then and couldn't explore everywhere with you."
Jiang Hong remembered that from childhood, his parents always took him on trips. Sometimes the whole family went, sometimes just with his father or mother. Every summer, winter, and even during the Golden Weeks, they never missed a trip. It was only after middle school that his parents gradually let him travel with classmates and friends.
Thinking of his parents, Jiang Hong felt a twinge of guilt. After meeting Lu Xiu, he seemed to cling less to his parents.
As Jiang Hong's thoughts wandered, Lu Xiu said, "I also regret not knowing you when you were very young. If I had found you then, I would have taken you to many places."
This made Jiang Hong think about if he had met Lu Xiu in kindergarten. But wait... would Lu Xiu have already looked the same as he did now? It seemed like after becoming human, he maintained a youthful appearance, like a big brother, taking a kindergarten-aged him around…
After a moment of thought, Lu Xiu added, "But if I had come when you were very young, your parents would probably have thought I was a weirdo, right?"
Jiang Hong burst into laughter, agreeing that it indeed seemed likely.
"Shall we have lunch up ahead?" Jiang Hong suggested.
Four hours later, entering the Yunyang area, Jiang Hong found a deserted viewing platform, parked the car, and set up chairs with Lu Xiu to start their lunch in the shade. There was also a vendor selling cold noodles to tourists. For their first meal, they had a lovingly prepared bento from Jiang's mother: cold sliced beef, marinated goose, and they bought cold noodles as well.
"Tonight, we can have Wushan's paper-wrapped fish and grilled fish!" This was one of Jiang Hong's favorite Chongqing dishes.
Lu Xiu checked the location and sent it to Jiang Hong, saying, "We'll camp here."
Jiang Hong: "???"
It was a resort development, and Jiang Hong asked, "Are we visiting someone?"
"A visit? Sort of," Lu Xiu replied. "You'll see when we get there."
In the afternoon, Jiang Hong was still energetic, driving all the way to Wuxian, with billboards advertising the mountain and river scenery and Wuling tourist area everywhere.
But Wuxian, once a poor county and part of the vast mountain ranges, though an important port on the Yangtze River, had been isolated from the outside world for many years. Jiang Hong parked in the city and wandered around with Lu Xiu. Unless something unexpected happened, they were likely to sleep in the car that night.
Having learned his lesson from a previous self-driving trip to Tibet, Jiang Hong refrained from buying unnecessary souvenirs and local specialties along the way, avoiding cluttering the car. He only bought some cute-looking potatoes from a roadside stall, planning to use them for braised pork. After all, Wushan and Yunyang are famous for their potatoes.
At six in the evening, Jiang Hong drove up the mountain again, following the GPS through twists and turns. Even in summer, it got dark early in the mountains. As the shadows of the mountains swept over, only a hint of purplish-red remained in the sky, and there were no streetlights on the road.
"This place is so remote," Jiang Hong initially felt a bit uneasy, but with Lu Xiu there, he wasn't too scared of ghosts.
"It's also my first time coming here by land," Lu Xiu replied. "Mainly because you're coming here for an internship next semester, I wanted to familiarize you with the area."
Jiang Hong: "Ah? What place? An internship here next semester? What exactly is this place?"
Lu Xiu: "The headquarters of the Monster Association, what they call the 'Sacred Land' of the Yao race."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Last time it was in Beijing, and now Wuxian, the contrast was too stark. Interning in the deep mountains, there wouldn't even be a place to eat out!
Jiang Hong parked the car in front of a building project, facing a large abandoned villa area called "Chuanghong Tiandi." Under the setting sun, it looked like a bombed site, with decade-old billboards still standing outside the resort community.
Jiang Hong: "…………"
Jiang Hong tightly grasped Lu Xiu's hand, and Lu Xiu said, "Don't be afraid."
Jiang Hong: "No... It's not that, I just think, is the Monster Association this poor? It's not as grand as the Exorcism Commission..."
Lu Xiu: "Who said that? The Monster Association is very wealthy."
A faint, thread-like voice seemed to come from nowhere.
"Go behind building fourteen, towards the cliff, and then just rush out..."
"Ahhh!!" Jiang Hong jolted up, clinging to Lu Xiu's back, hugging him tightly from behind, which even startled Lu Xiu.
"Who?!" Jiang Hong yelled. "Who's speaking?!"
Lu Xiu, expressionless, said: "It's just a WeChat voice message playing from my phone. Don't be nervous."
Speaking, Lu Xiu replied in WeChat: "Got it, thanks."
"Oh..." Jiang Hong, still shaken, listened as Lu Xiu said, "Drive the car towards the cliff, up to building fourteen. There's a platform there, drive off it and you'll arrive."
Jiang Hong went back to drive, still reeling from the scare, a bit out of sorts. He fumbled a few times, then touched Lu Xiu's hand. Lu Xiu reassured him: "Don't be afraid, it's not scary inside the Monster Association, I've been here before."
Jiang Hong: "But... how did you get here before?"
Lu Xiu: "Teleportation, most monsters use it. You can also fly."
Jiang Hong drove the car to the platform behind building fourteen. Below was a pitch-black abyss, and in the distance, nearly a kilometer away, was a rugged, strange stone mountain.
Jiang Hong: "How can we drive there?"
Lu Xiu: "Just step on the gas."
Jiang Hong: "Won't we fall down? Is there an invisible bridge? Should I align the car more precisely?"
Lu Xiu: "Just drive."
Jiang Hong: "If we fall, we'll die!"
Lu Xiu: "If we really fall, would you die with me?"
Jiang Hong: "..."
That question was too difficult to answer. If they were just two ordinary people, would Jiang Hong die with Lu Xiu?
If I were to die like this, my parents would be devastated, wouldn't they? Ah, Jiang Hong glanced at Lu Xiu.
In that moment, Lu Xiu's eyes seemed to hold a hint of anticipation, but Jiang Hong didn't ponder further, perhaps knowing there was no danger, or maybe it was just instinct – he pressed the accelerator.
The RV immediately shot off the cliff, roaring as it soared into mid-air!
What if there really was danger? Would I be willing to leave everything behind and be with Lu Xiu? This question surfaced in Jiang Hong's mind. Maybe he would?
But then, Lu Xiu immediately grabbed Jiang Hong's right hand, which was on the gear stick.
Before Jiang Hong could contemplate further, a vast road materialized out of thin air with a buzzing sound! The road was four to five hundred meters wide, like an endlessly extending platform, with a race-track-like route in the center. The spacious road lit up with lights on both sides in an instant.
"Wow!" Jiang Hong was astonished. Then, lights filled the sky, extending from in front of them to the distant mountains. Lanterns floated up into the air, resembling a forest of sky lanterns, marking a path to heaven.
At the end of this heavenly path, a giant archway appeared in front of the mountain.
"My God!" Jiang Hong kept his foot on the accelerator.
Lu Xiu added, "Keda and the others often race cars on suspended walkways."
"This is the real suspended walkway!" Jiang Hong, looking at the wide road as big as several football fields combined, floored the accelerator. The RV sped along the road towards the illuminated archway high up on the mountain, inscribed with four large characters.
Jiang Hong leaned closer to the windshield, looking up: "The Transformation of All Things..."
Lu Xiu: "Becoming One with All Things. It's a reference to the Pangu legend of creating the world."
Jiang Hong: "Oh—"
As the car passed through the archway, lights burst forth. On the side of the mountain, numerous Tang-style pavilions stood tiered along the slope, large and small, totaling a thousand, all brightly lit. It was like moving dozens of Hongyadong scenic areas to the depths of Wushan, reminiscent of the magical night scene in 'Spirited Away'.
Jiang Hong was almost blinded by the lights and said, "I was wrong, the Monster Association really is... very wealthy."
At the center was a grand, glittering palace, facing north to south, overlooking the distant river. At that moment, a loud bell rang through heaven and earth. Jiang Hong said, "Is even telling the time this extravagant?"
Lu Xiu said, "Just park the car anywhere and get out. No need to bring anything, they'll have everything prepared."
As soon as Jiang Hong got out of the car, a group of people suddenly appeared nearby, as if notified. They were of varying heights but all quite plump, uniformly lined up, loudly greeting: "Welcome, Little Prince!"
Jiang Hong: "………………"
Immediately after, the group of plump people ran over.
"Don't pay too much attention to them," Lu Xiu said. "Some races in the Monster realm tend to be quite exaggerated in their actions."
"Lord Fengli has already informed us!" a bustling plump runner said. "Little Prince! We're all ready for you..."
"I'll park your car!" another person hurried over, asking, "Can I park it next to Lord Xiang's Ferrari?"
Lu Xiu tossed him the car keys, gesturing them not to come too close. Jiang Hong, overwhelmed by this sudden enthusiasm, didn't know how to react or what kind of monsters they were, so he hid behind Lu Xiu, looking at them with surprise and confusion.
"Little Prince! Is this sweeping robot your pet?" another person asked, picking up Old Sun from the ground and presenting him with both hands.
Jiang Hong: "You can just put it down on the ground, no need to mind it."
"Can I wander around?" Old Sun asked.
Lu Xiu replied, "Sure, but be careful not to fall off the cliff."
Old Sun answered, "I'll be careful."
Filled with curiosity about the sacred land and sensing the abundant spiritual energy, Jiang Hong, when unobserved, used the Book of Everything to examine the surrounding spiritual forces. Perhaps he could absorb some here?
Wow… The spiritual energy was swirling, encircling the sacred land, forming a huge vortex, like an extremely slow tornado.
At the highest point of the sacred land, atop all the palaces, there was a glowing rune symbol, resembling a bow with an arrow placed on it, likely a protective rune.
"Let's go," Lu Xiu said. "What are you looking at? Don't just take out the Book of Everything."
"Why do they call you 'Little King'?" Jiang Hong put away the Book of Everything, brimming with curiosity.
Lu Xiu: "Before the principal left, he asked me to act as the Monster King for a while. He's the Great King, so I became the Little King. Since we are both dragons, having a dragon in charge tends to intimidate some monsters and keeps them from causing trouble. But I hardly ever managed anything; Keda was mostly in charge before..."
Jiang Hong uttered an "Oh", recalling that their school principal, Xiang Cheng, also had another identity as the Monster King, ruling over all monsters in the land of Shenzhou. But it seemed manageable, as there weren't too many monsters that had become spirits, and everyone generally got along well, so it probably wasn't too hectic.
Lu Xiu added, "Later, Keda had a heartbreak, as you know, so he just quit."
Jiang Hong: "So, are you going to take over now?"
Lu Xiu: "Just a casual glance now and then. As long as they don’t cause any trouble, it's fine."
"This is..." Another plump person approached, smiling.
"None of your business," Lu Xiu said coldly, "Don't ask so many questions."
"Yes! Little King!" the plump person immediately trotted off, saying, "The Monster Kings are not around this afternoon; they are on their way back now. This way, please!"
Jiang Hong: "You're pretty tough on them."
Lu Xiu whispered, "Some monsters tend to overstep their boundaries if you're too nice to them. Previously, the principal's wife spoiled them too much, and they were utterly lawless..."
Jiang Hong glanced at the group of plump individuals who had already started directing the parking, opening the roller doors of the garage on the hillside plaza, revealing a row of Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches, Bugattis...
Their dusty RV parked in the prime spot seemed oddly out of place.
Lu Xiu: "Get the car washed!"
All the plump individuals chorused: "Yes, Little King! Right away, Little King!"
Jiang Hong: "......"
Jiang Hong, still holding Lu Xiu's hand, stepped onto a glowing runestone and asked, "What kind of monsters are they? Can I ask?"
"You can," Lu Xiu said. "Pandas, your favorite."
Jiang Hong: "Ahhh!"
Jiang Hong looked at Lu Xiu and then at the pandas moving around the mountain, feeling like his worldview had just collapsed.
"Can they change back..." Jiang Hong asked.
"No, they can't."
Lu Xiu, unless absolutely necessary, really didn't want to deal with the pandas and exceptionally vetoed Jiang Hong's suggestion.
The runestone slab, like a floating elevator, carried the two of them upwards, where a tall, handsome man in a shirt and trousers was waiting.
"Welcome back." The man, more normal than the pandas, elegantly bowed slightly. "Should I address you as Teacher Lu or Lord Lu Xiu?"
"Follow the rules of the Monster Association here," Lu Xiu casually responded. "Where's Xiang Liu?"
The man said, "He is waiting for you in the main hall."
Jiang Hong observed the tall man; he had very fair skin and a delicate appearance. He was now gesturing for the pandas to leave and not follow, instead leading Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong towards the palace.
"My name is He Rong," the man introduced himself. "My younger brother has been troubling you."
"Ah!" Jiang Hong recognized him. No wonder he looked familiar; he was He Jian's family member.
"He's the older brother of your roommate He Jian," Lu Xiu added.
Another person approached, bowing to Lu Xiu. He Rong then asked, "Where's the Eagle King?"
"He has just arrived," the person replied, "just landed on the West Mountain."
Lu Xiu, along with Jiang Hong, entered the palace courtyard, where a huge fountain was situated. There were fish in the pond, and a tall, burly middle-aged man in traditional attire, about the same size as Keda, was feeding the fish. He turned and said, "I apologize for not coming out to meet you."
Chapter 77: Mount Wu
Jiang Hong wasn’t actually lecherous. He had no idea what happened last night and didn’t realize when he had embraced Lu Xiu, but he truly liked Lu Xiu so much.
Jiang Hong wondered what Lu Xiu "that part" looked like when awake. Ever since he developed feelings for Lu Xiu, it seemed he instinctively understood male sensuality: the slight chest muscles, well-defined abs, long limbs, fair skin - so tempting! Especially when Lu Xiu wore simple white or black T-shirts, casually lifting them to wipe sweat, revealing his abdomen - utterly mesmerizing.
Plus, his long legs, fair skin, jet-black hair, and dark pupils. Occasionally shirtless, his beautiful collarbones and shoulder lines were incredibly thought-provoking.
"Jiang Hong, you took the wrong turn," Old Sun reminded, "You should have turned right at that last intersection."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Old Sun: "I'm just giving a small reminder. You don't have road rage, do you?"
Lu Xiu: "What are you thinking about? You’ve been distracted all morning."
"No, nothing," said Jiang Hong. "Brother, do you want some snacks? Have some snacks."
Lu Xiu didn't find it strange that Jiang Hong suddenly changed his form of address. Only Jiang Hong himself knew that calling him "Brother" unconsciously brought out a bit of coquettishness.
"No, I won't eat. Are we going to pass by the Three Gorges soon?" Lu Xiu suddenly asked.
"Yes, we'll stay overnight in Wuxian today," Jiang Hong said. "It's a five-hour drive. Have you been to the Three Gorges?"
Jiang Hong was curious; this was the first time since they met that Lu Xiu showed interest in a specific place.
"No," said Lu Xiu. "But there's a place I want to go."
"Sure!" Jiang Hong immediately responded. "Where to?"
The sun had risen from the west; Lu Xiu, who had never expressed a desire to visit even his birthplace, was now keen to visit "some place" in Wuxian?
"I'll check and send you the GPS later," Lu Xiu said. "Let's get going for now."
Jiang Hong left the highway and took a winding road along the river. It was summer vacation, and the road was bustling with many college students cycling, as well as people like them, touring in campervans.
"It's so beautiful!" Jiang Hong slowed down. Lu Xiu opened the passenger side window. After leaving Chongqing, they drove along lengthy riverside roads. On Jiang Hong's side were majestic mountains, and on Lu Xiu's, the roaring river and verdant hills on the opposite bank.
The river water was also emerald green. After the Jialing River joins the Yangtze, it flows eastward, deep and unfathomable in the summer.
"Is this your first time here too?" Lu Xiu asked.
"I've been here with my parents on a boat trip," Jiang Hong replied. "It was after graduating from elementary school. It's such a pity; I didn't know you then and couldn't explore everywhere with you."
Jiang Hong remembered that from childhood, his parents always took him on trips. Sometimes the whole family went, sometimes just with his father or mother. Every summer, winter, and even during the Golden Weeks, they never missed a trip. It was only after middle school that his parents gradually let him travel with classmates and friends.
Thinking of his parents, Jiang Hong felt a twinge of guilt. After meeting Lu Xiu, he seemed to cling less to his parents.
As Jiang Hong's thoughts wandered, Lu Xiu said, "I also regret not knowing you when you were very young. If I had found you then, I would have taken you to many places."
This made Jiang Hong think about if he had met Lu Xiu in kindergarten. But wait... would Lu Xiu have already looked the same as he did now? It seemed like after becoming human, he maintained a youthful appearance, like a big brother, taking a kindergarten-aged him around…
After a moment of thought, Lu Xiu added, "But if I had come when you were very young, your parents would probably have thought I was a weirdo, right?"
Jiang Hong burst into laughter, agreeing that it indeed seemed likely.
"Shall we have lunch up ahead?" Jiang Hong suggested.
Four hours later, entering the Yunyang area, Jiang Hong found a deserted viewing platform, parked the car, and set up chairs with Lu Xiu to start their lunch in the shade. There was also a vendor selling cold noodles to tourists. For their first meal, they had a lovingly prepared bento from Jiang's mother: cold sliced beef, marinated goose, and they bought cold noodles as well.
"Tonight, we can have Wushan's paper-wrapped fish and grilled fish!" This was one of Jiang Hong's favorite Chongqing dishes.
Lu Xiu checked the location and sent it to Jiang Hong, saying, "We'll camp here."
Jiang Hong: "???"
It was a resort development, and Jiang Hong asked, "Are we visiting someone?"
"A visit? Sort of," Lu Xiu replied. "You'll see when we get there."
In the afternoon, Jiang Hong was still energetic, driving all the way to Wuxian, with billboards advertising the mountain and river scenery and Wuling tourist area everywhere.
But Wuxian, once a poor county and part of the vast mountain ranges, though an important port on the Yangtze River, had been isolated from the outside world for many years. Jiang Hong parked in the city and wandered around with Lu Xiu. Unless something unexpected happened, they were likely to sleep in the car that night.
Having learned his lesson from a previous self-driving trip to Tibet, Jiang Hong refrained from buying unnecessary souvenirs and local specialties along the way, avoiding cluttering the car. He only bought some cute-looking potatoes from a roadside stall, planning to use them for braised pork. After all, Wushan and Yunyang are famous for their potatoes.
At six in the evening, Jiang Hong drove up the mountain again, following the GPS through twists and turns. Even in summer, it got dark early in the mountains. As the shadows of the mountains swept over, only a hint of purplish-red remained in the sky, and there were no streetlights on the road.
"This place is so remote," Jiang Hong initially felt a bit uneasy, but with Lu Xiu there, he wasn't too scared of ghosts.
"It's also my first time coming here by land," Lu Xiu replied. "Mainly because you're coming here for an internship next semester, I wanted to familiarize you with the area."
Jiang Hong: "Ah? What place? An internship here next semester? What exactly is this place?"
Lu Xiu: "The headquarters of the Monster Association, what they call the 'Sacred Land' of the Yao race."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Last time it was in Beijing, and now Wuxian, the contrast was too stark. Interning in the deep mountains, there wouldn't even be a place to eat out!
Jiang Hong parked the car in front of a building project, facing a large abandoned villa area called "Chuanghong Tiandi." Under the setting sun, it looked like a bombed site, with decade-old billboards still standing outside the resort community.
Jiang Hong: "…………"
Jiang Hong tightly grasped Lu Xiu's hand, and Lu Xiu said, "Don't be afraid."
Jiang Hong: "No... It's not that, I just think, is the Monster Association this poor? It's not as grand as the Exorcism Commission..."
Lu Xiu: "Who said that? The Monster Association is very wealthy."
A faint, thread-like voice seemed to come from nowhere.
"Go behind building fourteen, towards the cliff, and then just rush out..."
"Ahhh!!" Jiang Hong jolted up, clinging to Lu Xiu's back, hugging him tightly from behind, which even startled Lu Xiu.
"Who?!" Jiang Hong yelled. "Who's speaking?!"
Lu Xiu, expressionless, said: "It's just a WeChat voice message playing from my phone. Don't be nervous."
Speaking, Lu Xiu replied in WeChat: "Got it, thanks."
"Oh..." Jiang Hong, still shaken, listened as Lu Xiu said, "Drive the car towards the cliff, up to building fourteen. There's a platform there, drive off it and you'll arrive."
Jiang Hong went back to drive, still reeling from the scare, a bit out of sorts. He fumbled a few times, then touched Lu Xiu's hand. Lu Xiu reassured him: "Don't be afraid, it's not scary inside the Monster Association, I've been here before."
Jiang Hong: "But... how did you get here before?"
Lu Xiu: "Teleportation, most monsters use it. You can also fly."
Jiang Hong drove the car to the platform behind building fourteen. Below was a pitch-black abyss, and in the distance, nearly a kilometer away, was a rugged, strange stone mountain.
Jiang Hong: "How can we drive there?"
Lu Xiu: "Just step on the gas."
Jiang Hong: "Won't we fall down? Is there an invisible bridge? Should I align the car more precisely?"
Lu Xiu: "Just drive."
Jiang Hong: "If we fall, we'll die!"
Lu Xiu: "If we really fall, would you die with me?"
Jiang Hong: "..."
That question was too difficult to answer. If they were just two ordinary people, would Jiang Hong die with Lu Xiu?
If I were to die like this, my parents would be devastated, wouldn't they? Ah, Jiang Hong glanced at Lu Xiu.
In that moment, Lu Xiu's eyes seemed to hold a hint of anticipation, but Jiang Hong didn't ponder further, perhaps knowing there was no danger, or maybe it was just instinct – he pressed the accelerator.
The RV immediately shot off the cliff, roaring as it soared into mid-air!
What if there really was danger? Would I be willing to leave everything behind and be with Lu Xiu? This question surfaced in Jiang Hong's mind. Maybe he would?
But then, Lu Xiu immediately grabbed Jiang Hong's right hand, which was on the gear stick.
Before Jiang Hong could contemplate further, a vast road materialized out of thin air with a buzzing sound! The road was four to five hundred meters wide, like an endlessly extending platform, with a race-track-like route in the center. The spacious road lit up with lights on both sides in an instant.
"Wow!" Jiang Hong was astonished. Then, lights filled the sky, extending from in front of them to the distant mountains. Lanterns floated up into the air, resembling a forest of sky lanterns, marking a path to heaven.
At the end of this heavenly path, a giant archway appeared in front of the mountain.
"My God!" Jiang Hong kept his foot on the accelerator.
Lu Xiu added, "Keda and the others often race cars on suspended walkways."
"This is the real suspended walkway!" Jiang Hong, looking at the wide road as big as several football fields combined, floored the accelerator. The RV sped along the road towards the illuminated archway high up on the mountain, inscribed with four large characters.
Jiang Hong leaned closer to the windshield, looking up: "The Transformation of All Things..."
Lu Xiu: "Becoming One with All Things. It's a reference to the Pangu legend of creating the world."
Jiang Hong: "Oh—"
As the car passed through the archway, lights burst forth. On the side of the mountain, numerous Tang-style pavilions stood tiered along the slope, large and small, totaling a thousand, all brightly lit. It was like moving dozens of Hongyadong scenic areas to the depths of Wushan, reminiscent of the magical night scene in 'Spirited Away'.
Jiang Hong was almost blinded by the lights and said, "I was wrong, the Monster Association really is... very wealthy."
At the center was a grand, glittering palace, facing north to south, overlooking the distant river. At that moment, a loud bell rang through heaven and earth. Jiang Hong said, "Is even telling the time this extravagant?"
Lu Xiu said, "Just park the car anywhere and get out. No need to bring anything, they'll have everything prepared."
As soon as Jiang Hong got out of the car, a group of people suddenly appeared nearby, as if notified. They were of varying heights but all quite plump, uniformly lined up, loudly greeting: "Welcome, Little Prince!"
Jiang Hong: "………………"
Immediately after, the group of plump people ran over.
"Don't pay too much attention to them," Lu Xiu said. "Some races in the Monster realm tend to be quite exaggerated in their actions."
"Lord Fengli has already informed us!" a bustling plump runner said. "Little Prince! We're all ready for you..."
"I'll park your car!" another person hurried over, asking, "Can I park it next to Lord Xiang's Ferrari?"
Lu Xiu tossed him the car keys, gesturing them not to come too close. Jiang Hong, overwhelmed by this sudden enthusiasm, didn't know how to react or what kind of monsters they were, so he hid behind Lu Xiu, looking at them with surprise and confusion.
"Little Prince! Is this sweeping robot your pet?" another person asked, picking up Old Sun from the ground and presenting him with both hands.
Jiang Hong: "You can just put it down on the ground, no need to mind it."
"Can I wander around?" Old Sun asked.
Lu Xiu replied, "Sure, but be careful not to fall off the cliff."
Old Sun answered, "I'll be careful."
Filled with curiosity about the sacred land and sensing the abundant spiritual energy, Jiang Hong, when unobserved, used the Book of Everything to examine the surrounding spiritual forces. Perhaps he could absorb some here?
Wow… The spiritual energy was swirling, encircling the sacred land, forming a huge vortex, like an extremely slow tornado.
At the highest point of the sacred land, atop all the palaces, there was a glowing rune symbol, resembling a bow with an arrow placed on it, likely a protective rune.
"Let's go," Lu Xiu said. "What are you looking at? Don't just take out the Book of Everything."
"Why do they call you 'Little King'?" Jiang Hong put away the Book of Everything, brimming with curiosity.
Lu Xiu: "Before the principal left, he asked me to act as the Monster King for a while. He's the Great King, so I became the Little King. Since we are both dragons, having a dragon in charge tends to intimidate some monsters and keeps them from causing trouble. But I hardly ever managed anything; Keda was mostly in charge before..."
Jiang Hong uttered an "Oh", recalling that their school principal, Xiang Cheng, also had another identity as the Monster King, ruling over all monsters in the land of Shenzhou. But it seemed manageable, as there weren't too many monsters that had become spirits, and everyone generally got along well, so it probably wasn't too hectic.
Lu Xiu added, "Later, Keda had a heartbreak, as you know, so he just quit."
Jiang Hong: "So, are you going to take over now?"
Lu Xiu: "Just a casual glance now and then. As long as they don’t cause any trouble, it's fine."
"This is..." Another plump person approached, smiling.
"None of your business," Lu Xiu said coldly, "Don't ask so many questions."
"Yes! Little King!" the plump person immediately trotted off, saying, "The Monster Kings are not around this afternoon; they are on their way back now. This way, please!"
Jiang Hong: "You're pretty tough on them."
Lu Xiu whispered, "Some monsters tend to overstep their boundaries if you're too nice to them. Previously, the principal's wife spoiled them too much, and they were utterly lawless..."
Jiang Hong glanced at the group of plump individuals who had already started directing the parking, opening the roller doors of the garage on the hillside plaza, revealing a row of Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches, Bugattis...
Their dusty RV parked in the prime spot seemed oddly out of place.
Lu Xiu: "Get the car washed!"
All the plump individuals chorused: "Yes, Little King! Right away, Little King!"
Jiang Hong: "......"
Jiang Hong, still holding Lu Xiu's hand, stepped onto a glowing runestone and asked, "What kind of monsters are they? Can I ask?"
"You can," Lu Xiu said. "Pandas, your favorite."
Jiang Hong: "Ahhh!"
Jiang Hong looked at Lu Xiu and then at the pandas moving around the mountain, feeling like his worldview had just collapsed.
"Can they change back..." Jiang Hong asked.
"No, they can't."
Lu Xiu, unless absolutely necessary, really didn't want to deal with the pandas and exceptionally vetoed Jiang Hong's suggestion.
The runestone slab, like a floating elevator, carried the two of them upwards, where a tall, handsome man in a shirt and trousers was waiting.
"Welcome back." The man, more normal than the pandas, elegantly bowed slightly. "Should I address you as Teacher Lu or Lord Lu Xiu?"
"Follow the rules of the Monster Association here," Lu Xiu casually responded. "Where's Xiang Liu?"
The man said, "He is waiting for you in the main hall."
Jiang Hong observed the tall man; he had very fair skin and a delicate appearance. He was now gesturing for the pandas to leave and not follow, instead leading Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong towards the palace.
"My name is He Rong," the man introduced himself. "My younger brother has been troubling you."
"Ah!" Jiang Hong recognized him. No wonder he looked familiar; he was He Jian's family member.
"He's the older brother of your roommate He Jian," Lu Xiu added.
Another person approached, bowing to Lu Xiu. He Rong then asked, "Where's the Eagle King?"
"He has just arrived," the person replied, "just landed on the West Mountain."
Lu Xiu, along with Jiang Hong, entered the palace courtyard, where a huge fountain was situated. There were fish in the pond, and a tall, burly middle-aged man in traditional attire, about the same size as Keda, was feeding the fish. He turned and said, "I apologize for not coming out to meet you."
