69novels Chapter 879 Doppelganger
Chapter 879 Doppelganger
The monkey demon leaned against the crooked old locust tree, its trunk gleaming from years of wear. In its hand, it toyed with an iron rod as thick as a bowl, its patina so thick it could reflect a person's image. Its dark face was wrinkled and furrowed, and its gaze toward Wang Ran was like a poisoned steel needle, full of wariness and barely concealed disgust.
It has never had the slightest goodwill towards the human race—over the years, in the Misty Forest, human cultivators have stormed into the forest like hungry wolves, and amidst the flashing swords, how many of its fellow demons have become their victims? Which of those demon cores hanging on their waists, gleaming with an eerie light, is not stained with the blood of its own kind? Just thinking about it makes the monkey demon's fangs bulge out.
"Speak, what do you want with this 'beast'?" The monkey demon's voice was rough and hoarse, like a stone grinding against rotten wood, each word sharp and piercing to the ears. It deliberately emphasized the word "beast," as if mocking Wang Ran's hypocrisy.
Wang Ran stood a few steps away, his green robe fluttering in the mountain wind. Behind him, Zhang Lei stood like a silent iron tower, his eyes as cold as ice. A forced smile was plastered on his face, but his tone carried an undeniable pressure: "I can entrust the entire Misty Forest to you, demarcate the area, and from now on, no human cultivator will ever set foot here. What do you say?"
The monkey demon chuckled, revealing two rows of sharp fangs, with bits of leftover animal bones still stuck between them: "You think I'm a stupid rabbit from the mountains, that I'll take a carrot and bite?" It brandished the iron rod in its hand, which slammed against a tree trunk, causing a few withered leaves to fall. "You just want to know about the dragon clan, don't you? Stop beating around the bush."
Wang Ran inwardly praised the monkey demon's cunning, but outwardly remained calm, slowly nodding: "That's right. I've already sent two teams in, but unfortunately... they both perished inside. As long as you're willing to reveal the dragon clan's whereabouts, I'll hand over the sovereignty of this forest to you, in writing."
The monkey demon slammed its iron rod into the ground with a loud thud, sending fallen leaves flying everywhere, as if it were striking at Wang Ran's greed: "You know what our demon race wants." It stared at Wang Ran with eyes as sharp as knives, as if it could dissect his internal organs. "As long as you can meet our demands, not only will we give up the forest, but we might even help you guide the way and restrain the dragon race."
"Tell me, what do you want?" Wang Ran took a half step forward, his fingers slightly curled beneath his sleeve, his tone carrying a barely suppressed urgency. The whereabouts of the dragons were his most pressing objective.
The monkey demon never minced words and said directly, "It's simple, we want demon cores. The more the better, the more varied the better. As long as you can produce enough demon cores, I'll tell you which valley the dragons are entrenched in, and I can even get the best members of my clan to help you control their minions."
Wang Ran sneered inwardly. What was this small request? As long as the third team could successfully find the Dragon Clan and obtain the Dragon Pearl that could greatly increase one's cultivation, this few demon cores were nothing. Once the Dragon Clan was wiped out, wouldn't the demons in this Misty Forest be at his mercy? At that time, not only would the credit for slaying the dragon be his, but the credit for annihilating the demons would also be his. A mere captain's position was no longer worthy of his ambition.
He nodded readily, his voice booming, "Sure! As long as you cooperate, you can have as many demon cores as you want. I'll have someone bring them from the camp right away and pile them up all over your mountain!"
Unexpectedly, the monkey demon suddenly grinned, revealing a knowing, mocking smile: "You really think I'm stupid?" It abruptly straightened up, its iron rod slashing straight at Wang Ran's chest, the spike at the end gleaming coldly. "Once you've wiped out the dragon race, won't you turn around and exterminate us demons? The spiritual veins and mineral deposits in this Misty Forest will be yours sooner or later. Do you think I can't see through your intentions?"
Wang Ran's smile froze instantly, like a frozen lake. He hadn't expected this hairy-faced monkey to see through his scheme. He turned to look at Zhang Lei, his eyes flashing a cold, sharp signal—this monster must not be allowed to live, lest it ruin everything.
Zhang Lei immediately understood, and with a sudden burst of power, the bluestone slabs cracked under his feet. He shot towards the monkey demon like an arrow, his fists carrying a sharp, tearing force, clearly intending to finish the fight quickly. He knew that this monkey demon, who could dominate the Misty Forest, was no pushover, and eliminating it would save the third team a lot of trouble.
"You think you can take me on?" The monkey demon remained calm, dodging the punch like a shadow, and swept out with his iron rod, bringing with it a stench of mud and blood. "You really think I'm afraid of you? Come on!"
But just as Zhang Lei's fist collided with the monkey demon's iron rod, he suddenly frowned—this monkey demon's strength was far less formidable than rumored, and its spiritual energy fluctuations were very weak, as if... it was deliberately hiding its strength? Or was this not its true form at all?
"Alright, stop holding back, just kill it!" Wang Ran shouted coldly from the side. He had no patience to waste any more time with this monster, and the killing intent in his eyes was almost overflowing.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Lei's punch suddenly intensified, his spiritual energy condensing into a faint white light on his fist, poised to strike the monkey demon's chest. Unexpectedly, the monkey demon suddenly threw its head back and burst into laughter, its shrill sound like scraping glass. Its form gradually faded like wisps of smoke, finally dissipating into a wisp of black smoke, leaving only a mocking echo reverberating through the forest: "The cunning of humans, indeed, does not disappoint..."
"This is his clone!" Zhang Lei stopped punching and stood up, speaking in a deep voice, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes. To be able to create such a realistic clone, this monkey demon's strength was probably even greater than they had anticipated.
Wang Ran's face turned ashen, as if he had been doused with ice water, but he quickly suppressed his surging anger and said coldly, "I understand. Pass down the order, the third team will set off immediately and storm into the forest. Leave no demons alive!" Since negotiations failed, they would use brute force to flatten this place. He didn't believe they wouldn't find traces of the dragons.
Zhang Lei stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "My lord, shall I go in with you? With my strength, I can certainly protect them and help you obtain the Dragon Ball."
Wang Ran shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the third team of disciples waiting in the distance. The young men, dressed in various sect robes, still had a youthful innocence, their eyes filled with a thirst for achievement. His gaze, however, held an undisguised contempt: "No need. The situation inside is still unclear; it's not worth risking your life." He knew perfectly well—these sect disciples were merely pawns used to scout ahead; their deaths wouldn't be a loss. Zhang Lei was his trump card, a sharp weapon to help him seize power; he couldn't afford any mishaps, otherwise, who would protect his life and clear the obstacles to his ascent?