The little spirit monkey king, having consumed the Qi Gathering Pill, gained sentience. Though it couldn't speak, its intelligence was not low.
It felt that conversing with Hao Ren was a waste of time. It would rather hurry back to save its own kind.
The little spirit monkey king's troop had been attacked by over a dozen outsider monkey troops. Severely injured, the little spirit monkey king had escaped. The rest of its troop had been captured, and it intended to rescue them.
As for whether it could defeat the outsider monkey troops, the little spirit monkey king had some confidence now.
For some reason, the past few days had been filled with misfortune. It had met with accidents even when drinking cold water, and during fights, unexpected events had always occurred, leading to its inexplicable defeat and greatly reduced combat power.
Now, the little spirit monkey king felt a sense of lightness. The bad luck seemed to have left it. Without misfortune holding it back, its confidence returned.
The little spirit monkey king was about to leave with a raised foot.
At that moment, Hao Ren's eyes flashed with sharp light, and he called out to it.
"Monkey, who told you to leave? Come back!"
The little spirit monkey king.
￣へ￣
It was a little angry!
However, given Hao Ren's life-saving grace, the little spirit monkey king suppressed its temper, gritted its teeth, and turned to look at Hao Ren.
Hao Ren sneered.
"Monkey, we haven't settled our score from a few days ago yet!"
The little spirit monkey king was stunned.
A score from a few days ago?
What score?
"Stop playing dumb!"
Hao Ren impatiently took out the "Formless Staff" and tossed it at the little spirit monkey king's feet.
The "Formless Staff" was pitch-black, exuding a dense and heavy aura. Only the tip of the staff faintly glowed yellow, emitting a faint, foul odor.
The little spirit monkey king instinctively sniffed. What a familiar smell!
This, this was its "monkey boy's urine"!
The little spirit monkey king felt a bit embarrassed. It remembered that three days ago, it had ambushed Hao Ren at the cave entrance, intending to urinate on him to get revenge. However, Hao Ren had seen through its plan, and the "monkey boy's urine" had missed Hao Ren, instead landing on the "Formless Staff."
Damn it!
This human was really vengeful!
How long had it been? He hadn't even bothered to wash the staff. So unhygienic.
The little spirit monkey king rolled its eyes and silently scorned Hao Ren in its heart.
Hao Ren seemed to hear its thoughts and said coldly,
"Monkey, are you secretly cursing me in your heart?"
The little spirit monkey king quickly shook its head.
Hao Ren snorted.
"Then hurry up and wash my staff!"
Huh, wash the staff?
This… felt a bit strange!
Under Hao Ren's "tyranny," the little spirit monkey king reluctantly picked up the "Formless Staff," left the cave, and went to the small stream outside to wash it.
The stream gurgled, clear to the bottom.
The little spirit monkey king looked at the stream water, then at the "Formless Staff," and then at its reflection in the stream.
A "clever idea" surfaced in its mind.
Could it "borrow" the Formless Staff?
As soon as this thought arose, it grew wildly like weeds.
The little spirit monkey nervously clutched the "Formless Staff," its heart pounding.
It cautiously looked around.
No one was around. That detestable human hadn't followed it.
The plan was feasible!
The little spirit monkey king gritted its teeth, grabbed the "Formless Staff," quickly scurried up a large tree, and then swung from branch to branch. Soon, its figure disappeared into the distance.
After the little spirit monkey left, a figure emerged from behind a large tree.
Hao Ren!
Hao Ren's gaze was sharp as he watched the direction in which the little spirit monkey king had left.
He cursed.
"That darn monkey, stealing my staff! Next time I see you, I'll beat you up!"
Despite his curses, a faint smile played on Hao Ren's lips. Clearly, he wasn't that angry.
The little spirit monkey king was returning to save its troop. It would have to face over a dozen wild monkey troops, and it would be at a disadvantage without a suitable weapon.
The "Formless Staff" was the most suitable weapon for the little spirit monkey king.
After all, the little spirit monkey king's "distant cousin" was Sun Wukong, a master of staff combat!
At this moment, a system notification sounded in Hao Ren's mind.
[Ding! The little spirit monkey king "borrowed" your "Formless Staff," and its favorability towards you greatly increased. Favorability +20.]
Hearing this, Hao Ren's smile widened.
Darn monkey, at least you have some conscience and know how to repay a favor!
Alright, next time I beat you, I'll try to go easy on you, I'll try…
Hao Ren, in a good mood, hummed a little tune and returned to the cave.
"You are my little, little apple, no matter how much I love you, it's never enough…"
Hmm, that singing is terrible!
Hao Ren frowned and shook his head.
He really shouldn't sing next time. It's too awful!
…
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
These three days were calm.
Hao Ren "painfully" cultivated every day. During his spare time, he would stroll outside the cave and check if the little spirit monkey king had returned.
On the first day, there was no news of the little spirit monkey king.
On the second day, there was still no news of the little spirit monkey king.
On the third day, there was still no news of the little spirit monkey king.
Hao Ren began to feel uneasy.
Holy crap!
Did that darn monkey run away with my "Formless Staff" like… spitting that out, did that darn monkey run away with my "Formless Staff"?
Damn it!
I lost my wife and my staff!
Hey, doesn't that sound a bit lewd?
Ahem, impossible. How could someone as upright as me be lewd?
An illusion, it must be an illusion!
"System, use the search nearby function!"
Hao Ren had a sudden impulse. He decided to search for activity in the vicinity.
[Ding! 573 meters to the northeast, one righteous cultivator detected. Sect Master Wang Shanhe of Shengfeng Sect.]
[Ding! 573 meters to the northeast, one righteous cultivator detected. Elder Gu Zhen of Shengfeng Sect.]
[Ding! 573 meters to the northeast, one righteous cultivator detected. Elder Wang Yiwei of Shengfeng Sect.]
[Ding! 573 meters to the northeast, one righteous cultivator detected. Outer disciple Qu Ruinian of Shengfeng Sect.]
…
System notifications kept ringing.
A total of twelve pieces of information.
Hao Ren's pupils contracted sharply.
The system had detected 12 righteous cultivators, all of them from the "Shengfeng Sect."
Among them was an "old acquaintance," Qu Ruinian.
Hao Ren immediately understood what was happening.
Last time, during the conflict between righteous and demonic cultivators, Shengfeng Sect had lost two cultivators, Wang Qingfeng and Zhan Pengda. Qu Ruinian had escaped.
Now, Qu Ruinian had returned with the main force of Shengfeng Sect.
Not good!
An overwhelming sense of crisis arose in Hao Ren's heart.
This time, the Shengfeng Sect cultivators were not coming to "deliver packages"; they were coming for revenge.
If Hao Ren were discovered by them, he would be in serious trouble.
Although Hao Ren had not harmed any Shengfeng Sect cultivators, the logic of righteous cultivators was often twisted.
Wang Qingfeng died around here, you were also around here, why didn't you save Wang Qingfeng? If you don't save people, you are harming them, so Wang Qingfeng was killed by you, murderer!
Murderers deserve to die!
Don't cry injustice, we righteous cultivators are acting on behalf of heaven.
Hao Ren, covered in cold sweat, quietly hid back into the cave.
He would lie low. It was too dangerous outside!