The moment the stone box opened, scorching hot air surged out, causing the temperature within the cave to rise steadily.
Xu Yi used her spiritual energy to pry open the Monkey King's lips just enough, extracting two Fire Splinter Fruits from the stone box and pushing them into the narrow gap.
Fearing the Monkey King would be unable to digest the spiritual energy within the Fire Splinter Fruits, Xu Yi crushed them before retracting her spiritual energy.
Fire Splinter Fruits grew in extremely hot regions, and the spiritual energy contained within their flesh was potent and volatile.
Xu Yi could feel the searing power surging within the Monkey King's body, with much of the fire spiritual energy even seeping out from the corners of its lips.
Xu Yi closed her five fingers, retreated a dozen steps, and waited with bated breath.
Ji Buwang did not retreat. Instead, he used his divine sense to guide the medicinal properties of the Fire Splinter Fruits as they circulated within the Monkey King's body.
Uncertain of the Monkey King's injuries or the proper method to administer the Fire Splinter Fruits, they could only resort to the most common practice on the Nine Continents Continent to help the Monkey King absorb them.
"The Fire Splinter Fruits are insufficient."
Ji Buwang frowned, his voice cold.
The Monkey King's body was several zhang tall. Although the medicinal properties within the Fire Splinter Fruits were potent, they were not enough to reach the entirety of its body.
Upon hearing this, Xu Yi immediately stepped forward and opened four more dark red stone boxes.
Eight milky-white Fire Splinter Fruits were guided by Xu Yi into the Monkey King's mouth.
A torrent of fire spiritual energy erupted, and the temperature within the cave rose to a level that even made Xu Yi uncomfortable.
The space before her eyes began to distort.
Xu Yi had to retreat further, maintaining a distance from the Monkey King, while clutching the last unopened stone box.
Meanwhile, fine beads of sweat began to form on Ji Buwang's forehead.
The medicinal properties of the eight Fire Splinter Fruits, in their explosive state, were still within his control. However, guiding them through the Monkey King's body required extreme caution.
He was especially careful when the medicinal properties passed through the Monkey King's internal organs and dantian.
Under such intense mental strain, sweat poured down his face.
An hour later, Ji Buwang shifted his footing and retreated to Xu Yi's side.
Neither of them spoke, their gazes fixed on the Monkey King.
They had done all they could. Now, it was up to the Monkey King to survive this ordeal on its own.
Several more hours passed, and the temperature within the cave gradually returned to normal. A flicker of disappointment crossed Xu Yi's eyes.
They had arrived too late.
Xu Yi gritted her teeth, filled with frustration.
They had overcome the most difficult conditions, only to fail at this final step.
Xu Yi looked down at the stone box in her hand.
Inside were two Fire Splinter Fruits that Xu Yi had originally intended to keep for herself.
Under Ji Buwang's slightly surprised gaze, she opened the stone box and once again brought the two Fire Splinter Fruits to the Monkey King's lips.
Ji Buwang's thin lips parted, as if about to speak, but he ultimately stopped himself and remained silent.
He understood Xu Yi's intention: as long as there was a glimmer of hope, they had to try again.
This time, neither Xu Yi nor Ji Buwang interfered, allowing the two Fire Splinter Fruits to be held between the Monkey King's lips.
As time flowed by, the two Fire Splinter Fruits seemed unable to withstand the external pressure, automatically transforming into a pulp that flowed down the Monkey King's throat.
Xu Yi could even hear the faint sound of the pulp sliding down the Monkey King's gullet.
Gulp!
Xu Yi's brow twitched, and she instinctively looked at Ji Buwang.
Ji Buwang happened to be looking at her as well. In their shared glance, they could both see the surprise in each other's eyes.
The swallowing sound that had just occurred was not their imagination.
The two of them abruptly turned their gazes to the Monkey King.
Could it be...
Before they could discern any further details, a fierce gale suddenly swept through the cave. Potent spiritual energy surged from the ground, forming a spiritual energy storm.
The spiritual energy storm churned, emitting sounds like rolling thunder, and the powerful tearing force caused numerous spatial rifts to appear within the cave.
Sensing something, Xu Yi dodged backward. In the next instant, a rift as tall as a person appeared precisely where she had been standing, exerting a massive suction force that pulled inward relentlessly.
"Go!"
Ji Buwang let out a low shout, appearing beside Xu Yi and grabbing her arm, pulling her to flee rapidly towards the passage exit.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
As they fled, the rocks and earth continuously collapsed downwards, blocking their path.
Without hesitation, they coated their bodies in spiritual energy and used their physical forms to smash through the obstruction.
Behind them, the spiritual energy storm did not cease. Xu Yi watched as countless rocks and earth were swallowed by the spatial rifts and ultimately annihilated into nothingness.
Xu Yi channeled spiritual energy into her feet, daring not to pause. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, almost bursting out of her body.
Although the scene had been perilous, it also conveyed incredibly good news to them.
Xu Yi's brows furrowed tightly, yet the corners of her lips curved upward involuntarily.
In less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, they burst out of the passage and looked down upon Monkey King Mountain below.
The summit of Monkey King Mountain had completely collapsed, as if sliced off by a sword.
Towering ancient trees lay toppled in disarray, mixed with rocks and earth.
The dust stirred up by the geological tremors had veiled Monkey King Mountain in a hazy gray mist.
For Monkey King Mountain to recover from this tribulation would take at least a hundred years.
However, as long as the Monkey King was present, Xu Yi believed that Monkey King Mountain would eventually be restored to its former glory.
With the Monkey King, Monkey King Mountain would stand firm.
The mountain body of Monkey King Mountain continued to tremble, yet the demonic beasts upon it remained oblivious.
They were still in a deep slumber, with only a few highly sensitive demonic beasts sensing unease in their dreams, curling up tightly together.
Xu Yi and Ji Buwang dared not approach the summit, fearing being caught in the spiritual energy storm.
The two of them appeared in other locations on Monkey King Mountain and transported all the demonic beasts on the mountain to its foothills.
The number of demonic beasts on Monkey King Mountain was not small; ape-demons constituted half, while the other half comprised demonic beasts from various races.
Among them, Xu Yi was most drawn to three massive black bears.
Xu Yi's gaze swept over the three black bears, finally settling on their thick and sturdy bear paws.
The cultivation of these three black bears was not low, and their paws were excellent materials for refining artifacts.
Xu Yi's eyes lingered on them with a hint of covetousness.
However, under the current circumstances, she had no intention of killing the bears for their paws. She could only make a few minor adjustments to the three black bears, just in case.
After Xu Yi and Ji Buwang had finished relocating all the demonic beasts, the commotion within Monkey King Mountain not only failed to diminish but intensified.
Xu Yi's previously relaxed mood tightened once more.
She had initially thought the commotion was caused by the Monkey King, but upon calmer reflection, she felt her guess might not be accurate.
From the moment they left, the Monkey King had not reacted in any way. Instead, that spiritual energy storm had come about inexplicably.
Could there be other demonic beasts within the cave?
Xu Yi began to worry about the Monkey King's safety.
But then again, the Monkey King was a paramount great demon, and its body could not be easily harmed by ordinary attacks.
If it could truly be injured, her intervention would be futile.
For now, all they could do was wait and see.