Rat in Yellow Wind Ridge, rising from plundering entries - Chapter 29

Chapter 29 Monkey Brother Forges Weapons! Arriving at Flower Fruit Mountain, a Land Filled with Treasures!

Sun Wukong pondered.

The principles of rewarding and punishing subordinates, as mentioned by the Yellow Wind King, had been brought up by his master, Patriarch Bodhi. However, back then, he had only been interested in immortality and hadn’t paid much attention.

Now that he led a tribe of demons, he occasionally faced management issues, making him reflect on these principles. After thinking for a while, he tossed the thoughts aside, unwilling to dwell on them.

By nature, Sun Wukong was free-spirited and undisciplined. He disliked being controlled by others and had no interest in controlling others himself. The Yellow Wind King summoned the Great Mouse General and arranged for Sun Wukong, the Six-Tusked Elephant, and the Golden Lion, along with a hundred demon warriors, to head to Thousand Cavern Mountain.

Thousand Cavern Mountain lived up to its name. From a distance, it appeared dark and barren, with only a few stunted trees growing sparsely. This was because the mountain was rich in iron, copper, tin, and other metals. The overwhelming presence of metallic energy made it unappealing to ordinary creatures and demons.

Only the Great Mouse General and his clan thrived here, gnawing on iron and stone to sharpen their teeth. Over time, they had burrowed countless holes into the iron mountain.

They frequently excavated iron ore and transported it to the Kingdom of Flowing Sands and nearby cities to trade for food, clothing, and weapons.

A thousand catties of iron would only fetch a hundred or so catties of grain, a few weapons, and some garments—clearly a bad deal. But that was how the market worked. The value of an item wasn’t just about its worth—it depended on whether people were willing to buy it.

The Yellow Wind King instructed the Great Mouse General to gather his mouse demons and observe the process of smelting iron, forging steel, and crafting weapons.

This would prevent them from sitting on a mountain of treasures while going hungry. A well-forged sword or blade would surely sell better than raw iron ore. The Yellow Wind King shared his knowledge freely. Any interested demon was welcome to learn. Whoever worked the fastest and produced the finest weapons would even receive rewards.

Right now, collecting blue and white stat entries was too easy for him. He could defeat entire groups of major and minor demons with ease.

He distributed the surplus blue and white stat entries among his followers, helping them grow, which made him widely respected.

By doing so.

He maximized resources, cultivating a workforce of demon artisans.

He reinforced his rule by maintaining a clear system of rewards and punishments.

He strengthened his army.

He enhanced his control over his subordinates.

A single move, multiple benefits.

In Thousand Cavern Mountain, the demons worked together. The furnace roared. Some mined, some stoked the fire, others hammered, and some shaped molds. The Yellow Wind King and Sun Wukong infused magic into the weapons they forged.

In just a few days, over ten thousand weapons—swords, spears, sabers, halberds, axes, and other arms—were crafted, all neatly arranged. The Yellow Wind King also personally forged a dozen magical weapons and handed them to Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong was overjoyed.

“Good brother, Old Sun thanks you! If you ever need my help, just call, and I will surely come!”

Need help?

What trouble could possibly be greater than Old Sun’s own affairs?

The Yellow Wind King merely smiled.

Sun Wukong scratched his cheek.

“How many weapons can I carry at once? I should use my clone technique to transport them!”

With that, he plucked a handful of his fur, chewed it into pulp, and spat it out while chanting a spell.

“Transform!”

With a breath, his hairs changed, falling to the ground and turning into hundreds of small monkeys. The Great Mouse General and the other demons were stunned.

They all thought, No wonder our king values this monkey so highly—he truly possesses divine abilities. The little monkeys swarmed around, carrying the weapons. The strong ones took five or seven each, while the weaker ones carried two or three. In no time, everything was cleared away.

Seeing all the weapons taken, Sun Wukong asked, “Good brother, will you come back to Flower Fruit Mountain with me now, or will you visit later?”

The Yellow Wind King chuckled.

“Since I have the chance, I’d like to test Monkey Brother’s Somersault Cloud and see its legendary speed. Let me give my final instructions to my men first.”

Since Sun Wukong had taken the weapons, his next steps would likely be storming the Dragon Palace and the Underworld. The Yellow Wind King didn’t want to miss out on the action.

Sun Wukong laughed.

“Alright, alright!”

The Yellow Wind King turned and gave orders. While he was away, things were to continue as usual. No one was to act recklessly. If any major issues arose, the Seven Demon Generals were to discuss them, with the Old Black Fox making the final decision. The demons all acknowledged his orders.

By now, the Yellow Wind King had firmly established his authority. No major trouble was expected. And if any did arise, it was better to deal with it now—after all, they were still in the early stages of building their power.

Sun Wukong stepped onto a cloud and used his magic to summon a great gust of wind, carrying the Yellow Wind King and the monkey clones across countless mountains and rivers.

The Somersault Cloud was incredibly fast.

In just over half an hour, they spotted an island rising from the middle of a vast sea. It stood tall over the waves, commanding the surrounding waters like a pillar of heaven—unshakable through endless eons.

It was none other than Flower Fruit Mountain!

Sun Wukong descended, landing within the mountain. The monkey tribes, startled by their arrival, scattered in fear. Sun Wukong quickly summoned them back and explained the situation.

Upon hearing that their king had such a powerful friend, the monkeys were amazed and thanked the Yellow Wind King profusely. Once done, they eagerly grabbed the weapons, wrestling over swords, spears, axes, bows, and crossbows, chattering and playing excitedly.

Meanwhile, Sun Wukong and the Yellow Wind King retreated into Water Curtain Cave to drink.

Grinning, Sun Wukong asked, “Good brother, is there anything here that catches your eye? Anything valuable?”

The Yellow Wind King replied, “This place is filled with spiritual energy—it’s truly a land of immortals. Let me take a closer look later.”

Sun Wukong laughed. “No rush! Take your time, but first, drink! Drink!”

The next day, Sun Wukong gathered his monkey army—47,000 in total. He arranged them into ranks, set up camps, and trained them in formation drills with their new weapons. Their movements soon alarmed the neighboring demons.

From the seventy-two nearby caves, various demon kings came to pay homage, acknowledging Sun Wukong as their leader. Every year, they would now offer tributes and report in at set times. Some prepared to support in battle, others collected supplies, while still others brought drums, banners, and armor to train their troops.

As for the Yellow Wind King, he was led by two old monkeys to explore the mountain. His keen sense for lunar and metallic energies, coupled with his ability to perceive auras, quickly led him to a jade mine.

This was no ordinary mine—it had absorbed the spiritual essence of Flower Fruit Mountain and the celestial radiance of the sun and moon. The jade here glowed with a soft luster, its energy restrained yet potent. This one mine alone could be traded for 70,000 to 80,000 weapons!

And yet, in Flower Fruit Mountain, it was merely mid-tier. This was the ancestral land of the Ten Continents and the source of the Three Islands’ veins—not an exaggeration.

Despite its modest size, it nurtured hundreds of times more demon spirits than Yellow Wind Ridge and housed seventy-two demon kings. Marking the jade mine, the Yellow Wind King continued exploring.

Who knew what other treasures awaited?

And sure enough, they were everywhere.

Ancient trees, scorched black yet sprouting new buds, revealed themselves as divine thunderwood, struck by lightning three times. A single vine, rooted in a cliff, bore five leaves imbued with the Five Elements’ essence, nourishing the body when consumed.

A thousand-year-old ginseng spirit, fully humanoid, burrowed underground, evading even the nimblest monkeys. A giant moonstone, luminous and pure, perfect for absorbing lunar energy—far superior to the one he had previously obtained.

Not to mention spiritual beasts like five-colored deer, white jade elephants, qilins, azure phoenixes, and black cranes. The Yellow Wind King was overwhelmed by the sheer abundance of treasures.