Chapter 132: Darkness in the Woods, Wind Stirring the Grass

"Beware of the Monkey King!"

The moment the Monkey King’s figure vanished, Xiao Xiong sounded the alarm for everyone. The scholars quickly reformed their formation and scanned their surroundings with vigilance. Even Xiao Xiong looked tense, his eyes darting across the area. They were well aware that this demon monkey was a Demon General-level beast, and its prowess was not to be underestimated. The demon beasts and soldiers they had encountered earlier were merely appetizers that they could easily handle, but this Monkey King was a genuine Demon General—a creature truly capable of killing scholars.

Song Mu kept his ears pricked and his eyes peeled, his heart pounding in his chest. Despite his careful search, he still could not spot the creature. The surroundings were excessively noisy, and the dense forest canopy easily obscured their line of sight. Song Mu closed his eyes and immediately projected his mental energy, searching the area with precision.

His mental energy rippled out like an invisible tide, gradually forming an image in his mind: the monkeys shrieking in the treetops, the dying monkeys lying on the ground, and... a large monkey moving with incredible speed across the very tops of the trees.

Song Mu’s eyes snapped open, his gaze locking onto the canopy above. His dispersed mental energy retracted instantly, converging on the treeline.

"It’s in the canopy above us!"

Song Mu and Xiao Xiong spoke simultaneously. Both men paused for a second, and Xue Kaiwen and the others looked at Song Mu in surprise before quickly looking up as well.

"Stay sharp! Don’t hold back your attacks—bring it down!"

Xiao Xiong reacted quickly, ordering the group to strike with full force. Song Mu, snapping back to reality, drew his bow and nocked an arrow. His gaze pierced through the layers of leaves, fixing on the heights above. In that moment, guided by his focus, literature power surged through his hands and his mental energy flooded out, locking onto the demon monkey in a state of profound clarity.

Through the dense foliage, Song Mu clearly saw the Monkey King preparing to strike. Its sharp fangs and claws were glowing with a faint red light. At that instant, it seemed to sense something amiss; it cast its gaze downward, as if meeting Song Mu’s eyes through the thick cover.

Song Mu’s heart tightened, and he released his shot.

"The woods are dark, the grass is startled by the wind; at night, the General draws his bow."
"At dawn, he searches for the white feathers; they are buried deep in the stone ridge."

Another poem, "The Second of Six Poems on 'Responding to Assistant Minister Zhang at the Frontier'" by Lu Lun, burst from Song Mu’s lips. A powerful archery poem was unleashed, followed by three light-infused arrows that shot forth with tremendous force, piercing into the canopy in an instant.

The other scholars were stunned, for they had not seen the demon monkey in the path of the light-arrows.

"Song Mu, did you see it?"

Fu Zefeng asked, his brow furrowed, but Song Mu did not reply. Instead, he simply produced another sheet of literary paper and nodded. The others immediately drew their bows, firing blindly at the spot Song Mu had targeted.

A moment later, a piercing shriek erupted from that location, triggering all the monkeys in the area to scream in unison. Everyone felt their eardrums throb, as if thousands of sharp blades were slowly scraping against their brains.

"Hold steady! These monkeys are strange."

Xiao Xiong noticed the oddity. Seeing the pained expressions on Song Mu and the others, he quickly shouted, straightened his posture, and roared with all his might:

"The Master does not speak of strange phenomena, feats of strength, rebellions, or gods!"

Xiao Xiong’s voice echoed across the heavens, resonating through the surrounding mountains. Those standing near him felt their minds suddenly clear, and the monkeys in the branches began to shriek and retreat.

A single display of a Juren’s power had swept away the obstacles, but Xiao Xiong immediately shouted with a grim expression:

"Pursue it! The Monkey King is trying to escape!"

Xiao Xiong’s intervention had neutralized the small tricks, but his roar had also exposed his strength as a Juren. Seeing the situation turn against them, the monkey troop retreated, and even the Monkey King seemed to abandon its attack, scrambling away in a panic.

The group gave chase. Suddenly, the sound of a bowstring vibrating cut through the air, and an arrow streaked into the distance. A moment later, a fierce roar echoed from the deep woods.

Xue Kaiwen was the first to turn, spotting Song Mu, his face flushed red, just as he lowered his bow. Xue Kaiwen’s eyes widened in astonishment, but Song Mu merely waved his hand to loosen his muscles. Xiao Xiong had already approached, urging everyone to continue the pursuit.

As he finished speaking, two scholars in the team moved, channeling their literary power into their feet. With hunched bodies, they darted forward. More roars emanated from the forest. Fu Zefeng and the other scholars, expressions hardened, increased their speed and drew their swords. Song Mu and Xue Kaiwen gritted their teeth and followed close behind. They were not as experienced as these scholars who had been training for years, and the others handled such situations with ease.

Song Mu, enduring the soreness in his arms, clutched another sheet of literary paper and forced himself to keep up. That last shot had been fired in haste, using the same poem by Lu Lun that praised the Flying General, Li Guang. The poem depicted a general hunting at night, portraying not only a man of great martial prowess and bravery but also, through its vivid imagery of archery, serving as a powerful combat poem.

The line "buried deep in the stone ridge" had greatly increased the power of the light-arrow, but it had also left Song Mu feeling as if his arms were being torn apart. A wave of intense soreness washed over him, but he gritted his teeth and pushed on. It was a lack of practical experience; having used such a powerful combat poem twice in quick succession without properly controlling the output of his literary power had led to this physical toll.

They hadn't run far before the sounds of intense fighting and flashes of light erupted ahead, accompanied by sharp cries. Hearing this, Song Mu, Xue Kaiwen, and the others were heartened and rushed forward.

In a clearing within the forest, two scholars were locked in combat with the black-furred Monkey King. The sudden patch of marshland provided an excellent hunting ground; deprived of the forest's cover, the Monkey King was firmly pinned down by the two scholars, despite its rapid movements.

"Finish this quickly! Everyone, move in; don't let it escape!"

Xiao Xiong commanded. The others nodded excitedly and charged forward, drawing their swords. Song Mu was eager to join in, but a thought occurred to him. Instead of drawing his sword, he reached for the Hu tablet at his waist, which held several combat poems.

This was a perfect opportunity—he would use this Monkey King to add more poems to his ancient book!

Just as Song Mu reached for a sheet of paper, a piercing shriek exploded in his ear. A dark shadow lunged at him, followed by a sharp claw.

"There’s another Demon General monkey!"
"Song Mu, watch out!"

Xiao Xiong, standing in the distance, sounded the warning, but the monkey was already upon Song Mu. Song Mu’s expression tightened. He threw the paper in his hand, drew his sword, and began to recite loudly:

"The three-foot blade from my ancestor’s case, once entered the Wu pond to slay the dragon’s spawn."