Chapter 69: Monkeys


    Han Ming spent a long time in the cave, tending to his wounds until they were mostly healed. Finally, he stretched and stood up.


    Stepping outside, he noticed the sunlight streaming through the cracks in the mountain had dimmed, signaling that night was approaching.


    The old man still hadn''t returned, and Han Ming had no idea where he had gone.


    *Gurgle.*


    Han Ming''s stomach growled. He hadn''t eaten in a long time, and his storage bag, along with all his food, had been taken by Bai Kai and his group. He was starving.


    Rubbing his growling stomach, Han Ming decided to explore the massive cave.


    He noticed many ancient vines hanging from the walls, with small, unknown creatures swinging from them, occasionally plucking fruits and eating them.


    Han Ming''s eyes lit up. He shook his hands, twisted his neck, and approached the wall. Crouching slightly, he leaped into the air with a powerful jump, soaring dozens of meters high. As his momentum waned, he grabbed onto small cracks in the rock with his hands, climbing effortlessly like a bird.


    The cave''s ceiling was over a hundred meters high, but for Han Ming, it was nothing.


    As he got closer to the colorful fruits, he could almost smell their sweetness, and drool dripped from the corner of his mouth.


    *Whoosh! Whoosh!*


    Two sharp sounds cut through the air.


    "Damn it!" Han Ming cursed, dodging quickly. But being on the wall and at such a height made movement difficult. He managed to avoid one projectile, but the other hit his fingers, nearly causing him to lose his grip and fall.


    It was a small rock.


    *Chirp chirp!*


    Han Ming looked up angrily and saw several monkey-like creatures swinging on the vines. One of them held another rock, ready to throw.


    "Damn you!"


    Han Ming caught the rock mid-air and hurled it back. The rock hit the monkey squarely on the head, causing it to let out a pitiful cry and fall to the ground, splattering on impact.


    "Heh heh!" Han Ming smirked.


    *Chirp chirp!*


    The other monkeys, seeing Han Ming''s ruthless act, screeched in anger.


    "Serves you right!" Han Ming retorted, not caring if the monkeys understood.


    *Chirp chirp!*


    The monkeys continued to screech, and soon, more of them appeared, climbing in through the large cracks in the mountain. They carried an alarming number of rocks.


    Dozens of monkeys began hurling rocks at Han Ming like a rainstorm.


    "Ah, crap!"


    Han Ming frantically tried to catch the rocks, but with only one hand free to hold onto the wall, he was at a disadvantage. Rocks pelted his body, though his tough skin prevented any real injury. Still, it was annoying.


    Gradually, Han Ming stopped deflecting the rocks and started catching and throwing them back, knocking monkeys off the vines. The monkeys fell to their deaths, splattering on the ground.


    If anyone had seen Han Ming fighting monkeys, they would have rolled their eyes and called him an idiot. But Han Ming didn''t care. What started as an annoyance had turned into a game, and he was getting better at it.


    The monkeys, seeing Han Ming''s brutality, stopped throwing rocks and fled through the cracks.


    Han Ming smirked as they ran away. But now, without any rocks to throw, he decided to continue climbing.


    As he climbed higher, he suddenly heard a louder commotion above.


    He looked up and groaned. "Oh, come on! They called for backup!"


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    A new group of monkeys, much larger than the previous ones, had entered through the cracks. Each carried a rock bigger than a human head, and they screeched angrily at Han Ming.


    Before Han Ming could react, a barrage of massive rocks came raining down.


    Han Ming''s face, which had just healed, was now bruised and swollen again.


    "That''s it! I''m done playing nice!"


    Enraged, Han Ming kicked the wall with both feet.


    *Boom! Boom!*


    His feet sank deep into the rock, freeing his hands. He twisted his upper body outward and began catching and throwing the rocks back with ferocity.


    A chaotic battle ensued between Han Ming and the monkeys.


    Monkeys screamed as they fell, and Han Ming cursed loudly.


    The larger monkeys, now heavily outnumbered and outmatched, retreated through the cracks.


    "Damn, are they calling for even bigger backup? I need to get out of here!"


    Han Ming worried that the next wave might bring monkeys carrying boulders the size of water jars. He decided to leave, but as he prepared to climb down, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye.


    A fiery red herb.


    "Flame Grass!" Han Ming exclaimed.


    This was one of the essential ingredients needed to deal with the Xuantian Ice Silkworm. Although he only needed three, finding even one was a stroke of luck. Flame Grass was incredibly valuable, and even selling it could make him rich overnight. But more importantly, it was something he absolutely needed.


    Forget the monkeys! He couldn''t leave without the Flame Grass.


    He had to get it before more reinforcements arrived.


    Han Ming quickened his pace, climbing rapidly toward the cave''s ceiling. He hoped no larger monkeys would come. The cracks, while sizable, weren''t big enough for a person to crawl through. Otherwise, Li Xiaotian would have escaped long ago.


    The second wave of monkeys had been smaller than Han Ming, so he doubted anything bigger could fit.


    Closer! Closer!


    Han Ming finally reached the ceiling. Ignoring the fruits, he reached for the Flame Grass. But as he did, he heard a strange hissing sound.


    He turned his head and saw a narrow crack in the rock, too small for even a baby to pass through. From it, long vines were emerging.


    "What the hell is that?" Han Ming muttered.


    *Snap! Snap! Snap!*


    The vines, each as thick as a human arm, began to split open, and monkeys crawled out from within.


    "So that''s how they do it!" Han Ming realized.


    These monkeys were magical beasts, likely not even first-tier, but they had some wood-attribute abilities. They could hide inside thin vines, a bizarre and unique skill.


    Han Ming couldn''t waste any more time. He grabbed the Flame Grass, feeling a burning sensation in his palm, and quickly stuffed it into his belt.


    Just then, two deafening roars echoed through the cave, nearly shaking Han Ming off the wall.


    He steadied himself and looked down. The hundred-meter drop made him dizzy. Then he turned toward the source of the noise and nearly had a heart attack.


    Two massive Ink Apes, each about five meters tall, were emerging from the vines.


    "Crap! I forgot! Li Xiaotian caught a young Ink Ape here and stuffed a求救信 into its head. Those monkeys I was fighting were just baby Ink Apes. Now the parents are here for revenge!" Han Ming thought in panic.


    He wasn''t afraid of the Ink Apes, but being high up on the wall with two of them coming at him was a problem.


    One of the Ink Apes fully emerged and swung a massive fist at Han Ming.


    Han Ming flipped backward, his feet gripping the ceiling, and kicked off, launching himself to the side. But the ape''s fist still grazed his waist, sending a sharp pain through his body.


    Han Ming landed shakily on the wall, his hands slipping as he began to fall. The second Ink Ape had also emerged, and both were now chasing him down the wall.


    Han Ming had only fallen a few meters when a giant vine shot out from the wall, wrapping around him and hurling him upward.


    The two Ink Apes roared, their sharp teeth glinting as they lunged at Han Ming.


    "You think I''m easy prey!?" Han Ming shouted, punching one ape in the head and knocking it sideways. Normally, the punch would have shattered its skull, but without solid footing, he could only muster half his strength.


    The other ape, intimidated by Han Ming''s ferocity, backed away, screeching angrily. Several more vines, now covered in sharp thorns, shot out and wrapped around Han Ming.


    "Ahh!!"


    Han Ming''s vision blurred from the pain. He broke free of the vines, but more emerged, grabbing him and tossing him into the air. As he flew, two more vines caught him and threw him again.


    The smaller monkeys, watching from the sidelines, began throwing rocks at him.


    This was the most frustrating fight Han Ming had ever been in. The unfamiliar terrain made it hard to fight effectively, and the constant rock-throwing was driving him crazy.


    "Having fun up there?" Li Xiaotian''s teasing voice came from below.


    "You old geezer! You finally show up and just watch me get beaten up? Help me!" Han Ming shouted.


    The vines attacking Han Ming suddenly transformed into giant green serpents, their mouths wide open as they lunged at him.


    "What!? Shape-shifting!? Since when do Ink Apes know intermediate wood-attribute magic? These are way stronger than the ones I''ve seen before!" Han Ming exclaimed.


    "I''m not a monkey. I can''t climb up there," Li Xiaotian said casually from below.


    Han Ming didn''t have time to argue. The serpents were trying to bite his neck, and he had to focus on dodging.


    "I''m not a monkey, but you look like one. Why not act like one?" Li Xiaotian continued to tease.


    "You''re the monkey! Your whole family are monkeys! Wait... monkey?" Han Ming paused mid-rant, realizing something.


    Monkey?


    That''s right! I''m not an ordinary person anymore. In terms of speed and strength, I far surpass normal humans. Even if my feet aren''t as agile as a monkey''s, my hands are much stronger.


    Han Ming''s mind cleared. Just then, a green serpent lunged at him.


    Thinking of how a monkey would move, Han Ming lightly tapped the serpent''s nose with his foot, using the momentum to twist his body. He grabbed the serpent''s body with one hand, swung forward, and caught a vine above him, propelling himself further.


    The serpents continued to attack, but Han Ming swung between them, his movements becoming more fluid. At first, he was occasionally grazed by their fangs, leaving bloody scratches, but soon he was able to navigate between them without getting hurt.


    "Adapt to your environment. If you''re in water, be a fish. If you''re in a tree, be a monkey. If you''re on land, be an unstoppable tiger. Remember, brute force is the method of the weak," Li Xiaotian called from below.


    Han Ming pondered these words, a new understanding dawning on him.