Chapter 200 — Black Bat
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 3 of 5
Yet just as Jin Pingyue was thinking this and even feeling a shade of worry for the monkey, she saw Xiao Hui's form, within the blue-green light, begin to grow steadily larger. In mere moments, it had gone from a gray monkey less than three feet tall to a three-eyed spirit monkey that nearly filled the entire cavern, roaring in fury, all three eyes blood-red.
The two colossal beasts collided in midair with a thunderous crash.
The surrounding stone walls seemed unable to withstand so violent an impact and began to shake severely; Jin Pingyue even felt the ground beneath her feet begin to quake. But Ming Li, standing not far in front of the two giant beasts, slowly regained a composed expression, and a faint trace of a smile even seemed to hover at the corner of his mouth—utterly heedless of the falling rocks and the murderous aura that filled the air.
The giant black demon bat was clearly startled by this suddenly appearing giant ape, yet it still lunged fiercely forward. Then a gray colossus swept past, and Xiao Hui agilely slipped inside the bat's twin claws, reaching out with two enormous hands to seize the roots of the wings close to its body.
The demon bat gave an utterly shrill shriek, as though feeling fear for the first time; but the three red eyes before it were more terrifying still. Sharp fangs flashed briefly in the dark, and then the ape threw back its head and howled at the heavens.
That howl surged through the cavern like a raging tide, irresistible—as if taunting all things in this world with wild, unruly defiance!
Beneath the flicker of black and blue-green light, between the alternation of ferocity and wrath, the giant ape roared wildly, its enormous arms flailing like a demon howling in ecstatic dance!
"Rip!"
Blue blood sprayed out in an instant. The giant black demon bat was torn in two by main force by the three-eyed spirit monkey and hurled far away.
Far off, the echoes of that long howl still rolled on, layer upon layer, without cease.
Such was the terror of a single burst of wrath!
The giant ape slowly turned around and looked down. The man still stood where he had been, watching it.
The blood-red glow in its eyes slowly faded. Suddenly, it raised a hand and scratched its head, baring its teeth in a grin, and its body rapidly shrank, soon returning to its original size, becoming Xiao Hui once more.
It crouched on the ground, turned its head to look at its master, and kept rubbing its head with its right hand while the long tail behind it swayed gently. Ming Li looked at Xiao Hui, and a gentle smile slowly came into his eyes. Only for this monkey could he smile with such wholehearted warmth.
Smiling, he reached out a hand.
Xiao Hui gave a few "chitter-chitter" calls, bounced on its feet, and in a few hops scrambled back onto Ming Li's shoulder, where it lay down, grinning ceaselessly, looking very pleased.
Ming Li thought for a moment, then reached out and lifted the monkey Xiao Hui up, holding it in both hands and bringing it before him. He looked it over carefully from top to bottom, while the gray-furred monkey blinked all three eyes together, not knowing what Ming Li meant to do. Jin Pingyue now slowly walked up as well and stood to one side, watching Ming Li, a thoughtful look on her face, though none could say what was in her mind.
Ming Li looked at Xiao Hui for a moment, nodded, set it back on his shoulder, and patted its head. Then, with a sudden smile, he said:
"Once we get out of here, I'll buy you some wine!"