Chapter 0004-3 – Strange Monkey Group
Translated by: Ken
Edited by: Ulamog, Dedition
When those huge monkeys heard Little Smarty’s ‘speech’, their hostility diminished somewhat, as they called back in low hoots, and retreated a little. However, their wariness did not lessen, and all the monkeys stopped in their play, as their gazes fell on this outsider.
Little Smarty patted Hai Long’s head, and pointed at the lake, as though intending for Hai Long to head over.
Taking a huge breath, Hai Long managed to calm his nerves done, and since he had already followed Little Smarty here, he would listen to it all the way. Regardless, he had just saved its life yesterday, it shouldn’t harbor any ill intent. Thinking that, he slowly walked towards the clear lake.
The now silent group of monkeys all watched as Hai Long walked towards the lake, before suddenly exploding in chatter again, this time much more agitated. “Chi——!” A sharp shrill sound emitted from Little Smarty’s mouth, and it was absolutely piercing. It was obviously enraged from the hoohah the rest of the monkeys were making.
Even the huge monkeys that had wanted to pounce over stopped in their tracks, looking at Little Smarty fearfully. However, they were still unwilling to let Hai Long near the lake.
“What are you fellows trying to do? Since there’s a guest, let him come over.” An ancient voice resounded from the lake, carrying a hint of purity and clarity. The moment the monkeys heard it, they immediately retreated quietly, clearing a path for Hai Long to advance.
Little Smarty chirped out triumphantly, before pointing once more to the lake.
Hai Long started to ponder, how is it that there was a person amongst the monkey group? Could it be a person from the Cloudlink Sect? He glanced over at the lake, and discovered that around the lake, there was not a single trace of any monkey, instead, there was a person seated by the lake, whose back was facing Hai Long. The person was wearing a large cloak, which covered him from head to toe.
Without the obstruction from the other monkeys, Hai Long quickly arrived behind the strange person, and Little Smarty immediately leapt off his shoulders, and ran to the strange person, chittering excitedly as though it was telling him something.
Hai Long tested the waters: “Senior, is this your place? Little Smarty and I came by here by accident, I hope you don’t take offence.” This was after all somebody else’s place, and the huge monkeys had the strength to endanger his life. Hai Long naturally had to be more polite.
The ancient voice rang out again: “Is Little Smarty the name you gave it?”
Hai Long nodded, and replied: “That’s right! We know each other for very long, and have been playing everyday. I felt that he was a bit strange and intelligent, hence I called him that. Senior, what’s the relationship between you and these monkeys? Why do they listen to you?”
A low chuckle rang out, as the strange person replied: “They’re all my kids, thank you for saving my grandson’s life.”
Hai Long laughed inwardly, ‘if these monkeys were your kids, aren’t you an old monkey then?’ However, although he thought that, the words from his mouth were different: “Yesterday’s matters were actually my fault, I had caused him to fall from the tree by accident. Treating him was only right.”
The strange person laughed out again: “You don’t have to pretend, regardless of what kind of person you are, the fact that you’re willing to use the Grade 5 Purple Lingzhi to save this grandson of mine, it proves that you’re good-hearted by nature. Just this point alone, is more than enough for me. Pretending to be someone you’re not, may not be entirely good.”
Hai Long was taken aback: “Are you also a cultivator? You can see through my thoughts, your cultivation must be like my Grandmaster!”
The strange man snorted and replied: “You must be referring to that kid Dao Ming. Compared to me, how can he be considered anything? However, it’s true, I can be considered a cultivator, just that my technique and your Cloudlink Sect is different. Since my grandson brought you here, I should give you something good in return, as a form of thanks for the Grade 5 Purple Lingzhi. Whatever you want, just name it. I will try my best to fulfill it. Since you’re a cultivator, I do have a number of treasures to give you.”
Hearing those words, Hai Long started to get excited, but he quickly quelled his inner desires, as he shook his head and sighed lightly: “I saved Little Smarty because he’s my friend, I don’t need any reciprocation. If I wanted something, it feels like I’ve made use of Little Smarty, and I don’t like that feeling.”
The strange man shook slightly, he could hear that these words were truly heartfelt words from Hai Long, and he was not faking it in anyway. However, he could not help but ask: “You’re willing to see a monkey as your friend?”
Hai Long retorted: “So what? As long as I like, even snakes, bugs, rats and ants can be my friends. Everyone of them are alive, how can anyone be considered higher than anyone? Each of us have our own abilities. For example, running in the mountains, I’m just slightly worse than Little Smarty, but of course, my brain is smarter than him, hehe.”
Hearing those words, Little Smarty bared its teeth with displeasure.
The strange man sighed lightly, saying: “Good, very good. Even for a cultivator, there are few like you who views all lifeforms as equal. Actually, be it myself or Daoming, we truly can’t see through your thoughts. It’s just that he could employ the 6 Divinations method to discover if you were lying. Based on your nature, I think this is more suitable for you.” A black light then shone from the strange man, slowly floating towards Hai Long.
Hai Long reached out without thinking, and received the item. When the black light rescinded, Hai Long could feel a weight in his hands, and he looked, only to see a small iron bar the length of his palm. However, the weight was truly heavy, even heavier than the axe he usually carried, as though it was about 20-jin. “Senior, what’s this? I’ve said I don’t want anything.”
The strange man laughed out loud: “I also didn’t say this was a means of thanks! I like you, that’s why this is a gift. Keep it, when you have reached a certain level of cultivation, you’ll naturally be able to use it.”
Hai Long fiddled with it a little, before saying: “Alright then, I’ll keep it. Although it looks very ordinary, its weight is not simple. Senior, is this made out of some precious stone?” Since he felt that it wasn’t something precious, Hai Long just kept it inside his pockets.
The strange man replied: “You don’t have to know, once your cultivation reaches the right level, you’ll naturally understand.”
Hai Long laughed inwardly, ‘It’s just a little iron bar, what’s so secretive about it?’ but he still acknowledged.
“En, you can go now. You can come here tomorrow morning with Little Smarty. Remember, practise your Skyheart Technique well, it truly is an extraordinary cultivation technique.”
Hai Long nodded his head and said: “I’ll be off then.” Little Smarty was obviously excited as it leapt back beside Hai Long, and started to point in the direction they came from, before running. Hai Long took one more deep look at the strange man, and noticed from the start to end, he had not seen his true face. Suppressing the inner curiosity, he shook his head helplessly, and followed little Smarty.
Just as he left the group of monkeys, the voice of the strange man resounded in his ears, “Don’t tell anybody about today’s matters.”
Hai Long stopped in his tracks, and shouted back towards the monkey group: “I got it. I won’t tell anyone I met Senior. Thank you for the iron bar~!”
Just as Little Smarty escorted Hai Long back towards Cloudstroke Plains, it was just in time for lunch. Everything was as per normal and nothing was out of place. After lunch, Hai Long went back to his room, and pulled out the iron bar to observe it carefully. There was not a single groove on the pitch black iron bar, and no matter how he looked at it, he could not detect anything special about it.
He kept the iron back back into his chest pocket, and was about to embark on his daily cultivation of the Skyheart Technique, when he suddenly heard a clear voice from outside. An invisible pressure started to weigh on his heart. Hai Long’s first impression was that another outsider must have arrived. Thinking back to the beautiful Ling Feizi from a year ago, his head started to heat up, and he dashed out.