Chapter 128: Gathering of Heroes at Taihang Mountain

For three days and three nights, the deep recesses of the Taihang Mountains echoed with a succession of shrill, harrowing cries. The sounds were so wretched and mournful that they would break the heart of any listener and draw tears from any witness. Even the mutant beasts on the outskirts of the Taihang Mountains, who had already developed sentience, felt as though a terrifying shadow had been cast over them.

The community of mutant beasts was a relatively pure one, governed almost exclusively by strength. This was especially true of the sacred Taihang Mountains; the deeper one ventured, the more precious the natural treasures became, and the more powerful the beasts or zombies that laid claim to the territory.

However, mutant beasts and zombies, much like humans and the undead, were naturally antagonistic. There was no possibility of peaceful coexistence. Thus, ever since the Taihang Mountain cave-heaven was opened, the slaughter between these powerful creatures had never ceased. Yet, it had never been as terrifying as it was in these past few days.

Deep within the Taihang range, one could always hear the horrific, agonizing screams of the Beast Kings. But after those cries, the Beast Kings would mysteriously vanish. For a time, the sentient Beast Kings in the depths of the mountains were plunged into panic. Many attempted to investigate, but they all returned with the same result: the Beast King was gone, and the natural treasures they had guarded had been plundered.

The unknown is the most terrifying thing of all. This situation could only mean one thing: an unknown powerhouse had appeared in the Taihang Mountains, one who specialized in hunting Beast Kings.

Suspicion and fear were everywhere; every rustle of the grass seemed like the approach of an enemy.

That night, a Bear King was lying at the entrance of a cave. Inside the cave was a rare and precious mutant fruit—a prized spiritual plant. The Bear King had fought many battles to claim this territory and guarded it day and night. However, the terror sweeping through the Taihang Mountains in recent days had left it trembling, unable to sleep soundly.

Suddenly, the Bear King heard a voice: "Hey, big bear!"

The Bear King bolted upright, scrambled out of the cave, and shook its fur. Its body instantly swelled to a height of twenty meters, looming like a small mountain. Its eyes, like two giant lanterns, glowed with an eerie, ghostly light in the darkness. Standing outside the cave was a wild boar with massive tusks.

"Black Boar, is that you?" A hint of human-like surprise flickered across the Bear King's massive face. It guarded itself warily and asked, "I thought you were hunted down. Why are you here?"

The Boar King said softly, "I wasn't hunted. I encountered a grand opportunity. I think you're a decent bear, so I wanted to share some benefits with you. I'm inviting you to join me on Liangshan... er, no, to head out of the mountains together for a grand undertaking. Are you in?"

The Bear King looked at the Boar King with suspicion. It shrank its frame back to a normal size and flatly refused, saying, "I have no such ambition. Guarding this one mutant fruit is enough for me."

The Boar King stepped forward, trying to persuade it earnestly, "Big bear, listen to me. The times are different now. Just guarding that one fruit isn't enough. Do you have any cultivation manuals? You must be at the fourth rank of the King level now, right? How much can you breakthrough guarding that fruit? How long can you hold it? Many gods from the upper realms are descending now..."

"Don't come any closer!"

The Bear King suddenly grew vigilant. It took an aggressive stance and roared at the Boar King, "Black Boar, I said I’m not interested. Get lost immediately, or don't blame me for being unkind!"

The Boar King stopped and asked, "Big bear, are you sure? Do you really want to refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit?"

The Bear King bellowed, "Get out!"

"Hmph!"

The Boar King snorted two plumes of mist from its nostrils and said menacingly, "Big bear, I gave you good advice, but you wouldn't listen. Don't blame me for being heartless."

The Bear King grew wary. Its territory bordered the Boar King's, and they had clashed before. Although the Bear was of a slightly higher rank, the Boar King had tough skin and thick flesh, and those tusks were indestructible. It possessed an incredibly strong natural advantage, and while the Bear had always held the upper hand, it had never been able to truly defeat the Boar.

Given the Boar King's current posture, it seemed a battle was inevitable.

However, in the next second, the Bear King stared in shock as the Boar King suddenly scrambled backward, bowing and scraping as it called out into the darkness of the forest, "Boss, this big bear is ungrateful and refuses to listen to reason!"

To the Bear King's bewilderment, a man stepped out from the darkness. It was Gu Sha. He walked past the Boar King, a Tang sword strapped to his back.

"A human?"

The Bear King was stunned. It looked at the obsequious, fawning expression on the Boar King's face and found it hard to believe.

Gu Sha glanced at the bootlicking Boar King, his mouth twitching as he said, "Big Black, next time you speak, can you not sound so much like a villain? Seriously, it makes me feel like I’m in a period drama; the vibe is just too much."

The Boar King replied aggrievedly, "Boss, I was just trying to highlight your magnificence!"

Gu Sha waved a hand, cutting off the chatter, and looked at the Bear King. "Big bear, my name is Gu Sha. I’ve set up 108 chairs in the Taihang Mountains, and I’m inviting you to join us, take a seat, and work toward a grand goal."

Although the Bear King had only recently gained sentience, its intelligence was not low. Seeing the way the Boar King behaved, it knew Gu Sha was no simple character and wanted to avoid a feud. "I'm not interested," it said. "Try the other Beast Kings; they might be interested..."

*Bang!*

In an instant, Gu Sha shot into the air like a bolt of lightning. The next moment, he descended from above, one foot slamming onto the Bear King’s head and driving it straight into the dirt.

"What did you just say?"

"Roar..."

The Bear King let out a roar and struggled violently, its body instantly magnifying dozens of times. "Human, you..."

*Bang!*

In that same instant, Gu Sha flew up and punched the Bear King in the face. With a heavy thud, the Bear King collapsed to the ground. Following that, Gu Sha snapped his fingers.

From the forest, seven or eight other Beast Kings rushed out—the Silver Wolf King, the Black Tiger King, the Savage Gorilla King, and others—all prominent rulers of the deep Taihang Mountains. The group of Beast Kings surrounded the Bear King and gave it a brutal beating.

The Bear King's shrill, agonizing screams echoed through the heavens. It was truly harrowing—enough to break the heart of any listener and draw tears from any witness!

A long while later, the Bear King sat curled up at the cave entrance, bruised and battered, silently shedding tears. It finally understood why the Beast Kings in the depths of the range had been screaming one after another over the past few days.

To be beaten so viciously, forced to hand over your mutant fruits as a tribute, and then compelled to bow and call someone "Boss"—who wouldn't cry like a ten-thousand-pound baby after all that?

"Sigh," the Silver Wolf King said, lying down beside the Bear King to console it. "Brother Bear, let it go. You need to have a broader perspective. You only took a beating today and lost a few fruits, but your spiritual plant is still there, isn't it? If we hadn't come, you would have lost everything. Think of it as our Boss gifting you a spiritual plant.

"Just think: to our Boss, you are a stranger who just joined the fold. If he’s willing to 'gift' a spiritual plant to a stranger, imagine what he’ll give his loyal followers! We're talking hundreds of plants! Nod if you understand. You have to remember, the amount our Boss gives you proves his magnanimity. If he gives a gift like that to a new recruit, then becoming a trusted confidant will surely lead to him handing over an entire cave-heaven without a second thought. Nod if you understand!"

The Bear King nodded blankly, then looked at the Silver Wolf King with red, pitiful eyes. "Can you explain why you kicked me in the crotch while you were beating me?"

Silver Wolf King: "Perspective, perspective! The fact that you didn't complain after taking such a beating shows your extraordinary character. When the world ends, you’ll be..."

"Get out!"

"..."

"Honestly, what are you guys actually planning?"

"To uphold justice on behalf of heaven!"

"Speak like a wolf."

"Er... to rob the gods of the heavens and become cosmic outlaws!"