Great Demon Sun Wukong

Although Hao Chen had already notified Bu Yun at the first moment, it was still too late. Just as Bu Yun heard Hao Chen's voice and was about to ask what happened, the giant monster had already caused a series of sonic booms to appear beside the overturned giant ant that was writhing on the ground. Without a word, it used its long, sharp Dragon Claw to pierce through the golden giant ant's chest.

Then, it seemed to grab something and yanked it out forcefully.

The hard carapace of the golden giant ant, in front of the giant monster, was as if non-existent, as fragile as tofu. The hand that had pulled something out was holding a golden sphere. Just as the monster was about to devour that sphere, a furious shout from Bu Yun suddenly came from inside the corpse of the golden giant ant, "Who is it? Who stole my Core? You don't want to live?"

Before the voice had died away, a black beetle the size of a human head suddenly flew out from the wound just created by the monster. The moment it emerged, it saw the golden sphere in the monster's hand and without hesitation, Bu Yun opened his mouth wide and bit toward the golden giant sphere.

The monster suddenly saw that there was still an insect trying to snatch its food, and a disdainful smile appeared on its face filled with Demon Qi. Then, its left hand turned into a claw and reached straight for Bu Yun flying in mid-air.

However, Bu Yun had been looking for what he called the Core, the golden sphere, inside the golden giant ant, and therefore hadn't noticed the terrible strength of the giant monster. Although Bu Yun felt the monster was powerful, he didn't think to dodge.

At this moment, Hao Chen, who was not far away, saw this scene and knew it was too late to intervene with words. Even if he transformed into his true form, he wasn't sure he could withstand a hit from the giant monster. He quickly turned his gaze to Yao Wumeng and shouted, "Yao Wumeng, save him."

Yao Wumeng was also taken aback at that moment, not expecting Bu Yun to emerge from within the golden giant ant and even attempt to snatch something from the monster's mouth. Although Yao Wumeng was already exhausted, he couldn't just watch Bu Yun die at the hands of the giant monster. So, he took a deep breath, then performed Instantaneous Movement to appear in front of the giant monster.

His left hand landed precisely on the back of Bu Yun's true form, the black beetle, while his right hand grasped the giant monster's wrist.

Immediately, he stopped the actions of both individuals, then with a forceful swing of his left hand, he threw Bu Yun toward Hao Chen's position.

Suddenly, looking up with a piercing gaze into the monster's eyes, he said, "That's my companion, you cannot kill him!" Yet, the giant monster, with a face full of anger, slapped Yao Wumeng fiercely, sending him falling to the ground, and a very dull voice rang out, "I'll give you face, I won't kill him!"

After the giant monster finished speaking, it swallowed the golden sphere in its hand in one gulp. Then, as if satiated, it let out an excited cry toward the sky, its body began to fluctuate, and then it transformed into a beam of light that returned to Yao Wumeng's hand, condensing once more into a bright red Heavenly Stele.

By this time, Bu Yun had been restrained by Hao Chen, who had explained everything that had just happened. But Bu Yun only listened to half of it, and his eyes were completely captivated by the World Suppressing Stele in Yao Wumeng's hand. "Heavens, it actually is, it's actually the boss's World Suppressing Stele, Demon Transcending Number Six. When did the Heavenly Stele end up in Yao Wumeng's hand?

So that means, the one who just stole my Core was the Ancestor Demon transformed by the World Suppressing Stele? I, I, I..."

After babbling for a while, he could no longer finish his sentence, and at that moment, Bu Yun was completely shocked. Hearing Bu Yun's words, Hao Chen was also startled and asked, "It was the Ancestor Demon? Are you sure, Bu Yun?" Bu Yun slowly turned his somewhat stiff neck and said, "I'm sure.

I once accompanied the boss on a campaign and saw him transform into a giant monster over a kilometer tall using the World Suppressing Stele. I was almost scared to death at that moment; the presence made me feel like I was about to die. Later, the boss told me that the giant monster over a kilometer tall was actually our Demon Clan's ancestor, the Ancestor Demon."

After finishing, Bu Yun recalled something, and his body suddenly erupted with a black light as he reverted to human form. However, after transforming back, he promptly sat down next to Hao Chen, leaning against the earthen wall, took a deep breath, and then said, "Just now, I was only focused on retrieving my Core, so I didn't see who it was.

But thinking about it now, that feeling, appearance, and size, I'm sure it was the Ancestor Demon, only a lot smaller this time. Otherwise, if he really transformed into that kilometer-tall giant, there would be no need to fight this Six Kingdoms War."

Upon hearing this, Hao Chen couldn't help but click his tongue. He had heard of the legend of the Ancestor Demon before, a story that it was a corpse obtained by the Myriad Demon King from some mysterious relic in the universe. Later, no one knew how, but it had been resurrected and merged with the World Suppressing Stele of the Demon Transcending Number Six.

Even though he had never witnessed the Ancestor Demon, he did not recognize it. Continue your saga on empire

"This power, is it? It seems the Myriad Demon King plans to cultivate Yao Wumeng as the next Domain Lord, or else he wouldn't have handed over the World Suppressing Stele to him in advance."

Meanwhile, Jing Potian, not being from the Myriad Demons Country, was not quite clear about what that gigantic demon represented and just felt its power was terrifying, and he was definitely no match against it. Suddenly, he remembered something and asked, "Bu Yun, earlier you said you had made a major discovery, what is it?"

Having been in a daze, Bu Yun instantly perked up upon Jing Potian's inquiry. He gestured for the two to come closer and then whispered, "I just discovered something inside the body of that golden giant ant—this huge golden ant is actually a puppet beast, and..." Before he could finish, Hao Chen interrupted him and said, "How is that possible?

That golden giant ant's behavior and energy fluctuations feel alive. Are you saying we can't tell the difference between a puppet and a living being?"

Jing Potian also nodded eagerly in agreement, but Bu Yun waved his hands to continue, "Don't rush me, let me finish. The reason we think this golden giant ant is a living creature is all because its core is very peculiar—the golden sphere that the Ancestor Demon just devoured. That golden sphere is not only the core of the puppet ant but also a living core.

All the life energy and fluctuations we sensed came from that golden sphere. This is why I nearly went mad when I saw someone had snatched that core. It's hard to believe such a wondrous thing exists in this world."

Bu Yun said all this in one breath. After finishing, both Hao Chen and Jing Potian fell into recollection. Indeed, they realized the life energy that sphere emitted became much stronger after the Ancestor Demon took it out; however, they were too shocked at the time to pay attention.

Now, taking a second to think about it, they felt a twinge of alarm and believed that Bu Yun's discovery might be true.

"So what if it is a puppet? What does that have to do with us?" Jing Potian asked with a curled lip. "Heh, I haven't finished my story yet. You should already know what my true form is, right? Yes, it's the Soul Devouring Insect. Therefore, I am several times, even more than a dozen times more sensitive to various types of spiritual energy and even Divine Sense fluctuations than others.

So, within the body of that golden giant ant, I actually sensed that the giant ant was being manipulated by someone. No, it should not be called manipulation, but rather guidance. I deduce that there is someone secretly directing all the venomous insects and wild beasts in the City of Ruins.

That's why there was no danger when we were trapped by the maze-like mud walls, but as soon as we damaged the mud walls, countless ant armies appeared. This must have been guided by someone to stop us from approaching a certain place!"

Following Bu Yun's lead, Hao Chen said, "Our goal has been the Primordial Earth Pearl from the beginning, and the Judge said that it's buried deep beneath the central location of the City of Ruins. That means the person who's been controlling everything from the shadows is in the city center? This person has been constantly protecting the Primordial Earth Pearl?

So that's why he's trying by all means to stop us from advancing?"

Jing Potian now also understood what Bu Yun meant, continuing Hao Chen's point, "If this person is guarding the Primordial Earth Pearl, it means that finding him will lead us to the pearl. Moreover, since he hasn't made a move to stop us himself, there are two possibilities: one is that he is too strong, so strong that he deems us unworthy of his direct interference.

The second is that he is very weak, so weak that he can only rely on these venomous insects and wild beasts to stop us from advancing."

At that moment, the eyes of all three lit up, and then Bu Yun said, "No matter which possibility it is, we must reach the central area. Let's rest for a while, then tell Yao Wumeng our speculation and continue forward. We must obtain the Primordial Earth Pearl." After saying this, Hao Chen walked over to where Yao Wumeng was lying on the ground and said, "What's wrong?

We three have some clues just now, do you want to listen?"

At that moment, Yao Wumeng suddenly opened his eyes, his complexion looked terrible, but his eyes were bright. He replied, "No need, I already know. Let's rest a while and then continue forward." After saying that, he closed his eyes again, but he didn't get up and continued to lie in the sand, seemingly pondering something.

Only one Chinese Hour remained till dawn.

Among the three powers, Bi Hai and Jixin had been swallowed by the enormous Black Mirror Scorpion, their fates unknown; the Six-Eared Macaque was unconscious, carried off by a mysterious person to some place, while King Qin was slowly making his way to the center of the City of Ruins with Lin Xi on his back; Yao Wumeng and his group were intact except for being overly exhausted, needing just a moment of rest, and furthermore, Bu Yun and his companions had made some discoveries, giving Yao Wumeng's group an absolute advantage over the other two powers.