Illusory Sound

In the end, the Thousand Illusions Divine Sound transformed into a mighty tempest, instantly scattering the flying monkeys around Qin Sang and tearing open a passage for him. Yet soon, the overwhelming swarm submerged him once more. Qin Sang had not advanced very far before he was forced to slow his pace and fend off their siege. Though the Thousand Illusions Divine Sound was Old Man Dique's power, Qin Sang was the one wielding it now, and the old man could offer no assistance. Whatever peril arose, Qin Sang had to adapt on his own. Fortunately, he was no cloistered ascetic who had spent his life cooped up in a cave abode. He had ample experience in life-or-death struggles and could remain calm and collected in any desperate straits. Once they clashed, Qin Sang gained an immediate sense of the flying monkeys' strength. They were stronger than he had imagined, and they had only just begun fusing. The power of the Thousand Illusions Divine Sound was draining at an alarming rate; if this continued, there was absolutely no chance of plucking the fruit of the Red Gold Vine. Still, judging by Old Man Dique's tone, the old ghost had never truly expected him to retrieve the fruit. Demanding that he hold out as long as possible suggested he had other plans. The Thousand Illusions Divine Sound was ever-shifting. Countless weapons—sabers, spears, swords, and shields—manifested and faded around Qin Sang like illusory flowers. As more and more flame flying monkeys merged, the pressure mounted steeply, and the sonic power was depleted at a startling speed. *Bang!* A colossal staff resembling a fiery dragon suddenly thrust in from the perimeter, carrying earth-shattering might as it split downward. The divine monkey hefted its thousand-jun staff! There had been no warning before the strike descended. Qin Sang's expression changed slightly. The blow was terrifying; its owner had fused an unknown number of flying monkeys, attaining power beyond Qin Sang's imagination. This was precisely why Qin Sang had been certain he could not reach the Red Gold Vine's fruit. The further one went, the more flying monkeys were disturbed and fused together, their strength soaring exponentially. Even if Old Man Dique stepped in personally, it would likely be difficult to reach the vine, let alone with a mere strand of the Thousand Illusions Divine Sound. "Detonate!" Qin Sang roared. He dared not hesitate. Without holding back, he unleashed all the Thousand Illusions Divine Sound within him while retreating at top speed. Vast sound waves rippled outward around Qin Sang, clearly visible to the naked eye. The terrifying fluctuations stirred towering waves of destructive force. Caught in the sonic blast, the surrounding flying monkeys were obliterated one after another, reverting to their primordial fire essence. However, the vast majority of the sound's power, spurred by Qin Sang, surged into the sky, rushing to meet the colossal staff overhead. *Boom!* The two collided with world-shaking intensity. After the deafening roar, shockwaves swept outward in all directions. Amid the tempest, an ethereal shadow of a staff drifted downward toward him, deceptively light. The illusory staff seemed ready to collapse at any moment, yet it still carried power that made Qin Sang shudder. It slammed violently into the meager remnants of the Thousand Illusions Divine Sound surrounding him. The protective barrier fractured instantly, riddled with cracks. Fortunately, the blow was spent; with a faint tremor, it dissipated on the spot. Qin Sang grunted, his complexion darkening. Seeing that terrifying figure high above raise its giant staff again, dread seized him. A sword glow flared between his brows, and the ebony sword shot out. Qin Sang flickered, uniting with the sword into a rainbow streak, fleeing toward the shore of the lava lake without looking back. With his life on the line, he had no choice but to deploy the ebony sword. *Whoosh!* The sword light slipped narrowly through the monkeys' encirclement, escaping to safety. Qin Sang landed on the black rock by the shore. He wobbled, barely keeping his footing, his face deathly pale. The sonic barrier around him flickered once, then shattered completely. The situation had originally been under his control, but this unexpected turn had genuinely caught him off guard. He had not anticipated that these flying monkeys would know how to hide while fusing and launch an ambush. Fortunately, he had remained vigilant and reacted swiftly enough to avert disaster. The restriction around the lava lake was exceptionally sturdy, remaining unyielding even when struck by the fused monkeys. Brandishing its staff, the giant monkey grew furious, howling and shrieking at Qin Sang outside. Qin Sang gave it a brief glance and paid it no further mind. Walking back up the stone steps, he steadied his breathing and turned toward Old Man Dique. The old ghost remained seated cross-legged, eyes closed and motionless, doing who knew what. Qin Sang glanced at the stone steps behind him, hesitated a moment, and sat down cross-legged nearby to heal his internal injuries. After a short while, Old Man Dique opened his eyes and gave Qin Sang a meaningful look. "The strength of those strange monkeys after fusing is tricky even for this old master. Fortunately, Little Brother Qin is sharp." Qin Sang knew Old Man Dique had noticed something, but he had already prepared an excuse. "The intelligence of these flying monkeys is far higher than what Junior encountered before. Not only can they fuse, but they can also lie in ambush. Further in, there are bound to be even more complex methods. Relying solely on Senior's Thousand Illusions Divine Sound, Junior fears he cannot go very far." Old Man Dique nodded and said no more. Extending his right hand, another cluster of the Thousand Illusions Divine Sound gathered in his palm, which he then tossed to Qin Sang. "Take control of this power and probe the monkey nest again." Catching it, Qin Sang sensed it closely and was surprised to find that while this cluster was hardly stronger than before, it radiated a peculiar fluctuation. This fluctuation was remarkably similar to that of the flying monkeys! This was... Qin Sang took the sonic power into his body. With a thought, the divine sound manifested outside him, turning into a layer of dark red flames until his entire person resembled a figure of fire. No, more like a fire monkey, though somewhat awkward and bizarre. The flame was not true fire, but an imitation conjured by the Thousand Illusions Divine Sound. Realization struck Qin Sang: he understood what Old Man Dique intended. The old ghost had sent him in to provoke and battle the flying monkeys while remaining outside, fully sensing and analyzing the fluctuations in their power to craft a disguise. Once he understood them completely, he could use the Thousand Illusions Divine Sound to disguise himself as a flame flying monkey, blend into the swarm, and slip quietly to the center of the lava lake to pluck the fruit. Qin Sang stepped toward the lava lake once more. Having lost sight of Qin Sang for so long, the flying monkeys in the lake had calmed down somewhat. When Qin Sang reappeared, he noticed that the monkeys along the perimeter looked puzzled. After a moment of hesitation, they suddenly turned violent again. *It really works!* Qin Sang marveled inwardly. As expected of a Golden Core Master, and truly worthy of the name Thousand Illusions Divine Sound—to possess such an uncanny ability! Forced back by the monkeys once more, Qin Sang received a fresh infusion of the sonic power. The fiery aura it conjured bore an even closer resemblance to the flying monkeys. Thus, they probed and adjusted again and again. On the final run, Qin Sang scrambled out of the sea of lava in a wretched state. By then, hundreds of giant flying monkeys prowled along the shore, turning the place into a dragon's pool and tiger's den. Old Man Dique suddenly stood up.