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Chapter 210 Golden Winged Dapeng
Deep within the Lion Camel Cave, the stench of blood mingled with the foul smell of fish. The dim light illuminated the indigo face of the Green Lion Demon and the gleaming tusks of the White Elephant Demon. The atmosphere in the cave was heavy, broken only by the crackling of the burning torches.

A little rascal, the same one who had been eavesdropping in the bushes, was now crawling on the ground, trembling like a leaf. He stammered as he recounted the words he had heard about the Golden-Winged Roc being "Buddha's maternal uncle" and the harsh assessment that the Green Lion and White Elephant were merely "thugs and guards." With each sentence he spoke, the temperature inside the cave seemed to drop a notch.

The white elephant spirit slowly curled its long trunk, its giant eyes fixed on Little Drill Wind. After a long while, it finally uttered a deep, incredulous voice, "Big brother, did you know about Third Brother's identity before?"

The blue lion spirit sat on a massive stone chair, his rough fingers creaking the backrest. His indigo face was expressionless, only his eyes flashed with ferocity; his voice was cold and harsh, as if squeezed out from between his teeth.
"Second brother, that's a strange question. When we were working as porters in Ling Mountain, we were practically inseparable. How could I know something you don't even know?"

The two demons fell silent, each searching through the chaotic fragments of their memories. The Green Lion Demon slammed his hand on the armrest, sending shards of stone flying.

"Now that you mention it, I remember! Back in Mount Ling, there were some rumors that the World Honored One had a maternal uncle who was of phoenix blood, and that he was very unruly and disliked the rules of Mount Ling..."

"Yes, yes!" The white elephant spirit's trunk snapped straight up, as if straining to recall.
"There is such a saying! I thought it was just some ignorant little demon spreading rumors, who would dare to think it was about the third brother? He usually..."

The white elephant spirit paused, his tone becoming complicated, "When he drank with us brothers, he didn't say much, and the way he looked at us... tsk, now that I think about it, it always seemed like there was something between us. He always said that Lion Camel Kingdom was his true home, and he didn't want to stay in our Lion Camel Cave for long, saying it was filthy here..."

"Filthy?" The green lion demon sneered, baring its fangs.

"Damn it, he thinks our place is unclean, but he took over such a big Lion Camel Kingdom, ate everyone up, and piled up bones, so he thinks it's not dirty anymore? We treated him like a brother, we kowtowed to the ground, and he just hides it and doesn't say anything. What do he take us for? Dogs to guard his door?"

His voice grew louder and louder, filled with barely suppressed anger and a hint of humiliation at being fooled.

"Yes," the white elephant spirit's voice also lowered, tinged with lingering fear.
“In today’s battle, Nezha was really powerful, and the old man Yellow Wind Monster was also strangely strong. If it weren’t for… if we hadn’t known beforehand that the rope they had was a magic weapon for ensnaring people, and where that fire-breathing little boy was hiding, we would probably have really suffered a setback today, and even if we didn’t die, we would have been badly injured.”

The two grew increasingly alarmed as they spoke. The Green Lion Spirit impatiently waved away the trembling little wind sparrow from the ground, lowering his voice, his tone filled with worry.

"Second brother, it seems we've been kept in the dark and used as pawns. The Heavenly Court has even sent Nezha this time, clearly they're serious. Are we still going to stay here and be scapegoats for the third brother? What if the Heavenly Court sends in more formidable figures, or even just mobilizes the Heavenly Army to surround the mountain? Do we think our meager resources will be enough to withstand that?"

The white elephant spirit unconsciously rubbed its long trunk against the ground, struggling fiercely. He was already relatively meticulous, and at this moment he was weighing the pros and cons even more.
“Brother, you’re right. We can’t get involved in this mess any longer. Our lives are precious; we shouldn’t risk them for this secretive maternal uncle. Before the Heavenly Court’s people arrive, we should…”

A resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and he lowered his voice even further, "Let's slip away and make a quick getaway, find a secluded place to lay low until things calm down."

"Run away?" The green lion spirit's eyes lit up, and it was about to agree with this grand plan of "abandoning darkness and turning to the light".

"Big brother, second brother, what's wrong? I just got back and the younger brothers said you looked strange. What serious incident has happened?"

A clear, slightly languid voice suddenly rang out at the cave entrance.

The Golden-Winged Roc strode into the cave, still exuding the air of a noble young master, with a golden crown and brocade robe. However, his face now carried just the right amount of concern, while his sharp eyes swept over the obviously unnatural expressions of the Green Lion and the White Elephant.

The cave fell silent instantly. The green lion spirit and the white elephant spirit exchanged a glance, their newly ignited desire to escape being doused with cold water.

The Green Lion Spirit, with his fiery temper, couldn't hold back any longer and spoke in a gruff, harsh voice.

"Third brother, you've come at the right time. We two brothers were just about to ask you, since you're the Buddha's maternal uncle, with such a noble status, why are you hanging out with us two poor bastards who are just riding horses, calling each other brothers?"

The white elephant spirit chimed in, his voice low, "Yes, third brother. When we swore brotherhood, it was with true sincerity. But you kept your powerful background a secret from us; that's really underhanded. Today, all the little demons have spread the word that we're nothing more than your henchmen, guarding your house. We brothers are... deeply resentful!"

His enormous elephant eyes stared straight at the Golden-Winged Roc, making no attempt to hide his questioning and hurt.

The Golden-Winged Roc's smile faltered slightly, then transformed into a bitter and helpless grin. He approached the two men, adopting a very humble posture.
"Eldest brother, second brother! What are you talking about? Don't listen to those gossipy little devils spouting nonsense!"

He spoke sincerely, “Indeed, I do have some kinship with the Venerable One of Mount Ling. But it is precisely because of this identity that I am constrained at every turn in Mount Ling. That is why I descended to the mortal realm to live a carefree and happy life. I, Jinpeng, have always been proud and aloof. If I look down on someone, I will never sit at the same table with them, much less kowtow and become sworn brothers with them.”

Seeing that their expressions had softened slightly, he continued in a deep voice.

“If I intended to harm you, how could I have known so much about Chen Guangrui’s gang today, and warned you in advance to be careful of the Golden Rope, the Fire-Tipped Spear, and the Red Boy hiding in the shadows setting fires? Otherwise, eldest brother, with your fiery temper, if you had taken the Golden Rope head-on, you would probably be bound like a dumpling by now. Second brother, if you had been burned by the Samadhi True Fire, your cultivation would have been damaged. I’m only giving you my most valuable information because I consider you my own brothers, to ensure your safety.”

These words struck at the heart of the matter. The Green Lion Demon and the White Elephant Demon recalled their perilous battle earlier that day. Had they not been prepared and dodged the most lethal attack, they would indeed have been unable to escape unscathed. The anger and suspicion on their faces lessened somewhat.

Seeing that the two men's expressions had softened, the Golden-Winged Roc pressed its advantage, lowering its voice even further and conveying a sense of heartfelt sincerity.

“Eldest brother, second brother, think carefully. Where can you go if you leave this place? Back to Mount Ling? Manjushri and Samantabhadra have lost their mounts and their reputation. Do you think they will let you off easily? With their abilities, if they were to face the two of you, would they have any chance of winning? Samantabhadra is looking for you, second brother. Can you just sit idly by? Manjushri is looking for you, second brother. Can you just stand by and do nothing? But if you separate and each face your own master, then the odds are really against you.”

He paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
"Stay here at Lion Camel Ridge, and the three of us brothers will advance and retreat together! With me, Golden Roc, here, Manjushri and Samantabhadra will be mindful of my relationship with Mount Ling, as well as your alliance with these tens of thousands of demon soldiers, so they won't dare to personally intervene! This is the only way to survive! On the contrary, if we scatter and go our separate ways, we will be defeated one by one, captured, and taken back to be used as porters, never to rise again! Do you still want that kind of life?"

The Green Lion and White Elephant's expressions changed drastically. The Golden-Winged Roc's words had struck at their deepest fears. Freedom—that was the fundamental reason they had descended to the mortal realm as demons! If they were captured and taken back, the consequences would be unimaginable. The Roc's analysis pointed directly to their most pressing weakness, making them realize that leaving Lion Camel Ridge was not only not a path to survival, but could very well be a path to death.

The Golden-Winged Roc, observing their expressions, knew he had awakened them, and his tone suddenly became impassioned and inflammatory.
"Eldest brother, second brother, when we brothers are of one mind, our strength can break metal. Today we have already fought a head-on battle with the Heavenly Court's forces, and the result was a draw. What does this prove? It proves that we are fully capable of challenging the Heavenly Court. As long as we join forces this time and completely crush those arrogant fools outside, who in the Three Realms will dare to underestimate our Lion Camel Ridge? Our prestige will surely grow even greater. At that time, we will be free and unrestrained, and the world is so vast that we can go anywhere without fear. Why should we bow and scrape and be mindful of the faces of those gods and Buddhas?"

The hesitation and fear in the eyes of the Green Lion Demon were gradually replaced by a fierce fighting spirit. His chest heaved, and he slapped his thigh. "Third brother, you're right. I was confused for a moment and wronged you. We brothers should live and die together!"

The white elephant spirit nodded heavily, flicked its long trunk, and made a dull snort. "I understand your heartfelt words, Third Brother. Let's let bygones be bygones!"

Just then, a little demon scrambled into the cave, his voice filled with panic: "Report! Great King, Second Great King, Third Great King! Something terrible has happened! Those people from outside the mountain have come to challenge us again! They specifically named the three Great Kings to fight!"

The Green Lion Demon, already in the throes of agitation, instead of getting angry upon hearing this, burst into a deafening roar of laughter, "Hahaha! Perfect timing! Saves us the trouble of going looking for them! Third brother, look, they've practically delivered themselves to their doom!"

The white elephant demon also stood up, his eyes flashing with ferocity: "Hmph, the battle that wasn't finished during the day is perfect to settle things now! Do they really think our Lion Camel Ridge is made of paper? With the third brother in charge this time, let's see how arrogant they can be!"

A barely perceptible sneer curled at the corner of the Golden-Winged Roc's lips before he quickly regained his composure. He understood that the Green Lion and White Elephant's current excitement was both a release of their pent-up emotions and an attempt to drag him down with them to share the burden. But he didn't expose them; this was exactly what he wanted. He casually brushed non-existent dust from his sleeves. "My two brothers are right. It's a good opportunity to meet them and see what kind of trash the Heavenly Court has sent this time. Send the order to gather all the lesser demons and form ranks to meet the enemy!"

"Yes, sir!" The little demon accepted the order and hurriedly ran out to relay it.

The Green Lion Demon picked up his massive Xuanhua battle axe, while the White Elephant Demon gripped his spear, their eyes burning with a rekindled flame of battle and a fervent zeal for the future. The Golden-Winged Roc followed calmly behind them, its eyes gleaming with unfathomable golden light. Outside the cave, the urgent horn calls rang out again, more frequent and resounding than before. The entire Lion Camel Ridge seemed like a primordial beast, utterly enraged, slowly opening its gaping maw filled with fangs.

(End of this chapter)