Vol. 4 Chapter 21: Just a Beast

 Chapter 21: Just a Beast

"Your Majesty, your tail is showing!" As soon as Lu Li said this, the entire hall erupted in fury.

The white tiger flashed a look of panic, glanced under itself, then abruptly stood up, unleashing a powerful aura. With a roar like a dragon's, it said, "Human, are you insulting this king?"

Seeing the white tiger enraged, the zombie spirits and the monkey all half-knelt, shouting, "Calm your anger, Great King."

However, the white monkey secretly glanced behind the tiger, but saw nothing. The white tiger always wore its black tiger robe upon appearing, and spent the rest of the time resting in the rear hall, unseen.

More intriguingly, every time the white tiger appeared, the red fox would vanish, supposedly busy assisting the king with affairs of state. This oddity, along with the rarity of the king's public appearances, had long fueled the monkey's suspicions. Today's events only magnified those doubts.

"Human, do you wish to die?" The tiger's aura grew even more immense, distorting reality. Winds whipped through the chamber, forming roaring tiger heads in mid-air.

The white monkey general withdrew his gaze and lowered his head. Given the circumstances, he couldn't act on mere suspicion. His life, while not grand, was stable; there was no need to risk it.

"Now, human, kneel and apologize, and I might forgive your offense!" The white tiger's voice was commanding, and the tiger heads formed of air roared in unison, blowing Lu Li's hair back.

"What offense have I committed? The greater your aura, the more glaring the incongruity you reveal." Lu Li squinted into the wind at the tiger. "You look like a cat to me, or perhaps a fox."

"Your tail can't hide from me," Lu Li said.

"Damn human, General Yuan, seize this insolent wretch!" The tiger king roared in rage. The white monkey general, feeling the oppressive aura slightly diminish, was taken aback.

"Could it be true, as the human said, that this king is a fake?" The monkey general was horrified but seeing the tiger king's angry face, his long-term subservience held him back. The risk of defiance outweighed potential rewards.

So, the monkey general hesitated only briefly before standing and drawing his weapon. "Men, with me, let's take down this human!"

The zombie guards drew their weapons and surrounded Lu Li. The monkey general led the charge, slashing at Lu Li's head. Lu Li manifested shadow daggers, parrying the monkey's blade.

After experimenting with different weapons, Lu Li found short blades suited him best. Although the spear had modular enhancements, it felt unwieldy, and he lacked the requisite skills. Conversely, his mastery of short blade techniques, learned from shadow assassins and claw spirits, was formidable.

With a flick, Lu Li deflected the monkey's blade and released shadow magic. His synchronized skills produced a thicket of thorns instead of a spear. The black thorns shot forth, entangling the monkey general.

The thorns grew rapidly, binding the monkey. Their tips pierced the ground, uprooting stones and digging in. As the monkey general struggled, the thorns punctured his skin. Just as he prepared to exert all his strength to break free, Lu Li winked at him.

Startled, the monkey general feigned weakness, ceasing his struggle. Though he dared not openly challenge the tiger king, he opted to observe the situation, pretending to be overpowered.

As Lu Li's mask flew off, a squad of claw spirits and shadow assassins appeared, blocking the zombie guards and monkeys. Lu Li, with eerie steps, charged toward the tiger king on the high platform.

The tiger king sprouted wings, flying up. The condensed aura turned into tiger heads attacking Lu Li. Smiling, Lu Li noticed the similarity between the tiger's abilities and the fox's illusions.

Lu Li's shadow enveloped him, transforming into a giant shadow figure, blocking the tiger heads. Activating Fear Touch, he directed its terror at the eunuchs and maids. The instant they saw the shadow giant, fear consumed them, recalling their deaths by the tiger's fangs. Their spirits, merely remnants, collapsed under the renewed terror.

The white tiger, suspended in air, hesitated. Fear surged within, shattering its illusion and revealing a red fox. The white monkey general, realizing the truth, heard the fox scream, "Damn human, you will regret this… the tiger king will kill you!"

Lu Li's shadow giant released a tendril, impaling the red fox. "There was never a tiger king. It's just a primitive beast!"

With those words, the illusionary space trembled...