Chapter 168 - 37 Nameless White Ape

Chapter 168: Chapter 37 Nameless White ApeNot bad, not bad, this look works. I Want to Be Immortal was also surprised beyond measure. "Well then, Feng, go early and come back early, don’t wait until it gets dark." "Don’t worry, I’m just going in to take a look." When Xiao Jie walked into the valley again, those monkeys didn’t attack and had turned back into neutral creatures with yellow names, all curiously staring at Xiao Jie, who donned a wild man appearance. "Good afternoon, everyone," Xiao Jie shouted loudly. "Gugu Gaga, you can speak our language? What are you? Human? Big monkey?" "Yes, I’m a big monkey, precisely a hairless monkey, alas, I’ve had a tough time. Caught by a hunter, who plucked all my hair off. I just barely escaped and thought to sneak into this forest to hide. May I enter?" Xiao Jie knew that animals had lower intelligence, so he needed to keep his speech simple and straightforward. Sure enough, those monkeys didn’t attack. "Gugu Jiji, come on in, hairless big monkey, before the hunters catch you." "Gugu Jiji, what kind of monkey are you, you look so strange?" "Gugu Jiji, little monkey, you go lead the hairless big monkey deeper into the valley. The king will definitely know what kind of monkey he is." Then, a little monkey of only level 3 climbed down from a tree, curiously touching Xiao Jie’s bronze skin with its small paws, even consolingly patting his thigh. "Gugu Jiji, follow me, hairless big monkey, I’ll lead you into the valley. If you live here for a few days, your fur will surely grow back, but be careful, there are many traps around here." Xiao Jie followed the little monkey towards the valley; along the way, he indeed saw quite a few crude traps. There were logs tied to trees for swinging down to hit people, snares made from vines on the ground, and even nets woven from vines. The monkeys in the woods were fully armed, stationed in groups in the large trees. The outer circle of the valley had stone-throwing apes of only levels 6-7. Not much further inside, there were levels 8-9 jumping apes, and even mixed with levels 12-13 monkey warriors wielding crude weapons made of stones and wood, wearing armor crafted from bamboo and wood. Vines connected between large trees acted as extremely convenient pathways for the monkeys, with some trees even supporting simple platforms created from branches and leaves, stacked with stones, much like watchtowers. It wasn’t hard to imagine that if someone tried to attack, they would likely receive a serious beating along the way. It might be useless against a master, but if it were just ordinary players of over ten levels coming in, even in groups, it would still be dangerous. Especially since the monkeys could attack from above, taking full advantage of the terrain. After passing through this perilous forest and entering the valley, the scenery changed completely. The valley still had many trees but not as densely packed as at the entrance. The trees on both sides of the valley were full of fruit, vibrant and vivid under the sunlight, with some crude tree houses nestled in the treetops. In the middle of the valley was a patch of verdant grass, dotted with wildflowers of varying colors. A clear stream flowed through it, forming several small pools. Some monkeys were frolicking in the stream, or drinking at the pool’s edge, and at the end of the creek, there was a spring waterfall flowing down a towering cliff. This whole scene was just like a paradise out of this world. Xiao Jie was somewhat mesmerized for a moment. The beautiful graphics of the game were perfectly displayed at this time; such scenery, compared to the desolate and gloomy world outside, was simply another painting style. "Gugu Jiji, this way, this way!" The little monkey kept calling Xiao Jie energetically. Xiao Jie had no choice but to follow the little monkey deeper into the valley. Beneath a cliff in the depths of the valley, there was a flat stone terrace, with stone tables and stools placed on it, all quite rudimentary. An old ape covered in white fur was sitting on one of those stone stools, drinking water from a stone cup with a few leaves steeped in it. The way the White Ape drank, pausing with every sip, resembled how humans drink tea. Nameless White Ape (Monkey Valley Master): Level 46 Worldly Expert, Life Value 3600. Holy shit, a level 46 monkey! How awesome is that? Xiao Jie was shocked. Until now, the highest-level NPC he had seen was only level 34—the Luoyang Town Lord. The second highest was that inner strength teacher, "Mixed Yuan Qi Duan Yu." This monkey being of such a high level, could it be a demon? Furthermore, this ’Worldly Expert’ template was something he had never seen before; it was evidently no ordinary find. The White Ape had noticed him too and suddenly exclaimed in surprise. "Eh, what are you doing here, human? Didn’t the monkeys outside stop you?" The little monkey, as if presenting a treasure, raised its hand and said, "King, he’s not a human. He’s a hairless big monkey." "Hairless... big monkey... Hmm hmm... Hahaha..." Suddenly, the White Ape burst out laughing, rolling on the ground while laughing. "Hairless... big monkey... You guys are going to kill me with laughter... Haha." After laughing for quite a while, he stopped, seemingly feeling that such rolling on the ground was undignified, and sat up straight again. "Tell me, what are you really here for—human." Xiao Jie was a bit nervous. If this creature didn’t get angry, it would still be fine, but if it turned hostile, he had no chance of survival whatsoever. With courage, he said, "Actually, I’m a hairless big monkey." "Hmph, deceiving those silly monkeys is one thing, but I know humans too well; there’s no need to bluff me. Don’t worry, I won’t kill you. I haven’t spoken to anyone in a long time, so talking with you might relieve some boredom," the Woodcutter grumbled. Xiao Jie breathed a sigh of relief. "Truth be told, I’m actually a brewer. I heard that monkeys brew a magical Monkey Wine, so I wanted to find a monkey to apprentice under and learn the craft," he confessed. "Hahaha, wanting to take a monkey as your teacher, you are truly an amusing fellow. But how do you speak our monkey language?" "That... isn’t too difficult to learn." "Hmph, if you don’t want to say, that’s fine. Learning to brew Monkey Wine isn’t hard. I have a brewing monkey here. Look—" He picked up a nearby stone basin, lifted the lid, and revealed a basin filled with amber liquid. "This wine actually comes from an old monkey over there. Just help me with a few tasks, and I can arrange for him to teach you." Is this the Monkey Wine? Xiao Jie peered closer. He had long heard the famous name of this curious concoction, but how could he confirm it? "Come on, have a taste." As he spoke, he scooped a cup from the basin with a stone cup and handed it to Xiao Jie. Xiao Jie clicked his mouse, and he saw his character lift the cup and drain it in one gulp. [System Prompt: You have consumed[Monkey Wine]and acquired the enhancement effect[Boundless Happiness]. Xiao Jie moved his mouse over the avatar. [Boundless Happiness: Your mood becomes incredibly joyful.] It really was Monkey Wine. This buff might not be useful for players, but it was very useful for NPCs. With Monkey Wine, one could quickly improve NPCs’ favorability and even increase soldiers’ loyalty—definitely a treasure. With this recipe, it could mean a steady stream of silver. "I wonder what tasks the Valley Master might have for me to do. Please, command me," Xiao Jie said. "Hmm, first go and buy three sets of clothes for me, made of good cotton fabric, a set of furniture—tables, chairs, benches—all of it, three pounds of tea leaves, a tea set. I’m tired of this grass leaf tea. Also get some steamed buns and flatbreads, just buy whatever looks good. Oh, and one more thing—a bamboo hat." [System Prompt: Quest triggered[White Ape’s Favor]. Help the Nameless White Ape purchase the following items... Quest Reward: [Monkey Wine (Recipe)]. Is it that simple? Xiao Jie found it hard to believe. It really seemed effortless to obtain; these were just some everyday items, not a problem at all. It was just a matter of spending some silver. He promptly accepted the quest. "Rest assured, Valley Master, I will make sure to purchase everything you need. I’ll set out right away," Xiao Jie promised enthusiastically. "Go on, go on," the White Ape waved his hand nonchalantly. Xiao Jie hurried out of Monkey Valley, filled with joy. Even though he hadn’t found Mao Mao, the Monkey Wine was the real treasure. Once he completed this quest and earned the money, what secret martial arts manual couldn’t he buy? "Feng, how did it go?" "Mission accomplished!" "Did you find Mao Mao?" "No, but I found a better deal—Brother Woodcutter, do you know the way to Xiaofeng City?" The Woodcutter urgently asked, "Aren’t you going to help me find the monkey anymore?" "The monkeys in the valley are too fierce; the two of us are no match for them. We’ll find some help and come back to assist you," they assured him. "Oh, please hurry back. My monkey has been missing for several days now. I don’t know if other monkeys have bullied it," the Woodcutter fretted. "Don’t worry, once we get more people, we’ll definitely help you get your monkey back. But first, you need to show us the way," they replied. "Sure, sure, Xiaofeng City is to the east. Just follow this path, avoid entering mountains, and staying out of forests too—there are demons. Cross a small river, at the first fork take the left, at the second fork take the right, and you’ll be there—" With their thanks, they immediately set off. The two rode their horses along the path toward the east. Sure enough, they soon came across a shallow stream where several crabs, a meter wide, scurried about. Xiao Jie used Beast Recognition to check them out, discovered they were only level 8 or 9 with not-so-great skills, and decided not to bother. Otherwise, catching a large crab could have been quite a sight. Continuing on, they followed the Woodcutter’s directions, passed the first fork, then the second, avoiding the big mountain and dense woods. By 3:30 p.m., they finally saw the towering walls of Xiaofeng City. "Ha, we finally made it! Come on, let’s hurry into the city, we’ll head to Xuanxu Palace tomorrow," they decided. Xuanxu Palace was located on a mountain to the north of Xiaofeng City, quite close by. Once in Xiaofeng City, Xuanxu Palace was virtually within reach. Entering the city and seeing the level 26 Elite Guards at the gate, their hearts finally eased. The sense of safety provided by such a large city was something even Luoyang Town couldn’t match.