"Then I’ll just switch up my method of attack."

Since his ’client’ had made such a request, Tu Xiao’an felt he should oblige.

The Ice Frost Power dissipated. Tu Xiao’an’s snake eyes narrowed as another kind of Elemental Attribute Power surged within him.

CRACK... ROOOOOMBLE...!

Suddenly, amidst a clap of thunder, a majestic bolt of lightning materialized out of thin air, striking the Ape King who had just broken free from the ice. It then formed a vortex of Thunder, trapping the Ape King within its frenzied assault.

The Ape King was shocked that this Snake Demon also possessed Thunder Attribute Power, but he was not yet afraid.

"Break for me!"

The Ape King felt as if countless ants were gnawing at him. Streaks of electric current mercilessly burrowed into his body, numbing him completely.

With a shout, his Demon Qi flared, but the vortex of Thunder still enveloped him.

’This Thunder is strange...’

The Ape King failed to disperse the thunderous assault that ravaged him, and a tremor even ran through his soul.

’Heavens, what terrifying Thunder! Why does it feel so familiar? It actually contains a trace of immense Celestial Might!’

The Ape King was startled, as if jolted awake from a dream. His gaze seemed to return from a distant place as he exclaimed in shock, "This is... Celestial Thunder?!"

He was a Demon Spirit who had crossed his Tribulation and proven his Dao many years ago. He had withstood Celestial Thunder and Celestial Fire. But now, this Snake Demon’s bolt of Thunder possessed the same Attribute and the same destructive power as the Celestial Thunder he had once faced.

"That’s right. What I, the Snake King, have summoned is Celestial Thunder."

Tu Xiao’an’s snake eyes shone brightly. When he crossed his own Tribulation, he had endured immense suffering to absorb the Celestial Might from the Celestial Thunder and Celestial Fire.

All so that his Thunder power would be imbued with Celestial Power.

With Celestial Might, the lightning he cast became Celestial Thunder. It didn’t just inflict physical damage to the body; more importantly, it dealt a fatal blow to the soul.

The reason countless creatures perished while Crossing the Tribulation, beneath the Celestial Thunder and Celestial Fire, was their inability to resist the Celestial Power within.

This two-pronged attack was the deadliest of all.

This was also the first time Tu Xiao’an had summoned Celestial Thunder since obtaining Celestial Might. The Ape King was a lucky recipient; his treatment was top-tier.

"How is that possible? Even if you control Thunder, you can’t possibly unleash Celestial Thunder!"

The Ape King was terrified. His fur stood on end as if possessed, and his mind, dazed and confused, went completely blank.

’Summoning Celestial Thunder... what does that even mean? Is he an emissary of the Heaven and Earth Law?’

’Fighting this snake is like going through another Celestial Tribulation.’

"Ape King, submitting to me is not a humiliation. It is an opportunity for you, and for your entire Monkey Race."

Tu Xiao’an’s voice boomed, carrying with it the release of Celestial Might. He sounded like a lofty Divine Spirit, inspiring an irresistible urge to prostrate and worship in all who heard him.

"Nonsense! You want me, a king, to submit to a mere snake? Dream on!"

The Ape King’s will was firm. Though trapped in the Thunder, he struggled desperately, trying to offset the power with his own. He was cursing inwardly; it was bad enough being trapped by ice, but now even Thunder could hold him.

The commotion in the cave was so great that the Crimson Sun Giant Ape rushed in with a troop of monkeys. He flew into a rage the moment he saw the hovering snake. But when he saw the Ape King enveloped in Thunder, his expression twisted in pain, he roared, "Big Brother, I’m here to save you!"

"Crimson Sun, don’t come any closer!" Seeing the Crimson Sun Giant Ape arrive, the Ape King felt no joy, only worry as he shouted out.

But it was too late.

"Ice Age."

Tu Xiao’an glanced at the Crimson Sun Giant Ape and softly uttered the words.

Instantly, a deep blue aura swept toward the Crimson Sun Giant Ape, blanketing everything in its path.

Before the Crimson Sun Giant Ape could even react, he was turned into a massive ice sculpture. The monkeys behind him fared no better; they were all frozen in the blink of an eye.

The entire cave, except for the spot where Tu Xiao’an and the Ape King were, was completely sealed in ice. In an instant, it had become as frigid as the arctic. The ice, overwhelmingly powerful, spread out beyond the cave entrance, freezing a large swath of the valley floor and turning it into a world of ice and snow.

"Crimson Sun! Crimson Sun...!"

The Ape King’s golden eyes turned bloodshot. He was seething with rage, and his Demon Qi surged explosively. With a final burst, the vortex of Thunder ravaging his body was finally shattered.

"Burn."

’I have nothing if not a variety of attacks. I’ll let you have a taste of each one. Even if you’re as stubborn as Sun Wukong, you will submit to me, the Snake King.’

WHOOSH...

Flames flooded the air, and the Ape King was suddenly engulfed in a sea of fire. Within the scorching heat, there was still that same immense Celestial Might.

"Celestial Fire?!"

The Ape King felt like he was going insane. ’What the hell is going on? Am I crossing another Tribulation?’

Beneath Celestial Thunder, one is turned to ash. Beneath Celestial Fire, not even bones remain.

But truth be told, Celestial Fire was even more destructive. Many creatures crossing their Tribulation survived the Celestial Thunder, only to be incinerated by the Celestial Fire, leaving not even a corpse behind.

"AHHH..."

The Ape King howled, his form quickly reverting to that of a monkey covered in fur. It was impossible to maintain his human form while being burned by the Celestial Fire.

Tu Xiao’an hovered in the air, watching coldly, feeling an incredible sense of satisfaction.

’So-called Great Powers can flip their hands to summon clouds and rain. Before me, a Snake King who has proven his Dao, I can flip my hand for Celestial Thunder and my other for Celestial Fire. I dare you not to die.’

Tu Xiao’an could barely handle how awesome he was.

’The suffering I endured during my Tribulation was worth it. So, so worth it.’

One had to remember that the Ape King was a Super Demon Spirit with a noble and extraordinary bloodline. His own combat strength had reached the Pseudo Demon King Level.

Yet a figure like him was reduced to such a pathetic state by a single blast of Celestial Fire.

Of course, while Tu Xiao’an made summoning the Celestial Thunder and Celestial Fire look effortless, he had actually used eighty percent of his Attribute Power, concentrating it to achieve the greatest possible might.

The Ape King was proud and untamable. Without a harsh lesson, subduing him would not be an easy task.

"Ape King, submit. You have no other choice."

The Ape King was being burned by the Celestial Fire, suffering unbearable, excruciating pain. Why did he feel that this Snake Demon’s Celestial Fire was even more terrifying than the one he had faced during his own Tribulation?

He was at the Pseudo Demon King Level now; how could his body be unable to withstand it?

"I would rather die than submit to a snake like you!" The Ape King was unyielding in the face of power, gritting his teeth and continuously using his Demon Qi to resist the Celestial Fire’s burning.

Tu Xiao’an roared angrily, "What’s wrong with being a snake? In this world where the strong devour the weak, strength is the only standard! Aren’t the true forms of the five Great Demon Kings of the Yaoling Mountain Range a rat, a hedgehog, a snake, a fox, and a weasel? And isn’t your Monkey Mountain under the rule of the White Demon King, that hedgehog?"

"But I have not submitted to the White Demon King! I am not his Battle Companion!" the Ape King argued.

"Is there a difference? You still have to act according to his whims," Tu Xiao’an said persuasively. "Submit to me, and I will make you a Demon King in the future, a Divine Beast! Don’t doubt my ability to do so. The Bull Demon King is the best example. And did you see the Divine Beast Cyan Dragon? Before, he was just a Hu Snake that had proven its Dao. It was I, the Snake King, who helped it evolve into the Divine Beast Cyan Dragon!"

"As I said, submitting to me is not a humiliation, but your opportunity."

From within the sea of fire, the Ape King laughed. "Damn you, snake! Even if you talk until flowers bloom from your mouth, I will not submit to you! The strong are crowned king. You are mighty, and I am not your equal. Just kill me!"

Hmm?

’This monkey is that stubborn?’

Tu Xiao’an was a little surprised. He knew that Demon Spirits cherished their lives above all else.

’Especially this monkey, with his Super Demon Spirit bloodline. Why is he so foolish?’

Life is precious. Only by living is anything possible. The Bull Demon King, for one, understood this point very well.

To be honest, with Tu Xiao’an’s current strength, one more or one less Battle Companion didn’t really matter. It was just that humans had a special fondness for monkeys.

Besides, this Ape King’s aptitude was truly excellent. It would be a pity to kill him, but he’d be unwilling to let him go. Subjugation was the only option.

Tu Xiao’an pondered for a moment, a cunning glint in his eyes. "Fine. You want to die? I, the Snake King, will grant your wish. But don’t you worry, you won’t be lonely. I’ll have your entire Monkey Race join you in death."

"Are you threatening me?" The Ape King was so furious he wanted to charge out, but the sea of fire was made of Celestial Fire containing Celestial Might. How could he possibly break free so easily?

Waves of flame sent him flying back.

"A threat?"

Tu Xiao’an’s snake eyes narrowed. BANG! BANG! BANG! In an instant, the frozen monkeys behind the Crimson Sun Giant Ape all shattered into pieces.

"No! Don’t! Enough monkeys of our race have already died at your hands! Spare them! Give them a chance to live!"

"Submit to me."

Tu Xiao’an’s powerful Consciousness Power suddenly descended upon the Ape King, who was still burning in the sea of fire. It was forceful and domineering.

This was how the world worked. There was only power, not justice. Especially in the Yaoling Mountain Range, where one would do anything to achieve their goals.

Back when Tu Xiao’an was proving his Dao and shedding his skin, even esteemed Demon Kings had launched sneak attacks against him.

A weight like ten million pounds pressed down on the Ape King, forcing him to a single knee. Burned by Celestial Fire on one side, crushed by a formless mountain on the other, and threatened on top of it all—his situation was utterly miserable.

In truth, the Ape King knew that this snake who had successfully proven his Dao was not to be trifled with. That was why when the Demon King Slaying Order came out, he didn’t want Monkey Mountain to get involved in that mess.

Unfortunately, it seemed his Monkey Race had been targeted by this snake, and there was no escape.

’I don’t blame you for destroying my home, I don’t blame you for killing countless of my monkeys... but then you come to my door personally, demanding that I, a Monkey King, submit and become your Battle Companion. This is too humiliating!’

Thinking this, the Ape King felt incredibly wronged. But all he could do was feel wronged. What could he do against such a monstrous snake he couldn’t even fight?

"Don’t resist. Otherwise, the next one to die will be that big oaf."

The "big oaf" was, of course, the frozen Crimson Sun Giant Ape. A dignified Level 32 Demon Spirit, he had been sealed in ice by Tu Xiao’an and had yet to break free.

This showed that after Tu Xiao’an proved his Dao, his Ice Frost Power had also seen a massive increase in might. Although the Ice Frost Power didn’t contain Celestial Might, its power had been greatly enhanced by the Taiyin Guanghan Body Qi he had absorbed from Su Rushi.

It couldn’t seal someone at the Pseudo Demon King Level, but freezing an ordinary Demon Spirit was no problem at all.

The Ape King’s fur was nearly all burned away. Coupled with the threat against his kin, the Monkey King let out a heavy sigh, his will finally slackening.

’So be it. Perhaps this is the fate of my Monkey Race.’

’There’s no beating this shameless snake.’

Tu Xiao’an’s eyes immediately lit up, then his snake eyes narrowed. "Ape King, be subdued!"