Back in Hao Baiyun's mansion.
"It happened a long time ago… our ancestors were just ordinary monkeys who gained consciousness, but they can't gain a human form. Their cultivation has encountered a bottleneck." Huo Ling's soul assignment started. "Then, one of them find the Sunflower Clan. That time, the Sunflower Clan has yet no healing power. What made them special is that they can hear the 'voice' of the sun, telling them answers to their questions." He said.
Upon hearing this, Zhuo Xia's face turned pale. Since the Sunflower Clan originally has no healing power, then where did their healing power come from now? He thought as his eyes widened in horror. He already has an answer in his heart.
"The Sunflower Clan asked the sun, and the sun answered that for the monkeys to break the bottleneck of their cultivation, they have to find the Snake Clan who has superb healing potions." The Golden-Haired Monkey's soul continued. "And so they did. But, who knew that it wouldn't be easy? The Snake Clan doesn't want to give them the secret formula since one, it was their own clan's secret formula. Two, even if the Snake Clan would give the monkeys the potion of the secret formula, it was very dangerous since the monkeys would die." He explained.
Everyone was just silent as they listened. They can already see where this is going.
"The monkeys said that they will pay the Snake Clan, but the Snake Clan was obstinate." The Golden-Haired Monkey's soul sighed. "The Snake Clan knows how dangerous that potion is, but the monkeys accused them of being selfish. That night, the monkeys stole the potion, but…" the voice couldn't help but sigh again. "Not only that monkey who stole the formula died, the Snake Clan found that monkey. The other monkeys who heard that monkey's plan followed, only for them to see that monkey dead with the Snake Clan surrounding him. They accused the Snake Clan that they killed their kin. That there wasn't the need to kill their kin even if the Snake Clan doesn't want to give them the potion." It said.
Everyone's expression changed. How shameless are these monkeys?! They already knew that their kin would steal, yet they cried thieves?! (shift the blame to others).
"A fight broke out, naturally." The Golden-Haired Monkey's soul continued. "The Snake Clan naturally is innocent and they wanted to clear their name, but the monkeys are shameless. While the fight is ongoing, one of them actually snuck in and found the formula. This was within their plan. And so, when they saw that in the formula, the snake's skin was written, and this formula was already adjusted to lessen the lethality of the potion, the monkeys' eyes turned green in greed." The voice stopped.
Everyone could already guess. It was the tragedy of the Snake Clan.
The Golden-Haired Monkey's soul heaved a deep sigh. Even it feels ashamed of its ancestors. "After the monkeys took the skins of the Snake Clans they killed, they went to the Sunflower Clan to ask how to refine it according to the formula." It continued. "The Sunflower Clan was the one who refined the skins of the Snake Clan, only for them to discover that while refining, they gained the Snake Clan's healing power!" it said. "They finally gained a power, so how can they let go of it? They also discovered that the monkeys gained the Snake Clan's space power after the monkeys drank the refined skin of the Snake Clan." It told them.
Zhuo Xia was stunned. He couldn't believe all of these! But, he had to believe, since this is the truth.
"The Sunflower Clan naturally also want the space power, yet they were afraid of the monkeys since they are just plants while the monkeys can uproot them. So, they proposed to the monkeys that they will refine the snake skins in exchange of the healing power while the space power will go to the monkeys." The Golden-Haired Monkey's soul said. "The monkeys had broken through their bottleneck. They got addicted of their space powers so they started hunting down the Snake Clans. They also discovered that as their power increased, their fur would change color. Until the Snake Clan was all killed, the Golden-Haired Monkey Clan rose, together with the Sunflower Clan. No one found out the disappearance of the Snake Clan. They just thought that the Snake Clan hibernated or were deep in cultivation to refine more medicines." It explained.
A long silence fell.
"What these two thieving clans didn't know was that someone from the Snake Clan survived." The Golden-Haired Monkey's soul continued with a sigh. "The Snake Clan began to thrive. It was just a shame that this survivor of the Snake Clan didn't know that it was the Golden-Haired Monkey Clan that killed its family, since the monkeys weren't golden-haired yet that time. So, this survivor of the Snake Clan began to grow again. The Golden-Haired Monkey Clan and the Sunflower Clan were naturally surprised and got afraid, but they saw that the Snake Clan didn't do anything so they forgot their skeleton in the closet. But, they began to fear again when they discovered that they were actually losing their powers!" it said. "So, they began to eye the Snake Clan again. They waited patiently, until two years ago. They began their move." It told them.
Everyone sharply inhaled. "That was when Jie Yao…" Hao Baiyun's voice shook.
"How I knew all this, I accidentally heard from those bastards…" the Golden-Haired Monkey's soul said with hatred. "That day, I was called. I didn't know that it was to hunt down the Snake Clan. Naturally, I got cold feet. I was very afraid. I don't want to kill anyone. But, they forced me by telling the secret of our clan. They told me na?ve to taunt me, but… I just can't do it." It took a deep breath. "Then, they got mad and told me to not let anyone escape if I can't kill. So, I… I followed the others who were chasing a family together with a man who has feathers, definitely someone not from the Snake Clan. Then, in front of my eyes, I watched them kill the pitiful family, including the small children. That man that wasn't from the Snake Clan, too, died…" it finally can't hold back a sob. "I didn't kill them, but it still as if their blood is in my hands. I feel guilty. Just as they were about to smash that man's head, the one not from the Snake Clan, I finally can't hold it back anymore and fought them. They called me 'sissy', but I didn't' care. They beat me up, but I just lied on the blood-soaked ground, grieving. I don't know how can I repent for my clan's sins…" it cried.
Hao Baiyun's eyes are red while Lan Tian and Zi Chen were shocked. In their minds, it was as if a door has opened. "That day… we… we actually went with Jie Yao!" Lan Tian exclaimed. "We also called Jiang Ce when we saw that Yang Lin was alive… we, the Hawk Clan, has a life-saving technique, too…" he said.
Zi Chen's brows knitted. "That other smell that I smelled aside from Jie Yao's family and Yang Lin… I wasn't just imagining it. There was really another yao." He said and looked at Yi Bing's cellphone in the coffee table. "It was actually this yao that I smelled there?" he muttered in surprise.
"Even until my clan has all left, I remained as I grieved for that innocent family and that man…" the Golden-Haired Monkey's soul continued, verifying Zi Chen's words. "Then, I was surprised to see that man was actually still alive. Naturally, I was glad. I immediately gave him medicine, yet he refused me, thinking that it was poison. He also saw my clan kill the Snake Clan, after all." It sighed. "So, I drank the medicine first to prove that I was telling the truth before I fed him the medicine. Then, he took out his phone using his sliver of strength left to make a call. I didn't stop him even if he told the person in the other line that it was my clan who killed the Snake Clan. Because I can't stand my thieving clan. After assuring that people would arrive to save him, and that he would still be alive before they arrive, I then left." It said.
Everyone was shocked. They didn't expect that there was still a righteous Golden-Haired Monkey left. Oh, well, not anymore since this righteous clan member of theirs is now dead. Such a pity.
"I went home, and lived my days normally. But, secretly, I was hoping that my clan's crimes would be exposed, including the Sunflower Clan's." the Golden-Haired Monkey's soul continued. "It was a pity that nothing happened during the two years. I was disappointed, and thought that maybe that man died in the end, or that the person in the other line that he called was scared to offend my thieving clan. I was close to reporting them myself to the committee, yet they actually noticed my strange behavior and locked me up." it sighed. "What I was glad for is that they died first, then me, the last, after the monsters arrived and killed us. Honestly, when those monsters skinned me, I didn't feel pain. I know that it wasn't half of the pain that those children and elderly from the Snake Clan felt." It took a deep breath.
Everyone's eyes reddened from pain and sadness. Zhuo Xia and Xiao Hualing can't help but cry.
"But, since the truth still hasn't come out, I feel unresigned." The Golden-Haired Monkey's soul said and took a deep breath. "So, I wasn't surprised that my soul lingered in this world. What I regret is that no one can see me, nor hear me, so I can't tell them the truth. The only thing that comforts me is the thought that since I became a soul, then there must be a reason for this. Thus, I patiently waited." it explained. "And I was glad I did. I felt that something was pulling me to a certain direction. But, I can't leave yet, since I saw that these monsters were planning something again. I also felt that something is arriving to my direction, but I rejected the presence since I am afraid that whoever would arrive, they would be implicated and die if the monsters kill them." it said.
Xiao Hualing looked at Huo Ling. So, this is the reason why Huo Ling can neither call no go to his assignment.
"So, I patiently waited again until the monsters move my corpse to a safer place." The Golden-Haired Monkey's soul said. "And then I finally found someone that can see me, and also hear me. I then felt relieved since I can finally tell them the truth.." It finished.
Visit freewe𝑏no(v)el.𝘤𝑜𝓂 for the best novel reading experience