Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

Fortunately, the current Arthur was no longer the green youngster he had been, and was now capable of concealing his emotions well, so the Old Monk didn't detect anything amiss.

Backed by Lu Yu, the Old Monk and Arthur formed an alliance, their fates now inextricably intertwined. Presently, they had to fight side by side, first confronting that cunning Demon.

"Judging by the reaction of the Will of the World, it's likely that the Demon has succeeded, and there's a strong possibility that there's been trouble with the God of the Forest within," the Old Monk quickly switched roles and began strategizing for Arthur.

"What should we do then? With our current strength, it's impossible to contend with a Divine Spirit," Arthur frowned and said.

Although he held the Sword in the Stone, it was the Sword of the King, which could exert its greatest power only when gathering a crowd to become King. Currently without a domain, the sword's might couldn't be fully unleashed.

"Don't worry, the Demon wouldn't dare to go too far. After all, its strength in this world is still limited. Should it draw the attention of the gods, with its current strength, it would also be in trouble," the Old Monk wasn't worried at all. The entity behind him and the one backing the Demon were mortal enemies, having fought for many years, with neither able to overpower the other.

Arthur looked at the Old Monk and, seeing the calm and confidence in his eyes, quietly tucked away his own trepidation, and said to everyone, "It has come to the point where we must act, as the arrow is already on the string. There is no turning back. Tonight, we storm the city and reclaim the domain. I am willing to share the glory with you all."

Arthur's words ignited the fighting spirit among the crowd, their eyes shining with longing—the aspiration for a better life ahead. At this moment, this hastily assembled troop truly began to take shape.

Seeing their high morale, Arthur nodded slightly, and at the same time, he could feel the Sword in the Stone transferring even more powerful strength to him, leading to a deeper understanding of the lore regarding the Sword of the King.

He lifted his head to look at the towering city walls, the city his ancestors had built little by little, never imagining that it would become someone else's territory. However, he would soon take back his rightful domain to console his ancestors' souls. Arthur gripped the Treasured Sword tightly, flames starting to burn in his eyes.

At his command, everyone began their assault on the city. The massive uproar immediately caught the guards' attention. These slothful opportunists, never having witnessed such a spectacle, were at a loss about what to do for a moment.

This moment of hesitation meant they didn't manage to shut the gate in time. Arthur, leading the charge, reached the gates as they were beginning to close. He raised the Treasured Sword, and brilliant light burst forth, dazzling the guards trying to close the gates so intensely that they couldn't help but tear up from the pain.

"Boom!" The thunderous noise echoed throughout the not-so-large city, waking the sleeping residents, who panickedly dressed and looked outside, unsure of what was happening.

Joy was also jolted awake, kicked the woman curled up in his bed to the floor, and ran to the window to look out. He saw smoke rising in the distance and flames illuminating the sky.

It was in the direction of the city gates, and at that moment what flashed through his mind was disbelief that some daring bandits from who-knows-where had the audacity to attack the town. They were courting death.

Therefore, after a brief glance, he returned to his bed, convinced that without a decent military force near his own territory, it wouldn't be long before the commotion would subside, as there was a difference between a motley crew and soldiers who trained regularly.

However, just as he was about to rest again, there came a rush of frantic footsteps outside, followed by the sound of knocking.

Joy frowned, irritation flitting through his mind; he especially detested being disturbed while sleeping. If this weren't something urgent, he was determined to give the person who knocked a piece of his mind.

As he thought this, an urgent voice came from outside: "Lord, it's terrible. That boy Arthur has led his troops into the city!"

No sooner had the words been spoken than Joy, who had been sitting on the bed, leaped up, his voice tinged with nervousness as he asked, "Are you sure you saw right? That boy Arthur, wasn't he dead in the Forest of Death?"

At this moment, Joy still refused to believe that it was Arthur who had led troops into the city today. How could that green kid possibly have such strength, and where did he muster the forces?

"I'm absolutely certain. Even if Arthur turned to ashes, I'd recognize him," the person outside said anxiously, his words carrying a hint of fear.

It was then that Joy remembered that the person outside had once been the Captain of the Guard for Arthur, only to betray him due to reprimand from Arthur for embezzlement and graft, holding a grudge ever since. With his inducement, he had betrayed Arthur, which was key to Joy's successful seizure of the territory.

Now, Joy began to feel truly anxious. Nothing scared him more than the existence of Arthur. The city was pioneered by Arthur's ancestors from a wilderness, growing into its current state through the hard work of countless generations. Using the Demon's powers of delusion and various promises, Joy had successfully taken this fertile land.

However, Arthur's existence lingered over him like a shadow, uncertain when it might transform into a falling sword. This was why he had relentlessly pursued Arthur, until Arthur vanished into the Forest of Death, which from ancient times was known as the Land of Death, where many strong individuals had perished without a trace.