As the woman in red sighed outside the golden cymbal, the green-skinned Pigsy sneered before turning toward Axel.
After staring for a moment, he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Then he suddenly sniffed hard.
Tiny glowing insects immediately flew out of his nose, circling around Axel like drifting fireflies.
Axel leaned closer curiously, studying them without the slightest concern.
Seeing that reaction, Pigsy grinned and lazily sat down on the ground.
"You're an interesting guy. You've clearly got a body tougher than steel, enough to stop Old Pig mid-flight, yet you're running around half naked in nothing but a weird pair of pants."
He looked Axel up and down.
"And those pants don't exactly look suited for fighting either. Don't tell me all you do is punch people. You don't kick?"
Axel laughed.
"You really talk a lot for a pig trapped inside a giant golden bowl."
He crouched in front of Pigsy with a teasing smile.
"Wait, what was it called again? Golden... cymbal? Damn, I haven't used my hometown slang in forever."
Before Pigsy could respond, thick black mist suddenly surged through the inside of the golden cymbal.
A foul wind swept toward them with terrifying force.
Pigsy's expression immediately darkened.
With a quick spell, golden light covered his body like a protective shield.
Only after stabilizing himself did he glare at Axel again.
"You're uncultured as hell. First of all, I'm not just a pig, I'm a boar!"
He pointed upward angrily.
"And this thing is called a golden cymbal. A filthy treasure weapon used by Maitreya himself."
Then he looked at the approaching black mist with obvious irritation.
"If I were you, I wouldn't stand there joking around. Can't you smell that stench?"
The swirling black wind was getting closer.
"That filth is made from the remains of gods, demons, and immortals refined to death inside this treasure. Even someone with your body won't last long in here."
Pigsy clicked his tongue.
"This cursed thing is even deadlier than a blade scraping flesh from bone. You don't even have proper armor, so stop pretending to be tough."
He paused briefly.
"Don't tell me you don't even know the Golden Body spell?"
Before Axel could answer, the black wind swallowed him whole.
The instant it touched his body, Axel's expression changed slightly.
His flesh, tougher than metal itself, was actually being peeled away layer by layer by the corrosive wind.
Blood immediately covered his body.
Even Axel's mouth twitched from the pain.
Pigsy stared at him in disbelief before suddenly cursing loudly.
"Damn it! Are you some trap Yellowbrow prepared specifically for Old Pig?!"
He scratched his head irritably.
"Forget it. At worst, I survive a few fewer days."
Then he suddenly raised his trotter.
"Golden Body spell!"
A burst of golden light shot from Pigsy's hand and wrapped around Axel, temporarily forcing the black wind away.
Outside the golden cymbal, atop the snowy mountain, the woman in red paused slightly.
A strange look crossed her face.
After a moment of silence, she spoke softly toward the treasure.
"You're willing to waste twice the power just to protect an innocent stranger?"
Her tone carried faint nostalgia.
"It seems Marshal Tian Peng truly has changed somewhat."
Then her expression hardened again.
"Unfortunately, even this won't keep you alive for long."
She lowered her gaze toward the cymbal.
"Marshal, why continue resisting? If you surrender to my master and cultivate within Little Leiyin Temple, perhaps one day you will finally find the answer you seek."
Pigsy burst into laughter.
"You're talking nonsense!"
He suddenly grabbed his Nine-Tooth Rake and slammed it violently against the inside of the golden cymbal.
Boom!
"What Old Pig wants is the treasure my senior brother left behind!"
He pointed upward furiously.
"And it's also Yellowbrow's most precious possession! Even if I cultivated for ten thousand years, that old bastard would never hand it over willingly!"
Before he could continue...
Bang!
His entire head slammed violently into the golden cymbal.
Pigsy yelped in pain.
"Ow! Who hit me?!"
He stumbled up while clutching his head, only to find Axel glaring at him coldly.
Axel cracked his knuckles irritably.
"Stop smashing this damn thing. That noise is pissing me off."
Pigsy immediately exploded.
"You punched Old Pig just because the sound annoyed you?!"
He grabbed his rake furiously.
Axel casually adjusted his damaged nano-pants into shorts before walking toward him.
Pigsy's eyes flashed viciously.
He was never the type to swallow humiliation quietly.
The moment he prepared to swing his rake, Axel suddenly vanished from sight.
In the next instant, Axel appeared behind him, grabbed the back of his neck, and lifted him into the air effortlessly.
"Let go of me, you bastard!" Pigsy shouted while kicking wildly. "If you put Old Pig down, I'll beat the hell out of you!"
Bang!
Another punch landed directly on top of Pigsy's head.
The pig demon instantly became dizzy again.
Ignoring his complaints, Axel casually tapped the inner wall of the golden cymbal.
"Hey, little sister outside, can you hear me clearly in there?"
Outside the treasure, the woman in red paused.
After a brief silence, she replied calmly,
"Since the layman can still speak, naturally I can hear you."
Her tone softened slightly.
"Earlier, I acted recklessly and accidentally trapped you alongside Marshal Tian Peng. That mistake may cost you your life."
She narrowed her eyes.
"However, I do not know your name, nor why you came to this immortal mountain."
As she spoke, she casually flicked her fingers.
The golden cymbal immediately began shaking violently in the air.
Inside, both Axel and Pigsy were thrown around relentlessly.
Pigsy nearly started foaming at the mouth.
"Stop shaking it!" he screamed miserably. "If Old Pig dies from motion sickness, your master won't be able to explain this to the heavens!"
The next second, he vomited a mouthful of black sludge.
Thankfully, Axel was holding him facing forward.
Meanwhile, Axel simply floated in midair inside the cymbal, stabilizing both himself and Pigsy effortlessly.
Then he casually replied,
"Sister, before asking someone else's name, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"
A grin appeared on his face.
"You want my name, and I want yours. Where you live, how many siblings you've got, whether your parents are still around..."
Pigsy stopped vomiting and stared at Axel blankly.
"Buddy... are you introducing yourself or proposing marriage?"
He blinked.
"Are you about to ask whether she's married too?"
"Shut up."
Axel smacked Pigsy lightly.
"I'm talking to the woman. Why are you interrupting?"
Then he knocked on the cymbal again.
Outside, the woman in red fell silent briefly.
Then she unexpectedly laughed coldly.
"Interesting."
Her voice turned sharper.
"Since you're about to die anyway, I suppose there's no harm in telling you who is responsible."
For some reason, merely speaking her own identity caused her expression to tighten slightly.
After a pause, she answered slowly,
"I am Kang, a Star Lord of Heaven."
Her voice became colder.
"You may address me as Star Lord."
Then she asked,
"And now, layman, what is your name?"
Axel grinned lazily.
"Listen carefully then."
He pointed at himself proudly.
"My name is Axel. Axel Sanzang."
Before he could finish speaking, Pigsy suddenly froze.
Then the pig demon slowly turned his head toward Axel with a horrified expression.
"Master?!"