Great Demon Sun Wukong-Chapter 542 - 512 (4.0) Journey to the West

Volume 1 Unspeakable Chapter 5 The True Self

The rock wall collapsed with a tremendous roar, and then, two figures streaked through the air like lightning, their weapons clanging together repeatedly, creating the sounds of metal on metal from before.

At this moment, the Stone Monkey could only move his eyeballs. As he looked on, he was instantly struck dumb. Not far from him, in midair, was a massive, dark-green and black figure standing thirty feet tall. Its head was covered with white hair, and huge eyes periodically shot forth faint golden light. From its gaping mouth, unevenly arranged snow-white fangs gleamed sharply, its body covered in stiff bristles standing erect, with a tuft of long white beard hanging from its chin.

This monster was growling softly, seemingly enraged. As the Stone Monkey watched, he noticed that the creature’s dark green skin was streaked with dark red blood; it had already been injured.

Opposite this beast was a handsome young man, with a face as fine as jade and lips red as drops, exuding the tranquility and beauty of a lady. His black tight-fitting clothes delineated his silhouette, and he donned a wasp waist and long, ape-like arms, with a long spear in hand that flickered at the tip like a serpent’s tongue, pointed directly at the creature.

"Wu Zhiqi, you have nowhere to run, surrender!" the handsome youth shouted.

Wu Zhiqi! Was this giant ape Wu Zhiqi? Hearing this, the Stone Monkey’s mind was a swirl of shock waves. If this beast was Wu Zhiqi, then the handsome youth must be Crown Prince Xiao Zhang.

The Stone Monkey clearly remembered that Crown Prince Xiao Zhang was a disciple of the Great Saint National Master Bodhisattva, and had assisted the Great Saint National Master Bodhisattva and the Four Great Divine Generals in subduing the Lady of the Water Spirits. The name Lady of the Water Spirits was a later mispronunciation; the entity’s true form was none other than Wu Zhiqi.

Wu Zhiqi, since Ancient Times, had caused chaos in the Huai River, stirring up storms and endangering the people. When Yu the Great controlled the waters, he summoned the Heavenly Gods, none of whom could subdue the beast. It was only after calling forth the Divine Beast Kui Dragon that Wu Zhiqi was finally restrained and suppressed beneath Turtle Mountain, and since then, the Huai River had been calm.

At this thought, the Stone Monkey became puzzled. Strange? If Wu Zhiqi had been suppressed, how had it escaped again? Perhaps this Wu Zhiqi was not the one from before? Or was the story of its suppression simply a rumor?

As his thoughts were in turmoil, the battle resumed.

Despite Wu Zhiqi’s massive form, Crown Prince Xiao Zhang seemed diminutive in its presence. However, Wu Zhiqi was deathly afraid of the Prince’s spear and dared not get close. Wu Zhiqi may have been large, but its movements were incredibly agile. Yet, it seemed troubled by an inner ailment, as its movements would halt momentarily whenever the Crown Prince attacked. Wu Zhiqi had no weapon and would use its body to withstand the spear’s electric sheen when evasion failed; those clashing sounds the Stone Monkey had heard earlier came about in this manner.

Indestructible as Wu Zhiqi’s skin seemed, it could not withstand the electric blue flicker; a slash of light would be followed by blood sprinkling from the air. Desperate to escape, Wu Zhiqi found the air seemingly cast with spells, preventing its flight at every turn, causing it to roar in anger continuously.

Seeing Wu Zhiqi trapped and frantically furious, the Stone Monkey felt a surge of unexplained sympathy. He recalled a chapter from "Free and Unfettered" in the Water Curtain Cave: "There is a bird named Kunpeng, with a back like Mount Tai, wings like clouds cascading from the heavens, which, stirring up a whirlwind from the sea, soars ninety thousand miles upward, passes beyond even the clouds and the heavens..."

Wu Zhiqi was like a Kunpeng caged, with myriad longing yet endlessly shackled by reality.

Crown Prince Xiao Zhang wielded his Divine Spear with an air that was impenetrable, his valiant stance majestic like a Heavenly God, and after about a quarter of an hour, Wu Zhiqi could no longer escape or dodge. The enormous body curled up, its defiant eyes dimming in their golden glow, and the stiff hairs fell limp and drooping.

At that moment, a lucky cloud approached from afar. Four silver-armored divinities descended from the cloud, spreading out a large net to ensnare Wu Zhiqi. The net was like fine silver threads, exceedingly thin and sharp, and as each thread buried into the flesh, Wu Zhiqi, as if dead, made no sound at all.

One of the divinities said, "His Highness’s spear technique is getting sharper and sharper." Another divinity replied, "Indeed, indeed, with His Highness’s extraordinary talent, subduing this demon monkey is naturally effortless."

Demon monkey? Demon Monkey!

A thought stirred in the Stone Monkey’s mind. They called Wu Zhiqi a demon monkey, could it be that Wu Zhiqi was also of the monkey kind? Looking more carefully, he realized that indeed, in its weakened state, Wu Zhiqi, apart from its colossal size, resembled a docile monkey. "It is of the same kind as I am," thought the Stone Monkey.

The Four Divine Generals captured Wu Zhiqi and, lifting the giant net, rode the clouds away. At that moment, the eyes in the net suddenly snapped open, looking directly towards the Stone Monkey. It saw me! The Stone Monkey could sense that Wu Zhiqi had definitely seen him. In that glare, there was desolation, grievance, defiance, and sorrow…

Crown Prince Zhang flicked his wrist, and the silver spear in his hand disappeared into thin air. He walked gently through the sky, reaching the Stone Monkey in only two or three steps, taking him in attentively. He thought to himself, "Master has asked me to bring this Stone Monkey back to the temple, but I wonder why." With a sweep of his sleeve, he wrapped the Stone Monkey inside, and then soared up into the heavens, heading back to fulfill the command.

Once inside the sleeve, the Stone Monkey’s body instantly warmed up; it felt not like being enveloped in silk cotton but as if it were woven from fine gold threads.

In just a moment, he felt the ground under him, and the Stone Monkey was placed down. Before him stood a majestic mountain gate, three stories tall and made of white jade, with the words "Great Saint Zen Temple" inscribed in golden lettering above.

Stepping through the mountain gate, he saw grand halls and pavilions, layered terraces surrounded by colorful clouds, and winding corridors. In the distance, a nine-story pagoda shone brightly, likely a place of importance.

Without a word, Crown Prince Zhang led the Stone Monkey into the grand hall. An elder sat calmly inside, his long eyebrows draping down to his cheeks, topped with a layer of faintly black curly hair. He was dressed in simple monk’s robes and his face wore a kind countenance. On either side of him stood a young novice monk, both with red lips and white teeth, clear eyebrows and handsome eyes, respectfully standing by.

Seeing Crown Prince Zhang enter the hall, the elder revealed a slight smile, "Disciple, you have gained something today." Crown Prince Zhang brought his hands together and bowed, saying, "I was three parts faster than last time, but Wu Zhiqi seems to have noticed something. His spiritual wisdom is greater than before."

"Hmm," the elder responded, betraying neither joy nor anger, and Crown Prince Zhang slowly stepped back.

The elder turned his gaze to the Stone Monkey, murmuring to himself, "Ling Ming Stone Monkey, truly a unique creature of heaven and earth." With his eyes half-closed and his left hand tugged into his sleeve, he silently calculated for the duration of half an incense stick, and then he opened his eyes, slightly astonished: "This Stone Monkey has been in this world for but a year, yet already a great calamity looms over him, how strange. Let’s see which calamity he will encounter."

The elder fixed his eyes on the Stone Monkey, saying, "You, Stone Monkey, do you know where you come from?"

The Stone Monkey had been waiting quietly for a long time and hastily seized the chance to speak, "I come from the Flower Fruit Mountain in East Shengzhou."

"Hmm, you indeed understand the heavens’ timing and the earth’s advantage. Do you have parents?"

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"No father, no mother, but I have several brothers."

"Do you have a name?"

"I have no name?"

"I shall give you one—" The elder’s words came to an abrupt halt as if someone had stopped him. His intended words might have been "Shall I give you a name?" but his expression unchanged, he continued, "I shall give you a set — of clothes and you will stay here at the Great Saint Zen Temple."

Doubts cropped up in the Stone Monkey’s mind; the elder was Crown Prince Zhang’s master, naturally the revered Wang Bodhisattva, the national teacher who subdued Wu Zhiqi. When Sun Wukong couldn’t deal with the Green Ox Demon and came here to seek help, his most classic line was, "...but it’s the early summer, the time when the waters of the Huai River are rising, and I’ve just subdued the Water Ape Great Saint. That creature thrives in water; I fear in my absence, he might cause trouble and there’s no deity to control him."

In the whole of "Journey to the West," it seems Tathagata is the most powerful and Jade Emperor has the greatest authority. But the Stone Monkey, who had almost completely figured out "Journey to the West," knew that there were many hidden giants in this world. What surfaces is merely the tip of the iceberg, barely worth mentioning. The arrogance in the phrase "no deity to control" from Wang Bodhisattva was immense, as if he viewed all the immortals as nothing; from this single phrase, one could imagine how capable he must be.

He was about to name me, clearly intending to take me under his wing, but why did he suddenly change his words as if forcefully stopped by someone else? Who has the power and the ability to influence the decisions of Wang Bodhisattva, the Great Saint national teacher?

At that moment, the Stone Monkey couldn’t help but think of Patriarch Bodhi. From the moment the Beautiful Monkey King set out to roam the seas in "Journey to the West," every second of his life was arranged by others. Although he seemed to have unlimited glory, he had actually lost his true self long ago. Now that I have come to this world, I will not allow my life to be the same.

A fate controlled by others, even if glorious, is but a puppet’s life; what meaning does it hold then? Only the true self is the real self. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it with a recommendation ticket or monthly pass at Starting Point (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)