Great Demon Sun Wukong-Chapter 543 - 512 (5.0) Journey to the West

Volume One: Unspeakable Chapter Six: It’s Fated

A young novice monk led the Stone Monkey down and respectfully guided him to bathe and change clothes, before arranging for him to stay in a side room of the Zen temple. The Stone Monkey had never before been so attended to, and while the monkeys of Flower Fruit Mountain had shown him a respectful deference, how could they comprehend such human formalities? Naturally, it was also the first time since the Stone Monkey came into this world that he had stayed in a proper house, surrounded by ancient-looking tables, chairs, beds, and cabinets, causing a surge of emotion in his heart: Indeed, the encounters in life are unpredictable, a single thought may just be a whole world.

In a past life, he was Shi Hou, but now he had become the Stone Monkey. Had he not come to this world, Sun Wukong’s life would have been exactly as described in "Journey to the West," but from now on, that monkey who switched from rebellion to submission would be no more. Instead, taking its place was this counterfeit Wukong who was well-versed in the story of "Journey to the West."

After the Stone Monkey had been taken down, the Bodhisattva National Teacher of the Great Saint pondered deeply in the great hall: Though the Ling Ming Stone Monkey could be considered a rare and different being between heaven and earth, it certainly wasn’t worthy of the Supreme Lord’s attention. I wanted to give this Stone Monkey a name, so why did he stop me?

Foll𝑜w current novels on fɾēewebnσveℓ.com.

The more he thought about it, the more he was puzzled. No matter how much he tried to apply his vast cosmic powers, the more the calculations seemed plunged into Chaos. Apart from a calamity that the Stone Monkey should face soon, everything else was as elusive and intangible as a flower in a mirror or the moon reflected on water.

Since achieving enlightenment, the Bodhisattva National Teacher of the Great Saint had never encountered such a strange event. The fate of a monkey was actually able to elude the divination of a Taiyi Golden Immortal, isn’t that strange?

It’s futile to linger on this any longer; my mind won’t be at peace. The Bodhisattva flicked his left hand, lifting his sleeve to his forearm, and gracefully pinched a fig to taste. After carefully chewing, he nodded slightly: What a fine Udumbara. (The fig is also known as "Udumbara." "Udumbara" is a transliteration from Sanskrit and refers to a mythical flower in Buddhism, mentioned in the "Lotus Sutra, Chapter of Expedient Means.")

Walking slowly to the courtyard, the Bodhisattva National Teacher of the Great Saint looked up and saw a resplendent Udumbara Flower Tree on the edge of the corridor, shining dazzlingly as if covered in bright purity. At that moment, his heart stirred slightly: As said in "Commentaries on the Lotus Sutra," Udumbara flowers are omens of sacredness. They appear once every three thousand years, and when they do, a Golden Wheel King appears.

In Buddhism, there is a great emphasis on cause and effect, interconnectedness; everything and every being has inexplicable relations. If this Stone Monkey were related to this fig tree, could it be that he has some connection with that Golden Wheel King?

Absurd, utterly absurd, the Bodhisattva shook his head at such thoughts. The Golden Wheel King is one of the thirty-two Dharma Bodies of the Wheel-Turning Sage King, the most supreme of all kings since the beginning of heaven and earth, the king of all kings, the Buddha of all Buddhas. How could there be any link with this newly born monkey.

He pondered for a moment longer but could not see through the mystery and ultimately sighed softly. It seems that the workings of destiny are infinite and not within the power of a Bodhisattva to influence.

In the side room, the Stone Monkey caressed each exquisitely carved item one by one, his movements extremely slow, as if he couldn’t bear to part with any of them. But his mind never stopped pondering.

Being brought to this place by the Bodhisattva National Teacher of the Great Saint, although he had found a temporary place to stay, his fortune or misfortune was yet to be determined. Judging by the Bodhisattva National Teacher’s demeanor, there seemed to be some intention to keep him around earlier. If he could leverage the innate talents of the Ling Ming Stone Monkey to become his disciple, he would certainly learn extraordinary skills that could pave the way for another domain in the future.

Unfortunately, all these possibilities had been halted by the intervention of a mysterious figure, someone who was certainly no ordinary immortal and whose stature was clearly above that of the Bodhisattva National Teacher of the Great Saint. Moreover, it seemed he knew the destined path for himself... Otherwise, what would the life or death of a mere monkey matter to him?

The Stone Monkey speculated on many characters: Tathagata? Lord Lao? Bodhi? Guanyin? Any could be possible, yet none seemed certain. After much thought, the Stone Monkey finally gave up. The curtain to this grand spectacle had only just begun to rise, and indeed, no clear leads were evident. Being in the mountains and yet lacking the power, he thought it best to conserve his energy.

That night, the Stone Monkey tossed and turned on his bed, unable to sleep, feeling as though a pair of eyes were watching him from the shadows. This sensation was incredibly subtle and naturally untraceable at its source.

He got up and walked to the courtyard and saw two lustrous Bright Pearls embedded at the corner of the roof’s eave, lighting the entire yard as bright as daylight. The courtyard was filled with flowering clusters, fragrant and pleasing.

The Bodhisattva National Teacher of the Great Saint resided in Sizhou, but in fact, this place was still within the bounds of the Southern Jambudvipa. As Wukong made his way here, the base of the mountain was covered in snow and ice, yet the mountaintop enjoyed a springlike climate—it was indeed a land of the immortals, incomparable to the mundane world.

As Wukong stood under a peach tree, a gentle breeze carried the petals which occasionally fell, swirling through the air gracefully as if reluctant to touch the ground—their journey through the air seemingly depicting the life of each petal.

The Stone Monkey caught one and held it in his hand, feeling a sense of poignancy: For such a petal, to fall is to have already died. How similar is the bustle of living beings in this world to these peach blossoms?

In life, they cluster together, full of vibrancy, but in death, they fall alone and return to the earth, unnoticed. In life, there’s clamor; in death, tranquil beauty. Is sadness not also a form of bliss?

What’s truly to be feared is a life that is worse than death.

The Stone Monkey shivered from deep within his heart as he thought about the life of the Beautiful Monkey King. Birthed from the stone, he learned arts from across the seas, retrieved treasures from the ocean depths, self-proclaimed as the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, and caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace... These were moments of boundless glory, yet all that rises must fall. Once suppressed under the Five Elements Mountain, the Beautiful Monkey King no longer held his former bluster that commanded the winds and clouds. Instead, he became a cautious enforcer, constrained by a tight band around his head, always wary and looking over his shoulder. Later on, after enduring endless hardships, he obtained the scriptures and became a Buddha.

Becoming a Buddha, becoming a Buddha meant becoming empty, becoming nothingness, dissipating like smoke and clouds. The Great Sage Equalling Heaven was gone, the Beautiful Monkey King who stormed the heavens was gone, the eldest brother was gone, the one who donned a tiger skin skirt and boldly commanded, "Demons, halt!"—an embodiment of justice—was gone... Even the original, naked Stone Monkey, born of nature, had disappeared. The world gained merely a wooden Buddha, eyes slightly closed, holding prayer beads like a walking corpse, a Buddha without desire or seeking, without pain or joy, without birth or death, without increase or decrease, without attachments or concerns.

For the Beautiful Monkey King, who was naturally vivacious and sought freedom and rebellion, was this final state enlightenment, or oblivion...?

The more the Stone Monkey thought, the more frightened he became, unconsciously crushing the peach blossom petal in his hand into bits. The tender juice fell into his palm, and the cool sensation vanished in an instant, leaving only the faintest, nearly invisible streak.

This was fate!

What is destined to come will come, and what is not, will not be forced. The fate of the Beautiful Monkey King was predestined, a path recognized and accepted by countless gods and Buddhas, unchangeable and irresistible.

As for myself, I have my own fate, and even if I am ground into mud like this petal, I will not submit to another’s path.

The night was sleepless not just for the Stone Monkey.

The Great Saint, the National Teacher, Bodhisattva, was talking to Crown Prince Zhang in the inner chamber.

"My disciple, what was the Stone Monkey doing when you saw him?" His tone was gentle and calm, epitomizing the serene nature of the Bodhisattva.

Crown Prince Zhang stood respectfully, "Master, at that time, the Stone Monkey’s body was stiff, unable to move or speak, evidently frozen by Master’s powerful spell.

"Could you discern his level of cultivation?"

"Master, although the Stone Monkey is young, his cultivation has already reached the First Rank of Mortal Immortals. As for his cultivation base, there is not a trace, which I too find strange," replied Crown Prince Zhang.

"Hmm, you saw correctly."

"Do you know your own level of cultivation?"

"I have the cultivation of a Third Rank Heavenly Immortal." Crown Prince Zhang bowed his head, his eyes holding a barely noticeable flicker of resentment.

"Do you resent me for this?" asked the Bodhisattva softly.

Crown Prince Zhang was taken aback, falling to his knees with a thud: "Disciple’s life is a gift from Master, and in this life, I regard you as my own father. I dare not harbor any other thoughts."

The Great Saint, the National Teacher, Bodhisattva’s expression darkened slightly, but his heart was rather pleased. "Rise, what are you saying?" He pondered for a while before continuing, "Remembering the years you have followed me, I shall bestow the Stone Monkey’s creation upon you."

Crown Prince Zhang thanked him repeatedly. After waiting for a while and seeing that Master no longer spoke, obviously having entered meditation, he slowly backed away quietly, like a wandering spirit.

Once Crown Prince Zhang left the room, the Great Saint, the National Teacher, Bodhisattva slowly opened his eyes, thinking to himself: A Mortal Immortal of the First Rank without a trace of cultivation base, he must have obtained some great fortune. If I could uncover this secret, who knows how much it would benefit me? The Mysterious Heavenly Lord is quite concerned about this Stone Monkey; I wonder if it is related to this matter. Let Crown Prince Zhang test the waters; after all, it’s none of my concern. (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Starting Point (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian.com to read.)