27: Chapter 28 Mountain King!

It is said that the Monkey King was foolishly expelled by Tang Seng due to the three strikes against the White Bone Demon.

In a fit of rage, he twirled his Golden Cudgel, summoned his Somersault Cloud, and headed straight for Flower-Fruit Mountain.

High in the clouds, he looked down at the path of the westward journey as it faded into the distance, his heart filled with anger, annoyance, and resentment.

He gripped the Golden Cudgel so tightly it creaked, and his aura of Immortal Qi was shrouded in a hint of hostility.

"My Master has mortal eyes and cannot recognize the true face of the demon; instead, he listened to Pigsy's slanders and drove me away!

To think that I, the Monkey King, once caused Havoc in Heaven, studied under the Ancestral Master to learn my skills, and protected him on this westward journey.

Along the way, I have subdued demons and eliminated evil without ever slacking for a moment; yet, in the end, I have met such a fate!"

The more the Monkey King thought about it, the angrier he became, and he sped up his cloud.

In just a short while, he caught sight of the familiar green mountains and clear waters of Flower-Fruit Mountain.

The banners outside the Water Curtain Cave fluttered in the wind, still possessing the grandeur of the Great Sage the Equal of Heaven from years past.

The monkeys on the mountain had long since spotted the figure in the clouds, and recognizing the Handsome Monkey King who had been away for many years, they immediately cheered and jumped for joy.

One by one, they grabbed onto vines, leaped to the entrance of the cave, and shouted loudly toward the sky.

"The King is back! The King is finally back!"

The Monkey King lowered his cloud and landed in front of the Water Curtain Cave, looking at the monkeys and descendants covering the mountains and plains, both old and young.

They were all weeping with joy, crowding around him, kowtowing and paying their respects.

An old monkey who had followed him during the Havoc in Heaven stepped forward, wiping away tears, and said.

"My King, you have been gone for several years. We hoped for you day and night, fearing that you had met with disaster on the journey to the Western Heaven and would never return!"

Looking at the familiar Flower-Fruit Mountain before him and listening to the earnest words of his monkey descendants.

The anger in the Monkey King's heart dissipated by more than half, replaced by a sense of warmth.

He waved his hand and laughed loudly.

"My children, do not fear, I, the Monkey King, have returned!

These years, I have protected Tang Seng on his pilgrimage to the Western Heaven; although there have been setbacks, there have been no real issues.

It is just that Tang Seng failed to recognize good from evil and drove me away.

From now on, I will stay here on Flower-Fruit Mountain and will no longer concern myself with the business of the pilgrimage to the Western Heaven!"

As soon as he finished speaking, gusts of demonic wind blew outside the Water Curtain Cave.

In the distance, clouds and mist churned, and several streams of Demonic Qi shot up into the sky.

Before long, a group of Devil Kings, leading their underlings, arrived majestically before Flower-Fruit Mountain and bowed in unison to the Monkey King.

At the head were the Bull Demon King, the Flood Dragon Demon King, the Roc Demon King, and others among the seven Great Sages who had sworn brotherhood with the Monkey King years ago.

Behind them followed various Devil Kings from the surrounding areas of Flower-Fruit Mountain, all of them burly and imposing, radiating intense Demonic Qi.

The Bull Demon King stepped forward, patted the Monkey King on the shoulder, and laughed heartily.

"My worthy brother! Hearing that you have returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain, we have brought our brothers to congratulate you!

I just heard that you have resigned from your position as Tang Seng's disciple, which is truly wise!

You are a spiritual monkey born of Heaven and Earth, the Great Sage the Equal of Heaven; why bother humbling yourself to be a disciple of that mortal monk and suffer his restrictions?

Why not stay here on Flower-Fruit Mountain, join us in our righteous cause, and continue to be your carefree Monkey King, happy and free!"

The other Devil Kings chimed in, one by one, urging him loudly.

"Great Sage, that pilgrimage to the Western Heaven is a bitter chore, and Tang Seng is hopelessly pedantic; he is simply not worthy of being your Master!"

"That is right, Great Sage! In these Three Realms, with your abilities, there is nowhere you cannot go; why must you suffer that humiliation!"

The Monkey King sat on the stone chair inside the Water Curtain Cave, looking at the crowd of demons filling the cave.

Listening to everyone's persuasion, he picked up the cup of Immortal Wine from the stone table and drank it in one gulp.

Yet, in his heart, he could not let go of the matter of the westward journey, and it was not out of attachment to his Master, Tang Seng.

Rather, it was because he had promised Guanyin Bodhisattva years ago that he would protect Tang Seng on his pilgrimage and help him attain the righteous fruit.

To give up halfway now would ultimately be a betrayal of his promise.

Furthermore, he knew clearly in his heart that the White Bone Demon was a monster, and that his Master had been foolish to drive him away.

But on the road to the Western Heaven, demons were everywhere, and without him, Tang Seng and his disciples would likely find it difficult to take a single step.

However, what he did not expect was that it would not be impossible to move, but rather just fraught with difficulties.

Beside him, the Flood Dragon Demon King saw the Monkey King's furrowed brows and could not help but ask.

"Worthy brother, are you still thinking about Tang Seng and his disciples?"

The Monkey King put down his wine bowl, sighed, a flash of conflict crossing his eyes, and said in a deep voice.

"My brothers, you do not understand. Although I, the Monkey King, was driven away by my Master, I did, after all, promise Guanyin Bodhisattva that I would protect him on his westward journey.

That Tang Seng has mortal eyes and cannot recognize demons; he only has Pigsy and Ao Lie to protect him.

Pigsy is lazy and slippery, Ao Lie is usually reticent, and Sand Monk..."

Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King could not help but frown and advised.

"Worthy brother, you are just too soft-hearted! Since Tang Seng is heartless, why must you be affectionate?

If he wants to walk the path of death himself, what does that have to do with you?

You should just stay here on Flower-Fruit Mountain, drink and make merry with us, and live a carefree life; wouldn't that be a hundred times better than going to the Western Heaven to suffer?"

"That is right, Great Sage, stay!" the demons chimed in unison, and the Water Curtain Cave was filled with their shouts.

The Monkey King stood up, walked to the entrance of the cave, looked toward the direction of the Western Heaven, and remained silent for a long time.

He remembered that on the journey, although Tang Seng was pedantic, he also possessed a measure of compassion.

Remembering the little moments the Master and disciples had shared along the way, he ultimately could not harden his heart.

He gripped the Golden Cudgel tightly and cupped his hands in a salute to the demons.

"I appreciate the kindness of all you brothers! But I cannot give up on what I have promised halfway.

I am happy to have gathered with you all today, but if Tang Seng and his disciples encounter trouble in the future, I, the Monkey King, fear I cannot sit idly by."

The Devil Kings heard this and did not try to persuade him further, for they all knew the Monkey King's temperament; once he had made up his mind, not even ten bulls could pull him back.

The Bull Demon King could only laugh and say.

"Since my worthy brother's mind is made up, we will not force you.

If you ever suffer grievances on the road to the Western Heaven or encounter trouble you cannot solve, just return to Flower-Fruit Mountain; we brothers will always be here waiting for you!"

"As long as there is no betrayal of righteousness for the sake of family, or mutual slaughter among brothers, we shall be brothers for a lifetime.

As the saying goes, we share the burden in times of trouble and share the blessings in times of prosperity! Hahaha, bottoms up!"

As he said this, the Monkey King felt an ominous premonition for some reason, as if what the Bull Demon King had just said would come to pass for him.

He shook his head with a sheepish smile.

"How could that be? I must be overthinking it!"

...

At that moment, a grand banquet was spread out in the Water Curtain Cave, with the demons gathered together, drinking wine and eating meat—it was quite lively.

On the surface, the Monkey King drank happily and chatted freely with the various Devil Kings.

Yet, his gaze would occasionally turn toward the west, his heart always tethered to Tang Seng and his disciples in the direction of the Black Pine Forest, and he pondered to himself.

"Master, now that you have driven me away, what will you do if you encounter a powerful demon?

I only hope Pigsy and Ao Lie can keep you safe."

At this moment, on Flower-Fruit Mountain, the demons were of one mind, and it was exceptionally lively.

Although the Monkey King had returned to his homeland and was once again the carefree Handsome Monkey King, the worries in his heart had never been set aside.

He knew deeply that the pilgrimage to the Western Heaven was, in itself, a trial of tribulations.

With his departure, a massive calamity was already waiting for Tang Seng and his disciples.

And what he did not know was that, at this moment inside the Black Pine Forest, Ao Lie was carefully protecting Tang Seng, along with Pigsy.

Step by step, they walked into the demon's trap, and a crisis had already quietly descended.

The banquet lasted from the day well into the night, and the Monkey King was dead drunk.

Yet in his dreams, he was still on the road to the Western Heaven, with the Golden Cudgel lying quietly by his side, emitting a faint golden light, as if waiting for the moment to set out again.

The gathering of demons on Flower-Fruit Mountain, while appearing carefree and free, was ultimately tied to the fate of the westward journey to the Western Heaven.

Perhaps the Monkey King had already made up his mind at this moment.

"I must go back! Go back and continue to protect him on his westward journey! I am still that Senior Brother!"