Rat in Yellow Wind Ridge, rising from plundering entries

Chapter 25 Brother Monkey Arrives! The True Immortal of Ruyi and News of the Bull Demon King!

Huang Fengwang ascended to immortality, and celestial rain blessed the land. The demons, flora, and fauna all benefited, refining their breath and cultivation.

On the shore, minor demons molted into new forms, golden carp in the lake transformed into dragons, and the peach seeds Huang Fengwang had planted broke through the soil with fresh leaves.

Even the entire region, nourished by the divine rain, began to stir with spiritual energy, subtly reuniting a dormant dragon vein. Mist rolled across the lake, and spiritual essence was born.

It was foreseeable that in the near future, more spiritual herbs and trees would sprout, drawing in spiritual birds and beasts. With the congregation of spiritual creatures, their essence would, in turn, enrich the land, creating an unending cycle of growth—a place destined to become an immortal paradise.

As the saying goes—A mountain need not be high—its renown comes from the presence of an immortal. A river need not be deep—its sanctity comes from the presence of a dragon.

Huang Fengwang felt a realization stir within him.

“The Dao of Heaven and Earth, the Dao of all beings, the Dao of nature… Where is the Dao? The Dao lies beneath one’s feet.”

“Heh! A good saying—the Dao lies beneath one’s feet! Brother Huang, it’s been a while, and you’ve gained such fortune!”

A familiar mischievous voice rang out.

Huang Fengwang looked up and saw a cloud descending. It was none other than the Handsome Monkey King of Flower-Fruit Mountain—Sun Wukong!

Sharp-faced, bareheaded, wearing a red tunic, a yellow sash around his waist, and black boots on his feet.

Huang Fengwang smiled.

“Brother Monkey, it’s been a long time. I hope you’ve been well.”

He made a quick mental calculation—he had left for over half a year. It seemed Sun Wukong had finally left the mountain after showing off his abilities.

“All is well, all is well!”

Though Sun Wukong spoke cheerfully, his eyes carried a hint of loneliness, no doubt because he had been cast out of Fangcun Mountain, leaving him melancholic.

“Since Brother Monkey has come, let me treat you well. Drink wine, eat meat, and enjoy yourself with me!”

“Heh, good! Brother Huang, I appreciate it!”

Sun Wukong did not hesitate.

Huang Fengwang summoned his left chancellor to prepare spiritual fruits and fine wine, while the right general went hunting, and the golden carp sent over seafood.

The officers, alongside the gathered demons, happily arranged tables, placing wooden plates, bowls, and chopsticks in order. The fox maidens from Hundred Fox Mountain led the female demons in cooking exquisite dishes, presenting a banquet of a hundred delicacies.

A troupe of demons played flutes and drums, singing and dancing. The atmosphere was lively and grand.

“Brother Huang, your demons… they are unlike ordinary ones! They know decorum, act with discipline—this is truly something remarkable!”

Sun Wukong exclaimed, clicking his tongue in admiration.

Huang Fengwang grinned.

“Demons are also sentient beings. They eat raw meat and drink blood only because they lack education.”

Sun Wukong nodded. At Fangcun Mountain, he had seen his senior disciples—some of whom were demons—yet they possessed refined speech and divine grace, superior even to many immortals.

Conversely, in the mountains, unrefined demons were steeped in malice, filthy and repugnant—purely due to a lack of education and proper guidance.

“Brother Huang is truly remarkable.”

“I should learn from this. If I return to Flower-Fruit Mountain, I must teach my kin well. Perhaps some of them might even become immortal demons.”

Sun Wukong was an exceptional learner. Observing keenly, he had realized from the very first meeting that Huang Fengwang was no ordinary demon. In truth, with his pride, few demons could even catch his attention, let alone be acknowledged as a brother.

Huang Fengwang and Sun Wukong sat at the head of the banquet, chatting freely. The two demons were sharp-minded and understood each other well, refraining from calling each other ‘senior’ or ‘junior’, so as not to go against the instructions of Patriarch Bodhi before parting ways.

Huang Fengwang took another look at Sun Wukong’s stats—this time, they were no longer incomplete.

Good heavens!

Monkey Bro’s potential was absolutely insane! Unfortunately, an entry could only be plundered once per target. Huang Fengwang had tried multiple times—once he defeated someone, he could no longer plunder from them, just as if they were dead.

Otherwise, he would have already grabbed Monkey Bro by the fur, plucking him bald until he had no path left to walk!

For three days, Huang Fengwang and Sun Wukong feasted, drank, and played in the mountains, indulging in revelry. Then, on the third day, a report came from the rat general. “My king, a Daoist has arrived outside. He calls himself the True Immortal of Ruyi and requests an audience.”

“Oh?”

Huang Fengwang was intrigued. True Immortal of Ruyi? He pondered—was this person mentioned in Journey to the West? Then, it hit him—Wasn’t he the younger brother of the Bull Demon King?

Sun Wukong stood up.

“Brother, since you have a guest, I won’t intrude. I’ll return to Flower-Fruit Mountain.”

Huang Fengwang said, “Brother Monkey, stay a few more days. Once I deal with this, we can drink again.”

Sun Wukong waved his hand.

“I saw how lively your domain is. I’ve started missing my own monkeys and apes. I’ll go back first. When I have time, I’ll somersault ten thousand miles in an instant—drinking together won’t be a problem.”

Hearing this, Huang Fengwang had someone fetch a set of attire—a tiger-skin hat, tiger-skin skirt, and tiger-skin boots for Sun Wukong. A true display of ferocity and vigor—mighty as a dragon, fierce as a tiger!

Sun Wukong strode outside, made a hand seal, flipped in midair, and vanished into the clouds in the blink of an eye. The rat general, the old black fox, and the other demon commanders were astounded. That monkey looked unassuming, but his abilities were immense.

A Daoist watched the cloud-born figure disappear and grew curious. Before long, the camp gates opened, and a demon officer led him inside.

As he walked through the stronghold, he was astonished by what he saw. On one side, an old fox led demons in morning studies, reading the Thousand Character Classic and reciting the Tao Te Ching.

On the other side, a hundred demons chanted and marched in formation, all dressed uniformly, exuding an air of discipline.

“What a demon king! He understands education, military training, and strategy. He must have a powerful background! But whose disciple is he?”

His eyes flickered with thoughts. The demons of the Southern Continent were indeed different—far superior to the ones in the Western Continent.

He committed what he saw to memory, intending to report back to his elder brother. Upon entering the main hall, he saw a demon king seated on the throne.

White fur, bright eyes, radiating divine clarity—dressed in Daoist robes, exuding no trace of demonic aura, appearing as a true cultivator.

The demon king spoke.

“Who goes there?”

The Daoist bowed respectfully.

“Great King, I am from Xiniu Hezhou, of Chiyang Mountain’s Jitu Manor, younger brother to the Bull Demon King, titled the True Immortal of Ruyi. I have come by my brother’s decree to pay my respects.”

Chiyang Mountain, Jitu Manor?

Huang Fengwang was puzzled—a completely unfamiliar name?

Then he remembered—this was still over five hundred years before Journey to the West. It suddenly made sense.