Rat in Yellow Wind Ridge, rising from plundering entries

Chapter 34 The Rat Passes, Feathers Are Plucked! Monkey Brother’s Ambitions Rise—The Hermit Monk of Mount Futuo!

The Yellow Wind King and Sun Wukong returned to Flower Fruit Mountain, where Sun Wukong was in high spirits. Seated upon his throne, he proudly showed off his new weapon to the monkeys, demonstrating its power.

Then, he activated the Dharma-Body Transformation, growing ten thousand feet tall.

Head like a great mountain,

Waist like towering cliffs,

Eyes like flashing lightning,

Mouth like a blood basin,

Teeth like swords and halberds.

Even his Golden-Hoop Staff swelled to the size of a sky pillar, emanating overwhelming might. The entire Flower Fruit Mountain trembled. The seventy-two demon kings and all the mountain demons were utterly stunned, trembling as they bowed in submission.

This was not mere boasting—It was a show of dominance, a reminder that among demon kings, strength reigns supreme. The various demon lords, though appearing humble, were all shrewd beings.

Sensing Sun Wukong’s rise in power, they gathered to congratulate him, presenting their respects. A grand feast was prepared within the Water Curtain Cave, filled with delicacies and fine wines.

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After the banquet, Sun Wukong conferred titles and rewards.

The Four Elder Monkeys were promoted to “Generals of Might”.

The Two Red-Bottomed Horse Monkeys were named “Marshal Ma” and “Marshal Liu”.

The Two White-Backed Gibbons were appointed “General Beng” and “General Ba”.

Now armed with his divine weapon, Sun Wukong’s ambition burned even brighter. His restless nature made it difficult to remain on Flower Fruit Mountain for long.

Though life was merry, it was also becoming dull. He sought out the Yellow Wind King.

“Brother, with our skills and divine powers, there are no worthy opponents in this mountain. Why not travel the world, seek out heroes, and challenge them to duels?”

Yellow Wind King, who had been studying the enchantments of his Dragon Palace weapons, paused.

He clapped his forehead, laughing.

“Monkey Brother, I nearly forgot—I do have a place to go!”

Sun Wukong’s eyes sparkled.

“Oh? Where to?”

Yellow Wind King explained:

“Do you remember the Ruyi Daoist who visited me when we first met?”

Sun Wukong nodded.

“Of course!”

“That Ruyi Daoist is actually a bull demon from Western Continent (Xiniu Hezhou). He has an elder brother—the Demon King of Bulls (Niu Mo Wang).”

“This year, during the Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan Jie), he will be celebrating his one-thousandth birthday and has invited me to the feast.”

Sun Wukong lit up with excitement.

“Excellent! A great occasion!”

Grinning, he continued.

“If he is a demon king of the Western Continent, and it’s his thousand-year celebration, then surely many demon kings will be invited!”

“Why not go together, enjoy the festivities, and test our skills against these powerful demons?”

The Yellow Wind King nodded in agreement.

“But before we go, I must return to Yellow Wind Ridge first.”

“Monkey Brother, feel free to roam as you wish—just meet me at Yellow Wind Ridge before the Ghost Festival.”

“No problem!”

Sun Wukong eagerly agreed.

He left the management of Flower Fruit Mountain to the four generals and soared into the skies on his cloud.

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The Yellow Wind King, knowing Sun Wukong’s nature, did not try to tie him down. He opened his magical pouch—the Qiankun Bag he had crafted from the stomach of the Thunder Toad.

Inside, he stored all the treasures and materials he had gathered from Flower Fruit Mountain—A jade mine, a thousand-year-old peach tree struck by divine lightning, the rare Five-Leaf Vine from sheer cliffs, a massive Moonstone, which he had already refined for its Lunar Essence.

Unfortunately, he had failed to capture the elusive Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng Spirit—a missed opportunity.

An old monkey, seeing this, clutched his chest in agony.

“Damn it! The rat passes, feathers are plucked!”

Having followed Yellow Wind King, he understood just how precious these materials were.

“So many treasures are gone!”

To different beings, the value of an item varies—To a commoner, a thousand-year-old tree is best chopped down for firewood.

To a noble, it could be a palace pillar, a finely carved ornament, or exquisite beads.

Flower Fruit Mountain, while not overflowing with treasures, held many natural wonders that the demons failed to recognize.

“They don’t know what they have—they use precious artifacts as chamber pots!”

The Yellow Wind King laughed.

“Old Monkey, don’t be so stingy! I taught you ironworking, brewing, and farming—aren’t those worth more?”

The old monkey grumbled, but in truth, he respected Yellow Wind King’s generosity.

“He gave us knowledge that can be passed down forever. Compared to that, those treasures were meant for him by fate.”

After saying farewell to the monkeys and demons, the Yellow Wind King rode his cloud across the vast Southern Continent (Jambudvipa, Nanzhan Buzhou).

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As he passed over Eastern Earth, he saw pillars of golden and divine light rising from the land. These were the flourishing scholarly and martial energies of the mighty Han Dynasty.

“Magnificent!”

Yellow Wind King marveled.

“This is truly a realm of heroes, treasures, and legends!”

However, he kept his distance. A mighty empire’s presence repelled demons and spirits—even great immortals avoided interference.

Furthermore, Daoist sages and Buddhist monks thrived here. Even Xiniu Hezhou’s Lingshan (Spirit Mountain) had established a monastery in the Eastern Han capital. Any demon foolish enough to cause trouble would be skinned alive before entering the gates.

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Following the general route of the Tang Monk’s future pilgrimage, he surveyed the lands.

The Five Elements Mountain (where Wukong would be trapped) did not yet exist.

Guanyin’s Temple was nowhere to be seen.

Black Wind Mountain had yet to earn its name, and the Black Bear Spirit was likely still cultivating elsewhere.

Yellow Wind King admired Black Bear Spirit, knowing he was well-read and eloquent.

Refined and cultured, enough to impress Guanyin herself.

Morally upright, understanding right and wrong.

Respectful and kind to his friends.

Powerful enough to fight Sun Wukong evenly.

This proved he had a master and had undergone proper training. Guanyin must have recognized his potential and recruited him as a guardian.

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As he neared a towering mountain, he suddenly sensed a radiant, golden light hidden within. For just a fleeting moment, it shone like a miniature sun, before vanishing without a trace.

“That’s… Mount Futuo! The dwelling of the Hermit Monk Ucchushma (Wuchao Chanshi)!”

A mysterious and powerful figure, comparable to Subhuti himself. But the Yellow Wind King had no desire to get involved with such a formidable being. Some karmic entanglements were best left untouched.

As he flew away, deep within the ancient hollow of Mount Futuo, a pair of golden eyes opened.

A monk chuckled.

“A clever one—he knows how to avoid unnecessary troubles.”

“A Lunar Fiend Body touched by that person’s Dao… No wonder she’s grown restless.”