Chapter 14: The Slanting Moon and Three Stars Cave
Several days later, beneath the Flower-Fruit Mountain, a crowd of monkeys gathered to see off their king in unison.
“Great King, please return soon.”
“Great King, take good care of yourself.”
Each monkey gazed at the Handsome Monkey King with deep reluctance.
“All right, all right, my little ones, you may return now, all of you,” the Handsome Monkey King said, standing on the wooden raft. He waved his hand, then wiped the sparkling tears from the corner of his eyes. Pushing the raft forward, he drifted toward the vast sea.
As for Yu Qiye, he had long since taken his place perched upon the Monkey King's shoulder.
---
Across the boundless ocean, there was a monkey and a crow.
“I always said, how could a monkey possibly cross the sea?” Yu Qiye sighed in his heart.
Throughout the journey, he had kept his powers concealed.
He wished to reveal them to assist the Monkey King in crossing the ocean swiftly.
But countless pairs of ‘eyes’ watched from the shadows.
Didn’t you see? When the Monkey King was hungry, schools of fish appeared.
When he was tired, the north wind would come to his aid.
Though storms occasionally roared over the sea, the wooden raft remained untouched, as pristine as ever.
“There are noble helpers in the shadows,” Yu Qiye thought, refraining further from revealing his talents.
He simply stood quietly on the Monkey King’s shoulder, occasionally pecking at spirit fruits and sipping from the liquor the Monkey King carried.
Time flew like a fleeting horse, and in the blink of an eye, several years had passed.
“Old Crow, when will this ever end?” The Monkey King’s voice was tinged with bitterness.
Opening his eyes, there was nothing but blue sky and white clouds or the vast sea.
As for food, it was either this fish or that fish.
Even the stone monkeys formed from spirit stones could not endure it.
“Caw, caw...” The crow cried repeatedly but said no more.
Having cultivated successfully, Yu Qiye had long since mastered fasting.
He could go without eating.
Eating fish was merely for appearances, and to accompany the Monkey King.
Yet suddenly, as if sensing something, Yu Qiye spread his wings and flew up.
In the distance, a massive silhouette slowly emerged.
“Land! I see land! I can finally stop eating fish...” The Monkey King leaped up excitedly.
These years adrift on the ocean had truly stifled him.
Grabbing a wooden stick nearby, he began to row the raft.
---
Before long, setting foot on solid ground, the Monkey King danced with excitement.
“Monsters! There are monsters!”
Suddenly, a shout came from nearby.
Several fishermen, fishing by the shore, caught sight of the furry-faced, thunder-mouthed Monkey King and fled in panic.
“Oh?” The Monkey King scratched his head in confusion, then suddenly brightened as if struck by an idea.
He hurried forward, caught up with one fisherman, grabbed his clothes, and draped them over himself, disguising himself in human form.
---
Yu Qiye quietly observed this all.
Or rather, he had long since found his role.
He was an observer.
No interference, no impact.
Whether the Monkey King could find the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave was not Yu Qiye’s concern.
Spirit Terrace, Mind Mountain, Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave!
“Mind” is another name for the heart, and “Slanting Moon Three Stars” refers to the shape of the character for “heart.”
Thus, the cave of Patriarch Bodhi is also called the ‘Heart Cave.’
When fate allows, one meets anywhere.
Without fate, no matter how hard one searches, meeting is difficult.
And the Monkey King was undoubtedly a man of fate.
---
The Monkey King and Yu Qiye journeyed through the mortal realm.
They passed through cities, crossed rivers, climbed mountains, seeking the abodes of immortals.
Yu Qiye’s story aside, the Monkey King heard many mortal words and witnessed many mortal affairs.
He learned the rules of the world.
He understood that meals must be paid for, and that one must greet others properly.
As for the immortal caves, they searched a few.
But they were driven away before even entering the gates.
“Furry, horned creatures, seeking immortality and the Way?” A youth sneered coldly.
The Monkey King said nothing and quietly turned away.
Yet no one noticed the blood crow perched on his shoulder, whose eyes flashed with icy sharpness.
In his past life, he was human.
But in this life, he was a demon.
That youth’s words were not only directed at the Monkey King but at him as well.
“You should be grateful I have not killed in many years.”
---
Searching and searching, the Monkey King’s enthusiasm remained undiminished.
Then one day, as if guided by intuition, he arrived deep within a mountain.
From the forest depths came a drifting song:
“Watching chess pieces decay, chopping wood ding-ding, at the valley’s edge... wielding an axe to sever withered vines... neither immortal nor mortal, sitting quietly reciting the Yellow Court Scripture.”
Hearing this song, Yu Qiye smiled.
“Have we finally arrived?”
Flapping his wings, he alerted the Monkey King to the presence of others.
“Old Crow, immortals!” The Monkey King exclaimed, rushing forward into the thicket.
Soon, a woodcutter appeared before Yu Qiye and the Monkey King.
Dressed in simple cloth, sandals beneath his feet, and holding an axe, the woodcutter regarded the Monkey King calmly.
Yet when he saw Yu Qiye, he seemed somewhat surprised.
Raising an eyebrow, he appraised Yu Qiye, then subtly shook his head.
---
Guided by the woodcutter, the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave was close at hand.
The Monkey King, accompanied by Yu Qiye, headed to the mountain’s deepest part.
But after seeing the Monkey King off, Yu Qiye departed and the woodcutter’s demeanor changed.
An indescribable sharpness surged forth from him.
---
“Strange. I cannot discern the Monkey King’s true nature, which is one thing, but why can I not discern this blood crow?”
“Could it be that, always by the Monkey King’s side, it has absorbed his karmic ties and thus confounded fate?”
The woodcutter was puzzled.
Yet at that moment, he did not know that fear also filled Yu Qiye’s face.
A powerful figure.
And not just any powerful figure.
Though only glimpsed briefly, Yu Qiye had seen:
[Race: ???]
[Rank: ???]
[Attributes: ???]
Question marks.
All question marks.
It must be known that Yu Qiye had long since reached the pinnacle of demon generals.
He was only half a step away from becoming a true demon king.
Few could reveal such inscrutable mystery to him.
“This woodcutter is truly playing a role.”
Lost in thought, Yu Qiye noticed the Monkey King had arrived before an immortal’s cave.
The cave shimmered with mist and radiant clouds, exuding an ineffable charm.
Before the cave stood a stone tablet.
Carved upon it were ten characters:
“Spirit Terrace Mind Mountain,”
“Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave.”
---
Perhaps from previous repeated humiliations in the mortal world,
the Monkey King felt a rare shyness and refrained from acting rashly.
He simply waited outside, occasionally lifting his eyes to gaze toward the cave’s entrance.
“Patriarch Bodhi, the master strategist, how could he not know the Monkey King has arrived, yet I...” Yu Qiye’s expression was complicated.
He did not know in what attitude he should meet Patriarch Bodhi.
---
Inside the cave, Patriarch Bodhi stroked his white beard and looked to a nearby youth.
“Outside, two cultivators have arrived. Go and bring them in.”
“Yes, Master,” the youth responded, hesitating.
“Master, I recall it was just a monkey spirit. Where are the two?”
“You go and bring them in!”
“Very well, Master.”
The youth’s expression shifted oddly but he said no more.
---
Moments later, the youth opened the door and saw the monkey, appraising him from head to toe.
Then, as if noticing something, his gaze fell upon the Monkey King’s shoulder.
There, the blood crow stood silently.
“Master said there were two? Could it be you are the other one?”