Who let him join the Sword Sect!

Chapter 409 of Journey to the West is like this.
No one paid attention to the trivial matter that happened in the cat's den on Fushan Mountain. Zhang Ze followed Monkey Brother eastward for several miles until they came to a small river.

"Be careful."

After saying this, Monkey King jumped across the river and stood on the opposite bank. He raised his short stick, and with a humming sound, a spark of spiritual fire ignited at the tip of the stick.

He raised the short stick and shook it. As if affected by the spiritual fire, a moss-covered dead tree in front of Monkey King suddenly trembled.

Immediately, a crack appeared in front of them.

A moment later, the crack widened, peeling back layer by layer like cardamom pods, revealing a narrow passage barely wide enough for a person to pass through.

"What is this?" Ah Li, who was perched on Zhang Ze's head, asked curiously.

"This is the mother tree of the people of Changzhou." Monkey King extinguished his spiritual fire and gestured for Zhang Ze and A Li to follow him inside.

But A-Li didn't move. She sat on Zhang Ze's head, looking around, searching for a plant that resembled the Mother Tree.

However, apart from those floating mountains, there isn't a single tree taller than three meters in the surrounding area.

In Ah Li's memory, a plant that could be called a mother tree should at least be the same size as the giant tree in Linglu Valley.

"Our mother tree grows underground," Monkey's muffled voice came from the entrance of the dead tree.

Zhang Ze and A Li exchanged a glance and then followed him inside.

Once you enter the small opening, the interior opens up dramatically. The passage is constructed from twisted and tangled roots and is spacious enough for several people to walk side by side.

Because firefly-like light flickers between the roots from time to time, the passage is not dark.

"You all know the situation here in Changzhou. There aren't many good places. If you want to live a few more days, you have to learn to coexist with other living beings."

As he spoke, Monkey King tossed an unidentified piece of dried fruit into his little brother's mouth.

According to Monkey King, the Mother Tree is not a single tree, but a collective term for a large group of underground trees. Monkey King does not know its name, but only that it has been growing underground in Changzhou since ancient times.

"The roots of the mother tree are interconnected, and one can travel hundreds of miles in an instant while walking through it."

"This is an underground maze, and also a teleportation array unique to Changzhou. Stay close, or you'll get lost," Monkey King advised.

Following behind Monkey King, walking through this ant-like network of paths, Zhang Ze clearly felt the rhythm of the surrounding spiritual energy.

With those root-like cave walls as boundaries, the inner and outer spaces intertwine, and walking through them, one can indeed travel hundreds of miles in a flash.

“By the way, how come I’ve never heard of this?” Zhang Ze asked.

"Probably nobody cares," Monkey King replied casually. "Most of the cultivators who can come here are seniors who can travel freely between Fushan and Changzhou by flying, unlike us."

"However, speaking of which, I heard my grandfather say that several hundred years ago, a cultivator named Qin Lang approached him, saying that he wanted to transplant this Mother Tree to Medicine King Valley."

"But for some reason, the matter was eventually dropped," Monkey said.

"Could it be that one?" Ah Li whispered in Zhang Ze's ear after hearing what Monkey Brother said.

Zhang Ze said, "Besides that Valley Master, who else could it be? In the entire Eastern Continent, this big shot loves to dig everywhere, big or small."

Looking at the passage formed by the roots of the Mother Tree, Zhang Ze suspected that Valley Master Qin might be incompatible with the tree.

Of all the known attempts he's made to steal large trees, very few have been successful.

Let's not mention this mother tree.

In the Western Continent, within a three-thousand-mile radius of the Sacred Tree, signs prohibiting Qin Lang and the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley from entering can be seen.

In Linglu Valley, Sect Master Li, an old friend of Valley Master Qin, was also on high alert regarding this person. There were people and the sect's sacred beast watching over the giant tree every twelve hours.

sorrow.

While Zhang Ze was thinking about Master Qin's grand plan to steal the tree, A Li reached out and grabbed a small firefly, then put it in her mouth to taste it.

Hmm, it has no taste.

"By the way, what would you do if someone damaged these Mother Trees?" Ah Li suddenly asked, having just grabbed two more fireflies and stuffed them into her mouth.

“I don’t know what to do… I can’t do anything.” Monkey King didn’t turn around. “Besides, no one would do that. My grandfather told me since I was a child that if a child hurts the Mother Tree, he will wet the bed, and if an adult destroys the Mother Tree, he will be smashed into mincemeat by Fushan.”

Zhang Ze, who was listening to the conversation, raised an eyebrow and thought to himself that his mother's curse was really intelligent, and it could even differentiate between different types of curses.

But is this based on age or height...?

If Lily was the one who knocked down the tree, was she a child or an adult?
Zhang Ze's mind was in disarray, while Ah Li quickly withdrew her somewhat unclean little hand.

"Really?" Ah Li asked furtively.

"I don't know." Monkey shook his head. "Anyway, that's what I've always heard adults say since I was little. Everything has a spirit, so it's always good to be careful."

"In Changzhou, walking among the Mother Trees, even predators will not attack their prey."

As soon as Monkey King finished speaking, a crack appeared in a tree root in front of them, and a jet-black Changzhou Cloud Spirit Leopard jumped in.

Just as Monkey King was about to subconsciously remind the two people behind him not to be afraid, he saw the Cloud Spirit Leopard suddenly start to tremble.

The Cloud Spirit Leopard tucked its ears in and lay on the ground, wanting to breathe on it but not daring to, wanting to meow but feeling embarrassed.

Monkey King turned around and followed the gaze of Cloud Spirit Leopard, discovering that the source of its fear was the Steel Egg Sky-Swallowing Pangolin.

Ah Li was breathing on it while poking Yun Ling Leopard's ticklish spot with Long Wei.

It's idle.

Zhang Ze patted A Li on the head, "Stop messing around, she didn't bite you, why are you hitting her?"

Monkey King, "..."

Monkey King remained silent, only feeling that the Steel Egg Swallowing Sky Pangolin was unfathomable.

……

They walked in silence for a while longer before Monkey King stopped.

"Here we are."

After exiting through the same small hole as when he entered, Zhang Ze found that he had left the forest valley and arrived at the edge of a cliff, where an endless blue sea came into view.

Standing on the cliff edge, I gazed into the distance at the surging blue sea, its undercurrents turbulent. Looking back, the mountains stretched endlessly, rising and falling in the clouds.

Only here is there peace and tranquility.

Zhang Ze thought that this must be the legendary place in Changzhou where few people could live.

But judging from the scenery, in just a short while, the group had actually traversed almost half of Changzhou.

This mother tree is quite formidable.

Ah Li didn't think too much about it. She jumped off Zhang Ze's shoulder and ran around in circles, seemingly searching for something. After finding nothing, she looked at Monkey King and asked.

"Where do you live? Can I see your house built of jade and coral, and the wind chimes made of dragon bones?"

Monkey King, "What is that?"

Ah Li, "?"

Seeing that Monkey King was puzzled, Ah Li quickly took out the hardcover edition of "Changzhou Trip" without any advertisements, turned to the first few pages, and pointed them out to Monkey King.

Monkey frowned and said, "Who wrote this? It's all nonsense. You've seen the corals here. Most of them are used for hunting with nets. Using their corpses to build houses will only invite their revenge. How can we live like this?"

"As for this, he was probably referring to the black dragonfish, but this fish is extremely rare. Whoever catches one will definitely sell it to make a fortune and then move away from this place."

"Who would be crazy enough to kill such a treasure, turn it into a bone bell, and hang it at the door to listen to it ring in the middle of the night?"

"Oh, right, three hundred miles north of here, there's an old man from out of town who's been fishing for black sharks for thirty years without catching one. He just stays there and won't leave. When he's still, it's like he's sitting in meditation. If he knew someone had done something like that, he would definitely eat that person alive."

Ah Li was stunned by what Monkey King said, so she quickly turned the page and pointed it out to Monkey King, page by page.

"Well, Changzhou has many floating mountains, hanging upside down in the air, with Jingyuan Mountain being the most treacherous, where three thousand Xuanming Cold Iron Chains hang down from the mountain..."

Monkey King looked nostalgic. "The iron chains used to be there, but they're long gone now, and they weren't some kind of Xuanming Cold Iron."

"It was hung by an old man from out of town. That old man wanted to establish a sect on Mount Fu, but he tried many methods but couldn't control Mount Fu. In the end, he broke through the defenses and ran away, leaving behind a bunch of iron chains and other things."

"Later, after a long, long time, seeing that the old man hadn't returned, the people nearby dismantled and melted down all those iron chains. This iron rod of mine was made from the iron from those chains."

"Also, that Fushan is not called Jingyuan Mountain, we all call it Hailizi Mountain."

Monkey King said this while showing off his iron rod.

Ah Li, "Then this..."

Ah Li continued pointing out each point, while Monkey, the local, refuted them one by one.

"Bullshit..."

"This is real, but it's practically worthless..."

"Make him sell to me, I'll buy as many as he has at this price..."

A book, half of it is fake.

Ah Li, "..."

Ah Li made up her mind that she must go back and take decisive action to reorganize the Thousand Machine Bookstore!

They're all insects!
……

Monkey King doesn't live in the coral house; he lives in the Water Curtain Cave. Following the cliff down, after passing a waterfall, you enter Monkey King's dwelling place.

The cave was spacious, and a circle of grass resembling a fox's tail was planted on both sides of the cave entrance. The green fox tails swayed and absorbed the moisture splashed from the waterfall outside the cave.

The cave is divided into three sections: front, middle, and back. The internal structure resembles a candied hawthorn skewer, with light purple vine curtains separating the sections. Therefore, after entering the second chamber, one can no longer feel any coldness.

"Please sit down." Monkey King poured two cups of hot tea for Zhang Ze and his steel-egg-swallowing pangolin.

Because Zhang Ze is now a stone monster, he can't drink tea, so it all goes to Ah Li.

This tea has a wonderfully fragrant aroma and is refreshing.

After Ah Li gulped down a pot of water like a cow, she turned her attention to the row of wooden shelves in the corner of the cave.

Dozens of pale purple crystal membranes were laid out on the wooden frame, drying in the shade. They shimmered with iridescent light in the somewhat dim cave, appearing exceptionally alluring.

"What is this?" Ah Li asked, holding up her teacup.

"The placenta of Changzhou deer, crystal river carp, the tea you're drinking is made from powder ground crystal river carp," Monkey replied.

"puff."

Ah Li spat out the tea she hadn't swallowed.

"So many...you killed so many deer?" Ah Li asked in astonishment, looking at the placentas that covered an entire wall.

"How could that be? I've only just reached the Foundation Establishment stage. The deer of Changzhou live on Mount Fu. You can catch them, but I can't. I traded these with them."

After saying that, Monkey King opened a box and took out a cloak made of some kind of fish skin. When he unfolded it, it looked exactly like a glider.

Monkey King, "My grandfather had a strange encounter with the Deer King and received some favors. Because of this, I was able to chat with the deer, and they wouldn't run away when they saw me."

"Originally, Changzhou deer were all single births, but since the year before last, multiple births have become more common. For two fawns, one placenta is simply not enough."

"So I made these things and then traded them with those multiparous deer mothers for two to one."

"This crystal river carp can be used in medicine. Although it's not a particularly valuable item, if you collect a lot, it can fetch a considerable price," Monkey King patiently explained.

After listening to the monkey's words, Zhang Ze suddenly asked, "You actually have something to ask of me, don't you?"

When Zhang Ze asked him that question, Monkey King suddenly became a little shy and hesitant, but in the end he nodded.

"Yes, I... I want you to take me away from Changzhou. I want to live somewhere else."

"Of course, I will pay you. Just tell me what price you need."

"Isn't this place nice?" Ah Li asked.

It saw that the cave was well-maintained and full of life, and did not look like it was unable to survive or was about to run away.

When Ah Li asked him that question, Monkey King's face suddenly turned red. He stammered for a while, then stamped his foot and turned around to take out a book from a locked cabinet.

"I want to go north! To find the Bull Demon King and become his wife!"

Monkey King's gaze was firm, and he spoke solemnly.

Zhang Ze, "..."

I'm so damn stupid, really.

The Monkey King is holding a collector's edition of "Journey to the West".

Zhang Ze's fictionalized version of romance novels.

In Zhang Ze's magical story, the monkey left the immortal mountain in the east and, after leaving the Three Stars and Crescent Moon Cave, encountered the little female demon Black Bear Spirit and the big-breasted big sister Bull Demon King.

After a tense and exciting battle, the three of them were living a carefree and happy life on Flower Fruit Mountain.

Until one day, the flat-chested monster Chang'e descended upon Flower Fruit Mountain with her yellow-haired dog.

Chang'e, captivated by the Bull Demon King's beauty, killed the Monkey King, kidnapped the Bull Demon King, and severely injured the Black Bear Spirit, causing him to fall into a deep sleep and become a soul ring.

To save his two lovers, Monkey King, having crawled back from hell, decides to embark on a journey to the West to seek help from Brother Gao and Brother Mao, create the Twenty-Four Firecrackers for the Spring Festival, launch Flower Fruit Mountain to the moon, and take down Chang'e, single-handedly destroying the entire world...

“This is all fake…” Zhang Ze wanted to explain, but suddenly stopped.

He recognized the copy of "Journey to the West" in the Monkey King's hand.

The book cover had a seal of the Heavenly Sect printed on it.

After receiving "Journey to the West" from Monkey King, Zhang Ze opened the book and found the words "Tian Tian Xiang Shang Bookstore" printed on the back.

Tiantian Bookstore is a joint venture between Tianzong and Qianji Pavilion. In addition to selling books, it also sells talismans, star charts, and magic arrays.

Upon opening "Journey to the West," Zhang Ze found another line of small print on the title page.

[Little Pebble, watch carefully and learn carefully]
—A gift from my master

This copy of "Journey to the West" was given to Shi Xiu by Master Lu.

But... what exactly does Sect Master Lu want Senior Brother Shi to learn from this book?

"Where did you get this book?" Zhang Ze asked.

The serious tone of his voice startled Monkey King, who quickly waved his hands, "I didn't steal it, and I didn't harm this person named Little Stone. I picked it up..."

Zhang Ze said, "Don't panic. I don't doubt you. This little pebble is a cultivator who has transcended tribulation. If you can harm him, then you are invincible."

"Tell me, where did you find this thing?"

Upon hearing this, Monkey King calmed down, but quickly panicked again.

Because he had heard that cultivators at that level were constantly playing a grand game, deducing the Great Dao, and designing the world, whether they were breathing, walking, or farting.

If I pick up that person's book, will I be targeted...?

He quickly shared his concerns with Zhang Ze.

Zhang Ze, "..."

"Don't panic, there's no grand strategy involved, just simple forgetfulness."

Monkey King: "Oh, I see...that's good..."

After calming him down, Zhang Zegang wanted to take out the Changzhou map he had prepared before setting off, but he gave up the idea when he thought of the almost entirely wrong "Changzhou Trip" book.

"Do you have a map?" Zhang Ze asked.

Once he calmed down, Monkey nodded, took out a simple map, and began to explain it to Zhang Ze.

"Going upstream along the Beixi River, past Qingya Fushan..."

After listening to Monkey King's story, Zhang Ze scratched his head, thinking to himself, "What a coincidence!"

The place Monkey King was referring to was a place called Luoyu Mountain, located west of Changzhou.

Once a year, one can witness the spectacular sight of a red moon and blood-red rain there.

At the same time, Luoyushan is also an important node in the Changzhou water system, with the capability of diverting water from the south to the north.

Before the red moon, the rain-soaked mountain rose, everything was as usual, and the Beixi River flowed into the South China Sea.

After the Red Moon, the Rain Mountain fell to the ground, the heavens and earth reversed their course, drawing water from the South China Sea into Changzhou and causing it to overflow into the Beixi River.

According to Li Jue and the rogue cultivator who found the black stone, neither of them actually entered the heart of Changzhou; they just strolled around the edge and checked in.

The black stones they collected were all near the tributaries of the Beixi River.

Zhang Ze inquired about Monkey King's situation, calculated the time, and discovered that the two had arrived in Changzhou just in time for the South China Sea countercurrent.

Combined with this book, "Journey to the West" by Shi Shixiong, Zhang Ze suspected that the origin of those black stones was likely related to Luoyu Mountain.

Zhang Ze looked at Monkey King.

"Here's what we'll do: you'll be my guide and take me to Luoyu Mountain, regardless of whether I find the owner of this book or not. As payment, I'll take you away from Changzhou, and then... well, the Bull Demon King will be there."

Monkey King's eyes lit up upon hearing this, "Really?"

"It's true. I can arrange for you to go to the west, north, or east, and you can go on blind dates every day," Zhang Ze promised.

“Alright, alright, the remaining travel expenses can be used to settle down. We have enough money. Big sister… uh, I mean…” Monkey King spun around twice on the spot. “Then let’s go now… Ah, no, I have to say goodbye to Grandpa first.”

Seeing Monkey King's flustered state, Zhang Ze laughed and said, "No rush, you get ready first."

After saying that, he took Ah Li and left the cave to wait for him outside.

Zhang Ze saw a wooden board embedded in the wall of the cave, on which were placed a wooden bracelet, a memorial tablet, and an incense burner for offerings.

It's probably his grandfather's keepsake.

It's somewhat impolite for outsiders to stand by and watch such things.

After Zhang Ze left, Monkey King did not go to the memorial tablet, but instead went to the back room.

Lifting the vine curtain and entering, Monkey King squatted down beside the rocking chair and whispered something to the black stone on the chair.

"Grandson will soon be able to take Grandpa away from here..."

(End of this chapter)