Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

My heart trembled.

On the mirror, a series of images slowly unfold.

The scene reappears in the mirror of the heart.

The first one.

Sun Wukong stood at the bridgehead, made a water-avoiding spell, and leaped into the air.

Where the waves surged, a golden shadow plunged straight into the deep sea.

"This step was taken cleanly." Li Yan nodded to himself.

The images flow.

The second one.

A sea-patrolling yaksha blocked his path with his halberd, and Sun Wukong clasped his hands and explained his purpose.

The Yaksha turned around hastily and parted the water to leave.

Before long, the Crystal Palace doors opened wide.

Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea, strode out.

Behind him followed dragon sons and grandsons, shrimp soldiers and crab generals, lined up to welcome him.

Li Yan frowned slightly.

This Ao Guang is being far too attentive.

How could the Dragon King of the Four Seas, the master of a waterway, treat a complete stranger like a stone monkey with such courtesy?

There are probably some things in this that are hard to explain.

The scene continues.

The third one.

The Dragon King invited Sun Wukong into the palace and ordered someone to serve him tea.

After several rounds of tea, he smiled and asked, "May I ask where you cultivate, esteemed immortal, and what brings you here?"

Sun Wukong answered truthfully, "I, Old Sun, come from the Water Curtain Cave of Flower Fruit Mountain."

Since birth, he has been cultivating in the mountains and has now attained the path to immortality.

A few days ago, I was teaching my children and grandchildren martial arts, but I regretted not having a suitable weapon.

I've heard that the Old Dragon King's underwater palace is filled with countless treasures, so I've come to ask for one to bolster my reputation back home.

Upon hearing this, Li Yan thought to himself, "This request of three words seems humble, but it is actually a poor choice."

If the Dragon King gives it to you voluntarily, that's a favor.

If you ask for it yourself, you will incur karmic debt.

Moreover, the subsequent phrase "just to save face" completely revealed his true intentions.

This monkey is too straightforward.

The scene then changes.

The fourth picture.

After hearing this, the Dragon King didn't say anything more and clapped his hands.

A group of shrimp soldiers carried a large halberd forward.

Sun Wukong glanced at it and waved his hand, "I'm not used to this."

The Dragon King then ordered his men to bring over a nine-pronged fork.

Sun Wukong reached out and took it, danced it once in front of the hall, then put it down and shook his head, saying:

"Too light, too light, it doesn't feel right."

The Dragon King smiled broadly: "Immortal, this fork weighs three thousand six hundred catties!"

Sun Wukong shook his head again: "It's still too light."

Upon seeing this, Li Yan already had a plan in mind.

The moment the word "light" was uttered, the truth was revealed.

The weapon weighing 3,600 jin was as light as a feather in Sun Wukong's hands. How could the Dragon King not have some doubts?

This monkey's strength is extraordinary.

So the Dragon King ordered his men to bring over the painted halberd, weighing 7,200 jin.

Sun Wukong took it, casually struck a few poses, then slammed it into the ground, saying the same thing again: "Too light."

At this point, the Dragon King realized that this monkey was no ordinary demon king.

The scene continues.

The fifth picture.

The Dragon King looked troubled: "Immortal, to be honest, the heaviest thing in my palace is this halberd."

They tried to find something heavier, but there wasn't any left.

Sun Wukong laughed: "Old Dragon King, what you said is not right."

As the saying goes, even the Dragon King of the Sorrowful Sea has no treasure!

"Look around some more. If you find something you like, I, Old Sun, will definitely not take it for free."

Li Yan's eyes narrowed.

Sun Wukong casually uttered the words "I won't take it for nothing," but he put himself in a very difficult position.

If the Dragon King really brings out his treasures, what wouldn't he get for free?

Once these words are spoken, they will become a handle for us to use against us in the future.

The scene then changes.

The sixth picture.

At this moment, the Dragon Woman and the Dragon Girl came out from behind the screen.

The Dragon Queen whispered in the Dragon King's ear, "Your Majesty, I think this person is no ordinary person."

The divine iron that is fixed at the bottom of the Milky Way in our sea treasure has been radiating thousands of rays of light and auspicious energy these past few days. Isn't it time for it to be born?

"Why not just give it to him and send him away?"

The Dragon King hesitated and said, "That's a stabilizer left behind by Yu the Great when he was controlling the floods. It's just a lump of iron. What use could it be?"

The old woman said, "Whether it's useful or not, give it to him and let him do whatever he wants. As long as he's willing to leave, we can have some peace and quiet."

The seventh image.

The Dragon King led Sun Wukong to the depths of the sea.

A golden light shone brightly ahead, and auspicious energy rose in the air.

The Dragon King raised his hand and pointed: "That's the one that's emitting light."

Sun Wukong stepped forward, reached out and touched it; it was an iron pillar as thick as a bucket and over two zhang long.

He hugged it with both hands, tried to shake it, and muttered, "It's too thick and too long. It would be better if it were thinner and shorter."

As soon as he finished speaking, the iron pillar suddenly shortened by several feet and became thinner.

Sun Wukong's eyes lit up, and he bounced it again: "Make it even thinner!"

The iron pillar had become even thinner.

Sun Wukong was overjoyed and carried the iron pillar out of the sea.

Upon closer inspection, one can see that the two ends are inlaid with gold hoops, and the middle is a section of black iron with a line of words engraved on it.

The Ruyi Jingu Bang (the magic staff) weighs 13,500 jin (approximately 6,

Upon seeing this, Li Yan felt a mix of emotions.

This golden cudgel has been lying dormant here for a thousand years, waiting only for Sun Wukong to arrive.

When he touched it, it responded.

With a single thought, it changes.

Such an opportunity is extraordinary.

But it was this very fate that led Sun Wukong to step into the trap.

The eighth image.

Sun Wukong was overjoyed to have obtained the treasure and performed a staff dance in front of the palace.

In an instant, the water surged and the undercurrents churned, frightening the shrimp soldiers and crab generals into shrinking back and hiding.

Sun Wukong put away his staff, sat down in the hall, and smiled at the Dragon King, saying, "Thank you for your generous gift, Old Dragon King."

The Dragon King waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "I dare not accept such praise, I dare not accept such praise."

Sun Wukong added, "This iron rod is just right for my hand."

The Dragon King waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "I dare not accept such praise, I dare not accept such praise."

Sun Wukong added, "This iron rod is just right for my hand."

However, look at me, Old Sun, all I have are weapons, no armor, which is rather unseemly.

The old Dragon King, deciding to go all the way, also gifted me a set of armor, for which I, Old Sun, thank you in return.

The Dragon King looked troubled: "Well... to be honest, I really don't have any armor here."

Sun Wukong said, "I won't trouble two hosts for one guest. If I didn't have my armor, I wouldn't be leaving today."

The Dragon King said with a bitter face, "Why don't you go and ask somewhere else, Immortal?"

Sun Wukong waved his hand: "Visiting three houses is not as good as staying at one."

"I'll wait here today, at least get me a pair."

The Dragon King tried to refuse, but Sun Wukong slammed his golden cudgel on the ground and laughed:

"If there really isn't one, then I, Old Sun, will use this iron rod to test my skills against the Dragon King?"

Li Yan frowned.

This step was a misstep.

Having obtained the Golden Cudgel, Sun Wukong should have left contentedly.

But he insisted on wearing armor, and threatened to do so if he refused.

This turned the exchange of favors into extortion and coercion.

How could the Dragon King not feel hatred?

If I have the chance in the future, I will definitely settle this score.

The ninth image.

The Dragon King was startled and quickly waved his hand, "Immortal, don't be alarmed! Immortal, don't be alarmed!"

Let me think, let me think... My three brothers, maybe they have some armor there.

I'll call them over right away to discuss this."

Sun Wukong said, "We have to wait for them to come? How long will that take?"

The Dragon King said, "Immortal, you may not know this, but I have an iron drum and a golden bell here. Whenever there is an emergency, just beat the drum and strike the bell, and they will arrive in an instant."

Sun Wukong waved his hand: "Then what are we waiting for? Go and beat the drum and strike the bell!"

Li Yan shook his head slightly.

This step was another misstep.

If Sun Wukong persists and insists on wearing the armor, he will be putting himself in an unreasonable position.

The Dragon King's beating of the drum and striking of the bell to summon the Dragon Kings of the Three Seas was a last resort.

But with the arrival of the three Dragon Kings of the East Sea, the matter shifted from being a matter for the East Sea to a matter for the four seas.

The cause and effect have been magnified fourfold.

The tenth image.

Before long, the sound of bells and drums rang out, and the three Dragon Kings of the Seas arrived together.

Upon hearing the whole story, Ao Qin, the Dragon King of the South Sea, immediately exclaimed angrily, "This is outrageous!"

Brothers, gather your troops and bring him to justice!

The old Dragon King quickly stopped him: "You mustn't take it! That iron rod, if it touches you, you'll die; if it comes into contact with you, you'll perish. You mustn't touch it!"

The Dragon King of the West Sea, Ao Run, pondered for a moment and said, "Second Brother, don't rush to make a move."

Let's put together a set of clothes for him and send him out.

"Let's write a joint memorial later and report it to the Jade Emperor. Heavenly laws will then punish him."

Ao Shun, the Dragon King of the North Sea, nodded and said, "That makes sense. I have a pair of lotus-silk cloud-walking shoes here."

The Dragon King of the West Sea, Ao Run, said, "I have a golden chainmail armor."

Ao Qin, the Dragon King of the South Sea, said, "I have a phoenix-winged purple-gold crown."

The old Dragon King was overjoyed and hurriedly led his three brothers into the palace, presenting them with their armor and accessories one by one.

Upon seeing this, Li Yan understood.

This armor was put together by the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas.

On the surface, it was giving Sun Wukong face, but in reality, it was putting him in a very difficult position.

When they later ascend to the Heavenly Court, this will be irrefutable evidence.

Sun Wukong forcibly demanded the armor, and the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas were forced to offer it up.

Sun Wukong, dressed neatly, wielded his Ruyi Jingu Bang, parting the water as he went, and before leaving, he turned back and clasped his hands in a fist salute:

"Shut up! Shut up!"

The Four Dragon Kings stood before the palace gate, gazing at the departing golden figure, exchanging bewildered glances.

A moment later, the old Dragon King turned and entered the hall: "Someone, bring me pen and ink."

At this point, the screen stopped abruptly.

The mirror of the mind trembled, and all the images vanished.

Li Yan opened his eyes.

In his eyes, the two streams of yin and yang flowed endlessly.

Seeing that he had opened his eyes, Sun Wukong quickly asked, "Brother, how are you?"

Li Yan looked at him and remained silent for a moment.

"Your Majesty, you may visit the Dragon Palace."

"But we need to find a different way to go."

Sun Wukong's golden eyes lit up.

"Oh? Tell me quickly, brother!"

Li Yan raised his hand and slowly moved it in the air.

The starlight flowed, forming a geomantic map of the East China Sea.

"Your Majesty, please take a look."

He pointed to a spot in the picture.

"This is where the Dragon Palace of the East Sea is located."

"If Your Majesty goes down directly and asks for weapons, you will fall into the Dragon King's trap."

Sun Wukong scratches his ear.

"Scheme? I, Old Sun, sincerely plead with him, how dare he scheme against me?"

Li Yan shook his head.

"Your Majesty is unaware of the truth."

"That Dragon King, having cultivated for ten thousand years, is worldly-wise."

"When he meets the king, he will first test his origins."

"If Your Majesty tells the truth, he will know that Your Majesty has no roots or foundation, no sect or school, and is just a rogue cultivator."

"Giving treasures to rogue cultivators is a favor, not an obligation."

"If the king is not satisfied with what he is given, and asks for a change, then he is considered greedy."

"If the king takes out the golden cudgel at the end, and is satisfied, but then asks for armor, then he will be pushing his luck."

"If demands are not met and threats are made, then it becomes extortion."

"If the three Dragon Kings of the Seas gather together and don their armor, and the Great King is dressed in his finest attire and leaves triumphantly, then he will be seen as oppressing the four seas."

"Every step is a trap, and every step accumulates karma."

"After the king left, the four dragon kings jointly petitioned the Heavenly Court, and the king became the culprit for the monkey demon's rebellion and the robbery of the Dragon Palace."

"When the Heavenly Court is enraged and its heavenly army marches in, how will Your Majesty respond?"

After hearing this, the excitement in Sun Wukong's golden eyes gradually faded, replaced by a hint of solemnity.

He was silent for a long time.

Then, look at the little drill on your knee.

The little creature, oblivious to what the adults were saying, just kept munching on the fruit, its tail wagging back and forth.

Little Drill looked up and blinked blankly.

"Brother, now that you mention it, I realize I almost got into big trouble."

"As for the Dragon King, I, Old Sun, am not afraid."

"But if what you say is true, brother, and the Heavenly Court is enraged, sending heavenly troops to invade, what will become of us children..."

He didn't continue.

But Li Yan understood him.

Sun Wukong can fight against heaven and earth, and can kill 100,000 heavenly soldiers with a single blow.

But his monkeys and their offspring are no good.

They are just ordinary monkeys.

When the heavenly soldiers arrive, they are lambs to the slaughter.

"Your Majesty, I am not trying to stop you from taking the treasure."

"That golden cudgel is indeed destined for Your Majesty, and it is rightfully yours to possess it."

"However, we need to change our approach to obtaining the treasure."

Sun Wukong's golden eyes lit up.

"Brother, tell me quickly!"

Li Yan raised his hand and slowly moved it in the air.

On the geomantic map of the East China Sea, a golden path has appeared.

"Your Majesty, you must not ask for anything more on your journey."

"We want to make a deal."

Sun Wukong was taken aback.

"A trade? I, Old Sun, have nothing of value; what can I use to trade?"

Li Yan smiled slightly.

"Your Majesty has nothing of value, but you have everything from Flower and Fruit Mountain."

"Although Huaguo Mountain is small, it is a blessed land with abundant resources."

As he spoke, he looked toward the direction of the Water Curtain Cave.

"Especially under that iron bridge, that waterway that leads straight to the East China Sea."

"That waterway is a naturally formed spiritual vein, connecting the earth veins of Flower Fruit Mountain with the eye of the East Sea."

"If the Dragon King obtains this vein, he can use the earth's energy from Flower Fruit Mountain to nourish the Dragon Palace of the East Sea."

"These benefits are a hundred times more valuable than the weapons and armor he keeps."

Sun Wukong scratches his ear.

"Brother, you mean I should trade that waterway for his golden cudgel?"

Li Yan shook his head.

"No."

"That waterway is the lifeblood of Flower Fruit Mountain; how can we easily give it away to others?"

"Your Majesty only needs to use this as a pretext to negotiate with the Dragon King."

"If he is willing to give up the Golden Cudgel, the King will grant him permission to use the waterway to divert water three times within a hundred years to nourish the Dragon Palace."

"If he refuses, Your Majesty will turn around and leave, seeking another way."

"In this way, it is no longer a plea, but a transaction."

Even if the deal falls through, goodwill remains.

Once the deal is done, neither party owes the other anything.

As Sun Wukong listened, his golden eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"Brilliant! Brother, you're really good at scheming!"

Li Yan shook his head.

"It's not that I'm good at scheming, it's that I have no choice but to scheme."

"That Dragon King is cunning and scheming. If Your Majesty is not careful, you will surely suffer harm from him in the future."

Sun Wukong nodded.

"And what about the armor? I, Old Sun, am really envious of that phoenix-winged purple-gold crown, the chainmail golden armor, and the lotus-silk cloud-walking shoes."

Li Yan pondered for a moment.

"The matter of donning armor can be discussed separately."

"The king has already gained an advantage by taking the golden cudgel."

"If you ask for the armor again, you're pushing your luck."

"But if Your Majesty exchanges it for something else, then it becomes a transaction."

Sun Wukong scratches his ear.

"What else can I, Old Sun, exchange for?"

Li Yan smiled slightly.

"Your Majesty has forgotten? That Demon King's Kanyuan Mountain is now unclaimed territory."

"That mountain, though not as beautiful as Flower Fruit Mountain, is still a spiritual place."

"If Your Majesty would be willing to cede that mountain to the Dragon King in exchange for a new set of armor, what could be wrong with that?"

Sun Wukong was taken aback, then grinned and laughed.

"Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!"

"That lousy mountain, I, Old Sun, never even looked down on it."

"If we could have a different set of armor, that would be perfect!"

Li Yan nodded.

"In that case, Your Majesty will have two bargaining chips on your journey."

"First, the right to divert water three times in a century."

"Secondly, the entire Kanyuan Mountain area."

"These two items are more than enough to exchange for the Golden Cudgel and the armor."

"But Your Majesty must remember that when making a deal, you must not show weakness, be impatient, or be greedy."

"We must let the Dragon King know that Your Majesty is not here to beg him, but to do business with him."

"If the deal falls through, Your Majesty simply turns and leaves without a second thought."

"Once the deal was done, Your Majesty drew up a contract with him, with each party keeping a copy, so that any disputes in the future could be resolved more easily."

Sun Wukong listened attentively and wrote down everything.

Then he stood up.

"Brother, shall I, Old Sun, head over now?"

Li Yan shook his head.

"No rush."

"Your Majesty, please wait three days."

"In the next three days, I must forge a few items for the King."

Sun Wukong, curious, leaned closer and whispered, "What is that?"

Li Yan secretly transmitted his voice.

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong grinned and said, "Brother, this isn't cultivation, it's clearly opening a shop!"

Li Yan smiled slightly.

"Your Majesty is too kind."

"They're just some self-defense items, better than nothing."

Three days later, at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM).

In front of the Water Curtain Cave, a large group of monkeys gathered.

When they heard that their king was going to the Dragon Palace of the East Sea to retrieve treasures, they were all very excited and insisted on seeing him off.

Sun Wukong stood before the waterfall, with Little Drill Wind perched on his shoulder, its little head looking left and right with a smug expression.

Sun Wukong looked down at the mountain full of monkeys.

The old monkey leaned on his cane, his eyes brimming with tears.

The young monkeys climbed up the tree, scratching their ears and cheeks.

The baby monkey clung to its mother's belly, its eyes full of curiosity.

"My children, I, Old Sun, will be right back."

"I'll bring you some nice things when I come back!"

The monkeys cheered.

Sun Wukong turned around and looked at Li Yan.

Li Yan stood to one side, the gray sable perched on his shoulder, watching him quietly.

The jade mouse poked its little head out from its bosom and squeaked twice—go quickly and come back quickly.

Sun Wukong grinned.

"Brother, I'm off."

Li Yan nodded slightly.

"Your Majesty, please proceed with caution."

"Remember, be steady, slow, and don't be greedy."

Sun Wukong nodded and strode towards the iron bridge.

He stopped at the bridgehead.

Looking down, I gazed at the bottomless pool of water beneath the bridge.

The water was dark and unfathomable.

A faint spiritual light emanated from the depths, pointing towards the East Sea Dragon Palace.

Sun Wukong took out the Heart-Protecting Pill given to him by Li Yan and swallowed it.

Once the elixir enters the abdomen, it transforms into two streams of energy, one cool and one warm, which circulate throughout the body.

He made a hand gesture, performing a water-closing technique.

The magical power surged, forming a barrier around his body.

Then, he took the leap!

With a splash, water sprayed everywhere.

The golden figure plunged straight into the deep pool and disappeared in an instant.

The monkeys cried out in surprise and rushed to the bridge to look down.

At this moment, Li Yan closed his eyes and his mind sank into the cave.

The mirror of the heart hangs high, reflecting that golden shadow.

Thirty zhang (approximately 33 meters).

Fifty feet.

One hundred zhang...

The golden shadow continued downwards.

Finally, we arrived at the East China Sea Eye.

There, a crystal palace shines brightly in the darkness.