Journey to the West: The gods and Buddhas panicked when the monkey was trapped inside him.

"Brother, didn't you say before that I should go to Fangcun Mountain to become an apprentice as soon as possible?"

"Wouldn't it be much more enjoyable to go directly to the beach, cut down trees, build a boat, and then go out to sea to learn from a master craftsman?"

"Why do we still need to go find those monkeys? Isn't that just a waste of time?"

In the forests of Huaguo Mountain, a golden light darted rapidly among the towering ancient trees.

Sun Wukong grabbed a thick vine with one hand, used the leverage to somersault in the air, and landed steadily on a boulder, asking himself a question.

Li Chen chuckled softly upon hearing this.

"Do you think all the gods and Buddhas are fools?"

"You're just a wild monkey that sprang from a rock. What kind of monkey that sprang from a rock would know to set sail in search of immortality on its very first day?"

Do you think this is reasonable?

Sun Wukong blinked, then suddenly realized.

"That's unreasonable! It's too fake! Does my brother mean I have to pretend?"

"Yes, not only do we have to pretend, but we have to make it seem natural." Li Chen said calmly.

"You need to first integrate into the monkey troop and become one of them."

"Then, according to the heavens' arrangement, he found the Water Curtain Cave, became the Monkey King, and played carefree on Flower Fruit Mountain for several years."

"A few years later, you pretend to have gotten tired of it and suddenly have the idea to go see the other side of the sea. That would be more natural."

"Brilliant! Brother, you're absolutely brilliant!"

"I'll go put on a good show for them right now!"

Sun Wukong chuckled and leaped into the depths of the dense forest.

Huaguo Mountain is the ancestral vein of the Ten Continents, with extremely abundant spiritual energy, and countless rare flowers and herbs grow in the mountain.

As you walk halfway up the mountain, a rich aroma of fruit wafts over you.

Ahead lay an endless peach orchard.

The tree was laden with fist-sized peaches, white with a hint of red, their skin shimmering with a faint light, and emitting an enticing sweet fragrance.

"Gurgle—"

As soon as Sun Wukong was born, his physiological instincts were still intact, and his stomach immediately let out a long rumble.

He instinctively reached out, wanting to pick a peach.

"Stop!" Li Chen's shout resounded in his mind.

Sun Wukong's hand suddenly froze in mid-air.

"Big brother..."

"Have you forgotten what I told you?" Li Chen said coldly.

"Your body is a primordial spiritual embryo, pure and flawless."

"No matter how good the peaches from Flower Fruit Mountain are, they are still of mortal origin and impure seed."

"If you take even one bite, the innate energy within your body will be polluted by the turbid energy, and your innate spiritual embryo will immediately transform into an acquired demonic body. All your hard work over the past thousand years will be wasted!"

"You are not allowed to eat anything until you have achieved mastery of your cultivation."

Sun Wukong shook his head violently, taking three steps back in fright, as if the bright red peach were a deadly poison.

"I won't eat it! I absolutely won't eat it!"

"I wouldn't eat this rotten peach even if it were given to me for free!" Sun Wukong muttered, then turned and strode away.

Li Chen nodded in satisfaction within his sea of ​​consciousness.

Although this monkey is wild and untamed, it is extremely obedient and has top-notch execution skills.

Beyond the peach grove, a noisy chattering sound came from ahead.

A group of monkeys are playing in the forest.

Some were swinging on swings among the branches, while others were scrambling for pine cones.

Sun Wukong slowed his pace, concealed the faint golden light emanating from his body, and pretended to be confused and curious as he slowly walked over.

He didn't fight or snatch food; he just sat quietly to the side, watching the monkeys play.

A bold little macaque came over, circled Sun Wukong twice, and reached out a paw to touch his stone monkey fur.

Sun Wukong grinned, casually plucked a blade of grass from the nearby bushes, and handed it to the little macaque.

The little monkey took the grass and chirped happily twice.

In less than half an hour, Sun Wukong, with his innate affability, completely blended into the monkey troop.

He imitated ordinary monkeys, climbing and jumping in the trees, chasing and playing with them.

It didn't display any extraordinary power; it was just an ordinary wild monkey.

Li Chen watched this scene from within his sea of ​​consciousness and nodded to himself.

This monkey's comprehension is truly terrifying; its acting skills would have definitely earned it an Oscar in its previous life.

Time passed day by day.

During the day, Sun Wukong was the most active member of the monkey troop, leading the little monkeys to play wildly all over the mountains and fields.

At night, when the monkeys were fast asleep, he would climb alone to the top of the ancient tree at the highest point of Flower Fruit Mountain, sit cross-legged, and practice his internal energy cultivation.

The starlight and moonlight transformed into strands of silver, silently flowing into his body and continuously refining his innate spiritual embryo.

Li Chen's soul also became increasingly solidified under the nourishment of the moonlight.

Gradually, some monkeys in the troop noticed Sun Wukong's unusual behavior.

It was noon that day, and the sun was scorching.

An elderly ape presented two ripe bananas to Sun Wukong.

"Stone Monkey, since you came here, I haven't seen you eat a single fruit or drink a single drop of spring water. Aren't you hungry?" the old ape asked, his face full of doubt.

The monkeys around him gathered around, looking at him curiously.

Sun Wukong sat on a blue stone, pushed the banana away, and waved his hand.

"I am a spirit monkey born of nature, nurtured by the essence of the sun and moon."

"Absorbing the essence of the sun and moon is enough to satisfy hunger; there's no need to eat fruit!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding monkeys immediately gasped in surprise.

"Absorbing the essence of the sun and moon? That's amazing!"

"No wonder the stone monkey is usually the fastest runner and the highest jumper!"

Li Chen remained silent for a moment in his sea of ​​consciousness.

This monkey is also a natural at showing off.

However, this is also good, as it naturally establishes his authority and paves the way for him to become king in the future.

Several days later, the weather became unusually hot.

To escape the heat, the monkeys followed the mountain stream in search of shady water sources.

As we walked, the sound of rushing water came from ahead.

"Boom!"

A deafening roar of water filled the air as a massive waterfall cascaded down like an inverted Milky Way, its chill instantly dispelling the sweltering heat.

The monkeys cheered and frolicked by the pool.

Looking at the cascading waterfall, the old ape suddenly shouted, "Whoever has the ability to go inside, find the source, and come out unharmed will be our king!"

The monkeys looked at each other, called out three times, but none of them dared to step forward.

The waterfall was extremely powerful, crashing against the rocks with a deafening roar; any ordinary monkey that went in would either die or be seriously injured.

A glint of light flashed in Sun Wukong's eyes.

"Big brother, it's here. It's my turn to perform."

"Go on, and be quick about it," Li Chen's voice rang out.

"Okay!"

Sun Wukong suddenly leaped out from the monkey troop, shouting, "I'll go in! I'll go in!"

He kicked off the bluestone with both legs.

"Whoosh—"

Like a golden arrow, he pierced through the waterfall amidst the spray.

Without any hindrance, Sun Wukong landed steadily on an iron bridge.

He opened his eyes and looked around.

The water beneath the bridge rushes through the gaps in the stone, flowing out upside down and obscuring the bridge gate.

After crossing the iron bridge, you'll find yourself in a huge natural stone cave.

Stone seats, stone beds, stone basins, and stone bowls are all present. The cave is clean and tidy, without a trace of moisture.

On a stone tablet in the very center, ten large characters are engraved in ancient seal script.

"Huaguo Mountain is a blessed land, and the Water Curtain Cave is a celestial paradise."

"Brother, this place is really nice!" Sun Wukong walked around the cave, touching and looking at everything.

"Of course it is. This place used to be a blessed land for immortals." Li Chen slowly spoke in his sea of ​​consciousness.

"All the gods and Buddhas in the heavens have gone to great lengths to pave the way for you."

"Alright, let's not worry about that for now."

"Go out and call them in; it's time to confirm your status as the Monkey King."

Sun Wukong composed himself, turned around, and leaped out of the waterfall.

"What a stroke of luck! What a stroke of luck!"

Sun Wukong landed by the pool and shouted at the group of monkeys.

"There's no water inside; it's a perfect home created by nature! Enough for all of us, young and old, to live in!"

The monkeys were overjoyed and, led by Sun Wukong, bravely crossed the waterfall.

Upon entering the Water Curtain Cave, the monkeys went wild with joy, scrambling for bowls and basins, claiming beds and seats, creating a chaotic scene.

When the monkeys were tired from their antics, Sun Wukong sat upright on the stone seat at the top and coughed.

"You just said that whoever can come in and out without getting hurt will be made king."

"Now that I have found you such a blessed land to live in, why do you not yet acknowledge me as your king?"

Upon hearing this, the monkeys immediately fell silent.

The old ape stepped forward first and knelt down with a thud.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

The other monkeys also realized what was happening and knelt down in unison, kowtowing and shouting.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Sun Wukong sat on the stone seat, looking down at the submissive monkey troop below, his mouth stretching to his ears in a wide grin.

"From now on, I will be called the Monkey King!"

Inside the Water Curtain Cave, cheers shook the heavens and the earth.