Volume 3: A Long Journey, Chapter 266: The Joy of Love

Qilin was slightly surprised. He hadn’t expected the Nine-Headed Worm to be so stubborn. Reaching out to strike, the Nine-Headed Worm hurriedly said, “That person came and went without a trace. I truly don’t know. Besides, I was confused at the time…”
Qilin snapped, “Speak quickly!”
Dayu stopped Qilin and said, “This way of asking won’t yield results. We’ve both been away from the world for a long time. When it comes to analyzing things in detail, only Wukong himself can handle it.”
Qilin thought for a moment and said, “Forget it! I’ll wait until Wukong arrives before asking. I really can’t do this job.”
So Qilin handed the Nine-Headed Worm over to Dayu. Dayu sealed the Nine-Headed Worm’s six senses and still bound it with Qilin’s five-colored ropes. These ropes, called the Five Elements Ropes, prevented the use of any powers related to the five elements once tied around the body. With his profound magical skills, it was easy for him to control the Nine-Headed Worm.
Dayu took the Nine-Headed Worm out of Qilin’s cave. Looking up, he saw a woman standing in front of the cave. She had an elegant updo, delicate eyebrows, bright red lips, white teeth, charming eyes, a stunning appearance, gentle grace, and a serene demeanor. She was incredibly beautiful—any man in the world would be unable to take his eyes off her. Yet when Dayu glanced at her, he lowered his head as if he had committed a grave mistake. It was naturally Hou Tu, the second-ranked among the Six Sovereigns.
Hou Yi called out, “Sister Hou Tu.”
Hou Tu smiled slightly at Hou Yi and said, “Has my brother been well? Since you’ve returned, why haven’t you come to see me?”
Hou Yi felt guilty, and embarrassment showed on his face. Hou Tu sighed and said, “Not a single person has a conscience. Go accompany your sister Chang’e.” Suddenly, Hou Yi remembered something and asked, “Sister, Chang’e was able to enter the Guanghan Palace and live there peacefully for tens of thousands of years. Did you secretly take care of her?”
Hou Tu gave Hou Yi a disdainful look and said, “I wouldn’t dare claim credit for that.” Seeing Hou Tu’s expression, Hou Yi simply led the Nine-Headed Worm away in shame.
When Hou Yi left, Dayu raised his head, took a deep breath, and stared deeply at Hou Tu. He said, “I’ve promised Wukong that I’ll go find you right away. But Wukong asked me to help him capture the Nine-Headed Worm, so that’s why it took a few days. I—”
“Are you thinking that since it’s already been tens of thousands of years late, a few more days don’t matter?” Hou Tu replied, not avoiding Dayu’s gaze.
Dayu stammered, “Well… back then—”
“I don’t want to hear about the past. I only ask about the present! The present!” Hou Tu screamed, “Do you know what a person will do when they’re utterly alone?”

Hou Tu raised her head to look at the sky, a sorrowful yet beautiful smile on her face. “I built a magnificent palace, so beautiful that no second can be found in heaven or earth. I named it ‘Yu’s Palace.’ I thought that person would suddenly appear; if he took just one look, all these tens of thousands of years of effort would not have been in vain.”

“I thought of you day after day, night after night. Time seemed endless. Though I knew in my heart you were dead, I couldn’t let go. The day Wu Kong arrived at Yu’s Palace, I finally realized you had returned. I was so overjoyed… so happy I almost cried, but I was afraid of losing face in front of others. After Wu Kong left, I cried heartily. All those tears accumulated over tens of thousands of years finally found an outlet. But after joy came hatred—a hatred that had also built up over a long time…”

“How can liking someone suddenly turn into hatred? Why is this hatred a hundred times stronger than love? Who can tell me?” Hou Tu murmured.

“I’ll tell you,” Da Yu said solemnly.

Hou Tu sneered. “Do you understand?”

Da Yu replied firmly, “I don’t understand, but I’ll ensure you no longer feel hatred, forever.”

Hou Tu trembled and cried out, “Then how will you repay me for these tens of thousands of years?”

Da Yu pondered for a while before saying slowly, “I would rather die than live like this.”

Hou Tu said, “I don’t care! I will never forgive you, Da Yu!”

Da Yu shook his head. “You will.” He took out a handful of white soil from his bosom, blew gently on it, and the soil grew in his hands, forming a white flower with branches and leaves. “Do you still remember what I said that year? ‘The peach trees are in full bloom, their flowers bright and splendid. As she goes to marry, she shall be suitable for her household.’”

Hou Tu stared at the white flower, her gaze distant, her thoughts drifting back tens of thousands of years. Da Yu continued softly, “Through life and death, we made a promise. Now, we too are bound by life and death. Do you still remember my words: ‘I’ll hold your hand and grow old with you’?”

Hou Tu had never intended to part with Da Yu. Hearing him recite those old love words, word for word, her hatred had long vanished. Yet she still said, “You didn’t betray heaven and earth, nor your friends or the people, but you betrayed me!”

Dayu handed the white flower made of xirang in his hands to Hou Tu, saying, “This handful of xirang was given to me by you. I only wish for this love in this life, with no end in sight. Since parting from you, I haven’t touched it again. Today is the first time it has bloomed in tens of thousands of years. Xirang is originally emotionless, yet it can remain dormant for ten thousand years. Now that I see you, my heart blooms with joy.” As he spoke, he took Hou Tu’s hands in his own, continuing, “I finally understand. I, Dayu, thought I was extraordinary, deluding myself that I could change the heavens and the earth, but these realms are beyond my power. With the desire but no strength, there’s no need to waste effort anymore.”

“From today onward, I will just be an ordinary person. I owe so much—let me repay it bit by bit in the rest of my life.” With that, Dayu clasped his hands together and said, “I wonder, Lady Hou Tu, could you give this humble man such a chance?”

Seeing Dayu’s state, Hou Tu burst into laughter, only to be overwhelmed with tears. Dayu often said such words in the past. Hearing them again now, with so much change having taken place, how could she not feel deeply moved?

As the two were lost in their affection, a loud cry came from the Qilin Cave: “Please, go somewhere else!”

Hou Tu blushed deeply with shame. With her status, to have her overheard saying such tender words—how could she bear it? Dayu laughed heartily and said, “My love is as evident as the heavens and the earth. What does it matter if the whole world knows?” His voice carried great power, echoing through the forests and rivers, lingering in the Qitian Ridge for a long time.

Though that was said, since the Qilin had asked them to leave, they couldn’t stay longer. They found a secluded place, and in that quiet moment, they poured out all their years of longing.

※　※　※

In the Great Hero Hall of the Heavenly Court, Tai Bai Jin Xing entered and whispered a few words to the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor’s expression changed, and he asked, “Tian Peng has been banished?” Tai Bai Jin Xing nodded and said, “Tian Peng has returned to Yun Zhan Cave on Fuling Mountain.”

The Jade Emperor growled, “He’ll never be useful!” Tai Bai Jin Xing replied, “In my opinion, since Tian Peng joined the pilgrimage, though he hasn’t achieved any great feats, he has always told the truth. It’s just that Sun Wukong is too powerful, sweeping aside demons along the way and taking all the credit for himself.”

The Jade Emperor said, “Hmph! I don’t believe he truly aims for the Golden Body as his ultimate goal!” Tai Bai Jin Xing was slightly surprised. “Your Majesty, the candidate personally chosen by the Goddess Guanyin—how could she possibly be wrong?”

The Jade Emperor said, “Do you still remember when the three demons caused chaos in the Tongming Hall? The Ox King and the Roc were both ruling in the Qitian Ridge at that time. Back then, it was still the demon monkey who led them—proving that this monkey is truly remarkable. Could the Five Elements Mountain really break his spirit in just a few decades? Impossible!”

Tai Bai Jin Xing thought for a while and agreed that the Jade Emperor made a valid point. “Your Majesty, you’re right. But now that we’ve lost Tian Peng as our informant, what should we do?”

The Jade Emperor pondered and said, “This matter must be related to Guanyin!”
Taibai Jinxing replied, “Exactly. On the day Tianpeng was demoted, his disciple from the Black Chicken Country had seen Guanyin Bodhisattva. Moreover, recently another person has helped Tang Seng on his quest for scriptures—it’s the old turtle that carries the vase for Guanyin Bodhisattva!”
The Jade Emperor was stunned and nodded, saying, “Good. We’ll discuss this later!” He quickly got up and set off for the Queen Mother’s Jade Pool.
Upon hearing this, the Queen Mother was also shocked and said, “Guanyin promised to keep her word. How could she go back on it?”
The Jade Emperor replied, “Guanyin acts openly, and even the local deities can see clearly. This is clearly meant for our Heavenly Court to observe.”
The Queen Mother shook her head and said, “Having our Heavenly Court see it is just one aspect. I’m afraid her real intention is to have the Buddha and Laozi see it as well.”
The Jade Emperor narrowed his eyes and slowly said, “Are you saying Guanyin is trying to please the Buddha and Laozi?”
The Queen Mother replied, “Since she shows no hesitation, it means, in her mind, our Heavenly Court isn’t as important as the Buddha and Laozi.”
“Guanyin Bodhisattva has always been part of the Eastern Buddha lineage. This change is no small matter.”
“This must be closely related to Guanyin seizing the ten islands’ immortal herbs and Zhenyuanzi’s elixir. Over the years, these are the only two times Guanyin has acted abnormally, right?” the Queen Mother asked.
The Jade Emperor reflected for a while and murmured, “What leverage does the Tathagata actually hold over Guanyin…”
The Heavenly Court was also very concerned about the quest for scriptures and had assigned Tianpeng and Juanlian, both of whom had been guided by Guanyin and were considered the preferred candidates. Yet, General Juanlian was accidentally killed by Tianpeng’s rake, and Tianpeng was kicked out of the team by the Bodhisattva before even halfway through his journey. Although the Heavenly Court seemed unharmed, it had actually suffered a strategic defeat.
The two remained silent for a long time. Finally, the Queen Mother spoke up, “Your Majesty, how did the ‘Heaven Refining’ project turn out?”
Hearing the words “Heaven Refining,” the Jade Emperor’s carefully held wine cup trembled slightly. He said, “It’s slightly inferior to Ling Mountain’s.”
The Queen Mother asked, “Ling Mountain is said to be such that ‘seven days there equals a thousand years on earth.’ Could it really be true?”
The Jade Emperor replied, “It’s just exaggeration. From what the Imperial Censor reported, it’s only a little faster than our Heavenly Court’s.”
The Queen Mother felt relieved and said, “Thank goodness.”
The Jade Emperor said, “What’s there to be relieved about? That little difference may seem insignificant, but catching up is extremely difficult.”
The Queen Mother said, “Your Majesty, pride can’t be considered now.”

The Emperor of Jade understood what the Queen Mother meant by “face.” The methods of refining heaven in the Heavenly Court and on Spirit Mountain were largely similar, both closely related to the forces of creation. Yet Spirit Mountain was located in a remote corner, covering only a few thousand miles. The Heavenly Court, on the other hand, spanned tens of thousands of miles and was divided into thirty-six layers. Just this difference alone must have consumed countless resources of creation.
The Emperor of Jade said, “I’m truly at a loss.”
The Queen Mother replied, “Your Majesty, the greater good must come first!”