Volume 1: Unsayable – Chapter 82: Fighting Yang Jian

It was nearly dusk when they returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain. The setting sun shone upon it, casting a golden glow. In the sky, a flock of geese flew in formation; one seemed exhausted and plummeted straight into the dense forests of Flower-Fruit Mountain, while the others continued flying silently without looking back.
Wukong and his companions happened to see this from afar and laughed, saying, “Truly a blessed land—even the geese don’t want to leave.”
Wukong sighed, “We rushed south in such haste that we forgot even our companions.”
Wang Yu remarked, “When geese can no longer fly, their companions usually call out to encourage them. But this flock was eerily indifferent—something I’ve never seen before.”
Wukong said, “Like begets like; people group according to their nature. Once one’s habits are formed, it’s hard to change.”
The group reached the top of the mountain and planted the peach tree, feeling as if they had fulfilled a good deed, with relief in their hearts. Especially Wu Zhiqi, whose hatred had diminished after being enlightened by Wukong. Though he wouldn’t completely forget, he decided to let time ease the pain.
Indeed, Flower-Fruit Mountain was a blessed land. Once the peach tree was planted, its appearance changed instantly, presenting a thriving scene. As Wukong gazed at the tree, suddenly he heard shouts in the distance. Two figures soared into the air and clashed.
The four of them flew over immediately—it was the Golden-Winged Roc and the God Erlang Yang Jian fighting in the sky.
The goose that had fallen into Flower-Fruit Mountain was actually Yang Jian in disguise. From afar, he had seen Wukong and his companions return but failed to realize his own disguise. Thinking that the demons in Flower-Fruit Mountain were nothing special, he landed on a branch to plan his next move.
Unbeknownst to him, the Golden-Winged Roc also saw him. Being one of the finest birds, the Roc was highly skilled in flight. Noticing that this “geese” looked old and flapped its wings awkwardly, it grew suspicious. It spread its wings and flew closer to investigate. When Yang Jian saw it was the Roc, he realized his disguise had been exposed. Without hesitation, he revealed his true form, determined to avenge himself for being captured earlier that day.
Seeing that it was Yang Jian, Wukong’s fighting spirit flared again. He shouted, “Third brother, leave him to me!” Then he swung his staff and charged at him. The Golden-Winged Roc, unwilling to be known as one defeated by a greater number, could only retreat with a wry smile.
Yang Jian defended himself while saying, “All in Flower-Fruit Mountain are good at group battles!” His tone implied he wasn’t convinced by his defeat earlier that day. Wukong laughed and said, “This time, I’ll capture you alone!”
The two fought as they moved forward. In just a dozen rounds, they had left Flower-Fruit Mountain behind and reached the skies above Aolai Country.

Although Yang Jian was highly skilled, he was no match for Wukong, who had mastered the “Qi Tian Gun Technique.” After fighting for a long time with no clear winner, Yang Jian grew anxious and used his transformation magic to assume a form that seemed to reach the heavens and touch the earth. Standing towering high, he shouted at Wukong, “Do you know this technique?”

Wukong, who was just getting the hang of the “Qi Tian Gun Technique” and had managed to gain a slight advantage over the Three-Pointed Two-Bladed Divine Blade, was caught off guard by Yang Jian’s sudden change in tactics. Though this form of Yang Jian appeared extremely formidable, it was mostly meant to intimidate, intended merely to test Wukong’s ability to transform.

Wukong used his Size Change Technique and instantly stood shoulder to shoulder with Yang Jian, smiling and saying, “What a clever way to avoid battle! No matter what you compare us to, I, Old Sun, am not afraid of you!”

Yang Jian’s face turned slightly red, but he retracted his powers, including the Three-Pointed Two-Bladed Divine Blade, and said, “Let’s stop fighting. I can’t defeat you, and it’s not easy for you to win either.”

Seeing that Yang Jian was straightforward and sincere, with no pretense in his tone or demeanor—just like Yang Jian he had encountered secretly at Guanjiangkou—Wukong felt a bit of goodwill toward him and also retracted his magical powers. He said, “You didn’t sneak to Flower-Fruit Mountain just to fight, did you?”

Yang Jian laughed and said, “That’s not my intention. I just wanted to find out how deep the waters of Flower-Fruit Mountain were. Unexpectedly, as soon as I touched the surface, I ran into that roc. My apologies.”

Wukong smiled and said, “He was just lucky. But you managed to deceive all four of us—truly admirable.”

Yang Jian replied, “That roc is indeed powerful. One really can’t underestimate all the demons in the world.”

Wukong continued, “Of course not. Among demons, there are those who are noble and willing to sacrifice their lives for justice. And among humans, aren’t there those who are heartless and opportunistic? If you judge heroes by their physical appearance, then I consider you inferior.” Wukong had witnessed Yang Jian forming a brotherhood with the Six Saints of Meishan, so these words were tailor-made for him and perfectly struck at Yang Jian’s sentiments.

Yang Jian was moved and clasped his fists in greeting toward Wukong, saying, “You’ve also seen that my six brothers are all demons. I treat them as my own kin, because they are all people of great breadth of mind and courage. As for those despicable scoundrels, even if they held the status of the Three Pure Ones or the Four Emperors, I, Yang Jian, would never associate with them.”

Wukong pretended to be surprised and said, “What a truly noble being! Your words exactly match my thoughts. People in the world shouldn’t be judged by strength or weakness. Ultimately, everything in the world boils down to one principle. If that principle aligns with my way of living, then no one can stop me!”

Yang Jian saw that although Wukong was only four feet tall, speaking in such a manner made him feel as if he were looking up to him. Not knowing that there was a profession called an actor in another world, he asked Wukong, “From what you say, it seems we have the upper hand in this conflict with the Heavenly Court, right?”
Wukong replied, “If you don’t mind me being verbose, I’ll explain it to you.” So Wukong began by recounting how the heavenly generals pursued Hu Zhi and Hu Yu, then how the Six Celestial Beasts tried to destroy Flower-Fruit Mountain, and finally how the Heavenly Court sent troops to besiege it. He told the story fairly, though adding some exaggerations here and there, yet no one could find any flaws in it.
Though it was their first conversation, the two acted like old friends, speaking freely without any sense of distance.
After listening to Wukong’s detailed account, Yang Jian, regardless of right or wrong, pondered for a long time before saying, “The Heavenly Court has always acted in this way. Fortunately, the area around Guanjiangkou is under the protection of the Jade Emperor, so the heavenly soldiers dare not enter, allowing us some peace.”
Wukong laughed heartily. “They may act that way, but it doesn’t work on me! The rules of the world are determined by nature itself; birth, aging, sickness, and death follow the laws of heaven. They rely on their magical powers to be stronger than others, then establish the Heavenly Court and the Netherworld to control people’s lives and deaths at will—how absurd!”
Yang Jian was shocked. He had also been a deity since birth and had always believed that the Heavenly Court, the Netherworld, the Dragon King, and the immortals were rights bestowed by heaven and earth, without ever doubting it. Now, Wukong’s bold words seemed to overturn everything. It was no exaggeration to say they had shattered Yang Jian’s worldview.
But upon further reflection, it indeed made sense. The Heavenly Court and the Netherworld didn’t arise with the world; they were established after various deities became famous and gained power. The same was true for those immortals and celestial beings—some were even descendants of Yang Jian.
The more Yang Jian thought about it, the more he admired Wukong. He bowed and said, “Your words today are truly unprecedented. Yang Jian is in awe! Truly in awe!”
Wukong quickly helped him up and said, “Our situations are different. I just blurted out nonsense, embarrassing Brother Yang. Please don’t take it to heart.” Yang Jian laughed and said, “I won’t just take it to heart—I’ll repeat them silently every day, true or not. It’s really satisfying!”
The two looked at each other and burst into laughter simultaneously, feeling as if they had found a true friend for life.
In the sacred Jade Pool, a grand banquet was held.
Unlike the magnificent Elephant and Brocade Pavilion during the Jade Emperor’s last visit, this time the decorations lacked excessive luxury but instead featured a simple, natural beauty. The main hall was filled with fragrant incense and auspicious mists, while the Jade Terrace was adorned with colorful ribbons and the treasure pavilions exuded a gentle glow.

Naturally, the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West sat in the upper seats, with seven empty positions below. In the front row were screens made of nine phoenixes and cinnabar clouds, as well as pedestals adorned with eight treasures and purple rainbows. There were tables painted in five colors with gold trim, and basins made of green jade filled with flowers, all awaiting the arrival of the Three Pure Ones and the Four Emperors.

After a while, the Seven Heavenly Kings, including the Tower-Bearing Heavenly King who had gone to invite them, returned one after another and reported that among the Three Pure Ones, only the Supreme Lord Taoist, the Old Lord, was available. The Primordial Lord and the Spirit Treasure Lord had been in seclusion for many years, and even their disciples could not meet them. Among the Four Emperors, aside from the Eastern Extreme Azure Flower Great Emperor who was still crafting magical weapons, the other three arrived shortly thereafter.

The Jade Emperor nodded and said, “Thank you for your efforts,” before sending everyone away. With a glance from the Queen Mother, the fairies beside her understood immediately and removed three tables from the hall.

Indeed, in just a short while, the Three Great Emperors— the Supreme Emperor of the Purple Micro Pole in the middle sky, the Heavenly Emperor of the Xuanyuan Gouchen Upper Palace in the western extreme, and the Eternal Life Emperor in the southern extreme—arrived together. Except for the Eternal Life Emperor, who rode a white deer, both the Purple Micro Emperor and the Gouchen Emperor came alone. As soon as the three entered, a deep voice came from outside the door: “It’s been some time since the Jade Emperor last invited me for a drink.”