Volume 1: Unsayable – Chapter 83: Heart-to-Heart Conversation
A man stepped in from outside—white hair and beard, a rosy complexion, ears hanging to his shoulders. Holding a green fan in his right hand, he entered the Jade Pool Hall with great joy.
The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother rose to greet the four, while the three Great Emperors also bowed to Laozi. Laozi stepped forward two steps but dodged aside, laughing and saying, “Is it because I’m too old?” The Jade Emperor replied, “Laozi is not old; rather, he possesses great virtue and profound wisdom.” Then he invited the four to sit down.
After sitting down, Laozi said, “I’ve spent my days immersed in the art of alchemy, yet my mastery grows weaker by the day. In a few years, I’m afraid I won’t even be as good as my young disciple.” With that, he burst into laughter. The Purple Micro Great Emperor joked, “Would that mean returning to youth?” Laozi paused, then said, “I’m afraid I’ll turn into an old monster, haha!”
The Queen Mother agreed, “If Laozi, with his immortal demeanor, were to become a monster, where would we all go?” Her laughter, like a string of silver bells, echoed throughout the hall. The white deer behind the Southern Pole Immortal, hearing the Queen Mother’s laughter, began digging wildly with its hooves. The Southern Pole Immortal scolded, “You insolent beast! You don’t know how to behave!” and drove the deer away.
The Jade Emperor chatted casually with the four for a while and drank three cups of wine before getting to the point.
“Laozi has lived in Tushita Heaven for so long. I suppose you still keep abreast of world affairs while sitting in your alchemy chamber?” the Jade Emperor asked calmly. The Supreme Lord Laozi took a sip of immortal wine, smacked his lips, and said, “The world is at peace. What could possibly be the problem?”
The Jade Emperor sighed but didn’t answer. The Purple Micro Great Emperor continued, “Laozi is unaware of something. Recently, a demon monkey has risen in the Eastern Victory Continent. It has killed our heavenly generals and defeated our hundred thousand heavenly soldiers—its arrogance is truly outrageous.”
Laozi’s hand trembled, and most of the wine in his cup spilled. Muttering to himself, he said, “Oh no, oh no.” It was unclear whether he meant the spilled wine or the situation in heaven.
The Jade Emperor wore a worried expression and said, “I sent the Tower-Bearing Heavenly King, Nezha the Third Prince, the Four Celestial Masters, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the Nine Bright Stars to suppress it, but to no avail. It seems that the orthodox Taoism is declining—this is an inevitable trend.”
The Southern Pole Immortal smiled broadly and said, “Jade Emperor, please rest assured. Our Taoism has a deep foundation and has ruled the world for tens of thousands of years. That mere demon monkey is just a minor nuisance. It may seem terrifying at first, but it comes and goes quickly. What’s there to fear?”
The Jade Emperor had always disliked this old man from the Southern Pole. He thought he had no real skills yet still held the position of Southern Pole Immortal of Longevity. He never exerted any effort, spending his days only seeking elixirs and medicines. So he said, “Then I ask the Immortal of Longevity—how can we get rid of this nuisance quickly?”
The Southern Pole Immortal smiled and said, “The elders of Taoism are here now. Let’s discuss this together.” He avoided answering, which naturally filled the Jade Emperor’s heart with even more disdain.
The Jade Emperor said again, “I sent people to invite my nephew, the Manifest Holy Lord, to subdue these demons, but he was also repelled by them. It seems no one can control these demons. Do any of you have any good strategies?”
Laojun kept shaking his head. “It’s difficult. I haven’t used my fighting skills in tens of thousands of years and have long forgotten them all. The only option is to ask a few bodhisattvas to come and help, what do you think?”
Hearing the first part, the Jade Emperor was displeased, but upon hearing the second part, his mood changed dramatically, and he exclaimed with joy, “That’s excellent! Laojun is highly respected, and I believe anyone in the world can be persuaded to come.”
The Purple Micro Emperor said resentfully, “Those demons killed the stars of my Purple Micro Palace. I must personally avenge this. Once the bodhisattvas arrive, we’ll gather our forces and fight those demons again.”
The Gou Chen Emperor had not spoken yet. He controlled the thunder in the heavens and was in charge of punishments in the world—his abilities were truly remarkable. He also said, “The Gou Chen Palace in the West is at the disposal of the Jade Emperor.”
Seeing that everyone was willing to help, the Southern Pole Immortal reluctantly agreed, “I, an old man, will also risk my life. I swear to join the others in exterminating these demons. Only then can we restore our heavenly authority!”
The Jade Emperor and Empress clapped their hands in approval. “It’s rare to see all of you work together. Once the reinforcements arrive, we’ll set out on an expedition another day!”
Laojun smiled and nodded, then picked up another cup, drinking it all at once this time. The smile on his lips was deep and unfathomable.
By now, Yang Jian and Wukong had arrived at Guanjiangkou and were sitting in the grand hall drinking wine. Yang Jian introduced the six brothers of Meishan to Wukong one by one. Wukong, eager to make friends, naturally treated them with respect. After they sat down, they had a pleasant conversation.
Wukong said, “The Manifest Holy Lord is associating with a scoundrel like me today. Isn’t he afraid of losing his reputation and being slandered by others?”
Yang Jian laughed and said, “What are you talking about? I, Yang Jian, stand upright and have never done anything dishonest. If anyone dares to spread rumors, it’s their own fault. Don’t blame me for being merciless.”
Wukong laughed heartily. “Brother Yang, you have such courage! Meeting a hero like you today is truly a joy in my life. Let me offer a toast to the six brothers as a token of respect!”
Yang Jian said, “How could I miss such a good occasion?” With that, the eight of them raised their cups and drank together.
Wukong said, “You have the Seven Saints of Meishan, and I have the Eight Great Saints of Flower and Fruit Mountain. How about we gather together one day and have a big drink?”
Yang Jian was instantly stunned. He got along well with Wukong and had enjoyed their conversation for so long that they still wanted more. So he invited him to Guanjiangkou to drink, thinking that with their combined abilities, no one else could hold them back. He never expected Wukong to propose merging their two groups. If those fifteen people gathered together, their strength would be immense. If the Heavenly Court found out, it would be a grave offense. With the Heavenly Court at war with Huaguo Mountain at that moment, how could Yang Jian dare to agree?
Seeing Yang Jian not respond, Wukong quickly said, “Ah, I acted on a whim and forgot that this is a critical time. Brother Yang, please don’t blame me. I spoke carelessly and deserve any punishment.” He picked up his cup and drank it in one gulp.
Seeing Wukong’s boldness, Yang Jian felt somewhat guilty and also raised his cup to drink. At that moment, an idea never before conceived crossed his mind: How nice it would be if he weren’t the awkward nephew of the Jade Emperor!
Wukong hadn’t spoken carelessly—he had done it on purpose to make Yang Jian feel guilty. In terms of grasping such subtle emotions, he was naturally far superior to everyone else.
As the wine flowed and they grew tipsy, Wukong pretended to be drunk, threw his cup aside, and began singing loudly, “Pride~facing countless waves~Passion~like the red sun~Courage as iron~Bones like steel~A heart as vast as the sky~Vision stretching for miles…” It was the same song from his past life, “A Man Should Strive to Be Stronger.” The song was full of passion and vigor. With every gesture, Wukong exuded a manly spirit. Yang Jian and the others had never heard such a song before; their eyes widened, and their hearts burned with enthusiasm.
“…Brighter than the sun!” Wukong finally finished singing. Everyone was speechless for a long time. Wukong laughed and said, “I indulged myself today and must have embarrassed you all!”
Yang Jian waved his hand and shouted, “Great words, great music, great man! Bring more wine! Today, Wukong and I will drink until we’re drunk!”
Given their drinking capacity, if they didn’t want to get drunk, they could drink thousands of jars of ordinary wine without issue. But at Yang Jian’s Guanjiangkou, all the wine they drank was imperial wine sent by the Heavenly Court, meant specifically for immortals. As they drank jar after jar for several hours, the Six Saints of Meishan were the first to get drunk. Yang Jian and Wukong too had blurred eyes and were thoroughly drunk.
The two linked arms, and Yang Jian said, “Wukong is truly a rare gem in this world. I really regret not meeting you earlier!”
Wukong replied, “Meeting each other is fate. How can we blame it for being too late?”
Yang Jian said, “Well said. I have a somewhat unreasonable request. I wonder if Wukong might agree?”
Wukong laughed and said, “That’s a strange way of putting it. If you can’t do it, does that mean I can?”
Yang Jian said seriously, “That’s exactly the case. I want to become brothers with Wukong. If you refuse, how can I force you?”
Without hesitation, Wukong replied, “That’s absolutely impossible.”
A flash of disappointment passed through Yang Jian’s eyes, which quickly turned to anger as he asked, “Why?”
Wukong replied, “If it’s brotherly bond, even separated by vast distances, it won’t weaken by a fraction. If there’s no bond, hehe, even if we spend every day together, what can be done?”
Yang Jian pressed further, “Then why did you become brothers with those seven? Could it be you were completely pretending?”
Wukong shook his head. “Not at all. In this world, some are bound by rituals, while others aren’t. With your character, Brother Yang, would you ever stoop to such things?”
Yang Jian thought of his own relationship with the six Mei Mountain brothers. He had taken the initiative to form a brotherhood to ease their concerns and prevent any sense of hierarchy among them. Deeply moved, he said, “Only Wukong truly understands me.” He knew Wukong had refused the proposal out of concern for not burdening him, and his gratitude was beyond words.
The two opened another two jars of wine and began to talk about everything under the sun. Yang Jian, being well-known for a long time, shared various strange and interesting stories, which delighted Wukong greatly.