The Tathāgata Must Fail

Chapter 22:

Under the night sky, a group of little demons romped by the seaside.

The Jade Shrimp Palace Maid looked at the bright yet gentle light in her hands, her heart brimming with emotion.

"We did it, we succeeded!"

The surrounding little demons cheered.

"Little monkey, you are so smart!"

The Jade Shrimp Palace Maid looked gratefully at the Monkey Spirit who taught her the runes, and the Monkey Spirit touched its head: "This isn't a rune that requires a lot of spiritual power, it's not hard to carve."

"Quickly try if it can fly."

The Monkey Spirit said, and as soon as the Jade Shrimp Palace Maid let go, the lantern slowly floated up under the moonlight, emitting a warm glow.

The little demons watched joyfully, and it took a long time for them to disperse.

The Monkey Spirit returned to the forest, where a woman came to meet him.

"Big brother, what are you doing?"

As soon as she spoke, the Monkey Spirit revealed its true form.

Sun Wukong asked, puzzled, "How did you know it was me?"

"Big brother, you can fool others, but not me."

Ao Luan said somewhat proudly, then looked toward the seaside: "Since the rune was invented, it's the first time I've seen a little demon successfully create it."

Sun Wukong laughed: "It's a low-level rune; in a few days, other little demons will learn it too."

Ao Luan turned her head to look at Sun Wukong.

"Big brother, since you know how to teach the little demons."

She frowned slightly: "Why don't you directly publish the method?"

"An excellent leader must be good at guiding and motivating subordinates to work proactively."

Sun Wukong replied: "You can't show that you know everything."

Being too capable would lead the demons to pin their pursuit of technique on him, for fostering talent—Sun Wukong occasionally had to play the fool; he didn't want to become a nanny.

Ao Luan pouted: "Big brother, you're just being lazy."

Sun Wukong laughed, not denying the accusation: "After all, I have a lot of work to do."

Ao Luan snorted, then playfully twirled around Sun Wukong.

"Big brother, do you notice anything different about me today?"

"Different?"

Sun Wukong looked her up and down: "Did you... grow taller?"

"No!"

Ao Luan's face fell.

"It's the hairpin, the hairpin!"

She pointed to the hairpin on her head: "Didn't you notice I changed my hairpin, big brother?"

"I wasn't paying attention."

Sun Wukong's candid answer left the Dragon Girl feeling deflated.

"You go back first."

Sun Wukong then said to Ao Luan: "I've got things to do."

This blockhead.

Ao Luan gnashed her teeth inwardly.

She turned around and went back to her palace at the bottom of the sea.

Sun Wukong headed deeper into the forest, pinching a spell, muttering spells along the way, compelling the Mountain God to appear.

"Sure enough, no response."

Sun Wukong stopped casting spells beside a centuries-old tree.

The Mountain God and the local deities were low-level Immortals that could not escape his spells.

In the memories of Sun Wukong and the other demons, they had never seen Huaguo Mountain's Mountain God.

Perhaps because it was situated in the vast ocean, or perhaps due to the lack of human worship, Huaguo Mountain had no Mountain God or local deities.

But if Huaguo Mountain continued to develop, sooner or later, the Heavenly Palace would appoint a Mountain God here.

Huaguo Mountain's land nourished all beings and raised a host of demons; Sun Wukong knew without thinking about how vital the allegiance of the Mountain God was to Huaguo Mountain.

With no Mountain God here, Sun Wukong could only let Heavenly Palace arrange this position—but he was unwilling.

"Indecision breeds chaos."

A bright light flashed in Sun Wukong's eyes; as a man of action, how could he be restrained!

Even if he seized that intangible power, the Heavenly Palace had no right to say anything.

With his mind made up, Sun Wukong immediately sat down cross-legged, beginning to commune with the forests and mountains.

He is a spirit monkey born and raised on Huaguo Mountain, also a cultivated Demon Immortal. He didn't wander off his path; it took him just one night to find that invisible force.

"Come!"

Sun Wukong extended his hand.

It seemed as if his hand tore through space, grasping something tangible in the intangible world.

[I have been awaiting here for a long time, my lord, my king, my master...]

As if a voice reached him.

The voice vanished in a flash, and Sun Wukong withdrew his hand, feeling a warm sensation in his palm. He looked down to find a wooden token.

The wooden token was plain and unremarkable, with the three large characters for 'Huaguo Mountain' written on it.

Sun Wukong stared at the wooden token, his deep and intelligent eyes flickered ever so slightly.

"Not enough yet."

He stood up facing the sea, curved his finger into a snap, and five dazzling beams of light flew from the distance, each falling into the wooden token.

Now, the power of the five islets had also fallen into his hands.

Sun Wukong looked at the wooden token again, the characters for 'Huaguo Mountain' were faintly glowing with a golden light.

After the golden light faded, Sun Wukong hung the wooden token around his waist and walked towards Shuilian Cave.

He soon stopped, as the entwined thorns ahead of him parted way.

"What's going on?"

Sun Wukong turned to another direction; as he walked, the wild grass on the ground split to the sides on its own, and some drooping branches lifted up by themselves, allowing him to pass without bending down.

How could these wild grasses and trees, which had yet to attain enlightenment, possess such wisdom?

Sun Wukong was surprised inwardly when he came upon a stream, and something even more miraculous happened—the large trees on either side stretched out their roots, forming a wooden bridge over the stream.

The plants of Huaguo Mountain were paving the way for Sun Wukong.

"Could it be..."

Sun Wukong picked up the wooden token and noticed the light flickering on it once more.

This wooden token did not seem to possess power, but rather a form of authority.

"So that's how it is."

Sun Wukong finally understood why those minor Mountain Gods could move mountains and overturn seas.

Their power to move mountains and overturn seas didn't come from cultivation, but from the identity of the Mountain God—the Mountain God symbolized the will of the mountains and forests themselves.

"An unexpected delight."

Sun Wukong was delighted in his heart. With this wooden token, he could easily change the landscape of Huaguo Mountain in the future.

This also meant that he could rapidly construct an ideal realm.

"I need to visit Immortal Zhen Yuan once more."

Sun Wukong thought, as the three months were up.

His repeated visits to Immortal Zhen Yuan had one primary aim: to hope for assistance in perfecting the foundational Barrier of Huaguo Mountain.

However, the Mountain God token was even more useful than Sun Wukong had anticipated—if Immortal Zhen Yuan disagreed, he was determined to do it alone.

To Sun Wukong now, Immortal Zhen Yuan was no longer someone he had to obtain at all costs.

At Wuzhuang Temple, Immortal Zhen Yuan was drinking tea.

Two celestial children entered the room: "Master, that macaque has come again."

"No need to bother with it."

Immortal Zhen Yuan responded coldly.

The two celestial children continued: "The macaque says, this is the last time he'll visit."

"What!?"

Immortal Zhen Yuan stopped drinking his tea and started pacing the room.

The two celestial children exchanged a glance, wondering why their master seemed a bit off.

Sun Wukong was waiting at the entrance of Wuzhuang Temple.

After waiting for a long time and seeing that Immortal Zhen Yuan still hadn't come out, he turned to leave.

"Wait—"

Suddenly a voice came from inside: "Sun Wukong, I ask you, if you intend to do something outrageous, what am I supposed to do then?"

Sun Wukong turned around.

"That has nothing to do with Immortal."

He replied clearly: "Immortal lives a life free from worldly conflicts, I will not involve you in it."

The gate of Wuzhuang Temple slowly opened.

"If that's the case, come in quickly, let's have a chat."

Sun Wukong was taken aback and couldn't help thinking.

Could it be that Immortal Zhen Yuan is actually tsundere?