The Tathāgata Must Fail

In the forest, a ring of spherical water bubbles surrounds the clearing.

Sun Wukong places his hand on the water bubble, splashing up fine spray like light rain.

He falls silent for a long while: "Have we spent an entire day just to alter the appearance?"

"The appearance is very important."

Immortal Zhenyuan says: "Otherwise, how can mortals know the greatness of the Spiritual Network?"

Sun Wukong is at a loss for words.

Immortal Zhenyuan looks at the water bubble with satisfaction: "Beautiful, stable, and it must also be safe enough. For the two of us to complete the Spiritual Network, it would be impossible without years of effort."

Sun Wukong nods: "Being able to accomplish it in ten years is already a great fortune."

"Ao Luan."

Sun Wukong turns and instructs Ao Luan: "Prepare a banquet in Shuilian Cave, I wish to offer hospitality to the Immortal."

"Yes."

Ao Luan immediately goes down.

"My dear brother!"

Immortal Zhenyuan and Sun Wukong finish inspecting the water bubble, then head towards Shuilian Cave: "I have talked with you for two days and found that your ideas are unique. I have some questions about Daoist skills; I wonder if I might ask for your advice."

"Of course."

Sun Wukong nods.

He is very willing to exchange ideas with Immortal Zhenyuan. Only through exchange can there be progress.

Back at the entrance of Shuilian Cave, Sun Wukong shows Immortal Zhenyuan to the mouth of the cave.

Immortal Zhenyuan looks up, only to see a kite flying over the cascading waterfall above.

"My dear brother."

Immortal Zhenyuan's face is filled with surprise: "The demons of Huaguo Mountain really are different from those in the outside world, courting love with poetry, and even using a kite to deliver it!"

Sun Wukong glances at the kite and sure enough, there is a nonsensical love poem written on it.

His brows furrow; the subject of the poem is Mei Hu, and he wonders which creative Demon King would use a kite to confess his feelings.

Unfortunately, the kite flew to the wrong place.

"Go."

Sun Wukong waves his hand, and immediately the kite in the sky is swept away by the fierce wind towards the sea.

Sun Wukong pays no attention to the fool who has been swept away along with the kite and invites Immortal Zhenyuan into Shuilian Cave.

Ao Luan has already prepared the banquet in Shuilian Cave.

After the two are seated, the Demon Kings come forward to offer their toasts.

Having learned of Immortal Zhenyuan's identity from Ao Luan, they naturally dare not show the slightest neglect.

After three rounds of drinks, Immortal Zhenyuan begins to consult Sun Wukong on Daoist skills.

"I see, so there is a method like this..."

Under the gaze of the Demon Kings, Immortal Zhenyuan continuously nods his head, showing a sincere attitude of seeking advice in front of Sun Wukong.

The Demon Kings are once again astonished.

Of course, Immortal Zhenyuan's mastery of Daoist skills could not be less than Sun Wukong's.

But no matter how profound the Daoist skills, they don't compare to Sun Wukong's numerous ingenious ideas. A casual remark by Sun Wukong, inspired by what he found in the Heavenly Book, often enlightens Immortal Zhenyuan.

Immortal Zhenyuan's mind is overflowing with inspiration, regretting not having befriended Sun Wukong sooner.

This monkey's way of thinking is meticulous and unlike that of ordinary people!

"A single conversation with you is worth a hundred years of my contemplation."

Immortal Zhenyuan can't help but sigh; he stands up and pulls Sun Wukong up: "Come, my brother, come back with me tonight. We shall burn the midnight oil while we talk."

Sun Wukong is startled: "You could stay the night in Shuilian Cave."

"Everything about your Shuilian Cave is good, but it has stone tables and stone beds, not comparing to my Wuzhuang Temple!"

Immortal Zhenyuan doesn't wait for a response, taking Sun Wukong with him as he leaves.

Ao Luan watches their leaving figures, pouting unhappily.

"How can that Immortal be so tactless!"

The Demon Kings all know her feelings and dare not say more.

Meanwhile, Immortal Zhenyuan pulls Sun Wukong back to Wuzhuang Temple and immediately orders the fairy children to serve tea.

"Immortal, please have some tea."

The fairy children reluctantly offer the tea to Sun Wukong.

The youngest fairy child in Wuzhuang Temple is also several hundred years old. Seeing Sun Wukong, so young, yet sitting as an equal with Immortal Zhenyuan, they naturally feel resentful.

Sun Wukong is aware of their thoughts, but does not take it to heart.

Ability in Daoist skills is not measured by age.

Sun Wukong and Immortal Zhenyuan engage in scholarly discussion, offering each other guidance; both being immortals, they end up not sleeping all night.

Engrossed in their conversation, they don't notice as the dawn light outside drowns out the candlelight within.

"It's dawn."

Immortal Zhenyuan comes back to his senses, deeply moved.

As long as one can have a confidant in life, that is satisfaction enough. Since the beginning of Hongmeng, he has never seen such an intelligent and like-minded brother.

Immortal Zhenyuan calls over a fairy child, who goes out and then comes back in with a new cup of tea for Sun Wukong.

"My dear brother, after drinking this tea, let's go to Huaguo Mountain," says Immortal Zhenyuan.

Sun Wukong nods and lifts the teacup to drink but reveals a look of surprise.

"This is..."

He looks down into the teacup, where the remaining half seems to shimmer with spiritual light.

"There is Ginsengfruit steeped in it."

Immortal Zhenyuan says: "Your words have greatly inspired me, so I had someone pick a Ginsengfruit and steep it to offer to you."

Sun Wukong is inwardly shaken; Ginsengfruit — Immortal Zhenyuan actually infused Ginsengfruit in the tea for him to drink!

After all, according to Journey to the West, Ginsengfruit, when exposed to gold, falls; with wood, it rots; with water, it melts; with fire, it chars; and with earth, it burrows. The right way to consume it is dissolved in clear water.

"My dear brother, why do you hesitate? Drink it up," Immortal Zhenyuan says while stroking his beard with a smile: "Ginsengfruit should not be kept for long; it's best to drink it before daybreak."

Sun Wukong frowns slightly; Ginsengfruit flowers every three thousand years, bears fruit in another three thousand, and then takes another three thousand years to ripen, eating one is said to extend life by forty-seven thousand years.

He has already mastered the Immortality Technique. Forty thousand years is not a problem for him.

However, Underworld doesn't know that he possesses the Immortality Technique; they'll eventually send Black and White Impermanence to capture him — he wonders if the Underworld will be informed of his consumption of this Ginsengfruit.

If the Underworld does know and Black and White Impermanence dare not come, wouldn't he lose the opportunity to tamper with the Book of Life and Death in the future?

Sun Wukong's thoughts race, but he quickly lifts the teacup and gulps down the contents.

Considerations for the future can wait — having fine stuff before him and not consuming it would make him a fool!

After eating the Ginsengfruit, Sun Wukong's eyes sparkle with divine light, feeling his very essence more stable within.

"Great kindness."

Immortal Zhenyuan is pleased.

It's human nature to reciprocate courtesy. As gratitude for his enlightenment, offering a Ginsengfruit to Sun Wukong is not something Immortal Zhenyuan fears others will criticize.