In the forest, the Monkey King chatted with the woodcutter.
"Monkey Brother, I'm here!"
King Yellow Wind called out from a distance, rushing over and bowing to the woodcutter. "Old Immortal, this junior pays his respects!"
His gaze was clear, untainted by worldly concerns, but what he saw differed from ordinary perception:
Race: God - Mountain Spirit
Realm: Void Returning - Great Luo Immortal
Traits: Innate Earthly Veins (Multicolored), Mountain-Bearing Body (Gold), Heavenly Transformation (Gold)…
"Lingtai Square Inch Mountain's Mountain Spirit?!"
King Yellow Wind suppressed a gasp. "A Great Luo Immortal? A hidden powerhouse, no doubt!"
It suddenly made sense why this woodcutter claimed to be Patriarch Bodhi's neighbor. With his level of cultivation, he wasn't lying at all.
Even his attire gave away his disguise: the silken sash at his waist, his immaculate straw hat, and his pale complexion were glaring inconsistencies. What kind of impoverished woodcutter, reliant on offerings, could afford silk and escape the wear and tear of labor?
But this charade worked well on the Monkey King.
The woodcutter stepped back from the bow and said humbly, "I dare not accept such deference. I'm but a simple woodsman, far from worthy of the title 'Immortal.'"
King Yellow Wind responded, "You are indeed worthy! I hail from Yellow Wind Ridge in South Zhanbu Zhou. By chance and fortune, I came bearing this map to seek a true immortal."
Sensing the woodcutter's suspicion, he shared his origins and the purpose of his journey.
The woodcutter glanced at the wooden map in King Yellow Wind's hands, a hint of recognition flashing in his eyes. He smiled and said, "I am not the immortal you seek, but there is one within this mountain."
"Follow that small path southward for seven or eight miles, and you'll find his home."
The Monkey King eagerly tried to persuade the woodcutter to guide them, but the latter refused, citing the need to cut wood to provide for his elderly mother.
After bidding farewell, King Yellow Wind and the Monkey King followed the woodcutter's directions.
"Interesting!"
Watching them leave, the woodcutter's appearance shifted into that of a burly warrior clad in black armor. Stroking his beard, he mused, "That mechanical puzzle from the Mohist School—few could solve it, let alone a minor demon. Even the Patriarch likely didn't foresee this."
"I cannot discern its full origin… Two prodigious beings at once? Someone's in for a headache!"
Following the directions, the pair soon came upon a grotto radiating ethereal beauty. Multicolored mist swirled around a tranquil scene of vibrant flowers, towering pines, leisurely cranes, and soaring phoenixes.
"Magnificent!"
The two marveled at the serene aura of this immortal abode.
Before them stood a towering stone tablet, over ten feet tall and eight feet wide, inscribed with:
Lingtai Square Inch Mountain, Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars.
The Monkey King's excitement grew. "It's real! This is truly the place!"
But when they approached, they found the gate tightly shut.
The Monkey King hesitated to knock, instead encouraging King Yellow Wind to take the lead.
King Yellow Wind smiled inwardly. "Patriarch Bodhi is undoubtedly aware of the Monkey King's arrival. A closed gate must be part of his test."
"Monkey Brother," he said aloud, "the old immortal is likely resting. We should seek the Dao with sincerity; there's no rush."
"You're right, Brother," the Monkey King agreed. He perched on a branch, munching pine nuts as he waited.
Inside the cave, Patriarch Bodhi observed the scene. Stroking his white beard, he remarked, "Clever, quick-witted, and spiritually enlightened. Both are worthy to enter my sect."
After a moment's thought, he instructed a disciple, "Go and invite the two outside to come in."
The young disciple was surprised. It was rare for the Patriarch to show personal interest in visitors, let alone to summon them directly.
Exiting the cave, the disciple found the two waiting patiently. Seeing their demonic forms, he showed no disdain, as they were already approved by the Patriarch.
"Follow me," he said, leading them into the cave.
King Yellow Wind handed over his weapons—a spear and a bow—when asked to leave them on a stone platform to avoid disturbing the sanctity of the place. Obeying custom, he complied and even gifted the disciple his Soul-Attracting Bell.
The disciple, intrigued by the small trinket, accepted it without hesitation, believing it a token of camaraderie between future brothers.
Race: Demon - White Tiger (100%)
Realm: Refining Spirit - Taiyi Celestial
Traits: Metal-Element Demon Body (Gold), Heavenly Transformation (Gold), Cloud Riding and Fog Walking (Gold)… Playful and Lazy (Blue)…
King Yellow Wind chuckled inwardly. "So he's playful, huh? No wonder he liked the bell. No cat toy? A bell will do just fine."
The gift seemed to warm the disciple's heart, making him more talkative. He introduced himself as Bai Huizi, a long-time attendant of the Patriarch.
Inside, the grotto revealed itself as a vast celestial domain, with jeweled halls and towering pavilions exuding grandeur.
At the center of it all, Patriarch Bodhi sat upon a jade dais, his white robes glowing with divine light. His serene expression and ageless features radiated wisdom and authority.
King Yellow Wind dared not examine him directly. The Patriarch's information was veiled entirely in question marks.
Before the dais stood thirty disciples, each radiating unique energy.
The Monkey King immediately prostrated himself, bowing repeatedly. King Yellow Wind followed suit, waiting for his turn to speak.
The Patriarch inquired about their origins.
The Monkey King spoke of his birth as a stone monkey in Dongsheng Shenzhou and his long journey across oceans to find the Dao. The disciples were astonished by his tale.
King Yellow Wind explained his lineage as a Lunar Devourer from Nanzhan Buzhou, solving an ancient puzzle and bearing a token to seek the Dao. His story left the disciples equally curious.
Satisfied with their answers, the Patriarch accepted both into his sect.
He gave the Monkey King the surname Sun, naming him Sun Wukong and assigning him the generation name Wu.
King Yellow Wind was granted the Daoist name Huang Wuzhen, though he retained his given name.
The Patriarch instructed his senior disciples to teach the newcomers the fundamentals of courtesy, rituals, and daily chores.
The two demons bowed in gratitude, then followed their seniors out to meet their new brothers, arrange lodging, and begin their training.
Over the following days, they swept the grounds, tended gardens, carried water, and chopped firewood—mundane tasks meant to humble and temper their spirits.
King Yellow Wind, recognizing this as a trial period, approached the work with diligence, aiming to stand out as the most devoted worker on Square Inch Mountain.
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