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墨書 Inktalez
In a secluded valley, Sun Wukong crouched, his ears ringing as if filled with explosives. The name "Little Moon King" exploded in his mind with a thunderous bang. Rage surged from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head. He yanked the Ruyi Jingu Bang from his ear, and the staff trembled in his hands as if it were alive, eager to engage in a fierce battle.
" I, Old Sun wants to see what kind of monster this Little Moon King really is!" Sun Wukong roared, leaping onto the roof of Ten Thousand Mirrors Pavilion. With the force of wind and thunder, he brought down the Ruyi Jingu Bang upon the Azure Sky Tower. However, when the staff struck, it felt as though it hit nothing but cotton—empty and unyielding.
"This is strange! Very strange!" Sun Wukong, refusing to be deterred, jumped again and struck several more times, but the result was the same. Furious, he shouted at the building, "Little Moon King! You cowardly turtle, come out here! How dare you toy with I, Old Sun? Just wait until I tear down this broken tower!"
Inside, the Little Moon King seemed oblivious to the commotion, laughing and chatting with Tang Seng as if nothing was amiss. The women playing pipa and singing were already blind to their surroundings; now they appeared deaf as well, ignoring Sun Wukong's furious tirade while they focused on their music. The sultry melodies only heightened Sun Wukong's irritation.
"The Wandere!" he cursed. "You blind girl! You foolish woman! That man drinking and listening to music is a long-haired monk!"
"Master! We should leave!" Sun Wukong shouted again, but Tang Seng sat there like he was under a spell, motionless with tears in his eyes, lost in thought.
"What on earth is going on?" Sun Wukong pondered anxiously. "Is I, Old Sun dreaming? Or are these people from the Green World all wooden dolls without eyes or ears?"
Confounded by the situation, he decided to suppress his temper and jumped to a nearby mountain to observe further. He saw the Little Moon King raising a wine cup with a smile, addressing Tang Seng: "Mr. Chen, don't be sad. Come now, let's drink. Let me ask you again about this matter of breaking through the heavens—what do you really think? If you don't want to go, I'll have Sky-Stepping Child report back right away."
Tang Seng wiped away his tears and sighed deeply. "Yesterday I was still uncertain; today I've come to understand—I absolutely will not go break through the heavens."
Upon hearing this, the Little Moon King beamed with joy and quickly ordered his subordinates to relay the message that Sky-Stepping Child need not proceed with breaking through the heavens. He then summoned the singing women and instructed them to dress up nicely for a celebratory performance.
Sun Wukong watched from his hiding place, even more perplexed: "What scheme is this Little Moon King plotting? Why is he so happy when my master refuses to break through the heavens?" He scratched his head in confusion, convinced there was something amiss.
The group of charming women displayed their thoughtfulness by kneeling gracefully on the ground and sweetly saying, "Your Highness, we cannot perform this play today." The Little Moon King reclined casually with a folding fan in hand, resembling a carefree nobleman. Hearing their words, he asked curiously, "The Book of Almanac mentions auspicious and inauspicious actions for various activities but never states whether performing plays is auspicious or not."
Seeing that their lord did not understand, the women explained: "Your Highness may not know; it's not that it's inauspicious but rather that it cannot be done. Mr. Chen has something significant weighing on his heart right now; he might be feeling quite distressed at this moment. If we perform too movingly, we might provoke him into tears."
After pondering for a moment, the Little Moon King replied, "Then what should we do? How about we put on a new play instead of those old stories?"
The women giggled behind their hands: "Your Highness, that's not difficult at all. If we were to perform an old play, we'd need to prepare carefully; but for a new play, we can skip it altogether."
"What's this you're saying?" Little Moon King said with a chuckle, waving his fan. "Today, I'm here to congratulate Mr. Chen and have specially arranged a feast. How could there be any reason not to perform? Just as you wish, choose a few delightful plays to entertain us."
The women finally withdrew in response, leaving with a playful demeanor.
Tang Seng had never witnessed such a spectacle and could only sit quietly at the table, allowing them to carry on. Before long, the sounds of gongs and drums erupted from the back room, accompanied by the blaring of horns and a cacophony of voices that made one’s ears ring. A voice from the stage shouted, "Today we present the legendary play 'Misty Rain Dream of Gaotang,' starting with 'Chancellor Sun' at half price! It's absolutely spectacular, don't miss it!"
Sun Wukong lay hidden in a valley, observing everything unfold. He pondered to himself, "Another performance of 'Chancellor Sun' and 'Gao Tang Meng'? What play is this? It seems I must wait until the show is over before they disperse. I might as well head down the mountain for some tea and snacks while keeping an eye on my precious master to prevent any trouble."
Just then, he heard light footsteps behind him, as soft as a cat's. Turning around, he saw a Daoist Attendant about thirteen or fourteen years old standing there. With clear brows and bright eyes, red lips and white teeth, he looked like a charming young Taoist priest. The attendant called out cheerfully when he saw Wukong: "Little Elder! Little Elder! I'm here to watch the show with you!"
The Wanderer found him amusing and decided to play along, putting on a serious face. "You little rascal! Knowing your grandpa is here, you sneaked over to find me?"
The Daoist Attendant replied earnestly, "Don't think you can fool me! My master is not someone to be trifled with!" He puffed out his chest proudly.
Seeing this, Wukong couldn't help but burst into laughter; this little attendant was quite entertaining.
"You little brat! Sneaking around quietly—are you here to steal peaches?" Wukong pretended to scowl to scare him.
But the young attendant showed no fear; instead, he stood tall and answered brightly, "Elder is joking! My master is very hospitable and specifically sent me to invite you to our home for a chat."
Intrigued by the invitation in such a remote place, Wukong asked, "Who is your master? State their name so I can go and return quickly."
The attendant smiled mysteriously and replied, "My master lives in seclusion in the mountains, away from worldly affairs. People call him the Green Bamboo Cave Master."
"Green Bamboo Cave?" Wukong scratched his head; he had never heard of this name nor knew which reclusive expert it referred to. However, he was never one to fear anything and was currently thirsty for tea.
"Very well then, lead the way!" Wukong waved his hand grandly and followed the little Daoist Attendant into the mountains.
The mountain path was rugged, yet the attendant moved swiftly as if flying. Wukong marveled inwardly; this little fellow looked young but had impressive stamina. Soon enough, they arrived at a serene valley surrounded by green bamboo and flowing springs—a veritable paradise.
"What a tranquil place!" Wukong couldn't help but exclaim.
"Please come in; my master has prepared fragrant tea and has been waiting for you," said the Daoist Attendant as he opened a bamboo door, gesturing for Wukong to enter.
Wukong strode into the courtyard and saw an elderly man with white hair sitting at a stone table, leisurely savoring his tea.
"Is this the Green Bamboo Cave Master?" Wukong asked.
The old man set down his teacup, stood up to greet him, and smiled, "Indeed, it is the Old Man. I have long heard of the Great Sage's reputation; it is a great fortune to meet you today."
Wu Kong noticed the old man's celestial aura and distinguished demeanor, and he speculated inwardly that this elder was certainly not an ordinary person. He made himself comfortable, plopping down on a stone bench, and grabbed the teapot from the table to pour himself a full cup.
"Good tea!" Wu Kong drank it in one gulp, feeling the refreshing aroma fill his mouth and invigorate his spirit.
"I'm glad you like it, Great Sage," the old man said with a slight smile, refilling Wu Kong's cup. "May I ask what brings you here today?"
Wu Kong set down his teacup and recounted everything that had happened in the valley to the old man. After listening, the elder pondered for a moment before saying, "It seems that on this journey for scriptures, indeed there are all sorts of demons and monsters lurking about."
Wu Kong agreed wholeheartedly and asked, "In your opinion, who might that performer be?"
The old man stroked his beard and replied slowly, "The Old Man cannot say for certain. However, in this world, truth and falsehood intertwine; why should the Great Sage be so fixated on it?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Kong felt a stir in his heart. Indeed, throughout his journey of subduing demons and vanquishing monsters, he had lost sight of what he was truly fixated on.
"Thank you for your guidance, Old Man. I have learned much," Wu Kong said as he stood up and bowed deeply to the elder.
"The Great Sage is too kind. The day is getting late; why not rest here for the night? It would not be too late to continue your journey tomorrow," the old man urged.
"In that case, I will impose on you," Wu Kong said without hesitation. He understood that this elder was no ordinary person; perhaps he could find the answers he had been desperately seeking from him.
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