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墨書 Inktalez
The Old Man moved another oil bamboo and brought over four green-skinned bamboo chairs, and the two sat down facing each other. With a smile, the Old Man asked, “May I ask for your birth date and time, Little Elder?”
Wu Kong set down his tea bowl and glanced sideways at the Old Man, a smirk on his face as he replied, “We are merely strangers who have crossed paths; there’s no bond of brotherhood or marriage between us. Why would you want to know my birth details?”
The Old Man said, “I have a bit of knowledge in fortune-telling. Since you are a relative of Qin Shi Huang, I’ll take the liberty to cast your fortune and see if your journey westward will bring you good fortune instead of misfortune. Consider it my small way of helping an old friend.”
The Old Man’s words were somewhat intriguing, offering to read Wu Kong’s fortune. Wu Kong, knowing full well that he was a Stone Monkey born of heaven and earth, thought there was no such thing as fate for him. However, since the Old Man seemed to be in high spirits, he decided to humor him. He scratched his head and pretended to be mysterious, saying, “To be honest with you, old sir, my fate is extraordinarily good—so good that it could astonish heaven and move the gods. Even the Jade Emperor would tremble at the sight of it!”
The Old Man stroked his goat beard and feigned profundity, saying, “You haven’t even had your fortune told yet, and you’re already boasting?”
Upon hearing this, Wu Kong burst into laughter and pointed at the Old Man’s nose, saying, “You really don’t know what you’re talking about! The thing I love most in life is not just fighting monsters but also having my fortune told. Back when I first popped out from a crack in the rock, I met a fortune teller in blue robes. When he saw me, his eyes widened like copper bells as he trembled while calculating my fate. Can you guess what happened next?”
The Old Man pretended to be curious and asked, “What happened?”
Wu Kong slapped his thigh proudly and said, “That old man jumped up right away and nearly overturned the table! He kept exclaiming ‘My apologies! My apologies!’ Do you know what he said? He claimed my fate was exactly like that of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven! Just think about it—when that Great Sage caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, not even a hundred Heavenly Soldiers could do anything about him! How impressive was that? Now he is on his way to achieving enlightenment and becoming a Buddha, enjoying offerings from devotees. If my fate truly resembles his, how could there be anything bad in store for me?”
The Old Man squinted his eyes in feigned surprise and asked, “If that’s the case, when was the Great Sage born?”
Wu Kong rolled his eyes and casually fabricated an answer: “The Great Sage was born just like me—on the first day of the first month in the year of Jiazi at the hour of Shen. We are both Stone Monkeys; we’re practically family—five hundred years ago we were one!”
The Old Man laughed heartily and pointed at Wu Kong, saying, “As the saying goes, ‘One’s appearance reflects one’s heart.’ I see that you do indeed resemble that Great Sage; both of you have quite the mischievous look.”
Feigning surprise, Wu Kong scratched his Monkey Head and asked, “Are you saying that the Great Sage also has such a sharp face like mine?”
The Old Man suppressed his laughter and replied, “You may look like a mischievous version of the Great Sage; however, the real Great Sage is indeed a monkey spirit!”
Wu Kong took this revelation with good humor and simply chuckled before urging, “Old Man, enough joking around! Quickly tell me my fortune!”
In truth, since popping out from the rock crevice, Wu Kong had never known his exact birth date or time; he only remembered that when he was registered with heaven back then, his birth month had been recorded. Now he was just making things up to tease this Old Man.
Unaware of Wu Kong's playful intentions and thinking he spoke truthfully, the Old Man stroked his gray beard and began discussing fate seriously. “Little Elder,” he said directly, “don’t take my words too much to heart.” He squinted as if examining some ancient secret.
Hearing this made Wu Kong’s monkey face almost scream "Hurry up!" as he eagerly laughed and said, “Please speak freely! I love hearing honest words—the more truthful, the better!”
The Old Man found Wu Kong's eagerness amusing and cleared his throat before speaking solemnly: “Your fate is Tai Cu; Lin Zhong is your adversary star while Huang Zhong is your benefactor star. Gu Xie is your forbidden star; Nan Lü will bring you difficulties. This month is Yu Month; you are currently encountering troublesome stars—be wary of some trouble coming your way soon.”
Upon hearing the word "Trouble," The Wanderer instantly perked up, scratching his head and asking, "What trouble? Which fool dares to bother I, Old Sun?"
The Old Man remained unperturbed and continued, "Not only that, but your fate also has Bian Gong Xing residing within it. This Bian Gong Xing is a Matchmaker God star! As the saying goes, 'When the Matchmaker God pulls the strings, a perfect couple is formed.' I see that on your journey westward, you are bound to encounter some Fate."
"Fate?" The Wanderer jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "I, Old Sun, am a monk; matters of Fate might not be appropriate, right? Are you suggesting that I should become sworn in-laws with some eminent monk?" He said this while deliberately winking, adopting a nonchalant demeanor.
The Old Man was amused by his comical antics and laughed heartily. "You Monkey Head! When it comes to marriage, there’s no distinction between dry and wet! Let me continue: in addition to Bian Gong, your fate also encounters Gu Xie. This Gu Xie is an ominous star, and coupled with the two difficult stars Nan Lü and Yu Xing, as ancient texts say, 'When ominous and difficult stars converge, even Stone Man and Stone Horse cannot withstand it.' I fear your journey will be filled with both joy and sorrow—there will be reunions with loved ones as well as painful separations."
The Wanderer scratched his Monkey Head; the Old Man's words sounded cryptic to him. He asked, "Elder, are you saying that on my journey I will gain one master and lose another? Does that count?"
"You clever Monkey Head!" the Old Man chuckled while stroking his beard. "For monks like us, entering and leaving a master’s door is quite common. But for today, just rest easy; tomorrow when you enter the Shang and Jiao Stars, you may have to unleash a killing spree!"
"Killing?" The Wanderer sneered inwardly and thought to himself, "What’s so difficult about that? I, Old Sun, have traveled westward and slain countless demons and monsters; a few more won’t make a difference."
The Old Man seemed to see through his thoughts and continued, "Three days from now, you will enter the Bian Zheng Star. This Bian Zheng Star, also known as Guangming Su, is a sign of good fortune. However, within this auspicious star lies hidden dangers; with the four transforming stars of Sun, Moon, Water, and Earth approaching your fate, I fear this journey westward will put you through a life-and-death trial before you can turn misfortune into fortune and ultimately obtain the True Scriptures!"
Upon hearing this, The Wanderer laughed heartily towards the sky with great bravado. "Life and death are fated; wealth and nobility are determined by heaven. If I am to die, then I shall die; if I am to live, then I shall live. What is there to fear? I want to see what in this world can stop me!"
As the Old Man's words echoed in his ears, he noticed a Daoist Attendant dressed in red and green rushing over while shouting, "My Little Elder! The Gao Tang Meng has finished singing; we must hurry along so as not to miss the time!" The Wanderer suddenly remembered his agreement with the Daoist Attendant. He quickly bid farewell to the Old Man and thanked the Daoist Attendant before retracing his steps.
As he reached Mountain Hollow, he heard the sounds of Stage Silk Bamboo still playing; it seemed there was another act of Gao Tang Meng yet to be completed. Curious at heart, The Wanderer paused and looked up. He saw a Daoist appearing on stage with a celestial aura surrounding him, accompanied by five immortals whose garments flowed gracefully like divine beings. The Daoist began to sing:
"In this world of three thousand dreams,
Awakening reveals only emptiness.
Having guided Emperor Zhuanxu,
The nuances of human emotions are laid bare,
Exhausting all words."
Only waiting for the moment you awaken from your dream,
Thoughts heavy and burdensome.
The audience below listened, entranced, and when the performance ended, they erupted into thunderous applause. Someone shouted enthusiastically, "This 'Gao Tang Meng' was truly wonderful, but it's a pity it was too short; I haven't had enough of it!" Yet, there were others who disagreed: "What’s so special about 'Nan Ke Dream'? It’s just some ethereal dreams; it can’t compare to ' Chancellor Sun'!"
Hearing this, The Wanderer felt a stir in his heart; he had never heard of ' Chancellor Sun'. He noticed someone nearby shaking their head, lost in reverie as they spoke, "Think of the Chancellor Sun! He was an extraordinary figure, once a Great Sage who caused quite a stir in the Heavenly Palace and ventured into the Underworld—what a spectacle! Later, he converted to Buddhism and escorted the monk Tang Seng to the Western Paradise to obtain scriptures, subduing demons and vanquishing evil along the way. He accomplished great feats and was eventually honored as the Demon Fighting Victorious Buddha, joining the ranks of immortals—what a joyous life!"
"Indeed!" another chimed in. "Look at his wife—so beautiful and gracious! And his five sons—handsome and charming! He started as a monk but ended up with such a fulfilling life; it’s truly commendable!"
The crowd buzzed with lively conversation, but The Wanderer felt a mix of emotions. The tale of ' Chancellor Sun' clearly told the story of his grandson Wu Kong, yet why did it differ so greatly from what he had experienced in that world? Should he be viewed by the world as someone who achieved great success, surrounded by wives and children? But what did he truly desire in his heart?
The Wanderer gazed at the empty stage, feeling lost. The myriad lives portrayed on that stage and the tumult below— which one was real? He felt shrouded in fog, unable to see the path ahead or even understand himself.
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