Journey to the West: Demon Emperor: Beginning as a Little Toad

Chapter 501 The Monkey King Goes to the Heavenly Meeting

Then Sun Wukong asked the disheveled immortal:

"Since it's such a grand and extraordinary event as the Heavenly Court Assembly, surely my name must be on the invitation, right?"

"This……"

Upon hearing this, the unkempt immortal's heart trembled, and he subconsciously stole a glance at the Ruyi Jingu Bang in Sun Wukong's hand, which gleamed with a cold light and exuded a murderous aura.

The cold light flowing across the Ruyi Jingu Bang sent a chill down his spine, making him feel as if he were in an ice cellar. He felt a wave of fear wash over him, and his legs trembled slightly.

The immortal with disheveled hair was afraid that he might accidentally say something wrong and displease the Great Sage, so he swung his stick down.

After all, not long ago, he was almost killed by Sun Wukong's staff.

He died instantly.

The fearsome reputation of the Monkey King, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, was earned through countless bloody battles against the heavenly soldiers and generals on Flower Fruit Mountain.

There's a saying: "The ruthless fear the stubborn, and the stubborn fear the reckless."

The Monkey King, also known as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, was a wild demon king from the mortal realm. He acted unconventionally and, when he lost his temper, he would truly kill gods without any mercy.

Just like a scholar encountering a soldier, even if he has reason, he can't reason with him.

Besides, he didn't even acknowledge that Sun Wukong was ordered to guard the Peach Garden, and that he had come to steal peaches from the Peach Garden.

It was only natural that Sun Wukong would kill him with one blow.

When the disheveled immortal saw Sun Wukong asking him a question, he quickly changed his tune and flattered him, saying:

"Great Sage, please forgive me. This is my first time attending this Heavenly Court assembly. I am not very familiar with the formalities, rules and etiquette involved. I hope you will forgive me."

"In my humble opinion, all the gods and immortals in the celestial realm, regardless of rank, are qualified to attend this gathering."

"Given the Great Sage's illustrious reputation and immense supernatural powers, the invitation to the Heavenly Peace Assembly must have been waiting for him for a long time, awaiting his arrival to join in this grand event."

"But who could have predicted that you, Great Sage, with your boundless supernatural powers, would transform into a fresh and juicy peach, hiding in the Peach Garden, quietly enjoying its tranquility."

"Even if they searched every corner of the Heavenly Court, how could they possibly find even the slightest trace of the Great Sage!"

"The Great Sage's transformation technique is truly amazing, it's breathtaking."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's eyes lit up, a smug look spreading across his face. A smile played on his lips as he agreed:
"That's true."

"My transformation technique is already at its most refined and unparalleled level. How could ordinary people possibly decipher its secrets?"

"I, Old Sun, am sleeping so soundly in the Peach Garden that they will search the entire Heavenly Court but will not find a trace of me."

"Alright, alright, stop babbling on and on. Quickly lead the way. I, Old Sun, also want to join the fun at the An Tian Assembly, attend this grand feast, and enjoy a good meal!"

"Alright, Great Sage, this way please! This humble fairy will guide you."

The shaggy-haired immortal hurriedly responded, his forehead already beaded with sweat.

"However... I hope that the Great Sage will be lenient and not mention that I once stole peaches from the Peach Garden."

"This humble fairy was confused for a moment, and hopes that the Great Sage will forgive me."

The shaggy-haired immortal then cautiously flattered her, his eyes filled with pleading.

"Alright, don't worry. I, Old Sun, have always acted with integrity and would never do anything to hurt people behind their backs."

"It's just a peach, why would I, Old Sun, sell it out to you?"

Sun Wukong patted his chest, looking calm and composed, exuding a heroic spirit.

"Great Sage, please. Great Sage, please."

The old man with disheveled hair was relieved and led the way, walking hurriedly.

"Hey hey hey..."

Sun Wukong chuckled and gently shook the Ruyi Jingu Bang. Instantly, the Ruyi Jingu Bang became as thin as an embroidery needle, its light subdued. With a gentle toss, it was steadily caught in his ear.

then.

With his hands behind his back, Sun Wukong swaggered after the disheveled immortal, heading towards the celestial palaces and halls where the Heavenly Peace Assembly was being held, including the Dongyang Jade Hall, the Taixuan Palace, and the Jade Capital Golden Palace.

Like a great demon king inspecting his own territory, majestic and arrogant.

When they were almost at the Tai Xuan Palace.

The immortal with disheveled hair stopped, pointed ahead to a place shrouded in mist and ethereal energy, and respectfully said:
"Great Sage, this is the place."

"I still have a false body inside, so there are some inconveniences. I will go in first. I hope the Great Sage will understand."

Sun Wukong waved his hand dismissively and said:
"Go on, go on, I'll come find you for drinks later."

So the immortal with disheveled hair returned to the place where the "false body" that the shoe had become was, retrieved the false body, and rejoined the lively celestial banquet.

Before Sun Wukong even reached the Tai Xuan Palace, he heard melodious music drifting in the air. The sounds of string and bamboo instruments were pleasant to the ear, like heavenly music, which made people feel relaxed and happy.

Upon closer inspection, one sees auspicious clouds swirling around the banquet, creating a dreamlike and enchanting scene, with thousands of auspicious rays shining brightly.

It is:

“Auspicious clouds lift up a thousand-layered palace, and auspicious mists shroud ten thousand towers. Phoenixes soar and luan birds leap, their forms ethereal, while golden flowers and jade calyxes float and sink.”

"Gilded pillars with coiled dragons, jade steps teeming with life. Fairy maidens hold jade dew cups, strongmen carry golden halberds."

Sun Wukong looked again at the long table, where the fine wine in the jade cups shone with an alluring luster, as clear and translucent as amber, and emitted a series of intoxicating fragrances that made people feel refreshed and happy.

The dragon liver and phoenix marrow were piled up like a small mountain, and the bear paws and orangutan lips were arranged neatly. All kinds of delicacies were delicious, and the exotic fruits and delicacies were fresh and tempting, making people's mouths water and wishing they could eat them immediately.

The immortals gathered here, some sitting upright on cloud couches, their postures dignified and their expressions leisurely, as if savoring the charm of this immortal banquet; others standing leisurely to the side, chatting and laughing, the atmosphere was extremely warm and the laughter echoed in every corner of the Tai Xuan Palace.

Sun Wukong has always been someone who likes to join in the fun.

"Hehehe, here comes Old Sun!"

Seeing this, he could no longer contain his excitement.

Sun Wukong swaggered in as if he were in an empty place and barged into the palace.

They happened to see Venus greeting guests in front of the palace.

Taibai Jinxing was a shrewd person. Having spent many years in the immortal realm, he was very familiar with human relationships and worldly affairs.

and.

The relationship between Venus and Sun Wukong was also quite good.

Back then, when the Heavenly Court went to Flower Fruit Mountain to recruit Sun Wukong, it was Taibai Jinxing who ran back and forth between the Heavenly Court and Sun Wukong, putting in a lot of effort.

Venus was busy and dizzy when he looked up and saw Sun Wukong, that troublesome monkey, coming. His heart skipped a beat, fearing that Sun Wukong would cause trouble again and ruin the Heavenly Peace Assembly.

then.

Venus, beaming with smiles, hurried forward, laughing as he stopped Sun Wukong, saying:
“Great Sage, you have no idea how hard we have searched for you. We searched high and low, but we could not find any trace of you anywhere.”

"This is really driving me crazy."

"I searched everywhere for you until my legs almost gave out, but I couldn't find you anywhere, so I didn't send you an invitation."

"This old man apologizes to the Great Sage here. Please don't take offense."

As he spoke, Venus gave a wink, signaling the warriors to quickly arrange a seat for Sun Wukong and not to neglect him.

Taibai Jinxing had dealt with Sun Wukong many times and knew the temperament of this demon king, the Monkey King, well.

Just like petting a cat, if you pet it in the direction of its fur, it will be docile and obedient; if you pet it against its fur, then you'll be in trouble.

This Monkey King is very proud and responds better to gentle persuasion than force, just like a "cat that is always docile".

If you just give him a way out and flatter him a bit, then no problem is a big deal, and he usually won't hold it against you.

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong put his hands on his hips, raised his chin, and grinned:

"Hey, old lady, I, Old Sun, am all-powerful and ever-changing. It's normal that they can't find me."

"How could I, Old Sun, blame you for such a trivial matter!"

Upon hearing this, Venus pulled Sun Wukong along and said enthusiastically:
"Hurry up!"

"Great Sage, please come in, please come in! Please don't stand outside this hall!"

"Alright, Old Lady Bai."

Seeing this, Sun Wukong didn't stand on ceremony and strode into the hall, his eyes darting around as he looked at the grandeur of the Heavenly Peace Assembly. He was quite satisfied with the spectacle and secretly praised the assembly for its extraordinary grandeur, saying that it was well worth his presence as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Subsequently.

He somersaulted into the main hall like a shooting star, landing steadily in the center of the space. Sun Wukong put his hands on his hips and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Hehehe, here comes Old Sun!"

"How can this An Tian Conference be so unruly? They started their banquet without even waiting for me, Old Sun!"

"Are you looking down on me, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?"

When the immortals saw that it was Sun Wukong, they were all startled. The lively and cheerful scene instantly fell silent, as if a pause button had been pressed.

All the immortals turned their gazes to the mischievous monkey who had suddenly barged in.

Then, all the immortals rose and bowed, chanting in unison:

"Greetings, Great Sage Equal to Heaven!"

After all, regardless of how they viewed Sun Wukong, this wild demon king from the lower realm, whether they thought he was eccentric, unruly, ignorant of rules, and reckless, it didn't matter.

But Sun Wukong's title of "Great Sage Equal to Heaven" was a genuine one.

The title of Great Sage Equaling Heaven was personally bestowed by the Jade Emperor, and there is a proper Great Sage Equaling Heaven Palace in Heaven.

When Sun Wukong met the Three Pure Ones, he only addressed them as "Old Ones"; when he met the Four Emperors, he only addressed them as "Your Majesty".

The Five Elders of the Five Directions, the Nine Luminaries, the Twenty-Eight Mansions, the Four Heavenly Kings... all treated each other as brothers and addressed each other accordingly.

In officialdom, even a rank higher can be incredibly powerful and domineering.

Moreover, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven's official position is indeed high.

Indeed, "The Great Sage Equal to Heaven has reached the highest official rank!"

"Great Sage Equal to Heaven, this way please! This way please!"

The warriors, having received a signal from Venus, hurried forward and arranged a seat for Sun Wukong in a prestigious and prominent position within the hall, then respectfully laid out fine wine and delicacies.

Sun Wukong casually sat down on the throne, crossed his legs, and swung them around, displaying his unruly attitude.

He reached for a jade cup, tilted his head back, and drank the nectar in it in one gulp. Then he smacked his lips and praised:
"Excellent wine! Excellent wine! The wine at the An Tian Conference is truly extraordinary."

"This monkey..."

"Is this the Monkey King, the demon king of the mortal realm?"

The surrounding immortals reacted in various ways upon seeing Sun Wukong's appearance.

Some of the deities whispered among themselves, secretly chuckling, seemingly amused by the monkey's comical appearance.

Some of the deities looked worried, their brows furrowed, fearing that this mischievous monkey would cause trouble again.

"Sun Wukong..."

The Jade Emperor sat on his throne, his brow furrowing slightly, but he quickly regained his dignified and solemn expression.

The Jade Emperor looked at Sun Wukong and asked:

"Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, I have entrusted you with the management of the Peach Orchard. How are those peaches doing lately?"

Sun Wukong chuckled, scratched his head, and said nonchalantly:
"Your Majesty, rest assured, the peaches in the Peach Garden are all exceptionally large, bright red, and intoxicatingly fragrant. They are all of excellent quality."

"I, Old Sun, intended to take a short rest in the Peach Garden, but I ended up falling into a deep sleep and overslept."

"The peach orchard was filled with the fragrance of flowers, which seemed to have a calming effect. I, Old Sun, was so sleepy that I missed the appointed time."

"When I woke up, I heard that the An Tian Conference had already started, so I rushed over here."

"I, Old Sun, am really looking forward to the fine wine and delicacies of this Heavenly Assembly, as well as all my fellow immortals."

"Um……"

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor did not speak, but simply nodded slightly, gesturing for Sun Wukong to take a seat.

The Jade Emperor seemed to be deep in thought, his gaze profound and unfathomable.

After bestowing the title of Great Sage Equaling Heaven upon Sun Wukong and entrusting him with the management of the Peach Garden, he had his own plans.

He thought that he could make this mischievous monkey behave himself in the Heavenly Court and be of use to stir up the seemingly calm but actually deeply troubled situation in the Heavenly Court.

He originally intended to use Sun Wukong's wildness to break the stubborn and stagnant situation in the Heavenly Court, so as to better control the gods and immortals.

It is just as the saying goes: "The Heavenly Court and the Immortal Gate are like an iron wall; to break through the stubbornness, one must be like Wukong."

However, life is like a game of chess, with each move bringing new developments.

Now, it is Donghua Dijun who has caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace and broken this stubborn stalemate.

Indeed, "Donghua breaks through stubbornness."

The development of this situation has exceeded the Jade Emperor's initial expectations.

……

Although the title of Great Sage Equaling Heaven was largely a nominal one in the eyes of many immortals and gods, it was more of a title than a real one.

But that was also the "Great Sage Equal to Heaven" officially recognized by the Heavenly Court.

The title of Great Sage Equaling Heaven was conferred by the Heavenly Court, and a special residence for him was set up within the Heavenly Court.

In terms of official rank, the Monkey King's position was actually quite high.

His official rank is even higher than that of Zhenwu Dadi (Yousheng Zhenjun), a "Zhenjun" level official, and is equivalent to the "Emperor" level.

If Sun Wukong wanted to see the True Martial Emperor, he only needed to casually say:
"I am Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and I wish to see my master."

As for Zhenwu the Great, if he wanted to see Sun Wukong, he had to take the initiative to come out of the palace to greet Sun Wukong and escort him all the way to Taihe Palace.

This has nothing to do with strength.

The imperial court has its own rules, namely:
"When working, please address me by my job title."

Qi Tian means to be level with the sky.

One son can rule alongside the king, standing shoulder to shoulder with the heavens.

The "Great Sage Equal to Heaven" is actually similar to the ancient concept of "one son serving as a king alongside another".

The Monkey King is someone who can address the "Five Elders of the Five Directions" as brothers.

The Heavenly Court has an extremely strict hierarchical system that allows no room for transgression.

The Monkey King, whose official rank is the highest!
Therefore, since the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong, has come to this Heavenly Peace Assembly.

When the Heavenly Court arranged the seating, it was natural that they would place the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong, in the most honored position.

then.

The Monkey King, Sun Wukong, was placed near the Buddha.

"This fat monk... is way too fat."

Sun Wukong glanced at the fat monk, Tathagata Buddha, from his seat, then looked away.

He didn't actually know the Buddha, nor was he interested in knowing him.

Sun Wukong cultivated the "Great Celestial Immortal Manual," and the "essence, energy, and spirit," "circulating yin and yang to form the elixir," and "harmonizing water and fire" in its formulas are all paths of Taoist internal alchemy cultivation.

The 72 transformations of the Earthly Fiends that he learned are typical Taoist magic.

The skills and supernatural powers taught to Sun Wukong by Patriarch Subhuti were all Taoist magic and supernatural abilities.

As Subhuti said when he imparted his teachings to Sun Wukong:

"There are 360 ​​side paths within the 'Tao' school (Taoist terminology. Taoism considers cultivating the Golden Elixir and preserving one's true nature as the orthodox path, while all others are considered 'side paths' and difficult to attain enlightenment). All side paths can lead to enlightenment. I wonder which one you are studying?"

Therefore, Sun Wukong now belongs to the Taiyi Xuanmen lineage and has very little contact with the Western Buddhist sect.

To paraphrase the two attendants, Qingfeng and Mingyue, under Zhen Yuanzi's command:
Confucius said, "Those who follow different paths cannot make plans together." We are from the Taiyi Xuanmen sect, how could we possibly know that monk!

Sun Wukong had the same thought in his mind.

He felt he didn't have much interaction with these Western Buddhists, so naturally he didn't feel any closeness to them.

but.

Although their paths are different, some people will still take the initiative to approach them.

For example, the Buddha was quite interested in Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, who was beside him.

(End of this chapter)