Great Demon Sun Wukong

After leaving Beiju Luzhou, the Six-Eared Macaque had intended to go straight to East Shengzhou, but on his way through Western Liangzhou, he encountered an old monk. Initially, the Six-Eared Macaque spoke to the old monk out of curiosity, yet little did he know that the monk had been waiting for him.

Through their conversation, the monk unwittingly unearthed the inner demons of the Six-Eared Macaque and seemed to have used some technique on him. However, in that moment, the Six-Eared Macaque's heart was overwhelmed with surging battle intent.

After bellowing a challenge to the heavens, declaring himself Sun Wukong, the Six-Eared Macaque summoned his cloud with a gesture, and in a flip, he was already standing atop it. Storing away the Crimson Blood Roaming Dragon Staff, he urged the cloud with all his might toward East Shengzhou.

Although the conversation with the old monk had given rise to inner demons, the Six-Eared Macaque did not recklessly seek out Sun Wukong. First, he went to Flower Fruit Mountain beside the state of Aolai in East Shengzhou. Even if the old monk's words echoed his own thoughts, he still wanted to verify them personally.

If they proved true, there would be time enough to settle accounts with Sun Wukong; if false, then he would confront the old monk instead.

The journey was silent, and what should have been a journey of over a month was completed by the Six-Eared Macaque in just twenty days. During these twenty days of relentless travel, his heart gradually calmed. Remembering his master's words before he left, the Six-Eared Macaque trusted his master more than the inexplicable old monk.

So when the Six-Eared Macaque arrived at Flower Fruit Mountain, he was far more at peace.

As the cloud hovered before Flower Fruit Mountain, the Six-Eared Macaque couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion, thinking of how the seasons had come and gone for hundreds of years, and how he had become a Half-Emperor level powerhouse. He could only wonder what changes had taken place on Flower Fruit Mountain.

Taking a deep breath, the Six-Eared Macaque dispersed the cloud and descended through the air. But upon landing in the domain of the monkey tribe on Flower Fruit Mountain, the first thing that caught his eye was not a myriad of monkeys, but a tall and imposing flag inscribed with "Great Sage Equalling Heaven Sun Wukong"! Truly a sight of majestic and austere presence.

At that moment, the Six-Eared Macaque's ears twitched as he suddenly heard a series of clashing armors and orderly footsteps. He stopped surveying his surroundings and casually waited. Soon, a squad of neatly armored monkey soldiers appeared before him. The squad was well-trained, each with a cautious expression and wielding a gleaming silver spear.

Yet the Six-Eared Macaque made no move, simply watching the group of monkey soldiers silently. The soldiers, seeing their visitor was also a monkey, let out a sigh of relief. Then a captain-like monkey came forward, cupping his fist in a salute toward the Six-Eared Macaque, "Are you also from the monkey tribe?"

Observing the cautious monkey captain, the Six-Eared Macaque was both amused and slightly irritated but didn't put on any airs. Replying directly, he said, "Yes, I am from the monkey tribe, the Six-Eared Macaque!"

The Six-Eared Macaque thought that while these monkey soldiers did not recognize him, it was perhaps either because he had left the mountain for too long and they hesitated to acknowledge him, or these soldiers had been born after he had left Flower Fruit Mountain, so it was normal for them not to know him.

However, the Six-Eared Macaque didn't expect that even after he revealed his name, the captain-like monkey still did not know who he was, and it was clear that he had never even heard the name Six-Eared Macaque before.

In that instant, the Six-Eared Macaque felt displeased and asked, "You don't know of the Six-Eared Macaque? Then tell me, do you know of the Ling Ming Stone Monkey?"

Upon hearing the four words "Ling Ming Stone Monkey," the monkey captain immediately responded with respect, "Of course I know, that is our great king. I wouldn't dare to say otherwise, but in this world, our great king is the only Ling Ming Stone Monkey."

Hearing this, a sense of anger began to grow within the Six-Eared Macaque, who then stated, "I am a friend of your great king. Although you do not recognize me, the elders on the mountain surely do. After all, I have been away from Flower Fruit Mountain for hundreds of years."

Upon learning that the Six-Eared Macaque was the great king's friend, the monkey soldiers immediately sheathed their weapons and led him up the mountain. Along the way, the Six-Eared Macaque felt many emotions stirring within him. Five hundred years had passed, and yet Flower Fruit Mountain looked just as it did when he left, unchanged.

Seeing the Six-Eared Macaque so nostalgic, the squad of monkey soldiers finally became convinced that this Six-Eared Macaque must indeed be a monkey that had left Flower Fruit Mountain long ago to become a friend of the great king.

Finally, under the guidance of the monkey tribe soldiers, Six-Eared Macaque arrived at the entrance of Water Curtain Cave. It turned out that Six-Eared Macaque had never entered this Water Curtain Cave before. The last time, it was the master who used great magical power to manifest his spirit here at Flower Fruit Mountain, yet he himself had never gone in.

Not minding the group of monkey tribe soldiers by his side, Six-Eared Macaque leaped forward and had already passed through the waterfall curtain, arriving inside Water Curtain Cave.

Looking at the stone tables, stone stools, stone beds and stone benches inside the cave, Six-Eared Macaque couldn't help but feel extremely delighted. Although the place was not as luxurious as the Nine Heavens Palace where he had cultivated before, it was superior in its freedom. While he was taking in his surroundings, suddenly a monkey asked Six-Eared Macaque, "Eh? Who are you?

I've never seen you before. Are you new here?"

Six-Eared Macaque laughed and said, "Go and call your parents. I had already left before you were even born."

The little monkey proved to be obedient and really skipped off to find his parents. In a short while, a middle-aged monkey couple was brought over by the little monkey. Seeing that the little monkey had indeed fetched his parents, Six-Eared Macaque couldn't help but feel amused.

"Mom, Dad, do you recognize him? He said he left before I was born," the little monkey asked, pointing at Six-Eared Macaque. The monkey couple scrutinized Six-Eared Macaque carefully, but both shook their heads at the same time, not recognizing him!

"Look closer, it's me, I am Six-Eared Macaque. Right, look at my ears, my ears!"

The couple inspected him again and thought hard, and the male monkey then said to Six-Eared Macaque, "My wife and I truly do not recognize you. How about I go and invite the elders of our tribe to see if they recognize you?"

The couple was also curious about the sudden appearance of a monkey with six ears, so they went to call the oldest elder in the monkey tribe to identify Six-Eared Macaque. After all, the feeling must be terrible for someone who had wandered outside for hundreds of years to return home and find his family didn't recognize him.

Before long, escorted by a group of monkeys, an old monkey with pure white fur, leaning on a walking stick, slowly made his way over. When he reached Six-Eared Macaque's side, the middle-aged couple said to the old monkey, "Elder, this is him. Please look and see if you recognize him. He said he left Flower Fruit Mountain five hundred years ago and has only now come back.

Right, he said his name is Six-Eared Macaque."

The old monkey stepped closer, examining him and reminiscing, while Six-Eared Macaque stood still, as if afraid that any movement might prevent the elder from seeing clearly.

After a while, the old monkey slowly backed away, seemingly making a final effort to remember, but ultimately he still shook his head and said, "I don't recognize him, don't recognize him. I've lived for seven hundred years, and I recognize every monkey on Flower Fruit Mountain, big and small. Yet I can't seem to recall any monkey that has six ears!"

After the old monkey spoke, Six-Eared Macaque suddenly collapsed to the ground. They really don't remember me? Even an old monkey who has lived for more than seven hundred years doesn't recognize me?