Stillwater Valley is hemmed in on all sides by sheer cliffs, with only a single narrow mountain pass connecting it to the outside world.
Here, the sun never shines all year round. The lush vegetation is mostly made up of plants from the Netherworld, and even in the forest, it's rare to see any creatures from the mortal realm.
This is a world that lives in the shadow of mountains—there are only a few hours of daylight in a day. And even then, daytime here is no brighter than dawn elsewhere. The only difference is that the sky overhead is always a vivid blue.
During his days of recovery, the Monkey King often liked to sit in the courtyard, staring blankly up at that patch of sky and watching the rolling clouds.
He remembered that ever since he learned the Cloud Somersault, he had never truly flown freely even once.
What would it feel like to roam freely among the clouds? he wondered.
It had been six days since he arrived at Stillwater Valley.
In those six days, Louis Quickpaw was as energetic as a youth in love, heading out early and returning late, plotting his dream—a town for demons. Miles Moon, on the other hand, was far less cheerful. He too came and went early and late, but only because he was rushing to treat the wounded.
Stillwater Valley lacked nothing in terms of supplies, but no one would casually refine so many healing pills in advance. As the chief disciple of the second generation at Crescent Star Cave, Miles Moon's skill in alchemy and medicine was beyond question. Unfortunately, being skilled doesn’t mean being fast, and with seven hundred wounded to care for, even he felt overwhelmed.
After just three days, he was already exhausted, and his success rate in refining pills plummeted. Because of this, Anna Yang, who was tasked with caring for the Monkey King, had to step in and help.
Once Anna joined the medical team, Miles realized her thousand years of military experience were not for nothing. She might not surpass him in specialized alchemy, but when it came to ordinary pills, Anna was not only faster and more successful—her pills were of excellent quality.
It was only then that Miles Moon and the Monkey King learned that Anna, who usually avoided responsibility, had once managed logistics for Erik Yang’s army at River Pass before joining Crescent Star Cave. Even among the entire Heavenly Army, she was a top military medic.
This made the Monkey King, who spent his days lying idly on his bed, begin to imagine what the beautiful Anna Yang would look like clad in battle armor. Sadly, he could never quite picture it.
With Anna joining the medical team, Big Bull was roped in as an assistant, while Shortbeak continued to hide in his room, silent and withdrawn. The Monkey King, who was gradually recovering, suddenly found himself incredibly lonely. Each day when he opened his eyes, he saw nothing but Fiona Fox and Shadow—or else Louis Quickpaw, who would come by to pitch him all sorts of wild political schemes.
The days passed, simple and uneventful—a rare stretch of peace. On the sixth day, as the Monkey King sat idly in the courtyard, enjoying the valley’s brief daylight, he suddenly heard the sound of a guzheng.
“Do we actually have someone among these demons who can play the guzheng?” The Monkey King couldn’t help but laugh.
Among all these demons—and the two humans—only Anna Yang and Miles Moon might know how to play the guzheng.
Miles Moon probably didn’t have the time. If he had any free moments, wouldn’t he just find a place to sleep? Even when the Monkey King asked him to go meet Elder Stillwater together, Miles only replied, “Uncle Stillwater said, when it’s time to meet, we’ll meet.” And that was that—let alone playing the guzheng.
As for Anna Yang, the Monkey King wouldn’t be surprised if she fought with a flying guillotine, but he simply couldn’t imagine what she’d look like playing the guzheng.
Closing his eyes, the Monkey King lay back comfortably in the courtyard chair, quietly listening.
At first, the Monkey King couldn’t make out a melody in the music—he even thought it was just random plucking. But as he listened longer, he realized the notes were as clear as running water, as gentle as a breeze, soothing and transcendent. A feeling of detachment from the world arose within him.
He listened for a long time, dazed, before finally opening his eyes. Leaning on his cane, he followed the sound.
On the way, a few demons greeted him. He wanted to ask who was playing, but after questioning them, he realized they couldn’t hear any music at all. This left the Monkey King baffled.
Could it be that after reaching the Spirit-Refinement Realm, my hearing has become extraordinary? he wondered.
He followed the sound out of the small town, along winding paths and through a grove, until he reached a bamboo forest.
In the swaying bamboo forest stood a clear pool, beside which was a bamboo hut and, in front of it, a pavilion.
Inside the pavilion, a white-haired elder sat with his eyes closed, playing the guqin. His white robes fluttered gently in the breeze.
That must be Elder Stillwater, my second senior brother, the Monkey King thought.
As he approached, he saw that the elder remained fully absorbed in playing, eyes still closed, making no move to greet him.
Since he was already here, he couldn’t just leave without saying hello—yet interrupting seemed inappropriate.
Taking a deep breath, the Monkey King sat down on a half-buried rock nearby, set his cane aside, and hunched forward to listen quietly.
A gentle breeze stirred the bamboo leaves, making them rustle, and ripples spread across the pond. Under the pure, watery music, strange birds and beasts in the forest paused to listen.
Clouds drifted slowly across the sky.
Everything here was unusually quiet, cut off from the world.
He listened in silence like this for an entire hour without realizing it.
As the last note faded, Elder Stillwater quietly placed his hands on the guqin, lingering as if savoring the music.
The Monkey King snapped awake and quickly bowed. “Wukong greets Second Senior Brother.”
“You’ve been sitting there quite a while, haven’t you?” Elder Stillwater smiled faintly, pulled a roll of hemp cloth from his wide sleeve and laid it over the guqin, then shook out his robe and stood up. Throughout, he never opened his eyes.
Taking a deep breath, he sighed, “The others always say you’re wild, but after seeing you today, I’m not so sure. Anyone who can sit quietly and listen to me play has restraint, even if wild at heart. At least, our Third Junior Brother never had that kind of patience.”
“You flatter me, Senior Brother,” the Monkey King said, grinning and keeping his eyes fixed on Elder Stillwater.
The Monkey King had barely heard anything about this second senior brother—even Windbell rarely mentioned him, and it seemed she hadn’t met him either. The Monkey King knew little about Elder Stillwater.
(Irrelevant system message skipped.)
Eyes still tightly shut, Elder Stillwater seemed to sense something. Smiling, he walked over to the Monkey King’s side and sat down slowly.
As he watched, the Monkey King noticed that even with his eyes closed, Elder Stillwater never missed a step.
Patting the Monkey King’s shoulder, Elder Stillwater said, “It’s your first time in Stillwater Valley. How have you been settling in these past few days?”
“I’ve settled in well enough, but I’m afraid I’ve troubled you, Senior Brother.”
Elder Stillwater waved his hand. “Why say such things between fellow disciples? Usually it’s just me and my disciple Shawn Cloud here in Stillwater Valley. Now that you’re all here, it’s livelier—and that’s a good thing.”
The Monkey King scratched his head awkwardly.
According to Miles Moon, this second senior brother actually prefers peace and quiet.
Rolling up his sleeve, Elder Stillwater drew out a bamboo scroll and handed it to the Monkey King. “As your senior brother, I ought to give you a proper gift for our first meeting. But you walk the Traveler’s Path, while I follow the Sage’s Path. The valley’s alchemy books and rare herbs wouldn’t be much use to you, and I have no weapons or armor here. So, after some thought, I’m giving you this ‘Directory of Netherworld Offices’—I think you’ll find it useful as a welcome gift.”
Weighing the bamboo scroll in his hand, the Monkey King blinked, feeling a bit flustered.
This second senior brother was nothing like he’d expected.
Thinking quickly, he bowed and said, “Thank you, Second Senior Brother.”
Patting the Monkey King’s shoulder, Elder Stillwater stroked his long beard and smiled. “Just now, you listened to my music so intently—do you also enjoy music? What instrument do you play?”
Watching the little grasses sway by the pond, the Monkey King smiled slightly. “I wouldn’t say I’m fond of it, and I don’t know how to play. I just used to listen sometimes, but it’s been many years since I last heard any.”
“Why haven’t you listened?”
“No opportunity.” The Monkey King lowered his head, pursing his lips and fiddling with the bamboo scroll.
That was all before he came to this world. After arriving here, even if he had the leisure, who would be there to play?
“I see,” Elder Stillwater nodded knowingly.
“Senior Brother, you’ve kept your eyes closed this whole time—how did you know I was listening so intently and not just sleeping?”
Elder Stillwater took a deep breath and lifted his head. “Though I can’t see your face, I can hear your heart. Of course I knew you were listening with full attention.”
“Senior Brother, your eyes... what happened to them?”
“I’ve been blind since childhood,” Elder Stillwater replied calmly.
“Then…” The Monkey King hesitated. “Didn’t Master help you... recover?”
Elder Stillwater laughed. “To heal blindness, there’s no need for Master’s intervention. Among all the disciples, aside from you and Danny Crimson, anyone could have done it.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
Lowering his head, Elder Stillwater smiled gently. “For everything lost, something is gained. If my eyes were clear, I wouldn’t be able to tell if you were listening or sleeping just now. Besides, if not for these eyes, I wouldn’t have become your senior brother.”
The Monkey King turned his face in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Elder Stillwater took a deep breath and began, “Back then, everyone knew Master was accepting disciples at Enlightenment Peak. Seekers from all over the world came, but Master didn’t want too many disciples and turned most away. Eventually, he stopped meeting them himself and set up a maze at the foot of the mountain. He said, ‘If you can overcome your inner demons and reach the peak, I’ll accept you as a disciple.’”
Elder Stillwater chuckled, crow’s feet deepening at the corners of his eyes. “But Master never expected a blind man to come seeking the Dao. Those mazes were useless against someone who couldn’t see.”
Elder Stillwater’s face was full of smiles, lost in memory. “When Master saw me, he said I lacked talent and wanted to send me away. So I told him, if he turned me away, I’d go down the mountain and tell everyone, ‘Master Subhuti goes back on his word!’”
The Monkey King burst out laughing. “So in the end, Master had to accept you?”
Elder Stillwater nodded with a mischievous grin. “Seeking immortality takes a bit of luck. Heaven took my eyes, but pointed me to the path. Isn’t that a blessing?”
After thinking it over, the Monkey King asked, “Elder Stillwater, did you join before or after Danny Crimson?”
“A few years before. Why do you ask?”
“If joining Master required passing the maze, how did Danny Crimson get through?” Danny Crimson’s temperament... the Monkey King didn’t know what to say—he was no better himself.
“Him? Haha, do you know what he did before joining us?”
“I heard he was a general,” the Monkey King answered hesitantly.
Elder Stillwater pursed his lips and nodded. “Exactly. Unlike other seekers who came alone, he brought an entire army, seeking a way to defeat his foes. He spent a month trying to get through the maze and, failing, decided to set the mountain on fire.”
“Set... set it on fire?” The Monkey King’s eyes widened.
People actually seek the Dao like that?
“Yes, he did.” Elder Stillwater pursed his lips and continued, “He tried to burn the mountain, but Master wouldn’t allow it. He summoned rain that lasted three months. No matter how Danny tried, he couldn’t start a fire. But he didn’t leave—he blocked all the roads with his soldiers, swearing that if he couldn’t become a disciple, no one else could either. Master then cast another spell, making his troops fall ill. Eventually, Danny had to retreat by sea. When he got home, he found his city lost and his army scattered. With nowhere else to go, he returned to Enlightenment Peak and refused to leave. Master ignored him, so he became a hunter and spent a year there until, during a solar eclipse when the maze’s power weakened, he finally made it up the mountain.”
“Ha! So that’s the story? And he calls me stubborn—he’s not much better himself.”
“Haha, don’t tell him I told you this—he wouldn’t like it. By the way, I heard you had some conflict with him at the monastery?”
The Monkey King nodded quietly. “We made up in the end.”
Elder Stillwater sighed softly. “Don’t blame him, Junior Brother. Those who follow the Traveler’s Path absorb too much heaven and earth qi and accumulate baleful energy, which can cloud the mind. Unlike you, he fought many battles before cultivating, so his baleful energy was purged. Too much leftover baleful energy disturbs the temperament. At first, he wanted to serve as a general in Heaven, but Master dislikes the Heavenly Court, so he didn’t dare go against him. In the end, the Traveler’s Path is full of hardships.”
The Monkey King smiled. “Nothing to blame—after all, I tried to sneak into the scripture library, so I was in the wrong.”
Elder Stillwater chuckled. “Danny Crimson’s temper is a bit much, but he’s not a bad person. When Sixth Senior Brother and Seventh Junior Sister had trouble, he was the first to help. Master even ordered him to reflect in seclusion for three years because of it.”
By now, the light filtering through the cliffs around the valley was fading. Though it was still daytime, it felt like night.
Lowering his head and pursing his lips, the Monkey King gripped the bamboo scroll, took a deep breath, and asked, “You gave me the ‘Directory of Netherworld Offices’—did Master or Eighth Senior Brother mention something to you?”
“Yes, I’ve heard a little. It’s a small matter, but with many connections. Master’s attitude is unclear, so in the end, you’ll have to rely on yourself. We can’t help directly.”