Sunlight slanted in through the window, while a wave of sandalwood incense drifted up from the burner, slowly spreading throughout the room.
The two people in the room sat facing each other in silence for a long time, not uttering a single word.
Master Sage Subhuti simply kept watching, making Simon Stone's scalp tingle.
His gaze was so sharp, it seemed to pierce Simon Stone’s heart; his expression subtly shifted from time to time.
This old man can read minds—what is he trying to read?
Simon Stone had long known that Master Sage Subhuti could read minds and had come to terms with it. Otherwise, how could he have dared to speak so freely while kneeling at the gate? If you don’t say it, he’ll know anyway—so you might as well just say it outright.
Still, being read face-to-face like this was extremely uncomfortable.
At least he was inside now; being read while kneeling on a meditation mat was better than being read while kneeling on the stone slabs outside.
After an entire year, his knees had grown a thick layer of calluses from kneeling.
It wasn’t until sunset, when the moon rose, that Belle quietly slipped in to light the lamp and add more incense to the burner. Only then did Master Sage Subhuti stretch lazily and return to himself.
"You look like a monkey, so your surname shall be Sun. As the saying goes, 'To break ignorance, one must awaken to emptiness.' From now on, you shall be called Sun Wukong." Was this what you said?" With that, Subhuti smiled meaningfully.
"That's exactly what you wanted to say," Simon Stone thought to himself.
"Very well, let's say it was my idea. From now on, you are Sun Wukong."
"Thank you, Master, for bestowing me with a name!" The monkey, quick-witted, bowed respectfully.
Conversing with someone who could read your thoughts was a torment beyond words. Simon decided not to dwell on it, adopting a carefree attitude, as if nothing could faze him.
Whatever happens, happens. When the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a road.
Subhuti stroked his long beard and smiled, "Monkey, do you know why I was reluctant to accept you as my disciple?"
"I do not know, Master. Please enlighten me." Simon replied with utmost respect.
"A practitioner of the Dao peers into the secrets of heaven and earth, walks forbidden paths, and if successful, can divine fate, summon clouds with a flip of the hand, and bring rain with another. Such power is great. But if one is reckless and belligerent, disaster will follow. Therefore, I have three types I will not accept."
"Oh?"
"Those with stubborn, unruly temperaments, I will not accept. Those who are arrogant and disrespectful to the heavens, I will not accept. And the third..." Subhuti raised three fingers, pausing deliberately when he reached the third, his eyes fixed on Simon with a smile.
"Hmm? The third is...?"
"Those whose origins are unknown, I will not accept!" After a brief pause, Subhuti continued, "If you only possessed one or two of these traits, it might be acceptable. But you, monkey, have all three. There may not be another like you under heaven."
"What?" Simon's eyes widened in surprise, muttering to himself, "How am I of unknown origin?"
Subhuti flicked his dust whisk, watching Simon with great interest. "Then tell me, where are you from?" he asked slowly.
"I come from Blossom Mountain in the Eastern Continent!" Simon blurted out.
But he immediately sensed something was off. Subhuti's smile only grew, and his gaze made Simon's scalp tingle.
"If you truly came from the Eastern Continent, you shouldn't be here now! Do you know, you arrived three hundred years too early."
Simon's face twitched uncontrollably.
Talking to someone like this could drain your energy at any moment.
"Master, let's not dwell on these unrelated matters. When will you teach your disciple the Dao?"
Subhuti silently watched Simon for a long time, then slowly turned to gaze at the bright moon outside the window. "Enough talk for now. Go settle in. Tomorrow, rise early. I will arrange for you to begin your cultivation and pursuit of the Dao."
When Simon stepped out the door, he felt a chill run down his back.
Soon, Belle, who had been waiting outside, led Simon away. They wandered through the Daoist monastery built into the mountain caves for quite some time before arriving at the room prepared for Simon.
It was a private room, next to the kitchen, not connected to the other disciples' quarters. This single room seemed to hint at Subhuti's special treatment of Simon.
Belle lit an oil lamp in the room, then neatly folded a gray Daoist robe and placed it on the table. She smiled, "Did Master give you a name?"
"Mm." Simon glanced casually around the room. It was a simple twenty-square-meter wooden hut, built against the mountain with only one window. Inside were a basic bed and a low table.
Such was the standard setup of the era—not luxurious, but not shabby either.
"Is it 'Sun Wukong'?" Belle sat on the bed and pushed a plate of fruit toward Simon.
Without ceremony, Simon grabbed a pear and started munching.
Mouth full, Simon mumbled, "Of course it's Sun Wukong. How could it be anything else?"
"So I should call you Uncle Sun from now on?" Belle asked cautiously.
"Don't." Simon waved his hand. "Just call me Monkey. I'm used to it. Uncle Sun... that sounds too awkward."
Belle's expression instantly relaxed. She scooted closer, grinning, "Monkey, did Master let you choose a Daoist path?"
"Daoist path? What Daoist path?"
"In our Daoist tradition, there are two paths. One is the 'Walker,' who attains the Dao through action. The other is the 'Sage,' who attains the Dao through enlightenment. All the disciples here choose the Sage path—it's required for new initiates. What, Master didn't mention it?"
"He didn't." Simon shook his head.
"He didn't?" Belle frowned. "You talked for five whole hours, and... he didn't even tell me?"
"The old man just kept staring at me, made my scalp tingle. He barely said more than a few words."
Belle thought for a moment, then nodded. "It's happened before. Master enjoys reading minds. Whenever a new disciple joins, he always takes a good long look. But this long—I've never seen it. Rest now. I'll come get you early tomorrow."
"Mm."
Belle left, and Simon was alone, lying on the stiff mat.
"What did that all mean?" Simon wondered.
The content and tone of that conversation were clearly full of hidden meanings.
"Three types he won't accept?"
The more Simon thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. But now, under another's roof, he had no choice but to lower his head. Whatever secrets lay beneath, he would have to master the Daoist arts first.
No matter what, he had finally made it in. Simon smiled happily, pulling out a bright orange feather from his pocket. He stared at it for a long time, lost in thought. "Do you agree, Sparrow?" he murmured.
After a while, he put it away as if it were a treasure.
He tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. At dawn, Simon was already up, washing up for the day.
In the past, he didn't care about looking shabby when kneeling at the door. But now, having officially entered the sect, he couldn't let himself appear that way anymore.
Not to mention Subhuti, it was important to leave a good impression on the other brothers as well.
The ill-fitting cloth robe he wore had been begged from a family at the foot of the mountain just for appearances. He hadn't washed it in a year, and now it was not only tattered but reeked of a strong sour odor.
Thinking that he could finally live like a 'person,' Simon felt a sense of relief.
The kitchen next door was already lit. Peeking through the crack in the door, Simon saw two Daoist disciples, one older and one younger, dressed plainly and busy inside. Smoke curled up from the roof.
Skirting the kitchen, Simon went straight to the well outside to fetch water. Without hesitation, he stripped and began washing himself in the open.
Strictly speaking, bathing outdoors was improper, but as a monkey, his fur served as a natural cover.
Halfway through, the younger disciple came out of the kitchen with a bucket, saw Simon, and immediately shrank back in fear. Simon could faintly hear the two inside discussing him.
Simon was long used to being treated differently and couldn't be bothered to care. He washed himself, feeling quite cheerful.
At that moment, a middle-aged Daoist with a long beard stood on the distant corridor of the pavilion, hands behind his back, watching Simon from afar.
He wore a blue Daoist robe, his long hair jet black but temples graying, deep crow's feet at the corners of his eyes. A golden 'cloud' character was embroidered on his sleeve—his bearing marked him as a person of high status in the monastery.
Beside him, a young Daoist bowed and said, "Master, that's the disciple Master accepted yesterday."
"That monkey has been kneeling outside for a whole year. I've seen him a few times myself, but..." The middle-aged Daoist narrowed his eyes, then suddenly widened them and sighed, "Even my mind-reading technique doesn't work on him, and he speaks nonsense. Kneeling outside for an entire year without leaving—shows how deep his obsession runs. With such a temperament... Why would Master break the rules to accept him as a disciple, and even as a direct disciple? It's truly puzzling."
The young Daoist lowered his head and chuckled softly, "If you ask me, Master was just acting on a whim. Once—"
The middle-aged Daoist shot him a glare, and the young Daoist instantly fell silent.
The middle-aged Daoist slowly raised his head. "As your senior, it's fine for me to criticize that monkey. But you, carelessly commenting on your uncle and master—if others hear you, don't blame me for punishing you!"
"I will heed your teachings, Master! I will heed your teachings!" The young Daoist quickly bowed his head.
The middle-aged Daoist turned and walked into the inner chamber, asking casually, "Does the monkey have a name?"
The young Daoist hurried after him. "Master, his surname is Sun, given name Wukong. Belle hung the nameplate last night, said it was chosen by Master himself."
"Oh? Will he be attending today's lecture?"
"It hasn't been mentioned."
"No matter. I enjoy the peace and quiet."