A black fleet, vast enough to blot out the sky, sailed slowly forward, its banners streaming.
Cutting through the clouds, a colossal city slowly emerged on the distant horizon.
Above the boundless city, countless floating stones hung in the air, military harbors densely packed among them.
As the fleet came into view, the city erupted in thunderous, earth-shaking cheers.
Monkey stood on the deck, utterly stunned.
A wind laced with mist swept across his cheeks, and his eyes widened in amazement.
On the vast parade grounds, the garrisoned demon army stood in formation, each soldier striking their breastplate in perfect unison.
The bustling streets overflowed with crowds in every kind of attire—on closer look, all of them were demons.
Little demons in matching Daoist robes burst out of their classrooms, cheering toward the sky, while their flustered teachers barely had time to intervene.
From the tops of towering spires, giant bells rang out, and bat-demon sentries leaned from stone windows, hollering the news of the fleet's return across every corner of the city.
Every demon surged into the streets, raising their arms in jubilant celebration.
The fleet soon threaded its way among the floating stones.
Demon soldiers at the port snapped to attention, saluting; huge wooden mechanical arms still hung with military supplies not yet stowed away.
"Welcome, our king's return! Welcome, our king's return!" Every demon shouted, eyes fixed on the slowly sailing fleet.
Monkey gazed upward, dazed, as barracks and military ports swept past overhead, sunlight flickering across his face.
"These are... You've created a miracle. For a moment, I thought I was back in Heaven. No wonder Heaven lost so thoroughly."
"It's everyone's achievement," Anna Yang, standing beside him, replied with a gentle smile. "It was right that you started with literacy. If they hadn't learned to read, they wouldn't understand creation, and none of this could have been taken from Heaven and earth."
From afar, Monkey saw a massive black palace settled atop the central floating stone—rugged and majestic, its scale rivaling even Cloudrealm Sky Harbor.
"That is..."
"Qi Tian Palace—your palace, and the governing hall of Blossom Mountain. The throne in the main hall has been cast for over twenty years, but no one has ever sat on it." Anna Yang smiled.