In the Thirty-Fifth Heaven, a white-haired elder sat quietly on his meditation mat, listening as his young attendant finished the careful report. After a quick calculation on his fingers, the elder sighed, "He actually went to the Imperial Horse Bureau in person. So, my earlier worries have come true. It seems Lord Lao himself intends to tame Monkey."
"In that case, Master, should we also take action?"
The white-haired elder slowly shook his head and smiled, "Do not act rashly. We need only wait patiently; others will rush ahead of us."
"Master is wise," the attendant said, bowing respectfully.
"By the way, check into that immortal maid named Belle as well. Make sure nothing is overlooked."
"Yes, Master."
......
With Belle—the buffer between them—gone, the last trace of harmony in the hall vanished.
"That matter, hmm?" Lord Lao smiled lightly, lowering his gaze to the half-open teapot, his eyes half-closed. "Will the Chief of the Imperial Horse Bureau tell her?"
Monkey replied coldly, "Whatever lies between us has nothing to do with her. I refuse to drag her into it."
Lord Lao let out a thoughtful "Oh," nodded slightly, and said with a half-smile, "Since the Chief of the Imperial Horse Bureau won't speak, neither will I. But matters of the Heavenly Dao concern everyone in the Three Realms—how could they possibly have nothing to do with her?"
"The Heavenly Dao is your own concern. I only care whether what I get is what I truly want."
Lord Lao pursed his lips and nodded. "I can see that."
Monkey furrowed his brow, staring down at the empty floor before him, and said slowly, "So I want you to stay away from her. Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite."
The hostility in his eyes was unmistakable.
Lord Lao simply smiled and asked, "And how exactly would you be 'impolite'?"
"What do you think?"
"Like last night, perhaps?"
Monkey did not answer. He merely looked up, his gaze fixed on Lord Lao.
The hall was silent; even the wind drifting through the window seemed to freeze.
Bowing his head, Lord Lao fiddled with his empty teacup. After a long pause, he pursed his lips and spoke slowly, "You truly are my destined nemesis—even killing you is beyond me. But you are surrounded by weaknesses. You alone must not die, but anyone around you can. Chief of the Imperial Horse Bureau, have you thought it through? Is this truly the exchange you want?"
He looked up at Monkey with a faint smile.
In the silent room, their gazes met briefly.
"Are you threatening me with Belle?" Monkey's fists slowly clenched.
"I wouldn't call it that," Lord Lao sighed softly, turning his face aside with a smile. "Surely you don't think that just because I don't keep Belle close, or invite her to Heaven, I have no way to use her against you?"
Monkey had no answer. Indeed, whether Belle stayed at Blossom Mountain or in Heaven, it made little difference to Lord Lao. Even now, sending Belle to Monkey's side—what did it change?
If he wanted to act, did Monkey truly have the power to stop him?
Tilting his head, Lord Lao stroked his long beard and said leisurely, "If not for last night's incident, I wouldn't have brought her so soon. Letting you run wild like this isn't a solution. I thought it time to find an excuse for us to meet and talk."
"Hmph. Talk about what?"
The water had boiled. Monkey reached for the kettle and poured Lord Lao another cup of tea, his eyes never leaving Lord Lao's face.
"Just look." With the gentle breeze drifting in from the door, Lord Lao gestured toward the vast sky outside and sighed, "What a splendid world."
His expression was full of emotion. Turning to Monkey, he said softly, "Why don't we look ahead together—at the future?"
Monkey let out a dry laugh and followed up, "How do you suggest we look ahead?"
He slid a cup of clear tea in front of Lord Lao.
Lord Lao slowly rolled up his sleeve and raised two fingers. "Rebel against Heaven twice, wreak havoc in the Celestial Palace, be crushed under Five Elements Mountain... You know what I'm talking about. If you walk this path to the end—even if you marry Charlotte Yang, the Holy Mother of Mount Hua—I can turn a blind eye. How about it?"
Monkey snorted coldly. "So I have to get your approval for everything I do, Dao Ancestor?"
"Charlotte Yang is the Jade Emperor's canonized niece, the Holy Mother of Mount Hua. Even in the Three Realms, her status is extremely sensitive. Do you really think that with Blossom Mountain's current strength, you can do as you please in all Three Realms?"
Monkey glared at Lord Lao, gritting his teeth and enunciating each word. "One day, Blossom Mountain will stand equal to the Heavenly Court."
Lord Lao was briefly stunned by Monkey's sudden, combative stance.
Had he finally met his match?
After a brief silence, Lord Lao slowly looked away from Monkey, saying nothing, his brows furrowed as if deep in thought.
Monkey's gaze never left him. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "I don't know why you're bringing up Charlotte Yang now. Are you trying to use her to threaten me too?"
Lord Lao tilted his head slightly, rubbing his fingers together. "It's fine if you don't understand now. I hope one day you will. Until then, just treat it as a metaphor."
"Let's get back to the main point. If you want me to follow your prescribed path, I have only one condition: give Birdie back to me. Return her, and everything is negotiable."
Lord Lao let out a dry laugh, stroking his beard. "You already knew the answer before you asked, so why bother? Even if I promised right now, would you believe me?"
"If you can't agree to that, there's nothing left for us to discuss."
"Is that so? I think there's plenty to discuss." Lifting his freshly brewed tea and taking a sip, Lord Lao continued, "As I said, with you alone, I truly can't do much. But the mortal world is vast; you'll grow, form attachments. You didn't want to raid Sea King's Palace, battle the Heavenly Court, or accept Heaven's recruitment, but you walked each path in turn. In this world, things rarely go as you wish. Some roads can't be avoided, no matter your intentions. If you restore the Heavenly Dao to its proper track, I'll grant Blossom Mountain and its demons a period of peace. That's a generous bargain. Otherwise, even if you grit your teeth and refuse to swallow a Golden Elixir, I can always find a way to pry your mouth open and force it down."
"I told you, if Birdie isn't returned, there's no room for compromise!" Monkey nearly shouted.
Catching sight of Monkey's clenched fists, Lord Lao could only close his eyes and let out a long sigh.
After a long moment, he opened his eyes slightly. "So be it. I knew this would be the outcome before I came. But let me be clear: I do fear you, that's undeniable. But I'm not someone to be bullied or plundered at will. What you did last night—acting so recklessly—was truly..."
At this, Lord Lao stopped, simply laughing—a laugh that left Monkey momentarily unable to fathom its deeper meaning.