“Is our master’s attitude still unclear?” the Monkey King asked calmly.
Elder Stillwater pressed his lips together and did not reply.
Lowering his head, the Monkey King gazed at the bamboo scroll in his hands, his thumb gently rubbing the twine binding, lost in thought.
After a long while, he blinked and looked up, taking a deep breath. Pressing his lips together, he peered through the gaps in the bamboo leaves overhead at the drifting clouds, and quietly said, “Senior brother, I’ve heard you’re the most skilled in yin-yang arts among our brothers. There’s something I wish to ask you—may I?”
“Go ahead. If I know the answer, I’ll tell you everything I can.”
“I have a friend, a canary—a canary who hasn’t yet taken human form.” The Monkey King paused briefly, his expression calm, and continued slowly, “She died, and I wish to bring her back. To revive someone whose body is completely gone—how can it be done? And… her soul’s whereabouts are unknown. Is there any way to find her?”
Elder Stillwater braced his hands on his knees, sighed deeply, and slowly stood up. He asked, “Her name was Que’er, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.” The Monkey King lowered his head, continuing to fiddle with the bamboo scroll in his hands.
“I’ve heard a bit about this from Junior Brother Lingyun. He wanted me to persuade you, but I know persuasion is useless. Everyone holds onto something in their heart—that’s your conviction, and no one but you can shake it. So I gave you that scroll, the ‘Directory of Netherworld Offices,’ to help you avoid some needless detours.” Elder Stillwater shook out his sleeves, took two slow steps, then turned and said, “Still, I must remind you, this matter is deeply entangled. It won’t be resolved in a day or two. Are you truly prepared for that?”
The Monkey King blinked and replied calmly, “I’m prepared.”
“And if, because of this, you must steal life from Heaven itself?”
The Monkey King gripped the bamboo scroll tightly and said through clenched teeth, “Then I’ll take it.”
“And if… it means a thousand deaths for one chance at life?”
Lifting his head, the Monkey King let the breeze brush his cheek and ruffle his fur. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he stared wide-eyed at the shimmering pool in the distance, and said softly, “Even if I die a thousand times… I will not retreat, not even half a step.”
As he spoke, he remembered how, while drifting at sea, she said, “I’m not leaving!”
He remembered, when trapped on the deadwood by wolves, she said, “Didn’t you say you’d cultivate immortality and marry me? Planning to back out? I’ll peck you to death!”
He remembered, on that cold night, she said, “Monkey King, if you succeed, come take me back to Flower-Fruit Mountain. I don’t want to be too far from you.”
The memories flashed vividly before him. For a moment, his nose tingled with emotion.
He drew two sharp breaths, lowered his head, and covered his face, muttering to himself, “I promised to marry her. I must bring her back to life. She traded her life for mine. Even if I have to give my life to get hers back, I will.”
Night had quietly fallen. The bamboo leaves rustled in the wind, starlight shimmered on the rippling pool, and the air grew cool.
The Monkey King covered his face, hunched over, and sat quietly.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Elder Stillwater asked in a low voice, “But she’s never taken human form, and yet you want to marry her… Is that love?”
“I don’t care. When I was at my lowest, she gave me everything she had. All I can offer her is a vague promise, a meaningless title, and a broken gravestone.” His eyes, hidden in his palm, grew wet. He choked up, his shoulders shaking: “So this promise must be kept—no matter how long, how bitter, how exhausting, how hard, even if it means a thousand deaths, I must endure. No matter who stands in my way—even the Jade Emperor, the Elder Lord Lao, even my master—whoever tries to stop me, I’ll fight them to the end.”
This was the deepest secret hidden in his heart, never spoken to anyone before. A trivial wish, yet the eternal thorn in his heart—the softest part of his stubborn soul, wounded at the slightest touch.
A gentle breeze lifted the white hairs at his temples.
At that moment, Elder Stillwater smiled faintly, and his laughter slowly echoed through the bamboo grove.
The Monkey King looked up and asked, “You don’t believe me?”
“No.” Elder Stillwater’s face showed a peaceful smile: “I believe you. I hear your heart telling me that every word is true. I’m just laughing at all those gods and buddhas above—gods and buddhas without hearts. How could they understand the persistence of a tiny living creature, or grasp the meaning of this trivial wish? I’m just wondering, when they learn that someone pierced the heavens just to demand the soul of an ordinary canary, what expressions will they wear? Will they regret the suffering they’ve brought upon all beings? Hahaha…”
After laughing, Elder Stillwater let out a long sigh, lowered his head, and said softly, “Now I finally understand why our master took you as a disciple.”
“Why?”
Elder Stillwater simply smiled, patted the Monkey King’s shoulder, and said, “Even if I explained it now, you wouldn’t understand. All you need to know is that what our master wants isn’t what you want. What he gives may not be what you truly need. But he would never harm you.”
With that, he took a deep breath, stepped away, and slowly walked into the distance. Suddenly, a wild wind swept through the bamboo grove.
He laughed loudly, “Just settle down here in Stillwater Valley. If you have time, go visit our master—the old man’s mouth is hard, but his heart is soft. That’s why he’s never achieved the ‘Way of Heaven.’ Hahaha…”
His laughter echoed through the silent bamboo forest, and in an instant, Elder Stillwater, along with the bamboo house, pavilion, and ancient zither, vanished without a trace.
All that remained before him was emptiness.
The Monkey King stared blankly at the scene before him, lost in thought.
Outside the bamboo grove, Anna Yang’s angry shout rang out.
“He’s got my jade tablet with him—he must be nearby, he won’t have gone far. Everyone, look around! That damn monkey, still wounded, running all over the place without a word—does he think the Netherworld beasts here are just for show?”
Glancing down at the bamboo scroll in his hand, the Monkey King seemed to remember something and quickly called out, “Senior brother! You still haven’t answered my question!”
“You’ll have plenty of chances to ask while you’re living here. Just focus on healing—there’s no rush.” Elder Stillwater’s voice echoed through the empty bamboo grove, though he was nowhere to be seen.
Standing there in a daze, the Monkey King took a deep breath and tucked the bamboo scroll into his robe.
“Monkey King’s over there!” came the voice of the little fox demon from afar.
In a flash, Anna Yang was in front of him, her face furious. “Running around for no reason—are you sick or something?”
“Heh, heh… Sorry, I just wanted to get some fresh air.” The Monkey King grinned foolishly.
In the distance, a large group arrived—Miles Moon, Big Bull, Fiona Fox, Louis Quickpaw, Remy, and others among them.
Anna Yang glanced coldly around, then glared at the Monkey King. “Get back, now! If you keep running around before you’re healed, I’ll build a cage and lock you in. Hand!”
Obediently, the Monkey King reached out his hand, and Anna Yang grabbed it, helping him step by step as they walked back.
All the way, Anna Yang nagged nonstop, while the Monkey King could only grin foolishly. The demons who had come along dared not make a sound.
……
Inside a Heavenly Fleet warship’s cabin, Marshal Silver leaned over a wooden table, studying a sheepskin map in detail.
“You’ve searched everywhere?”
The Heavenly general beside him bowed and replied, “We’ve searched all five hundred li around Purple Cloud Bluewave Lake, but found nothing. Perhaps the monkey demon was taken away by someone.”
Marshal Silver pointed to a spot on the map and asked, “What about here? Have you searched it?”
“That… that’s Stillwater Valley.”
“Stillwater Valley?” Marshal Silver looked up, rubbing his wrist guard, his eyes narrowing to slits. He said slowly, “Stillwater Valley belongs to Crescent Star Cave. This time, Crescent Star Cave is also on our investigation list…”
“But General, Elder Stillwater is…”
After pacing a few steps, Marshal Silver pointed at the Heavenly general and said, “Send a special envoy to investigate. It’s possible the monkey demon is hiding in Stillwater Valley!”