In the dimly lit chamber, only a blue lantern flickered.
Master Sage Subhuti and Elder Sky, master and disciple, locked eyes for a long, silent moment.
It wasn't until Elder Sky grew confused, disappointed, and finally despairing, lowering his head, that Master Sage Subhuti slowly said, "You may leave."
Anything more would be superfluous; there was no room left for argument.
The door swung open with a boom. Outside, Simon Stone was still kneeling, gazing at Elder Sky in surprise.
He could hear Elder Sky's furious shouts, but not Master Sage Subhuti's quiet words.
Elder Sky slowly stood up, bent over, and said, "Master... I take my leave."
"Go."
Turning slowly, Elder Sky's hair was disheveled, looking utterly defeated as if after a great battle. He walked away, never glancing at Simon Stone again.
His back looked just like that of a fallen old man, leaving Simon Stone utterly perplexed.
"Is this all targeted at me? Is such hatred really necessary?" Simon Stone thought.
After Elder Sky left, Master Sage Subhuti finally smiled, shook his sleeves, stood up, and walked over to Simon Stone, saying with a laugh, "You little monkey, always causing me trouble. From now on, you mustn't do this again!"
Seeing Master Sage Subhuti's smile, Simon Stone immediately felt relieved and joked, "I won't do it again! I won't do it again! Next time I sneak into the Scripture Tower, I won't let Senior Brother catch me!"
"You little monkey!" Master Sage Subhuti shouted, raising his hand as if to strike, but didn't follow through and burst out laughing.
Feeling more confident, Simon Stone took advantage of Master Sage Subhuti's good mood and said, "Master, if you permit me to enter the Scripture Tower, why not give me a written order? That way, there won't be any more trouble in the future."
"When did I ever permit you?" Master Sage Subhuti asked with a smile.
"Uh..." Simon Stone hesitated.
"If I permitted you, what about all the other disciples with higher cultivation? Do you know why your Senior Brother Sky tried to catch you tonight?" Master Sage Subhuti bent down, hands on knees, looking Simon Stone in the eye, then pointed at the distant Scripture Tower and said meaningfully, "The Scripture Tower is right there, unmoving. Each night, there are supposed to be two patrols: one at the first quarter of the hour of the dog, one at the third quarter of the hour of the hare. If you can get in, then get in. If not, don't complain. Don't mention written orders again."
After speaking, Master Sage Subhuti straightened up, turned, and walked back inside, saying over his shoulder, "From now on, I will have someone count the scriptures every day. If three are missing, you'll be the first I ask!"
The door slammed shut.
"Three missing?" Simon Stone twisted his aching neck. "So that means I can only 'borrow' two books at a time, and have to return them before I can 'borrow' more?"
Straightening up, Simon Stone fell silent for a long time, thinking: "Just what is this old man up to?"
Master Sage Subhuti must be several thousand years old; trying to guess the mind of an immortal that ancient is just asking for trouble.
After thinking for ages and getting nowhere, Simon Stone simply gave up.
At least tonight was scary but not dangerous, though Simon Stone was now more confused than ever about Master Sage Subhuti's attitude.
On the way back to his quarters, Simon Stone drew the attention of many Daoist disciples. Normally, everyone would be resting at this hour, but tonight's commotion had awakened the whole monastery.
"He snuck into the Scripture Tower tonight!"
"He knelt outside for a whole year, refusing to leave, and now that he's inside..."
"A beast is always a beast. That animal snuck into the Scripture Tower tonight and was caught red-handed by Elder Sky, but Master Sage Subhuti didn't even punish him. He's really lost his mind!"
"Shh! Don't talk nonsense."
"It was a mistake for Master Sage Subhuti to accept him. Such a barbarian should have just knelt at the gate until he turned to dust!"
"He sprang from a stone, so he should've just knelt until he became stone again! Hee hee hee. If Master Sage Subhuti doesn't care, do you think Elder Sky will just let it go? He'll have a rough time ahead."
They whispered among themselves, but when they saw Simon Stone approaching, they quickly stepped aside.
After nearly a year at the monastery, they'd gotten used to Simon Stone's presence, but now it seemed they avoided him like the plague, just as they did before.
Simon Stone noticed their behavior but didn't take it to heart.
Simon Stone was unique; even the monkeys of Blossom Mountain were at best distant relatives.
Facing exclusion before gaining strength was inevitable—even among distant relatives and fellow monsters, let alone these self-important humans.
Simon Stone had long since gotten used to it.
When Simon Stone returned to Swallow Lane and opened the door, he found Belle in a panic.
"You... you actually... came back?" Belle stammered.
"Why wouldn't I come back? What are you doing here... Where are my books!" Simon Stone shouted, eyes wide with anger.
The scriptures Simon Stone had copied over the past six months, hidden under his bed, were now all gone!
Simon Stone's shout made Belle's tears fall one by one. "I... I was scared... scared Master Sage Subhuti would drive you out. I heard them say you were caught... sob... I'm timid... didn't dare to go look, so I hurried over... to help you hide the books. I was afraid Elder Sky would come search... sob..."
In an instant, Belle was crying her eyes out. Nine months of pent-up tears finally burst forth all at once.
Heaven knows how frightened she's been these past nine months.
Seeing Belle crying like a pear blossom in the rain, Simon Stone's heart ached for her.
Simon Stone walked over, squatted down, and wiped away her tears, sighing, "It's all right. Master didn't punish me. Heh, Elder Sky was so angry his face turned green."
"Re... really?" Belle asked, her voice trembling.
"See, I'm standing here just fine, aren't I? I told you, Master gave tacit approval."
Belle suddenly threw herself into Simon Stone's arms, hugging him tightly. "Simon, please don't go to the Scripture Tower anymore, okay? Don't go. I'm afraid they'll drive you away..."
Simon Stone fell silent for a while, then, stroking Belle's back, said, "If anything like this happens again, don't get involved. If they ask, just pretend you know nothing. If something really happened tonight, wouldn't they have caught you here?"
"What about you? If they find the books, you'll be in even more trouble." Belle asked.
"Me? I don't need to worry. I am Simon Stone, the Monkey King!"
Belle immediately burst into laughter. "Monkey King?"
She poked Simon Stone's head with a duster and scolded, "Always talking nonsense."
"Nonsense? Hmph!" Simon Stone stood up, grabbed a broom leaning nearby, and struck a pose. "When I graduate, I'll raise the Monkey King's banner on the mountain. If anyone makes Belle cry, I'll turn them into mincemeat! Ha ha ha!"
"What if it's you who makes me cry?" Belle teased.
"If I make you cry... I'll remember it and settle it later." Simon Stone replied.
"Always talking nonsense. If you really put up the Monkey King's banner, the Heavenly Court's army will come for you, and you'll be mincemeat first! 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' isn't something you can just say lightly." Belle warned.
In the little wooden hut, the two joked and quarreled. For some reason, in a daze, Simon Stone thought of Birdie again.
A strange sense of unease welled up inside him.
How much longer, how much longer until I can return to that little hillside and bring Birdie home...
...
In the inner chamber behind the Hall of Silent Meditation, Master Sage Subhuti played a game of Go on the floor with an elderly man.
The old man wore a wide black Daoist robe, a black jade phoenix pin in his hair, and had the appearance of a serene, ageless immortal. The cuff of his sleeve was embroidered with a golden 'Wind' character.
This was none other than Elder Gale, Master Sage Subhuti's first disciple, whom Belle had said was traveling in the Northern Province.
Seeing Master Sage Subhuti frown, Elder Gale slowly placed a black piece on the board and asked, "Master, do you think what you said to Fifth Brother tonight was a bit much?"
Master Sage Subhuti slowly shook his head, eyes never leaving the board. Picking up a white piece, he placed it and said, "Do you know why, among my nine former direct disciples, all have left except for your Fifth Brother, Elder Sky?"
"I don't know, Master." Elder Gale replied respectfully.