When they returned, Blossom Mountain was in utter chaos.
The newly built demon city was wrecked by a sudden tsunami. Fortunately, the demons on the surface were all highly cultivated, so there were few casualties.
Anna Yang glanced at Monkey, at the Golden Staff in his hand, then at Tina Ao behind him, who sat calmly sipping her tea. Her brows furrowed in suspicion.
"So you're telling me you snuck off to the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, stole the Ocean Pillar Rod and triggered a tsunami, and even dragged the Fourth Princess back as a hostage—am I right?"
Hey, how can you call it stealing? I left an IOU! Besides, the tsunami wasn't my fault—Lord Lao never warned me, so why blame me?
"Is there any difference?" Anna Yang asked, expressionless.
Uh, no difference? Monkey frowned at Anna Yang.
Behind him, Tina Ao took a sip of hot tea, set down her cup, and said lazily, "He said he was bringing me back as his bandit bride."
Anna Yang's eyes widened in shock.
Yisu stood frozen, speechless with shock.
Monkey was terrified and hurriedly shouted, "I was just joking! Just joking!"
"So it was just a joke? Oh..." Tina Ao brushed her hair aside and said languidly, "Had this princess happy for a while. My father—didn't you call him 'father-in-law'? And all that was just talk?"
She quietly picked up her teacup again and sipped, her leisurely elegance making Monkey's eye twitch.
"You!" Anna Yang, furious, grabbed a bamboo-woven pillow and hurled it at Monkey. "I never expected you to have such intentions!"
Monkey clutched his forehead and quickly tried to explain, "I brought her back as a hostage! A hostage, you understand?"
A hostage? Do you need to call her father 'father-in-law' for that? You've only just made a name for yourself, and already you're snatching women? Handsome Monkey King, what a display!
This time, the cup from the tea table beside Anna Yang struck Monkey's forehead.
"Hey, hey, listen to my explanation!"
"Enough, enough!" Monkey waved his hand. "How's the spiritual weapon research going?"
Soon enough, Monkey and Tina Ao were both kicked out together.
Standing at the doorway, they locked eyes in silence.
"This is all your doing."
"How is it my doing?" Tina Ao covered her mouth, laughing. "I'm only telling the truth."
"You—calling yourself 'concubine'... Isn't this messy enough for you? Can you be any more shameless?" Monkey instantly reverted to his rogue persona.
"Speaking of shamelessness, how could I compare to the Handsome Monkey King who snatches girls from their homes?" Tina Ao clasped her hands behind her back and slowly walked away, sighing, "Anyway, I have no desire to be your strategist. As for whether I become your bandit bride, you'd better discuss that with Anna Yang first."
"Hey, who said you could wander off?"
"Relax." Tina Ao turned, her long skirt swirling as she smiled sweetly. "I'm only strolling around. I won't run away—even if I tried, I couldn't. Besides, is anywhere safer than under Anna Yang's watchful eyes? Right?"
With that, she laughed again behind her hand and turned away.
Monkey suddenly realized he'd brought home trouble. But for now, he needed her to keep the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace in check and to give them an excuse before the Heavenly Court. Helpless, he could only sigh and walk away.
Inside, Anna Yang was coughing violently into her hand.
Yisu spoke timidly, "Anna Yang, don't be angry anymore. Shortbeak said the Fourth Princess was brought back to be a strategist, but Louis is still sulking about it."
"Go." Anna Yang steadied herself on the bed and snorted, "Tell Shortbeak to have a small hut built next to mine for the Fourth Princess to live in."
"But... I heard Monkey already put her in the upper level of Cascade Cave, saying she needs strict supervision. Isn't that a problem?"
"If he disagrees, have him come talk to me." Anna Yang, annoyed, hammered the wooden frame of her bed. "If that damn Monkey dares to have improper thoughts, I'll skin him alive!"
She glared at the half-open door, her brows furrowed so tightly it seemed they could wring water.
When this woman throws a tantrum, there's simply no reasoning with her.
Yisu could only shrink back and head outside, but couldn't help bursting into laughter.
...
Amid the shouts, Monkey walked step by step along the muddy road, watching groups of demons right the fences that had been scattered by the waves.
From a distance, he saw Shortbeak standing atop a boulder, directing the work.
"Why are you handling this? Where's Louis?"
Shortbeak glanced down at Monkey and sighed, "He says he's retiring to the countryside."
"What? He dares to go on strike now?"
"You're the one who brought back a 'chief strategist' without a word."
"Where is he now? Damn it, I'm going to beat him!"
"He's at Idle Clouds Cave. Go beat him up—I'm swamped here, can't handle it alone!" Shortbeak shouted without turning his head, "Hey, you over there! Not so hard—you're bending it!"
That Louis Quickpaw—now he dares to go on strike? Getting bold, huh?
Monkey walked along, thinking how he'd deal with that fussy squirrel demon when he saw him.
Arriving at Idle Clouds Cave, he saw Louis Quickpaw from afar, seated on a rug at the entrance, sipping tea, with plates of fruit and pastries beside him.
He really looked the part.
"My king." Seeing Monkey approach, Louis Quickpaw bowed respectfully. "For years I've toiled for Blossom Mountain and for you, day and night, neglecting the beauty around me. Now, retiring and enjoying a cup of tea, gazing at green trees—it's a different kind of pleasure, no less than fame and fortune. So..."
He hadn't finished before Monkey kicked him over, sending him sprawling. As he scrambled to get up, Monkey grabbed him by the collar and hauled him up.
Their eyes met; Louis Quickpaw's eyes widened, and he swallowed hard, choking back the rest of his speech, not daring to breathe.
"Trying to play games with me, huh?" Monkey said, expressionless.
"No, never. I wouldn't dare."
"You seem pretty bold to me. Ignoring all these tasks and talking retirement? Want me to send you home for real?" Monkey's eyes widened slowly.
Louis Quickpaw's mouth twitched violently.
Monkey let go, and Louis Quickpaw collapsed to the ground, then hurriedly knelt and kowtowed, shouting, "I deserve death, my king, please forgive me! I lost my mind..."
"Enough, enough!" Monkey waved his hand. "How's the weapon research going?"
Louis Quickpaw quickly pulled a roll of parchment from his sleeve and handed it over.
...
Inside the little cabin, Yisu had already returned from delivering the message.
Shortbeak agreed right away to build the cabin, but asked for a few days' delay—there just weren't enough hands right now.
Anna Yang slumped sideways on her bed, brows tightly knit, lost in worry for a long, long time.
"Anna Yang, what are you thinking about?"
"Do you think I went too far just now? Losing my temper in front of you and the Fourth Princess... Did I embarrass him?"
Only now she thinks of this? Yisu rolled her eyes.
"Of course you did. Monkey is the Handsome Monkey King of Blossom Mountain—there are so many demons relying on him. He just caused a stir at the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace and brought someone back, only to get chewed out by you right after. Word gets out, it's humiliating."
"But he went too far! How could he change so much? Now that he's powerful, he throws his weight around—how is that different from those folks in Heaven?"
Yisu burst out laughing and said lightly, "Monkey isn't like them. If it weren't for Blossom Mountain, why would he bother? Have you ever seen Monkey pick fights for no reason? He just likes to sit alone somewhere, munching seeds or betel nuts. Blackie chews betel nuts because Monkey taught him. Honestly, Monkey's right—sometimes being too reasonable means getting taken advantage of. Besides, we're demons; living by human rules is asking for trouble. But don't worry, Monkey won't be mad at you."
"Really?" Anna Yang looked over suspiciously.
Yisu sighed helplessly and said seriously, "Really. Monkey is actually very easygoing, I can vouch for that. Besides, when has he ever been angry at you?"
"Actually, he has—just that you didn't know." Anna Yang remembered when she added too much Wolf's Fang Herb to his breakthrough elixir in Crescent Star Cave. After hesitating a long time, she asked, "Do you think he brought the Fourth Princess back for some ulterior motive?"
"Definitely not. Monkey isn't that kind of person." Yisu shook her head and smiled, then lowered her head and continued her embroidery.
"What are you working on?" Anna Yang craned her neck to look.
"Embroidery." Yisu waggled her needle and thread.
"Why bother with such useless things?"
"Last time we took in a bunch of demons, I found these among their things—a whole set, silk, all kinds of needles and thread. It's no use in the cave, so Monkey gave it to me, said girls shouldn't just think about fighting and weapons, should learn these things too, so someone will want to marry them one day."
"Don't listen to him. In this world, strength is what really matters." Anna Yang puffed her cheeks and rolled her eyes at Yisu.
For a while, the cabin was utterly silent.
Yisu kept quietly embroidering to pass the time, occasionally biting off the thread and switching colors, repeating the process.
After a while, Anna Yang, lying on the bed, stole a glance, blushing, and muttered softly, "How about I trade you a magic item for that? It might be nice to have something to pass the time, right? I'm your master—surely you wouldn't refuse me, would you?"
...
Waves crashed against the rocks, seagulls cried overhead, and a crab scuttled quickly by, leaving a string of tiny footprints.
Lord Lao's boots landed quietly on the sand. He glanced back at Belle, who floated unconscious in midair.
Her wet hair clung to her cheeks, her face serene.
With a helpless sigh, he pointed, and Belle slowly descended.
He glanced once more toward Cascade Cave, then vanished into the wind.
Soon, two demons carrying weapons passed by from the nearby woods.
"Hey, what's that?"
A spot of purple on the yellow sand stood out sharply.
"Let's go take a look."
The two demons cautiously watched their surroundings as they approached Belle.
"Still breathing. Is she a woman, or a female demon?"
"Looks like a woman." One demon bent down and touched Belle's bracelet. "This bracelet looks like a magic item. Better report to the boss right away, or we'll get in trouble."
"Alright, you keep watch here. I'll be right back."