In the pitch-black night, the monkey groped his way to the Stone of Reflection. (The Stone of Reflection is a meditation stone used for cultivating the mind.)
From afar, it looked like a stone; up close, it was still just a stone. By day or by night, it never changed.
“Is this just an ordinary stone? Why did that old man specifically choose this spot for me to cultivate my mind?” the monkey wondered, tiptoeing onto the Stone of Reflection and trying various meditation techniques.
Meanwhile, in the distant grass, two young Daoists watched with growing impatience.
"Ethan, what do you think this monkey is up to? Meditating here in the middle of the night? Has he gone mad?"
Beside him, Ethan stifled a yawn with his hand. "How could we possibly understand the thoughts of a beast? Master told us to come, so we just follow orders. I thought he’d sneak off to do something shady, but he came straight here instead. Ivan, do you think he noticed we’re tailing him?"
"It’s possible." Ivan nodded, crouching even lower in the grass.
Throughout the night, a gentle breeze rustled the leaves, insects and birds chirped in the woods, the waterfall beside them thundered ceaselessly, and the two Daoists in the grass were bitten all over by mosquitoes.
On top of the stone, the monkey tried every method he could think of, but still gained nothing. (Ethan and Ivan, disciples of Elder Sky, were observing him from the grass.)
“Could cultivating the mind... simply mean keeping a peaceful heart?”
It wasn’t until dawn that the monkey trudged back in disappointment, leaving the two drowsy Daoists in the grass.
After returning to his room and finishing the breakfast Belle brought him, the monkey followed yesterday’s routine and went to greet Master Sage Subhuti early. (Belle had previously mentioned the Traveler's Path and Sage's Path—two distinct Daoist cultivation methods.)
This time, Master Sage Subhuti simply lay with his back to the monkey, still engrossed in his study of the scriptures.
"Did your cultivation progress yesterday?" Master Sage Subhuti asked lazily. (He refers to the Sage's Path and Traveler's Path, two different Daoist approaches.)
“This disciple is dull-witted and made no progress.” The monkey bowed deeply, then glanced up at Master Sage Subhuti, who still lay with his back turned, seemingly indifferent.
“Cultivation takes years and years. Do not slack off, my disciple.”
“I will heed your teachings, Master.”
“You may go.” Master Sage Subhuti waved his hand.
“Yes.”
The monkey stood up and turned to leave, but after a few steps, he couldn’t help but turn back and kneel again. “Master, your disciple has a question.”
“Speak freely.”
Summoning his courage, the monkey spoke up: “Master asked me to cultivate my mind, but I still don’t understand what it truly means, nor what counts as progress. Is it just meditating in the rear mountain? To what level must I reach before I can learn magical arts? Please enlighten me, Master.”
After speaking, the monkey bowed and remained motionless.
Master Sage Subhuti slowly turned around, rose, and smiled. “Are you so eager to learn magic, little monkey? The path of cultivation is long—often hundreds of years before any achievement. It’s only been a day, and you’re already impatient?”
“It’s not that your disciple cannot endure hardship, nor that I fear the long road of cultivation... I am simply lost!”
"I told you before, little monkey, you violate all three of my 'no-acceptance' rules.* Even if we ignore the third, how can we overlook the first two? With such a temperament, even if you achieve immortality, you’ll surely cause great trouble in the future. I sent you to cultivate your mind so you can calm your spirit. The rear mountain is just a quiet place. When you can truly enter meditation, with nothing in your heart, I will teach you the arts of heaven!"
*Footnote: The 'three no-acceptance' (三不收) rules refer to the master's strict standards for accepting disciples, typically excluding those who are too ambitious, too unruly, or too impulsive.
“I understand, Master.”
“If you understand, then go.” Master Sage Subhuti turned back to his scriptures.
The monkey didn’t even lift his head, just bowed and slowly stood up, leaving the room.
So cultivating the mind was really just about nurturing one’s temperament!
“What’s wrong? Why do you look so gloomy?” Belle was startled when she saw the monkey. “Did Master scold you?”
The monkey gritted his teeth and replied, “That old man... he actually wants me to nurture my temperament...”
Belle burst out laughing at this.
“I wondered what it was. How can you pursue immortality without cultivating your temperament? Did you think you could indulge in every desire?” Belle thought for a moment and added, “But... usually, nurturing one’s temperament is about daily life, not just sitting and meditating.”
With a dark expression, the monkey headed straight for the rear mountain. “I think the old man is just messing with me. He wants me to squat in the rear mountain for three to five years.”
Belle hurried after him, tapping the monkey’s back with her duster. “Monkey, don’t say such things. Do you want to end up kneeling outside the gate again?”
Another day passed. At dusk, the monkey returned to his quarters, while in the Soaring Cloud Pavilion, three people were whispering to each other.
“That monkey just went to the rear mountain to meditate last night?” Elder Sky stroked his long beard, utterly astonished.
Ethan whispered, "Last night, Ivan and I found it strange, so today we investigated. Belle said Master ordered him to meditate in the rear mountain starting yesterday, which explains why he didn’t attend the lecture. With the monkey’s restless nature, he must have failed yesterday, so last night he..."
“Meditating to cultivate the mind?” Elder Sky narrowed his eyes. “I’ve never heard of a new disciple being told to meditate and cultivate the mind. It’s possible, but with that monkey’s temperament, he might not succeed even in ten or twenty years... If this goes on, trouble may arise. You all must keep a close watch. If he does anything reckless, don’t act rashly—just inform me.”
With that, Elder Sky pulled a bamboo slip from his sleeve and handed it to Ethan. "This is a treasure I happened upon, called the Linked Bamboo Scroll. You and I each hold a piece. If anything urgent arises, simply write on it with your finger and I’ll be notified."
“I will obey, Master!”
That night, the monkey once again snuck off to the rear mountain and the Stone of Reflection, with Ethan and Ivan naturally following after him.
A month passed this way, but the monkey’s cultivation of the mind made no progress, leaving him irritable. Master Sage Subhuti was as indifferent as ever. In the end, Ethan and Ivan couldn’t hold out and fell ill, so they had to take turns tailing him.
Belle knew the monkey was in a foul mood, so she still brought him food every day, never mentioning cultivation again, just chatting about other things.
"Monkey, things have been lively in the temple these days. Yesterday, General Erlang, Erik Yang, sent people with agate and jade as birthday gifts for Master."
The monkey asked, mouth full of steamed bun, “Was it Master’s birthday yesterday?”
“I don’t know. None of us know when Master’s birthday is. I have no idea how Yang Jian found out—maybe it’s just an excuse.”
"Agate and jade?" The monkey thought for a moment, then laughed. "What would Master want with those? Erik Yang’s relationship with the Heavenly Court is tense, so Master surely returned the gifts to avoid trouble."
“Then you guessed wrong.” Belle grinned and shook her head. “Master accepted everything, but before they left, he reminded them not to be so extravagant in the future.”
“Oh.” The monkey frowned slightly.
"As soon as General Erlang’s men left, today the Jade Emperor’s envoy arrived, bringing elixir wine and peaches of immortality, also for Master’s birthday. Master accepted these gifts as well."
“Playing both sides!” the monkey couldn’t help but shout.
"You don’t understand." Belle shook her head, pretending to be profound. "I heard the Jade Emperor is gathering an army to campaign against Erik Yang, but the Heavenly Court’s generals know they’re outmatched and refuse to fight. Only Marshal Tianpeng volunteered, but though they have soldiers, they lack capable leaders. So the campaign against Erik Yang may go nowhere."
"Marshal Tianpeng volunteered?" The monkey was utterly surprised.
Fight Erik Yang? Does Zhu Bajie really have that kind of skill?
"Erik Yang is from the Chan Sect and is the top disciple of the third generation. Taishang Laojun saw this coming and went into seclusion. Now, all the generals in Heaven are either his peers or his defeated rivals—who would dare provoke him? My master is an ancient immortal; Erik Yang probably gave gifts to see if Master would take sides. The Jade Emperor, afraid Erik Yang would win Master over first, sent his envoy as well... As the saying goes, 'Don’t fear a greedy immortal, only an immortal who won’t accept gifts.' If Master accepts gifts from both sides, it’s fine. But if he refuses, one side might hold a grudge."
The monkey laughed, “The Jade Emperor could ask the Buddha for help.”
Belle giggled, “Why would the Buddha get involved in a family quarrel?”
After a long silence, the monkey suddenly asked, “Belle, does Yang Jian really know the Seventy-Two Transformations?”
"Yes." Belle nodded. "The Seventy-Two Transformations belong to the Traveler's Path, a profound Daoist art. Erik Yang cultivates the Traveler's Path, and after surviving a tribulation, plus his exceptional talent, he’s reached a level of mastery unmatched in Heaven or Earth."
"Oh?" The monkey squinted, pondering. "Belle, you once mentioned the 'Traveler's Path' and the 'Sage's Path.' What’s the difference between them?"
"Those who follow the Sage's Path seek the mysteries of Heaven and Earth, learning alchemy, divination, and artifact forging. It takes a hundred years to achieve anything, so temperament is crucial. The Traveler's Path develops one’s potential, mastering transformations and conquest, and can be accomplished in a few years, though it’s more dangerous. Since Master hasn’t mentioned it and asked you to cultivate your mind, he must have chosen the Sage's Path for you."
The monkey’s eyes widened in realization.
“So that’s it!”
That night, the monkey didn’t sneak off to the rear mountain again, but lay peacefully on his long-unused bed. Poor Ethan kept watch outside all night, not daring to leave.