The sunset over Crescent Star Cave was gentle, tinged with a certain melancholy. In the Western Isle, such evenings always felt like a distant dream.
Walking alone along the stone steps, Simon Stone grew increasingly restless. Elder Gale's teachings echoed in his mind, and he couldn't settle down.
He had looked forward to this day, even dreamed of it countless times, yet now that it had truly come, he found it hard to believe. Amid the excitement in his heart, a faint thread of worry crept in about the fate of the Southern Lands.
“Old man, what are you really up to? Are you really going to teach me the Seventy-Two Transformations and Cloud Somersault?” Simon Stone couldn’t help but stroke his chin, lost in wild speculation about Blossom Mountain.
After causing so much trouble before, turning the whole monastery upside down, they’d treated the Monkey King like a beast to be let loose. So why the sudden change now...?
Has this victory come too easily? The Monkey King suddenly found it hard to believe.
Having endured so much hardship and barely tasted any sweetness, the Monkey King had never believed in free lunches in this world.
“And am I even able to cultivate the Seventy-Two Transformations right now?” The Monkey King stretched out his hand, channeling a faint trace of spiritual energy.
He was clearly only at the early stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm. At this rate, it would probably take a whole year just to touch the threshold of Spirit-Refinement. Anna Yang's progress always seemed faster.
“Is he really going to start teaching me now? Even Lord Lao would be surprised.”
Logically, the Seventy-Two Transformations should only be learned at the third stage, Spirit-Refinement. So why had he suddenly agreed to teach it?
But knowing Master Sage Subhuti as he did, if the old man said it was possible, then it surely was. That master always had tricks up his sleeve—Belle could attest to that.
Happiness had come too suddenly, and he was clearly a bit dazed by it, just as when Skylar's Octagram Flight Array first took to the skies.
“No matter what, the Seventy-Two Transformations will soon be mine! Haha!” Simon Stone finally shouted out loud, his joy beyond words. Elder Sky would be proud.
Whether it was Kunlun Mountain or even the Hall of the Underworld, as long as he could learn the Seventy-Two Transformations and Cloud Somersault, he was willing to go anywhere!
A gentle breeze swept by, rustling the leaves and swaying the shadows, as if the whole world was celebrating with him.
After all these years, wasn’t this the day he’d been waiting for?
Once he mastered the Seventy-Two Transformations and Cloud Somersault, he would no longer be a worthless monkey, but Simon Stone, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, wielding the Cloudwalker Staff!
By then, he’d be able to do all the things he’d ever dreamed of.
With all his might, he dashed up the stone steps, shouting and laughing along the way. His wild joy startled the Daoist disciples he passed, leaving them uneasy and wondering what trouble Simon Stone might be up to this time. Skylar Loft watched from afar.
Watching the monkey leaping and cheering as he ran along the distant stone steps, Master Sage Subhuti gently stroked his long beard and let out a slow breath, clearly in good spirits.
"Master, are you really planning to teach him the Seventy-Two Transformations? Isn't it a bit too soon?" Elder Gale asked quietly from behind.
Turning and entering the room, Subhuti wore a gentle smile, speaking slowly: "This monkey, wild and unpredictable, has grown so much in just over a year that I almost didn't recognize him. He memorized every stolen book—even the classics of the Daoist path, he wouldn't let go. Such a diligent learner, I've never seen before in all my years as a teacher. He truly surprised me."
Subhuti lifted his head, letting the breeze through the bamboo curtain brush past his temples. His aged eyes shone with renewed light as he sighed, "Teaching him the Seventy-Two Transformations isn't too early, but that trip to Kunlun Mountain—he's going a bit too soon."
"Oh? What makes you say that?"
"Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed," Subhuti replied with a smile.
...
Kicking off his shoes, he raced barefoot.
He dashed over a carpet of dry leaves, the wind brushing past his ears, tree shadows swirling over his body—running wild, laughing wildly.
His laughter echoed far and wide, carrying the mountain's reply.
The whole world seemed to leap; the whole world seemed to rejoice.
He rushed back to Lingyan Hall and saw Belle sweeping leaves at the door. The monkey swept her into an embrace, pressed his cheek to her forehead for a kiss, then grabbed her arms and swung her, shouting, "The old man said, after I return from Kunlun Mountain, he'll teach me the Seventy-Two Transformations! Hahaha!"
He cheered and bounced up.
Belle blinked, her face flushing all the way to her ears, frozen in place.
"What's wrong? Aren't you happy for me?" the monkey asked.
"No... it's not that... I'm really happy," she managed a strained smile, gripping her broom tighter as her heart threatened to leap out of her chest.
Letting go of Belle's hand, the monkey dashed into the house and began rummaging around.
"What are you doing?" Belle asked, leaning on her broom at the doorway.
"Packing up! I'm leaving for Kunlun Mountain tomorrow," the monkey replied with a grin. "When I return, the old man will teach me the Seventy-Two Transformations!"
Belle only murmured an 'Oh,' as if her soul had left her body. She turned to continue sweeping leaves outside, only to notice Skylar Loft already seated nearby on a stone bench, leaning against the table and staring at her intently.