The Emperor Reigns Them All

Chapter 432 The Monkey’s Cause and Effect

Li Ye and the others traveled day and night. When they approached Huaguo Mountain, the monkey became silent again.

He looked at the mountain with empty eyes, speechless.

The mountain was very big, stretching for 50,000 kilometers, while the monkey was very small, with a height of only 1.8 meters.

Li Ye remembered that when the monkey was in Qing Prefecture, he liked to go out, especially in the afternoon. At that time, he walked slowly on the long street. His figure was long, and when it cast on the wall, it was bent. Squatting by the river and by the bridge, he often quarreled with young women.

Most of the time, the women couldn’t stand his mean words and would run away, crying. Sometimes, the women didn’t even have a chance to cry and would directly pass out. Whenever this happened, the monkey would shake his head and say, “Boring.”

Li Ye noticed that there was melancholy and reminiscences in the monkey’s eyes when he said this. Li Ye didn’t understand why the monkey liked to do that. At first, he thought that the monkey had stayed on the mountain for too long, so he wanted to have some fun.

But Li Ye knew that the monkey was not happy but in pain, even if he quarreled with others. But his pain was not easily known by others. One day, at sunset, when the monkey seriously searched for his “prey”, Li Ye suddenly realized that there was a figure in the monkey’s eyes.

He just wanted to find the similar person hiding in his eyes and burying in his hearts in those women, even just a familiar scent. Unfortunately, the monkey was doomed not to find her. He seemed to enjoy it, but in fact, he was caught up in pain and couldn’t extricate himself.

The monkey had many stories that Li Ye didn’t know much about them.

But at that time, it was different from what it was now.

The monkey looked at Huaguo Mountain with empty eyes. There was no figure in them, not even a figure of monkey.

On the mountain stretching for 50,000 kilometers, there were no monkey soldiers or monkey generals, not even a wild monkey. It turned out that it was not the monkey’s eyes that were empty, but Huaguo Mountain.

Li Ye wasn’t surprised. The Immortal Court was always on guard against the monkey, both before and after getting Buddhist scriptures. As long as there were no younger generations of monkeys on Huaguo Mountain, it was impossible for the Monkey King to harm the Immortal Court.

In the past 100 years, the monkey had been sitting alone on the stone mountain all day long. Li Ye should have known that no one could sit alone for 100 years. The monkey was not sitting, but sleeping. Only when he fell asleep could he dream of the lost past and continue to laugh and play with the younger generations of monkeys.

For a hundred years, the monkey woke up as many times as he dreamed, and the pain he felt when he woke up was as much as the happiness he felt in his dreams. He was a stone monkey, not a stone, so it was impossible for him to sit there all the time. Stone had no heart, but he had, so he would have emotions. When he couldn’t control his emotions, they would burst out sooner or later.

Therefore, Li Ye met the monkey 100 years later.

The monkey landed on top of a huge tree. He pointed to the hillside covered with dense trees in front of him and said, “This used to be a drill ground. Many monkeys used to practice martial arts, cultivate, and compete with each other there for many years.”

Li Ye looked in the direction of the monkey’s finger. He only saw a flourishing forest covering the sky and the sun and many rotted leaves. There was not a trace of demons.

The monkey said, “I used to think that something in this world would last forever. Even when time passed, it would still exist. Later, I realized that no matter how many demons were there, hundreds of years of bustle couldn’t overcome the passage of time. Everything would eventually fall into complete silence.”

Li Ye and You Daxiao looked at the dense forest, speechless.

The monkey suddenly smiled with a bleak look. “Many years ago, some people called me the Monkey King, and many years later, some people called me Winning Buddha. But in fact, whether the Monkey King or Winning Buddha, it’s just a joke.”

“I had a dream once. In my dream, there were no demons in the world after I became a Buddha. I sat in meditation on the lotus throne all day long for thousands of years. My heart was calm. One day, I passed by a mountain on the way to a meeting. The mountain was overgrown with weeds and barren. Somehow, I thought it looked familiar. The child under my command told me that it was called Huaguo Mountain. So I remembered that I once fought against heaven and watched flowers with a beauty side by side.”

Li Ye was a little stunned.

The monkey sat cross-legged on top of the tree. The view was good. He was lost in thought as he looked at the green mountain not far away.

A long time later, he said slowly, “Before I got Buddhist scriptures, I was young and ignorant. I thought I was powerful and that I could tread the immortal territory underfoot. I caused great chaos in the Immortal Court and became famous for a while. I thought that I could be equal to heaven. Later, I was pressed under Five-Finger Mountain. The Immortal Emperor sent someone to ask if I knew I was wrong. I said yes, so they returned with satisfaction.”

“They thought that I knew it was wrong to offend the Immortal Court, but in fact, I just regretted that too many monkeys in Huaguo Mountain died. I also regretted that I killed that innocent immortal in the battle. After the battle, the Immortal Court sealed demons, and Saint Buddha suppressed monsters. The demon clan and I have remained silent for five hundred years.”

“Five hundred years later, a white-faced monk came to Five-Finger Mountain and told me that if I was apprenticed to him and converted to Buddhism, protecting him to get Buddhist scriptures in the west, I would have great merit to offset my past sin. I believed him, so I walked 54,000 kilometers step by step, being pious day and night.”

“Later, when we came to West Heaven and the monk got Buddhist scriptures, Saint Buddha gave me the title of Winning Buddha. I was very happy. The white-faced monk thought I was happy for my fame, but in fact, it wasn’t true. I was happy to go back to Huaguo Mountain. I was no longer young, and I no longer wanted to compete for hegemony. I just wanted to have fun with the younger generations of monkeys.”

“When I returned to Huaguo Mountain, it was already empty. I searched every inch of the land, but I didn’t see any monkey. The monk once said that if I helped him get Buddhist scriptures, I would clear my sin, but he lied to me. If my sin was really offset, why were there no monkeys here?”

“I went to argue with the monk, but he sat on the lotus throne and put his palms together devoutly, eyes closed, without saying a word. I went to find Saint Buddha, but I couldn’t even get in Land Buddhism. I went to find the Immortal Emperor, but I was blocked outside the Southern Gate. I had nowhere to go but back here.”

“I have been sitting here. I know that my sin can’t be offset, so I can only guard the graves for the younger generations of monkeys. I’ve guarded them for a hundred years, and the iron stick is rusted. That’s enough.”

“I want to go to the Immortal Court again and see that innocent immortal’s tombstone. I also want to go to West Heaven again and pull the white-faced monk down from the lotus throne, making him pay for lying to me. I have never become an immortal or a Buddha all my life. They wouldn’t have my name on their roster, and I don’t like having my name on it either.”

“I’m a demon monkey, so I will do what a demon monkey should do!”

The monkey stood up and looked at Li Ye. “That’s my story. How about yours?”

...

Li Ye looked at the empty mountain and said calmly, “I don’t have any stories. Some said that I was Liu Xie in my last life, some said that I was Fu Su in my last life, and some said that I was destined to be an emperor of the conquered country. These are all bullshit. I don’t believe a word of it. I only believe that only I can make my own way.”

The monkey laughed and applauded, praising, “You’re right. Whether the Taoist’s Heart or the Buddhist’s Heart, these are bullshit from the people in a high position. They think that people must believe what they say. But no matter how nice they say it, it’s just bullshit, and it smells like shit, after all. Whether a person or a demon, he has only one heart, his true heart.”

Speaking of this, the monkey looked at You Daxiao.

You Daxiao seriously thought for a while. With a solemn face, he slowly said, “My story...”

“I’m not interested in your story.” The monkey waved his hand and flew to the mountain first.

You Daniao looked at the monkey’s figure and opened his mouth, but he could say nothing. “Why are you looking at me if you’re not interested in my story?”

Li Ye patted his shoulder and said seriously, “It doesn’t matter. I know you are a deep demon with stories.”

You Daxiao was overjoyed. “Then I’ll tell you about it.”

Li Ye also flew away and caught up with the monkey. “It’s good for you to know it by yourself. You don’t have to say it out.”

You Daxiao said, “...”

“Why don’t I have to say it? You two spoke earnestly, and I listened carefully. Why is my story only known by myself?”

Following the monkey, Li Ye came to the sky above the big bluestone on top of the mountain.

He originally thought that Wu You was still in the cave, but she wasn’t. A petite figure was walking on the big bluestone.

She was wearing a light yellow dress, and she still looked quiet and clever. Her figure looked slimmer than that when she was in Chang’an.

When her body was destroyed, she was already in her twenties. But now, she looked like a thirteen-years-old young girl.

Even though she was young and petite, Li Ye could recognize her at a glance. He was very familiar with her. The sun shone on her shoulders, and everything was like yesterday.

However, the way Duchess walked looked a little weird, as if she was walking into puddles. She swayed left and right, and she was a little stiff, like a duck walking on the land.

Seeing Li Ye look at him with confusion, the monkey said awkwardly, “She is not familiar with this body, so it is normal that she can’t control it well for the time being.”

At this point, a strange sound was heard from the bluestone. When Li Ye turned to look at it, he immediately stood stunned there.

Wu You, who was walking normally on the bluestone just now, was standing in a big pit at this time.

It was originally a prominent piece of bluestones. From the corner of his eyes, Li Ye vaguely saw Wu You jump up, but as soon as she landed, the mountain shook violently. As a result, the dust rose and the gravel flew. Then she was in the stone pit with a radius of dozens of feet.

Li Ye swallowed hard and said to the monkey in disbelief, “Great Sage, is that what you’re talking about? What do you use to recreate her body?”

The bluestone was granite, and it was very hard. Her power was at least comparable to that of an attack from the cultivator in the Ground Immortal Realm.

However, she just jumped up lightly and then landed...

The monkey raised his chin proudly. “I’ve said that I would recreate Duchess’ body, which would be as good as Nezha’s... Even though she doesn’t use her Spiritual Qi, she can split mountains and the sea only relying on the strength of her body!”

Li Ye was speechless.

When the monkey caused great chaos in the Immortal Court, he was in the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm. After he got Buddhist scriptures, it was said that he had reached the Pre-sage Realm. Although no one could confirm that, presumably ordinary Daluo Golden Immortal was no match for him. With his current strength, he was certainly not inferior to the one who recreated Nezha’s body.

He thought it over. If Wu You fought with all her strength at this moment, he would not dare to catch it.

Wu You stood stunned in the stone pit for a long time, looking blank. Maybe she didn’t know what was going on. When she brought back her mind, she immediately climbed out of the stone pit. She climbed out by using her hands and feet, and it seemed difficult. Obviously, she was trying to control her strength.

Li Ye felt that she was afraid of tearing down the mountain.

“When can Duchess completely adapt to this body?” Li Ye secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Wu You’s face. She looked the same, and she looked more delicate, like a porcelain doll, making people want to hold her in their hands for fear that she would fall.

Stroking his chin, the monkey pondered, “It depends on Duchess herself. She can’t completely control this body because she lacks the Soul-stabilizing Bead. When you get it from the lion and let Duchess swallow it, it will be accomplished.”

Li Ye nodded and stopped talking with the monkey. He flew down from the clouds and came to Wu You.

“Elder Brother Ye?!” Wu You climbed to the edge of the pit, patting the dust in her hands. When she looked up and saw Li Ye, she immediately opened her bright eyes wide, looking surprised like she was dreaming.

Li Ye smiled gently. “It’s me. I’ll take you with me.”

Wu You’s small face immediately burst into a smile more beautiful than the sun. Her pure and innocent look was cleaner than the dew in the morning. She ran out joyfully and rushed to Li Ye, like a lark.

Then... Unsurprisingly, Li Ye was knocked into the cave and half of the mountain collapsed.