Little Monkey, It Seems You've Been Deceived

The stone monkey listened to the song, and his eyes immediately lit up. At first hearing, it seemed like nothing special, but upon closer listening, it struck directly at the fundamentals of cultivation. This was definitely not the voice of an ordinary person.

Instinctively, he followed the sound.

Before long, he saw a woodcutter resting against a tree, with a load of firewood beside him.

Suppressing his urgency, the stone monkey stepped forward and bowed. "Brother, where did you learn that song just now?"

Though the woodcutter found his appearance unusual, he saw that he was polite and answered, "An old immortal who lives nearby taught it to me. He lives in the mountains. Seeing how hard I work to make a living, he taught me to recite it whenever I felt troubled, saying it could ease my worries."

"An old immortal?" The flicker in the stone monkey's heart suddenly burned hot. "Could you point me the way?"

The woodcutter pointed toward a small mountain path. "Follow this road south for seven or eight li. After you pass a grove of rotten peach trees, keep going, and you'll reach Mount Lingtai Fangcun, Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars. Patriarch Subhuti lives in that cave. He is a true immortal cultivator."

As soon as he finished speaking, a faint gleam flashed deep in the mountains, as though confirming his words.

The stone monkey no longer hesitated. After thanking the woodcutter, he turned and leaped toward the end of the path.

After tens of thousands of years of hardship and countless searches, he had finally found the gateway at this moment.

Yet after following the woodcutter's directions and traveling for a long time, he found neither the cave dwelling nor even the distinctive grove of rotten peach trees.

The mountain