"Master, you've wiped out the entire Chaos Demon Dragon clan, and here I was showing off a little mudfish in front of you..."
Sun Wukong scratched the back of his head and gave an awkward, toothy chuckle. His voice grew quieter and quieter until he wished he could bury his head in the ground.
Looks like Old Sun made a fool of himself again...
As he spoke, he lowered his head. His monkey face was red as a ripe bottom, and even the tips of his ears glowed red.
At that, Zhou Xuan merely lifted his eyes and smiled faintly. There was warmth in his gaze, though his voice remained as calm as still water:
"A thousand miles to deliver a goose feather—the gift may be light, but the affection behind it is deep."
He gently patted Wukong on the head and said softly:
"My dear monkey, I'm very pleased that you put so much thought into this."
Hearing that his master wasn't going to scold him, Sun Wukong let out a long breath of relief.
He grinned and hurriedly rummaged around in the storage ring at his waist, producing one treasure after another as if performing a magic trick.
"Master, this is Netherworld Ghost Fire. It can burn away every Shade Soul in the Three Realms!"
"And this is Water of the River of Forgetfulness, Seeds of the Other Shore Flower, Mandala Flower..."
As he introduced them, Sun Wukong carefully placed the items in front of Zhou Xuan as if presenting priceless treasures. His monkey eyes brimmed with flattery and eagerness to please.
"Master, I dug all these out of the underworld, prying them right out of that old ghost, King Yama's hands!"
After saying that, he suddenly pulled the Golden Cudgel out of his ear and held it high, looking extremely pleased with himself.
"Look, I even got myself a weapon that suits me! It's a Supreme Grade Postnatal Merit Spirit Treasure! That old mudfish, the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, insisted on giving it to me!"
As he spoke, his eyes lit up. He shook the Golden Cudgel in his hand twice. It hummed, its golden light flowing along its length as it gleamed with splendor.
Then Sun Wukong respectfully piled all the treasures in front of Zhou Xuan and dropped to his knees with a thump. His eyes reddened once more.
"Master, I owe everything I have today to you! These treasures are my humble offerings to you. They're just a token of my feelings, so please accept them!"
Hearing those heartfelt words of filial devotion, Zhou Xuan felt warm inside, and the corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.
Though these items were nothing special to him, they represented his disciple's sincere devotion.
"My monkey has really grown up... I'm very pleased."
"Since we're at it, I've prepared a gift for you too!"
Zhou Xuan sighed softly and swept out a hand. As his sleeve billowed, an invisible pressure rippled outward.
With a thunderous boom, dark clouds suddenly churned overhead. A massive, ink-black cudgel descended from the sky and landed in front of Sun Wukong.
Demonic light flowed across its body, and a faint demonic flame coiled around it. It seemed to hold an endless, slumbering aura of baleful energy within.
"Wukong, this cudgel is called the Chaos Demon Ape Cudgel. It's a Chaos Fierce Fiend Treasure, and its power surpasses even Supreme Grade Innate Supreme Treasures."
Zhou Xuan spoke slowly, his gaze deep as an abyss.
"After the Chaos Demon Ape fell back then, this cudgel vanished beyond the Three Thousand Great Worlds. Once you inherited the Chaos Demon Ape's legacy, I searched countless minor worlds and traced endless karmic threads before I finally found it. From today on, it will be your life-bound treasure."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Chaos Demon Ape Cudgel rose of its own accord and trembled slightly. It transformed into a streak of black light and flew into Sun Wukong's hand, linking itself to his aura. A deep beastly growl seemed to echo from within it, as though an ancient demon ape were roaring in the depths of his bloodline.
Sun Wukong stared blankly at the heavy black cudgel in his hand. Its searing demonic energy left his palm numb, yet he couldn't bring himself to let go.
Suddenly, his throat tightened, and tears spilled down his cheeks, pattering through his fur.
"Master... you went to all that trouble to find the Chaos Demon Ape Cudgel for me... Wuwuwu... In this life... wuwuwu... it was worth it to have you as my master!"
As he sobbed, his fur grew damp with tears and clumped together. Even his whiskers were beaded with droplets, and his whole body shuddered with each sniffle.
Zhou Xuan chuckled helplessly and gently stroked his monkey head. His fingertips brushed over the soft fur as he said quietly:
"Now, now. You're my disciple. How could I possibly let you go without?"
As he spoke, he flicked his sleeve again.
In an instant, spiritual light flashed, and three more treasures appeared before Sun Wukong, their radiance shimmering.
"Wukong, I heard that you've established yourself as ruler among the demon clan and will soon hold your coronation ceremony. So I've brought you a new outfit. This armor is called the Mystic Light Spirit Gathering Armor, and it can ward off all kinds of magic. These boots are the Golden Crow Cloud Treading Boots; they let you stride through the clouds and chase the stars and moon. This crown is the Dragon Scale Crimson Flame Crown; it protects the soul, steadies the spirit, and drives away evil. All three are Supreme Grade Postnatal Spirit Treasures."
Sun Wukong gazed at the three treasures before him, his eyes filled with dazzling spiritual light. His tears hadn't even dried, and now he was sobbing again, unable to get a word out.
"Master... Master... I truly... have no way to repay you!"
As he wept so hard he could barely breathe, Zhao Gongming beside him had somehow reddened eyes too. His nose tingled, and he couldn't help wiping away a tear.
"How could anyone not be moved when Master treats his disciples like this?!"
"Master..."
The monkey couldn't hold back any longer. He threw himself into Zhou Xuan's arms, wrapped his arms around his waist, and wailed. His choked voice sounded like a broken gong.
Zhou Xuan smiled and patted him on the back, letting the teary-eyed little monkey nuzzle against him.
"Now, now, you crybaby... I haven't finished yet."
It took a good while for Sun Wukong to stop sobbing.
Zhou Xuan raised his hand again. Spiritual light flashed in the air, and a lotus, black as ink, slowly descended. Demonic markings flickered faintly within its heart, and ghostly energy and demonic flames surged around it. Its aura resonated with that of the Chaos Demon Ape Cudgel.
"Wukong, this is the Twelve-Grade World-Destroying Black Lotus. It was transformed from a seed of the Chaos Green Lotus, and it's a Supreme Grade Innate Spirit Treasure. It once belonged to Demon Ancestor Luohu. It's both an offensive and defensive treasure, and will keep you safe."
The lotus drifted into the space between Sun Wukong's brows. Layer upon layer of lotus images slowly unfolded in his sea of consciousness, releasing an entrancing demonic aura.
Sun Wukong froze for a moment, then his tears burst forth again. His entire body shook as he sobbed, and even his tail twitched nonstop behind him.
Seeing this, Zhao Gongming let out a wail and burst into tears too. His snot and tears ran together, and he cried even harder than Sun Wukong.
Zhou Xuan didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. He raised an eyebrow and shot Zhao Gongming a sidelong glance.
"Gongming, I can understand why your senior brother is crying, but why are you?"
Sniffling as he wiped his nose, Zhao Gongming choked out:
"Master, these are tears of gratitude!"
"Seeing how much you care for Senior Brother, Gongming feels he chose the right person to follow. I couldn't help crying tears of joy."
"Haha..."
Zhou Xuan shook his head with a laugh and waved his hand again. "All right, stop crying. You're getting something too."
"Huh?!"
Zhao Gongming stopped crying at once. He blinked his swollen red eyes, wiped his nose, and stared wide-eyed as he stammered:
"Master... but I'm only a chore disciple..."
Zhou Xuan waved impatiently.
"Precisely because you're only a chore disciple, I'm giving you just one Supreme Grade Innate Spirit Treasure for now! Once you become an outer sect disciple, I'll give you something better."
Zhao Gongming's mouth nearly fell open, and his eyes went round as saucers.
"A chore disciple... getting a Supreme Grade Innate Spirit Treasure?! Good heavens... Who besides the Ling Xuan Sect would be generous enough to do that?!"
"That's just absurd!"
Before you continue