Wukong

"Up ahead is the settlement of the Symi Apes."

Yi pointed to a lush stretch of primeval forest.

After many days on the road, they had finally reached their destination: Wukong's home.

The Vastaya people known as the Symi Apes liked to dwell in the canopies of dense forests.

As their name suggested, they were ape-like creatures: intelligent, cautious, and peace-loving. They had chosen to leave the ground far behind and build their society in Ionia, high among the treetops.

The Symi Apes believed that life was a climb up the Tree of Wisdom. They believed that when they died, they would turn to stone, return to the earth, and begin the climb of life anew.

Kong was a Symi Ape who had been different from the moment he was born. Lively and restless, he loved to play. He had always been the village troublemaker.

When the fires of war reached Ionia, Kong was captivated by the sounds and colors below the trees. The fighting awakened something real within him—an irresistible calling.

So Kong left his tribe, ready to embrace his destiny.

Without any training, Kong relied on instinct to survive as he roamed Ionia, constantly seeking challengers and learning the art of combat.

Though he often got into trouble and ended up battered and bruised, every fight helped him improve and brought him closer to the calling deep in his heart.

During his travels, Kong came upon a man wearing strange goggles, meditating in a clearing.

Kong challenged him.

But the man rose to his feet and knocked Kong down with a single move, then went back to meditating.

Kong had challenged many opponents, but he had never experienced a fight like that.

At last, Kong decided to do something he had never tried in his life: bow his head.

He knelt before the swordsman and humbly asked him to teach him.

The swordsman asked Kong, slowly and deliberately, "Why do you fight?"

Kong suddenly realized he had never considered that question.

He could have stayed with his peaceful, settled tribe, but something inside him had led him to choose a different life.

Kong asked the swordsman the same question, but he merely replied that he no longer fought.

Over the next few days, Kong sat with the swordsman in the clearing, pondering the answer.

The man saw the change in Kong and his quiet resolve.

He introduced himself as Master Yi and agreed to teach Kong self-discipline, patience, and the true essence of combat. Yi called this martial way Wuju.

Under Yi's tutelage, Kong's skill and precision grew steadily. His recklessness and impulsiveness were transformed into lethal speed and unexpected attacks.

Through his words and example, Kong also realized that he wanted to protect others, so he returned to his tribe.

As they parted, Yi gave his student an enchanted staff as a token of their bond as master and pupil. From that day on, Kong was known as Wukong.

Who would have thought that one day he'd be seeking out his first disciple over a matter concerning his second?

Yi's smile brightened, rare as it was.

Following Yi, Jia Ruo and Neeko entered the lush forest.

Jia Ruo saw all sorts of strange creatures: deer that looked like roe deer, but had feathers instead of fur along their backs;

creatures that wound around tree trunks like snakes, yet had squirrel-like heads and coats;

and one perched on a branch, with a pair of wings on its back and a flower-like tail, clutching a hazelnut as it stared at them. Its face really did look like a groundhog's.

Jia Ruo marveled at the strange creatures of Runeterra.

Suddenly, Neeko felt something tug at her tail and cried out, "Something's got Neeko!"

Jia Ruo looked around, but couldn't see anything.

Neeko instinctively clung to Jia Ruo's arm, even winding her long tail around his hand.

A pinecone suddenly came flying at Jia Ruo.

Already on his guard, Jia Ruo dodged to the side. Just as he was about to find the culprit, he heard Yi laugh. "Wukong, you still love playing pranks."

"Hehe, Master, you finally remembered to come see me."

An ape wearing a red scarf, shoulder armor, and bracers slid down from a great tree.

More and more ape heads appeared among the dense branches, peering down at them.

With a clang, a long staff planted itself in front of Jia Ruo. The ape flipped through the air and landed steadily on its tip. "And who are these two?"

"This is Jia Ruo, my new disciple and your junior brother. And the other one—"

"Neeko's here to ask for your help," Neeko cut in.

Wukong pulled out the staff, rested it on his shoulder, and looked Jia Ruo and Neeko over.

"Just as I thought. Master even gave you You Meng. You must be someone who can wield it, too."

Wukong turned to Neeko, who was clinging to Jia Ruo. "A human and a Vastaya in a relationship? That's pretty rare."

"We're not."

Neeko blushed and hurriedly let go of Jia Ruo's arm, her tail swishing back and forth behind her. "I only came with him to find you."

Neeko told Wukong the story of her origins and begged him to help her look for clues.

Wukong stroked his chin. "Funny you should ask. A couple of Vastaya passed through here a few days ago. I just wanted to pluck a feather from that peacock, Golden Shimmer, and the other one—a crow—chased me for ages."

"Good thing my martial skills are superb and my footwork unmatched. I held my own against both of them."

Wukong conjured a large peach out of nowhere and munched on it as he spoke. "We became friends after our fight. They must've realized I was a powerful warrior and decided to stop. They said they were heading to the Western Sea Island to investigate something, maybe the Spirit Energy running dry there, or Magic Power being bound."

Jia Ruo froze.

"Became friends after our fight"? More likely they couldn't catch you in this forest and got fed up with your pranks.

And could that Vastaya couple have been Rakan and Xayah?

"Where are they now?" Neeko asked.

"They headed west this morning. If you're quick, you might catch up to them by nightfall."

Wukong tossed away the peach pit, slid over to Yi, and hooked an arm around his shoulder.

"Wukong, don't get peach juice on me."

"Hehe, you two lovebirds should go after them. Leave Master here to catch up with me. I've got a lot of questions built up lately, and I want to ask Master about them." Wukong didn't seem bothered in the least. He turned to Jia Ruo. "Right, second junior brother?"

"We told you, we're not a couple."

"What's wrong? Do you feel like you're settling by pairing up with me?" Jia Ruo continued, picking up his senior brother's joke.

Neeko's face turned even redder when Jia Ruo joined in. She lowered her head and said, "Neeko doesn't want that."

Then she ran west.

Jia Ruo hurried after her.

"Jia Ruo, be careful. If you run into danger, don't try to meet force with force," Yi cautioned him.

His second disciple was exceptionally gifted. A few days ago, he had opened all his meridians and become able to meditate while suspended in the air, just like Yi.

Yi reckoned that spring had only just begun. Jia Ruo had reached this level in less than half a year of training under him, far surpassing what Yi himself had managed at the same point.

Now that he had learned to meditate, he would only improve faster.

May Wuju bless him.

"Got it, Master!" Jia Ruo called back, having already caught up to Neeko.