Zhang Ming, two animals, a stone, and a hundred monkeys traveled east along a great river. Every day was filled with chatter, as lively as a mass meeting.
Zhang Ming often marveled that although looking after a hundred monkeys was exhausting, the monkeys returned the favor, massaging his shoulders and legs or collecting rare plant specimens for him. It had its own special pleasures.
"How much fun would it be to have a hundred monkeys like these while crossing the Demon God's Sea!"
But clearly, that was unrealistic.
The monkeys were too fragile, and they stood on the threshold of intelligent life. They could not withstand the mental torment of being "Homeless." If they rashly left their world, they would not survive long in the Demon God's Sea.
After hesitating for a while, Zhang Ming could only put that idea to rest.
Food was no concern on this journey. The monkeys did not eat much, and a little Monster Meat would keep them digesting for a long time. Besides, they were omnivores and could survive even by chewing on turf.
Meanwhile, Little White and its ancestor, Stone Mama, had spent these days working through the difficult parts of the Three-Tailed Monkey Breathing Technique. For this grandparent and grandchild, teaching was also a first.
So Zhang Ming did not have to put too much effort into this matter. He only provided some help when necessary.
(You must learn to survive in the wild. You have to make it back under your own power!)
"Awoo! (You're so stupid! You have to concentrate to sense Spirit.)"
Every day, Stone Mama's loud roars could be heard, along with... Teacher Little White's increasingly impatient, increasingly ungentle wails.
The closer they came to the volcano in the center, the higher the temperature rose.
Half a