Xu Xiao rambled on and on, quickly explaining his purpose for coming.
It was quite a coincidence that ever since Xu Xiao instilled common sense into the Stone Monkey, the monkey continued to mingle with the other monkeys in Flower-Fruit Mountain as before.
As if by fate, he found the Water Curtain Cave and became the king of the monkeys— the Handsome Monkey King.
However, this happy time did not last long. The original Stone Monkey thought it was an ordinary creature like the other monkeys, so it patiently lived among them and roamed freely in the world.
However, when the Stone Monkey was born, it had already seen great things, and an immortal had even enlightened Stone Monkey, giving it an early understanding of the universe and all things.
He is Lingming Stone Monkey, not an ordinary monkey. He stayed in Flower-Fruit Mountain because he had been there before he was born and had a deep attachment to this place.
But no matter how good his hometown was, after staying there for a while, the Stone Monkey began to yearn for the outside world and long for the magical methods of the immortal on the mountaintop that day.
This monkey in this life no longer seeks the Dao because he has witnessed birth, aging, sickness, and death and is afraid that he too will die of old age; rather, it is his desire for power that reminds him of the messages the immortal left in his mind.
"There are Four Great Continents and countless worlds in the world, among which the Heavenly Daoist Sect and the Heavenly Court sect are the leaders of all worlds; of all living beings in the world, only the human race is favored by Heaven and Earth, and the Southern Jambudvipa Continent is not only the ancestral land of the human race, but also the place where the Daoist Sect are most concentrated, with all kinds of great supernatural beings having their own training grounds there!"
Thinking about the common knowledge that the immortal had instilled in his mind, the Stone Monkey felt a surge of excitement and then felt an urge to go to the Southern Jambudvipa Continent to seek immortality and ask questions.
He then immediately instructed the monkeys in the Yamanaka to begin felling trees to make boats and drying fruit for food, preparing for their journey to the Southern Jambudvipa Continent) to seek immortality and enlightenment.
All of this was observed by Xu Xiao, and also by other powerful figures who were paying attention to the Journey to the Westward Calamity.
Spirit Mountain Great Thunderclap Temple
The guardian deity overseeing Flower-Fruit Mountain entered the Great Buddha Hall with a solemn expression. "Buddha, the Stone Monkey, refusing to be instigated by the old monkey, is preparing to go to the Southern Jambudvipa Continent to seek enlightenment!"
The chanting in the hall stopped abruptly, and all the All Buddhas changed color.
That damned Heavenly Court official, the seeds he sowed back then have finally been borne out, now interfering with the great cause of the Buddhist Sect!
For the Western Sect, Guanyin's embarrassment is secondary; what is most despicable is that Xu Xiao enlightened the monkey, imparted common sense, and ruined their plans.
The Buddha's gaze darkened. He Tathagata already calculated the events of that day, but the secrets of heaven were in chaos, and even he could not deduce whether the actions of the Heavenly Sky-Patrolling Bureau were intentional or unintentional.
So there's nothing we can do. If the Stone Monkey isn't bewitched by the old monkey and doesn't go to the Western Ox Continent to seek the Dao, then the Buddhist Sect's plan is likely to go wrong.
He said slowly, " Southern Jambudvipa Continent is the foundation of the Daoist Sect. If a monkey were to attain enlightenment here..."
"We must intercept them!" the Dragon-Subduing Arhat exclaimed urgently, "This disciple is willing to personally descend to the mortal realm to guide them!"
Tathagata shook his head. "No. I have an agreement with the Heavenly Court that I can only guide secretly, not interfere directly. If I were to intervene directly, I'm afraid many people within the Heavenly Court would come out to stop me."
He pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "Since the monkey is willing to go south, let 'opportunity' go south—go and inform Fellow Bodhi, and He will arrange everything."
" Laojun, that monkey has already developed a desire to pursue the Tao. Why don't you transform into his guide and become his mentor?"
Tushita Palace, Xu Xiao softly offered advice to Laojun.
In this Heavenly Court, besides the Four Sovereigns, only Laojun is capable of teaching monkeys real skills and is unafraid of any criticism from the Western Sect.
Unexpectedly, Laojun shook his head and interrupted, "No."
"Why?" Xu Xiao frowned. "If you were to enlighten him, why would the monkey bother going all the way to the Western Ox Continent? Why not just recruit Daoist Sect directly into the Daoist sect? Wouldn't that save the Western Sect from all their schemes?"
"Even if the Journey to the Westward Calamity is still necessary, the monkey can endure some hardship first, and then..."
"Foolish child." Laojun chuckled, looking at Xu Xiao's impulsive expression, and then kindly explained:
"The world is like a game of chess, and we've already made enough moves. If we even try to seize the opportunity to teach the master, how can the Two Sages of the West stand idly by? That would only lead to unforeseen changes and a worse outcome."
He said meaningfully, "It is Heavenly Dao's will that the Stone Monkey goes to the Western Ox Continent to seek a master; but before that, he first sets foot in the Southern Jambudvipa Continent... Is that your doing?"
Xu Xiao smiled but remained silent.
When he "enlightened" the Stone Monkey back then, he had already foreseen everything that was happening today.
Among the common knowledge passed down to the Stone Monkey, more descriptions were given about the Southern Jambudvipa Continent: the ancestral land of the human race, the place of immortals' cultivation, and the place where fortunes converge!
Since the monkey knows this place, why would it go to such lengths?
Despite the old monkey's covert influence from the Buddhist Sect, who kept telling the Handsome Monkey King that there was a powerful being in the Western Ox Continent who could be encountered by going along the coast, the Stone Monkey had already made up his mind that he had to go to the Southern Jambudvipa Continent first, no matter what.
After all, what the old monkey in the tribe said couldn't possibly be as accurate as what the gods in heaven had told him.
In this way, the Daoist Sect would have the opportunity to influence the Stone Monkey, thereby thwarting the Western Sect's plans.
However, Laojun knew of Xu Xiao's thoughts, but he himself did not quite agree with them.
"You're quite capable, and your methods are rather clever, but you must understand the principle that too much of a good thing can be bad."
Laojun had clearly explained the pros and cons to Xu Xiao, and then further warned him:
"Don't underestimate the Western Sect. They take the journey to the Journey to the West very seriously, and they often act shamelessly. I, an old man, don't want to get involved with them. You should also be careful."
"Since the Stone Monkey is going to come to the Southern Jambudvipa Continent because of your actions, then let him come. At most, you can guide him to leave a trace of his Dao seed; you must not directly interfere with his choice."
"The Western Sect is destined to bring everything back to its original course. If you intervene rashly, you'll easily become their target."
"This disciple understands."
Xu Xiao bowed and agreed.
Laojun had made it so clear, so he could only obey; after all, his own life was more important.
On Flower-Fruit Mountain, the golden-haired monkey stood alone atop the mountain, gazing at the vast East Sea, its eyes no longer filled with the innocence of yesteryear.
For twenty years, he witnessed the monkeys die of old age, which filled him with unbearable grief. He also saw that although he himself had a long lifespan, he could not escape the fear of "dying eventually". Furthermore, the divine battles he saw in his dreams every day, with their power to change the world with a wave of their hands, filled him with longing.
Today, he finally managed to make a raft from broken wood, muttering to himself, "I want to find the true skill to attain Immortal Ascension and become a great supernatural being!"
Behind him, a group of monkeys watched intently, each one looking at the wart on the mountaintop with reluctance.
The next second, the monkey leaped from the height into the sea and landed steadily on a the Raft.
"My children, go back now. I will surely find a miraculous way and return to see you."
The raft drifted with the current, and the Stone Monkey's figure gradually disappeared into the waves of the sea.