WuKong: The Monkey King

Chapter 7 Midnight Assault

Prince Zhang left the inner chamber and headed straight for the chamber where the Stone Monkey was staying. From a distance, he saw the Stone Monkey loitering in the courtyard. Approaching without a word, Prince Zhang scooped up the Stone Monkey and soared towards the mountains behind the Great Saint Zen Temple.

Confused, the Stone Monkey felt Prince Zhang's grip tight as iron clamps, impossible to escape from. He feared that Prince Zhang intended to end his life right there. Unbeknownst to him, the National Teacher Wang Bodhisattva maintained strict rules against conflict and bloodshed within the temple grounds, punishable by severe consequences.

Flying far beyond the temple's perimeter, Prince Zhang's stern face made the Stone Monkey panic, trying to figure out how to escape from this predicament, given his lack of abilities.

Upon reaching a mountain peak, Prince Zhang threw the Stone Monkey to the ground and drew a long spear, a treasure given by the National Teacher Wang Bodhisattva on the day he took disciples. Besides combat, the spear had the ability to absorb fortunes.

Facing the Stone Monkey, Prince Zhang showed no emotion, regarding the Stone Monkey's first-grade human immortal talent as worthless. Many higher-ranked immortals had fallen to his spear.

The Stone Monkey lost all hope upon seeing the spear, knowing escape was impossible. Just then, he remembered a praising verse about Prince Zhang from "Journey to the West," hinting at a narrative strategy related to the prince's cursed fate and his search for immortality.

Aware that those afflicted by the Hua Gai star often sought refuge in Buddhism or Taoism for peace, the Stone Monkey realized Prince Zhang's discipleship was likely due to this curse.

Bluntly, the Stone Monkey said, "Kill me! The Hua Gai evil star will obstruct your life."

This statement shocked Prince Zhang, who had kept his cursed fate a secret from all but the Bodhisattva. The mention of the Hua Gai star's unique danger to his cultivation and life struck a nerve, halting his attack.

After a moment of hesitation, Prince Zhang finally spoke, questioning the Stone Monkey's origins.

The Stone Monkey claimed to be a unique stone-born monkey from the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, capable of discerning past and future, gambling that Prince Zhang was unaware of the abilities of four distinct types of supernatural monkeys.

Prince Zhang, still suspicious, asked for a solution to his cursed fate. The Stone Monkey suggested performing more good deeds and less killing.

Mocking the Stone Monkey's simple advice, Prince Zhang attacked. The Stone Monkey, caught off guard, leaped off the cliff in a desperate attempt to escape.

Prince Zhang, underestimating the Stone Monkey and not intending to kill him, pursued but was startled by a thunderous roar from the abyss, causing him to lose his grip.

The Stone Monkey fell unconscious, eventually waking up beside a stone pool, his clothes torn and his body bruised but comforted by the temperate water.

Prince Zhang, facing the challenge of explaining the escape, left the Stone Monkey's fate to unfold in its mysterious ways.

Prince Zhang left the inner chamber and headed straight for the chamber where the Stone Monkey was staying. From a distance, he saw the Stone Monkey loitering in the courtyard. Approaching without a word, Prince Zhang scooped up the Stone Monkey and soared towards the mountains behind the Great Saint Zen Temple.

Confused, the Stone Monkey felt Prince Zhang's grip tight as iron clamps, impossible to escape from. He feared that Prince Zhang intended to end his life right there. Unbeknownst to him, the National Teacher Wang Bodhisattva maintained strict rules against conflict and bloodshed within the temple grounds, punishable by severe consequences.