Chapter 507: Chapter 507

The roar directly drowned out the cries of nearly a thousand ghosts. The ghosts in the sky seemed to have seen something terrifying and dared not approach the Stone Monkey. The Stone Monkey picked up a half-broken iron rod and hurled it toward Dan Yangzi.

Whoosh! The iron rod shot straight through his chest.

Dan Yangzi was completely dumbfounded. At this moment, he had only one thought in mind, this was too damn unscientific.

He looked down at the hole in his chest, and when he looked up again, he saw a monkey with blood-red eyes standing before him with the iron rod, and then his mind went blank.

The Stone Monkey picked up the iron rod and pinned the headless body to the ground, saying his first words upon arrival.

"You are the demon! And also, you ruined my clothes!"

After he finished speaking, he took the Soul Summoning Fan and snapped it in half with great force.

The sight of this whole process had left the Taoists in utter panic, and they fled while shouting, "The temple master is dead! The temple master was killed by the Monkey Demon!"

"Run for your lives, help!"

"The Monkey Demon ate the temple master's head!"

Though the Stone Monkey appeared fierce, he actually maintained some sanity. He did not chase the fleeing young Taoists, but anyone who dared to block his path was immediately struck down, and he made his way to the place where the children were held, searching for Zhang Chu.

Perhaps there was too much chaos outside, so no one was here to intervene. The Stone Monkey found a hidden room along the way, where Zhang Chu was guarding, though missing an arm, with a fallen Taoist on the ground.

"I killed the temple master."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chu didn't know whether to be happy or sad and could only reply woodenly, "Oh."

So, the man and the monkey guarded over the more than twenty children until the next morning when everyone from the Longevity Temple had fled, and after a fire, less than one-tenth of the temple remained.

The Stone Monkey instructed Zhang Chu to guard the place while he went to the main hall of the Longevity Temple. The once-magnificent hall had been burned black, but the statue in the center remained intact, with the Longevity Heavenly Venerate still sporting a grand forehead and a benevolent smile.

The Stone Monkey was filled with rage at the sight of the Heavenly Venerate, muttered some curses, and smashed the statue with a large stone. Beneath the statue was a big hole, and when the Stone Monkey crawled inside, he found countless treasures of gold and silver, with three secret books at the very back. Without taking a look, the Stone Monkey tore them into pieces.

He then took some gold and silver back to meet Zhang Chu, and together they left the once-prosperous Longevity Temple with over twenty children.

Afterward, the two took the children far away, living in anonymity. Zhang Chu had lost his mother, but he found a new life goal — to raise these children to adulthood. One cannot live in vain; one must do something, right?

The Stone Monkey continued his pursuit of Immortality but was more cautious than before. However, with Zhang Chu as a friend, he would return every ten years or so to check-in.

"You're still the same, Monkey."

"Hehe, I am the Monkey Demon."

Zhang Chu looked at the Stone Monkey, who seemed unchanged over the decades, "Have you found an Immortal yet?"

The Stone Monkey shook his head repeatedly.

"No, no, it would be great if I had."

"Don't be discouraged, I'll make you some porridge."

The second time, Zhang Chu's hair was already turning gray, while the adopted children resembled Zhang Chu from when they first met.

"Hey, you're still the same."

"Hehe, I am the Monkey Demon!"

The Stone Monkey noticed his friend's aging body and diminishing life force, feeling the passage of time for the first time.

"Old, but you're still the same. I'll make you some porridge." Thɪs chapter is updated by N0v3l.Fiɾe.net

The third time, the Stone Monkey returned five years early, but unfortunately, he never saw Zhang Chu again, as Zhang Chu passed away three years after their second parting.

The Stone Monkey, close to a hundred years old, was filled with sorrow. His first friend had gone forever. Zhang Chu's death was partly due to his bodily condition and old age. At that time, he already lived a long life for those days.

The death of his friend sharpened the Stone Monkey's previously dull emotions and gave him a more direct understanding of the cycle of life and death in the world. Would he also have this day? Would the monkeys in his troop also have this day?

His previous quest for immortality was merely to defeat that annoying three-eye, but after experiencing the death of his friend, the Stone Monkey's purpose changed fundamentally; he sought the Immortality Technique.

The Stone Monkey carried with him three letters Zhang Chu left behind and comforted Zhang Chu's spirit in heaven. The Monkey embarked again on his quest for the unknown Immortal Path.

The Monkey, once halfway between searching and playing, now took the immortal pursuit seriously. The transformation in his mindset was observed by the Bodhi Ancestor the whole time.

Thirty years later, the Stone Monkey finally arrived at the Mountain of Mind and Heart. In a short span of less than a hundred years, Nezha had been quietly cultivating and hadn't been paying any attention to the Stone Monkey. On this day, he was still meditating when he received a transmission from the Bodhi Patriarch, saying the Stone Monkey had arrived.

Nezha calculated that the Stone Monkey had wandered the Mortal World for a century or so and finally met the standards for being accepted as a disciple by Bodhi Ancestor, so things could continue to move forward.

He got up and went to the main hall where the Bodhi Patriarch usually taught. The surrounding disciples greeted him as they gathered.

"Greetings, Senior Brother."

Here, they still called him Senior Brother, but outside, it would be more difficult.

Nezha did not put on airs, smiling and nodding in response, then took a seat closest to the Bodhi Patriarch. The others, seeing his demeanor, quietly returned to their places to wait. Before long, the Bodhi Patriarch's figure manifested, signaling that something significant was about to happen.

After a while, the Sweeping Child led a raggedly dressed monkey into the hall. Though curious, everyone kept silent.

The ensuing events were straightforward: Nezha witnessed the famous 'Wukong Naming' and 'No Study' scenes and gained a junior apprentice brother.

Many disciples were curious about the sudden appearance of a new student, but it didn't last long. Among these disciples were members of the Demon Clan, the Dragon Clan, descendants of immortals, and spirits enlightened by Immortals. Being sent here meant they were high-quality Immortals.

After all, no one wanted to offend a Saint.

Though the Monkey did not maintain a human form, he did not invoke dislike. On the contrary, his quick wit and intelligence made him rather interesting.

Stone Monkey's arrival at the Three Star Cave did not result in immediate instruction in the Immortal Law; instead, he joined other disciples in listening to the Bodhi Patriarch's teachings. This was Bodhi Ancestor laying the foundation for everyone.

What makes the academy approach superior to that of wanderers? It's this.

The Bodhi Ancestor, a Saint in essence, broke down these foundational aspects into easily accessible lessons for his disciples. Even if you had limited comprehension, simply remembering and practicing these teachings would provide you a solid foundation, and if you had a bit of understanding and unique insight, you'd become outstanding among your peers.

Truly standing on the shoulders of a Saint.

Divine Skills may be precious, but the most basic, orthodox cultivation philosophy is priceless.

But the Stone Monkey felt anxious. Although he knew the teachings of his master were highly beneficial, he was eager to learn the Immortality Technique.

Years passed, and the Monkey grew increasingly restless, clawing at his mouth and scratching his head, but he dared not ask the Bodhi Patriarch. In his eyes, the Bodhi Patriarch was a true immortal, surpassing anyone he had ever met.

After much consideration, he finally set a goal: the respected Senior Brother.

One day, as Nezha was leisurely wandering, the Stone Monkey blocked his path.

"Senior Brother, Senior Brother, I picked these wild fruits for you, take them, take them."

Nezha found it amusing to see the Stone Monkey, who had yet to make his name known to the world, acting so flattering. He wiped the fruit before eating it. With the high concentration of Spiritual Energy on Fangcun Mountain, these fruits didn't offer much other benefit to Nezha but were at least sweet and refreshing.

"Wukong, you must have something to ask of me?"

Sun Wukong, seeing his Senior Brother eating the fruit, felt a surge of joy.

"Senior Brother, I've been here four or five years now, reading scriptures daily. When will Master teach me the Immortal Law?"