Zhang Shisan furrowed his brows and said, “What exactly is going on inside your body? Before, the energy within you was already quite unusual, though relatively calm. Now, it’s completely unfathomable; no one can even begin to guess what’s happening.”
Mei Qing held his head, and in a somewhat weary tone, replied, “I can’t see anything wrong either. The cauldron is still the same as always, just a bit lifeless now, not as lively as it used to be. Everything else seems unchanged.”
By his side, Bi Zhen supported Mei Qing with a worried expression and said, “You suddenly fainted just now—what was that about? Do you think you’re some sickly young master in the capital city, where a light breeze would make you cough for two days? You’ve already achieved true cultivation—how can you keep fainting for no reason? Tell us what exactly happened inside; perhaps we can help.”
Mei Qing rubbed his temples, remained silent for a moment to calm himself, and then slowly began recounting everything that had happened after he escaped from the Shi family mansion.
When he started describing how he had fallen into an illusion formation, Zhang Shisan murmured in acknowledgment, clearly surprised by the sudden appearance of such a formation over the Míng Sea. As Mei Qing continued, describing how he had broken free from the formation only to be captured at the Fish Bone Temple, Bi Zhen grew visibly tense. Though she knew Mei Qing had not been harmed, she instinctively gripped his arm tighter.
Zhang Shisan frowned and asked, “What’s going on with your body? It’s always been quite different from others, but it used to be somewhat stable. Now, it’s completely impenetrable, and I can’t discern anything.”
Mei Qing held his head, looking weary, and replied, “I don’t feel anything wrong either. The cauldron inside me is the same as before, just a bit lifeless, not as lively as it used to be. Everything else seems normal, no different.”
Bi Zhen, standing beside Mei Qing, supported him with concern and said, “Why did you suddenly faint just now? Do you think you’re some sickly young master from the capital who coughs for days after a breeze? You’ve already achieved the state of a true cultivator; there’s no reason for you to faint so easily. What exactly happened inside? Tell us quickly; maybe we can help.”
Mei Qing rubbed his temples, took a moment to collect himself, and then slowly began to recount his experiences after escaping from the Shi residence.
When he mentioned falling into an illusionary array, Zhang Shisan made a sound of surprise, clearly astonished by the sudden appearance of such an array on the Ming Sea. As Mei Qing described breaking free from the array but being captured at the Fishbone Temple, Bi Zhen grew visibly anxious. Although she knew Mei Qing was unharmed, she couldn’t help but grip his arm tighter.
When Mei Qing spoke of being taken into the array by Liu Liu, discovering the Jieshi, and Zhang Liusun appearing, both Zhang Shisan and Bi Zhen were shocked.
“Zhang Liusun? So, the rumors about his tribulation were true, and he was here all along,” Zhang Shisan sighed, speaking of this senior from the Celestial Master Sect with deep emotion. “But his claim that you are a clone shouldn’t be taken lightly. There must be some secret within your body, but it’s certainly not as he described.”
“I understand that,” Mei Qing said. “At first, Zhang Liusun was indeed quite friendly towards me, and I believe he meant well. I think it might have something to do with the small cauldron inside me.” Mei Qing recalled that Zhang Liusun had indeed been kind to him, offering guidance and support that seemed genuine.
Mei Qing then continued to describe how Zhang Liusun tested him, eventually revealing himself as a child, and how they encountered Xu Fu, who came to challenge them.
“Xu Fu?” The mention of Xu Fu left everyone in the room puzzled. Shi Mengzhu sighed, “In the past, Xu Fu was said to have sailed to the East, becoming the ruler of Fusang. Who would have thought there were such twists and turns? The Jieshi Divine Mountain, a legend of the ages. Historical records claim it sank into the sea during the Tang dynasty, but it turns out it was actually during the late Qin period. If that’s the case, the poems left by Emperor Wu of Wei and Emperor Taizong of Tang might have been misplaced, leaving only empty sentiments.”
When Mei Qing mentioned that Xu Fu, under the guise of seeking immortality at sea, had instead established a cave within Jieshi and collected metals to forge a cauldron, Zhang Shisan sighed, “In ancient times, cultivation and the fate of the nation were inseparable. Without the strength of the entire nation, how could one gather the metals of the nine regions? Without the help of true cultivators, how could Qin conquer the six states and unify the empire? In the end, whether it’s cultivation or imperial power, it’s all about gathering the strength of the world into oneself to achieve greatness. It’s a pity that later cultivators became increasingly narrow-minded, confined to their own circles, and obsessed with the cycle of cause and effect. They spent their days meditating, refining elixirs, and studying scriptures. With such a mindset, how can they hope to reach the realm of immortals?”
Mei Qing nodded in agreement. “Indeed. When I witnessed the battle between Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu, I felt that the ancients, though perhaps less cunning in their schemes, were far superior to modern cultivators. Nowadays, the cultivation world is consumed by intrigue and deceit. On the surface, it seems advantageous in conflicts, but in reality, such practices only lead them further away from the true path.”
Mei Qing’s words were heartfelt. Having participated in the battle between Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu, he had observed that while their techniques became increasingly sophisticated, their actual cultivation seemed to decline. Although Zhang Liusun had the upper hand in several encounters with Xu Fu, there was a noticeable gap in their true strength.
Could it be that Zhang Liusun chose not to ascend to immortality, opting instead to reshape his body and start anew, because he had sensed the disparity in power between ancient and modern immortals during his tribulation? Mei Qing couldn’t help but feel that this might be the case.
As Mei Qing recounted the various battles between Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu, Zhang Shisan and Bi Zhen listened with bated breath, while Shi Mengzhu and Hou Shen, who were not cultivators, also expressed their amazement.
“Zhang Liusun’s cultivation is indeed unparalleled, but his ingenuity, adaptability, and skill are truly unmatched,” Zhang Shisan remarked. “However, compared to Xu Fu, he doesn’t seem to have the upper hand. Since ancient times, the techniques and methods of the cultivation world have become increasingly elaborate, with talismans, elixirs, spirit manipulation, sword crafting, and poison cultivation. While these methods are intricate and deeply studied, the cultivation of one’s inner nature has fallen by the wayside.”
Mei Qing nodded repeatedly and then mentioned Xu Fu summoning a bronze figure. At this, Zhang Shisan and Bi Zhen exchanged glances, their expressions suddenly changing.
Thinking they might be unfamiliar with the origin of the bronze figure, Mei Qing quickly explained how Xu Fu had stolen the bronze figure, was pursued, and eventually fled into Jieshi, where he was forced to disassemble it.
After hearing Mei Qing’s account, Bi Zhen’s confusion only deepened. She suddenly turned and called out, “Xiao Bai, Xiao Bai!”
Following Bi Zhen’s gaze, Mei Qing’s eyes lit up as a small, white, furry creature leaped in through the window and landed on Bi Zhen’s shoulder. It chirped a couple of times, nuzzled against Bi Zhen’s neck, and then looked around the room. Upon seeing Mei Qing, a stranger, it bared its teeth and let out a couple of threatening chirps.
Bi Zhen immediately grabbed the monkey, gave it a couple of light taps on the bottom, and whispered something in its ear. The monkey then turned to Mei Qing, nodding and bowing with an ingratiating expression.
“What’s this?” Mei Qing asked in surprise. “A monkey? Are you raising it to make monkey brains for Master?”
At this, Zhang Shisan nodded repeatedly, as if pleased that his disciple understood his thoughts. The monkey, however, was terrified and immediately slipped into Bi Zhen’s arms, its eyes welling up with tears, whimpering pitifully. Bi Zhen glared at Zhang Shisan and Mei Qing, exclaiming, “Eat, eat, eat! All you think about is eating! If anyone dares to eat my Xiao Bai, I’ll eat them first!”
Zhang Shisan chuckled, his drunken eyes glancing at the white ape, which only made it shrink further into Bi Zhen’s arms.
Seeing his wife’s outburst, Mei Qing quickly tried to soothe her, saying softly, “Zhen’er, I didn’t say I wanted to eat it. Look at it, there’s not much meat to chop… I mean, you call it Xiao Bai? That name is a bit too common…”
“Not Xiao Bai?” Bi Zhen was successfully distracted by Mei Qing. “Look at its white fur; isn’t Xiao Bai a good name?”
“Pigs have white fur, cats and dogs have white fur too. Naming it like that is just too generic,” Mei Qing asserted.
“Then what should we call it? Why don’t you give it a name, A Qing,” Bi Zhen suggested, finding Mei Qing’s reasoning sound.
“Let’s call it… let’s call it… Wukong!” Mei Qing thought for a moment and suddenly had an idea.
“Wukong?” Bi Zhen was puzzled. “Why such a name? It sounds like a monk’s Dharma name.”
It was the mid-Jiajing period, and Wu Cheng’en’s “Journey to the West” had not yet been written. Neither Bi Zhen nor Zhang Shisan had any idea where the name came from.
Mei Qing frowned. “There’s a story about a monkey called ‘Journey to the West.’ Haven’t you read it?”
In truth, Mei Qing wasn’t entirely sure either, but the memory of the book suddenly surfaced in his mind, and he mentioned it offhand.
“‘Journey to the West’? Written by Changchun Zhenren? Don’t lie to me; there’s no monkey in that book,” Bi Zhen retorted dismissively. “But the name is nice. Wukong, Wukong. Heehee, in the Xiangguo Temple in the capital, there’s a fat monk whose Dharma name is Wuneng. Whenever he sees someone, his eyes dart around, and he doesn’t seem like a good person. From now on, Xiao Bai will be called Wukong, like his fellow disciple.”
Mei Qing broke into a cold sweat. “Wuneng? He wouldn’t happen to have the surname Zhu, would he?”
“How did you know?” Bi Zhen’s eyes widened in surprise. “That Wuneng has some background; he was granted the surname Zhu by the previous emperor and later became a monk in the emperor’s stead…”
Mei Qing was stunned for a long time before gradually coming back to his senses.
“Wukong! I’m calling you, Xiao Bai! From now on, your name is Wukong… Now, give me that thing!” Bi Zhen, feeling that the name Wukong had a certain charm, kept calling the white ape.
The ape seemed reluctant, whimpering pitifully for a while, making all sorts of pitiful and endearing expressions. Seeing that Bi Zhen was unmoved, it finally reached into its furry ear and pulled something out.
Mei Qing shook his head, suppressing the absurd feeling in his heart, and focused on the object. He was startled to see that it was a small bronze figure, several inches long.
Though the small bronze figure was tiny in Bi Zhen’s delicate hand, it was still surprising how the monkey had managed to keep it in its ear.
What shocked Mei Qing even more was that this small golden bronze figure was identical to the one he had seen with Xu Fu.
The same facial features, the same armor, the same war helmet, and the same giant sword. The only difference was that this one was much smaller than the one Xu Fu had.
“This bronze figure? Where did it come from?” Mei Qing asked in astonishment.
Bi Zhen handed the bronze figure to Mei Qing and recalled, “When we found you, this small bronze figure was on your chest. I took it at the time, and later Xiao Bai… Wukong snatched it to play with. I’ve been busy these past few days and haven’t paid attention to it. Why? Is this bronze figure…”
Mei Qing took the bronze figure, and the moment his fingers touched it, he felt the small cauldron inside him tremble slightly.
“Zhang Liusun?… Ah, yes. Back then, there were widespread rumors about his heavenly tribulation, but who would have thought he was actually here?” Zhang Shisan, speaking of this senior who had come from the Celestial Master sect, sighed deeply, “Still, what he said about you being his doppelgänger cannot be taken lightly. There may indeed be secrets within your body, but they are certainly not as he described.”
“I understand that too,” Mei Qing replied. “At first, Zhang Liusun was indeed quite kind to me, so I don’t think he was pretending. I suspect it might have something to do with the small cauldron inside me.”
Then Mei Qing continued, recounting how Zhang Liusun had tested him with riddles and later transformed into a young boy, just as Xu Fu appeared to challenge him.
“Xu Fu?” When Mei Qing mentioned Xu Fu, several people in the room looked puzzled. Shi Mengzhu sighed, “Long ago, Xu Fu set sail to the sea, and it was said he became the ruler of Fusang. Who would have thought there was such a twist? Jieshi Mountain has been a legendary site for centuries. Local records say it sank into the sea during the Tang Dynasty, but apparently, it was already gone by the end of the Qin Dynasty. If that’s the case, then the poems left behind by emperors like Cao Cao and Tang Taizong might have been misplaced all along, mere empty sentiments.”
As Mei Qing continued describing how Xu Fu, under the guise of seeking immortals, had secretly established his own domain within Jieshi, gathering gold and forging cauldrons, Zhang Shisan sighed again, “In ancient times, cultivation and the fate of nations were always intertwined. Without the strength of an entire nation, how could one gather all the gold and iron of the nine provinces? Without the aid of cultivators, how could the Qin Dynasty have unified the six kingdoms? In the end, whether it be cultivation or imperial power, both require harnessing the strength of the entire world to achieve anything. It’s a shame that later cultivators became increasingly narrow-minded, confining themselves to their own circles and trapped by karmic consequences. They sit in meditation all day, refining pills and studying scriptures. With such a mindset, how can they ever hope to reach the immortal realms?”
Mei Qing nodded and said, “Indeed. When I saw Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu battling, I felt that ancient cultivators, though perhaps not as cunning or scheming as modern ones, were far more focused on the true path. Nowadays, cultivators waste all their energy on plots and intrigues, thinking they gain an advantage through such means. But in doing so, they stray further and further from the true Dao.”
Mei Qing spoke from the heart. During the battles between Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu, in which Mei Qing himself had eventually joined, he had noticed that while Zhang Liusun often gained the upper hand through clever tactics, his actual cultivation level was significantly lower than Xu Fu’s.
Could it be that Zhang Liusun, sensing the vast difference in power between ancient and modern immortals during his heavenly tribulation, had chosen not to ascend to immortality, preferring instead to reform his physical body and start anew? Mei Qing couldn’t help but suspect this might be the case.
As Mei Qing recounted the battles between Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu, both Zhang Shisan and Bi Zhen listened with rapt attention. Even Shi Mengzhu and Hou Shen, who were not cultivators themselves, were filled with admiration.
Zhang Thirteen furrowed his brows and said, “What’s going on inside your body? It was already quite unusual before, but at least it was somewhat stable. Now it’s completely impenetrable, impossible to discern what’s happening.”
Mei Qing held his head, looking somewhat weary, and replied, “I don’t feel anything wrong either. The cauldron inside me is the same as before, just a bit lifeless, not as vibrant as it used to be. Everything else seems normal, no different.”
Bi Zhen, standing beside Mei Qing, supported him with concern and said, “If nothing’s wrong, why did you suddenly faint just now? Do you think you’re some sickly young master from the capital who coughs for days at the slightest breeze? You’ve already achieved the status of a true cultivator; there’s no reason for you to faint so easily. What exactly happened inside? Tell us quickly, maybe we can help.”
Mei Qing rubbed his temples, took a moment to collect himself, and then slowly began to recount everything that had happened after he escaped from the Shi residence.
When he mentioned falling into an illusionary array, Zhang Thirteen let out a thoughtful hum, clearly surprised by the sudden appearance of such an array on the Ming Sea. As Mei Qing continued, describing how he broke free from the array but was captured at the Fishbone Temple, Bi Zhen grew visibly tense. Even though she knew Mei Qing hadn’t been harmed, she couldn’t help but grip his arm tighter.
When Mei Qing spoke of being taken into the array by Liu Liu, discovering the Jieshi, and the appearance of Zhang Liusun, both Zhang Thirteen and Bi Zhen were shocked.
“Zhang Liusun? Ah, yes, his tribulation crossing was widely talked about back then. So he was here all along,” Zhang Thirteen sighed, speaking of this senior from the Tian Shi Sect with deep emotion. “But his claim that you are a clone shouldn’t be taken lightly. There might be secrets within your body, but it’s certainly not as he said.”
“I understand that,” Mei Qing replied. “At first, Zhang Liusun was indeed quite friendly towards me, and I believe his intentions were genuine. I think it might have something to do with the small cauldron inside me.”
Mei Qing then went on to describe how Zhang Liusun tested him, eventually revealing himself as a child, and how they encountered Xu Fu, who came to challenge them.
“Xu Fu?” The mention of Xu Fu left everyone in the room puzzled. Shi Mengzhu sighed, “In the past, Xu Fu was said to have gone to sea and became the ruler of Fusang. Who would have thought there was more to the story? The Jieshi Divine Mountain, a legend from ancient times. Local records say it sank into the sea during the Tang Dynasty, but it turns out it was during the late Qin Dynasty. If that’s the case, then the poems left by Emperor Wu of Wei and Emperor Taizong of Tang must have been misplaced, leaving only empty sentiments.”
When Mei Qing mentioned how Xu Fu, under the guise of seeking immortality, had established his own cave within Jieshi and collected gold to cast a cauldron, Zhang Thirteen sighed, “In ancient times, cultivation was inseparable from the state and the world. Without the strength of the entire nation, how could one gather the metals of the nine regions? Without the help of true cultivators, how could Qin have swept across the land and unified the empire? Whether it’s cultivation or imperial power, both require the strength of the entire world to achieve greatness. It’s a pity that later cultivators became increasingly narrow-minded, confined to their own circles, and obsessed with karma. They spent their days meditating, refining elixirs, and studying scriptures. With such a mindset, how can they hope to reach the immortal realm?”
Mei Qing nodded, “Indeed. When I witnessed the battle between Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu, I felt that the ancients, though perhaps more cunning in their struggles, were far less so than modern people. Nowadays, the cultivation world is consumed by schemes and intrigues. On the surface, they seem to gain the upper hand in these struggles, but in reality, such practices only take them further away from the true path.”
Mei Qing’s words were heartfelt. He had participated in the battle between Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu, and from what he observed, the cultivation techniques were becoming increasingly inferior, while the cunning and scheming were becoming more pronounced. Although Zhang Liusun had the upper hand in several confrontations with Xu Fu, in terms of true cultivation, there was a significant gap.
Could it be that Zhang Liusun chose not to ascend to immortality and instead sought to rebuild his body and start over because he realized the disparity in strength between ancient and modern immortals during his tribulation? Mei Qing felt this was quite possible.
As Mei Qing recounted the various experiences of the battle between Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu, Zhang Thirteen and Bi Zhen listened with bated breath. Even Shi Mengzhu and Hou Shen, who were not cultivators, were deeply moved.
“Zhang Liusun’s cultivation is indeed remarkable, but it’s hard to say if he is truly unparalleled in the world. However, his ingenuity, adaptability, and techniques are unmatched,” Zhang Thirteen sighed. “But compared to Xu Fu, he doesn’t seem to be any more advanced. Since ancient times, the techniques and methods of the cultivation world have become increasingly bizarre—talismans, golden elixirs, controlling objects and ghosts, flying swords, crafting tools, using poisons and raising gu—all these seem intricate and deeply studied, but the cultivation of the mind and character has fallen behind.”
Mei Qing nodded repeatedly and then mentioned how Xu Fu summoned a bronze man. At this, Zhang Thirteen and Bi Zhen exchanged a glance, their expressions suddenly changing.
Thinking they might be unfamiliar with the origin of the bronze man, Mei Qing quickly explained how Xu Fu had stolen the bronze man, was pursued, and eventually fled into Jieshi, where he was forced to disintegrate.
After hearing Mei Qing’s account, Bi Zhen’s eyes still held a trace of doubt. She suddenly turned and called out, “Xiao Bai, Xiao Bai!”
Following Bi Zhen’s gaze, Mei Qing’s eyes lit up as a small, palm-sized white furball suddenly leaped in through the window, landing on Bi Zhen’s shoulder. It chirped twice, nuzzled against Bi Zhen’s fair neck, and then, upon closer inspection, revealed itself to be a small monkey with very lively eyes. It glanced around the room, and upon seeing Mei Qing, a stranger, it bared its teeth and let out a couple of threatening chirps.
Bi Zhen immediately grabbed the monkey, gave it a light smack on the bottom, and whispered something in its ear. The monkey then turned to Mei Qing, nodding and bowing with a flattering expression.
“What’s this?” Mei Qing asked, surprised. “A monkey? Are you raising it to make monkey brains for Master?”
At this, Zhang Thirteen nodded repeatedly, as if pleased that his disciple understood his thoughts and shared his sentiments. The monkey, terrified, immediately slipped into Bi Zhen’s arms, looking frightened, its eyes welling up with tears, and let out a few pitiful whimpers. Bi Zhen glared at Zhang Thirteen and Mei Qing, “Eat, eat, eat! All you think about is eating! If anyone dares to talk about eating my Xiao Bai, I’ll eat them first!”
Zhang Thirteen chuckled, his drunken eyes glancing at the white monkey, which made it shrink further into Bi Zhen’s arms.
Seeing his wife’s outburst, Mei Qing quickly soothed her, “Zhen’er, I didn’t say I wanted to eat it. Look at it, there’s not much meat to chop… I mean, you call it Xiao Bai? That name is a bit too common…”
“Not Xiao Bai?” Bi Zhen was successfully distracted by Mei Qing. “Look at its white fur, isn’t Xiao Bai a good name?”
“Pigs have white fur, cats and dogs can be white too. Calling it that is really unoriginal,” Mei Qing affirmed.
“Then what should we call it? Why don’t you give it a name, A Qing,” Bi Zhen said, agreeing with Mei Qing’s point.
“Let’s call it… let’s call it… Wukong!” Mei Qing thought for a moment and suddenly had an idea.
“Wukong?” Bi Zhen looked puzzled. “Why such a name? It sounds like a monk’s Dharma name.”
It was still the mid-Jiajing period, and Wu Cheng’en’s “Journey to the West” had not yet been published. Not only Bi Zhen, but even Zhang Thirteen looked confused, clearly unaware of the name’s origin.
Mei Qing frowned, “There’s a story about a monkey called ‘Journey to the West.’ Haven’t you read it?”
In truth, Mei Qing wasn’t entirely sure either, but the memory of the book suddenly came to him, and he blurted it out.
“‘Journey to the West’? Written by Changchun Zhenren? Don’t lie to me, there’s no monkey in that,” Bi Zhen scoffed. “But this name isn’t bad. Wukong, Wukong. Hehe, in our capital’s Xiangguo Temple, there’s a fat monk whose Dharma name is Wuneng. Whenever he sees someone, his eyes dart around, and he doesn’t seem like a good person. From now on, Xiao Bai will be called Wukong, like his junior brother.”
Mei Qing broke into a cold sweat, “Wuneng? He wouldn’t happen to be surnamed Zhu, would he?”
“How did you know?” Bi Zhen’s eyes widened in surprise. “That Wuneng has some background. He was granted the surname Zhu by the previous emperor and later became a monk in place of the emperor…”
Mei Qing was stunned for a long time before gradually coming back to his senses.
“Wukong! I’m calling you, Xiao Bai! From now on, your name is Wukong… Now, take it out!” Bi Zhen felt that the name Wukong had a lot of character and kept calling the white monkey.
The monkey seemed reluctant, letting out a series of pitiful chirps and making many sorrowful, pitiful expressions. Seeing that Bi Zhen was unmoved, it finally reached into its long-furred right ear and pulled something out.
Mei Qing shook his head, suppressing the absurd feeling in his heart, and when he focused on the object, he was even more shocked.
It was a small bronze man, several inches long.
Though it was still small in Bi Zhen’s delicate hand, it was surprising how the monkey had managed to fit it in its ear.
What shocked Mei Qing even more was that this small golden bronze man was identical to the one he had seen with Xu Fu.
The same face, the same armor, the same war helmet, and the same giant sword. The only difference was that this one was much smaller than the one Xu Fu had.
“This bronze man… where did it come from?” Mei Qing asked in surprise.
Bi Zhen handed the bronze man to Mei Qing and recalled, “When we found you, this small bronze man was on your chest. I took it without thinking, and later Xiao Bai… Wukong snatched it to play with. I’ve been busy these past few days and didn’t pay much attention to it. Why, is this bronze man…”
Mei Qing took it, and the moment his fingers touched the bronze man, he felt the small cauldron inside him tremble slightly.
Mei Qing nodded repeatedly. As he continued describing how Xu Fu had summoned the bronze warrior, he noticed Zhang Shisan and Bi Zhen exchanging glances, their expressions suddenly changing.
Thinking they might not understand the origin of the bronze warrior, Mei Qing hurriedly recounted how Xu Fu had stolen it, been pursued, and eventually fled into Jieshi, where he was forced to disintegrate his body.
After Mei Qing finished, Bi Zhen’s expression remained puzzled. Suddenly, she turned and called out, “Xiao Bai! Xiao Bai!”
Following Bi Zhen’s gaze, Mei Qing looked toward the window and was delighted to see a small, white-furred ball leap in from outside. It immediately jumped onto Bi Zhen’s shoulder, chirping twice and nuzzling affectionately against her neck. Upon closer inspection, it was a tiny monkey with extremely lively eyes. When it saw Mei Qing, a complete stranger, it bared its teeth at him threateningly and let out a couple of warning cries.
Bi Zhen immediately picked the monkey up, gave it a couple of gentle pats on the bottom, and whispered something into its ear. The monkey instantly turned toward Mei Qing, bowing and nodding with a look of eager appeasement.
“What is this?” Mei Qing asked in surprise. “A monkey? Are you raising it so Master can have some monkey brains to eat?”
As soon as Mei Qing said that, Zhang Shisan nodded vigorously, his expression clearly saying, “Ah, my disciple truly understands my thoughts—how heartening.” The monkey, terrified, immediately darted into Bi Zhen’s arms, its eyes filling with tears as it let out pitiful whimpers.
Bi Zhen’s eyes flared with anger as she glared at Zhang Shisan and Mei Qing, shouting, “Eat! Eat! That’s all you ever think about! If anyone dares to talk about eating my Xiao Bai again, I’ll eat you first!”
Zhang Shisan chuckled mischievously, his drunken eyes glancing at the white monkey, which immediately shrank further into Bi Zhen’s embrace in fear.
Seeing his wife getting angry, Mei Qing quickly whispered, “Zhen’er, I didn’t really say I wanted to eat it. Look at it—how much meat could there possibly be on such a tiny body… I mean, you calling it Xiao Bai is just so… common.”
“Not Xiao Bai?” Bi Zhen’s attention was successfully diverted. “But look at it—it’s covered in white fur. Isn’t ‘Xiao Bai’ a perfect name?”
“Well,” Mei Qing said firmly, “pigs have white fur too, and so do cats and dogs. Calling it that really has no uniqueness.”
“Then what should I call it? Why don’t you give it a name, Ah Qing?” Bi Zhen, realizing the logic in Mei Qing’s words, readily agreed.
“Let’s call it… let’s call it Wukong!”
“Wukong?” Bi Zhen asked, puzzled. “Why such a name? It sounds like a monk’s dharma name.”
At that time, it was still the middle of the Jiajing era, and Wu Cheng’en’s *Journey to the West* had not yet been written. Bi Zhen, and even Zhang Shisan, had no idea what Mei Qing was referring to.
Mei Qing frowned and said, “There’s a story about a monkey called *Journey to the West*. Haven’t you heard of it?”
Actually, Mei Qing himself wasn’t entirely sure. He had just recalled the book from some vague memory and blurted it out.
“*Journey to the West*? Written by Changchun Zhenren? Don’t try to fool me,” Bi Zhen scoffed. “There’s no monkey in that book. Still, ‘Wukong’ is a nice name. Wukong… Wukong. Hehe, there’s a fat monk at Xiangguosi Temple in the capital city, whose dharma name is Wuneng. Whenever he sees someone, his eyes dart around suspiciously—he doesn’t look like a good person at all. From now on, Xiao Bai will be called Wukong, like his dharma brother.”
Mei Qing was stunned, “Wuneng? Could he possibly be surnamed Zhu?”
“How did you know?” Bi Zhen widened her eyes in surprise. “That Wuneng actually had some background. The previous emperor granted him the surname Zhu, and later he became a monk in the emperor’s place…”
Mei Qing stood there, speechless for a long time, before slowly regaining his composure.
“Wukong! I’m calling you, Xiao Bai! From now on, you’re Wukong! Now, bring out the thing!” Bi Zhen, delighted with the new name, kept calling the little monkey.
The white monkey seemed reluctant, chirping pitifully and making various pitiable expressions. But seeing that Bi Zhen was determined to ignore it, it finally reluctantly extended its long-haired right hand and pulled something out from inside its ear.
Mei Qing shook his head, suppressing a strange feeling, and looked closely at the object.
It was a tiny bronze warrior, several inches tall.
Though small in Bi Zhen’s delicate hand, it was still clearly visible. Yet how the monkey had managed to hide it inside its ear was truly astonishing.
Even more surprising to Mei Qing was that this small golden bronze warrior was identical to the one he had seen Xu Fu summon.
Same appearance, same clothing, same armor and helmet, and even the same massive sword.
The only difference was that this one was much smaller.
“Where did this bronze warrior come from?” Mei Qing asked in amazement.
Bi Zhen handed the bronze warrior to Mei Qing and said, recalling, “When we found you, this little bronze warrior was lying on your chest. I took it and later gave it to Xiao… to Wukong to play with. We’ve been busy these past few days and didn’t pay much attention to it. Why? Is this bronze warrior…”
As Mei Qing reached out and grabbed the bronze warrior, a sudden tremor passed through the small cauldron inside his body.
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