Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao-Chapter 254 - 33 Silly Monkey?

In Lotus Cave atop Flat Top Mountain, Golden Horn and Silver Horn were carefully examining a scroll of painting.

"Not bad, not bad at all. Who would have thought you, Lu Daye, would possess such skill? This is quite a fine painting," Golden Horn praised Lu Yu with great delight.

Displayed on the scroll were the images of Tang Monk and his four disciples.

"But why do I feel like this Sun Wukong you painted looks a bit foolish?" Silver Horn rubbed his chin as he shared his opinion.

"Great King, I drew it exactly as you manifested the scene," Lu Yu immediately cried out in grievance.

"It’s not that you drew it poorly, but this Sun Wukong lacks the imposing presence he should have," Golden Horn King explained with a laugh from the sideline.

"Is this Monkey really that formidable?" Lu Yu asked, feigning ignorance.

This question seemed to remind the brothers Golden Horn and Silver Horn of some past events, and they spoke with lingering fear, "More than just formidable, his fierce look is utterly detestable to gods and demons alike, exuding a fearsome might that chills the hearts of all deities."

Lu Yu watched the expressions of Golden Horn and Silver Horn and felt puzzled about what exactly the Monkey had done to them to leave such a lasting impression.

"This isn’t something for little demons such as yourself to inquire about." Seeing Lu Yu’s curious look, Silver Horned King hastily waved his hand and said.

And so, from that day on, Lu Yu officially became one of the demon leaders in Lotus Cave, responsible for the routine patrol of the mountain. His two lieutenants were none other than the former Meticulous Ghost and Clever Worm.

Thus began the everyday life of Lu Yu, the little demon.

On this day, the weather was fine, with a gentle breeze sweeping across Flat Top Mountain, lifting the seeds of dandelions into the air, swirling them around as numerous butterflies danced gracefully amongst the vibrant mountain flowers, showing off their elegant moves.

And our trio of mountain patrollers were carrying out their duties for the day, trampling through the brilliant sea of flowers, causing countless butterflies to fly out of the blooms, creating a beautiful rainbow in motion.

"Patrolling, always patrolling the mountain, day in, day out—it’s so boring," Meticulous Ghost complained as he plopped down on the ground.

"Exactly. What’s there to patrol on Flat Top Mountain? I know every plant and tree here like the back of my hand. There’s nothing new to find!" Clever Worm likewise complained.

"Bang" A fist fell on their heads, forcing them to wrap their hands around their craniums in pain.

"What are you grumbling about? If the Great King has tasked us with patrolling, he surely has his reasons. Stop your complaining," Lu Yu said as he smacked the heads of the two little demons.

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"Isn’t it just about capturing a Monk who comes from the Eastern Land? All this fuss, and we have to patrol every day," Meticulous Ghost said.

"Just an ordinary Monk? That’s a virtuous man who has cultivated for ten lifetimes. The Great King said that eating his flesh would grant eternal life," Clever Worm retorted.

Then he added, "The Great King too, casually letting slip such a secret. Now look what’s happened, demons from all over the mountains know about it. I bet this Monk won’t even make it to us before he’s eaten by some demon along the way."

"Is that something for you to worry about? Do you really think this Monk from the Tang Dynasty is that easy to capture? Have you forgotten about his several disciples?" scolded Lu Yu with a laugh.

Upon hearing Lu Yu’s words, Meticulous Ghost quickly took out the scroll to scrutinize it closely.

"Tsk tsk, just look at how handsome this Monk is, and yet, each one of his disciples is uglier than the last," Meticulous Ghost marveled in astonishment.

Lu Yu was also interested at this point and asked with a smile, "So, looking at his disciples, who do you think seems more formidable?"

"In my opinion, it’s definitely that fat and big-eared ugly fellow who’s formidable. Just look at his body, it’s almost as big as three of me," said Meticulous Ghost, expressing his view first.

"I actually think that the dark-faced guy with the big muscles has to be formidable. Look at his muscles, so strong that he could knock out any demon with a single punch," Clever Worm believed Sand Monk must be the strongest.

"You guys don’t think that monkey seems formidable?"

"So weak and frail, I bet he can’t even beat me, how could he be formidable?"

"Exactly, look at him, all silly, he must be the weakest among them, so Zhu Bajie is stronger."

"Nonsense, Sand Monk is the strongest, someone like Zhu Bajie could be beaten by ten of Sand Monk."

"You’re the one talking nonsense. Zhu Bajie could squash him just by sitting on him."

Meticulous Ghost and Clever Worm, with all tongues wagging, discussed who was the most formidable among Tang Monk’s disciples, unable to convince each other. Before long, their verbal skirmish escalated into a physical conflict and thus, in the valley of Flat Top Mountain, the two little demons started fighting, kicking up clouds of dust.

Lu Yu, however, didn’t bother with the two little demons fighting beside him, their faces swollen and noses bleeding. He held a scroll in his hands, closely inspecting it, and muttered to himself, "Did I really draw this monkey a bit silly? That shouldn’t be the case!"

He flipped the scroll back and forth, never feeling that the monkey in the drawing seemed silly, thinking that maybe it was because in his mind, that was simply how the monkey looked.

Perhaps in other’s eyes, he was the awe-inspiring Great Sage Equalling Heaven, the peerless fierce deity who caused Havoc in the Heavenly Palace, but in Lu Yu’s eyes, he would always be just the monkey from Huaguo Mountain who had traveled across the sea with him, through all the hardships and difficulties.

With this thought, a smile couldn’t help but show on Lu Yu’s face.

Meanwhile, Meticulous Ghost and Clever Worm, who had been fighting to the point the earth seemed to overturn, also stopped their fight. However, at this point, both of them had swollen noses and bruised faces, and the clothes they had barely managed to steal from human villages were also torn to shreds, hanging on their bodies like tattered cloth.

"Boss, you make the call, who is more formidable, Zhu Bajie or Sand Monk?" Neither of the two little demons could persuade the other, so they asked their boss to make a judgement.

Lu Yu said with a slight smile, "According to me, neither of them is as formidable as Sun Wukong."

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"Boss, don’t joke around. What’s so formidable about such a scrawny monkey? Even if you’re just trying not to hurt Clever Worm’s feelings, you don’t have to make up such excuses," Meticulous Ghost immediately shouted.

"Who said I was joking? Do you know his past?" Lu Yu asked.

Meticulous Ghost and Clever Worm shook their heads. They were born and raised on Flat Top Mountain, and the farthest they had ever sneaked into was a small human village. How could they possibly know the monkey’s reputation?

"This monkey is no ordinary one. Five hundred years ago, he had an impressive title, the Great Sage Equalling Heaven."

Lu Yu’s words immediately stunned the two little demons. The title sounded very formidable.

"Only because he caused Havoc in the Heavenly Palace five hundred years ago, the Rulai Buddha pressed him under the Five Elements Mountain. Now he’s just escaped from his predicament, charged with protecting Tang Monk on his journey to the Western Heaven for scriptures. You tell me, is he formidable or not?"

"So formidable, causing Havoc in the Heavenly Palace, that’s just too cool," Meticulous Ghost murmured to himself, seemingly able to picture the unmatched grandeur of the Great Sage from the past. For a moment, he was completely awestruck.