Chapter 11: Seven Days on the Farm, Seven Years in the Journey to the West

The second day passed by once more.

On the third day, the ordeal continued.

After kneeling in prayer for three days and nights without interruption, Sun Wukong could feel himself nearing his limit; he feared he could not hold out much longer.

He was parched with thirst.

He missed dearly the icy sodas from the Immortal Master’s manor—drinking one bottle, then another, knocking back the second, and reaching for a third. Life back then had been so delightfully comfortable.

Immortal Master, my revered ancestral grandteacher, do you know that your beloved disciple is now being roasted over blazing flames on a pyre?

Curse that old, decrepit ancestor! Was his heart truly so cold and unfeeling? He watched this monkey kneel for three days and nights and remained unmoved?

Sun Wukong grumbled incessantly in his heart.

“Here, have some water. Your lips are cracked, you must be very thirsty.”

Just as Sun Wukong was lost in indignant thoughts, a girl appeared, as if carved from ice. She looked about twelve or thirteen, her face as delicate as a sculpture, and her eyes shone like agate pearls—curious and a little nervous.

“Little sister, who are you?” he asked.

“I’m from Plantain Cave on Emerald Cloud Mountain. My name is Princess Iron Fan. I heard them say your name is Sun Wukong, right?”

Sun Wukong nodded. Looking at this porcelain-like girl, he felt an urge to embrace her, to bite her playfully.

She was simply unbearably adorable.

“Hehe, don’t just stare. Hurry, drink this water—it will make you feel better.”

“Thank you!”

Sun Wukong gulped it down in one go.

Smacking his lips in satisfaction, he asked, “Princess Iron Fan, aren’t you afraid of me? Those senior brothers seem terrified and disgusted by me.”

Aside from the Immortal Master, Iron Fan was the second person willing to approach him.

Under the drifting snow, after three days and nights of kneeling, only this girl named Iron Fan had brought him a cup of warm water.

The monkey’s gradually freezing heart was suddenly warmed.

“Sun Wukong, I can’t stay here long. If Master finds out, I’ll be punished. I have a few things I want to tell you.”

As she spoke, Iron Fan kept glancing about nervously, as if afraid someone might catch her.

“Alright, say what you wish—I’m listening.”

“It’s like this: I’ll tell you secretly, Master’s temperament is peculiar. Anyone he dislikes, he never shows a kind face. I’ve seen you kneel here for three days, and Master hasn’t responded at all. In this bitter cold, you should go back, or your body won’t withstand it.”

Such a kind and lovable girl.

Sun Wukong shook his head. “No! I can’t go back—I must become his disciple.”

If he slunk back in defeat, then in this vast world, where would be his home?

He had no home.

Besides, returning now would bring him great shame, and the Immortal Master might mock him.

If he couldn’t endure even this bit of hardship, how could he aspire to rise above others?

He might as well remain a lowly beast, scavenging and living in disgrace.

This stubbornness carried Sun Wukong through to the fourth night, pushing his body to the utmost limit, until he collapsed with a thud.

...

Sun Wukong awoke at midday the next day.

A thin blanket covered him, and a chubby boy with bull horns on his forehead was dozing nearby.

Sun Wukong kicked him lightly, and the boy woke at once. “Eh... You wild monkey, finally awake? Haha, I thought you’d never wake up again.”

“Tch! You think I wouldn’t wake up? Hah, that’s just your wishful thinking.”

Freshly awakened, Sun Wukong felt the soreness throughout his body.

The Immortal Master hadn’t lied—after kneeling for four or five days, he had fainted from exhaustion.

Such agony!

Would these days continue indefinitely?

But the fat boy spoke up: “Monkey, listen carefully—Master said, when you wake up, you should go see him. Hehe, I’ve watched over you for two days, so I should get something for my trouble, right?”

Seeing the triumphant grin on the chubby boy’s face, Sun Wukong quickly checked his pockets, only to find many treasures missing.

Those were all prized goods pilfered from the Immortal Master’s manor.

Cigarettes, lighters, White Rabbit candies—anything he pulled out was of exceptional quality.

This wretched, greedy brat!

He had taken advantage of Sun Wukong’s unconscious state to help himself.

Hmph!

If he weren’t in such a hurry to see the ancestor, Sun Wukong would have pinned the fat boy down and taught him a lesson, true to his monkey nature.

Hehe!

At last, the ancestor would see him.

Splendid!

Things seemed to be turning for the better.

Sun Wukong jumped off the bed, dashing away in a flash.

...

When Sun Wukong passed through the gate of immortals and leisurely returned to the manor, Chu Xiaoyu observed the monkey’s transformation with amazement.

As soon as Sun Wukong saw Chu Xiaoyu, he rushed over, hugged Chu Xiaoyu’s leg, and tears streamed down his face. “Wuwu... Immortal Master, your disciple has returned! These past seven years, I’ve missed you terribly.”

Chu Xiaoyu had been about to kick the monkey away, but upon hearing “seven years,” he was stunned.

He hurriedly asked, “Wukong, what did you say? Seven years? What seven years?”

After Sun Wukong left the manor, Chu Xiaoyu calculated carefully—it had only been seven days. Where did the seven years come from?

Sun Wukong, seeing Chu Xiaoyu’s bewildered expression, didn’t realize he’d said anything wrong. “Immortal Master, how is it that you haven’t changed at all in these seven years? Tsk tsk, your beauty technique is truly remarkable...”

“Wukong, wait. Did you really spend seven years over there?”

It had only been seven days since Sun Wukong left, yet was the time difference so vast between the two realms?

One day in the manor equaled one year in the journey to the west?

Seven days were seven years?

Chu Xiaoyu was shocked.

Indeed, a day in the mountains can be several years in the mortal world, like a day in heaven equals years on earth.

Now Sun Wukong was utterly confused. “Ah! Immortal Master, are you alright? I really spent seven years over there. You don’t know how miserable it was—the old ancestor refused to teach me any immortal arts, only made me study scriptures, burn incense, sweep floors, fetch water and firewood. It was endlessly boring.”

“Immortal Master, you have no idea how I endured those seven years, counting the days on my fingers, hoping they’d pass quickly.”

“Hehe, at last, heaven did not disappoint me. After seven arduous years, I finally made it through.”

“Three days from now, the ancestor told me to join the other disciples at noon to go see him.”

“Immortal Master, does that mean the ancestor will teach me immortal skills three days from now?”

Having spoken his piece, Sun Wukong’s face flushed bright red.