Chapter 23: Long Live the King!

“Ah! I suddenly remember now, there really was such a thing,” the old dragon lady exclaimed. “Dragon King, in the depths of our sea’s bottom, there truly is an object just like you described, abandoned in the blackest, coldest depths, never cared for by anyone.”

“Wonderful! Take me there at once.”

Overjoyed, Sun Wukong did not hesitate to grab the old Dragon King and swept away toward the deep sea.

In less than a quarter of an hour, a piercing light could be seen from afar, shining dazzlingly. Sun Wukong was astonished. “Eh... What is that thing over there? How could it emit such a blinding, awe-inspiring light?”

The old Dragon King shuddered and said, “That might be the object you just mentioned, the Sea-Calming Godly Needle. It’s been left there for ages, never spoken of. If you hadn’t brought it up, I’d have forgotten it existed.”

“Enough, you’re no longer needed here. Heh, that must be the Ruyi Golden-Hooped Rod, just as the Immortal Master described.”

“Heh! My precious, your Grandpa Sun is here!”

With a swift movement, Sun Wukong flew over. Before him, he saw the divine iron, shining with golden light. He couldn’t resist reaching out and grabbing it.

It turned out to be an iron pillar, as thick as a rice mortar and over twenty feet long by his estimation. Such a colossal object, just looking at it was enough to inspire awe.

“Wow! Is this treasure truly the Ruyi Golden-Hooped Rod as the Immortal Master said? What an extraordinary treasure.”

Full of wonder, Sun Wukong suddenly recalled the Immortal Master’s instructions. He called out to the giant rod, “Ruyi Golden-Hooped Rod, shorten and slim down for me, now, now, now!”

A miraculous scene unfolded. Instantly, the giant rod shrank by several feet and became slimmer by several circles.

It could be long or short, large or small—just as promised!

Master, I truly adore you!

With the treasure in hand, Sun Wukong was beside himself with joy. He played with the Golden-Hooped Rod all the way from the deep sea to the Crystal Palace, making every aquatic creature in the palace green with envy.

No one had ever imagined that the discarded iron rod at the bottom of the sea would turn out to be such a rare and precious treasure.

All the while, the old Dragon King walked alongside, unable to take his eyes off the rod in Sun Wukong’s hand, deeply regretting his earlier neglect. He wanted desperately to claim it for himself, but dared not make a move.

“Ahem... Great King, may I have a look at your treasure?” the old Dragon King asked timidly, unable to conceal the greed on his face.

But Sun Wukong, ever perceptive, saw right through the Dragon King’s intentions and refused at once. “No way, this is a rare treasure. You want to see it? Heh, well, perhaps... if you’re willing to call me ‘Father.’ Haha...”

Foiled and embarrassed, the Dragon King had no choice but to drop the matter.

After playing to his heart’s content, Sun Wukong glanced at his own attire and realized that his tattered clothes did not match such a marvelous treasure.

His eyes rolled mischievously as he turned to the Dragon King. “Old Dragon King, I’ve heard that your Eastern Sea Palace houses many fine treasures. How about this: you outfit me with a proper set of clothes as well?”

“Heh heh, as the saying goes, a good deed should be seen through to the end.”

The old Dragon King wanted to refuse outright, but the dragon lady beside him kept winking, then whispered, “Dragon King, this monkey is truly formidable. We’d better go along with his wishes. Otherwise, if we upset him, there will be no peace in our palace.”

Indeed, recalling how the wretched monkey had ridden on his neck earlier, slapping him and forcing him to call him “Father,” the Dragon King dared not risk a repeat of that humiliation.

Under the monkey’s pressure, the old Dragon King reluctantly agreed to equip Sun Wukong with a full set of gear.

It was an urgent matter. The Dragon King quickly called together the Dragon Kings of the Southern, Western, and Northern Seas: Ao Qin, Ao Run, and Ao Shun. After a brief discussion, the four brothers presented Sun Wukong with a golden suit of armor, a phoenix-feathered purple-gold crown, and a pair of cloud-walking lotus silk shoes.

Clothes make the man, just as a saddle makes the horse.

Once Sun Wukong had donned this attire, in a flash, the world beheld a peerless Handsome Monkey King.

Having come in high spirits and left even happier, Sun Wukong returned, gleeful, to Flower-Fruit Mountain.

He intended to show off his new treasures to his followers, but upon arriving at Flower-Fruit Mountain, he was stunned by the sight before him: devastation and desolation.

Heaven! What on earth had happened? Who dared to provoke the Monkey King in his own domain?

“Who did this?!” Sun Wukong’s furious roar shook the heavens and the earth.

At that, a trembling little monkey crept out from behind a rock and knelt before Sun Wukong. “G...Great King, you’ve returned?”

“Don’t be afraid, little one. Tell me what happened—speak honestly and quickly.”

The little monkey was clearly terrified, struggling to collect his thoughts before finally reporting, “Great King, while you were away, a troublemaking demon king took over our Water Curtain Cave and captured our tribe. That demon king was fierce and domineering. I... I was lucky to escape...”

Suddenly, with a crash, Sun Wukong shattered a massive boulder in his anger and demanded, “Where did they go?”

The little monkey replied, “I saw them heading north. Great King, you must rescue our people!”

“Hmph! Don’t worry. Not only will I rescue them, I’ll also beat that so-called demon king to death! Let me see for myself what kind of fiend dares to cause trouble here.”

With that, Sun Wukong leapt onto his Somersault Cloud and soared into the sky.

The Great King’s magnificent display of skill was truly awe-inspiring. One leap on his Somersault Cloud could carry him over a hundred thousand miles—one could only imagine the pitiful fate awaiting that demon king.

Hmph! Any lowlife who dares to challenge the Monkey King will have his brains beaten out with my Golden-Hooped Rod.

The outcome, as it turned out, was just as expected.

With a single Somersault Cloud, Sun Wukong arrived at the demon king’s lair. With a thunderous shout that shook heaven and earth, the two kings faced off.

In just one round, Sun Wukong struck the demon king so hard with his rod that the villain lost control of his bowels and died on the spot, not even leaving behind any last words.

Sun Wukong was so impressed by his own dazzling martial prowess that he could hardly believe it—how could fighting look so heroic? He was thoroughly in love with himself.

Such a lowly insect deserved nothing less than death.

Mighty King! Mighty King! Mighty King!

With a single blow, Sun Wukong finished the demon king, and his towering, heroic image was forever engraved in the hearts of his monkey followers.

Sun Wukong, the Handsome Monkey King of Heaven and Earth—when my Golden-Hooped Rod is in hand, who in the world can rival me?