Chapter 83: Wukong, It’s Time for You to Set Out

Spring passed and autumn came; Sun Wukong stayed at the farmstead for a year and a half.

On this day, Chu Xiaoyu summoned Sun Wukong and said to him, “Wukong, you've spent a year and a half here in my estate. Now, it's time for you to set out and fulfill your destiny.”

Hearing this, Sun Wukong grew excited. “Immortal, do you mean that the monk from the Eastern Tang Dynasty has already started his journey? Is he nearing the old site of Five Fingers Mountain?”

The Five Fingers Mountain that had once suppressed him had been collected by the Universe Bag, leaving behind a massive sunken pit—a spectacular sight. Chu Xiaoyu nodded. “Yes, by my calculations, the time is near. One day in the farmstead is equivalent to a year in the Journey to the West. It's been a year and a half now. Recently, I activated the Divine Eye and saw that the Tang monk had begun his journey, wearing his cassock and riding a white horse, well-equipped. However…”

Chu Xiaoyu’s words abruptly stopped. Sun Wukong suppressed his curiosity and asked, “Immortal, please go on. However, what?”

“The secrets of heaven cannot be revealed. Wukong, it’s time for you to depart.”

“Hehe, very well. I’ll prepare myself. The pit at the site of Five Fingers Mountain awaits the monk.”

“Go now!”

Half a month ago, Fatty Niu and Iron Fan had already returned to the Journey to the West. They left mysteriously, and no one knew what they were scheming. Since they didn’t say, Chu Xiaoyu didn’t bother to ask.

Once Sun Wukong left, only Su Daji would remain at the farmstead.

After a year or so of companionship, Su Daji was no longer the naive girl she had been when she first arrived. Now, she was almost like the “proprietress” of the estate. Every guest who came to dine at the farmstead was astonished by her alluring beauty.

Especially the dozens of directors from the nearby film city—having heard that Chu Xiaoyu’s modest country inn had acquired such a stunningly beautiful and seductive woman, they nearly lost their souls when they met her in person.

Thus, dozens of directors invited Su Daji to star as their leading lady. Yet, no matter how high the salary offered—even eight-figure sums—none succeeded in persuading Su Daji to accept a role.

Su Daji was tempted, but without Chu Xiaoyu’s approval, her desire amounted to nothing. Moreover, the great gate of the estate was a barrier she could never cross. The natural array barrier was like a cage, firmly trapping those who had crossed from another parallel world, whether spirits or beasts; they could not step outside the estate.

From then on, everyone knew that in that mysterious farmstead, there was a woman named “Su Daji,” a peerless beauty whose name coincided with that of the infamous Su Daji from the Shang dynasty.

Men of all kinds, drawn by her reputation, almost trampled down the threshold of the estate every day.

Such earthly beauty—just a glimpse from afar was a fortune, even without a meal.

Men have always been drawn to beauty, and Chu Xiaoyu was plagued by this, so he set rules. VIP membership was required: a hundred thousand yuan for five visits, and once those were used up, more must be paid, or entry was forbidden.

Some cursed Chu Xiaoyu as a heartless, money-grubbing boss, digging for coins in every crevice. Earning such ruthless money—didn’t he fear thunderbolts from the heavens?

Chu Xiaoyu only sneered and retorted, “I’m not short of money. You come of your own accord; no one’s holding a knife to your throat. If you want to enter, you follow my rules.”

Yet, despite the complaints, some men willingly spent their money for the chance to dine and see the enchanting woman who made their souls tremble.

Unparalleled grace, peerless beauty, captivating charm—Su Daji’s fame spread far and wide, and men flocked to her. A hundred thousand yuan bought only five smiles, yet they remained hopelessly enthralled.

Bah! She’s just a woman—what difference does it make?

Outside, women hurled curses at Su Daji, while inside the farmstead, every day brought a new mood, and one batch after another of men paid for her smile.

Spring’s beauty could not be contained—a single red apricot branch leapt over the wall.

Su Daji’s heart rippled with emotion.

The sky was clear, clouds were white, and sunlight bathed the world.

Chu Xiaoyu lay on a rocking chair beneath the grape arbor, Su Daji kneading his shoulders. Her fingers pressed evenly, the strength just right.

Chu Xiaoyu looked content.

After nearly a year together, Su Daji understood Chu Xiaoyu’s temperament almost completely—his joys and sorrows seemed transparent to her.

Yet—all was only surface.

Chu Xiaoyu’s depths, especially when the terrifying domain space opened, made Su Daji realize that even a thousand lifetimes would not let her see through his true nature.

“Something on your mind? Are you lost in thought again?”

Her words startled Su Daji. “No… You overthink, sir.”

“Heh, is it really just me overthinking? Very well, there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you. By keeping you confined here in the estate, I must have ruined your plans; you must hold a grudge against me, don’t you?”

He had foiled Nuwa’s plans and trapped the fox spirit here—outside the estate, she could go nowhere, barely able to take a step. Anyone would eventually go mad under such circumstances. Yet after a year, this fox spirit seemed to have adapted completely.

“Sir, do you want the truth?”

“Of course.”

“Alright…At first, your restriction terrified and angered me, but I knew that in this strange farmstead, no matter how I struggled or rebelled, I could never break the array you set.”

“As days passed, my resentment over Nuwa’s instructions faded. I couldn’t go to Shang and influence King Zhou, so my mission was impossible.”

“Eventually, I thought this must be fate. I remembered how Nuwa said the Shang dynasty’s mandate was ending, but seeing you transform their world so profoundly, I knew her plan would fail.”

“Now, besides this estate, I can go nowhere. Nuwa’s task is beyond me. As for my two sisters—the Chicken Spirit and the Pipa Spirit—I lost all contact with them. They always relied on me as their anchor. I suppose, to escape Nuwa’s punishment, they are hiding deep in the mountains and forests.”

Alas!

No more harm can be done; to avoid execution is already a fortunate outcome.