Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

Sun Wukong's gaze fell upon Fairy Zixia and, after a slight hesitation, he asked, "Hey, are you the fairy who tends to the flowers and grass in the Empress Licorice Garden? What's your name?"

"My name is Zixia. Are you a demon creature?" After glancing at the Yellow Wind Monster beside her, Zixia's eyes returned to Sun Wukong, and she asked cautiously.

Given the Yellow Wind Monster's behavior, it was clear he was a demon creature, and since Sun Wukong appeared to be in league with him, Zixia naturally considered him to be a demon creature as well.

But then again, a demon creature that could scare away the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals?

Could it be that this unremarkable monkey was actually a fearsome Great Demon?

"Demon? I, Old Sun, haven't been a demon for many years now. If anything, we should be considered colleagues, shouldn't we?"

Upon hearing Fairy Zixia call him a demon, Sun Wukong wasn't angered but instead reflected on her words before saying to Zixia, "You manage the Empress' Glycyrrhiza Garden, whereas I, Old Sun, used to manage her Peach Garden!"

"Wow, the Peach Garden!?"

Hearing Sun Wukong's words, Fairy Zixia's eyes widened in shock, and she said, "Among all the Empress' gardens, the Peach Garden is the most important. I've heard that there are three thousand six hundred peach trees in there. I've lived in Heaven for many years, but I've only had a distant glimpse of it from outside the garden. I've heard that every peach in there is a treasure!"

Fairy Zixia, looking at Sun Wukong with admiration, thought to herself that the Peach Garden wasn't a place just anyone could approach. For this monkey to manage the Empress' Peach Garden indicated a completely different status.

It was like comparing the eunuchs and palace maids in the mortal Imperial Palace. Could a common maid doing menial chores compare with a eunuch who personally attended the Emperor and Empress?

Upon hearing about Sun Wukong managing the Peach Garden, Zixia looked at Sun Wukong with astonishment!

This look from Zixia made Sun Wukong's eyes narrow slightly, feeling as though his vanity was greatly satisfied. Looking at Fairy Zixia before him, he found her much more pleasing to the eye, nodded his head, and said, "Well, speaking of which, the peaches from the Empress indeed taste pretty good!"

"You, you've actually received the Empress' reward and tasted the peaches!?" Upon hearing Sun Wukong say this, Zixia stared at the monkey before her in disbelief.

Within the Heavenly Court, the hierarchy was strict. The vast majority, like herself, had arrived in Heaven after dying and undergoing judgment by the Underworld, having performed good deeds and acts of kindness in life, but they were only the lowest-level immortals.

Further up were those who truly held positions within the Immortal Rank, their names recorded in the registry of immortals, possessing the cultivation level of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, either the disciples of powerful figures across the three realms or those who cultivated and ascended to the Immortal Realm on their own.

Further still were the Taiyi True Immortals, each one a renowned figure within the Heavenly Court, either holding important positions or commanding mighty forces!

But even the Taiyi True Immortals were not entitled to just partake of the Empress' peaches.

Those truly eligible to receive an invitation to the Empress' Peach Feast were almost always of the Daluo Golden Immortal status!

This monkey before her, to actually have been entitled to taste the Empress' peaches!?
Continue your adventure at empire

About his own past feats of Havoc in Heaven, Sun Wukong had always considered them the most glorious part of his life, boasting about it to others at every opportunity. However, in front of Fairy Zixia, he had no intention of bragging, so he didn't mention that he had once stealthily consumed countless peaches from the Empress.

After all, he still needed to ask her about the whereabouts of the chili peppers, and perhaps she wouldn't tell him if she knew that he had once been at odds with the Heavenly Court?

"That was all hundreds of years ago. By the way, Fairy Zixia, isn't it? I, Old Sun, have a question for you. Have you ever seen chili peppers?" Thinking of his actual mission, Sun Wukong didn't continue with idle chat and asked directly.

"Chili peppers? What is that?" Upon hearing his question, Fairy Zixia asked curiously, her expression seemingly genuine, clearly never having heard of such a thing.

"My master said that chili peppers are spicy as fire when eaten and look like light bulbs, with the red ones, grand as ox horns, being the best..." Hearing Fairy Zixia's response, Sun Wukong recounted the description of chili peppers that Jiang Liu had once given him to Fairy Zixia.

"Eh? Based on what you've described, I might indeed have seen them before!" After listening to Sun Wukong's description, Fairy Zixia nodded her head, indicating recognition.

"Oh? Really seen them? Where?" Sun Wukong asked eagerly.

Whether it was what his master described or not, as long as it closely resembled the description, it was a significant clue.

"In my previous life, I fought against demons and entered the Demon Realm. In a region governed by the Flame Demon, I saw a curious plant, merely a small tree over a foot tall, bearing many of the red, ox-horn-like things you speak of.

I do not know what they are called precisely, but they seem quite similar to your description!" Fairy Zixia explained, clearly remembering the details, for it was there in the Flame Demon Domain that she had died.

"The Demon Realm? The Flame Demon Domain? Do you know how to get there? Can you take me, Old Sun, to have a look?" Fairy Zixia's words further excited Sun Wukong.

Growing on a small tree just over a foot tall? Wasn't this also what his master had described?

"Ah? That domain of the Flame Demon is home to the ferocious Demon Clan and powerful beings; there are even several Demon Immortal Realm demons guarding it!" Upon hearing this, Fairy Zixia's face showed a tinge of fear.

"Hahaha, merely several Demon Immortal Realm demons, what's there to worry about? Let's go!" Sun Wukong laughed heartily at Fairy Zixia's words, clearly brimming with confidence and not regarding these details as a concern at all.

"Great Saint, are we going now? Don't you need to inform the Holy Monk?" The Yellow Wind Monster, upon hearing Sun Wukong's determined declaration to take a venture into the Demon Realm, hesitated and asked.

"It's fine. A trip to the Demon Realm is just to fetch some chili peppers; it won't take too much time. Besides, Master has the Mystical Mirror and can see us at any time, so there's no need to worry!" Waving his hand, Sun Wukong spoke nonchalantly.

During the conversation, Sun Wukong's gaze fell upon Zixia and he asked, "Where is the entrance to the Demon Realm!?"

"In a volcanic canyon in Julu Continent! If we were to fly from here, who knows how long it would take!" Upon hearing this, Fairy Zixia responded.

"That really is quite far. The distance from here must be around two to three hundred thousand miles!" Sun Wukong nodded in agreement.

The Journey to the West for Scriptures was merely a trek from Shanbu Continent to Niuhe State, south to west, a distance of a hundred and eight thousand miles. Yet they were now heading to Julu Continent in the northeast direction. Even as the crow flies, it would span half the world—an undoubtedly long journey.

"Here's what we'll do, you go find my Master and tell him not to be anxious. With my speed, it won't be long before I'm back!" After some thought, considering the Yellow Wind Monster's considerably slower flying speed for such a large distance, Sun Wukong said to the Yellow Wind Monster.

"Alright, understood, Great Saint!"

The Yellow Wind Monster was well aware that his own travel pace couldn't compare to Sun Wukong's—after all, one flip for him was a hundred and eight thousand miles, a renown feat in both the three realms and six paths. He nodded and turned to inform Jiang Liu.

"Alright, let's be on our way!" Watching the Yellow Wind Monster ride the wind away and quickly leave, Sun Wukong also said to Fairy Zixia.

In the midst of speaking, Sun Wukong took Fairy Zixia's hand, and with the Somersault Cloud activated, they instantly transformed into a streak of escape light, heading northeast and disappearing in the blink of an eye.

The surrounding scenery was no longer clear to see. Zixia, led by Sun Wukong, only felt the surrounding scenery rapidly receding, reduced to mere streaks of lines, as if entering a kind of strange space.

Dizzy and disoriented to the point that it would make one feel groggy if looked at too long, she simply closed her eyes.

In no time at all, Zixia felt they came to a halt. When she opened her eyes, she found that the temperature between heaven and earth had risen markedly, and the air seemed to have grown hot.

After taking in the surroundings, shock slowly surfaced on Zixia's face.

"You, you..." After surveying the surroundings, Zixia stared incredulously at Sun Wukong.

"What's up? Why are you looking at me like that!?" Confused by Zixia's expression, Sun Wukong checked himself to see if there was any dirt on his clothes but found none.

"How, how long was that? You've crossed such a distance already!? Who in the three realms can match your speed!?" Fairy Zixia exclaimed in disbelief as she looked at Sun Wukong.

In such a short time, they had flown from the southern Shanbu Continent to the northern Julu Continent. If she hadn't experienced it personally, Fairy Zixia would never have believed someone could achieve this feat.

"Hahaha, don't be surprised! I, Old Sun, have many more tricks up my sleeve; this is all pretty normal, just normal..."

Hearing Fairy Zixia's words, she was astounded by the speed of his Somersault Cloud. What better compliment than her astonished expression? Sun Wukong couldn't help but laugh out loud.

However, even though he couldn't suppress the smile on his face, Sun Wukong's mouth feigned modesty as he spoke.

"Pfft..."

Even though she knew from what she had seen that this unimpressive-looking monkey had capabilities far beyond her imagination, the sight of him acting this way made Fairy Zixia burst out laughing.

She thought that this monkey was actually quite adorable and very amusing.

"What, what are you laughing at?" Seeing Fairy Zixia laughing at him, Sun Wukong was completely confused, not understanding what made her laugh.

"I'm laughing because you're really impressive! And I find you very amusing!" Zixia said, her face beaming with a smile.

"You, fairy, your words are so boring. Who goes on complimenting someone like that? It makes one quite embarrassed. No matter how much you flatter me, I, Old Sun, won't be pleased!"

His tail wagging behind him and his eyes nearly squinting, Sun Wukong said, "If you don't believe it, try praising I, Old Sun, ten, no, twenty times, and see if I'll be happy!"

Zixia: "..."

Meanwhile, Jiang Liu, holding the Mystical Mirror, had naturally seen everything between Sun Wukong and Yellow Wind Monster. However, though the Mystical Mirror showed the scene, it could not transmit sound.

Watching Yellow Wind Monster and Sun Wukong part ways, Jiang Liu felt a quiet curiosity within.