007 CHAPTER THREE: A. MONKEY MILITARY
After the Monkey King's victory and return to his homeland, he started honing his martial skills with the little monkeys. Having defeated the chaotic demon king and acquiring his large sword, he practiced martial arts daily. He taught the little monkeys to cut bamboo as targets and carve wood into swords, set up flags and banners, blow whistles, and practice maneuvers - advancing and retreating, setting up camps. For a long time, they played training games.
During a moment of quiet contemplation, he thought, "We are having too much fun here, but what if it gets serious? We might end up disturbing the human king or angering other powerful beings. They might mistake us for rebels, raise an army against us, and we'll be stuck with just bamboo sticks and wooden swords. How can we stand a chance? We need sharp swords and spears to defend ourselves. But where can we get them?"
When the other monkeys heard this, they were all worried and said, "Great King, you're right, but we have no idea where to find such weapons."
At that moment, four old monkeys stepped forward - two red-bottomed monkeys and two straight-back monkeys - and said, "Great King, if you want sharp weapons, it's quite easy. To the east of this mountain, there's a water area spanning two hundred miles, which leads to the border of the Proud Land. The king of this country has countless soldiers and civilians. Surely, there are skilled craftsmen who work with gold, silver, copper, iron, and other materials. If you go there, you can either buy or have some weapons made for us. We can then practice and guard our mountain, ensuring a prosperous and lasting future."
The Monkey King was delighted and said, "While you all have fun here, I will go and return with the weapons."
Using his somersault cloud magic, Sun Wukong conjured his Flying Nimbus. He swiftly soared through the clouds, covering two hundred miles instantly. Before him lay a city with six main streets and three markets, bustling with activity under the bright daylight.
Sun Wukong thought to himself, "There must be ready-made weapons here. Instead of buying them, I can use my magical powers to find some." He formed a spell with his fingers, chanted a mystical incantation, and sucked in a breath from the southeast direction. With a forceful exhale, a gust of wind swept through, raising sand and stones.
> With cannon clouds and thunder's roar,
> The world beneath the dark haze wore.
> The rivers churned, fish hid in fear,
> Through forests wild, beasts fled austere.
>
> No trade or travel filled the land,
> Life's diversity, none did stand.
> Within the palace, kings returned,
> Before the court, officials turned.
>
> The throne of ages, now laid low,
> The phoenix tower swayed to and fro.
The wind whipped through the streets and markets, scattering the king and his subjects. People rushed to close their doors, too scared to venture outside.
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Wukong gracefully landed from the clouds and swaggered into the royal court. Swiftly, he made his way to the armory, where he found an impressive array of weapons: swords, spears, axes, and more, all ready for use.
Excitement filled Wukong's heart as he thought, 'How many of these can I carry?' With a quick transformation using his magic fur, he split himself into a thousand little monkeys.
They eagerly grabbed as many weapons as they could. Strong ones took five or seven, while smaller ones took three or two. Together, they cleared out the armory, leaving it empty.
Hopping on their Flying Nimbuses, they summoned a gust of wind, and the spirited troop of monkey clones returned home.
On Flower Fruit Mountain, the playful monkeys were having a great time outside the cave. Suddenly, they heard a strange sound in the wind and saw countless monkey spirits on puffy clouds hovering in the sky. Frightened, they scattered in all directions.
Before long, the Monkey King landed gracefully, dispersing the Flying Nimbuses and mist. With a swift motion, he tucked away his fur. The monkey clones vanished, and the weapons piled up before the mountain.
"Come, my friends! Gather around and claim your weapons," the Monkey King called out.
The curious monkeys approached, bowing before him, eager to know what had happened. Wukong explained how he had summoned the mighty winds and collected the weapons. Grateful for his efforts, the monkeys eagerly snatched swords, axes, spears, and bows, creating a boisterous scene of playful camaraderie that lasted the entire day.
The next day, they set up their camp as usual. Sun Wukong gathered the troop of monkeys, totaling more than forty-seven thousand. Their presence startled all the monsters of the mountain—wolves, insects, tigers, leopards, bears, deer, foxes, badgers, lions, elephants, gorillas, bears, wild boars, wild oxen, antelopes, rhinoceroses, clever rabbits, and fierce mastiffs.
There were a total of seventy-two caves ruled by various beast kings, and they all came to pay homage to the Monkey King. They offered tributes and contributions throughout the year, marking the seasons with their offerings. Some practiced military drills, while others provided provisions.
Everything was well-organized, turning Flower Fruit Mountain into an impregnable fortress.
The beast kings came, bringing golden drums, colorful flags, and suits of armor. They were all bustling with activity, honing their skills. Just by observation, it was hard to tell if they were raising an army or organizing a dance festival.
The Monkey King was feeling pretty good, but one day, he said to the others, "You guys are skilled with war games, and you know your way around weapons, but I'm not satisfied with this sword of mine. It's just not cutting it, you know?"
The four Tripitakaeys stepped forward and said, " Great King, you are a divine being. Therefore, mortal weapons are not suitable for you. Do you know if you can go underwater?"
"Ever since I gained my enlightenment, I've got this ability to transform into seventy-two different things, and I can travel quickly riding my Flying Nimbus. I can disappear from sight, traverse the heavens, and even go underground. I can move without casting any shadow in the sunlight, and nothing can hinder me in stone or metal. How could water hinder me, or fire burn me? Is there anywhere I cannot go?" Sun Wukong bragged.
The four monkeys said, "Great King, below this iron bridge, there is a passage to the East Sea Dragon Palace. If you are willing to go down and find the Old Dragon King, you can ask him for any weapon you desire. Who knows, you might find a weapon that suits you?"
Sun Wukong heard this and excitedly said, "Wait for me; I'll be right back."