011 CHAPTER FOUR: A. HEAVENLY STABLEHAND

As Counselor Eveningstar and the Monkey King emerged from the depths of the cave, they soared together on their clouds. It turned out that Wukong's Flying Nimbus was incredibly swift, unlike any other cloud, leaving Counselor Eveningstar trailing behind.

Wukong arrived at the South Heaven Gate in no time. However, the heavenly guards, led by Pang, Liu, Gou, Bi, Deng, Xin, Zhang, and Tao, a fierce and well-armed bunch, blocked the entrance and refused him passage.

The Monkey King exclaimed, "This old trickster Eveningstar! He invited me, but now he lets these folks brandish their weapons and block the way?"

Just then, Eveningstar caught up, and Wukong confronted him angrily, "You old man, what's your game? You lured me here under the pretense of an invitation from the Jade Emperor, but now you let these people block my path?"

Eveningstar chuckled. "Great King, calm down. You've never been to this heavenly realm before and are still unknown here. These heavenly guards don't recognize you, so how could they just let you in? Once you meet the Heavenly Lord, receive your immortal commission, and have your official name recorded, you'll be free to come and go as you please, and no one will dare to stop you."

Wukong replied, "I see. Alright, I won't go in then."

Eveningstar grabbed his arm. "Nonsense, you're coming in with me."

Approaching the Heaven Gate, Eveningstar called out, "Let the heavenly guards and officials open the way! This is a mortal from the mortal realm, and I've come to invite him on behalf of the Jade Emperor."

The Heavenly King and the guards put away their weapons and stepped back.

The Monkey King finally believed Eveningstar and followed him inside at a leisurely pace.

It was a sight to behold: as they stepped into the heavenly realm, the sky glowed with shimmering gold, and the air was filled with purple mist. The South Heaven Gate was impressive, with its blue brilliance and crafted lapis lazuli. On both sides, dozens of celestial generals stood, each holding a weapon and standing tall. The outer area was grand, but the inner was astonishing: large pillars wrapped in golden scales, adorned with red-bearded dragons, and several long bridges with colorful feathered phoenixes soaring overhead. The bright haze reflected the heavenly radiance, and the blue mist obscured the stars.

In this heavenly realm, there were thirty-three celestial palaces, including Cloud Palace, Vaisravana Palace, Five Bright Palaces, Sun Palace, and Pleasure Palace... each adorned with mythical creatures and divine beasts. Seventy-two splendid halls, including Assembly Hall, Lingxiao Hall, Hall of Brilliance, Heavenly King Hall, and Spirit Official Hall... each with jade unicorns as pillars.

At the Tower of Longevity, flowers bloomed for thousands of years without withering; by the alchemy furnace, evergreen embroidered grass never wilted. At the Sacred Pilgrimage Tower, ladies dressed in crimson silk and sparkling stars; with hibiscus crowns and golden belts. Jade hairpins, pearl shoes, purple sashes, and golden seals. When the golden bell rang, the Three Daoist Officials approached the platform; when the heavenly drum sounded, countless saints gathered to pay respects to the Jade Emperor.

In the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, golden nails adorned jade doors, and colorful phoenixes danced by vermilion gates. The winding corridors were intricate and transparent, with layers of dragons and phoenixes soaring. At the center, a purple and radiant, round, and dazzling large golden gourd-shaped roof. Below, celestial maidens held palm-leaf fans, and jade women carried divine scarves; fierce heavenly generals guarded with dignity, and sophisticated officials protected the emperor. In the center were stacks of Taiyi Pills in the lustrous plate, and in the agate bottle were several curved coral trees.

Truly, the heavenly realm held extraordinary treasures like golden towers, silver palaces, and amethyst halls, along with exquisite jade and heavenly flowers. Nothing resembled the world below. They passed by the Moon Palace and Sun Altar, where the divine phoenixes and celestial crows flew over at the Golden King Altar.

The Monkey King was in awe of this heavenly realm, which held no trace of impurity from the mortal world.

Counselor Eveningstar, leading the Monkey King, arrived outside Lingxiao Hall. Without waiting for an official announcement, he went straight to the Jade Emperor's presence and bowed in reverence. Sun Wukong stood nearby, not bowing, but he listened attentively to Eveningstar's report.

Eveningstar declared, "I have received the divine decree and reported the monster-turned-immortal's arrival."

The Jade Emperor asked, "Who is the monster-turned-immortal?"

Sun Wukong respectfully replied, "It is I, Your Majesty."

The celestial officials were shocked and alarmed, exclaiming, "This wild monkey refuses to bow or pay compliments, but instead declares, 'It is I.' He deserves punishment. He deserves death!"

The Jade Emperor decreed, "Sun Wukong is a monster-turned-immortal from the mortal realm, new to court etiquette. We shall pardon his offense for now."

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The officials thanked the emperor for his mercy, and the Monkey King finally offered a formal bow to the heavens.

The Jade Emperor then commenced the selection of celestial officials. He looked for any vacant positions to assign Sun Wukong a role.

The Official of Literary Arts stepped forward and reported, "In the heavenly realm, various palaces, halls, and regions, all require officials. However, only the position of Chief of the Imperial Stables is vacant."

"Then appoint him as Horse Care Assistant." The Jade Emperor decreed.

The officials thanked the Emperor once more, and Sun Wukong bowed in acknowledgment.

The Jade Emperor then instructed Secretary Alkaid to escort the Monkey King to his new post at the Imperial Stables.

The Monkey King was absolutely ecstatic as he headed to his post with Secretary Alkaid. Once the formalities were completed, the official left, and Wukong was ready to start his new job. In the stables, he gathered the chief and vice chief of the stable, along with record keepers, grooms, and other officials, to review the affairs of the stable.

There were a thousand heavenly steeds in total, and they were truly remarkable: Dappled horses, graceful and agile, like dragons flying in the sky, and purple swallows with majestic wings. Silver-tailed horses, swift and nimble, gliding like golden eagles. Feathered horses with wings like fluttering birds and fiery red rabbits blazing across the sky. They excelled in speed and agility, soaring through the clouds and surpassing even the brightest lights. Their strength was unmatched, and they could travel thousands of miles effortlessly.

These extraordinary steeds came from all corners of the world, representing the best of the best. Each one possessed a spirited and powerful nature, galloping like the wind and conquering any obstacle in their path.

The Monkey King, now known as the "Horse Care Assistant," carefully inspected the records and counted the number of horses. The stable's record keepers managed the forage inventory, while the grooms were responsible for grooming, feeding, watering, and cooking for the horses. The chief and vice chief of the stable assisted and ensured everything ran smoothly.

Sun Wukong worked tirelessly day and night, nurturing the horses. During the day, he played and entertained them, and at night, he attentively watched over them. If any horse was sleeping, he'd wake them up to eat hay; if they were wandering, he'd bring them back to the trough. The heavenly steeds adored him, with their ears perked and hooves gathered. Under his care, the horses thrived, gaining weight and looking healthy. Before they knew it, half a month had passed, and they were flourishing more than ever.

One leisurely day, all the officials in the stable arranged a banquet to celebrate and honor the Monkey King.

Amid the merry festivities, Wukong suddenly paused and asked, "What kind of official is 'Horse Care Assistant'?"

They replied, "That's the official title."

He inquired further, "What rank does this position hold?"

They said, "It's unranked."

Wukong pondered, "Unranked? So it must be the highest of all?"

They clarified, "Not at all; it's the lowest, the least prestigious."

Wukong questioned, "Why is it called 'unranked'?"

They explained, "It’s so low that nobody bothered to rank it. This position is only responsible for tending to the horses. After the higher officials take their posts, this role merely sees to the horses' needs. They might hear a 'good' from their superiors if everything goes well. But any slight negligence might earn them a reprimand. They'll be punished for significant mishaps and have to atone for their mistakes."

When Wukong heard this, his anger flared up uncontrollably, and he clenched his teeth. "Seriously, they're treating me like some lowly stable boy! I was the king of Flower Fruit Mountain, for crying out loud! Why in the world did they lure me here to babysit their horses? It's an insult! I'm out. No way I'm doing this!"

With a loud bang, he overturned the table. Then he removed the magical item from his ear and transformed it back into the Compliant Gold-Banded Rod. He used its magical powers to escape the stable and headed straight to the South Heaven Gate.

The heavenly guards recognized that he had received the celestial decree and was now the "Horse Care Assistant." They didn't dare to stop him and allowed him to pass through the heavenly gate.

Instantly, he landed on Flower Fruit Mountain, where the four valiant generals and various beast kings were drilling their troops.

The Monkey King shouted in a commanding voice, "Hey guys, I'm back!"

The monkeys all bowed and welcomed him into the deep cave, inviting him to take his rightful place on the throne while preparing a celebration feast.

They congratulated him. "Congratulations, Great King! You've been in the heavens for over a decade; we assumed you'd return triumphant."

The Monkey King corrected them, saying, "I've only been gone for a little more than half a month. Time flies differently up there—one heavenly day equals a whole year down here. But enough about that. I don't want to talk about it. The Jade Emperor doesn't know how to use talent. He saw me and decided to appoint me as some 'Horse Care Assistant' or something like that—basically a stable boy, a low-ranking job. I didn't know that when I first took the position and was just fooling around at the Royal Horse Stable. When I found out today during a meeting with my colleagues, I rage-quit."

The monkeys cheered, "That's the way to go, Great King! You're the ruler of this blessed realm; why would you stoop to being a stable boy for them? Let's quickly get some drinks to cheer you up!"

Amidst the merry gathering and drinks, a messenger arrived with news: "Great King, there are two ghost kings with single horns outside, requesting an audience."

The Monkey King said, "Let them in."

The ghost kings entered, straightening their clothes and bowing respectfully.

The Monkey King asked, "What brings you here?"

They replied, "We've heard of your call for talent and have longed to meet you. Now that you've been granted heavenly credentials and returned in triumph, we offer this crimson robe as a gift to celebrate your glory. We're honored to serve, just like loyal hounds and horses."

The Monkey King was thrilled and donned the crimson robe. Everyone happily lined up to pay their respects. He then appointed the ghost kings as vanguard commanders.

After expressing their gratitude, the ghost kings asked, "During your time in heaven, what position were you granted?"

The Monkey King said, "The Jade Emperor doesn't value talent much, so he appointed me as some 'Horse Care Assistant' or something like that."

The Demon Kings heard this and suggested, "With your divine abilities, why would you want to take care of horses? You should be known as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven; it's more fitting!"

The Monkey King was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"Quickly prepare a banner with the words 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' and hoist it up!” He commanded his four valiant generals, “From now on, I shall be known as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, not the Great King. Let all the beast kings know about this change."