With a flick of his hand and a mystical chant, the Monkey King commanded the seven fairies, "Freeze! Freeze! Freeze!"
The spell immobilized them, and they stood under the peach tree with blank expressions, wide-eyed and motionless.
Then, the Great Sage hopped on his cloud and swiftly left the garden, heading straight towards the Jade Pool. As he journeyed, he noticed something in the distance:
> A day with auspicious mist gently sways,
> Rainbow-colored clouds endlessly ablaze.
> The white crane's call resonates in the sky,
> Lush purple mushrooms, leaves multiply.
>
> In the midst appears an immortal so rare,
> With heavenly beauty beyond compare.
> Dancing with rainbows, adorning celestial realms,
> Wearing a treasure scroll, beyond birth and death's helms.
>
> Known as the barefooted Daoist, so grand,
> To the Peach Banquet, he travels as planned.
Daoist Barfoot ran into the Monkey King and greeted him.
The Monkey King lowered his head and plotted a deception to trick the true immortal. He pretended to ask innocently, "Where are you going, venerable Daoist?"
"I have received an invitation from the Queen Mother to attend the Peach Feast," Daoist Barfoot replied.
"Oh, you don't know it yet. The Jade Emperor ordered me to reroute all the guests because I have the fastest cloud. We are to gather at the Hall of Brilliance first to pay our respects before proceeding to the banquet," the Monkey King said.
Being honest and straightforward, Daoist Barfoot believed the Monkey King's deceitful words. "I usually go to the Jade Pool to express my gratitude. So why are we ordered to go to the Hall of Brilliance first and then to the Peach Feast at the Jade Pool?" Helpless, he redirected his cloud and went straight to the Hall of Brilliance as the Monkey King had tricked him into doing.
The Great Sage rode his Flying Nimbus, recited an incantation, and transformed himself into Daoist Barfoot before heading towards the Jade Pool. In no time, he arrived at the magnificent treasure pavilion, gracefully stepping inside. There, a scene of enchantment greeted his eyes:
> Amidst fragrant scents entwined, a splendid mist unfurls,
> Rainbow colors glisten, a celestial beauty swirls.
> Jade terraces bedecked in vibrant hues,
> Treasure chambers waft with aromatic clues.
>
> Phoenixes and immortal birds gracefully fly,
> Golden blossoms and jade petals dance in the sky.
> Nine phoenixes guard the door with rosy clouds,
> Eight treasures on the purple nimbus shroud,
>
> A five-colored table adorned with intricate gold,
> A jade basin filled with flowers manifold.
> On the table, dragon liver and phoenix marrow,
> Bear paws and red macaque lips to follow.
>
> Delicacies of various flavors abound,
> Exotic fruits and exquisite dishes newly found.
The place was neatly arranged, but there were still no immortals in sight.
The Monkey King couldn't help but admire the scene before him.
Suddenly, a delightful aroma of wine filled the air. He turned his head and saw a long corridor on the right, where several celestial officials were making wine and a few strong men were handling fermentation. They were accompanied by some water-carrying Daoists and fire-burning attendants, all busy washing barrels and jars, producing precious elixirs and fragrant brews.
The spread of food and wine left the Monkey King drooling, yet he restrained himself, mindful of the crowd around. Instead, he used his magic, plucked a few hairs, chewed them into pieces, and spat them out, uttering an incantation: "Transform!"
In an instant, he turned into several bed bugs and crawled onto the faces of the workers. The magic of these creatures made the workers feel sleepy, and they dropped their tasks, closing their eyes for a nap.
Seizing the opportunity, the Monkey King selected various delicacies and a few exquisite dishes, and settled near the barrels and jars. He feasted and drank to his heart's content. Having indulged for quite some time, he now found himself utterly inebriated.
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Oh, he knew he was in trouble, no doubt about it. If those guests showed up and caught him red-handed, there'd be no way out. He decided it would be best to head back to his mansion and sleep before things went haywire.
The Monkey King swaggered and stumbled around, a little tipsy from the alcohol. But in his drunken state, he took the wrong path and ended up at the Heavenly Mansion instead of the Equal to Heaven Mansion.
When he saw where he was, he suddenly realized, "Wait, this is Laozi[1]'s palace in the Thirty-Three Heavens, not where this handsome and almighty Lord lives! How did I end up here?" Still, he thought, "Oh well, I've always wanted to meet Laozi, but it never worked out before. Now that I'm here, I might as well pay him a visit." With that decision, he straightened his clothing. Confidently, he walked into the building, only to find it empty, without a soul in sight.
As it turned out, Laozi and the Ancient Lamp Buddha were on the third floor of the Crimson Elixir Tower, giving a lecture. All the celestial attendants, officers, and officials were listening attentively.
The Monkey King searched through the rooms but couldn't find Laozi anywhere. Yet, he noticed a fire burning near the alchemy stove. There were five gourds placed around it, and inside each gourd were perfected golden pills – treasures of the immortal world!
The Monkey King was delighted. "When Lao Sun grasped the Dao, he understood the principle of harmony between the inner and outer worlds. He then devised golden pills to aid others when he couldn't be there to guide them personally," Sun Wokun thought. “So why not give them a try? After all, Laozi isn't here right now." He emptied all the gourds and ate the pills, relishing them just like he would enjoy roasted beans.
In no time, the elixir's effect wore off, and Monkey King sobered up. He started to worry, "Oh no, this trouble is bigger than the heavens themselves. If it alerts the Jade Emperor, my life will be in danger. I better run, run, run, and become a king in the mortal world instead."
So, Wukong dashed out of the Heavenly Mansion, avoiding his usual path, and headed towards the Western Heaven Gate, using a hidden technique to escape. Riding his Flying Nimbus, he returned to Flower Fruit Mountain.
There, he saw banners shining brightly, and weapons glistening. It turned out that the four mighty generals and the seventy-two demon kings were practicing their martial arts.
Monkey King shouted, "Hey, guys, I'm back!"
The monsters put down their weapons and knelt, saying, "Great Sage, you've kept us waiting for so long without any sign."
Monkey King replied, "It hasn't been that long, not that long."
As they ventured deep into the cave, they continued their conversation. "During the hundred and ten years, what role have you had in the heavens?" The four generals asked respectfully, resting the argument and polishing it simultaneously.
The Monkey King chuckled and replied, "I swear it's only been half a year up there. How can you talk about centuries?"
"One day is equivalent to a year on Earth in heaven."
"Well, lucky for me, the Jade Emperor liked me and appointed me as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. I even got my own palace, the Equal to Heaven Mansion, and two bureaus called Tranquility and Serenity, along with celestial officials as attendants. And lately, the Queen Mother of the West held a grand Peach Banquet, but she has not yet invited me. I couldn't wait, so I went to the Jade Pool in advance. Well, I had a little feast there, munching on their divine peaches and sipping their celestial wine. Later, I accidentally wandered into Laozi’s mansion and helped myself to his five gourds of golden pills. I was afraid of getting in trouble with the Jade Emperor, so I rushed out of heaven's gates." The Monkey King told.
The monsters were thrilled to hear his words. Eagerly, they prepared a feast, offering drinks and fruits to celebrate the occasion. They filled a stone bowl with coconut wine and presented it to the Monkey King.
After taking a sip, he grimaced and said, "Not quite to my taste, not at all."
Beng and Ba, the two generals, explained, "In the heavens, you've been indulging in divine wine and celestial feasts, so coconut wine may not be as satisfying. As the saying goes, 'Nothing beats the taste of home.'"
"You guys are my family and home." The Monkey King said. "Earlier at the Jade Pool, I had the pleasure of enjoying the finest celestial brews. Numerous bottles and jars were beneath the long corridor, filled with celestial brews. Since you haven't had the chance to try them yet, I'll go back and swipe a few bottles. Each of you can have half a cup, and you'll all become immortal, just like me."
The monkeys were overjoyed and excited by the prospect.
The Monkey King dashed out of the cave and soared through the sky. Using his invisibility spell, he arrived directly at the Peach Banquet. He entered the Jade Pool Palace and found that the servants responsible for making wine, preparing food, transporting water, and tending the fire were all still fast asleep and unaware of his presence.
Taking advantage of the situation, he skillfully tucked two jugs under his arms and carried two more in his hands. Then, he turned the Flying Nimbus around and rushed to his monkey companions in the cave.
There, they had a divine wine party, each drinking a few cups. They were filled with joy and happiness. But that's a story for another time.
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[1] Laozi is the legendary founder of Daoism and the author of the Dao Te Ching, a fundamental text in Daoist philosophy.