Sun Wukong then commanded the monkeys to clean up the aftermath. With the arrival of so many birds and beasts, there was no need for them to return from whence they came. From that day forward, they served as the miscellaneous workforce of the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, exclusively under the monkeys' command.

Together, they got to work. Wukong employed several miraculous spells, commanding the flora to rejuvenate. In just a matter of hours, the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit was tidied up. The trees were lush, the grass was green, and the flowers were so vibrant they seemed almost to drip with color, making the mountain even more beautiful than before.

Wukong leapt atop a high rock and declared loudly, "During my travels overseas, I was bestowed magical powers by immortals and given the name Sun Wukong. From now on, all of our kin shall bear the surname Sun."

The monkeys were overjoyed at the prospect of having names, something they had never imagined possible for simple mountain monkeys.

"To the Arm-reacher Monkey and the Red-bottomed Horse Monkey, you four have contributed greatly to protecting our mountain. You are hereby appointed as the Four Great Generals of Ma Liu Beng Ba, in charge of internal affairs, external conflicts, grain collection, and preparations," Wukong announced.

The four elder monkeys bowed in gratitude, not daring to bring up the matter of establishing a new king for the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit again, especially in front of the Red-bottomed Horse Monkey, fearing he might complain to the Great King.

"The rest of the birds and beasts will be under General Ba's command. You may engage in tasks such as road building, camp setting, fruit picking, and mountain patrolling. Anyone who disobeys will be thrown into the deep ravine," Wukong decreed, sending shivers down the spines of the assembled creatures.

Looking around, Wukong saw all the naked animals and monkeys, with only himself dressed properly, which made him laugh. He then said, "Attend to your duties. I shall return shortly."

With a wave of his hand, a cloud appeared, whisking Wukong away into the sky, leaving the animals and birds speechless in astonishment.

Riding the cloud, Wukong flew over the Kingdom of Aolai, looking down at the same cityscape as before. It was just before noon, and the streets were bustling. Reciting a spell, he summoned a gust of wind so strong that it forced merchants and travelers alike to hurriedly seek shelter, closing down markets and streets in an instant.

Wukong then descended, heading straight for the armory. The locked doors were no obstacle for him. Inside, he found a complete array of weapons and military supplies. Without hesitation, he tore off a piece of his robe, enlarged it with a spell, and wrapped up the entire armory's contents.

After looting the armory, Wukong turned invisible and raided the treasury for silver ingots. He also plundered several cloth shops, leaving silver ingots as payment.

Upon returning to the mountain, the monkeys, innocent and carefree, were playing outside the cave. They looked up to see Wukong descending from the sky on his cloud. With a flourish of his robe, an assortment of weapons piled up before them.

"Worry not for the scramble," Wukong advised. "Let General Beng distribute them according to your strength to avoid any injuries from mishandling."

Wukong then instructed General Ma to store the fabric, pondering where to find tailors to make clothes for his monkey kin.

From that day forward, Wukong spent his days organizing camps and training troops, directing the monkeys in military formations and martial practices.

As time passed, various monsters from the surrounding mountains came to submit to Wukong, allowing him to witness creatures he had only heard of in his previous life. He assigned these beasts to the management of the seventy-two caves, ensuring annual tributes and visits.

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Noticing a shortage of armor and weapons, Wukong raided the human realms several times. Within a few years, the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit boasted a formidable army of tens of thousands, well-equipped and disciplined, turning it into an impregnable fortress.

One day, while practicing his magical powers within the Water Curtain Cave, Wukong rested with a content smile on his face. Over three years, he had mastered thirty of the Thirty-Six Transformations of Heaven, excluding the "Heavenly" transformations, allowing him to wield various spells effortlessly.

Confident yet conflicted, Wukong pondered whether to seek fame or continue his ascetic practices for a carefree existence. Recalling the narrative of "Journey to the West," he contemplated acquiring treasures from the Dragon Palace, accepting titles from Heaven, and eventually causing havoc in the Heavenly Palace. However, the thought of being trapped under the Five Elements Mountain by Buddha for five hundred years made him hesitant. Despite speculating that Buddha's palm could be another realm, without any proof or means to counteract, he dared not confront Buddha directly.

After some deliberation, Wukong decided to acquire the Ruyi Jingu Bang, deeming it a rightful treasure for Sun Wukong as depicted in "Journey to the West." Regardless of potential repercussions from the Dragon King or Heaven, Wukong believed his intelligence and adaptability would serve him well in any situation.

Just then, the Arm-reacher and Horse Marshal reported that the tailors they had abducted had completed the monkeys' clothing, leaving Wukong to decide their fate.

Wukong responded, "Give them some gold and silver to keep them quiet, and have the demon kings outside the cave escort them back." General Ma was taken aback, noting the king's gentle heart, which seemed out of character for a demon. Having interacted extensively with the seventy-two demon kings, all of whom were ruthless killers indifferent to human life, General Ma had grown accustomed to viewing humans with hostility. Little did he know that Wukong, originally a human, would not senselessly take lives.

Wukong watched General Ma's departing figure, pondering over the identity of the Divine Arm-reaching Monkey mentioned by Wuzhiqi. He doubted it was any of the monkeys within his cave, as he had felt no unusual presence up close. Wukong felt a deep connection and sympathy for Wuzhiqi's plight, promising himself to rescue him eventually.

Wukong stepped out of the cave to find the monkeys training in the mountains. Upon seeing Wukong, they hailed, "Great King!" and even attracted hundreds of animals to pay their respects. Wukong waved his hand and smiled, saying, "You are all proficient with swords, clubs, bows, and crossbows, yet I do not possess a single weapon suitable for me. What should I do?"

A monkey, known as Marshal Liuyuan with long-reaching arms, replied, "Does the Great King not know of the treasures in the Dragon Palace? The stream beneath the Water Curtain Cave leads directly to the Eastern Sea, making us neighbors. Since the Great King fears neither water nor fire, why not borrow a treasure from there, one that will surely meet your heart's desire?"

This conversation was largely similar to the original text, yet Wukong was now more thoughtful. These four elderly monkeys were quite knowledgeable and their speech was significantly more refined than that of the other monkeys. Could they be some kind of unusual breed?

Thus, Wukong asked, "Marshal Liuyuan, how do you know of the treasures in the Dragon Palace?"

Marshal Liuyuan responded, "Your Majesty, I grew up on Mount Huaguo and often played by the sea. I don’t mean to conceal that in these seas, I have befriended some small fish and shrimp, and it was they who told me."

Wukong nodded and said, "Alright, if it is said by the sea folk, then there must be no falsehood. I shall go!" With that, he leaped into the deep ravine and plunged into the water, following the stream all the way to the vast ocean.

Thanks to the water-repelling magic passed down to Wukong by the Unsupportive Sage, Wukong did not even need to recite any incantations. With a mere thought, the waters parted to both sides, creating a clear path.

Indeed, the scenery under the sea was magnificent, unlike anything on land. Wukong saw the colorful water grass, vibrant shells, lively fish, and beautiful corals. He had never seen such sights in his life and, feeling a burst of enthusiasm, temporarily abandoned the quest for treasure to play in the sea.

...

Above in the heavens, within the Purple Cloud Palace, the True Martial Great Emperor closed his eyes in meditation, a slight smile appearing on his face: "As expected." He immediately summoned a Turtle General and took out a jade slip, saying, "Deliver this to Ao Guang."

The Turtle General, with his exceptional divine powers and proficiency in water, smoothly entered the sea as if walking on flat ground and returned shortly to report back. Emperor Zhenwu asked, "Was there anything unusual elsewhere?"

The Turtle General replied, "Ao Guang gladly accepted the order, with no irregularities."

Emperor Zhenwu nodded and dismissed the Turtle General.

In fact, what he wanted to ask was, "Was there any visitor elsewhere?" By phrasing the question differently, it highlighted Emperor Zhenwu's meticulous mindset.