The rock face collapsed with a thunderous crash, shaking the ground beneath. Then, in the air, two figures darted back and forth like lightning, their weapons clashing repeatedly, creating the sound of metal striking metal heard moments ago.

At this time, the only part of the Stone Monkey that could move was his eyeballs. With one look, he was utterly astonished. Not far from him, in mid-air, was a colossal figure with dark green-black skin standing thirty feet tall, his head covered in white hair. His enormous eyes occasionally emitted a pale golden light, and his mouth, filled with uneven, snow-white, razor-sharp teeth, was wide open. His body was covered in stiff hair, each strand standing on end, and beneath his jaw hung a long white beard.

This monster was growling softly, seemingly extremely angry. The Stone Monkey, observing closely, realized that the creature’s dark green-black skin was streaked with dark red blood, indicating it was already injured.

Opposite this monster stood a beautiful young man, with a complexion as fair as jade and lips red as if they were dripping, tranquil and beautiful like a woman. He wore tight-fitting black clothes that accentuated his figure, with a wasp waist and long, ape-like arms, holding a long spear. The tip of the spear flickered like a snake's tongue, pointing directly at the opponent.

"Kish, surrender now!" the beautiful young man commanded.

Kish! So, this giant ape was Kish? Hearing this, the Stone Monkey felt a storm surge within him. If this monster was Kish, then this beautiful young man must be Prince Zhang.

The Stone Monkey remembered clearly that Prince Zhang was a disciple of the great national teacher, Saint Wang Bodhisattva, who had subdued the Lady of the Water Spirits along with the four great gods. The Lady of the Water Spirits' name was a later distortion; in reality, she was none other than Kish.

Kish had caused chaos in the Huai River since ancient times, stirring up storms and endangering the people. When Yu the Great worked on flood control, he summoned the gods from heaven, but none could subdue this beast. It was only after calling upon the divine beast, Kui Dragon, that they managed to imprison Kish, suppressing him under Turtle Mountain, and since then, the Huai River had been calm.

Thinking this, the Stone Monkey grew puzzled. Strange? If Kish had been suppressed, how could he have escaped? Was this Kish not the same as the other? Or was the story of his suppression merely a rumor?

As he pondered, the battle resumed.

Kish, with his enormous size, seemed tiny in front of Prince Zhang, yet he was extremely wary of Prince Zhang's spear, hardly daring to approach. Despite his large size, Kish moved with agility, though it seemed he suffered from some internal ailment, as his movements would pause whenever Prince Zhang made a move. Kish, unarmed, would resist the spear's electric sparks with his body when he couldn't dodge. The sounds of metal clashing heard earlier were produced in this manner.

Kish's skin was incredibly tough, but it couldn't withstand the electric sparks. A flash of blue light passed, and fresh blood fell from the sky. He tried to escape, but the air around him seemed enchanted, preventing him from finding a way out, infuriating him further and causing him to roar continuously.

Witnessing Kish's desperate fury, the Stone Monkey felt an inexplicable pity. He couldn't help but recall a chapter from "The Free and Easy Wanderer" in the Water Curtain Cave: about a bird named Peng, with a back as broad as a mountain and wings like clouds hanging from the sky, soaring up to ninety thousand miles...

Kish seemed like a Peng trapped in a cage, full of longing yet restrained by reality.

Prince Zhang wielded his divine spear effortlessly, appearing as a majestic deity, and after about a quarter of an hour, Kish could no longer dodge or escape. His huge body curled up, his once defiant eyes dimmed, and his stiff fur seemed to droop down softly.

Then, from afar, a auspicious cloud approached, and four divine beings in silver armor descended. They spread a large net, trapping Kish inside. This net, fine and sharp as silver threads, cut into his flesh, yet Kish lay still as if dead, making no sound.

One of the divine beings remarked, "Your Highness's spear technique is becoming more and more powerful." Another replied, "Indeed, His Highness is exceptionally gifted, subduing this demon monkey was naturally effortless."

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Demon monkey? Demon monkey!

The Stone Monkey was stirred once more. They referred to Kish as a demon monkey; could it be that Kish belonged to the monkey family? Looking more closely, indeed, when Kish was weakened, his appearance drastically changed. Aside from his enormous size, he looked like a docile monkey. "He and I are of the same kind," thought the Stone Monkey.

The four divine generals captured Kish, carrying the net away on the clouds. Then, within the net, Kish's eyes suddenly opened wide, looking in the Stone Monkey's direction. He saw me! The Stone Monkey felt certain Kish had seen him, his gaze filled with sorrow, grievance, defiance, and sadness...

Prince Zhang flicked his wrist, and the white spear disappeared somewhere. He walked slowly through the air, reaching the Stone Monkey in two or three steps, examining him. He thought, "My master asked me to bring this Stone Monkey back to the temple, I wonder why." With a wave of his sleeve, he enveloped the Stone Monkey, soaring into the sky to return to his mission.

Inside the sleeve, the Stone Monkey felt warmth return to his body, realizing that Prince Zhang's sleeve was not made of silk or cotton but seemed to be woven from golden threads.

After a while, he felt himself land. The Stone Monkey was placed on the ground in front of a magnificent mountain gate, three feet tall and made of white jade, with "Great Saint Zen Temple" inscribed in golden letters above.

Entering the gate, he saw majestic halls and pavilions, surrounded by colorful clouds, with winding corridors and a nine-story tower shining brightly in the distance, likely an important place.

Without uttering a word, Prince Zhang led the Stone Monkey into the great hall. Inside, an elderly man sat in silence, his eyebrows reaching down to his cheeks, his head crowned with a layer of faint black curls. Dressed in simple black and white robes, his face exuded kindness. On either side of him stood a young novice monk, each with red lips, white teeth, clear brows, and beautiful eyes, standing respectfully.

Seeing Prince Zhang enter the hall, the elderly man smiled slightly, "Disciple, have you gained anything today?" Prince Zhang placed his hands together in a salute and replied, "I was three minutes faster than last time. However, Kish seemed to sense something, showing greater intelligence than before."

"Mm," responded the elderly man, his expression unchanged. Prince Zhang slowly stepped back.

The elderly man's gaze then shifted to the Stone Monkey, murmuring, "A spirit-illumined stone monkey, truly a rare creature between heaven and earth." After saying this, he slightly closed his eyes and began to calculate with his left hand tucked in his sleeve. After a short while, he opened his eyes, slightly surprised, "This stone monkey has only descended into this world for a little over a year and is already facing a major calamity. Quite extraordinary. Let's see what destiny he will meet."

Looking at the Stone Monkey, the elderly man asked, "Do you know where you come from?"

Having waited for a long time, the Stone Monkey eagerly replied, "I come from the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit in the East Victorious Divine Continent."

"Hmm, indeed you recognize the timing of heaven and understand the advantages of the earth. Do you have parents?"

"I have neither father nor mother, but I have several brothers."

"Do you have a name?"

"No name?"

"I will give you one—" Suddenly, the elderly man stopped, as if someone had interrupted him. His words seemed to suggest he was about to offer a name, but he then said, "I will give you a set—of robes, and you shall stay here in the Great Saint Zen Temple."

The Stone Monkey was filled with doubts. This elderly man was Prince Zhang's master, naturally the Great Saint National Teacher,Bodhisattva Wang, who subdued Kish. Sun Wukong, who couldn't deal with the Green Bull Monster, had said when seeking reinforcements, "...but it's early summer, when the Huai River floods. We've just subdued the Water Monkey Great Saint, who becomes excited at the sight of water; I fear that in my absence, he might cause trouble, and no deity could control him."

In the entirety of "Journey to the West," the Buddha seems to have the greatest ability, and the Jade Emperor has the greatest authority. However, the Stone Monkey, who has almost fully understood "Journey to the West," knows that this world hides many powerful figures, and those that appear are just the tip of the iceberg, hardly worth mentioning. The mere phrase "no deity could control him" from the Great Saint National Teacher, King Bodhisattva, showcases his immense confidence, treating all other gods and immortals as nothing. From this, one can imagine his great power.

He initially intended to give the Stone Monkey a name, indicating a desire to take him in, but suddenly changed his speech, as if forcefully stopped by someone else. What could be the reason? Who has the power and ability to influence the Great Saint National Teacher, King Bodhisattva's decision?

The Stone Monkey couldn't help but think of the Patriarch Bodhi. In "Journey to the West," from the moment the Monkey King set out to explore the seas, his life was almost entirely arranged by others. Despite appearing to lead a glorious life, he had lost his true self. Now that I have come to this world, I will not allow my life to be the same.

A destiny controlled by others, even if glorious, holds no meaning if one's experience is akin to that of a puppet. Only the true self is the real self.