Rebirth in Journey to the West: Sun Wukong

Chapter 43 Is It Better Roasted or Steamed?

The Wild Monkey Dance was a stick-fighting technique evolved from Sun Wukong's Frenzied Monkey Frenzied Demon Fist. It emphasized boundless fury, swirling the Ruyi Silver-Hooped Rod so swiftly that not a breath of air could pass through.

With a roar from Wukong, all the large and small whirlpools collapsed, and a massive iron rod cloaked in golden True Solar Fire burst forth, landing heavily upon the face of the Western Sea's Great Prince Ao Mo'ang, sending him into a painful howl as he tumbled away, stirring the entire Northern Sea into a violent shake.

"Waaah! I won't let you off!"

A blood-stained tooth fell from his mouth. Ao Mo'ang had one of his dragon teeth knocked out by Sun Wukong's strike. His dragon eyes wide open, he bellowed furiously, the sound echoing across the Northern Sea. Yet Sun Wukong remained nonchalant, casually cleaning his ears, he muttered,

"All this howling, makes my ears buzz. Noisy, aren't you?"

"Swoosh!"

No sooner had his voice faded than he abruptly vanished. Employing the Shrinking Earth into Inches divine skill, he instantly reappeared before Ao Mo'ang's massive black dragon head and suddenly roared.

"Roar~!"

The terrifying sound waves burst forth from Sun Wukong's mouth, expanding in rings and slamming violently against Ao Mo'ang's dragon body, blasting him thousands of miles away before he could steady himself.

"My voice is indeed not softer than yours!"

Sun Wukong paused, smacked his lips, and chuckled. The next instant, he pounced towards the Western Sea Dragon Clan's Great Prince Ao Mo'ang once again, reigniting their fierce battle.

Inside the Northern Sea Dragon Palace, the North Sea Dragon King Ao Shun had already retrieved the Yin Yang Taiji Furnace from the Pill Chamber. Usually palm-sized and easily carried, it was by chance that Ao Shun acquired it. Unfortunately, his Inner Fire was not potent enough to refine it, otherwise even Sun Wukong would find it difficult to snatch it away.

Grasping the Yin Yang Taiji Furnace, North Sea Dragon King Ao Shun hastily exited the Crystal Palace, leading a troop of Aquatic Race soldiers towards the direction of the battle's ripples.

In the battlefield, the fight between Sun Wukong and the Western Sea Dragon Clan's Great Prince Ao Mo'ang had reached white-hot intensity. To put it more accurately, Ao Mo'ang was the one being intensively beaten. From the beginning to the end, he never managed to land a hit on Sun Wukong, while he endured a relentless beating.

Despite having a black dragon body that ranked among the top in the Dragon Race, it couldn't withstand such relentless battering. Under the strikes of the Ruyi Silver-Hooped Rod, next scales began falling off en masse, and wounds appeared all over, clearly signaling his imminent defeat.

"What kind of freak is this monkey? No, I can't match him. If this goes on, I might not survive!"

The anger and dissatisfaction in Ao Mo'ang's heart had gradually been replaced by fear. Having witnessed Sun Wukong's power, what he felt was a profound sense of helplessness. He finally understood why his father had spoken of Sun Wukong with such resentment yet helplessness. Thoughts of retreat surged in Ao Mo'ang's mind.

"Thinking of escaping?"

Perceiving Ao Mo'ang's feigned move and subsequent flight, a glint flashed in Sun Wukong's eyes. Utilizing Shrinking Earth into Inches, he zipped to Ao Mo'ang's front, activated his Divine Power Dharma Aspect Heaven and Earth, and instantly grew immense, hurling the Ruyi Silver-Hooped Rod from his hand.

The rod shot through Ao Mo'ang's nostrils from one end to the other, then abruptly ballooned in size, wedging his nostrils fully open like a nose ring, and one end smashed staunchly into the Northern Sea's seabed.

"Smaller, smaller!"

Muttering, Sun Wukong caused the Ruyi Silver-Hooped Rod to shrink, along with Ao Mo'ang's massive dragon body, which was now stuck, its nostrils pierced on the rod, and utterly unable to struggle free.

"Who was it that said they would gobble me up? Well, go on and swallow me to show how it's done!"

Sun Wukong stood at the seabed, leaning on the Ruyi Silver-Hooped Rod, watching the small black dragon that was ceaselessly thrashing with the rod through its snout, an expression of mockery on his face.

"Damn bastard, stupid monkey paper, you've driven me mad. Let me go now, lest I can't take you down..."

With such a large iron rod passed through his nostrils, the Western Sea Dragon Clan's Great Prince Ao Mo'ang felt both shame and rage as he bellowed and struggled, his speech slurred due to the obstructed airflow.

"Still so insolent even now . . . you sure don't shed tears until you see the coffin, huh? Fine! Let's see how long you can keep up this bravado!"

Snorting coldly, Sun Wukong's mind stirred. True Fire began to coil around the Ruyi Silver-Hooped Rod, burning down towards Ao Mo'ang's body from his nostrils, prompting him to scream in agony.

"Merciful Immortal, please spare me!"

Upon arriving at the scene, what North Sea Dragon King Ao Shun witnessed nearly took his breath away. He called out from a distance, his speed surging as he approached Sun Wukong, pleading nonstop, "Oh, Immortal, my nephew was ignorant and has offended the Immortal. You are magnanimous, please do not stoop to his level and forgive him!"

"Just an offense? Old Dragon King, if I were inferior in skill, wouldn't my ending be much worse than this? It was he who initiated the provocation. Do you think a few words would suffice to convince me to let him go? Isn't that a bit too easy?"

With a forced smile, Sun Wukong glanced at North Sea Dragon King Ao Shun. The message was clear – the life and death of Ao Mo'ang lay at his whim. The key was what price North Sea Dragon King Ao Shun was willing to pay.

"Big brother, this old geezer wants a pill furnace and keeps making excuses; why keep talking to him? Just roast this little loach and let's have a feast!"

Jiao Demon King Long Chao had been watching the fight and now approached Sun Wukong. Seeing the look in Sun Wukong's eyes, he instantly got the hint and pretended to be impatient as he chimed in.

"Does dragon meat taste good?"

Sun Wukong blinked his eyes, looking very interested.

"Delicious! Dragon meat in the sky, donkey meat on the ground, haven't you heard, boss?"

"Is it better roasted, steamed, or eaten raw?"

"I think roasted tastes best, raw is a bit too greasy..."

Sun Wukong and Jiao Demon King Long Chao discussed the best ways to eat dragon meat, frightening the Western Sea Dragon Clan's Great Prince Ao Mo'ang into a pale, ashen face. The thought of being skinned and devoured by these two made Ao Mo'ang's heart tremble.

"Don't eat me! I was wrong, I admit my mistake! Uncle, please give him the Yin Yang Taiji Furnace and save my life!"

The pride and dignity of the Western Sea Dragon Clan's Great Prince ultimately caved to the fear of death. Ao Mo'ang, usually so high and mighty, had never suffered such a humiliation. His life was entirely in someone else's hands, and he was on the verge of a breakdown.

"Immortal, this is the Yin Yang Taiji Furnace, a gift for the Immortal. I only ask that you spare his life!"

The North Sea Dragon King Ao Shun hurriedly presented the Yin Yang Taiji Furnace to Sun Wukong, subtly winking at Ao Mo'ang.

"Immortal, I know my mistake, please spare my life!"

Ao Mo'ang had completely put away his pride at this moment. What use was face when his life was nearly gone? Sun Wukong might be one thing, but Jiao Demon King Long Chao was known for brutally chewing up the Northern Sea Dragon Race's Crown Prince Ao Yi half a year ago. Without submission, he might really convince Sun Wukong to eat him!

Sun Wukong reached out and snatched the Yin Yang Taiji Furnace, activating his Void-Breaking Divine Eye to scan it a few times. The furnace was swirling with the energies of Yin and Yang, but there were no spiritual marks on it—it seemed North Sea Dragon King Ao Shun had not begun the refinement process.

"Alright then, seeing as the old Dragon King is so sincere, I'll let this guy off just this once. But remember, this is the first and last time. If there's a next time, I won't be so easygoing!"

With a thought, Sun Wukong shrank the Ruyi Silver-Hooped Rod and tucked it away.

The Western Sea Dragon Clan's Great Prince Ao Mo'ang finally broke free from confinement, quickly transformed into his human shape, and without any face left to save, he bowed to North Sea Dragon King Ao Shun and swam off toward the Northern Sea Dragon Palace, taking the still-unconscious Ao Lie and swiftly leaving the Northern Sea to return to the Western Sea.

Sun Wokung did not linger either. Now that he had the Yin Yang Taiji Furnace, and having had his fill of food and drink, it was time to return to Flower-Fruit Mountain for alchemy.

He needed to quickly produce the spirit pills to support his Void-Breaking Divine Eye in uncovering the secrets deep within the nine dragon veins of Flower-Fruit Mountain; otherwise, curiosity gnawed at Sun Wukong, leaving him uncomfortable!

Upon leaving the Northern Sea, Jiao Demon King bade Sun Wukong farewell and returned to his own sect to prepare for relocation. Sun Wukong mounted his Somersault Cloud and headed straight back to Flower-Fruit Mountain, diving deep into the Water Curtain Cave Heaven. By the big tree, he started refining the spirit pills in the newly constructed Pill Chamber.

During his studies under the Puti Patriarch, Sun Wukong had read the ancient alchemy books in the Scripture Pavilion of Three-Star Cave Heaven many times, and the recipes were deeply ingrained in his memory. Yet, this was his first time actually attempting alchemy himself, so he was uncertain.

Thankfully, to be on the safe side, he had prepared several sets of ingredients, hoping he wouldn't be so unlucky as to fail on his first attempt, right?

"Boom!"

A loud boom suddenly erupted from the Water Curtain Cave Heaven, followed immediately by billowing black smoke drifting out. Demons outside the Water Curtain Cave Heaven cast curious glances toward the rising smoke, but soon returned to their businesses with a sense of indifference.

"The Great King's alchemy has failed again! Sigh!"

"Isn't this already the fourth failure?"

"Shush! Keep it down, or you'll risk the Great King taking his anger out on you!"

In three years, this was the fourth time Sun Wukong's alchemy attempt ended in a furnace explosion failure. Luckily, the Yin Yang Taiji Furnace was an Innate Spiritual Treasure; otherwise, any ordinary alchemy cauldron would have been destroyed by now.

Sun Wukong had initially thought that alchemy was a simple task of just following the recipe and adding the various spiritual medicines in order for refinement and fusion. However, when he actually got down to it, he found it was not so straightforward!

The first challenge was controlling the flame!

Sun Wukong had a natural advantage that ordinary alchemists did not possess: the True Solar Fire of his current life. This was the perfect alchemy flame, yet it was precisely this that caused the furnace to explode!