Chapter 1792 - 22: The Stone Ape Brothers (Part 2)

Serving as a Mountain Patrol Spirit Monkey for a hundred years, serving as a menial servant for a hundred years, and then as a Taoist Child guarding temples for another hundred years.

...

The Little and Big Stone Ape finally got the chance to meet the Bodhi Ancestor.

The Little and Big Stone Ape were inherently uninhibited, unfamiliar with the concept of fear.

Others, upon meeting the Bodhi Ancestor, would surely kneel and bow nine times.

However, the Little and Big Stone Ape roamed the temple freely, occasionally teasing the disciples seated beside them.

"You two mischievous monkeys, why don’t you quickly pay respect to the Ancestor?"

The disciples laughed and scolded.

The Little and Big Stone Ape approached the Bodhi Ancestor and knelt.

Then they bowed to the Bodhi Ancestor.

"Who are you kneeling before?" the Bodhi Ancestor asked.

The Big Stone Ape replied, "Reporting to the Ancestor, we brothers have journeyed across the ocean from Huaguo Mountain at the side of Aolai in the East Sea."

The Bodhi Ancestor, enraged, said, "You troublesome monkeys, how dare you deceive me?"

The Big Stone Ape quickly said, "Disciple is ignorant and unaware of how we deceived the Ancestor?"

The Little and Big Stone Ape, having stayed on Fangcun Mountain for three hundred years, knew some rules more or less, especially being honest in front of the Bodhi Ancestor.

If anyone dared to call them monkeys, the Little and Big Stone Ape would likely have charged at them for a fight.

The Bodhi Ancestor then said, "The vast East Sea is millions of miles away from here, filled with numerous fierce beasts. How could you two possibly have crossed the ocean to come here?"

The Big Stone Ape said, "Reporting to the Ancestor, our brothers dared not lie; we drifted for over a hundred years, experiencing countless dangers, and only arrived at the Immortal Mountain by chance, hoping the Ancestor would accept us as disciples."

The Bodhi Ancestor stroked his gray-white beard and said, "Indeed, you two seem to possess some perseverance. How many years have you been here at my Immortal Mountain?"

The Big Stone Ape answered, "Disciple does not know how many years have passed. Disciple only knows that the wild peaches on the back mountain have blossomed and fallen, eaten by disciple three hundred times!"

"Three hundred springs and autumns have passed. I shall ask you: what do you wish to learn?" The Bodhi Ancestor looked at the Little and Big Stone Ape.

Upon hearing the Bodhi Ancestor’s question about what they wanted to learn, the Little and Big Stone Ape realized he intended to accept them as disciples.

Immediately elated, they bowed their heads repeatedly.

Both brothers spoke simultaneously, "Disciple is ignorant! Not knowing what kind of Immortal Law the mentor possesses?"

The Bodhi Ancestor smiled slightly and said, "I have countless wondrous methods."

Pausing briefly, he continued, "Shall I teach you the arts of Seeking Immortality and Divination, Evil-Exorcism and Disaster Prevention?"

The Little and Big Stone Ape asked, "Master, can such arts grant longevity?"

The Bodhi Ancestor replied, "No, they cannot."

The Little and Big Stone Ape said, "Seeking Immortality and Divination is less valuable than being one’s own master, not learning, not learning."

The Bodhi Ancestor said, "Then shall I teach you to chant Buddha scriptures and invoke sacred presences?"

The Little and Big Stone Ape asked, "Can it grant longevity?"

The Bodhi Ancestor said, "Like grasping at moon reflections in water."

The Little and Big Stone Ape exclaimed, "The master speaks ambiguously; our brothers are honest, not adept at riddles. What does grasping at moon reflections mean?"

Suddenly, the others laughed heartily, seemingly mocking the Little and Big Stone Ape’s lack of insight.

The Bodhi Ancestor said, "The moon hangs high, its reflection in water visible, yet unable to be grasped, ultimately in vain!"

The Little and Big Stone Ape said, "In that case, chanting Buddha scriptures is less valuable than having real skills. Not learning, not learning, not learning."

The Bodhi Ancestor said, "Then shall I teach you to practice Zen meditation, abide by precepts, and cultivate fasting?"

The Little and Big Stone Ape asked, "Can it grant longevity?"

The Bodhi Ancestor said, "Like viewing flowers in the mirror, wanting to pluck, unable!"

The Little and Big Stone Ape shook their heads like rattles, saying, "Not learning, not learning; Zen meditation is less valuable than wielding sticks and boxing."

The Bodhi Ancestor, furious, knocked on the Little and Big Stone Ape’s heads three times before storming off.

The other disciples reprimanded the Little and Big Stone Ape, saying they shouldn’t have angered the master.

The Little and Big Stone Ape bared their teeth at the disciples.

At the third watch of the night, the Little and Big Stone Ape went to the room where the Bodhi Ancestor rested.

"Who’s outside? Not sleeping at night? What are you here for?"

The Bodhi Ancestor’s voice came from the room.

The Little and Big Stone Ape knelt with a thud, saying, "Master! Please teach us real skills."

The Bodhi Ancestor came out, seeing the Little and Big Stone Ape, saying, "Since Pangu opened the heavens and earth, countless lives have been nurtured, yet never a pair like the Twin Life Stone Apes. Perhaps this is fate. I possess the Three Thousand Great Dao, seventy-two Supreme Immortal Skills, and the art of Soaring Clouds and Mist: one somersault allowing you to travel the Three Mountains and Five Mountains, even enter the Nine Heavens Heavenly Realm or descend to Nine Nether Hell. Do you wish to learn?"

The Little and Big Stone Ape, hearing of such Divine Skills, were instantly excited, baring their teeth, "Want to learn! Want to learn! The disciple bows to the master!"

"I shall grant each of you brothers a name. As the elder, you will henceforth be called Sun Wukong. As the younger, you will henceforth be called Sun Wutian. Hope that after achieving proper fruition, you shall commit to good deeds, cultivate good karma, and never cause chaos. Otherwise, regardless of Heavenly Sea Corner, I shall pursue and punish you!"

The Bodhi Ancestor warned.

"Master’s teachings are inscribed on our hearts," Sun Wukong and Sun Wutian hurriedly said.

...

After a thousand years of cultivation, the brothers completed their apprenticeship.

Impatiently returning to Huaguo Mountain.

The Big Stone Ape declared himself the Great Sage Equalling Heaven.

The Little Stone Ape declared himself the Fighting Saint Ape.

The Little and Big Stone Ape, ruling the mountain as kings, lived carefree.

But later, after a bout of heavy drinking.

The Soul Hooking Envoys of the Netherworld hooked away the Little and Big Stone Ape’s souls.

This caused a great uproar.

The Little and Big Stone Ape, having long altered destiny through great means, had jumped outside the Three Realms, not within the Five Elements.

Not respecting heaven above, nor revering earth below.

Equaling height with heaven.

Even King Yan couldn’t claim their lives.

The Little and Big Stone Ape, furious, rampaged through the Netherworld.

The Ten Halls of Yama.

Were beaten half-dead by the Little and Big Stone Ape.

Then the brothers departed at length.

This event caused a huge sensation.

Instantly spreading across the Three Realms and Six Paths.

The Demon Clan’s six Great Saints.

Great Sage Who Pacifies Heaven, Bull Demon King.

Sea Overturning Great Saint, Jiao Demon King.

Complete Heaven Great Saint, Roc Demon King.

Mountain Shifting Great Saint, Lion King.

Wind Transmission Great Saint, Macaque King.

God Expelling Great Saint, Prison Marmoset King.

These six Great Saints came to Huaguo Mountain and formed bonds of brotherhood with the Little and Big Stone Ape.

The Demon Clan’s power reached its peak.

...

The dream ended here.

Lin Feng woke up.

He sat up directly.

His complexion varied.

"This dream... so real?"

Lin Feng glanced at the stone statue of the Fighting Saint Ape.

In his heart.

It was as if turbulent waves surged.

If all experienced in the dream were real.

It would indeed be shocking.

Turns out, the nearly invincible Fighting Saint Ape of a mythical era was merely a Little Stone Ape.

His elder brother, Great Sage Equalling Heaven, was indeed the Big Stone Ape.

Rumor had it, the Fighting Saint Ape was killed by the united forces of the Heavenly Realm and Buddha Realm experts.

Then where did the Big Stone Ape Great Sage Equalling Heaven go? What was his fate in the end?

This was from a time of endless age past, alas, everything became a mystery.