In the mountain, there are no cycles of sixty days, and with the cold gone, the years pass unnoticed.
One day, the Grandmaster was walking through the forest, and upon counting on his fingers, realized that the Stone Monkey had already been there for seven years.
"Wukong."
The Grandmaster called out, but the Stone Monkey was not by his side.
"Master."
Two immortals bowed to him: "You forgot again, last time he secretly drank your medicinal wine, and you punished him with contemplation behind closed doors."
The Grandmaster recalled and couldn't help but sigh. Over the years, the monkey had been his frequent companion, clever and endearing, growing closer each day, to the point where he found it uncomfortable to be without him.
"The punishment of seven days behind closed doors has come to an end."
The Grandmaster instructed the immortals: "Children, go and call him for me."
"Yes."
The two immortals agreed and turned towards the corridor.
"Why such a light punishment from the Master?"
One immortal asked, the Grandmaster had always been strict; never before had he been so lenient for a mere seven days of confinement.
"I don't understand either."
Another replied: "That Wukong, having been here for seven years, really isn't much of a figure after all."
When he first joined, the Stone Monkey's grand ambitions frightened all the disciples.
In the first two years, the disciples often mocked the Stone Monkey, who didn't get angry and tried to act the part. Some even thought the Stone Monkey was unfathomable.
However, after seven years, the Stone Monkey had achieved nothing in his cultivation. Compared to the many disciples, he was the worst, gradually coming to be looked down upon by everyone.
Moreover, in recent years, the monkey's nature started to show, and he was less mysterious than at the beginning.
"It must be because he can tell stories, right?"
"It certainly is."
While discussing, the two immortals quickly arrived at the Stone Monkey's bedroom.
Before entering, a burst of cheering came from the bedroom.
The immortals exchanged glances.
"He's telling stories again."
"Let's hurry in and listen!"
The two immortals quickened their pace into the bedroom.
Inside, a group of senior disciples surrounded the Stone Monkey, with a round of applause encouraging his storytelling.
"As the story goes, the Fairy Snow Lotus threw the Poke-Eye Pearl straight towards Huang Tianhua; a pearl that specifically harms one's eyes, Huang Tianhua couldn't defend in time and got hit, injuring both eyes..."
The Stone Monkey was telling the story so vividly, it was utterly engaging.
The storytelling from "Investiture of the Gods" was wide-ranging and imaginative, with thrilling plots involving immortals, demons, ghosts, and monsters, all vividly portrayed and lifelike.
Even the two immortals who had entered the bedroom couldn't help but start listening.
If there was one thing exceptional about the Stone Monkey, it was that mouth of his—somehow, he always managed to concoct bizarre, absurdly funny stories.
Whenever the Stone Monkey had some spare time, he would discuss spirits and oddities with his fellow disciples. Though the stories he told were fictional, they included human sentiments, karmic retribution, and fates so convincingly articulated that they became more real the more one listened.
After hearing his stories for some time, some disciples even started to doubt the authenticity of the stories they had known before.
For instance, Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad, in the story of "Investiture of the Gods," had a highly revered status, which was quite different from what they knew.
Furthermore, immortals usually attained their high positions only after enduring many tribulations, but in the Stone Monkey's stories, they were all too human, becoming more terrifying the more one thought about it.
The disciples instinctively found that these stories could unsettle their cultivation, yet they couldn't stop listening.
They were all cultivators with purified senses, not interested in the affairs of the Mortal World, but they couldn't resist the bizarre and fascinating tales of immortals.
The Stone Monkey had been talking for half an hour and was parched and dry, deciding to stop.
"That's all for today."
The Stone Monkey took a sip of honey water and said: "If you want to hear the continuation, senior brothers, please find me some hundred-year-old Snow Lotuses."
"No problem."
"We must definitely find it for our junior brother!"
The disciples promised in unison.
They were still engrossed in "Investiture of the Gods," and while a hundred-year Snow Lotus was no ordinary item, the disciples could still find one if they searched, so naturally, they wouldn't refuse.
"Wukong."
Two immortal boys approached the Stone Monkey: "Master wants to see you."
"Let me change my clothes."
The Stone Monkey rejoiced; he had been stuck indoors and not allowed out for days, which had made him very frustrated.
After changing his clothes, the Stone Monkey followed the two immortal boys out the door.
However, upon stepping outside, the Stone Monkey was startled to see Grandmaster standing at the doorway with a stern face, the dozen or so senior brothers who were listening to the storytelling earlier lined up in front of him, not daring to move, all looking like they were ready to receive a scolding.
"Master."
The Stone Monkey realized what was happening and quickly performed a respectful salutation.
"Stand at the back!"
Grandmaster commanded.
The Stone Monkey immediately stood at the end of the line of his senior brothers.
Grandmaster coldly swept his gaze over the disciples, bypassing the Stone Monkey, whose round eyes were constantly shifting around, distinctly different from the other disciples who were trembling with fear.
The reason Grandmaster was here was because the immortal boys had not returned.
When he saw that the immortal boys had not come back for a long time, he came to check and found the Stone Monkey narrating a story.
Grandmaster listened at the doorway and knew that the story, with its mix of truth and fiction, could be a deadly poison to those whose commitment to the Tao was not firm.
"Do you all know your mistake?"
Grandmaster asked the disciples.
The disciples all admitted their mistakes with bowed heads, whispering affirmations, not daring to argue.
Only the Stone Monkey seemed oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
"Master, it's just storytelling."
The Stone Monkey questioned: "How am I in the wrong?"
"You wretch!"
In frustration, Grandmaster exclaimed sharply, holding a chastening ruler, he pointed at the Stone Monkey and said: "I ordered you to reflect on your actions in solitude, yet here you are, disturbing the peace of our sect!"
Grandmaster hit the Stone Monkey on the head three times with the ruler and then looked at Wukong again, noticing him rubbing his head as if he had an epiphany.
This monkey was indeed becoming more astute!
Grandmaster snorted coldly and then, with hands clasped behind his back, left the courtyard, shut the door, and left the many disciples behind.
His actions frightened all the disciples who had been listening to the story, and they subsequently resented the Stone Monkey.
"Junior brother, you're definitely doomed this time!"
"You know Master is angry, yet you still talked back to him! Having offended him this time, who knows how he will punish you!"
The disciples complained about the Stone Monkey while also feeling a Schadenfreude, thinking that the wretch was as good as dead.
But in his heart, the Stone Monkey was overjoyed.
Master Puti had hit him three times and then entered the door with hands behind his back—this was a hint to teach him some real skills!
That night, after all his senior brothers had fallen asleep and when he had calculated the right time, the Stone Monkey got dressed and took the old path to the back door of Master Puti's place.
The back door was indeed just as described in the books, half-open.
The Stone Monkey was very pleased and then entered, walking up to the bedside of Grandmaster.
Grandmaster was lying on his side, facing inward, asleep. The Stone Monkey didn't dare to disturb and kneeled beside the bed to wait.
After a little while, Grandmaster suddenly recited a poem.
"Difficult, difficult, difficult! The Tao is most mysterious, do not treat the Golden Core as something common. Without meeting a supreme being to transmit the secret teachings, mere words leave the mouth parched and tongue dry!"
Having finished the poem, Grandmaster sat up and looked towards the Stone Monkey, his eyes showing not a trace of anger.