However, while Sun Wukong spoke eloquently, he did not elaborate on how to combine Daoist skills with craftsmanship.
The demons of Huaguo Mountain were completely puzzled.
In the evening, Ao Luan found Sun Wukong at the top of a mountain.
"Older brother."
Ao Luan said, "They don't know how to do it. Allow me to seek the answer from you."
Sun Wukong was watering some herbal medicines. "Each profession is different. Tell them to use their imagination and try things out. They'll understand soon enough."
Ao Luan thought for a moment, "I have heard that the Heavenly Emperor's daughter can weave brocade from the clouds to create Heavenly Clothes that allow even mortals to fly to the heavens. Is this the kind of technique you are asking the demons to create?"
"That's one kind," nodded Sun Wukong.
Ao Luan shook her head with a wry smile, "Brother, you are asking too much of us. Immortals have profound mana and can create Immortal Artifacts. How could we possibly achieve the same?"
"Immortals use Immortal Techniques to create things, but they lack sophisticated craftsmanship," said Sun Wukong, stopping his watering. "I don't need you to produce Heavenly Clothes from brocade. What Huaguo Mountain needs to create are spiritual objects that can be widely used, even by mortals."
Ao Luan frowned, "If they are meant for mortals, why bother making them spiritual objects?"
How can we change the world without spiritual objects?
This thought flickered through Sun Wukong's mind.
He explained, "In our trade with humans, we can only make a profit by creating things they cannot make themselves."
This was another reason, which Ao Luan could immediately understand.
Years of trade had shown her humanity's frightening abilities; they were naturally talented in crafting and excelled in refinement. After the widespread dissemination of Heavenly Craftsmanship, the things they made were not at all inferior to those made by demons.
"I understand your idea, brother," said Ao Luan. "But the definition of spiritual objects is too broad. Could you please make us a prototype?"
Even understanding Sun Wukong's idea, Ao Luan still had no clue how to combine Daoist magic with craftsmanship.
Besides, could they really create spiritual objects for mortals to use?
Ao Luan still had her doubts.
"Take these herbal medicines to those little demons learning cultivation."
Sun Wukong, with mud still clinging to them, pulled up a few herbal plants and handed them to Ao Luan. "They naturally knew how to cultivate them, and others would surely gain some inspiration upon seeing them."
Ao Luan took the herbs, puzzled. "What are these?"
Sun Wukong grabbed a squirrel from a nearby tree, cut its skin, then plucked a herb and applied it to the squirrel's wound.
Under the gaze of Ao Luan, the wound on the squirrel healed immediately, not even a scar to be seen.
"I call it Hemostatic Grass."
Sun Wukong released the squirrel to scamper up the tree. "I selected plants with hemostatic properties and mainly used the cultivation methods from Heavenly Craftsmanship, supplemented them with Immortal Techniques, and it took ten years to create it."
Ao Luan was dismissive, "I can make such a hemostatic herbal medicine as well."
She was a Dragon Girl who had attained Daoist enlightenment—her spit could transform any plant into something extraordinary.
Sun Wukong shook his head with a smile. "This herb is different from the medicines you make. It forms independently, absorbs the essence of nature to produce seeds, and does not need to be tended with Immortal Law."
This was a strain he had finished cultivating.
Ao Luan opened her eyes wide in surprise and looked at the herb again, "Can it be cultivated on a large scale?"
"Yes," Sun Wukong nodded. Even in very poor conditions, this herb could absorb the essence of the sun and the moonshine and would grow within two years.
"Brother, you are indeed a genius!"
Ao Luan's eyes sparkled as if she could see endless treasures behind the herbal medicine.
She declared joyfully, "I will start cultivating it right away."
After speaking, Ao Luan flew towards Shuilian Cave.
After flying halfway, Ao Luan suddenly remembered something else and turned around to fly back.
"Brother..."
Ao Luan's voice stopped halfway.
Under the night sky, Sun Wukong stood atop the mountain peak, gazing up at the sky studded with stars.
Ao Luan floated in mid-air, not daring to disturb him.
Bathed in moonlight, Sun Wukong's fur shimmered, his eyes reflecting the profound depth of the sky like a clear mirror.
"What is Brother thinking?"
Ao Luan couldn't help but ponder; often, she found his thoughts inscrutable.
Ao Luan watched for a long time but ultimately said nothing, turning away to leave.
Sun Wukong gazed up at the stars.
On those stars lived countless Immortals, possessing peerless strength, able to create endless possibilities, yet they never used it to reshape the world.
Isn't the so-called salvation of all beings supposed to lead everyone to happiness?
"That person should understand."
Sun Wukong withdrew his gaze, snapped his fingers to calculate, knowing it was time to visit that Immortal.
Huaguo Mountain was a testing ground; Sun Wukong did not expect the demons to do too well, just getting off to a good start was enough.
But even if it was a testing ground, Sun Wukong would seize any significant opportunity that arose.
With a somersault cloud, he transformed into golden light and left Huaguo Mountain.
At dawn, he landed before a Daoist Temple.
"Sun Wukong seeks an audience with Immortal Zhenyuan."
Sun Wukong called out loudly.
"You macaque, why have you come again!"
Two immortal children emerged from the temple, cursing, "The Grandmaster refuses to see you; why do you persist so doggedly!"
They did not like Sun Wukong; the monkey had been coming every few months for over a decade, nearly a hundred times in total, and they couldn't drive him away.
The two immortal children, both Independent Immortals who had attained the dao, tried various spells to drive the monkey away, but to no avail. He stood there, immovable as a mountain, unaffected by their efforts.
After a long time, the immortals also gave up on driving him away; after all, Sun Wukong would leave on his own after standing there for a day.
Of course—insults were essential.
Sun Wukong let them hurl insults, indifferent to honor or disgrace, yearning for wisdom with all his heart, determined to win over Immortal Zhenyuan.
In this world, there were only two aides he desired—one was Master Puti, the other was Immortal Zhenyuan.
Sun Wukong stood at the entrance of Wuzhuang Taoist Temple for a day, but Immortal Zhenyuan inside never came out.
As the sky dimmed, Sun Wukong knew it was another fruitless visit.
"Three months from now, I will come again."
Sun Wukong spoke, bowed slightly toward the temple, and then soared off.
After his departure, a sigh issued from within Wuzhuang Temple's main hall.
"Such a stubborn monkey."
Everything outside was clearly seen by Immortal Zhenyuan.
If Sun Wukong were not so mysterious, with his sincerity, Immortal Zhenyuan would be quite willing to become friends with him.
But he couldn't fathom the monkey, only to deduce that every move Sun Wukong made held a deeper significance.
To befriend him may bring about entanglement in a major upheaval.
Thus, it was better not to meet.
"A pity, a pity—"
Immortal Zhenyuan shook his head, then looked at the characters for "Heaven" and "Earth" hanging over the altar.
His altar was neither for Immortals nor for Buddha, but solely for the words Heaven and Earth to which he offered incense.
Yet the monkey's deeds seemed to please Heaven and Earth even more than all those countless Immortals.