WuKong: The Monkey King

Chapter 20 Joyful Reunion

Sun Wukong then commanded the monkeys to clean up the aftermath. With the arrival of so many birds and beasts, there was no need for them to return from whence they came. From that day forward, they served as the miscellaneous workforce of the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, exclusively under the monkeys' command.

Together, they got to work. Wukong employed several miraculous spells, commanding the flora to rejuvenate. In just a matter of hours, the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit was tidied up. The trees were lush, the grass was green, and the flowers were so vibrant they seemed almost to drip with color, making the mountain even more beautiful than before.

Wukong leapt atop a high rock and declared loudly, "During my travels overseas, I was bestowed magical powers by immortals and given the name Sun Wukong. From now on, all of our kin shall bear the surname Sun."

The monkeys were overjoyed at the prospect of having names, something they had never imagined possible for simple mountain monkeys.

"To the Arm-reacher Monkey and the Red-bottomed Horse Monkey, you four have contributed greatly to protecting our mountain. You are hereby appointed as the Four Great Generals of Ma Liu Beng Ba, in charge of internal affairs, external conflicts, grain collection, and preparations," Wukong announced.

The four elder monkeys bowed in gratitude, not daring to bring up the matter of establishing a new king for the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit again, especially in front of the Red-bottomed Horse Monkey, fearing he might complain to the Great King.

"The rest of the birds and beasts will be under General Ba's command. You may engage in tasks such as road building, camp setting, fruit picking, and mountain patrolling. Anyone who disobeys will be thrown into the deep ravine," Wukong decreed, sending shivers down the spines of the assembled creatures.

Looking around, Wukong saw all the naked animals and monkeys, with only himself dressed properly, which made him laugh. He then said, "Attend to your duties. I shall return shortly."

With a wave of his hand, a cloud appeared, whisking Wukong away into the sky, leaving the animals and birds speechless in astonishment.

Riding the cloud, Wukong flew over the Kingdom of Aolai, looking down at the same cityscape as before. It was just before noon, and the streets were bustling. Reciting a spell, he summoned a gust of wind so strong that it forced merchants and travelers alike to hurriedly seek shelter, closing down markets and streets in an instant.

Wukong then descended, heading straight for the armory. The locked doors were no obstacle for him. Inside, he found a complete array of weapons and military supplies. Without hesitation, he tore off a piece of his robe, enlarged it with a spell, and wrapped up the entire armory's contents.

After looting the armory, Wukong turned invisible and raided the treasury for silver ingots. He also plundered several cloth shops, leaving silver ingots as payment.

Upon returning to the mountain, the monkeys, innocent and carefree, were playing outside the cave. They looked up to see Wukong descending from the sky on his cloud. With a flourish of his robe, an assortment of weapons piled up before them.

"Worry not for the scramble," Wukong advised. "Let General Beng distribute them according to your strength to avoid any injuries from mishandling."

Wukong then instructed General Ma to store the fabric, pondering where to find tailors to make clothes for his monkey kin.

From that day forward, Wukong spent his days organizing camps and training troops, directing the monkeys in military formations and martial practices.

As time passed, various monsters from the surrounding mountains came to submit to Wukong, allowing him to witness creatures he had only heard of in his previous life. He assigned these beasts to the management of the seventy-two caves, ensuring annual tributes and visits.