✓𝐀𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭 『𝑀𝑜𝑛𝑘𝑒𝑦 𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑔』

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 67: Meng Po

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He sat on a velvet cushion provided by the maids, staring intently at the deity before him. For ten days, he roamed around the Netherworld, trying not to draw attention to himself while seeking a specific person from an unknown territory. And now that he's here, he's forced to sit still and wait patiently until the Goddess chooses to speak to him.

"I'm sorry I barged in— if that's what you wanna hear. I'm really in a hurry and I don't think—"

She raises her hand to get him to shut up. Meng Po, Goddess of Forgetfulness, is a very busy person, tending to souls every hour of everyday. Despite being a deity, she accepted the natural exhaustion caused by her duties, allowing a hint of dark circles to form under her eyes. Placing the tea cup back on the saucer, Meng Po stared at the simian with half-lidded eyes, "How you've resolved to sneak into the Nether without a Guide is beyond me, Sun Wukong. Rumors about you being such an overhasty individual is an understatement beyond comparison."

He sweat drops at that, "Well, yes— thanks— that's really informative, but I—"

"And seemingly lacking of patience and politeness."

Meng Po may be younger than Iron Fan, but she's more difficult to deal with and is much more stern than the fallen celestial. The simian grits his teeth, but allows her to continue nonetheless.

"Rumor has it that you wield the iron pillar of the East Sea, and I see nothing of the sort other than those dual blades. If my intuition is correct— as it is always correct— you sought me out regarding that weapon."

"Yes... "

"And whatever can I do about that?"

Wukong places the weapons on the table and pushes them towards her, "My inquiries led me to you as my final destination. I was told you could undo curses that latches onto the soul, that is what I'm here for."

She scoffs, hovering her hand over the blade. She does so for a few more seconds before retracting it with widened eyes, "Lian Xiu..."

Hearing her speak of the name made Monkey King lean on the table, "You know of her?"

"Frustratingly, I do," Meng Po sneers before standing up, leading themselves towards the back of the folding screen where there's a long dark hallway ahead. "Her name had faded in the book of death, we thought that someone had tampered it. Centuries upon centuries did that name appear and vanish, as if mocking us with her existence, and all that ever arrived is a husk of her soul. No memories, no distinguished characteristics, no nothing."

"She was cursed by Chimangjing, the red python demon. She was meant to kill me and suffered a lot because of it. If you could— maybe remove her curse and return her soul up above, then that would be grea—"

Meng Po abruptly stops and turns to him, "The process requires time, Sun Wukong. And with how much life is trapped within it, I doubt it'll take a day to solve everything," the deity sneers before continuing to their destination.

The simian clenches his fists. But he's here now, and the least he could do is wait patiently since the deity already agreed to help. The second fire of his lifeline faded away, leaving only a single flame flickering above his head.