"Raise the Great King’s flag a bit higher, and sweep the roads a little cleaner—the Great King hasn’t been home in five hundred years, so we must let him see the new splendor of Huaguo Mountain.
And you, little monkey, don’t run about; arrange the gathered fruits properly, especially the peaches that must be placed in the most conspicuous position—the Great King loves those the most," the four generals inspected various parts of Huaguo Mountain, checking for inadequacies. With their long-standing experience and high positions, they naturally commanded the little monkeys easily.
Lu Yu watched this bustling scene, and a memory of his previous life company preparing for a higher management inspection flashed through his mind. He couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile, thinking whether this could be considered "Journey to the West’s version of leadership arrival".
Just then, a streak of auspicious clouds crossed the sky so fast that it left a broad trail over the surface of the East Sea, and an excited voice suddenly rang out over Huaguo Mountain, "Children, Lao Shun is back!"
That call was like a signal, and Huaguo Mountain instantly erupted in excited shouts so loud that they reverberated through the heavens, even reaching Ao Guang in the deep sea.
The Old Dragon King sat firmly on the Dragon Throne, holding a teacup, his face donned with a smug smile.
His son, puzzled, asked, "Father seems very happy today."
"Haha, you don’t understand, son. After many years of hard work, I have finally reaped the fruits of my labor. From now on, if we encounter any unreasonable people, we will have a way to deal with them—how can I not be happy?" the Old Dragon King sipped his tea with contentment, saying.
"Mr. Lu’s tea ceremony is truly extraordinary; it indeed starts bitter but ends sweet, and the aftertaste is endless," the Old Dragon King, squinting his eyes, added with a smile.
Only the Dragon Son was left in disarray in the wind, his father’s words today were murky, leaving him utterly puzzled.
The Monkey descended from the clouds and saw the little monkeys lined up to welcome him, with the four generals leading the monkeys to greet their king’s return to Huaguo Mountain.
The usually stoic Monkey, upon seeing this scene, felt a slight stinging in his eyes. He turned his head and quietly wiped away his tears, then looked up at his warm-hearted monkey kinfolk and declared loudly, "I’m back."
All the monkeys rushed forward, lifting their king, cheering his return. In this fervent atmosphere, the Monkey saw Lu Yu standing nearby with a smile.
Lu Yu slowly walked up to the Monkey, who had just enjoyed the adoration, and embraced his close friend, the man who had changed his fate, and excitedly said, "Welcome home, brother."
"Thank you, Scholar," the Monkey murmured under his breath.
After the initial excitement subsided, the Monkey walked towards The Water Fall Cave surrounded by his monkey kinfolk. Along the way, seeing the well-ordered Huaguo Mountain, he opened his mouth wide in surprise, exclaiming, "When did Huaguoshan transform into this look? It compares well even to the Heavenly Palace."
"All thanks to Mr. Lu’s guidance; he calls it ’planning.’ We constructed Huaguo Mountain according to Mr. Lu’s plans, and once it was built, it turned out like this."
The Monkey laughed heartily, slapping Lu Yu on the shoulder, "Scholar, I did not see it before, but you really have this skill; I think you’re much stronger than those craftsmen in heaven."
Lu Yu brushed off the Monkey’s furry hand impatiently, "Ease up a bit. Everyone has their specialization; those heavenly craftsmen have far greater skills than me, it’s just that the regulations in the Heavenly Palace are strict, and they aren’t allowed to build recklessly."
Once they entered The Water Fall Cave, the grand banquet began. All the monkeys were immersed in a sea of joy; Huaguoshan hadn’t been this lively in five hundred years. The older monkeys, looking at the bustling scene before them, couldn’t help but shed tears of nostalgia—their home, and everything, had returned.
However, by this time, Lu Yu and Monkey had already left the banquet and were standing atop Huaguo Mountain, gazing into the distant Wang Yang.
"How long will you stay this time?" Lu Yu asked.
"Not long, I’ll be leaving soon. I don’t feel at ease leaving the monk alone," Monkey replied, furrowing his brow.
"What, are you disappointed with the Golden Cicada you see today?"
"Sigh! Who would have thought that a monk as interesting as he once was would turn into this pedantic figure? It’s really frustrating," Monkey complained.
"Ten cycles of reincarnation are no child’s play, carrying the fortune and destiny of the Human Path. That the Golden Cicada has managed to retain his humanity is quite remarkable," Lu Yu didn’t particularly like the current Tang Monk either, but he knew that achieving this was no small feat.
Monkey fell silent for a long time before saying, "Indeed, it’s not easy."
"Right, before you leave, make a trip to the East Sea Dragon Palace, thank Ao Guang properly. Distant relatives are not as good as near neighbors, and you and your monkey progeny will still need his care," Lu Yu reminded Monkey.
"Don’t worry, I won’t forget," Monkey assured.
Just then, Monkey noticed that Lu Yu had more to say and hesitated, so he spoke up again, "What’s the matter, just spit it out. What kind of relationship do we have?"
Only then did Lu Yu say, "I think, they know your temperament over there and will probably prepare means to control you. I suspect that this time when you go back, you will see their methods," Lu Yu gestured towards the west.
"Don’t worry, I am not the same as I was five hundred years ago. If they still treat me as they did five hundred years ago to control me, I will certainly give them a big surprise," Monkey said confidently.
Lu Yu, looking at a confidently grinning Monkey, realized that the unimpressive fellow before him was now an embodiment of Five Qi, and he wondered if the Band-tightening Spell still had any effect on him.
"Well, enough talk. I must go now, or that monk will starve to death," Monkey said with a laugh.
"I won’t say goodbye to them, to avoid the sadness. Just convey my regards later," After saying this, Monkey used the water avoidance art to head to the East Sea Dragon Palace, as now he was on a mission and would not have much time to return later. This visit would also ensure Ao Guang could look after Huaguo Mountain.
When Monkey returned to Tang Monk’s side on a Somersault Cloud, he saw a floral hat in the bundle and silently thought, could this be the means of control Lu Yu spoke of.
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But he was the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, always proud and lofty. Seeing the floral hat, instead of being submissive, he felt a competitive urge and immediately donned it on his head.
Seeing this, Tang Monk silently recited the Band-tightening Spell, but to his surprise, Monkey remained unaffected. He thought to himself, "Could the Bodhisattva be deceiving me? Why doesn’t the Band-tightening Spell work?"
"Master, are you wondering why the Band-tightening Spell didn’t work?" Just as Tang Monk was filled with confusion, Monkey’s timely voice came, startling the monk who stood up from the ground, his face filled with shock as he looked at Monkey’s smiling face, his lips trembling but unable to utter a word.
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