Chapter 36: As the Ruyi Jingu Bang Emerges, Who Dares Compete?

"Whoa, such a grand spectacle! What on earth is happening here?" Having just dismounted, Sun Wukong honestly had no idea what was going on, and looked around carelessly at the scene before him.

A heavenly general immediately pointed at Sun Wukong and rebuked him angrily, "You brazen monkey! Your plot has been exposed. You stole one of the celestial horses from the stables, and now your crime has come to light. The Jade Emperor commands your arrest to face judgment."

"Seize him! Bind this unruly monkey!"

At the general’s furious command, several heavenly soldiers surged forward, closing in on Sun Wukong, ready to tie him up.

Sun Wukong shouted in response, "Who among you dares touch a single hair on your grandfather’s head, if you value your lives? Go on, try it! Heh, I'll knock the living daylights out of you with my staff—don’t say I didn’t warn you!"

His fierce warning startled the soldiers, making them hesitate.

"What are you all standing there for? Bind him!"

The general, enraged, lunged at Sun Wukong, spear in hand.

"Perfect timing! Here I come!" Sun Wukong exclaimed.

With the Ruyi Golden Staff in hand, who dared challenge him? Though the heavenly soldiers and generals were no ordinary men, under Sun Wukong’s staff, they were knocked down left and right, utterly humiliated.

Sun Wukong then stowed his staff, rubbed his nose, scratched his ears and cheeks, and cheerfully said, "See? I told you not to use force. Now look at you—all fallen, suffering a bit, aren’t you?"

"Bah! Monkey, you dare defy the Jade Emperor and rebel against his command? And you’ve even assaulted us! Your crimes are unforgivable—now even worse!"

"Bah! Don’t threaten me with empty authority. Ha! I, old Sun, have never feared anything in heaven or on earth!"

After his laughter, Sun Wukong grabbed the heavenly general by the neck. "Come on, weren’t you going to detain me? Fine, let’s go. I’ll pay the Jade Emperor a visit myself!"

"Haha! I fear neither heaven nor earth—only the blazing sun!"

Those words sounded oddly familiar. One becomes like those they spend time with. Turns out Sun Wukong had picked up this saying from Lord Chu.

A troop of heavenly soldiers and generals had set out to arrest the monkey, but ended up being dragged along by him, stumbling all the way.

In the Hall of Lingxiao in Heaven, the farce grew ever more absurd.

Sun Wukong entered, gripping the general’s neck, dragging him along. The celestial ministers shook their heads, watching the monkey swagger in, utterly unrestrained, and voiced their disdain and condemnation.

The ministers whispered among themselves, but Sun Wukong paid them no mind, striding forward and tossing the general down.

"Jade Emperor, I hear you were looking for me? Heh, what’s the matter?"

---

Sun Wukong’s casual address of "Jade Emperor, old man," nearly made the ruler spit blood.

Good heavens! Across the Three Realms and Six Paths, from the Nine Heavens above the Execution Platform to the Thirty-Three Heavens, never has anyone dared address the Jade Emperor with such disdain.

Only this monkey—what audacity!

The Jade Emperor’s face darkened, unwilling to exchange a single word with the crude monkey.

Yet Sun Wukong’s wild, untamed manner proved too much for some to bear.

Erlang Shen, Yang Jian, immediately rebuked him, "Where did you come from, unruly monkey? Do you know where you are? How dare you behave so outrageously!"

"Oh! Why do you have an extra eye on your forehead? Three-eyed... monster, is it? Ha! That’s amusing."

Sun Wukong couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Three-eyed monster? That was the last thing Yang Jian wanted to hear. He roared, "Monkey, do you have a death wish? If so, I’ll oblige you."

"Heh! You ask if I want to die? No, no, I live freely—I, the monkey, would never seek death. Say, three-eyed one, what are you thinking? Thinking of eating dung? I’m just fine, aren’t I—"

"Enough! Keeper of the Horses, restrain yourself!"

The Jade Emperor finally lost patience, bellowing, "Sun Wukong, confess at once—where have you hidden my celestial horse? This is your final chance. Make the most of it."

Sun Wukong resumed a serious demeanor, his monkey eyes darting about.

That white horse? Ha! It had long since been sent off to the ancestral master’s farm. Even if he wanted to retrieve it now, it would be impossible.

"Sun Wukong, the Jade Emperor is questioning you. Stop delaying and answer!" Taibai Jinxing was the first celestial to deal with Sun Wukong. At first sight of the unruly monkey, Taibai was deeply impressed. Born of a sacred stone, nurtured by heaven and earth, this monkey was exceptionally clever—no, not just clever, but extraordinary.

"Answer? Answer what?" Sun Wukong feigned ignorance.

The celestial horse had been sent to the ancestral master; this matter would remain forever buried.

---

Confess everything to the Jade Emperor?

Ha! Why bother?

Sun Wukong paid it no mind.

Seeing the wild monkey’s careless attitude, the Jade Emperor flew into a rage. "Sun Wukong! Don’t say I never gave you a chance—it is you who refuse to cherish it. Take him away! Cast this monkey into the celestial prison!"

With a wave of his hand, the Jade Emperor revealed his impatience and deep aversion. Even a monkey who had achieved enlightenment was still a monkey—coarse, crafty, sly, and irrepressibly wild, utterly unlikeable.

"Jade Emperor, let me do it," Yang Jian said, long fed up with the monkey. He thrust his legendary spear at Sun Wukong.

"Ha! Perfect timing! Take a taste of your grandfather’s staff!"

A thunderous boom shook the entire Hall of Lingxiao.

Sun Wukong’s blow forced Yang Jian back several strides, his expression shifting, bewildered.

He never imagined the monkey’s howling strike would pack such immense force, the fierce energy nearly overturning him.

"Monkey, come with me," Yang Jian commanded, stepping out of the hall and soaring straight toward the Southern Heavenly Gate.

"Heh! Lead the way! Do you think I’m afraid?"

Sun Wukong followed closely.

At the Southern Heavenly Gate, a god and a monkey faced off, cold and unyielding.

Yang Jian furrowed his brow, leveled his spear, and said, "Monkey, here’s your last chance: surrender and accept your punishment in the celestial prison, and I, the True Lord, will spare your life."

"Ha! You’ll spare my life? Who do you think you are? Are you even qualified to say that to me?"

Sun Wukong sneered.

Across heaven and earth, only his ancestral master, or perhaps the one from the Western Paradise, could threaten Sun Wukong now.