Journey to the West: Life Simulation of Sun Wukong

Elephant Demon City, within the human settlement area.

His Majesty the Fox King and the Dainty-faced Little Fox followed behind Shuisheng, taking in everything around them.

Streets and markets, similar to the towns in the Nanshan Continent, the difference being that the shoppers were various transformed demons, sporting elephant, pig, rabbit heads, and others, giving off quite the eerie vibe.

It was even commonplace to see wild boars carrying loads and crafty rabbits trading goods.

"Do these people all wish to stay here?" the Fox King voiced his doubt and turned to question Shuisheng.

Shuisheng replied, "The people here are either impoverished scholars, Taoists seeking the Way, or monks reciting scriptures, and of course, the majority are refugees from the Nanshan Continent."

"As for monks and Taoists, one need not say much; they've heard of our great king's reputation and came seeking the Dao and the Buddha, or possibly to spread their teachings and scriptures."

"Scholars, initially, our king wished for us to learn about literature and writing, hence he hired several failed scholars from Ao Lai. Somehow word got out and spread to the Nanshan Continent, leading to a large number of scholars flocking here to pursue learning and settling down."

"As for the refugees, there's hardly a need to mention them."

"In the four great continents, people fall into misfortune every moment. The king feels pity for them, rescues them, and places them here, allowing them to live with dignity."

At this, Shuisheng chuckled, "You don't know, these refugees at first thought we demons would farm them. But now, even if we chased them away, they would cry and beg to come back."

The Fox King sighed repeatedly, his eyes glistening.

Afterward, Shuisheng took the two to experience the wonders of the seventy-two cities before arriving outside Huaguo Mountain and Shuilian Cave; this place was the core of Huaguo Mountain.

City within a country, city within a city.

This place had all kinds of demons, and in terms of variety and number, it far exceeded other cities. However, monkeys were most abundant, each dressed in regal garb, yet their spirit and vigor were like humans, unlike the other city demons that still retained a hint of wildness.

"Follow me!"

Shuisheng led the two to a majestic waterfall, at the heart of which stood a grand three-story pavilion with a white jade bridge spanning across it. On both sides stood golden-armored monkey guards, wielding two-zhang-long spears and crescent moon blades at their hips, each standing with an imposing posture, brimming with Qi-Blood.

Upon noticing Shuisheng, the monkey guards didn't even glance sideways.

Shuisheng greeted the two monkey guards at the forefront, then led the Fox King and the Dainty-faced Little Fox across the white jade bridge, right into the pavilion.

On both sides of the pavilion, there stood two majestic stone lions, one with large eyes, the other with wide ears; both faces stared straight and intently at the trio.

Shuisheng hastily said, "Greetings to the two sirs."

"Hmm!" X2

Only then did the two stone lions seem satisfied, allowing Shuisheng and the curious Fox King and Dainty-faced Little Demon to enter.

The Fox King was even more amazed at the sight of these two stone lions.

Such creations could also become demons?

In the Three Realms, any being with destiny could embark on the path of cultivation, even a mere rock.

However, man-made objects could not become demons.

No matter how exquisitely crafted, they lack the essence of nature.

Without the natural artistry of spirit and life, any attempt to become sentient is in vain.

How then, could these stone lions be explained?

Perhaps, he had underestimated the Monkey King.

Entering Shuilian Cave revealed a world of its own.

Inside were various man-made structures, lines upon lines, towers upon towers, truly rivalling Heaven!

In the heart of this cave paradise stood an ancient-looking palace, surrounded by upside-down bell-like flowers, with white sepals that shone a translucent luster like bone china, and petals with rings of varying shades of light purple, as if dyed naturally.

However, Shuisheng did not take them into the great hall but to another palace behind it. Presumably, this one was smaller than the one at the front, but still resplendent with gold and precious stones.

Around there was a clear spring pool, water encircling the palatial halls, duckweeds spread all over the ground, emerald green and pristine.

Shuisheng led the two to the backyard.

This place was planted with a myriad of exotic flowers and rare herbs, all incredibly vibrant and pleasing to the eye, as it was Ao Yun's usual place for leisurely walks. Moreover, there were sixteen flowering trees, each tall and strikingly elegant. The climate was always like spring, with the occasional breeze causing the petals to fall, thousands upon thousands of them layering the ground, transforming the rear courtyard into a wintry scene of ravishing beauty.

On the side of the backyard stood a house, which was Ao Yun's sleeping chamber.

The windows of the sleeping chamber were open, revealing the furnishings inside.

Cloud-patterned agarwood formed the rafters, crystal and jade discs served as lamps, pearls hung as curtains, and Fanjin served as column bases.

Next to the wide agarwood bed, which was six feet across, hung tent drapes made of shark silk and precious gauze, with sea-thistle flowers embroidered all over them with pearls and silver threads. When the breeze stirred the tent, it was like descending into a dreamlike mountainscape or a mystic sea.

The couch was adorned with a green jade incense-holding pillow, spread with a soft silk-ice mat, and topped with a jade-belted layered silk quilt.

A giant luminous moon pearl hung from the precious ceiling in the center of the hall, casting a light so bright it resembled the full moon.

The floor was paved with white jade embedded with golden pearls, carved into lotuses, each one with five stems, the petals lifelike and exquisitely detailed, even their stamens discernible, stretching to the path outside the door.

The little fox with a jade-like face stepped onto it with bare feet, feeling its warm and smooth surface, and upon closer inspection, discovered that it was carved from warm jade, as if each step bloomed into a lotus of jade.

Such meticulous and gorgeous craftsmanship was something the little fox with the jade-like face had never seen before.

Even the ageless Fox King was astonished.

He had thought that his amassed wealth was enough to rival a nation, but he never imagined that just a side palace could be this lavish, appearing as if it were part of an Immortal Realm.

In the middle of the backyard, there was also a small pond where a few lotuses were planted, with a rolled-curtain pavilion next to it, where crystal bead curtains draped down in a winding flow.

Behind the curtains, a lady in gauze was playing the zither. With the fall and rise of her fingertips, the zither's melodies flowed erratically, now faint, now solid, always changing. It was at once as pure and otherworldly as drops of water in a quiet rivulet, clear and crystalline, and then the music gathered strength, becoming a murmuring brook that, with tenacious vitality, flowed through stacked ridges and perilous reefs, merging into the raging waves of a river or sea before finally subsiding into tranquility, leaving only lingering notes as if the waves that fish leapt and splashed upon the surface.

The ageless Fox King too, was moved by such skill.

After the zither performance concluded, Shuisheng bowed and said, "Your Highness, the ageless Fox King you inquired about, I have brought him here."

"Hmm."

Ao Yun rose, pulled back the beaded curtains with her bare feet, and walked along the jade lotus path towards the three visitors, "You may leave. I would like to have a chat with this ageless Fox King."

"As you command!"

Shuisheng withdrew.

The ageless Fox King bowed respectfully and said, "I have seen your Highness."

"No need for formalities," said Ao Yun as she quickly approached the little fox with a jade-like face, "The King has sent word that you are his child. Well then, let's spend some time together so you can properly cultivate."

The little fox with a jade-like face pouted, her clear eyes fixating on Ao Yun, "And who might you be?"

The ageless Fox King hurriedly grabbed the little fox and said, "You must not be impolite!"

"It's alright!"

Ao Yun gave a slight smile, her rosy lips parting softly, "I am the Second King of this Huaguo Mountain and the Dragon Princess of the Dragon Palace of the Eastern Sea, Ao Yun."

"Oh, Ao Yun," responded the little fox cheekily.

"What is your name?" asked Ao Yun, smiling, inquiring about the name of the little fox with a jade-like face.

"My name..." The little fox looked towards the ageless Fox King and shook her head, "I don't have a name, my father doesn't have a name either, only titles. At a thousand years old, one is called the Thousand-Year Fox King, and at ten thousand, the Ageless Fox King. I have just transformed into human form, and I'm only two hundred years old, so you can call me Two-Hundred-Year Little Jade Fox."

Ao Yun observed the little fox with a furrowed brow and said, "As the child of a King, it's not proper to lack a name. However, only the King should give you your official name. Let me give you a nickname for now, shall I?"

The little fox glanced at her father, who was signaling to her, and then said, "I'm at the command of sister Ao Yun."

"Very well, from now on you'll be called..."