READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 23: Chapter 23 You Monkey Head
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"In that case, you'll be called Xiaoyu."
Ao Yun pondered for a moment and slowly said, "Jade represents the gentleman; though you are of feminine form, you too should possess the character of a gentleman."
"Many thanks, Sister Ao Yun. I really like this name!"
The face of the little fox with eyes squinted in delight, showing her happiness.
"Thank you, Second Great King, for bestowing a name upon my daughter," Wansui Fox King also expressed his gratitude.
Ao Yun shook her head and arranged a room for the Wansui Fox King and the little fox within the Shuilian Cave. It might not compare to a palace, but it was indeed a paradise on earth, furnished with all kinds of household items.
Wansui Fox King, upon seeing every table and chair, every bowl and chopstick in the residence, immediately approached and caressed them as if they were his beloved, unable to let go.
In the Sky Scraping Cave and Mount Jilei, he had also taken plenty of furniture from the human world, but none were as exquisite as these here.
He simply adored them deeply.
And what of the little fox?
It can only be said that, truly influenced by the Wansui Fox King, she had now reverted to her true form and was embracing a sleek little stool, rubbing against it constantly, thoroughly enjoying herself.
It took a good while before the father and daughter snapped out of their fascination. They left the residence and went to see Ao Yun again to thank her, while the little fox was left by Ao Yun's side to learn with her.
Wansui Fox King returned to the residence and, alone in his home, perused the various classics he had collected over ten thousand years.
As a fox, once he had unlocked his spiritual intelligence, his favorite activity was reading.
In books, one finds houses of gold; in books, one finds ladies as fair as jade.
For Wansui Fox King, being able to read was the greatest fortune of his life.
However, he had flipped through these books thousands of times already. They were borrowed from the wealthy homes of Western Niu Hezhou, and when he intended to return them, he found those households had already passed on, so he continued to preserve them instead.
"Ah, speaking of which, the people of Nanshan Continent, although as cunning as foxes and constantly scheming against each other, also experience a blossoming culture with various classics emerging in abundance. It's just a pity I dare not venture there; that place is a mix of prosperity and chaos, often visited by immortals descending to refine their abilities..."
This was why, for ten thousand years, Wansui Fox King dared not go to the Nanshan Continent.
Simply put, it was too dangerous!
Putting down the books, Wansui Fox King went out again, caught hold of a monkey and asked, "Excuse me, sire, is there a place here where books are sold?"
With Huaguo Mountain being so vast, there must surely be such a bookstore.
"I'm not a sire," the monkey spirit first rebutted Wansui Fox King's address, then said, "Behind the cave, there's a library called Wanshu Lou, housing scriptures of the Three Teachings, classics from a hundred schools of thought, and all sorts of miscellaneous books, including those on medicine, craftsmanship, poetry, debate, and more, everything you could need!"
"It really exists!"
Wansui Fox King could hardly contain his joy and wished he could fly there immediately and immerse himself in the books.
The monkey spirit said, "Although we have them, some books cannot be borrowed by ordinary individuals. You must have merits to borrow them, but most of them are books about Qi Refinement, Alchemy, Formations, Talismans, and Spells."
Wansui Fox King was unfazed.
He had no interest in those; he preferred to read diverse poetry, essays on governance, and anecdotes from various schools of thought.
"Quick, take me there!"
Wansui Fox King, hardly able to control his enthusiasm, was impatient.
The monkey spirit was startled by his red-faced excitement and briefly thought the old man wanted to drag him into a room.
Having brought Wansui Fox King to Wanshu Lou, the monkey spirit swiftly took his leave, not wishing to spend more time with the old man of peculiar character.
Wansui Fox King didn't mind and, looking up at the towering library that stood a hundred stories tall, with an open-air desk and table between each floor where many demons and humans were either reading or copying, said:
"Indeed, a house of gold!"
Wansui Fox King, overjoyed, walked into the first floor where on the right side there was a counter with an old man standing behind it. The old man had a white beard and carried a black shell on his back, clearly a sea turtle that had achieved sentience.
"May I ask, sir, are there any taboos to reading here?" asked Wansui Fox King respectfully.
"Shh—"
The old man lifted a finger to his lips, softly said, "There are three rules here, and the first is silence."
Wansui Fox King nodded his understanding. It made sense.
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If the heart is not still, how can one read?
"Secondly, when reading, do not damage the books, otherwise, you must compensate."
The Venerable Fox King stated that in his life, he despised those who damage books the most.
"Thirdly, except for books concerning the practice of Qi Refinement, all others may be borrowed free of charge. However, they may not be taken outside. If taken, upon returning, one must write down their reading insights or alternatively, write a book of their own to return along with it."
Upon hearing this third rule, the Venerable Fox King was momentarily stunned, then he understood.
Knowledge is priceless. With such regulations set by the Book Tower, in the future, one will become two, two will become four, four will become eight; the number of books here will grow exponentially. After selection, organization, and summarization, this place will eventually turn into a Sea of Books!
Monkey King, great sage!
Thus, the Venerable Fox King dared to guarantee that within a hundred years, this Huaguo Mountain would surely be like the world of men!
No!
It should surpass the world of men!
Men have dynasties that change, but Huaguo Mountain is a sacred ground for wise monkeys, with him presiding, its fate eternal, lasting through the ages!
Not to mention, the wise monkey in the future will be either immortal or Buddha!
"May I ask, elder, how long have you been here?" asked the Venerable Fox King.
"A month."
"Ah?"
"Just a month. I was called over by the Dragon Palace's princess." said the old man.
"Oh, the Second Princess," realized the Venerable Fox King. Huaguo Mountain is close to the Dragon Palace of the Eastern Sea, and the Second Princess is the daughter of the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, obviously, the relationship runs deep.
The major rivers, lakes, and seas of the Three Realms are ruled by the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas.
Ordinary demons are at most acquainted with the Well Dragon King, River Dragon King, or Lake Dragon King, such as the Bull Demon King, who has a connection with the Dragon King of the Bibo Pool.
Yet to be acquainted with the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas is no mean feat.
The Venerable Fox King felt even more satisfied with his earlier allegiance, taking the book index passed by the old man, which detailed the locations and floors of various books, clear at a glance.
"Indeed, quite convenient!"
While the Venerable Fox King was immersed in the Sea of Books, Sun Wukong was having a hand-talk with Ancestral Master Subhuti. He held the black piece, the master held the white. The two colors leap on the board, turning into tiny figures.
The black figures wielded long sabers, while the white figures brandished long swords. Saber and sword clashed, sending off sparks.
This was no longer a game of chess but a competition of spiritual progress and mana.
The black and white figures each suffered casualties, but just when the moment to determine the winner was at hand, Patriarch Bodhi suddenly sneezed, disturbing the flow of mana, scattering all the pieces on the board.
Sun Wukong looked aggrieved, "Master, what are you doing?"
Patriarch Bodhi coughed and, with a serious face, stroked his beard and explained, "I forgot to close the window last night and caught a bit of a cold."
Sun Wukong: "..."
You still catch colds?
That's rare.
However, Sun Wukong knew that his master simply sneezed because he was about to lose, thus causing the game to become chaotic and leaving the outcome undetermined.
He hadn't expected his master to have such an unreasonable moment.
It was quite endearing, indeed!
Thinking this, Sun Wukong couldn't help but smirk and said to Patriarch Bodhi, "Come, Master, let's play another game!"
"Since Wukong is in the mood, as your teacher, I shall join you for another round of hand-talk. This time, I will give it my all and hope you won't lose too badly," laughed Ancestral Master Subhuti.
"As long as Master doesn't sneeze, everything will be fine," said Sun Wukong with a cheeky grin, "But if Master sneezes, then all bets are off."
"You monkey head..."
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