Monkey climbed up the tree, picked a few fruits, and while eating, he looked for his fellow monkeys. Suddenly, a melodious dragon roar came from the east. Startled, Monkey's spirit shook, and he lifted his eyes in fear towards the source of the sound. On a distant mountain peak, a hundred-zhang-long azure dragon coiled its body, facing south towards Flower Fruit Mountain, roaring proudly with a hint of provocation in its eyes. Following that, a clear phoenix cry echoed through the sky. Monkey turned to see a colorful phoenix fluttering its wings, its phoenix eyes challenging the azure dragon. On the other side, a small mountain-sized qilin lay alone on a cliff, lazily observing the dragon and phoenix without any concern, even yawning and resting on the ground.
The combined roars of the dragon and phoenix frightened the beasts and monsters on the mountain, making them tremble in fear and panic. Fortunately, there was no conflict between the dragon and phoenix, sparing the innocent lives.
"It seems that Flower Fruit Mountain is not as simple as I imagined. Watching TV dramas in my past life, I thought it was just a monkey mountain. It appears that there are many secrets waiting for me to explore," Monkey thought.
After contemplating for a while, Monkey resumed his journey to find his fellow monkeys. Luckily, the monkey group was not far from where he was born. After a short walk, Monkey found them. With his cleverness from two lifetimes, Monkey smoothly joined the monkey group. He played and frolicked with them every day, picking flowers and fruits, all while discreetly keeping an eye out for Water Curtain Cave.
One day, after the monkey group played for a while and got sweaty, they decided to go to a nearby mountain stream for a bath. The mountain stream rushed with flowing water, creating a soothing sound. Suddenly, a monkey suggested, "We have nothing to do today, why not follow this mountain stream upstream to find its source?" The monkeys excitedly agreed, and in groups, they climbed along the mountain stream until they reached its origin.
To their surprise, the source of the mountain stream was a majestic waterfall. It cascaded down like a white rainbow, striking the stubborn rocks below, creating a magnificent and grand spectacle. Monkey, overwhelmed with emotion, silently said, "Could this be Water Curtain Cave?" Just as he was lost in his thoughts, a muscular monkey applauded and exclaimed, "Great water! This stream directly connects to the base of the mountain, flowing into the vast sea." He continued, "Anyone capable of going in, finding the source without harm, we will make him our king." The monkeys looked at the waterfall, hesitating.
Without a second thought, Monkey emerged from the group and declared, "I'll go in! I'll go in!" The muscular monkey immediately responded, "Good! If you can go in without harm, we will acknowledge you as our king." Taking a deep breath, Monkey squatted down, exerted force on his legs, leaped into the waterfall pool. Upon landing, he found no water; it seemed a force kept the waterfall isolated. Looking ahead, he saw a bridge. Fixing his gaze, he realized it was an iron bridge. Underneath the bridge was calm flowing water. Crossing the bridge, he discovered a picturesque scene—lush greenery, drifting white clouds, and the ambiance of an immortal realm. Stone beds and seats were scattered artistically, and nearby, a stone tablet read, "Flower Fruit Mountain's blessing, Water Curtain Cave's celestial abode."
Overjoyed, Monkey couldn't help but marvel at the discovery. However, questions filled his mind. This Water Curtain Cave was not a natural formation; it had stone tablets, utensils, and clearly showed signs of being a place cultivated by an immortal. Who could the owner of this blessed cave be? After contemplating for a while, Monkey couldn't find an answer. Nevertheless, he was certain that Water Curtain Cave was specially prepared for him; otherwise, how could none of the many creatures on Flower Fruit Mountain discover this place?
Putting aside these thoughts, Monkey retraced his steps and returned to the waterfall. Closing his eyes and crouching down, he jumped out of the water. The surrounding monkeys eagerly gathered around, asking, "How was it? What's inside?" The muscular monkey, in particular, was anxious to know.
"Amazing! Absolutely amazing!" Monkey responded. The monkeys bombarded him with questions, "How deep is the water?" Anxiously, they crowded around him. Monkey explained, "No water! Passing through the waterfall, there is an iron bridge. On the other side of the bridge is a naturally formed dwelling place." The monkeys were excited to hear this. "What does the dwelling place look like?" they asked. Monkey continued, "Inside, there are flowers and trees, a huge cave with stone nests, stone stoves, stone bowls, stone basins, stone beds, stone stools—enough to accommodate hundreds of monkeys, a perfect place for us to settle down." Monkey grinned as he shared the news.
The muscular monkey exclaimed, "Fantastic! Fantastic!" The monkeys were eager to see this place of wonder. Monkey led them to Water Curtain Cave, showcasing the beautiful scenery inside. This natural sanctuary became the new home for the monkey group, filled with laughter and joy every day. Monkey became the king of Water Curtain Cave, and the monkeys looked up to him with great respect.
On Flower Fruit Mountain, Monkey embarked on a new chapter of life, and Water Curtain Cave became a blissful paradise for the monkey group. This new world was full of unknowns, waiting for Monkey and his companions to explore together.