Chapter 262: Monkey, Your Demonic Aura Is Too Strong!
"Underneath that blooming lotus flower, there seems to be a cave!"
Miss Duan couldn't help but ask, "Could it be that the demon king Sun Wukong is trapped inside?"
It wasn't that Miss Duan had particularly sharp eyes. The blooming lotus flower stood out conspicuously among the sea of lotus leaves, drawing attention without effort.
Almost as soon as Miss Duan spoke, a voice echoed from the cave.
"Is someone out there? Is there anyone? Please help! I've been trapped here!"
The voice was urgent, with a hint of a regional accent, sounding rather comical.
Chen Ye couldn't help but laugh. This Sun Wukong—pretending to be a helpless trapped soul? Trying to fool someone?
"You two wait here for a moment. I'll go down and take a look."
With that, Chen Ye headed toward the cave.
The entrance to the cave was narrow, barely large enough for an average person to pass through. Anyone even slightly larger wouldn't fit.
As soon as Chen Ye jumped into the cave, before he had time to survey his surroundings, a figure darted toward him, clinging to him, sniffing him, and holding on tightly.
"Finally! Finally… after five hundred years, someone's finally come!"
Sun Wukong was visibly emotional, muttering incessantly as he clung to Chen Ye.
Chen Ye quickly restrained him. "Mr. Sun, calm down!"
Sun Wukong, realizing the monk's astonishing strength, found himself unable to break free. He took a deep breath and finally composed himself.
"Sit, sit. Let's sit down and talk."
Sun Wukong gestured warmly.
The two sat down on a rock inside the cave.
Chen Ye kept smiling as he looked at Sun Wukong. Seeing this face, which resembled a certain famous comedic actor, made it hard for him to suppress his laughter.
"Apologies for the outburst earlier," Sun Wukong began. "Young man, how should I address you?"
"My surname is Chen, given name Ye." Chen Ye cupped his hands respectfully. "Mr. Sun, I've long admired your name."
"Oh? So you know of me?"
"Of course! The Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong! Even though you've been absent for years, your legend still lives on."
Hearing this, Sun Wukong's face lit up with a smile.
"If you know me, then I assume you've come here for a reason. Speak freely. If it's something I can help with, I won't hesitate!"
Sun Wukong, who hadn't seen anyone for centuries, seemed overly chatty. "Let me tell you, I'm someone who values loyalty above all. Back in the day, I fought for my brothers with two watermelon knives, cutting my way from the Southern Heavenly Gate to Penglai Road. I fought for three days and three nights without blinking once…"
Chen Ye quietly listened to Sun Wukong's exaggerated tales without interrupting.
When Sun Wukong finally finished, Chen Ye said, "Mr. Sun, I did indeed come seeking your help."
"I've encountered some powerful enemies, and I can't handle them alone. I'd like to ask for your assistance. In return, I'll help free you and restore your freedom."
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong gave Chen Ye a thumbs-up.
"Great! Straightforward! Mr. Chen, you're not only talented but also someone who gets things done the right way!"
"No problem. Some enemies? Leave them to me. I'll take care of everything!" Sun Wukong's confidence was palpable.
Chen Ye, however, only smiled faintly. This Sun Wukong was cunning, unpredictable, and quick to anger—violent and merciless. No version of Sun Wukong was like this. Perhaps centuries of imprisonment had taken a toll on his mind.
Chen Ye even suspected that as soon as he released Sun Wukong, the monkey might turn on him.
Even so, Chen Ye was determined to free him. He had no idea how powerful the enemies to come would be. To be safe, he needed to gather as much high-level strength as possible. If it were possible, he'd even try to bring Buddha himself into this. But of course, that was impossible…
"Mr. Sun, you are the legendary Great Sage, Equal to Heaven—my idol. I trust you wouldn't deceive me. Shall we consider it a deal?"
For now, Chen Ye could only rely on flattery. In the original storyline, Chen Xuanzang's reluctance to release Sun Wukong had caused the monkey to lose patience, resulting in anger and resentment. Chen Ye was determined to avoid making the same mistake.
Sun Wukong quickly patted his chest and declared, "Don't worry, Mr. Chen! When I, Sun Wukong, give my word, it's as solid as a nail. I'll never go back on it!"
"Alright then!" Chen Ye stood up and said, "I'll release you right now, Mr. Sun. What should I do to set you free?"
Of course, Chen Ye already knew the answer—removing the lotus flower above would release Sun Wukong. But he pretended not to know, feigning ignorance.
Hearing Chen Ye's question, Sun Wukong's hands trembled slightly. After being trapped for five hundred years, he was finally on the verge of freedom. Naturally, he was overwhelmed with excitement.
"Mr. Chen, you just need to pluck the lotus flower at the entrance of the cave."
"Understood! Wait here, Mr. Sun."
Without hesitation, Chen Ye leapt out of the cave.
Standing by the entrance, Chen Ye grasped the lotus flower's stem. However, just as he was about to break it, he hesitated. He had considered the possibility of hiding somewhere to evade the reincarnators, hoping they wouldn't find him.
But he knew such an idea was wishful thinking. Reincarnators, especially powerful ones, possessed bizarre and unpredictable methods. If they had crossed worlds to hunt him, they likely had ways to track him down.
With this realization, Chen Ye stopped hesitating and gave the lotus stem a firm tug.
To his surprise, it didn't break.
He tried again, but the stem was astonishingly tough—stronger than he could have imagined. Even with his strength, he couldn't snap it…
Inside the cave.
Sun Wukong was waiting and fantasizing about his plans once freed. The first thing he intended to do was kill a few people to vent his pent-up frustration. After being confined for so long, he couldn't bear it any longer. Without some bloodshed to release his anger, he wouldn't be able to regain peace of mind.
As for whether he should kill the bald monk who had helped him… Sun Wukong hesitated. He decided to see how obedient the young man was once he was out. If the monk proved useful, perhaps he'd spare his life and keep him around as a subordinate.
At that moment, the bald young man jumped back into the cave. Sun Wukong frowned briefly but quickly concealed it, replacing it with a warm smile.
"What happened, Mr. Chen?"
"There's a bit of trouble," Chen Ye said honestly. "I tried, but the lotus flower is incredibly tough. No matter how much strength I used, I couldn't break it. I suspect someone tampered with it to prevent it from being easily removed."
Hearing this, Sun Wukong was stunned for a moment. Then, as realization dawned, his expression turned savage.
"Tathagata! Tathagata!!" He practically ground out the name through clenched teeth. It was obvious that this was Buddha's doing!
"Mr. Sun, stay calm!" Chen Ye reassured him, "I plan to use brute force to try and break the seal. But I'm concerned it might cause the cave to collapse and injure you. Would that be alright?"
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong immediately replied, "Don't worry! I have an indestructible body—Buddha himself couldn't kill me and had to seal me instead. Do whatever you need to do without hesitation."
"Very well!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Ye threw a powerful punch into the nearby wall.
(End of chapter)
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