Chapter 15: The Second Path to Breaking Through

On the official road, Zhang Jingqing rode his talisman horse, watching the drizzling rain as he continued, “Zhiwei, your junior disciples all enjoy reading Journey to the West. Why don’t you like it?”

“I don’t dislike it!” Zhang Zhiwei replied.

“I’ve never seen you leaf through it,” his master said.

Zhang Zhiwei was speechless. So his master even spies on these things!

The reason Zhang Zhiwei avoided reading it wasn’t anything else but that in his previous life, he had practically worn out the book, having read countless versions. He found those obscure, annotation-free paper editions utterly uninteresting.

Of course, he couldn’t say that outright. So he said, “Isn’t it because I’m afraid it might delay my cultivation?”

“If you have time, you should visit the library. Our family’s version of Journey to the West is unlike any other. It truly records many paths of cultivation. Its content is vast and profound, very beneficial!” Zhang Jingqing said.

“Then rest assured, Master, I will study it carefully when I return!” Zhang Zhiwei said quickly. Then, recalling the general storyline of Journey to the West, a sudden realization dawned on him.

No wonder that in the later journey to obtain the scriptures, the Monkey King was no longer as before. He became unbeatable by anyone, fought monsters based on their status, called for reinforcements whenever possible, and maintained a balanced stance with everyone.

It wasn’t that the Monkey King had grown weak; he had become “rounded.” He had smoothed his sharp edges, learning how to conduct himself in the world, becoming well-rounded in every aspect.

Before becoming “rounded,” the Monkey was bristling with sharp edges, unstoppable and fierce—wreaking havoc in the heavens, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, sworn brothers of Flower-Fruit Mountain, so imposing.

But after reaching his peak, he declined. After his downfall, he was trapped beneath the Five Finger Mountain for five hundred years. None of those who once hailed him as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, nor his sworn brothers, ever came to see him.

Yet after becoming “rounded,” all the gods and Buddhas became his friends. Many trials he faced required no effort on his part; through his skill in human relations and his well-rounded approach, he resolved everything amicably.

If it had been the old Great Sage Equal to Heaven, would he not have slaughtered all those celestial mounts and immortal attendants?

In later times, many interpreted the episode of the “True and False Monkey King” as meaning the real Sun Wukong was killed, replaced by a counterfeit, explaining why the Monkey King changed so much afterward.

But Zhang Zhiwei now believed there was no such thing as a true or false Monkey King—both monkeys were real, only one was the “mind monkey.”

The “True and False Monkey King” episode represented the Monkey King taming his mind monkey. After that, he no longer insulted Zhu Bajie, never endured the tightening of the golden headband again, nor killed any monsters.

He wasn’t truly weaker; he had smoothed his sharp edges, dispersed his fierceness, and understood the saying that the martial world isn’t just about fighting and killing—it’s about human affairs.

Is this what it means to grasp the mind monkey? Zhang Zhiwei mused silently.

For such a well-known figure as Sun Wukong, he naturally admired him immensely.

But... the one he had always liked was the Great Sage Equal to Heaven who wreaked havoc in the heavens.

Not the later Fighting Buddha who called on friends.

“Master, is taming the mind monkey the only way?” Zhang Zhiwei asked.

Zhang Jingqing turned to look at Zhang Zhiwei. With just one glance, he knew what was on his mind.

“You don’t like the later pilgrim, preferring the earlier Great Sage Equal to Heaven?” Zhang Jingqing said.

Zhang Zhiwei fell silent.

“That’s fine. When I was young, I also favored the Great Sage Equal to Heaven!” Zhang Jingqing smiled.

Zhang Zhiwei looked at his master.

Zhang Jingqing continued, “If you insist on asking whether there is a second path, the answer is yes. The first, as I told you, is to grind the mind monkey smooth and attain the Perfect Golden Elixir.

“The second is to no longer suppress your true heart, to topple the alchemy furnace, unleash the power of the mind monkey, wreak havoc in the heavens, break all constraints, overturn the cauldron by force, and be violent equal to heaven.”

At these words, Zhang Zhiwei’s eyes lit up. The second path was so bold and domineering.

Then he heard Zhang Jingqing continue, “Both have their pros and cons. The first is a slow, steady process requiring experience to gradually polish the mind monkey. Its advantage is stability—mind and essence united as one, without flaw.

“The second relies entirely on the true heart. Without a pure, unblemished heart, it’s easy to go astray or succumb to madness. Those who choose this path often carry too much hostility, too many sharp edges, making it easy for others to seize their weaknesses and target them, leading to an untimely demise.”

Zhang Zhiwei was curious. “For example...”

He wanted to know what kind of untimely demise that was.

Zhang Jingqing said, “For example, the ancient tyrant Xiang Yu and the Martial Saint Guan Yu—they both took the second path.”

“Xiang Yu the Overlord, Martial Saint Guan Yu...” Zhang Zhiwei was stunned. “Did they also practice our Heavenly Master Mansion’s Five Thunder Correct Method?”

Zhang Jingqing said impatiently, “Illiterate! The Overlord’s era was before the Heavenly Master Mansion existed, so naturally no Five Thunder Correct Method. But the great Dao of the world has different starting points; the ends all lead to the same place. Whatever path you cultivate, at a profound level, you’ll face the mind monkey.”

“I see!” Zhang Zhiwei pondered. Thinking this way, it made sense. Both the Overlord and Guan Yu were people of sharp edges, not very “rounded” in how they dealt with others, and ultimately, they suffered tragic ends because of it.

“Master, what about now? In the realm of the extraordinary, is there anyone walking this path?” Zhang Zhiwei asked.

“Many attempt it, but very few succeed. As far as I know, in recent years, only the Taiping Heavenly King has succeeded!” Zhang Jingqing said.

“The Taiping Heavenly King?” Zhang Zhiwei realized. “The one who was overthrown fifty years ago by the Qing court and the foreign devils?”

Zhang Jingqing nodded. “Yes, he was one of the peak existences in the realm of the extraordinary. He came from the Taiping Dao, practiced the art of chaos, was a Yellow Turban strongman, turning beans into soldiers—one man could resist a thousand troops.

“He led a rebellion of the extraordinary beings, nearly overturning the Qing court, but ultimately, his divine power was no match for schemes, and he met a tragic end.”

Zhang Jingqing looked into Zhang Zhiwei’s eyes. “Zhiwei, how do you think you compare to them?”

Zhang Zhiwei hesitated; the question was difficult to answer. To claim he was stronger would be arrogant.

But to say he was weaker would be too self-deprecating.

He always considered himself not inferior, destined to stand at the summit, so he would not belittle himself.

So Zhang Zhiwei did not answer immediately.

Not answering was, in fact, the best answer. Zhang Jingqing’s face darkened; he had underestimated his disciple.

“Impudent brat, arrogant!” Zhang Jingqing shouted angrily, spurring his horse ahead without another word.

Zhang Zhiwei followed silently, careful not to provoke his master’s displeasure, but his mind remained fixed on what Zhang Jingqing had just said—

“Topple the alchemy furnace, unleash the power of the mind monkey, wreak havoc in the heavens, break all constraints, overturn the cauldron by force, and be violent equal to heaven.”

Could this path truly be viable?