Chapter Ten: The Realm of Mortals

“Xiaoyu, I’m back.” For fifty years, Yuan Wuji had not seen Xiaoyu, and now he missed her dearly. In his longing, he hurried from the gates of Xiaoyu’s palace and kicked the door open.

What greeted Yuan Wuji was a fragrant, soft embrace. At first, when Xiaoyu heard the sound of the door being kicked in, she thought someone had come to arrest her—didn’t they know what place this was? How dare they be so bold! But upon hearing his shout, all the anger in her heart melted away. When she saw Yuan Wuji, the resentment she’d nursed over his silent departure was instantly transformed into joy and excitement.

“How sweet you smell!” Yuan Wuji murmured almost involuntarily as he held Xiaoyu’s delicate body.

“Ah!” Still in Yuan Wuji’s arms, Xiaoyu heard his words and immediately wriggled free.

“Hmph! Didn’t you go off to cultivate? What are you doing here looking for me?” She had harbored so many complaints, but now, seeing Yuan Wuji back, she could utter none of them.

“No cultivation could ever compare to you. To see you, I’d risk anything—even losing myself to madness.”

Listening to Yuan Wuji’s sweet nothings, even if they were empty words, Xiaoyu’s heart was happier than if they had been true.

Yuan Wuji hadn’t had enough of holding her. He stepped forward again, arms open to embrace Xiaoyu once more. Seeing him come closer, Xiaoyu, who had missed him deeply all these years, did not resist and allowed herself to be held.

“How have you been these years?” Yuan Wuji asked, gazing at the beauty in his arms.

“The same as always—cultivating, or accompanying Her Highness to visit old acquaintances.”

“This time I’ve come back... to tell you I may have to go down to the mortal realm to cultivate.”

“You just returned—why leave to cultivate again?” Cradled in Yuan Wuji’s arms, Xiaoyu immediately lifted her head to look at him.

“One day in Heaven is a year below. I’ll only be away a hundred and eighty days at most, and then I’ll return to the Celestial Court,” Yuan Wuji comforted her.

“You needn’t placate me. A man’s ambition always lies in distant lands. Go, and do not worry for me—only take care that you don’t meet with misfortune in the lower world.”

“This time, my master has taught me great arts. Even in the mortal realm, I can stand tall.”

Yuan Wuji had returned mainly to spend time with Xiaoyu, for he did not know how long he’d be gone before he could return to the Celestial Court—perhaps before Sun Wukong was even born. He had cultivated for a hundred and fifty years already; at his birth, his master had said it would be three hundred years before Sun Wukong appeared. Now was the time to lay some groundwork on the Journey to the West. Since he knew how the story would unfold, how could he not seize some merit for himself? Yuan Wuji would be failing himself if he didn’t take advantage of all he knew from reading Journey to the West.

—

The Southern Heavenly Gates

“Great King of the South, I come with my master’s decree—I am to descend to the human world,” Yuan Wuji announced to the Guardian King now watching over the Southern Heavenly Gates.

Yuan Wuji knew that the Four Heavenly Kings guarding these gates were once disciples of the Jiejiao sect. Now, by invoking the name of the Lady Jinling, he could pass without hindrance.

“There’s no need for such formality. As the Lady’s disciple, you may come and go as you please,” the Guardian King replied. Lady Jinling had brought Yuan Wuji through the gates many times before; by now, all of Heaven knew that she had taken the Monkey as her disciple. So, knowing Yuan Wuji was under her protection, even without her direct decree, the King—being a fellow disciple—could not refuse him passage.

“You are a senior; I must not forget my manners.” Yuan Wuji was not Sun Wukong—he would not offend others over trifles.

“Hahaha! Very well! Let him pass!”

“Though, your cultivation is not yet supreme—there are many demons in the human world who may outmatch you. Be careful down there,” the King cautioned.

“Thank you for your concern.” With that, Yuan Wuji mounted a cloud and descended to the mortal realm.

Since arriving in this world, Yuan Wuji had spent nearly all his time in Heaven. This was his first journey below.

“I’ll have to find someone to ask for directions,” he thought. He knew well that, arriving for the first time in such a vast place, he would need to rely on some tricks.

Just as he landed, all he could see were desolate mountains and wild valleys—not a single sign of a kingdom.

“Why is it all mountains? When will I see any people?”

“Wait, there’s someone over there—finally! I’ll go ask them.” At last, spotting signs of life in the wilderness, Yuan Wuji sped toward the village.

“Ah! A monster!”

“It’s the monster again—quick, run!”

“Go tell the village chief, the monster is back!”

Yuan Wuji’s descent from the sky terrified the villagers. They huddled together, tense and fearful, as if he might devour them at any moment.

“What monster? I’m not a monster,” Yuan Wuji tried to explain to the frightened crowd.

But the villagers didn’t believe him. They thought he was just lowering their guard, waiting to seize one or two for his meal.

“Ugh.” Seeing that his explanation only made things worse, Yuan Wuji fell silent.

“The chief is here,” someone announced as an old man slowly made his way to the front.

His arrival calmed the villagers somewhat.

“Chief, be careful—it’s a monster,” a burly man warned.

“Great King, there are still three days left in the month you promised. Why have you returned so soon?” the elder said, clearly the chief the villagers spoke of.

“Elder, you’re mistaken—I am not the monster you speak of.”

“Great King, please don’t play games with this old man.”

“That’s right—you look just like a monster,” a young man shouted from the crowd.

“Silence!” the chief barked, afraid to anger Yuan Wuji.

“Elder, let me explain. I am an immortal from Heaven, come to inspect the mortal realm. I lost my way in these mountains and, seeing signs of life here, stopped to ask directions. I had no idea you’d mistake me for a monster,” Yuan Wuji said to the chief.

“He’s an immortal!”

“An immortal from Heaven—has he come to save us?”

“But we just called him a monster—will he take offense?”

The villagers began to chatter excitedly upon hearing Yuan Wuji’s words.

“You… you’re truly an immortal?” the chief’s voice trembled.

“I have no need to deceive you. If I were a monster, I’d have eaten you all already—why bother with explanations?”

“Immortal, please save us!” At this, the chief led the villagers to kneel before Yuan Wuji.

“Immortal, save us!”

“My son was swallowed by that monster—please, kill the beast and bring us peace!”

The villagers, knowing Yuan Wuji was their last hope, knelt and pleaded for his help.