[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-m-invincible-and-you-tell-me-this-is-journey-t":3,"chapter-i-m-invincible-and-you-tell-me-this-is-journey-t-i-m-invincible-and-you-tell-me-this-is-journey-t-chapter-2":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I'm Invincible, and You Tell Me This Is Journey to the West?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2360503,4615,"Chapter 2: Where you came from, return there now","i-m-invincible-and-you-tell-me-this-is-journey-t-chapter-2",2,"\u003Cp>In the dense forest of Qingyun Mountain, Su Chen slashed through the thorny bushes blocking the path with a single sword strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Monkey, there’s a great river ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monkey crouched on a large rock, scratching his head and pulling his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do we get across?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen pointed toward the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look over there—there’s a wooden bridge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, your eyes are sharp!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monkey leapt down and sprinted forward eagerly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen followed behind, mentally calculating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been a month since they departed from Jiang State.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, he had seen countless things he had never encountered before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Talking trees, wild boars three zhang tall, luminous rare flowers and herbs that glowed at night…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These all reminded him that this world was far more complex than he had imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, thanks to the route provided by the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror, the two had not taken any detours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, come quick and see!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monkey shouted from the riverbank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen walked over and saw the river water was an eerie gray-black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This river water is suspicious,” the monkey muttered, “but at least there’s a bridge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two stepped onto the wooden bridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bridge was narrow, barely wide enough for one person to pass, with turbulent water swirling beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they reached the center, the bridge suddenly shook violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s happening?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monkey gripped the bridge ropes and scanned the surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen also grew alert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a black snake as thick as a water barrel leapt from the river!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It opened its bloodied maw and lunged straight at Su Chen!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, watch out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monkey roared and swung his staff at the black snake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRASH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The snake was deflected and plunged back into the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But immediately, more black snakes rose from the water!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three, five, ten!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each was as thick as a water barrel, their scales glinting coldly in the sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s something strange about this river!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen drew his longsword and slashed at the nearest black snake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of blade light— the snake’s body split in two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But more snakes surged forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me handle them! Brother, run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monkey swung his staff, knocking several black snakes flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run together!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two sprinted across the bridge, pursued relentlessly by the black snakes behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, they crossed the wooden bridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black snakes halted at the riverbank, as if afraid to set foot on land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew…” the monkey panted, “these river snakes are strange.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen sheathed his longsword and stared at his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that one strike, he had used all his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he had only severed one snake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These snake spirits’ scales were extraordinarily hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, are you alright?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m fine,” Su Chen shook his head. “Let’s keep going.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the next two months, the two encountered all manner of incidents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wolf demons lying in wait in the forest, tiger demons ruling mountain caves, shape-shifting fox demons…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In every battle, Su Chen gave his all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the more he fought, the more powerless he felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any one of these demons could have obliterated the opponents he had defeated in Jiang State in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the monkey had not yet learned immortal arts, his physical prowess far surpassed that of ordinary men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wooden staff in his hands felt weightless; each swing carried a howling wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without him, Su Chen knew he would have died long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, what are you thinking about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the campfire, the monkey gnawed on wild fruit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen stared at the flickering flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m thinking—the martial arts I cultivated in Jiang State mean nothing in this world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Naturally,” the monkey grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter how powerful martial arts are, they’re just mortal tricks. Only immortal arts grant eternal life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Monkey is right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was growing ever more eager to meet Patriarch Bodhi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only by learning immortal arts could he truly find his place in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, brother, how far is that immortal mountain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Close,” Su Chen looked at the map in his mind. “At most ten more days’ travel, we’ll arrive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wonderful!” The monkey leapt up excitedly. “I’m finally going to meet a god!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He danced wildly beside the fire, clearly overjoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen watched him, a faint smile forming on his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along this journey, his bond with the monkey had grown stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the monkey was sometimes reckless, his nature was good and he valued loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In danger, he never retreated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he found something good, he always shared a portion with Su Chen first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Monkey, I have a question for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If one day you master immortal arts, will you forget me, your brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monkey paused, then replied seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, how can you say that? Though I’m just a monkey, I know the meaning of gratitude and righteousness!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pounded his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You led me to the immortal mountain—this debt I’ll never forget! If I truly become an immortal, I’ll never forget you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Monkey’s words—I’ll remember them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten days later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two finally arrived at a great mountain shrouded in mist and clouds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The terrain was steep, ancient trees towering overhead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, is this the place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monkey trembled with excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It should be,” Su Chen studied the mountain path. “Let’s go up and see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the two spoke, a figure slowly descended the mountain trail ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore simple cloth robes, a hatchet at his waist, singing as he walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watching chess, the axe’s handle rots; chopping wood, the sound rings clear… walking slowly by the valley’s edge…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His song was ancient and melodious, carrying a profound, ineffable Daoic resonance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the song, Sun Wukong’s eyes instantly brightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A god! So the gods are hidden here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen straightened his robes and stepped forward with Sun Wukong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the woodcutter drew near, Su Chen bowed deeply, his forehead nearly touching the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Greetings, sir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woodcutter halted, eyeing the odd pair before him with surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you? What are you doing here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen rose, a humble smile on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We are seekers from afar, having heard there are immortals in this mountain, and have come to pay our respects.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just now we heard the song you sang—it was profoundly mysterious. Might I ask, sir, are you the immortal of this mountain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woodcutter burst into laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m no immortal—just a woodcutter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That song wasn’t mine. It’s called ‘Full Courtyard Fragrance,’ composed by an old immortal in the mountain. Seeing how hard my family’s labor was and how burdened I was, he taught us woodcutters to sing it to ease our hearts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here it comes!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen’s heart leapt—he was exactly as described in the original!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Wukong, beside him, could barely contain his eagerness and pressed urgently: “Where is this immortal? Please, sir, show us the way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woodcutter pointed his axe deep into the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Follow this path straight in—about seven or eight li, and you’ll see a cave dwelling. That’s where the old immortal lives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, sir, for your guidance!” Su Chen bowed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the two asked the woodcutter why, if he knew the immortal, he didn’t learn immortal arts and instead spent his life chopping wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woodcutter said his fate was bitter: he had lost his father young, and now had an elderly mother to support—he dared not abandon her to pursue cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All he could do was chop firewood daily, carry it to the market, and trade it for coins to care for his mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Su Chen bowed again and said: “Then you are truly a filial son—your virtue shall surely be rewarded!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Wukong imitated him, bowing to the woodcutter as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woodcutter waved them off, saying he was unworthy, then shouldered his bundle and descended the mountain alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother! Let’s hurry!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Wukong could wait no longer, calling to Su Chen as he sprinted up the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen withdrew his gaze and followed after him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two hurried along the narrow path, climbed over another hill, and saw ahead a mansion with its cave entrance sealed beneath a rocky cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cave door stood tightly shut, beside it a stone stele, over three zhang tall and more than eight chi wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the stele’s upper face were carved ten large characters: Ling Tai Fang Cun Mountain, Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ve arrived…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart quickened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From today, his fate would change utterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monkey strode forward and shouted at the cave dwelling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is anyone inside? I’ve come to seek the Dao!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice echoed through the valley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shouted for a long time, but no one emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen knew this was a test, and told the monkey to wait patiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the monkey began to fidget and scratch his head in impatience—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Squeak—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sealed stone door emitted a long, slow creak and began to open inward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young Daoist acolyte, dressed in a Daoist robe, his hair tied in twin buns, stepped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Wukong leapt up with a “whoosh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The acolyte’s gaze swept over the monkey first, as if unsurprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then his eyes fell on Su Chen—and a ripple stirred in his calm expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cleared his throat and spoke to Sun Wukong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My ancestral master just opened his altar to teach the Dao, and said today a seeker waits outside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He sent me out to bring you in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The acolyte’s words sent Sun Wukong into ecstatic delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wonderful! Wonderful! The immortal wants to see me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the acolyte’s next words struck Su Chen like lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The acolyte fixed his sharp gaze on Su Chen and spoke slowly, word by word:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My master says his karmic connection is with this monkey alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have no affinity with my master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So go back whence you came.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1655,"2026-06-21T05:42:07.836Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ee0451cb633f046a1da41698d5ad034dddb2b6aa97e2781fdb94b441db7f80a3","i-m-invincible-and-you-tell-me-this-is-journey-t-chapter-3","i-m-invincible-and-you-tell-me-this-is-journey-t-chapter-1",470,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-m-invincible-and-you-tell-me-this-is-journey-t-cover.jpg"]