Chapter 3: Heavenly Secret Warning, Another Opportunity

The Daoist boy's words were like a basin of ice water poured over Su Chen's head, chilling him from head to toe.

No affinity.

Such light words, yet they were like an invisible mountain, completely isolating him from the immortal gate.

He had imagined countless possibilities, but never that he wouldn't even be able to enter the door.

Three months of trekking, wind and frost, dangers along the way, and all he got in return was "return to where you came from"?

Su Chen's lips moved, but he couldn't make a sound, a huge sense of loss and unwillingness surging in his heart.

The monkey beside him didn't have his good self-restraint; upon hearing this, its fur stood on end on the spot.

"What did you say?" The monkey jumped in front of the Daoist boy, its golden eyes wide open.

"You say my little brother has no affinity with the immortal? We came together; if we enter, we enter together, and if we leave, we leave together! You immortals are unreasonable; why do you only accept me and not my little brother?"

The Daoist boy was startled by the monkey's sudden momentum, but still kept a straight face, trying his best to maintain the demeanor of an immortal's disciple: "This is Master's decree, and I am only following orders to pass on the message. You monkey, stop making noise here."

"Decree? What kind of bullshit decree!" The monkey bared its teeth, revealing sharp fangs.

"I don't care about any master or not; I only recognize my little brother. If he doesn't go in, I won't bother learning this so-called immortal art either! Little Brother, let's go; this broken place isn't worth staying in!"

Saying this, the monkey grabbed Su Chen's wrist and was about to go down the mountain.

Just then, golden text flashed crazily before Su Chen's eyes, with unprecedented urgency.

【Detected Journey to the West protagonist Sun Wukong refuses to take a master, the causal line will deviate severely!】

【Heavenly Secret Tianji Baojian impacted violently, performing causal correction deduction...】

【Reward Heavenly Secret Points +100】

【Current Heavenly Secret Points: 150】

Immediately after, a blood-red warning text appeared, each word seemingly carrying the weight of ten thousand jun, slamming heavily into Su Chen's heart.

【Heavenly Secret Warning: If Sun Wukong fails to enter Patriarch Puti's sect, it will attract the attention of unknown existences, posing a huge risk!】

Huge risk!

Su Chen's pupils shrank, and a chill ran from his spine to the top of his head.

He had thought he was just a passerby wanting to hitch a ride, but he never expected that he, a small butterfly, could really stir up a storm capable of overturning the entire world.

If Sun Wukong doesn't take a master, how can the story of Journey to the West proceed?

Without Patriarch Puti's teaching, without the Seventy-Two Transformations, without the Somersault Cloud, what would he use to wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace?

What would he use to protect Tang Seng on the pilgrimage to the West?

The core of the entire Journey to the West karma started from this apprenticeship.

If this source was cut off, everything that followed would cease to exist, and he, the person who triggered the variable, would likely be the first to be ground into dust by those supreme existences.

No! Absolutely not!

"Monkey Brother, wait!"

Su Chen grabbed the monkey's wrist back, with such force that even the naturally strong monkey felt a bit stunned.

"Little Brother, what are you doing? These immortals don't know what's good for them; we won't take this insult!"

The monkey was still angry.

Su Chen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the raging waves in his heart, his brain spinning rapidly.

He couldn't tell the monkey the truth; he could only persuade him in a way he could understand.

"Monkey Brother, listen to me." Su Chen's gaze met the monkey's clear and stubborn eyes.

"Have you forgotten why you went to sea?"

The monkey was stunned.

"You did it for longevity, to escape the Three Realms, to be outside the Five Elements. You traveled for so many years, suffered so much, and finally found this place, found a real immortal. Now that the opportunity is right before you, how can you give it up for my sake?"

"But they won't let you in!" The monkey stiffened its neck.

"Perhaps... this is a test from the immortal for us?" Su Chen's tone became guiding.

"Think about it, the immortal Dao is hard to seek; how could it be so easy? The immortal might be testing your heart for the Dao! Seeing if you can truly abandon everything to seek the Dao. If you can't even see through this small 'separation', how can you talk about cultivation?"

The monkey scratched its cheek, tilted its head, and seemed to think there was some truth to it.

Su Chen struck while the iron was hot: "Besides, I'm just a mortal; it's normal for the immortal not to fancy me. But you're different, Monkey Brother; you are a natural stone monkey, born with spiritual energy, a one-in-a-million cultivation embryo! The immortal saw you at a glance."

"This is your opportunity, a huge opportunity! If you learn the supernatural powers of immortality, you can come back to find me later. Won't we brothers be able to be carefree then? If you have the ability, maybe you can even guide me a few times later!"

These words were half-comforting, half-flattering, hitting the monkey's heart perfectly.

"You... are you telling the truth?" The monkey was wavering.

"Of course I am!" Su Chen patted its shoulder, his tone sincere.

"Monkey Brother, you go in. I won't go far; I'll wait for you at the foot of the mountain."

"If you succeed in your studies, come down the mountain to find me. If you are bullied inside, come down and tell me; although I can't beat the immortal, I can still give you some ideas."

The monkey looked at Su Chen's eyes, and the anger in its heart gradually dissipated.

"Alright then." The monkey finally gave in, but still warned him with some unease.

"Little Brother, you must not go too far! When I learn the skills, I'll come find you first! Whoever dares to bully you, I'll definitely help you!"

"Don't worry, Monkey Brother, I'll wait for you."

A huge stone in Su Chen's heart fell, and a genuine smile appeared on his face.

The Daoist boy watched coldly from the side, and seeing the monkey finally persuaded, he spoke indifferently: "Since you've thought it through, follow me in. Master is still waiting."

The monkey looked back at Su Chen every step of the way, but eventually followed the Daoist boy into the deep stone door.

"Creak—"

The stone door slowly closed, finally shutting with a "bang", completely isolating the two worlds.

Outside the door, only Su Chen remained.

The mountain wind blew, carrying a hint of chill.

Brothers on different paths.

From this moment on, Sun Wukong would embark on his path to heaven, while he was a mortal rejected by the immortal gate.

Su Chen stood in place for a long time.

He looked up at the ten large characters "The Mountain of Spirit Terrace and Square Inch, the Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars", a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes.

Go back? Go back where?

Go back to the Jiang Kingdom, be a martial artist for a lifetime, and then die of old age and sickness?

No! He would never accept his fate!

Since the front door was blocked, he would find a way himself, even if he had to chisel out a path!

He closed his eyes, his mind sinking into his consciousness.

"Heavenly Secret Tianji Baojian."

The golden panel unfolded in his consciousness.

"I was rejected by Patriarch Puti; consume Heavenly Secret Points to seek an opportunity for me to embark on the path of cultivation!"

【Heavenly Secret Points -100】

【Current Heavenly Secret Points: 50】

【Deducing for host...】

Golden light flowed on the panel, and a moment later, a line of new text slowly emerged.

【Outside the Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars, the woodcutter watches the chess game. Filial piety moves heaven and earth, the abandoned axe has profound sounds.】

The woodcutter watches the chess game?

Su Chen opened his eyes abruptly, and the figure of the woodcutter who sang profound Dao songs and claimed to be just an ordinary woodcutter immediately appeared in his mind.

The woodcutter!

He claimed he had an old mother to support, so he couldn't practice the Dao.

Isn't this "filial piety moves heaven and earth"?

The abandoned axe has profound sounds... profound Dao sounds hidden in the abandoned axe?

Su Chen's heart beat violently uncontrollably.

He understood; the Dao circulates, and there is always a glimmer of hope.

This woodcutter was Su Chen's opportunity!

Su Chen no longer hesitated; he took one last look at the tightly shut stone door, turned resolutely, and walked down the mountain with large strides. ===== CHAPTER 4 =====