Chapter 91

South Heaven Gate.

Today, the gate was guarded by Zengzhangtianwang and his heavenly soldiers.

Seeing Sun Wukong and Su Chen hurrying toward the gate, they frowned and stepped forward to block their path.

“Great Sage, Assistant Minister, where are you two headed?” Zengzhangtianwang asked, gripping his sword firmly.

Sun Wukong was about to force his way through, but Su Chen stepped ahead first, bowing to Zengzhangtianwang with a smile: “Greetings, Heavenly King. The Great Sage and I have been ordered by the Jade Emperor to descend to the mortal realm on urgent business—this matter is critical and cannot be delayed.”

“Secret edict?” Zengzhangtianwang was skeptical.

“Precisely,” Su Chen said without flinching. “This is confidential. I cannot elaborate. If you doubt it, you may verify it with the Jade Emperor.”

“But if this delays the Jade Emperor’s great matter, the responsibility—your lordship, I fear—”

Zengzhangtianwang hesitated at once.

He glanced at Su Chen, then at Sun Wukong beside him, who looked impatient, gripping the Ruyi Jingu Bang as if ready to strike at any moment, and his resolve crumbled.

Today was the day the Queen Mother hosted the Yaoti Banquet—better to avoid trouble.

If he truly delayed the Jade Emperor’s important matter, he could not bear the consequences.

Thinking this, he quickly stepped aside.

“If you carry the Jade Emperor’s edict, then by all means, proceed!”

“Thank you, Heavenly King.”

Su Chen smiled faintly, took Sun Wukong’s arm, and walked out of the South Heaven Gate with calm confidence.

Beyond the gate, beneath their feet stretched an endless sea of clouds.

Looking back, the golden and radiant Tiangong, wreathed in divine mist, was now faintly visible through the haze.

Sun Wukong turned and spat heavily toward the direction of Tiangong.

“What kind of heavenly paradise is this? Old Sun won’t set foot here again!”

Su Chen watched his expression and couldn’t help smiling.

He patted Sun Wukong’s shoulder and laughed: “Enough, Brother Monkey. Don’t be angry. We’re going home!”

“Yes! Home!”

Sun Wukong shook off his gloom, flipped a somersault, and leapt onto the cloud.

Su Chen followed close behind, the two brothers standing side by side atop the cloud.

“Little brother, you think the Jade Emperor will send troops to attack us once we return to Huaguo Mountain?” Sun Wukong asked.

“Attack?” Su Chen chuckled. “He’d like to, but he can’t. Once we’re back, we’ll control the narrative. If he dares send troops, he’ll confirm his tyranny. Right now, the initiative is ours.”

“Hahahaha! Your plan is brilliant, little brother—so satisfying!”

Sun Wukong threw back his head and laughed, his voice echoing across the sea of clouds.

He felt this was even more satisfying than causing chaos in the heavenly court.

“Let’s go! Back to Huaguo Mountain—to drink!”

The Somersault Cloud sliced through the heavens, racing toward Dongsheng Shenzhou and Huaguo Mountain.

When Sun Wukong and Su Chen descended on the Somersault Waterfall Cave, the entire Huaguo Mountain erupted.

“The Great King has returned!”

“The Great King has returned!”

The monkeys playing in the mountain streams spotted them and shrieked, running to spread the news.

Instantly, every monkey on the mountain—old and young, male and female—emerged from forests and caves, a dark, surging tide rushing toward the waterfall cave, cheering, dancing, leaping with joy.

Sun Wukong gazed at his troop of monkeys and felt a flood of emotion.

After years in the heavenly court, he realized his Huaguo Mountain was truly the best.

Here, there were no rigid rules, no scheming or deceit.

Only pure joy and freedom.

“My little ones! Old Sun is back!”

Standing before the waterfall cave, Sun Wukong opened his arms and roared with laughter.

The monkeys surged forward, surrounding him, pounding his back, offering freshly picked wild fruits, clinging to him with affection.

Soon, the Four Mighty Generals stationed near Huaguo Mountain and the Seventy-Two Demon Kings heard of Sun Wukong’s return and hurried over.

Seeing him, they were overjoyed and bowed respectfully.

“We welcome the Great King back to the mountain!”

When they saw Su Chen beside him, they were stunned.

They sensed Su Chen’s aura had grown immeasurably stronger—deep as the ocean, radiating overwhelming pressure.

The demon kings dared not delay; they immediately bowed to Su Chen as well.

“We pay homage to the Second Great King!”

“No need for such formalities,” Su Chen smiled and nodded.

“Enough standing outside!” Sun Wukong waved his hand. “My little ones, bring out the stored monkey wine! Prepare fruits and dishes—today, Old Sun will drink with all my brothers until we’re all drunk!”

“Yes sir!”

The monkeys cheered and sprang into action.

Inside the waterfall cave, a grand feast was soon laid out.

Sun Wukong sat on the main seat, Su Chen beside him.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of dishes,

one demon king, emboldened by drink, asked curiously: “Great Sage, we heard you took an official post in heaven—why have you returned so suddenly?”

His question prompted the other seventy-two demon kings to urge Sun Wukong to recount his experiences in the heavenly court.

Under their pressing questions, Sun Wukong recounted his heavenly ordeal, embellishing it as Su Chen had instructed.

From being named the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, only to be given a meaningless post, to being assigned to guard the Peach Garden, and then being excluded from the Peach Banquet…

He told it with passion, and when he reached the part that angered him, he slammed his wine bowl to the ground, shattering it.

“Too much! Absolutely too much!”

“That Jade Emperor and Queen Mother have no respect for Old Sun! They look down on all demonkind and mortal cultivators!”

Hearing this, the demon kings in the cave were filled with righteous fury.

“Unthinkable! The heavenly court is this arrogant!”

“They despise all demonkind in the world!” roared a wolf-headed demon king.

“Exactly. We’re all cultivators—why should they sit above us? Why are we treated as inferiors just because we’re demons?”

“Great King, rebel! Let’s raise our banners and fight them!”

“Yes! Fight them! The Seventy-Two Demon Kings swear loyalty to the Great King!”

Within moments, the cave echoed with cries of battle and vengeance.

Su Chen watched silently, saying nothing.

This was exactly the effect he wanted.

When the demon kings’ emotions had spent themselves, he raised his cup and stood.

“Gentlemen, please be still.”

At his words, the chaotic cave fell instantly silent—all eyes fixed on Su Chen.

Su Chen took a sip of wine and spoke slowly: “I fully understand your anger. The heavenly court’s actions are indeed heartless. But…”

He shifted tone, “Anger alone cannot solve this. The heavenly court is powerful, brimming with experts, vast armies, and countless generals. If we confront them head-on now, it’s like an egg striking a rock.”

Hearing this, the demon kings grew calm.