Chapter 62: Monkey Madness Unleashed

In the theater, watching the ultra‑exciting scenes on the big screen, countless people had tears in their eyes and their hearts roiled.

Under the relic boost from Tang Seng's ten‑generation cultivation, the strongest Sun Wukong in history was born, and to the lingering, mournful soundtrack he easily slew the Green Lion spirit, White Elephant spirit, Golden‑Pelt Leopard, Wolf commander and a host of great demons.

In the center of the 800‑li Lion‑Camel Ridge, the magnificent, sturdy Great Lion‑Camel City, once brushed by the after‑glow of the Golden Cudgel's swing, shattered into pieces and collapsed with a boom.

After the incident, legends of the Great Sage will spread here: one man wiped out Lion‑Camel Ridge, one staff once tipped the Nine Provinces.

Earth overturned, heavens flipped, demons' apocalypse.

The supremely proud, cunning Golden‑winged Roc, seeming stunned by the sight, cried in terror, "Y‑you actually killed them?"

The Great Sage turned his head, his eyes reddened.

The Golden‑winged Roc, frightened, leapt upward, revealing its true form; a sweep of its wings carried it to the foot of the Spirit Mountain.

"Guide the Buddha to save me!" the Roc wailed miserably, its former pride gone.

Yet Sun Wukong moved faster, arriving behind the Roc, slamming down with full force, crushing the hundred‑meter‑wide Golden‑winged Roc into ash and dust.

In the final frame, time seemed frozen as the Roc's body gradually turned to golden powder, dissipating into the air of the Spirit Mountain.

"WTF, the Buddha's uncle was wiped out at the foot of the Spirit Mountain, Great Sage, awesome!"

"Too lit!"

"How does it end!"

In the theater, the audience sighed; on the big screen, Sun Wukong stared at the five‑colored auspicious light of the towering Spirit Eagle peak, his expression complex, then he cried, "Master, master, you cultivated ten generations and never reached this; even if I sacrifice my life, I'll still climb up to ask you one question!"

Sun Wukong's gaze was resolute, about to step forward, when a voice called "Wukong," and he startled, turning his head.

The big screen suddenly went black, and the six characters "Jiang Heng Director's Work" flashed, then subtitles began to roll.

"Is that it?"

"Not enough yet!"

"We should have stormed the Spirit Mountain again and caused a ruckus!"

"Even Heaven's Court is in uproar, still missing this one!"

"At worst, we'll be sealed for another five hundred to a thousand years!"

"Since the Great Sage's emergence, he's basically been locked up!"

The audience, exhilarated yet feeling the experience unfinished, were relieved when Tang Seng's figure reappeared on the screen.

"Thank you, Guide Buddha!"

On the screen, Tang Seng, played by Ding Haifeng, bowed and thanked a bald, plain‑clothed, majestic‑looking elder.

The Guide Buddha laughed, "I was meant to be here, to help you shed mortal flesh. I didn't expect the Spirit Mountain's lax discipline to let those few vermin escape, causing this disaster. Yet for you it's also good: your ten‑generation cultivation has merged, shedding the mortal body; when you step onto the Spirit Mountain again, you can become a Buddha on the spot!"

Sun Wukong said, "So I still have to thank you!"

The Guide Buddha smiled, "No need for that!"

He waved his hand, and in the air a silhouette of the Golden‑winged Roc materialized, initially semi‑transparent, later solid but far smaller.

The Roc, bearing hatred, lunged at Wukong; the Guide Buddha pointed at its head, turning its forehead into fresh flesh; the Roc extended sharp claws, the Buddha pointed again, binding the Roc's legs with rope, preventing it from flying away.

Reduced to a foot tall, it circled atop the Buddha's head, saying, "Guide, you refuse to save me, you won't let me take revenge; how will you answer the Tathagata?"

The Guide Buddha laughed, "The Great Sage came too fast, the old monk moved too slow; what can be done! Bringing you back is the Tathagata's decree; I cannot allow you to cause trouble!"

Tang Seng, seeing this, thanked the Guide again.

Sun Wukong replied, "Buddha, those tens of thousands of wronged souls in Lion‑Camel City act like ordinary people by day, even fooling my fiery eyes; could this be your doing?"

The Guide Buddha laughed, "You mischievous monkey, always framing good people; this vermin stole the Tathagata's scripture—does that mean it can't steal my treasure?"

The audience in the theater realized that at first watch they sensed some flaws in the early Lion‑Camel Country segment, but the tight pacing left no dull moments, so they overlooked it.

They didn't expect the easter egg to even patch that.

The big screen went black again, the interlude changed, subtitles kept scrolling, and the audience's discussion grew hotter.

Some said the later easter‑egg segment could have been fully integrated into the plot.

However, a director like Jiang Wen could guess Jiang Heng's intention.

The easter‑egg's story, while consistent with earlier events, had a completely different style.

It resembled the final scene of the 1986 version of Journey to the West where background sprites were rescued.

Yet that clashes with the film's overall dark, mournful tone.

Placing it in the easter‑egg, not as main content, fits better.

On the big screen, subtitle information kept scrolling; just as the audience wondered when the lights would come on and were about to applaud, Tang Seng's voice sounded again.

"Zhu Bajie, fall back behind the master!"

In a tropical‑scented forest clearing, Tang Seng stood tall; the camera shifted to reveal three half‑orcs over two zhang tall, each bearing a massive weapon and a rhinoceros‑horn atop their heads, marching forward with thunderous steps that shook the ground.

Before the audience could react, a string of thank‑you words appeared on the big screen, then faded to gray‑white, ending completely.

The theater lights rose, yet the audience hadn't left the story.

The just‑watched film's impact was probably stronger than a Chinese audience's first IMAX 3D viewing of "Avatar" ten years ago.

The movie contained countless shocking visuals and brilliant plotlines; pick any segment, add some filler and a bit of romance to stretch the runtime, and you have a cash‑grabbing product.

But Jiang Heng didn't do that; he truly produced a spectacular, nonstop, ultra‑cool special‑effects commercial blockbuster.

Even the order of Sun Wukong's opponents' appearances was meticulously arranged.

Thousands of semi‑transparent "ghost generals" in helmets and armor looked terrifying, yet their strength was as flimsy as paper.

Tens of thousands of wronged souls formed a demon that could slap Sun Wukong away, roughly at the level of a Giant Spirit God.

The Golden‑Pelt Leopard that later fought, masterful in both archery and spear, could not last more than a few dozen rounds against the Great Sage.

The White Elephant and Green Lion were even stronger, still no match.

The top contender, the Golden‑winged Roc, appeared last, using strategy, ambush, and a descending golden claw to finally capture the Great Sage.

In the final battle, everyone was deployed, and with the Tathagata's scripture, they could restrain the Great Sage and force the pilgrimage team into a dead end.

Only in such a situation does a desperate counterattack appear so exhilaratingly vivid.

Having figured this out, Jiang Wen couldn't help but blurt out a swear, "If this damn thing happens, how will anyone ever shoot 'Journey to the West' later!"

The person beside him was puzzled, unaware that what Jiang Wen was thinking was that on the Journey to the West road, there is no monster gang stronger than the one at Lion‑Camel Ridge.

Even though the Azure Bull spirit is strong, it is still just one brother, relying on a single treasure.

Even if one can snatch the Golden Cudgel, one still can't do anything to the Great Sage!

"The Journey to the West theme is dead!" Jiang Wen thought silently.

(End of chapter)