Chapter 167: The Demon Monkey Suppressed Beneath the Mountain of Five Elements

With this single palm strike of the Great Sun Tathagata, every color between heaven and earth dimmed into dullness. In Ye Qiu's hand, that seemingly soft and effortless palm appeared to encompass an entire world.

"The Buddha Kingdom in the Palm! Heavens, this is the highest esoteric art of the Great Sun Tathagata Palm! I never thought I would witness it with my own eyes today..."

The Buddha Kingdom in the Palm—yes! Everyone was utterly shocked! Wasn't the palm strike executed by Ye Qiu the very same supreme, esoteric ultimate technique from Journey to the West, the book he had authored?

To this day, no one had been able to glimpse this realm. Now that Ye Qiu unleashed it, everyone was struck with profound disbelief.

That mere palm strike seemed to hold an entire kingdom within it, a truly miraculous sight! It appeared vast yet minuscule, illusory yet tangible, real yet false.

The moment Ye Qiu's Buddha Kingdom in the Palm manifested, he intended to suppress the monkey directly. Suddenly, he noticed the monkey standing there, pointing right at him and seemingly cursing a blue storm.

"Damn it, I originally planned to spare your life! Since you refuse to appreciate kindness, don't blame me for being impolite..."

Ye Qiu was furious. He had originally intended to just go through the motions, feigning the monkey's suppression and releasing it only after everyone else had left.

Now, Ye Qiu suddenly decided against that plan! Since you love cursing so much, fine... I will play along with you properly.

With a slight smile, Ye Qiu suddenly spoke, "Monkey head, don't say I didn't give you a chance! Considering how difficult it was for you to attain your cultivation, it would be a pity for you to perish like this.

How about this! I will give you a chance. Care to make a wager with me?"

With that, Ye Qiu lifted the seal on the monkey. Though the seal was lifted, certain restrictions remained—specifically, it was forbidden from speaking of anything related to Ye Qiu.

Only with this restriction in place dared Ye Qiu release the seal with peace of mind. Otherwise, if the monkey flew into a rage and directly exposed his true identity, wouldn't the whole operation capsize?

"A wager? What kind of wager?"

Discovering that it had regained the ability to speak, the monkey immediately pressed for details, suddenly feeling that the unfolding scene was somewhat familiar.

"Very simple! Didn't you boast that a single somersault could cover one hundred thousand eight thousand li? Let's make a bet: as long as you can escape from the palm of my hand, I will let bygones be bygones regarding today's events..."

Ye Qiu smiled faintly, leaving the monkey stunned upon hearing those words.

"The Tathagata subduing the demon monkey under the Five Elements Mountain?"

Holy crap, has this plot actually manifested?

A surge of joy welled up inside the monkey. "If I hadn't read Journey to the West, I almost would have fallen for your trick! Hehe, you want to trick me into walking right into your trap and then slap me down to be suppressed under the Five Elements Mountain?"

The monkey was far too familiar with this script! It saw right through Ye Qiu's scheme in an instant.

"Fine! I'll take this bet with you..."

The monkey laughed. Since it already knew the script, why not play along and make a run for it right now?

Escaping the Five-Finger Mountain was easy enough. The moment it spotted those five pillars, it wouldn't hesitate—nor would it bother trying to pee on them or leave behind graffiti declaring that the Great Sage Equalling Heaven had been there. It would just bolt straight away.

Once it was gone for good, let's see what he had to say.

Did he really take Monkey Brother for someone who hasn't read Journey to the West? Trying to trap me, no way...

Delighted, the monkey practically envisioned its carefree life of dashing freedom as it leaped directly onto Ye Qiu's palm, asking with a tone of feigned disbelief, "Are you telling the truth? If I escape from your palm, you are not allowed to go back on your word..."

"Never!"

Ye Qiu gave a sinister smile. Escape from my Five Elements Mountain? You must be out of your mind.

Did you really think that Journey to the West was something you stumbled upon and stole? Rather than something I deliberately fed to you?

"Alright, that's the bet! Everyone heard it. If he reneges on his promise, don't you all dare pretend you didn't hear..."

The monkey still harbored doubts—could Ye Qiu really be so kind-hearted? True or false, it was an opportunity nonetheless.

"Enough talk! Let's begin..."

Ye Qiu said indifferently. Without a second thought, the monkey performed a single somersault, leaped right out of Ye Qiu's palm, and sped rapidly toward the south.

"Haha, you want to catch me? It's not that simple..."

Having escaped Ye Qiu's palm, the monkey did not forget to look back and hurl a taunt.

After a few somersaults, the monkey had already fled millions of li. Looking ahead... sure enough, five towering pillars supporting the sky appeared, filling its heart with joy.

"These five pillars must be that fellow's fingers! Hehe... if old sun hadn't read Journey to the West, I almost would have been tricked by you.

Trying to trap me? No way. Old sun is out of here, bye-bye..."

The monkey did not hesitate in the slightest—it didn't even entertain the thought of urinating—and whipped around to continue flying forward.

Just as it assumed it had slipped beyond Ye Qiu's control, suddenly... five pillars appeared ahead of it once more.

"What the hell! That makes no sense. Weren't those pillars just behind me? When did they run ahead of me?"

The monkey was completely bewildered! Which set was the real one? Logically speaking, hadn't it already escaped Ye Qiu's palm? Why were there still pillars here?

No, something was wrong!

The monkey's face turned as pale as paper, feeling as though it had encountered a ghost. Without looking back, it pressed on forward, but before long, it was astonished to discover that yet another five pillars had appeared ahead.

"Dammit!"

The monkey was furious! It flew straight up to the five pillars and, without a second thought, let loose a stream of urine right onto them, cursing as it relieved itself, "Do you think I couldn't leave without taking a piss?"

Having finished urinated, the monkey left behind a line of text: The Great Sage Equalling Heaven was here!

Having done all this, the monkey bolted forward without looking back, only to break down entirely a short while later.

"Again?"

Just how many of these pillars were there?

The monkey flew up to the pillars in absolute despair, only to discover a line of text inscribed upon one of them—none other than the very words it had just left behind, alongside a puddle of urine on the ground.

Good grief, was it running in circles the entire time?

The monkey was appalled! This script was all wrong; Journey to the West didn't write it this way. Was it being played for a fool?

"Damn it, since the way forward is blocked, I'll fly back..."

The monkey experienced a total mental breakdown! This time, instead of flying forward, it turned around to fly back...

It refused to believe that with its speed, this parlor trick could be that wicked.

After flying backward for quite a while, the monkey suddenly spotted a brilliant seven-colored radiance shining atop a cloud ahead, appearing exceedingly sacred.

"What is that?"

Filled with astonishment, the monkey hurriedly flew toward the source of the light, only to suddenly catch sight of that familiar face belonging to Ye Qiu.

"Oh! What the hell..."

Terrified, the monkey collapsed flat onto the ground. I'm not playing anymore! Are you treating me like a monkey?

Flying forward leads nowhere, flying backward leads nowhere—you're just playing games with me...

"What is that monkey doing?"

"Who knows? It looks like it's gone mad! Not only has it been running in circles, but it has no civic manners whatsoever, relieving itself everywhere."

"Ew... Disgusting! Vulgar. Country monkeys are just so boorish..."

Everyone looked on with undisguised disgust, leaving the monkey with nowhere to hide its face.

Old sun's lifelong reputation and innocence have all been utterly ruined today.

"Monkey head! Do you submit?"

At that moment, Ye Qiu's calm voice echoed over. A tremor went through the monkey's heart as it realized it could never escape this five-hundred-year destiny.

Yet it simply couldn't fathom: Journey to the West never mentioned that the Tathagata was the one who taught it cultivation. How could Ye Qiu possibly be the Tathagata?

Incomprehensible. In the original script, this scene should have been the Tathagata subduing the demon monkey, yet in reality, it was Ye Qiu suppressing the monkey...

"I refuse to submit!"

"Refuse all you want, you're going to endure it anyway..."

With a furious roar, Ye Qiu flipped his palm downward, instantly transforming it into the Five Elements Mountain, pressing the monkey firmly beneath its weight...

"Damn it, this monkey's urine smells so pungent..."

Displaying an expression of utter revulsion, Ye Qiu hurriedly went down to the sea to wash his hands. That stream of piss had almost driven him to apoplexy, making him wish he could instantly crush this damned monkey to death.

Didn't it know he had germophobia? Daring to piss on his hand—that was pure suicide...