Chapter 6: The Mysterious Woodcutter

"Squeak~ Squeak~"

Sun Wukong repeated his old trick, pretending to be an ordinary monkey and making squeaking sounds twice.

"You're still pretending with me!" The woman in red kicked up, and with a wave of her hand, a lightning bolt struck.

Seeing this, Sun Wukong quickly dodged around, knowing that he couldn't pretend anymore, shouting, "Fairy, please forgive me. I just happened to pass by here and didn't intend to peek at your bath."

"Humph! Can your coincidental excuse make me forgive your offense? You are really a fool's dreamer!" The woman in red was furious and was about to attack Sun Wukong again.

"Fairy, please listen to me. Although I have made a mistake, I can repent. Besides, the heavens are benevolent, and you shouldn't take my life just for one mistake!" Sun Wukong pleaded urgently.

"I won't kill you, but you have to give me a satisfactory compensation." The red-dressed girl frowned and said.

"I wonder what kind of compensation the fairy needs?" Sun Wukong quickly asked.

"I want..." The red girl said halfway, suddenly stopped, disdainfully glanced at Sun Wukong, and said, "Forget it, the thing I want, you are destined never to get. Just accept the punishment!"

After speaking, she was ready to attack Sun Wukong again.

Sun Wukong, seeing this, quickly shouted, "Fairy, please speak. Even if I can't get it for you now, I will definitely be able to do it in the future!"

The red-dressed girl, seeing Sun Wukong's confident appearance, couldn't help but be stunned, subconsciously said, "I asked my father for a cherished pearl, but my father gave it to the Dragon King of the West Sea, and the Dragon King treasures it. With your strength, how could you possibly get it from the hands of the Dragon King?"

After speaking, the red-dressed girl shook her head and sighed, thinking that the beloved pearl had fallen into someone else's hands, feeling sad and feeling that her father did not love her enough. Under this sudden emotional injury, she forgot to punish Sun Wukong and left on a cloud with a sorrowful face.

Sun Wukong looked at the departing figure of the girl in red in a daze, muttering to himself, "Father, Dragon King! Could this girl be the daughter of the Jade Emperor? Right, the Jade Emperor has seven daughters, and the girls playing in the pond before seem to be seven of them?"

Thinking of this, Sun Wukong couldn't help but smile bitterly, shook his head, and sighed at how he, not being Cowherd, could encounter such a dramatic situation.

...

Since the day he saw the seven fairies bathing, it has been quite a few days until now. During these days, Sun Wukong has been heading south, visiting famous rivers and mountains, crossing the entire Southern Parting Continent, and finally reaching the prosperous land of Buddhism - the Western Niu Hezhou.

One day, Sun Wukong suddenly saw a beautiful high mountain in front of him, with a thousand peaks like a giant sword piercing the sky. The mountain ridges were as smooth as blades. Exotic flowers and plants covered the ground, and tall bamboo and pine trees covered the mountainside. The cries of birds approached from afar, and occasionally, the sound of spring water could be heard. It truly was a paradise!

Seeing this, Sun Wukong wanted to walk into the mountains to appreciate this rare beauty. As he was walking, he suddenly heard a song coming from deep in the mountains. Listening carefully, he heard:

"Watching chess pieces rot, cutting wood 'ding ding,' walking slowly at the edge of the clouds and valley, selling firewood for wine, laughing wildly in self-contentment. In the vast autumn sky, lying on the pine roots under the moonlight, falling asleep until daybreak. Recognizing the old forest, climbing cliffs and crossing ridges, holding an axe to cut the withered vines."

Hearing this song, Sun Wukong's pupils suddenly dilated, muttering to himself, "Could this be that woodcutter?"

Taking a few quick steps forward, he indeed saw a woodcutter chopping wood.

Seeing this, Sun Wukong thought that he had finally found the Mount Fangcun and proceeded to bow and ask, "Esteemed warrior, greetings. May I ask where you learned this song?"

The woodcutter, upon hearing the voice, dropped his axe, turned around, and returned the greeting, saying, "This song is called 'Full of Fragrance,' taught to me by an immortal. That immortal is my neighbor. Seeing my family toil and my daily troubles, he taught me to sing this song. It helps to clear the mind and resolve difficulties. I had some troubles just now, so I sang this song, not expecting you to overhear."

Sun Wukong furrowed his brows and pretended not to understand, asking, "Since you know an immortal, why aren't you practicing with him? Instead, you're here chopping wood."

The woodcutter replied, "My life has been bitter. Raised by my parents until the age of eight or nine, I only realized the ways of the world then. Unfortunately, my father passed away, leaving my mother a widow. With no brothers or sisters, it's just me. Helpless, I have been serving my mother day and night. Now that she's old, I dare not abandon her. I gather firewood in the mountains to earn a few coins, cook my own meals, and take care of my mother. I cannot afford to practice cultivation."

Pretending to be surprised, Sun Wukong urgently asked, "I hope the warrior can point out where this immortal lives so that I can pay him a visit."

The woodcutter said, "Not far, not far. This mountain is called Mount Fangcun, and there is a cave called the Slant Moon Three Stars Cave on the mountain. In that cave lives an immortal named Patriarch Subhuti. He has many disciples who are still practicing under him. Follow that small path, head south for about seven or eight miles, and you'll reach his residence."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong became even more certain that the woodcutter had ulterior motives.

Firstly, the woodcutter, upon seeing a monkey asking him questions, was not afraid but rather enthusiastically answered.

Secondly, he knew in detail about the disciples under the immortal despite not practicing cultivation with him. Can an ordinary person know about the situation inside an immortal's sect?

Thirdly, the woodcutter claimed not to practice cultivation because he had to chop wood to support his old mother. Isn't this reason quite laughable?

Considering these points, Sun Wukong concluded that the woodcutter was a guide intentionally waiting here to lead him to the Slant Moon Three Stars Cave of Patriarch Subhuti!

"Thank you, warrior. I'll take my leave!" Sun Wukong bid farewell to the woodcutter and followed the indicated path.

After crossing a hill and walking about seven or eight miles, he indeed saw a cave standing in the distance.