Beneath the cliff, numerous monkeys of various sizes surrounded the stone lion and played around for half a day, when suddenly they heard the sound of the wind and looked up to see the clouds in the sky shrouded in fog, causing them to run and hide in fright.
"Don't hide!"
Sun Wukong rode the fierce winds and placed the hairless Wolf King Leopard Demon and nearly a hundred female monkeys on the ground.
The monkeys, upon seeing their family members, recognized them and felt immense joy, gathering and laughing happily. For a moment, the area beneath the cliff was crowded with monkeys, bustling with activity.
Pity the Wolf and Leopard Demon Kings who were pelted with stones by the monkeys, causing their bodies to swell with bruises.
They, who had never endured such humiliation, were now in a pitiful state like meat on a chopping board, daring not to resist.
"Let's take these two hairless fellows and head home, my children!"
When Sun Wukong saw that the monkeys were tired of playing, he issued a command, and immediately, the monkeys escorted the Wolf and Leopard Demon Kings, lifted the stone lion, and collectively surrounded the Monkey King as they headed towards the cave residence of Shuilian Cave.
Upon returning to the cave residence, the monkeys divided into groups and orderly queued to bow one by one to the Monkey King.
The old turtle and other wild creatures of the mountain, who had joined lines with the Monkey King, heard the news and arrived early at Shuilian Cave, prepared wine and fruit to celebrate and welcome the Monkey King.
During the celebrations, four old monkeys approached; two were Red Bottomed Horse Monkeys and two were Macaques. They knelt before the Monkey King and said—
"Great King, with your returning after achieving enlightenment, there will surely be Kings of birds and beasts coming to challenge us. We are completely unarmed; we should set up camp and diligently practice martial arts to safeguard our cave residence!"
Sun Wukong smiled: "What's the rush? I have a plan."
The four monkeys continued: "Great King, there lies the Kingdom of Aolai to the east; would you be able to use magic to fetch some weapons for the young monkeys from there?"
Sun Wukong thought to himself that acquiring weapons is something out of the stories.
He waved his hand in refusal: "That won't be necessary. Having achieved enlightenment, I shall not engage in wicked deeds."
There was truly no need to tarnish his reputation for some mundane weapons.
Sun Wukong had already planned that there were still two to three hundred years before the mayhem at Heavenly Palace. If he were to cause trouble in the Mortal World now, it would likely bring premature attention from Heavenly Palace.
He had decided to live harmoniously with his neighbors and make sage friends. Even if he couldn't avoid the chaos in Heavenly Palace, this could prevent them from finding faults in him for a while.
As for the matter of Jingu Bang and the Underworld, there was still time and he could plan gradually.
"Be at ease."
Sun Wukong said to the four monkeys: "Wait a few days, once I have conquered all 72 cave masters, neither the King of Birds nor Beast King will dare to offend us."
The four monkeys were greatly surprised upon hearing his words, wondering if the Great King aspired to be the supreme leader of Huaguo Mountain.
"We didn't expect the Great King to have such grand ambitions."
The four monkeys hurriedly knelt: "We will immediately prepare the young monkeys!"
"No need."
The Monkey King waved his hand: "I alone am enough."
The night was filled with celebration, with monkeys sprawling intoxicated all over Shuilian Cave.
The next day, Sun Wukong rested for merely an hour, but he shook off his tiredness and looked completely refreshed, showing no traces of drunkenness.
"Bring them over!"
Sun Wukong instructed a young monkey to bring the Wolf and Leopard Demon Kings and asked them: "Do you know where the other Demon Kings reside?"
"Yes, yes!"
The two Demon Kings eagerly replied: "We can lead you there."
Sun Wukong nodded, and then led the two demons out of Shuilian Cave.
As they passed Iron Plate Bridge, he saw an old sea turtle passed out under the bridge and suddenly remembered, the water underneath the bridge led to the East Sea.
"Old Turtle."
Sun Wukong flicked his fingers and the sea turtle instantly sobered up, lying prostrate on the ground to pay homage.
"Does the Great King have any commands?"
"I forgot to thank you."
Sun Wukong, with a smile, said: "Years ago, you escorted me to the Southern Continent, allowing me to achieve enlightenment. Today, if there is anything you wish for, I will grant it to you!"
"Great King, you are too kind."
The turtle was flattered and shocked; though he had not witnessed the Great King's divine power firsthand, from what he heard among the monkeys and seeing the furless state of the two Demon Kings, he knew the Great King now transcended his past, having grasped the Tao.
It is difficult for demons to cultivate; a thousand years is not easy.
The Monkey King, having cultivated the Tao in just twenty years, bore unpredictable future accomplishments.
"Great King, I do not need a reward."
The turtle understood that if he dedicated himself to serving the Monkey King, greater benefits awaited in the future.
Sun Wukong nodded, "Old Turtle, you hail from the East Sea and have vast knowledge, surely you know many hidden sages. Bring me some talented individuals."
"This..." The turtle was surprised and then showed a troubled expression. "The Great King thinks too highly of me, I fear I may fail the trust placed in me."
Although he was a lesser demon who had lived long, he had never associated with such sages.
Even if he knew many important figures, those figures did not know him, how could he possibly invite them over.
"Do what you can."
Sun Wukong said: "I do not demand."
The turtle could only agree.
After bidding farewell to the turtle, Sun Wukong grabbed the two Demon Kings and transformed into a gust of wind, flying out of Shuilian Cave.
Huaguo Mountain is the ancestral pulse of the Ten Continents, born from the division of clear and turbid, distinguished by Hongmeng, and its scenery is naturally beautiful.
At dawn, the mist around Huaguo Mountain was drifting, like a celestial realm.
Sun Wukong halted in the clouds, admired the view for a moment, then recited a Spell, took a breath, and blew toward the ground, immediately causing the wind to sweep the sand and disperse the clouds.
In no time, the mist around Huaguo Mountain had cleared completely.
"Which Demon King is the strongest?"
Sun Wukong asked the two Demon Kings.
Seeing the Monkey King's methods, the Demon Kings dared not conceal, and unanimously answered, "To the east, on the mountain ridges lives a stripe-eyed tiger with immense strength, surpassing us!"
Immediately, Sun Wukong reached the eastern mountain ridges. As soon as he landed, a tiger spirit spotted him and hurriedly ran into its cave.
"Report..."
The tiger spirit kneeled before the Tiger King: "Great King, the Monkey King we heard about yesterday has arrived."
"What!"
The Tiger King stood up abruptly.
Yesterday, the north echoed with endless howls of wolves and leopards, only to find out that their Demon Kings had been stripped of their fur and imprisoned in Shuilian Cave by the Monkey King, their fate uncertain.
That detestable Monkey King must have not had enough of plucking, now here to pluck tiger fur!
"Quick!"
With bulging eyes, the Tiger King bellowed, "Bring me my weapon!"
By the time Sun Wukong approached the cave entrance, the Tiger King was already standing there, heroically wielding an iron staff.
Seeing the Monkey King, he opened his wide mouth like a basin and roared, "I want to see for myself what kind of fur-plucking Daoist Skill you've learned!"
Sun Wukong's anger had not yet subsided. He blew on the Tiger King, and immediately, the Tiger King's armor shattered, and his spotted fur turned to powder and scattered with the wind.
The Tiger King instantly tightened his tail, shaking like a sieve.
"Do you submit?"
Sun Wukong asked.
"Submit, submit!"
The Tiger King hastily knelt and kowtowed, "I sincerely pledge allegiance; please, Great King, spare my life!"
Sun Wukong then took the Tiger King and hurried to the next cave.
His Mana was vast; within a day, he had subdued a dozen Demon Kings.
The rest of the Demon Kings, upon hearing the news, were terrified to their souls, and during the cover of night, they came to beg for mercy and acknowledged the Monkey King as their leader.
By the third day, all Demon Kings of Huaguo Mountain had submitted.