Chapter Nine: The Mystery of the Golden-Haired Monkey's Origins

In this way, the reasons behind the bizarre behavior of the golden retriever monkey have been elucidated

Tai Shici wished to heed the advice of the Golden-Haired Monkey: which mountain should they ascend first? However, the Golden-Haired Monkey closed its eyes and ignored Tai Shici. Tai Shici understood that if the Golden-Haired Monkey were to lead the way, their speed would at least double, yet the Golden-Haired Monkey, while not exerting itself, still engaged with Tai Shici along the journey

Thus, in the face of the golden-haired monkey, Tai Shici felt a sense of lofty admiration, accompanied by a strong dissatisfaction with himself: if he could not even contend with the golden-haired monkey, how would he deal with the fierce mountain bandits in the future? How could he protect the fishing village and his own mother?

Regardless of the circumstances, the golden-haired monkey does not dare to act recklessly, and Taishi Ci cannot step beyond the threshold of the thunder pool even by half a step

Tai Shici gestured to the Golden-Haired Monkey, inquiring about his inner doubts. However, the Golden-Haired Monkey ignored him and closed his eyes, pretending to doze off.

After a brief rest, Taishi Ci continued his journey, carrying the much stronger golden-haired monkey. The further north he went, the colder the air became. For those who have achieved mastery in their cultivation, temperature is not an issue, even though Taishi Ci was almost bare, wearing only shorts made from stitched tree bark.

Upon seeing the miserable state of the golden-haired monkey, and recalling the insults from the Monkey King towards He and the others, Taishi Ci was filled with uncontrollable rage. However, perhaps it was the mother of the golden-haired monkey who instructed it not to retaliate against the Monkey King, which is why the golden-haired monkey dared not act recklessly. Could it be that the golden-haired monkey is not a descendant of the Monkey King?

Due to the rapid pace of travel, Taishi Ci felt dazzled and overwhelmed along the way. He truly did not expect Ice and Fire Island to be so vast. For instance, at this moment, he stood at the highest peak of Ice and Fire Island, gazing northward into the distance, and he was astonished to see two peaks at the end of the undulating mountains: one was a snow-capped mountain, and the other was a peak shrouded in mist. He could not help but feel a surge of emotions within him and let out a long howl.

The female monkeys in the troop are all wives and concubines of the monkey king. If a female monkey does not mate with the monkey king and becomes pregnant, it is likely that she would not survive...! The more Taishi Ci thought about it, the more confused he became, unable to untangle the complexities of the situation!

In a moment of helplessness, Tai Shici closed his eyes, heeding the call of his inner self and the inclinations of his body. Ultimately, the sanctity of the snow-capped mountains prevailed, and Tai Shici opened his eyes, exerting his strength to dash towards the snow.

Between movement and stillness, one is prompted to reflect deeply on the nature of the world, with form scattered and spirit released, wandering beyond the eight realms, transcending the mundane... and *images* and *books*... Of course, Taishi Ci also has a realistic perception: there is always a higher mountain, and infinite beauty lies in perilous peaks. If it were not for climbing this mountain peak, I might still be unaware of the existence of two other peaks. These two peaks are very likely the source of the name "Ice and Fire Island".

When the golden-haired monkey awakens again, Taishi Ci helps it clean the decaying corpse of its mother, which is infested with maggots. He chooses a vibrant and sunlit spot to bury the mother monkey

On the snow, the sharp peak of the green mountain remains unbroken, resembling a precious sword piercing the heavens, exuding an extraordinary tranquility; the cloud and mist-covered mountain, akin to a thousand galloping horses in the heat of battle, is complemented by swirling clouds, full of dynamic energy

Filled with deep-seated hatred, Tai Shici left the Monkey Valley in disappointment. This was the second time in his life that he had experienced such profound hatred. The first time, of course, was when his mother, Liu, fell victim to the atrocities of bandits!

Through observation, Taishi Ci discovered that the corpse was that of a female monkey. This led him to reflect on the feelings that the golden-haired monkey had for the female monkey, as well as the king monkey's wanton insult to the golden-haired monkey using the corpse. He concluded that the deceased female monkey was a close relative of the golden-haired monkey, specifically its mother

After more than three years of training, although Taishi Ci is still significantly behind the Golden-Haired Monkey, his speed in traveling has undergone a qualitative change compared to before. Three days later, Taishi Ci led the Golden-Haired Monkey over three continuous mountain peaks and finally stood at the summit of the highest peak.

Using the Wave-Walking Technique to travel, the consumption of true essence and internal energy is almost simultaneously replenished; however, the physical stamina expended can only be restored by Taishi Ci through consuming various mountain fruits and taking necessary rest.

Since awakening, the golden-haired monkey's tears have not ceased. The tears have also infected Tai Shici. Following human customs, Tai Shici knelt three times and knocked his head nine times at the grave of the mother monkey. Afterwards, he picked up the weak golden-haired monkey and returned to the tree house

Can any journey be longer than the pace of one who is hurrying? The more one works, the less there is to do; the further one travels, the shorter the road becomes. Five days later, Tai Shici finally arrived at the foot of Snow Mountain and Cloud Mist Mountain

Certainly, on the left side, a grass rope belt is adorned with a jade water sword. Behind, there is a homemade bundle, containing various mountain fruits for emergencies

Even the happiest moments have their time of disappearance, just as the temperature drops from one hundred degrees to a normal level; similarly, tragic experiences will also be diluted over time, just as even the deepest wounds, with careful treatment, will eventually heal. ... Of course, there will be a scar associated with - illustrations - books ... ? ... Well, once the scar has healed, does one forget the pain? Are characters like the golden-haired monkey and Tai Shici such people?

In front of Tai Shici lay a vast and deep valley, originating beneath his feet, with an unknown destination. To the left was the Cloud and Mist Mountain, and to the right was the Snow Mountain. Being so close to these two mountains, Tai Shici distinctly felt the extreme cold and heat; the extreme cold emanated from the Snow Mountain, while the heat surged towards him from the Cloud and Mist Mountain.

The indifferent expression of the golden-haired monkey also made Taishi Ci somewhat suspicious: Could it be that the golden-haired monkey has been to those two peaks? By the way, where did the golden-haired monkey obtain that blue fruit and the brown gallbladder?

In order to prevent the golden-haired monkeys from becoming emotionally attached, Taishi Ci took the initiative to lead the golden-haired monkeys away from the tree house, distancing them from Monkey Valley. With the mindset of traveling a thousand miles, he began an exploratory journey across Ice and Fire Island

No wonder the golden-haired monkey goes missing for several days each month; it turns out it is visiting its mother. No wonder the golden-haired monkey has been roaming outside for years; it turns out it is being suppressed by the monkey king. No wonder the golden-haired monkey has been distracted lately; it turns out its mother has passed away.

Tai Shici did not understand: What kind of hatred could drive the Monkey King to risk his life to insult the Golden-Haired Monkey? Is it merely because of the Golden-Haired Monkey's extraordinary nature, or is it the Monkey King's inherent cruelty and ruthlessness?

The monkey sat on Tai Shici's shoulder, displaying an air of indifference towards the surrounding environment. However, Tai Shici was different; from the mountain forest to the foot of the mountain, from the foot to the peak, and from one peak to another, the scenery varied greatly, as if each ten miles represented a different sky: at the foot of the mountain it was summer, at the waist it was spring, ... and at the summit it was the harsh winter, with each season's plants thriving vibrantly in their respective regions

Tai Shici attempted to pull the decaying corpse from the grip of the golden-haired monkey, but the corpse remained utterly unyielding, as the monkey held it tightly in its embrace

Without eating or drinking, a person and a monkey traveled for a day without feeling hunger or thirst. Upon returning to the area where the tree house was located, the golden-haired monkey, due to intense emotional fluctuations, ultimately could not hold on and fainted.

A month later, the golden-haired monkey's emotions gradually returned to normal, and it began to play and frolic with Tai Shici. With the golden-haired monkey as a sparring partner, Tai Shici's martial skills gained practical techniques and levels. However, through their exchanges, Tai Shici discovered that there was still a considerable gap between his martial arts proficiency and the golden-haired monkey's agility: after each trial, Tai Shici was exhausted like a dog, panting heavily and drenched in sweat, while the golden-haired monkey appeared completely at ease, as if it had not exerted itself at all