VIAJE AL OESTE Las Aventuras del Rey Mono cap 5

Chapter 5: The Theft of the Elixir

The Great Sage's Indolence

• The Great Sage disrupts the Peach Festival, showing a lack of concern for his elevated status and responsibilities.

• He enjoys a life of leisure, indulging in food and sleep while neglecting duties, spending time socializing with friends.

• When interacting with celestial beings, he shows respect but remains indifferent to their ranks, treating them as equals.

• His carefree lifestyle raises concerns among other deities about potential chaos stemming from his idleness.

A Call to Action

• Taoist immortal Shin Yang expresses worry over the Great Sage's lack of responsibility during an audience with the Jade Emperor.

• The Jade Emperor acknowledges these concerns and decides to assign the Great Sage a temporary duty to manage the Garden of Immortal Peaches.

• The Great Sage is excited about this new role and rushes to inspect the garden after receiving permission.

Discovering the Garden

• Upon arrival at the garden, he is initially stopped by its spirit guardian but soon gains respect due to his title.

• Together with servants responsible for maintaining the garden, they explore its beauty filled with flowers and fruits that seem almost magical.

Enchantment of Immortal Peaches

• The garden features trees laden with exquisite flowers and fruits that symbolize immortality; some take thousands of years to mature.

• Each type of peach has unique properties: those maturing every 3,000 years grant instant enlightenment upon consumption.

The Enchanted Garden and the Great Sage

The Great Sage's Fascination with the Garden

• The Great Sage, impressed by the beauty of the garden, meticulously inventories all trees and structures within it, indicating his deep appreciation for nature.

• He becomes so enchanted that he spends more time in the garden than in his palace, reducing visits to friends and travel significantly.

• Tempted by ripe peaches from older trees, he devises a plan to enjoy them without being seen by his spirit companions.

The Plan to Taste the Peaches

• Disguising himself as a monkey, he climbs a tree to eat peaches alone after sending his followers away.

• Meanwhile, the Queen Mother prepares for a grand Peach Festival at her palace, excitedly instructing her maidens to gather fruit from the immortal peach garden.

The Maidens' Quest for Peaches

• The maidens arrive at the garden but are informed by its spirit that they must seek permission from the Great Sage before picking any fruit.

• They inquire about his whereabouts; however, they find only his discarded hat and robe when searching for him.

Encounter with the Great Sage

• Despite their efforts to locate him, they fail as he has transformed into a tiny figure and is sleeping among the branches after feasting on peaches.

• Determined not to return empty-handed due to imperial orders, they continue searching despite finding few fruits left on other trees.

A Surprising Discovery

• After gathering some peaches from front trees, they discover most back trees are barren due to previous consumption by the Great Sage.

• Eventually finding one unique peach on a southern branch leads to an unexpected encounter with the awakened Great Sage.

Apology and Understanding

• Startled by their presence while wielding a weapon in defense of his fruit, he learns of their royal mission and calms down upon hearing their explanation.

The Invitation to the Heavenly Banquet

The Gathering of Divine Beings

• The Queen of Heaven invites divine maidens to a banquet, showcasing her treasures. Last year's guests included notable figures like Buddha and various celestial beings.

• Distinguished attendees from across realms include immortals from ten continents, spirits from the North Pole, and other revered entities such as the Great Emperor of Mercy.

• The gathering also features deities from lower realms, indicating a diverse assembly for the Immortal Peach Festival.

The Great Sage's Concern

• A great sage inquires about his invitation but is informed by the maidens that he was not mentioned among last year's guests.

• Despite their reassurances, the sage decides to verify his invitation personally after calming down from initial irritation.

Magical Transformation and Journey

• Upon deciding to check on his invitation, the sage uses magic to immobilize the maidens temporarily while he departs on his journey.

• He observes beautiful scenery during his flight towards the Jasper Pond, including colorful clouds and blooming flowers.

Encounter with Another Immortal

• The sage meets an exceptionally beautiful immortal who is also heading to the Peach Festival.

• They discuss an unexpected change in plans regarding where they will gather before dining; this year it’s at the Hall of Perfect Light instead of Jasper Pond.

Disguise and Arrival at Treasure Chamber

• Elated by outsmarting others, the sage disguises himself as the beautiful immortal using magic before arriving at the treasure chamber.

• Inside, he is captivated by exquisite decorations and aromas that fill a room prepared for divine feasting.

Preparations for Banquet

• The chamber displays lavish food items arranged perfectly; however, it appears no deities have arrived yet.

The Great Sage's Journey and Encounter with the Elixir

The Temptation of the Elixir

• The atmosphere was thick with an ancient aroma, reminiscent of jade, which tempted the great sage to taste the rich juice from barrels nearby.

• Overcome by desire and surrounded by people, he resorted to magic; he used his hair to create a swarm of sleep-inducing insects that incapacitated those around him.

The Consequences of Indulgence

• After consuming various delicacies in a drunken state, the sage realized he had made a mistake as guests were soon expected. He feared their anger if they found him intoxicated.

• Despite his intentions to return home quickly, he became lost and mistakenly entered the Palace Tusita instead of his intended destination. Upon realizing this error, he felt both fear and excitement about meeting a revered figure there.

Discovering Alchemical Treasures

• In the empty palace, he found remnants of fire in an alchemy lab along with five hollow gourds containing elixirs—an opportunity he'd long sought for creating gold elixirs to alleviate suffering.

• Eagerly consuming what was inside the gourds like fried soybeans, he experienced immediate effects that sobered him up but also led him to reflect on his reckless behavior and potential punishment from the Jade Emperor.

A Hasty Return

• Realizing his precarious situation, he decided it was best to leave quickly without raising suspicion among guards using his magical abilities for a swift descent back home.

• Upon arrival at his mountain base, he called upon his followers who expressed surprise at his absence and questioned why it took so long for him to visit them again. They prepared a grand welcome feast for him upon learning of his return.

Misunderstandings About Time

• The great sage humorously corrected them when they assumed he'd been gone over a century; in reality, it had only been half a year due to differing perceptions of time between heaven and earth.

Festival of the Peaches and the Great Sage

The Queen Mother’s Festival

• The Queen Mother celebrated a grand festival for peaches but did not invite the narrator, who felt indifferent about it.

• Despite feeling slighted, the narrator secretly indulged in food and wine at a pond left behind by someone else.

Encounter with the Monkeys

• The Great Sage expressed disgust at coconut liquor offered by monkeys, attributing his distaste to having grown accustomed to celestial flavors.

• He reminisced about extraordinary wine he had tasted earlier that could grant eternal youth with just half a cup.

Theft of Celestial Wine

• Excited by the prospect of sharing this special wine, the Great Sage planned to steal some bottles from the palace's cellar.

• Using his magic invisibility, he successfully retrieved four bottles without being noticed.

Aftermath of the Festival Preparations

• The seven immortal maidens were immobilized by magic during their attempts to report back on their fruit gathering efforts for the festival.

• They finally managed to escape and informed the Queen Mother about their ordeal with the Great Sage.

Chaos Unfolding at the Festival

• Upon reporting their findings, they noted that all large peaches had been consumed by the Great Sage before they could find him.

• Their account led to an urgent meeting with Emperor Jade regarding preparations for the festival being ruined due to theft.

Arrival of Important Figures

• A group of vintners reported that all festival preparations had been destroyed or stolen, escalating tensions among attendees.

• The Supreme Patriarch arrived unexpectedly, bringing news of stolen elixir intended for another festival.

Growing Concerns Among Celestials

• Emperor Jade was deeply affected by reports of theft and began questioning where everyone had gone during critical moments leading up to festivities.

The Heavenly Confrontation

The Discovery of the Rebel

• A high-ranking official expresses astonishment at a rebel's audacity, noting that not only has he defied orders but also deceived close collaborators.

• The investigation leads to the conclusion that the great sage is responsible for disturbing celestial order and peace, prompting immediate action from the Emperor of Jade.

Mobilization of Celestial Forces

• The Emperor commands a massive mobilization involving 28 constellations, nine planets, and over 100,000 celestial soldiers to capture the rebel.

• All forces are instructed to create cosmic nets and surround the mountain where the rebel resides, showcasing an impressive display of power as they depart from the Celestial Palace.

The March Towards Earth

• The celestial army's march towards Earth is described as inconceivable given its scale and purpose: punishing a monkey for offending higher powers.

• Key figures in this operation include four great kings leading troops while various stars and deities take on specific roles within the military structure.

Tactical Arrangements

• Different celestial entities are assigned strategic positions; notable mentions include Raau overseeing reconnaissance patrols and Ketu securing rear defenses.

• Various divine beings prepare for battle with their unique strengths highlighted, emphasizing teamwork among gods representing light and darkness.

Encounter with Monkeys

• As they reach their destination, celestial forces camp before the mountain where the rebel resides; tensions rise due to past offenses against divine authority.

• A tight siege is established around the mountain using cosmic nets while nine planets lead an assault on a cave entrance filled with monkeys.

Reaction of Monkeys

• Monkeys inside react in panic upon hearing threats from celestial spirits demanding surrender; they rush to inform their king about impending danger.

The Battle Against the Nine Planets

The Arrival of the Nine Gods

• A new group of demons informs the wise sage that the nine gods have breached their realm, expressing concern over their intentions.

• In a fit of anger, the sage commands a demon to lead an attack against the intruders while he and his lieutenants prepare for defense.

The Initial Conflict

• The demon leads an army into battle but falls into an ambush set by the nine planets, struggling to advance beyond a critical point.

• The wise sage intervenes with a massive iron bar, demonstrating his strength and determination as he charges into battle.

Confrontation with the Nine Planets

• After regrouping, the nine planets confront the sage, accusing him of breaking sacred rules and hoarding forbidden items.

• The sage acknowledges his transgressions but questions their motives for war; they demand his surrender or threaten destruction.

Escalation of Hostilities

• Angered by their threats, the sage challenges their power and prepares to defend himself vigorously against their combined assault.

• Despite overwhelming odds, he fights fiercely with his iron bar until the nine planets retreat in exhaustion.

Intensifying Battle Dynamics

• Following their defeat, leaders order reinforcements from celestial forces to engage further against the sage's defenses.

• The ensuing battle is described as one of epic proportions, filled with vivid imagery of warriors and weapons clashing under harsh conditions.

Climax of Combat

• Descriptions highlight chaotic scenes: banners waving, soldiers clad in armor resembling glacial advances amidst fierce combat.

• Various weapons are depicted vividly—giant scimitars and arrows capable of piercing clouds—emphasizing both beauty and lethality in warfare.

Conclusion of Hostilities

• As dust clouds obscure visibility from relentless fighting, even nature seems disturbed by this monumental clash between divine beings.

Transformation and Triumph

The Great Sage's Transformation

• The protagonist, referred to as the great sage, performs a transformation by consuming his own body hair and shouting "transform yourselves," resulting in the creation of thousands of identical wise beings.

Victory Over Adversaries

• The newly formed sages reject Prince Nata and successfully defeat the five card kings, showcasing their strength and unity.

Emotional Reactions from Allies

• Upon reuniting with his lieutenants, the great sage is met with laughter and tears. His allies express joy for surviving a confrontation against powerful foes, highlighting the emotional weight of battle.

Reflections on War

• The great sage shares wisdom about victory and defeat being intertwined experiences. He emphasizes that while one may kill many enemies, they also risk losing allies in battle.

Caution Against Complacency

• Despite their success, the sage warns against overconfidence. He notes that their adversaries remain camped nearby and stresses the importance of maintaining vigilance and readiness for future confrontations.

Preparation for Future Battles

Strategic Rest and Recovery

• The great sage advises his commanders to eat well and rest to preserve energy for upcoming battles. This highlights the importance of preparation in warfare.

Gathering Intelligence Post-Battle

• After concluding their skirmish, commanders report back on captured animals but are dismayed to find no monkeys among them. This indicates a need for better protection strategies moving forward.

Reinforcement Measures