Chapter 88: Five Hundred Years Ago, Plans for the Future, A Grand Move!

"I actually transmigrated into Journey to the West!"

Listening to the rumors coming from the fox demon Hu Cong, Lu Fei struggled to contain his shock, nearly letting out a curse.

It all began when a few demons started chatting about the Heavenly Court. From that moment, Lu Fei felt uneasy. Then, when the tiger demon Da Chui mentioned that the ruler of the Heavenly Court was the Jade Emperor, Lu Fei’s heart skipped a beat. But the Jade Emperor is the leader of the gods in Taoist mythology, not unique to Journey to the West. It wasn’t definitive yet.

Then, he heard Hu Cong talk about the Queen Mother of the West’s birthday, how she hosted the Peach Banquet, inviting the gods and buddhas from the heavens, as well as demons from all corners...

At that point, Lu Fei had already regained his composure and could more or less guess he’d landed in the world of Journey to the West. But as someone with pure Chinese blood, he also knew that in Chinese legend, the Queen Mother of the West’s birthday was a grand event, with peaches as the main fare and all immortals coming to offer congratulations. So the Peach Banquet was not exclusive to Journey to the West.

Then, he took the initiative to ask more, and from fox demon Hu Cong learned about a mountain called Lion Camel Ridge, where a great demon king lived. Once, when the Queen Mother hosted a Peach Banquet and failed to invite him, the demon king flew into a rage, soared up to the Heavenly Court, and at the Southern Heavenly Gate, swallowed a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers in one gulp.

Isn’t this straight out of Journey to the West? Wasn’t it when the four pilgrims passed through Lion Camel Ridge in the Western Continent, that the little demon Xiao Zuanfeng bragged about their big boss, the Blue-Maned Lion King, claiming such feats?

Finally, Lu Fei was certain. He had arrived in the legendary world of Journey to the West, and what’s more, had become a demon—a born villain.

“Come…”

Lu Fei raised the wine bowl filled by the little demon at his side. The three other demons immediately raised theirs and clinked: “Cheers!”

Gulp, gulp—

The bowl emptied in an instant, but Lu Fei’s thoughts were still churning.

In fact, when he first arrived in this world, he had suspected it might be Journey to the West. After all, if something as absurd as transmigration could happen, landing in a mythological world wasn’t impossible. But back then, he was just a lowly little demon who’d only recently joined the mountain. The crow demon and Redskin at his side were even less educated, bottom-tier demons.

Lu Fei had asked the crow demon, who knew the most about the world, several times, but got nowhere and let it drop. It made sense—the lifespan of such low-level demons was much shorter than the humans living safely in their towns. Although, strictly speaking, as long as these little demons survived, their natural lifespan should far exceed that of ordinary humans. But hiding deep in the mountains, far from people, in harsh conditions and with extremely limited information, even after gaining intelligence, their lives were still half-wild, half-beast.

Could one expect these bottom-rung demons to know anything? Know about the gods in the sky? Impossible. The most they’d know was a word or two overheard from the big boss, something they remembered in passing. There was no TikTok or Kuaishou here; communication was primitive and blocked off. They didn’t even know the name of the Jade Emperor, the most renowned ruler of the Heavenly Court.

Even the fox demon chief, who’d lived nearly a hundred years, only knew a few surface-level things, and those had all been embellished by demon gossip.

For example, when Hu Cong talked about the Queen Mother’s Peach Banquet inviting all gods and buddhas, as well as demons from all directions—well, the gods and buddhas part was true, but the demons? Pure nonsense. Wasn’t it true that even the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, one of the demon race’s faiths, was merely made the Horse Master in the Heavenly Court? Wanting to attend the Peach Banquet was pure wishful thinking. If you overestimated yourself and stormed the heavens, you’d be lucky to end up as a mount or porter for some deity.

And that Blue-Maned Lion King at Lion Camel Ridge, who supposedly swallowed a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers in one gulp—that was all bluster. From what Lu Fei knew, he’d just made a ruckus at the Southern Heavenly Gate, but rumors had blown it out of proportion.

Yet, while Lu Fei mocked Hu Cong’s exaggerations inwardly, the sad truth was he couldn’t say much. After all, he was now a demon too. Anything that boosted the demon race’s reputation reflected well on him.

“Come…”

“Cheers!”

Once more, Lu Fei raised his refilled wine bowl. The three demons clinked bowls and downed them.

Gulp, gulp—

Another bowl finished. The little demon hurried to refill the wine.

Bowl full, Lu Fei again lifted his bowl, “Come…”

The three demons followed suit, but this time, the stag demon and Hu Cong exchanged a puzzled glance, while Da Chui the tiger demon remained as boisterous as ever.

“Cheers…”

Another bowl thrown back in one gulp.

Three bowls in a row.

Perhaps noticing Lu Fei’s odd mood, fox demon Hu Cong spoke up, “Brother Bai Lang, is something bothering you?”

Lu Fei shook his head, “Nothing’s wrong. I just feel proud after hearing of our demon ancestors’ great deeds.”

“Well said! I like that!” Da Chui the tiger demon roared approval, raising his bowl—only to find it half-empty. He turned his fierce gaze on the little demon by his side, who trembled in fear and quickly refilled the bowl, but in his haste, spilled wine everywhere.

The tiger demon, already in high spirits, became even more menacing, baring his fangs: “Stupid dog! If it weren’t for the General’s orders, I’d swallow you whole right now!”

The little demon, terrified, nearly dropped the wine jar. Lu Fei caught it and said, “No need for anger at such a happy moment, Da Chui. My little demon’s a steady hand—let him pour for you.”

He turned to the trembling demon, “You, go over there. Here’s your chance to redeem yourself—pour well for our guest.”

After all, they were in Lu Fei’s own cave, and it had been Da Chui’s impatience that led to the mishap. But before the leading demons, the little ones were always at fault. Though the generals might scold them, they wouldn’t truly do much—better to avoid bloodshed if possible.

“This time, if you mess up again, not even the General can save you…”

With Lu Fei’s intervention, the two little demons switched places nervously. The stag and fox demons watched coldly, and Da Chui had no more to say.

“Come, cheers…”

As host, Lu Fei raised his bowl again, and the three demons followed, the atmosphere quickly lifting.

Lu Fei was eager to learn more, especially about what time period he was in, so he asked, “Brothers, I’m inexperienced—could you tell me more about the famous demon kings of our race, so I can bask in their glory?”

As soon as he finished, Da Chui the tiger demon jumped in, “I know one! It’s said there used to be a human kingdom to the north—Lion Camel Kingdom—but one of our great demon kings ate everyone, from king to commoner, and then claimed the kingdom for the demons. All the high officials there are powerful demons. My dream is to go meet that king someday and become an official myself.”

“Lion Camel Kingdom, where everyone was eaten, and demons rule…” Lu Fei, versed in Journey to the West, mused. With a bit of thought, he could guess what was being referenced, but he wanted to hear more.

He asked, “Founding a demon kingdom… such a feat! Does that king have a name?”

Da Chui shook his head, “No idea…”

Lu Fei turned to the fox demon, “Hu Cong, was the demon king who swallowed a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers to the north too, or at Lion Camel Ridge?”

He looked back at Da Chui, “And is your Lion Camel Kingdom also in the north? Are these two kings related?”

“Since both bear the Lion Camel name, could they be one and the same?”

Da Chui scratched his head, “No clue—ask Hu Cong…”

All three demons looked to Hu Cong.

After swallowing a snake demon and licking his fingers clean, Hu Cong said, “Never heard of that, probably not. One lives in the mountains, one in the kingdom…”

“Too bad they’re both far from here.”

Listening, Lu Fei pondered but did not give up. “So the northern kings are all famous. Where exactly is the north?”

“And where are we now, what’s this place called?”

“I know this one…” The stag demon, finally finding a chance to speak, clinked bowls with the others and drained his drink. “I think it’s called Xi… Xi…”

He paused, thinking hard, then brightened, “I remember! Xiniu Hezhou!”

“Yes, Xiniu Hezhou!”

“That’s what I heard General Black and the Snake Mountain Lady chatting about before our last battle—they said this place is called Xiniu Hezhou.”

“So this is Xiniu Hezhou,” Da Chui bellowed, raising his bowl. “That’s a fine name! Let’s drink to it!”

Four demons clinked bowls and finished their drinks.

“Xiniu Hezhou…” The name triggered a cascade of information in Lu Fei’s mind. “It really is well-named…”

“First, there are many demons—no need to elaborate, and most are powerful: Yellow Wind Monster, Yellow Eyebrow, Scorpion Spirit, the three Lion Camel Ridge demons…”

“Then, there are the true giants: the Buddha at Great Thunderclap Temple, Patriarch Bodhi at Spirit Mountain, Zhen Yuanzi at Longevity Mountain—their domains are all here.”

“And finally, endless tribulations: just look at the monk’s journey west—Wuzhuang Temple, Flaming Mountains, Cart Slow Kingdom, India, Womanland…”

“Wait, Womanland…”

At this thought, Lu Fei’s mind froze. He wasn’t interested in furry female demons, but human beauties were another matter—especially the queen of Womanland. Yet, he could only daydream for now. From what he could gather, the pilgrimage hadn’t started yet; the queen of Womanland wouldn’t be born for ages.

He asked again, “Which of our demon kings are the most famous and powerful?”

Fox demon Hu Cong replied, “That’s hard to say. I’d say the Lion Camel Ridge king who can swallow a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers is the best, but Da Chui’s Lion Camel Kingdom king is also formidable. I’ve also heard there’s a Power King to the north, just as strong…”

Hearing these details, Lu Fei felt he could now estimate the era he was in, but to be sure, he asked one last time, “Have you heard of a king called Sun Wukong, who calls himself Great Sage Equal to Heaven?”

“Sun Wukong…?” Da Chui said immediately, “Never heard of him. But that title sounds impressive! Have you two heard of him?”

The stag shook his head, “Nope…”

Lu Fei finally looked to the knowledgeable Hu Cong, who, after thinking, also shook his head, “No, but judging from the title, he must be very powerful. Bai Lang, why not tell us about him?”

Lu Fei, reassured, shook his head, “Just something I overheard. I was hoping you experienced fellows could enlighten me…”

“Come…”

He raised his bowl, and once more, four bowls clinked: “Cheers!”

For the rest of the evening, Lu Fei asked no more probing questions, but quietly drank and feasted with the three demons as his mind raced.

The Blue-Maned Lion King of Lion Camel Ridge had yet to form a bond with the Golden-Winged Roc who devoured Lion Camel Kingdom.

The most famous Sun Wukong likely hadn’t been born yet—or if he had, he hadn’t completed his training or raised havoc in the heavens.

The alliance of the Seven Great Sages of Flower Fruit Mountain was yet to come.

Even the Buddha’s disciple, the second, “Golden Cicada,” had yet to reincarnate as Tang Monk. The journey to fetch the scriptures was a distant event.

So, in this Three Realms of Journey to the West, it was at least five hundred years before the journey began.

If Lu Fei wanted more precise timing, he’d have to go to the Eastern Continent, to Ao Lai Kingdom, to the peak of Flower Fruit Mountain, and see if the magic stone was still intact. Then he’d know for sure whether Sun Wukong had emerged yet.

That would help him plan his future.

Until today, knowing nothing of his location or the world, Lu Fei had no grand ambitions. But now, knowing he was in Journey to the West, with a long period before the story’s events, and in the Three Realms at least five hundred years before the journey to the west, he couldn’t help but make plans.

Just as every child of China knows Sun Wukong sought out Patriarch Bodhi and trained at Spirit Mountain, so now did Lu Fei’s mind churn.

If Sun Wukong could become a disciple, why couldn’t he?

He was a monkey demon; Lu Fei was a wolf demon. Patriarch Bodhi hadn’t refused the monkey—surely he wouldn’t refuse a wolf, given the many disciples at Spirit Mountain. With such a magnanimous master, accepting a wolf demon should be no different.

And if it was a matter of slaughter or killing humans—aside from a few little demons, Lu Fei had never harmed a human. Besides, to someone of Bodhi’s level, the lives of ordinary mortals meant nothing.

Lu Fei didn’t buy into some of the conspiracy theories about Journey to the West. He’d read the original. And even if such schemes existed, he couldn’t resist the lure of genuine Taoist immortality.

Just look at Sun Wukong—the twenty years from leaving Flower Fruit Mountain to returning after training at Spirit Mountain: ten years seeking immortals, seven years chopping wood and fetching water, cultivating himself, listening to sermons, acting as an ordinary disciple. But the real secret of longevity was taught in just three years.

In three years, a mere monkey became a being of immense power, descending into the Dragon Palace, rampaging through the underworld, and ultimately raising havoc in heaven, earning the name Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Whatever Sun Wukong’s later fate, Lu Fei envied his fortune.

He was a transmigrator, and even with a system, he was jealous. With the system, Lu Fei was confident he’d become a great demon in time. But to truly become an immortal, without proper foundation or orthodox teachings, he’d always be a wild demon at best—maybe reaching Bull Demon King’s level, but never beyond. How could he be content with that?

Just look at how most demons fly about in black clouds or fog—that wasn’t a matter of race, but of technique. Lu Fei was the same.

But look at Sun Wukong, who mastered the immortal arts at Spirit Mountain—there was nothing demonic about his powers. And those demons who were granted celestial titles and immortal registers in the Heavenly Court—same thing.

That was the difference between the wild arts of demons and the orthodox teachings of immortals.

Even if Lu Fei couldn’t match the speed of Sun Wukong’s natural-born talent and three-year enlightenment, if he could master Patriarch Bodhi’s immortal arts, his cultivation speed would far surpass what he could achieve hiding in some backwater of Xiniu Hezhou.

And after training, he could still be a demon, slowly cultivating. With immortal arts and his system, the road to immortality would truly be open.

Sun Wukong only caught Bodhi’s eye because he solved the master’s riddle. Lu Fei had his memories—what this world would call wisdom from a past life. He was confident he could pass Bodhi’s test.

And if he failed to become a disciple at Spirit Mountain, he could try his luck at Wuzhuang Temple with Zhen Yuanzi.

In any case, he had to see the human world.

But before setting out, he needed a thorough plan. After all, he was a demon general with three sworn brothers. He needed to arrange things for them before leaving.

Thinking of all this, Lu Fei’s mind swirled with thoughts and emotions. But after surviving battle and bloodshed, he was far stronger in mind and spirit than when he first arrived. He soon calmed himself.

No longer distracted, he focused on drinking with his three companions.

Time passed quietly.

When all eight vats of wine were drained and the remains of the snake demon consumed, night had fallen outside the cave. The winter feast was at its end.

As Lu Fei saw off his well-fed, drunken comrades, he noticed thick snow falling again.

“Brother Bai Lang, next time!” they called as they staggered away.

Lu Fei wasn’t worried for their safety—anyone crossing their path now was the one in danger.

After seeing them off, Lu Fei stood at the cave entrance, watching the snow, his heart set on a plan.

He now had the strength of a demon general, the first step on the path of cultivation. It wasn’t too late to seek a master in the human world. If he waited until he was stronger, the chance to become a disciple at Spirit Mountain might be lost.

He had to act quickly, leave this wilderness soon, or he’d miss his great opportunity.

With this thought, Lu Fei saw the crow demon, Redskin, and Huang Gui returning, laughing and playing with the others.

Determined to settle things for them, he called out, “All of you, come in—I have something to tell you…”