Chapter 87: Astounded by the Journey to the West, the Grand Peach Banquet, and the Elusive Pursuit of Divine Powers!

Beneath a towering, crooked tree near the mountain’s summit, within a spacious stone cave that had been carefully renovated, the air was alive with commotion.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak..."

"Awooo..."

Little White, the long-nosed treasure-hunting mouse, nestled in Lu Fei's arms, craned its neck and let out fierce, adorable cries. Standing by the bedside, the burly, tigerish Wanda Mountain No.1 was also lowly growling, baring its fangs. Thanks to its large paws, Little White had suffered more than a few hefty slaps; yet Wanda Mountain had also received several bites from the mouse’s sharp teeth.

Still, both creatures knew their limits. Out of respect for their master, neither dared escalate things. Though their snarling and posturing looked ferocious, it was all for show—a mock battle with no real harm done.

Just then, Lu Fei withdrew his consciousness from both his internal storage ability and his blue-white storage ring, having just finished organizing their contents. The weapons and demon carcasses, being the most bulky, had been moved into the larger storage space within his divine ability, while odds and ends—such as a pink undergarment, fruit wine, and sundries—were placed inside the ring, which he then stored within the divine space. A perfect nesting doll of safekeeping.

Seeing the two little creatures squabbling so fiercely, Lu Fei immediately intervened. “Enough now...” he said, reaching out and giving each a gentle stroke, sharing his attention equally. Then, introducing them to one another, he pointed at Wanda Mountain and said to Little White, “This is Wanda Mountain No.1, a poor orphan I just picked up. You must get along with him.”

Turning to Wanda Mountain, he pointed at the mouse. “This is Little White. He’s been with me for a long time. You’re bigger than he is, so don’t bully him.”

“In short, you two must live harmoniously. No fighting.”

With that, Lu Fei gave both a final pat on the head.

Little White, after hearing his father’s words, lifted his head haughtily, exuding an aloof disregard—it was clear he understood everything. Wanda Mountain, on the other hand, cocked his head in confusion, struggling to keep up with all that had been said. Compared to the highly intelligent, herb-seeking Little White, Wanda Mountain was still a mere beast, his spirit not yet fully awakened and his intelligence far behind. Yet the fact he could grasp even half of Lu Fei’s words was already remarkable for an ordinary animal. And with time, under Lu Fei’s tutelage, awakening his spirit would only be a matter of time.

As for Lu Fei, meeting and adopting Little White had been a stroke of fortune. Adopting Wanda Mountain No.1 was partly due to the dreams of his former self—he’d always wanted a big cat—and partly out of compassion. Wanda Mountain’s desperate struggle for survival on the battlefield had touched him deeply. If the beast had turned tail and fled rather than fight, Lu Fei would never have taken pity on him; he would surely have perished on the spot.

“Heaven helps those who help themselves...” Even when mired at the lowest depths, one must struggle, must leap, must fight to be seen.

There was another reason, too—a need of the spirit. Lu Fei, a transmigrant from another world, had seen all the splendors and decadence of a bustling society. Though he could endure ascetic cultivation and risk his life when needed, it was only fitting to seek a little pleasure in life alongside his training...

He did not cultivate for the sake of cultivation itself, but for a better, freer, more joyful life. For now, he could only afford a few large pets. In the future, when his power and influence grew, he would raise not only pets, but songstresses and beauties of all kinds, hold grand balls, host revels, and preside over unrestrained gatherings...

For now, though, pets would suffice—he still had much work ahead.

No longer paying attention to the two little ruffians, Lu Fei finally recalled the experiment he was conducting with the Peach Blossom Miasma Array and the pink undergarment. With a thought, he began to sense its effects.

Almost immediately, a peculiar expression crossed his face—for through the miasma’s perspective, he saw much he would rather not have seen.

Not far from the cave, Redhide was circling a thick copse of trees; Yellow Noble was showing off charms to a wildflower; farther away, on a snowy slope, Chicken Demon Kun had spread his wings, splayed atop a heap of yellowed, snow-laden pine needles, working hard on... basketball? No, it was waist training, undeterred by the cold. Old Han, the ox demon, was astride a tree trunk; Madman, the wild donkey demon, had reverted to true form, galloping across the land with spear held high; Blacktooth, the ant demon, crouched in a hollow, tinkering with gods-know-what; Golden Flower, the toad demon, was drooling over a tree trunk as thick as a bowl; and Third Lady, the cat demon, was hiding in a bramble patch, meowing from time to time.

Most outrageous of all was the crow demon, who was clutching a giant snowball, rolling and tumbling through the soft pine needles, roaring and practicing his waist with wild abandon.

Lu Fei could only laugh and cry at the absurdity of the scenes before him. He was glad he’d driven away most of the nearby animals in advance—otherwise, they would have suffered terribly.

All this, of course, he had more or less anticipated. Yesterday, at the Broken Peak Platform of the Great Wilderness Mountain, the newly appointed General Bai had summoned all the demon leaders to announce new rules. Most important: the daily muster of lesser demons was abolished. Now, the leaders only needed to report to the main mountain every few days, for orders or to discuss territorial matters. Their subordinates could simply report directly to them; no need for daily gatherings at the main peak. Tasks could be managed and assigned at the leaders’ discretion. Every fortnight, a full muster would be held.

As for the collection of spirit herbs, the quota remained unchanged, but the deadline was extended from two to three months. And, because the demon horde of Wandering Mountain had fought so bravely and suffered such heavy losses in the recent war, they received many rewards—the greatest being a doubling of their territory, with more peaks, more beasts, and more spirit herbs at their disposal.

All in all, the changes were profound, and the survivors—be they generals, leaders, or ordinary demons—were delighted. The dead, of course, had no say.

Today was the first day the lesser demons came to report to Lu Fei. He had activated the Peach Blossom Miasma precisely to test its effects, and his subordinates made perfect guinea pigs.

Now, having seen its power, he willed the array to end. The pink undergarment floated from the ground and shrank to palm size as it flew into his hand, the array’s core withdrawn. The peach blossom miasma quickly dissipated into the snowy mountain air.

A cold wind swept through the forest. The lesser demons, lost in their own worlds of desire, jolted awake one by one, looked at themselves and each other, and immediately burst into a cacophony of wailing and lamentation.

The cries were so loud and mournful that Lu Fei, sitting cross-legged in his cave near the summit, could hear them clearly.

The cold sun rose in the eastern sky, its rays finally bringing a trace of warmth. Soon, the demons arrived in succession at Lu Fei’s cave. Redhide and Yellow Noble were first, living nearby and arriving together. Their expressions were calm, betraying nothing unusual.

Next came the crow demon, usually the earliest to arrive, but today he seemed listless, avoiding eye contact when greeted by the others. Clearly, his revels in the peach blossom miasma had left him yet to recover.

Not long after, the sound of hesitant footsteps echoed outside. Six lesser demons lingered at the cave entrance, unsure whether to enter. Sensing them, Lu Fei called out, "Come in..."

Only then did the six—Chicken Demon Kun, Madman the donkey, Blacktooth the ant, Old Han the ox, Golden Flower the toad, and Third Lady the cat—file in. The four male demons looked drained, as if they had overindulged. In stark contrast, Golden Flower and Third Lady, the two females, appeared radiant, their eyes shimmering with a mysterious light.

"Greetings, Leader..." they all chorused.

Lu Fei, seated on his soft bed, nodded and relayed General Bai’s new regulations. When he finished, he addressed his followers:

"From now on, you must report here at this hour every day. No absences without reason; if necessary, send word through another. For now, you have no tasks—our territory is vast, this is the best time to seek spirit herbs. Do not slack off. Your contests will continue as scheduled, with greater rewards two months from now. Therefore, train diligently."

He then looked at the six. "Now, each of you tell me your innate abilities."

At his current rank, Lu Fei had no need to hide anything from his subordinates. Though the lesser demons now understood the value of their abilities, none dared refuse him. After all, their leader’s fame was now second only to the generals themselves, and it was thanks to his protection that any of them had survived the battlefield.

Boldest among them, Chicken Demon Kun spoke first. "Reporting, Leader! My innate ability... well, it lets me fly higher, and faster!"

A flight-enhancing ability, Lu Fei mused, glancing at the crow demon—useless to most, but invaluable to him.

The crow, though slow with trivial matters, was quick to pick up on important ones. Noting Lu Fei’s glance, he immediately sat beside Kun and slung an arm around him.

Next, Old Han the ox stepped forward. "Reporting, Leader! My ability lets me launch my... ox treasure to attack!"

A unique, inborn power, one only his kind could possess.

Madman the donkey followed. "Reporting, Leader! My ability lets me run very fast!"

A speed-buffing power. Lu Fei nodded to continue.

Blacktooth the ant stepped up. "Reporting, Leader! My ability hardens my carapace—I owe my survival to it!"

A defensive skill, perfectly suited to his armored form.

When the four males had finished, Golden Flower the toad announced, "Reporting, Leader! My ability lets me stay underwater for long periods!"

Lu Fei’s eyes lit up—an ability to hold one’s breath and survive in water. He might not need it now, but it was an excellent utility skill, one he would have to learn.

Finally, Third Lady the cat, usually so blunt, adopted a soft, sweet tone. "Reporting, Leader! My ability makes me even faster..."

Another speed buff. Lu Fei sighed inwardly at the rarity of useful powers, but Golden Flower’s was too good to pass up.

"Now is the best time to hunt spirit herbs. Go," he commanded, "except for Golden Flower—stay behind."

The others immediately realized their leader wanted to learn her skill. After the rest left, under Lu Fei’s guidance, Golden Flower transferred her innate ability to him.

[You have learned the ability: Breath Holding]

Seeing the prompt flash before him, Lu Fei gave a casual wave.

Weapons of all shapes and sizes appeared on the floor. "Golden Flower, you have contributed your ability," he said. "I always reward merit. Choose one."

Overjoyed, Golden Flower quickly picked a heavy, one-handed hammer from the array—unsurprising for a mother toad demon.

"It’s yours now. Off you go," Lu Fei smiled.

As soon as she left, the crow, Redhide, and Yellow Noble crowded around the weapons, eyes gleaming. "Big brother, may I pick one?" asked the crow.

"And me too?" added Yellow Noble.

"Go ahead, one each," Lu Fei said carelessly. He had enough spoils to give each of his subordinates a weapon, but he preferred to use them as incentives, just as he had with Golden Flower.

"And you, Redhide? Not interested?" he asked.

Redhide shook his head with a grin. "I already have the perfect weapon," he said, producing twin hammers. These were spoils from the last battle, taken from the black bear demon Lu Fei had killed at the outset.

Before long, Yellow Noble chose a spear. "I like this one! I always admired it when you practiced, big brother," he said, beaming with pride.

"I’ve chosen too," the crow announced, brandishing a black iron staff. "This one feels just right!"

"If you like it, then use it well. Practice when you can," Lu Fei advised, then beckoned Yellow Noble closer.

He pressed a finger to Yellow Noble’s brow, passing on a technique.

Yellow Noble’s eyes shone with delight. "Big brother, is this spear technique?"

Lu Fei nodded. "You’re lucky. It was passed to me by the general, but since I no longer use spears, it’s yours. Don’t slack off!"

"I won’t! Thank you, big brother. I won’t let you down."

Lu Fei believed him—Yellow Noble had both grit and drive. But as he turned, he found the crow and Redhide watching him with eager anticipation.

"You two can forget it," he said, shaking his head. "I know nothing of twin hammer techniques, and as for staff techniques—I don’t even have one myself."

Meanwhile, Golden Flower had barely left with her hammer when she found her companions waiting nearby, eyes alight as they peppered her with questions.

When they learned she’d exchanged her innate ability for a weapon of her choice, envy spread like wildfire.

"If only I’d grabbed a weapon from the battlefield, like Redhide..."

"I thought about it, but it was too dangerous, and my luck wasn’t great..."

"Do you suppose the leader would trade a weapon for a spirit herb?"

As they chatted their way down the mountain, they spotted three more leaders flying up the slope, shrouded in black mist, their followers struggling behind.

Back in the cave, Redhide, Yellow Noble, and the crow were already stoking the fire, preparing breakfast. Soon, voices sounded outside.

"Bai Lang!"

"Chief Bai, we’ve come to visit!"

Lu Fei was surprised—it was the stag demon Big Antler, the fox demon Hu Cong, and the tiger demon Big Hammer, three of the mountain’s leaders. He didn’t put on airs, instead leading his brothers out to greet them.

He saw the three leaders in front, followed by eight lesser demons—four carrying enormous wine jars, and the other four hefting half a gigantic snake demon’s corpse, yellow and black, at least seven or eight meters long and thicker than any bamboo tray.

"Welcome, friends, to my humble cave," Lu Fei said, eyes lighting up at the sight of the snake’s body.

Soon, the guests were ushered inside, leaving only a few skilled lesser demons outside to tend the spit. Lu Fei and the three leaders gathered around the campfire, enjoying roasted meat in the warmth of the cave while snow raged outside.

He soon learned that the half-snake corpse was from a leader-level snake demon, acquired by Hu Cong from the new goat commander Chang Xu as a gift for Lu Fei’s first time hosting them. But as Lu Fei examined the corpse, it seemed oddly familiar, and he hesitated to ask further.

Attended by lesser demons pouring wine and tending the roast, the four leaders chatted, and before long the topic turned to immortals.

"Hu Cong, you’re the wisest among us," said Big Antler, chewing tough snake meat. "Have you ever seen one of the legendary immortals?"

Hu Cong stuffed a hunk of meat into his mouth, washed it down with a bowl of wine, and replied, "Immortals? They dwell in the heavens, in the Celestial Court. What business would such beings have with the likes of us? Besides, the immortals of the Celestial Court have always despised demons. If you ever meet one, it’s a disaster. They’ll either slaughter you for food or enslave you as a beast of burden. Do you still want to see an immortal?"

He drained another bowl. Lu Fei, hearing mention of the Celestial Court, was startled but kept his expression neutral. "If there is a Celestial Court, who is its ruler?"

"Why, the Grand Supreme, the Jade Emperor himself," said Big Hammer, gnawing meat. "Every demon knows that. Don’t you?"

Then, as if answering his own question, he added, "Ah, right, you’ve only just become a leader. It’s normal not to know. Come, drink!"

Lu Fei nodded, raising his cup with a look of newfound understanding, though inside, his heart was in turmoil. To be sure, he pressed on. "I really know nothing of these matters, so I’d appreciate your guidance..."

Raising his refilled cup, he clinked glasses with the other three and drank.

The three lesser demons attending, each clutching a wine jar, hurried to refill the leaders’ cups, sweating so profusely that droplets fell from their fur into the jars without their notice.

Seeing the others look to him for answers, Hu Cong cleared his throat. "If we’re speaking of the Celestial Court, we must mention the Queen Mother’s Peach Banquet..."

"The Queen Mother, the Peach Banquet..." Lu Fei’s heart pounded, though his face betrayed nothing.

"It’s said that on her birthday, the Queen Mother hosts a grand feast for all the gods, buddhas, and powerful demons. The banquet features dragon liver, phoenix marrow, celestial wine, and above all, the peaches that make every being in the three realms drool with longing."

As Hu Cong spoke, both Big Antler and Big Hammer swallowed greedily, and even Hu Cong himself licked his lips.

Lu Fei, still calm on the surface, asked, "Leaving immortals aside, to be invited to such a banquet, a demon must be mighty indeed. Which ancestor of our kind would that be?"

Hu Cong choked on his wine at the question, coughing violently before replying, "I don’t know about the others, but I do know there’s a place in the north called Lion Camel Ridge. The king there is so powerful that, once, when the Queen Mother failed to invite him to her Peach Banquet, he flew straight to the Southern Heavenly Gate to demand an explanation. The Queen Mother, too afraid to face him, sent a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers to meet him in battle. The king swallowed them all in one gulp, and the Celestial Court had to shut the gate to keep him out."

"And what’s this king’s name?" Lu Fei asked quietly.

Hu Cong shook his head. "No one knows. He may be powerful, but he can’t defy the entire Celestial Court. Best his name remain unspoken."

"Thank you, brother, for enlightening me. Cheers."

Lu Fei raised his cup, clinking with the others, and drained it in one go.

As he set down his cup, a storm raged in his heart.

"Journey to the West! I’ve actually arrived in the world of Journey to the West!"

—The Cat Dreaming in the Deep Sea