The Monkey King, Sun Wu Kung
Source: Wikipedia
Handsome King of the Apes
Born out of a magical rock, the Monkey King is made of stone. He possesses many powers, and scared the heavens with piercing light coming from his eyes. As he grew up, he learned many things, becoming wise. While playing one summer, he jumped through a waterfall without injury, discovering a hidden cave with an iron bridge inside. When he returned, and subsequently brought the rest of the monkeys through, they appointed him as king for his actions.
The Great Sea
The King of the Apes has realized his own mortality, and is saddened by it. After an older ape tells him of ways to obtain immortality, he sets off to search for it. He traveled across the Great Sea to Asia, and found a fisherman, who he attacked and stole the man's clothes, traveling across Asia through many cities, learning to act as a human. However, he is disappointed, as no one cares for life, only wealth. After nine years in Asia, he leaves and travels across the Western Sea, and after traveling inland, hears a man singing in a forest, and investigates.
Sun Wu Kung Gets His Name
The King finds the singing man, and when he asks where he learned the music, is directed to a saint known as The Discerner. He travels to the saint, and finds the gate locked. Rather than knock, he sits in a tree until he is retrieved by a disciple of The Discerner, who had foreseen his arrival. The Discerner names the King Sun Wu Kung after he says he does not have a name. He learns many things from The Discerner's disciples over the following years. However, he becomes excited when The Discerner begins to speak about "the great truth", which angers his teacher, as he has not released his wild side.
The Master
Sun Wu Kung explains that he was excited to learn these things, and so the Master offers to teach him many things. However, each one he suggests is rejected by Sun Wu Kung, as they do not lead to eternal life. The Master feigned anger, and before retreating to his quarters, hit Sun Wu Kung over the head three times, which he interpreted as needing to come by that night. He does so, and finds the door open, and ventures inside, kneeling beside the Master as he slept, listening to him humming.
Learning the Art
The master awakens, angry that the Sun Wu Kung is there until he explains why he has come. He agrees to show Sun Wu Kung the way, and he learns it. The Master then explains the dangers, and Sun Wu Kung asks how to protect himself, and when he is told, masters them. He proves them by flying when the Master asks him to, walking across the clouds for some distance before returning to Earth.
Sun Wu Kung Departs
The Master teaches Sun Wu Kung how to float across the clouds through somersaults. One day, the disciples ask him to show them his transformation, and so he turns into a pine tree at their request. They laugh at him, and the Master comes over, telling Sun Wu Kung he must leave. He warns Sun Wu Kung that he will be attacked by evil, and that he must never tell who he learned from, which he agrees to before leaving.
The Devil-King
He returned home, and told the others what he had learned, which overjoyed them. But he angered when they told him the Devil came and stole many of his children. He finds the Devil-King in a cave, who laughs at his diminutive stature, but Sun Wu Kung used his cunning mind and his abilities, and would summon thousands of little apes, who attacked the Devil and allowed him to finish the Devil off. He then saves his children, and destroyed this evil cave before heading home.
The Dragon-King
Sun Wu Kung trains the other apes on fighting so that they may be protected, but realizes they are still vulnerable. He thinks of buying weapons, but instead proceeds to steal them using his magical abilities. He and his fellow apes rule the mountain they live on with their newfound weaponry. Sun Wu Kung, however, is disappointed with his knife from the Devil-King, and heads to the Dragon-King to find a new one. Despite the Dragon-King's efforts, even his heaviest weapon is too light for Sun Wu Kung.
The Dragon-Queen
Sun Wu Kung is angry that there is nothing heavier, so the Dragon-King goes to look. The Dragon-Queen tells him of a rod that should be removed, and despite his hesitations, he takes Sun Wu Kung to it. Sun Wu Kung finds it changes size at will, and decides that it is a perfect weapon for him. He then demands a suit of armor, which angers the Dragon-King. He and his brothers give him the armor begrudgingly, planning to report him to the heavens. He returns home, displaying his new weapon and its power, and organizes his empire.
The Nether World
Sun Wu Kung takes a nap, and finds two men coming to take him to the Nether World. He is infuriated, crushes these constables, asks for the Book of Life, removes the section about apes so that he may not die, then returns home, forging his own path. When he leaves the Nether, he wakes from his dream and tells his baboons that he has struck their names from the Book of Life, so that they may live eternally.
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