Chapter 14: Longevity Equal to Heaven?
The underworld was deep and silent, with a chilling, mournful wind blowing. There was no sunlight or moonlight here, only flickering ghost flames illuminating the dark scenery.
The ghostly officials, pale-faced and clad in black robes, busily seized souls and spirits. Ox-Head and Horse-Face stood on either side, their faces terrifying and fierce.
Inside the Yama King’s palace, the Monkey King roared, his voice shaking the Nine Nether Regions, shouting: “I, Old Sun, have cultivated immortality and transcended the Three Realms, no longer bound by the Five Elements. I share longevity with Heaven itself — how mighty am I! You little gods of the Underworld dare to seize me here? How laughable!”
The Monkey King stood proudly, his spirit soaring, hair bristling with anger, his Golden Cudgel gleaming in his hand. Inside the palace, Ox-Head and Horse-Face trembled with fear and avoided him.
“Immortal, please calm your anger! Please calm your anger! There are many with the same name in the world; perhaps there has been a mistake! A mistake!”
The Yama King cupped his hands and bowed, speaking cautiously.
The Monkey angrily retorted, “Nonsense! Nonsense! Quickly bring me the Book of Life and Death!”
The Yama King gave a signal, and the clerk of the court nervously retrieved the Book of Life and Death, handing it to the Monkey for inspection.
Sure enough, the Monkey saw his own name in it. Gritting his teeth, he snatched the pen from the clerk and crossed out the names of every monkey in the world that had a name, muttering, “Cleared the accounts, cleared the accounts — all accounts cleared. This time I refuse to be controlled by you!”
At that moment, a rainbow light shot through the shadowy aura, shining into the Underworld Palace.
Its brilliance was dazzling, like a miracle of heaven and earth. As the light dispersed, it revealed a young gentleman in splendid robes holding the Frost Dragon-Howl Spear. He was handsome and majestic, like a god descended to the mortal world.
The Monkey’s face brightened with joy. He jumped forward and called out loudly, “Qin Chuan, come quickly, come quickly! Check if your name is on this life-and-death ledger and cross it out as well!”
Qin Chuan burst into the Underworld Palace, stunned by the chaotic scene. He saw the ghostly officials trembling with fear, heads bowed low, surrounding the Monkey. He was about to call the Monkey to leave but was suddenly moved by the Monkey’s words.
Being born human… Who wouldn’t want to take a look at the Book of Life and Death?
Qin Chuan took the book from the Monkey, his expression strange.
This is the Book of Life and Death? The Human Book?
The Heavenly Book — the Fengshen List — was originally held by Dao Ancestor Hongjun. Later, due to the arrogance of the disciples of the three teachings (Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism), who disrespected the Heavenly Court, the Supreme Emperor of Heaven grew angry.
He then visited Zi Xiao Palace and petitioned Dao Ancestor Hongjun, which led to the later Fengshen calamity. Its essence was a primordial treasure used to store the souls and spirits of those deified.
The Earth Book — the Classic of Mountains and Seas — is said to be the ancient earthly membrane from the primordial chaos era, with astonishing defensive power. As long as one stands on the earth, it provides endless support and defense, and it can set up the Earth Book Formation, a famous defensive formation in primordial times, said to be unbreakable except by the chaotic Great Dao Golden Immortals.
Then there is the Human Book, the Book of Life and Death, also called the Underworld Book, paired with the primordial treasure pen — the Spring-Autumn Reincarnation Pen.
The Book of Life and Death records the birth, death, and lifespan of all living beings across the three realms of heaven, earth, and humanity.
Once a death date is set, even the Great Dao Golden Immortals cannot escape it.
Of course, for those not powerful enough, even if they possess the Book of Life and Death and the Spring-Autumn Reincarnation Pen, it is very difficult to keep the names of Great Dao Golden Immortals from appearing on the list.
They may even be detected and suffer backlash.
Qin Chuan could confirm that the Book of Life and Death and the clerk’s pen he held were definitely not the true Human Book and Spring-Autumn Reincarnation Pen.
He could almost sense that with a surge of divine power, they could be destroyed.
Qin Chuan’s birthday and birthplace: Ancient Shu Kingdom, Linchuan City in Southern Jambudvipa; expected lifespan: 160 years!
What kind of nonsense is this?
Qin Chuan furrowed his brows; no one would feel comfortable knowing exactly how much time they had left.
Though he was not yet a Taiyi Golden Immortal, he shouldn’t only be expected to live 160 years.
The Monkey often boasted of longevity equal to Heaven and sharing the same destiny as the sun and moon, which in truth was only a single cosmic cycle.
One cosmic cycle begins anew, and all things are renewed. From the beginning to the destruction of heaven and earth is 129,600 years in total.
Only those who reach true immortality (Zhenxian) can enjoy ten thousand years of lifespan. Passing this step, Golden Immortals can live tens of thousands of years.
Among the most famous was the Old Fox King of Jilei Mountain’s Moyun Cave — he never broke through to Golden Immortal and died of the Five Decays of the Heavenly Man.
Only after a Golden Immortal breaks through to Taiyi Golden Immortal can they enjoy longevity equal to Heaven itself, a constant lifespan of 129,600 years.
Only by reaching the Da Luo Golden Immortal realm can one be indestructible through all calamities, surviving even the destruction of heaven and earth, enjoying eternity.
That’s why innate spiritual roots like peaches of longevity and ginseng fruit were so precious.
Eating a single 9,000-year-old peach can extend one’s lifespan by a full cosmic cycle, greatly increasing the chance of breakthrough.
Of course, even with innate spiritual roots, their effects are most potent the first time they are consumed. Like the Monkey King—he ate so many peaches of immortality, but if he can’t break through to the Da Luo realm, living two or three cosmic cycles is likely his limit.
This is also why those powerful demon immortals encountered along the Journey to the West were so obsessed with the idea that “eating a piece of Tang Sanzang’s flesh grants immortality.”
Qin Chuan carefully flipped through the Book of Life and Death, but aside from that one sentence about his lifespan, there was nothing about his past or future lives.
Understandable. Even Patriarch Bodhi couldn’t divine his origin—how could this counterfeit Book of Life and Death?
He picked up the Judge’s Pen and, copying the Monkey, crossed out his own name. Then he returned the items to the King of Hell, grabbed the Monkey, and flew out of the Hall of the Underworld. None of the ghostly officials dared stop them.
The Judge looked toward the King of Hell. The King said solemnly, “Given the situation, we have no choice but to pay a visit to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.”
As for Qin Chuan, after pulling the Monkey King out of the Hall of the Underworld, the two soared through the skies. Mid-flight, Qin Chuan’s heart stirred, and he suddenly stopped. Looking below in surprise, he said, “This is… the Bridge of Forgetfulness?”
The stone bridge wound gently through the mists. Red spider lilies bloomed on the other side, and the air was thick with ghostly energy.
On the bridge stood an old woman, her hair white and her face aged. She held a bowl of steaming soup and smiled at the two of them.
Qin Chuan felt a chill in his heart. The Monkey, however, was visiting for the first time and found the scene quite intriguing. With a leap, he landed on the Bridge of Forgetfulness, pacing back and forth around the old woman, scratching his ears and cheeks in curiosity. Laughing, he said:
“I’ve long heard that on this Underworld Bridge stands a Lady Meng, always holding a bowl of soup. Anyone who drinks it forgets their past life and reincarnates peacefully. That must be you, eh?”
Before Lady Meng could respond, Qin Chuan transformed into a streak of rainbow light and landed beside the Monkey. Without warning, he raised his hand and smacked the back of the Monkey’s head.
Smack! The Monkey felt a headache, while Qin Chuan felt pain in his hand.
He had forgotten—the Monkey had a head of copper and an iron skull!
Qin Chuan shook his hand and scolded the Monkey.
“Monkey, show some respect!”