Anecdotes of Ape Mountain (猿山异闻录)

Well,

this year, not a single drop of rain

has fallen

in these small countries east of the Ape Mountain.

The people couldn't stand it anymore.

So they all ran towards the Ape Kingdom.

Normally,

to prevent enemy infiltrators,

the Ape Kingdom should not have accepted any more refugees.

But when people are pushed to desperation,

they'll try any means possible.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn,

there was this man who,

to save his life,

actually

managed to climb

for two days and two nights

over the most dangerous border...

The Ape Mountain.

You know,

when someone is starving,

even rotten food tastes good.

But, after all,

he was still mere mortal flesh.

And then?

And then?

I heard

he was bitten to death

alive.

If what you say is true

and that monster is so terrifying,

wouldn't our Ape Kingdom have been in an uproar long ago?

Exactly.

That's where you're wrong.

Word is, these Rotten Ones

begin to decay from the belly.

Since they're usually clothed,

you can't always tell just

by looking at their faces.

For all you know,

they could be right in the crowd.

It's just that

we

Haven't noticed them.

Excuse me,

I just want to ask...

Why is everyone still awake in the middle of the night?

What are you all gawking at?

What?

What rock did you crawl out from?

How can you not know this?

Gawking?

This is our most important affair.

We're here

to pay homage to the True Ape Deity.

The Ape Deity protects us and keeps us safe.

The Ape Deity?

May I ask,

where exactly

is your Ape Deity?

The Ape Deity has descended!

The Ape Deity blesses us!

The Ape Deity blesses us.

The Ape Deity blesses us.

The Ape Deity blesses us.

The Ape Deity blesses us.

Hey, man.

Is your Ape Deity's attire

deliberately so unique?

What's going on?

Run! Run!

Careful!

That's disgusting.

Close the net!

Miss.

What does this mean?

Greetings, Your Highness.

You may rise, Mr. Yuwen.

Is this the master from Taiji Village?

Yes.

You flatter me, Your Highness.

I am truly from the village.

"Master"

is too generous.

Let's go.

Xuan Cheng.

I haven't seen your master in years.

How has he been?

Reporting to Your Majesty,

my master has been cultivating in seclusion at home.

He's fine.

This time,

I am here to search for the Ape Deity

under his master's orders.

Your Majesty,

it seems

Daoist Yanyi had already foreseen

this catastrophe.

That must be why

he sent Young Master Xuan Cheng from afar

to help our kingdom

overcome this crisis.

The White Ape

is the true deity of our Ape Kingdom.

Throughout generations, every heir to the throne

has been chosen by him.

That is why our kingdom

has prospered for ages.

But now,

the Rotten Ones have invaded.

Even the Ape Deity has been corrupted.

It is inauspicious.

Please rest assured, Your Majesty and Mr. Yuwen.

Grant me a little time.

I will do my utmost to uncover the cause

and not fail you.

Your Majesty,

do you have any further instructions?

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty?

Seeing you,

I feel an immediate closeness.

Xuan Cheng,

you are young and capable,

skilled in subduing demons and practicing the Dao.

I will

entrust this matter to you.

Alright.

Rest assured.

Who could

have possibly hurt you?

Miss,

are you thinking of

taking me down as well?

Exactly.

Don't let me see you again.

Miss,

I will fetch you a clean set of clothes.

Please, please, please.

Young Master Xuan Cheng,

treat my residence

as if it were your Taiji Village.

Please,

don't feel constrained.

Alright.

Master.

Master.

I suddenly have an urgent matter

to attend to.

Make yourself at home.

Mr. Yuwen,

please do as you wish.

You're back?

Do you bring the purple gauze dress?

Help me dress.

No, I...

I'll take your life!

It was a misunderstanding.

A complete misunderstanding.

Look, you...

Why did you hit him that hard?

You don't recognize him yet, do you?

Let me introduce him.

He

Is Daoist Yanyi's

favorite disciple,

Young Master Xuan Cheng.

He came specifically to our kingdom

to save us.

How could the savior of the Ape Kingdom in its darkest hour

be such a lecherous and tyrannical scoundrel?

Me? Lecherous?

You think I'm lecherous?

Just you?

Me?

Why not me?

What's the problem?

You tell me!

- You lecherous brute! - Based on what?

Shut up!

- Which of your eyes saw me being a lech? - I'll beat you, believe me!

The bigger picture matters!

It's alright, it's alright.

Right now,

the Rotten Ones have appeared.

Even the Ape Deity has been corrupted.

We must quickly devise a countermeasure.

Father.

He slaughtered Rotten Ones and the Ape Deity on sight,

without investigating anything.

If not for me, you'd already be food for that Rotten Ape.

Besides, did I even need to kill it?

Look closely.

Its entire body had already decayed.

It was a corpse long ago.

That's just your word.

- How do you prove it? - Fine.

Let's make a bet.

Let me tell you,

that Rotten Ape is now in the dungeon.