Chapter Thirty-Four: The Small World of Three

Sometimes the world resembles a capricious child—just when you think it’s vast and boundless, it suddenly shrinks before your eyes. Among the billions of living beings in this world, for two souls to meet by chance, then meet again, is no easier than attaining enlightenment through cultivation. Perhaps at the moment it feels ordinary, but long after, you come to understand the true weight of that destiny.

Hou Baiyu stared at the monkey, and the monkey stared back at Hou Baiyu; big eyes locked onto small eyes, tattered clothes facing tattered clothes, each looking at the other with mutual disdain.

Indeed, Hou Baiyu was blessed with a strong fate. Even after an entire inn collapsed, he stubbornly crawled out. He was also broad-hearted; despite his severe injuries, he resolved to have a good meal before continuing on his journey.

But Hou Baiyu’s luck was far from good. At a fleeting glance, he caught sight of that figure and swore to himself he could not have been mistaken. Planning to slip in and out quietly, he pondered—since this person was here, wouldn’t it be a shame not to find a better place to feast? He even prepared to put the debt under “Big Brother Hou’s” name.

After all, Big Brother Hou’s name resounded throughout South City. What trivial matters could escape his notice? What city scoundrels or underworld rats wouldn’t show him some respect? Hou Baiyu smiled coldly, thinking, “If I don’t settle this grudge, I’m no gentleman.”

He wanted to turn and leave but found himself unable to do so, caught in a dilemma between retreat and confrontation. Meeting the monkey so early in the morning in this place, Hou Baiyu guessed the monkey was now under Wu Yue’s command; otherwise, with such a large South City, why would he be here? A wave of misfortune washed over him. Leaving would be humiliating, but staying risked alerting the enemy.

The monkey felt the same, equally unlucky. The crow tattoo on his arm sometimes burned hot, sometimes chilled cold. Helpless, he swallowed the red pill, and his symptoms eased at once. The pill melted on his tongue, unleashing a rush of bloodiness spreading throughout his body, as if he had swallowed mouthfuls of fresh blood. The thought made him nauseous, and he retched for a while before feeling some relief.

This made the monkey believe even more strongly that the pill was insidious. He resolved with iron will to break free from Old Dao’s control. Who said a nameless life should be shackled? His desire to seek refuge with Wu Yue grew stronger—not for wealth or power, but simply for safety.

Thus, the monkey’s frenzy for collecting keys intensified. Though he did not know what Wu Yue wanted with all these keys, he dared not ask too much. Even without the chance, he wouldn’t question it; as a loyal underling, years of observation had taught him the essentials of being a good subordinate.

Of course, there were exceptions. He had once witnessed a boss who claimed he was the only one who needed to think, while the subordinates only executed orders. That boss died quickly. Whether coincidence or fate, the monkey accepted it as inevitable. So, he regarded the key collection as Wu Yue’s test.

When he first heard this, the monkey was stunned for a long while. At first, it seemed a trivial task—if he couldn’t get gold and treasures, how could he fail to collect some keys? Yet, the reality was far from simple. The humble vendors, usually somewhat respectful, rejected requests to borrow keys without mercy. As for his own subordinates, they laughed at the idea, reminding him, “First, we need locks.” Only then did the monkey realize how challenging the task truly was. No wonder Wu Yue treated it as a trial.

After a day and night of frantic efforts—stealing, deceiving, threatening, bribing, and pleading—the monkey managed to gather over a hundred keys. Many were useless, but he was well aware of that. Yet, did it matter? Not really. What mattered was his effort, not the keys themselves. The monkey understood this clearly.

After staying awake for so long without rest, he longed for a good meal before continuing his efforts. For the sake of survival, the monkey was willing to pay any price.

His once-grand robe had become tattered, but he clutched the keys tightly—they were his hope. Yet, misfortune struck.

The monkey saw Hou Baiyu and felt his heart race. Their relationship was hardly friendly—in fact, it was hostile. He had once strongly advised Wu Yue to kill Hou Baiyu, assuring that if he were Hou Baiyu, he would root him out without a trace.

Glancing at Hou Baiyu, equally ragged, as if he had crawled out from a pile of bricks—which was indeed the case—the monkey knew his mood must be foul. A bad mood often needs an outlet, and who better than a weak, hated rival who seemed just begging for a beating?

Both harbored ill intentions, forced smiles masking readiness to flee at a moment’s notice. On a spacious road, the two faced off, each poised to retreat, wanting to speak but finding no words.

Such deadlocks often require a third party to break them—for instance, Wu Yue.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, Wu Yue was not a fast eater but had arrived early. Returning from a trance, the most fitting action would be quiet contemplation—or at worst, a peaceful nap.

Yet, hearing the dawn chorus and the clatter of early morning carts, Wu Yue decided to go for breakfast—no one could stop him, and no one tried. After all, others had risen even earlier.

Stepping forward, the two men’s faces changed dramatically—one filled with joy, the other with despair.

It was well known that cultivators could predict and calculate; the rumor was true. The monkey thought so and shouted loudly, “Immortal Wu, Hou Baiyu wants to steal my keys!”

Wu Yue paid no heed. Hou Baiyu felt as though someone were dousing his fury with oil. If he still had hair, it would surely stand on end. They had agreed to settle scores after punishment, yet last night Hou Baiyu was attacked again. Now, Wu Yue’s faction came to slander him! It was unbearable.

Clenching his teeth, Hou Baiyu said each word with grit, “Wu Yue, do you still have any sense of justice?”

Wu Yue smiled lightly and patted Hou Baiyu’s shoulder gently. “You drank too much last night,” he said, then nodded faintly to the monkey.

Hou Baiyu felt a sudden surge of blood rise in his throat, his eyes wide with rage before the anger quickly dissolved.

P.S. I played all night yesterday before sleeping. I have to do some part-time work tonight, so the next update will come tomorrow. Thinking about the upcoming plot excites me—haha—but the part-time work can’t be skipped, and there’s a bit of insider stuff involved.