[PREVIEW] Great Sage, Equal to Heaven and Above Brockton Chapter 12

Sun Wukong was no stranger to discovery. In his long life, he was treated to new sights every time he ventured forth from his beloved mountain. From the physical constructs of man and nature to the immaterial essence that composed knowledge, he treated every newfound revelation with the care it deserved. If it wasn’t for this trait, he would’ve never found the woodcutter who led him to his first master, who bequeathed upon him a new realm of knowledge with the secrets of the Dao and immortality. His Great Journey reignited that spark of discovery, encountering new yaoguai and oddities and helping him further understand the realm upon which he walked. The Celestial Court might care little for the workings of mortals and espoused the greatness and perfection of the heavens, but his time among the Jade Emperor’s courtiers had taught him something few knew, and even fewer were willing to acknowledge if they were aware: 

Heaven was…boring. Stagnant. Everything was perfect, everyone had a role, maintaining a cosmic balance that, while important, left little for anything else, including innovation. There was no need for new things or to improve old things, so why should they try? Old Laozi with his alchemy was one of the exceptions. The constellations and spirits he befriended were all kindly folk, but they were unable to grasp beyond the realm of the heavens. Parties, banquets, duels, decrees…it grew repetitive. Yes, he had many of those back with his swornbrothers and simian subjects on his mountain, but there was always an element of…freshness to them. Like eager and curious children, ready to take on the world.

The mortal world was ever-changing, and some might call it chaotic. At times, it was true, but chaos always birthed the most fascinating and original ideas. And nowhere did Wukong find himself more enamored with that fact than in the city of Brockton Bay.

A marvel a day. Discovering a new delight in this foreign and queer land every time he ventured from his gracious host’s home—food, people, more food, machines, clothing, more food. Even the ‘heroes’, their sorceries, and the mysterious apparitions left him burning with thousandfold questions, despite the disturbing nature of the latter…which still warranted further investigation…but he digressed. 

‘Already the sun has risen, and I am positively enamored with this device!’ he thought, feeling water cascading down his fur. He guided the ‘nozzle’ around his body, letting the jets of water spray him. Steam filled the room and floated above the pale curtain drawn around him. ‘This ‘shower’ is such a convenience I don’t know why I haven’t seen it before!’

The Monkey King shook the nozzle over his head and giggled. ‘Like a miniature rainstorm over my head or any other part of my body if I so wish!’ He then grabbed his tail and generously sprayed the furry appendage. ‘It beats constantly using buckets and hands to clean! Especially those tricky crevices that need an additional push…’

He snatched the blue bottle from the nearby stand and squirted the viscous liquid over his head. ‘And this cleaning fluid works wonders! It’s not the leafy mixture my monkeys used, but it’s so much fun to play with!’

Vigorously scrubbing the liquid over his head and body, Wukong was sure he would make a funny sight to any who knew him, with his flattened fur mixed in white. ‘The Handsome Monkey King, drenched in milk and smelling of flowers! All who behold him shall suffer an agonizing death by laughter!’

An idea crept into Wukong’s head. He tilted his head back and swallowed the incoming torrent, letting it fill his mouth before gargling it down…mostly. 

‘Though I must note, there’s something in the water that tastes odd,’ he thought as he lowered his jaw and excess water flowed out like the raging Water Curtain. ‘Hardly a suitable taste for drinking, it’s too metallic. Water must be kept pure!’ 

He lifted his tail and was about to guide the spraying nozzle to a rather tricky spot when the scent of glorious dajiang drifted into his nostrils. Hmm…I might’ve missed a few more spots…but Peizhi-xiansheng’s food would be treason to miss!’

Giving his body one more spray-over until the white left his fur, Wukong turned the handle to shut the water off and pulled back the curtain. He looked at himself in the small mirror nearby and slicked back the fur from over his eyes, nodding with approval at his slicked-back mane. “Yes, quite the improvement! Were Master Tang here, he would lecture about my vanity, but even a monkey like me must strive to look his best!”

He’d bathed in better waters before. The healing springs of Heaven replenished the soul and washed away all illnesses from the body. A single drop could free a man from all worries and rejuvenate an elder on death’s door. None could compare in quality…but this?

This was…novel. And he’d oh so missed the sensation of novel.