Truth and Lies

Neither Wukong refused, nor did they have any reason to.

The real Wukong wanted the imposter exposed, while the fake had absolute confidence in his own transformation. Thus, no matter what they faced, he remained full of self-assurance, believing that not only would he remain undetected, but he could even trick everyone into treating the real Wukong as the fake.

Seeing that neither had refused, Su Qing nodded and led the two of them back to the Underworld.

Su Qing already knew what the outcome of going to the Underworld would be, so she didn't hold any expectations. She simply intended to go through the motions before eventually bringing them before the Buddha.

After all, if even she and Heavenly King Li’s Demon-Reflecting Mirror couldn't see through the truth, she wouldn't believe for a second that the people of the Underworld could distinguish them based on mere intuition.

Soon, the two Wukongs, trailing a thick scent of gunpowder, followed Su Qing into the Underworld. Without a moment's delay, they found King Yama and demanded he identify the real one.

Upon seeing the two Wukongs, King Yama immediately felt a massive headache coming on. Being asked to distinguish between the two only made his head throb even more.

King Yama desperately wanted to refuse and stay out of it, but with orders from above and Su Qing accompanying them, he had no choice but to help, even if he didn't want to.

While King Yama was pondering how best to handle this, the two Wukongs began to argue again.

Although they didn't come to blows because of Su Qing's presence, their bickering never stopped. It was enough to give King Yama a migraine, and even Su Qing, who had come along to enjoy the spectacle, found it a bit noisy.

Su Qing rubbed her temples and asked, "Senior King Yama, do you have a method to distinguish them? Or can you tell them apart?"

King Yama shook his head and said, "I cannot... I can't tell who is real and who is fake. Why don't I call in everyone who was present back then to help identify them?"

King Yama understood that since he couldn't refuse to help, he might as well go through the motions. Though he suspected this wouldn't yield any results, following the procedure would at least satisfy the two Wukongs. At the very least, they wouldn't blame him and start another riot in the Underworld. His old bones couldn't take another havoc-wreaking session.

Su Qing nodded and said, "Then I shall trouble you, King Yama."

Seeing that Su Qing and King Yama had finished speaking, Wukong found it difficult to pressure him further. He could only hope that the people King Yama summoned could truly tell him apart from the imposter.

Soon, a group of people who had experienced Wukong's havoc in the Underworld years ago arrived. Together, they tried to distinguish the real Wukong from the fake.

However, the result was exactly as Su Qing had predicted.

The group had no way of telling them apart. Instead, they were intimidated by the two Wukongs, and several of them began pointing randomly, claiming one was the fake just to say something.

Seeing this, Su Qing could only pretend to be disappointed, shaking her head as she said, "It seems this trip to the Underworld was in vain..."

"I am truly sorry. We really cannot be of any help in this matter," King Yama said to Su Qing.

The two Wukongs were difficult to talk to, but Su Qing was relatively reasonable. Therefore, apologizing to her was quite effective. At the very least, she wouldn't be as irrational as Wukong.

Su Qing shook her head and said, "It's fine. Even the Demon-Reflecting Mirror couldn't see through it, so it's understandable that everyone else is struggling. Since no one here can distinguish the real Wukong from the fake, we shall take our leave! We'll go elsewhere to find a solution."

Su Qing's acting was still top-notch. Not only could Wukong not tell she was just enjoying the show, but even King Yama thought she was genuinely regretful about the situation.

King Yama said, "In that case, I can only wish you success, Sovereign. I am truly sorry for not being able to assist."

Su Qing waved her hand and led the two Wukongs back to the Changbai Mountains.

Upon the mountains, the atmosphere between the two Wukongs remained explosive.

Su Qing spoke up, "It seems that finding these people won't help distinguish which of you is the Six-Eared Macaque and which is Wukong. Since that's the case, why don't you go find your master? Surely your master has a way to tell you apart! If even your master can't do it, I'll take you to the Buddha and ask him to intervene and reveal who the Six-Eared Macaque is."

The two Wukongs found this reasonable. Although neither the real nor the fake Wukong particularly wanted to see their master, it was indeed a viable option at this point. Wukong's master knew him very well, so he might have a way to distinguish them.

"You two go see your master. I won't be coming along. It's getting late, and I need to have lunch," Su Qing said with a faint smile.

Wukong scratched his head and said, "Since Big Sister doesn't plan to go, I won't force you. If Master can't tell who the imposter is, I'll come back and ask for your help again!"

The other Wukong also spoke up, "Big Sister, take your time eating. I want to see just how long this fake can keep up his act."

Su Qing nodded and said, "Go on!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the two Wukongs flew off simultaneously. They hadn't flown far before they began fighting again. The commotion was far from small; Su Qing could hear it even from a great distance.

Su Qing looked toward the horizon and shook her head slightly. Although she had expected the two of them to fight as soon as they left her presence, she hadn't expected it to happen quite so quickly.

"Forget it, let them be. I'd better eat first!" Su Qing muttered to herself, shaking her head.

Despite what she said, her reason for not following them to find Tang Sanzang wasn't purely because of lunchtime. It was simply that she was too lazy to see Tang Sanzang! While she would miss out on some of the fun, it was a negligible loss for her. She had already seen plenty today.

"Is Master finished with her business?" Leng Xiang asked when she saw Su Qing return.

Su Qing shook her head and said, "Only temporarily. I'll probably have to head out again in a bit..."

"I see..." Leng Xiang didn't pry further, only saying, "Then Master must be hungry! The meal is ready, please come and eat!"

Su Qing nodded and sat down to eat.

While Su Qing was enjoying a peaceful meal, Sun Wukong was locked in a fierce battle with the fake. There wasn't much difference in their strength; what the real Wukong knew, the fake knew as well. What the real Wukong had experienced, the fake also remembered. Thus, even after fighting for half the day, they were evenly matched, neither able to gain the upper hand.

In this manner, the two Wukongs flew together to find Tang Sanzang.

As Wukong reached Xuanzang, Su Qing was just finishing her lunch. Afterward, she sat in the courtyard drinking tea. She had nothing to do until Wukong returned, so she was quite relaxed.

However, her leisure didn't last long before a friend—one who was a surprise, yet not entirely unexpected—arrived at the Changbai Mountains. Su Qing wasn't quite sure exactly why she had come.

Su Qing set down her teacup, stood up, and bowed to her senior, Guanyin Bodhisattva. "Senior Guanyin, what wind has blown you to my doorstep this time?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva never visited without a reason. She was surely here for something. Su Qing certainly didn't believe the Bodhisattva had come just for tea, so she asked directly.

Guanyin Bodhisattva was very familiar with Su Qing and had no intention of wasting time on pleasantries. She spoke directly: "I have come for two matters, both of which are related to you."

Su Qing wasn't surprised and nodded slightly. After all, if it didn't involve her, the Bodhisattva wouldn't have come looking for her. She asked, "So, what are they?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva spoke calmly, "I have come to ask you to intervene in the matter of the Six-Eared Macaque..."

"You know I enjoy watching the excitement. I've already intervened!" Su Qing said, spreading her hands. "I'm only staying here now because I was too lazy to follow them to see Tang Sanzang."

Guanyin shook her head and said, "The intervention I'm referring to is not that."

"If not that, then what?"

"I hope you can save the Six-Eared Macaque," Guanyin said after a moment of silence. "This Six-Eared Macaque still has great use in the future, so he cannot be killed by Wukong for the time being."

"Why me? Isn't this something you could handle with a single word, Bodhisattva?" Su Qing asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Naturally, it is because the death of the Six-Eared Macaque is a form of fixed fate, making it difficult for those of us within the system to change it! You are the only one who can accomplish this."

Su Qing already knew many things, so Senior Guanyin didn't hide anything and told her directly.

Su Qing frowned and asked, "Then what do you intend to use this Six-Eared Macaque for?"

"A layout... a layout for future events." Guanyin didn't go into detail about the future, but she added, "Rest assured, this plan is certainly not meant to target you. This layout is for subsequent matters."

"Can't you be a bit clearer?"

"No. You will understand when the time comes."

"I..." Su Qing almost couldn't hold it back; she nearly cursed. If the senior before her hadn't been Guanyin Bodhisattva, and if she hadn't been trying to maintain her image, she definitely would have started shouting. Guanyin really was far too fond of speaking in riddles.

She couldn't help but rub her temples. Although she wasn't surprised by Guanyin's answer, she was indeed a bit speechless.

"Senior Guanyin, you really are... Fine. Just tell me directly what I need to do." Su Qing spread her hands helplessly, too lazy to continue complaining. All the seniors were like this; she had long since grown used to it. Rather than complaining, it was better to clarify how to proceed.

Since Su Qing had already intended to intervene, she wasn't particularly against doing a bit more. She was just annoyed by the constant riddles.

Seeing Su Qing agree, Guanyin Bodhisattva breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's not that I don't want to tell you the plan, it's simply that I cannot. As for how to do it... you can decide that for yourself. We will do our best to cooperate."

Su Qing waved her hand, thinking to herself, Senior Guanyin is always like this... every time she plays the riddler, she uses the same excuse.

She stopped talking about that and simply said, "Since Senior is letting me decide, if I fail to save the Six-Eared Macaque, you mustn't blame me."

"Rest assured, I certainly won't blame you for that," Guanyin said, shaking her head. "You can put your mind at ease."

Su Qing nodded and said, "Senior Guanyin, you said you came for two things. This is the first; what is the second?"

"It also has some connection to Tang Sanzang and his disciples."

"Oh?" Su Qing raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Then could Senior please stop speaking in riddles and just tell me?"

"Wait a moment." Guanyin nodded, then performed a quick divination with her fingers. "It seems there is no time to tell you... Wukong is already heading this way. I'll have to explain it in detail next time we have a chance."

"So it's not urgent then!"

"It's not urgent... that's why I left it for last." Guanyin shook her head and said, "Alright, I'll be going now. I'll leave the matter of Wukong and the Six-Eared Macaque to you. Also, take this technique; it will help you distinguish the Six-Eared Macaque and see through his disguise."

With a point of Guanyin's finger, a technique surfaced in Su Qing's mind. Su Qing took a quick look and was about to ask Guanyin more questions, but when she came to her senses, she found that the Bodhisattva had already departed.

"The Bodhisattva certainly comes and goes in a hurry..." Su Qing shook her head and continued to study the technique. It didn't surprise her that Guanyin had a way to see through the Six-Eared Macaque's disguise; she just hadn't expected the technique to be so simple. After just a few glances, she had already mastered it.

"The Great Dao is simple; that really isn't just an empty saying," Su Qing thought to herself. Then, looking up, she happened to see two red clouds in the distance, clashing and banging against each other.

Wukong and the Six-Eared Macaque were back.