"Crack!"

The monkey held the chopsticks at both ends and forcefully snapped them. The chopsticks immediately broke. "Sun Wukong just swung his staff like that, and the Buddha turned into tofu residue!"

"You're lying!" said Zhu Xiaonian, a little friend. "The Buddha is the Lord of the Western Heaven, the supreme being. How can a stone monkey defeat him?"

The monkey shook his head proudly and said, "As long as you're brave enough, you can overcome anything. If you don't believe me, ask your dad."

Zhu Xiaonian looked up at me.

I nodded and said, "Yes, what your uncle said is absolutely true."

He lowered his head and continued eating, his big eyes flickering, lost in thought.

In the inner room, Gao Cuilan and Miss Zixia were whispering to each other, and Zixia occasionally glanced at the monkey.

Their gazes met in the air and quickly turned away.

"Hey!" I said, "Zixia is a good girl, don't miss your chance."

"Go away!" the monkey impatiently said, "You're always meddling in other people's business. It's so annoying!"

As he spoke, his ears turned red.

"I know, you've fallen in love with her, haven't you?"

"Impossible. How could I fall in love with someone I despise?"

It was a summer evening, and the monkey and I were lying in the courtyard, looking up at the starry sky.

The lotus flowers in the pond were in bloom, filling the room with a pleasant fragrance. Fireflies danced around the chrysanthemums planted by Cuilan.

The fan brought a gentle breeze, and the rocking chair creaked.

It had been ten years since that great battle.

At that time, I really thought I was going to die, but when I opened my eyes, I saw Sha Wujing standing by my side, shouting excitedly:

"Master, eldest brother, Second Brother has awakened!"

Was I trapped in reincarnation again?

I couldn't help but shudder.

Master seemed to sense my doubt and smiled, saying, "Get up quickly, it's time to go back to Gaolaozhuang and get married. Gaoyuanwai is waiting for you to come and propose!"

"And, what about the Buddha?"

"He died a long time ago."

"Then, what about me..."

"The four of us, master and disciples, have transcended the Three Realms and are not bound by the Five Elements. We cannot be killed." Master sat cross-legged beside me. "Forget it, let's start from the beginning."

"Ten thousand years ago, the Buddha caused chaos and punched a hole in the sky. Nüwa repaired the sky with the Seven-Colored Stone to save all living beings. However, this gave the Buddha an opportunity. Taking advantage of Nüwa's weakness, he launched a surprise attack and killed her, becoming the most powerful being in the Three Realms. However, he never expected that Nüwa's final counterattack would cause him an incurable wound. Over the years, he has been healing by absorbing the souls of mortals. The more loyal the mortals are to him, the more effective the soul absorption is. In order to achieve brainwashing, he fabricated the cycle of reincarnation and the nonsensical Buddhist scriptures preaching that suffering is a blessing, spreading them in the mortal world.

More and more people believed in him, but there were also many who refused to believe. Those who resisted, whether humans or demons, were all wiped out. But thoughts cannot be completely eradicated. These heroic spirits gathered together, and thus, we were born. We are the collective consciousness of all living beings. Wukong represents courage, Wujing represents loyalty, and I represent the original intention. As for you, you represent confusion and timidity.

The key to breaking the deadlock lies with you. Timidity can blind courage, and confusion can make the original intention lose its way. That's why they keep pushing you to take action. Fortunately, at the critical moment, you awakened and not only removed the shackles from Wukong, but also made him stronger."

I stared blankly at my hands and said, "So that's how it is."

"After the Buddha's death, things became much easier. We resurrected the unjustlyexecuted and eliminated the corrupted officials. The world gradually stabilized, and the people began to rebuild their lives. We established a new order, free from the influence of the Buddha's tyranny."

"But what about the other gods and deities? Are they still around?" I asked.

"Some remained neutral during the Buddha's reign, while others fought alongside him. After his demise, those who were neutral resumed their divine duties, and those who fought against us were punished accordingly. The heavens are now under a new administration, with fair and just rulers."

I took a deep breath, trying to process everything I had just learned. It was a lot to take in, but it explained so many things.

The monkey broke the silence. "We should celebrate! Let's have a feast tonight!"

His enthusiasm was infectious, and we all agreed. Gao Cuilan prepared a delicious meal, and we gathered in the courtyard to enjoy the food, laughter, and each other's company.

Zixia sat next to the monkey, and they exchanged glances from time to time. It seemed that they had developed feelings for each other, despite the monkey's initial denial.

The night was filled with joy and merriment, a stark contrast to the dark times we had endured. We were finally free from the Buddha's oppression, and a new era had begun.

As I looked around at my friends and companions, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the journey we had undertaken together. We had faced unimaginable challenges, but through courage, loyalty, and the power of the collective, we had overcome them.

Now, as we celebrated and embraced the newfound peace, I knew that our bonds would only grow stronger. We were a family, bound not only by destiny but by love and friendship.

The stars twinkled above us, casting their gentle light upon our joyful gathering. The monkey, with a mischievous grin, raised his cup and proposed a toast:

"To new beginnings and a future filled with happiness and adventure!"

We all clinked our cups together, echoing his words with heartfelt cheers.

And so, our story continued, with the monkey, the monk, the pig, the sandman, and the many others who had joined us along the way. Together, we would face whatever challenges lay ahead and create a world where courage, loyalty, and the pursuit of truth would always prevail.