The younger monkey , Bugsy , took up the story , “ Every day , hunters trap us for sport and meat . We hide out in the outskirts of the villages , far away from our ancestral home . Master Topsy and I are the only ones left here . The rest have been taken to the far north , where the barbarian hunters have their stronghold .”
“ How dare they mess with my subjects ?!” Monkey thundered . Hungry for revenge and consumed with another feeling he could not name , he sped away in fiery pursuit of their captors . When he found them , the unfortunate barbarians did not know what hit them . Announcing himself as the Immortal Monkey King , the Great Sage Equal to Heaven and Destroyer of half of the same Heaven , Monkey took out his vengeance on the barbarians with swift and bloody dispatch . He made sure that many tasted the metal of Jingu Bang and all were so badly beaten that they swore never to approach the monkeys ever again .
Once he had freed his subjects from their enslavement , Monkey brought them back home to Waterfall Curtain Cave , in the depths of Flower Fruit Mountain . A most triumphant celebration was held in honour of their victorious king . But amidst the carousing and drunken merrymaking , Monkey caught sight of a cloaked figure at the entrance of the cave . Before he could get a closer look , his old friends had grabbed him and led him back into the crowds for more wild dancing and flagons of peach wine .
Many , many hours later , Monkey stumbled back into his royal chambers and fell into his bed . He woke with a start to find the cloaked silhouette sitting at the foot of his mattress . “ Have you seen my wife and daughter ?” the shroud moaned .
“ Aaaaaarrrgh !” Monkey screeched , falling off his bed . Fumbling to his feet , he grabbed his cudgel and swung it to meet the face of the old man in the cape . “ Enough with the games ! You are not the girl ’ s father or the crone ’ s husband . I have already killed you three times ! Why can ’ t you just stay dead ?! Leave me alone or I will crush you like the bothersome bedbug you are !”
The grey-haired man sat still as a stone , unperturbed . Then he slowly started clapping , as if applauding Monkey . “ Congratulations . You are a great hero , surrounded by adoring acolytes in the thousands . Are you happy now ?” he asked . When Monkey didn ’ t respond , he continued , “ Did you find what you were looking for ? Do you know your meaning and purpose now ?”
Monkey drew himself to his full height and gripped his cudgel tighter , “ Begone , Demon ! I am perfectly happy here .”
The old man chuckled , “ I think you are a better liar than you are a fighter .” He looked deeply into Monkey ’ s eyes and whispered , “ And the person you deceive the most ... is yourself .”
This time , Monkey did not attack the apparition . He was lost for words . Once again , the nameless feeling washed over him , and Monkey felt hot tears threatening to spill from his red-rimmed eyes .
The old man stood up suddenly . Dawn was seeping over the horizon . Turning to Monkey , he said , “ It ’ s good that you are not trying to kill me anymore ... After all ...” He pulled his hood over his head , as if to leave .
“ After all what ?” snapped Monkey , his voice suddenly hoarse . “ Why ,” he shrugged his shoulders , “ I ’ m already dead .” Monkey ’ s brow furrowed , “ Then why do I still see you ?” “ That ’ s a very good question ,” said the figure , smiling mysteriously . And with that , he vanished . ******