Chapter One: Decades of Cultivation, Only to Discover This Is the World of Journey to the West

"You have already chosen the path to your own destruction."

Cao Kong gazed at his younger brother and, after a long silence, finally spoke.

"Brother, why do you say such things? I have always obeyed your words, never harmed anyone, never bullied the weak. My only wish is to be a mountain king here in these hills. Why, why must it be so?"

A leopard spirit, upon hearing this, looked as though struck by lightning and hastened to defend himself.

Cao Kong regarded his brother in silence. Yes, why indeed?

He silently counted the three deadly sins that spelled his brother’s doom.

First, his leopard-spirit brother had named this mountain Hidden Mist Mountain.

Second, today his brother had styled himself the King of the Southern Mountain.

Third, this was the world of Journey to the West!

Given these three points, his brother had already set foot on the road to ruin.

Cao Kong found the situation absurd. Only after decades of cultivation had he realized this was the world of Journey to the West.

No wonder—no wonder, after his brother transformed, he bore a remarkable resemblance to that wildly popular internet-famous demon from his previous life.

He had harbored suspicions before, but being secluded in the deep mountains and never having heard of any monk with a hairy face and thunderous mouth, he had dismissed it as his own overthinking.

Looking at the anxious leopard spirit before him, Cao Kong wanted to explain everything—to tell him that in the future, a monk with a hairy face and thunderous mouth would subdue him.

But as the words reached his lips, a chill ran through his heart. No, this was Journey to the West; at three feet above, the gods watch. The land is filled with countless spirits—he must be prudent with his words, lest disaster spring from his mouth.

Yet, for the brother who had been with him since he crossed into this world, he could not bear to watch him meet his end.

So Cao Kong said, "You call yourself the King of the Southern Mountain. The ancients spoke of the southern mountain: like the moon, like the stars, like the rising sun, as enduring as the southern mountain itself—unchanging and everlasting."

"And so?" the leopard spirit pressed.

Cao Kong replied with heartfelt gravity, "The waters here run far too deep. It is not something you can master."

Having spent decades together, the leopard spirit knew Cao Kong’s abilities and innate brilliance, and trusted him completely. At once, he became anxious. "Then I won’t call myself the King of the Southern Mountain. Brother, surely now I won’t die?"

Cao Kong said, "First, never mention those two words again. Second, from now on, you must devote yourself wholly to goodness. Lastly, pack your things, bring some local spirit fruits, and I will lead you to a new place."

Hearing that they were to leave on a journey, the leopard spirit hesitated. Cao Kong saw this and knew well his brother’s timid, contented nature—born to idle his life away, content with the status quo.

Yet, when Cao Kong shot him a stern look, the leopard spirit immediately went to pack his belongings without another word.

Soon, the two brothers transformed—the elder into a powerful black panther, the younger into a spotted golden leopard—and swept down the mountain like a fierce wind, heading west.

Cao Kong, well-versed in Journey to the West, knew that his brother would one day become a tribulation on the monk’s journey and, in the end, be slain by Pigsy’s rake.

This raised a critical question: what sort of monsters along the pilgrimage survived without being slain? Were they all powerful or blameless?

Not at all. In this world, one needed strength and backing.

Throughout Journey to the West, those with patrons in Heaven, even if defeated by the Monkey King, ultimately had their masters intercede and lived on as before, drinking wine and enjoying life.

But those without powerful patrons, no matter how strong—like the Six-Eared Macaque or the Scorpion Demoness—could not escape death. Even the three demons of the Cart Slow Kingdom, who sought the Way and protected their realm, met their end.

Thus, as a lowly demon, whether for his brother’s sake or his own future, Cao Kong knew he needed to find a patron—a powerful backer.

As a leopard spirit, the best and strongest backing he could hope for was none other than the ancestor of the Yellow Lion from Tiger’s Mouth Cave on Leopard Head Mountain—the Nine-Spirit Saint!

That one was the mount of the Great Compassionate Celestial Lord, with connections reaching to Heaven.

Even setting aside his background, his strength alone in the original tale was unmatched—Journey to the West’s mightiest demon, known to reach the highest saints and see to the deepest depths, able even to capture Sun Wukong with a single technique. His power was boundless.

Moreover, the Nine-Spirit Saint was fiercely protective of his own—a perfect patron indeed.

"If only I can connect with the Yellow Lion, and later meet the Nine-Spirit Saint, and flatter him to high heaven, then in this world of Journey to the West, I too will have a place to stand. If I could even learn a few mystical arts, so much the better."

Thinking thus, Cao Kong’s heart burned with hope. Perhaps, just perhaps, he could turn his brother’s tribulation into good fortune, and the two might attain the Way and live as long as the southern mountains themselves.

As for whether he had arrived too early—whether the Nine-Spirit Saint had yet to descend—he scoffed at the thought. Though the original tale said the Saint had only been in the mortal world for seven years, the Yellow Lion’s cultivated manners suggested far more than a year or two of guidance.

Cao Kong and the golden leopard moved with astonishing speed. In just a day or two, they covered nearly a thousand miles and soon stood outside a city.

Compared to Hidden Mist Mountain, this place was a world apart: distant mountains like blackened jade brushed with autumn glow, white water plants quietly perfuming the air, red smartweed in full bloom—a truly lovely human scene.

"Brother, look! There’s a city ahead, full of travelers. How lively it is," the golden leopard exclaimed, delighted. After so long in the deep mountains, the sight of human bustle was a rare joy.

Cao Kong gazed into the distance and saw three characters carved above the city gate—Yuhua County. He knew then they had come to the right place.

Quickly, he had the golden leopard fetch some gold and silver from their bundle, instructing him to stay put and not cause trouble, which earned him a resentful look.

Cao Kong himself transformed into human form and entered Yuhua County, bought pork, mutton, and wine, and returned. Seeing the golden leopard still sulking, he handed him some cooked food, and at once the grudge was forgotten and he lavished Cao Kong with gratitude.

They skirted the city and headed north. After less than a dozen miles, they saw a mountain.

Its sharp peak pierced the sky; deep ravines echoed with running water; cranes called and apes chattered—a realm of pure nature.

Cao Kong and the golden leopard drove their herd of pigs and sheep through the mountains, seeking the fabled Tiger’s Mouth Cave.

Barely had they rounded a bend when they came face to face with two wolf-headed imps.

The wolf-headed imps, upon seeing human-shaped Cao Kong, showed no reaction, but when they set eyes on the leopard-headed golden leopard, their faces turned pale and they stumbled backward in alarm, crying, "Monster, don’t come any closer!"

Cao Kong’s eyes narrowed. Wolf heads on human bodies, each wearing a pink badge—he instantly recognized the pair: Cunning and Crafty, the infamous duo!

Cao Kong smiled and said, "No need to fear, friends. I am called Cao Kong. My brother and I come from another mountain. We are leopards who have attained spirit form.

Having heard this place is called Leopard Head Mountain, we wished to pay our respects—perhaps meet a senior of our kind.

We bring these humble offerings and hope you might introduce us."

He handed them two oiled-paper packets of roast chicken.

Cunning and Crafty eyed the herd of pigs and sheep, then glanced at the delicious roast chicken. Unable to help themselves, their mouths watered and they quietly slipped the packets into their tunics, saying with feigned seriousness, "Our king dislikes outsiders. We are strangers to you. This puts us in a difficult position."

The golden leopard, hearing this, was indignant. "If you can’t help, why take our things? Give them back!"

Seeing the golden leopard reach for him, Crafty quickly put on a smile. "Ah, you misunderstand. My brother means, well, it’s just that, um, heh heh..."

The golden leopard snapped, "You’re so evasive—spit it out, or you’re just being difficult!"

Cao Kong smiled faintly—he already understood their meaning. It was the eternal three-word mantra.

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