Fourteen years...
... It took fourteen years for us to travel to the west and fetch the buddha scripter and return them home. Fourteen long agonizing years that my master, my brothers, and I have faced the eighty-one tribulation during our journey as a measure of our spirituality. As we have returned, we received spiritual enlightenment and rise to buddha hood. Now that the journey had come to an end, the Jade Emperor and all the members of the royal court held a feast within the palace in celebration of our victorious return from journeying to the west and fetch the Buddhist scripture. As the celebration went on, seeing all the immortals eating, drinking, talking, laughing, overall, enjoying themselves. I was able to see that my brothers, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, and Ao Lie, whom they gave back his true form, going amongst the other guests, talking and telling those of our journey and what we have encountered, what trials we've faced, and what we've learned about ourselves that we've never known. I didn't bother to do such things, some would approach me and ask me the same questions they've asked my brothers, and I answered them, but I don't bother to keep a conversation going, found them quite mondain at this point in my life. As I remained in my seat next to my master, Tang San Zang, he too, didn't really speak to the other guests unless they had a question or which to hear our tales about our journey. I looked at him and had noticed that he was lost in thought. "Master... are you alright, you seemed... troubled?", I asked in both concern and curiosity. But my master did not answer me, I never thought that he'd ignore me on purpose, I thought that it must have been too loud within the hall from the loud laughter or talking or the the celebratory music. So I simply left the matter be... until he spoke up. "My beloved first disciple, we have been through so much together during our journey... through the trials, hardship, joyful moments, and much more... even though our journey has finally come to an end... but yours... yours has only just began..." I looked at him in confusion, not understanding what he had meant by those words, but I didn't question him about it, instead i nodded and remained silent throughout the rest of the celebration.
~Time Skip~
Once the celebration was over, I was able to return to my home, my kingdom, my mountain of flowers and fruit, to live out my immortal life in peace. The first night of my return home, I was beyond exhausted from the journey and from tending the celebration took more out of me than I've expected. So, I bathed myself, changed into fresh clean clothes, then went to my bedroom, lied down and fell asleep right away. As I slumbered away in peace, I began to dream... a dream that was as clear as a crystal lake, within my dream, I saw that I was in a field with a grand spiritual tree in the center of it, feeling the nice warm breeze that was filled with a scent of fresh spring, and under its shades was the great Buddha, playing a soothing, hypnotic melody on a flute that looked as if it has been long not used but can still play beautifully... "Ahh, my victorious fighting Buddha... we meet again...", said Buddha as he had stopped playing the flute to look at me, Sun Wukong, the monkey king. "Great Buddha, I have finally returned from the journey and have returned with the scripters and have earned my enlightenment and have ascended into buddha hood along with my master and his other disciples. I must ask, why have you summoned me here, and within my dreams no less?", I asked as I looked at Buddha with a look of full mutual respect and curiosity of his sudden visited within my peaceful sleep. "My victorious fighting buddha, Sun Wukong, even though you have indeed retrieve the scriptures, faced the eighty-one tribulations have earned your enlightenment, but your story does not end here... it has only just begun... within four-hundred years, a soul as pure as light itself will emerge into the mortal world, bringing peace, light, and prosperity to all who meet them. Promised to be loved by those of the opposite sex, and admired by those who are broken or lost... is destined to bear a life that'll bring either great hope, but others' will too seek to taint it and bear a life that could bring dangerous calamity into this world...", said Buddha as he looked at me with a face full of hope then continued on. "My victorious fighting buddha... I have chosen you, to seek out this beautiful soul, claim this pure soul as your bride, to bear your seed within its untainted womb, and raise this child to bring light, hope and peace into the mortal realm for future generations to come..." As I took in his every word, I was at a loss of words. Me, to wed and have them bear my child and raise the child together to bring a better future for many generations to come. Before I could say a word, Buddha had continued to speak, "To seek this one out, I will need the use of your magic staff... I shall place your staff within the five elements mountain, leave an inscription on the staff saying, 'they who is pure of heart, body, and soul shall be able to lifted the golden staff and save all realms...' once they do, they shall brought back to this era, and you shall come and fulfill your destiny... together... till we meet again... my victorious fighting buddha..."
~
Li Mei's P.O.V.
As I woke up, I was covered and light sweat, I felt like I was still in a blissful haze, like I was lighter than air itself but i still feeling uneased by the feeling... ".... Why do I keep dreaming this... this dream...?" I gotten up and sat on my bed for what felt like hours, as much as I wanted to ponder over my dream that I've been having ever since I turn twenty-one last month, I knew that i couldn't do that for too long, I was already late to go meet up with my friends and start heading towards a forest known as The Forest of Yunnan, a forest that is , but my friends thought it would be a good way to start off our summer vacation from our studies from Yunnan Agricultural University, and they wanted me to go out more and have more adventure in my life (or so they say?). So I got out of my bed, and went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Once I was done with my shower, I felt more relaxed and refreshed which i desperately needed, then I looked in my closet to find a changed clothes that are for outdoors (and that are comfortable for it is going t be hot today). Then I made my way to my kitchen to start making myself some porridge for breakfast along with some morning tea and toast with jam. Once my breakfast was finished and I've eaten my fill, i returned to my room and began to pack my hiking bag with essentials and among other things like a med kit, extra water, and a few food provisions. While I was packing, I was lost in my thoughts, replaying the vivid dream I've been having almost every night since I've turned eighteen about two months ago. I don't know why or what it means, but all I know is that it bothers me so... Once i was done packing all that i needed for this trip, I put on my hiking shoes and tied my laces. From there, I put my hair up in a ponytail so it wouldn't be in my way of my eye sight, then from there, I grabbed my bag and apartment keys, locked my apartment door and made my way to meet my friends.
~1 hour and 45 minutes later~
It was a long and tiring drive but we've finally arrived to the entrance of the parking location that is close to the entrance of the forest. My friends: Wang Jin, Yìchén Lee, Yǔxuān, Wei and, (my best friend since childhood) Xīn yán Zhang, were more than excited to get out and begin our hiking in this forest, but i on the other hand, I felt a strange pull towards this forest... as if... i was meant to come here, but the only question is... why? And whether or not I should go towards the forest, towards this strange feeling that pulls me towards it? Before i could even process this in my mind, Xīn yán took my arm in her's and had practically dragged me out of the car while Wang Jin and Yìchén were getting our bags out of the trunk so we could begin our hiking in the forest. "Man, I didn't think it was going to be this hot today.", said Wang Jin as he took his bag and strapped it on his back while handing Xīn yán hers. "Well, the weather app on our phones did say this area was going to be a bit warm. I just didn't think it would be this hot... good thing we all brought plenty of water, including extras in case we go through them.", said Yìchén as he handed me my bag while he strapped his own on his back. "Oh don't start complaining about the weather now. We all agreed to come here to start off our summer break off with some adventure. Right Li Mei?", Xīn yán as she looked at with with playfulness in her eyes. "Yeah... I guess...?", I said as i wasn't one-hundred percent sure if we should be here. especially with this strange feeling that keeps trying to pull me into the forest, but where in the forest does this strange force wanted me go and what will i discover once I'm there?