Sun Wukong draft
Immortality
editSun Wukong was able to gain immortality through 5 different means. All of which stacks up to make him one of the most immortal and invincible beings.
Disciple to Subhuti
editAfter feeling down about the future and death, Wukong sets out to find the immortal Taoism sage named Subhuti to learn how to be immortal. There, Wukong learned spells to grasp all five elements and cultivate the way of immortality. After 7 years of training with the sage, Wukong has gained immortality. It is noted that technically, the Court of Heaven does not approve of this method of immortality.[1]
Book of Mortals
editIn the middle of the night, Wukong's soul was tied up and dragged to the World of Darkness. He was informed there that his life in the human world has come to an end. In anger, Wukong fights his way through the World of Darkness to complain to "The Ten Kings" who are the judges of the dead. The Ten Kings tried to address the complaint and calm Wukong by saying there are many people in the world who has the same name and the fetchers of the dead may have gotten the wrong name. Wukong demand to see the register of life and death then scribbled out his name thus making him untouchable by the fetchers of death. It was because Wukong had learned magic /magical arts as a disciple to subhuti that he was able to scare and demand the book of mortals from the Ten Kings and remove his name thus making him even more immortal. After this incident, the Ten Kings complains to the Jade Emperor.[1]
Peach of Immortality
editSoon after the Ten Kings complain to the Jade Emperor, the Court of Heaven appoints Sun Wukong as "Keeper of the Heavenly Horses" which is a fancy name for a stable boy. Angered by this, Wukong rebels and the Havoc in Heaven begins. During the Havoc in Heaven, Wukong was assigned to be the "Guardian of the Heavenly Peach Garden". The Peach garden included three types of peaches. The first type blooms every three thousand years, anyone who eats it will become an immortal and their body becomes both light and strong. The second type blooms every six thousand years, anyone who eats it will be able to fly and enjoy eternal youth. The third type blooms every nine thousand years, anyone who eats it will become "eternal as heaven and earth, as long-lived as the sun and moon" While serving as the guardian, Wukong did not hesitate to eat these big plump Peaches. Thus, granting him immortality and the abilities that come with the Peaches. Had Wukong not been appointed as the "Guardian of the Heavenly Peach Garden, he wouldn't have eaten the Peaches of Immortality and gained another level of immortality.[1]
Heavenly Booze
editThrough Wukong's rebellious antics following his immortality after being a disciple to subhuti and removing his name to the book of mortals, Wukong is not considered as an important celestial deity and thus not invited to the Queen Mother of the West's royal banquet. After finding out that the Queen Mother of the West did not invite him to the royal banquet which every other important deity was invited to, Wukong impersonates one of the deities that was invited and shows up early to see the deal with the banquet. He immediately gets distracted with the aroma of the wine and decides to steal and drink them. The heavenly wine also happens to have the ability to turn anyone who drinks it to an immortal.[1]
Pills of Longevity
editWhile drunk from the heavenly wine from the royal banquet, Wukong stumbles into Laozi's alchemy lab where he found Laozi's pills of longevity. The pills were known as "The Immortals' Greatest Treasure." Filled with the curiosity of the pills, Wukong ate a gourd of it. Those who eat the pill will become immortal. Had Wukong not been drunk from the heavenly booze, he wouldn't have stumbled into Laozi's alchemy lab and ate the pills of longevity.[1]
Aftermath of Immortality
editFollowing Wukong's 3 cause and effect method of immortality during his time in heaven, he escapes back to his home at Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. The Court of Heaven finds out what Wukong has done and a battle to capture Wukong ensues. Due to the 5 level of immortality Wukong achieved, his body has become nearly invincible and thus survived the multiple execution attempts by heaven. The notable last execution, Wukong was placed inside Laozi's furnace in hopes that he would be distilled into the pills of the immortality elixir. Wukong survives 49 days of the samadhi fire in Laozi's furnace and gains the ability to recognize evil. In desperation, the court of heaven seeks help from Buddha who finally imprisons Wukong under a mountain. Wukong's immortality and abilities will ultimately come into use after Guanyin suggested him to be a disciple to Tang Sanzang in the Journey to the West. There he protects Sanzang from the evil demons who try to eat Sanzang to gain immortality. Wukong's immortality protected him from the various ways the demons tried to kill him such as beheading, disemboweling, poisoning, boiling oil, and so on. None of which killed Wukong.[1]