Chapter 5: Monkey Valley—Plan B

Monkey Valley, Water Curtain Cave.

After he commot from Okpoko Hills, Sani Wada use Somersault Cloud, land for house with one jump—wind scatter leaf, small animals run hide. As e land, mountain monkeys begin shout, dey dance, dey roll for ground. "Oga Sani, you don show! Abeg, bring back banana for us o!" Since Sani travel, many monsters don dey eye Monkey Valley spiritual energy, dey find trouble—some dey even enter cave at night, break small calabash, scatter banana farm.

For the original Pilgrimage to the East, after he come back, Sani Wada go around settle scores, fight and make friends with six other demon kings, form brotherhood called Seven Sages, and attract Emir attention—wey lead to serious fight with palace guards. Na real action film, people dey talk say, 'If you blink, you go miss something.'

But, as group people advise, Sani Wada no get interest for all those settle scores again. He just hide inside Water Curtain Cave, dey meditate, refine herbs, dey work for furnace everyday. Sometimes, e go use stone write calculation for wall. Unless wahala come meet am for house, Sani Wada no dey commot. If person challenge am, he go show face small, but no drama. E dey guard him peace jealously.

As for those demon kings for Pilgrimage to the East, Sani Wada now see them finish. That time, their mouth big, but when real problem show, dem run pass everybody. For the whole journey, apart from Bull Demon King, the rest just vanish—after swearing brotherhood, dem just come chop for Monkey Valley, disturb Sani Wada training, no help at all. Sani just dey smile, 'Na food and gist dem sabi.'

After plenty encounter, Sani Wada sure say him suspicion correct: those demon kings no even dey try collect Monkey Valley. Dem just dey hang around, no wan go, and keep Sani Wada too busy to train well. Na distraction dem be—maybe dem dey work for palace, or dem just dey fear Sani grow pass everybody.

In short, dem dey try slow am down—maybe to make sure say he no too strong, so e no go threaten all those palace animals and immortal servants when journey start. On the other hand, the demon kings dey always smile, dey friendly—na how Naija people dey do, e no fit slap person wey dey greet you with teeth. Sani fit no trust dem, but e no go pick fight for nothing. Wisdom dey for patience.

Since Plan A no work, time to try Plan B. For this life, if Plan A fail, monkey go find Plan B—na so street wise dey start.