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Total sales for the first wave of merchandise ultimately crossed 250 million yuan, boosting Song Qian’s confidence immensely. In October, drawing on players’ suggestions, Song Qian developed the second wave of merchandise for Journey to the West.

Beyond commemorative holographic laser cards of the protagonist party and plush dolls, there were also stationery goods featuring highly popular supporting characters like Nezha, Yang Jian, and Guanyin Bodhisattva, which sold remarkably well.

The game carried the stationery manufacturer to soaring new heights, leaving President Liu grinning from ear to ear every day. The owner of Xinxin Stationery, who had previously walked away from the deal, was green with regret.

By December, the game’s serialization was drawing to a close.

The pilgrimage squad had braved countless trials and tribulations, crossing paths with all manner of formidable bosses.

There were the tree spirits of Bramble Ridge, where pine, cypress, and bamboo took human form, sending vines flinging wildly and pine needles and bamboo leaves sweeping across the arena, repeatedly wiping out player parties.

There was also the red-scaled giant python of Mount Qijue, which swallowed Sun Wukong whole, only for Wukong to burst through its belly and resolve the crisis without further peril.

The seven spider spirits of Silk Web Cave spewed silk and spun webs everywhere, leaving players struggling to take a single step.

At Lion Camel Ridge, the Azure Lion Monster, the Yellow-Toothed Elephant, and the Golden-Winged Great Peng bird joined forces; backed by tens of thousands of lesser demons, it took countless players several days of blind progression before finally clearing the encounter.

Along the way, players controlled the pilgrimage squad to vanquish demons, traversing diverse maps and toppling dozens of bosses.

When December arrived with the release of the final chapter, aside from the thrill that “it is finally concluding,” what remained among players was profound reluctance to let go.

Downloading Journey to the West over the weekend to watch the story while fighting bosses had become the greatest source of joy for players over the past six months.

Across streaming platforms, innumerable gaming creators made Journey to the West a mandatory broadcast staple. On gaming forums, hordes of top players took pleasure in analyzing mechanics and penning strategy guides.

Countless players across major websites were still actively debating the narrative.

This game had unexpectedly ushered in an unprecedented era of “nationwide serialization chasing” rarely seen in the gaming industry.

Rival studios burned with envy and spite, yet were entirely powerless against Xie Yunfan.

On December 18, Yangfan Studio’s official Weibo released an announcement:

“Dear players, Chapter Ten of Journey to the West will officially open for download on December 19 at 7:00 PM.

This is the final chapter of the game, and the story of the pilgrimage squad will soon come to a close. Over these past six months, thank you to all players for supporting Journey to the West.

For this final chapter, we hope everyone has a wonderful time playing!”

The moment this Weibo post went live, passionate reposts and comments propelled it straight onto the hot search rankings.

[It is finally ending!] [I can’t bear to let it go. Does this mean there won’t be any more updates?] [Wuu wuu wuu, don’t end! I still want to follow the Great Sage’s adventures.] [I followed this game from start to finish. The story was brilliant and the gameplay was superb, truly worthy of Yangfan Studio.] [From now on, any game produced by Yangfan Studio gets a direct, no-questions-asked download from me!] [This game truly has magic. Serializing for half a year while keeping this many players insanely hooked proves just how good it is.] [LittleSailboat, see you in the next game!]

The trending topic #JourneyToTheWestFinale# shadow-dropped to #1 on the main charts, accumulating over 100 million reads and more than a million comments in under an hour.

Countless players awaiting the update downloaded the game immediately.

Yet many were reluctant to open it.

Gazing at the familiar game icon, Liu-ge remarked with emotion, “Half a year flew by in the blink of an eye. Chat, Journey to the West is about to conclude!”

“From Sun Wukong wreaking Havoc in Heaven to braving hardships all the way to the Western realm, it truly feels as though players accompanied them on their adventure and watched them grow.”

“Alongside the pilgrimage squad, we experienced a legendary journey together!”

As a professional gaming streamer, he had played hundreds of games, yet had never harbored such deep attachment to any protagonist.

Initially, seeing that the main character was a monkey, most people wondered if it was just a children’s game, or something cute and fluffy like Animal Paradise.

Who would have thought that this monkey protagonist would leave millions of players completely enthralled?

Now, whenever anyone asked about “your favorite video game character,” more than half the comments would name the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Sun Wukong’s image had taken deep root in everyone’s hearts.

Beyond the Great Sage, characters like Zhu Bajie, Sha Heshang, and Tang Seng had also become household celebrities in the gaming world; a single plot point could ignite fierce debates, showing just how emotionally invested players were.

Taking a deep breath, Liu-ge said, “It is the final chapter, so let’s play with our full hearts. Every second we play is one second closer to the end. Let’s witness the conclusion of this story together.”

The final chapter once again featured four maps: Mount Qinglong Xuanying Cave, the Kingdom of Tianzhu, Diling County, and the Thunderclap Monastery on Mount Ling.

The boss of Xuanying Cave was an exceptionally tough multi-boss encounter featuring the Cold-Repelling, Heat-Repelling, and Dust-Repelling Great Kings. Loaded with debuffs and packing heavy damage output, spending several hours stuck on this stage was standard for most players.

Liu-ge spent an entire night before finally clearing it.

The next day, unlocking the second map in the Kingdom of Tianzhu, he encountered the Jade Rabbit Spirit.

This monster boasted the highest agility stat of any boss to date. True to the saying that a cunning rabbit has three burrows, it constantly teleported around and ambushed players from behind; anyone lacking sharp mechanics simply could not pass.

Countless players were forced to lower the difficulty here.

Those stubbornly grinding through Challenge mode spent two to three days on blind attempts against this Jade Rabbit. Only at the end did they learn it was Chang’e’s rabbit from the Moon Palace, having escaped to the mortal world to become a spirit.

The third map, Diling County, was the hardest escape evasion stage in the entire game.

Tang Seng and his disciples were framed for murder and locked away in the dungeons of Tongtai Prefecture. Wukong escaped alone, using cunning strategies to clear their names. Because patrolling guards were everywhere, this stealth escape sequence was nail-biting.

Having cleared this stage, players finally reached the pilgrimage destination: the Great Thunderclap Monastery!

Crossing Lingyun Ferry aboard the bottomless boat, the master and disciples shed their mortal forms and finally stood before the Tathāgata Buddha.

The Buddha instructed the four to receive the scriptures, only for two venerable arhats to demand a fee from them.

Liu-ge roasted, “Are they openly demanding a tip?”

When Sun Wukong refused to pay, the two swapped the texts, handing them wordless scriptures. When the pilgrims complained to the Buddha, the Buddha did not punish his subordinates.

The pilgrims had no choice but to return, offering the purple-gold alms bowl given to Tang Seng by the Tang Emperor to the two arhats before finally securing the true scriptures.

Reviewing their trials, Guanyin said, “Eighty-one tribulations are required to attain the truth; Tang Seng and his disciples have endured eighty tribulations, still lacking one.”

On their return journey, while crossing Heaven-Reaching River, the giant turtle carrying them tossed them into the waters, soaking all the scriptures and fulfilling the eighty-first tribulation.

Riding the winds, the four arrived in the Great Tang of the East within moments, delivering the retrieved scriptures to the Tang Emperor.

Afterward, they returned before the Buddha to report.

Having accomplished their mission, the members of the protagonist party each received formal titles from the Buddha:

[System: Tang Seng acquired the title [Buddha of Chandana Merit]]

[Sun Wukong acquired the title [Victorious Fighting Buddha]]

[Zhu Bajie acquired the title [Cleanser of the Altars]]

[Sha Heshang acquired the title [Golden-Bodied Arhat]]

[White Dragon Horse acquired the title [Dragon Horse of the Eight Heavenly Classes]]

Titles may be selected and equipped in the system menu.

[System: Main story concluded. Player level raised to 100.]

[System: New Game Plus unlocks a new achievement system. The overworld map is fully open for free exploration.]

[Thank you for supporting Journey to the West!]

Gazing upon these lines of text on screen, countless players felt a whirlwind of complex emotions.

Back while waiting for updates, everyone had wished daily for faster releases and an earlier finale.

Now that it had concluded, players found themselves profoundly reluctant to part with it.

Everyone knew that their routine weekend delight was gone. Yangfan Studio would no longer release updates for this title, and players would never again see new adventures for Sun Wukong or Zhu Bajie.

The pilgrimage squad had secured the true scriptures, achieving full spiritual merit.

For players, these past six months had also been a wonderfully fulfilling gaming journey.

Innumerable players left comments on Yangfan Studio’s Weibo:

[I cleared the game, but suddenly feel so empty inside.] [Though our Great Sage’s story has ended, the Great Sage will remain in my heart forever!] [From Bi Mawen to Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and finally to Victorious Fighting Buddha, Monkey Bro had it rough!] [Thank you, LittleSailboat, for giving us such a magnificent game!]

Across streaming channels, creators held celebratory finale raffles.

On forums, players initiated various recap poll threads.

“Now that the game is over, who do you think was the hardest boss?”

Beneath this thread, many nominated the Six-Eared Macaque, while others voted for the Scorpion Demoness, the Three Fiends of Lion Camel Ridge, the Nine-Headed Insect, or the Jade Rabbit, sparking passionate debates.

“Which NPC left the deepest impression on you?”

Unsurprisingly, the Queen of Western Liang topped the poll with 80% of the votes.

“Which stage was your favorite?”

Opinions varied wildly, with every player championing their own favorite.

On finale day, new threads surfaced endlessly on forums as players chatted late into the night.

Numerous expert players compiled guides to assist newcomers, including “Journey to the West Boss Compendium,” “Comprehensive Maze Maps,” and “Escape Stage Walkthrough Videos.”

Some players who had cleared the game wandered the overworld with Sun Wukong out of boredom.

With all maps unlocked, players could roam freely across the entire world.

They could morph into birds to admire scenery across mountain ranges, or transform into fish to explore undersea and riverbed vistas in the Dragon Palace, Heaven-Reaching River, or the Flowing Sand River.

Though the story had ended, gameplay possibilities remained vast. Freed from narrative constraints, players piloted Sun Wukong wherever they pleased.

Having become the Victorious Fighting Buddha, no one dared stand in his way.

Many players declared, “Even after beating this game, I refuse to uninstall it!”

“Same here. Even if my phone runs out of storage in the future, I could never bring myself to delete the Great Sage.”

“Booting it up when bored just to fly around as the Great Sage brings pure joy!”

“This game is insanely popular among elementary schoolers; it will likely become the finest childhood memory for an entire generation.”

A flood of glowing reviews from players who completed the game sent Journey to the West‘s score soaring on Mobile Home.

It ranked #1 on the Stage-Clear Mobile Games chart with a 9.5 rating from one million reviewers.

Over the following days, as more players finished the game, the reviewer count crossed three million with an average score of 9.6. It not only held the top spot in its category with a massive lead over second place, but even climbed to #1 overall on the Mobile Games master ranking!

Qin Fang was flabbergasted.

Ranked #1 overall across the entire mobile platform!

Revenue alone could no longer measure the true value of this game.

Journey to the West, crafted by Yangfan Studio, was destined to become a timeless classic. Even with its serialization concluded, late adopters would continuously pour in.

Even three or five years down the line, players would still download the game.

Calling it a simple “hit” was an understatement.

Xie Yunfan had created an acclaimed masterpiece, gifting countless children an unforgettable, joyful childhood.

In the world of children, a true national hero had arrived: the Great Sage Equal to Heaven!

That was what mattered most.

On Christmas Day, December 25.

A week after the finale launched, the game’s momentum showed no sign of slowing, instead climbing higher as late newcomers and wait-and-see binge gamers downloaded the title.

Rather than buying individual chapters for 5 yuan each, most were drawn by the game’s reputation and spent 45 yuan in one go to purchase all nine remaining paid chapters.

Game revenue saw its most explosive surge in six months.

Mobile Home generated over 500 million yuan in a single week, while the official website brought in more than 300 million.

The finale was not an endpoint.

For this game, concluding the story marked the true beginning of its mainstream cultural expansion.

Once winter break arrived for elementary and middle schoolers, another massive peak was guaranteed.

That evening, Yangfan Studio suddenly posted an announcement on their official Weibo:

“Following careful design and preparation, Yangfan Studio has decided to release the Journey to the West Finale Commemorative Merchandise.

The commemorative merchandise lineup is as follows:

Package A: Priced at 488 yuan Pilgrimage Squad Chibi Figurines (approx. 15 cm × 5 cm), including five figurines: Tang Seng, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Sha Heshang, and the White Dragon Horse, with interlocking modular display bases for custom arrangements. The luggage piece is detachable, allowing any character to carry it based on personal preference; the White Dragon Horse’s reins are movable, allowing any character to lead the steed.

Package B: Priced at 899 yuan

Great Sage Equal to Heaven Sun Wukong Collector’s Edition Figurine (approx. 30 cm × 10 cm), utilizing specialized sculpting techniques to replicate his in-game model, featuring a display base with Somersault Cloud skill effects and a detachable Ruyi Jingu Bang weapon.

Due to the intricate craftsmanship involved, this merchandise will be offered via online pre-orders from January 12 at 12:00 PM to January 24 at 11:59 PM. Pre-orders will include custom promotional bonus gifts; regular retail sales following the pre-order window will not include bonuses. Players who enjoy collecting figurines may visit the Yangfan Studio Merchandise Store to purchase according to their preference.”

The Weibo post included concept design images of the figurines.

For Package A’s squad set, because the display base could be assembled modularly and the luggage and White Dragon Horse were separate, buyers could arrange the pilgrimage squad however they liked at home.

For example, placing Sun Wukong at the front leading the horse while Bajie carried the luggage, or having Tang Seng ride in front while Sha Heshang carried the bags. The combinations were entirely up to the player.

The design was playful, letting each buyer arrange their favorite formation, and all five figurines looked great displayed together.

Package B, the collector’s edition Sun Wukong figurine, was virtually identical to his in-game appearance. Standing 30 cm tall with exquisite, delicate craftsmanship, the Great Sage radiated pure presence on display!

The announcement instantly triggered an enthusiastic response from players:

[Ahhh, the Great Sage figurine is a must-buy!]

[I was waiting for a Great Sage figurine for so long, didn’t expect it to drop right after the finale!]

[I am going all-in on both packages.]

[The pricing is very fair; robot figurines from other games easily cost over a thousand yuan.]

[A bit pricey for students, so time to start saving up right now!]

In the comments, countless players shared their excitement.

Those who rarely bought merchandise watched the spectacle unfold.

A thread popped up on a general gaming forum: “Guess how much the Journey to the West figurine pre-orders will make?”

Floor 1: “I recall the firearm replicas from Wilderness Survival made 200 million, right?” Floor 2: “Back then, Wings of Dream’s Pet Paradise figurines sold like hotcakes. The cute plushies were hugely popular with kids and sold 300 million, which is the current sales record for figurines.” Floor 10: “Between both packages, at least 100 million!” Floor 18: “I think the Great Sage figurine alone can hit 100 million. Kids adore this game, and with winter break starting in mid-January, kids will definitely beg their parents to buy it.”

Many on the forums speculated wildly.

Executives across the gaming industry also kept a close eye on Yangfan Studio’s upcoming sales figures.

Some grew nervous, fearing their own records would be surpassed, while others watched purely out of curiosity.

Since this game was supposedly so popular, just how much could it sell?

Amid widespread anticipation, on January 12 at noon, Yangfan Studio’s merchandise store launched the pre-order page for the Finale Commemorative Figurines.

Within a single hour, Package A sales surpassed 100,000 units, while Package B (the solo Great Sage figurine) exceeded 150,000 units, with total pre-order revenue breaking 130 million yuan!

Industry competitors were stunned.

It was only the first day of pre-orders, and it cracked 100 million in one hour?

Back then, the chibi figurines for Pet Paradise had taken a full week to cross 100 million, eventually breaking 300 million in a month to shock the gaming industry.

Could these Journey to the West figurines break historical records?

Countless game publishers tracked Yangfan Studio’s pre-order numbers with bated breath.

That afternoon, a bold new announcement appeared on the pre-order page:

[Thank you to all players for your passionate support! Figurine pre-order revenue has surpassed 100 million yuan. Reward unlocked: all players who purchase during the pre-order window will receive an exclusive Pilgrimage Squad Chibi Keychain Set.]

By the evening of January 12, pre-order revenue broke 300 million yuan.

Competitors could hardly close their gaping mouths.

Good heavens, how was it this absurd?!

Even though Yangfan Studio offered two packages (A and B), generating over 300 million yuan in a single day broke Wings of Dream’s historical record.

What kind of magic did this game hold to produce such die-hard loyalty?

Every wave of merchandise sold out rapidly, showing astonishing purchasing power.

The next day was the weekend, right when students began their winter break after finals.

In a residential neighborhood, a young girl tugged on her mother’s sleeve: “Mom, for my birthday gift this year, can I get a Great Sage Equal to Heaven figurine?”

The boy next door held his report card: “Dad, I placed in the top three, and you promised me a reward. I want the Great Sage Equal to Heaven figurine!”

Countless children pleaded with their parents for gifts.

Those who hadn’t tested well or didn’t have birthdays coming up threw tantrums to persuade their parents, while thrifty kids pooled all their New Year red-envelope money and allowances, asking their parents to place the order.

This winter break, owning a Great Sage Equal to Heaven figurine became a status symbol for children.

Without one, you could barely hold your head high among peers.

Three days into pre-orders, sales revenue crossed 500 million yuan.

Another bold announcement appeared on the page:

[Thank you to all players for your support! Figurine pre-order revenue has broken 500 million yuan. Reward unlocked: an additional Pilgrimage Squad Concept Art Collector’s Edition Foil Card Set.]

Rival studios: “…”

It actually broke 500 million?

Yangfan Studio’s merchandise sales were higher than the gross revenue of most video games!

It was pure envy and jealousy.

Yet what truly broke competitors’ composure came next.

Two weeks later, as the pre-order window drew to a close, the page updated once more:

[Figurine pre-order revenue has broken 1 billion yuan! Reward unlocked: an additional Huaguo Mountain Acrylic Display Stand for customizable backdrops. All figurine packaging has been upgraded with a complimentary clear protective display case. Thank you to all players for your passionate support.]

Rival executives were left completely dumbstruck.

Good grief, 1 billion yuan broke global sales records for gaming figurines!

Players were equally stunned by these numbers.

Many left comments on the pre-order page:

[Holy smokes, how did I suddenly become part of a one-billion-yuan project?!]

[One-billion-yuan project investor reporting for duty~]

[I knew the Great Sage’s charm was boundless; breaking records was only a matter of time.]

[At first I thought 200 million was realistic, but the solo Great Sage figurine alone cleared over 600 million, and Package A did 400 million, which is insane.]

[Who knew playing a video game would let me witness history?]

[The best-selling figurine in gaming history: the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Any objections?!]

Even more astonishing, this was only the pre-order phase.

Once general retail began, physical stores across the country would stock the Great Sage figurine, making it the top gift choice for children visiting shopping centers with their parents.

In the future, every child might end up owning one.

A childhood without the Great Sage was incomplete.

Once that cultural consensus took hold, sales might double again.

Song Qian’s hands trembled with sheer excitement in the marketing department.

On January 24 at midnight, the pre-order portal closed, locking in a final revenue figure that felt surreal even in his wildest dreams.

For these commemorative figurines, he had revised the designs tirelessly and personally supervised materials and craftsmanship from start to finish, pursuing absolute perfection.

He had anticipated strong sales given the game’s breakout popularity, but he never imagined it would reach this height: shattering global gaming figurine sales records.

He had personally helmed a one-billion-yuan project!

Song Qian could wake up laughing in his sleep.

Xie Yunfan, on the other hand, remained calm before these numbers.

Back when pricing the game, he had calculated that keeping it affordable would draw in a massive player base, opening countless monetization avenues down the road.

His foresight proved right once again: with sterling word-of-mouth and widespread player loyalty, downloads climbed continuously while merchandise sales soared.

The Great Sage Equal to Heaven had become a household name, and more children would come to love the character and collect his figurines.

This six-month serialization held cherished memories for millions.

The story had reached its destination, yet Sun Wukong’s cultural legacy in this alternate world would endure endlessly.

The Great Sage Equal to Heaven had become not only an idol in the hearts of children, but also a beloved animation and gaming icon for adults.

A national mobile game: he had truly achieved it!