Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

"Master, given I, Old Sun's temperament, if two elixirs are consumed, then they are consumed. Why did you put one back? You are I, Old Sun's master; if you eat two of his elixirs, it would honor him," Sun Wukong said with a twig in his mouth, leaning back on the back of the White Dragon Horse, looking up, and propped on his elbows.

The White Dragon Horse walked along, its back exceptionally smooth and almost undetectable in its movement.

"Wukong, Master Lingxu is not having an easy time either. Why should we take advantage of the weak?" Jiang Liu said, turning his head to glance at Sun Wukong and shaking his head.

If this Master Lingxu coveted one's own Everlasting Flesh and intended to harm oneself, then naturally killing him would be entirely without guilt.

However, since he had hosted one warmly, even though his displeasure at having his Spirit Elixir eaten was evident, it only resulted in an eviction notice, with no intent to harm. Jiang Liu found he simply could not bring himself to strike down someone under those circumstances.

Although in Sun Wukong's view, a mere Master Lingxu was not worth considering, as far as Jiang Liu was concerned, he nodded in agreement, "Hmm, Master, you make a valid point. As one of the Demon Kind, he has successfully resisted harmful urges and wholeheartedly pursued the Immortal Path; truly, Master Lingxu is not leading an easy life.

With his Cultivation Level, one more step and he could completely shed his mortal form and achieve the body of a Loose Immortal."

Although Sun Wukong had been instructed by Ancestor Bodhi, he was, after all, born of Demon Kind and deeply understood the difficulties in a demon's cultivation.

Even though Sun Wukong did not esteem Master Lingxu's Cultivation Level, it must be said that, being of Demon Kind and finding his own way in cultivation to reach his current level and soon achieve an Immortal Body, the effort and hardships involved spoke for themselves.

Regarding Master Lingxu, Jiang Liu and Sun Wukong only had a brief chat and then pushed it to the back of their minds for, to Jiang Liu, Master Lingxu was just a minor episode on his Journey to the West.

However, one must say, a single Spirit Elixir had granted him 500,000 Experience Points, leaving Jiang Liu feeling both delighted and somewhat guilty.

Continuing their journey to the West, they traveled through the desolate and scarcely populated Wolf Dwelling Mountain for three hundred li. A man, a monkey, and a horse walked all day, rather smoothly.

"Wukong, have you noticed that something seems amiss?" Jiang Liu remarked, having left the cavern domicile of the Wolf Dwelling Mountain and traveled the whole day without encountering any Demon Creatures, or even venomous insects or fierce beasts. This unnerved Jiang Liu, who then addressed Sun Wukong by his side.

"Are you referring to how smoothly everything has gone today, Master?"

Still lying on the horse's back, Sun Wukong naturally understood what Jiang Liu said and responded, "After we left that demon's cavern, all along the way, we were accompanied by Little Demons. I, Old Sun, initially thought they meant to harm you, Master. It seems, however, I was mistaken; they have been discreetly clearing the ferocious beasts from our path."

Sun Wukong's response darkened Jiang Liu's expression.

He understood that all this was probably arranged by Master Lingxu. Though he believed he was being kind, clearing obstacles from their path to the west, he failed to realize that his good intentions had caused harm.

For others, these trials on their journey westward were considered calamities, but for Jiang Liu, they were all opportunities...

Yet, since things had already progressed thus far, nothing more could be done, and it certainly wasn't feasible to drive away all the well-intentioned demon creatures.

Thus, they quickened their pace and, after several more days, finally left the territory of Wolf Dwelling Mountain.

After leaving Wolf Dwelling Mountain and traveling forward for about half a month, on that day, walking at the foot of a big mountain, Jiang Liu noticed a Zen Temple in the distance.

Observing the temple, bustling with believers coming in to offer incense and worship Buddha, a continuous stream was evident.

Looking at the entire Zen Temple, resplendent with golden splendor, it exuded an aura of holy magnificence. Though not as grandeur as the Great Buddha Temple, it appeared even more luxurious.

"Wukong, look at the temple ahead, quite lively. Surely there must be high monks presiding, right?" Jiang Liu remarked after viewing the distant Zen Temple.

Having come from Jinshan Temple, Jiang Liu naturally understood that the number of temple visitors entirely depended on the depth of the monks' and Buddha's connections.

Likewise, Jinshan Temple only had one or two Scar of Precepts, as hardly any believers visited.

"Hmm, that's a Guanyin Zen Temple. Inside the temple lives an old monk. Gosh, he has eight Scar of Precepts on his head," said Sun Wukong, standing on the back of White Dragon Horse, holding his hand in front of his eyes and making a gesture as if surveying the distance.

"Eh? Have we already reached the Guanyin Zen Temple?" hearing Sun Wukong's response, Jiang Liu felt a slight stir in his heart.

In the original story, wasn't it here that the old monk stole the Brocade Kasaya?

Hmm, for me, this is yet another opportunity.

If I remember correctly, didn't the old monk from the Guanyin Zen Temple live for a full 200 years? He could truly be considered a cunning person.

I also recall there was a Black Bear Demon nearby, eventually won over by one of the rings of corruption from Guanyin and made the Mountain Guardian Deity, right?

"Eh, wait a moment..." the thought of the Black Bear Demon near the Guanyin Zen Temple suddenly struck Jiang Liu.

I recall in the original story, after the Black Bear Demon stole the Brocade Kasaya, he hosted a grand Buddha's Robe event, inviting some friends to marvel at his treasure, including two other friend from the Demon Kind, a Grey Wolf Demon and a Flower Snake Demon.

Among them, the Grey Wolf Demon was killed by Sun Wukong, and then the Bodhisattva disguised herself as the Grey Wolf Demon to subdue the Black Bear Demon.

Remember? The original Grey Wolf Demon was called?

Master Lingxu!?

If it were just a coincidence in names, it would be one thing, but the Master Lingxu from Wolf Dwelling Mountain is also a Wolf Demon. The Master Lingxu in the original, who was killed, originally carried two Spirit Pills to attend the Buddha's Robe event, and Master Lingxu from Wolf Dwelling Mountain also devoted himself to alchemy...

It seems, due to a detour toward Wu City, the route for Journey to the West is slightly different from the original. Before reaching the Guanyin Zen Temple, we first passed through Master Lingxu's territory, didn't we?

Let's not delve into the thoughts in Jiang Liu's heart; upon hearing the name of Guanyin Zen Temple, White Dragon Horse's eyes suddenly brightened significantly, almost shedding two horse tears.

After receiving enlightenment from the Great Bodhisattva Guanyin to assist this Scripture Seeker, which was initially rejected, I've been shamelessly tagged along without official recognition. Now, at last, I see the Guanyin Zen Temple.

I should definitely let the Bodhisattva explain the reason to the Scripture Seeker properly.

The White Dragon Horse turned their head toward Jiang Liu, wondering if he would enter the Guanyin Zen Temple as they passed by?

After all, he himself had said, 'See a temple, worship Buddha; see a pagoda, sweep the pagoda,' to fulfill his heart's devotion to Buddha.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Wukong, let's go. Let's pay our respects properly at the temple ahead…" Casting aside the jumble of thoughts in his mind, Jiang Liu quickened his pace, striding towards the Guanyin Zen Temple.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the Guanyin Zen Temple, looking at its splendid magnificence, Jiang Liu couldn't help but feel a sense of awe internally; indeed, 'A man relies on clothes, Buddha relies on gold.'

The Guanyin Zen Temple was indeed splendidly and luxuriously decorated, using modern terms, it was truly a display of opulence.

Looking at the Guanyin Zen Temple, Jiang Liu mused internally, but the two Reception Monks at the temple gate, noting Jiang Liu's dusty appearance, especially the cracks on his Golden Cicada Buddha Robe, disdainfully said:

"Hey? Where did this scrappy monk come from? Don't block the believers, move along, move along…"