Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

Heavenly Court, Yaochi Pond.

The Empress, clad in a golden-purple phoenix robe, sat quietly by the edge of Yaochi Pond.

In the pond, several lotuses bloomed splendidly, and the Empress held some spirit fruit grapes in her hand, casually tossing them into the water.

In the pond, numerous gold and red dragon fish scrambled for these casually discarded spirit fruits, gleefully competing.

"Empress, Bodhisattva Guanyin has come to visit!" After a while, a fairy approached and spoke to the Empress.

"Hmm, let her come over," the Empress nodded slightly and responded.

It wasn't long before Bodhisattva Guanyin, holding the Jade Clean Bottle, came before the Empress and bowed slightly, "I've come to see Your Highness!"

"Hmm, Bodhisattva, how goes it? With Zixia going down to the Lower Realm, I let the Nightmare loose; has it added a trial?"

The Empress casually threw the last few grapes into Yaochi Pond, then turned her head to look at Bodhisattva Guanyin and asked.

"Thank you, Your Highness, the Calamity Book has indeed recorded an additional trial, and what's more, it seems Sun Wukong has achieved a breakthrough in his dream and stepped into the Great Luo Realm!" Bodhisattva Guanyin replied, her face unable to contain a hint of a smile.

"Oh? Has that rascal monkey really reached the Great Luo Realm?" Hearing Bodhisattva Guanyin's words, the Empress' expression shifted slightly, somewhat surprised.

"This is what I once promised to Your Highness; please accept it!" Smiling, Bodhisattva Guanyin raised her hand, and a beam of light fell into the Empress' hand.

The Empress did not stand on ceremony, extending her hand to receive the treasure that Bodhisattva Guanyin had sent her.

Having the Empress personally intervene this time to add a trial was, for Bodhisattva Guanyin, exceptionally profitable.

Not only was a trial completed, but more importantly, it allowed Sun Wukong's cultivation level to be enhanced, reaching the Great Luo Realm.

Sun Wukong, after all, was now a part of the Buddhist Sect; his breakthrough to the Great Luo Realm was also a significant gain for the sect, wasn't it?

However, happy as she was about this particular trial, when she thought of the records in the Calamity Book, and how two years had passed, and of Journey to the West's ninety-nine and eighty-one trials, only fifteen had been completed so far. With the remaining sixty-six trials, who knew when they would be complete!

After going personally to Yaochi Pond to meet with the Empress and deliver the previously promised benefits, Bodhisattva Guanyin briefly discussed Fairy Zixia with the Empress.

"Amitabha, Sun Wukong is after all a member of our Buddhist Sect. If he becomes too entangled with women, it's not good in the end!" said Bodhisattva Guanyin.

Using Zixia to fulfill a trial left Bodhisattva Guanyin pleased, but now that the trial was completed, she felt there was little benefit in Zixia having much more contact with Sun Wukong.

"Women?"

Hearing Bodhisattva Guanyin's bridge-burning words, the Empress' expression remained unchanged, revealing no joy or sorrow, only lifting her eyelids slightly to glance at Bodhisattva Guanyin and said, "I recall the affection between Holy Monk Xuanzang and Princess Gaoyang is already known throughout the three realms, right?"

Bodhisattva Guanyin, who had spoken of using a woman's charm, felt a flash of embarrassment when the Empress brought up Xuanzang and Gaoyang's relationship, but then spoke, "Humans are not plants or trees, who can be heartless? His feelings for Gaoyang began before his initiation into the Buddhist Sect! Moreover, matters of the heart are principally about mutual affection..."

This remark made the Empress' eyebrows furrow slightly. She didn't express it outright, but she naturally understood what Bodhisattva Guanyin meant.

Was she suggesting that Xuanzang and Gaoyang mutually loved each other, whereas Sun Wukong and Zixia were merely a one-sided wish from Zixia?

"Bodhisattva, rest assured! Before, when Lei Zhenzi's matter was used for the trial, I lent her the Map of Mountains and Rivers, but it was left in Xuanzang's hands. This time, Zixia descended to the Mortal World to reclaim the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and after this, it's likely that Zixia will no longer have much to do with them!" declared the Empress, her tone clearly tinged with anger.

"Amitabha, the hour grows late, I shall take my leave!" Sensing that the Empress was not in high spirits and that all necessary words had been exchanged, Bodhisattva Guanyin chanted a Buddha name softly before taking her leave.

"No need to see you out!" Responding coldly to Bodhisattva Guanyin's farewell, the Empress' expression was unsatisfied as she uttered a chilly reply, then watched Bodhisattva Guanyin turn and depart.

After leaving Yaochi Pond, Bodhisattva Guanyin looked back for a moment, then her lips curled up ever so slightly.

This time, the gains exceeded expectations, enhancing Sun Wukong's cultivation to the level of a Daluo Golden Immortal, and on top of that, she had managed a few verbal jabs at the Empress. Whether in substantive terms or in words, she had gained quite the advantage.

For someone of her Daluo Golden Immortal cultivation level to take advantage against an Empress of Quasi-Saint level like this was not an easy feat.

The Empress watched Bodhisattva Guanyin leave with an unhappy look until she had completely departed from Yaochi Pond, then the unhappy expression on her face suddenly disappeared like mist.

Immediately after, the corners of her mouth also lifted slightly.

"These Buddhist Sect members, from the second saints of the Western Religion downward, they are always scheming this and that. A mere junior, you also want to take advantage on me? For now, let me indulge you in your little triumph..." Shaking her head, the Empress had a feeling like an adult watching a child play.

Using affection as a leverage, the Buddhist Sect held Gaoyang, which was like grabbing Xuanzang's Achilles' heel. Thus, the Empress intended to employ the same tactic by getting a hold on Zixia.

However, as it stands, Sun Wukong doesn't seem to have reached the stage of romantic affection towards Zixia, so creating more opportunities was necessary.

Sun Wukong's heart of stone was like a great wall. To easily demolish the wall wasn't something that could be done overnight.

Fortunately, after successive encounters with Star Monarch of Warring States, Master Leizhen, and this nightmare incident, the Empress could feel Sun Wukong's stony heart was about to melt.

Once Sun Wukong and Zixia's emotions truly burst forth, the harder the stony heart had been to melt, the more intense the affections would be.

Get a grip on Zixia, and Sun Wukong would be in her hands; perhaps she could have a good share of the merit in this epic calamity of Journey to the West!

...

Hint: Trigger the serious mission "The Truth." The task requires you to successfully find out the identity of the mysterious figure behind Zixia. Upon successful completion, gain 70,000,000 Experience Points and one Epic Level Treasure Chest.

Putting aside the cooperation and concealed schemes between the Heavenly Court's Empress and Bodhisattva Guanyin, in the Mortal World, Jiang Liu has just triggered a mission, an initiative one at that.

"So, Fairy Zixia, the purpose of your descent to the mortal realm this time is to reclaim the Map of Mountains and Rivers?" Jiang Liu glanced at the triggered mission and turned his attention to Zixia.

Casually chatting with Sun Wukong and Zixia after successfully overcoming the nightmare, naturally, Zixia revealed her purpose for coming, which was to reclaim the Map of Mountains and Rivers.

Realizing this, Jiang Liu became extremely curious about the mysterious figure, which is why such a main quest was triggered.

"Yes, Holy Monk, the Map of Mountains and Rivers was lent to me by someone else. Now that they want it back, it's only fair..." Nodding, Zixia spoke to Jiang Liu.

"Master, since the map was borrowed by Zixia, then we should return it, right?" Sun Wukong didn't want to make Zixia uncomfortable, so he took out the Map of Mountains and Rivers and spoke up.

As he said this, he made a move to return the map to Zixia.

"Wait, Monkey..." However, seeing Sun Wukong so readily wanting to return the Map of Mountains and Rivers, Jiang Liu's expression changed, and he quickly spoke up to stop him.

"What is it, Master? You're not reluctant to part with it, are you?" Sun Wukong turned his head to look at Jiang Liu and asked.

Bajie, Wujing, and the others exchanged looks, wanting to say something, but they were momentarily at a loss for words.

Their master's fondness for the Map of Mountains and Rivers was well known to them; ever since it had been in their possession, wasn't it a daily routine to visit it countless times?

Yet Monkey Brother's words also made sense. If the map was borrowed, it ought to be given back once demanded, and no matter how reluctant, it couldn't be kept, right?

"Reluctant? Of course I am reluctant. The importance of the Map of Mountains and Rivers to your master, you are aware of it!" Jiang Liu met Sun Wukong's gaze without any intent to hide, and nodded as he spoke.

Yet no sooner had he said this that Jiang Liu paused for a moment, then continued, "But, your master is not the kind of person who would make others feel troubled just for the sake of a treasure!"

"Let's do this..." Towards the end, Jiang Liu's gaze settled on Zixia and said, "Fairy Zixia, you may return first. This poor monk is willing to give back the Map of Mountains and Rivers, but the owner of the map must come in person to claim it!"

"This..." Hearing Jiang Liu's words, Zixia looked somewhat hesitant and troubled.

The Map of Mountains and Rivers was given to the Monkey and the others by her. By all rights, the Monkey should return it to her.

Similarly, it was a mysterious person who handed it to her, and rightly, she should return it to that mysterious person, shouldn't she?

"Fairy, don't you want to know the identity of that mysterious person? And why she would assist you?" Jiang Liu knew this matter would make Fairy Zixia feel troubled. Still, he wasn't just trying to complete the task, he truly wanted to know the identity of the mysterious figure.

Helping Zixia without reason? Helping her reach the Heavenly Immortal Realm and even handing over the Map of Mountains and Rivers?

Who exactly is this mysterious figure behind the scenes? And with what purpose is she doing all this?

More importantly, why would she deliberately conceal her identity?

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All these were things Jiang Liu wanted to investigate and clarify.

It was precisely because Jiang Liu had the thought to investigate thoroughly that he triggered this initiative mission!