Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

"Only a Quasi-Saint can withstand the power of the Soul-Returning Pill, forcibly retaining the lost souls! But if they do, they will incur tremendous karma, right?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liu understood what was happening and began to silently ponder in his heart.

What is so special about the soul of this Spider Demoness that a Quasi-Saint would take on such great karma to intercept it?

This is completely unreasonable!

"Marshal..." Hearing this, the surrounding Spider Demonesses couldn't help but speak up, asking Zhu Bajie, "Who exactly is this Quasi-Saint you speak of? And what is this great karma?"

Although the cultivation level of these Spider Demonesses had reached that of Demon Immortals, their knowledge was not vast.

"The so-called karma is like owing a debt that must be repaid; incurring great karma is like owing a huge debt, which is recognized by the Heavenly Dao and must be settled. As for a Quasi-Saint, you can think of it as a being whose cultivation level has surpassed that of a Daluo Golden Immortal!" Zhu Bajie explained after hearing their question.

"A cultivation level higher than a Daluo Golden Immortal!? This is truly unbelievable, we sisters always thought Daluo Golden Immortals were the mightiest!"

Upon hearing Zhu Bajie's explanation, the Spider Demonesses looked at each other with expressions of astonishment on their faces.

Clearly, these words had opened their eyes and truly made them realize how vast the world was!

"Alright, simpleton, stop your rambling. Master, what do you think is going on with the soul of that Spider Demoness?" Just then, Sun Wukong couldn't hold back any longer and spoke, his gaze turning to Jiang Liu with inquiry.

Without cause, the Spider Demoness couldn't be revived, but what could the reason be? It seemed improbable by any logic!

"Sigh..."

Hearing Sun Wukong's question and feeling the questioning gaze of everyone around him, Jiang Liu couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

They didn't know, so how could he?

If the Soul-Returning Pill was ineffective and a Quasi-Saint wouldn't provoke such immense karma for such a minor character, what then was the true nature of the matter?

Jiang Liu was indeed puzzled.

"Could it be that this mission cannot be completed?" After thinking it over and finding no leads, Jiang Liu felt somewhat helpless and sighed to himself.

Was it really worthy of being an epic-level mission? Not so easily resolved, indeed.

...

Heavenly Court, Doushuai Palace.

Putting aside what Jiang Liu and the others were feeling about the Spider Demoness not being able to be revived, at that moment inside Doushuai Palace, the face of the Supreme Elder Lord was changing from green to purple and back again.

In front of the Supreme Elder Lord, two boys were also bowing their heads, looking like they had done something wrong, not daring to speak.

At this time, the heart of the Supreme Elder Lord was filled with mixed feelings.

Even though the elixirs that had been lost weren't his most precious ones.

But the quantity was just too great!

This was like a wealthy household that hadn't touched any of the hundred-dollar bills, with only the small change like ten and twenty-dollar bills being taken—normally it wouldn't matter much.

But what if someone took a whole cart of that small change away? What would that feel like?

The Supreme Elder Lord was experiencing just that sort of mood.

A small half of the elixirs from Doushuai Palace had been won away, and those were his savings of a thousand or even ten thousand years!

"Master, we're sorry, we, we…"

If the master had scolded them, maybe the situation wouldn't seem so serious; but since the master was now silent, the two boys realized the matter was more serious than they thought. Both were lowering their heads, readily admitting their mistakes, prepared for punishment.

Fury was the natural response for the Supreme Elder Lord upon looking at the two boys standing before him.

But along with the anger, the Supreme Elder Lord felt a sense of relief as well.

It was indeed painful to lose so many elixirs, yet to have his two boys survive their ordeal amid Xuanzang and the others' calamity seemed a reason to be grateful.

You might be angry that your children didn't safeguard the money, but what if the thief was a notorious, repeat murderer?

Aside from the pain of losing money, it was more about feeling relieved, wasn't it?

Anger mixed with relief meant the Supreme Elder Lord was at a loss for words upon facing his two boys at that moment.

To outright scold them? That didn't seem fitting.

But without scolding, should he praise them?

"You two…"

After a lengthy silence, the Supreme Elder Lord finally spoke, having made a decision in his mind.

Hearing the Supreme Elder Lord's words, the two boys quickly lowered their heads further, while quietly pricking up their ears, waiting to hear the Supreme Elder Lord's verdict on their punishment.

"You each will strike the other with eighty-one Law-Enforcing Whips so that you'll remember never to casually gamble with others again!"

"Eighty-one Law-Enforcing Whips!?" Hearing about this punishment, both boys were startled.

But having caused such a catastrophe, neither boy dared to say much, bowing their heads in a gloom as if mourning a dearly departed and said, "Understood, Master!"

"Moreover, starting from today, the two of you are confined to Doushuai Palace, forbidden to step outside for a hundred days!" Following that, Supreme Elder Lord continued.

"Yes, Master!" Having accepted their punishment of the whips, naturally, the two boys also dared not say more about the hundred days of confinement.

"Very well, that will be all!" With a wave of his sleeve, Supreme Elder Lord turned to leave Doushuai Palace.

Directly losing nearly half of his elixirs was almost too much to bear, filling him with distaste. It would be better to take a walk outside.

"Master, where are you going!?" Watching Supreme Elder Lord leave, the two boys couldn't help but ask.

They were confined here, but the master was going out? Where was he going?

"Me? Our Doushuai Palace has suffered such a large loss, of course I'm going to retrieve our dignity!" Supreme Elder Lord glanced back at his two boys and said irritably.

With that said, he walked out of Doushuai Palace.

"Is Master going to find Master Xuanzang and the others?" Watching Supreme Elder Lord leave Doushuai Palace, the two boys exchanged awkward glances.

They had lost so many elixirs, yet now the Master was going to seek retribution?

It felt embarrassing, akin to a child running to an adult after being bullied.

Yet, if their Master couldn't swallow the indignity and was set on seeking retribution, what could they say?

"Sigh, elder brother, let's go take the punishment from the Law-Enforcing Whips…" After a moment of silence, one boy sighed and said.

"Alright, younger brother, be gentle when it's your turn, okay?" The other boy nodded and said at the same time.

"I dare not, brother. What if Master finds out we were lenient with each other while taking our punishment—he might increase our sentence. Who knows if Master will be watching us?"

"True, you have a point. Sigh, let's go, younger brother. Don't hold back, and don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Understood, elder brother. Let's go then!"

...

Supreme Elder Lord, sitting astride his Green Ox, rode upon an Auspicious Cloud and swiftly departed through South Heavenly Gate, heading towards the Mortal World.

The Heavenly Soldiers guarding South Heavenly Gate didn't dare to utter a word, merely bowing their heads slightly as they watched Supreme Elder Lord depart.

Once past South Heavenly Gate, Supreme Elder Lord headed straight for Jiang Liu's scripture-seeking team, quickly reaching before them.

Descending from the heavens on an Auspicious Cloud beneath the feet of the Green Ox, it slowly touched down.

At that moment, Jiang Liu and his companions were deeply troubled over the matter of the Spider Demoness's failed resurrection. Seeing Supreme Elder Lord riding on the Green Ox, their expressions were all one of mild shock.

"Trouble's here, isn't it?"

They had just been ecstatic about emptying almost half of Doushuai Palace at their master's behest, and now the Supreme Elder Lord had arrived so speedily. Sha Wujing and the others all wore awkward faces.

Zhu Bajie, in particular, hung his head, not daring to look Supreme Elder Lord in the eye.

Supreme Elder Lord had the look of someone elder and frail, but once the Green Ox had fully landed, he slowly climbed off its back.

"Huh? Who's this old man?"

The Spider Demoness and her sisters, of course, did not recognize Supreme Elder Lord. They were all inwardly surprised by the old man riding the Green Ox.

"Greetings to the Supreme Elder Lord!" As the Supreme Elder Lord dismounted from the Green Ox, the scripture-seeking team, led by Jiang Liu, greeted him.

"Mm, Master Xuanzang, I trust all is well!" Supreme Elder Lord's gaze briefly swept over Zhu Bajie, then immediately fell upon Jiang Liu, and he nodded slightly.

"Supreme Elder Lord!? The Supreme Elder Lord!? That old man is the Supreme Elder Lord!?"

The Spider Demoness and her sisters were utterly shocked.

What a big shot!

Even though they were inexperienced, the Supreme Elder Lord's reputation was known throughout all six realms; this was a legendary figure of epic proportions.

Imagine that, he appeared before them without any warning?

"The scripture-seeking team really is extraordinary, to have already known someone like the Supreme Elder Lord," the Spider Demoness realized even more clearly the special status of Jiang Liu's team.

And to think they had entertained thoughts of feasting on Tang Monk's flesh?

Setting aside the Spider Demoness and her sisters, who were shivering in terror and regretting their earlier audacity, once the greetings were over, Jiang Liu didn't waste any time and directly asked, "Supreme Elder Lord, might I inquire as to the purpose of your visit today?"

"Nothing of great importance brings me to your presence today," Supreme Elder Lord began calmly, "You played a game of Mahjong at my Doushuai Palace earlier today, and fortune favored you greatly, winning you not a few of my palace's elixirs. My visit pertains to that matter!"