I am submissive in Journey to the West, I strike hard at the gods

He flashed and transformed into a streak of light, heading straight for Eagle's Sorrow Stream.

He thought to himself, "Old man Zhunti, all you immortals of Heaven, just you wait, this game of chess of mine has only just begun!"

Snake Coil Mountain and Eagle Sorrow Stream are shrouded in mist, with a rapid stream flowing through the bottom of the stream and jagged rocks.

Ao Lie coiled in the ravine, his body half-hidden in the water, his scales gleaming coldly in the dim light.

He lowered his head, the words of Guanyin Bodhisattva echoing in his mind: "Ao Lie, you angered the Heavenly Court by setting fire to the luminous pearl bestowed by the Jade Emperor on your wedding night. Fortunately, I pleaded for you and you were spared the death penalty."

Now that you have been banished here, you must wait here for the pilgrims from the East to journey west, and assist them in their westward journey, only then can you atone for your sins.”

Ao Lie sighed inwardly, his dragon eyes narrowing slightly as he recalled Guanyin's later addition: "The pilgrim already has Sun Wukong as his protector, so you don't need to directly guard him. You only need to transform into a white horse and serve as his mount."

Remember, first swallow his horse, then fight Sun Wukong to reveal your identity, only then can you legitimately accompany him.

"To become a horse... Hmph, the dignified Third Prince of the Dragon Clan actually wants to humble himself as a horse!"

Ao Lie let out a low roar, and ripples spread across the water.

Although he was unwilling, he knew that this was his only chance to return to Heaven.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside the ravine, mixed with low conversation. Ao Lielong's eyes lit up, and he stared intently in the direction.

On the mountain path, Tang Sanzang sat upright on horseback, draped in a cassock. His face was handsome, with a faint golden light flowing between his brows. His aura was calm and composed, and he even possessed the "Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown" technique.

The appearance clearly indicates the cultivation level of a Golden Immortal.

Sun Wukong followed beside him, wearing a golden headband, looking impatient. He was scratching at the ground with a dry twig in his hand, muttering, "Master, this lousy road is making my bones ache! I should have just flown over there, so I wouldn't have had to suffer like this!"

Tang Sanzang glanced at him, his tone calm yet dignified: "Wukong, the Buddhist journey to obtain scriptures requires a down-to-earth approach to demonstrate sincerity."

While the art of cloud-riding is fast, it loses the essence of cultivation.

Stop complaining.

Sun Wukong curled his lip and snorted: "Down-to-earth? Back in the day, I, Old Sun, could travel 108,000 li in a single somersault, but now I have to climb mountains with your slow-moving horse. How frustrating!"

He had barely finished speaking when he suddenly felt a gust of cold wind rushing from the ravine. He immediately became alert, a golden light flashing in his eyes, and shouted, "Who?! Come out!"

Ao Lie slowly rose from the ravine, his dragon body winding and imposing.

He stared at Tang Sanzang, his voice deep and thunderous: "Is the one who comes from the East on his pilgrimage?"

Tang Sanzang reined in his horse, his gaze calm, and cupped his hands, saying, "This humble monk is Xuanzang, from the Great Tang Dynasty in the East, on my way to the Western Paradise to seek the true scriptures."

Who are you, and why are you blocking my way?

Ao Lie's heart trembled slightly, and he thought to himself, "This monk has an extraordinary aura. He is indeed a Golden Immortal. Why didn't Guanyin mention him?"

He composed himself and said in a deep voice, "I am Ao Lie, the third prince of the West Sea Dragon King, who was banished here for my crimes."

Having heard of your journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures, I have come to offer my assistance.

only……"

His gaze shifted to the horse beneath Tang Sanzang. "This horse is too weak to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the journey to the West. Why don't I feed it and give you a helping hand!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong immediately flew into a rage. He flicked the withered branch in his hand, which transformed into a golden Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel), and pointed it at Ao Lie, shouting, "You wicked dragon! How dare you plot against my master's horse? I'll beat you into a mudfish!"

He flashed forward, about to rush ahead.

Tang Sanzang raised his hand to stop him, his gaze sharp as he stared at Ao Lie, and said in a deep voice, "Since you are the Crown Prince of the Dragon Clan, why would you eat a horse for no reason? Is there some hidden reason?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his aura surged, and a faint dragon's roar resounded—it was none other than the "Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon."

Its supernatural powers are poised to be unleashed.

Ao Lie's heart skipped a beat, thinking to himself, "This monk has quite the imposing aura! If we really fight, I might not come out on top!"

Just as they were hesitating, auspicious clouds rolled across the sky, a golden light descended, and Guanyin Bodhisattva appeared, her voice clear and bright: "Xuanzang, Wukong, stop!"

Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong were both taken aback, stopped their attack and stepped back, saying in unison, "Greetings, Guanyin Bodhisattva!"

Guanyin nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over Ao Lie, and said gently, "Xuanzang, this is Ao Lie, the third prince of the West Sea Dragon King, who was demoted here for his crimes."

He is not a demonic dragon, but rather, on my orders, he transformed into a white horse to assist you on your westward journey.

She looked at Ao Lie, her tone carrying a hint of authority: "Ao Lie, why don't you show yourself as a horse?"

Ao Lie knew the time had come. With a shake of his dragon body, he transformed into a pure white steed with silver mane and a gentle aura.

He stood with his head down in front of Tang Sanzang, but a trace of resentment flashed in his eyes.

Tang Sanzang smiled slightly, dismounted, handed the thin horse to Sun Wukong, mounted the white dragon horse, and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Bodhisattva. This humble monk understands."

Guanyin nodded and instructed, "Xuanzang, the journey to the West is fraught with difficulties. Now that you have broken through to the Golden Immortal realm, you must be even more cautious."

"Wukong, you have an impatient nature; be careful not to make mistakes."

After saying this, she transformed into golden light and departed.

Tang Sanzang patted the white dragon horse's neck and said gently, "Ao Lie, now that we have been enlightened by the Bodhisattva, we are fellow travelers."

"When you travel west in the future, this humble monk will certainly protect you."

The white dragon horse neighed softly, as if in response, and continued carrying Tang Sanzang on his journey.

Sun Wukong followed behind, muttering to himself, "This dragon cub is quite the actor. Humph, I'm keeping an eye on you!"

The mountain path was rugged, and the master and disciple walked for a while on horseback. Sun Wukong was still unhappy and muttered to himself, "Master, do you think this dragon horse is reliable? I always feel that its eyes are not honest!"

Tang Sanzang smiled but did not answer, his gaze remaining calm as if he were pondering something.

At the same time, Guanyin Bodhisattva did not go far. She stood on the cloud, looking down at the backs of the master and his disciples. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and she murmured, "Xuanzang's cultivation as a Golden Immortal far exceeds expectations. If it is not weakened, I'm afraid it will be difficult to bring about the Three Calamities and affect the great plan of obtaining the scriptures."

She pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought of someone else, her expression changing slightly: "And there's Jiang Wang, he's eccentric and likes to cause trouble, we need to be careful around him."

With a thought, she took out an item, a golden talisman called the "Water-Treading Talisman".
In reality, it was a horse-controlling device bestowed by the Buddha.

She muttered to herself, "Never mind, I'll give this talisman to Xuanzang first, in case the white dragon horse causes any trouble."

Guanyin flashed and caught up with the master and disciples, landing in front of the mountain path. She smiled and said, "Xuanzang, this humble monk forgot to tell you something."

She took out the Water-Treading Talisman and handed it over, saying, "This talisman was bestowed by the Buddha and is called the 'Water-Treading Talisman,' which can help the White Dragon Horse tread water as if it were flat ground."

The journey westward involves many rivers, so this talisman is indispensable.

However, the journey to the West requires a down-to-earth approach; one must not resort to shortcuts or tricks.

Tang Sanzang accepted the talisman and bowed slightly, saying, "Thank you, Bodhisattva."

Just as he was about to stick the talisman on the White Dragon Horse's forehead, Sun Wukong suddenly narrowed his eyes, stared at the talisman, and sneered, "Bodhisattva, this talisman looks unusual. I'm afraid it's not just for crossing water, is it?" Guanyin's expression remained unchanged, and she said calmly, "Wukong is overthinking it. This talisman is only to help the White Dragon Horse cross the river, nothing more."

Sun Wukong was about to ask another question when suddenly another golden light descended from the horizon, revealing yet another "Guanyin".

They appeared, their faces exactly the same, but with a hint of mockery in their expressions.

This "Guanyin"

With a light laugh, he snatched the talisman before Tang Sanzang could affix it, and instantly stuck it on the white dragon horse's forehead.

A flash of golden light from the talisman merged into the horse's body, and the white dragon horse neighed, a strange light flashing in its eyes.

Guanyin

He then transformed into a young man with sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, and a carefree smile on his lips—it was Jiang Wang.

He clapped his hands and said with a grin, "These talismans are great, I'll put them on for you to save you the trouble!"

Sun Wukong was taken aback, then flew into a rage, swinging his staff and yelling, "You, Jiang Wang! You're causing trouble again!"

Jiang Wang dodged easily with a flash, laughing even more heartily: "Brother Monkey, don't get so angry, I was just helping out!"

Before he could finish speaking, the True Guanyin arrived and shouted angrily, "Jiang Wang! Why are you causing trouble here?!"

Jiang Wang shrugged and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Bodhisattva, I'm just helping you complete this 'trial'."

As for why, well… go ask Patriarch Bodhi!

As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished in a flash, leaving only a laugh echoing through the mountains.

Guanyin's face was ashen. Her gaze swept over the white dragon horse and saw that the talisman had been integrated into its body. Its aura was stable, and there seemed to be nothing wrong with it.

She snorted coldly and said to Tang Sanzang, "Xuanzang, this man is Jiang Wang, whose temperament is unpredictable. You must be more careful when you travel west in the future."

Tang Sanzang nodded, but his gaze fell on the white dragon horse's forehead. He vaguely sensed something was amiss, but said nothing.

Sun Wukong was so angry he jumped up and down, cursing, "That Jiang Wang, he runs faster than a rabbit! If I catch him next time, I'll beat him to a pulp!"

Tang Sanzang smiled and comforted him, "Wukong, although Jiang Wang acts strangely, the talisman has already been applied, so it seems there is no major problem."

Let's keep going.

The white dragon horse neighed softly and carried Tang Sanzang steadily forward, with Sun Wukong following behind, still cursing under his breath.

The mountain wind blew, the stream murmured, and the three masters and disciples gradually walked away into the distance.

At the same time, Jiang Wang teleported to a desolate mountain, where he held a mysterious stone slab that emitted a faint glow.

He grinned and muttered to himself, "Mission accomplished, stone tablet in hand, and I even gained some experience points for a lottery chance. Worth it!"

He shifted his gaze to the distance and murmured, "However, this journey to the West is likely to become increasingly lively..."

At the edge of Yingchou Ravine, the stream murmurs, yet a heavy atmosphere permeates the ancient path beside it.

The white dragon horse staggered, its hooves feeling like they were filled with lead, each step trembling, and fine beads of sweat seeping from its forehead.

Tang Sanzang sat upright on his horse, his brows furrowed, and raised his whip high. With a crisp crack, the whip struck the white dragon horse's rump, leaving a red mark.

"You wretched creature! How could you be so useless? You're usually so agile! Why are you dragging your feet today and missing the trip!"

Tang Sanzang's tone was three parts annoyance and seven parts helplessness. He raised his whip again, but hesitated to bring it down.

The white dragon horse neighed softly, its eyes filled with grievance, but it dared not stop and could only grit its teeth and drag its heavy steps forward.

Sun Wukong squatted on a tree branch, holding a handful of freshly picked wild fruit in his hand, but his eyes were fixed on the white dragon horse, and his brows furrowed more and more.

His sharp eyes gleamed with golden light, and he seemed to see through something, his expression suddenly darkening.

"Master, please calm down. This horse is probably under some kind of evil spell."

Sun Wukong somersaulted down from the tree and stood in front of Tang Sanzang, his tone tinged with a hint of probing, "From what I see, the weakness of this White Dragon Horse doesn't seem to be a congenital ailment, but rather... it seems like someone has tampered with it."

Tang Sanzang was taken aback, put down his whip, and asked in confusion, "Wukong, what do you mean by that? Who would be so bored as to deliberately make things difficult for a horse?"

Sun Wukong sneered, his eyes blazing with anger: "Who? Hmph, Master, have you forgotten Jiang Wang? Every single one of the losses I've suffered over the years, wasn't it all his doing! My innate essence was drained, I was misled by that old Taoist while learning my skills—every single one of these things was Jiang Wang's doing! Now, this White Dragon Horse is probably also a victim of his scheme!"

Pigsy, who was munching on half a carrot, pursed his lips upon hearing this and said, "Brother Monkey, what you're saying is a bit far-fetched."

Although Jiang Wang is cunning, why would he harm a horse for no reason? Besides, who knows where he is right now?

"Hmph, Pigsy, stop defending him!"

Sun Wukong glared at Zhu Bajie, then turned around, squatted down, and carefully examined the white dragon horse.

Sure enough, a faint rune flickered and emitted an eerie fluctuation at the sinews of the horse's leg.

"As expected! This is the spell of the Weakness Law. Jiang Wang, how cruel you are!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang's expression changed slightly, and he murmured, "If it really was Jiang Wang's doing, then this journey to the West... is likely to become even more difficult."

Meanwhile, atop the clouds, Guanyin Bodhisattva sat cross-legged on a golden lotus, her gaze piercing through the mist as she quietly observed the scene at Eagle's Sorrow Gorge.

A hint of worry flashed in her eyes, and the clean bottle in her hand trembled slightly, spilling a few drops of sweet dew that landed on the clouds and turned into a delicate fragrance.

"Jiang Wang's methods are truly extraordinary."

Guanyin muttered to herself, her tone tinged with seriousness, "The Law of Weakness, when applied to the White Dragon Horse, may seem like a minor incident on the surface, but it makes the Journey to the West team's progress extremely difficult."

If this law were to spread further, even Wukong and Bajie might be subject to its control.

Sudhana, standing nearby, couldn't help but ask, "Bodhisattva, why is Jiang Wang so audacious? The Journey to the West is the order of the Sage, yet he dares to interfere so blatantly. Could it be that he has a bigger scheme behind it?"

Guanyin shook her head, her gaze profound: "Although the merit of the Journey to the West is great, it is also meager. If it weren't for the guidance of the sage, I would not have wanted to get involved in this mess."

Jiang Wang is a man of deep thoughts who never leaves a trace in his actions.

Although this law of weakness is strong now, it may not last long; perhaps... it will dissipate on its own.

Sudhana frowned: "So we're just going to watch like this? If the Journey to the West team is really dragged down, it won't look good for the Sage."

Guanyin smiled slightly, a sly glint in her eyes: "No need to be impatient. Although Jiang Wang is cunning, under the laws of Heaven, no one can escape cause and effect."

Let's observe first. If there's any unusual movement in this law, I will take action.

At the same time, Jiang Wang was sitting cross-legged on the somersault cloud, holding a broken stone slab in his hand, his brows furrowed.

The stone slab was no bigger than the palm of a hand. Several strange symbols were carved on the front, which were difficult to understand. On the back was a complex star map with intersecting star trails, which seemed to hide some profound meaning.

He studied it repeatedly, but the system remained silent, offering no clues. (End of Chapter)