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

Its hooves thrashed wildly, and it grunted angrily in its throat, but the bag was incredibly tough, and no matter how much it struggled, it could not break free.

The old Taoist priest shouldered the cloth bag and laughed smugly, "This pig is so fat it's dripping with oil, it's perfect for impersonating a monster! Let's go back to Gao Village!"

The young Taoist priest followed behind, his face showing some unease, but he dared not say a word.

Inside Gaolaozhuang, the lights are brightly lit.

The manor of Master Gao was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. Servants bustled between the banquet hall and the kitchen, and the air was filled with the aroma of wine and meat.

Master Gao was a well-to-do middle-aged man with a ruddy complexion. He was dressed in a brocade robe and sat in the main seat of the main hall, but his brows were slightly furrowed.

A few days ago, he heard that a pig demon was causing trouble outside the village and had kidnapped his daughter, Gao Cuilan. He was so worried that he couldn't eat or drink and offered a large reward to someone to subdue the demon.

Now, two Taoist priests have come to his door, claiming that they have defeated the pig demon and returned it to its original form, but he remains skeptical.

The pig demon's arrival was suspicious, and its subjugation was far too easy; how could one not be suspicious? The old Taoist placed the cloth bag in the hall, clapped his hands, and said loudly, "Don't be anxious, sir. This pig is the troublemaking demon! I went to great lengths to subdue it back to its original form and seal it in this cloth bag."

Master Gao squinted and looked the cloth bag up and down. A low humming sound came from inside the bag, as if there was some movement.

He turned to look at Gao Cuilan beside him—who was actually Sun Wukong in disguise.

Sun Wukong was now disguised as Gao Cuilan, wearing a green silk dress, but his eyes showed a hint of impatience.

He had sensed earlier that this pig demon was rather strange, neither demon nor god, but he couldn't figure out its origins.

Now, seeing the pig in the sack, he jumped off the chair, took a few steps closer, and scanned it with his sharp eyes, but his brows furrowed even more deeply.

This pig does have some spiritual energy, but it has no demonic aura, let alone any magical fluctuations.

Sun Wukong was puzzled, thinking to himself, "This pig looks stupid, how could it be the monster that kidnapped people? But if it's not a monster, then what about these two Taoist priests?"

He turned to the old Taoist priest, his tone slightly mocking: "Taoist priest, you caught this pig demon far too easily! I, Old Sun, think this pig probably couldn't even beat a chicken."

The old Taoist priest was provoked, and a hint of panic flashed across his face, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Great Immortal, you do not know, this monster is cunning. I used my unique secret technique to seal its original form!"

Sun Wukong sneered, too lazy to argue with him anymore, and turned to Master Gao, saying, "Master, this pig looks like a real monster, so you can rest assured."

Upon hearing this, Master Gao felt somewhat relieved and quickly ordered a banquet to be prepared to entertain the two Taoist priests.

At the banquet, glasses clinked and the aroma of wine filled the air.

The old Taoist priest made an excuse that he had something to do, ate a few bites hastily, and then took his leave with the young Taoist priest.

Master Gao did not try to stop him, and ordered his men to take out more than a dozen heavy silver nuggets and stuff them into the old Taoist priest's hand.

The old Taoist priest beamed with joy, thanking him profusely before hurrying away with his cloth bag.

Once outside the manor gate, he whispered to the young Taoist priest, "This place is not safe to stay in. Let's go quickly!"

Having said that, he took out a palm-sized wooden boat from his bosom. With a sway in the wind, it transformed into a small boat three zhang long, carrying the master and his disciple, along with Tianpeng. They turned into a streak of light and flew swiftly northward.

Meanwhile, Sun Wukong did not stay in Gao Village.

He felt something was amiss, so he took to the clouds and headed straight for the Tushita Palace in Heaven.

His purpose in making this trip was to ask Laozi for some divine power pills so that the white dragon horse could travel faster and prevent Tang Sanzang from complaining about the hardships of the journey.

Inside the Tushita Palace, celestial energy swirled, and wisps of smoke curled from beside the alchemy furnace.

Laozi was sitting cross-legged on a futon, holding a banana leaf fan, slowly fanning the fire in the stove.

Sun Wukong barged in without any formalities and shouted, "Lord Laozi, I, Old Sun, have come to ask for a few more pills!"

Lao Jun glanced at him and said slowly, "You monkey, pills aren't candy; I can't give them to you every time."

Just then, a golden light flashed outside the hall, and Guanyin Bodhisattva and Muzha arrived together.

Guanyin looked worried, while Muzha looked anxious.

The two of them had come here for Tianpeng.

Muzha had previously reported to Guanyin that Tianpeng had mistakenly ingested a pill and transformed into a pig. Guanyin then ordered him to quickly return to Yunzhan Cave to guard it, while she herself came to the Tushita Palace to ask Laozi for a Nine-Turn Golden Pill to help Tianpeng recover his cultivation.

When the two arrived at Yunzhan Cave, the cave was empty, only a mess, and there was not even a trace of Tianpeng.

Muzha was sweating profusely with anxiety, but Guanyin remained silent and pondered. She calculated with her fingers and vaguely sensed that Tianpeng seemed to be facing a calamity, but she could not pinpoint the exact location.

The two had no choice but to wait outside the cave, until dawn, but there was still no sign of Tianpeng.

Just then, Sun Wukong returned from the Tushita Palace, clutching several divine power pills in his hand and humming a little tune.

Seeing Guanyin and Muzha guarding the cave entrance, he was taken aback and casually said, "Bodhisattva, what are you doing here? Wasn't that pig demon captured by two Taoist priests? They said they were going to make him into cured meat!"

Upon hearing this, Guanyin's expression changed drastically.

Tianpeng is the one destined to face the tribulation of the Journey to the West. If he is truly killed, the tribulation cannot be completed, and the consequences will be unimaginable.

She hurriedly asked, "Wukong, where did those two Taoist priests go?"

Sun Wukong scratched his head and recalled, "They took a small flying boat and headed north. I didn't ask them exactly where they were going."

Guanyin was anxious and hurriedly said, "Take me to chase after him immediately! If Tianpeng is lost, the Journey to the West will be in grave danger!"

Seeing Guanyin's solemnity, Sun Wukong dared not be negligent. He took off on a cloud and, with Guanyin and Muzha, chased after them to the north.

Meanwhile, three thousand miles away in the Xianxia Mountains, in a dilapidated Taoist temple, a deadly aura was quietly approaching.

Tianpeng was thrown onto a cold stone platform, its four hooves tightly bound with ropes, its cloth bag untied, and it stared with its round eyes, letting out a low growl.

The young Taoist priest stood to one side, holding a gleaming butcher's knife in his hand, its blade flashing coldly in the candlelight.

The old Taoist priest was boiling water nearby, the pot bubbling and steaming, filling the air with damp vapor.

The young Taoist priest looked at Tianpeng with a hint of hesitation on his face: "Master, is this pig... really a monster? It looks rather pitiful."

The old Taoist priest glared at him and hissed, "Enough nonsense! This pig is so fat it's dripping with oil, it'll be perfect for stewing! Now that we've got that Master Gao's silver, we master and disciple can finally enjoy a few good days!"

Upon hearing this, Tianpeng felt a wave of despair wash over him.

It struggled desperately, but the rope tightened more and more, causing its skin to ache.

It wanted to shout and curse, but only weak whimpers came out of its throat.

The blade drew ever closer, its cold light reflected in its pupils, and the shadow of death loomed over it.

Just at this critical moment, a golden light streaked across the night sky in the distance, and Sun Wukong's voice came from afar: "Hey you Taoist priest, don't hurt my brother!"

With the blade hovering in mid-air, the young Taoist priest was so frightened that his hand trembled, and the butcher's knife clattered to the ground.

The old Taoist priest turned pale and looked towards the horizon in a panic.

A glimmer of hope flashed in Tianpeng's eyes, but his heart remained heavy—when would this absurd calamity finally end? In the early morning of Xianxia Mountain, mist shrouded the ancient mountain path like a light veil, and the moist air was filled with the fragrance of pine resin and soil.

A dilapidated Taoist temple is nestled among the pines and cypresses on the mountainside. A thin layer of dew covers the green tiles, and the morning light shines through the sparse branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the stone slabs in front of the temple.

Inside the Taoist temple, on a rough wooden chopping board, a fat black pig was tied up, its four hooves tightly bound with hemp rope. The pig struggled on the chopping board, letting out a pitiful howl, which made the incense burner in the temple tremble slightly.

The black pig was none other than Marshal Tianpeng, but now his eyes were filled with despair. His snout opened and closed as he mumbled incoherent curses: "Jiang Wang, you scoundrel! You've brought this upon me, I'll make sure your soul is scattered to the winds!"

Although the voice was hoarse, it carried a resentful air of unwillingness, echoing in the empty Taoist temple.

The old Taoist priest stood beside the chopping board, holding a gleaming pig-slaughtering knife, its blade gleaming coldly in the morning light.

He squinted at Tianpeng, muttering, "This pig is really fat. If we bleed it, we can make a good soup, and we can pickle several jars of meat."

He raised his knife and slowly approached Tianpeng, gesturing with the tip of the knife against the pig's neck as if searching for the best spot to make the cut.

Tianpeng's cries grew increasingly shrill, his eyes filled with terror. His massive body writhed violently under the restraints of the ropes, and the chopping board creaked as if it were about to fall apart.

Although he had transformed into pig form, he had not completely lost his intelligence. He knew that his life was hanging by a thread, and in addition to hatred for Jiang Wang, a deep sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart.

Just as the blade was about to touch Tianpeng's neck, a rapid sound of hooves came from afar, mixed with the crisp sound of armor clashing.

The old Taoist priest was taken aback, stopped what he was doing, and looked up at the outside of the Taoist temple.

On the mountain road, a troop of Tang soldiers clad in golden armor was galloping towards them. Leading them was a general in golden armor with a resolute face, a sword at his waist, and a steed neighing beneath him, raising a cloud of dust.

Behind the general were several soldiers, all with solemn expressions, their armor gleaming coldly in the morning light.

As the sound of hooves drew closer, the general reined in his horse and stopped in front of the Taoist temple. He dismounted and scanned the courtyard with piercing eyes, just in time to see Tianpeng on the chopping board.

"This pig is squealing so pitifully, could it be a spirit?"

The general, with a loud voice and a hint of curiosity, stepped into the Taoist temple.

The old Taoist priest quickly put down his knife, put on a smile, and stepped forward: "General, you've come at the right time! This pig is exceptionally fat and robust, and its meat must be delicious. You can take it away for just four taels of silver!"

He rubbed his hands together, a sly glint in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Tianpeng's pig eyes widened, wishing he could pounce on the old Taoist priest and bite him, but he could only struggle in vain on the chopping board.

The golden-armored general frowned, approached the chopping board, and bent down to examine Tianpeng closely.

Tianpeng's eyes held a complex mix of emotions, a desire to survive and the pride of being Marshal Tianpeng.

He growled, trying to express something, but only managed a few indistinct grunts.

The general pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed and said, "This pig is quite interesting. Look at its physique; it's perfect for pulling carts and transporting grain."

"Fine, I'll offer five taels of silver and buy it!"

After saying that, he took out a silver ingot from his waist and tossed it to the old Taoist priest.

The old Taoist priest took the silver, beaming from ear to ear, and nodded hurriedly: "Good! Good! General, you are truly generous!"

He quickly untied the ropes binding Tianpeng and handed him over to the soldier.

After being untied, Tianpeng landed on all fours, still somewhat weak. His pig head drooped, but a hint of relief flashed in his eyes.

It was led by a soldier, staggering behind the general.

The general mounted his horse, glanced back at Tianpeng, and said loudly, "Come with me, I'll transport a few loads of grain, and I'll guarantee your safety!"

After speaking, he waved his hand, rode on a lucky cloud, and took Tianpeng and his soldiers into the air, flying towards the Tang army camp in the distance.

Lifted by the clouds, Tianpeng heard the wind whistling in his ears and felt a mix of emotions. He was relieved to have escaped a calamity, ashamed and indignant about his pig form, and hated Jiang Wang's cunning scheme with a vengeance.

Meanwhile, at the foot of Xianxia Mountain, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Sun Wukong, and Muzha were hurrying along the mountain path.

Guanyin, dressed in flowing white robes, had a kind face but also a hint of worry, and the vase in her hand gleamed faintly.

Sun Wukong shaded his eyes with his hand, his fiery eyes scanning the surroundings as he muttered, "That Tianpeng is such a disappointment. How did he get captured by mortals again? If he's really killed, I, Old Sun, will have no face to see my master!"

Mu Zha followed behind, his sword humming softly, his expression solemn.

A mountain breeze blew by, swirling up a few fallen leaves. The three of them quickly arrived at the Taoist temple, only to find the courtyard empty except for an old Taoist priest sitting on the threshold, counting silver and humming a tune.

Guanyin frowned slightly and said softly, "Daoist, I heard that a black pig was captured here. Is it still here?"

The old Taoist priest looked up and, seeing the newcomer's extraordinary bearing, felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly rose and bowed, saying, "Immortal, you're late! That pig was just bought by the Tang army, who said they would use it to pull carts to transport grain. They've already ridden away on a cloud!"

He pointed down the mountain, his tone tinged with pride.

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's anger flared up instantly. He jumped in front of the old Taoist priest, slammed his golden cudgel on the ground, and shouted, "You old Taoist! That pig is my brother! How dare you sell it? Tell me, where did you sell it to!"

The old Taoist priest was so frightened by Wukong's imposing presence that his legs went weak. He stammered, "It was bought by the Golden-Armored General of the Western Expeditionary Army. It went west, and I don't know its exact whereabouts!"

Guanyin raised her hand to stop Wukong, and looked into the distance. A ripple appeared in her jade bottle, faintly reflecting the traces of Tianpeng.

She said softly, "There is no need to panic. Tianpeng is still alive and has not been killed."

With a light tap of her fingertip, a scene appeared in the air: Tianpeng was being driven by several Tang soldiers, dragging a large cart loaded with grain, his body whipped raw and bleeding, groaning as he struggled forward.

Wukong's eyes widened in fury as he cursed, "How dare these mortals bully my brother like this!"

Guanyin shook her head, waved her sleeve, and led Wukong and Muzha in a golden light, chasing after Tianpeng's direction.

Before long, the three arrived outside the Western Expeditionary Army's camp.

Flags fluttered in the camp, soldiers patrolled back and forth, and grain carts flowed in an endless stream.

Tianpeng was tied to the front of a wooden cart, his pig head hanging low, his body covered in whip marks, and his eyes filled with humiliation.

Seeing this, Guanyin sighed, raised her hand and scattered a golden light, which transformed into gentle Buddhist chants, enveloping Tianpeng.

The Tang soldiers only saw a blur before their eyes, and Tianpeng had vanished into thin air, leaving the rope in front of the wooden cart hanging emptily on the ground.

The soldiers cried out in alarm, but no one noticed the figures of Guanyin and her two companions.

Guanyin led Tianpeng to a secluded valley, took out her jade bottle, poured out a golden, gleaming Nine-Turn Golden Pill, and held it to Tianpeng's lips.

Tianpeng Pig's eyes lit up, and he couldn't wait to swallow the golden pill.

In an instant, its whole body shone with golden light, and its pig body quickly stretched and deformed, transforming into a burly man. Although his face still bore some resemblance to a pig, the heroic spirit of Marshal Tianpeng could still be faintly seen in his eyes.

His cultivation level instantly rose to the early stage of Golden Immortal, his aura was powerful, and his robes fluttered in the wind.

Tianpeng looked down at his hands, overjoyed, and clasped his hands, saying, "Thank you, Bodhisattva, for saving my life!" (End of Chapter)