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

He took a deep breath, and golden light blazed from his body as he unleashed the "Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon."

Supernatural power! He uttered a low chant: "Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon, World Honored Ksitigarbha, Prajna Buddhas, Prajna Paramita Hum!"

Inside the lion's belly, thunder roared. Tang San, as strong as a Vajra, punched and smashed the belly open! Blood gushed out, and the lion demon screamed in agony, its abdomen burning with pain.

Tang Sanzang burst forth from the lion demon's abdomen, his white robe stained with blood, his golden alms bowl spinning as it struck the demon's brow! "Ah—!"

The false king revealed his true form: a blue-maned lion, its body writhing and covered in blood.

He tried to retaliate, but Tang Sanzang had already regained his freedom, bathed in Buddhist light, and pressed down with one palm: "Demon, prepare to die!"

The lion spirit's head shattered, its soul dissipated, turning into a pool of blood and mud.

Tang Sanzang stopped, looked at the bloodstains on his hand, and sighed, "Amitabha... This humble monk has accidentally broken the precept against killing. Forgive me, forgive me."

Just then, Sha Wujing returned from herding the horses and discovered that his luggage had been stolen.

He twitched his nostrils slightly, following the water stains on the ground until he reached the main hall of the palace.

The hall was filled with the stench of blood. Sha Wujing pushed open the door and entered, only to witness the shocking scene of Tang Sanzang emerging from his abdomen—his master, his white robes billowing, stood in a pool of blood, the lion's carcass lying beside him! "Master!"

Sha Wujing knelt down with a thud, weeping with joy, "You...you're finally free! Three years! I've worried about you day and night!"

Tang Sanzang helped Sha Wujing up and forced a smile: "Sha Wujing, your master was devoured by that lion demon for three years, but fortunately, with the blessing of the Buddha, I was able to cultivate again."

But... this killing spree, alas.

He looked around and asked, "Where's Wukong? Where's Bajie?"

Sha Wujing wiped away his tears and said, "My eldest brother was trapped by the tight headband and the ice. Guanyin Bodhisattva instructed him to go to Beiju Luzhou to find Lu Ya Dao Ren and use the True Fire of the Sun to resolve the crisis."

He left his disciples to watch over his luggage and then left alone.

The second senior brother is trapped in the Crystal Palace of the Well, and the Dragon King of the Well, having devoured all his possessions, is causing quite a ruckus!

Upon hearing this, the two dared not delay and hurried hand in hand to the ancient well in the Imperial Garden.

The ice around the well has melted, and the water ripples.

The Dragon King of the Well appeared, his dragon body swaying as he transformed into human form. With a bitter expression, he said, "Two immortals, you've finally arrived! That Pigsy has devoured my Crystal Palace in the past three years, leaving no trace of fine wine or delicacies! I sent a Yaksha to search for Elder Tang San, but alas... I fear that Yaksha is in grave danger."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang clasped his hands together and said, "Dragon King, do not be anxious. This humble monk will go down and take him away."

Sha Wujing carried the luggage and followed them inside.

Inside the Crystal Palace, though the jewels and precious stones remained, the wine jars were empty and the fruit platters were in disarray.

Pigsy was leaning against the coral bed, embracing two beautiful fish-like women, fast asleep, with grease still hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"Bajie!"

Seeing this, Tang Sanzang's Buddhist heart flared up, and he roared, "Lazy pig! Wake up and come with me on my journey!"

Pigsy jolted awake, sprang to his feet, and rubbed his eyes, saying, "Master? Oh dear, what brings you here? Your disciple was... was meditating!"

But that greasy face of his is just a lie.

The Dragon King of the Well chuckled to himself, thinking: Finally, we've gotten rid of this jinx! Sun Wukong traversed the mountains and forests of Beiju Luzhou, his monkey paws gripping a tree branch, his fiery eyes scanning the surroundings.

The demons pointed him in a clue—Lu Ya might be in seclusion in the Hidden Realm, but the entrance to the Hidden Realm is like a maze, with layers of illusion arrays.

He defeated a pack of wolf demons and stole an ancient map, only to find that the directions marked on the map were all dead ends.

In his anxiety, he roared, "Lu Ya! You old bastard, where have you been hiding? I came here to save my master. If you don't show yourself, don't blame me for destroying your hidden realm!"

In the distance, a flash of fire appeared, only to vanish in an instant.

Wukong couldn't catch up and was so angry that he beat his chest and stamped his feet: "Damn it! It must be that Jiang Wang who's up to his tricks, letting Lu Ya hide even deeper!"

Unbeknownst to him, Lu Ya was meditating in the hidden realm. Sensing Sun Wukong's call, he sneered and remained silent: "Monkey, looking for me? Hmph, let's get past Jiang Wang first."

In the celestial realm, Jiang Wang put away the Chaos Bell, and his invulnerable constitution felt as comfortable as if he had been reborn.

He gazed at the Wuji Kingdom in the human realm and murmured, "Tang Sanzang has escaped? Interesting, that lion demon was actually disemboweled and killed."

"Hmph, though my scheme failed, I've acquired this physique. My next step is to directly target the pilgrimage team!"

Li Bai teleported back and cupped his hands, saying, "Master, news of Qinling has spread. Haotian and the others are too afraid to enter."

Jiang Wang nodded: "It's alright, after three years, they've lost their composure."

"Go and keep an eye on Wuji Kingdom. If Pigsy doesn't leave, flood his Crystal Palace with the Weak Water!"

In the palace of the King of Wuji, Tang Sanzang and Sha Wujing dragged Zhu Bajie out of the Crystal Palace. Bajie groaned and complained all the way, "Master, my legs are weak, I can't walk anymore..."

The Dragon King of the Well saw him off, expressing his deepest gratitude: "Elder, thank you so much! From now on, my well will be peaceful!"

The wellhead was deep and cold.

Sun Wukong somersaulted out, carrying the cold corpse on his shoulder—the remains of the former king of Wuji Kingdom.

Behind him, Tang Sanzang rode a white dragon horse, his face as pale as paper, muttering Buddhist chants.

Pigsy, carrying his nine-toothed rake, followed at the back, panting heavily, while Sandy, leading the horse, silently brought up the rear.

The distant sound of the bell from Baolin Temple echoed as dusk settled, casting long, drawn-out shadows of the group, like wronged souls crawling out of the underworld.

“Master, this king’s corpse is quite heavy! I’ve been carrying it for ages, and my arms are aching.”

Sun Wukong put the corpse on the ground and rubbed his shoulders, complaining.

The corpse was wrapped in a tattered dragon robe, its face bluish-purple, and the majesty it once held in life still lingered in its eyes, but it was now as stiff as stone.

Tang Sanzang dismounted, clasped his hands together, and said with compassion in his eyes: "Wukong, this is the King of Wuji. He was murdered by a treacherous minister and his body was submerged at the bottom of a well for more than three years."

Now that we have the opportunity to rescue him, we should use Buddhist teachings to help his soul find peace.

Upon hearing this, Pigsy's eyes lit up, and he quickly stepped forward, his face plastered with his usual fawning smile: "Master is right! I, Old Pig, also think that we should see things through to the end."

We went through so much trouble to get him out of the well, we can't let it all be for nothing, can we? Master, you have such a compassionate heart, you're so thorough in saving lives, why not just bring this king back to life!

"Save him?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's fiery eyes widened, and his monkey hair stood on end. "You idiot, has your pig brain been filled with water? A person has been dead for three years, and their soul has long since entered the cycle of reincarnation. How can you bring them back to life so easily? Besides, this job isn't my responsibility!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang was slightly taken aback, and looked at Bajie while fiddling with his prayer beads: "Wuneng, what are you talking about? I only know how to deliver the souls of the dead and save the living... What should we do?"

Seeing an opportunity, Pigsy chuckled, already having a plan in mind.

Three years ago, that monkey tricked him into going down a well, making him drink a bellyful of well water, and he still grinds his teeth in anger when he thinks about it. This time, with the king's resurrection as an excuse, it's the perfect opportunity for revenge! He cleared his throat and added fuel to the fire, saying, "Master, have you forgotten? Three years ago, when we passed through Wuji Kingdom, that monkey boasted quite a bit! He said things like, 'With just one hair of mine, I can go to heaven and earth, and without even going to the underworld, I can revive this king!' Now that the body has been retrieved, if he just stands by and does nothing, wouldn't that be slapping himself in the face? Master, please recite the Tightening-Headband Mantra and make him fulfill his promise!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's face darkened, and he slammed his staff into the ground: "Nonsense! When did I, Old Sun, ever say such a thing? You idiot, you pig-mouthed liar, you're asking for a beating!"

He was naturally very clever and had long seen through Pigsy's tricks, but he couldn't confront him in front of his master.

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang frowned slightly, a hint of unease flashing in his kind eyes.

He was originally a Bodhisattva reincarnated, with a heart as soft as cotton. Hearing Pigsy's detailed account and recalling Sun Wukong's extraordinary abilities, he believed him to some extent: "Wukong, if you really said this, how could I let you go back on your word? Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda."

The king's body has been exhumed, but his soul may have found its way home. Go to Heaven and retrieve a Nine-Turn Resurrection Pill to save his life!

"Master!"

Sun Wukong grew anxious, his monkey face turning red. "This...this Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pill was refined by Laozi, and is extremely precious. It took me a lot of trouble to get it last time."

Now that you're going again, I'm afraid...

Before he could finish speaking, Pigsy urged, "Brother Monkey, don't you always boast about your great supernatural powers? Master is merciful, so don't make excuses."

Or, should Master recite the Tightening-Headband Mantra to make him go and retrieve the elixir in a more pleasant way?

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong felt a chill run down his spine.

He had experienced the pain of that tight headband countless times; it felt like a thousand needles piercing his brain, and even with his iron-willed monkey body, he couldn't bear it.

He glared at Pigsy, thinking to himself: You blockhead, you've got to get this time! But he could only reply aloud, "Alright, alright, I'll go! Master, you wait here, I'll be back in the blink of an eye with a somersault cloud!"

Seeing that he agreed, Tang Sanzang put his palms together and said, "Amitabha, Wukong, be careful on your journey."

Just as Sun Wukong was about to take off on a cloud, his eyes suddenly lit up, and a desire for revenge arose within him.

He pointed to the king's corpse and said, "Master, this corpse has been submerged in a well for three years. It is filled with yin energy, and wandering ghosts are easily invaded by it."

It will take me at least a day and a night to retrieve the elixir from the Heavenly Court.

What if it gets possessed by a ghost and wreaks havoc on Baolin Temple? Here's what we'll do: let Pigsy guard it. He has a loud voice and knows how to wail. He can just wrap himself in a white cloth and wail so loudly it shakes the heavens and earth; those little ghosts wouldn't dare come near.”

Upon hearing this, Pigsy nearly dropped his rake: "What? Me, wail? Brother Monkey, aren't you setting me up? I, Pigsy, am a natural optimist; I can't cry!"

Sun Wukong chuckled: "Fool, didn't you urge your master to chant the incantation? Now it's your turn to do the work! Master, what do you say? Bajie's mourning will guarantee a perfect outcome."

Tang Sanzang nodded and said, "Wuneng, let's do as Wukong says."

You stay here to mourn the body, while your master and Sha Wujing graze the horses outside, awaiting Wukong's return with the elixir.

Seeing that he couldn't refuse, Pigsy's face twitched three times, and he had no choice but to agree.

He looked around, found a tattered white cloth, wrapped it around his head, knelt beside the corpse, and began to wail at the top of his lungs: "Oh dear, my king! Why did you leave like that? I, Old Pig, served you for three years, and you just left like that, leaving me all alone... Waaah..."

At first, his crying was forced, but gradually, he remembered the old grudge of being tricked by a monkey three years ago, and he began to cry more passionately.

But with its pig-like sniffling and its white cloth-wrapped head, it looked just like a clown on a rural stage, making even Sha Wujing's lips twitch.

Seeing this, Sun Wukong was overjoyed, thinking that one Buddha had been born and two Buddhas had ascended to heaven. He soared into the sky and flew away, saying, "Fool, cry your heart out, I'll be right back!"

A lucky cloud vanished in the blink of an eye.

Outside Baolin Temple, the night wind was bleak.

Pigsy knelt there, sobbing with snot and tears streaming down his face, muttering, "Your Majesty, please don't blame me for faking my tears. I'm a heartless pig, usually so cheerful, but today I'm going to risk everything for you... Oh, your dragon robe is so magnificent, it's been soaked in well water for three years and it's still shining brightly... Waaah..."

He cried while stealing glances at Tang Sanzang, only to see his master sitting cross-legged chanting sutras and Sha Wujing leading the horse on patrol. He wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

But the thought of the monkey returning with the elixir and having to cry again made him grit his teeth and persevere.

Several young novices in the temple watched curiously, whispering among themselves, "This monk's crying is really strange, like a pig being slaughtered."

As he cried, Pigsy had a sudden inspiration. He pulled out a gourd of wine from his luggage, took a swig to bolster his courage, and then cried even more passionately: "King, you loved to eat chicken when you were alive, and so did I, Old Pig, but now that you're gone, even chicken tastes bland... Waaah..."

The crying rose and fell, mixed with the squeals of pigs, startling the birds in the forest into flight. Even the wild ghosts in the distance would probably have to take a detour if they heard it.

Watching from afar, Sha Wujing shook his head and sighed, "Second Brother's mourning is truly unique."

Meanwhile, in the celestial realm of Lihentian, the Tushita Palace was shrouded in mist and clouds.

Sun Wukong somersaulted up to the South Heavenly Gate and headed straight for Laozi's alchemy furnace.

The palace gates were wide open, but the palace was empty except for a few boys who were dozing.

He said impatiently, "Where is Laozi? Quickly bring me the Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pill!"

A boy rubbed his eyes and said, "Great Sage, Laozi went on a journey and took all the elixirs with him, saying he was going to refine new medicines and wouldn't be back for a while."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong was like an ant on a hot pan, scratching his head and saying, "What should we do? Master is waiting to save people!"

He left the palace and strolled along the Heavenly Street, pondering where to steal a pill.

Suddenly, a white light flashed in front of them, and an old man with a flowing white beard came towards them, holding a jade tablet and wearing a crane cloak and star crown, looking exactly like Venus.

"Monkey, what's wrong? Why are you so agitated?"

The old man's voice was gentle, yet it carried a familiar smile.

Sun Wukong looked closely and laughed: "Oh, Grandpa Venus, you've come at the perfect time! I, Old Sun, went to Laozi to get the Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pill to save King Wuji, but who knew that he was out and the pill was gone."

"You're very knowledgeable and experienced, do you have any ideas?"

Venus—who was actually Jiang Wang in disguise—smiled slightly, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes.

He was in seclusion in the hidden realm when he suddenly sensed a surge of fortune, so he transformed into this body and descended to the mortal world to secretly protect the Journey to the West lineage.

After listening to Sun Wukong recount the whole story, he nodded and said, "Monkey, I know about this matter."

Although the Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pill is precious, it is not entirely undesirable.

With that, he flicked his sleeve, and a golden pill appeared out of thin air, falling into Wukong's palm.

The pill was about the size of a thumb, with a fragrant aroma and a faint sound of a dragon's roar.

Sun Wukong accepted it, overjoyed: "Grandpa Venus, this...you just gave it to me like that? Aren't you afraid Laozi will be angry?"

Jiang Wang, in his guise as Venus, stroked his beard and said, "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed."

"Monkey, hurry and save them! I have something to attend to and must take my leave."

After speaking, a beam of white light vanished, disappearing in the blink of an eye. (End of Chapter)