Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

Li Xiuyuan didn't come, so they mainly relied on Sun Wukong, which was their concern. If even someone as powerful as Li Xiuyuan couldn't handle it, then how should they deal with this?

Soon, Li Xiuyuan walked in from outside. Seeing everyone gathered together in the room, he smiled and said, "It's getting late, why don't you all rest?"

Little King Kong immediately asked, "Master, what exactly happened?"

Li Xiuyuan laughed and said, "Actually, it's nothing. You were destined to face this tribulation. This tribulation is that the Queen of the Women's Kingdom wouldn't let you leave and wanted to marry the Holy Monk. The Holy Monk was also tempted and stayed."

However, if I did that, we wouldn't be able to travel to the Western Paradise to obtain the scriptures. Therefore, I deliberately descended and entered the Women's Kingdom with you. Since the Queen of the Women's Kingdom has chosen me, you can naturally escape.”

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong asked, "Then what about Master?"

Li Xiuyuan walked over and said, "If you deceive the Queen of the Women's Kingdom in this ordeal, then this ordeal is not over."

However, I'm the one who's deceiving her now. So, the consequences won't affect you. Once you get your travel documents and leave safely, I'll naturally leave as well. Do you all really think that a small kingdom like the Women's Kingdom can hold me back?

Pigsy shook his pig ears and laughed, "Bodhisattva, we're not worried that the Kingdom of Women can trap you, we're really worried that the women in the Kingdom of Women will trap you."

After Pigsy finished speaking, everyone laughed. Li Xiuyuan also laughed and said, "You pig-headed fool, you're really being ridiculous. Do you all think that I'm like Buddha and Guanyin, who have never tasted the beauty of women?"

More than five hundred years ago, a great commotion broke out in the court that day; surely you all know that?

Pigsy shook his head and said, "I don't know." Tang Sanzang also laughed and said, "Back then, I'm afraid even my great-great-grandfather was safe."

However, Sha Wujing scratched his head and said, "Back then, I was the Curtain-Raising General. I was supposed to be the Jade Emperor's seven daughters, whose primordial yin was taken away in the mortal world."

"Is this really true?" Tang Sanzang was greatly surprised upon hearing this.

Li Xiuyuan laughed and said, "It's enough that you know about this. Otherwise, if you keep making a fuss about it, the Jade Emperor might send troops to arrest you. Although the Jade Emperor doesn't dare to offend me, he doesn't take anyone else seriously."

After Li Xiuyuan finished speaking, Tang Seng hurriedly shut his mouth and stopped talking.

Seeing that everyone was silent, Li Xiuyuan immediately spoke up: "Everyone, three days from now, the Queen of the Women's Kingdom will marry me. On that day, you will receive a travel document personally stamped with the Queen's seal."

I'll see you off when the time comes. You go first, and leave the rest to me.

Also, Little King Kong can go west with you then, and I will bring him back after a while.”

After Li Xiuyuan finished speaking, everyone nodded in agreement.

But the happiest of all was Little King Kong. He could travel west with the pilgrimage team, and presumably enjoy sightseeing along the way.

Fighting monsters is something Little King Kong finds incredibly exciting.

Then, Li Xiuyuan asked, "Having been confined here, are you feeling alright yet?"

Upon hearing this, Pigsy immediately complained, "Bodhisattva, of course we're not used to it. Those female soldiers outside are layer upon layer, like wrapping us up in a rice dumpling."

Not only can we not go out for walks, but we have to eat, drink, and relieve ourselves all in this small building.

Li Xiuyuan smiled upon hearing this and said, "Hold on a little longer. You will be free on the day of my wedding to the Queen of the Women's Kingdom."

Although what Zhu Bajie said was unpleasant, it perfectly reflected their current predicament.

Chapter 553 Nationwide Celebration

Now, Tang Sanzang and his disciples can only let Li Xiuyuan arrange things for them.

Three days later, early in the morning.

While Sun Wukong and the others were still asleep, someone came up and knocked on the door. The person called out, "Masters, today is His Majesty's wedding day. His Majesty invites you all to attend the ceremony."

Sun Wukong remembered that Li Xiuyuan had said that he would marry the Queen of the Women's Kingdom in three days. After some calculation, he realized that it was today.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Tang Sanzang and his disciples, along with Little Vajra, had finished tidying their clothes and opened the door.

They opened the door and saw a female soldier who smiled and said, "Please, masters." She then stepped forward to lead the way. Li Xiuyuan was nowhere to be found, so they could only follow the female soldier in front of them. However, the scene outside really startled them.

Countless palaces and temples were adorned with lanterns and colorful decorations, with red lanterns hanging high. Women throughout the land were dressed in red and black, creating a festive atmosphere.

Pigsy couldn't help but exclaim, "My goodness, what a grand scene! This isn't just a queen getting married, it's the whole country getting married!"

Little King Kong immediately laughed and said, "Pighead, are you really stupid or just pretending? There isn't a single man in the Women's Kingdom. If Master married an ordinary woman, then he just married an ordinary woman."

But he has now married the Queen of the Women's Kingdom, which is to say he married a queen. Actually, if you think about it, you'll realize that your master has married every woman in the entire Women's Kingdom.

Upon hearing this, Pigsy was immediately terrified. Unable to believe it, the pig-headed man exclaimed, "Is that really true? My God, if I had known, I wouldn't have gone on this pilgrimage. And I wouldn't have stayed cooped up in Gao Village all this time. How come I never knew there was such a Kingdom of Women?"

Tang Sanzang was speechless for a moment and could only watch. He felt a mix of emotions. However, they all understood that even if Li Xiuyuan remained within the Women's Kingdom, probably no one would dare to say anything.

Li Xiuyuan is comparable to a sage, so naturally he can do whatever he wants. Even if they wanted to settle here, they probably wouldn't succeed. They all understand that through investigation, they are merely pawns in the secret competition between sages.

If they were to complete their pilgrimage and become Buddha, they would likely no longer be mere pawns, but rather powerful, unassuming agents.

Such is the way of Heaven; only by moving forward can one avoid falling into the cycle of reincarnation, being reborn as a human, a male or female, or as a beast, a pig or a donkey, life after life.

Looking ahead, the music began, bells and drums rang out, and finally a couple emerged.

Li Xiuyuan, dressed in a black dragon robe with red trim, wearing an imperial crown and carrying a divine sword at his waist, walked towards the Queen of the Women's Kingdom, leaning against her.

Li Xiuyuan, dressed in imperial attire, exuded an unparalleled imperial aura, instantly captivating all the women in the Women's Kingdom.

Little King Kong jumped and leaped excitedly, shouting, "Ahhh, Master is so incredibly powerful!"

Seeing this scene, Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie couldn't help but swallow hard, speechless. They had both served in the Heavenly Court and had witnessed the Jade Emperor's magnificent entourage.

But now, Li Xiuyuan standing there in his dragon robe left them speechless. Even the Jade Emperor, with his chariot pulled by a Qilin and surrounded by flying immortals, and with his boundless divine light, could only achieve such an effect.

Sun Wukong couldn't help but exclaim, "Truly amazing! A Bodhisattva transforms into an emperor. How could Master be so handsome?"

The most composed person in the room was Tang Sanzang, after all, he was a highly accomplished monk. He simply said "Amitabha," picked up his prayer beads, bowed slightly to Li Xiuyuan, and sighed, "Indeed, he has the appearance of a born emperor."

Then comes the proper conduct of husband and wife. As the saying goes, first bow to heaven and earth, second bow to the parents, and third bow to each other.

However, neither Li Xiuyuan nor the Queen of the Women's Kingdom had parents, so they bowed to Heaven and Earth twice. Finally, the husband and wife bowed to each other.

Then the high priest shouted: The ceremony is complete!

Li Xiuyuan smiled slightly and looked around the entire palace. He saw countless women dressed in red, just like the Queen of the Women's Kingdom, and they were all overjoyed.

Li Xiuyuan raised his hand and lifted the veil of the Queen of the Women's Kingdom. He saw that the woman had beautiful features, and her eyes conveyed deep affection.

Li Xiuyuan smiled slightly and said, "You mean if I marry you, I'll marry every woman in this country?"

The woman nodded and said, "From now on, you will be the sole ruler of the entire Women's Kingdom, the supreme king. Whatever you say goes."

Li Xiuyuan nodded and said, "That's good."

Then a lady-in-waiting served tea. The Queen accepted the tea, knelt down, and offered it to Li Xiuyuan. Li Xiuyuan accepted the tea and sighed, "Your Majesty, by accepting the tea you offer, am I accepting your country and your countless people?"

The Queen said, "After drinking this cup of tea, you will be the only Your Majesty here."

Li Xiuyuan chuckled slightly, then picked up the teacup in his hand, took a sip, and sighed, "This tea is good tea, this tea is good tea, this tea is good tea." He then put the cup back, turned to look at the thousands of people below, and cried out, "Where are my people?"

The next moment, the women who filled the palace, like a surging wave, all knelt down, including the Queen. Then, Li Xiuyuan heard them shout in unison, "Our Lord!"

Li Xiuyuan couldn't help but chuckle to himself, wondering which "lord" it was. Was it a young master or an emperor?

However, I suppose it's both.

Then Li Xiuyuan said, "Girls, please get up."

Then many women got up. Li Xiuyuan's address of "young lady" was appropriate; although it was somewhat teasing, the meaning behind the crude language was not wrong.

All of these women, except for the Queen of the Women's Kingdom, are probably still virgins.

Li Xiuyuan said, "Hand over the clearance document to me."

Sun Wukong then took the memorial and ran to the palace to present it. Li Xiuyuan said, "Bring the imperial seal."

A woman slowly presented the national seal to Li Xiuyuan. Li Xiuyuan took the seal, pressed it against the document, then withdrew it and handed the document back to Sun Wukong, saying, "As the emperor of this place, I grant you the travel document and affix the national seal."

Chapter 554 Farewell

Now that you have obtained the travel permit, you should leave quickly and not delay your pilgrimage.

Then, Li Xiuyuan handed the memorial stamped with the national seal to Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong accepted the memorial, bowed to Li Xiuyuan, and said, "We will take our leave now. Master, please take care."

Li Xiuyuan smiled and said, "Alright, of course I know. You can go now."

Then, Sun Wukong knelt down before Li Xiuyuan, kowtowed three times, and rode a cloud back to Tang Sanzang and his disciples. He then handed the travel permit to Tang Sanzang.

After Tang Sanzang received the travel permit, he pulled on the reins of his white horse and headed west. Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, Sun Wukong, and Xiao Jingang followed along on Tang Sanzang's white horse.

The little Vajra kept glancing at Li Xiuyuan, clearly reluctant to leave. Li Xiuyuan looked at the little Vajra in the distance and smiled, "Hurry up and go. Assist your senior brother on the way and protect Tang Sanzang. I'll also help you get a Buddha position later."

Although they were far apart and Li Xiuyuan was speaking softly, Little Vajra possessed the ability to see and hear from afar, so of course he heard and saw everything clearly.

With Li Xiuyuan's words, Little Vajra felt relieved. He then turned around and jogged a few steps to catch up with Tang Sanzang and his disciples.

At that moment, the queen walked over, looked at Li Xiuyuan, and said softly, "Are you a little reluctant to part?"

Li Xiuyuan nodded gently, reached out and touched the girl's smooth face, and smiled, "You know what, I really am reluctant to part with her."

Night fell. After a full day of celebrations that had turned the entire Women's Kingdom upside down, the women were all exhausted.

It was late at night, but there were still some guards keeping a close watch on the palace.

Inside the bridal chamber, Li Xiuyuan lay on the bed, and the queen was washing his feet very carefully.

Li Xiuyuan looked at her and couldn't help but laugh, "Have you ever washed someone else's feet before?"

The woman shook her head. "No," she said. "Why? Isn't the water too hot?"

Li Xiuyuan laughed and said, "I really don't know if you're washing my feet or tickling my soles? What do you think?"

The woman lowered her head shyly, dried Li Xiuyuan's feet, and then lay down to sleep.

When she turned around, she found Li Xiuyuan looking at her, as if he had something to say. The woman asked, "Is there something you need?"