Chaos Spirit Field

Zhu Bajie scratched his big ear uncertainly, looked at Zhao Shanhe doubtfully and asked, "Master, could this Holy Child be the child of my old master's previous master?"

Zhao Shanhe didn't answer Zhu Bajie's question. He said, "It's getting late. I need to rest now. We have to continue our journey tomorrow. Holy Infant, come here for a moment."

Sun Wukong and the others were all intelligent people, and they left tactfully. They knew that Zhao Shanhe was going to teach them the Holy Infant Kung Fu.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the leaves, creating a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. The Holy Infant walked respectfully before Zhao Shanhe and kowtowed several times without hesitation, his gratitude overflowing with words: "Master, I will never forget your great kindness to me!"

Zhao Shanhe sighed softly, a hint of helplessness and melancholy flashing in his eyes. He slowly said, "Holy Infant, sometimes growing up isn't necessarily a good thing. Our relationship as master and disciple has ended. We'll meet again in the future. Take care of yourself."

The Holy Infant left with a mixture of reluctance and gratitude, and Zhao Shanhe couldn't help but feel melancholy. He thought of his wife, Yang Xiaochan, and their child, far away on Sanxian Island. At that moment, Long Shisi suddenly shouted, "Master, Xiao Shisi is a dragon, not a horse!"

Zhu Bajie opened his mouth in surprise and looked at Long Shisi in confusion. He turned to Zhao Shanhe and said, "Master, why did Sixth Junior Brother suddenly call you Master? Is he stupid?"

Zhao Shanhe smiled and said, "After drinking the water of the Forgotten River, he was able to recover his memory so quickly. This proves that Little Fourteen has quite a talent."

"Master, can you tell me whose child the Pig Saint Infant is?"

"Bajie, the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed. Sometimes it's better to be a little confused."

After traversing mountains and ridges for over half a year, Zhao Shanhe and his group finally emerged from the dense forest. However, a new obstacle arose: a vast river blocked their path. On the bank stood a stone tablet with the inscription: "Black Water River." In a corner, a description of the river appeared: "It is 1,800 miles wide and a thousand feet deep."

Long Shisi looked at the pitch-black river water in front of him and felt a little uneasy. He turned to Zhao Shanhe and said, "Master, this river water looks weird. I'm a little scared. Let's just fly over there."

Zhao Shanhe frowned and replied seriously, "Little Fourteen, the journey to the West requires steady steps. You can fly across, but I, your master, can't! Besides, this Black Water River is not a simple place. It's getting late, so let's rest for the night and make plans tomorrow. Wukong, go find a safe place to set up camp, even if it's a little far away."

So, after walking along the river for dozens of miles, they found a mountain and a cave to live in. When the moon climbed above the willows, Zhao Shanhe quietly came to the Black Water River and called out to the calm water, "Fellow Daoist Xuanming, please come out and talk."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Black Water River began to roll, and then a monster with a human face, a bird body, two green snakes hanging from its ears, and bone spurs all over its body stepped out of the water. This monster was Xuanming, one of the Twelve Ancestral Witches.

Xuan Ming looked at Zhao Shanhe and asked, "Xuanzang, you are truly knowledgeable. You even knew I was here. What do you want from me?"

Zhao Shanhe smiled faintly, clasped his hands together and said, "Fellow Daoist Xuanming, I plan to cross the river tomorrow. I hope you will do me a favor for the sake of Taoist Zhunti and Queen Mother Hou Tu."

Xuan Ming's face was gloomy, and he responded coldly: "What if I don't give you this face?"

Zhao Shanhe's expression remained unchanged as he continued smiling, "Then I will have no choice but to stop at the Black Water River. The consequences of this will be shared by you and the Wu Clan of Northern Julu Continent."

A cold light flashed in Xuanming's eyes, and he sneered, "Xuanzang, you are so bold! How dare you threaten me? Aren't you afraid that I will kill you?"

Zhao Shanhe retorted with disdain, "Xuan Ming, I don't think you dare."

Xuan Ming burst into laughter. After a long pause, he looked at Zhao Shanhe and said, "Xuanzang, no wonder you've earned Hou Tu's favor. You're quite courageous. I certainly don't dare to touch you, but don't even think about crossing this river. As for cause and effect, I don't care. This world originally belongs to the Father God, and the Wu Clan won't be destroyed so easily."

Zhao Shanhe nodded, a hint of agreement on his face. He slowly said, "Fellow Daoist Xuanming, while your words are not flawed, what can we do about them? If it weren't for the Queen Mother Hou Tu who sacrificed herself to become a Daoist, opening up the Six Paths of Reincarnation and using her immeasurable merit to offset the sins of the Wu Clan, I'm afraid the Wu Clan would have been extinct by now. The one who truly benefited this world was Father God Pangu, not the Wu Clan. After the great god Pangu's death, you failed to recognize your own status and situation. The Wu Clan's calamity was truly destined. Now, are you still determined to defy fate?"

Xuan Ming's anger intensified after hearing Xuan Zang's words. He gritted his teeth and responded, "Xuanzang, stop your nonsense! Old Hongjun has stolen the Father's achievements and even attempted to exterminate us all. Isn't that against the will of Heaven?"

Xuanzang shook his head slightly, his expression calm as water, and replied slowly and unhurriedly: "Fellow Daoist Xuanming, who made the Twelve Ancestral Witches inferior to Ancestor Hongjun? This world is originally a world where the strong prey on the weak, the strong are respected, and the weak can only obey the strong. This is an eternal truth."

After hearing this, Xuan Ming raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a mocking smile, "Xuanzang, you are right, the weak obey the strong, I did not stop you from crossing the river!"

Zhao Shanhe smiled bitterly and sighed helplessly, "Fellow Daoist Xuanming, your words are truly unreasonable. That Black Water River is filled with Xuanming True Water. Even the tough-skinned Zhu Bajie would find it difficult to endure. I advise you to stay out of other people's business and return to Northern Julu Continent to bide your time and avoid unnecessary trouble."

Xuanming laughed loudly, his eyes gleaming with pride. He said, "Xuanzang, no matter how eloquent your arguments are, I will not take back the Xuanming True Water. As long as you can stop the westward convoy for one day, I will gain merit."

Zhao Shanhe frowned slightly and gave a serious warning, "Fellow Daoist Xuanming, while meritorious, this can be a risky undertaking. I hope you will consider this carefully. The Wu Clan's luck is running low, and we simply cannot withstand any more setbacks or turmoil."

Xuan Ming replied, "Xuanzang, there is no point in saying more. I will let you witness the power of Xuan Ming True Water to prevent you from acting rashly."

After Zhao Shanhe returned to the cave, it started to rain heavily. The rain, affected by the Xuanming True Water, turned into hailstones the size of millstones, killing many creatures.