Chapter 480: Tell Lao Yi, I Want to Eat Fish

Meng Qi, transformed into Sun Wukong, extended his monkey paw to grip Su Lin, who was in an excited state, and said, "Someone's here!"

Su Lin paused, stepped out of the mountain gate, then walked back in, and retreated two steps afterward.

To outsiders, it appeared as a dilapidated, long-abandoned shrine overgrown with weeds, but stepping through the gate revealed a scene straight out of a mortal paradise.

What's going on? Inner and outer realms? Are there still masters in this Journey to the West world at this level?

Su Lin was slightly surprised but still straightened his cassock, bowed with a smile to the two dazed Taoist acolytes, and said, "Amitabha, this monk is Tang Sanzang, come from the Eastern Land of Great Tang. Just now, my impetuous senior disciple Meng Qi acted rudely."

Meng Qi turned his head toward his side; he had just been mentally criticizing the monk for embarrassing himself, only to find the blame pushed onto him.

Sensing the gaze of the two Taoist acolytes, he gripped his Ruyi Jingu Bang tighter, then finally loosened his hold.

'Hmm, there are too many people outside. Give this bald monk some face.'

For some reason, after this thought arose, Meng Qi's mind gained additional mastery over his divine abilities, and he now understood more than half of the Seventy-Two Transformations.

"I am Qingfeng," said the Taoist acolyte on the left, bowing.

"I am Mingyue," said the one on the right, his expression odd, quickly following with a bow.

"Is Master Zhenyuan within the shrine?" Su Lin asked, his gaze sweeping across the fairyland-like Wuzhuang Shrine.

Not just him—Shi Hao felt the same.

But something here seemed to impose a restriction, or perhaps possessed divine properties, limiting their soul perception to only the space immediately around them.

Zhenyuan, the Ancestor of Earth Immortals.

Don't be fooled by the words "Earth Immortal" in his name—he was friends with the Three Pure Ones and the Four Emperors, belonging to the highest generation.

And the Ginseng Fruit was a primordial spiritual root that existed since the primordial chaos divided, the primordial haze first split, before heaven and earth were formed.

Thus, it was not surprising that such methods existed within the shrine.

"Your…," the reincarnated disciple playing Qingfeng began to reply, his lips trembling, then said, "My master, Yuanshi Tianzun, sent a summons, calling him to the Upper Pure Heaven's Miluo Palace to hear the 'Hunyuan Dao Guo' lecture—he is not at home."

Mingyue turned his head toward Qingfeng, blinked, then looked back at Su Lin and the others, saying, "Since you are masters from Great Tang, please come inside and rest."

"Went to hear Yuanshi Tianzun lecture on the Hunyuan Dao Guo?" Su Lin doubted his ears and asked again: "That Yuanshi Tianzun from Yu Xu?"

"Yes," Qingfeng replied.

"Yuanshi Tianzun… Hunyuan Dao Guo." Meng Qi noticed everyone looking at him, scratched his head, and said, "When the Immortal returns, perhaps he can teach me."

It came out of nowhere.

But in this world, the Three Pure Ones left nothing behind; if Zhenyuan had any knowledge of the Hunyuan Dao Guo, it might be worth asking.

The problem was, how to explain it…

"What a pity," Su Lin said, eyes filled with regret.

"I am the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, the second disciple of the Western Holy Elder, Buddha. Five hundred years ago, I met Master Zhenyuan at the Lanpen Assembly."

"I thought today I could renew our old friendship, alas… I won't disturb you further."

"You monkey, fix their gate properly, then let's go."

Su Lin slapped the monkey's head and turned to leave, as Meng Qi bared his teeth in a threatening grimace.

Qingfeng and Mingyue stared blankly, then spoke in unison: "Master, please wait!"

They each stepped back to clear a path; the two wooden doors, kicked open by someone's foot, detached from the main hall's entrance, flew back through the air with fragments of splintered wood, and restored themselves perfectly.

"You two…" Su Lin's face lit up, one hand slipping into his cassock to retrieve something from his system inventory.

"My master instructed us to treat guests from Great Tang with hospitality," Qingfeng bowed, saying, "We did not know you were a master from the Eastern Land of Great Tang—forgive our ignorance!"

Mingyue gestured inward, saying, "Please come inside and rest. In this remote wilderness, we have only plain tea and simple fruits as offerings—please do not disdain them."

Su Lin's eyes flickered with regret; he withdrew his hand from his cassock and returned the bow.

"How could we refuse such kindness?"

Qingfeng and Mingyue led the way, and Su Lin and the others followed into the hall, where they saw vermilion-lacquered incense altars and a golden censer and vase.

As they knew, the Wuzhuang Shrine worshipped "Heaven" and "Earth," not any divine statues.

Qingfeng and Mingyue stared at Su Lin, and Su Lin stared back.

"Master Tang, please light incense and pay respects to Heaven, Earth, and all things," Mingyue reminded.

Still got to go through the motions?

Su Lin glanced curiously at the whole incense sticks on the altar.

Damn, they're really filming Journey to the West.

It seemed Master Zhenyuan was a man of ritual—even the temporary actors playing roles here had to follow professional script protocols to pass.

"Come on, disciples, let's all light incense together."

Su Lin handed out incense sticks to everyone—three sticks per person—and all seven bowed three times together.

Crack

A sound like something shattering echoed.

Su Lin and the others looked up but saw no anomaly.

"Master Tang, please follow me to the rear hall to rest and enjoy some incense tea and simple fruits," Mingyue turned and walked to the right.

Su Lin raised an eyebrow and hurried after him.

Speaking of the Wuzhuang Shrine's simple fruits—weren't those the Ginseng Fruits? Maybe I can take some back and cultivate them.

But besides extending lifespan, do they have any other effects?

With these doubts, the group followed Mingyue away, while Qingfeng turned toward a courtyard midway.

Crack—!

After everyone left, the five-colored characters "Heaven" and "Earth" on the altar seemed to soak in moisture, blurring, then began swelling.

Boom! —like a balloon bursting.

A liquid resembling blood splattered across every corner of the hall.

"No, why hasn't my ginseng fruit been served?" Su Lin stared at the teacup resting on a green silk pad, the tea long since gone cold.

"I'll forgive the Four Saints testing my Zen resolve, and even the Outer Gods and Demon Lords testing me—but why no ginseng fruit here?"

Night fell. He had waited from noon till evening, receiving only genuine vegetarian fruits and ordinary tea.

Frankly, even the food he ate during his Qi Condensation stage was better than this.

Shi Hao was brushing sauce onto a Cha demon inside the room, its body resting over a Dao flame—freshly picked from the Mount Fuling range.

This Cha demon had barely reached the realm of Demon Immortal in this world, paired with scallions.

"I'm getting tired of this too. I thought your info was right—that there'd be two ginseng fruits to eat."

Shi Hao sniffed the rich scent of scallion, smacked his lips, and felt his mouth had grown dull.

"You actually think you're going to eat ginseng fruit? That's for the real Tang Seng." Meng Qi smiled. "I wonder—if the ginseng fruit here was born from the flat peaches soaked in the Jade Pool's golden water."

Clatter!

"Forgive me, Holy Monk!"

Yin Jiao set down the teapot and frantically wiped the tea table before Su Lin, spilling hot tea everywhere.

Jin Jiao stared blankly at Meng Qi, his face filled with terror: 'Is this a secret our own brothers should know?'

"You've stayed too long in the mortal world, clinging to the Dao without stillness. If your heart is restless, how can you be natural?" Meng Qi's tone carried mild reprimand, making Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao feel ashamed. He waved his hand.

"Go to your cave dwellings and fetch something to apologize to the Dharma Master."

"Yes." Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao vanished in a gust of wind, heading for the demon king's cave in Baoxiang Kingdom—fast enough for them to return swiftly.

But before Su Lin could mock Meng Qi for scheming to steal from his own attendants, Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao returned to the inner chamber.

"Master, we're leaving this Wuzhuang Temple—"

"Who are you calling 'we'?" Meng Qi suddenly stood, pointing to the seat beside Shi Hao. "Go help your Second Elder roast the meat."

Shi Hao paused his motion, glanced around, his eyes brightening, a smile spreading as he handed the brush to Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao.

"Master, these two new disciples of mine are utterly uncouth," Meng Qi scratched his head, chuckled, and bowed. "Forgive them, forgive them—I'll send them back home once we leave Wuzhuang Temple."

"Forget it, forget it." Su Lin waved his hand, turning to Li Huowang, who had leaned over to watch Lu Mingfei's game. "Wujing, I want fish."

"Huh?" Li Huowang looked up, bewildered.

Su Lin beckoned Li Huowang over. When the man approached, he pulled him close and repeated: "Create a clone. Go to Liushahe and tell Pizi Long—no, tell Lao Yi I want fish."

"Oh." Li Huowang nodded.

He used Primordial Qi to manifest a true copy of himself, activated a Cross-World Rune to open a portal, and stepped through—the portal remained open.

After a while, the latticed door opened.

Qing Feng, robed in ethereal feathers, entered carrying a square wooden tray covered with a red cloth.

"Master Tang, I just remembered my master's instruction—I've brought two ginseng fruits as a refreshment for you." Qing Feng placed the tray on Su Lin's table.

"Please taste it. Our Wuzhuang Temple has nothing else—this is a rare treasure."

Su Lin gazed at the boy, his topknot tied neatly, his facial bones refined and radiant, his expression calm, his posture respectful, lips slightly curved in a kind smile.

Yet, just as he set down the tray, a Reincarnator's wristwatch flashed briefly on his right wrist before vanishing.

Now, looking again, both arms beneath Qing Feng's feathered sleeves were perfectly bare—nothing there.

"Amitabha, how virtuous," Su Lin smiled as he lifted the red cloth—then froze, his hand halting mid-motion.

Five pink fingers clutched his own index finger, pressed together, wrapped in thin skin, faint blue veins visible beneath.

"Ah ah."

Limbs moved, mouth cried out—a child drenched in blood, horrifyingly alive.

But… it was truly a fruit.

A strange fragrance quickly filled the entire room—clear, pure, brimming with overwhelming primordial energy.

"Holy Monk, don't fear. This is called the Ginseng Fruit, also known as the Cao Huan Dan," Ming Yue explained. "It blooms once every three thousand years, fruits once every three thousand years—more precious than the heavenly flat peaches!"

Qing Feng added: "Don't delay too long, or its spiritual essence will fade."

"Just leave it here."

Su Lin smiled, feeling the fruit's softness, lifted it, and hugged it to his chest, gently shaking his body. "Good boy."

"Please don't waste my master's kindness," Qing Feng warned, then led Ming Yue away.

They paid no mind to whether the Tang Monk's behavior was strange.

But as they left, faint whispers could be heard: this monk was compassionate, but blind—he didn't recognize a treasure when he saw one.

"Too bad Liu Li Ge's little green bottle isn't here—I could've fed it something." Su Lin set down the ginseng fruit, glanced at Meng Qi, then carried the tray toward the inner room.

"I'm tired today. Resting. You unruly disciples—don't commit the sin of cannibalism."

Thud!

The inner door shut, leaving only the six of them—and Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao still roasting meat—in the back hall.

Thud!

The door burst open again. Su Lin stormed out, snatched the roasted meat from Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao's hands, and turned back inside.

Thud!

"This good-faced, black-hearted bald monk," Shi Hao muttered instinctively—then found Huangfu Tiangang Thirty-Six Transformations suddenly etched into his mind, his Nine-Toothed Rake feeling lighter.

Since leaving Gaolao Village this morning, he had learned the Yin-Stealing Yang-Nourishing "Battle Art"—now he had Huangfu Tiangang Thirty-Six Transformations too. It helped him forget the monk and the Cha inside the room.

"Monkey Brother, you once caused chaos in Heaven, stole peaches and pills…" Shi Hao stepped toward Meng Qi. "That monk doesn't know value—go steal a few."

"Fool, follow me." Meng Qi ignored Shi Hao's clenched fists and knuckle-cracking, gestured with his hand.

They concealed their aura, passed through walls, and soon arrived at a garden, trailing Qing Feng and Ming Yue.

Though following the same path, the garden's scene had changed.

All herbs withered, demonic energy thick and oppressive—a strange stench assaulted the nose.

Meng Qi smiled, gazing at the central tree—lush with green leaves, hanging with umbilical cords and undeveloped embryos—and said, "Indeed."

Qingfeng and Mingyue halted, turning to look toward Meng Qi and Shi Hao, but Meng Qi felt no panic; instead, he stepped forward and instantly appeared beneath the ginseng fruit tree, drawing the Ruyi Jingu Bang and striking the tree with a loud ping-pang!

The tree fell, leaves drifted down, and demonic aura and blood qi scattered.

Yet Qingfeng and Mingyue still watched, their lips curled in strange smiles, while within the once-pure Wuzhuang Temple, numerous sounds arose.

"Go!"

Another step forward, Meng Qi brought Shi Hao back to the rear hall and shouted straight into the inner chamber: "Master, there are demons here!"

Boom!

Su Lin wiped oil from his lips, his eyes filled with panic: "Where are any demons!?"

DONG DONG sounds came from outside the door, as if many people were locking and sealing the multiple layers of doors to prevent their escape.

"While my divine art still holds, Master, hurry and go!" Li Huowang declared with exaggerated flair.

Meng Qi scanned the surroundings and immediately used his Sleeve of Heaven and Earth to swallow everyone inside, then stepped forward and vanished from the spot.

He left behind these words: "I won't play along anymore, Zhenyuanzi."

The instant he vanished, a hand reached out and grasped nothing.

A celestial, wearing a purple-gold crown and a crane-feather cloak, his eyes blood-red, exclaimed in shock: "How could the Sun Wukong of this world possess the Sleeve of Heaven and Earth?!"

His voice sounded layered, like many voices overlapping, echoing with reverberations.

"So what if it's different from my world? You've tasted the ginseng fruit—you've helped me recover, my sworn brother!"

Then he turned to the remaining portal and snorted coldly: "Let's see what tricks you're playing!"

Zhenyuanzi shot forward in dark light, flying after them.

DONG!!!

Pili-pala

The porcelain bowl of sour cabbage fish soup shattered across the floor.

Dizzy and disoriented, Zhenyuanzi lifted his head and saw a short-haired man in a white lab coat and strange attire.

He opened his mouth, looking at Zhenyuanzi: "I spent hours boiling this fish soup…"

(End of Chapter)