Chapter 30: Killing to Protect Life, Cutting Karma, Not Cutting People

Journey to the West: Starting by Joining the Chat Group, Main Text Volume, Chapter 30, Killing to Protect Life, Cutting Karma, Not Cutting People: "Buddha says, saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda!"

The red-robed demon monk knelt on the ground, begging incessantly to be spared.

Refining a Ten Thousand Soul Banner is intolerable to heaven and earth, but as the saying goes, Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life.

Yang Chan hesitated for a moment, then said with a cold expression: "Spare you? You'll have to ask those innocent commoners who died. I will not kill you, but I will hand you over to the Heavenly Court to be dealt with."

Upon hearing that he was to be taken to the Heavenly Court, the red-robed demon monk's face changed drastically; going to heaven was the same as meeting his end.

In the eyes of the Heavenly Court, killing a cultivator like him was like crushing an ant.

Suddenly, the red-robed demon monk, who had appeared weak, pulled out some Lime Powder from nowhere, threw it violently, and attempted to flee on the spot.

Unfortunately, Yang Chan was not the type of combat novice who only had magic power; the Lotus Lantern released a protective halo, scattering the Lime Powder.

A beam of Immortal light flew out and submerged into the demon monk's body.

The red-robed demon monk let out a miserable shriek, collapsed to the ground, and his aura rapidly weakened.

In just one exchange, Yang Chan had crippled the red-robed demon monk's magic power.

"Lotus Lantern, Three Holy Mothers of Mount Hua." The red-robed demon monk wore an expression of disbelief.

"That's right, it is I," Yang Chan said.

"You demon monk harbor evil intentions, refuse to repent, and even launched a sneak attack."

Yang Chan held the Lotus Lantern in one hand, her immortal ribbons dancing; she looked bright, holy, and stunningly elegant.

The red-robed demon monk knew this was his fate and he could not escape; one who often walks by the river will eventually get their shoes wet. He said weakly: "If I go to the Heavenly Court, how could a lowly ant like me enter the eyes of the Immortals? Wouldn't that mean certain death?"

"It would be better to fight with all my might; perhaps I can escape."

"When you used the souls of those innocent commoners to refine the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, did you never think that one day you would suffer divine retribution?" Yang Chan said coldly. This demon monk still did not know how to repent even at death's door.

"I thought about it, so what? Mortals are no better than pigs or dogs; being able to become nourishment for the Ten Thousand Soul Banner is their honor," the red-robed demon monk said viciously.

Hearing this, Yang Chan was furious, and the members of the Chat Group were also burning with rage.

Chat Group.

Little Fairy of Peach Blossom Island: "Abominable, this demon monk is truly devoid of conscience."

First Extraordinary Woman of the Yin-Yang School: "Indeed, it is a pity I am not there, otherwise I would definitely make him wish he were dead."

Demon Queen: "Sigh, too evil! Although I, the Queen, am not a good person, I cannot bring myself to slaughter the innocent indiscriminately. Besides, here with me, everyone is treated equally."

As Morgana said this, she was indeed not a great person or a great philanthropist, and she didn't even have much in the way of principles or bottom lines.

But compared to a pure evil cultivator like the red-robed demon monk, she was still a little bit kinder.

Spring and Autumn Sword Deity: "Abominable, this old man truly wants to perform Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate and cut off this demon monk's dog head with one sword."

Yunlan Sect Master: "Same here!"

Playboy: "This person is rotten to the core, sigh! As expected, no matter which world it is, such people always exist."

Tony complained; in their America, there was no shortage of people like the red-robed demon monk, and some were even more perverted and had even fewer bottom lines.

Demon King Who Never Suffers Defeat: "Destroy him!"

Ye Fan Zhen Bu Hei: "Xuanzang Sheng Seng, you should just send this demon monk to his afterlife."

Journey to the West Scripture Seeker: "That is exactly my intention."

Yang Chan was so angry that her desire to kill surged, but Xuanzang walked to the front and said: "Leave it to me."

Afterwards, Xuanzang looked at the red-robed demon monk and said:

"Any last words?"

Seeing this, the red-robed demon monk transmitted his voice: "Fellow Daoist, we are both monastics; if not for the monk's face, then for the Buddha's face, spare my life."

Xuanzang shook his head and sighed: "Buddha says saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda, but forgiving you is the Buddha's business, while I am responsible for sending you to the Western Heaven to see the Buddha."

"Of course, it is possible you won't reach the Western Heaven, because judging by your sins, it is highly likely you will have to go to the Underworld."

After speaking, Xuanzang unleashed his divine ability "Basic Attack," and with one punch, the terrifying fist wind turned into a wave of air that annihilated the red-robed demon monk into dust.

He couldn't even let out a scream; it was all over in an instant.

"Xuanzang, why did you strike? You are a monastic, how can you kill? You should have let me do it!" Yang Chan said.

This was originally her affair, and Xuanzang was completely dragged into it.

She did not wish for Xuanzang's hands to be stained with blood; although they had not known each other long, the image of Xuanzang in her heart was still very upright and awe-inspiring.

Xuanzang replied calmly:

"Killing to protect life, cutting karma, not cutting people!"

"If I do not enter the Underworld, who will?"

Hearing this, Yang Chan was filled with reverence; this was truly a Great Master, a Holy Monk.

Subsequently, Xuanzang and Yang Chan together saved the innocent commoners who were not yet completely dead; because they had been drained of too much essence by the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, most looked withered, and even their lifespans had been greatly reduced.

The kind-hearted Yang Chan used the benevolent magic power of the Lotus Lantern to restore the essence of the many commoners; many of them recovered quite well, and one by one they were filled with gratitude toward her.

After these commoners recovered, they left one after another.

As for those who could not be saved, Xuanzang and Yang Chan dug a grave mound and buried them together.

In the wilderness, a nameless valley.

Xuanzang and Yang Chan stood side by side.

Xuanzang took out the Ten Thousand Soul Banner; this was the magic treasure refined by the red-robed demon monk.

He had originally intended to destroy it directly, but there were many wronged souls inside; if it were destroyed, those wronged souls would also have their souls scattered.

But he could not let these wronged souls continue to suffer inside, so Xuanzang began to chant the Scripture for Saving People that the Old Monk had once taught him, to perform rites for these departed souls.

Unexpectedly, this Scripture for Saving People was exceptionally effective; as he chanted, Buddha Light shone everywhere, and lotuses bloomed across the ground.

The power of the Buddhist Dharma for saving souls guided the spirits out of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, causing them to forget their past lives and head straight for the Underworld.

The Ten Thousand Soul Banner now held in his hand had not a shred of baleful aura; it was ordinary, plain, and unadorned.

Under normal circumstances, Xuanzang would certainly look down upon this Ten Thousand Soul Banner, but a thought flashed through his mind: on the future Journey to the West, there would be many demons, monsters, and ghosts, and this Ten Thousand Soul Banner could be a useful magic treasure.

After all, the Ten Thousand Soul Banner does not just collect human souls; it can collect those of demons, immortals, and gods as well.

Looking at his current combat power, there would surely be many souls lost under his fists in the future, so the Ten Thousand Soul Banner would have a place to be put to use.

Putting away the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, Xuanzang said:

"Yang Chan, let's go, may the departed rest in peace!"

"Mm." Yang Chan nodded.

Not long after, Xiaobai and Xiaoqing arrived, and since it was already late, the group spent the night by a nearby river.

By rights, after destroying the demon monk, Yang Chan should naturally have returned to Mount Hua, but she seemed to have forgotten!

Xiaoqing and Xiaobai caught a few fish, and Xuanzang originally wanted to find a few pheasants to cook, but he could not find any.

Fortunately, Heaven does not disappoint those who try, and he found a rabbit of a suitable size.

Yang Chan sat on a rock, feeling a bit dazed; watching Xuanzang prepare to butcher the rabbit, she felt the atmosphere becoming one of Weirdness.

"The little rabbit is so cute, how can you eat it?"

Xiaoqing surprisingly said this, seemingly wanting to save the little rabbit.

"Then don't eat it when it's roasted later," Xuanzang said irritably.

"I won't eat it, I wouldn't eat it even if I starved to death," Xiaoqing vowed solemnly.

Xuanzang looked toward Yang Chan and asked, "Yang Chan, what do you think?"

Yang Chan smiled slightly and said, "I don't think there's anything wrong with it, it's just a bit strange, because I have a friend who also keeps rabbits."

"Oh, then I can rest easy."

A look of understanding appeared on Xuanzang's face, and before long, a golden-roasted rabbit appeared before everyone's eyes.