Chapter 170: with translation of chapter title

An icy bright moon hung high in the sky; in the boundless desert a campfire rose; the heroine beside the fire looked at the Sanskrit-engraved box in her hand, then turned to Zhou Shuo sitting nearby and lifted the box.

So, besides Supreme Treasure, who can I give the box to?

Don't ask me; I also don't know who to give it to, why not just throw it away! Zhou Shuo looked at the moon overhead, glared and shook his head, making the heroine glare back.

Where can I even throw it to? the Flying Swallow Maiden hugged her knees, complaining at the pitch-black night; she had never felt the night so lonely before.

Hey! Zhou Shuo pointed at the dark sand dune behind him.

Really throw it? the heroine looked at Zhou Shuo's solemn face, somewhat uncertain as she asked.

Go ahead and throw it! I really don't know how to handle this; it's all about fate, when fate comes…… how did you actually throw it? Zhou Shuo spoke earnestly nonsense, but seeing the heroine truly toss the box toward the sand dune behind her head, he couldn't help but widen his eyes.

Oh dear! accompanied by the Moonlight Treasure Box flying out, a startled cry came, as if someone had been struck.

Well thrown, fate has arrived. Zhou Shuo looked at the heroine, equally wide-eyed, hearing the sound from the box's direction, he uttered a "truly fragrant", then quickly sprang up and ran over.

Quick, go have a look. the Flying Swallow Maiden jumped up impatiently, pulled the heroine along to follow Zhou Shuo.

On the sand dune, Zhou Shuo, the Flying Swallow Maiden, and the heroine poked their heads out; seeing in the moonlight a lotus pedestal quietly opened in the desert, a white-clad great being stood on the pedestal, while beneath it a monk wearing a pilus hat held the Moonlight Treasure Box, and a furry claw gripped the box as well.

Wukong, this Moonlight Treasure Box flew from who knows where and struck my body; do you want it? If you do, just say so! The monk looked kindly at the monkey in golden armor; the monkey opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the monk cut him off.

It's impossible that you say you want it and I don't give it to you, while you say you don't want it and I insist on giving it to you—tell me, do you actually want it or not?

Guanyin, did you see that? the monkey in armor with a furry face turned pale, twisted his head to look at the white-clad great being standing on the lotus pedestal.

Well... the heroine and the Flying Swallow Maiden looked down at the monkey and the monk, as well as the white-clad great being on the lotus pedestal; they simultaneously wanted to speak, but before they could, a large hand covered their mouths.

Shh, don't make a sound, look over there. Zhou Shuo pressed the two girls who were about to speak, pointing to the other side of the sand dune; the two girls heard and looked, seeing a white-clad youth with a heart-protection mirror on his chest crouching there—indeed it was Supreme Treasure.

Tang Sanzang, I've long heard of your trembling, but I never imagined you'd tremble like this; the golden hoop I gave you to subdue this monkey—yet you…? Guanyin Bodhisattva looked at the stalemated master and disciple, her expression wooden.

Guanyin sister, if you don't say it, I'll forget; the golden hoop you gave me is heavy in front and light in back, wide on the left and narrow on the right, the size is completely wrong—being the wrong size, Wukong would find it uncomfortable wearing it, and if he's uncomfortable I'll be unlucky; anyway, speaking of last year… Tang Sanzang's words weren't finished when he felt the box in his hand violently yanked away.

Ah, I can't take it, old monk, I tell you, I've had enough of you; this time I'll definitely send you to the Ox Demon King to be eaten. Sun Wukong, his endurance at its limit, violently pulled the Moonlight Treasure Box and flung it flying, roaring; the flying box instantly caught Supreme Treasure's gaze.

Supreme Treasure watched the flying box with delight; it had flown a hundred meters away, he was about to chase after it to pick it up, when a figure ran toward him—indeed it was Tang Sanzang, still holding the box that should have flown away.

Bold, Sun Wukong, I hear you not only want to marry the Ox Demon King's sister, but also want to eat your master together with the Ox Demon King, and for this you've gathered a horde of demons—truly outrageous; today I can no longer spare you. Guanyin Bodhisattva looked at the shouting monkey, her brows involuntarily knitting.

Guanyin sister, you can't do this? Tang Sanzang, who can run a hundred meters there and back in a second, held a monk's staff in one hand and the box that should have flown away in the other; in Supreme Treasure's dazed gaze returning to the scene, he looked at the frowning Bodhisattva and hastily spoke.

Wukong really does want to eat me, but that's merely a conception, not yet put into practice, not an actualized idea—how can it be a crime? Sister, let's negotiate instead…

Ah! I've had enough, Guanyin, you see, he's like hundreds of flies buzzing around me every day… Sun Wukong's fur stood on end, he raised his staff to strike Tang Sanzang.

Outrageous. Guanyin looked at the monkey with bristling fur, gave a clear shout, flung her right hand open to grab Sun Wukong; the monkey, caught off guard, was seized with a grunt, her fair hand squeezing him till his head swelled and waist slimmed.

Guanyin, I, Old Sun, used to spare you because I thought you were a woman, but today I'll fight you to the end. Sun Wukong, though his head was swollen and waist slimmed from the pinch, suffered no injury, broke free of Guanyin's five fingers, then circled the lotus pedestal intending to raise his staff, but try as he might he couldn't strike upward.

Guanyin sister, please don't fight! Tang Sanzang, seeing his disciple and Guanyin Bodhisattva suddenly clash, panicked and threw away his monk's staff; Supreme Treasure seized the chance from the side, snatched the staff, preparing to strike Tang Sanzang from behind to knock him out and take the Moonlight Treasure Box, but a thunderbolt from the monkey-Guanyin fight in the sky struck him, smoking him out and collapsing him, the staff also nailed to the ground.

What on earth is happening? the Flying Swallow Maiden watched Guanyin and the monkey fighting, Tang Sanzang trying to mediate nearby, and Supreme Treasure single-mindedly trying to seize the Moonlight Treasure Box but constantly interrupted; she gaped, wondering: that Supreme Treasure is a heart-demon incarnation, what about this newly appeared monkey, and Tang Sanzang with Guanyin Bodhisattva—are any of them real?

There's definitely a real monkey among them; we just need to find him and we'll be right. I think the one at the back is genuine, since Supreme Treasure is a heart-demon and we've already encountered him—don't you agree? the heroine looked at the battle, turning to Zhou Shuo beside her.

There really is only one monkey, but who it is cannot be determined; sometimes the heart-demon is exactly the most fundamental thing in a person's heart. Zhou Shuo looked into the heroine's eyes and shook his head.

Then what should we do? That Sun Wukong is no good. the Flying Swallow Maiden whispered, the monkey's staff couldn't reach Guanyin, who bound it with a willow leaf and sealed it in her pure vase.

Monkey, today you cannot escape calamity. Guanyin held the pure vase and issued the final ultimatum.

Guanyin sister, please cast the net wide. Tang Sanzang, seeing Guanyin capture the monkey, urgently dropped to his knees.

Sanzang, this time I cannot help you; he has allied with demons and offended the Jade Emperor—if I don't kill him, I cannot answer to the Jade Emperor. Guanyin stood on the lotus pedestal, looking at the kneeling Tang Sanzang, she slightly shook her head.

Then I will pay with my life; Wukong is my disciple, a disciple's mistake is something I, as his teacher, cannot shirk responsibility for. Tang Sanzang's words caused the wooden-faced Guanyin to shift expression.

Tang Sanzang, why do you put yourself through this again?

Wukong is the predestined pilgrim of heaven's mandate; this poor monk cannot convert him, I wish to sacrifice myself for the Way, I beg the Bodhisattva to cast the net wide, to glorify the Buddha's compassion, to see if he can be transformed. Though Tang Sanzang's words were rambling, his attitude was utterly resolute; he tossed aside the Moonlight Treasure Box he had been holding, then raised his own monk's staff to act.

The Moonlight Treasure Box has been taken by Supreme Treasure—what now? the Flying Swallow Maiden looked at the situation, suddenly anxious; the box that Tang Sanzang had thrown away happened to fall squarely into Supreme Treasure's hands, and that fellow eagerly opened it.

Don't worry, he can't use it. Zhou Shuo watched Supreme Treasure eagerly opening the box, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Sure enough, the box opened by the Supreme Treasure somehow tilted a bit, and the mouth of the box facing Tang Sanzang who was about to commit suicide emitted a great light; the brilliance dazzled everyone's eyes, even Zhou Shuo, Feiyan Lady, and Yingxia Heroine couldn't help but close their eyes. When they opened their eyes again, the desert wind blew past, and Guanyin, Sun Wukong, and Tang Sanzang had vanished without a trace, leaving only the Supreme Treasure lying there.