Chapter 588

Oh?

Tang Luo appeared beside the two of them, carefully examining Sun Wukong's head.

The headband on it was as thick as chopsticks, golden in color, and looked somewhat like the one Sun Wukong wore in "A Chinese Odyssey."

In the middle were two circles.

Zhu Bajie also came downstairs, ran over, and took a look: "It's different from Senior Brother's."

In another Sun Wukong's headband, the middle was a crescent moon, but there was no "Buddha" hat on top.

Ao Yulie opened one eye, glanced, and then continued cultivating.

"Let me try." Tang Luo extended two fingers and pinched the headband.

Sun Wukong said nothing, allowing Tang Luo to proceed.

As Tang Luo exerted force with both hands, the entire Cursed House trembled, emitting sounds of being unable to bear the strain.

An overwhelmingly heavy pressure surged forth, covering heaven and earth.

Sun Wukong's eyes instantly turned blood-red, not from anger, but from pain.

"No."

Tang Luo released his grip, and it could be seen that there were two finger-sized depressions on the headband, very shallow; "If forced open, it could lift a piece of the monkey's skullcap, and then we could have a meal of monkey brains."

Sun Wukong's expression turned ferocious as he shook his head.

Just now, after trying, he was in so much pain he wanted to die.

"Master, why not try the old method?" Zhu Bajie suggested.

The so-called old method naturally relied on the power of merit to illuminate and save people—first lift it, then save them.

"Also no, the headband is connected to the soul; unless the soul flies away and the spirit scatters, leaving nothing behind, it cannot be removed." Tang Luo shook his head.

Soul flying away and spirit scattering, leaving nothing behind—this is a situation even the Merit Jade Lotus cannot save.

The implication is that only death together or life together is possible.

Of course, this only applies to Tang Luo and his group, as none of them are skilled in similar spell-breaking techniques.

Whoever could put this headband on Sun Wukong must also have the ability to take it off.

Tathagata, the Buddha of this world, the one who must untie the bell must also be the one who tied it.

As for Guanyin Bodhisattva, he is merely an intermediary.

"Wearing this thing, I can't even walk." Sun Wukong sat down, leaning against the wall, his originally small frame appearing even more hunched.

The headband doesn't only work when Tang Sanzang chants the spell, but it also activates when he deviates too far from the pilgrimage route.

Like a collar around the neck, with a rope attached, and behind the rope, those gods and spirits firmly hold it.

"I'll find a chance later to help you take it off." Tang Luo said.

After the Death Register's duplicate volume collected two batches of fierce ghosts, no more ghostly creatures came out to "seek death."

The vast majority of these ghostly beings have no intelligence whatsoever, muddled and confused.

But among them, there should also be a small portion that possibly has some spiritual awareness, knowing where they can move and where they should not go.

The next day, when the sun was high, Tang Luo and his group finally packed up the Cursed House and leisurely set off on their journey.

Although the Flat Top Mountain Range sees few human footsteps, it unexpectedly has some quite obvious mountain paths.

These mountain paths have nothing to do with people……but are related to the spirits in the mountain range.

The so-called spirits, also called monsters, refer to those mountain and wild sprites that have truly awakened their intelligence and can transform their forms.

Being able to open up roads proves these monsters have somewhat developed a climate, no longer merely following beastly instincts.

They began to build their own domain.

In the Mountain-Sea Realm, kingdoms entirely composed of monsters are not uncommon.

To occupy the mountain as king and dominate a region—there are far too many to count.

Sun Wukong's Flower-Fruit Mountain is a typical example; inside, there are not only monkeys, but all kinds of monsters gathered, indeed forming a "Kingdom of Flower-Fruit Mountain."

Those who became sworn brothers with Sun Wukong back then and were called the "Seven Great Monster Sages" were all genuine monster kings.

Walking along the mountain path is actually a very dangerous act, because this is the monsters' road.

It's very easy to attract the attention of monsters.

But Tang Luo and his group……

Sun Wukong walked in front, wearing a ferocious expression, wishing he could jump out and fight some monster right then and there to vent his anger.

Soon, Sun Wukong's wish came true.

In the dense thicket beside the road, a slight movement was heard, and black poisonous liquid transformed into a dart, shooting toward Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong sharply turned his head and spat.

A mouthful of saliva struck the poisonous liquid, the two collided in midair, and turned into a wisp of curling black smoke.

Without a word, Sun Wukong charged forward, only to see trees falling on that side, revealing a black snake tail sweeping past.

A snake demon with no eyes was caught by him.

But this was only just the beginning.

Around them, rustling sounds arose, as one after another large snake emerged from underground, from the dense treetops, from the thickets, and surged toward Tang Luo and his group.

Part of them opened their mouths, and foul-smelling poisonous mist sprayed from their mouths.

It completely enveloped this area, almost forming a darkness where one cannot see five fingers ahead.

Interestingly, the surrounding plants were completely unaffected by these poisonous mists, showing no signs of wilting.

The white dragon horse neighed in the poisonous mist, and Zhu Wuneng raised his nine-toothed rake and began smashing wildly.

Sparks flew in all directions, and the surrounding large snakes were unable to advance.

After a long while, the poisonous mist gradually dissipated.

Zhu Wuneng leaned on his nine-toothed rake, looking imposing and awe-inspiring, while Zhu Bajie stood beside Ao Yulie in the guise of Sha Wujing.

Ao Yulie snorted loudly.

A large number of giant snake corpses lay all around — some with heads smashed in, some cut into eighteen pieces, others reduced to charred coal and dry bones.

Judging from this scene, there was no doubt that Tang Luo and the others had won a complete victory.

These giant snakes hadn't even managed to graze the hem of their clothes.

But Tang Luo, who had originally been sitting on the horse, was nowhere to be seen!

Only Xiaotian Quan lay lazily on the saddle.

Sun Wukong returned reeking of blood after tearing several ignorant snake yaos to shreds; looking at the "emptiness" on the horse, he couldn't help but ask, "What happened?"

Zhu Wuneng glanced at Zhu Bajie; seeing he couldn't be bothered to speak, he cleared his throat: "Big trouble, Eldest Senior Brother! Master has been captured by a yaoguai!"

His voice was loud and clear, startling a large flock of birds into flight all around.

"What?"

Sun Wukong felt his brain wasn't quite up to the task.

It was normal for Master to be captured by a yaoguai — that Tang Sanzang encountered danger and couldn't even manage basic escape, only knew how to scream "Wukong save me."

After he rescued him, he would righteously lecture: "Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life; if you keep slaughtering indiscriminately, don't blame Master for reciting the Tight-Fillet Spell to teach you the principle of compassion."

But the current Tang Sanzang is Tang Xuan Zang!

The reason he charged out killing without regard for himself was because the opponent fundamentally didn't need his protection at all.

"Let's hurry and save Master!" Zhu Wuneng's tone was anxious, yet his feet seemed nailed to the ground, not moving an inch.

Sun Wukong looked at Zhu Bajie.

"Eldest Senior Brother, I've been poisoned, I need treatment." Zhu Bajie lay down limply on the ground.

"Then, we treat him first?" Sun Wukong hesitated for a moment.

Xiaotian Quan let out a howl, expressing agreement.

Sun Wukong scratched his sparse head hair, not quite clear what that monk was up to, but certain some yaoguai was going to be unlucky.

Tang Luo was coiled by a giant snake, moving at high speed.

The scenery rushed backward; the speed was about seventy kilometers per hour.

Before long, a few more giant snakes appeared beside this one; among them, one was exceptionally massive, as thick as a water vat, and as it slithered, it directly crushed trees flat.

"How come he's not bald?"

That giant snake shook and transformed into a withered black-clothed man, staring at Tang Luo and speaking strangely.

"This poor monk is the scripture-fetcher... you yaoguai, what do you want to do!"

Tang Luo spoke, his expression of false bravado perfectly executed.

"Heard that eating a piece of the scripture-fetcher's flesh grants immortality." The Black Snake Yao chuckled, flicking out a scarlet snake tongue.

"Y-you, y-you, I..." Tang Luo's teeth chattered, unable to form words.

"Don't be afraid."

The Black Snake Yao said with a smile, "My Great King said at the very least you must be washed clean, marinated for flavor, and then we'll hold a 'Tang Monk Flesh Banquet,' inviting the surrounding Yao Kings and the Old Madam."

"So from now on you'll be fattened up nice and plump; enjoy it well, Tang Monk."

As he spoke, he opened his mouth and spat out a wisp of invisible qi, faintly fishy-sweet.

This wasn't a deadly poison mist, merely a simple means to knock the prey unconscious, avoiding any complications.

Even the Black Snake Yao himself hadn't expected to capture Tang Monk so smoothly.

After all, the yaos serving as disciples beside Tang Monk, protecting him, included the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

The legendary Yao of the Yao race.

A super big yaoguai like that — one breath from him and I'd be dead.

Now it seems, what Great Sage Equal to Heaven — undeserving of the name, exaggerated reputation; he's fierce enough, but that's all.

No brains, and strength far from as terrifying as blown up to be.

Looking at that bedraggled appearance, he's more like a cur that only knows how to bare its teeth.

"No wonder some yaos say the Great Sage Equal to Heaven died long ago, and all that's left is a dog called 'Sun Wukong'."

The Black Snake Yao sneered inwardly, looking at the "unconscious" Tang Luo, his heart heating up again.

He was merely the first wave of attack arranged by the Great King — that's the nicer way to put it; bluntly, just a batch of cannon fodder.

Even he himself had never imagined he'd get so lucky as to directly capture the scripture-fetcher alive.

With such merit, he should have a seat at the "Tang Monk Flesh Banquet" too.

As long as he could get a small piece of flesh...

At the thought, the Black Snake Yao's saliva dripped down; he hurriedly wiped it away and moved away from Tang Luo.

If he kept thinking, he might not resist taking a bite first.

That won't do.

A real bite grants longevity, not immortality; who knows how you'd die then.

Carrying Tang Luo through the Flat Top Mountain range, after a long while the Black Snake Yao and his snake troop arrived before a grand city.

The entire city sat upon the mountain body.

Standing at the bottom looking up, one could see an incomparably magnificent palace at the peak.

The palace was named "Lotus Flower Palace," the residence of the Yao Kings of the Flat Top Mountain region, the Golden Horn Great King and Silver Horn Great King, two brothers.

Within this city, all manner of yaos and Yao generals gathered.

A veritable bustling miniature Yao nation.

The Black Snake Yao entered the city, full of vigor: "Quickly report to the Great King, I've caught Tang Monk!"

The surroundings fell quiet for a moment, then instantly erupted into an uproar.

Spreading out like a tide, no one knew when it had started, but Tang Sanzang's flesh had become the dream of the myriad demons.