Chapter 797

Boom!

The golden-winged roc crashed heavily to the ground, Sun Wukong half-crouched on its back, stepping on it, one hand grabbing its neck, the other hand grabbing one of its wings.

He locked it in place and tore hard to the side.

Accompanied by a shrill scream, the golden-winged roc's wing was torn off alive by Sun Wukong.

On the other side, Tang Sanzang's endless fury punches, which had not ceased since the beginning, finally gradually stopped.

The golden fists were stained with blood traces, blood dripping onto the ground.

The green lion and white elephant before him had vanished—only a cluster of blood mist remained to prove they had ever existed.

The wounded fists gradually relaxed, Tang Sanzang brought his hands together in front of his chest.

Without chanting a Buddhist name, he simply closed his eyes.

There, Sun Wukong struck down the golden-winged roc with a single blow, then looked over strangely.

The others were dealing with the carp essence; basically, they had already secured victory in the battle.

The power of the blood sacrifice grand formation, of which sixty percent was controlled by the Huangmei Monk, thirty percent formed the blood river used to trap the pilgrimage team, and the remaining ten percent was bestowed upon the white elephant and others.

The Huangmei Monk was simultaneously the "formation eye" maintaining the grand formation.

He was killed, the blood river did not disappear, but the blessings on the green lion, white elephant, and others were gone.

Nevertheless, their strength remained formidable.

They were still stronger than the Twenty-Eight Mansions, after all, the Twenty-Eight Mansions each harbored their own ulterior motives, merely thinking of completing the task and moving on.

But the green lion and white elephant were fighting desperately.

It's just that now, the pilgrimage team, compared to when they fought the Twenty-Eight Mansions, had seen a significant increase in strength.

Tang Luo had dealt with the Huangmei Monk, handling most of the blood sacrifice grand formation.

The remainder, the pilgrimage team could handle sufficiently.

It was just that Sun Wukong and Ao Yu had some objections to Tang Luo's words—what did he mean by saying these trash weren't worth his effort?

Why had they toiled hard, fought all the way, their strength greatly increased, yet now they could only deal with trash?

Upon careful thought, it really did seem that way.

The two suddenly felt the future road was long, yet they felt no discouragement; on the contrary, lofty ambitions and ardent aspirations arose.

In the future, when they became stronger, they would definitely try to test just how powerful the Great Heavenly Demon's strength truly was.

"Hey, big monk, have you been holding that pose too long?" Having completely defeated the enemy, Sun Wukong saw Tang Sanzang still with hands clasped, motionless before him, and couldn't help but walk over.

"Don't touch him." Tang Luo appeared, blocking Sun Wukong.

"What's wrong?" Sun Wukong blinked in confusion.

"He's at a critical moment." Tang Luo said.

As he spoke, Tang Sanzang's eyes suddenly snapped open, two beams of piercing light seizing the soul.

Even the thick clouds in the sky parted beneath his gaze.

"I want this heaven to no longer cover my eyes! I want this earth to no longer bury my heart! I want all the gods and buddhas of the heavens, all the demons and monsters of the world, to vanish like smoke and clouds!"

A magnificent voice echoed through the clouds, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, shaking hearts.

Great Aspiration!

As great as the vow of Ksitigarbha that he would not become a Buddha until hell is empty.

And moreover, to an extent countless times greater.

Just hearing these words, one could absolutely say they were not something a proper Buddhist disciple would openly declare; speaking of a great aspiration, one could also say it was a "demonic vow."

As Tang Sanzang spoke the Great Aspiration.

His originally tall stature instead began to shrink, becoming an ordinary build, ordinary physique.

The flesh on his face completely disappeared, a white monk's robe, his appearance handsome and refined.

In the center of his forehead, a golden circular mark faintly emitted light, like the sun.

"Amitabha." Tang Sanzang uttered a Buddhist name, "Having endured three thousand six hundred eighty-two lifetimes of tribulation, I have finally returned, thanks to the Devil Sovereign's aid."

He is not Tang Sanzang, but Jin Chanzi!

Originally punished for disrespecting the Great Teaching by being forced to reincarnate—a disciple of the Tathagata—Jin Chanzi.

The Tang Sanzang of the previous life, this life's "Zhishen," are merely one of Jin Chanzi's incarnations.

Now is the true return of Jin Chanzi.

"Just a coincidence." Tang Luo waved his hand, "Continue the journey to the Western Heaven for scriptures?"

"Naturally." Jin Chanzi smiled gently, yet behind him lurked a chilling killing intent.

His aspiration had reached the extreme.

Putting it well, moving aside the great mountain pressing on everyone's head, removing all bonds, so that everyone becomes like a dragon.

Putting it badly, it is to stir up a flood of slaughter, to kill immortals, buddhas, demons, and monsters alike.

All can be considered a kind of "world-destruction" in some sense.

The "cultivation world," too, has been defiled.

In the end, it's possible that even Tang Luo and his companions become objects of vanishing like smoke and clouds, even scattering themselves.

This is what a truly ruthless person is.

"Wait, could it be that Jin Chanzi scattered himself like this? I just happened to occupy the magpie's nest, and the Tathagata again 'thinks of the person upon seeing the object'?" Tang Luo thought, suddenly recalling the Jin Chanzi of the Mountain-Sea Realm, as well as his own situation.

Comparing them, it seems there might still be some reference value?

"Then it's good." Tang Luo said.

Jin Chanzi nodded, looked at Sun Wukong and smiled: "Wukong, I look forward to our next meeting."

"Stinky monk, you're annoying." Sun Wukong instinctively retorted, "Who wants to meet you again? Get lost, get lost far away."

After saying that, his expression changed and he fell into deep thought.

Ao Yu and Zhu Bajie exchanged glances; they were coming back.

Jin Chanzi and his group were unfamiliar, but Tang Sanzang and his group were well known, and Sun Wukong's attitude toward Tang Sanzang was clear to them.

It was very similar to Sun Wu's reaction just now.

On this side, Jin Chanzi began greeting again.

"Ah. Little White Dragon, Bajie, how are you? Oh dear, Little White Dragon, you seem to have gained some weight, Bajie, not bad, you've lost quite a bit, are you married yet? Sigh, Master hasn't warned you, women are all tigers, as a monastic, how could you possibly marry? And Little White Dragon, as a woman, why are you still like this, always fighting—"

"Don't hit, don't hit, we're all our own people!"

"Don't hit the face, don't hit the face! My handsome appearance! You're just jealous that Master is better-looking than you!"

"Why don't you fight back!"

Ao Yu beat him while speaking, Tang Sanzang is a super talkative, very annoying type.

Unexpectedly, Tang Sanzang merely inherited one of Jin Chanzi's traits.

The real Jin Chanzi is not only talkative, but also very narcissistic.

Moreover, he's a lazy lump, lying on the ground curling up and actually not resisting.

Heaven and earth as witness, Ao Yu's strike was absolutely not because Jin Chanzi said she was fat, but merely wanting to spar with the opponent.

The pilgrimage team sparring with each other, honing themselves, had already become second nature.

Now Jin Chanzi single-handedly rose to become the strongest of the pilgrimage team, Ao Yu's hands were itchy, he definitely wanted to fight the opponent, having nothing to do with being fat or not.

That's how it is!

"Ah, it hurts. Bajie, slow down, be gentle, Master is injured."

Zhu Bajie revealed his true form, Jin Chanzi lay on his back without any image.

After the farce, the group resumed their westward journey.

Sun Wu would occasionally zone out, his state not being good.

Over there, the White Bone Spirit's complexion was complicated, she had long awaited the return of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, was he really coming back soon?

Why did she feel little joy in her heart?

Was it because back then she let the Great Sage Equal to Heaven return, only to make a grave mistake, her inner demon formed, unable to pass this trial?

"... Master you're injured, go with the Devil Sovereign together. Say it and you might not believe it, the Devil Sovereign is very skilled at healing." Zhu Bajie said.

This has nothing to do with the Great Devil.

The title "Devil Sovereign" spread following the deaths of the Qingniu Spirit and the three others.

Because of the Tathagata's designated Buddha-enemy identity, "Devil Sovereign" is considered a counter to the Tathagata's "World-Honored One" title.

No one calls "Great Master" anymore.

This title was forcibly changed from "Great Devil" by the Great Devil himself, and it's very easy to offend the Great Thunder Sound Temple.

"No good, no good." Jin Chanzi shook his head repeatedly, "I'll just lie here, not go find the Devil Sovereign."

"I'm afraid." He added at the end.

"Afraid?"

"Of course I'm afraid, the Devil Sovereign is so strong, if I anger him and he slaps me to death with one palm, what then? Will my great vow still be fulfilled? He's not like those bald monks, maintaining surface manners while wanting people to be dogs, creating reincarnation and rebirth, the pilgrimage tribulations." Jin Chanzi said.

The words essentially answered why there is a pilgrimage.

On one hand, it reflects Buddhist mercy, whitewashing peace; on the other, it makes full use of things.

Whether Jin Chanzi or Sun Wukong, both are rare oddities in heaven and earth; under conditions, killing them would be a waste, so they must be used.

————

"What response is there from the Great Thunder Sound Temple?"

Heavenly Court, the Jade Emperor opened his mouth to ask.

The many immortals below, all shook their heads.

The "people" sent out by the Great Thunder Sound Temple were likewise completely wiped out, the pilgrimage team unstoppable.

And Jin Chanzi has returned, not as the pilgrimage person Tang Sanzang, but as Jin Chanzi's return.

How strong is Jin Chanzi? As a former disciple of the Tathagata, at least equal to Guanyin, Wenshu, etc., Bodhisattvas in strength.

Even if his strength is diminished upon return, it couldn't possibly be much worse.

Moreover, there is the Great Devil, that fellow, as a heavenly devil, yet skilled at healing people and granting power boosts.

Even if Jin Chanzi's strength is impaired, the Great Devil can let him recover.

The devil's face has been utterly lost by you!

Bad news comes one after another, since the Great Devil killed his way to the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, the Jade Emperor's complexion has not had a "cloudy to clear" moment.

"No response at all?" the Jade Emperor further asked.

The immortals nodded slightly, also not too willing to speak.

"Absurd!" the Jade Emperor heavily slapped the armrest.

"Your Majesty—" Li Jing stepped forward from the crowd, face solemn, "The situation is not optimistic, we must make a decision."

The Great Devil demonstrated with action, so-called tacit understanding is just bullshit.

He just wants to do as he pleases.

Sending down more disciples, or even true immortals descending to the mortal realm, would probably be of no avail.

The Jade Emperor raised his hand, stopping Li Jing from continuing to speak, indicating he knew.

Another hand lightly tapped the armrest slowly, originally clear sound gradually becoming heavy.

Pressuring the immortals somewhat, making them startled.

It pressed upon the crowd of immortals until their hearts trembled with alarm.

Don't just look at how the Jade Emperor was once intruded upon in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall by Sun Wukong's great havoc in the Heavenly Palace, and recently was effortlessly crushed by the Great Heavenly Demon.

Two major embarrassments.

But those both had reasons; the former was because he was undergoing a tribulation at the time, making it inconvenient to act.

The latter, that was because the opponent was truly too powerful — it was no fault of his in battle.

The Jade Emperor's true strength actually surpasses all in the Heavenly Court, and moreover he hasn't truly made a move in many, many years.

That time with the Great Heavenly Demon doesn't count; that was a one-sided crushing, you can't judge the whole leopard through a tube.

Now he can only be described as unfathomable.

If not strong, how could he be the boss?

"Pass the order down: activate the Myriad Immortals and Ten Absolutes Grand Array, slay the Heavenly Demon!"

A moment later, a fierce glint flashed through the Jade Emperor's eyes, his surging aura shaking the entire Heavenly Palace.

The might of the Sovereign of the Three Realms was revealed without a doubt!