Chapter 915: The Western Journey Begins Again!

Chaos void, imperial road, carriage, Tang Luo sat casually inside the carriage.

Beside him still hovered the Four Swords of Zhu Xian.

The Zhu Xian sword spirit did not appear, nor did it intend to communicate with Tang Luo.

It was not anger or anything like that; the sword spirit almost never had such emotions.

This indifference was the sword spirit's normal state.

Tang Luo and what he said, upon first hearing, were extremely vicious, basically meaning "You're going to die anyway, so just lend me your use."

But the sword spirit's way of thinking differed from that of ordinary people.

As a weapon, it existed solely to harm enemies; to the sword spirit, "cutting people" needed no reason— not cutting needed a reason.

Like ordinary people eating three meals a day, needing a reason? Not eating needed a reason— people feeling unwell and not wanting to eat, dieting and such.

If one must give a reason, it is to stay alive; not eating leads to death.

Likewise, the sword's existence is precisely for "cutting people"; if not cutting, why should the sword exist?

As an ornament?

At least, the Four Swords of Zhu Xian of the Heaven-Reaching Sword Lord were not ornaments.

Of course, this does not mean that whoever comes and says such things to the Zhu Xian sword spirit will obediently follow him to cut people.

Anyone daring to do so will definitely be met with a frenzied hacking by the Zhu Xian swords.

The reason the sword spirit agreed to Tang Luo was: one, Tang Luo brought the other three swords; two, Tang Luo was strong enough, qualified enough, to restore the glory of the Four Swords of Zhu Xian.

To hold a grand funeral, to perform the final rites for the vanished Heaven-Reaching Sect Leader.

Artifact spirits have always been proud; even if it were Sha Wujing, try having someone else use his glazed pure robe?

Tang Luo's strength was acknowledged by the Zhu Xian sword spirit, thus allowing him to use them.

The sword spirit was very direct, no beating around the bush; if it felt right, it agreed immediately; if not, persuasion for ten thousand years would be useless.

As for whom to cut, to the sword spirit there was no difference; no need to ask.

Unless the target was the Heaven-Reaching Sword Lord himself; the rest, even if it were the Supreme Old Lord or the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, would be cut without fail.

Oh, the former might ask one more question about the Heaven-Reaching Sect Leader's whereabouts; the latter would probably be even more eager than cutting others.

Back then, it was you opposing your master, right! Come on! Let us fight another three hundred rounds!

"The Journey to the West is opened, heading to the Great Thunderclap Temple of Spirit Mountain."

Inside the carriage, Tang Luo suddenly heard the familiar task prompt.

"What is this?" Tang Luo smiled wryly.

Was this his twenty-ninth task, so abruptly descending? No prior day's warning, and it had been less than three days since he last fully returned from a task (real-world time).

Moreover, it coincided exactly with Tang Luo's current purpose.

Clearly, this was a special task, an invitation specially concocted by Maitreya, or what?

"The Journey to the West, such words, sound somewhat nostalgic." Tang Luo sighed.

Whether it was Maitreya's trick, or merely a basic impossibility of a normal task in the demon-god game, or something done by the Tathagata and the Supreme Old Ones.

To Tang Luo, it actually made no difference.

He wanted to go to the Great Thunderclap Temple merely because he wished to go there, unrelated to the task, unrelated to others' will.

Let time rewind a bit.

In the Heaven-Pillar Mount Sumeru, the uppermost layer Ling Mountain, within the Great Thunderclap Temple, in a gilded and splendid, solemn and vast meditation chamber, echoed faint chanting voices, matching the surroundings, making one unable to resist kneeling, bowing in worship.

Besides the hanging "Zen" character, there was not a trace of Zen spirit; it resembled more the abode of a monarch, a ruler.

Inside the meditation chamber were two elders: one with immortal wind and Daoist bones, wearing a jade cap and feathered robes, holding a whisk in hand, resting on his arm.

The other also wore wide robes and broad sleeves, but his face bore a hint of terror, impossible to conceal, impossible to dispel.

The latter was none other than Xu Fu!

The former, if Tang Luo saw him, would also say he was an old acquaintance— indeed, it was Tai Bai Jin Xing, whom the Jade Emperor had summoned that day to display grandeur and play a game of chess.

The two stood in the meditation chamber, silent.

Only the chanting voices remained; Xu Fu's sweat on his face increased more and more, black vapor slowly seeped from his body, the terrified expression on his face gradually turned into pain.

Tai Bai Jin Xing glanced at Xu Fu, the whisk resting on his arm twitched slightly, as if about to do something.

At that moment, on the futon before them, a dazzling golden light appeared.

Maitreya's figure emerged, gazing at the two.

"I pay respects to Maitreya, the Upper Buddha." Tai Bai Jin Xing bowed.

Xu Fu followed suit with a bow.

"No need for excessive courtesy." Maitreya wore a faint smile, just as everyone imagined him— the great-bellied Buddha who smiles benevolently, able to tolerate what the world cannot tolerate.

But Xu Fu beside Tai Bai Jin Xing directly knelt on the ground, emitting painful groans.

Black substance like water and gas continuously dispersed from his body, forming twisting, dancing black shadows.

Various eerie sounds likewise came, like heavenly demon cacophony.

"Such filthy matter, does it deserve to enter my Great Thunderclap Temple? I need a reason." Maitreya still wore a smile, but his words struck Xu Fu like heavenly thunder.

Each word made him tremble.

Tai Bai Jin Xing immediately spoke: "He knows the exact whereabouts of Tang Xuanzang."

"Oh?"

The terrifying pressure suddenly eased; Maitreya looked toward Xu Fu.

Xu Fu was like a fish out of water, lying on the ground, struggling to squeeze out a smile.

The left half of his face at this moment revealed another person's visage.

Yet it was the Bright God Baldr, who had been severely wounded that day and swallowed by Xu Fu!

Badeer seems not to have died completely, but rather merged with Xu Fu?

"Where is that rebellious demon monk Tang Xuanzang?" Maitreya asked.

Xu Fu stretched out his hand with difficulty, on which there was a jade slip.

"You also have one?" Maitreya let the jade slip hover beside him, looking toward Tai Bai Jin Xing as he asked.

"That is natural." Tai Bai Jin Xing said, "The Upper Buddha, Tang Xuanzang, is still moving in the Chaos Void, and the purpose of his journey is precisely the Great Thunderclap Temple."

"How could he know the location of our Great Thunderclap Temple?" Maitreya said, very calmly.

"Cough." Tai Bai Jin Xing coughed once, "So he will come to Heaven first."

Others cannot determine the location of the Great Thunderclap Temple, but Heaven can.

Of course, this is not a threat, but a clear statement that Tang Luo is a common enemy of Heaven and the Great Thunderclap Temple.

Buddha's enemy, Heaven's enemy, right?

"... Heh." Maitreya laughed, "So, what does the Jade Emperor plan?"

"The Jade Emperor said: Why not restart the Journey to the West tribulation, so we can see just how strong that demon monk is now?" Tai Bai Jin Xing said.

"Tang Xuanzang that demon monk is injured and not yet healed, not worth worrying about." Maitreya said lightly.

"The demon monk has the Merit Jade Lotus, and moreover..."

Moreover you sent Guanyin out, and the result is her whereabouts unknown, not dead but seriously injured—these words Tai Bai Jin Xing did not say.

Xu Fu had already laid out everything fully, and the Heavenly side knows exactly what happened.

Guanyin descended, took away Zhu Bajie and others, Tang Luo fought her greatly, afterward Guanyin's whereabouts are unknown, not knowing whether she was killed by the demon monk or returned to the Great Thunderclap Temple.

How is this not worth worrying about?

Really not worth worrying about, you wouldn't have sent Guanyin then.

The faint smile on Maitreya's face slightly retracted, those brought by Guanyin are not what he originally wanted.

He wanted Guanyin to bring back Sun Wukong!

Not Zhu Bajie and that bunch of useless ones, but since they were brought back, and moreover brought back at the cost of life.

Maitreya naturally wants to make use of them; now Zhu Bajie and others, together with the Jade Pure Bottle, are suppressed deep in the Demon-Subduing Pagoda, so as to suppress their connection with the Gods and Demons Game.

There will be no hostage escape incident.

As for the function they are needed for, it is not something like "I have hostages in my hand, surrender obediently."

But rather using Zhu Bajie and others to force Tang Xuanzang to maintain the merit of the Merit Jade Lotus, not to use it to heal wounds—these merits must be kept to save his disciples!

This is a tacit understanding among Guanyin, Maitreya, and Tang Luo.

Although Guanyin did not bring back Sun Wukong.

But Maitreya, seeing the Jade Pure Bottle return, and Zhu Bajie and others inside, understood how to make use of them.

This Jade Pure Bottle cage, for inside as well as outside, Guanyin is dead; Maitreya, unless he violently breaks it, otherwise will need a long time to safely get Zhu Bajie and them out.

Only when Tang Luo steps into the Great Thunderclap Temple will Maitreya unscrupulously destroy the Jade Pure Bottle before him.

Zhu Bajie and them will either be injured or dead; saving them will consume a large amount of merit.

If Tang Luo uses merit to heal wounds in advance, then his disciples will certainly die.

Maitreya believes Tang Xuanzang is very clear about this.

This person is arrogant but not a fool.

"Even if the demon monk recovers, so what?" Maitreya said.

"I have already made arrangements," but cannot say this, for saying so would seem to show he is indeed worried about Tang Luo's recovery, proving he indeed has misgivings about him.

Absolutely not! As for the Tathagata, forget it; admitting it, Maitreya can still endure. But that demon monk, absolutely not!

"But restarting the Journey to the West, it would also be interesting." Maitreya laughed lightly, "Good, I would like to see, this time without anyone protecting him, how far that demon monk can go."

Having received an affirmative answer, Tai Bai Jin Xing slightly bowed, taking Xu Fu and leaving.

Maitreya never asked Xu Fu why he betrayed, just an insignificant small figure not worth caring about.

The upcoming tribulation (test), also does not require everyone to sit together and discuss; each can just use their methods.

Let Tang Xuanzang walk the Journey to the West again.

But this time, it will not be like before "warm and affectionate," and moreover, there is no Sun Wukong.

Thinking of Sun Wukong, Maitreya's heart also flashed a hint of gloom.

Where did that monkey go?

Maitreya finally found Sun Wukong's whereabouts with difficulty, secretly wanting to completely tame him, but did not expect that at the critical moment, Tang Xuanzang interfered, his effort fell short.

Normally, Sun Wukong should also be by Tang Xuanzang's side.

But in the end, Guanyin also did not find him.

Fortunately, Sun Wukong is also in an injured state, not worth worrying about.

"Hmph!"

No one around, Maitreya's faint smile completely disappeared, he let out a cold snort.

As the lord of the Great Thunderclap Temple, he indeed sits uncomfortably.

The disappeared Tathagata like a shadow has always shrouded, cannot be dispelled. Tang Xuanzang and Sun Wukong are like two mad dogs.

Fortunately, this situation will soon end—first remove the mad dogs, then thoroughly tear apart that shadow!