Chapter 125

The Tathagata's attempt to stop failed, his eyes filled with despair, but at this critical moment, Xuanzang's primordial spirit did not enter reincarnation, but was blocked by a force.

Seeing this, the Tathagata's formerly despairing expression turned to excitement; as long as Xuanzang does not enter reincarnation, the West can still rise.

"Zhunti, do you want to interfere with reincarnation?" Lady Pingxin said coldly upon seeing Xuanzang's primordial spirit blocked.

When Lady Pingxin said those words, the entire six paths of reincarnation instantly lit up, and a force comparable to the Heavenly Dao suddenly emanated from the six paths of reincarnation.

Upon feeling this force, the Tathagata immediately knelt on the ground.

The next second, Zhunti's apparition appeared before Lady Pingxin, but at this moment Zhunti's apparition trembled violently, affected by the power of the Earth Dao.

However, Zhunti must maintain this apparition; once it dissipates, it will be hard to explain; at that time he might be fine, but the entire West would be in trouble.

"Lady Pingxin Daoist friend, I, the humble monk, do not wish to interfere with reincarnation, but Xuanzang is indeed very important to my West." Zhunti said to Lady Pingxin.

"First, Xuanzang was not killed by my palace; he was killed by people of your West. Second, all souls entering the underworld belong to the underworld's jurisdiction; you have no right to interfere." Lady Pingxin said coldly.

"Lady Pingxin, how can we let Xuanzang go?" Zhunti took a deep breath, looked at Lady Pingxin and asked.

"Do you think I'm asking you for a benefit?" Lady Pingxin snorted coldly.

"Lady Pingxin, Xuanzang is truly very important to my West!" Zhunti said again.

"Previously, when you let the Golden Cicada Child reincarnate, my palace said nothing; now this Golden Cicada Child was killed by your own people; if I don't intervene this time, is it fair to other souls?" Lady Pingxin looked at Zhunti and asked.

At this moment, the Tathagata stood aside; he no longer had a say; all he could do was silently stand by, then take Xuanzang's primordial spirit back; he believed that Saint Zhunti could certainly persuade Lady Pingxin.

"Lady Pingxin, if you agree to release Xuanzang, my West owes you a great karmic debt." Seeing Lady Pingxin unwilling to relent, Zhunti had no choice but to play his trump card.

"I, Zhunti, swear on my saintly position!" Seeing doubt in Lady Pingxin's eyes, Zhunti hastily said.

"Good!" Lady Pingxin looked at Zhunti, pondered for a moment, then nodded.

The karmic debt of the Two Saints of the West is still valuable, so at the critical moment, Lady Pingxin relented.

"Take it back, just this once; if Xuanzang dies again, then my palace will not give you face." Lady Pingxin said to the Tathagata.

"Thank you, Lady Pingxin." The Tathagata received Xuanzang's primordial spirit, bowed to Lady Pingxin, then left the underworld.

After leaving the underworld, the Tathagata rushed to outside Chang'an City; Guanyin had already restored Xuanzang's physical body; as long as the primordial spirit returns to its place, Xuanzang can be revived.

After arriving outside Chang'an City, the Tathagata immediately injected Xuanzang's primordial spirit into his body, then with a wave of his hand placed Xuanzang at the place where he and Guanyin had previously met.

"Buddha, your hand!" Guanyin saw the Tathagata's empty right arm and asked doubtfully.

The Tathagata said nothing, merely gave Guanyin a cold glance.

"If you make another mistake, you will undergo bodily dissolution." The Tathagata glanced at Guanyin, then vanished before her.

Recalling the Tathagata's gaze when he left and the tone of his earlier words, Guanyin couldn't help but shiver.

Looking at the still-unawakened Xuanzang, Guanyin's eyes flashed with a hint of killing intent, but that intent instantly turned into helplessness; what could he do with hatred in his heart? Xuanzang is the key to the West's rise.

Even if Xuanzang slapped Guanyin, before he reaches Ling Mountain, Guanyin will offer the other cheek for Xuanzang to strike again, then ask if his hand hurts.

After leaving, the Tathagata did not return to Ling Mountain but instead turned toward Shouyang Mountain.

"Humble monk Tathagata seeks an audience with Saint Panguang; please announce me." Upon reaching the foot of Shouyang Mountain, the Tathagata encountered the Red-Butt Horse Monkey and the Long-Armed Monkey.

"Tathagata? The leader of Western Mahayana Buddhism?" the Long-Armed Monkey asked.

"Exactly, the humble monk!" the Tathagata smiled and nodded.

Now that he seeks help from others, his attitude is very low; even though the two monkeys before him are inferior in strength and status, the Tathagata still dare not adopt an arrogant posture.

In common parlance, "a low-ranking official at the gate of a prime minister"; these two demon monkeys are the mountain guardian beasts of Shouyang Mountain; although their strength and status are not high, they cannot be denied the high status and power of those behind them!

"Wait a moment, I'll go report!" the Red-Butt Horse Monkey said, then flew straight into Shouyang Mountain.

At this moment, in the Panguang Hall, Sun Wukong was chatting with Panguang.

"Since Xuanzang has let you return, you may stay here on Shouyang Mountain for now; whenever you wish to return to Mount Huaguo, you may go back." Panguang said with a smile.

In fact, Panguang never intended for Sun Wukong to stay long here; Xuanzang will certainly not die; the West cannot allow Xuanzang to die; even at great cost, they will revive Xuanzang and let him continue the pilgrimage.

While Panguang was thinking, the Red-Butt Horse Monkey entered.

"Sir, the Western Tathagata has already arrived at the mountain's base, saying he wishes to see you!" the Red-Butt Horse Monkey said, clasping his hands toward Panguang.

"Tathagata?" Panguang glanced at Sun Wukong beside him and immediately understood the Tathagata's purpose.

"Let him in!" Panguang nodded.

"Greetings, Saint!" Upon seeing Panguang, the Tathagata performed a salute, then turned his gaze to Sun Wukong.

Feeling the Tathagata's scorching gaze, Sun Wukong felt ill at ease; he shifted sideways, but the Tathagata's gaze immediately followed, causing Sun Wukong's brows to furrow.

"Are you here for Wukong?" Seeing the Tathagata's gaze fixed on Wukong, Panguang asked.

"Isn't that obvious? If not for Wukong, how would the humble monk come to your Shouyang Mountain?" the Tathagata muttered to himself.

"Saint, Xuanzang has now returned to the pilgrimage route." The Tathagata glanced at Sun Wukong and said.

"What does his return have to do with me, Old Sun?" Sun Wukong spoke up.

"Because you are also one of the pilgrims." The Tathagata looked at Sun Wukong and said.

"I am no longer Old Sun; that was what the monk himself said at the beginning." Sun Wukong gave the Tathagata a sideways glance.

"Saint, is this not alright?" The Tathagata's brows furrowed.

"How did you bring Xuanzang back to life?" Panguang looked at the Tathagata and asked.

The Tathagata dared not conceal it, and subsequently told Panguang the conversation between Saint Zhunti and Lady Pingxin; after hearing it, Panguang nodded.

"Since that's the case, tell Zhunti that he and Jieyin also owe me a karmic debt." Panguang said with a smile.

"Saint, please wait!" Having said that, the Tathagata took out the incense used to contact Zhunti.

After a few breaths, Zhunti appeared before Panguang.

Upon seeing Panguang, Zhunti's face instantly darkened; he turned his head to look at the Tathagata beside him, wanting the Tathagata to give him an explanation.

"Saint! It's like this." Seeing Zhunti's gaze, the Tathagata conveyed Panguang's previously mentioned condition to Zhunti.

"How do you feel about it?" Panguang looked at Zhunti and said.

"You are taking advantage of the fire to loot." Zhunti looked at Panguang with a grim face.

"You can think that way; in this Great Calamity, the West is rising—shouldn't we seize the opportunity to gain some benefits? Just like when you came to my East to convert those disciples." Pan Huang looked at Zhunti with a playful expression.

They stalemated for about the time it takes to finish half a cup of tea; during that half-cup of tea, Zhunti and Pan Huang silently stared at each other, not uttering a word. After half a cup of tea, Zhunti glanced at Sun Wukong beside Pan Huang.

"Good, this humble monk agrees." In the end, Zhunti gritted his teeth and agreed.

"Wukong, go, first finish this matter." Seeing Zhunti agree to his request, Pan Huang turned his head and said to Sun Wukong.

"Yes, Master!" Sun Wukong nodded.

Then Sun Wukong left the Shenguang Hall. After Sun Wukong left, Pan Huang looked at Zhunti, shrugged, and showed an indifferent expression.

Seeing Pan Huang's expression, Zhunti instantly felt a surge of nameless anger, but he dared not show it, after all, they were now in need of someone.

"Let's go!" Zhunti turned his head and said to the Tathagata, then vanished before Pan Huang's eyes.

"Sage, this humble monk bids farewell!" The Tathagata bowed to Pan Huang, then left Mount Shouyang.

"Should I also go and tag along on the journey to the West? The journey to the West seems to have four people, but actually there are five; this lifetime the White Dragon Horse is absent—could I take his place and then tag along on the journey to the West?" Pan Huang rubbed his chin and said.

"Forget it, I'd better not get involved, but this quota can indeed be given to the dragon clan." In the end, Pan Huang still gave up the idea of going himself.

As soon as the dragon clan received Pan Huang's news, they began preparations; finally, the dragon clan decided to let the West Sea Prince Ao Mo'ang become a member of the scripture-seeking team.

After receiving the news, Ao Mo'ang rushed to Yingchou Gully at the fastest speed, then waited again for Xuanzang and the others to arrive.

When Sun Wukong returned to the place where he had first parted from Xuanzang, Xuanzang happened to wake up.

"What's this?" Seeing Xuanzang looking weak, Sun Wukong asked curiously.

Back when he was at Mount Shouyang, he had heard some things about Xuanzang, but he didn't know the details; now that he had seen Xuanzang, of course he wanted to ask!

"Let him kill him!" Xuanzang pointed at Guanyin standing to the side.

Sun Wukong looked at Guanyin with a look of great surprise; upon feeling Sun Wukong's gaze, Guanyin's face showed a hint of embarrassment and displeasure, but he did not speak.

After waiting a while, seeing that Xuanzang's condition had roughly recovered, Guanyin then spoke.

"Since you've recovered, let's hit the road." Guanyin said coldly.

"From now on, when speaking to this humble monk, be more polite; now you are the ones seeking me." Xuanzang sat on the ground and coldly stared at Guanyin.

Upon hearing Xuanzang's words, Guanyin's breath caught, his breathing became slightly disordered; finally he gave Xuanzang a deep look and then vanished on the spot, fearing that if he stayed a moment longer he would be unable to resist killing Xuanzang.

"You seem to be hostile toward Westerners." After Guanyin left, Sun Wukong asked.

"If they had killed you nine times, would you treat them well?" Xuanzang looked at Sun Wukong and said.

Hearing Xuanzang say that, Sun Wukong's brows immediately furrowed; he didn't quite understand what Xuanzang meant by that.

"Want to hear my story?" Seeing Sun Wukong's doubt, Xuanzang said with a smile.

"Good!" Sun Wukong nodded.

"In this life I am Xuanzang; this is my tenth reincarnation. Do you know how my previous nine lives came about?" Xuanzang looked at Sun Wukong, his eyes full of killing intent.

Sun Wukong shook his head.

"Originally I was a golden cicada on the Bodhi tree; because the Tathagata was cultivating beneath the tree, I was bathed in Buddha-light and acquired some Buddha-nature; after I transformed into human form, the Tathagata took me as his disciple." Xuanzang continued.

"Wait! Since you are the Tathagata's disciple, why are you still so hostile toward Westerners?" Sun Wukong didn't quite understand.

"Westerners? I consider myself a Westerner, but they don't consider me one." Xuanzang said this with a sneer.

Sun Wukong said nothing, but sat to the side and quietly listened to Xuanzang's narration.

When the Tathagata was lecturing on the Dao, I had a different view of what he taught, so he killed me and then cast me into reincarnation, claiming it was to temper my mind; initially I truly believed his words, but in the end I realized it was all a conspiracy. At this point, Xuanzang's aura became disordered.

A faint wisp of demonic energy emanated from Xuanzang's body, but it was suppressed in an instant, so much so that even Sun Wukong did not notice it.

"After reincarnation, I set out on the road to the Western Heaven to seek the scriptures; after enduring countless hardships I finally reached Spirit Mountain's Great Thunderclap Temple. I thought I would then return there to resume cultivation, but I was wrong—not just wrong, but wildly wrong." Xuanzang said this, then paused and took several deep breaths.

Sun Wukong knew that what came next would surely overturn his worldview, so his expression turned solemn.

"Upon entering the Great Thunderclap Temple, what greeted me was not the Tathagata's smile and praise, but a group of greedy gazes. I didn't know why they looked at me that way until after they tore me apart and ate me, when I realized it was all a scheme of Spirit Mountain." After taking several deep breaths, Xuanzang then slowly related what happened next.

Upon hearing Xuanzang's words, Sun Wukong's pupils instantly contracted to pinpoints, and his face showed utter disbelief.

"Do you also feel this is unbelievable?" Xuanzang looked at Sun Wukong and asked.

Sun Wukong nodded; he was indeed shocked, and if this was the reason, then Xuanzang's hostility toward Westerners made sense.

"But the matter is far from over!" Xuanzang's words directly caused Sun Wukong's expression to spiral out of control.

"Not over?" Sun Wukong involuntarily asked.

"As I said before, I have reincarnated nine times; this is my tenth life." Xuanzang gazed toward the West, a hard-to-describe emotion flickering in his eyes.

(End of chapter)