Chapter 442: Call for Help!

"Master... he really has changed a lot."

Sun Wukong, tightly bound by the Maitreya Buddha's golden cymbal artifact and trapped in a swath of Chaos darkness, not only does not panic, but his mind keeps replaying the scene when Xuanzang just spat out the words "do not worship false Buddha."

Even though he is now imprisoned, his shaggy face breaks into an unstoppable grin, and his heart is filled with unbounded delight.

"Looks like, since I, Old Sun, left these days, Master has truly grown some courage and discerned right from wrong! Not bad! Really not bad!"

The lingering resentment in his heart vanishes like smoke at this moment.

At this moment, he truly feels that this utterance of "Master" is called with wholehearted willingness.

But clearly, now is not a time for sentiment.

Sun Wukong steadies his mind; his golden eyes flicker with light in the darkness as he carefully examines the golden cymbal that confines him.

Its tendrils are hard and icy, seamless as one, and he cannot find even a sliver of a gap.

He brandishes the Golden Cudgel, gathering all his divine strength, and smashes fiercely at the cymbal wall!

"Clang—!"

A deafening roar reverberates within the cramped space, making Sun Wukong's eardrums buzz, yet the golden cymbal remains unmoved, leaving not even a white mark.

Attempting to enlarge the Golden Cudgel to pry it open also ends in failure!

"Goodie!"

Sun Wukong mutters a quiet praise, already realizing:

"To be able to impersonate the Tathagata and possess a treasure that cannot even scratch a hair of my Golden Cudgel... it must be someone from the Heavenly Court or Ling Shan, bored out of their mind, pulling out some trinket to test us!"

His eyes flick, and a scheme forms in his mind.

"Can't I get out on my own, and also ask someone for help?"

"Find someone!"

Immediately, he twists a secret knot, chants a mantra, and employs his divine power, uttering words.

Soon, beyond the golden cymbal, a faint ripple is felt.

The Five Directions Jieti, Six Ding Six Jia, and the eighteen Hujiao Jiayan—deities who covertly protect the pilgrimage—sense the Great Sage's summons, manifest their forms, and gather around the golden cymbal.

"Great Sage!" The deities, seeing the massive, overturned, immovable golden cymbal and sensing Sun Wukong's aura within, are shocked: "You... what is this..."

"Enough chatter!" Sun Wukong's voice muffles from within the golden cymbal, urgent:

"Can't you see Old Sun is being held by this damned thing? Quickly! Combine your strength, cast a spell to lift this golden cymbal and let Old Sun out! I'm suffocating in here!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Great Sage, stay calm; we will cast now!" The deities, not daring to delay, immediately display their powers—some push, some lift, some chant mantras—each beam of divine light striking the golden cymbal.

Yet, no matter how they exhaust their abilities, the golden cymbal remains rooted as if grown a root, fused with the earth, steadfast and unmoving, not even a tremor.

"Great Sage... this... this treasure is too powerful; our divine power is feeble, truly... truly we cannot lift it!" The Jieti deity, leader of the Five Directions Jieti, wipes cold sweat from his forehead and reports with difficulty.

Sun Wukong hears clearly from within the golden cymbal, slightly disappointed yet unsurprised.

That the golden cymbal can even thwart his Golden Cudgel, and that these ordinarily powered deities cannot pry it open, is understandable.

His eyes flick, and an idea springs instantly; his voice from inside the cymbal urges:

"Then why are you lingering? Go to the Heavenly Court and call for help!"

The deities, hearing this, hurriedly reply: "Yes, yes, yes! Great Sage, you are right! We will go to the Heavenly Court for aid at once; please remain calm and not impatient!"

Having said so, the Five Directions Jieti, unwilling to delay, leave Six Ding Six Jia and the Hujiao Jiayan to guard here, and themselves transform into several beams of divine light, rushing straight toward the Southern Heavenly Gate.

Elsewhere, deep inside.

Xuanzang is bound by rope, hanging high on a wooden frame.

Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng are also tightly bound, tossed aside, struggling and shouting.

The demon, masquerading as the Tathagata and revealing his true yellow‑browed old monster form, sits on a grand chair with a massive golden blade, eyeing Xuanzang with keen interest.

"Tsk tsk, you Tang Seng," Huang Mei says in his unique tone:

"I have heard you were feeble, only reciting Buddha when trouble arises, having no skill at all, relying solely on a few disciples for protection."

"How come today you have such nerve, daring to call me a 'false Buddha' before my Tathagata Buddha?"

Although Xuanzang is suspended and looks disheveled, his expression remains unusually calm; he closes his eyes, silently recites a Buddha name, and only after hearing the words does he slowly open his eyes: "Amitabha."

"The sea of suffering is boundless, turning back is the shore. This humble monk advises you to lay down your butcher's knife early, and cease all further wicked deeds. Otherwise..."

"In the future, you will only be plagued by karma, not entering the cycle of rebirth, unable to achieve transcendence."

"Hahaha—!" Huang Mei, as if hearing the most laughable words in the world, throws his head back and erupts in a boisterous laugh:

"Not entering rebirth? No transcendence? Tang Seng, Tang Seng, do you think this Great King is just a petty, ignorant mountain demon?"

His laughter abruptly stops, his face showing arrogance and disdain:

"I, Huang Mei, am..."

He seems to recall a taboo, abruptly stops, a flash of apprehension in his eyes, then shifts tone, snorts coldly: "Hmph! Stop using these deceptive words to fool this Great King!"

"When I devour your body, which has ten lifetimes of cultivation yet unspent Yuan Yang, I will attain Longevity, becoming immortal, living as long as heaven and earth!"

"The world is vast, and I, this Great King, have my own realm of carefree leisure; who cares about cycles of rebirth or transcendence!"

A fierce glint flashes in his eyes as he scans the still muttering Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng: "As for you two disciples... your flesh is probably still decent, so I'll stew you together as a garnish for my children's meals!"

Having said that, he abruptly waves his hand, commanding the small demons lingering nearby, already drooling: "Attack! First set the pot to boil!"

"Yes! Great King!" the little demons shout, rubbing their fists, ready to advance and deal with Xuanzang and his disciples.

However, at that moment—

The Huang Mei, who had been seated on the chair, suddenly changes color, springs up, and his demonic eyes glare fiercely toward a certain direction.

It is precisely where he placed the golden cymbal to suppress Sun Wukong!

"Not good! My golden cymbal!" he roars, his face showing a mix of shock and anger.

"Someone is meddling with my treasure! It must be that damned Sun Monkey causing trouble!"

"Damn! Truly underestimating this monkey, still bound by the golden cymbal yet restless!"

The Yellow Eyebrow Monster's eyes filled with fierce light, completely losing its patience for play; it glared viciously at Master Xuanzang and his disciples:

"I originally intended to let you live a little longer, but now it seems I can't wait! Today, I will definitely refine all four of you—master and disciples alike, skin and bone—completely, leaving none!"

"Kids, hold them for now! Once Great King goes to capture that monkey head, he'll return and we'll enjoy them together!"

Before the words finished, the Yellow Eyebrow Monster's form flickered, swirling a demonic wind, and it lunged at speed toward the direction of the golden cymbal!