Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

For General Juanlian, finally having the Scripture Seeker accept him was naturally a great joy.

However, watching his joyful demeanor, Jiang Liu's heart remained silent.

This matter was surely orchestrated by the Bodhisattva Guanyin, but what role did General Juanlian play in it? Could it be that he was completely unaware? Was he merely being manipulated by Guanyin?

When Jiang Liu had just talked with Gaoyang, he had asked her about it: the moment Gaoyang was attacked and severely injured, General Juanlian had appeared.

The timing of his appearance was just right, neither too early nor too late. Could all this really be a coincidence?

In Jiang Liu's view, there was more than a ninety percent chance that General Juanlian had been hiding in the darkness, waiting for the right opportunity to jump out.

Therefore, Jiang Liu was certain that Gaoyang's injury was intended to make him accept Juanlian, and in this matter, Juanlian was definitely one of the informed parties!

However, now was not the time to completely fall out with Buddhism, so Jiang Liu did not want Buddhism to know that he had already seen through their arrangement, and he could only pretend he knew nothing and continue acting in their play.

Nevertheless, although Jiang Liu pretended to be unaware of Guanyin's scheme on the surface, this scheme, although it had let him meet Gaoyang, had nearly gotten Gaoyang killed, something Jiang Liu kept in mind.

On this Journey to the West, he had plenty of opportunities to turn the tables. Although he couldn't directly confront Guanyin, Jiang Liu was well aware there were plenty of opportunities along the way to make her suffer.

"Master, do we not have any luggage?" Jiang Liu sat quietly on the back of the White Dragon Horse, calculating how to trap Guanyin and clear his mind, while General Juanlian beside him tidied up his appearance and then asked Jiang Liu.

He was very aware of his duties: leading the horse and carrying the load, so he was very proactive about his work.

"I possess a Divine Skill, similar to the 'Sleeve Universe' technique, so all our luggage is with me, no need to carry it!" Jiang Liu calmly replied to General Juanlian's question. Read exclusive content at empire

"Oh, I see, but Master, now that I have entered the Buddhist Sect, could you please give me a Buddhist name?" After nodding in understanding, General Juanlian then continued to speak to Jiang Liu.

"Hmm, let's call you Sha Wujing then!" Too lazy to think of another Buddhist name, upon hearing General Juanlian's words, Jiang Liu responded without hesitation.

"Uh, Sha Wujing? This Buddhist name is indeed good!" Jiang Liu's response made General Juanlian pause briefly, he pondered silently for a moment and then inwardly nodded.

However, although he felt this Buddhist name was quite good, why did he always feel like his master's attitude towards him was rather cold? The name seemed to have been given rather carelessly. Was it his own misconception?

"Master, shall we cross the Liusha River now?" However, Sha Wujing did not dare to speak more on Jiang Liu's words, and opened his mouth to say.

As he spoke, he raised his palm and smoothed it over the Liusha River, immediately calming the river's surface. Forget the waves—one could hardly see a ripple.

"Sigh…"

With a somewhat helpless shake of his head, now that Sha Wujing had been taken under his wing, there really was no excuse to take a detour along the Liusha River any longer. Following Sha Wujing, who led the horse, the Scripture Seeking Team, now complete in numbers, set foot on the Liusha River, crossed it, and continued their journey to the west.

...

In Mount Luojia in the South Sea, Guanyin's wise eyes peered into the distance, seemingly transcending spatial limits, seeing that General Juanlian had finally succeeded in joining the Journey to the West Team. Only then did Guanyin secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Although things had been somewhat complicated, fortunately, everything was still within her plans.

Now, the appointed bearer of the destiny for seeking scriptures had been assembled. Next, all they needed to do was face the ninety-nine eighty-one trials properly.

"Bodhisattva, as you requested, Mo Liqing from the Four Heavenly Kings has arrived!"

As Guanyin contemplated the so-called ninety-nine eighty-one difficulties, soon after, Muzha came before Guanyin and spoke.

"Your presence is welcome!" Hearing this, the Bodhisattva Guanyin nodded slightly.

In just a moment, a god clad in golden armor, robust in appearance, approached.

On this divine general, a small floral mink quietly sat on the shoulder of the divine general.

"Mo Liqing, I have seen the Bodhisattva Guanyin!" Approaching Guanyin, Mo Liqing clasped his hands together and bowed in greeting.

Although Guanyin was esteemed, the Heavenly Court and Buddhism were still somewhat different, so while Mo Liqing respected Guanyin, he didn't show fear, merely needing to clasp his hands and bow.

"Hmm, it was kind of the Heavenly King to make the effort!" The Bodhisattva Guanyin quietly sat on her lotus platform and nodded gently as she spoke.

"I wonder why the Bodhisattva summoned me here, what orders do you have!?" Nodding his head, Mo Liqing did not beat around the bush and spoke directly.

"Since the battle of deification until now, your cultivation level has still not broken through the Taiyi Realm, has it?" Guanyin did not rush to say anything, her gaze quietly landing on Mo Liqing as she asked.

"Indeed!" Hearing Guanyin's words, Mo Liqing's face looked somewhat unpleasant, but he nodded nonetheless.

His cultivation being stuck at the Heavenly Immortal Realm for so long without breakthrough had indeed been a difficult matter for Mo Liqing.

However, the matter of cultivation, if one lacks innate aptitude and talent, is as hard as ascending to the heavens when trying to advance further from the Realm of Heavenly Immortal; it is an inevitable situation.

"Amitabha, I have a lotus seed here. If consumed by a cultivator in the Returning Void Realm, it can shed the mortal body and achieve Heavenly Immortal; while in the Heavenly Immortal Realm, it can also increase the chances of breaking through the Taiyi Realm by ten percent. I wonder if the Heavenly King would like it?"

Bodhisattva flipped her hand, and a green lotus seed appeared in her palm, the very seed previously stolen by the Shrimp Spirit.

Looking at the lotus seed in Guanyin's hand, a trace of desire flashed through Mo Liqing's eyes.

Although it only increased his chances by a fraction, the realm of Taiyi True Immortal was a temptation too great for Mo Liqing to resist.

Within the Heavenly Court, each existence at the level of Taiyi True Immortal held significant sway in the Immortal Realm.

The stronger ones, such as Nezha who attained physical sanctification and Yang Jian alike, even the weaker ones resembled Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing.

Having been stuck at the Heavenly Immortal Realm for many years, if he really could see a glimmer of hope—even if it only increased the success rate by ten percent—it was a temptation hard for Mo Liqing to refuse.

However, although his heart was aflame with desire, having experienced the deification war, he was resolute, and his rationality prevented his ardor from clouding his judgment. He simply looked intently at Bodhisattva and said, "May I ask what the Bodhisattva requires in exchange? It can't be for nothing to just give away a lotus seed to me, can it?"

"Amitabha, it's a pleasure to deal with a wise person. I would like the Heavenly King's Floral Mink to undergo a trial..." Without further ado, Bodhisattva spoke.

"A trial? The Trial of Journey to the West!?"

Hearing Guanyin's words, Mo Liqing thought for a moment, quickly understanding what this was about, his expression changing as he hurriedly shook his head, saying, "Bodhisattva, this great calamity of heaven and earth, even a Daluo Golden Immortal might perish, please forgive my cowardice. I am truly not blessed to enjoy this lotus seed!"

Kidding? Having experienced the deification calamity before, how could Mo Liqing not know the terror of this great calamity of heaven and earth?!

It was precisely that calamity that led the once mighty Sect of Intercepting, known as "all immortals paying homage," to fade into smoke. Facing such a calamity, even hiding was hardly sufficient, let alone inviting trouble!

"Amitabha, Heavenly King, don't be hasty. Let me explain everything to you. This Journey to the West must encompass eighty-one difficulties. If not orchestrated by human effort, achieving them all would be nearly impossible. You only need to let your Floral Mink create one trial, and as for the safety of the Floral Mink, you can rest assured.

When the time comes, you, the Heavenly King, can simply step in and obstruct it, claiming that the Floral Mink escaped on its own to the Lower Realm. I believe no one would trouble you for it, right?"

Seeing Mo Liqing's outright refusal, Bodhisattva urgently began to persuade him.

"That… at the crucial moment, can I really step in and stop it?" Hearing Guanyin's words, Mo Liqing was indeed moved.

After all, he was one of the Four Heavenly Kings. If he were to step in and obstruct, followed by offering apologies, perhaps the members of the Journey to the West Team wouldn't stubbornly persist, right?

"Amitabha, monks do not speak deceitful words!" Nodding slightly, Bodhisattva said.

"However, even if I am willing, the Floral Mink has been my companion for thousands of years, and its cultivation is merely at the level of Demon Immortal. Creating a calamity for the Journey to the West Team seems far-fetched, does it not? Among them are the Great Sage Equaling Heaven and Marshal Tianpeng—both of whom are at the Taiyi Realm," Mo Liqing said, pausing briefly with some concern.

"Rest assured, I have arrangements in place!" Mo Liqing's words brought a smile to Guanyin's face.

Clearly, from this response, it could be seen that Mo Liqing had agreed.

After the transaction, Mo Liqing took a lotus seed and left, while the Floral Mink stayed behind.

"Bodhisattva, I must insist, the Floral Mink has been my companion for thousands of years, and absolutely nothing must go wrong!"

Although he rationally felt that nothing dangerous should occur, the terror of the great calamity of heaven and earth still made Mo Liqing somewhat uneasy. He left only after repeating his concerns again and again.

After Mo Liqing had left, the Floral Mink transformed into a handsome man, knelt on one knee before Guanyin, obeying her orders and arrangements, nodding his head understandingly.

After making all the related plans for the Floral Mink, Guanyin raised her hand and took out a sinister-looking Black Lotus, saying, "Take this treasure with you, go!"

The Floral Mink received the Black Lotus from Guanyin's hand, nodding heavily, without wasting words, turned into a beam of Escape Light, and disappeared, heading to intercept Jiang Liu and others on their Journey to the West.