“Fine, fine, fine.” The Monk scratched his head and ears angrily, saying, “No wonder I’ve hardly seen any Demons along the way—it turns out you’ve been killing them all before dawn.”
“You could at least leave some for me. I haven’t been able to exercise my muscles all day, and I’ve been feeling stifled for a long time!”
Nezha had no idea he was at fault. “Senior Brother, when it comes to fighting Demons, if you’re slow, you get nothing.”
“You!”
“Alright, if that’s the case, then I’m not needed on this journey to the west either. I’ll go find somewhere else!”
Whether Sun Wukong was truly angry or just pretending, he finished speaking and somersaulted away on a cloud.
Li Miaoci stood there dumbfounded. He just left like that?
Seeing that the senior brother had left, Nezha was even more frustrated. This troublesome task—he didn’t want to do it either.
“Senior Brother clearly thinks I’m meddling too much. In that case, I’m not doing it either!”
He angrily stepped onto his Wind-Fire Wheels and headed in the opposite direction from where Sun Wukong had left.
Only, in a place no one could see, he turned around and chased after Sun Wukong.
High up in the sky, Sun Wukong lay on a cloud, calmly moving forward.
Nezha quickly caught up. “Great Sage.”
“Senior Brother!”
“Why did you come too?”
Nezha jumped off his Wind-Fire Wheels, casually summoned a cloud, and lay down to rest. “Walking all the time is too troublesome. Let’s wait until the old monk goes a bit farther, then use our magic to catch up. Simple and done.”
The Monk chuckled. “Makes sense.”
After all, Tang Sanzang and the little junior sister had Yang Jian with them, so they wouldn’t encounter any real danger.
“Junior Brother, come with me to the East Sea for a drink.”
“Can’t go.” Nezha scratched his head.
As soon as he entered the sea, his whole body would itch unbearably.
“Then let’s go to Penglai.”
“Alright.” Nezha nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Li Miaoci stared nervously at Yang Jian. “Second Senior Brother?”
Yang Jian furrowed his brows slightly, lost in thought.
“The weather isn’t great today…” Yang Jian also wanted to find an excuse to leave and enjoy some peace and quiet.
Li Miaoci grabbed his sleeve tightly. “Don’t go, you can’t leave.”
“My life and the master’s are entrusted to you. Even if you want to take a break, the three of you should stagger your time off!”
She pretended to cry, refusing to let go.
Xiaotian Quan, chewing on a bone, happily ran ahead.
Tang Sanzang merely glanced back at his scattered disciples, shook his head, and murmured softly, “Amitabha.”
He then mounted his horse again and continued on his way.
Li Miaoci followed Yang Jian step by step. Whenever he stopped, she would say, “Don’t even think about finding an excuse to slip away.”
Yang Jian seemed to be in a rather good mood but pretended to be puzzled. “Why didn’t you stop them from leaving?”
Li Miaoci forced a dry laugh, thinking to herself, Was it that she didn’t try to stop them? She just didn’t react in time.
Originally, she didn’t want to stop Yang Jian from seeking some peace and quiet either, but she remembered clearly: after leaving White Tiger Ridge and moving forward, they would reach Bowl Mountain, where the Yellow Robe Monster resided.
He was a celestial star who had descended to the mortal realm and was incredibly powerful.
With the senior brother gone, Nezha gone, and if Yang Jian left too, she and Tang Sanzang would be waiting to be stewed into soup by Demons!
No, wait—Tang Sanzang was the reincarnation of Golden Cicada and had plenty of backing.
But she, a wandering soul from who-knows-where, if she were to die, she probably wouldn’t even be able to return home.
“They aren’t as soft-hearted as you, Second Brother. Even if I cried myself to death, they wouldn’t stay.”
Li Miaoci flattered him obsequiously.
“Hmm.” Yang Jian closed his folding fan and tapped her forehead with a smile.
“You have some discernment.”
They traveled westward for three or four days.
Along the way, Tang Sanzang was either hungry or thirsty. After the dry provisions in their packs were finished, Li Miaoci and Yang Jian had no choice but to beg for alms for him everywhere.
At first, Yang Jian sent the Sky-Pouncing Eagle to pick wild fruits for him from deep mountains and dense forests.
But wild fruits, when eaten too often, no longer satisfied hunger.
Where there were villages, they relied on Li Miaoci to play the sweet, obedient role and beg for food.
Holding the heavy alms bowl, she thought to herself how nice it would be if there were pre-made meals and compressed biscuits here too.
After two more days of travel, they reached a desolate wilderness.
Yang Jian had no other option and had to personally go to a town hundreds of miles away to beg for alms. During this time, Tang Sanzang grew thirsty, so Li Miaoci climbed up the mountain cliff to fetch some spring water for him.
She remembered only taking three turns, yet somehow she couldn’t find her way back. She wandered left and right but couldn’t retrace her steps even as night fell.
She sat down to rest on a fallen tree in the forest, surrounded by pitch darkness, with only faint fireflies providing light.
Fortunately, they had just passed White Tiger Ridge, so she figured the territory of Lady White Bone and the next demon’s lair wouldn’t be too close.
Right, she patted her pounding chest, comforting herself.
“Mother, it’s so late already, why aren’t we going back?” A childish voice sounded nearby.
Then came the sound of hurried footsteps in the forest.
It was a woman with two children—the older one around ten years old, the younger about seven or eight.
They had mortal faces but looked fierce, with thick eyebrows and ears different from ordinary mortals.
Hearing her child speak, the woman panicked and covered his mouth. “Don’t speak. Mother is taking you home.”
The older child shook her off and accused loudly, “Home?!”
His startled shout sent birds and beasts scattering in the forest.
“Didn’t you say you were taking us to find Father? Home? You’re not planning to abandon Father and return to your Precious Elephant Kingdom, are you?”
“Truly a pampered princess! Even after more than ten years with my father, you still show no marital affection.”
“Keep your voice down,” the woman pleaded almost desperately.
But he grabbed the younger boy’s hand. “Brother, let’s go back. Who wants to follow her to some Precious Elephant Kingdom?”
Hearing his older brother’s words, the younger boy angrily pushed the woman. “You’re bad, you’re bad! You’re heartless and ungrateful!”
…
Li Miaoci, who had been resting on the fallen tree, instinctively moved to a more hidden spot behind a large tree, concealing herself completely upon hearing the commotion in the forest.
Princess of Precious Elephant Kingdom?
Bai Huaxiu, of course.
Li Miaoci felt her vision darken—this was truly the territory of the Yellow Robe Monster!
The argument in the distance continued, and she gradually pieced together the story.
Thirteen years ago, the Yellow Robe Monster had used a whirlwind to abduct Princess Baihua, who was out on an excursion, and forced her to bear two children.
All these years, Bai Huaxiu had tried every means to escape, but the Yellow Robe Monster’s Magical Power was immense, and she could not break free.
Today, taking advantage of the demon’s absence, she had seized the chance to take her two children and head toward Precious Elephant Kingdom, following her memory of the way. But the two children blamed her for being cruel, malicious, and heartless, accusing her of abandoning her husband and children.
In the end, they even resorted to insults: “You lowly, weak human! My father favoring you was your good fortune. You show no gratitude and still think of escaping!”
“He should have Father break your neck and devour you!”
The woman sobbed softly, explaining that she had not come willingly, that she only wanted to return home to see her father, mother, and sisters.
Li Miaoci felt a chill run through her entire body. The words of these two Lesser Demons were as sharp as knives, truly making her grit her teeth in anger.
“Madam! It’s so late, and you still haven’t returned to the cavern abode. Where are you going?”
A thick fog and dark clouds descended from mid-air, accompanied by a voice so chilling it made one’s heart tremble.
“Hus… husband.” Bai Huaxiu’s teeth chattered. She knew she could not escape.
The Yellow Robe Monster appeared in the forest. Before he could approach Bai Huaxiu, he suddenly turned around, alert.
“Oh? There are people hiding here?”