After leaving the Precious Elephant Kingdom, the master and disciples continued their westward journey.
Since Tang Sanzang and Li Miaoci had been captured by demons, Sun Wukong, Yang Jian, and Nezha no longer brought up the idea of disbanding.
However, Nezha secretly hoped that the demons would capture Tang Sanzang again, preferably devouring him to settle the matter once and for all.
If Tang Sanzang were gone, there would be no need for them to continue their journey to the west.
Li Miaoci didn’t share this thought. After the ordeal she had endured, she had become utterly terrified of demons and monsters. At the same time, she felt that the journey to the west she was part of was quite different from what she remembered.
It seemed far more perilous.
Thus, she was eager to press on, hoping to reach the Spiritual Mountain as soon as possible, obtain the true scriptures, and return to her original world.
They traveled for an unknown length of time, watching as the lush green forests gradually turned withered and yellow.
Amidst the vast expanse of dusky yellow, the blood-red hues of maple leaves stood out starkly.
Flat-Top Mountain, Lotus Cave.
Golden Horn King and Silver Horn King sat inside the cave, drinking wine.
Golden Horn suddenly spoke, “Send more patrols to scout the mountain.”
“Why, brother?” Silver Horn was slightly tipsy, his mind not entirely clear.
“By my calculations, Tang Sanzang and his disciples should arrive in the next few days. We were ordered to occupy this mountain and become demons precisely to help them endure more trials and attain enlightenment sooner.”
Silver Horn slammed his cup down heavily. “You’re right, brother. I’ve been in the mortal realm for so long that I almost forgot our true purpose.”
“That stable officer stole so many of our Immortal Elixirs and spiritual medicines. If his master and disciples fall into our hands, we must not let him off easily.”
Golden Horn nodded, his eyes filled with an unshakeable hatred.
He stretched out his hand, palm open, and instantly conjured four portraits.
They depicted Tang Sanzang and his disciples.
He handed the portraits to his Lesser Demons, instructing them to keep a close watch for anyone resembling the figures in the portraits while patrolling the mountain paths.
The Lesser Demons accepted the order and set off.
Upon hearing that consuming Tang Monk’s flesh could grant immortality, they became even more diligent.
As they wound their way through the layered mountain paths, they spotted Tang Sanzang and his companions from afar. However, when they compared them to the portraits, they couldn’t help but feel that something was off.
The hairy-faced, thunder-god-mouthed monk was an exact match, walking at the front with a staff slung over his shoulder.
But the remaining figures—a fat-headed, big-eared man and one with a long, bushy beard—were nowhere to be seen.
Instead, behind the white horse was a handsome yet fierce-looking man standing on flaming wheels.
Further back was a man dressed in white robes. Though walking on the dusty mountain path, the hem of his clothes remained spotless.
At the very end was a delicate and beautiful woman, simply dressed, wearing no makeup, with her hair tied up plainly.
“The Great King’s drawing skills are rather mediocre,” one of the Lesser Demons remarked.
Another demon beside him counted the people in the portrait and then those in the distance. “Not just that. I think the Great King and the Second King aren’t very good with numbers either. Aren’t there five people? Why are there only four in the portrait?”
“Before we left this morning, the Second King said the most handsome one was Tang Sanzang. Boss, in your opinion, which of these people is the most handsome?”
…
Li Miaoci had been traveling for days on end, feeling utterly bored.
The road to the Western Paradise still seemed endlessly far away.
Seeing the dense forests, towering mountains, and mist-shrouded path ahead, Sun Wukong decided to scout ahead.
Meanwhile, Yang Jian took Xiaotian Quan to beg for alms.
“What are you laughing at?”
Nezha, who had been walking ahead, suddenly appeared out of nowhere behind Li Miaoci.
Li Miaoci was startled.
“Rivals, fated enemies, childhood sweethearts,” she said slowly. “I was thinking about a storybook I read before.”
Nezha’s eyes lit up. “Sounds interesting. Let me see it too.”
“Oh, it’s about the love-hate relationship between you and Ao Bing,” she explained.
Nezha leisurely extended his hand, and a crimson Fire-Tipped Spear appeared in his palm.
Seeing his anger flare, Li Miaoci quickly backed down. “There’s another one—a story about innocent childhood friends, an older sister and younger brother, sweet romance, and tragic separation.”
Nezha withdrew the Fire-Tipped Spear.
“This isn’t about me again, is it?”
“Of course it is. Third Prince, you’re quite famous in the mortal realm. This story is about you and the Dragon Princess, Little Dragon Girl.”
Nezha gritted his teeth.
“I also remember one about you and the Third Holy Mother…”
Li Miaoci fearlessly continued.
Nezha scoffed. “Fine, keep going. When Second Brother returns, you can tell him this third story. If he beats you to death, don’t complain.”
“I was wrong,” Li Miaoci said, kneeling in surrender.
Tang Sanzang was resting on the hillside. Li Miaoci took out mountain spring water from her pack and handed it to him.
He thanked her and drank several mouthfuls.
“Third Senior Brother, would you like some water?”
Li Miaoci turned to look at Nezha.
Nezha was still processing the absurd storybooks she had mentioned earlier, his expression dark.
“Fine, don’t drink then.”
Li Miaoci walked over and sat on a flat stone nearby.
Suddenly, a startling conclusion flashed through her mind. “Third Senior Brother, I’ve discovered a very serious issue.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m serious.”
Nezha struck the ground with his Fire-Tipped Spear, causing the earth around them to tremble slightly.
“Fine, don’t listen then.”
She reluctantly fell silent.
In the distance, thick fog suddenly spread, and dark clouds rolled in.
Amid the gloom, someone called out, “Third Prince Nezha.”
Nezha raised his spear. “Damned Demons, if you know who I am, how dare you cause trouble in front of me?”
With a leap, he sped away on his Wind-Fire Wheels.
From the shadows, someone called again, “Third Prince Nezha.”
“I’m here!”
Then, a treasure gleaming with dazzling golden light appeared. Nezha was sucked into the gourd-shaped artifact.
Li Miaoci stood on the stone, staring dumbfounded at the scene before her.
Before she could flee, a demonic wind swept through, carrying her and Tang Sanzang away.
Mid-air, the Demons seemed to realize she was just a weak, insignificant waste with little Magical Power and tossed her aside.
Carried by the raging wind, Li Miaoci was blown straight out of Flat-Top Mountain.
By the time she landed and scrambled to her feet, the scenery before her had completely changed.
She had no idea where she had flown to.
“Have you heard? The Great King and Second King of Lotus Cave have captured Tang Sanzang and his disciples.”
“Tang Sanzang is a good man cultivated over ten lifetimes. Eating his flesh grants immortality.”
The first speaker, an elegant and graceful woman in green robes, smoothed the dark hair at her temple. “Having lived for centuries, what’s so great about immortality? I heard from one of the Great King’s Lesser Demons that Tang Sanzang’s disciples are all exceptionally handsome. If I could form a bond with one of them, I wouldn’t care about immortality.”
“Oh? Which one has caught your eye, sister?” teased the woman in yellow, laughing.
Though they were strikingly beautiful, their mannerisms clearly marked them as Demons.
“I’ve taken a liking to Tang Sanzang’s second disciple, the peerlessly handsome one.”
“Pfft, I think that monkey is majestic and good-looking.”
“You, hello? I have a hoodie…”
Li Miaoci got up to ask for directions; she still needed to hurry back to bring reinforcements.
Who would have thought that as soon as she opened her mouth, she nearly burst into song.
“Who are you?”
The two women were startled by her sudden voice.
“Where did you come from, Lesser Demon?”
Did they mistake her for a demon? Li Miaoci scratched her head. Demon would do.
“I’m from the neighboring mountain,” she explained, steeling herself.
“No wonder you look unfamiliar. Since you’re from the neighboring mountain, what are you doing here in our Dragon-Suppressing Mountain?” The woman in green stared at her warily.