Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

Jiang Liu and Gaoyang walked hand in hand, but despite agreeing to travel the world with Gaoyang, Jiang Liu couldn't help but feel uneasy.

The Emperor of Tang and the Great Buddha Temple in the mortal world were one thing, but would the Buddha and Bodhisattvas of Western Heaven let him go?

Nobody knew when the Buddha and Bodhisattvas of Western Heaven would use some means to force him back onto the road to Western Heaven.

However, when Jiang Liu turned his head and saw Gaoyang beside him, her joyful demeanor reassured him again.

Ever since the day Gaoyang's identity was revealed as a princess, he had not seen her this happy. They had already discussed the consequences of their actions, but since this was Gaoyang's choice, he decided to accompany her, ready to face any tribulations together.

Perhaps Gaoyang was right, fretting too much about love and being indecisive was indeed not admirable.

"Eh, there's someone in the grass ahead," Gaoyang murmured suddenly while they walked.

At the base of Foutu Mountain, where weeds thrived, a graceful figure in a white cloak lay on the ground. Although the weeds obscured a clear view of their face, Jiang Liu found the white cloak somewhat familiar.

After exchanging looks, they approached and indeed, it was the Demon Marshal Shuangxue, under the banner of the Blood Tiger King, lying in the grass.

In the midst of battle, cultivators from Zhongnan Mountain and Dragon Tiger Mountain in the Divinity Transformation Realm had jointly struck him down a cliff, where he fortuitously encountered Jiang Liu and Gaoyang, who were just departing.

"Is it him? Kill him!" Amidst the chaotic battle on the mountain, with countless humans dead or wounded, seeing it was the Demon Marshal under the Blood Tiger King, and already grievously injured, Gaoyang pulled out a flying dagger, saying hatefully.

"Wait..." Jiang Liu, however, grabbed Gaoyang's wrist and shook his head, saying, "It has come to this, let us not add to the slaughter."

Having been in the Journey to the West World for several months, and leveling up through combat, Jiang Liu had somewhat grasped the rules; not only did defeating higher-level monsters increase the experience points gained, but it also significantly increased the drop rate of items. The greater the difference in levels, the higher the drop rate.

If they killed Demon Marshal Shuangxue today, they would certainly obtain many things.

However...

"Jiang Liu, we almost got killed by the Blood Tiger King just now, and so many comrades on the mountain died, even Master Fanhai's fate is uncertain, why spare this evil demon now?" Gaoyang, whose wrist was held by Jiang Liu, looked at him puzzledly. Although Buddhist compassion was important, wasn't timing crucial too?

"When we first met, it was because of the Snow Rabbit Clan. You once mentioned that the Demon Marshal Shuangxue belonged to the Snow Rabbit Clan, which, in a sense, also played a role in bringing us together, right?" Jiang Liu held Gaoyang's wrist and spoke.

Really, it was also due to a sense of guilt within him. Initially, he had killed members of the Snow Rabbit Clan for their meat, and when the demons of the Snow Rabbit Clan sought revenge, they were killed by Senior Brother Xuankong, leaving Jiang Liu feeling guilty about them.

Encountering Demon Marshal Shuangxue now, if it was within his power to alleviate this guilt and achieve mental clarity, it wouldn't be bad.

According to the rules of the Journey to the West World, this could be seen as settling a karmic debt?

After all, his encounter with Gaoyang was because of the Snow Rabbit Clan, and his awareness of the game system also stemmed from having killed Snow Rabbit Clan members.

"Alright, since you've decided, I'll listen to you," Gaoyang thought for a moment and then slid the flying dagger back into its sheath.

Looking at the health bar above Demon Marshal Shuangxue's head, which only had a sliver of health left and could be depleted at any moment, Jiang Liu thought it through, decided to be thoroughly kind, and cast a Guanyin Mantra on Demon Marshal Shuangxue before leaving.

From then on, they owed nothing to the Snow Rabbit Clan.

Having left Foutu Mountain, the two of them continued their journey, walking for half a day until they came across a small mountain village. After some discussion, they decided to seclude themselves in this village and withdraw from worldly affairs.

...

Let's not talk about Jiang Liu and Gaoyang's seclusion in the village. Following the battle at Foutu Mountain, the entire Great Tang was shaken.

First, the battle between the King of Flood Dragon and the Blood Tiger King, two great Demon Kings, caused the Heavenly Master Hall to join forces with the Great Buddha Temple and Zhongnan Mountain to suppress them.

This was said to be the largest conflict between the Demon Clan and humans since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, with over half of the demons at Foutu Mountain killed or injured and even more catastrophic losses among the human cultivators.

Second, the reason why the King of Flood Dragon and the Blood Tiger King fought to the death turned out to be a nearly ripe Tribulus grass at Foutu Mountain that could extend one's life by a Tribulus cycle. No wonder the two Demon Kings risked their lives for it.

Third, Elder Sword from the Heavenly Master Hall pursued the King of Flood Dragon for thousands of miles, killing the Flood Dragon and seizing the Tribulus grass from its possession. However, Elder Sword also went missing afterward, and the world claimed he coveted the Tribulus grass and abandoned the Heavenly Master Hall for it.

With the battle at Foutu Mountain, the news spread throughout the Great Tang, leaving everyone stunned by the revelations about the Tribulus grass.

However, two days later, new news arrived. In this battle, the Emperor of Tang's most beloved princess, Gaoyang, went missing, her life or death unknown.

Moreover, Xuanzang, the disciple with the twelve incense scars previously celebrated by the Great Buddha Temple, was devoured by demons.

This news sent further shockwaves throughout the world. Recently, a disciple with twelve incense scars appeared in the Incense Offering Ceremony at the Great Buddha Temple, and along with Xuanzang's Formless Gatha and the temple's heavy reward, the theological debate between him and Li Chunfeng had become widely known.

Unexpectedly, the battle at Foutu Mountain not only led to the downfall of Master Fanhai but also resulted in the demise of Xuanzang, the disciple with the twelve incense scars, within the belly of a demon.

In a fit of anger, Li Shimin and the Saint Monk Longhai from the Great Buddha Temple joined forces in a sweeping search for the Blood Tiger King, seeking revenge.

Two whole months passed in a blink, and during these two months, countless demons were slain by the Emperor of Tang and the Great Buddha Temple, yet the Blood Tiger King remained elusive, and the demons from Foutu Mountain had long scattered.

"Brother Tiger, we've known each other for hundreds of years, and ours is a friendship sealed by blood. Come, let's drink. Your repeated rescues have saved my life. Now, with the Emperor of Tang and the Great Buddha Temple tightening their search, you should just settle down safely in my cave," said a lean middle-aged man, laying down drinks and food and heartily lifting his cup.

"Burp, Brother Wolf, don't speak like that. Though I have saved you twice, you've also helped me a lot..."

Transformed into a human, the Blood Tiger King belched drunkenly, saying, "Let's not talk about the past, but now, with Li Shimin and that bald monk Longhai searching the world for me, only you dare to take the risk to shelter me. This kindness, Brother Tiger, I will remember in my heart and never forget."

Cups clinked as they drank freely, eating heartily and merrily, their drunkenness deepening.

Seeing that the Blood Tiger King was almost completely drunk, not only babbling inarticulately but barely able to stand straight, swaying from side to side, the Wolf King casually raised his cup and said, "Brother Tiger, there are rumors outside that the Tribulus Fruit was taken by Old Loach that day. Why have you reverted to your youthful vigor? Could it be that the rumors are wrong?"

"No, no, the Tribulus Fruit indeed was taken by Old Loach, but Brother Tiger here has been fortunate, haha. The Tribulus Fruit only extends life by a mere one hundred eighty years, but look at me now, robust and hearty, easily good for another three to five hundred years, burp..." the Blood Tiger King said, his face flushed with drink, and bursting into laughter.

"Then how did you come by this lifespan, Brother Tiger!?" the Wolf King asked, his eyes gleaming.

Three to five hundred years of life? Such a statement would make anyone tremble with excitement, and the Wolf King's hand holding the cup shook slightly.

"That's because, Brother Tiger enjoyed a piece of meat, a piece of Master Xuanzang's flesh, a pity that everyone outside claims he was devoured by demons. Who knows who got lucky..."

(PS: Today is Valentine's Day, I wish everyone's girlfriend gets her period tonight, haha...)