[Fantasy] Sun Wukong's Seven-Day Holiday (Complete) - Chapters 34-36

Chapter 306 Past Events

Seeing Wu Nai's unsteady gait, Wukong asked with concern, "Wu Nai, it seems you're quite poisoned. Sit down and let me see if I can help you." Wu Nai forced himself to stay awake and said, "It's alright, just a small matter. I can handle it myself. Don't worry about me. Ye Fang and I will go first. See you again if fate allows." With that, Wu Nai and Ye Fang took their leave.

This departure lasted for seven days. Wu Nai had been poisoned by the black bubbles of the strange insect, and Ye Fang had also suffered internal injuries. The siblings chose a relatively secluded mountain forest with abundant spiritual energy to heal their wounds.

During these days, aside from necessary conversations, Ye Fang seemed reluctant to talk much. Whenever Wu Nai tried to talk to her, she would always use sleep as an excuse to avoid it. Seeing Ye Fang like this, Wu Nai didn't know what to say and could only sigh inwardly.

By the seventh day, with the help of the spiritual energy and their respective cultivation levels, Ye Fang's internal injuries had almost healed, and she was basically fine, only needing to take care of herself. However, whether due to excessive blood loss or her emotional state, Ye Fang's complexion was ultimately not good; pale and dull,

completely lacking her former captivating radiance. Meanwhile, Wu Nai's poison had been expelled from his body, and he gradually regained his strength.

"Brother, you should go back. I can take care of myself now. You don't need to worry about me anymore," Ye Fang said to Wu Nai after the day's treatment.

"Are you trying to get rid of me, sister? Don't you want me to stay here with you?" Wu Nai remained silent for a long time before replying, gazing at Ye Fang's pale and thin face with heartache.

Ye Fang smiled, her smile, though lacking its former brilliance, was still the most charming smile a woman could possess, especially with her flowing black hair cascading down her back. If an ordinary man saw her, he would be utterly captivated. But Ye Fang was Ye Fang; most people wouldn't even glance at her.

“Brother, you’re joking again. There’s no way a sister would chase after her brother. I just felt bad seeing how tired you ’ve been these past few days because of me, so I thought I’d let you go home and rest early…” Ye Fang said with concern.

Wu Nai’s initial worry gradually vanished with Ye Fang’s smile, replaced by a relieved one: “You haven’t

smiled much these past few days, and even when you did, it was just perfunctory. It’s rare to see you finally have a genuine smile today.”

Ye Fang’s smile slowly faded, instantly returning to her pitiful expression as she played with her hair, saying, “What are you saying, brother? I don’t understand at all. I’ve smiled for so many years, and I’m bound to get tired eventually. What’s so strange about that?”

Wu Nai turned her slightly to the side so she was facing him: “Your injury is almost healed; I should go now. But…” Before I leave, I want to ask you something. What's going on with James? Why are you so downcast? Don't tell me it's love at first sight. That's impossible for you. You've seen plenty of men a hundred times better than him over the years. How could someone like him make you so down? This isn't like you. Tell your older brother, what's going on?"

Ye Fang stared at him for a long time without saying a word, just looking at him. Just when Wu Nai thought Ye Fang wouldn't answer, she spoke, a half-smile on her face, "This is a private matter. Although you're my older brother, I have the right not to answer!"

"

Precisely because I'm your older brother, that's why I need to ask you. Only after I understand can I help you. Ye Fang, we're siblings. Is there anything I can't even tell my older brother?"

"Older brother..." Whether it was because her injuries hadn't fully healed or because she was touched by Wu Nai's words, Ye Fang's voice sounded weak and trembling with tears.

"Ye Fang, you didn't call me 'big brother' for nothing. Tell me, okay?" Wu Nai's voice was full of endless expectations. He was just a younger sister, so Ye Fang undoubtedly held a very important place in his heart. He hoped that he could help Ye Fang and share some of her burdens. He didn't want to see her unable to extricate herself from the abyss of pain.

Ye Fang turned her face to the side, and with her movement, the sunlight filtering through the dense forest leaves seemed to capture something, shining brightly and movingly. After a long while, Ye Fang maintained that profile and said softly, "Actually, it's nothing serious, just a small matter. Alright, if you want to hear me tell you, then you'll understand why I like to express my emotions, and why I have such a deep

longing ..."

After saying this, it was quite a while before Ye Fang's voice continued to rise in the same place: "That was a very, very long time ago, so long that I can hardly remember it anymore. But every time I think I've forgotten it, that scene appears before my eyes with crystal clarity, as if it were just yesterday..."

Many years ago, Ye Fang, who longed for life in the human world, came to the human world for the first time. She ran away secretly without telling anyone. At that time, she didn't have the same magical power as she does now, but it was already quite good in the human world.

Crossing the barrier between the demon realm and the human realm required a vast amount of magical power, which Ye Fang had only just reached at that level. Therefore, upon arriving in the human realm, her magical power was almost completely depleted. She couldn't transform into human form, nor could she use even the smallest spell; she was just like an ordinary white fox.

This was undoubtedly dangerous, but the naive and innocent Ye Fang had no sense of crisis whatsoever, not even basic precautions. She ran freely through the mountains and forests, watching the streams flow and the springs gurgle. She was happy and joyful, even running out of the forest and into populated areas. At that moment, she was curious about everything, unaware that danger was closing in on her step by step!

Before she could even react, her carefree legs were firmly caught in a hidden iron trap. The trap was covered in sharp iron teeth, causing one of the traps to bleed profusely and dig deeply into her flesh. Even with all her strength, Ye Fang couldn't pry it open an inch, and instead screamed in pain.

If Ye Fang could still use her magic, she could escape. The problem was, she had none left, and it would take at least ten days for her magic to recover—enough time for the hunters who captured her to kill her dozens of times over.

At this moment, Ye Fang finally understood the ruthlessness of humans and that the human world wasn't as beautiful and flawless as she had imagined. But this realization seemed too late.

The footsteps of humans grew closer. Ye Fang trembled from blood loss and fear. During her captivity, she had imagined being discovered and captured by hunters countless times, but

the moment finally arrived, she was filled with terror. Ye Fang's heart was filled with boundless sorrow. Was she really going to die at the hands of mortals?

The scenery of the human world was still breathtakingly beautiful, but now, in Ye Fang's eyes, it was a death knell. She was filled with regret for her sneaking away, but it was too late to say anything now.

The footsteps grew closer, and Ye Fang's heart pounded faster...

Chapter 307 Relentless Pursuit

No matter how unwilling Ye Fang was, the hunter still appeared. She remembered the smile on his face as he grabbed her tail and lifted her upside down—the smile of someone who had found a satisfactory piece of merchandise. He was probably already calculating how much this pure white fox could fetch, or perhaps he was planning to make something from her pelt.

On the way back with the hunter, tears welled up in Ye Fang's beautiful fox eyes. In the afterglow of the setting sun, these tears were so moving. Unfortunately, to the greedy hunter, this was merely the sign of a fox's dying breath; how could he possibly give up the money that was about to be his?

However, not no one was moved by Ye Fang's tears. A young man who looked like a scholar called out to the hunter. He looked at Ye Fang with extreme pity. The moment their eyes met, Ye Fang almost thought that the scholar had seen through her, peered into the deepest part of her heart, and thus understood everything about her.

While Ye Fang was lost in thought, the scholar was already asking the hunter about the price. Even at the market, a fox would only fetch fifty coins.

However, the hunter believed Ye Fang's fur was of pure quality and could sell for a higher price than ordinary foxes, so he resolutely refused to sell it to the scholar for fifty coins, instead demanding one hundred.

One hundred coins was a considerable sum at the time, enough to feed a family of three for two or three months without worry. For those who weren't wealthy, it was definitely not a small amount, and the scholar's attire didn't suggest he was rich.

With the scholar's silence, Ye Fang's heart sank once more. Was she really going to die at the hands of the hunter? Just when Ye Fang was almost in despair, the scholar spoke again. This time, he spoke through gritted teeth. Only two words: "I'll buy!"

His hand trembled as he pulled the money from his purse, but he still resolutely pulled it out. It was almost all the money he had on his journey. After paying the hunter one hundred coins, he was penniless.

The hunter left satisfied, and Ye Fang, fortunate enough to escape his grasp, followed the scholar instead. Because of her injured foot, she couldn't walk and had to be carried by the scholar. Although in the scholar's eyes she was merely a wild animal,

he treated her extremely well, bandaging her wound and feeding her the same food as himself. The scholar's heart was so kind that, after a long period of contact, Ye Fang was deeply attracted to him. She loved his scent, loved his voice—she loved everything about him, and wanted to stay by his side forever. It was from that moment that Ye Fang developed feelings for a young man, a mysterious feeling that remained deep within her heart. Therefore, whenever she met a man she considered attractive, she couldn't help but feel this way. McKee, Sun Wukong, James… all evoked this mysterious feeling in her.

At that time, she thought that although she was still in the form of a white fox, in time her magic would be almost fully restored. Then she could transform into human form and be with the scholar forever. She believed that the scholar would definitely love her.

The scholar came here seeking refuge with relatives. He led Ye Fang on a quest to find their home, and they finally did, only to learn that their relatives had already passed away. At this point, he was penniless

, having exhausted all his resources. Ye Fang witnessed the scholar's plight and, in response, practiced even more diligently than before. Once her powers returned and she could materialize her powers, conjuring up some money would be a piece of cake.

However, misfortunes never come singly, and this proved true for the scholar.

Before Ye Fang had even regained her magical powers, the scholar fell ill, and the illness struck rapidly. He quickly collapsed, and because he had no money for a doctor, his condition worsened day by day, until he was unconscious within a few days.

They had run out of money for an inn and had to sleep in the wilderness. Ye Fang whimpered beside the scholar, but he could no longer hear her. His last breath clung to the world, and he could die at any moment. Human life was so fragile.

Ye Fang didn't just weep; instead, she intensified her cultivation by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, hoping to regain her magical power before the scholar died so she could use it to heal him.

Her efforts finally paid off. One day, after absorbing enough spiritual energy, Ye Fang transformed into human form. She rushed to the scholar's side, hoping to use her newly restored magical power to help him. But… it was all too late. Just before Ye Fang successfully transformed, the scholar breathed his last. He died without seeing the white fox he had rescued, nor did he see Ye Fang's true appearance. She was so beautiful, so mesmerizing.

The only person Ye Fang wanted to be mesmerized by was the scholar, but now he was gone. She could no longer find the one who made her beauty bloom.

The scholar, there's only one such foolish scholar in the world. He would spend all his money on a fox, treat a fox as his companion, and shed tears when he was seriously ill—not because of his illness, but because he worried about what would happen to the white fox if he died.

How could the word "foolish" even begin to describe this man!

Ye Fang wept on the scholar's body for an unknown amount of time…

This story captivated Wu Nai. If Ye Fang hadn't told him herself, he would never have known that behind her carefree and unrestrained nature lay such a past. No wonder Ye Fang later changed

so

drastically, becoming cruel and ruthless, striving for extremes in everything, and becoming so unrestrained; it turned out her heart had suffered such a profound trauma.

"Sister, I never imagined you had such a deeply unforgettable experience," Wu Nai said, stroking Ye Fang's long hair with boundless heartache. It was truly heartbreaking that she had kept this hidden for so long.

"Mmm!" Ye Fang nodded gently, her eyes clear and peaceful from the memories. She looked up at the white clouds in the sky and suddenly smiled. "Although so much time has passed, I have never forgotten that silly scholar. After returning to the demon realm, I always hoped to go back to the human world to find the reincarnation of that silly scholar. So I sneaked out of my house again, hoping for a miracle." Maintaining that smile, she continued, "Actually, I know I shouldn't break the laws of the human world to find someone who has already reincarnated dozens of times, but I just couldn't get over my own conscience, so I came anyway. I kept trying to get to know young men, but it seems I've gained nothing. Even James isn't the person I'm looking for. I just wanted to find some

solace ."

"However, I won't give up!" As she said this, a rare determination appeared on Ye Fang's face. She slowly stood up, her hand on her sleeve. Under the starlight and in the cool breeze, she looked like a butterfly about to take flight.

"What I, Ye Fang, want is a heart that truly loves me, without any other impurities." Her resolute words left no room for doubt about Ye Fang's determination. She was a fox spirit, the princess of the fox clan; she had her own pursuits!

Chapter 308 Disdain

Wu Nai nodded silently, no longer dwelling on the matter, but instead asked, "Sister, I didn't expect you to have such a difficult past. Hearing it makes me feel bad too. But the past is the past, and you don't need to hold a grudge. What are you planning to do next? Return to the demon realm or stay in the human world?"

Ye Fang shrugged and said, "I don't know. I'll probably go back to the demon realm; anyway, there's nothing for me to do in the human world anymore. But before I go back, I want to take this opportunity to have some fun in the human world. I might not come back here again." A hint of longing lingered in her words.

After leaving Ye Fang, Wu Nai first went home to reassure his mother, then immediately went to the Yuanlai Teahouse, where Liu Yueyue, Situ Yangguang, and others were already there. The teahouse, which had been badly damaged by Consort Yang, had been renovated. However, without Ye Fang's performance and still shaken by the fright of a few days prior, there were far fewer customers, making it quiet and deserted.

"How is Ye Fang? Is she alright?" Situ Yangguang's first question to Wu Nai was about Ye Fang's injuries.

Wu Nai smiled calmly and said, "She's alright, out of danger, but she still needs some time to recover. She thought I was in her way, so she sent me back." The last sentence had a slightly joking tone; regardless, he was naturally in a better mood since Ye Fang was alright.

Situ Yangguang patted his chest and said, "That's good. I was really afraid you'd bring back bad news. If that's the case, why didn't she come back with you? It's inconvenient for her to be out there alone without anyone to take care of her."

"I tried to persuade her, but she wouldn't listen, so there was nothing I could do," Wu Nai said with a smile. Ye Fang was always stubborn, and she rarely changed her mind once she made a decision.

"Has she stopped coming to the teahouse to sing?" James suddenly asked, his eyes filled with joy, as if he had been liberated. It was a natural expression of his emotions.

Wu Nai said irritably, "James, are you very reluctant to see Ye Fang? But Ye Fang will be going back to her hometown soon, and she won't bother you anymore. You can be happy now."

Upon receiving confirmation, James was overjoyed, but still managed to suppress a laugh as he asked, "She's really leaving?"

"Of course she is. But that's good too. At least no one will dare bully her back home, and no one will make her suffer! Now you've got what you wanted, haven't you?" As she spoke, Wu Nai's gaze remained fixed on James, his delighted expression making Wu Nai quite annoyed. "

James, tell me the truth, don't you really have any feelings for Ye Fang at all? I heard you two had a pretty good relationship in the US, why did it suddenly change like this?" Wu Nai asked softly.

"A good relationship was true before I knew the truth. You ask if I have feelings for Ye Fang? Of course I do. But it's a feeling of fear." "James answered truthfully.

In fact, Ye Fang couldn't bear to part with James in the end, so she returned to the old teahouse and secretly watched him, which is why she overheard his words.

How she wished she could hear James say, 'Actually, I like Ye Fang!'

But it was just a pipe dream. Even when Wu Nai asked him, he still wouldn't say he liked her. Perhaps he really didn't like her and didn't want to accept her.

Tears streamed from Ye Fang's eyes, drop after drop, like endless rain, constantly dripping onto the ground, but she seemed oblivious, neither wiping nor cleaning them, just staring blankly at James, letting the tears fall, letting them stop, letting the wind dry them.

Standing there blankly, suddenly a smile appeared on her face, her slender fingers slowly tracing the corners of her eyes. At that moment, she could no longer feel the moisture, but it only added to her sorrow. James, do you really not want to see me? I've been gone for so long, and I've never heard you say..." "Just one word of longing, and you feel nothing but fear and guilt towards me?"

Perhaps it truly was time for her to leave. Let this cross-border relationship end here. The flower has withered; what remains?

James was unaware that Ye Fang was secretly watching him from the shadows, and even less aware of how heartbroken she was by his words. James's words utterly devastated Ye Fang.

She bit her lip tightly, refusing to let a sob escape her lips or let tears fall.

Once, she was a cruel and bloodthirsty fox spirit; how could she weep over someone else's words?!

Tomorrow, with the sun rising, she would return to the demon realm. From then on, she would never see James again, nor would she shed tears for him. Let their past feelings be buried

deep in her heart. Ye Fang whispered in her heart, "James, I'm going back to the demon realm. I hope this will bring you happiness. If you occasionally think of me in the future, that will be my greatest comfort." Lost in thought, Ye Fang was startled when a cold, aged voice came from behind her: "Demon, what are you doing lurking around here? Trying to harm someone? "

Startled, Ye Fang turned around to see an elderly Taoist priest standing silently behind her. Composing herself, Ye Fang cursed, "Where did this fiend come from, spouting nonsense? If you piss me off, I'll slap your stinking mouth!"

The old Taoist scoffed, "Hmph, you fox spirit, you're quite stubborn. But once I tell you my name, your mouth won't be so hard!" Hearing him call her a fox spirit, Ye Fang's anger flared. She retorted fiercely, "Old demon, at your age, you still want to make a fool of yourself? I'd like to know what's so special about your name. Tell me!" The old Taoist chuckled, "Haha, you, you stand properly! My name is the fearsome old Taoist priest Bao Yuanzi, feared throughout the demon realm!" "

Hehehe, what a trashy name! Never heard of it!" Ye Fang said, pursing her lips. The old Taoist priest was greatly shocked. He had discovered the scent of a fox in Lingwang City and had been tracking it all the way to this teahouse. He had thought that after giving his name, the fox spirit would tremble with fear, but unexpectedly, she hadn't even heard of him.

"You've never heard of Bao Yuanzi? How is that possible?" Bao Yuanzi asked in bewilderment, deeply shocked.

After searching extensively, he had finally confirmed that the fox spirit was hiding in Lingwang City. He had finally found her, and of course, he wouldn't miss this golden opportunity.

"What a joke, what is Bao Yuanzi? Why should I know this lousy name?" Ye Fang looked at him as if he were an old madman.

Chapter 309 Relentless Pursuit

Perhaps it was some kind of premonition, but Wu Nai, who was chatting with Situ Yangguang and Liu Yueyue, sensed the approaching danger. His expression changed slightly, and he quickly said to Situ Yangguang, "Excuse me, please excuse me." "Having said that, he hurriedly got up and went out the door, immediately seeing Ye Fang and Bao Yuanzi.

"Big brother, you're out?" Ye Fang greeted Wu Nai when he came out.

"Hmph, another fox has appeared. Is this teahouse a fox den? Well, let's take them all out in one fell swoop, hahaha, my luck is good today!" Bao Yuanzi sneered. Wu Nai smiled dismissively: "Old man, it's been so long, you're still alive?" Bao Yuanzi chuckled and said: "How could I bear to die as long as you, this fox, are still alive? Enough nonsense, I've found you again this time, you can't escape now, you'd better surrender obediently!"

Ye Fang's anger flared up, and she shouted: "Old thing, don't talk nonsense, take this!" "With that, she drew her sword, its gleaming blade striking Bao Yuanzi. Bao Yuanzi's eyes flashed with a sharp light, yet he made no attempt to dodge Ye Fang's attack, standing motionless. Was he planning to confront Ye Fang's sword with his bare body? This was no ordinary sword; even with advanced cultivation, one was still ultimately a mortal. Was Bao Yuanzi truly so confident?

Ye Fang shared the same question. But events proved that Bao Yuanzi neither dodged nor offered any resistance, allowing the sword to strike.

When did Bao Yuanzi become so easy to deal with? And why didn't he fight back? Even Wu Nai was puzzled, wondering what had happened to Bao Yuanzi, that he was so..." It was unbelievable that Ye Fang could hit him so easily. Ye Fang was stunned, unable to believe she had killed Bao Yuanzi with a single blow; she thought she was dreaming.

But it turned out she was dreaming, because they saw Bao Yuanzi again, not in the same spot, but in another direction, standing there quietly. Now they understood: Bao Yuanzi had teleported away in a fraction of a second of Ye Fang's attack, and Ye Fang's sword hadn't even scratched a hair on his head.

Ye Fang was first taken aback, then chuckled, "Old man, you're really skilled. If my brother and I came one at a time, we probably wouldn't even be able to touch the hem of your clothes. We'll have to come at you together. Qin Dong!" "

As she uttered the last word, she was already flying. While still in the air, a red light enveloped her. When the light faded, Ye Fang had changed her attire; her long robes flowed, her hair danced in the wind, and the golden jade hairpins jingled softly. This was her true form. Now, Ye Fang possessed less of her seductive allure and more of an ethereal grace, especially in her clothing, which made her appear as if she were flying and dancing. In her hands now lay the ancient zither she had once used in her battle against Consort Yang.

Her fingers lightly traced..." Invisible sound waves surged towards Bao Yuanzi along with the music. Not only that, she also used her delicate, orchid-like fingers to flick a string and shoot it towards him. The slender string, like a venomous snake, gleamed with a chilling light as it shot towards Bao Yuanzi's face.

Wu Nai seized the opportunity to attack as well. His fiery, soul-snatching whip coiled around Bao Yuanzi like a long snake. A golden light danced around Bao Yuanzi in dazzling colors. Given the whip's extendable length, Wu Nai chose to attack from a distance.

Facing Ye Fang's sonic and string attacks, Bao Yuanzi's eyes held a hint of disdain. With a flick of his sleeve, he enveloped the invisible sonic energy within it, then used his own magic to propel the sonic waves back at Ye Fang: "An eye for an eye!"

Ye Fang was taken aback, not expecting Bao Yuanzi to use her attack against her. Unable to dodge in time, she disregarded her control over the strings, frantically plucking them to create a sonic barrier in front of her, barely managing to block the counterattack. However, Ye Fang still suffered a slight loss; Bao Yuanzi's rebounding sonic waves were not only powerful but also possessed the Taoist properties of exorcism, perfectly countering Ye Fang's demonic power. As for the string that

had lost its control, it was struck to the ground by a glint of light shot from Bao Yuanzi's eyes.

What gave Bao Yuanzi a slight headache was Wu Nai. He had fought this fox demon twice before, both times ending in a draw, with each side holding their own. This demon possessed the ability to transform plants into his own, allowing him to use this power to obstruct him with wild grass and flowers. While not a major threat, they were still somewhat of a hindrance. Wu Nai's Fiery Soul-Hooking Whip was incredibly powerful, and Bao Yuanzi was on high alert. Therefore, Bao Yuanzi couldn't gain any advantage against Wu Nai and Ye Fang's combined attack.

The zither music, the Soul-Hooking Whip, and the plant transformations bombarded Bao Yuanzi in turn. While they didn't cause him significant harm, they were still quite troublesome. Bao Yuanzi seemed to be struggling to cope. Although it appeared that both sides were evenly matched, Bao Yuanzi was inwardly groaning. He was old and couldn't hold out much longer, while Wu Nai was young and vigorous, seemingly growing stronger with each battle. If this continued, he would definitely be the one to suffer.

Surrounded by Wu Nai and Ye Fang, Bao Yuanzi finally launched his first attack. He quickly pulled a paper packet from his pocket and threw it at Ye Fang, seemingly trying to find a way in.

Suddenly, a colorful "rain of stones" rained down on Ye Fang. Just as she prepared to defend herself, the rapidly approaching stones scattered, countless stones hurtling towards her from all directions. Although Ye Fang reacted quickly, she was still struck squarely by one of the stones, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, clearly injured.

The other stones that missed their target turned back and attacked Ye Fang again. Ye Fang cried out and flew into the air, trying to avoid the attack. However, the stones seemed to have eyes, suddenly changing direction and following Ye Fang upwards. Ye Fang used her hands and feet to block the stones' attacks in mid-air, but she was still hit by two. Ye Fang groaned and fell to the ground, clutching her stomach and spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Damn it! That stinking Taoist priest is truly insidious; he actually pulled this trick!" Just as Ye Fang struggled to get up, Wu Nai came over and helped her up. "Sister, how are you? Are you alright?"

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she wanted to turn around to look at Wu Nai, but she stopped herself immediately. She broke free from Wu Nai's support and said in a voice filled with hatred, "I'm fine! You stinking old Taoist, I'll make you suffer too!" As she spoke, the jade pendant on her head swayed gently in the night breeze.

Wu Nai raised his head, staring at Bao Yuanzi with fiery eyes, and said fiercely, "You stinking Taoist, you actually used such despicable means! You won't get away unscathed today!"

Chapter 310 Stubbornly Obsessed

After the seven-colored stones struck Ye Fang, they reassembled in the air and returned to the old Taoist Bao Yuanzi's hand. Only then did Wu Nai realize that it was Bao Yuanzi's magic power that controlled the seven-colored stones. No wonder he could control the separation and reunion of the seven-colored stones at will.

Holding the seven-colored stone in his hand, Bao Yuanzi stepped forward and said to the injured Ye Fang, "Fox demon, the two of you can't possibly defeat me. If you know what's good for you, you'd better surrender."

"Pah!" Ye Fang suppressed the rising anger in her chest and cursed at the old Taoist Bao Yuanzi, "What kind of dog Taoist is this? Your methods are insidious and vicious! You old thing, how dare you spout nonsense here? Don't think you can be arrogant just because you injured me with some petty tricks. Even if there were several of you, I wouldn't take you seriously!"

Bao Yuanzi's face tightened and he shouted angrily, "You're really stubborn. Then I'll take you in first!" He then used the Taoist Giant Hand technique to condense a hand as big as a small house in the air and brought it down on Ye Fang's head, determined to grab her.

"Quick, dodge!" Wu Nai was the first to react. He grabbed Ye Fang and dodged to the side, and quickly swung his fiery soul-hooking whip, attacking Bao Yuanzi again, trying to distract him from controlling the giant hand to grab Ye Fang.

However, this giant hand seemed to possess a kind of sentience. Although Bao Yuanzi was attacked by Wu Nai's fiery soul-hooking whip, it could still accurately track Ye Fang, completely ignoring Wu Nai who was protecting her.

Despite several attempts to resist, Ye Fang was eventually caught in the air by the giant hand. The moment the yin-based demonic power came into contact with the Taoist magic, Ye Fang's body felt as if it had been doused with sulfuric acid, experiencing unbearable pain. However, Ye Fang bit her lip tightly, refusing to utter a sound of pain.

Wu Nai had already revealed his true form as a fox demon, maximizing the demonic power he could muster. Despite his numerous attempts, he couldn't break through the giant hand. Frustrated and angry, especially seeing Ye Fang's agonizing suffering, he roared at Bao Yuanzi, "You old scoundrel, put my sister down!"

Bao Yuanzi's eyes flashed with a cold smile. Instead of putting Ye Fang down, he drew a talisman and hurled it at her. Instantly, in addition to the giant hand, a talisman surrounded Ye Fang, causing far greater pain than before. Ye Fang's face contorted in agony, yet she refused to utter a sound. Seeing

Ye Fang's miserable state, Wu Nai couldn't contain his rage. His face turned ashen with hatred. He roared and unleashed his strongest attack without hesitation. His fiery soul-hooking whip, gleaming with crimson light, whistled towards Bao Yuanzi, creating a whirlwind around him. Wu Nai used all his strength; the power of the soul-hooking whip was extraordinary. His heart was filled with sorrow for Ye Fang's suffering; he felt a deep ache, wishing he were the one enduring the pain.

Bao Yuanzi nimbly dodged Wu Nai's attacks. His agile movements were so nimble and spirited that one couldn't tell he was an elderly man. However, Wu Nai's attacks were indeed fierce, forcing Bao Yuanzi to set aside Ye Fang and focus solely on dealing with Wu Nai's assault.

"You old scoundrel, are you really going to wipe us all out?" Wu Nai stared intently at Bao Yuanzi, his face cold and calm, but a closer look at his eyes would reveal a deep fury hidden beneath that composure.

"Wipe us all out? Yes, I intend to wipe you demons out completely, to prevent you from wreaking havoc on the world, and to avoid divine retribution in the future." Bao Yuanzi spoke slowly, as if this was already an immense favor to them, and they should be grateful to him.

"Is that so?" Wu Nai sneered, then his face tightened and he said solemnly, "You old scoundrel, your actions are devoid of any compassion or humanity. You call others demons, but you yourself are the greatest demon."

At this point, Wu Nai laughed angrily, "Fine, you're always the one subduing others, today I'll subdue you and see how you feel."

"If you think you have the ability, feel free to try. I'm happy to oblige!" Bao Yuanzi's words carried a hint of disdain. Indeed, in Bao Yuanzi's eyes, who considered himself a master of Taoism, Wu Nai's words were nothing short of delusional. From their earlier exchange, it was clear that even Wu Nai's fiery soul-hooking whip couldn't defeat Bao Yuanzi.

Bao Yuanzi continued, "Show me what you've got! I want to see if your abilities match your boasts!"

"As you wish!" Wu Nai uttered these four words, then raised his spiritual power to its maximum. He had made up his mind to use close-quarters combat techniques against Bao Yuanzi, even if it meant mutual destruction.

He would rather die than let Ye Fang fall victim to Bao Yuanzi's poison again!

Chapter 311 Persistence

Wu Nai desperately gathered all his spiritual power, preparing for a desperate gamble. He suddenly tossed aside the Fiery Soul-Hooking Whip in his hand and lunged at Bao Yuanzi.

"Brother, no!" Ye Fang cried out. Her eyes were fixed on the charging Wu Nai, filled with unspeakable worry. She knew that Wu Nai was going all out; he hadn't considered protecting himself at all.

"Seeking death!" Bao Yuanzi roared, his long sleeves billowing as he met Wu Nai's attack with one hand, while his other hand transformed into a giant hand suspended in mid-air. Dazzling golden light emanated from beneath the giant hand, like a dense golden net. This golden net was now very close to Wu Nai and Ye Fang's heads. They could even feel the immense power emanating from it, but they felt no fear, only a detached indifference to life and death.

Bao Yuanzi's attacks were far more ruthless than his previous broad and powerful ones, almost every strike aimed to kill. Although Wu Nai wanted to get close to attack, he found it difficult to reach him.

The golden net descended upon Wu Nai's head, and just as it was about to reach him, Ye Fang struggled to her feet, lunged forward, and pushed Wu Nai away with her left hand. At the same time, her right hand plunged her sword into Bao Yuanzi's chest. Bao Yuanzi, caught completely off guard, hurriedly dodged to the side, but the sword still pierced his thigh.

Ye Fang's body was completely enveloped by the golden net, the intensely hot golden light instantly burning her heart, leaving charred marks around the wound.

"Sister!" Wu Nai rushed over despite the danger, carefully helping Ye Fang up, calling her name again and again, but it was no use. The moment her heart was pierced, Ye Fang closed her eyes, closed them tightly, never to open them again to see this world.

If one looked closely, one would see a deep smile playing on her lips, a smile that made her appear so peaceful and beautiful.

She could finally sleep, a deep sleep, no longer needing to care about anything in the world.

"Sister!" Wu Nai called Ye Fang's name again and again, hoping she would open her eyes and look at him one last time, call him "Big Brother" one more time. He couldn't believe that Ye Fang, who had just been alive, had stopped breathing.

Wu Nai's heart had never ached so much, as if a thousand ants were gnawing at it. He endured and endured until he could no longer bear it, and finally he couldn't help but hold Ye Fang and cry. As siblings, they had always supported each other since they grew up. Although Ye Fang was willful and unruly, she always listened to her older brother, and Wu Nai had always been very loving towards his younger sister, never having the heart to punish

her severely. Now... now... Bao Yuanzi saw Ye Fang fall and couldn't help but laugh loudly, "Good! Good death! The world has lost another demon, and the world can be much more peaceful, hahaha!" The almost manic laughter was so terrifying to hear. Bao Yuanzi, had he forgotten to have a compassionate heart? Was his heart made of stone?

Wu Nai's anger was unquenchable. He turned and glared furiously at Bao Yuanzi, saying each word distinctly, "You old scoundrel, you'll regret this!"

"Hahaha, regret? Those words don't exist in my dictionary! Slaying demons and monsters is my sacred duty, my lifelong pursuit, and I find endless joy in it!" Bao Yuanzi's aged voice echoed in the air. Overwhelmed with grief and indignation, Wu Nai gently placed Ye Fang's body on the ground, then stood up, biting his tongue and spurting a mouthful of blood like an arrow towards the golden net. Perhaps due to Bao Yuanzi's advanced age and depleted inner strength, coupled with the sword wound Ye Fang had inflicted on his thigh, the golden light of the net had dimmed considerably after striking Ye Fang. Wu Nai's blood spurted out, and the golden net trembled slightly before breaking free and vanishing without a trace. The giant hand also rapidly withered, finally falling to the ground.

After the spell was broken, Bao Yuanzi swayed wearily a few times, finally unable to hold back the blood, which he coughed up violently, a few drops landing on his clothes like red plum blossoms in the snow.

"I'm old, my strength is failing, time waits for no one! It's a pity I probably can't personally destroy you, you demon fox!" Bao Yuanzi sat down heavily on the ground, his aged face filled with regret. Seizing the opportunity, Wu Nai picked up the Fiery Soul-Hooking Whip from the ground and lashed it hard at Bao Yuanzi, sending him flying several meters away.

Bao Yuanzi coughed up even more blood, but he still didn't die. Only he could survive; anyone else would have been killed by Wu Nai's blow. However, he was now nearing the end of his life, and even without attacking, he wouldn't live much longer.

Bao Yuanzi collapsed to the ground, spitting blood and shaking his head repeatedly. "No, impossible! How could I be defeated by a fox demon? This is impossible, impossible!" He desperately wanted to deny it, desperately wanted to stand up, but each time he only managed to stand halfway before collapsing again, blood continuously gushing from his mouth.

"You stinking Taoist priest, do you understand now? Stubborn and incorrigible, you deserve this punishment!" This was Wu Nai's question to Bao Yuanzi.

"There's nothing I don't understand. Do you think you can defeat me like this? No, I will not lose!" This was Bao Yuanzi's reply.

Looking at the dying Bao Yuanzi, Wu Nai felt a sudden pang of bitterness. He half-squatted down and said, "You stinking Taoist, you always think you're acting on behalf of Heaven, but you're too stubborn. You cultivate your Tao, I cultivate mine, why force each other? Have you ever thought about loving all living beings, loving every life, even if that being has made a mistake, even if it's a fox, you should still use great love to protect and influence it? You stinking old Taoist, ask yourself honestly, do you have such great love? If not, what's the use of cultivating the Tao for so many years?"

Surprisingly, Bao Yuanzi didn't utter a single word while Wu Nai was speaking. Perhaps he was too weak, or perhaps he disdained to speak to this demonic Wu Nai?

Wu Nai waited for a long time without receiving a reply, then lowered his head and smiled bitterly, before saying, "You won, you finally eliminated a fox."

"But I'm going to die too!" Bao Yuanzi finally spoke, his words filled with deep resentment. He couldn't bear to be defeated by a fox demon.

“I’ve devoted myself to cultivating the Dao, hoping to eradicate the demons of time. Is that wrong?” Bao Yuanzi stared blankly at the sky, his voice weaker than ever before—a sight never seen before.

“You’re not just wrong, you’re utterly wrong! Wrong because you’re clinging to your obsession, wrong because you can’t let go!” Wu Nai said.

“Can’t let go?” Bao Yuanzi repeated those three words in a daze, then suddenly burst into laughter: “Can’t let go? How can I let go? I’ve always taken it upon myself to eliminate demons. How can I let go? How can I let go?”

Bao Yuanzi opened his mouth and laughed wildly, spitting out another mouthful of blood, adding another vibrant snow plum blossom to the ground.

Chapter 312 Liberation

"I... what should I let go of..." Bao Yuanzi murmured. Perhaps the blow was too great; at this moment, he looked much older than when he first appeared, and his expression was weaker than ever before: "What should I let go of? Let go of what?" Suddenly, his voice rose again, almost manic: "No! I can't let go! Exorcising demons and monsters is my lifelong ambition! How can I let go!"

Wu Nai shook his head, shaking his head at Bao Yuanzi's stubbornness. If Bao Yuanzi hadn't been so stubborn, he would have been a very kind and compassionate Taoist master. Stubbornness had blinded him; he no longer distinguished between good and bad. Wu Nai stood up without a word and lashed out with his whip at Bao Yuanzi. Bao Yuanzi remained seated, taking the blow head-on.

Although he managed not to fall, a burning pain shot through his body. He struggled to get up, but with his current physical condition, it was futile. He couldn't even stand up, and could only point at Wu Nai with trembling fingers: "You...you..." He was too angry to speak properly. If Bao Yuanzi's gaze could kill, Wu Nai would already be nothing but bones, but Wu Nai felt no fear. His eyes burned with rage.

"Your wish isn't wrong, it's your heart that's wrong. Your heart is wrong; you can't distinguish good from evil, you stinking Taoist! Ye Fang is trying hard to become better, why won't you give her a chance?"

Bao Yuanzi didn't answer. A faint golden halo emanated from his body, within which he sat motionless, as if asleep. Silently, Bao Yuanzi passed away. A similar feeling welled up in Wu Nai's heart, and he said to the deceased Bao Yuanzi, "Old Daoist Bao Yuanzi, you've finally let go. Letting go is also a kind of transcendence!"

But at that moment, Ye Fang, lying motionless in Wu Nai's arms, also changed. A soft yet radiant light rose from her vanished heart, illuminating the slightly gray world with extraordinary beauty.

When this light appeared, Wu Nai's heart ached again, for he understood that this was the fox demon's innate divine light. Its appearance signified the end of the fox demon's life. Although he had known this outcome the moment Bao Yuanzi pierced Ye Fang's heart, seeing it with his own eyes still caused him immense pain and sorrow.

This otherworldly light lingered, hovering above Ye Fang. At that moment, Ye Fang's true form materialized: a cute, beautiful little white fox. Her large tail was curled behind her, and her head nestled in Wu Nai's arms, as if she were asleep.

Sadly, she would never wake up. Wu Nai couldn't help but burst into tears.

Suddenly, a classically beautiful, ethereal figure appeared above the little white fox—Ye Fang's dissipating spirit. Ye Fang was still smiling, as if nothing had happened. Wu Nai slowly stood up, reaching out to stroke Ye Fang's hair as he used to, but cruel reality caused his fingers to pass right through her form. "Sister..." A hoarse voice escaped his lips, choked with unconcealed sobs.

"Big Brother." Not only was the figure ethereal, but even the voice sounded ethereal, as if coming from a very distant place. Ye Fang smiled slowly, her smile less alluring and more pure than before, almost like a fairy's: "Big brother, I'm sorry, I've hurt you, I'm so sorry."

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, those luminous tears disappearing into the air before they even touched the ground: "Please forgive my willfulness, and please forgive my departure, and..." Her smile faded and more tears fell: "Please don't tell Father and Mother, I don't want them to be troubled by me. With Father's cultivation, he might soon realize I'm no longer in this world. But I still hope they can find out later, that they can grieve later."

"Sister, why were you so foolish? Why? Why? I should be the one who died! Why did you shield me from the old Taoist's attack? Was I worth it?" Wu Nai's voice choked with sobs.

"Big brother, it's not for any other reason than that you are my big brother!" Ye Fang tried to catch Wu Nai's tears with her ethereal hand, but she couldn't even catch a single tear. She could only watch helplessly as the tear passed through her hand and fell to the ground, shattering into countless pieces, just like Wu Nai's heart. "Big brother, not everything in this world can be measured by whether it's worth it or not. Just do what your heart desires, and that's enough. I have no regrets about exchanging my life for your safety!"

"Little sister, do you know that doing this will not only hurt me, but also our father and mother in the demon realm? If they knew that you had left them like this, how sad and heartbroken they would be." Although it was no use saying these things now, Wu Nai still couldn't help but say them.

"I know." Ye Fang took a deep breath, as if calming herself, then revealed that heartbreaking smile again: "Precisely because I know, that's why I ask you not to tell them. It's best if they never know, so they'll never be sad."

"Silly sister!" Wu Nai didn't know what else to say, repeatedly uttering those three words, as if trying to tell Ye Fang just how foolish and stupid she was.

Ye Fang lowered her brows slightly, a strand of hair fluttering before her eyes. In this way, she displayed a transcendence she had never shown before. She could finally be freed from the mortal world, without love, without hate. Everything was like a dream.

Chapter 113 Another Dimension

Ye Fang's impending departure plunged Wu Nai's heart into an abyss. When Wu Nai awoke from her daze, she looked again, but Ye Fang was gone. The little white fox in Wu Nai's arms was still there, but its soul had vanished without a trace, as if it had turned into air and dissipated into the universe.

Wu Nai's eyes reddened instantly. He looked up at the sky, calling Ye Fang's name again and again, but it was too late. Ye Fang would no longer answer him, nor would she smile again; she simply vanished into the world.

Ye Fang was gone forever, leaving only the pitiful corpse of a white fox.

"Sister, it's all my fault!" Wu Nai bowed his head, tightly embracing the white fox's corpse left behind by Ye Fang. Tears fell drop by drop onto the fox's soft fur. He, as her elder brother, was useless; he couldn't protect Ye Fang, and that's why she died like this. He was so sorry to Ye Fang.

But just as Ye Fang's soul was gradually dissipating, a powerful and domineering force tore through the air, using unimaginable magic to forcibly gather the scattered souls together, forming a sphere. In this way, it could be said that Ye Fang's essence was preserved.

Who was it? Who had such great ability to use such a heaven-defying method to condense and preserve the essence of a demon's soul?

Wu Nai was shocked, then overjoyed. He understood something, because he was all too familiar with this power. There could only be one other person, but was it really him?

Wu Nai's doubts were quickly resolved, for no other reason than the person himself appeared before him.

The newcomer was an old man with an ancient appearance, exuding an imposing aura. Although he looked to be around fifty years old, he was still robust, with a brown fur draped over his body.

Most astonishingly, he appeared entirely out of thin air. It wasn't flying or teleportation; at least, most people couldn't tell at all. Therefore, it could only be said that he appeared out of thin air, as if he had come from another dimension.

The old man's first action was to summon Ye Fang's primordial essence, which had already condensed into a sphere, into his hand. He gently stroked the seemingly fragile sphere, his eyes revealing a hint of pity: "Silly child, fortunately, your father arrived in time, otherwise you would have truly vanished into nothingness."

It turned out that the newcomer was none other than Ye Fang's father, Wu Nai's father, the fox clan chief who should have been in the demon realm. Wu Nai stepped forward and knelt on one knee, solemnly saying, "Your son greets Father. May Father be well!"

Upon hearing Wu Nai's voice, the old man shifted his gaze from Ye Fang's essence and said, "Get up!"

Wu Nai stood up as instructed, and then asked the question that had been on his mind: "Father, did you just come from the Demon Realm? Since you took my sister's essence, does that mean she still has a chance to be resurrected?" His voice became much more excited as he said the last sentence, because he knew his father well; if his father had taken Ye Fang's essence, it meant there was definitely still a chance.

The fox clan chief nodded: "Just now, while I was in the demon realm, I suddenly had a sudden inspiration and did some calculations. I learned that Ye Fang was in trouble today, so I rushed over. But I was still too late and couldn't save her. I only had time to solidify her essence. Alas, this is fate. As for whether she can be resurrected, we'll have to discuss it with the elders after we return to the demon realm to see if there's a way. And even if she is resurrected, it won't be something that can be done overnight. It will take at least a long time."

As he said this, he casually waved his hand, and Ye Fang's original corpse in Wu Nai's arms flew towards him. Without any visible movement, he repaired the wound on Ye Fang's body and then stuffed her essence into the fox's body. Although this wouldn't bring her back to life, at least it would prevent both the essence and the fox's body from dying temporarily.

After doing all this, the fox clan chief said to Wu Nai again, "My son, how have you been in the human realm all these years? Since the last incident, I haven't heard from you at all, and even I couldn't figure out your whereabouts. But I always believed you were still alive, and now I've finally seen you." His words were full of relief. Although his daughter had been in trouble, it was a blessing to see his son safe and sound.

"Father, please rest assured, I am fine. It's just that my injuries were too severe, so I had to be reborn into the body of a human woman, thus becoming a half-demon, half-human. Please forgive me!"

The fox clan chief waved his hand and said, "It's alright, life is more important, no need to dwell on it. However, I still need to find an opportunity to visit your birth mother in the human world to express my gratitude to her." After

the fox clan chief finished speaking, he said to Wu Nai, "Besides rescuing my youngest daughter, I came to the human world this time to inquire about something else. You didn't manage to complete the task last time, are there any progress now?"

"I am trying my best to find it, but I am confident that I will be able to find it and complete the task entrusted to me by Father," Wu Nai said solemnly.

The fox clan chief nodded: "That's good. You must hurry up and get this done. We don't have much time left; every day we delay increases the danger."

Wu Nai agreed, then hesitated and asked, "Father, could you tell me why we must obtain this item? And what danger did you just mention? What kind of danger is it for our fox clan?"

The chief sighed slightly: "I can't tell you that for now, unless you can find that item. Besides, the danger isn't just for our fox clan; it's a danger to the entire demon realm!"

He looked up at the increasingly bright sky: "Alright, time's up. I should go back, or those old guys won't be able to hold on."

As one of the strongest beings in the demon realm, the fox clan chief faced immense resistance from the barrier, like a fishing net—small fish could pass, but big fish couldn't. Judging from his words, he was able to come to the human world this time because a group of powerful demons of similar strength were helping him temporarily maintain the barrier.

"Father, are you going back now?" Having just seen her father, Wu Nai couldn't help but feel reluctant to part. The clan chief, also reluctant to part, said, "After you've finished your business, return to the demon realm. Then, my son and I will have plenty of time to meet."

Hearing his father's words, Wu Nai's reluctance vanished, and he bowed to his father, saying, "Your son respectfully sees you off, Father. Please give my regards to Mother, and tell her not to worry about me."

"Hmm," the clan chief nodded, then suddenly said to Wu Nai, "You must also be careful in the human realm. Furthermore, don't be sentimental; matters of the demon realm are of utmost importance. Do not let personal feelings delay you, understand?" His tone was extremely heavy when he spoke the last few words, as if issuing a warning.

Wu Nai's heart tightened; he felt a heavy burden on his shoulders, almost suffocating him. He dared not delay and bowed again, saying, "Please rest assured, Father, your son will certainly not disappoint your expectations."

"That's good," the clan chief nodded, then turned and left. A spatial entrance, shimmering with a ghostly blue light, opened before the clan leader, like the gaping maw of a monster, inspiring both fear and a desire to explore.

No one could be seen from the outside, but several aged voices could be heard urging the clan leader: "Hey, you old fox, how long are you going to chat outside? These old bones of ours are about to fall apart!"

The clan leader shook his head helplessly, waved to Wu Nai, and, carrying Ye Fang's corpse, stepped into the spatial entrance. As he entered, the entrance connecting the human and demon realms instantly closed.

Chapter 314 Past Events

Watching his father pass through the barrier back to the demon realm, Wu Nai was lost in thought, his mind drifting back to the past…

In a narrow area surrounded by mountains on three sides with only one passage, an old monk dressed as a Buddhist monk approached. He wore a kasaya and straw sandals, and a string of sandalwood prayer beads around his neck. He was the enlightened monk Ciyun, on a journey.

On the narrow mountain path, four people were waiting halfway. These four were no weaklings; they were all fox demons, each with tails of different colors. Their hands had transformed into sharp claws, and they stood guard by the roadside, weapons at their sides.

One of the fox demons hopped and pecked, waiting impatiently. Seeing no one arrive, he said to the fox demon who appeared to be the leader, "Young Master, no monks have come. Is there something wrong with the intelligence?"

The fox demon addressed as Young Master replied, "No, I have reliable intelligence. The Venerable Master Ciyun will definitely pass through here today. Please be patient and wait. The relic on Venerable Master Ciyun's body is crucial to our fox clan. We must obtain it today, no matter the cost!"

Only then did the other three fox demons realize the purpose of their long wait: to obtain the relic on Venerable Master Ciyun's body—and they absolutely had to. It seemed this relic was of extraordinary importance, and the three fox demons' expressions became solemn.

Relics are only found on the bodies of Buddhist disciples who have devoted themselves to Buddhism and achieved spiritual progress. The relic on Ciyun's body was the most prized treasure of a temple. By chance, Ciyun obtained this precious relic, but word of it leaked out and reached the fox clan chief. At the time, the fox clan was facing a calamity and needed the relic's Buddhist power to assist them. Therefore, the chief arranged for his son to wait for them on the way, determined to obtain the relic.

"Here it comes! Here it comes!" A sharp-eyed fox demon saw an old monk approaching in the distance and hurriedly reported with delight.

"Everyone, prepare yourselves. Do not act rashly without my order," the young fox clan leader commanded.

The old monk drew closer. The young master stepped forward, bowed, and said, "May I ask if you are Elder Ciyun?" Ciyun glanced at the young master suspiciously, noticing the long tails trailing behind the men before him—they must be strange beings, probably fox demons or something like that. A sense of unease crept in, and his voice trembled as he said, "This humble monk is indeed Ciyun. What can I do for you?"

Seeing the old monk's expression, the young master knew he was nervous and cut to the chase, "Nothing much. We've been waiting for you here for a long time and wish to borrow the relic you possess. Would you agree, Elder?" Elder Ciyun panicked even more now. These fox demons had come prepared; he wondered how they knew he possessed such a relic. Forcing himself to remain calm, he said, "You've mistaken me. This humble monk has nothing on him. How could I have any relic?"

"Really not?" the young master asked with a smile.

"A monk doesn't lie. I truly have nothing," Elder Ciyun said, lowering his eyes.

"Hmph, old monk, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. If you know what's good for you, hand over the relic obediently and you'll be spared a beating!" one of the fox demons said menacingly.

The old monk's face turned pale, but he was still unwilling to hand over the relic so easily, so he lowered his eyes and remained silent. The fox demons, enraged, stepped forward to attack, but the young master quickly stopped them, shouting, "How dare you be so rude! Elder Ciyun is a highly virtuous monk; you must not be disrespectful!" Turning to Ciyun, he said, "To be honest, I do know you possess a relic, and our people need its power to avert a calamity. Please lend it to me, Elder."

Elder Ciyun said in a low voice, "Very well, since you insist, I will lend you the relic. However, whether it brings fortune or misfortune, no one can predict. A karmic entanglement, a karmic entanglement." As he withdrew his hand, an irregularly shaped object radiating a soft Buddhist light appeared in his palm, slowly emitting its unique, gentle light in all directions. This was the relic, a Buddhist treasure.

As the light intensified, the four fox demons couldn't help but squint. However, what happened next was beyond everyone's expectations. To protect the relic, the old monk Ciyun actually resorted to a mutually destructive method: self-destruction!

Self-destruction refers to using one's body as a bomb, releasing its energy in the most violent way. Ciyun was a highly accomplished monk; although his martial arts skills were mediocre, he possessed the ability to self-destruct due to guidance from a master. The force of his self-destruction was enough to level this entire area. He would never use it unless absolutely necessary.

The four fox demons reacted and fled as fast as they could, hoping to escape this deadly place before the self-destruction occurred. They never expected the old monk Ciyun to self-destruct like this.

Before they had even run a hundred meters, Ciyun's body had already exploded, the powerful shockwave affecting a radius of five miles.

The young master, located at the center of the explosion, could clearly feel a vast and dangerous energy behind him. Although Ciyun was self-destructing, he controlled the main force of the explosion towards the young master's escape route, demonstrating the depth of his hatred for him.

At this point, running away seemed futile, because no matter how fast he went, he couldn't outrun the explosion. His flesh was being ripped off piece by piece, and his bones were cracking. Judging by the situation, it wouldn't be long before he was blown to pieces by the powerful blast.

But just then, the fox demons who could have escaped the blast radius turned back, leaping to their feet and pulling their young master to safety: "Young master, be careful!"

Just as they uttered these words, the explosion reached its peak. Although someone was protecting him from above, the young master was still knocked unconscious by the impact. When he awoke, he found that there wasn't a single intact person left in the area besides himself. His subordinates who had protected him were blown to pieces, and the old monk Ciyun was even worse off, his body horribly mangled.

The young master tried several times to rise from the ground, but all his efforts were in vain. Although he had been protected, he was still severely injured. Not only was his magical power depleted, but he also had no strength left, leaving him completely vulnerable. Fortunately, no one or any other being would come here, otherwise he would have been in grave danger.

The only consolation was that the relic he held in his hand was intact; otherwise, he wouldn't know how to explain it to his father.

Due to the severity of his injuries, he could not return to the demon realm, nor could he contact his father, who was far away there. However, his injuries would not heal quickly on his own, so he had no choice but to find a secluded place for deep recuperation and meditation. He

originally thought he would wake up soon, but unexpectedly, he slept for many years before waking up. The reason for this was the severity of his injuries and the scarcity of spiritual energy in the human realm compared to the abundance in the demon realm.

Although he awoke, his abilities hadn't fully recovered; he only possessed 30% of his peak power. To regain the rest, he had to seek help from his father in the demon realm. That was his initial plan, but no one expected that before even leaving the hidden valley, he would encounter a group of vicious demons.

The Buddha's Heart Relic was in his possession, and with his current abilities, he was powerless to seal such a treasure. Therefore, the Buddha's light inevitably leaked out, and upon seeing it, the demons all wanted to possess it. Relics were rare, and a single relic could rapidly enhance a demon's strength, even reaching the level of a demon immortal.

It's easy to imagine how fiercely the demons would fight for this relic. Normally, the young master wouldn't have cared about these demons, but unfortunately, he only had 30% of his strength left. Although he managed to eliminate the demons, he himself was severely injured. The double injury made the outcome predictable; he was lucky not to die on the spot.

He remained unconscious in the mountains for days and nights, barely breathing, until he was awakened by voices.

The world was no longer what it used to be. Human technology was now highly advanced, and tourism was beginning to flourish in remote mountainous areas.

The two people speaking were tourists; they were a recently widowed couple on their honeymoon. They had originally been on the front of the mountain, but somehow ended up in the rarely visited back mountain and couldn't find their way down. At this

moment, the young master, his life fading, seemed to see a glimmer of hope: reincarnation, rebirth as a human. This was a method of survival in the demon realm, where, as the name suggests, the soul and spirit were transferred into the womb of a human woman, undergoing a ten-month pregnancy and birth.

This was a method used only as a last resort, because after being reborn into a human body, it would take a long time to recover demonic power, and it was very likely that one would never reach the previous level. After all, being born from a human womb meant no longer being a pure demon, but rather almost a half-human, half-demon.

However, this method was the young master's only way to survive. Otherwise, given his current condition, he would die soon without medical help. Without thinking, he seized the moment when the couple was off guard and used all his remaining strength to send his primordial spirit into the woman's womb, taking the relic with him.

Not long after, the woman was diagnosed with pregnancy, and the child inside was undoubtedly the young master. After ten months of pregnancy, he was finally born as a baby, named Wu Nai. The relic couldn't be taken out; it unexpectedly remained inside the woman's body. However, Wu Nai wasn't in a hurry. He was waiting for his abilities to recover. Once he recovered to the level where he could return to the demon realm, he could retrieve the relic at any time—that was his plan at the time.

When he was three years old, his father died, and the burden of life fell solely on his mother's shoulders. Years passed. When Wu Nai was fifteen, he had recovered fifty percent of his former power, making his return to the demon realm no longer a problem; all he needed to do was extract the relic from the woman's body. However, he hesitated. Unconsciously, he had begun to truly regard this gentle and virtuous woman, who had treated him with utmost care and love, as his mother. Once the relic, which was fused with her, was extracted, his mother's life would end, essentially forcing him to kill her

with his own hands—a decision he simply couldn't bring himself to make. Moreover, during his growth, Wu Nai discovered that his heart was beginning to change. Before, he appeared gentle on the surface, but his heart was actually cold and indifferent. Apart from his own family, he never cared about others or their lives. To him, he could kill any human or demon unrelated to him if he wanted to.

But now, under his mother's influence, he had begun to care about others, be mindful of their feelings, and help them. All of this was something Wu Nai had never imagined before; his personality had undergone a complete transformation.

Although the young master of the fox clan and Wu Nai, the man in the human realm, share the same soul and are the same person, they are reborn in two lifetimes.

Chapter 315 Maternal Love

Wu Nai sat in his room, a computer in front of him, but his gaze was clearly not on it. Instead, he stared at the starry night sky outside the window. After an unknown amount of time, he chuckled to himself. How long had it been since he had thought about this matter? Now, however, he couldn't help but think about it again.

From the age of fifteen, when he had the ability to return to the demon realm, until now, at twenty-six, eleven years had passed. He had made countless resolutions, but never succeeded. Every time he saw his mother's kind face, his heart would involuntarily soften. Not only did he not retrieve the relic, but he also secretly dealt with the little demons and monsters attracted by the relic's Buddhist power.

Originally, he had already planned it out. His mother was already fifty years old this year. According to human lifespan, she could live for another forty or fifty years at most. But for him, a demon, life was measured in thousands of years. He only needed to wait a few more decades until his mother died of old age before he could retrieve the relic.

This plan was undoubtedly the best, as it allowed him to complete the mission without harming his mother. However, everything changed after his father appeared.

Judging from his father's tone, he seemed very concerned and eager about the relic. He was truly worried that one day his father would suddenly demand that he retrieve it immediately.

Although, like last time, his father hadn't mentioned the reason for wanting the relic, he believed it must be something important; otherwise, his father wouldn't have assigned him to go to the human realm to retrieve the relic from Elder Ciyun in the first place.

But what exactly is this major event? What could possibly be causing Father such worry in the demon realm? Logically speaking, the four major demon clans are currently evenly matched in strength, and their leaders are on good terms. The urging voice that echoed through the space on the day Ye Fang died seemed to belong to the wolf clan leader. This means that Father's ability to break through the barrier and arrive in the human world was entirely due to the help of these clan leaders. Therefore, it couldn't possibly be a problem between the major clans.

However, Wu Nai couldn't think of any other reason. After pondering for a long time, he had to give up. His biggest headache now was the relic. Mother had already merged with the relic. Was there any way to retrieve the relic and return to the demon realm without harming Mother?

Perhaps Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing could help, after all, their power was unfathomable, several levels above his own.

Two heads are better than one, but Wu Nai hesitated. He dared not tell Wukong and Sha Wujing, for Wukong would surely interrogate him about the origin of the relic, which would then involve the matter of Elder Ciyun. Although Elder Ciyun's methods for obtaining the relic were not exactly honorable, and his act of mutual destruction was ruthless, Wu Nai would still bear responsibility.

He worried that Wukong and Sha Wujing would be prejudiced against him because of that incident, because of his past conduct, and might even turn against him.

"Old Sha, should I tell you about the past?" Wu Nai murmured to himself, unable to make up his mind. The water cup in his hand swayed gently, and the clear, transparent water rose slowly, floating in the air, transforming into Old Sha's solemn face.

Just then, a knock on the door startled Wu Nai from his reverie. He quickly withdrew the magic attached to the water, letting it dissolve back into a puddle and fall into the cup, before saying, "Come in!" Only he and his mother were in the room, so he knew without a doubt who was knocking.

Sure enough, it was Wu Nai's mother who entered. She had a beautiful name, Xiangqin, though few people called her that anymore. Although she was now old, traces of her youthful beauty could still be seen in her features.

"Mom, why aren't you asleep yet?" Wu Nai got up and helped his mother to a chair.

Looking at her obedient son, Wu's mother's face lit up with a smile. "You weren't asleep either, were you? I came out for a drink of water and saw your light was still on, so I came in to check on you. What's wrong? Is something bothering you? Work or something else?"

Wu Nai shook his head and said, "No, I was chatting with a friend online today, and I got so engrossed in the conversation that I didn't even notice the time. Mom, why don't you go back to sleep?"

"It's okay, I can't sleep anyway, so I might as well chat with you. Don't you want to talk to me?" Wu's mother said, feigning anger. But the smile that remained in her eyes betrayed her true feelings.

"What son wouldn't want to talk to his mother? I'm just worried that you'll get tired if you stay up too late." As he spoke, his father's words from earlier came to mind again. The relic, the relic... Wu Nai's heart had never been so troubled. How could he both protect his mother and retrieve the relic?

If his mother were to age normally, it would take more than thirty years. Judging from his father's attitude, he probably couldn't wait that long; otherwise, he would never have said, "Don't be so sentimental."

Wu's mother didn't see the difficulty Wu Nai was hiding. She continued, "Your father's death anniversary is in a few days. Don't forget to ask for a day off from work and come with me to pay respects to him."

"Mom, don't worry, I've never forgotten that. By the way, I'll buy the things for the memorial service, don't worry about it!"

Wu's mother nodded, then added, "Wu Nai, you're twenty-six this year, aren't you?"

Hearing this, Wu Nai immediately felt uneasy. It seemed his mother was going to urge him to find a girlfriend and get married again. He had already used various excuses to postpone it many times, mainly saying he was still young and not in a hurry. But his mother had never given up, seizing every opportunity to pressure him into marriage.

As expected, Wu's mother's next words confirmed Wu Nai's thoughts: "At this age, you should be looking for a girlfriend. Look at the Wang family next door, their son is a year younger than you, but he's already married, and his wife is pregnant. Wu Nai, tell your mother the truth, is there anyone you like?"

Wu Nai said helplessly, "Mom, if I had someone I liked, I would definitely bring them to you to see, but the problem is, there really isn't."

"Then hurry up and find someone! I'm already fifty years old, how many more years do I have left to live? My only wish is to see you get married and then let me hold my grandson. Are you going to deny me even that wish? If that's the case, how will I face your father after I die!" As she spoke, Wu's mother's voice choked up, and her expression revealed a deep sorrow.

Wu Nai quickly comforted her, "Mom, what are you saying? You're only fifty, you have a long life ahead of you. I'll find someone, I'll find someone, don't worry. I'll definitely let you see a wife and grandson soon, is that alright?"

Wu's mother finally smiled a little, then suddenly remembered something, her eyes lighting up as she said, "By the way, I've heard you mention a girl surnamed Liu recently. Are you getting close to her? What does she look like? Is she tall or short, fat or thin? When are you going to bring her home so I can meet her?"

Hearing her mother's barrage of questions, Wu Nai immediately surrendered, "Mom, don't be so impatient!" "Okay, Miss Liu and I are just ordinary friends, don't get the wrong idea."

Hearing this, Wu's mother wasn't displeased at all; instead, her face lit up with joy. "So, you two are friends? Good luck! Now you're friends, and you might have a chance to be girlfriends later!"

Seeing his mother's excited expression, Wu Nai really didn't know what to say. He could only pull his mother up and say, "Mom, it's late, you should go back to sleep. I need to sleep too."

Unfortunately, Wu's mother refused to leave, constantly asking about Miss Liu, until Wu Nai promised to invite her over sometime. Actually, Wu Nai wasn't very familiar with Liu Yueyue; he'd only met her a few times at Situ Yu's house. However, he had a good impression of her—a very pure and lovely girl. So, he'd unintentionally praised her a few times in front of his mother, but unexpectedly, his mother thought he had a crush on her. It was truly embarrassing.

Chapter 316: Suspicion

. Situ Yangguang was a little puzzled. Why did Wu Nai suddenly leave his seat while they were drinking tea, and then disappear without a trace? Had something happened to him? James shared his doubts with Liu Yueyue, who also found it strange. "When Wu Nai went out just now, he looked a little nervous. It seems something happened," she said. "

Let's go look for him and see what's wrong with him," James suggested. Everyone agreed and went outside.

However, there was no sign of Wu Nai. The three of them searched together and found the old Taoist priest Bao Yuanzi sitting motionless in a secluded corner not far from the Yuanlai Teahouse. Situ Yangguang had seen Bao Yuanzi before and recognized him. He asked suspiciously, "Old Taoist priest, you seem to have quite the leisure, practicing your skills in such a desolate and remote place."

Bao Yuanzi remained seated, motionless. "Hey, Taoist priest, are you asleep?" Situ Yangguang felt something was amiss and waved his hand in front of Bao Yuanzi, but there was no reaction. He then boldly checked Bao Yuanzi's nose; there was no breath. Situ Yangguang exclaimed in surprise, "Oh no, the old Taoist priest has kicked the bucket!"

Liu Yueyue cried out, "Situ Yangguang, don't scare us! Didn't you just say he was asleep?" Situ Yangguang said, "But he's not breathing at all!" James, who was the bravest, went over and patted Bao Yuanzi on the shoulder, saying, "Hey, stop joking around, get up."

Bao Yuanzi, who had been sitting still, fell to the side, startling the three of them again.

“He’s dead! The old Taoist priest is really dead!” Situ Yangguang murmured. “How did he die?” Looking around, it seemed there had been a fight.

“Could it be that Wu Nai killed the old Taoist priest?” Situ Yangguang said suspiciously, and Liu Yueyue and James shared the same thought. The three called the police and then left, harboring suspicions about Wu Nai.

Back at Yuanlai Teahouse, Liu Yueyue received a call from Wu Nai. He stammered for a long time on the other end of the line without saying why he was calling. Just as Liu Yueyue’s patience was about to run out, and she was about to ask him if he had anything to do with the old Taoist priest’s death, Wu Nai said on the phone, “Are you free tomorrow night? I’d like to invite you to my house for a casual dinner.”

This sentence stunned Liu Yueyue. Holding the receiver, she didn’t know how to answer. She and he weren’t very familiar with each other. Why would he invite her to dinner for no reason? As if sensing Yueyue's surprise, Wu Nai quickly added, "Don't misunderstand, it's just a casual meal. Besides, I have something to tell you. If there are no problems, I'll pick you up at Yuanlai Teahouse tomorrow." He hung up before Yueyue even had a chance to refuse. Hearing the dial tone, she snapped out of her daze and her first words were, "Is something wrong with Wu Nai?"

"Wu Nai, what's wrong with him now?" James asked hastily, seeing Yueyue's anxious expression.

"He said he'd treat me to dinner tomorrow night," Yueyue said softly.

"Treat you to dinner? Oh dear, I thought something had happened. He's only inviting you alone? Miss Liu, please don't agree, it's dangerous," James hurriedly advised. Situ Yangguang disagreed, saying, "I think Yueyue can go and take the opportunity to find out if Wu Nai and the old Taoist's death are related. I think there's something fishy about it. But you don't need to go alone. For safety's sake, I'll go with you. I'd be happy to be your temporary protector." James also eagerly said, "I want to go too." Liu Yueyue happily said, "Since you're willing to go, let's all go together."

The next evening, Wu Nai drove to Yuanlai Teahouse to pick up Liu Yueyue, where Situ Yangguang and James were already waiting. Liu Yueyue smiled and said to Wu Nai, "It's too boring for me to eat alone with you, so I invited Situ Yangguang and James along. It'll be more lively with more people, don't you think?"

Wu Nai hadn't expected these two to suddenly appear out of nowhere, so he could only laugh it off and say, "Hehe, that would be perfect. They're my friends too, having a meal together will definitely be much more fun. Haha, everyone, please get in the car." Once in the car, Situ Yangguang saw Wu Nai's nonchalant demeanor and couldn't help but ask, "Wu Nai, you left the teahouse without saying goodbye yesterday, did something happen?"

Wu Nai didn't want to tell them about yesterday's events and stammered, "Yes, something came up at the company, so I left in a hurry."

"Something came up at the company? Nothing else? Like, did you run into some enemy or something?" James reminded him. Wu Nai was startled, thinking they had noticed something amiss, and hurriedly covered it up, saying, "No, no, it's just that something came up at the company, and the boss was urging me to leave, so I left without saying goodbye."

Situ Yangguang noticed that Wu Nai's expression was somewhat unnatural, and his doubts deepened, but since Wu Nai didn't want to tell him the truth, he didn't want to ask any more questions. The car fell silent for a moment, with only the whistling of the wind outside.

Chapter 317 A Difficult Confession

Wu Nai's car drove for more than an hour, leaving the bustling city center and arriving at the scenic suburbs, finally arriving at the foot of a residential building. This was a high-rise residential complex, with each building being twenty stories high. Wu Nai's home was on the seventh floor, not too high. While waiting for the elevator, Wu Nai suddenly said something strange: "No matter what you see later, don't say it in front of my mom, remember!"

Before Liu Yueyue and Situ Yangguang could understand what he meant, the elevator arrived. Wu Nai led them into the elevator together. Although Liu Yueyue found it strange, she didn't ask any further questions. She was a smart girl and knew that if Wu Nai wanted to tell her something, he would naturally do so, and if he didn't want to, asking would be useless.

The four of them arrived at Wu Nai's door. The doorbell rang once, and someone opened the door. It was Wu Nai's mother, of course. Liu Yueyue sweetly greeted, "Hello, Auntie!"

Wu Nai's mother didn't even look at her son, but first scrutinized Liu Yueyue from head to toe several times, smiling as she looked, seemingly very satisfied. She quickly pulled Liu Yueyue inside, saying, "This must be Miss Liu. I've often heard Wu Nai mention you, but I've never met you. It's great to see you now."

Yueyue had never been looked at so warmly before, and she kept her head down, not daring to raise it. She didn't know what to say and felt a little embarrassed. Finally, Wu Nai came to her rescue, saying, "Mom, how long are you going to make us stand at the door?"

Wu Nai's mother then remembered and quickly invited Yueyue and the others inside. Seeing that Wu Nai was followed by two young men, one of whom had a high nose and blue eyes and was clearly a foreigner, Wu Nai's mother said with a smile, "Hehe, you two must be Wu Nai's colleagues, right? Welcome, welcome! It's so lively today; my house hasn't been this lively in a long time!"

"Yes, yes," Situ Yangguang and James responded vaguely.

After exchanging pleasantries with everyone, Wu's mother said, "Miss Liu, Wu Nai told me you own a teahouse. You're so young and already have your own business; you're really capable."

Liu Yueyue smiled and glanced at Wu Nai, saying, "Auntie, you don't need to be so polite. Just call me by my name, Yueyue. Actually, the teahouse owner is someone else; I'm just helping out..." As she said this, she glanced at Situ Yangguang. She originally wanted to tell Wu's mother that the teahouse owner was Situ Yangguang, but since he had already implicitly acknowledged that she was Wu Nai's colleague, Yueyue didn't want to say it outright.

Seeing that Wu's mother was about to ask again, Wu Nai quickly said, "Mom, didn't you say you were going to treat Yueyue to dinner? Is the food ready? We're all starving."

Hearing this, Wu's mother remembered and quickly said, "Alright, alright, it's almost ready. Just a moment, we'll eat soon. Wu Nai, take good care of Yueyue; she's come all this way, it's not easy for her. And your two colleagues, take good care of them too, don't neglect them!"

Wu's mother went into the kitchen, and Liu Yueyue finally breathed a sigh of relief. The excessive enthusiasm was indeed awkward. Only then did she have a chance to look around the house. It was very clean, a three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment, quite large, and arranged neatly, giving a very comfortable feeling.

"What would you like to drink?" Wu Nai asked, opening the beverage cabinet.

"A carton of yogurt, please, iced," James said.

"Hehe, you foreigners are really strange, you just love drinking milk. But now, do you still dare to drink milk? Aren't you afraid the melamine in it will turn you into a kidney stone devil?" Situ Yangguang said with a grin.

James playfully stuck out his tongue and said, "You're right, I'd

better drink water, life is more important." "I'll drink water too." Liu Yueyue didn't really like drinking beverages, she preferred water. As she took the water, she whispered, "I feel like your mom's gaze towards me is a little strange, and she seems a little

too enthusiastic." Wu Nai knew why his mother was like that, but he couldn't say that, so he changed the subject and said, "It's nothing, my mom is always this enthusiastic towards people, you'll get used to it, don't worry about it."

"Really?" Liu Yueyue said with some disbelief. She also had a question she wanted to ask Wu Nai. When Wu's mother turned to go into the kitchen, Yueyue noticed that she was emitting a soft halo, which formed a light curtain behind her, enveloping her completely.

Strange… Liu Yueyue cast a questioning glance at Wu Nai, who nodded to confirm what she had seen, but remained silent about the reason.

So that's what he meant by what he said in front of the elevator earlier. Liu Yueyue didn't press the matter further; she believed Wu Nai would tell her at the appropriate time.

Seeing Wu's mother busy in the kitchen, Situ Yangguang couldn't help but say to Wu Nai, "Yesterday we found an old Taoist priest who had passed away near the old teahouse, and there were signs of a struggle at the scene. Do you find that strange?" "

Really? Is that so?" Wu Nai was startled by Situ Yangguang's sudden question, but managed to remain calm.

"Yes, and you knew this old Taoist priest. It just so happens that this happened right after you left us. Don't you think it's a coincidence?" Situ Yangguang pressed on. Wu Nai smiled calmly and said, "You suspect I did it?" "

My intuition tells me this is related to you. If you don't mind, you can tell us the truth." Situ Yangguang looked at Wu Nai expectantly. As a friend, he didn't want to see Wu Nai as that kind of person. Wu Nai hesitated, wanting to tell them the truth, but afraid his mother in the kitchen would hear, so he lowered his voice and said, "It's not convenient to talk about this here. It would be terrible if Mom heard."

Situ Yangguang had no choice but to stop asking. Just then, Mrs. Wu brought in the dishes. Seeing the group suddenly fall silent after their lively conversation, she smiled and said, "What were you all talking about? You were having such a good time, but you stopped when you saw me come in. Did you not want this old woman to hear?"

Liu Yueyue quickly covered up, saying, "We were just talking about you. We said your cooking smells so good, we were all drooling!" Mrs. Wu's face lit up with a smile, and she repeatedly said, "In that case, eat more later."

The meal lasted quite a while. During the meal, Mrs. Wu would occasionally ask Liu Yueyue about her. Mrs. Wu was increasingly pleased with this girl her son had brought home for the first time.

After dinner, Liu Yueyue said to Wu Nai, "I have something to discuss with you privately. Would it be convenient for us to go for a walk?" Before Wu Nai could answer, his mother happily told him, "A walk is great! A walk after dinner keeps you healthy and strong. Go ahead, go ahead." Situ Yangguang and James also insisted on going, but Liu Yueyue said, "You two stay inside and chat with Auntie. Wu Nai and I will be right back."

Situ Yangguang and James were actually worried about Liu Yueyue's safety, but since Yueyue had personally asked to talk to Wu Nai, they couldn't refuse and could only watch helplessly as Wu Nai took Yueyue out.

Stepping outside, a clear river flowed beside them. Walking along the quiet path, Yueyue asked him, "It wasn't convenient to talk about this at your house, but now that it's just the two of us, can you tell me? Is the old Taoist's death related to you?" Wu Nai didn't hide anything and recounted his past, explaining why he remained in the mortal realm. He concluded, "As you know, I'm actually a reincarnated fox. I could have returned to the demon realm long ago, but that would have required bringing back the Buddha's Heart Relic. However, the relic has merged with my mother; removing it would kill her. I simply can't bring myself to do it."

After listening to Wu Nai's story, Liu Yueyue remained silent for a long time. She hadn't expected, truly hadn't expected, that Wu Nai had such a background. Perhaps in this reincarnation, he truly hadn't harmed anyone again, but what about before? When he was still the young master of the fox clan, he had killed many people, slaughtering to achieve his goals.

“I shouldn’t have told you this. You’re such a naive girl; maybe my experience has frightened you,” Wu Nai said regretfully.

“Why did you kill Elder Ciyun? Just for the relic? To become a demon immortal?” Liu Yueyue asked, puzzled. Having weathered many storms, she knew that the world contained not only humans but also extraordinary powers, like Wu Nai and Wukong—powers different from ordinary people. Therefore, Yueyue wasn’t surprised by Wu Nai’s experience.

Wu Nai shook his head. “I don’t know. My father only gave me the mission, but he didn’t tell me its purpose. As for becoming a demon immortal, that’s probably not it. My father was already a demon immortal back then; the relic was useless to him.”

“Then what are you going to do now?” Liu Yueyue stared intently, unsure how to treat Wu Nai.

“I don’t know. The reason I told you everything today is firstly because I didn’t want to hide it from you, and secondly because I wanted you to help me think of a solution. You’re quite familiar with Wukong; I wonder if Wukong has a way to extract the relic without harming my mother,” Wu Nai said sincerely.

"You actually want my help? Don't you think your actions will hurt your mother?" Liu Yueyue finally turned her gaze to Wu Nai. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but her eyes, reflecting the river's surface, seemed to glisten with tears…

Wu Nai was speechless. Yueyue's voice rose sharply: "Why are you telling me all this? If I didn't know, I wouldn't be so troubled, so tormented. Wu Nai, why are you telling me all this? Just so I can help you? Don't you think you're being too selfish?"

"No, I don't want to torment you, I don't want you to be troubled. I just don't want to hide it from you anymore, I don't want you to see a one-sided side of me. Everything… everything is because…" A deep voice echoed in Liu Yueyue's ear, finally settling into one sentence: "Everything is because I like you!"

He finally chose not to hide his feelings anymore, finally decided to speak his heart, to say it boldly and bravely. However, the last sentence was too soft, almost like a mosquito's hum. How could Yueyue hear it? Chapter 318

(April 25th
) Site Selection:

Perhaps bored, Tang Sanzang had been constantly nagging Wukong about building a temple to fulfill the Buddha's mission of sending him down to earth to spread Buddhism. Wukong's ears couldn't get any peace and quiet, so he told Situ Nan about it. Unexpectedly, Situ Nan readily agreed and even guaranteed to cover all the funding. Tang Sanzang was overjoyed and eagerly urged Wukong and the others to find a good location and build the temple as soon as possible.

To demonstrate democracy, Tang Sanzang naturally brought along Bajie, Sha Wujing, and Xiaobai. Site selection was a crucial matter, and none could be missing.

Transforming into a horse seemed a bit outdated, so at Bajie's insistence and encouragement, Xiaobai transformed into a luxury car, which Wukong drove at breakneck speed out of the city. Wukong's driving skills were indeed terrible, and he wanted to show off, so he took his hands off the steering wheel, lay back in the driver's seat, and even put his feet on the steering wheel. The car lurched and wobbled along the way, fraught with danger, scaring Tang Sanzang half to death. He kept yelling, "Wukong, don't go too fast! We're not in a hurry!" Luckily, there weren't many cars on the road. After terrifying the pedestrians and drivers, they finally arrived at the foot of a desolate, towering mountain.

"Stop, Wukong, this place looks nice, let's go down and take a look," Tang Sanzang shouted. Wukong also yelled for a stop, and the car finally came to a halt. Tang Sanzang patted his chest in relief, saying, "That scared me to death! Luckily, we're alright! Wukong, you were too reckless! Not only did you drive recklessly, but you also took your hands off the steering wheel! You were playing mad! Even if you don't value your own life, you should at least consider us in the car!" Wukong chuckled and said, "Master, I was just pretending to be in the driver's seat. Actually, Xiaobai alone is enough!" Xiaobai also returned to her original form, grinning, "This is so much fun! It's been a long time since I've run so freely!"

The five of them climbed the stone steps up the mountain. The mountain was eerily quiet, almost devoid of a human figure. After crossing another mountain, a completely different scene unfolded. On a wide plain stood a dilapidated building. They approached it, and it resembled a temple, albeit a very run-down one. The gate, once painted vermilion, was now completely obscured by age, with patches of paint peeling off.

A plaque hung above the gate, covered in dust, making it difficult to discern despite their best efforts; only the character "寺" (temple) was barely legible. It wasn't until Wukong conjured a gust of wind, clearing away the dust, that the temple's name became clear: "Wuhun Temple" (Temple of No Souls).

Tang Sanzang was startled by the temple's name and said to Wukong, "Wukong, why is the name of this temple so eerie? Could there be demons inside?" Bajie was the first to back out, saying to Tang Sanzang, "Master, we shouldn't go into such a terrifying temple. There might be some monsters inside; our lives are at stake!"

Wukong glared at Bajie, annoyed, "Hey, you idiot, what are you afraid of? If there really are demons, I'd like to see them for myself. Hurry up and go ahead, stop looking so cowardly!

" Upon hearing this, he immediately retreated behind Tang Sanzang, his face contorted in a pained expression. "Eldest Brother, I'm not scared, I just don't want to have close contact with monsters!"

Sha Wujing, unable to bear Bajie's cowardly behavior, said, "Heh, Second Brother, when did you become so timid?"

Bajie silently stared at the three large characters "Wuhun Temple" above his head, which shimmered eerily in the dim sunlight. The temple behind it seemed to come alive in this eerie light. If someone were to look into Wukong's eyes at this moment, they would find a suppressed fear deep within them.

Sha Wujing shook his head helplessly. He stepped onto the stairs, pushed open the mottled door, and it creaked open as soon as his hand touched it. The desolation outside had permeated the interior; cobwebs and dust were everywhere, as if no one had lived there for a long time. Yet, in this uninhabited place, a fire was flickering in the main hall at the other end of the courtyard.

The ground was covered with dust and fallen leaves, and a musty smell assaulted his nostrils. Facing this eerie temple, Bajie's fear deepened. He glanced at the composed Wukong beside him, and only then did he feel slightly safer. He thought, with Wukong, the nemesis of demons, there shouldn't be anything to be afraid of.

The courtyard, no more than twenty meters long, took Wukong and the others a full minute to traverse, not daring to relax their guard in the slightest. However, there were no ambushes as expected, allowing them to easily enter the hall.

The hall was also in a state of disrepair, but strangely, the candlesticks were still burning brightly. The light they had seen earlier came from these candlesticks.

Wukong opened his fiery eyes wide, but he could only see a malevolent aura swirling within the Temple of No Souls, unable to pinpoint its exact source, as if someone had deliberately concealed the aura.

Upon entering the main hall, looking up, they saw an unfamiliar statue on the altar. This Buddha statue had a blue face and fangs, with its chest half-exposed, giving it an extremely ferocious feel, unlike the compassionate Buddha statues usually enshrined in Buddhist temples. At this moment, Sha Wujing spoke up, his voice particularly noticeable in the quiet night: "Master, I feel like I've seen this Buddha statue somewhere before. It seems to be the Blood Demon worshipped by zombies." "

Blood Demon? From the Demon Realm?" Upon hearing the word "demon," Wukong immediately pressed on.

Sha Wujing nodded, shifting his focus from the ferocious statue to other things: "I don't know. I know too little about the Demon Realm, but it's highly likely. Since the Blood Demon is enshrined here, then this is very likely the zombies' lair..." Before Sha Wujing could finish speaking, they heard a whooshing sound of wind breaking behind them, accompanied by a nauseating stench.

"Watch out!" Since entering, Xiao Bai had been keeping a close watch on the surroundings, so he was the first to spot the attack. He shouted a warning to the unsuspecting Sha Wujing, and then, seeing it was too late, he tackled Sha Wujing to the ground, barely dodging a pair of withered, thin hands!

The moment Sha Wujing was tackled by Xiao Bai, he reacted instantly. Without turning around, he simply swung his demon-subduing staff, imbued with spiritual energy, backward from his side. At that moment, the withered, thin hands were reaching for his head. Wukong reacted quickly, spreading his arms wide, and Samadhi True Fire erupted from his palms, burning towards the attacker.

At this moment, it became clear that their attacker was a vacant-eyed zombie, its withered, bird-claw-like hands hopping and attacking Sha Wujing.

Wukong's Samadhi Fire struck the zombie precisely in the chest, but this only slowed its momentum; it didn't defeat or destroy it. The fire raged on the zombie's chest, turning it into a human torch. Unfortunately, it wasn't alive and felt no pain, relentlessly lunging at Sha Wujing.

Just as the flames on the zombie were about to scorch Sha Wujing, the zombie was struck squarely by Sha Wujing's Demon-Subduing Staff, which he extended diagonally behind him. Sha Wujing felt a weight in his hand, then with a forceful upward flick, a flash of spiritual light cleaved the zombie in two, starting from its chest.

Although the zombie was insensitive and lifeless, being severed headfirst like this was unbearable. It swayed a few times before collapsing with a thud, its two halves landing precisely on either side of Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie, its two bird claws still flexed, as if ready to rise at any moment.

"Amitabha, good, good!" Tang Sanzang cried out in panic, closing his eyes tightly and chanting Buddhist mantras incessantly.

Fortunately, Xiao Bai and Wukong reacted quickly to the attack; otherwise, who knows what might have happened, since Tang Sanzang had also entered, and it would have been disastrous if he had been injured. The fire was still burning on the zombie's body, but it could only burn off its clothes, and seemed somewhat powerless against its body.

Sha Wujing silently crawled in from the ground, dusted himself off, and gave Xiao Bai a thumbs-up in praise. Wukong frowned slightly at the zombie's barely burning body, and casually unleashed a burst of Samadhi True Fire on it. The fire reached its body, and in no time, the zombie was burned to ashes.

"Big Brother is amazing! Not only does he wield the Golden Cudgel with earth-shattering skill, but he can also use Samadhi True Fire! When will you teach me a move or two?" Bajie flattered. However, as soon as he finished speaking, his expression changed drastically. Countless zombies appeared all around, and the temple gate was completely surrounded by a dark mass of zombies, leaving them no chance to escape.

The most common characteristic of these zombies was their stiff movements, with their arms stretched straight out. They constantly made wheezing sounds, and their empty eyes gleamed with a strong desire for food. It seemed these zombies had been starving for a long time, their appetites palpable at the flesh-and-blood creatures before them.

Wukong hadn't noticed their clothes when the first zombie appeared, but this time he did. They were all dressed in modern clothes, not Qing Dynasty or anything older, indicating they were people from this era. What caused so many zombies to appear here? Wukong wondered.

The zombies all charged forward, howling, numbering at least a hundred. Wukong's expression tightened immediately, and he said to Sha Wujing, "Protect Master well!" With this shout, Wukong reached into his ear, pulled out his Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel), and with a flick of his wrist, it shrank to the size of a bowl. With his golden cudgel in hand, Wukong, brimming with pride, shouted, "Demons, come on, I'm waiting!"

Sha Wujing remained silent, his actions speaking volumes. He held his demon-subduing staff, shielding Tang Sanzang. Bai Suzhen also drew his demon-slaying sword, joining Sha Wujing in protecting Tang Sanzang. In this situation, Bajie could only suppress his fear and concentrate on facing the enemy. He muttered to himself, "Brother, I'm unarmed! Could you conjure up my nine-toothed rake?"

"No problem!" Wukong freed a hand, plucked a hair from his body, blew on it, and a gleaming silver nine-toothed rake appeared in his hand. "Here!" Wukong tossed the rake to Bajie.

The zombies swarmed forward. Wukong swung his Ruyi Jingu Bang, and a tangible beam of light erupted from the densest part of the zombies, producing a continuous crackling sound. With each crack, the zombies fell to the ground like rags and rotten wood.

Under Wukong's golden cudgel, almost all the zombies were wiped out, and the few remaining were quickly dealt with. However, it seemed that an even stronger force was lurking in the shadows.

Chapter 319: Tragic Battle

Looking at the zombies lying haphazardly all over the room, Wukong and his companions felt utterly disgusted. Tang Sanzang opened his eyes and, seeing this gruesome scene, turned pale with fright. He complained, "Wukong, you've killed again! Forgive me! How have I always taught you? Be merciful when you can, and avoid harming living beings, let alone killing, unless absolutely necessary. Alas, monks are supposed to be compassionate, even walking on thin ice. I've been nagging you all day, but you haven't improved at all, wasting my breath. I'm truly disappointed in you."

Heh heh, that old monk is such a hassle. Now he's spouting all sorts of grand principles, but wasn't he scared half to death by those zombies just now? If I'd known this would happen, I should have let the zombies scare him a bit, to see if he'd still be so overflowing with compassion. Wukong chuckled inwardly, but argued aloud, "Master, look closely! Aren't those people lying on the ground? They're all zombies! If you don't kill them, they'll come and suck your blood!"

Tang Sanzang then mustered his courage and opened his eyes wide to look at the ground. What he saw was truly gruesome: some were smashed to pieces by the Golden Cudgel, others had their bellies ripped open by the Demon-Subduing Staff, and some unlucky ones had been hit by Pigsy's Nine-Toothed Rake, their bodies riddled with bloody holes. The horrific scene made Tang Sanzang vomit. After squatting on the ground and emptying his stomach, Tang Sanzang stood up unsteadily and weakly said, "They really are strange creatures. Wukong, what's the deal with these zombies?"

Wukong couldn't really explain their origins either. He was completely unfamiliar with zombies.

"I know," said Sha Wujing, who had seen many strange things on the Flowing Sand River and had some knowledge of zombies. So, he told everyone about the origins of zombies.

It turns out that zombies are born from the resentment and malevolence of heaven and earth, filled with jealousy towards all living beings, and feeding on flesh. The creation of a zombie requires two conditions: first, the corpse must retain the original owner's strong will to survive; second, it must be buried in an extremely yin place. Over time, the corpse eventually evolves into a zombie.

Newly transformed zombies are mindless, possessing only the most primal instinct: to attack any living being, using their blood to sustain their life force.

Besides the aforementioned conditions, there is another method to turn a living person into a zombie: the drought demon. Anyone bitten or attacked by it will, within a short time, become a mindless zombie, only obeying its commands.

When a zombie evolves to a certain stage, it develops its initial consciousness, begins to possess an inner core, and uses it for cultivation. At this point, resentment and malevolence permeate the area where the zombie is located, covering a large region, causing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to vanish, leaving only the lingering resentment. The most direct effect of this is a severe drought—a continuous drought that kills all plants and makes it difficult for living beings to survive.

Even if water is brought in from outside, it will be extremely difficult. The spirits attracted by resentment will wreak havoc on those bringing in the water, causing a prolonged drought.

After the drought, the zombie ruler, the Drought Demon, will roam freely. At that time, the area will be truly barren, and everyone will become the Drought Demon's target. Anyone with blood and breath will escape its hunting range. There is only one way to stop this: eliminate the Drought Demon! Once the Drought Demon is eliminated, the situation will be alleviated.

After Sha Wujing finished speaking, Wukong and the others also gained an understanding of zombies. Wukong muttered to himself, "No wonder there are so few people along the way; it turns out a monster is causing trouble! Since zombies are said to be born from the resentment and malevolence of heaven and earth, what kind of resentment and malevolence is in this place?"

"Old Sha, where is this evil drought demon hiding?" Wukong coldly stared at the fragmented zombie bodies scattered on the ground, his grip on his Ruyi Jingu Bang tightening. It was too hateful! The drought demon! He couldn't let it continue to wreak havoc, otherwise even more people would suffer.

Sha Wujing smiled calmly and said, "No matter how powerful the drought demon is, it's just a monster that only knows how to suck blood. Its hiding place probably won't be hard to find."

Wukong opened his fiery eyes wide, carefully examining the Soulless Temple. The side hall of the Soulless Temple was also lit with the same dim light as the main hall, but there were no gods or Buddhas enshrined on the altar. Nothing at all, completely empty, but the shock this place gave Wukong was no less than what he had experienced before, perhaps even greater.

He saw several withered corpses before the altar, sitting cross-legged, their skeletons covered only by skin. All flesh and blood had vanished, and two blackened teeth marks marked their necks. Upon discovering them, Bajie and the others gasped in unison; indeed, it was utterly astonishing. After the initial shock, their expressions turned grave. Unbelievable! These people had become nothing but bones, no longer living beings. They must have been drained of their lifeblood by the drought demon. The drought demon's cruelty and cold-bloodedness were evident.

"Brother, let's go outside!" Bajie finally managed to utter this after a moment of silence.

"Retreat?" Wukong repeated the word as if he hadn't heard clearly, then suddenly laughed, stroking the golden cudgel in his hand: "You and I, as Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who subdue demons, how could we shamelessly retreat in the face of monsters? Wouldn't that be too shameful?"

Unlike Wukong's seemingly relaxed smile, Bajie's face was so serious it was almost dripping with water, his face contorted in bitterness: "What does it matter if I'm shameful? It's better than losing my life, right? This place is too eerie. The drought demon has sucked away their flesh and blood. I'm a little scared. Will it come and suck away my flesh and blood too? I'm all flesh and blood, so I'll definitely be the first person it chooses." His words drew a burst of laughter from Sha Wujing.

Wukong didn't speak, maintaining that faint smile, his fingers slowly stroking the golden cudgel, incredibly gently, as if caressing a lover's cheek. Indeed, this golden cudgel had always been by his side, a companion, and their bond was probably even deeper than that between lovers.

"Hahaha, Pigsy, you're overthinking it! With me, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, here, what's there to fear from a mere drought demon? Even if there are ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, I'll make its soul scatter!" Sun Wukong laughed heartily, his boisterous laughter echoing throughout the Soulless Temple.

Chapter 320 The Surge

Although the all-powerful Sun Wukong was there, the scene was actually quite terrifying. Just looking at the sheer number of zombies was enough to make one's scalp tingle. Although Wukong and his companions were all highly skilled, facing so many zombies still made them feel somewhat nauseous. Furthermore, everyone had another question in their minds: was the elusive drought demon actually in the Soulless Temple?

They had been staying at the Soulless Temple for a long time, but everything was still the same as when they first arrived. The sunlight outside seemed unable to reach the Soulless Temple; it was dark and gloomy inside, filled with an air of mystery.

Returning from the side hall to the main hall, they carefully searched every possible source of strangeness, but disappointingly, there was nothing. No more zombies appeared, nothing else. They seemed isolated, but was that truly the case?

A bird flew silently overhead, making no sound and disturbing no one below, but its black-and-red eyes remained fixed on the five people below.

"Old Sha, do you think the Drought Demon might be in this Temple of No Souls?" Bajie asked.

"Perhaps. He's more likely trying to suck our flesh and blood. If we can't defeat him, we'll likely suffer the same fate!" Sha Wujing said, each word deliberate, his hatred for the Drought Demon only growing stronger. Countless ordinary people had been turned into zombies by him, his flesh and blood completely drained—truly hateful. Sha

Wujing's prediction was correct. About half an hour later, the sound of throbbing objects began to appear around the Temple of No Souls. At first, there was only one, but then more and more, becoming increasingly dense, until it was a vast expanse, impossible to discern in number.

Whether it was Wukong, Bajie, or Sha Wujing, they all had the same thought in their minds: Here they come!

"Sha Wujing, Bajie, the three of you protect Master. I'll handle the rest!" Wukong's golden cudgel quickly assumed an attack stance. Sha Wujing and Bajie were also ready. The three of them surrounded Tang Sanzang, who stood firmly with his eyes slightly closed, chanting Buddhist mantras.

The zombies finally appeared at the door. It was unclear how many there were; they stretched as far as the eye could see from the doorway. Not only were there zombies rushing in from the front door, but they were also coming from the back. It was a mystery how they had gotten there. Although ordinary zombies posed little threat, their sheer number was a real headache.

Sha Wujing's demon-subduing staff and Bai Suzhen's demon-slaying sword were naturally effective against zombies. With their spiritual energy, the zombies were reduced to sand and mud under their power. Wukong's golden cudgel was even more effective; after a few swings, a large number of zombies fell to the ground. They had gradually mastered the methods of dealing with zombies, and their coordinated attacks were far more effective than their previous individual efforts. If the number of zombies weren't so large, they would surely achieve victory quickly.

They had already killed countless zombies; the corpses piled up everywhere beneath their feet, even stacked on top of each other. But compared to the countless zombies, all of this was merely a drop in the ocean. The zombie horde at the entrance still showed no signs of ending. Could they really kill them all? At this moment, a question arose in everyone's mind.

But this wasn't the worst of it; the truly terrible thing was yet to come. Wukong was diligently killing zombies, his golden cudgel wielding, and Samadhi True Fire erupting frequently. Fireballs exploded in the zombie horde, many zombies burned beyond recognition. A series of shrill screams echoed throughout the hall.

Another fireball exploded in the zombie horde, but this time it didn't achieve its intended effect. The zombie that charged at it wasn't damaged at all; not even a single hair was broken, and it continued walking upright! Yes, it was walking. Unlike the stiff hopping of other zombies, it walked, looking almost like a living person. Moreover, this zombie appeared much cleaner than the others. The reason he hadn't noticed its special features earlier was because there were so many zombies around; he was too busy killing them to notice them individually.

Could this be a mutant zombie? Wukong paused, but his movements didn't slow down at all. He spat out another fireball, this time specifically targeting the zombie's face. He refused to believe it would be unharmed this time. However, after the explosion, Wukong was disappointed. The zombie was indeed completely unscathed, still exactly as before, its hair and clothes perfectly intact.

The zombie slowly approached, step by step, carrying a heavy sense of oppression. Even more strangely, on its bloodless face was a pale, sickly smile, making it look even more terrifying.

Chapter 321 The Controlled Little White (Part 1)

The zombie had a ferocious appearance, a blue face with fangs, radiating an aura of death. As the zombie approached Pigsy and his companions, it bowed and said arrogantly, "Welcome to my territory, everyone. To show my welcome, I've decided to make you my personal guard, just like those other zombies, but you're of a higher level. I believe your fighting power will be far superior to those ordinary zombies!"

He…he is…the Drought Demon?! This question, both certain and doubtful, flashed through Pigsy's mind. The zombie, as if reading his thoughts, said, "That's right, I am the Drought Demon. Surprised? Didn't expect me to be mixed in with these ordinary zombies to meet you?" A light laugh escaped its lips. Meanwhile,

Monkey King was completely focused on dealing with the endless stream of zombies and didn't pay much attention to the Drought Demon's appearance. Who would have thought even a zombie would use such cunning tricks? Truly unexpected!

"Demon, don't be so arrogant!" Xiao Bai brandished his Demon-Slaying Sword and attacked the Drought Demon first. The Drought Demon dodged to the side, avoiding Xiao Bai's sword strike, and then slapped its right palm towards Xiao Bai, sending a cloud of black mist carrying a foul stench towards him. Xiao Bai instinctively tried to dodge, but his body was suddenly frozen in place, unable to avoid it. In one move, Xiao Bai was hit by the Drought Demon's attack.

Xiao Bai suddenly transformed into a white horse! Moreover, his body suddenly swelled up, becoming several times larger than before, reaching a height of three meters, taller than everyone else. His once soft white fur had turned into scales, and long teeth were exposed. His eyes had turned completely red, containing no information that could be read except death!

"Roar!!!" When Xiao Bai's transformation was complete, he let out a deafening roar, shaking the dust off the beams of the Soulless Temple.

Only then did Wukong see Xiaobai. Although his appearance had changed a lot, he still recognized him at a glance. But, but how could Xiaobai have become like this?

Only this sentence was in Wukong's mind. He stopped moving, completely forgetting that there were still many zombies around him, and just stared blankly at Xiaobai: How could this be? How could this be? How could Xiaobai be like this?

"Xiaobai..." Wukong stood in the zombie horde, calling out the name blankly. But Xiaobai no longer remembered Wukong. His blood-red eyes stared at Wukong. To him, everyone was now food, including his master and fellow disciples.

The Drought Demon no longer hid among the zombies, but instead climbed onto Xiaobai's back. As the king of zombies, its movements were not stiff at all, but more agile than a living person.

After mounting Little White, it laughed loudly, "Hahaha, I'm really sorry, but this horse is no longer yours. From now on, it will be my mount, obeying only my commands!" To facilitate the conversation, it stopped the other zombies from attacking and ordered them to stand still.

"Hanba!" Wukong coldly uttered these two words, his hand holding the golden cudgel hanging at his side, trembling slightly from anger—extreme anger towards Hanba.

"You have some insight, that's right, I am Hanba. It's just that you know a little too late now; this horse has become my slave! My Poison Mist Palm is indeed quite powerful; those who are interested can try it!" It patted Little White's head, speaking with great pride.

Wukong, however, didn't even look at Hanba, only staring at Little White, calling his name over and over again, hoping he would respond. But Little White had lost consciousness; he didn't even know his own name, let alone remember anyone else. At this moment, he was just a zombie puppet under Hanba's command.

After countless cries, Wukong suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at the drought demon: "Did you turn Xiaobai into this?"

The drought demon wasn't intimidated by the hatred in Wukong's eyes, its pale smile unchanged: "That's right, it was me. You should be happy; he's fortunate enough to become my slave. As for you..." It licked its lips, its eyes filled with greed: "I saw your performance just now. Your energy is higher than those who came before. After sucking your flesh and blood, I should be able to complete my evolution soon!"

Having received confirmation, Wukong gripped his Ruyi Jingu Bang and leaped several meters high, charging straight at the drought demon. He wanted revenge for Xiaobai, revenge for all those it had turned into zombies! Kill it! He had to kill it!

At the moment Wukong moved, a playful smile flashed across the drought demon's face. Kill it? Heh, it wanted to see first whether this person would still kill a former companion, even if that companion had become a zombie!

Its hand gently patted Xiao Bai's head. Having been given the command, Xiao Bai pounced on Wukong without hesitation, for this man intended to harm its master. Tragically, Xiao Bai was completely controlled by the drought demon.

Seeing Xiao Bai rushing towards him, a deep sorrow flashed across Wukong's face. Xiao Bai no longer saw him, but he still saw Xiao Bai—their partner, their best, deepest, and most trustworthy partner! How could he possibly bring himself to strike it with his golden cudgel?!

"Big Brother, you absolutely mustn't hurt Little White! Also, be extremely careful of the poison emitted by the Drought Demon's palm; Little White was just controlled by its poisonous mist palm!" Sha Wujing shouted a warning from the side.

"Of course, I'm not senile yet! Don't worry, I won't let its scheme succeed!" Wukong replied. Reason and emotion were constantly battling, but in the end, emotion prevailed. When the Golden Cudgel was still half a meter away from Little White, he abruptly withdrew his momentum, stepping in the air, trying to use the momentum to change his previous trajectory and avoid colliding with Little White.

However, Little White, who was already unconscious, couldn't understand Wukong's good intentions at all. Seeing Wukong trying to avoid it, he opened his mouth without thinking and bit Wukong.

Wukong, having nothing to lean on in mid-air, felt both heartache and helplessness seeing Xiaobai bite him. He wanted to dodge but had nowhere to go, so he could only lightly block Xiaobai with his golden cudgel. Although Wukong's block was light, his strength was immense; this gentle touch caused Xiaobai to roll to the ground, blood flowing from his forehead.

Chapter 322 The Controlled Xiaobai (Part Two)

"Xiaobai!" Sha Wujing and Bajie cried out in alarm upon seeing Xiaobai injured and lying on the ground. Even Tang Sanzang, who had been silently chanting sutras with his eyes lowered, opened his eyes and, seeing Xiaobai's strange state, fixed his concerned gaze on him. At this moment, a thin layer of tears welled up in Wukong's eyes. Although they didn't overflow or fall to the ground, the tears were undeniably present in Wukong's eyes!

Bright red, warm blood flowed down Xiaobai's forehead. The intense pain caused Xiaobai, who had been devoid of thought and whose consciousness had been shattered, to suddenly regain feeling.

A hazy consciousness slowly gathered in his brain. Consciousness… consciousness returned to his brain once more, albeit incomplete, but enough for him to recognize Wukong, his master, and Bajie and Sha Wujing not far away.

A tear appeared in Xiaobai's blood-red eye, followed by countless tears that poured down like raindrops. A hoarse voice struggled to utter, “Master… Master…”

These two simple words startled the drought demon on his back. He had never seen any creature that could remember its past after being turned into a zombie; it should remember nothing at all. Yet this zombie beneath him, transformed from a horse, had regained its memory after being lightly struck by Wukong's staff. This was utterly unbelievable.

While the drought demon was filled with doubt and uncertainty, Wukong was overjoyed: “Xiaobai! Xiaobai, you remember us?! Right, you remember, right?!” His repeated questions were filled with immense joy, like a shipwrecked man grabbing a piece of driftwood.

Wukong's voice further agitated Xiaobai. He clutched his head with his front paws, roaring incessantly, appearing to be in immense pain. His body thrashed and twisted, making it impossible for the drought demon to remain seated. It had no choice but to dismount and stand aside to observe Xiaobai's reaction. It wasn't afraid that the horse would truly regain its memories; it could simply kill him, after all, he posed no real threat.

A strange bird shrieked. It flew in from outside the temple and landed on the drought demon's shoulder. Its eyes were also blood-red; it was another bird that the drought demon had previously turned into a zombie slave.

"Senior Brother..." Xiaobai uttered each word with difficulty, revealing the arduous struggle he was undergoing within his body. Large tears streamed continuously from his blood-red eyes. "Senior Brother, kill me!" Those five words, heavy as a thousand pounds, pounded into Wukong's ears. He shook his head incessantly, the thin layer of tears seeming to thicken slightly. "Little White, you must hold on! You are the Eight Heavenly Dragon Horse, you won't give up easily! I will do everything I can to help you escape!" Little White's heart-wrenching voice echoed in the eerie temple, like darkness enveloping everyone, impossible to dispel or let go.

"Baby, what's wrong with you?" Hanba slapped Little White, and Little White's recently cleared mind began to cloud again, its consciousness as thin as a thread. Slowly pulling it from its mind, almost instantly, it transformed back into a blood-drinking, flesh-eating zombie.

A flash of bloodlust appeared in its eyes, and it roared as it lunged at Wukong.

Wukong closed his eyes helplessly. He truly didn't want to witness his companions killing each other, but at this moment, he couldn't think of any other way to free Xiaobai from this zombie-like state.

Seeing Xiaobai charging towards him like a madman, Wukong gripped his golden cudgel, preparing to counterattack in the shortest time. But just as Xiaobai was about to make contact with the cudgel, he suddenly stopped his charge, falling to the ground, his body tumbling and writhing, his body torn and bitten by hooves and teeth, leaving

him covered in wounds. Wukong couldn't bear to look at this heartbreaking scene any longer. Even Sha Wujing and Bajie, who had been silently guarding their master, closed their eyes in silence. Things had truly deteriorated beyond repair; those injured by the drought demon were so difficult to save.

The pain in his flesh barely restored a sliver of Xiao Bai's consciousness, and his bloodshot eyes regained their light. He was almost at his limit, and he looked at Wukong sadly: "Senior Brother, kill me. Dying in your hands would be a comfort to me. Senior Brother, I beg you!" His remaining reason and physical instincts were locked in a fierce battle. Although neither could gain the upper hand for the time being, Xiao Bai knew in his heart that reason would soon succumb. He was no longer the Xiao Bai he once was; he should no longer remain in this world in such a wrong way.

Wukong just kept shaking his head, unable to utter a word. He didn't want Xiao Bai to suffer, nor did he want him to endure any more torment, but he couldn't think of any way to save him. He could only comfort him, saying, "Xiao Bai, you must hold on no matter what. Once I capture the drought demon, I'll think of a way to save him!" A murderous aura emanated from him, and he became like a drawn sword, tightening his grip on the golden cudgel as he slowly walked towards the drought demon. His eyes were fixed on the drought demon, the undisguised murderous intent and hatred in them sending a chill down the spine of the fearless monster.

"You two protect Master, don't come up to help. I'll finish this monster off myself!" Wukong tossed these words to Sha Wujing and Bajie, then charged at the drought demon with his golden cudgel: "I'll make you pay for this in blood!"

Although the drought demon was momentarily intimidated by Wukong's murderous aura, it was, after all, a demon king with thousands of years of experience and rich combat experience. It didn't order the other zombies to join the attack, but instead went to meet him head-on. The strange bird perched on its shoulder took flight first, screeching a few times as it flapped its wings and pecked at Wukong's eyes with deadly speed!

Before Sha Wujing and Bajie could even utter a warning, Wukong sneered, not dodging, and with a single grab, he caught the bird in his hand with a simple, unadorned movement. No matter how much the strange bird struggled, it couldn't break free from the abnormally strong restraint.

After grabbing the strange bird, Wukong did nothing, letting it struggle. The bird tried to peck at his fingers to make him release its grip, but just as it pecked, a white light appeared between its beak and fingers, unable to harm Wukong in the slightest.

Wukong squeezed the bird like a balloon, causing it to burst open. Blood and entrails flowed all over his hand, which looked like a demon's hand, terrifying to behold. He

released the bird's corpse, which fell to his feet. Wukong then stepped over it, walking towards the drought demon. The drought demon, who had never been afraid of anything, instinctively retreated. The aura of death emanating from Wukong terrified it, terrified it!

Unfortunately, Wukong had already set his sights on it, and he wasn't about to let it escape. The zombies that the drought demon commanded to attack and block him were no match for Wukong. Often, he would knock down several zombies with a single blow. The fallen zombies could never get up again, because they had all been pulverized the moment they were struck by the golden cudgel.

After defeating countless zombies, Wukong grew impatient. He stomped his foot, and the stone slabs on the ground shattered into pieces. Using the force of his kick, he swiftly rushed towards the drought demon.

The drought demon had been leisurely watching Wukong and the zombie entangle, its eyes filled with both fear and greed. If it could drain this person's blood, its strength would undoubtedly undergo a tremendous evolution, and then it would no longer need to fear anyone.

Realizing this, the drought demon finally decided to take the gamble. Facing Wukong's attack, it neither dodged nor evaded, risking being struck by the immense force of the golden cudgel. It pounced, tightly gripping Wukong's hands, and enduring the pain, bit down on his hand.

The moment it bit down, the drought demon felt a surge of pleasure. "Hahaha, this is perfect! This guy has been bitten; soon he'll become a mindless walking corpse, and then I can happily drain his flesh and blood!"

Before this thought could even finish, its head was struck by a powerful force, violently flying to the side, its neck twisted in a bizarre manner.

Sha Wujing shouted from the side, "Brother, quick, circulate your spiritual power to stop the spread of the corpse poison!"

The drought demon, tilting its head, laughed arrogantly upon hearing this, "My corpse poison isn't so easily forced out. Once you're infected, there's no cure. You're just stalling for time, haha, I'll soon be able to drain his flesh and blood!"

"Is that so?" Wukong coldly replied, disdainfully, "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed! You only bit my golden cudgel just now, didn't you feel anything?"

The drought demon was completely dumbfounded.

Chapter 323 Clean and Decisive.

The drought demon realized it had been tricked, feeling a slight soreness in its usually invincible teeth. It was such a failure! It had fully expected this bite to kill its opponent, but contrary to its wishes, not only could it not harm a hair on Wukong's head, but it had also been toyed with by Wukong. When the drought demon confirmed this fact, a sense of despair arose in its heart, an absolute despair it had never felt before. Perhaps it really would die here today; this guy was truly too terrifying.

Wukong laughed heartily, put away his golden cudgel, and kicked at the drought demon. A series of dull thuds echoed as the drought demon's body was kicked high into the air, then fell, then was kicked again… Wukong kicked with great enthusiasm, not like he was wrestling, but more like he was playing football. The once invincible drought demon was now like a punching bag in Wukong's hands, unable to escape his control no matter what method it used. Its zombie minions were either easily smashed by Wukong or killed by Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie.

It's unclear how long the fight lasted, but the drought demon was now on the verge of death. Although it was strong, it would still die at the hands of someone stronger. However, the drought demon didn't beg for mercy. It knew Wukong hated it to the core, and even if it begged, it would be useless; it was better to save its energy.

"Do you have anything else to say?" Wukong suddenly stopped, and the drought demon's body fell heavily to the ground. Wukong coldly stared at the drought demon, who was barely alive, to see if he would beg for mercy.

The drought demon barely opened his eyes and glanced at him, but didn't say a word. What was the point of saying anything at this point? Since death was inevitable, why bother saying more?

Seeing that it didn't speak, Wukong laughed, a cold laugh: "Turning Little White into a zombie was the biggest mistake you made, so you can die now! But before you die, I have to ask you one more question: Little White was turned into a zombie by your magic, is there any way to undo it? You'd better tell me honestly, otherwise you will die a painful death."

The drought demon smiled coldly, without saying a word. He knew in his heart that as soon as he died, all the magic would automatically disappear. However, this was something he absolutely couldn't tell Wukong, as that would only hasten his death.

Seeing that it wouldn't say anything more, Wukong angrily kicked it high into the air again, then leaped up and struck it hard with his golden cudgel. With a dull thud, the drought demon's entire body exploded instantly, its fragments of flesh and bone falling like rain.

Looking at the pile of broken flesh and bones, Wukong showed no mercy, as if it were a trivial matter. Instead, he coldly said, "This was the end you deserved. You should be content with a quick death."

Sha Wujing and Bajie cheered. Tang Sanzang couldn't hide his joy either, saying, "Wukong, well done! But with the drought demon dead, isn't Xiaobai's situation a huge problem?"

Wukong looked towards Xiaobai, and at that moment, a miracle occurred. Xiaobai's enormous body began to shrink slowly, eventually returning to human form. It opened its eyes, looking at Wukong with a slightly confused expression.

"Xiaobai, are you alright?" Wukong rushed over, took Xiaobai's hand, and asked joyfully. Tang Sanzang, Sha Wujing, and Zhu Bajie gathered around, asking him all sorts of questions with concern. Xiao Bai shook his head, stood up, and said, "That's strange, I think I had a nightmare." Zhu Bajie chuckled and said, "Your dream was terrible, it worried us to death!"

"Worried about me? What happened?" Xiao Bai asked疑惑地.

Sha Wujing told him everything that had happened. Xiao Bai listened, stunned, and said thankfully, "Luckily, Senior Brother killed the drought demon, otherwise the consequences would have been very serious."

Looking around, the Temple of No Souls was practically a zombie abode, with corpses lying haphazardly on the ground, some with broken arms and legs, some almost reduced to dust.

"Let's go!" After a long silence, Tang Sanzang finally managed to say this. The atmosphere here was too terrifying; it was best to leave as soon as possible.

The five of them walked out of the gates of the Temple of No Souls.

"You go first, I'll clean up the scene." Wukong turned back, struck the air inside the building twice, and Samadhi True Fire erupted, igniting a raging fire inside.

"Haha, burn it down! It'll be much quieter here from now on." Wukong chased after the group.

"Wukong, what do you think about building a temple here?" Tang Sanzang asked.

"Here? That's not a good idea. Look at all the zombies!" Sha Wujing said.

"It's precisely because of so many zombies that I decided to build a temple here. Zombies are formed because they accumulate too much resentment. After the temple is built, on the one hand, it can help these zombies pass on to the afterlife; on the other hand, this place is actually full of spiritual energy, very suitable for cultivation." Tang Sanzang explained.

"Master is indeed Master, your vision is truly unique. I also think this place is good." Bajie didn't forget to flatter him.

"If everyone has no objections, I think choosing this place is the best. I'm always very democratic, so let everyone give their opinions. Wukong, you're the eldest, you go first." Tang Sanzang said generously.

"Since Master says it's good, I have no objections either. It's surrounded by mountains, the environment is quite peaceful. Not bad." Wukong said with a smile.

Sha Wujing and Xiaobai, of course, didn't have any other opinions either.

"Alright, since everyone unanimously agreed, my proposal is considered passed! The next step is to establish a preparatory committee to be responsible for all the preparatory work and to build the temple as soon as possible. The sooner the better. Wukong, how long do you think it will take?" Tang Sanzang asked.

"Hmm, in my opinion, one day is enough," Wukong said, feigning deep thought.

"One day? Good, that's quite decisive! Then this important task is entrusted to you! I have many affairs to attend to and cannot interfere, so you handle it," Tang Sanzang said.

Wukong regretted speaking too quickly; now he had the burden on his shoulders and couldn't shirk it even if he wanted to. He could only smile and say, "Alright then, Master, you can come and cut the ribbon whenever it's finished! Let's go down the mountain first."

As they were walking, Wukong suddenly stopped and coldly said to the open space, "Who's hiding in the shadows, lurking around like that? Aren't you coming out? How long are you planning to hide?"

"Is someone following us?" Sha Wujing repeated in surprise. He hadn't sensed anything at all; his senior brother's hearing was truly amazing.

Wukong's voice lingered for a long time without response, only the whistling wind around them. But Wukong didn't give up, continuing, "You won't come out, huh? Well, you're asking for trouble, aren't you? You want me to drag you out myself?!" As he spoke, he formed a sword-like finger with his right hand and pointed to a spot in front of him. A leaf flew out with lightning speed, slicing along the direction of Wukong's finger. A muffled groan was heard, and a figure slowly emerged from where the leaf had been. It was clearly Wu Nai, clutching his chest, obviously having suffered a setback.

Although they were somewhat prepared, Sha Wujing and Bai Suzhen were still greatly surprised to see someone lurking in the shadows, and it was none other than Wu Nai, whom they both knew well. But what was his purpose?

"I thought I was well hidden, but you still found me. Master Sun, you are truly remarkable! I admire you immensely!" Wu Nai looked at Wukong with undisguised admiration in his eyes.

Wukong showed no reaction to his praise. If he had to say he reacted, his expression grew even colder: "Don't flatter me. State your purpose for coming here. If you're conspiring with the Drought Demon to send us to our deaths, then you can die too!" Seemingly to strengthen his argument, a flash of golden light appeared in his hand, and his Ruyi Jingu Bang (Monkey King's staff) was already raised, pointing at Wu Nai.

"If I said I just wanted to test your abilities, would you believe me?" Wu Nai uttered a statement that was difficult to discern as truth or falsehood, though his expression was unusually serious. "What is your purpose? Don't try to fool us with superficial reasons," Bajie interjected. "We're all smart people; don't try to deceive us." When he asked that last question, everyone's eyes were fixed on him, even Wu Nai. Heh heh, Bajie said everyone present was smart—probably not including himself?

"Then guess what my purpose is?" Wu Nai joked with him.

"I don't care if you can't give a reasonable explanation, I don't mind sending you down to keep the drought demon company!" His words, laced with menace, coupled with Wukong's cold gaze, were truly terrifying.

Wu Nai wasn't intimidated by Wukong's words; instead, he seemed indifferent: "You killed quite a few zombies just now, do you want to kill me too?" "Is that so?" Wukong laughed angrily: "So you really have been following us. Is your intention good or bad?"

Wu Nai sighed softly before saying, "That's right, I discovered you by accident and followed you here. But I can tell you, I have no ill intentions; I just want to ask you for a favor."

"A favor? What favor can I do for you? Besides, I don't seem to know you very well!" Wukong said expressionlessly.

"Actually, I've been wanting to find you, but because we're not very familiar, I've hesitated and been too embarrassed to speak up. Today I happened to discover you, so I've been following you. I thought you had something to do, but I didn't want to disturb you, so I didn't greet you. I'm really sorry," Wu Nai explained.

Chapter 324 A Dilemma

Ever since meeting his father, the Fox Clan Chief, Wu Nai had been filled with unease. He knew that since his father had instructed him not to be sentimental, it meant that if Wu Nai didn't take action soon, the Fox Clan Chief might act first, a result Wu Nai desperately wanted to avoid. Therefore, for several days, Wu Nai was sullen. He even suggested to his mother that they move to a more remote place, although he knew this wasn't a solution; it wouldn't be difficult for the Fox Clan Chief to find them.

"Move? You're living perfectly well, why move? Wu Nai, you've seemed distracted these past few days. Has something troublesome happened? If so, you might as well tell me, okay?" Wu's mother asked with concern.

"Nothing special, I just want a change of scenery," Wu Nai replied, trying to cover it up.

"It can't be that simple, Wu Nai. I've raised you for over twenty years. Do you think I don't know your temperament? You wouldn't move out of the house for no reason. Did you offend someone outside? Or did you do something bad that makes you want to run away?" Wu's mother's expression was very serious. Wu Nai kept making excuses for his mother until she finally lost her temper and demanded a clear explanation, or she would keep pressing him. Wu Nai had no choice but to stammer out his background and the story of the relic inside his mother's body. When he spoke of his worries about his father, Wu Nai's face was filled with anxiety.

This was the first time Wu's mother had heard of such mystical things, and she couldn't bear it. She cried out and fainted. Wu Nai frantically pinched her philtrum and channeled his magic power to help her recover. After a long time, Wu's mother slowly regained consciousness, but she still looked unwell, her eyes fixed straight ahead, saying nothing.

Wu Nai felt ashamed and didn't know how to face his mother or what to say. For a moment, the house was completely silent.

After an unknown amount of time, Wu's mother finally sighed softly, turned to Wu Nai, and said with tearful eyes, "My son, you've kept this from me for so long."

Wu Nai immediately knelt down, tears streaming down his face, and said, "Mom, it's not that I deliberately wanted to hide it from you, but telling you about this would only cause more trouble than help. So it was better not to say anything. It's all my fault. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

Wu's mother stroked the son she had raised for over twenty years, tears streaming down her face. "Why blame you? I know nothing about your past life. What's there to blame you for? I only know that you are good in this life, really good. I'm so proud of you as my son!"

"Mom, you don't blame me?" Wu Nai looked up in surprise, his eyes filled with shock. He had thought that after revealing this, Wu's mother would no longer want him as her son, but instead, he received these words.

Wu's mother smiled and shook her head. "No, no matter what your true form is, you are still my son, the son I've raised for over twenty years. No one can change that fact!" With that, she helped Wu Nai up.

Stroking Wu Nai's face, Wu's mother's eyes were full of kindness: "But I've thought about it, and it's already a blessing to have lived so many more years. Since this relic is of great use to your family, let's take it and give it to your father. Don't make things difficult for yourself."

"No!" Wu Nai resolutely refused: "Everything else is negotiable, but once the relic is given to them, you will die. I absolutely cannot just watch you die like this."

"I'm glad you care about me, but... since your whole family needs this relic, what's wrong with giving up my old life?" Wu's mother took her own life and death very lightly: "The only thing I was ever worried about was you. After I'm gone, you must take good care of yourself."

Wu Nai, who was usually very filial, did not comply with his mother's wishes this time. He resolutely refused to take the relic, and he was determined not to let anyone else take it. This made Wu's mother both gratified and sad, and she didn't know what to say for a moment.

Facing his kind mother, Wu Nai secretly made a decision: even if his father wanted to retrieve the relic, he would fight to the death to protect his mother and beg his father to wait until she had lived out her days in peace.

However, his father's attitude was resolute; he wouldn't give up so easily. Wu Nai knew that danger was approaching, so he came to this mountain to clear his head. Unexpectedly, he encountered Wukong and his companions and witnessed their fierce battle against the drought demon zombies. It seemed Wukong had discovered their secret movements.

Wu Nai then explained his desire to seek Wukong's help. Wukong listened, pondered for a moment, and remained silent. Tang Sanzang, however, advised from the side: "Wukong, Wu Nai's filial piety is a great act of kindness. It shows that although he is half-human and half-fox, his heart is kinder than that of ordinary people, which is truly rare. If you have a way, please help him and think of a foolproof plan that can safely retrieve the relic from his mother's body while also saving her life. It's a win-win situation, fulfilling his filial duty and also giving an explanation to his father. Wukong, have you thought of a way?"

Wukong chuckled and said, "Master, I'm trying to figure something out. However, I don't know the specifics; I need to see his mother to make a judgment." Wu Nai was overjoyed to hear Wukong was willing to help and quickly said, "Then please come to my house for a while; it's not far from here."

"Then please lead the way, Wu Nai," Tang Sanzang said.

They soon arrived at Wu Nai's house, where his mother warmly welcomed them. Wu Nai didn't tell his mother the purpose of his invitation, only saying that his friends had come to visit. Wukong secretly observed Wu Nai's mother and noticed a faint golden halo emanating from her body, which greatly surprised him. But how could he remove the relic from her body? Wukong couldn't think of a way for a moment.

Just then, a loud and deep laugh appeared out of nowhere, reaching everyone's ears. Hearing this laughter, everyone's expression changed, but Sun Wukong and his companions were more puzzled than surprised, while Wu Nai was more fearful than alarmed, because he recognized the owner of the laughter.

"Who goes there?!" Sun Wukong demanded, his face grim, as the voice seemed to come from nowhere.

As if in response, a dark blue spatial entrance opened less than ten meters in front of them, and a burly figure emerged. With an ancient face and a fox fur slung across his chest, this was Wu Nai's father, the chieftain of the fox clan.

Wu Nai's expression instantly shifted between a multitude of colors, a complex mix of emotions. He could guess his father's purpose in coming here—to retrieve the relic. This was expected, but he hadn't anticipated it would happen so quickly, catching him completely off guard.

Although he was determined to plead with his father to grant his mother leniency, would his father listen to him? Given his determination to obtain the relic, getting his father to obey was virtually impossible.

No, he absolutely could not allow his father to kill someone before his eyes, not even the powerful and unfathomable chieftain of the fox clan.

Not to mention Wu Nai's secret decision, Sun Wukong and the others knew nothing about the Fox Clan Chief, only able to judge him as a powerful demon by his aura: "What kind of demon are you? Grandpa Sun is here, quickly state your name!" Sun Wukong shouted, because judging from the aura just now, he felt that this demon's power was extremely formidable, so he kept a close eye on him.

After the Fox Clan Chief came out, the spatial entrance closed. Before it closed, someone shouted: "Old fox, hurry up and get back! Honestly, you've gone in and out of the human world twice in such a short time, trying to exhaust us!" It sounded like someone was advising from behind, but it was very soft and indistinct.

The fox clan chief didn't look at his own son first, but stared at Sun Wukong, who was speaking to him: "Grandpa Sun?"

Hearing him addressed as such, Sun Wukong puffed out his chest proudly and said, "That's right, Grandpa Sun is here. What do you have to say?"

The fox clan chief chuckled, "Ridiculous! How dare you call yourself that in front of me? When I was around, you were probably nowhere to be found!" With that, he suddenly released his previously restrained aura. What was previously only moderately strong instantly became incredibly powerful, almost tangible, shaking everyone to their core. Sun Wukong could still withstand it, but the others were knocked to the ground. Wukong's face was more grim than ever before.

"Who exactly are you?" After the fox clan chief restrained his aura again, Wukong asked again, this time with less arrogance and more seriousness.

The fox clan chief smiled smugly and gave Sun Wukong the answer he wanted: "I am the clan chief of the fox clan in the demon realm, and also Wu Nai's fox father. Do you have any other questions?" Hearing

the words "fox clan chief," Sun Wukong and the others were startled. Bajie was even more furious, saying, "So it was you who forced Wu Nai to kill his mother to retrieve the relic! You're truly heartless!" The Fox Clan Chief smiled calmly. In this other world, there are no rules; everything depends on strength. The strong are respected, and for personal gain, friendship and even family ties can be sacrificed. The Fox Clan Chief stopped talking to Sun Wukong and the others, turning his gaze to Wu Nai. Pointing to Wu's mother, who had fallen to the ground after being attacked by his powerful aura, he said, "She is your mother in the human world?"

His voice was quite gentle, seemingly not angry, but Wu Nai dared not relax at all. He forced himself to sit up, his head bowed, and said, "Father, it was she who gave me a second life."

"So, because of this, you disregarded my orders and refused to retrieve the relic?" The voice, which had been gentle just moments before, suddenly felt like a sudden winter's chill, as cold as ice.

Seeing his father's anger, Wu Nai immediately knelt down: "It's all my fault! I couldn't bear to remove the relic from my mother's body. All the blame lies with me, Father! Please punish me!"

Wu's mother, injured by the fox clan leader's powerful aura, was unable to move or speak, so she could only stare blankly, tears streaming down her face, her eyes filled with reluctance and love as she looked at Wu Nai. Besides that, there was a resolute determination, as if she had made a decision, but no one noticed her at the moment.

"Punishment is inevitable. After I've dealt with them and collected the relic, I'll decide what punishment to give you!" the fox clan leader said coldly, showing no leniency despite Wu Nai being his son.

On the other side, Wukong and the others felt a chill run down their spines. The implication of collecting the relic was that he wanted to kill Sun Wukong and the others, including Wu's mother—no one would survive. His heart was truly ruthless. Wukong laughed and stepped forward, saying, "Old man, may I ask why you are taking the relic?"

The fox clan chief seemed to only then notice Wukong, and said gently, "I apologize that I cannot tell you the reason for taking the relic now, but you will soon find out."

"Do you have to do this? Is there no room for compromise?" Wukong asked, still smiling.

The fox clan chief said with a half-smile, "From what you're saying, it seems you want to stop me? But do you have the ability? Or do you think you can defeat me?"

"What do you think?" Wukong smiled.

"If you think you have the ability, then come and stop me, I'm going to make my move!" After saying this, the fox clan chief moved like the wind, and before anyone could react, he had already used his battle aura to firmly lock onto Sun Wukong and the others. No matter where they fled, they could not escape his lock!

Wu Nai stood silently to the side, after all, that was his father, someone he could not disobey.

The fox clan chief suddenly turned to Wu Nai, who was caught in a dilemma: "My son, if I really need your help, what will you do? Will you stand idly by?"

"No!" After all, father and son are of one heart, and Wu Nai absolutely did not want his father to die, so he rejected the idea without thinking. After hesitating for a while, he said with great pain: "I will never watch my father die. Even if it costs me my life, I will protect my father. But I have a request, and I hope my father can grant it!"

"Since you know it is a request, then why bother saying it again?" The fox clan chief flicked the front of his clothes and said: "You just want me to let them go and not take the relic, right?"

Chapter 325 Red Flame

Wu Nai met his father's bright eyes and nodded through gritted teeth: "Father, although you may not like what I'm about to say, I still have to say it. One of them is my mother, and the rest are my friends. Please be merciful and let them go. Consider it an act of kindness."

"Doing good deeds and accumulating merit?" The fox clan chief suddenly burst into laughter, a laugh so loud it was deafening. Tang Sanzang and Wu Nai, whose martial arts skills were relatively low, were extremely uncomfortable with the laughter and had no choice but to cover their ears. Even Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie, whose martial arts skills were considered quite high, frowned. In contrast, Wu Nai's mother seemed completely unaffected by the laughter. Could it be that her ears could actually withstand such a high-pitched sound?

As everyone exerted their inner strength to resist, the laughter abruptly stopped. The fox clan chief said sternly, "Truly laughable and lamentable! My child, you only think that letting them go is an act of kindness, but you don't know that your father taking the relic from your mother's body is a true act of merit, a merit for the whole world, a benevolence for all." Seeing Wu Nai's confused expression and his intention to speak further, the fox clan chief waved his hand and said, "You don't need to say anything more. After this matter is over, your father will return to the demon realm, and you will also return. At that time, I will tell you the reasons."

The fox clan chief glanced at Wukong and the others and said, "If you insist on preventing me from taking the relic, you are openly opposing me, and I will fight you to the end!"

"Alright!" Wukong replied briefly, without saying anything more. He took the embroidery needle from his ear, shook it in the wind, and it transformed into a golden cudgel as thick as a bowl, shimmering with golden light. The fox chieftain's heart skipped a beat. He knew that the weapon in Wukong's hand was no ordinary weapon; it must be an incredibly powerful and magical weapon, so he was extra cautious.

"This place is too cramped; we can't fight freely. Let's find an open space to have a proper duel." Wukong didn't want to accidentally injure his master and Wu's mother in the fight, so he planned to settle things outside. After speaking, he was the first to leap out of the floor-to-ceiling window, his body disappearing like an arrow released from a bow.

"Good, you do have some skill! Let me subdue you first, then I can come back to retrieve the relic!" The fox chieftain praised, and followed closely behind. Reaching an open space, Wukong landed lightly on the ground, and the fox chieftain appeared before him.

"Well done!" Wukong raised his Ruyi Jingu Bang high, and the Ruyi Jingu Bang emitted a powerful force, like a whirlwind. Wherever the force passed, everything turned to ash, including the ground. The surface layer and the area about ten feet below turned to ash, and a gust of wind created a large crater.

The fox chieftain scoffed at the oncoming whirlwind, his entire body blazing with red light. The whirlwind couldn't penetrate his protective red aura, returning empty-handed without even tearing a scratch on his clothes.

Seeing that his golden cudgel posed no threat to the fox chieftain, Wukong said nothing more and flew forward, his golden cudgel swiftly striking at him. The fox chieftain, light as a feather, dodged Wukong's attack. While dodging, he didn't stop; his hands moved rapidly in front of his chest, the red light in his hands growing stronger until it burned like fire.

Sun Wukong inwardly cried out, "Oh no! That old fox is using some powerful technique. How can I counter it?" Thinking this, he didn't rest, swinging his golden cudgel and leaping forward, chasing after the fox chieftain.

Pigsy and Sandy had arrived by then. After a quick discussion, they decided to help Monkey King block the Fox Clan Chief and prevent him from escaping.

"Old Sandy, why are you out here too? Where's Master?" Monkey King asked.

"Master has Little White with him, he'll be fine. Second Brother and I came to support you, Eldest Brother!" Sandy replied.

"That's right, let's cheer for Eldest Brother together!" Pigsy said with a grin. The Fox Clan Chief only uttered two words to Pigsy and Sandy blocking his way: "Foolish!" With that, he didn't even flinch and charged straight at them. The Fox Clan Chief wasn't small, but he was still no match for Pigsy and Sandy together. He should have been sent flying.

But the reality was quite surprising. Upon contact, the relatively weaker Fox Clan Chief was unharmed, while Pigsy and Sandy tumbled like gourds, crashing to the ground in pain and groaning for a while before getting up.

Seeing this, Sun Wukong's eyes turned even redder. He poured all his magical power into his golden cudgel, causing it to shine brightly. With this full-force strike, Sun Wukong teleported to within three feet of the fox chieftain and brought it down hard on his head. With Sun Wukong in front and Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie behind, the fox chieftain had no way to avoid it. If the blow landed, he would be severely injured, if not killed. Seeing this dangerous situation, Wu Nai, who arrived later, cried out in alarm and tried to get up to help, but he didn't know how to fly and could only watch anxiously.

The fox chieftain, however, seemed unconcerned. Even in the midst of danger, he had the mind to smile, glancing up at the golden cudgel rapidly approaching his head and saying, "You're too late!" Before Sun Wukong could understand his meaning, a blazing red light burst forth from his hand, enveloping Sun Wukong, Sha Wujing, and Zhu Bajie.

Surrounded by the crimson flames, Sun Wukong, Sha Wujing, and Zhu Bajie felt nothing but endless red flames before their eyes. This red light was even more intense than the Samadhi True Fire. Even with Sun Wukong's skin of copper and iron, he felt extremely uncomfortable. Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing were even worse off, suffering terribly as the red flames seeped into their skin.

The two figures fell out of the red light, their bodies charred black, unrecognizable except for their physiques—one was Zhu Bajie, and the other was Sha Wujing. Wukong's body leaped into the air, escaping the crimson flames.

Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing landed on the ground, groaning in pain.

A moment later, the red light began to shrink into a ball at the center, and the fox clan chief's figure emerged from it. Holding the shrunken ball of light in his hand, he said to Wukong, who was suspended in mid-air, "Your two good brothers have been dealt with by me. Do you have any more tricks up your sleeve?" Wukong smiled coldly in mid-air and said, "Old fox, don't be so arrogant! Take this!" With that, Wukong's body swooped down from the sky, his golden cudgel emitting countless golden rays, enveloping the fox clan chief in the golden light.

Chapter 326 Reshaping the True Form

Wukong and the fox clan chief fought fiercely for dozens of rounds, still unable to determine a winner. Just then, Xiaobai arrived, panting, and said, "Everyone, stop fighting! Wu Nai, your mother is dying! Go see her quickly!"

"What? My mother is dying? What happened?" Wu Nai was shocked and hurriedly asked.

"She...she bit her tongue and committed suicide!" Xiaobai said regretfully.

"Mom!" Wu Nai shouted and ran off. Wukong and the Fox Clan Chief also stopped fighting and returned to Wu Nai's home with Bajie and Sha Wujing. They found Wu Nai's mother lying on the ground. Wu Nai knew something was wrong and rushed to her side, only to find she was already dead, blood trickling from her mouth. Wu Nai cried out in disbelief, "How could this be... how could this be..."

Tang Sanzang said sorrowfully, "Old Benefactor Wu, to fulfill your wish and prevent you from being torn, just now bit off his tongue and committed suicide. Old Benefactor Wu was kind-hearted and truly rare, Amitabha!"

Before Tang Sanzang could finish speaking, Wu Nai had already collapsed onto his long-dead mother's body and wept bitterly. His mother was his closest relative in the human world, someone he was willing to protect with his life, and now she was suddenly gone. How could he not be heartbroken? Sha Wujing and the others also grieved with him.

Beside Wu Nai's mother lay a gleaming golden relic.

The Fox Clan Chief held the relic in his palm as if it were a priceless treasure. Upon obtaining the relic, the fox clan chief's face lit up with joy. At the same time, he moved his right hand, revealing a simple ring on his middle finger. He began chanting an incantation incomprehensible to others, chanting with considerable effort, as if using all his strength. With each incantation, demonic energy began to gather around him—not only his own, but also energy drawn from other demons, including Wu Nai. Wu Nai had noticed this during the fox clan chief's second incantation; his demonic energy was being uncontrollably absorbed by his father. It seemed that other demons in the human realm did the same; any demon less powerful than the fox clan chief would have its power borrowed.

Such power was indeed terrifying, but the burden was immense; otherwise, the fox clan chief wouldn't be sweating profusely.

After an unknown amount of time, his incantation was finally completed. Despite being drenched in sweat, the fox chieftain's eyes shone brightly. He roared, "Open!" Then, his right ring flashed through the air, and an invisible energy stream containing all demonic power forcefully ripped open the space they were in. The fox chieftain swiftly pushed the golden relic into the spatial rift. Seeing this, those outside the spatial rift, including Tang Sanzang, all chanted "Amitabha." As the sound faded, the spatial rift closed completely, and the scene inside could no longer be seen.

The fox chieftain said to Wu Nai, "My child, properly bury your mother. Now that things are over in the human world, you can return to the demon realm, right?"

Wu Nai, still immersed in boundless grief, listened to his father's words without looking up and replied, "Yes, I will obey your orders, Father. I will return to the demon realm after I have finished dealing with matters in the human world!"

The fox chieftain nodded and said, "That's good. Sun Wukong, what about you? Can you come with us to the demon realm? I need your help!"

Wukong hesitated for a moment, about to decline, but Tang Sanzang said, "Wukong, it's alright for you to go with them. Help out if you can."

Wukong had no choice but to say, "Alright, I'll go then. However, I'll be a little lonely going alone. Bajie, would you like to come with me?" Bajie readily agreed, "I would. Anyway, I'll never be lonely with my elder brother."

Wu Nai silently buried his mother and returned home, where the fox chieftain waited patiently.

"My child, are you ready?" The fox clan chief asked Wu Nai again. After confirming he was alright, he nodded and said, "Good. I've stayed in the mortal realm for too long. I must return immediately, otherwise those old fogies might abandon me. In any case, I finally obtained the relic; this trip wasn't in vain."

With his signal, a spatial entrance opened behind him. The fox clan chief gave Wu Nai a few more instructions before stepping through the entrance. Wukong, Bajie, and Wu Nai followed closely behind.

Before coming, Bajie had imagined the environment of the demon realm. In his mind, the demon realm wasn't much different from the human realm, except perhaps for the lack of modern buildings and technology. But upon arriving, he was greatly surprised. The environment of the demon realm was far from pleasant; it could even be described as harsh.

At first glance, it was a barren wasteland, filled with dark red rocks, devoid of even a blade of grass or a tree. Only a few structures resembling houses, likely built by demons, stood in stark contrast. Lightning roared and churning overhead, never still for a moment, making one feel as if transported back to the primordial era.

Along the way, they encountered several demons, mostly wolf spirits, dog monsters, and fox demons. Upon seeing Wukong and Bajie, two humans, they curiously stopped to observe them. Humans were practically nonexistent in the demon realm; anyone who came here was either tired of living. But judging from their appearance, they were definitely not the latter.

Wu Nai, following behind Bajie, explained, “According to my father, the demon realm used to be completely different. It was a place of birdsong and fragrant flowers, even better than the human realm. Then a great war broke out in the demon realm, resulting in countless deaths and injuries, and the demon realm became what it is today.”

“Isn’t there a single place that retains its former appearance?” Wukong asked Wu Nai without turning his head, while surveying the surroundings.

"Yes, that's Mirror Lake, a forbidden area in the demon realm. It's the only place that has preserved its original appearance. Legend has it that it's the resting place of the Holy Maiden who once led the Three Realms to repel invading enemies."

"Holy Maiden? Who is that? She's called a Holy Maiden. Is she also a demon? You... um?" Bajie's words turned to astonishment when he turned around and saw Wu Nai: "You... how did you become like this?"

Wu Nai looked down at his silver hair hanging down his chest and smiled: "This is the real me. When I was in the human realm, because my power hadn't recovered, even after transforming, my hair was still black. Just now, when I entered the demon realm, I suddenly found that my abilities had fully recovered. Now I can fly."

The group finally arrived at the gathering place of the fox demon clan and several other major clans. This place was much more lively than where they had just entered. Everywhere they could see demons in human form gathered together, bartering, fighting, and all sorts of things.

This place was the habitat of powerful clans, so there were many buildings. Wu Nai pointed to several particularly tall, multi-story buildings and told Bajie that those were the residences of the clan leaders. The fox clan's building was black, the wolf clan's was gray, the tengu clan's was yellow, and the bird clan's was white.

The fox clan leader led everyone into the black building. The fox demons guarding the clan were all excited to see Wu Nai and the fox clan leader, especially Wu Nai. Although he had been gone for a long time, many people still recognized him and excitedly greeted him: "Young Master, you're really back! It really is you?!" Although everyone spoke at once, they all conveyed the same meaning.

Wu Nai said gently, "Of course I'm back. Who else would you see? I'm back with my father, aren't I?"

Just as they stepped onto the stairs, a childish voice rang out, "Daddy, you're back? Huh, where did you come from? I've never seen you before."

Following the voice, the first thing that caught their eye was a pair of almond-shaped eyes, and then they could see that it was a little girl of about two or three years old. She had a round face, delicate features, and a small body, which made her instantly pleasing to the eye.

Wukong only found the little girl adorable and felt nothing more. Wu Nai, however, was struck dumb, gasping and frozen in place. After a long while, he moved to the little girl's side, squatted down, and carefully stroked her lovely face with incredibly gentle movements, as if afraid of hurting her. "Father, you actually did it! This is unbelievable! The original essence has been reunited, and her physical body has been reshaped." The little girl,

however, was extremely disgusted by his actions. She slapped Wu Nai's hand away with her chubby little hand, put her hands on her hips, and shouted, "Hey, why are you touching me? You haven't answered my question yet. Who are you people?"

"Ye Fang, don't you remember me?" Wu Nai stared at the little girl in surprise. He was absolutely certain that the person in front of him was Ye Fang's original essence, reborn by his father. She looked exactly like Ye Fang when she was a child.

"Huh? How do you know my name?" Now it was little Ye Fang's turn to be puzzled. She stared at Wu Nai with bright, incomprehensible eyes. How could this guy know her name?

The fox clan chief approached, picked up little Ye Fang, and said to Wu Nai, "After I revived Ye Fang, she doesn't remember anyone else except me."

Wu Kong also walked up to the tiny little Ye Fang and examined her closely. She was indeed quite good; her features were very similar to the previous Ye Fang. It was truly astonishing that the fox clan chief had been able to reconstruct Ye Fang's true form in such a short time, even though Wu Nai had already told him about Ye Fang. This skill was truly astonishing.

Wu Nai remained squatting in front of Xiao Yefang, whispering, "Little sister, don't you really remember me? I'm your brother, your real brother!"

"Real brother?" Xiao Yefang frowned, repeating the words, seemingly struggling to understand. She scratched her head for a long time without figuring it out. "Are you really my brother?"

Although Wu Nai spoke with absolute certainty, Yefang still refused to believe it. After thinking for a while, she suddenly smiled. "Daddy, tell me, is he my real brother? I'll only believe you if you say yes." The Fox Clan Chief said lovingly, "He is indeed your real brother, Yefang. Hurry up and call him brother."

Chapter 327 Suspected Fallacy

"Brother? But why haven't I seen him?" Xiao Yefang tilted her head innocently, genuinely unaware that she had such a brother.

The Fox Clan Chief stroked her head lovingly and said, "It's normal that you haven't seen him, because he went out before you were born and only just returned."

"Oh!" Little Ye Fang nodded, seemingly understanding, then turned to Wu Nai and sweetly called him "Brother." Wu Nai responded verbally, but sighed helplessly in his heart. Ye Fang, having forgotten everything, must have forgotten many unforgettable memories as well. Well, forgetting meant no worries, no sorrow; let everything start anew.

Wukong watched silently from the side; Ye Fang's rebirth was truly gratifying. After coaxing Little Ye Fang for a while, the Fox Clan Chief had someone take her elsewhere to play. After Little Ye Fang had gone, the Fox Clan Chief and the three clan chiefs who had returned with him exchanged glances. The Fox Clan Chief said to Wukong, "Great Hero Sun, please come in and sit down. We need your help." For some reason, this sounded rather polite.

"Fox Clan Chief, could you take me to Mirror Lake now? I'd like to see it," Bajie suggested. The fox clan chief waved his hand and said, "No rush. Before we go to Mirror Lake, please come with us to a secret chamber for a chat. We need your help with something."

The other three clan chiefs nodded repeatedly. These three clan chiefs each had distinctive features, but without exception, they all looked like old men. Judging by appearance alone, the fox clan chief was the least aged among them. Although they had transformed into human form, their outward features made it relatively easy to guess their true forms. Their names were Wolf Run, Dog Fall, and Winged Feather.

Seeing that Pigsy hesitated, the Wolf Run clan chief said, "Two heroes, before we go to Mirror Lake, there are some things you must understand first. Don't worry, we will absolutely not have any ill intentions towards you!" Seeing that they said this, Monkey couldn't refuse any longer, so he followed them upstairs to the secret chamber, while Wu Nai was left downstairs.

The secret room was very simple, practically empty, containing only a few chairs and a table. After the five people sat down, the Fox Clan Chief spoke first: "Great Hero Sun..."

From the moment he met the Fox Clan Chief, Wukong had always heard him address him as Great Hero Sun. While the title was correct, it always sounded a bit awkward. Hearing him call him that again, he quickly said, "Fox Clan Chief, you don't have to call me that every time. It's better to just call me Sun Wukong."

The four clan chiefs exchanged glances. The Fox Clan Chief said, "Actually, I already knew from my son Wu Nai's house that you are the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, whom I respect. Your deeds are already widely known. Hehe, that Ruyi Jingu Bang you wield is your unparalleled weapon, something no one else possesses. From the moment you took it..." "The moment you produced the Golden Cudgel, I guessed your true identity. However, I just wanted to test my martial arts skills with you, so I didn't reveal it on the spot. Haha, we've become friends through this fight! We would never dare to offend you by addressing you by your name directly. Since you don't like it, I'll call you Great Sage. This must be Marshal Tianpeng, Pigsy, I've heard so much about you!" Pigsy chuckled and said, "My dignified appearance is indeed a living signboard; I'm easily recognized wherever I go."

Seeing that Wukong didn't object anymore, the Fox Clan Chief cleared his throat and said, "Then I'll continue. Great Sage, haven't you been wondering why I insisted on taking the relic from Wu Nai's birth mother's body in the human world? Actually, this wasn't just my idea; it was the result of a joint discussion among several of us."

"What benefit do the relics bring to you? Is it to increase your magical power? With your magical power, do you still need external things to enhance it?" Wukong was quite puzzled. With his eyesight, he could naturally see that the four people in front of him all had extraordinary abilities. If they were in the human world, any one of them could turn the world upside down, and no human mage could withstand them.

Yi Yu chuckled, stroking his goatee, and said, "We naturally don't need them, but someone else does. Great Sage, you should know about the Four Sacred Beasts, right? Actually, the true Sacred Beasts are in the Demon Realm, but they were all severely injured after a great battle. Even after more than a thousand years of recuperation, they still haven't fully recovered and remain in a deep slumber. Now, only a few old bones like ours are holding the fort in the Demon Realm."

The Fox Clan Chief chimed in, "Great Sage, I know you're wondering who could have injured the Sacred Beasts. Before answering your question, I want to ask you a question first: do you know where the Three Realms came from?"

This question truly stumped Wukong. He had never thought about this before. The Three Realms had existed for countless years; how could he possibly know their origin? After pondering for a long time, he finally said, "This is naturally the work of the creation of heaven and earth. With the existence of the Human Realm came the Demon Realm, and the immortals in the Immortal Realm were cultivated from humans."

"No, you're wrong!" Wolf Run, who hadn't spoken until now, finally spoke up: "Whether it's the human realm, the demon realm, or the immortal realm, it's all just a chessboard in someone else's hands, and the people inside are just pawns on that chessboard, their fates manipulated by others."

Wolf Run's expression was particularly heavy as he spoke, and so did the others. Wukong vaguely knew that what they were talking about must be something crucial, so he didn't interrupt, but listened intently. After a while, Wolf Run continued: "Have you ever heard of the Demon Realm?"

Wukong was taken aback, wondering why he had steered the conversation to this. He nodded and said, "Of course I've heard of it. The Demon Realm has always been mysterious and strange, but I don't know much about them."

"It's not just you; most people have only heard a little about the Demon Realm. Although the Demon Realm is also in a space, it's not parallel to our three realms, but exists on a higher spatial level. Do you know what that means?" Wolf Run stared intently at Wukong.

"What does that mean?" At first, Wukong didn't understand, but he quickly figured out what Lang Ben meant. His expression changed drastically: "Are you trying to say that the creatures in the Demon Realm are a higher existence than the creatures of our Three Realms, just like the difference between humans and immortals?" If they are higher than immortals and demons, then fighting them would be incredibly difficult. Wukong really didn't want his idea to come true.

"No!" Wolf Run blurted out, and just as Wukong breathed a sigh of relief, Wolf Run's next words shocked him greatly: "It's an even bigger difference. Immortals, in the end, are actually humans who ascended to heaven through cultivation. Their origin is still human. But the creatures in the Demon Realm are different. They are neither human nor demon, but another kind of creature that we don't understand at all. They created humans, and they created the human world. As for the later Immortal Realm and Demon Realm, they were created by immortals or demons who had achieved great cultivation and used their immense magical power."

The other three listened silently to Wolf Run. Obviously, they already knew this, but this was the first time Wukong had heard such absurd words. If it weren't for the fact that it was Wolf Run who said this, and that he didn't have such a serious expression, Wukong would have thought that someone was making fun of him.

He swallowed hard, his gaze sweeping over the four clan leaders present. "How is this possible? As far as I know, the Demon Realm is filled with evil beings. How could they create life, create a world? That's a power only gods possess. How could the Demon Realm possibly do that? And why did they create the human world? What benefit would it bring them?"

The Fox Clan Leader, meeting Wukong's disbelieving gaze, said slowly and deliberately, "Creation is essentially like raising livestock, just like humans raise cattle and sheep. The Demon Realm created the human world and humans simply to satisfy their selfish desires. They are like gods, arrogantly looking down on the inferior beings they created, watching them do all sorts of things for survival and for their desires."

As if Wukong hadn't been shocked enough, Yi Yu continued, "The demon has another name. Do you know what it is?" Before Wukong could answer, he blurted out the answer: "That's the God-Demon!"

Demon is God, and God is Demon?

Two completely opposite words in the minds of ordinary people are actually one? Wukong's mind was a complete mess. He couldn't understand what was going on. Gods and demons, gods and demons—they were actually one.

These two words kept swirling in Wukong's mind, overlapping, separating, and overlapping again. After a long time, he gradually calmed down and asked in a hoarse voice, "If they are the gods who created humanity, then why are they called demons?"

Chapter 328 Forbidden Land

When Wukong raised his question, the fox clan chief replied, "Because those gods and demons not only create, but also destroy!" The fox clan chief continued, "They created humans only to satisfy their own selfish desires, just like people herding cattle and sheep. But when the animals they raise have the ability to threaten them, what do you think they will do?"

"Destroy!" Although he was extremely reluctant to say those two words, Wukong still answered helplessly. The truth is the truth, and there was no use in running away.

"Indeed, destruction. Through diligent self-cultivation, humanity gained extraordinary magical powers, becoming immortals who could fly and burrow underground, capable of anything. Later, demons emerged, and the Four Sacred Beasts were among the first to become demons. Each of them, through their immense magical power, created two interdependent spaces on top of the human realm: the Immortal Realm and the Demon Realm. From then on, immortals entered the Immortal Realm, and demons entered the Demon Realm, with the human world being their common origin."

The Fox Clan Chief took a breath and continued, "As the Immortal Realm and the Demon Realm grew stronger day by day, those gods and demons finally became afraid. Judging from the current development trend of the Immortal and Demon Realms, their strength might one day surpass theirs. Therefore, they decided to send troops to destroy them before they could fully mature. That great battle was truly earth-shattering. Although the Immortal and Demon Realms were powerful, they were still no match for the gods and demons. After the battle, there were countless casualties. At that time, a few of us old folks participated in that war alongside the Four Sacred Beasts." At this point, the Fox Clan Chief's eyes dimmed.

"If that's what you're saying, then the Three Realms were defeated in that war, so why are they still intact today?" Pigsy asked疑惑地.

The Fox Clan Chief sighed, a look of reminiscence on his face. The other clan chiefs were similarly nosy: "We were destined to lose. With our strength, we couldn't possibly fight against the Divine Demon Realm. At that time, a woman appeared with her guardians. She led the Four Sacred Beasts and the Immortal Emperor, among others, to fight against the Divine Demon Realm. In the end, we were fortunate enough to win, forcing the Divine Demon Realm to retreat and creating a seal between the Divine Demon Realm and the Three Realms, preventing them from passing through and preserving the existence of the Three Realms. To show our gratitude and respect, we call her the Holy Maiden, and the Four Sacred Beasts voluntarily submitted to her." Her subordinates formed a pact with her. Unfortunately, after that battle, she was exhausted and near death. After the Holy Maiden's death, we placed her remains in Mirror Lake, the only place undamaged during the great battle. It's a forbidden area for our demon race; no one except our clan leaders has ever entered it. As for the Four Sacred Beasts, they were severely injured and soon fell into a coma. The reason we forcibly obtained this relic is because its Buddhist power can help them recover from their injuries quickly, because… another calamity could descend at any moment!

"They've come again?" Wukong repeated in surprise. "Didn't they say the path from the God-Demon Realm to the Three Realms was sealed? How could they possibly come again?" "

The God-Demon Realm's desire to destroy us has never ceased. They've been looking for an opportunity to break the Holy Maiden's seal. We've already noticed it; the seal's power is gradually weakening. Moreover, the Holy Maiden said before her death that the calamity was only temporarily over and could return at any time, urging us not to let our guard down. She said that when the calamity returns, an even stronger person will come to help us resist the invasion of the God-Demons again. I think the Holy Maiden was referring to you, Great Sage."

Me? How could that be? Wukong thought to himself, "I don't even know what this so-called Holy Maiden looks like."

The Fox Clan Chief noticed his confusion and explained, "The Holy Maiden once told me that this person's power is too great. If not controlled, it could cause a great disaster at any time. Therefore, he needs to undergo some trials. Your journey to the West perfectly matches the Holy Maiden's prophecy." "

Then her prophecy is truly amazing, actually predicting events tens of millions of years in the future," Wukong teased. The Fox Clan Chief knew Wukong was skeptical of their words, so he said, "No need to rush. The calamity isn't coming so soon. We still have time. Before that, we old folks will escort you and Marshal Tianpeng to Mirror Lake. Although the Holy Maiden is dead, her soul still rests peacefully in Mirror Lake. Perhaps she can tell you what to do."

Wukong nodded casually. To be honest, he hadn't even considered taking on the responsibility of fighting against the invasion of gods and demons; it seemed to be none of his business.

Yu Yi stroked his beard and said, "After consuming the relic, the Four Divine Beasts' injuries should heal quickly. If there are no unforeseen circumstances, they should wake up soon, around the time you two return from Mirror Lake. If possible, how about we escort you to Mirror Lake now?" Although they told Wukong there was no rush and that they still had time, they were actually more anxious than anyone else. The seal was being damaged more and more severely, and perhaps gods and demons would descend upon the Three Realms within days. They needed Wukong's help before then; it was the only force that could stop the calamity.

Wukong, eager to witness the mysteries of Mirror Lake, a forbidden area in the demon realm, readily agreed. The Fox Clan Chief and the others, their faces beaming with joy, immediately set off with Wukong and Bajie.

Chapter 329: The Illusion.

Wukong and Bajie followed the Fox Clan Chief and the others towards Mirror Lake. This time, Wu Nai, as the young master of the Fox Clan, accompanied them. However, having not been in the secret chamber earlier, he only had a vague understanding of the situation. But from the Fox Clan Chief and the others' attitude, it was clear they valued Wukong far more than usual.

Mirror Lake was located in the heart of the demon realm, tens of thousands of kilometers away. The weather along the way was extremely harsh, and they frequently encountered ferocious demons. Without formidable strength, traversing such a vast distance to Mirror Lake would be suicidal.

Although Wu Nai could fly, his speed was considerably slower than the four clan chiefs. To avoid holding them back, Yi Yu carried him. Wukong and Bajie, of course, had no problem flying, and the seven of them swiftly headed towards Mirror Lake.

Along the way, Wukong truly witnessed the abilities of the four clan leaders. Lightning flashed incessantly; most demons struck by lightning would be bedridden for days, if not killed. But these four seemed completely unfazed, not even bothering to dodge, letting the lightning strike them. The old man with the wings, Winged Feather, despite his unassuming appearance, was quite skilled. To protect Wu Nai, he spread his wings to shield her, and even when lightning struck his wings, not a single feather was singed.

As for the ignorant demons blocking their path, Wolf Run and Dog Fall dealt with them, revealing their true forms. Standing tens of meters tall, their wolf and dog bodies were incredibly ferocious; ordinary demons were bitten in the neck with a single bite, and even the more powerful ones only survived for a few seconds.

Before long, they arrived safely at Mirror Lake. Aside from the four clan leaders, Wu Nai, Wukong, and Bajie were all visiting this sacred land of the demon realm for the first time, and their first impression was simply, "How beautiful!"

Compared to the rugged, barren landscapes of other parts of the demon realm, this place was practically paradise—green grass, clear water, blue skies, and butterflies fluttering about. All of this was within the expanse of that hundred-foot-wide Mirror Lake, making it hard to believe that this place was in the same space as the outside world.

Wolf Run, having reverted to his demon form, sighed, "Back then, every place in the demon realm was like this, with beautiful mountains and clear waters, far more beautiful than the human realm. Unfortunately, everything was destroyed in that great war and has never been restored to its former glory, except for this Mirror Lake, which retains its former appearance."

Dog Fall clicked his tongue and said, "Don't lament. At least we still have this place, a place to live. Who knows what will happen soon? Maybe these old bones of ours will go with the demon realm."

Upon hearing this, the others lowered their heads. "That's right. If it weren't for the Holy Maiden last time, the Three Realms would have been destroyed long ago. How could they have lived for so many more years?" The Fox Clan Chief shook his head and said, "Stop talking. Let Sun Wukong go in first. Sun Wukong, we will work together to open the barrier for you. You can go in with Marshal Tianpeng. After this is done, we will accompany you to see the Four Sacred Beasts. They should be waking up soon."

Wukong nodded, glanced at Bajie following closely beside him, and strode towards the tranquil and beautiful place. The four members of the Fox Clan stood at four different directions, silently chanting incantations. Waves of energy rippled around them, and with their efforts, the barrier surrounding Mirror Lake opened an entrance about one person's width wide. Wukong and Bajie entered through this opening, and as soon as they stepped inside, it immediately closed. Suddenly, wisps of white mist rose from the previously unobstructed view of green mountains and clear waters, shrouding everything in a hazy mist, obscuring everything within.

The water of Mirror Lake was clear, yet opaque. Looking down from the surface, one could not see the bottom at all. It wasn't that the water wasn't clear enough, but rather that a cloud-like or misty layer in the middle of the lake completely concealed what lay beneath, making it impossible to see anything.

Wukong bent down and scooped up a handful of water. The water vanished the moment it left the lake's surface, as if it had never existed. Wukong was utterly bewildered. He tried several more times, but the same thing happened. This Mirror Lake was truly magical. Remembering his business, Wukong temporarily set aside his curiosity and said to Bajie, who had been silent until now, "Bajie, look at the water in this Mirror Lake, isn't it magical?"

Bajie also scooped up a handful of water, and the same thing happened. Bajie was greatly astonished, repeatedly saying, "It's a miracle, a miracle!"

Just as they were wondering about this, a soft, ethereal light rose from the center of the lake, causing ripples on the calm surface. Then, a similarly soft female voice entered Wukong and Bajie's ears: "No need to try anymore, this is the Mirror Lake illusion."

"Who is it?!" Seeing this strange phenomenon and voice, Bajie was quite surprised. Wasn't it said that only the Holy Maiden was here? How could someone else speak?

"Don't be surprised, I won't harm anyone." The voice still emanated from the spiritual light. Although the lake surface continued to move, no one emerged, only the spiritual light remained rising in the center of the lake.

"Hmm?" Wukong's expression turned solemn. "Could you be the Holy Maiden the four clan leaders spoke of? But weren't you dead? Why... why..."

"Why can I still speak to you, is that it?" The woman's voice chuckled softly, like a babbling brook. "I am indeed dead, but my soul has not completely vanished, just to wait for your arrival!"

With this voice, the spiritual light on the lake surface finally stirred, slowly condensing into a semi-transparent figure like mist. Her hair was styled in a high bun, her eyebrows were delicate like willow leaves, her eyes were misty, and her nose and lips were small and exquisite. Then, they coalesced into an incomparably beautiful face, perfectly presented before Wukong and Bajie. The corners of her mouth curved slightly, exuding a myriad of charms.

Bajie was completely captivated by her beauty at first sight. He could hardly believe a woman could be so beautiful, yet her beauty did not inspire any evil thoughts or desecration.

(04-25
Chapter 330: Hidden Worries)

The Fox Clan Chief and the others were already impatiently waiting outside, but they couldn't go in to investigate, and could only wait anxiously outside. Wolf Run was the most impatient of the group, pacing back and forth without a moment's rest. After a while, he couldn't help but ask, "Old Fox, Old Dog, Old Wing, say something! What's going on inside?"

The Fox Clan Chief rolled his eyes at him, "Isn't that a pointless question? We've been standing here with you the whole time, how would we know what's happening inside?" The other two chimed in, making Wolf Run blush a little. He stammered, "I'm just anxious, hehe."

Dog Fall shook his head, "Are you saying we're not anxious? But I think nothing's wrong, let's just wait patiently."

Just then, a flash of light appeared at the barrier, and two figures appeared one after the other. Immediately afterward, the entire barrier rippled and flickered several times, and the mist that had been swirling inside vanished without a trace, revealing the beautiful scenery of green mountains and clear waters once more.

The two who emerged were none other than Wukong and Bajie, and the Fox Clan Chief and the others quickly went to greet them.

The fox clan chief excitedly approached and asked, "Great Sage Sun, have you seen the Holy Maiden? What instructions did she give us?" Wukong nodded slightly and said, "The Holy Maiden only mentioned the Four Sacred Beasts and the Relic, but didn't say much else."

The fox clan chief said, "I understand the Holy Maiden's meaning. Please follow me." With that, he led the way and flew away.

Mirror Lake was in the center of the demon realm, and none of the four directions were far away. Before long, they arrived at the far east, the territory of the Wolf Runner, and also the home of the Azure Dragon. They followed the Wolf Runner through the underground passage, passing through one restriction after another. As they drew closer, the chill intensified, eventually forcing them to use their internal energy to resist it. Each person developed a protective shield to resist the invasion of the cold.

When they passed through the tunnel, a vast expanse of snow appeared before them. In this icy world, a long, slender Azure Dragon lay there, eyes closed, seemingly asleep.

This was the true Azure Dragon, the Sacred Beast of the East!

Upon arriving, the four clan leaders became hesitant and filled with awe, except for Wukong, who remained unfazed. "You brought me here just to admire this sleeping Azure Dragon?"

the Fox Clan Chief earnestly said. "Great Sage Sun, please use your spiritual power to summon them. If your spiritual power is strong enough, you can awaken them."

Under the Fox Clan Chief's guidance, Wukong gathered all his spiritual power and cast it towards the Azure Dragon. The white spiritual power merged into the endless snow-covered landscape, and the Azure Dragon suddenly stirred, then slowly opened its eyes. Not only was its body azure, but its eyes were also a shimmering azure.

As soon as its eyes opened, it raised its head, its two whiskers swaying at its mouth: "Did you awaken me?" Its deep, bell-like voice resounded in everyone's ears.

The Fox Clan Chief explained the potential dangers to the Azure Dragon, who pondered for a moment and said, "Alright, I understand. Then I'll gather the other companions." With that, it raised its neck and roared, the long dragon's roar echoing throughout the entire demon realm, startling every demon, including the slumbering Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise!

After tens of thousands of years apart, the four of them reunited, joining the four clan chiefs to fight against the invasion of gods and demons!

The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—the four sacred beasts of the demon realm—finally awoke from their slumber and gathered together. Each was tens or even hundreds of meters long, making Wukong and the others appear extremely small before them, needing to look up to see them.

The Fox Clan Chief and the others were both happy and awe-inspiring upon seeing the four sacred beasts. Originally, the Azure Dragon and the others were the rulers of the demon realm, but due to their severe injuries, four exceptionally strong individuals were chosen from the entire demon realm to govern the four directions. The Fox Clan Chief and the others had even experienced that catastrophe under the command of the Azure Dragon and the others.

For convenience, the four sacred beasts compressed their bodies and transformed into human forms. Each of them possessed distinct characteristics: the Azure Dragon was refined, the White Tiger aloof, and the Black Tortoise composed; all three were male. Only the Vermilion Bird transformed into a female. The most striking feature of these three men and one woman was their hair. The Azure Dragon had a deep blue-green head of hair, the White Tiger silver, the Black Tortoise normal black hair, and the Vermilion Bird, being of the fire element, naturally had fiery red hair.

After transforming into human form, the Vermilion Bird smiled sweetly and said to the Azure Dragon, "I never thought the four of us would stand together again. I just wonder if any of us will survive this calamity?"

"We had no choice. It was already beyond our control. My only hope is that this demon realm can be preserved, after all, it's the place we've lived in for countless years," the Azure Dragon said with emotion. The other two nodded in agreement. The White Tiger said, "Then let's go check on the damage to the seal!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wukong suddenly found himself in the vast universe, surrounded by countless glittering stars. The four clan leaders and even Bajie were not present; presumably, the Four Divine Beasts hadn't brought them along.

"Why did you bring me here?" Wukong looked at Qinglong and the others with curiosity, secretly marveling at their ability to teleport people to such a distant place, comparable to his own somersault cloud.

Baihu smiled slightly and pointed to a distant, densely packed star cluster: "Can you see anything over there?"

Following his finger, Wukong strained his eyes to see. The star cluster was slowly rotating, and with the constant alternation of light and darkness, a milky-white ribbon formed of condensed spiritual energy appeared among the stars. This ribbon connected hundreds of planets within that area, and these planets, gathered together by spiritual energy, formed a rare pattern: a six-pointed star!

Good heavens! Seeing this, Wukong couldn't help but exclaim in amazement. He had already guessed that this was the seal left by the Holy Maiden, but he never imagined that this seal was actually formed in the cosmos, using planets as protons and spiritual energy as the link, creating an enormous seal. How much spiritual energy must that require?

Xuanwu silently walked to Wukong's side, pointing to the now-visible spiritual energy link, and said, "This seal has been eroded for ten thousand years, and it's very loose. It could collapse at any moment. When that happens, the gods and demons will invade in force, just like before. Then we'll only have one path: fight them to the death. It's either them or us!" He spoke the last few words through gritted teeth, clearly hating the gods and demons who gave them life and now wanted them dead.

As if in response to Xuanwu's words, one of the links connecting countless planets suddenly burst forth with an extremely dazzling white light, then dimmed again. With this alternation of brightness and darkness, the originally extremely thick link began to slowly thin, eventually disappearing without a trace, as if it had never existed at all...

Qinglong and the others silently watched the link disappear, their fists clenched tightly. It wasn't that they wanted to see the link vanish.

Just as they remained silent, a clump of emerald green, viscous-like substance slowly seeped out from between the two planets whose link had been severed.

A cold glint flashed in Baihu's eyes as he narrowed them slightly, saying, "Looks like some people are already itching to come and cause trouble for us. Good, it's been years since I've made a move; it'll be a good time to have some fun." As he spoke, the others noticed the emerald-green object, their expressions shifting.

Qinglong sneered, "Anything that can crawl through a loophole in the seal can't be that strong. It might just be a demonic pet. While others might see it as powerful, it's child's play to us. We killed quite a few of the demonic pets the gods and demons brought back, infuriating them!"

Hearing this, the other three laughed. Only Wukong didn't quite understand, but he grasped the general meaning. While they were talking, the emerald-green slime had already crawled between the two planets, hovering in space as if panting. It seemed it hadn't yet noticed Wukong and the others.

Suzaku had already made her move. With a casual wave of her hand, an invisible stream of energy shot towards the emerald-green slime. Even with the protective shield, Wukong could still feel the intense heat of the energy. The slime, which had been catching its breath, seemed to sense the danger. Two tentacles suddenly sprouted from its head, each bearing two round, eye-like spheres. It finally saw the people it hadn't noticed, and also the energy stream rushing towards it.

A strange laugh, "Hehehe," emanated from its mouthless body. Then, just as the energy reached it, it twisted and swiftly moved to the right, the energy only striking its afterimage.

Zhuque's face turned cold. One of her long, fiery red hairs, hanging down her back, stood straight up and exploded, transforming into a ball of fire that lunged at the seemingly slimy substance. The fire formed a net-like structure in the air: "Let's see where you run this time!"

Qinglong and the other two stood guard beside Zhuque, showing no intention of intervening. They had great faith in Zhuque's abilities; judging from the slimy substance, it was likely just a weak demonic pet, and Zhuque alone could easily handle it.

The fire net relentlessly pursued the demonic creature throughout the vast universe, following it wherever it fled, unlike the energy stream from before, which could only be used once. After fleeing for a long time, the demonic creature slowed down, seemingly exhausted and unable to escape any longer. Zhuque was overjoyed and urged her magic power on, increasing the speed of the fire net even further, making it almost as fast as the demonic creature.

Finally, after several chases, the fire net slammed down on the demon, tightening instantly to trap it completely. The demon had nowhere to run, only able to dodge left and right within the limited space of the net, seemingly afraid of touching the terrifying flames.

Suzaku was overjoyed at her victory. She didn't know if it was because she had improved her skills or because the demon was particularly weak, but she had captured it so easily—much easier than before.

"Let's go ask them and see if we can find out anything," Zhuque called out to the others. Since the demon was already caught in the net, there shouldn't be any danger. Only Xuanwu hesitated, saying, "They're always cunning. We shouldn't go forward to avoid danger."

Zhuque was displeased. "I've already caught it! What danger could there be? Xuanwu, are you saying this because you don't believe in my strength? Do you think I can't even handle a demonic pet? Even if gods and demons came, we wouldn't lose to them one-on-one!" She believed the demon before her was just a weak pet.

Seeing Zhuque's displeasure, Xuanwu shook his head helplessly and said, "We've been together for so many years, how could I not know your strength? I just think it's always better to be cautious!"

Zhuque was about to speak again when Qinglong interrupted them, saying, "Stop arguing! What kind of mess are you making of as soon as you come out? What Xuanwu said isn't unreasonable. Let's not get too close, let's keep our distance!"

Seeing that Qinglong had finally spoken, Zhuque had no choice but to swallow her dissatisfaction. She stopped a few hundred meters away from the demonic creature bound by the fire net, nodded to everyone, and then suddenly clenched her slightly open right hand. With her movement, the fire net tightened abruptly, binding the demonic creature tightly, rendering it unable to move. The terrifying flames on the net burned the demonic creature, making it sizzle. The emerald green slime churned endlessly within the fire net, looking as if it were in great pain.

"I have questions for you. If you answer honestly, I will release the fire net; otherwise, I will refine you to annihilation right now!" Even demonic pets in the realm of gods and demons possess considerable intelligence and can understand human speech, so Zhuque wasn't worried about communication.

Hearing her words, the demon nodded hastily. Seeing this, Zhuque loosened the fire net slightly and said, "What is your status in the realm of gods and demons? A demonic pet? And how does your realm plan to deal with us this time?"

The emerald green slime within the fire net slowly flowed, gradually transforming into a human-shaped head, complete with eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, but entirely composed of the slime, making it look extremely bizarre.

The demon, its mouth agape, spoke in an extremely unpleasant voice, "You guessed right, I'm just a lowly demonic pet. It's not surprising you captured me. However, your more powerful enemies are coming soon, and your doom is near!" Just as the group listened intently, the demon suddenly stopped speaking, a strange smile curving its lips. Before anyone could understand its meaning, the demonic pet's body exploded.

Although they had easily destroyed the demonic pet, the Four Sacred Beasts felt no joy; it seemed the danger was drawing ever closer. Back with the Fox Clan Chief and the others, the Fox Clan Chief and the others listened to the Azure Dragon's account, their brows furrowed in worry.

Chapter 331 Helping Hands

The Fox Clan Chief and the others were discussing in hushed tones with furrowed brows when suddenly countless clumps of slime flew in from the sky, accompanied by a strange, cacophony of laughter: "Hahaha, we are the undying rulers! If one goes, thousands more will come! Hahaha!"

Faced with these countless clumps of slime that were sweeping across the sky, the Azure Dragon and the others looked quite grim, especially the Vermilion Bird, who was almost driven mad with anger. Without saying a word, a burst of fire erupted from her body, meeting the slime flying towards her.

Of the swarms of slime, nearly half lunged at Wu Nai and the four clan leaders. Xuanwu, who had been cautiously observing the situation, immediately stepped in front of Wu Nai. A flash of mysterious light appeared on his body, revealing a gleaming suit of armor shimmering with a dark luster, along with a long sword.

Xuanwu wielded the sword, blocking and slashing at the oncoming slime, firmly protecting Wu Nai. However, the slime was incredibly difficult to deal with. A single slash split it in two, but instead of killing it, it multiplied, resulting in even more slime. As for the others, they were all surrounded by the slime and struggling to defend themselves, unable to help Xuanwu. Wukong, wielding his golden cudgel, brandished it with great force, countless golden rays enveloping him and Bajie, preventing the slime from getting close.

Suzaku's fire couldn't harm them at all, not even provide a slight respite. With no other options, she could only dodge the slime's attacks with her agility. Suzaku's frustration was palpable, but the slime only seemed to provoke her further. These slimes, each the size of a ping-pong ball, transformed into human heads, grinning widely and saying, "How long do you intend to hide? You lowly reptiles can't possibly harm us. I don't know what happened to our former companions; they were actually killed by you!"

While dodging, Suzaku couldn't help but curse, "You call us lowly reptiles? Then how noble are you? Slime and disgusting, like a slug!"

"Don't waste words with it, be careful not to get distracted!" The Azure Dragon and White Tiger had now revealed their true forms and transformed into their largest forms. The Azure Dragon continuously spewed breath at the slime, and this invincible breath seemed to have an effect on the slime as well. All the slime it sprayed turned charred black and stopped moving. But before the Azure Dragon could even rejoice, the charred shells of the slime cracked open, and then slime of an even brighter color emerged from within.

The situation on the White Tiger's side was not much better than that of the Azure Dragon. Although its sharp claws could break through the slime, just like on the Black Tortoise's side, the more it broke through, the more there was. In the end, the entire space they were in was almost completely filled with the disgusting slime.

"I told you, you can't deal with us. You few are probably the most powerful creatures we created. Once we get rid of you, nothing can threaten us anymore!" The arrogant laughter kept assaulting the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger's eardrums. They frowned tightly, not knowing how to deal with these unkillable monsters before them.

Although Xuanwu tried his best to resist, many of them still managed to slip through his battle circle and get close to the four clan leaders. There were simply too many of them. These slimy creatures stared intently at Xuanwu: "Hahaha, can't hold on anymore? Prepare to die!"

With that, the slimy creatures lunged forward, sticking to Xuanwu's protective shield. Then, teeth began to grow from the slime, viciously gnawing at the shield. The sound was like a knife scraping glass, extremely piercing.

The shield grew thinner and thinner under the slime's gnawing. Seeing this, Xuanwu desperately tried to calm himself down and think of a solution. Just as the shield weakened to within a foot of him, the defensive spell he had cast on the shield was activated. White light swirled outside the shield like flowing water. Although it couldn't stop the slime's attack, its speed was slowed down.

Spiritual energy condensed into a ball between Xuanwu's hands. In a short while, the sphere of spiritual energy condensed to the size of a basketball. A cold glint flashed in their eyes, and the sphere shot through the protective shield like an arrow, striking the sticky substance clinging to it.

What happened next was astonishing: all the sticky substance touched by the sphere vanished silently, without a trace, while the protective shield remained intact. With

several clumps of sticky substance destroyed, the remaining thousands emitted a sharp, wounded shriek, their attack speed increasing even further: "Dare to harm my brethren? We'll take your lives!"

The four sacred beasts, already struggling to defend themselves, were now even more flustered. The Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise couldn't hold on any longer and reverted to their original forms, but the situation didn't improve much. The Black Tortoise's armor could still protect it from the sticky substance, but the Vermilion Bird's flames were completely useless.

Taking advantage of a gap in a spell, several clumps of slime stealthily approached Zhuque's body. Zhuque remained unaware, continuing her fierce battle against the slime until a sharp pain shot through her abdomen. Only then did she realize that slime had somehow gotten close to her and was desperately wriggling and trying to burrow into her body. The pain she had felt was from them biting through her skin, trying to get inside.

Distracted by the pain, Zhuque let out a mournful cry and rolled over, withdrawing the flames from her body and gathering her inner strength to desperately prevent the slime from penetrating her skin. She knew without a doubt that once they got inside, it would be disastrous; she couldn't let them succeed.

While Zhuque was stopping those few clumps of slime, she forgot that many more were around her. Seeing that Zhuque was defenseless, they eagerly swarmed towards her, biting through her skin and desperately trying to burrow inside, just like the first few clumps.

The original few clumps were already overwhelming for Zhuque, let alone so many now. Blood flowed continuously from her body, and the emerald-green slime writhed and desperately tried to burrow deeper. Her body was covered in this disgusting slime, and golden-red blood dripped incessantly from her feathers.

"Zhuque!" the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise shouted in unison. Seeing Zhuque in such distress, they were all frantic with worry, desperately trying to get closer to her. But the repulsive slime wouldn't leave, no matter how hard they tried.

One of the slimes, struggling to bite through Zhuque's heavily defended body, spoke, "Hahaha, once I get into her brain, she'll be under my control, my puppet! You..." Before it could finish its smugness, a ball of spiritual energy appeared out of nowhere and flew to its head. Without even a whimper, it was evaporated by the energy ball. The remaining energy, after clearing away all the slime around Zhuque, struck her, sending her tumbling and flying a great distance.

The one capable of unleashing this ball of spiritual energy was undoubtedly Xuanwu. Seeing Zhuque's perilous situation, he didn't waste any words, directly condensing a ball of spiritual energy and forcefully striking the slime covering Zhuque's body. He already knew that his spiritual energy was a weapon capable of subduing this monster from the realm of gods and demons, and he believed Zhuque could withstand this attack.

Despite her pain, Zhuque remained conscious and cried out, "Hurry and attack me! Don't worry about what will happen to me, get rid of these damned things first! I don't want to be controlled by it, I'd rather die!" Yes, her condition was extremely critical. Zhuque couldn't hold on much longer. The first few clumps of slime had almost completely penetrated her, with only a small part of their tails sticking out. Once they were all inside, the only way to kill her would be to kill Zhuque first!

Xuanwu still had over 80% of his spiritual energy remaining, enough to condense a dozen or so more balls of spiritual energy. The question was, could Zhuque withstand it in her current state? While the spirit energy ball could eliminate the slime clinging to her, she would still have to bear the remaining power. Given Zhuque's current severe depletion, these blows could almost kill her!

Xuanwu couldn't bring himself to do it, and Qinglong and the others were even less willing. The situation was at a standstill, the only sound the slime's strange cries echoing through the silence: "Come on, if you're so capable, kill me and Zhuque together! I have countless clones; I won't die. Only your own companions will die!"

Seeing Xuanwu's lack of reaction, Zhuque shouted fiercely, "Why aren't you attacking? Do you want to watch me become your enemy? Attack! Qinglong, Baihu, tell Xuanwu to attack!"

Zhuque was right, but they couldn't bring themselves to do it. The balance of power swayed in their hearts; they didn't know what to do.

Xuanwu's eyes remained fixed on Zhuque, his gaze hesitant and uncertain. He saw determination and unyielding spirit in Suzaku's eyes. Finally, he made his decision and slowly said towards Suzaku, "Alright, I will grant your wish, Suzaku. Even in death, I will not let you become an enemy's weapon used against your friends!"

The eyes of Qinglong and the others dimmed, but Suzaku's eyes brightened. She nodded towards Xuanwu and said with difficulty, "Thank you!"

Xuanwu silently closed his eyes, then stopped thinking about anything else, focusing all his energy on concentrating the spiritual energy orb in his hand. It grew from the size of a basketball to the size of a washbasin, a size larger than before. The slime clinging to the Vermilion Bird seemed to sense the danger, biting and burrowing into its skin. Some orbs were now reduced to mere wisps. Time—at this moment, time was everything!

One spiritual energy orb after another struck the Vermilion Bird, causing her to writhe in agony, her once vibrant feathers gradually dulling. Although the slime clinging to her had decreased considerably, her life was now hanging by a thread…

Because of the constant firing of spiritual energy orbs, Xuanwu's spiritual energy was nearly depleted. With each orb that struck the Vermilion Bird, Xuanwu felt as if his heart had been struck hard, waves of pain washing over him from within. Those were his companions, companions from ancient times, companions who had fought alongside him against invading gods and demons. Yet now, he was turning his blade against his own companions—a profound torment!

The spiritual energy sphere before Xuanwu expanded relentlessly, larger than any before, and continued to grow, finally settling at the size of a water vat, its intense light almost blinding.

Zhuque, however, remained remarkably calm. Death was never her fear, and dying before her companions was perhaps a kind of happiness. If there was anything to it, it was the regret of parting.

The spiritual energy sphere struck Zhuque as expected, the last piece of her body enveloped in slime, engulfed in a blinding light more intense than ever before.

Alive? Still alive? Everyone, including Xuanwu, cried out this question in their hearts, knowing the hope was extremely slim, yet refusing to give up. While resisting the slime, everyone stared intently at the blinding light, waiting for it to dissipate and reveal what lay within.

The light slowly faded, revealing the Vermilion Bird inside. The slime was gone, presumably destroyed by the Black Tortoise's final burst of spiritual energy. But… the Vermilion Bird… its eyes were closed, its feathers devoid of color, a dull gray like a scene from a black and white television. Was it dead?

“Vermilion Bird! Open your eyes! Don’t sleep, open your eyes!” Black Tortoise roared desperately. The other two were too heartbroken to speak, only wailing incessantly. In the previous great battle, all four of them had been severely injured, but at least they had survived. Now, reborn, they had lost a Vermilion Bird.

Black Tortoise clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms. Blood dripped down, passing through the protective shield and congealing in the airless void, then slowly drifting away. Looking down at the blood, Black Tortoise's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had seen hope.

"Yes, how could he not have thought of that? His blood is an excellent tonic for the Vermilion Bird..."

No sooner said than done, Xuanwu immediately scratched his pale wrist with his fingernail, and blood gushed out in a torrent. Under Xuanwu's control, the flowing blood didn't drip out like a drop of blood from a person with whom he had shared tens of thousands of years of friendship—a bond unmatched by anyone—but instead clumped together within a protective shield.

As the blood flowed more, Xuanwu's face turned from rosy to deathly pale. Meanwhile, Qinglong and the others, overwhelmed by grief and entangled with the enemy, didn't notice Xuanwu's condition.

When the bleeding had stopped, Xuanwu wiped his finger, stopping the unstoppable bleeding from his wrist. Then, he used his spiritual power to surround the flowing blood and slowly flew towards the Vermilion Bird.

The Vermilion Bird remained motionless, floating in the air, its fate unknown. Xuanwu's blood was indeed very useful, but only if the Vermilion Bird was still alive; otherwise, no amount of blood could save it.

As the blood mass reached the top of the Vermilion Bird's head, the Azure Dragon and the others noticed it. After a moment's thought, they understood where it came from and why the Black Tortoise was doing this. Their eyes were filled with gratitude.

The Black Tortoise took a deep breath and then pressed her hand slightly. With her movement, the blood slowly seeped into the Vermilion Bird's head. Once the entire blood mass was absorbed, everyone held their breath, waiting for the Vermilion Bird's reaction.

The previously dull feathers, centered on the top of her head, suddenly lit up, spreading throughout her entire body. In an instant, her body was like a torch that had been lit, regaining its radiance. Although her eyes were not yet open, everyone who saw it knew that the Vermilion Bird had hope; the blood had indeed worked.

Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, the Vermilion Bird's eyes suddenly opened. However, this one glance made everyone's hearts leap again, because… the color of her eyes was emerald green, like the slimy substance—a ghastly emerald green. Could it be… could it be that she had been possessed?

Before the thought could even fully form, Suzaku spoke. Her voice was no longer the woman's, but a shrill, grating sound, exactly like the slime's: "Inferior creatures are inferior creatures, so stupid! Of all the creatures to save, why did you have to save my enemy? Hahaha!" With its laughter, the slime that had been attacking Qinglong and the others stopped, floating in place and emitting the same laughter!

"Although I entered Suzaku's body before I was hit, her life force is too weak to be my fighting machine. I thought this body would be wasted, but you actually fed her with your blood! Hahaha, in the end, it's all for my benefit!" the demon laughed maniacally.

Seeing that this demon not only possessed Suzaku's body but was also so arrogant, Qinglong and the others were filled with rage, their eyes practically spitting fire. Ignoring the risk of being harmed by the slime, they slaughtered it like madmen, but the slime was endless.

The mucus-controlled Vermilion Bird said, "Inferior creatures, do you think you can harm me with these few moves? You are our creations, everything is given to you by us. We are the ones who control your life and death. With your current strength, you can't hurt me at all." As it spoke, its emerald eyes flashed, fixed on Black Tortoise and Wukong: "As long as we kill you, kill you, no one will be able to stop us!"

Before the words were finished, the Vermilion Bird flapped its wings and pounced on Black Tortoise. Black Tortoise was at its weakest at this moment, having consumed too much spiritual energy and lost a lot of blood, making it unable to condense a spiritual energy ball again. Its protective shield alone was no match for the Vermilion Bird's attack.

The Azure Dragon roared, its head and tail swaying, appearing like a streak of azure light before Black Tortoise. It circled several times, protecting Black Tortoise and its protective shield. With flashes of azure light, it withstood the Vermilion Bird's attack.

"I'll see how long you can take the beatings without fighting back!" The slime had clearly calculated that the Azure Dragon wouldn't attack the Vermilion Bird, so it acted with impunity, preventing the other slimes from attacking and controlling the Vermilion Bird's body to launch attack after attack.

A deep sorrow filled the Azure Dragon's eyes. Although he knew the Vermilion Bird had lost its mind, he still couldn't bring himself to attack it, and could only passively defend. Were they really going to die here? No! They couldn't die! They had to protect the Demon Realm, protect this world. Even if they had to die, they couldn't die here!

The Azure Dragon's previously troubled heart suddenly cleared. He let out a long cry, his bright eyes fixed on the possessed Vermilion Bird, as if speaking to the slime in the Vermilion Bird's head, or perhaps to himself: "Although you created us, it doesn't mean you can control everything about us. We are not inferior beings; we have our own dignity. Even in death, we will die with value!" As soon as he finished speaking, he roared at the White Tiger and Black Tortoise: "White Tiger, exorcism spell!" The White Tiger chanted an exorcism spell.

The slime, controlling the Vermilion Bird, chuckled, "Naive creature! The Vermilion Bird has become my body. Do you think you can still expel me? If you want me to lose control of her, there's only one way: kill her, hahaha… ah!"

His laughter trailed off, for after the exorcism spell entered his body, it transformed into a beam of white light and burrowed into the Vermilion Bird's body. He then discovered that the Vermilion Bird, who had been so closely bound to him, was now rejecting him. How could he not panic?

"Damn it!" The slime only managed to utter this curse before it could completely destroy Zhuque's soul before it awakened. If it hadn't been for the lack of time, it would have already destroyed Zhuque's soul.

From Zhuque's pained expression and her flickering eyes, it was clear that a painful struggle was raging within her. Qinglong and the others, besides silently cheering for Zhuque, didn't know how to help and could only anxiously watch Zhuque's changes, hoping she could overcome the creature possessing her body.

The effects of the exorcism spell were something the slime hadn't anticipated. It was horrified to discover that as time went on, its control over Zhuque's body was weakening, while the repulsive force within Zhuque was gradually increasing. It was about to lose control and be forced out.

The emerald light in Zhuque's eyes grew weaker, then a flash of fire, and her eyes returned to their original fiery red. Seeing this change, Qinglong and the others were overjoyed. They knew the spell had worked; Zhuque had begun to regain control of her body!

The slime, filled with immense resentment, was forced to leave the Vermilion Bird's body. It hovered in the air, roaring incessantly, gathering its scattered clones, intending to kill Wukong and the others in one fell swoop.

However, it had just completed its fusion and hadn't even had time to do anything when it was horrified to find a golden Ruyi Jingu Bang (a magical staff) rapidly approaching it. It had no time to dodge, and unprepared, how could it withstand Wukong's blow?

Amidst the slime's mournful cries, Wukong's long-prepared Ruyi Jingu Bang struck it accurately. Under the bursting golden light, the slime finally vanished.

Qinglong and the others had been watching intently. Only when they saw the light of the Ruyi Jingu Bang dissipate and the slime was nowhere to be seen did they finally breathe a sigh of relief. Once relaxed, they each realized they were actually exhausted; the most tired part wasn't their bodies, but their hearts, which had been pounding with tension.

Chapter 332 A Helping Hand (Part Two)

Because of constantly releasing spiritual energy balls, Xuanwu's spiritual energy was almost completely depleted. With each ball of spiritual energy that struck Suzaku, Xuanwu felt as if his heart was being brutally struck, waves of pain washing over him from within. Those were his companions, companions he had been with since ancient times. Together they had fought off invading gods and demons, yet now he was about to turn his blade against them—a profound torment!

The ball of spiritual energy before Xuanwu expanded relentlessly, larger than any before, and continued to grow, finally settling at the size of a water vat, its intense light almost blinding.

Suzaku, however, remained remarkably calm. Death had never terrified her, and dying before her companions might even be a kind of happiness. If there was anything to it, it was the regret of parting.

The ball of spiritual energy arrived as expected, striking Suzaku hard. The last piece of her body, enveloped in slime, was engulfed in a light more blinding than ever before.

Was she alive? Was she still alive? Everyone, including Xuanwu, was silently chanting this phrase in their hearts. Although the hope was extremely slim, they refused to give up. While resisting the slime, they kept their eyes fixed on the blinding light, waiting for it to dissipate and reveal the scene inside.

The light slowly faded, revealing the Vermilion Bird inside. At this moment, there was no slime left on her body. Presumably, it had been destroyed by Xuanwu's last burst of spiritual energy. But... the Vermilion Bird... its eyes were closed, and its feathers were devoid of any color, as gray as the scenery on a black and white television. Was it dead?

"Vermilion Bird! Open your eyes! Don't sleep, open your eyes!" Xuanwu roared desperately. The other two were too heartbroken to speak, only wailing incessantly. In the previous great battle, although all four of them were seriously injured, they had at least survived. Now, reborn, they had lost one of their Vermilion Birds.

Xuanwu clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging into his palms, blood dripping down, congealing in the airless void of space, then slowly drifting away. Looking down at the blood, Xuanwu's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he saw hope.

Yes, how could he not have thought of that? His blood was an excellent tonic for Zhuque…

Thinking it, he acted immediately, drawing blood from his pale wrist with his fingernail. Blood gushed forth like a fountain, but under Xuanwu's control, the blood didn't drip out; instead, it clumped together within the protective shield.

As the bleeding increased, Xuanwu's face turned from rosy to deathly pale. Meanwhile, Qinglong and the others, consumed by grief and entangled with the enemy, didn't notice Xuanwu's condition.

When the bleeding had stopped, Xuanwu flicked his fingers, stopping the unstoppable bleeding from his wrist. Then, he used his spiritual power to envelop the flowing blood and slowly flew towards Zhuque.

The Vermilion Bird remained motionless, floating in the air, its life hanging in the balance. It was unclear whether it was still alive or not. While the Black Tortoise's blood was incredibly potent, it was only effective if the Vermilion Bird was still alive; otherwise, no amount of blood could save it.

When the blood mass reached the Vermilion Bird's head, the Azure Dragon and the others noticed. After a moment's thought, they understood where the blood had come from and the Black Tortoise's reason for doing so. Their eyes were filled with gratitude.

The Black Tortoise took a deep breath and then pressed her hand slightly. With her movement, the blood slowly seeped into the Vermilion Bird's head. Once the entire blood mass was absorbed, everyone held their breath, waiting for the Vermilion Bird's reaction.

The previously dull feathers, centered on the top of her head, suddenly lit up, spreading throughout her entire body. In an instant, her body was like a torch that had been lit, regaining its radiance. Although her eyes were still closed, everyone who saw it knew that the Vermilion Bird had hope; the blood had indeed worked.

Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, Suzaku's eyes suddenly opened. However, this one glance made everyone's hearts leap again, because... the color of her eyes was emerald green, just like the slime, a ghastly emerald green. Could it be... could it be that she had been possessed? Before

this thought could even finish, Suzaku spoke. Her voice was no longer the original woman's voice, but a shrill voice, exactly like the slime's voice: "Inferior creatures are inferior creatures, so stupid to this extent. Of all the things to save, you had to save me, your enemy, hahaha!" With its laughter, the slime that had been attacking Qinglong and the others stopped attacking, floating in place and emitting the same laughter!

"Although I had entered Suzaku's body before I was hit, unfortunately, her life force was too weak to be my fighting machine. I thought this body would be wasted, but who knew you would actually feed her with your blood, hahaha, in the end, it's a bargain for me!" The demon laughed wildly.

Seeing that this demon not only possessed the Vermilion Bird's body but was also so arrogant, Qinglong and the others were filled with rage, their eyes practically spitting fire. Ignoring the risk of being harmed by the slime, they slaughtered like madmen, but the monsters were endless.

The slime, controlling the Vermilion Bird, said, "Inferior creatures, do you think you can harm me with these few moves? You are our creations, everything we have is our gift. We are the ones who control your lives and deaths. With your current strength, you can't possibly hurt me." At this point, its emerald eyes flashed, fixed intently on Xuanwu and Wukong: "Once we kill you, once we kill you, no one will be able to stop us!"

As soon as it finished speaking, the Vermilion Bird flapped its wings and pounced on Xuanwu. Xuanwu was at its weakest at this moment, having exhausted too much spiritual energy and lost a lot of blood, making it unable to condense a spiritual energy ball again. Its external protective shield was no match for the Vermilion Bird's attack.

The Azure Dragon roared, its head and tail swaying, and arrived before the Black Tortoise like a streak of azure light. It circled several times, protecting the Black Tortoise and its protective shield. A flash of azure

light followed as it withstood the Vermilion Bird's attack. "I'll see how long you can hold out by just taking hits without fighting back!" The slime clearly knew the Azure Dragon wouldn't attack the Vermilion Bird, so it acted with impunity, preventing the other slimes from attacking and controlling the Vermilion Bird's body to launch repeated attacks.

A deep sorrow welled up in Qinglong's eyes. Although he knew that Zhuque had lost its mind, he still couldn't bring himself to attack it, and could only defend passively. Were they really going to die here? No! They couldn't die. They had to protect the demon realm, protect this world. Even if they had to die, they couldn't die here!

Qinglong's previously troubled heart suddenly cleared. He let out a long cry, his bright eyes fixed on the possessed Zhuque, as if speaking to the mucus in Zhuque's head, or perhaps to himself: "Although you created us, it doesn't mean you can control everything about us. We are not inferior beings. We have our own dignity. Even if we die, we will die with value!" As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately roared at Baihu and Xuanwu: "Baihu, exorcism incantation!" Baihu chanted incantations and began to recite the exorcism incantation.

The slime, controlling Suzaku, chuckled, "Naive fools! Suzaku has become my body. Do you think you can still expel me? If you want me to lose control of her, there's only one way: kill her! Hahaha… Ah!"

His laughter abruptly stopped when the exorcism spell, applied to his body, transformed into a white light and entered Suzaku's body. He then discovered that Suzaku, who had been so intimately connected to him, was now rejecting him. How could he not panic?

"Damn it!" The slime only managed to utter this curse before trying to completely destroy Suzaku's soul before it awakened. If he hadn't been pressed for time, he would have already destroyed Suzaku's soul.

From Suzaku's pained expression and her flickering eyes, it was clear that she was waging a painful struggle within her body. Qinglong and the others, besides silently cheering for Suzaku, didn't know how to help and could only anxiously watch her transformation, hoping she could overcome the creature possessing her body.

The effects of the exorcism spell were beyond the slime's expectations. It was horrified to discover that as time went on, its control over the Vermilion Bird's body weakened, while the repulsive force within the Vermilion Bird increased, and it was on the verge of being forced out.

The emerald light in the Vermilion Bird's eyes grew weaker, then flashed, and her eyes returned to their original fiery red. Seeing this change, the Azure Dragon and the others were overjoyed; they knew the spell had worked, and the Vermilion Bird had begun to regain control of her body!

The slime, filled with immense resentment, was forced out of the Vermilion Bird's body. It hovered in the air, roaring furiously, gathering its scattered clones, intending to kill Wukong and the others in one fell swoop.

However, it had just completed its fusion and hadn't even had time to do anything when it was horrified to find a golden Ruyi Jingu Bang (a magical staff) rapidly approaching it. It had no time to dodge, and how could it, unprepared, withstand Wukong's blow?

Amidst the wailing of the slime, Wukong's long-prepared golden cudgel struck it accurately. Under the burst of golden light, the slime finally vanished.

Qinglong and the others, who had been watching intently, finally breathed a sigh of relief when the light from the golden cudgel dissipated and the slime was nowhere to be seen. Only after relaxing did they realize they were utterly exhausted; the most tired part wasn't their bodies, but their hearts, which had been pounding with tension.

Chapter 333: A Paradise for the Rich .

The crisis in the demon realm was temporarily resolved, and the fox clan leader and his people were naturally overjoyed, feeling both gratitude and admiration for Wukong. They returned to the fox clan's settlement and held a grand feast to thank Wukong. During the feast, Wu Nai suggested that since the crisis was over, he wanted to return to the human realm. He was actually filled with longing for the human world, especially for Liu Yueyue, with whom he had an unbreakable bond. The fox clan chief asked in surprise, "You've only been back a short while, and you're already going back to the human realm?" Wu Nai nodded and said, "I still have some things I can't let go of, and besides, I want to continue cultivating in the human realm. To be honest, there are many things in the human realm that our demon realm can learn from. The kinship and friendship in the human realm are something our demon realm lacks."

The fox clan chief also deeply felt this and said, "You've changed. Before, you would stop at nothing to achieve your goals, but since your rebirth in the human realm, your personality has changed drastically. You even dared to disobey my orders to protect your birth mother, knowing that it might cost you your life. This kind of kinship is indeed hard to find in the demon realm. Alas, I can't say whether this change is good or bad. However, since you're willing to return to the human realm, I won't stop you. Good luck."

After spending a few days together, Xiao Yefang had developed a deep bond with Wu Nai. Hearing that Wu Nai was leaving, Xiao Yefang interjected, "Daddy, I want to go play with Big Brother too!"

"No, no, you're too young to go!" the Fox Clan Chief refused outright.

"No, I want to go! I want to go!" Little Ye Fang pouted and whined, climbing onto the Fox Clan Chief and clinging tightly to him, pleading, "I'll be very good, I won't cause trouble for you, big brother, please come with me, okay?" The Fox Clan Chief, unable to resist her entreaties, sighed and said, "Alas, my daughter, people say you learn from your mistakes, but you've already suffered a great loss, why haven't you learned your lesson? The human realm is full of risks, it's actually full of deceit, violence, temptation, oppression, and many traps you can't even imagine. Sigh, alright, if you want to go, then go, but you must promise me you'll listen to your big brother in everything, and you're not allowed to act recklessly!"

"I'll definitely listen to you, big brother! That's great! I can go play with you, big brother!" Little Ye Fang jumped for joy. The fox clan elder sighed and took out a red pill from his person, saying to Xiao Yefang, "This pill is a secret medicine unique to our fox clan. If you eat it, it will not only increase your power but also make you several years older. After eating it, your body and mind will be almost like that of an eleven or twelve-year-old girl. Eat it, eat it quickly, and your father will feel at ease letting you go with your elder brother."

Xiao Yefang was in a very good mood, so she didn't resist eating the pill. She took it and put it in her mouth, swallowing it in one gulp. Immediately, a miracle occurred. After eating the pill, Xiao Yefang suddenly transformed into an eleven or twelve-year-old girl, blinking her big, dark eyes, pure and innocent.

"Child, I'm entrusting your sister to you. You must take good care of her. She's like a rough diamond, easily influenced by her environment. As the saying goes, 'One who stays near ink gets stained black, and one who stays near vermilion gets stained red,' your words and actions will have a significant impact on her. You must remember not to lead your sister astray, and even more importantly, not to let her be bullied by others," the Fox Clan Chief said earnestly to Wu Nai.

"Don't worry, Father, I will definitely set a good example and take good care of my sister," Wu Nai nodded.

After bidding farewell to the Fox Clan Chief, Wukong and Bajie left the Demon Realm, followed by Wu Nai and the innocent and adorable Xiao Ye Fang. The four clan chiefs of the Demon Realm worked together to open the barrier for them, allowing Wu Nai and his sister to safely arrive in the human world. Xiao Ye Fang showed great curiosity about everything in the human world, touching and looking at everything with excitement and wonder. The scenery in the human world was naturally much more beautiful than in the Demon Realm, so Xiao Ye Fang was truly curious, only wishing that her parents had given her more eyes so she could see all the beauty of the human world at once.

Back at Situ Yu's house, they met with Tang Sanzang and the others. Everyone was delighted to learn that Wukong had returned safely. Seeing a bouncy little girl following behind Wukong, Sha Wujing asked curiously, "Brother, it's been a few days, how come there's a little girl here?"

Bajie chuckled and said, "Brother and I have changed our profession to human traffickers!"

"You're the human trafficker! I'm not!" Wukong laughed, playfully punching Bajie. He then said to Sha Wujing, "Can you guess who she is?" Sha Wujing looked left and right, but had no recollection of her, shaking his head and saying, "I can't guess."

"Haha, let me tell you, this lovable little girl is Wu Nai's sister, Ye Fang!" Bajie couldn't resist revealing the secret.

"Ye Fang?" Now everyone was utterly astonished. James, who was standing to the side, turned pale with fright upon hearing the name Ye Fang and jumped up, exclaiming, "Ye Fang? This little girl is Ye Fang?" He circled around the little Ye Fang a few times. Although the age didn't match, the appearance did resemble her somewhat. James cried out, "God, Jesus, please save me! I thought I'd never have to see this she-devil again, but... now... ugh, why is my life so miserable?" Wu Nai coldly said to him, "Foreigner, don't flatter yourself. My sister doesn't know you at all!"

James stared intently at the little Ye Fang, who was staring at him with wide, dark eyes. Looking at himself with curiosity and a sense of unfamiliarity, James, half-believing and half-doubting, stretched out his hands in front of Xiao Yefang and asked nervously, "Hey, little girl, do you know me? We've never met before, right?"

Xiao Yefang grinned and said, "I don't know you. But your big nose is very interesting, like an eagle's nose, so ugly!" James breathed a long sigh of relief, patted his chest and said, "Oh dear, that scared me to death! I thought another nightmare had struck!"

Wu Nai still said coldly, "You're so vain."

Wukong looked around and didn't see Situ Yangguang, nor Liu Yueyue. He assumed they were still at Yuanlai Tea House and said, "Yueyue and Situ Yangguang are still at the tea house and haven't come back yet, right?"

"No, they went to Abyss City, apparently to see some kind of air show. Situ Yu originally said he'd wait for you to come back so we could go together, but the wait was too long, so he flew ahead. Before he left, he told us to wait for you to come back so we could go together," Sha Wujing said hurriedly, then asked, "Brother, I heard the air show is really good. Should we fly over and see it too, to broaden our horizons?"

"Yes, let's go! Let's go together!" Bajie was very enthusiastic. Even Tang Sanzang showed extraordinary enthusiasm, saying to Wukong, "Wukong, I also want to go see it. I heard from Situ Yangguang that you can see many big birds that fly very fast at the air show..."

"Master, you're too old-fashioned. Those aren't big birds, they're called airplanes," Bajie showed off his knowledge.

"Hehe, right, right, I think they're called airplanes. I misspoke," Tang Sanzang said, blushing.

Just then, Wukong's phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, it was Situ Yu calling.

"Wukong, you're back? We've arrived first, we're at the Peak Hotel in Abyss City, waiting for you. When will you be there?" Situ Yu asked anxiously over the phone.

"Coming, coming! We're still at your house, we'll be there in twenty minutes," Wukong said with a grin.

"Twenty minutes? Are you coming by rocket?" Situ Yu thought Wukong was joking.

"Don't worry, you'll definitely see us in twenty minutes. Just reserve a room for us." Wukong hung up the phone, told everyone to pack quickly, and then led them on a cloud to the center of Abyss City. James also clamored to come along, but Wukong and the others already had Wu Nai and his sister, and a Tang Monk who was afraid of heights, which was already quite a burden. They didn't want to add to the load, so despite James's disappointed expression, they left him at home.

Abyss City was a coastal city, lined with factories and teeming with people. Many luxury cars drove the streets, and the shopping malls and hotels were lavishly decorated. This prosperous scene was quite different from the picturesque Lingwang City. However, in stark contrast to the prosperous scene, ragged beggars and emaciated migrant workers were everywhere. Tang Sanzang sighed, "Abyss City seems to be a paradise for the rich and an abyss for the poor!"

Upon arriving at the Peak Hotel, it was easy to find Situ Yu and her companions' room. When Wukong and the others appeared before Situ Yu, her eyes widened in surprise. She glanced at her watch; it really hadn't been twenty minutes. She couldn't believe Wukong's words; he wasn't joking.

"You...you really came?" Situ Yu asked, somewhat incredulous.

"We're here, aren't we? Of course we're here!" Wukong said with a grin.

"So fast! Brother Sun, I think you don't even need to come to the airshow; you could easily outshine all the other planes!" Liu Yueyue praised sincerely.

"Hehehe, airplanes? Child's play!" Pigsy grinned, "Big Brother, if you wiggle your butt, ten airplanes couldn't catch up!"

Situ Yu knew that Wukong and the others had special abilities, so she wasn't too surprised. Instead, she became interested in the little Ye Fang behind them, and happily grabbed her hand, saying, "Hehe, whose little girl is this? She's so cute." Pigsy smiled and said, "If you like her, you can keep her with you! She's Wu Nai's sister, Ye Fang."

"Ye Fang? That's strange, Wu Nai, you have two sisters? And both of them are named Ye Fang?" Situ Yu asked suspiciously.

"This...maybe...perhaps...maybe." Wu Nai didn't know how to explain to Situ Yu. He couldn't very well tell them that this was Ye Fang's reincarnation, could he? That would scare Situ Yu and the others half to death!

Situ Yu hugged Xiao Ye Fang close, saying affectionately, "Hehe, although she's also called Ye Fang, this Ye Fang is completely different from that Ye Fang! One is mischievous and fierce, the other innocent and carefree. Wu Nai, your sister is so interesting!"

"Since you like her, let her share a room with you and Liu Yueyue. Little sister, call her Sister Yu and Sister Yue," Wu Nai said with a smile.

"Sister Yu, Sister Yue!" Xiao Ye Fang called out obediently.

"Good girl, so good!" Yueyue patted Xiao Ye Fang's head and praised her.

"Of course that's wonderful. With such a charming little girl, we won't be lonely at all," Situ Yu said happily.

Xiao Yefang also took a liking to this enthusiastic older sister and excitedly said, "Great! I'll stay with the two older sisters!"

After settling them in, Situ Yu said to them, "I've reserved these rooms for a few days. You can enjoy yourselves in Abyss City for a few days. It's a great city; I'm sure you'll all like it."

"I hope so! The most important thing is, what kind of delicious food is there in this city? I'm really looking forward to it!" Pigsy said, drooling.

"Of course, there's plenty of delicious food! As long as you have money, you can eat whatever you want here—things that fly in the sky, swim in the sea, and run on the mountains. Some people who have been to Abyss City say that the worst thing about coming here is having a bad stomach. Hehe, facing a table full of delicious food, if your stomach can't handle it, it's really painful," Situ Yu said with a smile.

Bajie's stomach was rumbling with hunger, his mouth watering. He urged repeatedly, "What are we waiting for? Let's go, let's find a place to have a feast and satisfy our cravings!"

"No rush, no rush, I've already booked a table on the second floor of the hotel. We can come down and eat anytime," Situ Yu reassured him.

"Haha, Xiao Yu is so thoughtful! Let's get going without delay!" Bajie didn't want to linger for even a second.

Chapter 334

Wukong and the others, sent by the Ministry of Transportation, followed Situ Yu to the second-floor restaurant. They found it packed with people, the hall already full. A hostess approached and said, "Excuse me, there are no seats left in the hall. Please wait a moment." Situ Yu smiled and said, "We reserved a room in advance, the Peony Room. Please take us there." The hostess said warmly, "Oh, so the Peony Room is the room you reserved. Please follow me."

Everyone followed the hostess to the Peony Room. This was a private room. Once inside, the noise of the lobby was gone, and it felt much quieter. Situ Yangguang remarked, "The restaurants are always packed. Food is the most important thing for people; that saying is truly true."

"You're wrong," Situ Yu said with a smile. "How many of those consuming in these places are actually 'ordinary people'? Most are on public funds."

"Eating for the public is great! It's free if you don't eat it, and even if you do, it's free anyway," said Pigsy, deeply agreeing. "It's so much more enjoyable to eat without having to pay." Having been used to freeloading, he felt he had the most to say. Sandy laughed heartily, saying, "Second Brother, those are your honest thoughts. He's accumulated years of experience eating for free to have such a profound understanding." Pigsy, without even blushing, shamelessly said, "I'm an honest person, I speak my mind, I'm straightforward, but I'm not wrong, am I, Master?"

Tang Sanzang clasped his hands and said, "Excellent, excellent, Wuneng, what you say makes a lot of sense. Of course, you can eat without worry when you don't have to pay; that's only human nature."

The ten people sat perfectly at one table. Situ Yuliu, Yueyue, and Xiao Yefang sat on the east side, Wukong and his disciples sat opposite them, and Situ Yangguang and Wu Nai sat at either end. The table was large, so the ten people didn't feel crowded.

After sitting down and drinking tea for a while, a waiter came over and asked, "Miss Situ, shall we serve the food now?" Before Situ Yu could answer, Bajie interrupted, "Why even ask? Hurry up and serve the food, I'm starving!"

"Wuneng, be more refined, don't frighten the young lady," Tang Sanzang instructed. "Yes, Master, I'll try to keep my voice down," Bajie lowered his head, sincerely accepting Tang Sanzang's criticism.

Because Situ Yu had already ordered, the dishes were served quickly, both meat and vegetarian, to suit everyone's taste. Bajie accepted everything without hesitation, devouring every dish in front of him, leaving Xiao Yefang dumbfounded, forgetting to pick up any food, just watching Bajie wolf down his food with curiosity.

"Little guy, your eyes are so wide open, haven't you ever seen anyone eat before?" Bajie teased while swallowing his own food.

“I’ve seen many people eat, but I’ve never seen anyone eat like you. You seem to have a very good appetite! I wish I had an appetite like yours; I could eat three bowls of rice in one meal,” Xiao Yefang said enviously. In her mind, eating three bowls of rice in one meal was already an impossible task. Bajie grinned, almost spitting out the food he hadn’t swallowed yet, and said repeatedly, “Three bowls of rice? Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think I’m only fit to eat three bowls of rice? You’re underestimating me! Hey, why did you stop eating your vegetables? Eat your vegetables!”

Xiao Yefang put down her rice bowl and said with a grin, “I’m full from watching you eat. I don’t want to eat anymore. I need to go to the restroom.” With that, she got up and skipped out of the room. Today, Xiao Yefang was wearing a white dress and a light green top, looking innocent and pure, like a little angel.

“Hehe, you’re such a child. You get full just watching others eat? That’s strange,” Bajie said with a chuckle.

"Little sister, do you know where the restroom is? Do you want me to take you?" Liu Yueyue asked with concern.

"No need, please, I'm not a three-year-old anymore!" Xiao Yefang's voice had already faded into the distance.

About a minute later, Xiao Yefang suddenly ran in in a panic, throwing herself into Situ Yu's arms, trembling as she said, "Sister Yu, a strange uncle is bullying me."

Everyone present was shocked. In broad daylight, Xiao Yefang was actually bullied by a strange uncle? Bajie slammed his rice bowl heavily on the table, stood up with his hands rubbing together, and shouted, "Bah! Someone dares to bully a young woman in broad daylight? Does he want to die? Little sister, don't be scared, take me there right now, and I'll give him a good beating to calm you down!"

Xiao Yefang was already panicked enough, and Bajie's action made her even more flustered, unable to speak, only burying herself in Situ Yu's arms, her thin body trembling slightly.

Situ Yu quickly winked at Bajie, signaling him to sit down, then whispered to Xiao Yefang, "Don't take pictures, it's alright, it's alright, look, we're all here. Tell Sister Yu, what happened?"

After a while, Xiao Yefang gradually calmed down. She looked up and told everyone about the terrifying scene she had just witnessed.

It turned out that just as Xiao Yefang stepped out of her room, a tall, middle-aged man in the lobby stood up, intending to go to the restroom. Seeing Xiao Yefang, he asked her where the restroom was. Xiao Yefang said, "I need to use the restroom too, I'll take you." The middle-aged man followed behind Xiao Yefang, placing his hands on her shoulders. Xiao Yefang assumed he was drunk and unsteady on his feet, so she didn't object to him putting his hands on her shoulders. Just as they reached the restroom entrance, the tall, middle-aged man grabbed Xiao Yefang by the neck and dragged her forcefully into the men's restroom.

Xiao Yefang realized something was wrong. Although she didn't know what the man wanted to do with her, the intense pain and suffocating feeling made her struggle involuntarily. Luckily, she managed to break free and hurriedly ran back to the private room.

Hearing Xiao Yefang's account, Wukong angrily crushed his rice bowl in his hand, saying fiercely, "Trash! Scum! Social degenerate! I'm going to settle the score with him! Xiao Yefang, don't panic, take me to see him, okay?" He stood up to leave.

"I'm not going, that strange uncle looks very fierce," Xiao Yefang said, still shaken.

"Don't be afraid, little sister, we're here! Take us to find him, don't let this scum get away!" Situ Yu comforted Xiao Yefang.

Xiao Yefang reluctantly nodded in agreement.

The group then marched into the lobby. However, Xiao Yefang looked around but couldn't find the strange-looking, tall, middle-aged man. She pointed to a table and said, "He just walked over from that table."

Wukong and the others looked, but there was no man at the table, only a woman in white sitting there.

Bajie walked over and asked, "Hey, wasn't there a tall man here just now? Where did he go?" The woman in white looked up and saw Bajie's aggressive look, and was taken aback. Not knowing who he was, she quickly said, "No, no, I don't know any tall man."

Wukong saw the woman's expression and knew she was lying, so he remained calm and gestured for Situ Yu and Liu Yueyue to take Xiao Yefang back to the room, while the rest of the men waited on the side. A moment later, a tall, middle-aged man with a large belly swaggered over from the direction of the restroom, sat down next to the young woman in white, and chuckled, "Haha, I feel much better after taking a piss!"

The young woman in white gave him several winks and whispered, "A fierce-looking man has been looking for you everywhere. Did you offend someone?" The middle-aged man replied nonchalantly, "Hmph, what does it matter who I offend? This is my territory!" As he spoke, he followed the young woman's gaze to Bajie, who was standing nearby, and said coldly, "Hey, what's up with you, big guy? Why are you standing so close? Are we that familiar?"

"I'm not familiar with you yet, but we will be after today! You must be that weird uncle?" Bajie leaned closer and said with a grin. The middle-aged man in front of him had a face full of flesh and was ugly; the more he looked at him, the more displeased he became. In contrast, the young woman in white next to him was beautiful and charming. The two of them sitting together looked completely mismatched.

"What weird uncle? Nonsense, are you looking for trouble?" The middle-aged man was arrogant, not taking Bajie seriously at all.

"It's not about causing trouble, it's about getting an explanation!" Situ Yangguang couldn't stand this overbearing attitude and walked over to reprimand him.

"An explanation? What explanation do you want? Don't think I'm afraid of you just because you outnumber me. One phone call from me, and I'm not exaggerating when I say, none of you will survive today!" The middle-aged man was very arrogant.

"Stop pretending. We probably don't need to repeat what you did to the little girl who led you to the restroom, do we? You wouldn't even spare an eleven-year-old girl?" Situ Yangguang was furious.

The middle-aged man then realized that these men had come for this very reason. Seeing the young woman in white looking at him with a questioning gaze, the middle-aged man's face flushed red. He impulsively stood up and shouted, "Yes, I did it! So what if I did it? How much do you want? Name your price!" His loud voice attracted the attention of the surrounding diners and waiters. A woman who looked like a manager walked over and asked repeatedly, "What happened? Everyone, please don't be impulsive. Let's talk this out!" As soon as the middle-aged man

said this, not only did Wukong and the others want to beat him up, but even someone as well-mannered as Situ Yangguang couldn't help but want to take action. Facing everyone's angry gazes, the middle-aged man was not afraid at all. He pointed his finger at Situ Yangguang's nose and said arrogantly, "Trying to fight me? Do you know who I am? I was sent by the Ministry of Transportation. My rank is as high as your mayor's. I'm from the same hometown as your mayor! Who do you think you are? Trying to fight me? I'll destroy you!" The middle-aged man became more and more agitated as he spoke, and even shoved Situ Yangguang with his hand.

Wukong withdrew his fist, which was about to strike. No wonder this beast was so arrogant; it turned out he had a powerful background. Wukong suppressed his anger for the time being, thinking to himself, "Let's see if you officials can control your rampages without the law." With this mindset, he not only refrained from attacking, but also stopped Bajie and the others from getting physical.

Situ Yangguang's face was flushed with excitement. He said angrily, "Oh, so you're officials? Don't you always claim to be public servants? How come you're defecating and urinating on your master? Hmph, if this happened during my Zhenguan era, I would be the first to kill you!"

The middle-aged man was completely confused. How did this come to the Zhenguan era? Is he crazy? He pointed at Situ Yangguang and continued to curse, spewing out vicious words.

The young woman in white noticed the growing crowd and, from the conversation between the two men, she understood the gist of the situation. The onlookers were also whispering amongst themselves; some said, "What a beast! I heard he didn't even spare an eleven-year-old girl. He's worse than an animal!"

"I heard the girl was kindly taking him to the restroom. I just saw her skipping along ahead of him; I remember she was wearing a white skirt and green top, a very cute little girl. This world…sigh!"

"That woman in white next to him is quite pretty, much younger than him. She's probably his mistress?" a young man whispered to his friend. His words were overheard by the middle-aged man, who pointed at the young man and yelled, "Mistress? She's my wife! I'll beat you up if you say another word!"

"Hmph, used to being domineering. What's the difference between him and a gangster?" the young man protested softly, clearly indignant.

"Keep your voice down! He's a high-ranking official. You'll regret it if you offend him!"

The young woman in white quickly grabbed the middle-aged man's arm, saying, "Stop talking, stop talking, let's pay the bill and leave!"

"Leave? Why should I leave? These troublemakers, do you think I'm afraid of them? I'll make them pay!" the middle-aged man shouted angrily.

"Want to leave? Not so easy! You two aren't leaving this hotel until we get to the bottom of this!" Situ Yangguang certainly wouldn't let them escape so easily.

Someone in the crowd took out their phone and called the police.

Chapter 335 Nowhere to Hide

The police in Abyss City were quite efficient. Upon receiving the report, two policemen, one tall and one short, quickly arrived at the Peak Hotel. They saw a large group of people surrounding a tall middle-aged man, who, surprisingly, wasn't intimidated at all, gesturing and cursing angrily at the crowd. The tall policeman walked over and asked, "What happened?"

"You've come at the right time. This man tried to take advantage of an eleven-year-old girl," Situ Yangguang said angrily, pointing at the middle-aged man and briefly explaining the situation. The two policemen looked at the middle-aged man with disdain and asked, "Is that true?" The middle-aged man was about to explode when the young woman in white pulled him aside and said to the police, "No, no, it's just a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding? The little girl is still trembling in the private room! Didn't you just say you didn't know this man? Why are you speaking up for him now?" Situ Yangguang pressed. The young woman in white was about to answer when the middle-aged man interrupted, "Bullshit! Who said she didn't know me? She's my wife, no, my girlfriend!" "

Just now she said she was his wife, now she says she's his girlfriend. This couple is probably adulterers, and that woman is probably his mistress," someone in the crowd whispered.

The middle-aged man put his arm around the shoulder of the young woman in white, acting very intimately, and said with a relaxed expression, "She's my teacher, believe it or not?" The young woman in white was very embarrassed by the man's incoherent words and complained softly, "Old Ling, stop it! Let's just admit our mistake and go, okay?"

"Admit our mistake? Why should I admit our mistake? Admit our mistake to these troublemakers? I haven't learned how to do that yet! Let me tell you two, you don't need to come for the investigation today. You two aren't qualified. It would be more appropriate to call your chief! Go away, go away!" The middle-aged man waved the two policemen away.

"Goodness, you really are arrogant, you don't even respect us police? Fine, then please come with us to the police station to assist us in investigating this matter carefully." The tall policeman said coldly.

"Go ahead, what's so great about the police station? I'm afraid if you invite me, you'll have to send me home in eight sedan chairs!" The middle-aged man said nonchalantly. The young woman in white panicked and pulled the middle-aged man aside, whispering, "Are you crazy? What are you doing at the police station? You need to consider your status. Going to the police station will only make this bigger, and it won't look good for you. Besides, what will your colleagues think if they find out? You should try to slip away, okay?"

Seeing them whispering amongst themselves, the two policemen pressed on with their investigation. They asked Situ Yangguang, "Where's that little girl you mentioned? Where is she now?"

"The little girl is in the private room, pale with fright, unable to speak coherently. Two girls are taking care of her," Situ Yangguang said, his eyes fixed on the white-clad woman. He saw her grabbing the middle-aged man's arm, trying to slip away. Situ Yangguang shouted, blocking their way: "Don't leave! The matter isn't cleared up yet, no one is allowed to leave!"

The middle-aged man, enraged, shoved Situ Yangguang forcefully, saying viciously, "Get out of my way! Who do you think you are, daring to block my path?"

Situ Yangguang retaliated without hesitation, shoving him back, and shouted, "I'm nothing, and you're even less so! Weren't you so tough just now? Not only did you dare admit it was you, but you also arrogantly threatened us. Now you're trying to cower and slip away?"

When had the middle-aged man ever suffered such humiliation? An ordinary citizen dared to shove him back? This was outrageous! Raising his fist, the middle-aged man was about to punch Situ Yangguang when the tall policeman walked over and shouted, "Stop! If you hit me again, I'll handcuff you!" The middle-aged man stopped, still furious, and said, "You dare handcuff me? Let me tell you, even your chief wouldn't dare! I, Ling, have many powerful connections. If you dare to disrespect me, I can send you home to feed the pigs tomorrow!"

The tall policeman snorted heavily and said disdainfully, "Hmph, no need for threats. Let's talk about this back at the police station. I despise people like you. This time you've fallen into the hands of a righteous policeman like me, and you'll get what's coming to you!" The onlookers looked at the policeman with admiration, feeling very pleased. Heh, this villain is really in for it now.

The short policeman stared intently at the middle-aged man for a while, then pulled his colleague aside and whispered, "I remember now, this man is someone important. He seems to be a high-ranking official from the Maritime Bureau who was transferred here from another city just six months ago. I think his name is Ling Jiaxiang. My girlfriend is his subordinate. I've seen him at the Maritime Bureau."

"So what?" The tall policeman was also a little surprised. He really had connections; no wonder he was so arrogant.

"So what? Of course we have to consult our superiors. We can't make decisions on our own!" the short policeman said.

"Yes, yes, I'll call and ask my superior. Keep an eye on the suspect and make sure he doesn't get away. I'll make a call right now." The tall policeman took out his phone, walked to a quiet corner, and dialed his superior's number.

"Hey, what do you think this policeman is up to, quietly making a call? The facts are obvious; just arrest him and interrogate him at the police station!" Bajie whispered to Wukong beside him.

Wukong pricked up his all-hearing ears; although the policeman's voice was soft, it didn't escape Wukong's ears. The policeman quietly reported the general situation of the case to his superior on the phone, then lowered his voice and said into the receiver, "Xiao Xu just recognized him. The man who committed the crime is his girlfriend's boss, the Party Secretary and Deputy Director of the Maritime Bureau. What should we do now? Hmm, yes, yes, I understand!"

Hanging up the phone, the tall policeman returned to the crowd, his cold expression gone, replaced by a businesslike demeanor. He politely said to the middle-aged man, "Sir, before the matter is clarified, please come with us to the police station for investigation."

"Hmph, I'm busy, I don't have time!" the middle-aged man retorted

, completely unconvinced. "You have to go! If you resist again, please forgive me for being impolite. Madam, please advise your friend; this stalemate is harmful to him." The tall policeman unfastened a pair of gleaming handcuffs from his waist and waved them in front of him, then unexpectedly winked at the young woman in white.

"Great! Excellent! The police these days are really confident in handling cases, showing no mercy to anyone. Let's see if this villain dares to be so arrogant again!" someone in the crowd cheered loudly.

"That's right! Such a perverted person must be severely punished!"

"Old Ling, let's go, it's not a big deal." The woman in white knew that continuing the stalemate was not a solution; the crowd would only grow larger, and if things continued like this, it wouldn't be long before this scandal spread throughout the city. At that point, the situation would be even more difficult to manage.

The middle-aged man still wanted to lash out, but the woman in white pulled him away without saying a word. The police officer said to Situ Yangguang, "As a witness, you should also go to the police station. It would be best to bring the little girl along as well."

"Okay, wait a moment, I'll bring the little girl." Situ Yangguang turned and ran into the private room. A short while later, Situ Yu and Liu Yueyue arrived with Xiao Yefang.

"Officer, the little girl has arrived." Situ Yangguang pointed to the still-shaken Xiao Yefang and said to the police officer.

"Oh, so you're the victim? Please look closely, is this the man you're pointing at?" the policeman asked Xiao Yefang, pointing at the middle-aged man.

Xiao Yefang raised her pale face and glanced at the middle-aged man. The man's fierce gaze shot over, frightening Xiao Yefang, who immediately lowered her head again and whispered, "It's him! That's right, it's this weird uncle. He choked my neck so hard! You don't believe me? Look!" Xiao Yefang showed the policeman the red marks on her neck; it was obvious that there were red marks from choking.

"Wow, that's pretty heavy-handed. Isn't he trying to kill someone?" someone exclaimed.

"Oh dear, so pitiful, so young, sigh..." a middle-aged woman was about to cry.

"Is this kind of scum a pedophile? He doesn't even spare children, he'll be punished by heaven!" someone cursed the pervert.

"Let's go, let's go together, let's go to the police station and get things cleared up!" the tall policeman said to Situ Yangguang.

"Wait a minute, we're going too!" Wukong shouted.

"Yes, we'll go together!" Bajie and Tang Sanzang also wanted to go.

"You're all going together? It's not like we're going to a large gathering, no need to make such a fuss." The policeman advised.

"We are witnesses, we can prove that the girl was frightened at the time." Wukong said with a smile, "Is your police investigation procedure really this simple? You should find the eyewitnesses first, right? Leaving like this is a waste of a great opportunity to collect first-hand evidence. You two seem a bit unprofessional." The policeman had been secretly making a phone call earlier, and although he couldn't hear the instructions from his superior, Wukong subconsciously felt that there might be something fishy going on, so he was the first to challenge him.

After being rebuffed by Wukong, the tall policeman was a little embarrassed and wanted to lash out, but considering the logic in Wukong's words, he suppressed his anger and forced a smile, saying, "Hehe, when we police investigate a case, of course we'll try to collect evidence. Is there anyone who witnessed the whole incident? Please come with us." The police asked a few times, but the onlookers all shook their heads, indicating they hadn't witnessed the incident.

"No eyewitnesses, but we have CCTV footage! Our restaurant has several CCTV cameras!" a woman in a restaurant uniform said bluntly.

"That's great!" Wukong exclaimed excitedly, gesturing wildly. "With CCTV footage, the pervert has nowhere to hide!"

Chapter 336: Interrogation

of the Restaurant Waitress's Words Awakened the Crowd, and the onlookers became excited, demanding that the two policemen immediately retrieve the footage for verification. The tall policeman said amiably, "There's no rush. Since there's video footage, the truth will eventually come out. To be honest, my colleague and I aren't very knowledgeable about electronics. Once we get back to the station, our police force will arrange for professionals to collect evidence. Right now, the priority is to bring the suspect back to the station. Let's all cooperate and make way."

"What about the eyewitness testimonies? For example, some of the restaurant staff might have seen the whole thing happen, and some of the other customers might provide strong evidence. Why aren't you investigating them together?" Wu Nai asked. He was furious at his sister Xiao Yefang's unwarranted humiliation and wanted to kick him right then and there, but with the police present, Wu Nai had to hold back.

"The restaurant is still operating normally. We will arrange for personnel to come and question the waiters tomorrow. As for the diners at the scene, if anyone witnessed the entire incident, our police welcome them to provide evidence. Rest assured, our police are very fair in handling cases. We will not wrong an innocent person, but we will also never let any bad person go!" the tall policeman said confidently.

The middle-aged man and the young woman in white followed the police into the police car parked in front of the hotel. Situ Yangguang and Wu Nai also got into the police car. Wukong and the others were about to take a taxi to follow when two kind people arrived in their cars and invited them to get in. Situ Yuliu, Yueyue, and Xiao Yefang took one car, while Wukong and his disciples rode in the other. They followed the police car all the way to the police station.

At the police station, the tall policeman guarded the middle-aged man, while the short policeman hurriedly went to the leader's office to report the situation. The middle-aged man said arrogantly, "By the way, hurry up and go get your chief. I want to see him personally." A short while later, the short policeman rushed back, followed by a bespectacled policewoman.

"You're the suspect? Please come with us to give a statement," the policewoman asked expressionlessly.

"Give a statement? Who are you? Are you the chief?" the middle-aged man asked arrogantly.

The policewoman shook her head and said, "I'm not the chief. He's out on official business. I'm here to take your statement." The middle-aged man said dismissively, "Then hurry up, I have a lot of things to do."

"Let's go, let's go. There are still a few witnesses to give their statements!" the tall policeman urged. The middle-aged man followed the tall policeman and the policewoman into a separate interrogation room. The young woman in white also wanted to go in, but the short policeman stopped her, saying, "Wait here for a moment, you're next." The young woman in white said worriedly, "Old Ling is in a bad mood and speaks impulsively. He might offend you police officers. Please bear with him."

"Don't worry, we police officers focus on evidence, not his attitude," the short policeman said.

"What about us? Are we just waiting outside?" Situ Yangguang asked.

"Of course, one by one, no rush," the short policeman's tone was a little cold.

Wukong whispered a few words in Bajie's ear, then transformed into a small mosquito and flew into the interrogation room.

A male and female policeman were already seated, and the middle-aged man sat down opposite them.

"What's your name?" the policewoman asked routinely.

“A true man doesn’t change his name or surname. My surname is Ling, and my name is Lingjiaxiang.” The middle-aged man, perhaps realizing the seriousness of the situation, lowered his voice and said mysteriously, “Let me tell you two, my real identity is the Party Secretary and Deputy Director of the Maritime Safety Administration. We’ll see each other all the time, so let’s just consider this a piece of chalk dust erased. Don’t leave a criminal record. As long as you two act responsibly, you’ll definitely be rewarded, believe me. As for those commoners outside, just deal with them casually. In a few days, who will remember this?”

The policewoman said calmly, “You say you’re the Party Secretary of the Maritime Safety Administration, do you have any proof?”

“Yes, yes, you can verify it. My name is Lingjiaxiang, and I have my ID card as proof.” The middle-aged man quickly found his ID card and handed it to the policewoman.

The policewoman took the ID card and examined it carefully. After confirming it was correct, she returned it to Ling Jiaxiang, saying, "Oh, it really is Director Ling. To be honest, after our director received the report, we verified your identity. How could you be so careless? In public, someone has reported you for allegedly having indecent acts towards a little girl. This is no small matter."

"I know, I know, so I really need your help!" Director Ling said cautiously.

"Director Ling, you'd better tell us the truth about what happened. Telling the truth might be better for you. Don't worry, only I and this colleague here will know what you say. There will be no written statement, and certainly no audio or video recording," the policewoman reassured him. A low voice whispered in Director Ling's ear, "Our superiors instructed us to handle this discreetly, but you also need to cooperate with us and tell us the truth."

"Is this some kind of trap I'm about to fall into?" Director Ling wondered, still suspicious.

"No! Hehe, actually, I was personally assigned by the leader to handle this matter. Don't you understand?"

Director Ling let out a long sigh, his attitude completely changing. He sighed and said, "To be honest, I did have a little to drink just now, not much, maybe two bottles of Moutai. Alas, alcohol really does have a lot of harmful effects. I was a bit dizzy and mistook the little girl for a waitress. I just wanted to take her into the restroom for a little cuddling, but the little girl got scared and ran away crying."

Director Ling looked somewhat regretful.

"Were there any eyewitnesses?" the policewoman asked.

"No, no one went in or out of the restroom at the time, absolutely no one could have seen anything!" Director Ling said confidently.

"Then congratulations, it seems things aren't as bad as you thought." The policewoman congratulated him.

"But... but, I heard there are many security cameras in the restaurant. If that evidence gets out of circulation, the consequences will be unimaginable." Director Ling said worriedly.

"Well... this is a problem, and our police will handle it properly," the policewoman said calmly.

Wukong, listening nearby, was furious. The policewoman's words almost made him lose control; he nearly revealed himself to expose them. But then he thought, could this be a scheme by the police department? Was their aim to extract the truth from the entrance of Lingjia Alley? With this thought in mind, Wukong didn't react immediately. He quietly flew to the side, patiently listening to what else they had to say.

"Chief Ling, please allow us to conduct a breathalyzer test to see if you were intoxicated and caused your misconduct?" the policewoman said.

"A breathalyzer test? I don't need it. I know my limits. These two bottles of Moutai won't get me drunk. Really, if I'm in a good mood, I could easily drink four or five!" Chief Ling said confidently.

"But you really should take the breathalyzer test, Chief Ling. I advise you to cooperate and take it, just in case," the policewoman advised.

"Alright, let's do it then," Chief Ling said helplessly.

The policewoman made a phone call, and soon a petite policewoman came to draw blood from Chief Ling. Chief Ling gasped, asking timidly, "What, you need to draw blood again?"

"Just a little bit, for testing. Please cooperate. You know, we police officers always rely on evidence." The petite policewoman deftly drew a little blood from Chief Ling's arm, then left the interrogation room with the sample.

"Chief Ling, this matter will have a very negative impact on you if it gets out. You're a leader; what will your subordinates think of you? What will society think of you? So, you need to find a way to downplay this. You absolutely cannot let it escalate, otherwise, it will be impossible to handle. What do you plan to do about the witnesses outside?" the policewoman asked.

"That's easy to handle, isn't it? I didn't do anything substantial, and I didn't harm the little girl. As long as I pay a little money, the matter can be easily settled. Once I take the money, who will be in the mood to make a fuss? Don't worry, money makes the world go round. I don't believe there's anything that money can't solve. Hmph, these troublemakers, I'm only willing to humble myself and compensate them; they're just lucky," Director Ling said, seemingly very generously.

"Then let's do it that way. I'll take their statements as soon as possible, and then you can discuss it with the little girl's family. If they accept your compensation, then this matter can be successfully concluded. However, I'm a little worried..." the policewoman pondered.

"What are you worried about?" the tall policeman sitting next to her asked.

"I'm worried they might not let it go. I saw that they were all very angry just now, and they almost wanted to beat you up, Director Ling, to vent their anger," the policewoman said.

"They dare? This is a police station, do they dare to act recklessly? Just reveal my identity, and I guarantee they won't say a word. I already revealed my identity in the hotel, saying I'm a high-ranking official sent by the Transportation Bureau, but they probably don't believe me, which is why I'm being so assertive. They'll definitely believe what you police say." Director Ling said dismissively.

"No, no! Your identity must not be revealed, that might backfire. Remember, you absolutely must not reveal your identity!" The policewoman hurriedly corrected Director Ling's mistaken idea.

Chapter 337 Confrontation

The policewoman and Director Ling talked for about twenty minutes, then came out and said to Situ Yangguang and the others who were waiting in the corridor outside: "We have taken the suspect's statement, but he refuses to give his name, so the police don't know his specific situation yet. However, we will definitely investigate further. Given that the incident did not cause much harm to the little girl, she was only frightened, and the person involved has expressed willingness to make some financial compensation, you can go in and discuss the specific compensation measures with him."

"What? That beast is so depraved, he actually tried to take advantage of a little girl, and your police are suggesting we accept his financial compensation? In other words, a private settlement? Did we hear that right?" Wukong, now back in his original form, stood beside the policewoman and asked. Wukong had clearly heard the conversation between the policewoman and Director Ling. It seemed the policewoman's real purpose wasn't to find out the truth about Lingjia Lane, but rather something else entirely.

"According to my investigation of the suspect, he didn't strangle the little girl. He just placed his hand on her neck near her shoulder as a gesture of gratitude and goodwill. So what you're saying differs from his statement. I suggest you go in and talk to him," the policewoman said.

"Fine, let's go in! In the hotel, he insisted he did it, but at the police station, it's become an expression of gratitude and goodwill?" Situ Yangguang shouted indignantly.

"Based on my judgment, the suspect was probably drunk at the time, so he might have lost control of his words. There might have been some misunderstanding..." the policewoman explained earnestly.

"A misunderstanding? If it were a misunderstanding, would my sister have run back to the private room crying?" Wu Nai questioned.

"Well... maybe your sister is still young, only eleven years old. Sometimes her judgment might be flawed, like mistaking a friendly pat on the shoulder for an assault."

"What a joke! An eleven-year-old girl can't distinguish between kindness and malice? Her neck is still red, those are marks from being strangled. Take a closer look." Wu Nai pulled Xiao Yefang to his side and showed the policewoman her neck. The skin was clearly red.

"Oh, there is some redness, but we can't rule out a rash or something else." The policewoman said, "We police officers rely on evidence. We'll have someone examine her later to make a judgment. Before that, you can go in and talk to the suspect to find out what really happened."

"Okay, let's go in now and see if that beast can spew ivory from his mouth?" Situ Yangguang angrily led the way into the interrogation room. Wukong nodded to Situ Yu and said, "Xiao Yu, you and Yueyue stay outside with Xiao Yefang. The rest of us will go in and see what he has to say."

"Okay, we'll wait for you outside," Situ Yu replied. She didn't want Xiao Yefang to go in either; Xiao Yefang's emotions hadn't calmed down yet, and her big eyes still held too much fear.

The woman in white also followed them into the interrogation room. Ling Jiaxiang's fat face forced a smile that was more painful than bitterness. Wu Nai and Situ Yangguang both had gloomy faces and glared at him angrily. The interrogation room was filled with the smell of gunpowder, as if it could explode at any moment. The policewoman and the tall policeman watched intently from the side, saying to everyone, "Let's talk this out, please don't resort to violence, this is a police station!"

Wu Nai gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "You old pervert, you're so old, yet your lust hasn't died. You wouldn't even spare an eleven-year-old child, you're worse than an animal! My sister is only eleven years old! Have you ever thought that you're old enough to be her grandfather! You can't be so heartless!"

Ling Jiaxiang nodded repeatedly, saying, "I admit I did it... I did it... I did it... I beg for mercy, brother, name your price, I'll pay." Seeing Wu Nai staring without speaking, Ling Jiaxiang said again, "How about fifteen thousand? Fifteen thousand!"

"Fifteen thousand? You think your filthy money can heal my sister's emotional wounds?" Wu Nai asked.

"Can I apologize?" Ling Jiaxiang pleaded. The young woman in white interjected, "Why bother? What can we do? Why bother?"

Wu Nai said to her, "You just introduced yourself as a teacher. If this happened to your student, would you be heartbroken, teacher?" The young woman in white defended herself, "Actually, the thing is... Old Ling had a little to drink... He didn't mean any harm."

"You're still lying! Lying for this scumbag, is it worth it? You're a teacher! Where's your conscience?" Wu Nai questioned.

Director Ling patted his chest and said, "I'll take responsibility for your sister's situation!"

"How can you take responsibility? How can you take responsibility for the emotional trauma?" Situ Yangguang shouted angrily.

"I guarantee with my integrity that I can take responsibility for her," Director Ling solemnly assured him.

"Your integrity? Do you even have any integrity left? Tell me, how can you take responsibility? Tell me! You scared my sister, and you even choked her!" Wu Nai said hatefully.

"I already said I was wrong. This matter won't do either of us any good if it gets out. Name your terms, name your terms," Director Ling said, trying hard to remain composed.

"What conditions? No conditions! Let's get things cleared up at the police station, analyze it objectively, and then we'll talk!" Wu Nai remained unmoved by Director Ling's proposed conditions.

Director Ling's patience had run out. He had never suffered such humiliation before. Accustomed to his domineering ways, Ling Jiaxiang had already mentally killed Wu Nai and the others dozens of times. His face contorted with grimaces as he coldly demanded, "You're still messing with me? Let me tell you, I have many friends along this line. Let me tell you! From Jiaodong to Haibei, and now to Shenyuan City, how did I get here?" The young woman in white, hearing Ling Jiaxiang about to spill his secrets, was about to reveal her entire past, which was a serious matter. She quickly intervened, saying, "Don't say it, don't say it! Old Ling, please stop. You've been drinking; you're out of control."

Wu Nai was displeased with the young woman's behavior and said, "Why do you always stop him from speaking? Let him talk!" The young woman in white said, "He's drunk; he speaks recklessly and will definitely lose control!"

"No, no, nonsense! He's not drunk at all; he's perfectly sober! I only have one sister, and he's scared her like this," Wu Nai said. Ling Jiaxiang softened his tone and said, "She'll be my goddaughter in the future, and you and I will both be in charge of her. We'll have a meal together. I'm not some despicable person. I'm an old man, 60, almost retired. I've been in Shenyuan City for almost a year now. I'm an elderly man with a wife and children. Think about it, if word got out that I, an old man, had a meal and then got involved with a young girl, how could I possibly bear that? Brother!"

"You deserve it! That girl is still trembling!" Wu Nai said in a deep voice.

"Am I really that scary?" Director Ling asked.

"It's not you as a person that scared her, it's the way you grabbed her by the neck and dragged her into the restroom that scared her, not you as a person. If she was scared of you, my sister wouldn't have taken you to the restroom."

"I can be impulsive sometimes. I admit I made a mistake. Who's perfect? If I correct it, I'll be a good colleague! I'm willing to pay money, I'm willing to apologize, isn't that enough?" Director Ling said.

“I don’t need money, and I won’t accept your insincere apology. Leave everything to the police. I believe they will give me a satisfactory explanation,” Wu Nai said firmly, refusing to compromise.

After arguing for another ten minutes or so, seeing that there was no point in continuing and that it was getting late, with the sun already setting, Wu Kong said to the policewoman, “Since the victim’s family won’t accept a private settlement, shouldn’t your police actively collect evidence?”

“We police don’t need your orders,” the policewoman retorted, displeased with Wu Kong’s disrespectful tone.

“But I find your investigation procedures very unprofessional. How can you just take a statement from the suspect and call it a day? What about the victim’s statement? What about our statements as witnesses? And what about the statements from the diners at the scene, the surveillance video footage? You seem to care nothing about any of that, only suggesting a private settlement. I want to ask, are you doing this to avoid trouble and simplify procedures, or do you have other motives?” Wu Kong pressed relentlessly.

The policewoman was speechless.

“Actually, there’s no need to go through the trouble of collecting evidence. The suspect has already confessed. Many people in the restaurant heard him loudly admit it, so the matter is settled. This scumbag’s violent intent towards a minor girl is a fact. Don’t you think so?”

After a moment of silence, the policewoman said, “We’ve taken a blood sample from the suspect for testing. We’ll have the results soon to see if he was intoxicated at the time. If the blood test confirms he was intoxicated, then what he said can’t be taken seriously; it can be considered drunken ramblings. As for the surveillance video, I’ll arrange for someone to retrieve it for review as soon as possible. I believe the truth will come out soon.”

“To increase the transparency of your police work and protect the security of the evidence, I’d be happy to go with you officers to retrieve the video footage. Let’s go right away, okay?” Wukong looked at the policewoman and said.

“Um, well… okay, because all the evidence is confidential, only police personnel can access it directly. I have to ask my superiors. If they agree, you can come with me, my colleague. I’ll arrange for someone to take statements from the girl and other witnesses.”

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[Fantasy] Sun Wukong's Seven-Day Holiday (Complete) - Chapters 34-36

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