[Fantasy] Sun Wukong's Seven-Day Holiday (Complete) - 28-30

Chapter 245 Dragon Blood

Embracing the Origin: Even at the cost of enduring several more lashes, he managed to free one hand to unleash a series of palm lightning strikes. Not only that, he also drew his sword and slashed twice, sending two streams of Samadhi True Fire flying towards Wu Nai with the

force of his sword. The palm lightning attacks were incredibly swift; almost in the blink of an eye, they struck Wu Nai's head, who couldn't dodge in time. After a few thunderous booms, Wu Nai had been struck twice by the palm lightning. Wu Nai fell heavily to the ground.

But the danger was far from over. Slightly slower than the palm lightning, the Samadhi True Fire was flying towards Wu Nai, baring its fangs and claws. In just a moment, the Samadhi True Fire would burn Wu Nai, potentially taking his life.

Seeing this, Sha Wujing stepped forward,

raising his demon-subduing staff towards Wu Nai, saying, "Daoist, show mercy when you can. He's not an evil demon; please spare him."

"Nonsense! You monk are truly confused! A demon is a demon; there's no good or bad! All demons must be destroyed!" Bao Yuanzi said righteously.

"What if he benefits humans? Should he still be destroyed?" Sha Wujing recalled Wu Nai's pursuit of the mysterious man in black and his leniency towards humans; such a demon truly didn't deserve to die. However, Bao Yuanzi still said fiercely, "As long as he's a demon, his fate is the same." As

he spoke, a dazzling red light emanated from the tip of Sha Wujing's demon-subduing staff, faster than the Samadhi True Fire. Just as the Samadhi True Fire was very close to Wu Nai, the two met, with the red light blocking the Samadhi True Fire.

"Who...who are you? How could you possibly block my Samadhi True Fire?" Bao Yuanzi was puzzled. It was utterly unbelievable that this bearded man could withstand his Samadhi True Fire.

However, while the red light on Sha Wujing's staff could

resist the Samadhi True Fire, it couldn't melt or destroy it. It only slightly weakened it before dissipating. The Samadhi True Fire continued its relentless march towards Wu Nai at incredible speed. So fast, so fast, that there was no time to save him, no time to dodge. He could only watch helplessly as flames erupted from Wu Nai's body. The flickering red was so dazzling and bright, yet it proclaimed the imminent death and disappearance of a life…

Lost in a daze, Wu Nai felt a constant burning pain throughout his body. He looked around in sorrow, seeing only flames everywhere, and it was these flames that caused him such agony.

He struggled and rolled around, but the hateful fire clung to him like a leech, impossible to extinguish. No matter the pain, Wu Nai refused to utter a sound, clenching his teeth so tightly they were almost shattered! Situ Yangguang, watching from the sidelines, let out a suppressed gasp.

Sha Wujing used his demon-subduing staff to block Bao Yuanzi's further attacks, but Wu Nai was now engulfed in the Samadhi True Fire. It wouldn't be long before his entire body was burned to ashes.

Suffering

excruciating pain from the burning fire, Wu Nai rolled on the ground more than ten times before finally extinguishing the Samadhi True Fire. He staggered to his feet, his lifeless eyes filled with worry. What was he worried about? Was he worried about being killed by Bao Yuanzi?

No, he was worried about Xiao Bai, worried about what would happen to Xiao Bai after his death? Worried that he too would be killed by that old Taoist priest!

Xiao Bai stared blankly at Wu Nai, deeply moved by Wu Nai's pained expression. He used his fingernail to draw a deep wound on his left arm, blood seeping out and congealing into beads, dripping onto Wu Nai's body. As the blood continued to drip, Wu Nai, who had thought he was doomed, was suddenly surprised to find that his depleted demonic power was rapidly recovering and even strengthening. The true fire could no longer burn his soul.

Even if Wu Nai was stupid, he knew this was the effect of Xiao Bai's blood. He used his still trembling legs to barely support himself and then tried to circulate his newly recovered demonic power to resist the onslaught of the true fire.

Seeing Wu Nai stand up again, a smile finally appeared in Xiao Bai's eyes. This was the first time he had tested

the effects of his own blood, and it seemed to be working quite well. Dragon blood indeed possessed immeasurable wonders.

Dragon blood was an excellent tonic for any cultivator or demon; drinking it not only greatly increased one's power but could even allow one to advance beyond their level.

The two fighters on the other side also noticed this situation. A flicker of surprise crossed Bao Yuanzi's face, but he quickly refocused on dealing with Sha Wujing.

Besides surprise, Bao Yuanzi felt mostly anger and heartache—yes, heartache. He never imagined that someone would sacrifice their blood to save a demon. This was completely unimaginable for someone who had dedicated his life to slaying demons. However, this scene didn't move him; instead, it strengthened his belief that these three had fallen to an irredeemable state. They were definitely not from a righteous sect, and this was what caused his deep sorrow.

Outnumbered and outmatched, and with all three seemingly powerful, Bao Yuanzi felt a chill run down his spine.

Chapter 246: A Dead End.

They were locked in a stalemate, neither willing to yield, and neither seemed capable of overwhelming the other. In fact, Sha Wujing had only used half his power; he didn't want to hurt Bao Yuanzi.

In fact, the overall battle situation was still somewhat unfavorable for Bao Yuanzi. Although the two were still evenly matched, Xiao Bai and the others were by his side and could rejoin the battle at any moment. Sure enough, after Wu Nai recovered from his injuries, he stepped forward to replace Sha Wujing.

Bao Yuanzi began to feel a chill in his heart, thinking that if the fight continued like this, he would have no chance of winning. So he kept calculating in his mind, and finally gritted his teeth and made a tough decision. He reached into his treasure pouch with his left hand and took out a talisman. Even at the cost of taking a few more lashes from Wu Nai, he resolutely activated the Five Thunder Talisman: "Five Elements Heavenly Thunder, All Evil Annihilated!" As he spoke, the Five Thunder Talisman flew out of his hand, as if pulled by invisible threads, and flew towards the vast sky.

Wherever the talisman landed, the sky, which still had starlight, seemed to open up, sucking in all the starlight, leaving only a dark vortex. All of this was like the calm before the storm.

In his last decisive battle with Wu Nai, Bao Yuanzi, even injured, didn't use

the Five Thunder Talisman. The Five Thunder Talisman summons the power of heavenly lightning, posing a tremendous threat, but it also has a drawback: it indiscriminately kills everyone within its range except the one who activates it. It can even level the entire area, leaving nothing but barren land.

While Bao Yuanzi is fiercely opposed to evil and doesn't tolerate any demons in the world, he isn't inherently wicked and wouldn't attack mortals without cause. Last time, he refrained from using the Five Thunder Talisman precisely to avoid harming innocents.

However, this time is different. This time, besides the fox demon, there are also powerful allies. If he doesn't act decisively, he risks being caught off guard and defeated. As for the people in the park, they are either demons or their accomplices; Bao Yuanzi has no qualms about using the Five Thunder Talisman to kill them.

A terrifying pressure descended from the sky. Wu Nai immediately sensed the profound danger. Sha Wujing, standing beside him, was also somewhat worried, fearing that innocent bystanders might be harmed. "Sigh, this Bao Yuanzi has really gone mad from his demon-slaying ways; he even wants to kill the three of us."

After executing a move, Wu Nai withdrew

from the battle and stood with Xiao Bai. The two gazed at the swirling night sky. The sound of thunder began to reach their ears like a death knell. They knew that after the thunder, the lightning currently gathering energy would strike, targeting them.

"Can you withstand it?" Xiao Bai asked Wu Nai first.

Wu Nai gave a bitter smile, rubbing the ears that had appeared on his head. "We can withstand three at most, that's our limit. But the remaining two will definitely turn us into charred remains. Passive defense is too disadvantageous."

Wu Nai knew that no matter where they fled to in the park, it would be useless, because the lightning's target was the entire park. It was a pity that his power had never recovered to its former peak; otherwise, he wouldn't be afraid of this mere lightning.

Before Wu Nai could speak, Bao Yuanzi cackled, "Damn fox demon, and you three accomplices, don't waste your time. You have no chance of blocking the heavenly lightning. Just accept your fate, hahaha!" His expression was so ferocious and terrifying, like a demon.

A

cold His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, as if making a difficult decision. Just then, a bolt of lightning struck down, illuminating the surroundings as if it were daytime. The first bolt of heavenly lightning had finally struck, its target North Gate Park, falling precisely in Wu Nai's direction.

Wu Nai had no time to think. He swung his whip, and all the plants it touched grew rapidly. In the blink of an eye, the grass, which was only ankle-high, grew taller than a person. As for the trees, they grew to over ten meters high, the towering grass and trees concealing them.

Countless plants surrounded Wu Nai, Xiao Bai, and the others, forming a sphere, and lightning struck this defense entirely constructed of vegetation.

It must be said that the vegetation, nurtured by Wu Nai, not only grew taller but also possessed significantly enhanced defensive capabilities. Logically, these plants should have been utterly unable to withstand the heavenly lightning; they would have been blasted to dust upon contact.

However, in reality, these temporarily nurtured plants completely blocked the first bolt of heavenly lightning. The people inside were unharmed except for a slight

shock , but the vegetation turned to charred ash, scattering in the wind. There wasn't a single living plant left in the surrounding area, not even a blade of grass.

Bao Yuanzi was unconcerned that Wu Nai could block the first bolt of heavenly lightning, still appearing confident of victory. After all, there were five bolts of heavenly lightning, each more powerful than the last; he didn't believe Wu Nai could completely block them. At most three; the fourth would definitely kill them—this was Bao Yuanzi's assessment based on the situation.

His judgment proved correct. After blocking the first bolt of heavenly lightning, Wu Nai, relying on the whip's own defense and his demonic power, barely managed to block the second. However, the once golden and gleaming Soul-Hooking Whip now shone much dimmer. Before Wu Nai could even suppress the surging blood in his chest, he was met with the third bolt of heavenly lightning.

Faced with each bolt of lightning more powerful than the last, Wu Nai felt a sense of powerlessness. Even if he blocked this one, what about the next two? He had no strength left; who else could block them!

Despite his thoughts, he still had to block the lightning. With his somewhat weakened hand, he once again swung

the fiery Soul-Hooking Whip to meet the immense force of the heavenly lightning. The whip, infused with all his demonic power, shone brightly once more, its brilliant light and blinding lightning intertwining like a magnificent brocade. However, this beauty brought with it the danger of death!

"Ugh!" Under immense pressure, Wu Nai finally coughed up the blood that had been choking him, and his body collapsed to his knees. Fortunately, the power of the heavenly lightning was almost completely depleted, and the remaining force was diverted elsewhere by the Soul-Hooking Whip, without harming anyone.

"Bang!" Wu Nai was so weak that he couldn't even hold the Soul-Hooking Whip, letting it fall from his hand. The dim whip was almost devoid of light, like an ordinary whip.

This time, even without Bao Yuanzi saying anything, everyone present could see that Wu Nai had no strength left to fight, but there were still two heavenly lightning bolts left, and it seemed that the situation was very unfavorable for them.

Sha Wujing stared intently at Bao Yuanzi and said, "Heaven is merciful, old Taoist Bao Yuanzi, your methods are too ruthless. You don't understand the will of Heaven, yet you dare to act on its behalf. I will make you regret your

ruthless extermination today!" Sha Wujing's eyes were cold and emotionless. Even Bao Yuanzi, whose mind had been tempered for many years, couldn't help but feel a trace of horror, but he quickly dispelled it, because he couldn't imagine what right a bearded monk had to make him regret. The heavenly thunder was still gathering power, preparing to unleash an even more violent attack. If just one more bolt of heavenly thunder struck, everyone present except Bao Yuanzi would die.

But was that really the case?

Chapter 247 The Taste of Defeat

Xiao Bai raised the Demon-Slaying Sword in his hand, the tip pointing to the sky. A ball of azure light rose from the sword, enveloping Xiao Bai's entire body. Xiao Bai's figure disappeared, and the azure light gradually condensed into a white dragon, its eyes wide open, its huge mouth emitting a roar like a tsunami. A fierce wind arose beneath it, whipping up sand and stones, the swirling dust almost blinding Bao Yuanzi.

"A true dragon?" Bao Yuanzi exclaimed in shock.

His previously flushed face turned ashen, turning deathly pale. He had read about white dragons in secret texts; not only him, but even his masters and grandmasters would flee in terror at the sight of a true dragon.

Bao Yuanzi, who had never feared anything in his life of exorcising demons, felt death so close for the first time. Had it not been for his unwavering will, he would likely have collapsed under the immense pressure. Its

thick limbs, robust shell, and those gleaming blue eyes exuded an awe-inspiring, inviolable majesty—it was the white dragon, the legendary dragon!

At the same time, the fourth and fifth

bolts of heavenly lightning struck in quick succession. What would normally be fatal now appeared pitifully small. The White Dragon barely moved; with a mere glance from its gleaming blue eyes, the two bolts of lightning vanished silently into the night sky. The vortex created by the lightning in the night sky also disappeared, and everything returned to calm. However, the situation had drastically reversed. Now, the power of life and death no longer belonged to Bao Yuanzi, but to the imposing White Dragon.

The power displayed by the White Dragon was terrifying. Under such an absolute disparity, everything Bao Yuanzi did was futile. He was now like a fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of his captor. Bao Yuanzi thought sadly to himself, reflecting on how many monsters he had slain in his life, only to die at their hands. Was this karma?

Situ Yangguang was greatly astonished. Such a scene had only appeared in legends; he never imagined he would witness it firsthand. The emperors of the past were always called the Son of Heaven by the people, but this Son of Heaven himself had never seen a real dragon. Now that he had, he was filled with indescribable excitement. Looking at the old Taoist Bao Yuanzi, who had been so imposing just moments before, he was now covered in sweat.

"

What a magnificent white dragon! So beautiful!" Situ Yangguang exclaimed.

The white dragon circled ten meters above the ground, but did not take the opportunity to attack Bao Yuanzi. Little White simply disliked Bao Yuanzi's arrogance and only wanted to curb his arrogance, not harm him, so it did not attack. To be honest, Bao Yuanzi wasn't a bad person; he was just too stubborn and too hostile towards monsters. Little White couldn't bear to harm even a hair on his head.

Just then, Wu Nai stepped forward, blood still dripping from his lips, looking utterly wretched. Yet his voice remained clear: "Killing is easy, but forgiving is difficult, especially after gaining immense power. Maintaining one's true nature and not losing it is the most precious thing. If you cannot forgive, then what difference is there between you and him? It's better to resolve enmity than to create it. Let him go." His words sounded less like those of a demon and more like those of a Buddhist.

The azure light dissipated, and the white dragon vanished abruptly. Before Situ Yangguang, Xiao Bai stood calmly, still holding the demon-slaying sword.

With the white dragon gone, Bao Yuanzi, who had been

suffocating , could finally breathe a sigh of relief. He stood there, drenched in sweat; if it weren't for the peach wood sword supporting him, he might not even be able to stand.

"Why can you summon a white dragon? Why?" Bao Yuanzi asked Xiao Bai, panting. He had assumed Xiao Bai had summoned the white dragon using magic, never imagining that Xiao Bai was actually a majestic white dragon himself. He had always thought his Taoist skills were the best in the world, but after seeing this, he realized how ignorant he was. This person actually possessed such a powerful skill—summoning a white dragon for his own use. It was truly amazing.

"Hehe, it's just a trivial skill, too lowly to offend your discerning eye, Daoist!" Xiaobai said modestly.

Baoyuanzi said weakly, "I admit defeat today. I never imagined I'd lose to a junior. It's all my fault for not being skilled enough. Kill me or torture me, it's all up to you!" Xiaobai laughed and said, "Daoist, we have no enmity. Why would I kill you? If I killed you, wouldn't that be creating more karma and adding to the evil? However, I hope that after today's events, you can change your stubborn notions of good and evil, and discern whether a person is good or evil

by looking at their heart, not their physical form."

"You really want to let me go? Aren't you afraid of the endless trouble that comes with letting a tiger return to the mountain?" Despite receiving repeated affirmation, Baoyuanzi was still somewhat incredulous. In his dictionary, there was absolutely no such word as "let go.

" "Is that so? If we meet again and you are still as stubborn as this, then I might use different methods to deal with you, the tiger I released back to the mountain!" Xiaobai said with a gentle smile. Bao Yuanzi glanced at Xiaobai's seemingly frail back with a complicated expression, his moving mouth remaining silent. He used his peach wood sword to support himself and slowly walked towards the park gate. His voice, no longer strong, carried on the night wind: "The green hills remain unchanged, the green waters flow forever, we'll meet again!"

"Let's not see each other again, you old Taoist priest, you're too stubborn!" Situ Yangguang said with a light laugh.

Wu Nai had always thought he was very strong, but only today did he realize that there are always stronger hands, and there's always someone higher up. Compared to Xiaobai, his abilities were still far inferior. Looking at Lao Sha, who calmly observed the changing situation, he seemed to be a hidden master.

Even summoning a true dragon, Xiaobai's magical power was unimaginable. For the first time, Wu Nai had no confidence in his own abilities.

Chapter 248: A Breakthrough Feeling of Goodwill

Every full moon night, Bajie was always somewhat absent-minded. Looking up at the bright moon, he seemed to see the graceful figure of Chang'e. Thinking of her beauty, he couldn't sleep. That night, bored out of his mind, he went up to the rooftop alone to soak up the moonlight, hoping it would help him sleep.

Upon reaching the rooftop, he unexpectedly discovered a couple standing face-to-face on the adjacent rooftop, seemingly whispering something. Looking closer, he realized the man was Situ Yangguang. "Heh heh," he thought, "this little rascal, so young, secretly meeting a woman on the rooftop?" Judging by the woman's graceful figure, whose daughter was she? His curiosity piqued, Bajie leaped lightly, his heavy body landing steadily on the opposite rooftop, startling the two whispering lovers.

It turned out the woman was Chang'e, who had come to see Situ Yangguang tonight to ask about the progress of his search for Hou Yi.

"Hehe, little guy, you're so naughty, coming up to the rooftop for a tryst in the dead of night? I've caught you red-handed, you can't deny it now!" Pigsy chuckled.

"I...she..." Situ Yangguang was mortified,

his face flushed, unsure how to answer, stammering, "We...we weren't having a tryst! Brother Pig, please don't misunderstand."

"Hehe, I haven't misunderstood, because it's the truth." Pigsy said cheerfully, carefully examining Chang'e for a few moments. A familiar feeling welled up inside him, but he couldn't recall where he'd seen her before. It turned out that to avoid causing a commotion, Chang'e had disguised herself when she descended to earth, which was why Pigsy hadn't recognized her. But a strange feeling lingered.

"Brother Pig?" Chang'e, hearing Situ Yangguang's address, shyly raised her head and glanced at Bajie. Although Bajie had changed appearance, Chang'e was still pretty sure she recognized him. This guy was probably Zhu Bajie; his bloated figure was his trademark. She'd heard he and Sun Wukong had been down to earth for quite some time, and she hadn't expected to run into him here. This man was a troublesome fellow; what would happen if he recognized her true identity?

"We seem to have met somewhere before?" Bajie asked blankly.

"No, no! I've never seen you before. You must have mistaken me for someone else," Chang'e quickly denied.

Bajie

stood , glancing at the moon one moment and stealing glances at Chang'e the next, but not daring to look too long. Each time, he would look away like a thief. That feeling of familiarity seemed to grow stronger, but no matter how hard Bajie racked his brains, he couldn't remember where he had seen this pretty girl before.

Suddenly, Situ Yangguang's expression changed drastically. He reached into his clothes and took out the Sun-Shooting Bow, which was miniature and vibrating incessantly, as if it were about to fly off somewhere.

"There's a reaction!" Situ Yangguang shouted to Chang'e.

Hou Yi, it must be Hou Yi! He's nearby! Thinking of this possibility, Chang'e became extremely anxious. Forgetting everything else, she grabbed Situ Yangguang and ran downstairs, rushing towards the direction the bow was vaguely pointing. Bajie, unaware of what was happening, followed them downstairs in a daze. Although it was late at night, the city was still crowded. To avoid attracting attention, she didn't reveal her immortal form and fly away, but ran as fast as she could, praying incessantly to the heavens that she would find Hou Yi!

Bajie followed them downstairs. By the time

he came to his senses, Chang'e and Situ Yangguang had already run quite a distance. He hadn't expected them to leave so quickly, without even saying goodbye. Disappointment crept onto his chubby face. Just as he was about to return to his room, he stopped abruptly. Looking down, he saw a delicate comb, which Chang'e must have dropped in her haste.

Without thinking, Bajie picked up the comb and chased after Chang'e. She was already quite far away, but Bajie ran with all his might, determined to return the comb to her.

The vibrations of the Sun-Shooting Bow grew stronger; if Situ Yangguang hadn't gripped it tightly, it would have almost flown away. Hou Yi—thinking of that name, tears welled up in Chang'e's eyes. So many years had passed since they were separated. Today, they could finally meet again. "Hou Yi, wait for me, I'm coming to find you!"

Chang'e, preoccupied with her long-separated lover Hou Yi, didn't notice that she was running towards a crossroads, nor that the green light at her intersection was turning red, and that a BMW was approaching from her right at 100 km/h.

Just because she didn't see it

doesn't mean no chasing behind, turned deathly pale when he saw Chang'e recklessly rushing towards the intersection. The BMW driver, whether he didn't see it or not, showed no sign of braking despite the approaching figure; a collision would have been disastrous.

Bajie was almost at the intersection when he shouted at Chang'e's retreating back, "You two, stop!" Unfortunately, Chang'e, completely absorbed in Hou Yi's actions, didn't hear Bajie and continued pulling Situ Yangguang across the road, even running faster.

She ran into the BMW's path, and the car was less than five meters away. A horrific accident was imminent. Bajie frantically sped up, his chubby body moving several times faster than usual, until he reached Chang'e behind him. Then, with a powerful push, he shoved her and Situ Yangguang out of the car's path.

Bajie didn't know where he got the strength and courage from, and he hadn't even considered his own safety, only thinking about not letting Chang'e get hurt. Now, he had pushed Chang'e away, but he himself was in danger. The car was only two meters away from him. The headlights shone on his panicked face, all his courage and ruthlessness had vanished, leaving only despair. He closed his eyes in despair, waiting for the tearing sensation of the car hitting him.

However, he didn't experience that horrifying pain. Instead, there was only an ear-piercing screech of brakes and a loud crash. Opening his eyes, he saw that the driver had finally seen the person blocking his way at the last moment. He slammed on the brakes and tried to swerve the steering wheel to the side.

As a result, the BMW almost grazed Bajie's body and collided head-on with a car in the other lane. The windows shattered, but fortunately, no one was injured.

All of this happened in a matter of seconds. First, Chang'e and Situ Yangguang were pushed and stumbled by Bajie. Then, the BMW collided with a car in the adjacent lane. After realizing he was safe, Bajie seemed to have all his strength drained away, collapsing in the middle of the road. Still shaken, he remained silent as the BMW driver angrily cursed him, as if the curses weren't directed at him.

Chang'e, seeing the chaotic scene of the accident, immediately understood what had happened. She had been so focused on finding Hou Yi that she had run too fast; if it weren't for Bajie's rescue, she would probably have been hit by the car. Although being hit by a car was insignificant for a celestial being like her, Bajie didn't know this. He was only focused on saving her, and this selfless act stirred a ripple in Chang'e's heart, dormant for thousands of years. For the first time, she felt a liking for Bajie.

The pulse of the Sun-Shooting Bow was gradually weakening, indicating that Hou Yi was getting further and further away. Should they chase after him? Should they chase after him?

Chang'e was torn by a fierce internal struggle. Finding Hou Yi was her sole purpose in descending to earth, and Hou Yi was also her lover whom she had longed for for many years. But Bajie had just risked his life to save her, and now he sat on the ground, still reeling from the near-death experience. And although the chariot had grazed him, it didn't mean he was unharmed.

Looking at Bajie, then at the dark distance, Chang'e tried to move her foot several times but couldn't. Finally, she sighed helplessly. The Sun-Shooting Bow was firmly gripped in Situ Yangguang's hand. She

reached out and grasped the bow, stopping the throbbing in her hand. "Hou Yi, wait for me. I will find you again. Only when you pick up this Sun-Shooting Bow again can the world be saved!"

Chang'e silently called out in her heart.

Chapter 249 Strange Events Abound

The night was vast and the streets were deserted. The BMW driver was still cursing and swearing. Despite his smart clothes, his language was extremely vulgar, as if he wouldn't let Bajie leave until he paid for his damages. He didn't seem to realize who had been distracted and hadn't noticed him at the intersection. In contrast, the driver of the car next to him, though innocently injured and with a minor arm injury, didn't complain much and silently waited for the traffic police and ambulance to arrive.

Chang'e knelt down and gently asked the dazed Bajie, "How are you? Are you alright?"

Her words were more effective than anything else. Bajie immediately snapped out of his daze. Seeing Chang'e's worried eyes, he quickly waved his hand and said, "I'm fine, I'm fine. Look, I'm alright." He even stood up and took a few steps, confirming that he was indeed unharmed.

Chang'e silently looked at him, her eyes filled with complex emotions: "Thank you for saving me!" Situ Yangguang also sincerely thanked Bajie.

Bajie's smile remained as honest and simple as

ever . In his eyes, all of this was as it should be, and Chang'e didn't need to come to thank him. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly remembered something, took out the comb he had been clutching tightly in his hand, and handed it over, saying, "Miss, this is the comb you dropped. Here, take it back."

Chang'e looked at Bajie, not immediately taking the comb. Her gaze was even more complicated than before: "You chased after me just to return the comb?"

Bajie nodded with a smile. His eyes were only on Chang'e, completely forgetting that they were still standing at the crossroads, several passing cars were stuck there, unable to pass, until someone called them and they suddenly realized what was happening and moved aside.

Chang'e lowered her head silently and took the comb. At this moment, the Sun-Shooting Bow in Situ Yangguang's hand had completely stopped firing. Was it because its master had already gone far away?

The originally clear night sky suddenly began to drizzle. The cool raindrops felt indescribably comfortable on the face, like the cool touch of a child's hand, or like wet feathers sticking to the face.

For countless years, Chang'e hadn't felt the rain on her face. On the vast

moon in the cosmos, there was only endless loneliness. If it weren't for her shared memories with Hou Yi, she would likely have gone mad soon.

Suddenly, Chang'e couldn't feel the rain anymore. Wait, had the rain stopped? Looking up, she saw a garment placed over her head. Needless to say, the one who had taken off his garment to shield her from the rain was none other than Bajie.

In that instant, her memory seemed to return to many years ago, when a man had also shielded her from the rain in the same way. But time had changed everything; the woman, though her face remained youthful, was no longer the same…

Looking at Chang'e, Bajie suddenly felt a sense of familiarity, as if they had truly met somewhere before. Where? Bajie couldn't recall. He could only imagine a chance encounter, perhaps a fleeting glance in the vast sea of people, or perhaps a chance encounter between strangers.

Bajie always felt that he and Chang'e had known each other. But did they really know each other? If it truly existed, where would it be? In which lifetime? He felt a faint, thread-like pull pulling at him, an unbreakable, tangled thread.

The traffic police arrived to handle the accident. After on-site investigation and the statements of those present, they determined that the BMW driver was solely responsible. Bajie was uninjured. After signing the accident report, he was free to leave.

After that night, Chang'e often searched for Hou Yi's whereabouts with Situ Yangguang and Bajie. However, since that time, the Sun-Shooting Bow had never fired again. They searched the entire Lingwang City without success, as if Hou Yi had vanished without a trace. This caused Chang'e's mood to plummet like never before. Fortunately, Bajie was there to cheer her up. In front of Chang'e, the usually憨厚 (honest and simple) Bajie displayed an unprecedentedly funny and humorous side, always managing to make the sullen Chang'e smile. Although Bajie didn't know what Chang'e and the others were looking for, he was always happy to go whenever Situ Yangguang invited him.

However, such smiles would vanish whenever she occasionally looked up at the moon. The next moment, her gaze towards Bajie was filled with boundless sorrow and pity. Yes, if Hou Yi couldn't be found, a catastrophe would ensue on Earth a month later, and Bajie and Situ

Yangguang would be no exception.

Friends… For Chang'e, who had been lonely for a thousand years, "friend" was a word she knew but could never reach!

Hou Yi, where are you? Chang'e anxiously called out in her heart.

At this moment, Wu Nai was at his company, a fairly large software company occupying an entire floor of the building. Wu Nai worked there as a software developer.

The company, which had been peaceful until two days ago, suddenly became filled with an extremely strong, inexplicable demonic aura, even comparable to Wu Nai's own. This alarmed him. He knew that a demon as powerful as himself, if it wreaked havoc, would have terrifying consequences. Therefore, he had to find this person before it caused trouble.

Also on that day, people frequently found the faucets in the restrooms inexplicably turned on, water flowing continuously. Even worse, some employees arrived at work the next morning to find the floor completely flooded, as if a major flood had occurred. One night, an employee who stayed late to work was found collapsed in the stairwell with both legs broken. Upon waking, he claimed to have seen a completely transparent person while descending

the stairs .

These strange phenomena and accounts created widespread fear, and no one dared to stay late to work anymore. Haunting rumors began to circulate, reaching even people on other floors. Although the company vehemently denied the ghost stories, it didn't silence the gossip.

On the third day, something even more serious happened. The development manager, for unknown reasons, climbed alone to the roof of the building and jumped from the fifteenth floor. He died instantly, his body mangled beyond recognition. Police investigations found no other people on the roof, essentially ruling out homicide. So, was it suicide?

Wu Nai discovered that things weren't so simple, but he didn't know how to deal with such an intangible enemy. That's why he wanted to ask Sha Wujing and Bai Suzhen for help. He believed that with their skills, they could definitely get to the bottom of things and annihilate the monster in one fell swoop.

Chapter 250 Forced to Show Himself

That night, Wu Nai stayed at the company under the pretext of working overtime. Many colleagues advised him not to stay at the company at night, after all, someone had just died there, and with the ghost stories from a while ago, maybe the suicide of the development department manager was caused by a ghost. If something else happened to someone, then no one would dare to stay at the company anymore.

Shi Xiang, who sat opposite Wu Nai, was particularly zealous in persuading him. Although he was a grown man, he was often more timid than a woman, and he deeply believed in ghosts and gods. The slightest sound could scare him half to death.

Wu Nai politely declined their offer, feeling touched yet somewhat amused. He was a demon himself, so what was there to fear from other beings? Of course, he wouldn't let mortals know this, not even his own mother.

Being alone in the vast, quiet office building felt eerily cold. Wu Nai sat in front of his computer browsing the web. His favorite place was the "Lotus Pond Ghost Stories" section on Tianya, where many imaginative ghost stories were written—a pleasant

pastime.

Unseen by Wu Nai, a thin stream of water, seemingly alive, was rapidly flowing through the tap water pipes beneath the city. After reaching the company's underground, the stream stopped, slowly emerging from the tightly sealed pipes. This tiny stream clung to the surface, swirling gently as if searching for something. The city's underground was a chaotic mess of pipes and cables—network cables, electrical wires, water pipes, fiber optic cables, and more—even more tangled than above ground.

After a brief pause, the water seemed to find its target. It detached from the pipe with a whoosh and silently, precisely, disappeared into the electrical wire buried in the ground. This was disastrous; all the current flowing through the wire was cut off, including in Wu Nai's company. Suddenly, all equipment requiring power ceased operation without warning, plunging the entire building into complete darkness. Wu Nai, unsurprised, looked up from his black-screen computer and saw that several buildings in the distance were still

brightly lit. He knew that this building and the neighboring buildings shared the same power grid. Since the neighboring buildings still had power, the sudden power outage was definitely not due to a grid failure.

Thinking this, a cold glint appeared in Wu Nai's dark eyes. It had come, after all; his wait hadn't been in vain. The clock on the wall was just pointing to ten.

Water, endless water, came from all directions, surrounding Wu Nai's position. All of this was unseen in the pitch-black night. Wu Nai, who had been constantly on guard for any unusual activity, only noticed the water when it was almost up to his feet. He sneered, stepped onto a stool, and temporarily kept the water away. However, the water was still rising and he believed it wouldn't be long before it submerged him.

"You think you can kill me with such methods?" A disdainful voice echoed in the empty building. No wonder Wu Nai was so dismissive; to him, even if the entire building were flooded, it wouldn't kill him.

The water, which had been rising gently, seemed to be enraged by his words, suddenly increasing its speed. In the blink of an eye, the water had submerged the chair Wu Nai was standing on, and everything below the office chair was submerged.

This wasn't the end of it. The originally colorless water suddenly changed color in the darkness, turning a vibrant green as if it had been dyed with paint. Along with the color change, the water's properties also changed, evident in everything submerged in it. Each item began to corrode gradually, dissolving into the green water. Paper and pens were completely consumed in the blink of an eye. Even wooden and iron tables and chairs couldn't escape the toxic water's corrosive effects, at most only delaying their demise.

Wu Nai's expression finally changed. Before the chair he was standing on was completely corroded, he jumped to another table, then moved to another spot. When there was nowhere left to stand in the entire office, he still couldn't find the controller. This made him anxious. Although he was a demon, Wu Nai had little confidence in his ability to withstand this inexplicable poisonous water.

The answer was quickly revealed. When the poison corroded the last object, Wu Nai had nowhere to stand. Before he could think of a solution, the poison reached

his instep. With a "hiss!" sound, the sole of his leather shoe was instantly corroded away. Although Wu Nai's foot didn't suffer the same fate, it was still injured. This showed that the poison could harm him, although not fatally.

In that brief moment, Wu Nai had come up with a plan. He stretched out his right hand, and a fiery whip appeared in his hand after a flash of red light. The whip, carrying a dazzling trail of light, accurately coiled around the hanging light tube in the darkness.

Of course, the light tube couldn't support the weight of an adult, and almost unsurprisingly, it fell the moment the whip caught it. However, Wu Nai seized the opportunity, leaping towards the wall. He then stretched out his fingers and gripped the white wall, instantly creating five holes under his fingers, allowing him to firmly press his body against the wall.

"What kind of monster are you, causing chaos and harming people here? Since you've come, why won't you show yourself?" Wu Nai spoke loudly, his brows furrowed with deep confusion. In truth, if this elusive monster had no other means

, leaving this place wouldn't be difficult for him. However, he was determined to capture this harmful monster, which was why he had been lingering here.

"Roar!" After a sound as if from the depths of the Yellow Springs or the Nine Netherworlds, the green poisonous water stopped rising and began to swirl continuously, like a giant whirlpool. Everything near the whirlpool was sucked in, and the whirlpool even created a rapidly spinning wind, causing Wu Nai to sway violently.

At this moment, a huge figure composed of green water slowly rose from the whirlpool. Its features and body were entirely made of water. It spoke in a muffled voice: "Go back... don't appear again..." Judging

from its tone, it seemed it didn't want to kill Chu Guihong, but only wanted to force him to leave.

Finally forced to confront him, Wu Nai seized the opportunity to press, "You killed Liu Xing, didn't you? Why did you kill him?" Liu Xing was the development manager who fell to his death from the rooftop. He was stingy and mean to his subordinates, and always greedy for credit. Whenever the department developed something new or achieved something, he would try to claim it

for himself. Therefore, he was not well-liked in the company. Although many people didn't say it, they all thought he deserved his fate, and no one was saddened by his death.

"Hahahaha, your imagination is too rich!" A hoarse voice resounded in the empty office.

Chapter 251 Calling for Reinforcements

"What kind of monster are you? Show yourself! Stop harming people! Stop now!" Wu Nai shouted sternly.

"None of your business... Leave..." A muffled voice came from its mouth again. Wu Nai couldn't be sure if the water creature in front of him was the real monster, so he grabbed the wall with one hand and used the fiery soul-hooking whip with the other to attack the water creature.

The Soul-Hooking Whip moved with lightning speed; a flash of golden light, before the eyes could even catch a trace, the whip had already swept across the water-man's body. Unsurprisingly, it swept across the water-man's massive form, but the effect ended there. After the whip's strike, the water-man remained unchanged; the cuts quickly reformed.

It was truly a case of "trying to cut water with a knife, but the water flows on." Wu Nai's head began to throb. From the attack just now, he was certain that the water-man before him was not the true form of the demon, but a puppet he controlled. Since the demon could manipulate water to attack him, it must be related to water, and most likely hiding in the water. But the question was, where was it hiding?!

The water spirit seemed enraged by his attack.

Instead of trying to reason with him, it roared and slammed its hand, several times larger than a fan, down with all its might. If the blow landed, the deadly poison in the water alone would be enough to kill it. However, besides the walls, there was nothing left in the room for it to lean on. And Wu Nai seemed unwilling to dodge, his eyes gleaming with intelligence. Had he found a way to counter this?

The answer was quickly revealed. Just as its hand was about to strike Wu Nai, the water spirit suddenly lost sight of him. The wall it had been using was now empty except for the five holes; the man had vanished into thin air. The water spirit's hand struck the empty wall, leaving nothing but a large hole corroded in it.

Invisibility—Wu Nai used this relatively advanced spell for the first time, concealing its form and the sound of its movements. Since it couldn't find the monster manipulating the spell, it wouldn't let the monster discover it either. It would be a battle of wits—whoever saw through the other first would deliver the fatal blow.

The water spirit's anger surged again, but instead of attacking blindly, it roared repeatedly. With each roar, the previously halted rise in water level rose once more, much faster than before, and it was believed it would soon reach the roof. The water spirit's features, composed of water, revealed a triumphant expression: "Where do you think you're going to run now!"

Indeed, if the entire room were filled with poisonous water, Wu Nai would inevitably be forced to reveal himself unless he left the room. Whether the monster intentionally spared his life or carelessly forgot, it hadn't placed any protective barriers around the room.

The poisonous water continued to rise, soon only about a meter away from the roof, but Wu Nai's figure remained hidden. Had he already left? Another ninety centimeters, seventy centimeters…

When only fifty centimeters remained, the water finally stopped rising. The water spirit looked around with its eyes above the water, finding nothing suspicious, and there was nothing unusual in the water. It seemed Wu Nai had indeed left.

Seeing that Wu Nai had given up, the water spirit didn't pursue. Instead, it began to slowly lower the water level, which was almost reaching the ceiling, seemingly preparing to retreat. However, at

that moment, a bright and clear cell phone ringtone came from the void. Judging from the direction of the sound, it should be somewhere on the roof.

The water spirit, who was already preparing to retreat, immediately roared upon hearing this sound. It realized that Wu Nai hadn't left but had clung to the roof. It had almost been fooled. After realizing this, it commanded the toxic water, which was almost reaching the roof, to attack the locked location.

Despite all its calculations, Wu Nai never expected that its well-planned invisibility would be betrayed by a cell phone, a product of modern high technology. Truly, man proposes, God disposes. It sighed inwardly countless times, casually deactivated its invisibility, and then struggled along the roof through the swirling toxic water. Occasionally, a drop of green water would touch it, causing an immediate stinging pain. It seems he can't stay in this room any longer; he has to get outside to find a way out. But now he's blocked off from all sides. What is he going to do? Most importantly, what if the poisonous water spills out and hurts ordinary people?!

While racking his brains for a solution, Wu Nai still kept an eye on his ringing phone, wondering which bastard

had ruined his plans. He picked it up and saw it was Xiao Bai calling. His eyes lit up; he was secretly glad they had exchanged numbers when they parted. He quickly answered, and before Xiao Bai could speak, he hurriedly called out, "Xiao Bai, come to my company right now! I've encountered a formidable opponent, very difficult to deal with. My company's address is xx Road, xx Building..."

Before Wu Nai could finish, the poisonous water had already quietly soaked his body clinging to the roof. He no longer had a chance to make another call. The water man stood by, coldly laughing, his expression strangely familiar to Wu Nai...

"Hello? Hello?!" Xiao Bai shouted several times into the silent phone, but there was still no answer. Instead, a "beep beep" sound came from the other end, indicating the call had been disconnected.

Xiao Bai frowned, put down his phone, and muttered, "What's that fox up to? He asked me to help him, but he didn't even explain what kind of opponent he encountered, and he hung up so abruptly..." He suddenly changed his expression and said to Sha Wujing beside him, "Could it be that he encountered some troublesome monster, making it impossible for him to even make phone calls? Old Sha

, Wu Nai's fox is in trouble. He said he encountered a powerful opponent."

Sha Wujing had been spending a lot of time with Xiao Bai lately, searching for the mysterious man in black. Hearing Xiao Bai's words, Sha Wujing's heart tightened: Had the man in black appeared? He hurriedly asked, "Where is he? Let's hurry over!"

"At his company!" Xiao Bai flagged down a taxi, gave an address, and the taxi sped towards Wu Nai's company.

Chapter 252 The Cowardly Man

When Xiao Bai and Sha Wujing arrived at the large building where Wu Nai worked, the night was already deep. The quiet sky contrasted sharply with the bustling city nightlife below.

After parking the car, Xiao Bai involuntarily glanced up at the hazy moonlight due to poor air quality, wondering if the mysterious man in black would finally appear. He was constantly creating demon slaves, and the threat to humanity was growing day by day. If he could show himself, things would be much easier; at least they would have a clear understanding of what kind of demon he was.

"Xiao Bai, how do we find him? This building is so tall, which floor is he on?" Sha Wujing asked.

"Don't worry, take your time!" Xiao Bai reassured him. Following the company names provided by Wu Nai, Xiao Bai easily found the floor plan. Looking at the distribution of no fewer than twenty companies, his head ached. That fox hadn't even mentioned what he did.

XX Housekeeping Service Company.

Xiao Bai immediately pictured Wu Nai kneeling on the floor in an apron, scrubbing the floor—utterly disgusting

… He quickly suppressed this horrifying image and moved on to the next one.

Pipeline repair company…detective agency…clothing company…

As he looked through them one by one, a feeling of being watched rose in his heart, as if a pair of eyes were staring at him. This was no illusion, but the extraordinary intuition he had honed in Leiyin Temple!

A cold glint flashed in Xiao Bai's eyes. Although his body remained in the same position, one hand had already subtly rested on his waist, ready to draw his Demon-Slaying Sword at the slightest provocation!

The chill continued to intensify, accompanied by a deep, oppressive resentment, like a boulder pressing down, making it hard to breathe. Under that pressure, Xiao Bai had to adjust his internal spiritual energy to resist the external resentment. Gradually, facing the increasingly dense, almost tangible resentment, he felt strained. Such passive defense was too disadvantageous.

His hand on his waist was about to draw the Demon-Slaying Sword, but he silently warned himself to remain calm and observe for a while.

As Xiao Bai pondered, the aura of resentment and chill receded even faster than it had arrived, vanishing without a trace as if it had never existed. However, Xiao Bai's vigilance only increased; a demon capable of controlling its aura so easily was certainly no ordinary being.

Xiao Bai slowly turned around. Several energy-saving lamps flickered overhead, seemingly about to go out at any moment, adding to the eerie atmosphere. "Do you know where that thing went?" Xiao Bai asked Sha Wujing. Sha Wujing only replied with four words: "Observe and see!"

The quiet was quickly broken. Steady footsteps approached from afar, and a thin figure slowly emerged from the darkness. He raised his head, revealing relatively clean features under the lamplight. He paused slightly upon seeing Xiao Bai and Sha Wujing, then walked towards them.

Xiao Bai also stared at the suddenly appearing man, carefully sensing his aura. There was no demonic energy, nor any unusual aura; only human energy. He should be an ordinary human. But why did he suddenly appear here? And after that resentful energy disappeared?

"Gentlemen

, what are you doing here so late? Is something the matter? If not, you should leave quickly. This building hasn't been peaceful lately; someone died not long ago!" the man said with concern. When he saw Xiao Bai's wary expression, he smiled, revealing a set of white teeth, and scratched his head, saying, "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Shi Xiang, and I work for INS Software Company. I just forgot something at the company, so I came to get it."

"Hello, my name is Xiaobai." After nodding, Xiaobai casually asked, "You just said someone died here. Do you know who it was? Why did they die?"

Shi Xiang's face flickered under the light. "Of course I know. The person who died was our company's development manager. He was traumatized and jumped off the building, dying instantly." He then adopted a mysterious demeanor. "You don't know, strange things have been happening at our company lately. It's like it's haunted. Everyone's terrified. Nobody dares to come here at night. I wouldn't have come here if I hadn't needed something I left behind tonight!" His expression was fearful

, and his eyes were timid.

"Haunted?" Xiao Bai chuckled lightly, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Do ghosts really exist?"

What he considered a joke elicited a serious, fearful nod from Shi Xiang. He looked around anxiously, as if something unclean might jump out. "Mr. Bai, don't be skeptical. I've seen it with my own eyes. It was terrifying! That ghost was dressed in white and floated around. Maybe our manager was killed by that ghost. If you have nothing else to do, you should go back quickly. It's really not safe here. I need to grab my things and leave quickly too."

"Hehe, I'm also dressed in white. I probably don't need to be afraid of ghosts," Xiao Bai said with a relaxed smile. "I'm here to see a friend named Wu Nai. Do you know him?"

Shi Xiang looked enlightened. "Oh, you're here to see Wu Nai? Of course I know him. We're not only from the same company, but I even sit across from him. But he's already gone home."

"Really? But he called me not long ago and asked me to come to his company so

he could talk to me about something important." Seeing Shi Xiang's mouth open as if he wanted to say something, Xiao Bai quickly flashed a bright smile and said, "If you don't mind, I'd like to go upstairs with you."

A strange light flashed in Shi Xiang's eyes, disappearing before Xiao Bai noticed it: "Mr. Bai... are you really going? Aren't you afraid..." His not-so-loud voice was filled with fear.

"Scared?" Xiao Bai chuckled, clapping her clean hands. "This is the kind of business I run. To be honest, I'm very interested in ghosts and monsters. If I were scared, I'd probably starve to death long ago. So, not only am I not scared, I'm actually looking forward to seeing these ghosts and monsters."

Seeing Xiao Bai's resolute attitude, Shi Xiang didn't try to persuade her further. He just nodded hesitantly and moved towards the elevator. Whether out of fear or something else, he walked very slowly, and Xiao Bai and Sha Wujing could only follow slowly behind. However, the two of them did not show any dissatisfaction or anxiety. On the contrary, they remained calm and followed slowly behind, as if they had forgotten about Wu Nai, who was still waiting for them to rescue.

Three long, slanted shadows overlapped and then separated

from time to time , and the sound of heels hitting the ground echoed in the empty building.

The elevator finally showed the first floor, but before the elevator doors could open, a heavy thud was heard outside, like a thick, heavy pile of tattered cotton falling down.

"Something seems to have happened outside, let's go check it out!" Shi Xiang threw down this sentence and immediately ran out, not caring whether Xiao Bai and the others followed.

"Xiao Bai, be careful, something's strange here!" Sha Wujing telepathically transmitted the message.

Xiao Bai curled the corners of his mouth at Shi Xiang's rapidly running back, revealing a strange smile: "Don't worry, I can handle it." He glanced at the elevator door that had just opened, then also ran out, the sound of his heels on the ground rapid and loud, like the midnight tolling of a death knell! Sha Wujing followed closely behind, the two walking quickly in tacit understanding without uttering a word.

Chapter 253 Illusion The sudden

change in events greatly surprised Xiao Bai and Sha Wujing.

Wu Nai!

It was Wu Nai!!

The sound of a heavy object falling to the ground that they had just heard was actually the sound of Wu Nai falling from the high-rise building. Upon seeing the face lying in the pool of blood, Xiao Bai and Sha Wujing simultaneously froze, as if struck by a magic spell. They couldn't utter a sound, just staring blankly at the lifeless corpse before them. Their eyes were open, revealing boundless terror, as if they had encountered something horrific.

How could this be? How could this be?

Xiao Bai asked himself repeatedly, but couldn't find a reasonable answer. Wasn't Wu Nai a fox demon? How could he have been killed like an ordinary person? It made no sense, but no matter how unwilling he was to believe it, Wu Nai's body lay undeniably before him, impossible to fake!

"No… I don't believe it…" Xiao Bai murmured. For some reason, seeing Wu Nai dead before him caused an unbearable heartache, as if a gaping hole had been ripped into his heart, aching terribly. He couldn't believe it was real, that it was all an illusion. Yet, despite this firm belief, he lacked the courage to go forward. He was afraid, truly afraid, so he simply stood there, unable to take a step between truth and illusion, because he feared it was all real…

Shi Xiang didn't have as many thoughts as Xiao Bai. After the initial shock, he ran towards Wu Nai with a sorrowful expression, calling his name repeatedly, tears welling in his eyes. Wu Nai was both his colleague and friend, and seeing him suffer such a tragic death naturally filled him with immense grief.

"What happened? Wu Nai was killed?" Sha Wujing murmured to himself. Everything before him seemed eerie. Wu Nai was a highly skilled fox demon; how could he just die like that?

"Wu Nai… he… he's dead…" Xiao Bai struggled to utter the last two words, "dead," his voice choked with sobs. Even Xiao Bai himself couldn't understand why he cared so much about a demon he had only known for a short time and met a few times. His death pained him, making him unable to think clearly.

"Little White, have you noticed anything suspicious?" Sha Wujing whispered in Little White's ear. Little White quickly recovered from his shock and asked, puzzled, "What could be suspicious? Everyone's dead."

"Wu Nai isn't dead. Look closely, Wu Nai hasn't revealed his fox form," Sha Wujing whispered. He kept his voice as low as possible so that Shi Xiang beside him couldn't hear him. Hearing Sha Wujing's words, Xiao Bai trembled slightly, as if he understood something. His previous sorrowful expression vanished, replaced by his usual calm. He thought, "That's right, Wu Nai is still in human form. He's a fox demon; how could he not reveal his true form after death?"

Xiao Bai examined Wu Nai's corpse more closely, and after a short while, he chuckled to himself, "Once a demon dies, it always reveals its true form. Wu Nai is a fox demon; how could he retain his human form after death? This is clearly an illusion." He turned to Sha Wujing and whispered, "As the saying goes, concern makes one confused. Old Sha, I was too concerned about this fox's life or death, so I was deceived by the illusion. Alas… I almost fell for it!" After careful analysis,

the pain in Xiao Bai's heart finally began to subside. An illusion—this was just an illusion! Thank goodness, it wasn't Wu Nai.

Shi Xiang was still wailing, clutching the mangled corpse, his grief overwhelming. Overwhelmed with sorrow, he forgot he should call 110 (the police emergency number).

Xiao Bai coldly surveyed Shi Xiang from above, as if looking at a complete stranger. The thin, real mist in his eyes had vanished, replaced only by indifference and wariness.

"Excuse me, could you move aside?" he said to Shi Xiang, polite but unquestionable. Shi Xiang hesitated for a moment before stepping back, his clothes now stained with blood and even brain matter from the corpse.

The Demon-Slaying Sword was drawn, Xiao Bai's expression now incredibly solemn: "Dispel the fog of night, ward off all evil, Demon-Slaying Sword, grant me power!"

The sword glowed with a faint blue light. Xiao Bai pressed the sword against Wu Nai's body. The sword, upon contact, dispelled all fog and illusion, restoring everything to reality.

The so-called corpse of Wu Nai melted away like snow under the sword's light, shedding its inappropriate disguise, transformed from head to toe

. Looking up again, the person lying on the ground had changed. It was a man around forty years old, somewhat overweight. Although his face was still passable, he looked nothing like Wu Nai from before. Shi Xiang was stunned by this series of changes. When he finally saw the person lying on the ground, he screamed and ran away, but his legs gave way after only a few steps, and he collapsed to the ground, clutching his head and closing his eyes, repeatedly shouting, "Ghost! Ghost!"

A smile finally appeared on Xiao Bai's face. It really wasn't him! Actually, for a moment, he was still a little scared. Better safe than sorry.

"It turns out someone used a spell to obstruct my vision. This person's goal is to make me think Wu Nai is dead so I'll leave and not interfere. Do you know who this person on the ground is?" Xiao Bai asked the collapsed Shi Xiang, who seemed to recognize the person on the ground.

Shi Xiang was so terrified he forgot to run away, and wouldn't listen to Xiao Bai's words. He continued to scream and yell. Xiao Bai smirked and said, "Don't be afraid, I'll help you!" Then he pressed the sword against Shi Xiang's body, trying to help him

calm down.

But the moment the sword touched his body, it encountered tremendous resistance. Not only could the sword not be pressed down, but the resistance also made his palm hurt. Looking closely, he saw that the blue light on the Demon-Slaying Sword had quickly dissipated, as if it had evaporated into thin air, leaving no trace.

How strange, why did the blue light of the Demon-Slaying Sword disappear without a trace? Xiao Bai stared at the sword thoughtfully, quietly pondering.

Chapter 254 The True Colors Revealed

After howling for a while, Shi Xiang finally regained some composure. Seeing Xiao Bai beside him, he grabbed his hand desperately as if he had been saved, and cried out in a panic, "Mr. Bai, I know you are a person with great magical powers and supernatural abilities. Please, you must save me! There is a ghost! There really is a ghost!"

Xiao Bai comforted him, "Mr. Shi, don't be afraid. Tell me what happened. Do you know the person over there?" He pointed to the motionless, unfamiliar corpse.

Compared to Xiaobai, who was used to such scenes, Shi Xiang didn't dare to look at it at all, stammering, "I...I know him..." He swallowed nervously, making a "gulp" sound, "He...he...is Liu Xing, the development manager who died today...during the daytime."

After asking a few more questions, Xiaobai finally understood who Liu Xing was. So he was that unfortunate development manager, but didn't he die during the day and have already been sent to the funeral home? How could he fall from this rooftop again, and be disguised as Wu Nai?

"He...he's here to harm people, Mr. Bai, save me!" Faced with the unknown ghost, Shi Xiang's courage suddenly shrank considerably, almost as much as a girl's.

"Don't be afraid. If you've never done anything wrong, you won't be afraid of ghosts knocking at your door in the middle of the night. Mr. Shi, you haven't done anything wrong, have you? So why are you afraid of ghosts or monsters?" After comforting him for a while, Xiao Bai got rid of Shi Xiang's entanglement and walked to Liu Xing's body. This wasn't a ghost. Liu Xing was just an ordinary person. His soul had long since dissipated, so someone must have been causing trouble. But who was that person?

Dark red blood was everywhere on the ground. Logically, after being dead for so long, the blood should have congealed long ago. Even if someone were to fall from it again, there shouldn't be this much blood. And…

“Huh?” Xiao Bai seemed to have noticed something. He squatted down, dipped his finger in the blood, and examined it closely. He brought his blood-stained finger close to Sha Wujing's eyes and whispered, “Old Sha, look, isn't this blood different from others?”

“Different?” Sha Wujing blinked a few times, puzzled. “This is definitely human blood, that's right, but it seems thinner than normal blood, like…”

Xiao Bai interrupted, “Like it

's been diluted with water, right?” Seeing Sha Wujing agree, he pointed to the still-bleeding wound and said, “Look, the blood that just flowed from his body is also this thin. It's obvious his body was abnormally injected with water.”

“Why would you inject water into a dead person?” Sha Wujing asked, frowning his thick eyebrows. He only knew about zombies sucking human blood; he had never heard of anyone injecting water into a corpse. Xiao Bai pursed his lips. "Who knows?" he said to the terrified Shi Xiang. "Mr. Shi, I need to go inside the building now. Maybe I'll find some clues. Could you please tell me which floor and building your company is on? As for you, it's best not to go in. Otherwise, you might accidentally lose your life."

He said this for Shi Xiang's own good, not wanting the timid man to take any more risks. But unexpectedly, Shi Xiang suddenly found courage and insisted on going in with Xiao Bai and the others. His explanation was that Xiao Bai had such powerful abilities that he could definitely protect him from harm.

This seemed to contradict his earlier behavior, but Xiao Bai just smiled and didn't object, letting him follow behind him.

Then they all got into the elevator. The INP software company was on the seventh floor of the building, and the elevator arrived in the blink of an eye.

To the right of the elevator was the INP software company. Shi Xiang took out his key and opened the door. As the lights came on, the interior was immediately visible. Desks were neatly arranged in various places, each covered with computers. Several other offices were separated by glass, presumably the offices of managers and leaders, while the outer areas were for general staff. Since everyone had left work, the office was quiet.

After Xiao Bai and Sha Wujing had looked around, Shi Xiang, who had retrieved something from his desk, said, "Mr. Bai, you've all looked. Wu Nai really isn't here. Let's hurry up and leave. Just standing here makes me feel incredibly creepy and terrified."

Xiao Bai ignored him and walked to the middle, speaking disdainfully to the empty air, "You dare to use the same trick again after using it once? Do you think I wouldn't see through it? Do you want me to do it again like before? Also, did you capture the fox? Release him now."

Xiao Bai was currently on

high alert for the enemy hiding in the shadows, completely unaware of Shi Xiang behind him. A terrifying killing intent flashed in Shi Xiang's eyes, his twisted features contorted into a grotesque grimace, and his two hands, transformed into venomous spray, lashed out at the unsuspecting Xiao Bai with lightning speed.

Fast! But there was no sound!

Neither Xiao Bai nor Sha Wujing seemed to notice. Shi Xiang smiled silently. Even with their immense abilities, being touched by this highly toxic water would

result in their flesh rotting and their deaths! Just as Shi Xiang was imagining the horrific scene of Xiao Bai being poisoned, Xiao Bai, who should have been completely unprepared, suddenly turned around. The Demon-Slaying Sword was already in his hand, a shimmering blue light instantly protecting his entire body, and a calm smile graced his handsome face.

Shi Xiang's eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn't understand how Xiao Bai had discovered his sneak attack. The

poison water struck the Demon-Slaying Sword, but to no avail. It scattered and splashed everywhere. The desks, chairs, and computers that came into contact with the poison water immediately revealed their true nature.

Water! It was all an illusion created by water. The real office was already empty, the floor and walls covered in peeling paint, as if scorched by something.

"Any other tricks up your sleeve?" Xiao Bai calmly gazed at Shi Xiang, who was no longer human and whose entire body was made of poisonous water. Sha Wujing, holding his demon-subduing staff, was also on high alert. Shi Xiang's outer clothes had been completely corroded by the poisonous water. He stared with two unusually frightening green eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "How did you find me?" At this point, it was obvious that his disguise had been discovered, which was why his sneak attack had failed.

Protected by the Demon-Slaying Sword, Xiao Bai wasn't afraid of Shi Xiang's underhanded tactics and answered frankly, "Do you think you've disguised yourself very well? Actually, from the moment you appeared, I suspected you weren't as simple as you seemed. Before you appeared, I sensed a very deep sense of resentment, something no human could detect. You appeared shortly after it disappeared. While it could be a coincidence, I have more reason to believe it wasn't accidental, so I kept an eye on you then. That's one point. Secondly, when I

tested you with the sword, I found that it couldn't get close enough to enter your body. Not only that, but it also backfired. At that point, I was pretty sure you weren't human!"

Shi Xiang's face was flushed with emotion. It turned out his flaws had been seen through long ago, and it was laughable that he was completely unaware. It seemed he really wasn't cut out for scheming.

Xiao Bai held up three fingers: "Thirdly, it makes no sense that someone who claims to be terrified of ghosts would actually ask to enter a building rumored to be haunted. Furthermore, I discovered that Liu Xing's body, disguised as Wu Nai, and the blood flowing from it showed signs of being soaked in water. Of course, no one would intentionally inject water into a corpse, so there's only one possibility: he came into contact with something water-related during his transport from the funeral home. Am I right? A poisonous water monster!" The last four words revealed Shi Xiang's true form.

Shi Xiang's facial muscles contorted, terrifying and ferocious, appearing particularly frightening in the dim light.

Chapter 255 Midnight Flying Man

Xiao Bai, his face cold and solemn, asked, "Why did you kill him? Where is Wu Nai? What did you do to him?"

Shi Xiang laughed loudly, the sound causing water to surge all over his body. After the laughter subsided, his expression was a mixture of sorrow and ruthlessness: "I only hate Liu Xing. I didn't want to kill you, but you insisted on coming to your deaths, so don't blame me. None of you will leave today!" With that, he waved his hands, and two streams of water shot towards Xiao Bai like arrows. Xiao Bai's Demon-Slaying Sword flashed with a blue light, instantly deflecting the two arrows.

Shi Xiang said dismissively, "I have the ability to manipulate water sources within a thousand meters. Let's see how many your broken sword can block!" Then he roared, "Ten Thousand Arrows Barrage!"

In an instant, countless arrows made of poisonous water appeared from all directions around Xiao Bai and Sha Wujing, shooting towards them simultaneously, with more water arrows continuously replenishing the supply. "If all these arrows hit the Demon-Slaying Sword, it definitely wouldn't be able to withstand the onslaught," Xiao Bai cursed under his breath, dodging the barrage of poisoned arrows. Sha Wujing wielded

his Demon-Subduing Staff with impenetrable skill, deflecting the relentless onslaught of poisoned water arrows. Despite their best efforts to dodge and defend, one or two poisoned water arrows still struck them, instantly tearing holes in their clothes.

Meanwhile, Shi Xiang continued to mobilize water from within a kilometer radius. He mobilized all the water flowing through the pipes in that area, causing many households within that range to inexplicably experience water outages. No matter how many taps they turned on, no water came out, yet the water meters spun wildly, consuming tons or even tens of tons of water in the blink of an eye. This situation continued until the next day when the water supply automatically stopped. As for the reason for the water meters spinning so wildly, the repairmen sent by the water company couldn't find the cause and eventually had to leave it at that.

The battle inside continued. As the water arrows gathered in ever greater numbers, both Xiao Bai and Sha Wujing found it increasingly difficult to defend themselves. Knowing that they couldn't afford to relax in this situation, they wielded their staffs and swords with fierce skill, creating countless sword and staff shadows to deflect the seemingly endless poison arrows.

"To catch a thief, first catch the king; to shoot a man, first shoot his horse! Brother Sha, we can't keep passively defending like this!" Xiao Bai whispered. Sha Wujing immediately understood. Indeed, if they continued like this, they would either be killed or exhausted. To survive, they had to take a risky approach.

He stomped heavily on the ground, his spiritual energy circulating at its peak to form a faint protective shield around his body, shielding him from the poison arrows. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Sha Wujing focused all his attention on his demon-subduing staff. The staff shone with red light and crackled with lightning, and he swung it down fiercely at Shi Xiang.

Shi Xiang neither dodged nor evaded. Just as the staff reached his head, he let out several unpleasant laughs. Then, under Sha Wujing's watchful gaze, his body rapidly shrunk, turning into a puddle of ever-expanding green water on the ground.

Sha Wujing's face was indescribably grim. Water is formless and shapeless; in this situation, even if he wanted to attack, he couldn't. But what could he do if he didn't?

"This guy is so troublesome! He seems to be a rather difficult monster. Damn it, when did Lingwang City get so many monsters? Is there any way to deal with him?" Sha Wujing cursed angrily.

Just as Xiaobai was about to answer, she suddenly shouted, "Retreat!"

Sha Wujing didn't have time to think; he instinctively followed Xiaobai's instructions and retreated until he reached a corner before stopping. Looking closely, he realized that the puddle of poisonous water Shi Xiang had transformed into had unknowingly spread to his feet. If he had retreated even a step later, he would have suffered greatly.

Once Sha Wujing and Bai Suzhen were safely on the windowsill, Bai Suzhen warned again, "Boss Sha, be careful he might attack again!"

Shi Xiang used the same trick he had used against Wu Nai: poisonous water spread upwards and would soon reach the windowsill where Sha Wujing and Bai Suzhen were standing. Unless they jumped outside, they would be unable to escape the poison. While Bai Suzhen considered a solution, he said to Sha Wujing, "We must find the fox Wu Nai and see what kind of water demon this is before we can deal with him!"

Sha Wujing, watching the water level, retorted irritably, "Easy for you to say! We don't even know if that fox is alive or dead. How can we find him? Besides, do you think this water demon

would let us leave to find the fox to deal with him?"

"Of course you can't go, I'll go!" Xiao Bai whispered, "I suspect the fox isn't dead, otherwise the corpse you saw downstairs wouldn't be the one disguised by magic, but the real fox's body. Since that's the case, he's probably trapped somewhere in this building and can't get away for the time being. I can try to find him; until then, you need to find a way to stall this water demon."

There was no other way but to try. Sha Wujing gritted his teeth and nodded, "Okay then. Be careful, and leave immediately if you see any danger. Don't worry about me, I have a way to escape."

Xiao Bai nodded silently, then, using Sha Wujing's body as cover, slowly flew up outside the window. Only after getting out of the water demon's sight did he suddenly accelerate. The situation was urgent; he didn't care if anyone saw him flying so recklessly outside.

A man returning home late at night suddenly saw a white body flying in mid-air. He turned pale with fright, and his high-pitched, shrill scream pierced the silent night.

After , he took off running, his speed incredibly fast. ( Chapter 256,

April 25th ) Sha Wujing knew his most important task was to stall for time until Xiao Bai found the fox Wu Nai. But how exactly to stall? The poisonous water was less than an inch from the windowsill where he stood. What could he do?! Just as he was becoming increasingly anxious, a sudden idea flashed into his mind, and he quickly shouted, "Wait!" Unexpectedly, he suddenly shouted this, causing Shi Xiang to pause the rising tide of the poisonous water and instead solidify his upper body image on the surface: "Do you have any last words? I'll give you one minute to leave your last words, so you don't die with regrets."

Sha Wujing rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, "What last words? I have an indestructible body, how could I die? It's just that this poisonous water is too potent, I don't want to get involved." So he said, "Shi Xiang, you were originally just a drop of water. To achieve a demonic body is already a great opportunity. Since that's the case, you should cherish it. Why don't you cultivate properly and instead choose to mingle in the mortal world? Since you've decided to mingle in the mortal world, why do you use your extraordinary abilities to kill and harm people? Do you know that this will only lead you to

eternal damnation , and may even trigger heavenly punishment to destroy your hard-won cultivation?!"

"A drop of water?? Hahaha!" Sha Wujing's words sounded like a huge joke to Shi Xiang. He laughed loudly, his expression like that of a madman. Although his body was made of water, one could still clearly see the expression on his face—a mixture of desolation and madness.

The laughter abruptly stopped, and Shi Xiang said viciously, "I am a demon, that's true, but let me tell you, before I became a demon, I was a living, breathing human being, just like everyone else! I was young, knowledgeable, and had a bright future. If it weren't for that shameless scoundrel Liu Xing stealing my design work, leaving me with nothing, even my girlfriend running away, would I be the inhuman, ghost-like creature I am now?"

Human? He was human too? Sha Wujing's heart skipped a beat, thinking of someone whose situation was extremely similar to Shi Xiang's: Leng Shuang. She too had strong resentment that attracted a mysterious person, who transformed her from a human into a demon. Could Shi Xiang be the same? Thinking of this, he blurted out, "Were you transformed into a demon by a mysterious person?"

Shi Xiang looked puzzled

and asked curiously, "How did you know?"

Compared to Shi Xiang's surprise, Sha Wujing's heart sank to the bottom. The Leng Shuang he had encountered was just a relatively low-level demon, but this Shi Xiang was already quite high-level. Although he wasn't so powerful that no one could resist him, he was definitely not to be underestimated and surpassed the abilities of many demons.

The mysterious man not only can transform people into monsters, but his abilities are becoming increasingly powerful. He wondered if there were any limitations to his transformations; otherwise, wouldn't he be able to create monsters without limit?

Cold sweat dripped down his back. It seemed Shi Xiang was just a pawn in the game. If they couldn't find the mysterious man, more Shi Xiangs would appear, and even more advanced monsters might emerge. What would he do then? It seemed he would have to trouble his senior brother to take action personally.

At this moment, Sha Wujing had committed a cardinal sin in warfare: distraction. If the enemy seized the opportunity to attack, he might suffer a great loss. Fortunately, Shi Xiang was also mentally unstable and missed the chance. He was still immersed in his own thoughts, muttering, "I didn't want to kill anyone, I

didn't want to become a monster. Liu Xing forced me to do this. I spent years developing this game software, and he took my hard work for himself with just a few words. I'm not reconciled! I'm not reconciled!" His voice suddenly rose again, as if he wanted to vent all his grievances.

"This isn't over yet. My girlfriend, who was supposed to marry me, ran off with someone else because of this. My parents are so upset they're bedridden. All of this is because of Liu Xing. Don't you think he deserves to die!" Shi Xiang's eyes flashed coldly, as ferocious as a wolf. Once a person loses their normal nature, they are no different from animals, or even worse!

Sha Wujing had been listening quietly. When Shi Xiang had finished speaking, he asked, "Do you know who turned you into a monster?"

"I don't know. I only know that he could fulfill my wish for revenge, so I willingly became a monster. Liu Xing is dead, and my revenge is complete, but..." At this point, he suddenly lowered his voice. He had achieved his goal, but he was at a loss about what to do next.

“But you don’t know what to do in the future,

do you?” Sha Wujing finished his sentence for him. “You don’t know your future goals and pursuits, and you don’t know how to be a monster.” He sighed slightly. “Actually, your nature is kind, otherwise you wouldn’t have tried to deceive us in the first place.”

Shi Xiang opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn’t say it. Instead, Sha Wujing received a message from Xiao Bai, who had been gone for a long time. Xiao Bai had already brought Wu Nai and would be there in a while. He was told to hold on.

Knowing that Wu Nai was indeed alright, Sha Wujing breathed a sigh of relief and continued to cheer up Shi Xiang, saying, “You accepted the mysterious man’s transformation and turned yourself into a monster, all for the sake of settling a personal grudge. It’s true that Liu Xing was wrong, but he didn’t deserve to die. You killed him with inhuman power. Do you really feel no guilt at all?”

“I have no guilt! Hmph, Liu Xing deserved to die a thousand deaths. Why would I feel guilty?” Shi Xiang said coldly.

"The line between humans and demons is thin. A human who doesn't do good is no different from a demon, while a demon with a benevolent heart is more like a human. Shi Xiang, it's not too late to turn back!" Sha Wujing coaxed patiently.

Shi

Xiang laughed, then retorted angrily, "Turn back? Do you think you'll let me go if I turn back? It's too late. From the day I chose to become a demon, I was destined to never turn back. Today, it's either you or me!" His mind was made up. He didn't waste any more words, manipulating the poisonous water to rise at a speed three times faster than before. The poisonous water rose rapidly, reaching Sha Wujing's feet in just a few breaths.

Little White and the fox Wu Nai hadn't arrived yet, so Sha Wujing had to hold on. He held his demon-subduing staff, chanting, "Demon-subduing staff, display your divine power. Form upon contact with water, its clear light shines for ten thousand miles!" The staff emitted a dazzling red light, enveloping the poisonous water beneath Sha Wujing's feet.

The poisonous water remained highly toxic, but under the dazzling red light, it froze into ice, the ice layer over a meter thick. Almost the instant the ice formed, Sha Wujing, standing on the windowsill, leaped down, his demon-subduing staff striking the frozen ground with a cracking sound. Not only the controlled water froze, but Shi Xiang's water-like body also instantly turned into an ice sculpture. Seeing temporary safety, Sha Wujing breathed a sigh of relief, but before he could fully exhale, fine cracks began to appear on the surface of Shi Xiang's ice sculpture, accompanied by crackling sounds. Clearly, the power of the dazzling red light was insufficient to subdue him; fortunately, the ice in other areas hadn't melted yet. Before Sha

Wujing could chant any more incantations to activate the red light of his staff, the ice around Shi Xiang shattered completely. He roared, transforming his body into a vast net of water that swept towards Sha Wujing. "Indeed a troublesome demon," Sha Wujing thought to himself, but his movements were swift and agile. He moved and dodged in the limited space, his clothes occasionally brushing against him and instantly corroded. In just over a minute, Sha Wujing was finding himself somewhat flustered.

Chapter 257: A Desperate Persuasion

Under Shi Xiang's relentless offensive, Sha Wujing was becoming increasingly overwhelmed. The limited space, no matter how he dodged, made him appear clumsy. If he didn't find a way to counterattack, Shi Xiang would soon be entangled with him.

Shi Xiang was now focused on killing Sha Wujing. He knew that only by killing all those who knew the truth could he continue to live as a human without constantly worrying about being exposed and hunted down. A human identity combined with demonic power would greatly facilitate his future actions, freeing him from being confined to this small software company. At some point, Shi Xiang's mindset began to change, evolving from an initial desire for revenge into a deeper, more insatiable greed.

At this moment, Xiao Bai finally arrived with Wu Nai, but before they could break through the window and enter, Shi Xiang's water net had already caught up with Sha Wujing, who had been forced to the corner. The green water net, shimmering with an eerie light, descended upon Sha Wujing. Once trapped in his green water net, even if Sha Wujing possessed an indestructible body, he might still be harmed.

There are many unexpected things in the world; who knows?

Sha Wujing raised his demon-subduing staff to defend, the flashing red light dazzling Shi Xiang. He assumed it was another attack from Sha Wujing and frantically tried to block, but the expected attack never came. Looking closer, he realized something was amiss and nearly vomited blood. It turned out that Sha Wujing had once again activated the staff's dazzling red light, but this time it wasn't against him, but against himself. He had encased himself in thick ice. Because it was a self-inflicted attack, Sha Wujing could continuously channel energy into the ice, preventing Shi Xiang from breaking through for the time being.

However, Sha Wujing was in a terrible state, like being thrown into a freezer. The feeling would be so intense that you wouldn't even know how to move your eyes, and he had to constantly channel his energy outwards to fight against Shi Xiang's rampaging destruction.

The thick ice layer was broken and then repaired.

The two repeated this action endlessly, but gradually, the repair speed couldn't keep up with the destruction speed. Clearly, Sha Wujing's energy was showing signs of exhaustion.

Unfortunately,

before Shi Xiang could completely break through the ice's defenses, Xiao Bai and Wu Nai had already broken in through the window. They kicked the window open, and then, in a flash, the Demon-Slaying Sword blocked Shi Xiang's attack on Sha Wujing: "Shi Xiang, you can stop now."

Wu Nai looked somewhat haggard. He had been trapped on the rooftop by Shi Xiang and couldn't escape until Xiao Bai found him and helped him break free. Actually, during the earlier attack, he had vaguely sensed that this demon was someone he knew, but he couldn't quite place him. Now, he could finally confirm that it was the taciturn but honest Shi Xiang.

As Wu Nai and Xiao Bai appeared, Sha Wujing also broke free of the ice covering his body. He was shivering slightly, curled up in a ball, and laughed at Xiao Bai, saying, "Hehe, so being covered in snow all over is such a painful thing."

"So it really was you!" Wu Nai said this with a heavy tone. He and Shi Xiang were fairly good colleagues, and he never expected that the one who caused trouble was him. "Why did you do this?"

Shi Xiang was a little afraid to meet his eyes, and lowered his head, saying painfully,

"Wu Nai, you are my friend, I don't want to hurt you, but why do you keep chasing me?"

Wu Nai did not answer his question, but instead grabbed Shi Xiang's shoulders and shook him hard, saying, "How did you become a monster? Aren't you human? Why did you suddenly become a monster? Answer me! Answer me!"

Shi Xiang shook his head without saying a word. Later, Sha Wujing quickly recounted the story, letting Wu Nai understand the hidden truth behind it.

Silence, a wordless silence…

“How could you be so foolish!” After a long silence, Wu Nai finally blurted out, “Why didn’t you speak up about this back then? You let Liu Xing claim your achievements for himself. What’s worse, you actually accepted the mysterious person’s arrangement for a scumbag like Liu Xing, sacrificing yourself to become a demon. Do you want to live as a demon for the rest of your life?”

Shi Xiang suddenly raised his lowered head and said angrily, “What’s wrong with being a demon? I can do whatever I want, unlike when I was a human, I had to suffer humiliation and injustice!”

“Is that so?” Wu Nai sneered repeatedly, a disdainful look appearing on his charming and handsome face

. “Do you really think that being a demon means you can be without any scruples? Humans have laws, but demons have heavenly laws. If you do too many bad things, someone will naturally take you down. They are two of them.” He pointed to Sha Wujing and Xiao Bai, and continued, “Even if you are not afraid of them, the cycle of heaven, cause and effect, everything is predetermined. What you owe must be repaid, and no one can escape it. And…”

“And what?” Shi Xiang pressed Wu Nai, who had suddenly stopped speaking.

"When you have hundreds or even thousands of years of lifespan, you will see your parents and friends grow old and even die one by one, while you remain as young as ever. This will be the biggest blow to you!" Wu Nai said, enunciating each word clearly. With each sentence, Shi Xiang's body trembled, almost losing his balance.

However, Wu Nai's words were incomplete. These situations only applied to ordinary mortals. In the demon realm, where everyone was a demon, the situation was entirely different.

Shi Xiang's face gradually changed from fierce to helpless and bewildered. Unfortunately, this state did not last long, and he quickly reverted to his ferocious appearance, roaring loudly, "You don't need to waste any more words. Now that I'm like this, there's no use in regretting it. I know you want to capture me, but I will never surrender!" With that, he prepared to attack.

The pool of poisonous water that Sha Wujing had previously frozen with the power of his staff burst forth under Shi Xiang's influence, leaving the room completely devoid of footholds. Sha Wujing and the others hadn't expected Shi Xiang to turn on them so suddenly, plunging them into danger.

"Everyone be careful!" Sha Wujing warned, urging everyone to concentrate on dealing with Shi Xiang's attack.

Chapter 258: The Exchange of Conditions

Since breaking through the window with Xiao Bai, Wu Nai hadn't let his guard down. Almost the instant Shi Xiang made a move, he leaped into the air, his five fingers flashing to reveal sharp claws that gripped the wall. His other hand lashed out with a fiery, soul-hooking whip, aiming a fierce blow at Shi Xiang.

Shi Xiang forcefully slapped the water's surface with both hands, then leaped up, attacking them at ten times the speed of a normal person. They couldn't dodge; they could only take the hit head-on. Moreover, water was everywhere, and any slight opening would be met with its penetration. This battle was truly frustrating.

Xiao Bai hovered in the air, wielding the Demon-Slaying Sword against Shi Xiang. Wu Nai wasn't idle either; his gleaming whip whistled around Shi Xiang. Both Xiao Bai's sword and Wu Nai's claws could slice through Shi Xiang's body, but the moment they made a move, he would immediately follow up, rendering their attacks utterly useless. Frustrated, utterly frustrated, Wu Nai was nearly driven mad!

While the battle raged inside, the weather outside was equally chaotic. Thunder rumbled, lightning flashed wildly, clearly indicating an imminent storm. Sha Wujing thoughtfully observed the weather outside, his eyes growing brighter

with each flash of lightning illuminating the night sky.

"Xiao Bai, use fire!" Sha Wujing urged.

"Yes, use fire!" Xiao Bai silently chanted a spell, then opened its mouth, unleashing balls of flame the size of bowls towards Shi Xiang. Knowing the inherent conflict between water and fire, Shi Xiang dared not be careless, retreating several meters to avoid being burned.

Shi Xiang retreated a few steps, and Wu Nai seized the opportunity to attack with his fiery, soul-snatching whip. The whip stretched infinitely long, shattering the windowpane like a serpent's tongue. "Heavenly Righteous Qi, Thunderous Strike!" With Xiao Bai's angry shout, the azure light on the Demon-Slaying Sword suddenly intensified, transforming into a dragon-shaped beam of light that pierced through the shattered window and shot straight into the sky. The

already incessant thunderclaps intensified, each one louder than the last, like ten thousand horses galloping in one's ears.

Wu Nai watched the thunderous and lightning-filled sky with anticipation. Soon, the lightning finally began to fall, naturally targeting Shi Xiang. At first, the lightning was only as thick as chopsticks, which he easily withstood with his own defense. However, Shi Xiang soon

discovered that things were not so easy, because the lightning striking him was getting thicker and more powerful. Often, a single bolt of lightning would paralyze him, causing his limbs to become clumsy and unresponsive. Even if he occasionally dodged, the lightning would still strike the poisonous water connected to his body. He had known for a long time that water could conduct electricity, but only today did he truly experience the devastating effects of this conductivity. What was once a means of defeating his enemies had now become his greatest burden.

This was the method Xiao Bai had come up with: to harness the power of nature for his own use!

Outside, the weather was currently filled with thunder and lightning, and the energy contained within the lightning was extremely powerful. If they could draw it down to deal with Shi Xiang, the effect would be absolutely fantastic. The lightning not only paralyzed Shi Xiang's body but was also rapidly depleting the demonic power he relied on for survival. Once it was completely depleted, he would definitely be reduced to ashes. But now, Shi Xiang had no other choice but to resist. The continuous lightning strikes left him no time to even escape.

After striking dozens of times, the lightning power gathered in the clouds finally dissipated, and raindrops the size of soybeans began to fall

, washing away the dust and grime of the world.

Although Shi Xiang had miraculously survived the lightning strike, he was severely weakened and could no longer solidify his body, only managing to conjure a human face on the water's surface.

The water level continued to drop until it disappeared completely; the water that had previously risen above the windowsill receded entirely, leaving only a small pool of water forming Shi Xiang's likeness on the ground.

With the threat gone, Wu Nai could finally jump down, no longer needing to hang on the wall. Shi Xiang was no longer able to fight and could be reduced to ashes at any moment, but Sha Wujing and Xiao Bai were not happy; they felt only heaviness. Shi Xiang was a pitiful person; if Liu Xing hadn't been so arrogant, he would never have fallen into the demonic path.

"Is there anything else you wish for?" Wu Nai stared down at Shi Xiang's unreal face, his heart filled with bitterness. He and Shi Xiang were colleagues, after all, yet now he had to watch him walk towards his death, and he himself was one of those who pushed him to his doom.

Shi

Xiang tried desperately to solidify his body instead of lying paralyzed on the ground, but his demonic power was almost exhausted, and it

was all in vain. He glared at Wu Nai with a face full of resentment and roared, "Wu Nai, I've always wanted to spare your life, but why are you so determined to kill me? I've always considered you a good colleague and friend, how can you do this to me? And you even joined forces with these two damned people! I'm a demon, and you're a demon too, why can you live in this world but I can't? God is unfair!"

Wu Nai listened to him silently, without a word. Despite his rebuttal and continued cursing, Xiao Bai couldn't stand it any longer and stepped forward, coldly saying, "You're wrong. Heaven is very fair; it's just that you've blinded yourself and can't see it. Wu Nai was born a demon; he had no choice, so he could only live in this world as a demon. I don't know what he was like before, but since I met him, I've never seen him do a single bad thing. But you're different. You were originally just an ordinary person, yet you insisted on changing your fate and falling into the demonic path. That alone is a huge mistake, not to mention that you fell into the demonic path to kill and seek revenge..."

"He deserves to die! Liu Xing could die a hundred times and it wouldn't be enough to atone for his sins!" Shi Xiang shouted, interrupting Xiao Bai.

Xiao Bai shook his head and continued, "The human realm has its own laws. You have no right to judge anyone's life or death, even if they were truly wrong. Instead of resolving this matter through the proper channels, you chose a simple and brutal method. An eye for an eye, it's not that retribution won't come, it's just that the time hasn't come yet. It's precisely because Heaven is fair and just that you died at our hands after killing Liu Xing, Shi Xiang. At this moment, do you really not understand at all?" He

spoke this long string of words without even taking a breath, which made Sha Wujing next to him laugh. He leaned over and whispered in his ear, teasingly saying, "Xiao Bai, you're getting better and better at preaching now, and your lung capacity is much greater than before. If you ever stop hanging around Leiyin Temple, you could switch careers and become a preaching master. I guarantee you'd be very popular, and a bunch of villains would be moved to tears by your words!" Xiao Bai always ignored such frivolous teasing suggestions and simply ignored them.

Shi Xiang went from yelling and complaining to falling silent, as if he understood Xiao Bai's words. But then his face filled with malice again, and he said in a

vicious voice, "Understand? Hahaha, even if I really understand, so what? Everything will never be the same again. I'm destined to be reduced to ashes. From now on, there will be no more Shi Xiang in this world. Dad, Mom, Xiao Lan, sob..." As he spoke, he started crying again. Thinking that he would never see his dearest loved ones again, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with sorrow. Xiao Lan was his girlfriend. Although she had left with another man, he still loved her very much!

"After you leave, I will take care of your parents and make sure they don't have a miserable old age." This was the only sentence Wu Nai spoke after a long silence. Shi Xiang didn't reply, but from his eyes, it was clear that he was still grateful to Wu Nai.

Xiao Bai's eyes darted around, and an idea formed in his mind. He said to Shi Xiang, "If you're willing to tell me who turned you into a monster, I can let you see your parents and Xiao Lan one last time."

This offer made Shi Xiang's heart pound. If he could really see them one last time before he died, he wouldn't have too many regrets. However, he couldn't believe that Xiao Bai would be so kind. He asked suspiciously, "If I tell you

about that mysterious person, will you really help me fulfill my wish?"

Xiao Bai shrugged and said, "If I say I will, I will definitely do it. But if you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do.

How about we try our luck?" Seeing that Shi Xiang was still hesitant, Sha Wujing impatiently urged him, "Are you even a man? If you are, make a decision quickly. It's almost dawn, and there's not much time left."

Shi Xiang hesitated for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and agreeing to Xiao Bai's offer. He told Sha Wujing and the others everything he knew about the mysterious man, giving them a better understanding of this enigmatic person.

The mysterious figure with the ability to transform people into monsters is a man with a gloomy face, dressed in black, and whose whereabouts are elusive. Only those with extremely strong resentment can be attracted to him. After the person agrees, he will transform them into a monster and then let them fulfill his wishes. How this transformation is done is unclear because Shi Xiang was unconscious at the time. The mysterious man seems to do this purely out of interest, without

asking for any payment.

Whether the mysterious man in black is truly aimless and just doing it for fun, or whether his purpose is unknown, Sha Wujing and the others cannot be sure. However, one thing is certain: the black-clad man's ability to transform monsters is rapidly increasing. Perhaps next time he can create even more powerful monsters. They must find this man before things become irreversible, but given his elusive nature, whether they can find him remains to be seen.

Shi Xiang urgently said to Xiao Bai, who was still deep in thought, "Alright, I've told you everything I know now. Can you let me see my parents and Xiao Lan one last time? Tell me quickly, how exactly do you plan to let us meet? Also, my current appearance..." He could no longer transform into his human form; now he was just a puddle of water, a puddle of water that couldn't solidify and was about to disappear.

His voice was weak and powerless, like that of an old man on his deathbed.

Chapter 259 Mysterious Whereabouts

Xiao Bai smiled slightly, took out a bright, sparkling bead from his mouth, and placed it in front of Shi Xiang, saying, "Since I promised you, I will naturally have a way. Alright, let me help you temporarily restore your human form, so as not to frighten others." As soon as Xiao Bai finished speaking, the bead in his hand shone brightly, completely enveloping Shi Xiang's limp body on the ground.

Illuminated by the bead's light, Shi Xiang felt no pain, but rather an indescribable comfort. In this comfort, his body rose higher and slowly solidified into a lifelike form. Touching his body, Shi Xiang was filled with joy. Even if it was only for a short while, he was glad he could see his family and loved ones now.

He looked up to ask Xiao Bai, but found only white smoke and mist as far as the eye could see. Xiao Bai and Wu Nai had vanished without a trace. What was happening? Shi Xiang was lost in the white fog, somewhat bewildered. Just as he didn't know what to do, three figures suddenly appeared ahead, gradually approaching and becoming clearer. Shi Xiang's eyes filled with tears, and he called out tremblingly, "Dad... Mom...

Xiao Lan..."

It was indeed the three people he cared about most in his life. Xiao Bai hadn't lied to him; he had truly seen his parents and Xiao Lan. Shi Xiang rushed over and embraced them tightly, embracing his last moments on earth.

Beyond the smoke, Wu Nai, Sha Wujing, and Xiao Bai silently watched Shi Xiang, enveloped in a faint, multicolored haze. He was still a puddle of water, and there was no one else inside, only him talking incessantly, even wailing at the air!

Everything seemed so ridiculous and absurd, yet the three felt no desire to laugh; instead, they were filled with a strange sense of emotion.

Ever since Xiao Bai removed the dragon ball from his mouth, Shi Xiang had been trapped in an illusion. He hadn't regained his physical form, and his parents and Xiao Lan hadn't come; it was all just an illusion created by the dragon ball.

"Is it okay to deceive him like this?" Wu Nai asked, somewhat reluctantly, looking at Shi Xiang in the illusion. Though reluctant, he didn't stop Xiao Bai, because he had no better solution. Shi Xiang's demon soul had dissipated; making him reform into a human body was beyond their power, not even for a moment. If others saw him in this state, they would probably be terrified to death; it was better not to see him at all.

Xiao Bai said softly, "Although we lied to him, at least we helped him fulfill his last wish. That way, he won't have so many regrets when he leaves. In this situation, is truth or falsehood still so important?"

"Perhaps!" After saying this, Wu Nai said no more, but there was still a hint of guilt in his eyes. Although he had lived for hundreds of years and had become indifferent to the coldness and warmth of human relationships, he couldn't completely ignore the concept of human feelings. Otherwise, he wouldn't have lingered in the mortal world for so long.

As they talked, the illusion's time was up and it began to gradually dissipate. However, at this moment, Shi Xiang truly transformed back into human form. Unlike his self-perception in the illusion, he had now truly returned to human form, and his body radiated a soft light.

The fierceness on Shi Xiang's face disappeared, replaced by peace and tranquility. He smiled slightly at Wu Nai, "Thank you for helping me fulfill my wish. My time has come. Goodbye, Wu Nai. I'm very happy to have met you!" After saying this, he turned and looked out the window at

the sky that was about to brighten, and slowly closed his eyes.

Vanishing, vanishing faster and faster, until Shi Xiang was reduced to dust, scattered by the wind, as if he had never existed.

It was over. The night's harrowing events were finally over. Wu Nai took a step forward, standing amidst the lingering dust, a murmur escaping his lips: "I'm happy to have met you, Shi Xiang, may you rest in peace!"

The rising sun illuminated the gray sky and brightened the prosperous city. Facing the sunrise, their smiles were radiant, for they all held an unyielding belief!

As he walked out of the building, Wu Nai felt a sense of rebirth. He had almost been trapped inside. After a few casual words and a wave goodbye, Wu Nai, who had already reached his car, suddenly stopped in front of Xiao Bai, looking at him earnestly, his eyes filled with gratitude.

"What's wrong? Why are you staring at me? Is there something wrong with me?" Xiao Bai looked around, puzzled. There was nothing amiss.

Wu Nai's eyes flickered several times, and the words he wanted to say were swallowed back down. After a long while, he finally uttered the words that had been stuck in his throat: "Xiao Bai, I'm truly grateful to you!"

After saying that, he turned and left. After walking a short distance, he glanced up unintentionally, and his expression froze. A gloomy-faced man in black stood against the wind on the roof of an adjacent building, coldly staring at Wu Nai.

It was him! The man in black that Shi Xiang had mentioned!

Wu Nai was almost certain of the man's identity in an instant. It was truly a case of "searching high and low without finding it, only to have it come to you effortlessly." So this was where he was.

The two stared at each other for a while, then Wu Nai suddenly started running, running towards the building where the man in black was standing at what most people would consider the fastest speed. In fact, he didn't need to run up and down the stairs like a normal person, but now that it was getting light and there were more people on the street, if he used his monster abilities to leap to the rooftop, it would definitely attract the attention and fear of those around him.

The man in black watched Wu Nai run into the building below him, seemingly unconcerned, even revealing a slight

smile. However, his eyes held no real joy, only a cold, sharp glint, like a deadly blade, ready to strike at any moment.

Wu Nai ran into the building without stopping. He didn't take the elevator, but instead used the stairs, where he didn't need to worry about being seen. He pushed his speed to the limit, reaching the rooftop in just a few dozen seconds.

Unfortunately, once on the rooftop, he couldn't find the man in black. He must have slipped away during the brief moment, leaving no trace or scent. Wu Nai had no choice but to stop his pursuit.

Although he hadn't caught him this time, he vowed to find the man in black; he didn't want to see Shi Xiang's tragedy repeated.

Shi Xiang was dead, but no body was left behind, so the police could only treat it as a missing person case. Wu Nai kept his promise and visited the Shi family elders every week. The matter was closed, and the rumors of the building being haunted ceased.

Situ Yangguang and Chang'e never stopped searching for Hou Yi, but in the vast sea of people, where exactly was

Hou Yi hiding?

"Hou Yi, where are you? Why can't I find you? Is it because you still hate me? Hate me for stealing your elixir? But... but how could you know..."

After another day of fruitless searching, Chang'e was sobbing uncontrollably. After thousands of years of separation, she thought she would finally be able to see him again, but instead, they kept missing each other. Did Heaven really not want them to be together again? Did Heaven really want to coldly watch humanity suffer?

Situ Yangguang silently looked at the sorrowful Chang'e. For the past few days, they had been searching for Hou Yi's whereabouts, but although he frequently appeared in Lingwang City, his whereabouts were elusive, so they had missed him every time.

As time passed, Wolf drew ever closer to Earth. Anyone interested in astronomy could see that Wolf appeared slightly larger than before, but they failed to grasp the gravity of the situation, attributing it to mere chance. Meanwhile, world leaders, aware of the gravity of the situation, not only kept it secret but also maintained strict secrecy to prevent public panic.

Space military forces were ready, and despite knowing the odds of success were slim, they would still make a desperate last-ditch effort.

Situ Yangguang didn't have a better idea at the moment, so he could only comfort her, saying, "Don't be sad. There are still more than ten days left. As long as Hou Yi is here, we will definitely find him." As he spoke, a thought flashed through his mind, and he thought of a method that might be worth trying: "By the way, do you remember what Hou Yi looks like?"

Chang'e replied, "He is my husband, of course I remember. Why?"

Situ Yangguang clapped his hands excitedly and laughed, "Nothing much, it just means someone will help us find him! Haha, I'm so stupid, I only thought of that now. Come on, let's do a jigsaw puzzle together." Without waiting for Chang'e's reply, he immediately pulled her towards the police station in the city center.

"Wait a minute, tell me what we're going to do first?" Chang'e was puzzled by his unusual behavior and couldn't understand what he was planning.

Situ Yangguang smiled broadly and said, "Now that you know what Hou Yi looks like, let's go to the police station and get a jigsaw puzzle made. Then we can have them take the puzzle pieces and help you find him. The more people there are, the greater the chances will be. It's better than us just blindly stumbling around like headless flies." "

Will that work?" Chang'e asked hesitantly. She had been away from the mortal world for many years, and her understanding of modern society was quite superficial. Situ Yangguang tossed his head confidently and said, "If I say it will work, then it will work. As long as Hou Yi is still in Lingwang City, we will definitely find him. Trust me." He also repeatedly warned Chang'e not to reveal Hou Yi's true identity.

Upon arriving at the police station, they told the officers they needed help with a jigsaw puzzle to find someone. They were vague about Hou Yi's identity, only saying he was a long-lost friend who had recently gone missing. The police immediately agreed, personally accompanying them to complete the puzzle, and then gave each officer a copy to keep an eye out for him.

According to Chang'e, the puzzle was about 70% accurate. From the puzzle, Hou Yi was quite handsome; unlike Wu Nai's sinister charm, Hou Yi possessed a different kind of powerful beauty.

Chapter 260 The Mysterious Place

Seeing Chang'e's sullen expression, Situ Yangguang felt a pang of sympathy. "Actually, Chang'e is quite pitiful..." Situ Yangguang thought with deep compassion. If one didn't know Chang'e, her past actions alone wouldn't warrant sympathy, but every time he saw her, he felt a pang of sadness. What truth lay hidden behind her betraying her lover and ascending to heaven alone? Perhaps there was a deeply moving story behind it all?

Situ Yangguang thought again, "Whether she's pitiful or not, it's the result of her own choice. Since she made that choice, perhaps she has no regrets."

"What about Pigsy? He's destined to be heartbroken. Even now, he doesn't know that this woman is the Chang'e he's been longing for. Alas, so close yet so far. There's nothing he can do; Chang'e repeatedly warned him not to reveal her true identity." Situ Yangguang didn't want to break his promise to Chang'e. Behind Chang'e's receding figure, Pigsy stared intently, unable to tear himself away. It was truly unexpected that Pigsy seemed to have such a good impression of this transformed Chang'e. Whether it was fate or a tragic destiny, no one could say for sure, but one thing was

certain : Pigsy was destined to end up heartbroken. Even if Chang'e already had Hou Yi in her heart, would Chang'e have feelings for Pigsy?

"Ah, what a lovely woman, it's a pity she always looks so worried. Even I, Old Pig, feel bad seeing her like this. Little one, what is she looking for? Can you tell me?" Pigsy said with deep sympathy, watching Chang'e's receding figure. "

I can't tell, I can't tell," Situ Yangguang silently warned himself. Chang'e had instructed him not to tell anyone. So, he pretended to know nothing and said, "I don't know what she's looking for. Maybe she's looking for someone."

"Is it important?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Pigsy realized how redundant the question was. If it weren't important, why would she be searching so persistently every day? Sure enough, upon hearing Pigsy's question, Situ Yangguang smiled calmly and said, "Probably."

At Situ Yu's house, Situ Yangguang had been frequently going out with Pigsy these days, their movements somewhat secretive, arousing Tang Sanzang's suspicion. Tang Sanzang knew Pigsy's character best; he was easily tempted. How could Pigsy ignore the allure of the outside world? His elder brother following him

was like a rag doll thrown into a dye vat, likely to be dyed all sorts of colors. He couldn't directly speak to Situ Yangguang, after all, he was his elder brother, so he subtly approached Bajie, saying, "Bajie, you've been going out early every morning lately, is something wrong?"

"Yes, Master, I'm going out with the little guy to find someone," Bajie answered truthfully.

"Oh, really? What kind of person are you looking for? Brother, although I'm not very bright, I can still handle things like finding someone. Why don't you invite me to go with you? I can lend a hand," Tang Seng said sincerely.

"Well, brother, you should stay home and study your scriptures. Bajie and I can handle the finding," Situ Yangguang said hastily.

"But I'm worried. Bajie is too easily tempted. I'm afraid that the outside world will tempt you, and I'm afraid something might happen if you go with Bajie," Tang Seng said with a worried frown.

"Hey, Master, you underestimate me. I, Old Pig, am a Cleansing Altar Messenger, what haven't I seen? I'm so

familiar with it's nothing new to me, why would I be tempted?" Pigsy said dismissively. Monkey chuckled, "Pigsy's bragging again. I bet you've been acting all mysterious these past few days, you must be up to something. Brother Sand, you seem to have a problem too. Every night, you and Little White disappear without a trace. Did you go off to have some fun?"

"No, no! I'm a devout Buddhist disciple, how could I do such shameful things?" Sandy blushed and protested. Monkey laughed, "I doubt it. Since you didn't do anything, tell your master, where did you and Little White go at night?"

"We went to catch that mysterious man in black," Sandy told him without reservation, revealing their recent whereabouts. When the potential threat of the man in black came up, Sandy was very worried. Tang Sanzang frowned, saying worriedly, "It seems this man in black is truly terrifying. He can actually turn a normal person into a monster; it's unbelievable! If we don't capture him, won't the world be overrun with demons? Wukong, help Wujing find that man in black and rid the world of

this scourge. Wukong, can you do it?"

"Of course! Sha Wujing, tonight I'll go with you to find that elusive man in black!" Sun Wukong said. "

Great! With our eldest brother personally leading the charge, we'll be done in no time!" Sha Wujing said happily.

"Hmph, old Sha, don't get too excited. The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment!" Bajie said indifferently from the side.

"So, Bajie, if you go, you'll definitely succeed? Bajie, you and Sha Wujing go; I'm happy to stay home and sleep." Wukong teased. Bajie hurriedly waved his hands and shook his head, saying, "No, no, the little guy and I are busy!"

As night fell, Sun Wukong, Sha Wujing, and Xiaobai arrived at North Gate Park.

"Brother, this is it. I feel like this park is a bit strange, but I can't quite put my finger on it," Sha Wujing said to Wukong, observing the sparsely populated park. Wukong widened his fiery eyes, looking left and right. He saw a faint black demonic aura swirling in a corner of the park; if you weren't looking closely, you wouldn't notice it. Wukong chuckled and said, "It's well disguised, but it still can't escape my fiery eyes!"

"Where? Brother, what did you see?" Xiaobai asked疑惑地.

"Demonic aura! A faint demonic aura!" Wukong said confidently. In a secluded corner of North Gate Park, amidst low-lying plants, a demonic aura emanated. Following the aura, Wukong led Sha Wujing and Xiaobai there.

However, apart from the low-lying plants, there was nothing particularly special about it. Sha Wujing and Bai Suzhen exchanged a glance, each seeing a certain message in the other's eyes. Could this be an illusion cast by someone? Illusions come in different levels. Low-level illusions can only fool the eyes of mortals, easily exposed upon contact. However, once an illusion is mastered, it can deceive not only the sight and touch of mortals, but even ordinary people with magical powers would find it difficult to see through. This one was almost like that.

Among the people they knew, only Bao Yuanzi was capable of setting up this formation, so it must be his doing. Bai Suzhen took out the Demon-Slaying Sword, raised it high to the sky, and said, "Dispel the fog of darkness, block all evil, Demon-Slaying Sword, unleash your boundless power!"

As

Bai Suzhen chanted the incantation, a red light, invisible to mortals, surged from the plants, trying to resist the power of the Demon-Slaying Sword. Both sides were strong, and the alternating blue and white light and the red light were locked in a tug-of-war, one gaining strength and the other losing strength. However, it seemed that Xiao Bai had the upper hand, as he could continuously channel power into his sword, while the red light was forced into a passive defense, its power constantly weakening during the standoff.

Finally, after several minutes, with a "snap," the defense shattered, the illusion vanished, revealing the true situation: there were no plants at all, but a dark entrance leading to a series of steps.

"Haha, I didn't expect Xiao Bai's sword to be so powerful!" Wukong gave Xiao Bai a thumbs up.

That's all they could see. Despite the fierce magic battles raging above, the inside was eerily quiet, whether no one was there or they hadn't discovered it yet.

The more harmless it seemed, the more suspicious Wukong and his companions became. If they could create such a place, there was no reason they wouldn't have fortified it. However, speculation was never

the truth ; only practice could prove everything. After a brief discussion, they decided to go down and investigate.

Wukong led the way, Sha Wujing in the middle, and Bai Suzhen brought up the rear. Sha Wujing, in the middle, unleashed a fireball for illumination. The three of them spiraled down the steps, each on high alert, wary of any demons or monsters that might appear along the way.

The steps were very deep. After an unknown amount of time, light gradually appeared. At first, it was faint, but as they went deeper, the light grew stronger. Eventually, the fireball held by Sha Wujing became useless, so they simply let it go out.

As they descended the last step, a vast underground base opened up before them, covering an area of unknown size. The place they had entered resembled a research lab, filled with all sorts of instruments, many of which Wukong and his companions had never seen before. If a researcher from the National Academy of Sciences were here, they would find many of the research instruments they had assumed were exclusive to the National Academy.

This was clearly a secret research institute.

What remained a mystery, but what was most unsettling was that such a large institute was completely deserted—something was very wrong. Wukong and Sha Wujing walked side-by-side, their eyes fixed ahead, while Xiaobai followed cautiously behind them.

As they slowly walked, they spotted a glass container taller than a person in a corner of the institute, filled with a transparent liquid. But that wasn't the main point. The main point was that a naked man was submerged inside, his eyes closed, floating in the liquid, completely unaware of his surroundings.

Xiao Bai glanced at it and turned away, his face flushed red. He couldn't bear to look any longer. To see a naked man here was disgusting. What kind of place was this? Why was it so strange?

He didn't dare to look, but Wukong and Sha Wujing were fine. They had seen plenty of dead bodies. Sha Wujing had even eaten people in the Flowing Sand River, so looking wouldn't matter to him. After carefully examining the man's face, he frowned and thought for a while before whispering to Xiao Bai, who was looking away, "This man isn't dead."

"Not dead? Then why is he soaking in a transparent liquid?"

Xiao Bai asked, puzzled.

"We don't know the reason yet. However, many people have gone missing in Lingwang City recently, and it should be closely related to this place. It really is here. It seems this research institute is the culprit behind those disappearances. The people here kidnapped them and then modified them. But why did they go to so much trouble to kidnap these people here?" Sha Wujing muttered to himself.

"What are you talking about?" Sha Wujing's mutterings aroused Wukong's curiosity. Only then did Sha Wujing realize that Wukong was not very clear about this matter, so he told Wukong about the strange things that had recently happened in Lingwang City, including the innocent people who kept disappearing. After listening, Wukong sneered repeatedly: "It seems we've really found the right place. This is the source of evil, and the liquid in this container is probably what can alter a person's physique, turning them into a monster."

"Yes, we've finally found their lair." Sha Wujing raised his hand to cover the container, which was taller than a person, his narrowed eyes flashing with cold light: "They're experimenting on humans. First, they strengthen the physique of ordinary people, then

inject a special drug to awaken the dormant ancient monster genes within them. Once the genes are awakened, these people will have abilities different from ordinary people. Their purpose in capturing humans for experiments is to research the perfect gene drug, unlock the gene lock, and thus achieve the goal of transforming humans into monsters in one fell swoop. I really can't understand why anyone would choose to become a monster instead of a perfectly good human."

His question was quickly answered, because someone answered him: "Humans only have a lifespan of less than a hundred years and are extremely fragile. How can they compare to the powerful bodies and thousand-year lifespans of monsters?"

With this sinister voice, a figure appeared before Sha Wujing and the others.

Chapter 261 The True Master Doesn't Reveal His Skills

Wukong and his companions turned around simultaneously, and before them stood a group of figures lined up in a row. Leading them was a young woman; it was she who had spoken earlier.

"Uh? Who are you? I feel like I've seen you somewhere before." Wukong felt this woman was familiar, as if they had met once before, hence his question. In contrast, Sha Wujing and Xiaobai showed obvious surprise. After a brief moment of shock, Xiaobai took a few steps forward and said coldly, "It really is you, Mrs. Li!"

Sha Wujing and Xiaobai were familiar with the newcomer; she was Li Yan, the current chairwoman of Baolai Company, a powerful businesswoman in Lingwang City. She had previously come to Sha Wujing and Xiaobai, asking them to subdue her husband, Yang Chuanqi, who had become a demon slave. No wonder Wukong felt like he had seen her somewhere before; it turned out they had met briefly at Situ Yu's house.

Xiaobai fell into deep thought. He had many questions in his mind. Li Yan possessed this top-notch gene research lab and had mastered the drug that could awaken the monster genes within people. She could easily deal with Yang Chuanqi herself, so why bother coming to us?

Li Yan smiled slightly,

showing no embarrassment at Xiao Bai's cold response: "Handsome Xiao Bai, you're still as handsome as ever. Back then, you and that Old Sha helped me kill Leng Shuang and my husband, saving me from danger. I haven't properly thanked you yet, and I never expected to meet you here today. What a coincidence!" "Is that so

? Mrs. Li is too modest. As the saying goes, a true master doesn't reveal their abilities, and a master who reveals their abilities isn't a true master. I really didn't expect that Mrs. Li had such a secret research institute. I think even without us, Mrs. Li could have easily handled it herself." Xiao Bai looked around, a feeling of being deceived by Li Yan welling up inside him. He hated being cheated and deceived more than anything in his life, yet this time he had suffered a great setback.

Li Yan casually pulled up a chair and sat down. "Let's not talk about that for now. So, how do you feel after seeing this place? Isn't it novel and surprising? Hahaha." Her laughter was filled with endless smugness, as if she were laughing at Xiao Bai and the others' ignorance. After laughing, she pointed to the people in white coats behind her and said, "Come, let me introduce you. These people behind me are the top researchers here."

After she introduced them one by one

, Xiao Bai remained silent with a cold face. Instead, Wukong stepped forward and said calmly, "Mrs. Li, right? You should know that it's illegal to research gene drugs privately, especially since you're using human subjects for experiments. Don't you think all of this is cruel?"

"Cruel?" Not only Li Yan, but even the researchers chuckled, their faces full of contempt. "They're just a few worthless lives. Is it necessary to make such a big deal out of it? My father left this pharmaceutical company and research institute to me, hoping that I could research the perfect gene drug. Only in this way could he be resurrected, and only then would we have a life that is almost immortal."

"Resurrected? Wasn't your father dead?" Xiao Bai asked in confusion.

"No, he didn't die, his body was just frozen. As long as I can develop the perfect gene drug, I can revive him from the freezer, and then we'll use this gene drug to rule the whole world, hahaha!" Her maniacal laughter made her once pretty face look ferocious and terrifying.

It turned out that all of this was a scheme orchestrated by Li Yan's father long ago. He was ambitious

and unwilling to be confined to the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death, so he secretly built this underground research institute and hired scientists specializing in genetics from various countries at great expense. Of course, those scientists were not only willing to come because of the money, but more importantly, because they could conduct research without restrictions, even using living people as research subjects.

"Rule the world? Hahaha..." Wukong laughed so hard he was doubled over, as if he'd heard an extremely funny joke. His dismissive and even contemptuous attitude infuriated Li Yan and the others, who turned pale with anger and shouted, "What are you laughing at?"

Wukong replied while still laughing, "Haha, I'm laughing at your ignorance! Hahaha, you think you can rule the world with those abilities? Who do you think you are, aliens or UFOs invading Earth? Haha, that's hilarious!" Wukong had heard Situ Yu talk about how powerful aliens were, but in his mind, aliens were nothing. He not only laughed himself but also pulled Sha Wujing and Xiao Bai to laugh with him.

Just as Xiao Bai was about to push away Wukong, who was laughing so exaggeratedly that he was practically clinging to his shoulder, a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz came from beside him: "Li Yan dared to come out to see us like this; she

must have a lot of tricks up her sleeve. I suspect it's those people she modified. We need to be vigilant."

Xiao Bai's expression turned serious. Wukong immediately lowered his brows and twitched his ears, clearly searching for anyone who might be hiding in the shadows. After a while, he grabbed Xiaobai's hand, which was behind his back, and wrote the character "口" (mouth), indicating that they should now surround the area.

Xiao Bai nodded to himself, his face still beaming. "Mrs. Li, you know the strength of your subordinates without me having to tell you. Do you think they can rule the world? Should I say you're too greedy or too overconfident?"

Li Yan shook her head, making a "tsk tsk" sound. "Xiao Bai, don't go too far. You know the strength of my subordinates, but I know your strength even better. When I asked you to deal with my husband, did you think I couldn't beat him? Wrong. I just wanted to see what this so-called disciple of a high monk was capable of. Upon first glance, he's nothing special. I believe that five or six people who have unlocked their genetic locks would be enough to trap you. As for these two gentlemen beside you...

" She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, "It seems there's nothing special about them. I think the remaining people I have are enough to keep him occupied." She had witnessed Sha Wujing's strength, but she didn't know much about Wukong and didn't take him seriously.

"The three of you are here because your bodies are extraordinary. I'm wondering what would happen if we injected our developed drug into you. What do you think, Dr. Sun?" Li Yan asked, glancing at an old man behind her. The old man, known as Dr. Sun, stared at Wukong and the others like a starving ghost, making Wukong extremely uncomfortable. He almost lost control and drew his golden cudgel to strike. Dr. Sun looked away and excitedly said to Li Yan, "Mrs. Li, if we can use these three to test the drug, I believe I will create three of the most powerful genetically engineered humans in history!"

Li Yan nodded in satisfaction, her wavy hair swaying with her head movement. "Very good. Then, we'll leave them a breath, then erase their memories and make them loyal only to me. That way, they'll become my most powerful henchmen!"

Hearing Li Yan casually describe him like this, Wukong was furious. What kind of person was this? She was utterly arrogant! Now she was planning to turn him into a mindless henchman. If he didn't teach this woman a lesson today, how could he, Old Sun, save face?

Li Yan continued her incessant chatter: "From the day you destroyed the Five Elements Formation used for cover, I knew you would come looking for trouble again. So I simply let you in for a look, but..." Her expression suddenly turned vicious: "But once you're in here, don't even think about leaving. You will all be under my command!" As soon as she said this, the lurking individuals that Wukong had previously detected rushed in from all directions.

Some of these people, apart from some abnormalities in their teeth and eyes, still largely retained their human appearance. However, others were only partially human; some resembled tigers and leopards, while others looked like snakes and ants, and all had tails trailing behind them. This indicated that they had unlocked their genetic locks, and Wukong would find it difficult to restore them to normal using normal methods.

However, these people of various forms all shared a common trait: their eyes were vacant

, as if they had no thoughts at all. It seemed their original memories had been erased, and they had been implanted with thoughts loyal only to Li Yan, just as she had said earlier. Seeing these dozens, even hundreds, of people transformed into such inhuman, ghostly forms, Wukong's disgust for Li Yan deepened even further.

Chapter 262: Transformed Humans

When these monsters appeared, Wukong and his companions also brandished their weapons. Wukong, who had been itching for a fight for many days, finally mustered his courage and swung his golden cudgel to meet the charging monsters head-on. These monsters had varying abilities, but most were ineffective. Wukong unleashed a flurry of blows, and the monsters howled and retreated. However, after retreating a few steps, they charged forward without hesitation. Wukong pitied them

, as they were all demons controlled by someone else, so he used much less force, not driving them to their deaths. But these monsters before him had nothing but loyalty to their master's thoughts; they didn't even feel pain. Only by killing them until they couldn't stand up could he be satisfied. At the start of the battle, Li Yan led the researchers to retreat behind the monsters, leaving six of the strongest monsters around them for protection. Li Yan watched with interest as Wukong and the others were surrounded by monsters. She figured that even a small force could kill an elephant; she wanted to see how long these three could hold out. Even if she couldn't kill them outright, she would wear them down. As for the equipment being damaged during the fight, it didn't matter; it was just the outermost research institute, and

she wouldn't care if it was destroyed.

After about ten minutes of this unfair battle, Xiao Bai began to feel exhausted. The soreness in his arms was increasing. Actually, his strength wasn't that bad, but the pace of the battle was too fast, and he had been holding back, not using any lethal attacks. Sha Wujing was in a better situation. He showed no mercy, his demon-subduing staff wielding even more power. Monsters touched by his staff were sent flying straight out of the circle. He said to Xiaobai, "Xiaobai, Senior Brother, these are all demons! We mustn't show any mercy!" With that, he brandished his Demon-Subduing Staff and charged into the demon horde, quickly dispatching several of the more troublesome monsters.

Wukong, also exasperated by the demons, was reminded by Sha Wujing that they were indeed demons. If they weren't wiped out, they would all run off and harm people. Thinking this, Wukong suddenly increased the force of his staff, swinging it with a whooshing sound. The poor demons surrounding him were not only killed instantly, but even those caught in the gusts of wind created by the staff were swept away like fallen leaves

in autumn .

Sha Wujing wasn't idle either, swinging his Demon-Subduing Staff towards Li Yan. Li Yan reacted quickly, retreating a few steps to dodge. Sha Wujing laughed, and the Demon-Subduing Staff suddenly changed direction, striking Dr. Sun beside Li Yan. Li Yan tried to rush to his aid, but it was too late. The magic staff slammed down on Dr. Sun's head, splattering blood and brain matter in a red and white arc.

Seeing Dr. Sun's death, Li Yan was furious. Dr. Sun was the mastermind behind the gene drug research, the most important researcher among them, and now he was dead. Where could she find someone to replace him? The loss was immense.

"You bunch of reckless fools! How dare you kill my right-hand man!" Li Yan roared, her eyes bloodshot. Sha Wujing laughed loudly, saying, "We're not just going to kill your right-hand man, we don't even want your life left in this world!" With that, he wielded his demon-subduing staff with incredible speed, and hordes of monsters fell like a tidal wave.

Li Yan, who had initially seemed unconcerned

, gradually showed panic as she witnessed the might of Wukong and the others. She never imagined these three men would be so powerful; the monster she had painstakingly created was utterly vulnerable. A sense of utter despair washed over her, and Li Yan decided to take a desperate gamble. Li Yan laughed shrilly at the sky, saying, "You've gone too far! Today I'll make you taste the bitterness of being crushed to ashes!" Then she suddenly took a few steps back, quickly pulling a syringe from her inner pocket with her right hand. The plastic seal on the needle and the milky-white liquid inside clearly indicated that the syringe was still new.

Before Sha Wujing's demon-subduing staff arrived, Li Yan had already injected the medicine into her body. Her voice grew even more elegant: "This injection is a super-powerful drug developed over a decade of research. Its transformative effects are far beyond what you saw in those useless people. I guarantee you'll be amazed in a moment, hahaha!" After a burst of laughter, she continued, "You should be happy, because you will have the privilege of witnessing the most perfect genetically modified human in history—that person is me!"

"Really? We'd love to see!" Wukong said calmly, gripping his golden cudgel.

As Li Yan finished speaking, the injected genetic medicine began to take effect. Her already plump body began to swell and grow, muscles gradually replacing her once smooth skin, making her appear as if she had been injected with stimulants.

"Retreat!" Seeing that he couldn't stop Li Yan's transformation, Sha Wujing decisively ordered Xiao Bai, who was quite close to her, to retreat. As Li Yan's form changed, she brought a sense of pressure and novelty to the three of them.

"The real trouble is here!" Sha Wujing stared intently at the still-changing figure, nodding with a grim expression. "Judging from her aura, she's probably breaking through her limits!"

Xiao Bai was startled and shifted his gaze to Sha Wujing's face, scrutinizing him as if trying to see if he was joking. Unfortunately, he was disappointed: "Breaking through her limits? That's impossible, isn't it?"

"Very likely. Judging from her aura alone, it's already continuously strengthening..." Sha Wujing pondered.

Wukong, holding his golden cudgel, was considering whether to strike her on the head, but Li Yan's strange appearance also piqued his interest. He wanted to know what kind of monster Li Yan would ultimately become.

Chapter 263 Clothes Torn

The endless stream of monsters was completely wiped out by Wukong and his companions, who temporarily ceased their attack. Since Li Yan wanted to show off, they would give her a chance. After a puff of green smoke, Li Yan appeared, towering five meters tall, with wings on her back and a single horn on her head—a hideous creature that could no longer be called human; it would be more accurate to describe her as a gigantic monster. Her clothes were torn, and her naked body was covered only by a few tattered pieces of cloth, revealing her exposed skin.

Li Yan was very satisfied with her current state. Unlocking her genetic lock and gaining the power of a monster was fantastic; both her strength and sixth sense had reached unprecedented levels.

Although her appearance had become more terrifying than any demon or monster, her voice remained as melodious and elegant as before. Li Yan shook her single-horned head and said very gently, "I really have to thank you. If it weren't for your pressure, I really wouldn't have been able to make this decision. To thank you, I've decided..." A snake-like tongue emerged from her mouth. Slowly licking its ugly lips, its greedy gaze swept over Wukong and the others. It was well known that

the spiritual energy of cultivators or superpowered individuals was an excellent tonic for demons, enhancing their abilities. "I've decided to eat you all one by one!"

Wukong laughed heartily, saying, "Quite the boast, but I must tell you, you look absolutely hideous right now. I'll be disgusted for at least a day."

"Hahaha, hahaha, even facing death, you're still being stubborn!" Li Yan let out a terrifying laugh.

"Demon-Slaying Sword! Slay demons and vanquish monsters!" Xiao Bai raised its sword and thrust it forward before Li Yan could finish laughing. The blade pierced Li Yan's body. However, Xiao Bai's attack seemed like a mere tickle to Li Yan. With her superhuman defense, the sword tip piercing her body was like hitting a pile of tattered cotton; she only felt a slight pain. Even this slight pain enraged Li Yan. She let out a shriek and, surprisingly, managed to grab Xiao Bai's sword with her bare hands. This immediately turned into a tug-of-war, with both sides exchanging blows without giving an inch.

Li Yan, laughing strangely, kept tightening her grip on the sword. Wukong and Sha Wujing didn't rush to help

, simply standing aside, watching how Xiao Bai would defeat Li Yan. Then, a smile appeared in Xiao Bai's eyes. Before Li Yan could understand the meaning of that smile, Xiao Bai suddenly released the sword she had been holding so tightly. The next second, Li Yan's massive body immediately lost its balance and fell backward, smashing a large hole in the stone wall. This was the first time Li Yan had suffered a loss since her transformation, and she roared in anger. Ignoring Wukong and Sha Wujing's watchful eyes, she focused solely on Xiao Bai, determined to kill him first.

The wings on her back allowed Li Yan to fly, compensating for the agility caused by her enormous size. However, Xiao Bai wasn't so easy to catch, repeatedly escaping her grasp. In her fury, Li Yan unleashed her first demonic technique after transformation: Spinning!

Twelve identical Li Yans appeared before Xiao Bai and the others, dazzling their eyes. One naked Li Yan was already enough to behold, but now twelve appeared at once—wasn't that suicidal?

"You brat, I refuse to believe this won't kill you!" the twelve Li Yans shouted in unison. Each one looked

real, and indeed, each one was real, only slightly weakened in power. If Li Yan hadn't just transformed and hadn't fully grasped the demonic technique, she would have created even more!

Xiao Bai fought four clones single-handedly, managing to hold on thanks to the power of his Demon-Slaying Sword. Seeing the situation was dire, Sha Wujing joined the battle, dealing with eight clones. His Demon-Slaying Staff moved like a serpent among them, handling them with surprising ease. Two fingers, swift as lightning, pierced Li Yan's weakest point: her eyes!

The fingers plunged deep into her eyes, relentlessly pushing them into her brain. Fearing she wasn't dead, he even dug his fingers into her skull. Li Yan's clone, which had been howling in pain, was now completely silent, its head drooping. When Sha Wujing withdrew his fingers, the force of the pull dragged the clone's head off, sending it rolling on the ground like a ball.

After rolling several times, the headless corpse finally fell backward, a stream of dark blood gushing from its neck, soaking the ground and emitting a foul stench.

With one clone dead, the remaining eleven were nearly driven mad. Each death meant a permanent loss of power, how could Li Yan not be enraged? Under her increasingly ferocious attacks, Xiao Bai and Sha Wujing were struggling to keep up.

"Senior Brother, aren't you going to come in and play?" Sha Wujing shouted at Wukong, who was watching with great interest. "Come on! Come on, let's all come together and send you all to the Western Paradise." Li Yan's eyes were cold and emotionless.

Yes, Wukong had been secretly observing from the beginning. From the moment Li Yan injected the gene-enhancing drug, transforming herself into a monster with superpowers, Wukong understood that such a monster absolutely could not be allowed to remain in the world for even a minute longer, otherwise, she would cause immense harm. Wukong raised his golden cudgel and struck head-on at Li Yan's numerous clones. Despite having witnessed it countless times before, Wukong's calm and composed demeanor, coupled with his sacred appearance, still inspired a sense of awe in Xiaobai. The others were even more awestruck; even the eleven Li Yans, driven by a burning desire for revenge for his clones, were forced to take a few steps back by the

strange . That strange energy made them anxious and even afraid.

Chapter 264: Pursuing

Wukong's Golden Cudgel, it hurtled towards Li Yan's eleven clones with a whooshing sound. Li Yan, unaware of Wukong's power, mistook him for an ordinary character and merely took two steps back, confident she could avoid his strike. However, the Golden Cudgel seemed to have eyes; as Li Yan retreated, the cudgel followed like a shadow, poised to strike her head.

Li Yan was startled and quickly leaped into the air. Her enormous body stretched out in mid-air, descending from the sky like a tidal wave, eleven gigantic hands outstretched, seemingly intent on grabbing Wukong and tearing him to shreds! Wukong, anticipating Li Yan's approach, conjured countless beams of light with his golden cudgel, rushing towards the descending Li Yan. A series of "plop plop plop plop" sounds rang out, accompanied by a piercing scream. All eleven heads vanished from Li Yan's massive body, black, foul-smelling blood gushing from her neck—a truly gruesome scene.

Headless, Li Yan stood frozen in place, stubbornly clinging to life for a few minutes before finally collapsing to the ground with a thud, creating a large crater.

"Dead! Finally dead! Li Yan is dead! The

world can finally be at peace! I think the mysterious man in black Yang Chuanqi mentioned was probably Li Yan in disguise, right?" Xiao Bai, watching Li Yan's tragic state, felt a pang of sorrow.

"Hahaha, the man in black you're talking about is probably me, right?" As soon as Xiaobai finished speaking, a man dressed entirely in black appeared at the entrance to the underground chamber. However, he didn't face them directly, only showing Xiaobai and the others his back—a cold and arrogant back.

"Who are you? How did you get into this mysterious basement?" Sha Wujing shouted sharply.

"Haha, if you mortals can come in, why can't I?" The mysterious man who had appeared in the underground chamber still had his back to the group, speaking in a sinister tone: "You guys are quite skilled. This trip wasn't in vain, haha! Don't ask who I am; perhaps in the near future, I will be your master!"

From the moment he appeared, Xiaobai had been intrigued. Hearing his words now, his eyes lit up immediately, and he whispered to Sha Wujing and Wukong, "It's him! He's very likely the one who turned Yang Chuanqi and the others into monsters. He matches Leng Shuang's description perfectly

!"

"It's him! I can sense it," Sha Wujing said.

"Who are you?" Wukong frowned. The aura emanating from the person before him was strange; it wasn't human, nor demon, nor the transcendent aura of immortals. It was an extremely peculiar aura, impossible to categorize correctly.

"Who am I?" The man in black raised his head slightly, revealing a hint of mockery. "No one in this world knows who I am. Those of you who are smart shouldn't do anything pointless, or I won't hesitate to send a few of you to your deaths." He finally turned around, his defiant eyes and cold, sinister expression ruining his otherwise handsome face.

Such arrogance! Such a haughty attitude! If Wukong hadn't stopped him, Sha Wujing would have rushed out on the spot. He wasn't a good-tempered person to begin with, and he couldn't tolerate such provocation.

"Haha, quite the boast! If you've got the guts, let's exchange a few blows! Come on, take this!" Bai Suzhen, unable to tolerate the man in black's arrogance, charged forward with his demon-slaying sword. However, the man in black suddenly vanished without a trace. His loud laughter echoed in the air as he said,

"I'm too lazy to bother with you weirdos. I'm taking Li Yan's gene-enhancing drugs now, and I'll create even more powerful monsters to fight you! I'm leaving first, you guys have fun!"

Having obtained the gene-enhancing drugs, the man in black was eager to find a quiet place to study them and didn't want to get entangled with Wukong and the others.

Xiao Bai wasn't about to let him go and chased after him without a second thought, not caring whether he would frighten the people on the ground. Wukong and Sha Wujing also followed him to the ground, but the man in black had already vanished without a trace.

"Sigh, I can't believe he got away like that!" Xiao Bai stamped his foot in frustration. "Now that he's escaped, I wonder when he'll reappear, and there will be even more monsters in the human world!"

As the three were discussing this, two men and a woman hurriedly approached from outside the North Gate Park. Upon seeing Wukong, one of them shouted from afar, "Hehe, Senior Brother, what brings you to this park? Are you three lonely men having trouble sleeping, so you've come out to bask in the moonlight?"

Wukong recognized the loudmouth as Bajie. Behind him were Situ Yangguang and an unidentified young woman.

"Oh, what a coincidence! You and Yangguang are both here, with a girl in tow. Bajie, is there something you want to say to me? I have some questions," Wukong said, staring at Bajie with a forced smile.

Bajie chuckled, seemingly unrelated to Wukong's question, "I don't know what happened. The little guy had a small bow and arrow, saying he sensed something, and followed me all the way here. He's been acting strange lately, somehow getting a bow and arrow and searching the streets all day. If you want to hunt, go to the forest! There aren't even any wild rabbits on the streets, what's the point?"

"Then why are you following me everywhere?" Situ Yangguang was exasperated by Bajie's antics. "Alas, it seems Bajie thought he was hunting in the street."

Chapter 265 The Pain of Losing a Beloved .

Situ Yangguang looked extremely anxious. He interrupted Bajie and asked Xiaobai, "Xiaobai, there's no time to explain to you. Tell me quickly, have you seen such a man?" Situ Yangguang briefly described Hou Yi's appearance. Because Chang'e had given him a detailed description of Hou Yi's general appearance beforehand, Situ Yangguang's description and the black-clad man's physique and appearance were quite similar.

"Is he the person you're looking for?" Xiaobai asked.

"Yes, that's what we're looking for. Have you seen such a person?" Situ Yangguang asked urgently.

"Yes, we just met." Xiaobai said truthfully, "But he left quickly, and he seems to have an invisibility spell, disappearing in an instant. You're looking for him so urgently, could he be your friend?"

Chang'e, hearing Xiaobai's words from the side, couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. Found Hou Yi's trail? Really found him? Hou Yi, found Hou Yi, really found him!

"Is something wrong with that young lady?" Xiao Bai asked cautiously.

The lost in thought, her expression shifting constantly—sometimes excited, sometimes joyful—her eyes glazed over by the steam. What could have caused her to be so distraught?

After several questions, Chang'e finally snapped out of her daze. However, her heart was already with Hou Yi, and she had no time to explain to Xiao Bai. She hurriedly told Situ Yangguang, "Hurry, it'll be too late if we're any later!" and then turned and ran.

"Xiao Bai, I'll explain later!" Situ Yangguang said hastily, then also ran after her.

"Hey, wait for me! Wait for me!" Bajie also gave chase.

"How strange! What's wrong with Second Brother? Why is he meddling in the affairs of two young people? Sigh, what a ridiculous thing to do!" Xiao Bai shook his head with a smile. Wukong laughed and said, "Bajie's still the same old Bajie. He'll pester any pretty woman he sees, his skin's thicker than the Great Wall. Let's leave him alone and go home."

Sha Wujing shook his head and said to Wukong, "Brother, I think this is a bit

strange . I'll go after them and see. You and Xiaobai go back first." With that, he picked up

his demon-subduing staff and chased after them. Situ Yangguang and Bajie caught up with Chang'e. Chang'e looked a little dazed, glancing around blankly, murmuring, "Hou Yi, where are you? Why don't you show your face so I can see you?" The Sun-Shooting Bow in Situ Yangguang's arms was throbbing rapidly. Situ Yangguang was overjoyed and said, "Miss Chang, he should be nearby. The bow in my arms is throbbing very fast." To conceal his true identity, Situ Yangguang followed instructions and addressed her as Miss Chang. Chang'e's eyes lit up, and she happily said, "Keep searching, don't lose them."

"No need to look anymore. Is this the person you're looking for?" A man in black suddenly appeared, standing about ten meters away from Situ Yangguang, his back to them. No one knew when he had arrived; he hadn't made a sound. The Sun-Shooting Bow in Situ Yangguang's arms throbbed even more violently, almost leaping out of his grasp. Situ Yangguang whispered to Chang'e, "That's right, it must be him."

Chang'e's eyes were fixed on the man in black's back, a thin layer of mist floating in her eyes. Could this be

him, the Hou Yi she had longed for day and night?

"Why are you looking for me? Judging from my feeling, quite a few people in Lingwang City seem to be looking for me right now. What are you up to? You sneaky fellow, show yourself too," the man in black said calmly.

"Haha, I even held my breath, and you still found me. Yes, we're looking for you!" Suddenly, Sha Wujing appeared from not far away and asked, "I'm asking you, why did you turn Yang Chuanqi and Leng Shuang into monsters? What benefit did you get from it?" Sha Wujing asked a crucial question directly, while secretly gathering his strength, gripping his demon-subduing staff tightly in his hand.

"Old Sha? What are you doing sneaking around like this?" Bajie asked with a smile when he saw that it was Sha Wujing.

"Hehe, I was just curious, to see what you're up to, Second Brother," Sha Wujing said with an embarrassed smile. Stalking someone is never a respectable thing to do, especially now that he'd been exposed in public by the men in black.

Although the man in black had his back to the crowd, he could still sense Sha Wujing's hostility. However, he was very confident in his abilities.

He was certain that even a few more of these seemingly unremarkable men couldn't possibly defeat him. So, he said nonchalantly, "This is their own choice. It was their extraordinary resentment that attracted me here. I'm just helping them fulfill their wishes. What's wrong with that? You know, I probably haven't even asked him for any reward!" As he said this, his back twitched slightly, making it look like he was smiling, but it was terrifyingly sinister.

"Of course not!" Sha Wujing retorted loudly without hesitation, "It might be true that you didn't take any payment, but you must have your own motives. I don't believe you'd be so kind!"

"Kind?" The man in black's back swayed more violently, a mixture of laughter and tears, or perhaps a wry smile. "Yes, I'm certainly not that kind, but so what? I can sense it too. You're an anomaly. What humanity becomes has nothing to do with you."

Situ Yangguang said to the statue-like figure, "Of course it does! Because everyone here is my father, my elders, my brothers and sisters! How could you bear to harm them? Hou Yi!"

The last two words caused everyone present, including the man in black, to be horrified and unable to recover for a long time.

Hou Yi… Is this the Hou Yi from mythology who shot down nine suns, saving humanity from peril? He's still alive and well, and he's even standing right before their eyes. What's even more bizarre is that the heroic Hou Yi from mythology is now transforming people into monsters. Hou Yi can't possibly be a demon or an immortal, otherwise he wouldn't have sought the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West. Why did he possess such abilities, and why did he do this?

Situ Yangguang revealed his identity in a single sentence. The man in black—no, now he should be called Hou Yi—slowly turned around, a cold, ruthless light flashing in his eyes, filled with boundless killing intent: "There are some things you shouldn't know. Now that you know, there's only one path left!" He took a step forward, raising one hand, his five fingers suddenly contracting in the air, as if declaring Situ Yangguang's life or death.

Situ Yangguang's heart tightened. He subtly moved a few steps towards Sha Wujing, but his face showed no fear. He laughed heartily, completely unconcerned about Hou Yi's killing intent and threat: "Everyone says Hou Yi is a

hero admired by all, but seeing him today, I find that's not the case at all. Hou Yi is actually just a wicked person who does evil and disregards the will of Heaven!" His voice was as cold as ice and snow.

Hou Yi was originally a proud and arrogant person, how could he tolerate Situ Yangguang's insults? Moreover, he had his own reasons for doing this, it wasn't his own intention. He snorted coldly, looking at Situ Yangguang with a gaze as if he were looking at a dead man: "Have you said enough?"

Everyone only saw a blur before their eyes, and then they saw Hou Yi, who had been several meters away, standing in front of Situ Yangguang. He hadn't moved at all, as if he had been standing there from the beginning. It was an extremely skillful magic: teleportation!

Within reach. Sha Wujing couldn't save him in time, and Situ Yangguang couldn't escape. From the very first glance, Hou Yi had already gained an absolute advantage;

his life was in someone else's hands. Situ Yangguang remained calm and composed, as if life and death were nothing to him. He fearlessly met Hou Yi's eyes, which were filled with intense killing intent: "Do you want to know why I know you are Hou Yi?"

"Why?" Actually, Hou

Yi was also filled with doubt. He asked himself, in all these thousands of years he had mingled among the mortals, and no one knew he was Hou Yi. He had never revealed his identity to anyone, not even those he had transformed into demons.

Situ Yangguang tilted his head and said, "Of course, someone told me. That person even asked me to find you. Now that I've finally found you, I guess I haven't failed in my mission." Then, he said mysteriously, "Would you like to meet that person?"

Not only Hou Yi, but even Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie were intrigued by his words. Someone had actually asked Situ Yangguang to find Hou Yi, and Situ Yangguang had actually accepted the request. Who could this person be, and what connection did they have with Hou Yi?

Situ Yangguang found the answer on Hou Yi's face and laughed, "Since you want to know, then please move a little further away from me now. You're making me feel quite intimidated. Don't worry, we won't run away, and even if we did, we wouldn't be able to." Hou Yi scrutinized Situ Yangguang again, making sure he wasn't lying to him: "Alright, I'll take a few steps back and see who you're talking about!"

Though his words remained

sharp , he did take several steps back as Situ Yangguang had instructed. Who was looking for him? The people he knew before had long since passed away. As for immortals, if they wanted to find him or even kill him, they could just come directly; why would they need to entrust a mortal to search for him?

Hou Yi had no good impression of immortals whatsoever. Back then, he had suffered so much to obtain the Sun-Shooting Bow to save the human world from catastrophe, and he had expended so much effort to shoot down those nine extra suns, while those immortals had all stood by and watched, because only he, with his half-demon blood, could wield the Sun-Shooting Bow.

The thought of his demonic bloodline stirred a storm in Hou Yi's once calm heart. He hadn't thought about it for a long time, or perhaps he'd deliberately avoided it. Because of this bloodline, he possessed extraordinary abilities that others lacked, even surpassing those of ordinary immortals. But what use were these abilities if no immortal respected him? Demons were universally considered evil, including him, a half-demon. Even though he had never committed a single wrong, the immortals all wished him dead, yet they feared his

power and dared not easily provoke him.

The Sun-Shooting Bow, this divine artifact left behind by the gods, could only be drawn by him, a half-demon hated by all the immortals—truly ironic.

However, this also presented an opportunity. He exchanged the Sun-Shooting Bow for a magic pill from the Queen Mother of the West. This pill could cleanse his demonic bloodline, turning him into an ordinary person. In this way, he could grow old with his beloved Chang'e, sharing life and death together.

But he couldn't understand why Chang'e would steal the celestial and mortal realms to ascend to the moon palace, and even take the divine bow that shot down the suns. He watched helplessly as Chang'e flew higher and higher, heading towards the moon palace. Although he possessed demonic blood, he couldn't catch up, so he couldn't stop her. He could only watch her disappear into the bright moon with a broken heart. The pain was unbearable!

What pain could be worse than losing a beloved? From that moment on, Hou Yi's heart was soaked in pain and resentment, unable to extricate himself.

April 25th,
Chapter 266: A Stunning Moment.

Hou Yi later went to plead with the Queen Mother of the West, but she refused to see him. He then begged the Jade Emperor to allow him to see Chang'e, but the Jade Emperor also refused, saying, "From now on, Chang'e will not descend to earth, and you will not ascend to heaven; the two of you can never meet again."

From then on, Hou Yi and Chang'e were separated, one on earth, the other spending her days in loneliness in the Moon Palace. The days were long,

and the longing was even longer. He didn't understand why the Jade Emperor did this, why he prevented him from seeing Chang'e. He also didn't understand why Chang'e had stolen the elixir of

immortality. Were her previous declarations of love and vows to be with him forever false? He refused to believe it; he had to ask Chang'e face-to-face why! The Jade Emperor's rejection caused the hatred that had been suppressed in his heart to erupt completely. This raw hatred, like stubborn weeds, could not be extinguished; he needed to find a place to vent it.

In the human realm, countless mortals lived. Hou Yi spent hundreds of years researching a method to transform mortals into monsters using his own magic. However, this method had a major flaw: only those filled with resentment could be successfully transformed; all others failed.

In the years that followed, Hou Yi relentlessly sought out resentful individuals and transformed them one by one into monsters. Initially, he could only create lower-level monsters, but he progressed to increasingly higher levels, until recently he finally managed to transform humans into super monsters. This

was because he harbored a deeper plan: once he could create monsters of the ultimate level and overcome the limitation of only those filled with resentment being able to be transformed, he could turn even more people into monsters. In this way, he would have countless subordinates, all of them super monsters, enough to challenge the Celestial Realm. However, he believed the Celestial Realm would not stand idly by, as the human realm was their foundation. Without humans, the Celestial Realm would have no future base for development, and they would inevitably intervene. At that time, as long as he survived, he could use this as leverage to negotiate with the Jade Emperor.

He wanted Chang'e,

regardless of whether this woman had truly betrayed him. He wanted Chang'e because he truly loved her, loved her deeply. He could say that in the years since losing her, he had relied on this love to sustain himself; otherwise, he would have gone mad long ago!

"Where is the person you speak of?" Hou Yi asked coldly, staring into Situ Yangguang's eyes.

"Far away, yet right before my eyes!" Situ Yangguang replied with a smile, his expression calm. He pointed at Chang'e, who turned her back, her shoulders trembling slightly, seemingly suppressing her inner longing and anxiety. In the instant Hou Yi turned his face, she recognized the man in black before her—it was Hou Yi, the man she had longed for day and night! She bit her lip hard, almost drawing blood, to keep the gasp from escaping her lips.

Now that they were truly about to meet, her heart no longer yearned as before, for she was terrified—terrified that Hou Yi still hated her, hated her to the point of refusing to listen to her explanation. She

would never forget the moment of ascension, the desperate, helpless look in his eyes as her body rose before him. Whatever the truth, at least in that moment, she had betrayed Hou Yi!

Her heart had never been

so turbulent. Calmness, detachment, and tranquility had all vanished; all that remained was Hou Yi, his face.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Chang'e turned away, her shoulders trembling. She was crying; tears that had been building up for a thousand years welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Hou Yi saw only a strange woman, her back to him, her shoulders trembling slightly. Her back was so beautiful, yet so lonely and helpless.

Was she crying? Why? Why, even though they were complete strangers, did seeing her helpless figure cause him such heartache, a pain like a tangled knot? Who was she?

Hou Yi couldn't help but take a few steps towards Chang'e. Closer still, when they were almost touching, he finally asked, "Who are you? Do we know each other?" His voice was so gentle; neither Sha Wujing nor Zhu Bajie had ever heard Hou Yi speak so softly since they last spoke.

It seemed that although Chang'e had changed her appearance, making Hou Yi no longer recognize her, their connection still existed.

That was enough. Chang'e's

lips slowly curved into a smile, the curve growing wider and wider until it could no longer rise, while her tears continued to fall like an endless stream. Chang'e turned her head, and Hou Yi saw a beautiful face streaked with tears.

She reached out, her slender fingers caressing Hou Yi's gaunt and somber face with tenderness. Hou Yi instinctively leaned back, but quickly stopped, letting the cool hand touch his cheek.

Shouldn't he be avoiding it? Why couldn't he look away when he met the woman's resentful eyes? Who was she?

The same question silently lingered in Sha Wujing's mind. Today's events had piqued his curiosity too. First, Li Yan had turned into a monster, then even Hou Yi had appeared, and now this woman of unknown origin had suddenly appeared. Judging from Situ Yangguang's demeanor, she seemed quite familiar with him.

No wonder Sha Wujing didn't know. When Chang'e came to Situ Yangguang to ask him to find Hou Yi, only Situ Yangguang knew about it; he hadn't mentioned it to anyone else. Even Bajie, who followed him around like a shadow, didn't know Chang'e's

origins .

This time, Situ Yangguang didn't keep him in suspense. He leaned close to Sha Wujing's ear and whispered two words: "Chang'e." Though the voice was soft, Bajie, with his large ears and sharp hearing, heard the words "Chang'e."

This shock was no less than the shock of discovering the man in black was Hou Yi. If Bajie hadn't improved his composure considerably over the years, he would have jumped up long ago. Even so, he almost cried out.

"Is it true?" he asked Situ Yangguang hesitantly. It wasn't that he didn't believe it; Chang'e's appearance was too ordinary, completely unlike the stunning beauty she had in the Moon Palace.

Situ Yangguang smiled mysteriously, not intending to answer Bajie's question. Heh heh, just watch if you don't believe it. He had suffered just as much as he had in the past. Bajie, believe it or not.

"You've changed so much, but no matter how you change, I'll always recognize you, always!" These were the first words Chang'e spoke to Hou Yi, her voice thick with sobs, almost unable to speak clearly.

"Who exactly are you?" Hou Yi stared intently

at this unremarkable woman. Why did her every move tug at his heartstrings? He had almost been unable to resist wiping away her tears.

Hearing his repeated questions, Chang'e finally remembered that she was still in her disguised form. No wonder Hou Yi didn't recognize her; even if he had a feeling, he wasn't sure. Thinking of this, she withdrew her hand from the back of her face, lowered her head, and blushed shyly.

Before Situ Yangguang revealed Chang'e's identity, Bajie never imagined that Miss Chang would be so intimate with that man in black. Since meeting Miss Chang, he had never heard her mention having a boyfriend or husband. How could such a man suddenly appear? And judging from his appearance, he didn't seem like a good person. Why was Miss Chang so kind to him, and even cried for him? Uh, speaking of crying, Bajie suddenly remembered that when Miss Chang cried earlier, the sound of her tears falling to the ground seemed a little off.

Only then did he see the tears clearly—they weren't tears anymore, but a string of pearls! What was going on? Miss Chang's tears had turned into pearls! How could a human have such a near-miraculous performance? Was she not human? Just as Bajie was pondering this question, Situ Yangguang's words confirmed his guess. It turned out that the Miss Chang he had always thought he knew really... wasn't human! And, she was Chang'e?

Chang'e slowly turned around. A flash of white light appeared, and ethereal, misty fairy energy instantly engulfed her. The swirling wind stung the faces of everyone present, but fortunately, the terrain was flat, and the wind gradually dissipated, unlike the previous time at Situ Yu's house.

The powerful fairy energy felt familiar; Hou Yi remembered being drawn by this very same fairy energy during his last encounter.

Situ Yangguang had experienced it before, so he remained relatively calm. Pigsy, however, was somewhat disheveled, not expecting the fairy energy emanating from Chang'e to be so intense. He was forced back by the wind, and just then, a hand reached out and grabbed him. Looking up, he saw Little White winking at him.

When the wind and mist cleared, a breathtakingly beautiful face appeared before everyone

. Even Sandy, who was never interested in women, couldn't help but marvel at the face; it was truly beautiful, and only such beauty could be worthy of the name Chang'e of the Moon Palace!

Hou Yi's heart clenched the moment the celestial aura appeared, shrinking even more when he saw that face. It was too familiar; no one knew that face better than him. Similarly, he had believed it for far too long, so long that he thought time could turn back…

“Chang'e… Chang'e…” a dreamlike voice, eyes wide with disbelief. Hou Yi was no longer the sinister figure he had been moments before. His hands trembled as he slowly approached the breathtakingly beautiful face. But he was also afraid, deeply afraid that this was just a hallucination. He couldn't bear it, he couldn't bear a second blow.

Finally, finally, he touched her. It was warm, it was real, not an illusion, not a dream. His Chang'e had truly returned. She was back!

Having confirmed this, Hou Yi suddenly pulled Chang'e into his arms. He kept calling her name. She was back, his Chang'e had finally returned. They would never be separated again. In this moment, he forgot Chang'e's betrayal, forgot the pain of

wandering the mortal . All he felt was the joy of their long-awaited reunion.

The feeling of being held in her lover's arms once again brought tears to Chang'e's eyes as she smiled through them. She embraced Hou Yi tightly, saying, "Yes, it's me! I'm back! Hou Yi, we've finally met again!"

While they were immersed in the immense joy of their reunion, one person's heart sank into an icy abyss. Pigsy clung tightly to a tree beside him, as if only that tree could give him strength. His teeth were clenched, and his obese body trembled uncontrollably. Even if he were slow-witted, he could tell that the relationship between the man in black and Chang'e was extraordinary; no one would believe it wasn't their lover.

Just moments before, a sudden gust of wind had arisen, and when it subsided, she had completely transformed. No longer dressed as an ordinary person, she was now clad in white, her long hair flowing freely, looking exactly like the Chang'e seen in the Moon Palace. Who else could this beauty be but Chang'e?

Her graceful figure, adorned with flowing hair, told everyone who saw her that this was the real her, a woman of unparalleled beauty.

Although he knew he wasn't good enough for Chang'e, and only wanted to

be her friend, content to be there for her when she was unhappy, he realized at the last minute that he was actually greedy. Seeing her with other men still pained him, and he laughed at his own folly at the same time.

But no matter how deep his feelings were, it was useless; Chang'e already had someone she loved, and she wouldn't love him.

Yet he couldn't let go, even knowing it was impossible. This feeling was incredibly painful. Meanwhile, Sha Wujing, Xiao Bai, and Situ Yangguang were now completely relegated to bystanders, only able to watch Hou Yi and Chang'e reminisce about their long-awaited reunion.

"Chang'e, why are you here?" After the initial excitement, Hou Yi finally recovered somewhat and asked Chang'e why she was there. Before Chang'e could answer, Hou Yi inadvertently noticed her constantly floating feet and was horrified: "You... why are your feet always floating in the air? Why aren't you standing on the ground?" He gripped Chang'e tightly, afraid that if he let go, she would fly to the moon palace before him again, just like thousands of years ago.

"Hou Yi," Chang'e whispered, "after my appearance returned to normal, my feet could never touch the earth. This is the result of consuming the elixir of immortality. From the moment I took that elixir, I no longer belonged to the mortal world!"

Hou Yi didn't believe Chang'e. He tried to pull her down by holding her legs, but he could only lift them three feet off the ground before he couldn't pull them any further. Chang'e was right; her feet could never touch the ground again, and she could only float like this, signifying that her status as an immortal was unchangeable.

Hearing Chang'e's words, he suddenly remembered the matter of the elixir. His smile gradually faded, but his hand still did not let go: "Chang'e, why did you steal the elixir? Why did you ascend alone? You wouldn't tell me before, but can you tell me now? Don't you want to be with me until we grow old together?"

Chapter 267 With a Kind Heart

Chang'e slowly turned around on the spot. After a burst of fairy energy, Chang'e became an ordinary woman again, her feet firmly planted on the ground. She said, "I'm sorry, but after leaving the Moon Palace, I can't return to my original form for long. This would cause my immortal energy to dissipate, and if it dissipates too much, the consequences will be very serious." Hou Yi grabbed her hand and asked, "Since the Jade Emperor hasn't restricted your freedom, why don't you come down and reunite with me? Don't you want to see me again?"

Hearing Hou Yi's words, Chang'e silently shook her head and said, "How could I not miss you? If I didn't, why would I have suffered so much these past few thousand years? I didn't tell you because the time wasn't right, but now I think it's time." Chang'e took a step back, leaving Hou Yi's gentle embrace. This comfort made her reluctant to leave, and it also made her forget the purpose of her descent to the mortal realm: "Do you still remember what the Jade Emperor said?"

At the mention of the Jade Emperor, Hou Yi's face instantly turned extremely sinister, and he said hatefully, "That old scoundrel won't let me see you, why are you still mentioning him?!"

"No, you're wrong!" Chang'e looked down at her hand, which Hou Yi was holding, and said, "Hou Yi, the Jade Emperor is the truly benevolent one. You can't say that about him." Stopping Hou Yi's rebuttal, she continued, "The Jade Emperor once told you: From now on, Chang'e will not be allowed to descend to the mortal realm, and you will not be allowed to ascend to the heavens. The two of you can never meet again. Is that right?"

"How could you know?" Hou Yi asked in surprise. Chang'e wasn't there when the Jade Emperor said this; she couldn't possibly know unless the Jade Emperor told her later.

"Actually, I can descend to the mortal realm." Chang'e's words shocked Hou Yi once more. "The Jade Emperor didn't restrict my movements, nor did he confine me to the Moon Palace. I can come to the mortal realm anytime I want. The reason I don't come down is because..."

"Because you don't want to be with me?" Hou Yi found this question extremely difficult to answer. He didn't want to believe that the woman he missed day and night, the woman he was even willing to risk everything for, didn't miss him at all.

"Hou Yi, how could I not miss you? It's just that I can't see you!" Chang'e said with a hint of sadness. "Perhaps you won't believe the

words of someone who betrayed you, but not a single word I say now is a lie. The Jade Emperor foresaw this calamity between heaven and earth, which is why he separated us."

"The Jade Emperor? Calamity? What are you talking about?" Hou Yi didn't understand why Chang'e kept bringing up that old scoundrel, the Jade Emperor. Chang'e asked, "Hou Yi, do you really think the medicine the Queen Mother of the West gave you can eliminate the demon blood in your body and turn you into a mortal?"

"Isn't that right?" Hou Yi asked, frowning, vaguely knowing that what Chang'e was about to say wouldn't be anything good.

Chang'e said, "You may not know, but the Queen Mother of the West wields great power in the Heavenly Court. Because you possess demon blood, she strongly advocated that the Jade Emperor send heavenly soldiers to kill you. However, the Jade Emperor was merciful and believed that possessing demon blood wasn't your fault, and besides, you hadn't committed any wrongdoing, so he repeatedly rejected their suggestions."

Hou Yi listened quietly, his expression shifting. Situ Yangguang, Xiaobai, and the others were hearing Chang'e tell such a secret for the first time, so they all pricked up their ears to listen carefully.

"Later,

when ten suns appeared in the sky at once, only you could draw the Sun-Shooting Bow. The Queen Mother of the West suggested to the Jade Emperor that you exchange your unparalleled achievement of shooting down the suns for a single elixir to fulfill your wish to eliminate your demon bloodline and become a mortal. You should know this, Hou Yi, but what you don't know is the conspiracy hidden behind the scenes by the Queen Mother of the West!" At this point, the sarcasm in Chang'e's eyes turned into resentment: "Eliminating demon bloodline... how easy is that? Most immortals can't even defeat you, a half-demon, how could they possibly eliminate your bloodline? If they had such a way, they would have made you a mortal long ago. Why would they tolerate you like this? The Queen Mother of the West's scheme is truly brilliant. It not only eliminated the problem of the ten suns but also removed you, a major threat. What she gave you was clearly a newly developed poison, the most ruthless and poisonous poison in the immortal realm!"

"Ah?" Situ Yangguang exclaimed, never expecting that the Queen Mother of the West was such a treacherous villain. He and Xiaobai exchanged a glance, both seeing endless horror in each other's eyes.

"Are you alright?" Hou Yi blurted out after his initial shock, but immediately realized how foolish his question was. If

Chang'e had truly taken the poison, why would she be standing here speaking to him? Seeing Hou Yi's concern, Chang'e's face lit up with a smile as bright as a hundred flowers in bloom. She stretched out her arms and said to Hou Yi, "Look at me, I'm perfectly fine now. Of course, I didn't take that poison. I took a real elixir, an elixir that allows one to ascend to immortality!"

She reassured Hou Yi, letting him hear her finish: "That day, when you returned with the elixir and told me you would soon become a mortal, no longer needing to participate among the immortals, and could grow old with me, I was overjoyed." Thinking of that time, a smile involuntarily appeared on Chang'e's lips, but it quickly melted away like spring snow: "While you were out running your last errands, I stayed by the elixir, fearing someone would steal it. It was then that the Jade Emperor appeared before me. He told me it wasn't an elixir but poison, poison used by the Queen Mother of the West to get rid of you, a thorn in her side."

Hou Yi connected this to his past... Having witnessed the events of that time, he was now certain of Chang'e's account of the Queen Mother of the West, but he still had doubts about the Jade Emperor's appearance: "Would the Jade Emperor be so kind as to come specifically to remind you

? If so, why didn't he just tell me directly, and why didn't he reject the suggestion when the Queen Mother of the West made it to him?"

Chang'e smiled calmly and said, "You will understand after I finish speaking." She then turned to Situ Yangguang and said, "Situ Yangguang, I am truly grateful to you for finding Hou Yi this time. When you asked me about the truth of my affair with Hou Yi, I didn't tell you, saying I would only tell you after finding Hou Yi. Now that I have found him, it's time to tell you the truth."

Situ Yangguang nodded hastily. Actually, he had long forgotten about this matter, but since Chang'e was willing to speak, he was naturally happy to listen; after all, everyone has curiosity, and he was no exception.

Chang'e tilted her head slightly, the moonlight shining like water on her slender figure, as if she might ascend to heaven at any moment. No wonder Hou Yi refused to let go of Chang'e's hand; he was probably terrified that she would fly away silently, just like last time.

"When the Jade Emperor told me that the medicine was not an elixir but poison, I asked him similar questions to yours. I asked him why he came all the way here

to tell me, and why he didn't reject the suggestion when the Queen Mother of the West proposed it to him. What were his true intentions? If it were anyone else, they would probably have stormed off long ago upon hearing that their good intentions had been misunderstood. But the Jade Emperor didn't. He told me that the reason he didn't reject the suggestion when the Queen Mother of the West proposed it was because most people in the celestial realm shared the same attitude as the Queen Mother of the West. They all thought that Hou Yi was not worthy of being alive. Many times before, he had used his status as the Jade Emperor to suppress their opinions. However, such a forceful approach could not be used twice. Many people in the celestial realm already thought that he was too weak and unworthy to be the Jade Emperor. They were already dissatisfied. If he continued to reject the suggestion, he would not be able to suppress those people and would only make them resentful."

Hou Yi held Chang'e's hand and listened quietly.

"I asked him again why he came all the way here to tell me this. The Jade Emperor said that although he outwardly agreed to the demands of the Queen Mother of the West and the others, it was out of necessity and he had no other choice. In fact, he did not want Hou Yi to die in vain. After all, Hou Yi, you have made

unparalleled contributions to both the celestial realm and the mortal realm. To die like this would truly shame the celestial realm." Hou Yi's expression changed, and it was unclear what he was thinking. Situ Yangguang and the others were quite moved. Although the celestial realm was not as wonderful as they had imagined, at least there was still a benevolent Jade Emperor.

Chapter 268 The Choice

Chang'e's expression was solemn as she held Hou Yi's hand emotionally, saying, "The Jade Emperor told me that he had foreseen that thousands of years from now, humanity would face the calamity we see today: Jupiter would collide with Earth. The suffering humanity would endure would be immeasurable, an irreversible catastrophe. At that time, the one who could save humanity from this peril would be the brave warrior who once shot down nine suns with a single arrow—that is, Hou Yi yourself. A sage who cherishes the people as his own life would find you; he would be the former Tang Dynasty Emperor Li Shimin, now Situ Yangguang. I have been lonely in the Moon Palace for a thousand years, and now the Jade Emperor's words have finally come true. My thousand years of suffering have not been in vain. Hou Yi, it is so wonderful to have found you!"

The others, including Sha Wujing, were all startled. Wasn't the calamity the Jade Emperor had predicted the very one Chang'e was referring to—Jupiter colliding with Earth? The Jade Emperor had actually foreseen this event thousands of years ago; he was truly astute.

Only Hou Yi didn't know what this so-called calamity referred to. Only after Chang'e told him that the planet Jupiter was gradually approaching Earth

did he show some emotion, but that was all. Humanity's calamities seemed to have little to do with him; he only wanted to be with Chang'e, and he believed he could protect her.

"The Jade Emperor gave me a true elixir of immortality. Taking it will grant me eternal life and eternal youth, but I will also have to pay the price of separation." The pain of parting, the pain of enduring loneliness, the pain of unbearable longing—all appeared on her face, on that exquisitely beautiful face. Even as an immortal, even after living for thousands of years, she was still a woman, a woman whose everything was tied to a man.

"Because those who ascend to immortality by taking elixirs cannot effectively control the leakage of their immortal energy. Once their immortal energy is depleted, their life will come to an end. Therefore, they must stay in a place full of immortal energy to constantly replenish it, and the Moon Palace is such a place. I must ascend to the Moon Palace and wait there for the calamity to descend to the mortal realm to join hands with you, Hou Yi, to save it. Originally, the Jade Emperor wanted me to tell you the truth, but I refused. I would rather you hate me, I would rather you misunderstand me, than

tell you the truth. Do you know why?" Tears welled up in his eyes as he asked, holding hands and gazing at each other. All the deep affection and heavy feelings were transformed into unspoken words at this moment.

Hou Yi met her tearful eyes, and without realizing it, his own eyes also welled up with tears: "Because you understand me too well. If I knew the truth, I would have gone to great lengths to find you. When I realized I couldn't be with you, I would no longer be myself. I wouldn't care about any calamities or humanity. From then on, there would be no more Hou Yi in the world, only a madman. I might even try to kill myself. So you'd rather I hate you, hate the Jade Emperor. Use this hatred to keep me from dying and going mad."

Chang'e smiled with relief and said happily, "The one who understands me best has always been you, Hou Yi. The one who loves me most has always been you, Hou Yi, even after all these years, nothing has changed." She said to Situ Yangguang, "Your Majesty, please bring out the Sun-Shooting Bow." Situ Yangguang took something out of his pocket, and everyone saw that it was a small bow that gleamed with black light. Chang'e took it and said, "I took the Sun-Shooting Bow with me back then, because I was afraid you would do something

irreversible . Now it's time to return it to its rightful owner."

Hou Yi received the sealed Sun-Shooting Bow. The moment his hand touched it, the bow hummed softly and vibrated. Dark light emanated from the bow and Hou Yi's hand, spreading outwards in concentric circles. Like ripples on water, everyone touched by the light felt a strange sensation—like family reunion or a traveler returning home, an indescribable joy.

When the light reached its peak, the Sun-Shooting Bow, originally only an inch in size, rapidly grew into a large bow over a meter long, its surface engraved with strange patterns. An aura of annihilation emanated from the bow; this was its true form. When it returned to Hou Yi's hands, the original seal broke.

"Sun-Shooting Bow, we finally meet again!" Hou Yi was deeply moved. Besides Chang'e, this spiritually powerful bow was his best friend. After thousands of years, he finally held it once more. Overwhelmed with emotion, Hou Yi stroked his divine bow with deep feeling, as if facing a long-lost friend…

Chang'e said tenderly, “Hou Yi, humanity's calamity is drawing ever closer. We must shoot down Jupiter as soon as possible. Shall we begin now?” For some reason, her gaze was so sorrowful, as if there was a hint of reluctance within it.

Hou Yi's heart was in turmoil. He had painstakingly transformed humans into monsters so that he would have leverage to negotiate with the Jade Emperor and reclaim Chang'e. Now, Chang'e told him that the Jade Emperor was the true benevolent one, that he had given Chang'e the elixir, and that it was because of this elixir that Chang'e had remained alive. In this way, everything he had done before was meaningless. Chang'e remaining in the mortal realm would only harm her; only the celestial energy of the Moon Palace could keep her alive.

Should he really save the ignorant mortals?

If it were before, Hou Yi would have agreed without hesitation, but now… after several upheavals and a thousand years of wandering, Hou Yi's heart had hardened beyond measure. He cared nothing for the lives of anyone except Chang'e. Hou Yi was no longer the same Hou Yi.

"Julang Star isn't the same as the original Nine Suns. With the power of the Celestial Realm, destroying it isn't impossible. Why doesn't the Celestial Realm act on its own, instead of sending you down to find me?" Hou Yi suddenly thought of this question. Chang'e said, "The Jade Emperor calculated the calamities facing humanity. I don't quite understand why the Celestial Realm can't destroy Julang Star; perhaps it's fate. Hou Yi, the responsibility of saving humanity rests solely on your shoulders. You must shoulder it well."

Hou Yi embraced Chang'e, remaining silent.

Sha Wujing and Situ Yangguang both looked at Hou Yi with expectant eyes. Only Bajie's gaze held a hint of disdain. He thought to himself, "Hmph, what's so great about Hou Yi? Why didn't Chang'e ask me to shoulder this burden?" Even if I can't do it alone, isn't there still the all-powerful Monkey King, Sun Wukong?

Chapter 268 The Choice

Chang'e's expression was solemn as she held Hou Yi's hand emotionally, saying, "Back then, the Jade Emperor told me that he had calculated that thousands of years later, humanity would face the calamity we face today, when Jupiter would collide with Earth. The suffering humanity would endure would be immeasurable, an irreversible catastrophe. At that time, the one who could save humanity from this peril would be the brave warrior who once shot down nine suns with one arrow, Hou Yi yourself. A sage who cherishes the people as his own life would find you; he would be the former Tang Dynasty Emperor Li Shimin, now Situ Yangguang. I have been lonely in the Moon Palace for a thousand years, and now the Jade Emperor's words have finally come true. I have not wasted these thousand years. Hou Yi, it is so wonderful to have found you!" Sha

Wujing and the others beside her were all startled. Wasn't the calamity that the Jade Emperor had predicted the very one Chang'e was talking about—Jupiter colliding with Earth? The Jade Emperor had actually foreseen this event thousands of years ago; he was truly remarkable.

Only Hou Yi didn't know what this so-called calamity referred to. Only after Chang'e told him that the planet Jupiter was gradually approaching Earth

did he show some emotion, but that was all. Humanity's calamities seemed to have little to do with him; he only wanted to be with Chang'e, and he believed he could protect her.

"The Jade Emperor gave me a true elixir of immortality. Taking it will grant me eternal life and eternal youth, but I will also have to pay the price of separation." The pain of parting, the pain of enduring loneliness, the pain of unbearable longing—all appeared on her face, on that exquisitely beautiful face. Even as an immortal, even after living for thousands of years, she was still a woman, a woman whose everything was tied to a man.

"Because those who ascend to immortality by taking elixirs cannot effectively control the leakage of their immortal energy. Once their immortal energy is depleted, their life will come to an end. Therefore, they must stay in a place full of immortal energy to constantly replenish it, and the Moon Palace is such a place. I must ascend to the Moon Palace and wait there for the calamity to descend to the mortal realm to join hands with you, Hou Yi, to save it. Originally, the Jade Emperor wanted me to tell you the truth, but I refused. I would rather you hate me, I would rather you misunderstand me, than

tell you the truth. Do you know why?" Tears welled up in his eyes as he asked, holding hands and gazing at each other. All the deep affection and heavy feelings were transformed into unspoken words at this moment.

Hou Yi met her tearful eyes, and without realizing it, his own eyes also welled up with tears: "Because you understand me too well. If I knew the truth, I would have gone to great lengths to find you. When I realized I couldn't be with you, I would no longer be myself. I wouldn't care about any calamities or humanity. From then on, there would be no more Hou Yi in the world, only a madman. I might even try to kill myself. So you'd rather I hate you, hate the Jade Emperor. Use this hatred to keep me from dying and going mad."

Chang'e smiled with relief and said happily, "The person who understands me best has always been you, Hou Yi. The person who loves me most has always been you, Hou Yi, even after all these years, it hasn't changed at all." She said to Situ Yangguang, "Your Majesty, please bring out the Sun-Shooting Bow." Situ Yangguang took something out of his robes, and everyone saw that it was a small bow that gleamed with black light. Chang'e took the bow and said, "I took the Sun-Shooting Bow with me because I was afraid you would use it for something

irreversible . Now it's time to return it to its rightful owner."

Hou Yi took the sealed Sun-Shooting Bow. The moment his hand touched it, the bow emitted soft hums and vibrated. Dark light emanated from the bow and Hou Yi's hand, spreading outwards in concentric circles. Like ripples on water, everyone touched by the light felt a strange sensation—like family reunion or a traveler returning home, an indescribable joy.

When the dark light reached its peak, the Sun-Shooting Bow, originally only an inch in size, rapidly grew into a large bow over a meter long, its surface engraved with various strange patterns. An aura of annihilation emanated from the bow; this was the true form of the Sun-Shooting Bow. When it returned to Hou Yi's hands, the original seal broke without warning.

"The Divine Bow that Shoots the Sun, we've finally met again!" Hou Yi was deeply moved. Besides Chang'e, this spiritually powerful bow was his best friend. After thousands of years, he finally held it again. Overwhelmed with emotion, Hou Yi tenderly stroked the bow, as if facing a long-lost friend. Chang'e said

softly , "Hou Yi, humanity's calamity is drawing ever closer. We must shoot down the planet Jupiter as soon as possible. Shall we begin now?" For some reason, her gaze was so sorrowful, as if there was a hint of reluctance within it.

Hou Yi's heart was in turmoil. He had previously worked hard to transform humans into monsters, hoping to have leverage to negotiate with the Jade Emperor and reclaim Chang'e. Now, Chang'e told him that the Jade Emperor was the true benevolent one, that he had given Chang'e the elixir, and that it was because of this elixir that Chang'e had lived on. In this way, everything he had done before was meaningless. Chang'e remaining in the mortal realm would only harm her; only the celestial energy of the Moon Palace could keep her alive.

Should he really save these ignorant mortals?

If it were before, Hou Yi would have agreed without hesitation, but now... After several dramatic changes and a thousand years of wandering, Hou Yi's heart has become harder than iron. Apart from Chang'e, he doesn't care about the life or death of others. Hou Yi is no longer the Hou Yi of the past.

"Mars isn't the original nine suns. With the power of the Celestial Realm, destroying Mars isn't impossible. Why doesn't the Celestial Realm act on its own, instead of sending you down to find me?" Hou Yi suddenly thought of this question. Chang'e said, "The Jade Emperor calculated the calamities facing humanity. I'm not entirely sure why the Celestial Realm can't destroy Mars, perhaps it's fate. Hou Yi, the responsibility of saving humanity rests on your shoulders alone. You must shoulder it well."

Hou Yi embraced Chang'e, remaining silent.

Sha Wujing and Situ Yangguang both looked at Hou Yi with expectant eyes. Only Bajie's gaze held a hint of disdain. He thought to himself, "Hmph, what's so great about Hou Yi? Why didn't Chang'e ask me to shoulder this burden? Even if I can't do it alone, isn't there still the all-powerful Monkey King?"

Chapter 269 The Pride of the Victor

Bajie, who had been quietly listening nearby, was completely confused by what he had heard, his head feeling like it was filled with a lump of glue. Not only did Chang'e and Hou Yi appear, but Jupiter was also about to collide with Earth, and the end of humanity was just around the corner. Was this really true? His mind was completely blank; he could only mechanically remember what he heard and saw. It turned out that all this time, following Chang'e around, he had been kept in the dark. He was incredibly frustrated.

Hou Yi didn't think much of it. He silently stroked the Sun-Shooting Bow in his hand, seemingly deep in thought. Neither Chang'e, Sha Wujing, nor Situ Yangguang interrupted him, waiting for him to speak.

After thinking for more than ten minutes, he finally looked up and said to Chang'e, "I never refuse your requests. The Jade Emperor really made the right bet. Alright, I promise you I'll draw the Sun-Shooting Bow again and shoot down Jupiter!" Before Chang'e could even rejoice, Hou Yi continued hesitantly, "But..."

"But what?" Not only Chang'e, but even Situ Yangguang and Sha Wujing couldn't help but interject.

With the original matter clarified,

Hou Yi no longer needed to modify humans. Therefore, he and Sha Wujing and the others were no longer enemies, but rather on the same side. He immediately replied, "Chang'e should know that the reason I was able to shoot down nine suns was because of something else besides this divine bow."

Sha Wujing asked first, "What was it?"

Situ Yangguang seemed to remember something, and looking at the sun-shooting bow without an arrow, asked, "Are you talking about the arrow used to shoot down the suns?"

Before Hou Yi could answer, Chang'e calmly said, "That's right, Hou Yi is referring to that unique sun-shooting arrow. Your Majesty, give the sun-shooting arrow to Hou Yi as well." Situ Yangguang reached into his robes and pulled out a small, golden arrow, holding it up to Hou Yi and asking, "Is this what you're talking about?"

Hou Yi took it and said happily, "Yes, yes, that's it! Without this arrow, the sun-shooting bow is useless!"

"That's an exaggeration, isn't it? I don't see anything special about this arrow; it could be made from any kind of metal," Bajie said disdainfully, curling his lip. Hou Yi slowly shook his head, stroking

the shimmering, glowing bow, and said, "Look carefully at the patterns on this bow. Don't use your eyes, look with your heart! You will understand the inseparable bond between this divine bow and its arrows."

Look with their hearts? Although they didn't quite understand, Sha Wujing and the others still focused their gaze on the Sun-Shooting Bow. When they focused their minds and concentrated, the patterns they couldn't understand gradually changed. They saw images they had never seen before, like a dream. Only after the images finished unfolding did they emerge from it. The group thought to themselves, "So that's how it is. No wonder Hou Yi said that without the divine arrows, the Sun-Shooting Bow is useless."

It turned out that in the dream they had just seen, they all witnessed the same scene: in a strange place, an old man, using the essence of earth fire and the divine sand of thunder, spent a thousand years and exhausted all his treasures to finally forge the Sun-Shooting Bow and two Sun-Shooting Arrows. One of these arrows had already been used by Hou Yi to shoot down nine suns, making it the last one.

The divine arrow under Hou Yi's hands underwent a transformation, its shaft growing to over a meter long, perfectly complementing the Sun-Shooting

Bow . "Truly a divine weapon!" Sha Wujing and the others couldn't help but shout in admiration. Hou Yi

, wielding the Sun-Shooting Bow, looked majestic, like a celestial being descended to earth.

"So, now that we have the bow and arrow, can we shoot down Jupiter?" Situ Yangguang asked eagerly. Hou Yi smiled slightly and said, "No need to rush. As long as this arrow hits Jupiter, it will shatter into dust. However, I must choose the best moment to ensure a perfect strike."

"When is the best moment?" Situ Yangguang asked again anxiously.

Hou Yi raised his head and gazed at the sky for a few minutes, then said, "The best time will be when Martian is fully revealed before me, probably in about three days."

Bajie was still savoring the memory of Chang'e's true appearance. Her dazzling beauty and stunning allure had momentarily disoriented him, leaving him unaware of his surroundings or the time of day. His eyes were fixed on that strange yet familiar beautiful face, a face that haunted his dreams, and he never imagined he would see it again in such circumstances. Moreover, the tender affection Chang'e held for Hou Yi stirred a deep

bitterness .

Zhu Bao's infatuated gaze was incredibly irritating to Hou Yi. Chang'e belonged to him alone, and this fat man who appeared out of nowhere dared to so blatantly display his love—it was simply unforgivable! Thinking this, Hou Yi's eyes blazed with jealousy: "A mere mortal dares to be so arrogant? He's really asking for trouble! I must teach him a lesson and make him back down!"

With that thought, Hou Yi glared at Bajie and said, "Hey, you're so rude! Why are you looking at my beloved with those lustful eyes? Who are you?" Bajie chuckled and replied, "I'm your grandpa Pig!" In Bajie's heart, he had no good feelings towards Hou Yi either. Why should he win Chang'e's heart? So, a hint of hostility lingered in their conversation.

Hou Yi was furious. He raised a hand, and flames, almost tangible, erupted from his palm. Having found Chang'e, Hou Yi's previously dark mind had lessened considerably, but his millennia-old disregard for life couldn't be changed overnight. Killing a person was no different from crushing an ant to him.

Sha Wujing and Situ Yangguang's brows twitched, and Chang'e reacted similarly. However, all three wisely remained silent. Sha Wujing and Situ Yangguang didn't know what Hou Yi was like before, but judging from his current state, he was definitely not a good-tempered person and wouldn't listen to their advice. Therefore, this matter depended on Chang'e; if she spoke, Hou Yi would definitely listen.

Sure enough, seeing Hou Yi's murderous intent towards Bajie, Chang'e quickly pressed his hand down, pleading, "Don't kill him! He's just a mortal who knows nothing. Even if he overheard our conversation, he couldn't possibly do anything harmful. Let him go." She couldn't reveal the grudge between Bajie and herself, as that would only enrage Hou Yi further.

Unexpectedly, Hou Yi's attitude was extremely firm this time, his tone harsh as he said, "No, if we let him go out and spread rumors, it will surely ruin our grand plan." In reality, this was just an excuse; the real reason was Bajie's undisguised love. Anyone who dared to harbor designs on Chang'e should not be allowed to live!

Facing the argument, Bajie watched like

an outsider. He was filled with disdain; wasn't he just a brute? What was there to be afraid of?

"Don't always think about killing. Is there no other way besides killing?" Chang'e comforted him.

"I..." Hou Yi was momentarily speechless. He couldn't very well admit in front of outsiders that he was actually jealous; if he did, he would lose all face. Since Chang'e was so resolute, Hou Yi couldn't be too forceful. However, he didn't doubt that Chang'e and Bajie had an affair. Leaving aside his absolute trust in Chang'e, just looking at Bajie's demeanor, he didn't think Chang'e would like him.

Seeing Hou Yi lower his hand, Chang'e finally breathed a sigh of relief and said to Bajie with a hint of apology, "Mr. Pig, I'm sorry to have startled you unnecessarily. You can go back now, but I hope you won't tell anyone what you heard and saw tonight. Otherwise, you'll only bring unnecessary trouble upon yourself. I hope you remember that."

Sha Wujing suddenly interjected, "I have a memory-erasing spell. Why don't I erase all memories of you, including what happened today?" He wanted to joke with Bajie.

Upon hearing that he was going to erase memories of Chang'e, Bajie pretended to be very frightened and shook his head at Sha Wujing in a panic, saying, "No, I don't want my memories erased, I..." He wanted to explain his reason for refusing; he didn't want to forget Chang'e. However, after meeting Hou Yi's murderous gaze, he couldn't say the words. Sweat beaded on his chubby face, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face.

Hou Yi was too lazy to waste words with him and urged Sha Wujing to do it, taking a few steps back and tacitly agreeing to the method.

Chang'e felt sorry for Bajie, but this was the only way at the moment. Bajie loved Chang'e, this fairy who descended to earth, but ultimately could only return heartbroken. Now, being able to forget everything might not be a bad thing for him; at least he wouldn't be hurt or in pain. It could also resolve the conflict between him and Hou Yi.

Just as Bajie was feeling a little awkward, Sha Wujing approached. He said with clear eyes, "Eliminating memories won't be painful. You just need to look into my eyes. When you wake up, you won't forget anything. Let's begin!" A glint of cunning flashed in his clear eyes.

To everyone

's surprise, Bajie suddenly closed his eyes tightly, refusing to look at Sha Wujing, completely uncooperative with Sha Wujing's friendly performance. His action was clearly resistance. Hou Yi's murderous intent, which had been extinguished, rekindled. However, Bajie's next words drew their attention back.

"Hou Yi, don't you want to know why I love Chang'e? I used to be Marshal Tianpeng in Heaven, but I was banished to the mortal realm by the Jade Emperor for loving Chang'e. I really love Chang'e!" Bajie shouted this with his eyes closed, going all out and shamelessly proclaiming it.

Everyone's eyes widened, and Situ Yangguang was so astonished that his mouth formed tiny circles, as if he were seeing Bajie for the first time. It wasn't that he doubted the truth of his words, but he was very worried. By putting himself in opposition to Hou Yi, what would happen next?

"Uh, really?" Hou Yi was even more surprised: "You're that toad who wanted to eat swan meat, Pigsy? Haha, I've heard about it. Your price is indeed high. Unfortunately, Chang'e loves

me!" Hou Yi reached out and embraced Chang'e, showing off to Bajie with the pride of a victor.

Chapter 269 The Pride of a Victor

Bajie, who was quietly listening from the side, was already confused by what he had heard. His head felt like it was filled with a lump of glue. Not only did Chang'e and Hou Yi appear, but Jupiter was also about to collide with Earth, and the end of humanity was just around the corner. Was this really true? His mind was completely blank; he could only mechanically remember what he heard and saw. It turned out that all this time, following Chang'e around, he had been kept in the dark. He was incredibly frustrated.

Hou Yi didn't think much of it. He silently stroked the Sun-Shooting Bow in his hand, seemingly deep in thought. Neither Chang'e, Sha Wujing, nor Situ Yangguang interrupted him, waiting for him to speak.

After thinking for more than ten minutes, he finally looked up and said to Chang'e, "I never refuse your requests. The Jade Emperor really made the right bet. Alright, I promise you I'll draw the Sun-Shooting Bow again and shoot down Jupiter!" Before Chang'e could even rejoice, Hou Yi continued hesitantly, "But..."

"But what?" Not only Chang'e, but even Situ Yangguang and Sha Wujing couldn't help but interject.

With the original matter clarified,

Hou Yi no longer needed to modify humans. Therefore, he and Sha Wujing and the others were no longer enemies, but rather on the same side. He immediately replied, "Chang'e should know that the reason I was able to shoot down nine suns was because of something else besides this divine bow."

Sha Wujing asked first, "What was it?"

Situ Yangguang seemed to remember something, and looking at the sun-shooting bow without an arrow, asked, "Are you talking about the arrow used to shoot down the suns?"

Before Hou Yi could answer, Chang'e calmly said, "That's right, Hou Yi is referring to that unique sun-shooting arrow. Your Majesty, give the sun-shooting arrow to Hou Yi as well." Situ Yangguang reached into his robes and pulled out a small, golden arrow, holding it up to Hou Yi and asking, "Is this what you're talking about?"

Hou Yi took it and said happily, "Yes, yes, that's it! Without this arrow, the sun-shooting bow is useless!"

"That's an exaggeration, isn't it? I don't see anything special about this arrow; it could be made from any kind of metal," Bajie said disdainfully, curling his lip. Hou Yi slowly shook his head, stroking

the shimmering, glowing bow, and said, "Look carefully at the patterns on this bow. Don't use your eyes, look with your heart! You will understand the inseparable bond between this divine bow and its arrows."

Look with their hearts? Although they didn't quite understand, Sha Wujing and the others still focused their gaze on the Sun-Shooting Bow. When they focused their minds and concentrated, the patterns they couldn't understand gradually changed. They saw images they had never seen before, like a dream. Only after the images finished unfolding did they emerge from it. The group thought to themselves, "So that's how it is. No wonder Hou Yi said that without the divine arrows, the Sun-Shooting Bow is useless."

It turned out that in the dream they had just seen, they all witnessed the same scene: in a strange place, an old man, using the essence of earth fire and the divine sand of thunder, spent a thousand years and exhausted all his treasures to finally forge the Sun-Shooting Bow and two Sun-Shooting Arrows. One of these arrows had already been used by Hou Yi to shoot down nine suns, making it the last one.

The divine arrow under Hou Yi's hands underwent a transformation, its shaft growing to over a meter long, perfectly complementing the Sun-Shooting

Bow . "Truly a divine weapon!" Sha Wujing and the others couldn't help but shout in admiration. Hou Yi

, wielding the Sun-Shooting Bow, looked majestic, like a celestial being descended to earth.

"So, now that we have the bow and arrow, can we shoot down Jupiter?" Situ Yangguang asked eagerly. Hou Yi smiled slightly and said, "No need to rush. As long as this arrow hits Jupiter, it will shatter into dust. However, I must choose the best moment to ensure a perfect strike."

"When is the best moment?" Situ Yangguang asked again anxiously.

Hou Yi raised his head and gazed at the sky for a few minutes, then said, "The best time will be when Martian is fully revealed before me, probably in about three days."

Bajie was still savoring the memory of Chang'e's true appearance. Her dazzling beauty and stunning allure had momentarily disoriented him, leaving him unaware of his surroundings or the time of day. His eyes were fixed on that strange yet familiar beautiful face, a face that haunted his dreams, and he never imagined he would see it again in such circumstances. Moreover, the tender affection Chang'e held for Hou Yi stirred a deep bitterness within him.

Zhu Bao's infatuated gaze was incredibly irritating to Hou Yi. Chang'e belonged to him alone, and this fat man who appeared out of nowhere dared to so blatantly display his love—it was simply unforgivable! Thinking this, Hou Yi's eyes blazed with jealousy: "A mere mortal dares to be so arrogant? He's really asking for trouble! I must teach him a lesson and make him back down!"

With that thought, Hou Yi glared at Bajie and said, "Hey, you're so rude! Why are you looking at my beloved with those lustful eyes? Who are you?" Bajie chuckled and replied, "I'm your grandpa Pig!" In Bajie's heart, he had no good feelings towards Hou Yi either. Why should he win Chang'e's heart? So, a hint of hostility lingered in their conversation.

Hou Yi was furious. He raised a hand, and flames, almost tangible, erupted from his palm. Having found Chang'e, Hou Yi's previously dark mind had lessened considerably, but his millennia-old disregard for life couldn't be changed overnight. Killing a person was no different from crushing an ant to him.

Sha Wujing and Situ Yangguang's brows twitched, and Chang'e reacted similarly. However, all three wisely remained silent. Sha Wujing and Situ Yangguang didn't know what Hou Yi was like before, but judging from his current state, he was definitely not a good-tempered person and wouldn't listen to their advice. Therefore, this matter depended on Chang'e; if she spoke, Hou Yi would definitely listen.

Sure enough, seeing Hou Yi's murderous intent towards Bajie, Chang'e quickly pressed his hand down, pleading, "Don't kill him! He's just a mortal who knows nothing. Even if he overheard our conversation, he couldn't possibly do anything harmful. Let him go." She couldn't reveal the grudge between Bajie and herself, as that would only enrage Hou Yi further.

Unexpectedly, Hou Yi's attitude was extremely firm this time, his tone harsh as he said, "No, if we let him go out and spread rumors, it will surely ruin our grand plan." In reality, this was just an excuse; the real reason was Bajie's undisguised love. Anyone who dared to harbor designs on Chang'e should not be allowed to live!

Facing the argument, Bajie watched like

an outsider. He was filled with disdain; wasn't he just a brute? What was there to be afraid of?

"Don't always think about killing. Is there no other way besides killing?" Chang'e comforted him.

"I..." Hou Yi was momentarily speechless. He couldn't very well admit in front of outsiders that he was actually jealous; if he did, he would lose all face. Since Chang'e was so resolute, Hou Yi couldn't be too forceful. However, he didn't doubt that Chang'e and Bajie had an affair. Leaving aside his absolute trust in Chang'e, just looking at Bajie's demeanor, he didn't think Chang'e would like him.

Seeing Hou Yi lower his hand, Chang'e finally breathed a sigh of relief and said to Bajie with a hint of apology, "Mr. Pig, I'm sorry to have startled you unnecessarily. You can go back now, but I hope you won't tell anyone what you heard and saw tonight. Otherwise, you'll only bring unnecessary trouble upon yourself. I hope you remember that."

Sha Wujing suddenly interjected, "I have a memory-erasing spell. Why don't I erase all memories of you, including what happened today?" He wanted to joke with Bajie.

Upon hearing that he was going to erase memories of Chang'e, Bajie pretended to be very frightened and shook his head at Sha Wujing in a panic, saying, "No, I don't want my memories erased, I..." He wanted to explain his reason for refusing; he didn't want to forget Chang'e. However, after meeting Hou Yi's murderous gaze, he couldn't say the words. Sweat beaded on his chubby face, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face.

Hou Yi was too lazy to waste words with him and urged Sha Wujing to do it, taking a few steps back and tacitly agreeing to the method.

Chang'e felt sorry for Bajie, but this was the only way at the moment. Bajie loved Chang'e, this fairy who descended to earth, but ultimately could only return heartbroken. Now, being able to forget everything might not be a bad thing for him; at least he wouldn't be hurt or in pain. It could also resolve the conflict between him and Hou Yi.

Just as Bajie was feeling a little awkward, Sha Wujing approached. He said with clear eyes, "Eliminating memories won't be painful. You just need to look into my eyes. When you wake up, you won't forget anything. Let's begin!" A glint of cunning flashed in his clear eyes.

To everyone

's surprise, Bajie suddenly closed his eyes tightly, refusing to look at Sha Wujing, completely uncooperative with Sha Wujing's friendly performance. His action was clearly resistance. Hou Yi's murderous intent, which had been extinguished, rekindled. However, Bajie's next words drew their attention back.

"Hou Yi, don't you want to know why I love Chang'e? I used to be Marshal Tianpeng in Heaven, but I was banished to the mortal realm by the Jade Emperor for loving Chang'e. I really love Chang'e!" Bajie shouted with his eyes closed, going all out and shamelessly proclaiming this.

Everyone's eyes widened, and Situ Yangguang was so astonished that his mouth formed tiny circles, as if he were seeing Bajie for the first time. It wasn't that he doubted the truth of his words, but he was very worried. By doing this, he had immediately placed himself on the opposite side of Hou Yi. What would the situation be like next?

"Uh, really?" Hou Yi was even more surprised: "You're that toad who wanted to eat swan meat, Pigsy? Haha, I've heard about it. Your price is indeed high. It's a pity that Chang'e loves

me!" Hou Yi reached out and embraced Chang'e, showing a triumphant look at Bajie, his face displaying the pride of a victor.

Chapter 270 Unchanging Through the Ages

: Hou Yi, hand in hand with Chang'e, drifted away. Pigsy watched, his heart as cold as if it had fallen into an ice cellar. He couldn't understand why his passionate heart, even if it melted the hardest ice, couldn't move Chang'e's heart. It hadn't worked before, and it still hadn't worked now. "Heavens, why is my life so miserable?" Pigsy looked up at the sky and asked.

Situ Yangguang, seeing Pigsy's dejected expression, comforted him, "Fate is predetermined. Try to be more open-minded. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Don't let Chang'e make you lose your appetite. Look how haggard you look!" Pigsy's expression was blank, as if he couldn't hear Situ Yangguang's words of comfort. Sha Wujing smiled and said to Situ Yangguang, "You don't need to persuade him. This ill-fated relationship between Second Brother and Chang'e is not something you or I can resolve. You could say it's a deep-seated sorrow for Second Brother!"

Situ Yangguang sighed softly and said, "Yes, how can outsiders understand feelings? Just like my Yang Guifei, my beloved Yang Guifei, the feelings between us, though a thousand years have passed, are still vivid in my mind, unforgettable for eternity! Yang Guifei, where is she?" Thinking of Yang Guifei, Situ Yangguang's feelings became complicated, and his expression was somewhat lost.

Sha Wujing was completely immune to these romantic feelings. Seeing their gloomy faces, he just felt bored. Alas, it's best not to touch feelings. Just look at these two in front of him; feelings are indeed not a good thing. Once you get involved with them, it's easy to become foolish, crazy, and bring trouble upon yourself. He listened carefully and seemed to hear faint breathing in the distance. Sha Wujing called out loudly into the darkness, "Who are you, friends ahead? No need to hide, come out openly!"

"Hehehe, Brother Sha, you certainly have sharp eyes! I was hiding here, practically holding my breath, and you still found me!" Just then, a young man emerged from the bushes in the distance, a wicked smile playing on his lips. Sha Wujing recognized him immediately—it was the fox spirit Wu Nai. He walked towards them in the moonlight, his face still bearing that same carefree, wicked grin.

"Hehe, Wu Nai, you're really bold, daring to hide in the bushes and eavesdrop on our conversation. Aren't you afraid Hou Yi will kill you with an arrow?" Sha Wujing recognized

Wu Nai, and although his expression remained calm, a subtle smile flickered in his eyes. For some reason, every time he saw Wu Nai, even though he knew Wu Nai was a fox demon, Sha Wujing felt no disgust.

Wu Nai chuckled, "How did you know I was following you?"

Sha Wujing wrinkled his nose and said, "With that fox smell on you, I can smell it even from far away." Wu Nai was taken aback. No one had ever mentioned a fox smell to him before. Could it really be one?

Seeing Wu Nai's strange expression, Sha Wujing couldn't help but chuckle, "Alright, stop thinking about it. You won't figure it out anyway. Let me tell you, your breathing gave you away. Tell me, why were you following us?" Actually, Sha Wujing was just teasing Wu Nai. He didn't smell like a fox at all; instead, he had a fresh, grassy scent, which was related to his long-term contact with plants.

Wu Nai smiled frankly and said, "To be honest, I've been tracking this mysterious man in black for quite some time now. I never imagined he was the revered Hou Yi. Alas, times have changed. The great hero of yesteryear almost met his demise."

"A great demon. Luckily, Chang'e appeared, otherwise the consequences would have been severe."

Wu Nai was speaking when Bajie heard Sha Wujing call him a "fox." Bajie, who was feeling down, perked up and said, "A fox? Brother Sha, where's the fox? Let me catch it and turn it into a roasted fox!" Sha Wujing laughed and said, "Don't catch it, this is a good fox." Bajie shouted, "A fox is a fox, how can there be good or bad? Brother Sha, are you a little confused?" Sha Wujing laughed and said, "Of course I am! Pigs also have good and bad ones, like you, Second Brother, you're a good pig!" Everyone laughed heartily.

After Wu Nai finished laughing, he said to Sha Wujing, "I heard every word you just said. How terrifying! Will Jupiter really collide with Earth? Can Hou Yi alone shatter Jupiter into pieces?"

"Perhaps, it's fate. Whether Earth can escape this calamity depends on Hou Yi's destiny!" "Sha Wujing pondered and said, "Fox, you don't actually have to die. As long as you return to the demon realm, what happens on Earth will be none of your concern."

Wu Nai said softly,

"How can it be none of my concern? There are too many people and things in the human world that I absolutely cannot let go of. My mother is the most important one." The human realm and the demon realm do not belong to the same space, so there is a spatial barrier between them. Mortals cannot pass through this barrier; before they can pass through, they will be torn to shreds by the chaotic energy. That is why Wu Nai gave up the idea of taking his mother to the demon realm for refuge. Besides, even if he went there, he might not be able to protect his mother.

"Actually, there's no need to be too pessimistic. Even if Jupiter really hits Earth, it won't be able to shatter the entire Earth. Some people will still survive. With your abilities, you might be able to turn the tide." "Sha Wujing said.

Wu Nai, however, was not as optimistic as him, and said with a wry smile, "You're thinking too simply. Even if I had escaped death back then, it would only have delayed things a little. After the impact, all sorts of things would have happened: nuclear leaks, volcanic eruptions, plagues, and so on. Earth would inevitably revert to its primitive planetary state. And if it had hit the Earth's core, the entire planet would have exploded. At that time, not even immortals, let alone me, might not have survived.

"

"I believe in Hou Yi's abilities. With Chang'e by his side, he will be invincible!" Sha Wujing said decisively.

Wu Nai couldn't help but believe it. When he had peeked earlier, he had seen the Sun-Shooting Arrow nocked on the divine bow, and an aura of unparalleled power and absolute dominance emanated from the bow and arrow, shooting straight into the sky. This was something that no mortal could possess. Hou Yi, with the Sun-Shooting Arrow, was too powerful.

"Since Hou Yi has reformed, I don't need to pursue him anymore. I'll go first and wish Hou Yi success!" Wu Nai clasped his hands in a respectful bow to everyone, then turned and left with an air of nonchalance.

For the next two days, everyone was busy with their own affairs. Hou Yi and Chang'e disappeared for two days, enjoying their own private time, while Bajie remained silent for two days, too lazy to utter a single word, lost in thought. Sha Wujing did nothing, taking the opportunity to ask his master Tang Sanzang some questions about Buddhism. Tang Sanzang, displaying his expertise, answered everything he knew, sharing his vast knowledge with Sha Wujing. Neither Bajie nor Sha

Wujing

mentioned the impending collision of Jupiter with Earth to Sun Wukong, nor did Situ Yangguang. The three of them had an agreement to keep this a secret from Wukong; he had a volatile temper, and if he knew about Hou Yi's past misdeeds, he would likely unleash his golden cudgel and give him a good beating. Fighting might jeopardize the mission.

Finally, on the third day, Hou Yi and Chang'e appeared. Bajie suggested having a meal before shooting down the Wood Wolf Star as a way of wishing for success, and everyone agreed. The location was chosen to be a tavern.

Sha Wujing, Bajie, Situ Yangguang, Hou Yi, and Chang'e all came. That night, they drank to their hearts' content, emptying a whole case of strong liquor. Even Chang'e was forced to drink several cups, but luckily Hou Yi intervened, preventing her from drinking too much, leaving her only slightly tipsy.

Bajie drank even more voraciously, treating the liquor like water. Situ Yangguang watched with growing concern; this was strong liquor, not soda! Why was he drinking so

much? When they had drunk enough, Bajie suddenly stood up, holding his wine cup, and staggered towards Chang'e, slurring, "Chang'e, drink...drink this cup!" That full cup of wine was almost a third of a bottle .

Chang'e couldn't possibly drink that much, so Hou Yi immediately stepped forward: "I'll drink it!"

If it were anyone else, Bajie would have given him the cup long ago, but this time, whether he had drunk too much or what, he refused to give the cup to Hou Yi and insisted that Chang'e drink it. Hou Yi was embarrassed by his refusal and was about to say something when Chang'e suddenly tugged at his clothes, gesturing for him to sit down. Then, Chang'e stood up herself, took the wine cup, and said to the somewhat delirious Bajie: "Alright, I'll drink this cup of wine as a thank you for taking care of me these past few days. We'll always be good friends." "After saying this, she tilted her head back and downed the entire cup of wine.

Before she could put the cup down, Bajie suddenly grabbed her soft hand. Such a bold move, especially in front of Hou Yi, startled everyone. Hou Yi hadn't expected such a presumptuous act, so he momentarily forgot to move.

Bajie held Chang'e's hand and said in a sorrowful voice, 'Chang'e, I...I

love you so much...I really love you so much. I can't bear to see you leave. Don't go, don't go!'" "Chang'e hasn't forgotten. It was this Marshal Tianpeng who, under the influence of alcohol, embraced her in public and uttered those words. Later, for his harassment, he was banished to the mortal realm and reincarnated as a pig. He went from being Marshal Tianpeng, who commanded 100,000 naval troops, to an ugly pig demon. Later, he was taken in as a disciple by Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures.

Is history about to repeat itself? Why, after all that has happened, is Marshal Tianpeng's heart still so stubborn? What use is your tenderness? I only love Hou Yi! Only Hou Yi! Chang'e can only..." He smiled apologetically at Bajie and withdrew his hand.

Chapter 271 Turning to Dust Hou

Yi finally came to his senses. His face was ashen as he pulled Chang'e away from Bajie. Startled by the movement, the slightly drunk Bajie almost fell to the ground. He forced a bitter smile, his face filled with embarrassment.

Seeing his woman being held by another man, Hou Yi's anger flared fiercely. He snorted coldly and, without a word, raised his hand to strike. A pale blue halo flew from his palm, aimed directly at Bajie's neck. He was about to kill him.

"No! Hou Yi, stop!" Chang'e screamed, trying to save Bajie, but Hou Yi held her tightly. However, Bajie was unharmed because Sha Wujing had timely blocked the deadly halo for him.

"You're meddling too much!" Hou Yi said coldly. "You can save him once, but not forever. If I want him to, he must die." "It turns out that not only women

's jealousy is terrible, but men can be just as jealous."

Sha Wujing frowned slightly, clearly disagreeing with Hou Yi's words: "Everyone makes mistakes. If one mistake means death, then everyone in the world would die. Why are you so heartless?" Chang'e also comforted him: "After completing this mission, we'll fly far away and never see Bajie again. Perhaps this meeting will be our final farewell. Why hold a grudge? So please forgive him this time."

He could disregard what others said, but he couldn't ignore Chang'e's words. Besides, what she said made sense. As long as they shot down the Wood Wolf Star, they would fly far away and never care about anyone else.

The murderous intent gradually faded from his eyes, and the people who had been tense secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they had persuaded Hou Yi, otherwise, a joyous banquet would have turned into a farce.

Bajie, still drunk, was unaware of the danger he had just experienced. His eyes remained fixed on Chang'e, unwilling to look away for a long time.

As night fell, everyone accompanied Hou Yi and Chang'e to a small hill on the outskirts of the city. Standing

atop the hill, the bright moon seemed to be right above them. In the vast sky, Sirius appeared exceptionally bright and large, standing out prominently among the stars.

"That's it! In three days, it will collide with Earth! Hou Yi, are you ready?" Chang'e asked Hou Yi, pointing to Sirius.

"Ready! Tonight is the perfect opportunity!" Hou Yi straightened his chest and said majestically, "Everyone, witness the boundless power of my Sun-Shooting Bow!"

The Sun-Shooting Bow and the Sun-Shooting Arrow appeared together in Hou Yi's hands, raised towards Sirius.

As he channeled all his power into the arrow, the seemingly ordinary Sun-Shooting Arrow underwent a transformation. Golden light extended from the arrow's fletching to its tip, then slowly grew larger, transforming from a single point into a dazzling ball of light, blinding those around him, especially the mortal Situ Yangguang, who completely closed his eyes.

"Riding the wind and embracing the bright moon, its radiance encircles the nine continents. A single night, winds and clouds rise, all for the sake of the common people!" Hou Yi recited a poem with heroic spirit.

"Chang'e!" Hou Yi didn't say much, only gently

uttered Chang'e's name. As long as Chang'e was by his side, he would always have the strength to draw the Sun-Shooting Bow. Hou Yi opened his arms, drawing the Sun-Shooting Bow to a full moon shape, aiming at Jupiter, then released it. The Sun-Shooting Arrow, with a sharp whistling sound, hurtled towards Jupiter. A dazzling golden light streaked across the inky night sky, heading towards the radiant Jupiter. Success or failure hinged on this move. The people on the ground watched with tense anticipation.

"Chang'e, after you've shot down Jupiter, will you still be my Chang'e?" Hou Yi lowered his head and asked tenderly.

"Yes, Chang'e will always belong to Hou Yi, no one can separate us!" Chang'e reached out and wrapped her arms around Hou Yi's strong waist, saying emotionally.

"Really? Even though I've lost my former kindness, even though I've harmed many people for my own purposes, do you still love me?" Hou Yi asked.

"Love. No matter what Hou Yi becomes, he's still Hou Yi. Your kindness hasn't disappeared, otherwise... otherwise... you wouldn't have knowingly shot that arrow without hesitation, even knowing it would exhaust all your strength. Hou Yi has never changed..."

At this point, Chang'e was already in tears. As Jupiter transformed into a sky full of fire before them, then into dust, her and Hou Yi's figures faded and became transparent.

It turned out Hou Yi had always known. He knew that if Chang'e could find Hou Yi this time she descended to earth, she didn't intend to return to the moon. Without the moon's celestial energy to replenish her life, Chang'e couldn't survive. Hou Yi had already foreseen this!

And once he fired that arrow, it meant the end of his life. It turned out that this half-demon was indeed mortal; the two Sun-Shooting Arrows were enough to completely consume his demonic bloodline. He finally achieved his wish and became a mortal, an ordinary mortal who would grow old and die!

Since he couldn't live forever with Chang'e, he would die with her—this was Hou Yi's only thought.

At this moment, everyone finally understood Hou Yi's heart. He used coldness to armor his kind heart. As Chang'e said, Hou Yi had never changed. Even though Heaven separated him from Chang'e for a thousand years, his heart remained

virtuous. Even if they had missed each other, that was in the past. As long as Chang'e was there, his heart would always face the light and would never fall.

Their hands clasped tightly together. From this moment on, they would never let go; they would be together forever!

Their figures grew fainter, but the expressions on their faces were surprisingly serene. Yes, as long as they were with their beloved, wherever they went was a paradise of happiness.

A radiant light rose from their feet, transforming into a five-colored glow that surrounded them.

Hou Yi and Chang'e were announcing their departure, leaving behind this world they both loved and hated. At this moment, everyone was filled with a mixture of emotions—gratitude and sorrow—that seemed contradictory yet intertwined.

Hou Yi glanced around at everyone one last time and sighed, "This is the last thing I will do for humanity. After all, I have lived in this world for so long, and I cannot bear to watch it perish. I must go now, and I hope you will all protect it from now on!"

Chang'e looked at everyone with reluctant eyes, then turned to Bajie and said, "Thank you for your

love all this time. Although I cannot repay you, I will bless you wherever I go!"

"Chang'e..." Bajie wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Tears silently streamed down his face. Who says men don't shed tears? It's just that they haven't reached the point of heartbreak.

Surrounded by light, countless colorful specks flew out from their transparent bodies like fireflies at midnight. They had finally found the happiness they had been searching for, and that was enough.

"Goodbye! Chang'e and Hou Yi, may we meet again someday!" Situ Yangguang softly uttered the two words, and Sha Wujing echoed them.

Only Bajie hadn't said goodbye to them yet. Chang'e's smiling face remained fixed on Bajie, as if waiting for him. Although Bajie was heartbroken, to let Chang'e leave in peace, he forced a smile and said, "Goodbye! Chang'e, will we meet again someday?"

Goodbye, goodbye, they might never see each other again, but Chang'e believed that all those who hold onto hope will find their happiness, and she had already found it, so she had no regrets!

The two

transparent figures finally disappeared, transforming into an intertwined ribbon that vanished into the night sky. No one knew where their final resting place was.

"May you have a safe journey!" Situ Yangguang looked up and whispered, speaking to the now-vanished Hou Yi and Chang'e. Though sadness lingered, there was more relief. After all, they were finally together, which was better than one dying and the other living, leaving the living to suffer in the world.

"Look at the sky!" someone shouted, and everyone looked up at the bright starry sky. The twinkling stars winked at the people on Earth, mysterious and mischievous, while the huge and dazzling Martian star had vanished into cosmic dust.

Earth had escaped a catastrophe. In the future, when people look up at the sky, they will still see stars hanging in the heavens, shining on everyone, but Martian will be gone forever.

"Where do you think they are now?" Situ Yangguang asked Sha Wujing quietly, looking up at him.

Sha Wujing smiled faintly, lowering his head, which had been held high. "Perhaps where they are!" he said, leading the way down

the mountain . Situ Yangguang followed closely behind. After a while, seeing that Bajie was still standing there, Sha Wujing turned around and called out, "Second Brother, hurry up! Do you want to spend the night on the mountain?"

Startled by his call, Bajie seemed to wake from a dream, dejectedly following behind him down the mountain. The mountain fell silent. But unbeknownst to others, this very mountain had witnessed the shattering of the catastrophe, and also a love story that transcended a thousand years, a love etched in the heart!

The next day, when people awoke from their anxious sleep, they were astonished to find all the televisions broadcasting the same joyous news: just the previous night, for unknown reasons, a giant comet named Jupiter had been struck by a force emitted from Earth, scattering and disintegrating. This meant that Jupiter would not collide with Earth, and Earth had successfully averted a catastrophic disaster!

The crowd erupted in jubilation. No one had expected the apocalyptic catastrophe to vanish so quietly. They could return to normal life—to work, to study. Having experienced a potential threat, humanity cherished the hard-won

peace even more. It was said that within a week, the global crime rate plummeted to an all-time low.

Standing atop the high-rise, Situ Yangguang looked down and saw that Lingwang City had returned to peace. He felt an indescribable sense of comfort, which was also the best comfort for the missing Hou Yi and Chang'e.

A smile slowly spread across Situ Yangguang's lips, then widened.

To be able to smile so carefree, to smile so simply, was truly wonderful… truly wonderful…

At this moment, Situ Yangguang forgot his past glory and worries, smiling like a carefree little boy.

Chapter 272 On the Road to Escape

(The upload time is too late today; I apologize to all readers.)

Pigsy had been in a bad mood these past few days. Ever since Chang'e and Hou Yi disappeared hand in hand, Pigsy had been like this, always with a long face, looking sickly. Sandy couldn't bear to see this and invited his master, Wukong, and Xiaobai to accompany Pigsy out for a walk. Surprisingly, Tang Sanzang agreed without hesitation. Perhaps he had been at the Situ family's house for quite some time and also wanted to relax.

Upon reaching the outskirts of the city, the autumn air was crisp and the scenery captivating. Faced with such beauty, Tang Sanzang couldn't help but recall the tranquility of Leiyin Temple. He asked Sha Wujing, "Wujing, how long have we been in the mortal realm?"

"About a month, Master. Do you miss the Buddha?" Sha Wujing asked.

"I was thinking that we've been here quite a while, staying at Mr. Situ's house, which is too much of a disturbance. Besides, the Buddha instructed us to do our best to spread Buddhism before we came down, and he gave me a blank scripture to find someone with the necessary affinity. Wukong, you and Bajie have been here longer; do you know any temples or similar places nearby? Let me

visit them and see if there's anyone with the affinity to understand the Buddha's blank scripture," Tang Sanzang asked.

"No, Master. As far as I know, there isn't a single decent temple around here. Everyone here is busy making money; it seems not many people are truly Buddhist," Wukong answered truthfully.

Tang Sanzang sighed and said, "Alas, no wonder, no wonder this place is full of hardships. Wukong, I have a plan. I want to build a temple here, and we disciples can take on the responsibility of spreading Buddhism. What do you think?" Zhu Bajie immediately objected, saying repeatedly, "No, no, Master, building a temple is very expensive. Do you have the money?" "

Although I don't have money, I can find a way to raise funds. We can split up and go begging for alms, accumulating little by little, like grains of sand forming a tower. One day we'll have enough money to build the temple," Tang Sanzang said enthusiastically. "Let's get started! First, let's think of a name for the temple, and then we'll split up and go begging for alms. Wukong, I want to name the temple Gratitude Temple, so that people will understand gratitude. What do you think of this name?"

"Good

, good, of course the name Master has come up with is good," Sha Wujing interjected before Wukong could even speak.

"Good my foot! It would be more appropriate to call it Suffering Temple," Bajie muttered under his breath. "Hmph, going through all that trouble to beg for alms, only a bookworm like Tang Sanzang would think of that."

Just then, a tall, burly man with blond hair and a hooked nose stumbled along the path ahead. He looked rather pathetic; his beard was unkempt, his clothes were tattered, and his face was covered in bruises, as if he'd been beaten up countless times. Pigsy immediately recognized him as James, the man who had once fought Monkey. Pigsy remembered this foreigner vividly; it was he who had made Pigsy rich overnight, owning the Century Fight Club, although it was later burned down by the cunning rabbit demon, leaving Pigsy in debt and forced to flee. But he had once owned it, so how could Pigsy forget James?

"Brother, look, who's that up ahead?" Pigsy said cheerfully.

Monkey looked closely, and chuckled, "Who else could it be? It's none other than his defeated opponent, James!" He strode forward, stood before James, and laughed loudly, saying, "Hahaha, James

, why are you in such a sorry state?"

James, upon seeing Wukong, gripped his hand tightly, wanting to speak but unable to find the words; tears welled in his eyes first. The scene was like the old saying: "Holding hands, gazing at each other, speechless with emotion!"

Sun Wukong felt a chill run down his spine from James's pitiful gaze and quickly pulled his hand away: "What happened to you? Who beat you so badly?"

"It's a long story!" James shook his head and sighed, then suddenly his expression changed as he said to Wukong, "Your hand skills are quite good. I need your help with a big favor later. Help me hold off that perverted woman, or I'm definitely dead this time." "

Woman?" Hearing this word, not only Pigsy but even Wukong perked up, both eyes fixed on James, and a cold chuckle escaping his lips, as if to say: Kid, where did you get yourself into this mess? Confess and you won't get away with this!

Seeing the situation, James knew that if he didn't confess honestly, he wouldn't get away with it. Left with no other choice, he surrendered, "Alright, alright, I'll tell

you , but you have to promise to help me out."

Tang Sanzang and the others were completely bewildered, not knowing what had happened. Wukong chuckled, offering no explanation but pressing, "Helping you is no problem, but tell me quickly, what kind of woman is chasing you!"

James lowered his head, rubbing his hands nervously, looking very embarrassed. After a long pause, he finally said, "Actually...actually, this woman is...is a woman who isn't a woman chasing after me. No matter how I hide, she always finds me, and I don't know what she's done to me."

"A woman who isn't a woman?" Bajie couldn't help but grin. His previous depression almost vanished, as if he'd heard a hilarious joke. He said, "Is she a female demon? With a long tail?"

"How do you know?" James asked, his eyes wide.

"Is she really a female demon?" Bajie asked with a smile. James's face was grave. He said, "I'm not sure either. I met that woman in the US. We've been together for almost half a year, and our relationship is pretty good. But one time she got drunk, and in bed, she suddenly revealed a

long tail, which terrified me. I wondered if she was what Easterners call a fox spirit? From that day on, I've been hiding everywhere. She caught me twice and beat me half to death, but I managed to escape both times. I've been on the run all this way

, and I've actually ended up here." Uh… Wukong's first reaction was to laugh. This fox spirit was incredibly audacious, daring to chase after a skilled boxer and even forcing James to come all the way to China. She was truly formidable. He wondered what methods she used.

"A woman chasing you all over the world? Is she really that powerful?" Bajie was somewhat skeptical. He had witnessed James's strength; he was definitely not weak, especially his speed, which was perfect for escaping. But if she could chase James so relentlessly, that woman's strength must be extraordinary. Perhaps, as James guessed, she wasn't an ordinary woman. Could she really be a fox spirit?

James lunged forward and grabbed Wukong's hand, urgently saying, "Mr. Sun, I know you possess extraordinary skills; even a heavyweight boxer like me is helpless against you. This time, you absolutely have to save me. After all, we've had dealings before. How can you just stand by and watch me be captured by a strange woman and made her her slave?"

Wukong pulled his hand back and said, "Don't worry, I'll naturally help you. But something about this seems rather strange." Hearing this, Bajie beside him also showed a thoughtful expression, while only Tang Sanzang and the others remained oblivious, listening to their conversation.

"Strange? What do you mean?" James didn't immediately understand. It was understandable; ever since that strange woman had latched onto him, he had been constantly on the run, having no time to think about whether things were strange or not.

Wukong analyzed, "Like you said, since she caught you twice, why would she let you escape so easily? It's like she's playing cat and mouse, releasing you only to catch you again, and even tracking you all the way back. Could it be..." He deliberately paused, a sly glint in his eyes.

"Could it be what?" James pressed urgently, but Wukong wouldn't answer, making him annoyed. He shouted, "What time is it? You're still keeping me in suspense

! Are you trying to drive me crazy?"

"I know, I know," Bajie suddenly interjected, his expression extremely serious as if he had thought of something important. Under James's questioning, he shook his head and said, "Well, according to my guess, that strange woman never intended to imprison you as her slave. She might have other motives."

Seeing James's dumbfounded expression, Bajie burst into laughter. It turned out he was just playing a trick on him! This infuriated James, who grabbed Bajie by the neck and choked him until his tongue was lolling out, before angrily releasing him, huffing, "Hmph, laugh all you want!" "You're laughing so happily when I'm down on my luck. I even considered you friends and was hoping you could help me out."

Wukong laughed and shook his head. "No way, no way, are we that kind of people? Actually, Bajie isn't entirely wrong. That's what I was thinking about too." Seeing that James was about to get angry again, he quickly explained, "I'm not joking, I'm serious. I can't think of any other possibility right now. After all, I

haven't even seen that strange woman's face. How can I analyze anything based on just your word?"

Bajie whispered from the side, "Oh, right, I almost forgot to ask you, what's that strange woman's name?"

"Her name is Ye Fang!" James's voice trembled slightly when he mentioned the name.

"Ye Fang? The strange woman you're talking about is Ye Fang?" Wukong seemed very interested in the answer and asked with a smile.

“Yes, her name is Ye Fang. I met her at a bar. She drank a bit too much that night and told me she'd been dumped by someone named McKee, so she was drinking alone. That's when sparks flew. To be honest, she was captivating, but unexpectedly, she was an oddball, and a violent one at that. Sigh, my life is so miserable!” James looked dejected, unable to bear recalling the past.

“It really is her,” Wukong said softly.

“Mr. Sun, you know her too?” James asked curiously.

“Know her? We’re quite close!” Wukong said. But he was puzzled. He had met Ye Fang a few times, so why hadn’t he noticed she was a fox spirit? Logically, if she were

a demon , it would be hard for her to escape his discerning eyes. Could it be that her cultivation was so profound that she could hide her demonic aura?

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