Chapter 735
Six Thieves Come to the Door and Get Beaten Up
On the other side, Lin Zhu hadn't actually gone far.
He rode on a cloud, slowly drifting through the clouds surrounding the Five Elements Mountain, admiring the afterglow of the sunset while pondering how to get Guanyin to pay for his "ticket" in the system's "Life is Like a Play" mission.
Just as I was thinking this, a rapid whooshing sound came from behind me, along with an almost undisguised surge of anger and resentment.
Lin Zhu's lips curled into a smile, and he deliberately slowed down. Sure enough, the next moment, a streak of light angrily blocked his cloud. The light dissipated, revealing Guanyin Bodhisattva's livid face and her beautiful eyes that seemed to be spitting fire.
"Oh, isn't this the compassionate Guanyin Bodhisattva?"
Lin Zhu feigned surprise, raised an eyebrow, and spoke in a teasing tone.
"Why aren't you protecting your Journey to the West at Five Elements Mountain? Instead, you've come to this desolate wilderness to chase after me. Could it be that my 'mediation' just now wasn't enough, and the Bodhisattva has come to thank me? Or is there some other blind fool who needs my 'mediation'?"
He emphasized the words "protect" and "mediation" with particular force, his tone full of irony.
Guanyin felt a tightness in her chest from his words, and her already unpleasant expression darkened even further.
She stared intently at Lin Zhu's face, which wore a hateful smile. Her lips were pressed together until they turned white, and her hands clenched tightly in her sleeves, her nails almost digging into her palms. To bow down to this devil and ask for help? This thought tormented her with immense humiliation, as if countless needles were piercing her very core.
Lin Zhu found it quite amusing to see that she was just staring at him without saying a word, her face full of anger but forcibly suppressing it.
He sighed dramatically, then turned and made as if to leave.
"It seems the Bodhisattva is just passing by? Then I won't disturb you any longer, farewell..."
"stop!"
Seeing that Lin Zhu was really about to leave, Guanyin was anxious and couldn't care less about anything else. Almost subconsciously, she reached out her hand, and a soft Buddhist light transformed into a barrier, blocking Lin Zhu's way. At the same time, in her haste, she actually grabbed the corner of Lin Zhu's sleeve with her other hand!
After grabbing it, both of them were stunned. Guanyin wanted to pull her hand back as if she had been burned, but thinking of the overall situation of the Journey to the West, she forcibly restrained herself. However, the fingers that were gripping the sleeve turned slightly white from the force.
She turned her head away, refusing to look at Lin Zhu's mocking gaze. Her face was gloomy, and her voice, like a cold wind blowing from the far north, was squeezed out from between her clenched teeth, each word distinct and deliberate.
"Don't go!"
Lin Zhu looked down at the corner of her sleeve that was being grabbed, then looked up at Guanyin's humiliating and indignant expression, which she had to suppress. She was secretly delighted, but pretended to be puzzled.
"Bodhisattva, what do you mean by this? I am not a good person, I have nothing to do with the affairs of the Western Paradise, I am not tempted, and I am not greedy. Are you stopping me because you want to invite me to dinner? Unfortunately, I have just eaten."
"you……"
Guanyin trembled with anger at his shameless words. She took several deep breaths before she could barely suppress the urge to storm off immediately.
She knew that if she didn't back down and make things clear today, this scoundrel would absolutely not cooperate.
Finally, as if she had made up her mind and was ready to go all out, she suddenly turned around and looked directly at Lin Zhu. Her voice was still cold, but it carried a suppressed tremor and an imperceptible plea.
"Lin Yushen! I...I beg you to go back! Go back and let Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong continue their journey westward!"
As she said these words, it seemed as if she had used up all her strength, and a blush of humiliation flashed across her face.
Lin Zhu picked at his ears, as if he hadn't heard clearly.
“Go back? Let them set off? Bodhisattva, are you mistaken? I am the God of Law Enforcement, not your nanny in the Western Paradise, much less the bodyguard of those two clowns.”
"Whether they leave or not is none of my business. Why should I go back just because you tell me to? I'm very busy."
Guanyin knew he would make things difficult for her, and gritted her teeth and said.
"So what exactly do you want? Only then will you... only then will you go back and 'keep an eye on' them?"
She almost blurted out "I'll only help if you say so," but ultimately changed her wording to something more tactful. The word "watching" was a huge concession, tantamount to acknowledging Lin Zhu's special influence on the master and apprentice.
Lin Zhu stroked his chin, looking thoughtful.
"Hmm... Let me think about it. As the God of Law Enforcement in the Three Realms, I have always acted impartially and followed the rules and procedures. It's no use asking me for favors; I don't accept requests based on personal connections. As for bribes, I am completely incorruptible and will not accept them."
He abruptly changed the subject, a sly glint in his eyes.
"However... considering that we are all officials in the Three Realms, maintaining superficial harmony, if you, Guanyin Bodhisattva, could grant me a small, insignificant request that I haven't thought of yet, in your personal capacity..."
"I can manage to spare a tiny bit of precious time from my busy schedule to 'monitor' those two key personnel who have just been 'released from prison' and are still somewhat unstable. Consider it my act of kindness and helping others."
Should I agree to something? Or something I haven't thought about yet? Guanyin's heart sank.
This is nothing but a worthless check, a bottomless pit! Who knows what outrageous and humiliating demands this scoundrel will make in the future?
She clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles cracked, wishing she could immediately unleash the Jade Bottle and smash it over there. But when she thought of those two clowns under the Five Elements Mountain, of the overall situation of Journey to the West, of the expectations of Mount Ling... she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, her eyes were cold and numb, as if all her emotions had been frozen.
"it is good."
Guanyin's voice was calm and expressionless, as if she were talking about something that had nothing to do with her.
"I promise you. Everything... will be for the sake of the Journey to the West."
But she was frantically planning in her mind.
"Endure! We must endure! As long as the Journey to the West continues, as long as we put the golden headband on Sun Wukong and control this unruly monkey, even a mortal like Tang Sanzang, no matter how strange, can be slowly subdued! At that time, today's humiliation will be repaid a hundredfold! Lin Zhu, you just wait!"
Lin Zhu was somewhat surprised to see Guanyin agree so readily, but then she understood that the pressure from the Western Paradise was immense.
He shrugged indifferently.
"Alright, since the Bodhisattva is so 'sincere,' then I'll reluctantly make this trip. Remember what you promised." With that, without waiting for Guanyin's reaction, he mounted a cloud and leisurely drifted towards the Two Realms Mountain. Guanyin watched his lazy back, once again suppressing the surging killing intent in her heart, and followed him with a grim face.
The campfire crackled in front of Liangjie Mountain.
Tang Sanzang was grilling the last tiger chop, which was now glistening with oil and exuding a wonderful aroma.
He continued to accuse Guanyin of her "crimes" to Sun Wukong, his spittle flying everywhere.
“…Disciple, tell me, isn’t that the truth? She’s a Bodhisattva, why would she make trouble for a mere mortal like me? Isn’t it because she’s jealous of how I was so prominent when I presided over the Water and Land Ceremony, stealing the incense offerings and vows from her Mount Ling? So she’s trying every means to ruin my innocence, no, to ruin my reputation and even my life! Her heart is utterly despicable!”
As Sun Wukong gnawed on a tiger leg, he nodded, but his fiery eyes suddenly caught sight of two auras rapidly approaching from the horizon—one lazy and familiar, the other cold and oppressive.
He quickly nudged Tang Sanzang, who was still giving a passionate speech, with his greasy hands.
"Master, Master! Stop talking, I'm back!"
"Who's back?"
Tang Sanzang was taken aback and turned his head to look. He saw Guanyin Bodhisattva's majestic figure descend from the clouds, and in the clouds a little further behind her, he could vaguely see a white figure leaning lazily, not fully revealed.
Tang Sanzang reacted with lightning speed, still holding half a piece of tiger meat in his mouth.
He spat it out with a "pfft," smeared the oil stains on his monk's robe with his hands, and knelt down again with lightning speed, clasping his hands together and bowing in worship, his voice instantly switching to a respectful mode.
"Your disciple respectfully welcomes the Bodhisattva's arrival! The Bodhisattva's return must be due to concern for all living beings and compassion for your disciple. Your disciple is deeply grateful!"
The speed at which he changed his expression almost made Lin Zhu, hidden in the clouds, burst out laughing.
Looking at the monk at her feet, who had been cursing her a moment ago but was now kneeling more obediently than anyone else, Guanyin felt utterly exhausted and almost had no energy left to be angry.
She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and spoke coldly, her voice devoid of emotion, yet she was relaying a message for someone.
"Tang Sanzang, Sun Wukong, and the Prison God... I already know your intentions. The Prison God says that the journey to the West to obtain the scriptures is indeed a meritorious deed."
He...is willing to offer you assistance along the way, and hopes you will not fail him and will persevere.
She practically spat out each word, and after she finished speaking, she felt her face burning. Saying such things for that scoundrel was more painful than being humiliated herself.
As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Zhu's lazy, sleepy voice came from the high clouds. It wasn't loud, but it rang clearly in Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong's ears.
"Yes, that's about it. I'm very busy and don't have time to keep an eye on things. You guys handle it yourselves."
These two simple sentences, without any physical appearance or lengthy encouragement, sounded like heavenly music to Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong, like a powerful stimulant!
Tang Sanzang shuddered, abruptly raising his head to look in the direction of the clouds from which the sound came. His eyes instantly reddened, and his voice trembled with excitement.
"Immortal...Immortal Lord! It's the Immortal Lord! Immortal Lord, you really didn't abandon your disciple! Your disciple...your disciple knew it! With the Immortal Lord by my side, what do I have to fear? What bald monks of the Western Paradise, what demons and monsters, they're all just chickens and dogs! This scripture, your disciple is determined to retrieve! I'll leave now! I'll leave immediately!"
Sun Wukong's spirits lifted instantly, and his previous thoughts of dawdling and watching the excitement vanished in an instant. A solemn expression appeared on his monkey face, and he clasped his hands in a fist salute towards the direction of the clouds, and said loudly.
"Rest assured, Prison God! I, Old Sun, will never go back on my promise! I will protect Master and overcome all obstacles on the road ahead! Master, let's go!"
Tang Sanzang jumped up from the ground with a "whoosh," throwing all his previous fatigue, complaints, and scheming to the winds. He was full of energy, grabbed Sun Wukong, and looked at him with burning eyes, as if flames were burning within him.
"Disciple! Did you hear that? The Immortal Lord is watching us! The future lies at our feet! No pain, no gain! Let's go! Set off tonight! We can't afford to waste a single moment!"
As he spoke, he actually bent down and picked up the remaining tiger meat package, not caring about the tiger skin skirt anymore. He strode off westward, his back view filled with high spirits and... boundless motivation for the "Immortal Lord's gaze".
Sun Wukong grinned, shouldered his golden cudgel, and quickly followed. The two of them were now walking at more than twice as fast as when they turned back; it was as if they had been injected with adrenaline.
Guanyin Bodhisattva hovered in place, watching the master and disciple who were instantly "fully revived" and full of energy because of Lin Zhujian's simple words. She felt no joy, only a deep bitterness, confusion and... grievance.
Why? On what grounds?
The Western Paradise spent hundreds of years meticulously planning and investing countless resources, even sacrificing its reputation, to resurrect Jin Chanzi, release Sun Wukong, and make a promise of "being together"... but what it received in return was doubt, resistance, curses, and the readiness to run away at any time.
Lin Zhu, who only occasionally appears to disrupt the situation, extort money, and say a few ambiguous or even malicious things, has become the only guiding light, the biggest support, and the person they absolutely trust in the hearts of this master and disciple? One word from him is more effective than a hundred words of earnest advice or even humble pleading from this bodhisattva?
The difference in treatment is just too great! It's like the difference between a biological mother and a stepmother! No, even a stepmother isn't this miserable! Guanyin felt a surge of bitter resentment welling up in her heart. She had worked so hard for the Journey to the West, even lowering herself to do so, but what was it all for? How did she end up being disliked by everyone and rejected by all sides?
She couldn't understand it, she really couldn't understand it. She could only bury this endless frustration and grievance deep in her heart once more, transforming it into a deeper resentment towards Lin Zhu and an even more urgent expectation of the "Tightening Headband Plan." Only by completely controlling Sun Wukong could she possibly turn the tide a little?
High above the clouds, Lin Zhu leaned lazily against the wall, watching the master and disciple below, who were walking at night as if they were on steroids. He then glanced at the Guanyin in the distance, who was radiating a low-pressure and aggrieved aura. He felt quite pleased with himself.
"This play is getting more and more interesting."
He stroked his chin, pondering how to continue "creating excitement" so that he could both enjoy the entertainment and complete the system tasks, reaping the rewards along the way.
The moment a thought arises, a pleasant notification sound echoes in one's consciousness.
[Ding! The consecutive quest 'Life is Like a Play' is complete! You have successfully made Guanyin Bodhisattva pay the 'price' and gained the right to watch the play.]
[Quest Reward: 50,000 Merit Waters have been distributed.]
Adding the 50,000 merits from the previous "going with the flow" mission, Lin Zhu nodded in satisfaction and sighed.
"Gaining 100,000 merits for free in a day, what a bargain! Helping others and getting paid to watch a show, you can accumulate merits left and right."
His thoughts drifted away.
"If things could continue like this, accumulating merit from the system while also... well, 'reasonably' collecting some 'service fees' or 'compensation for emotional distress' from the Western Paradise, getting the best of both worlds, the speed at which merit could accumulate might actually bring us close to that legendary... sainthood? But no rush, one must take things one step at a time, one must plan carefully, and not exhaust our resources." (End of Chapter)