Chapter 760
The Immortal Lord sends Tang Sanzang to work with one kick, and the monkey suffers inter
Tang Sanzang got up from the ground, covered his cheek that had been kicked red, looked at Lin Zhu with teary eyes, and was too aggrieved to speak.
He hadn't quite processed what Lin Zhu had just said—what was a corporate spy? And what did "passing by" mean? But he didn't dare ask, because although the Immortal Lord's kick hadn't hurt particularly badly, his attitude was very clear: he didn't want to talk to him.
Seeing that he was still stubbornly refusing to leave, Lin Zhu pointed to Sun Wukong beside him and added, "Isn't Sun Wukong here to guard you? What are you afraid of? If all else fails, you can recite the Tightening-Headband Mantra to threaten him, and he will definitely cooperate with you out of fear."
The moment those words were spoken, the room fell silent for a moment.
Tang Sanzang paused for a moment, then subconsciously turned to look at Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong was standing three steps away, carrying his golden cudgel on his shoulder, the golden headband on his head gleaming in the sunlight.
After hearing Lin Zhu's words, the monkey's expression became very subtle—his lips were pursed in restraint, and the muscles around his eyes were taut, as if he wanted to laugh but was holding it in.
But when Tang Sanzang turned his gaze, Sun Wukong instantly adjusted his expression, straining his facial features to create a ferocious and menacing look, baring his fangs and glaring with his eyes wide open, looking exactly like someone who was about to devour someone.
Tang Sanzang trembled at the sight of the monkey's face, took an unsteady half-step back, and swallowed hard. From the very first moment he saw Sun Wukong, he had felt a deep-seated fear.
The fear he felt was strange, completely different from the feeling he had when he first met Lin Zhu. When he met Lin Zhu, he felt a faint sadness, as if he had seen her somewhere before, or as if he owed her something.
But when you see Sun Wukong, the feeling is different—it's as if you were beaten to death by this monkey in your past life, and your soul hasn't returned yet, leaving behind an instinctive fear.
Tang Sanzang quickly shook his head, banishing these chaotic thoughts. As a Buddhist disciple, he didn't believe in superstitious things like reincarnation; these thoughts were just him scaring himself and shouldn't be taken seriously. He scrutinized Sun Wukong's ferocious monkey face, swallowed hard, and tugged at Lin Zhu's sleeve, asking, "Immortal Lord, do you think chanting incantations can really threaten him? Won't he get angry and beat this humble monk to death with his staff?"
Lin Zhu twitched the corner of his mouth, thinking to himself, "He only killed you once in his past life, why are you so afraid of him?" But he couldn't say this out loud, so he could only wave his hand and say, "Trust me, he's definitely terrified right now."
With Lin Zhu's endorsement, Tang Sanzang felt a little bolder. He took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound authoritative, and looked at Sun Wukong, asking, "Good disciple, can you really escort your master to the Western Paradise?"
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's expression visibly stiffened. He remained silent for a moment, his teeth grinding together, before finally managing to squeeze out a single word through his throat, using all his acting skills: "Yes."
Tang Sanzang rubbed his nose, feeling that the monkey's answer wasn't entirely sincere, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why. He thought for a moment, still uneasy, and asked again, "How could you answer so quickly? Why do I feel a little uneasy?"
Sun Wukong's fangs ground together with a grinding sound, thinking to himself, "If it weren't for Lin Zhu protecting you, I, Old Sun, could make you experience what you felt in your past life all over again." But when his gaze fell upon Lin Zhu standing beside him, his violent thoughts instantly vanished.
He grinned and uttered another word through gritted teeth: "Yes."
Tang Sanzang was still a little uneasy, but he knew that if he asked any more questions, the monkey would probably really lose his temper, so he could only awkwardly touch his nose and stop asking.
Lin Zhu watched all of this, finding it quite amusing. While Sun Wukong's acting wasn't particularly superb, it was more than enough to deal with a fool like Tang Sanzang.
He is no longer worried about Tang Sanzang causing any problems by reciting the incantation. After all, the headband is fake, but the incantation is real. Reciting it once will increase one's cultivation level. Sun Wukong would love for Tang Sanzang to recite it ten times a day.
The only difficulty was getting Tang Sanzang to recite the incantations without damaging his brain—but that wasn't within Lin Zhu's considerations.
He glanced at the sky and figured it was about time. The longer Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong lingered here, the slower their progress on the journey to the West would be, and the easier his job as a commercial spy would become.
So he stepped forward, raised his foot, and kicked Tang Sanzang cleanly and decisively in the buttocks.
"Hurry up, wake up and get up for work!"
Lin Zhu urged, "Hurry up and get the horse on your way. What kind of behavior is this, dawdling like this? The spies are all waiting to get to work."
Tang Sanzang was kicked and hopped forward a step, clutching his backside as he turned around, his expression a mixture of grievance and helplessness.
He couldn't understand why the Immortal Lord was in such a hurry to send him on his way, and even mentioned spies and such, but he dared not disobey the Immortal Lord's wishes, so he could only hurriedly run to the side to find the White Dragon Horse.
The white horse was leisurely grazing by the roadside, completely unaware that it was about to embark on a path of no return.
Tang Sanzang deftly untied the reins, re-secured his luggage, climbed onto his horse, and glanced back at Lin Zhu. Lin Zhu stood under the crooked tree, hands tucked into her sleeves, her white robes fluttering, her posture relaxed; she had no intention of following him.
Tang Sanzang felt a chill in his heart, knowing that the immortal lord truly had no intention of seeing him off. So he could only sigh, spur his horse on, and head west along the main road.
Sun Wukong, carrying his golden cudgel, followed behind Tang Sanzang. After a few steps, he turned back and waved to Lin Zhu. Lin Zhu nodded in response.
Sun Wukong then turned around and quickly caught up with the white horse. His steps were much lighter than Tang Sanzang's. He had a smile on his monkey face that no one could see through, and all he could think about was the headband.
I need to find an opportunity to provoke Tang Sanzang and make him recite the Tightening-Headband Mantra to me ten times a day, each time for a thousand years of cultivation.
This kind of thing can't be said outright; you have to be tactful. Otherwise, Tang Sanzang, with his suspicious nature, will definitely think the monkey is up to something bad. As Sun Wukong walked, he pondered what excuse he could use to get Tang Sanzang to chant the incantation willingly.
For example, he could deliberately dawdle and make Tang Sanzang impatient, then chant a spell to force him to hurry; or he could pretend to fight a monster, making Tang Sanzang nervous, then chant a spell for protection. There are plenty of ways, it just depends on how he uses them.
Tang Sanzang rode his white horse ahead, completely unaware that the monkey behind him was plotting against him.
He kept looking back as he walked, until Lin Zhu's figure completely disappeared from sight. Only then did he reluctantly turn his gaze away and say to Sun Wukong in a resigned tone, "Disciple, let's go. If the Immortal Lord won't see us off, we'll go on our own."
"I hope we don't encounter any monsters or bodhisattvas along the way." Sun Wukong responded from behind, his voice sounding casual, but a hint of a smile that no one noticed flashed in his eyes.
The two, one on horseback and the other on foot, headed west along the winding mountain path. The outline of the Five Elements Mountain receded further and further behind them, eventually being swallowed up by the vast clouds and mist, leaving only a boundless expanse of sky and earth.
Above, Guanyin Bodhisattva stood atop a cloud, watching Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong's figures gradually disappear into the distance. Logically, now that the pilgrims had finally set off, she should have breathed a sigh of relief.
After so much preparation, the first step has finally been taken today, which should be good news no matter what. But she stood there with a sullen face, unable to feel happy at all.
She looked down at her hands, which had been holding the ceiling materials for the Law Enforcement Hall that had been transported from the Western Paradise, but now they were empty, with nothing left.
She glanced again in the direction Tang Sanzang had gone, the monk's words still echoing in her ears—"Guanyin Bodhisattva has a wicked heart," "The Buddha's confidant," "What good intentions could he possibly have?" Each sentence was like a small knife, stabbing her heart.
Adding to what Lin Zhu just said, such as "a passing-by corporate spy" and "eager to become a corporate spy," nothing about those words sounded right.
Guanyin Bodhisattva wasn't stupid. Although she had been hiding on the clouds, she had heard every word Lin Zhu said clearly.
This person claimed to be a corporate spy, and although it sounded like a joke, Guanyin Bodhisattva felt there was something unsettling about the joke.
She descended from the clouds, landing in front of Lin Zhu, her face filled with doubt and wariness. Looking directly into Lin Zhu's eyes, she asked, word by word, "Did you just say something terrifying?"
Lin Zhu tilted her head, looking as innocent as a cat that had just stolen some fish and hadn't had time to wipe its mouth: "What did I say?"
"You said it."
Guanyin Bodhisattva's expression grew even more solemn. "Don't play dumb. This humble monk heard everything clearly."
Lin Zhu frowned, a hint of dissatisfaction on her face, and a touch of grievance in her voice: "Don't wrong me, I'm not a good person at all."
Guanyin Bodhisattva was taken aback, unable to tell whether Lin Zhu was joking or speaking the truth. She opened her mouth, wanting to refute but not knowing where to begin, and finally could only say helplessly, "How could this humble monk not hear a single kind word in your words?"
Lin Zhu shrugged, remaining noncommittal. His nonchalant attitude made Guanyin Bodhisattva even more uneasy. She composed herself and decided to stop beating around the bush with Lin Zhu and directly state her warning.
She took a step forward, closing the distance between them. She gazed into Lin Zhu's eyes and said, word by word, "Listen carefully—I heard you say you wanted to be a spy."
"This humble monk is now solemnly warning you: if you dare to act recklessly again, the Journey to the West will be over."
Her voice wasn't loud, but every word carried immense weight: "Above and below the heavens, within and beyond the three realms, countless eyes are watching this journey to the west. This great undertaking of obtaining the scriptures is related to the fate of the entire Western Paradise, and cannot tolerate the slightest mishap."
If you dare to tamper with this path, you will pay the price. The Three Realms are vast, but there is nowhere for you to hide.
These words were spoken with such weight and seriousness that most people would have been too intimidated to utter a sound upon hearing them. But Lin Zhu simply nodded earnestly, her tone so sincere that no one could find fault with her: "Okay, I understand."
Guanyin Bodhisattva stared at his face for a long time, but something just didn't seem right. This person was being far too cooperative; it was abnormal.
Although she hadn't known Lin Zhu for long, it was enough for her to develop an instinctive wariness of him—the more honest and cooperative Lin Zhu appeared, the more wicked he was.
Especially when he was so earnestly urging Tang Sanzang to set off, Guanyin Bodhisattva sensed something was amiss. Previously, Lin Zhu hadn't cared at all about the pilgrimage, avoiding it whenever possible and procrastinating whenever he could. Why was he suddenly so proactive today?
The more Guanyin Bodhisattva thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. She swallowed hard and tentatively asked, "Do you really understand?"
Lin Zhu's expression changed instantly. Her earnest and sincere attitude vanished, replaced by impatience, and her tone suddenly became sharper: "If you keep doing this, I'm going to report you for harassment."
Guanyin Bodhisattva was completely stunned, as if struck by lightning. She stood there dumbfounded, Lin Zhu's words replaying in her mind—"I'm reporting you for harassment." Harassment? Her? Guanyin Bodhisattva? Harassing Lin Zhu? From what perspective did he say that? She, the dignified Guanyin Bodhisattva of Mount Putuo in the South China Sea, the teacher of the Seven Buddhas, the symbol of great compassion, would harass a prison god of the Heavenly Court?
It took her a long time to finally react, and her face instantly turned bright red. It wasn't the red of embarrassment, but a red of utter shame and anger. Her voice trembled as she pointed at Lin Zhu and demanded, "You—did you say something utterly disrespectful? Is this how you speak to a Bodhisattva?"
Lin Zhu tilted his head, a slight smile playing on his lips—not a large curve, but the aura emanating from that smile sent a chill down Guanyin Bodhisattva's spine. He slowly and deliberately retorted, "Is this how you speak to the God of Hell?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva's expression froze.
All the shame, anger, questioning, and resentment vanished before Lin Zhu's words. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she only managed to utter a few words: "I'm sorry, I was wrong."
When she said this, Guanyin Bodhisattva's tone carried a deep sense of powerlessness, like an unlucky person who had been repeatedly rubbed into the ground and finally realized the reality.
Looking at Lin Zhu's ambiguous smile, she felt an overwhelming sense of frustration. But what could she do? She couldn't win a fight, and she couldn't win a lawsuit; he could even retaliate by reporting her for harassment. Forget it, she couldn't afford to offend him.
Guanyin Bodhisattva took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing her surging emotions. She repeatedly told herself: No matter what, Lin Zhu's initiative to urge Tang Sanzang to set off is a good thing.
Regardless of his motives, whether he genuinely wanted to help or had other intentions, as long as the pilgrims could set off smoothly, it was better than being delayed again and again under the Five Elements Mountain.
This shows that Lin Zhu has gradually accepted the irreversible fact of the westward journey and has decided to obediently accept reality. (End of Chapter)