Chapter 781
Guanyin Bodhisattva, You Can't Prevent Me from Becoming Stronger
The immortal lord was the one who truly cared for him, but he was suppressed by this old woman and had no choice but to settle for second best.
He even had a fleeting thought—even if the pill was truly poisonous, and he died from it, it would still be a kind of relief.
If I die, I won't have to walk this long journey to the West anymore; if I die, I won't have to see the hypocritical face of Guanyin Bodhisattva; if I die, I won't have to be a pillar of the Western Paradise society.
Even if the Immortal Lord's pill is poison, it's still better to take it than to be used as a weapon by Guanyin.
Guanyin examined him for a long time, so long that Lin Zhu couldn't help but yawn.
In the end, she still found nothing.
Under her divine sense, this Pill of Foundation was just an ordinary Body Cultivation Pill. The shell was extracted from various spiritual herbs, and its medicinal effects were mild and stable, with a slow release rate that would not have any impact on the user's body.
The pharmacological structure is clear and simple, with no hidden ingredients, no curse marks, or anything else bad.
Her brows furrowed, and she felt even more uneasy.
The less problematic something seems, the more problematic it appears – that's Lin Zhu's style.
But now that she had examined the elixir and found nothing wrong, and with Tang Sanzang watching her intently from the side, she had no reason to stop him. If she did, her earlier excuse of "I want to protect you" would become untenable.
She casually tossed the pill to Tang Sanzang, her face regaining its dignified and calm expression, as if her previous caution and suspicion had never existed.
Tang Sanzang caught the elixir, holding it in both hands with his fingers slightly clenched.
He felt sorry for Guanyin.
The dignified master of Mount Luojia, the person in charge of the journey to the West to obtain the scriptures, and the compassionate Guanyin Bodhisattva, now treats him like a suspicious old lady, guarding against him.
She had to examine even an ordinary pill for so long, as if she was afraid he might gain even the slightest bit of power. This vigilance and caution made her seem to have lost all the composure one would expect from a bodhisattva.
In fact, Guanyin wished that Tang Sanzang had no cultivation at all.
Her ideal scenario is that Tang Sanzang is a completely ordinary mortal, unarmed and unable to carry anything, who would obediently be captured by monsters and wait for Sun Wukong to rescue him. Then, through some unexpected opportunity, he would reform the monsters and create a beautiful story.
This is how Tang Sanzang should be in the Journey to the West script—weak, but kind; powerless, but resolute; protected, but grateful.
But she couldn't stop the Five Directions Protector.
The Five Protectors were Dharma protectors personally appointed by the Buddha to protect Tang Sanzang. Their blessing of Tang Sanzang's magical power was not something Guanyin could revoke.
Although Tang Sanzang still appears to be the same fair-skinned monk on the surface, he actually possesses several layers of protective magic and a considerable layer of Buddhist light, making it no problem for him to kill a tiger with a single punch.
This is what truly gives Guanyin a headache.
She couldn't move the Five Directions Protector's blessing, nor could she stop Lin Zhu's elixir. With both sides combined, Tang Sanzang's strength had far exceeded her expectations of a mortal.
Forget it.
The more debts one has, the less one worries. The Five Directions Exorcists have already taken the blame, and this blue pill doesn't seem to have much effect. If any problems arise, the Five Directions Exorcists and Lin Zhu can handle the blame.
As for herself, simply stopping the red Asura Annihilation Pill was already a great achievement.
Thinking of this, Guanyin's face regained its compassionate smile. She took two steps back, but did not step onto the golden lotus to leave.
She found a flat stone nearby and sat down, her posture elegant and her face dignified, looking at the younger generation with a kind expression as they ate their tonic.
Tang Sanzang's lips twitched slightly.
The old woman still hasn't left.
Not only did they not leave, but they also sat and watched, clearly wanting to see him eat it before they felt at ease. Were they preventing him from hiding the elixir and then trying to switch it with another one? Tang Sanzang sneered inwardly. He, the dignified reincarnation of the Golden Cicada of Mount Ling, would not stoop to such a thing.
Besides, the elixir was given by the immortal lord; it's something perfectly legitimate. What's wrong with him eating it?
Without hesitation, he tilted his head back and stuffed the pill into his mouth.
The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth, a cool liquid sliding down his throat without any particular sensation. Tang Sanzang smacked his lips, savoring the taste.
It tastes a bit bitter, but not too strong, with a faint herbal fragrance. Once it goes down your stomach, it feels warm and cozy, like a gentle little stove burning inside.
Guanyin sat on a rock, leaning slightly forward, her eyes fixed on Tang Sanzang.
Her gaze swept over Tang Sanzang's entire body from top to bottom, paying attention to every change in his body—his complexion, breathing, aura, pores, skin color, and fluctuations in his aura, all under the monitoring of her divine sense.
She was afraid of making a mistake.
Even if it's just the most ordinary body-cultivation pill, she has to personally watch Tang Sanzang eat it and make sure there are no accidents before she can feel at ease.
Time passed little by little.
The stream still roared and rushed on, and the wind blew across the rocky beach, raising a cloud of fine sand. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating Eagle's Sorrow Stream brightly.
Tang Sanzang stood there, looking down at his hands, then up at the sky, then down at his stomach.
Nothing has changed.
His face was still the same face, his complexion was still the same complexion, and his breathing was still the same breathing. His body hadn't grown larger, nor had it generated any true energy, nor had it emitted any Buddha-like light.
He even tried clenching his fist and felt that his strength was about the same as before, with no obvious increase.
Guanyin raised her eyebrows.
Her brows furrowed deeper and deeper, her doubts growing stronger.
After consuming this pill, there were none of the reactions one would expect from a normal body-cultivation pill—a brief period of heightened energy, slight muscle tension, pulsating meridians, and a rise in body temperature. Nothing at all.
Tang Sanzang stood there as if he had just eaten a candy bean, without any change whatsoever.
She initially thought the pill was ordinary, but based on her examination of its pharmacological structure, she deduced that while the spiritual energy it contained wasn't strong, it wouldn't be so weak as to have no effect whatsoever. It should at least have the effect of strengthening the body and improving physical constitution.
But the current situation tells her that the medicinal power of this pill is almost zero, so weak that it is not perceptible at all.
She looked at Lin Zhu, her eyes filled with doubt and suspicion.
Could the pills this guy gave me be fake? Or are they just for show, looking like pills but actually just like dough, and nothing will happen if you eat them?
Lin Zhu maintained a calm smile throughout.
He wasn't flustered at all.
The system description clearly states that the purpose of this Pillar of Strength is to "activate the qualification for body cultivation." Activating the qualification and immediate results are two different things. Activating the qualification is like giving you a key; the key itself cannot make you stronger, but it can open a door. As for what lies behind the door and how far you can go, that depends on Tang Sanzang's own destiny.
Moreover, Lin Zhu trusted the system.
He believed in the system like he believed in light, needing no reason whatsoever. He believed everything the system said, and he never questioned anything the system gave him. The fact that the Pillar of Strength hadn't produced any effect yet didn't mean it was useless; it just meant its effects hadn't manifested yet.
He walked up to Tang Sanzang, his voice gentle and patient: "Sanzang, this elixir won't transform you just by taking it. It can unlock your physical cultivation, which is a threshold."
He paused, then continued, his tone instructing a disciple who had just begun his practice: "You need to exercise more in the future, run, practice boxing, carry luggage, and swing your staff. The body can't function without practice."
Cultivation is the same; once the door is opened, you have to be willing to endure hardship and step inside.
Tang Sanzang was stunned for a moment, then his eyes brightened.
Body Refinement.
No pain, no gain.
The two phrases swirled in his mind, and he understood. The elixir was merely a catalyst; the real skill lay in daily cultivation and training. The immortal lord had opened a door for him; the rest of the journey was up to him.
He immediately nodded solemnly, put his hands together, and wanted to bow deeply to Lin Zhu to express his gratitude.
"besides."
Lin Zhu raised his hand to stop him before he could bend over, a meaningful smile appearing on his face, and said something that sounded very profound: "Actual combat is the only standard for testing strength."
After a pause, he added, his tone casual but his smile deepening: "When you encounter a monster, don't always wait for someone else to rescue you. Pick up your staff and fight it yourself. Even if you lose, you'll still gain experience."
Winning would be even better; we could collect the loot. Anyway, practice makes perfect.
Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang's lips gradually curled into a knowing smile.
He clasped his hands together again and bowed deeply to Lin Zhu.
This bow was more sincere and solemn than any before. He bent over, his forehead almost touching his knees, and his voice was more dignified than ever before: "This humble monk will remember the Immortal Lord's teachings. I dare not forget the Immortal Lord's great kindness today."
Tang Sanzang straightened up, glanced at Lin Zhu, then at Guanyin Bodhisattva who was still sitting on the rock with a puzzled look on her face, and said nothing more.
He turned around and strode towards the white dragon horse.
The white dragon horse lay quietly on the rocky beach. Lin Zhu's white light had healed most of its injuries, and the hideous wound on its side had completely healed, leaving only a very shallow and faint scar.
All the cuts and lacerations on its body disappeared, and its mane became smooth and soft again, gleaming with a silvery-white luster in the sunlight.
Seeing Tang Sanzang approaching, it raised its head and let out a long neigh. With a bend of its long legs, it stood up from the ground, its four hooves making a crisp sound as they trod on the stones.
Its spirits had clearly recovered considerably; its eyes had regained their brightness and vitality, and its tail swished back and forth, displaying a lively energy.
Tang Sanzang reached out and stroked the white dragon horse's neck. The white dragon horse snorted contentedly and lowered its head to rub its nose against his arm. Tang Sanzang smiled, turned to look at Lin Zhu, and bowed to Lin Zhu again.
This time, he didn't speak, but the gratitude and respect in his eyes were clearly written on his face.
Sun Wukong also came over.
He slowly loosened his clenched fist, looked down at his palm, and saw that the deep blood marks left by his fingernails had not yet completely faded.
He looked up and grinned at Lin Zhu. The sharp killing intent and ferocious ruthlessness in his smile hadn't completely disappeared, but it was full of sincerity.
“Immortal Lord,” Sun Wukong’s voice was still shrill and piercing, but his tone was more solemn than ever before, “I, Old Sun, am grateful for your kindness.”
After saying that, he didn't say anything more. He turned around, touched the ground with his toes, and somersaulted onto the back of the white dragon horse.
The worn-out saddle held his buttocks firmly. A large patch of paint had peeled off the leather, revealing the cracked stuffing inside. Sitting on it, he could feel the heat of the horse's back.
Tang Sanzang also turned around and mounted the white dragon horse.
He turned back for one last look at Lin Zhu, his gaze complex, a mixture of gratitude,感慨, helplessness, and resolve. Then he took a deep breath and gently flicked the whip at the horse's rump.
The white horse neighed and set off, its four hooves pounding the pebbles on the rocky beach, slowly walking westward along the mountain path beside Eagle's Sorrow Stream.
Lin Zhu watched them leave, seeing the figures of the man, the monkey, and the horse gradually disappear into the mist of the mountain stream, becoming increasingly blurry.
The smile on his face slowly faded, but a hint of mockery remained in his eyes. He hadn't forgotten that Guanyin Bodhisattva was sitting right next to him, watching Tang Sanzang's physical reactions after he swallowed the elixir from beginning to end.
Guanyin's face was as solemn as a block of ice coated with glaze.
She kept staring in the direction Tang Sanzang had left, her brows furrowed, her fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on her knees, the rhythm slowing but never stopping. On the surface, she appeared calm, but inwardly, her doubts were churning into a massive vortex.
Is this over?
There was no change, no reaction, and no trace throughout the entire process.
After Tang Sanzang consumed the elixir, Guanyin observed him for a long time, but there was no change whatsoever in his body's energy flow, spiritual root reaction, or life soul fluctuations. This feeling that he had seemingly taken the wrong elixir made her even more uneasy.
But it does look perfectly normal. Ordinary. Safe. Impeccable.
But it was precisely because it was so normal, so normal, that she couldn't draw any conclusions.
She always felt that things weren't that simple.
She raised her eyes to look at Lin Zhu, her gaze no longer filled with the urgency and anger she had shown during the telepathic communication, but with a calm and scrutinizing quality that had been accumulating for a thousand years—sharp, yet unfathomable.
Lin Zhu met her gaze, raised an eyebrow, and a smile reappeared on her lips.
Two months have passed since Tang Sanzang consumed the Pill of Profound Strength.
For the past two months, they have been traveling on peaceful roads. Heading west from Yingchoujian, the mountains gradually flatten out. Although it is still a desolate wilderness, it is no longer the treacherous place inhabited by monsters.
They only encountered small animals like jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards. Occasionally, a few foolish wolves would try to snatch people, but they all ended up as dried meat hanging next to Tang Sanzang's saddle.
Tang Sanzang indeed kept Lin Zhu's words in mind and insisted on doing everything himself along the way.
In the first few days, he was still a bit clumsy. When he first encountered a striped tiger, he instinctively wanted to shout "Wukong, save me!" but he swallowed the words back down.
He remembered Lin Zhu's words, "Actual combat is the only standard for testing strength," gritted his teeth, dismounted from the white dragon horse, grabbed the nine-ringed staff, and charged forward. (End of Chapter)