Chapter 620
He ran away with a fairy!
Upon returning to the desolate land, Tang Sanzang was already extremely haggard, with a swollen belly, and needed assistance to walk.
Upon seeing Yang Jian arrive, he quickly clasped his hands in gratitude.
Yang Jian didn't say much. He directly passed on the incantation, mental method, and practice diagram of the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts to Tang Sanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing. He only shook his head at Wukong and said, "You monkey are born with a stone body. Your somersault cloud is unparalleled in the world, but the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts are incompatible with you. You can't remember it or learn it. It's a waste of your time."
Wukong scratched his head, and sure enough, he felt dizzy and lightheaded after listening to a few sentences, so he had to give up.
Tang Sanzang, having obtained this supreme and profound skill, regarded it as a priceless treasure and studied it day and night.
He was the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, with exceptional talent and the comprehension of a Great Luo Golden Immortal. He mastered the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts in just three months.
On this day, he sat cross-legged beside the dry well, his body radiating golden light, and his primordial spirit slowly left his body.
The primordial spirit shone with golden light and had a solemn appearance. It abandoned its old physical body, which then turned into ashes.
Tang Sanzang's primordial spirit hovered in mid-air, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth according to the instructions of the cultivation method, and reconstituted a new physical body of pure Yang.
The new body gradually took shape, with skin as smooth as cream and a face as handsome as jade, even more beautiful than the old body.
Tang Sanzang was overjoyed and was about to return to his physical body when his expression suddenly changed drastically. He was horrified to discover that the black fetal energy, like a leech, had emerged from the ashes of his old body and, like a black thread, directly wrapped around his primordial spirit. Then, following his primordial spirit, it entered his newly formed physical body!
"impossible……"
Tang Sanzang's voice trembled so much it was almost broken, "The Eight-Nine Arcane Arts... how could... how could this be..."
He staggered to the ground, and the abdomen of his new body slowly swelled up again, exactly the same as before.
At that moment, Tang Sanzang went completely mad.
His hair was disheveled, and he laughed wildly, tears and snot streaming down his face: "Hahahaha... Even the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts are no match... Even the reconstruction of the primordial spirit is no match... I, Tang Sanzang... I'm finished... Utterly finished..."
He suddenly turned around and ran wildly towards the main city of the Women's Kingdom, roaring as he ran: "I don't want to go on the pilgrimage anymore! I want to die! I'd rather be reincarnated as an ordinary mortal than suffer this torment! I want to find a monster to eat me! Let me die cleanly!"
Wukong and the others couldn't catch up and watched helplessly as their master disappeared into the wilderness.
The three of them chased after him all the way, and finally caught up with Tang Sanzang at dusk.
They had now entered the territory of the main city of the Women's Kingdom, where a group of female officials and soldiers escorted an elderly postmaster with white hair to greet them.
The postmaster was stunned by Tang Sanzang's handsome appearance, even though he looked haggard. He quickly bowed and said, "This must be the holy monk from the Great Tang Dynasty of the East who has come to obtain the scriptures. I am the postmaster of this country. The Queen has decreed that all men who enter the country must be treated with great respect. Please, holy monk, move to the post station to rest."
Tang Sanzang was already in a daze and mechanically followed along.
Pigsy, Sandy, and Monkey had no choice but to follow.
After settling everyone in, the postmaster hurriedly went to the palace to report to the Queen.
Now, the Queen of the Women's Kingdom was about twenty-eight years old. She was so beautiful that fish would sink and geese would fall from the sky, and the moon would hide and flowers would blush. However, there were no men in the kingdom, and she was left alone in the deep palace, where she could not bear the loneliness.
Lately, she has been having several dreams in which golden light falls from the sky, and a holy monk from the East arrives, marrying her and ruling the country together.
Upon waking, he was restless and asked his ministers, who all said it was a match made in heaven.
Upon hearing the report from the postmaster that a holy monk from the East has indeed entered the country, and whose appearance is incomparably handsome, the King was overjoyed. He immediately summoned the Grand Tutor to the palace and instructed him: "Go to the post station immediately and propose marriage to that holy monk. I am willing to offer the entire world as a dowry to make him my son-in-law!"
The Grand Tutor received the imperial decree and, with a large number of gifts, proceeded in a grand procession to the post station.
Inside the inn, Tang Sanzang sat on the bed, his hands pressed tightly against his swollen belly, his eyes vacant, like a puppet who had lost his soul.
The Grand Tutor entered and saw his appearance; indeed, he was a man of extraordinary beauty. He secretly praised him and quickly stepped forward to pay his respects, saying, "Holy Monk, I am the Grand Tutor of the Women's Kingdom. I have come to propose marriage on the orders of the Queen."
The Queen admires the holy monk's demeanor and wishes to invite him to serve as Empress, to rule the nation forever, and to share in its wealth and glory. What is the holy monk's opinion?
Tang Sanzang slowly raised his head, his eyes unfocused, and murmured, "This humble monk... has long since given up... You... may kill me or torture me... it's up to you..."
The Grand Tutor was greatly surprised, thinking that he was unwilling, and quickly said, "Holy Monk, please do not refuse! My Queen is virtuous and unparalleled, and the country is rich and prosperous. If you, Holy Monk, are willing to agree, you will enjoy endless glory and wealth!"
Suddenly, Pigsy stood up, his big belly sticking out, rubbing his hands together, and grinning lewdly: "Hey, Grand Tutor, your Queen is looking for a consort, why don't you take a look at me, Old Pig? Although I, Old Pig, am... cough cough, although I'm a bit rough, I'm incredibly strong, can eat and work hard, and at night I'm a seven-times-a-night man, guaranteed to satisfy the Queen!"
The Grand Tutor looked closely and saw that Pigsy had a long snout, large ears, protruding fangs, a face covered in pig hair, and a belly three times larger than Tang Sanzang's. He was so frightened that he almost fell over, and stammered, "This...this master...you...you look...so...so unique..."
Pigsy, however, got more and more excited as he spoke, leaning closer and breathing hot air into his mouth, saying, "Don't let my dark appearance fool you, I'm all sunshine and rainbows! I can even do magic tricks! Come, come, Grand Tutor, take a look!"
As she spoke, she loosened her belt, revealing her hairy belly, and patted it loudly, exclaiming, "This belly is really strong! I could give birth to ten or eight babies without even breaking a sweat!"
The Grand Tutor was so frightened that he took several steps back, his face turning deathly pale, and cold sweat pouring down his forehead, but he still forced a smile and said, "Master Bajie is joking... The Queen... the Queen still prefers the Holy Monk..."
Pigsy wouldn't let it go, chasing the Grand Tutor all over the room: "Don't go! I, Old Pig, haven't finished yet! I can also rake the ground! I can rake nine holes in one go, guaranteeing the Queen will enjoy a night of pleasure!"
The Grand Tutor finally couldn't hold back any longer. He picked up the gift box and fled the inn in a disheveled state, shouting as he ran, "Holy Monk, let's discuss this later! Let's discuss it later!"
Inside the room, Tang Sanzang remained seated, his hands clutching his stomach, tears silently streaming down his face, as if he could no longer hear any of the world's clamor.
The wind in Xiniu Hezhou always carries a touch of hot stickiness, brushing past the clusters of poisonous thorns outside the Pipa Cave, stirring up fine sand and gravel that falls onto the half-rotten stone pipa at the cave entrance, making a soft rustling sound.
Inside the cave, however, it was completely different from the outside world. Warm fragrance filled the air, and candlelight flickered, reflecting a warm luster onto the smooth bluestone walls.
The scorpion demon sat cross-legged beside a stone couch covered with brocade, her fiery red gauze dress draped over her shoulders, the hem embroidered with intricate lotus patterns that shimmered with light with her subtle movements.
Her slender fingers, painted with deep red nail polish, were gently twirling a round pearl, while her gaze remained fixed on Tang Sanzang, who was resting with his eyes closed on the couch.
Tang Sanzang was dressed in a moon-white monk's robe, the fabric of which still carried a faint sandalwood scent. However, at this moment, the sandalwood scent was mixed with a trace of barely perceptible panic.
His long eyelashes were tightly closed, concealing the unease in his eyes, but the knuckles of his hands resting on his knees were slightly white, revealing the turmoil in his heart.
Several days have passed since I was abducted to this Pipa Cave by the Scorpion Demon.
At first, he tried to persuade the demon to turn back from the dead, but the words were always blocked by the scorpion demon's affectionate eyes.
This demon possessed profound cultivation; even the Buddha himself was forced to retreat by her sting. She was highly respected in the demon realm, and ordinary demons would bow down and obey her every time they saw her.
But she was misled by her own careless words and became convinced that she was carrying an "illegitimate child." She insisted on finding an abortion pill so that after the abortion, she could live happily ever after with him as a perfect couple.
Tang Sanzang was both amused and exasperated, yet secretly apprehensive.
He was a monk, his mind pure and free from worldly desires, so how could he be pregnant? Moreover, a demon who had cultivated for a thousand years had a constitution that was different from that of an ordinary person, so how could he have an abortion? But no matter how he explained, the scorpion demon wouldn't listen, thinking he was just shy or afraid of being found out by his disciples.
These days, the Scorpion Demon goes out every day to search for famous mountains and rivers in Xiniu Hezhou and visit all kinds of spirits, just to obtain the abortifacient.
But each time he returned, he came back empty-handed, with a hint of disappointment in his eyes, yet he never gave up.
"Brother Imperial Brother,"
The scorpion demon's voice was soft and sweet, as if it were soaked in honey. "Today I went to the Black Wind Cave, a hundred miles away. Although the black bear demon there has some ability, he can't produce any medicine to help you have an abortion."
"But don't worry, I've already inquired. There might be some rare treasures hidden in the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons to the south. I'll go there tomorrow."
As she spoke, she got up and walked to the edge of the bed, reaching out her hand to touch Tang Sanzang's cheek.
Tang Sanzang stiffened slightly and subconsciously turned his head away to avoid her touch.
The scorpion demon's hand froze in mid-air, a fleeting hint of sadness flashing in her eyes before returning to her usual gentle demeanor: "Brother, don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."
Once I find the elixir to remove the burden from your belly, we will leave this place and find a beautiful, secluded spot to live a peaceful life.
"Then you will no longer have to endure the hardships of the pilgrimage, and I will no longer have to endure this loneliness in this dark and gloomy cave."
Her words were full of longing, but to Tang Sanzang they sounded like a thunderclap.
What he feared most was that the demon would lose patience. What if one day she grew tired of searching for medicine and forced herself on him? Although he had recovered his cultivation as a Great Luo Golden Immortal, the scorpion demon's stinger was too powerful, containing a trace of fierce energy from the beginning of chaos, which ordinary immortal techniques could not withstand.
Moreover, he was carrying a demonic fetus of unknown origin within his body. The power of this demonic fetus was unpredictable and constantly eroded his immortal essence, making him hesitant to use his full strength.
As the night deepened and all was quiet, the candlelight inside the cave gradually dimmed, and the scorpion demon had fallen asleep, breathing evenly.
Tang Sanzang, however, was wide awake. He quietly opened his eyes and gazed at the naturally formed stalactites on the cave ceiling, his heart filled with anxiety.
Where are his disciples now? Wukong is incredibly powerful and should be able to calculate his location, so why hasn't he come to his rescue yet? Although Bajie and Sha Wujing are slightly less capable, they should still be following the trail to find him.
Had they encountered some trouble? Or perhaps they simply couldn't find the Pipa Cave?
Thinking this, Tang Sanzang felt increasingly uneasy.
He tossed and turned, feeling restless despite the soft stone bed covered in brocade.
As the days passed with their uneasy food and lodging, the scorpion demon's patience seemed to be wearing thin.
Sometimes, when she looked at herself, besides gentleness, there was also a hint of stubbornness and urgency in her eyes.
Tang Sanzang knew he couldn't wait any longer.
Meanwhile, inside the post station of the Western Liang Women's Kingdom, a completely different scene unfolded.
In the courtyard of the inn, several peach trees were in full bloom, their pink and white petals drifting down in the wind and carpeting the ground.
However, the atmosphere inside the museum was completely out of place with the bright spring sunshine.
Pigsy, dressed in a loose monk's robe, was sitting at the table, holding a huge meat bun in both hands, and wolfing it down.
His mouth was greasy, his cheeks were bulging, and he mumbled indistinctly as he ate: "My master is really something, he had a perfectly good scripture to learn, but he had to run off with that demon."
In my opinion, he did it entirely voluntarily. He probably just found us fellow disciples in his way and wanted to be with that female demon. He's just fickle and tired of the old!
As he spoke, he picked up another steamed bun, took a big bite, and the meat juice dripped down the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away with his sleeve without caring at all.
"Besides, that demon is going to have an abortion for Master, and he needs to take good care of himself afterward."
I'm eating a lot beforehand so I can check with the chef and see which shop has the most filling buns, and then I can bring them to him.
Sitting to the side was Sha Wujing, dressed in an earth-yellow monk's robe, with a somewhat simple and honest look on his face.
At first, when he learned that his master had been kidnapped by the scorpion demon, he was extremely anxious and restless all day long, always wanting to set off immediately to find his master's whereabouts.
But he couldn't resist Pigsy's constant nagging, and over time, his worries gradually faded.
"Second Senior Brother, are you telling the truth? Master really went with that demon willingly?"
Sha Wujing frowned, his tone tinged with uncertainty.
"Is it even possible that it's fake?"
Pigsy patted his chest, looking confident, "Think about it, Master is now a Great Luo Golden Immortal. No matter how powerful that Scorpion Demon is, she can't easily kidnap him."
In my opinion, Master did it on purpose! He probably felt that the journey to the West was too arduous, or perhaps he was attracted by the beauty of that demon and wanted to enjoy a few days of leisure.
Let's not bother with this, lest the master complain that we're meddling.
Sha Wujing remained silent for a moment, then thought it over carefully.
After Master recovered his cultivation as a Great Luo Golden Immortal, his aura became increasingly calm and steady, and ordinary demons and monsters could not get close to him at all.
Although the scorpion demon is powerful, if Master really wanted to resist, he could probably hold out until Senior Brother arrived.
So, what the second senior brother said seems to make some sense.
Thinking of this, the last trace of worry in Sha Wujing's heart vanished. He nodded, picked up the steamed bun on the table, and slowly began to eat.
Inside the inn, only the sound of Pigsy wolfing down his food and the soft rustling of peach blossoms in the wind outside the window remained, creating a scene of tranquility, as if Tang Sanzang, who was trapped in the Pipa Cave, had long been forgotten.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Continent, inside the Water Curtain Cave of Flower Fruit Mountain, mist filled the air as a waterfall cascaded down the towering cliffs, crashing into the pool below and splashing water everywhere. (End of Chapter)