Chapter 630
A Strong Will to Survive!
Sun Wukong felt the headband on his head tighten suddenly, and a piercing pain instantly spread throughout his body, as if countless steel needles were stabbing his head.
"what!"
Sun Wukong screamed, clutched his head, and collapsed to the ground.
The auspicious clouds over Luojia Mountain in the South China Sea always carry a touch of gentle warmth, drifting over the tips of the purple bamboo forest and casting a soft glow on the glass cup in front of Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Sun Wukong sat cross-legged on a futon, his golden cudgel leaning against his side. The cold light emanating from the cudgel was softened by the auspicious clouds, but it still retained a hint of untamed arrogance.
He lowered his eyes, seemingly listening intently to Guanyin preaching Mahayana Buddhism, but his fingertips unconsciously rubbed the calluses on his palms—marks left from thousands of swings of the staff, and also the imprint of being bound by the golden headband for many years.
Guanyin's voice was clear and melodious like a spring, flowing through the heart and should have cleansed away worldly thoughts, but another voice gradually sounded in Sun Wukong's ears.
The voice was deep and ancient, as if it came from the depths of the primordial wilderness, carrying an indescribable magic that seeped into his sea of consciousness.
"Sun Wukong..."
The voice called out softly, with a seductive warmth, "I am the Chaotic Demon Ape, leaving behind a wisp of my soul to guard this legacy."
You were born a stone monkey, sharing the same origin as me. If you receive this inheritance, your cultivation will advance by leaps and bounds, reaching the pinnacle of the Great Luo realm. You will also be able to break free from the golden headband's restraints, free from the torment of the headband curse, roaming freely between heaven and earth, uncontrollable by anyone..."
"Ok?"
Sun Wukong's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, and a fiery flame instantly ignited in his eyes.
Break free from the golden shackles! These four words were like a needle, piercing his deepest desire of all these years.
After escaping from the Five Elements Mountain and becoming a disciple of Tang Sanzang, he had the mission of obtaining the scriptures, but he was always constrained by the golden headband and the tight headband curse. The slightest disobedience caused him excruciating pain. When had he ever had a moment of true freedom? Not to mention the progress in his cultivation—in recent years he has been busy subduing demons and monsters. Although he has been somewhat influenced by Buddhism, his cultivation has made very little progress. He is no longer the spirited man he was when he wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace.
The legacy of the Mischievous Demon Ape is enough to stir one's heart!
He subconsciously looked up, wanting to look in the direction of the sound, but as soon as his gaze fell on Guanyin's calm and unwavering face, he abruptly composed himself.
Who is Guanyin? She is a great being who has attained the primordial state of enlightenment, possessing profound insight into worldly affairs and keen observation.
The summoning of this inheritance was so mysterious that if Guanyin were to discover it, with her cultivation level, seizing this inheritance would be an easy task.
At that time, not only will he not receive the inheritance, but he will also likely be accused of coveting the treasure and being insincere, making it difficult for him to continue his journey to the West, and he may even be suppressed again.
Thinking of this, Sun Wukong's heart sank, and he suppressed his eagerness and restlessness.
He lowered his eyelids again, his long eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath them, concealing all the emotions in his eyes.
He deliberately made his breathing steady and long, as if he were truly immersed in Buddhism, and occasionally he would nod slightly, as if he deeply agreed with Guanyin's teachings.
The golden headband on his head was slightly warm, seemingly confirming his "obedience" at this moment, yet also reminding him that the restraint had never disappeared.
Within his sea of consciousness, the ancient voice continued, relentlessly describing the various benefits brought by the inheritance, tempting him to respond immediately.
Sun Wukong suppressed the urge to respond, guarding his mind and probing with only a faint thought in his sea of consciousness: "Where is the inheritance? Why is it summoning me now?"
"The heritage is hidden deep in the South China Sea, and you must explore it yourself."
The voice replied, "I sense that you possess the bloodline of the demonic ape and have a heart that refuses to be bound, making you the best successor to the legacy."
The time has come; delay will only lead to unforeseen changes. Come quickly!
Sun Wukong grew increasingly anxious, wishing he could immediately ride his somersault cloud to the depths of the South Sea, but he remained outwardly calm, even mimicking Pigsy's expression with a touch of simple-minded focus.
Guanyin's gaze may be fixed on him, and even the slightest flaw could lead to disaster.
In the shadows, an invisible figure hovered above the auspicious clouds; it was Jiang Wang.
He was surrounded by a faint aura of chaos, perfectly concealing his presence. Even Guanyin did not notice his existence.
He looked down at Sun Wukong, who was sitting cross-legged, and his brows furrowed slightly.
He had secretly orchestrated this summoning of the inheritance. He had assumed that with Sun Wukong's arrogant nature, he would immediately pursue the inheritance at all costs. However, he never expected that the monkey would be able to endure so much and put on such a convincing act in front of Guanyin.
"She's quite meticulous..."
Jiang Wang's voice was barely audible, tinged with doubt, "But wouldn't such forbearance cause us to miss the opportunity for the inheritance? If Guanyin notices any clues, or if Sun Wukong hesitates to act, this mission will become very troublesome."
He flicked his fingertips, and a wisp of chaotic energy quietly spread out. He wanted to further provoke Sun Wukong, but he was afraid of making it too obvious and attracting Guanyin's attention.
He could only suppress his thoughts and continue to observe, thinking to himself: I hope this monkey can find a chance to escape as soon as possible, and not disappoint me.
Meanwhile, above the East China Sea, auspicious clouds rolled, and a figure in earthen yellow was riding the clouds at high speed.
Sha Wujing's face was solemn, and his brows were full of anxiety. During the seven days of travel, he hardly stopped. The auspicious clouds beneath his feet were shimmering with a faint halo due to his rapid magical power.
His gaze was fixed on the horizon ahead, and the demon-slaying staff in his hand was gripped so tightly that it turned white—the staff was his natal magic weapon, but at this moment it was faintly emitting an uneasy fluctuation.
Seven days ago, the pilgrimage team rested in a valley. He was ordered by Tang Sanzang to find a water source. However, when he returned, he found the camp in a mess. Tang Sanzang and Bajie were lying on the ground unconscious. Their vital luggage and travel documents had disappeared! He was extremely anxious. He woke up Tang Sanzang and Bajie and asked them what had happened. He learned that a monster who looked somewhat like him had suddenly appeared and, without saying a word, had stolen the luggage and documents.
"The luggage is fine, but the travel permit is the proof of our journey to the West, and we absolutely cannot lose it!"
Sha Wujing was anxious. Based on Bajie's vague description and the traces left at the scene, he tracked the monster all the way and finally discovered its destination—the new Flower Fruit Mountain in the East Sea.
He had heard of that place before; it was a mountain that had sprung up on the coast of the East China Sea in recent years. It was said that the mountain's master was incredibly powerful, but he never interacted with the outside world. He never expected it to be the lair of the monster that stole the documents.
As the clouds gradually descended, a majestic mountain peak came into view.
This new Flower and Fruit Mountain bears a striking resemblance to the Flower and Fruit Mountain of Sun Wukong's time. It is majestic with towering ancient trees, waterfalls cascading down the mountainside, splashing up a misty spray, and caves can be vaguely seen hidden among the mountains, surrounded by a faint demonic aura.
Sha Wujing concealed his aura and carefully landed at the foot of the mountain. Just as he was about to take a step, he heard a familiar voice coming from the direction of the cave.
"Master, you can rest assured. Sha Wujing has gone to find a water source and should be back soon."
Once he returns, we will continue our westward journey and obtain the true scriptures as soon as possible.
That voice... it was clearly Pigsy's! Sandy was overjoyed and was about to step forward when he heard another voice. The voice was rough and had a deliberately imitated honesty, which made him freeze.
“Master, with my eldest brother not around, we must be careful in everything we do. Just now, when I went to find a water source, I sensed a demonic aura spying on me. It seems that a nearby demon is coveting your body. I will investigate tomorrow to eliminate this threat.”
That voice… it’s imitating him! Sha Wujing’s face instantly darkened. He quietly circled around to the side of the cave and peered through the dense bushes. He saw Tang Sanzang sitting cross-legged in the open space in front of the cave, eyes closed in meditation. Beside him stood two familiar figures—one was Zhu Bajie, and the other was a “Sha Wujing” who looked exactly like him.
The fake Sha Wujing was wearing the same monk's robe as him and holding a similar staff. His mannerisms and expressions were so lifelike that if Sha Wujing hadn't been there in person, he probably would have been fooled.
What alarmed him even more was that there was another figure standing next to the fake Sha Wujing.
The man was dressed in golden chainmail, wore a phoenix-winged purple-gold crown, and held a Ruyi Jingu Bang (a magical staff), resembling none other than Sun Wukong! But Sha Wujing immediately recognized that it was not the real Wukong—the real Wukong's Ruyi Jingu Bang carried an arrogant and domineering air, while the fake Monkey King's Ruyi Jingu Bang, though similar in appearance, exuded a sinister and demonic aura, and his eyes lacked some of Wukong's unique agility and arrogance, instead showing more sinister ruthlessness and greed.
"What a bold monster! How dare he impersonate me, Old Sun, and Junior Brother Sha, and even try to replace the pilgrimage team!"
Sha Wujing was burning with rage. The journey to the West was fraught with peril, and the four of them had endured countless hardships to reach this point. How could they allow this monster to cause such trouble? Especially the travel documents; if this monster were to damage or misuse them, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Without further hesitation, he burst out from behind the bushes, his demon-subduing staff whistling through the air, pointing directly at the fake Sha Wujing: "Demon! How dare you impersonate me and steal my luggage and travel documents! Hand them over immediately, or I'll spare your life!"
Upon hearing this, both the fake Sha Wujing and the fake Monkey King were taken aback and then turned around.
The fake Sha Wujing looked at Sha Wujing with a strange smile on his face: "Oh? A real one has arrived? That saves me a lot of trouble."
The fake Monkey King crossed his arms and smirked, "Sha Wujing? I didn't expect you to catch up so quickly."
Unfortunately, from now on, we will take over the task of this pilgrimage.
Tang Sanzang and the fake Pigsy also opened their eyes. Tang Sanzang looked at the two identical Sandy monks and asked in confusion, "What... what's going on? Which one is my Wujing?"
"Master, I am the real one!"
Sha Wujing hurriedly said, "He's a demon in disguise! He stole our luggage and travel documents!"
"Master, don't listen to his nonsense!"
The fake Sha Wujing immediately retorted, "He is the real demon in disguise, trying to confuse you and harm you! I have already seen through his trick and am about to capture him!"
The fake Monkey King waved his hand impatiently: "Enough with the nonsense. Since you're really here, let's deal with this now and then, so we don't have to worry about it later."
Before he finished speaking, he swung the fake golden cudgel in his hand, which carried a powerful demonic aura and smashed straight at Sha Wujing.
Sha Wujing was startled, not expecting the fake Monkey King to be so powerful! He dared not be careless and hurriedly swung his demon-subduing staff to defend himself.
"clang"
With a deafening clang, the sound of metal clashing against metal was deafening. A tremendous impact traveled through the staff, and Sha Wujing felt his arm go numb, involuntarily taking several steps back.
He looked down and saw that his demon-slaying staff had been smashed into a small dent.
"A mid-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal cultivation level?"
Sha Wujing was shocked. He himself was a mid-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal, but he had been at a disadvantage in the previous attack.
This fake Monkey King's magic power was not only powerful, but also carried a strange corrosive quality, which seeped into his body along the staff, causing his blood and qi to surge.
"Suffer to death!"
The fake Monkey King, having gained the upper hand, pressed his advantage relentlessly. In a flash, he transformed into a golden light, wielding his golden cudgel with impenetrable force, countless shadows of the cudgel raining down on Sha Wujing.
Sha Wujing gritted his teeth and pushed the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts to its limit, his body radiating a layer of earthy yellow light. At the same time, he used the Seventy-Three Transformations, his form constantly changing, sometimes transforming into a giant bear, sometimes into an eagle, barely dodging the fake Monkey King's attacks.
The two exchanged blows, and in the blink of an eye, they had fought more than ten rounds.
Sha Wujing felt the pressure increasing, and the fake Monkey King's attacks became more and more fierce, each strike carrying a world-destroying power. Although his physical body had been tempered by the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts, it was gradually becoming unable to withstand the strain.
What made him even more desperate was that the fake Sha Wujing also joined the battle, and the two of them formed a pincer movement against him, one on the left and one on the right.
"puff!"
After another fierce battle, Sha Wujing was struck in the chest by the fake Monkey King's staff, spitting out a mouthful of blood. His body flew out like a kite with a broken string and crashed heavily to the ground.
He struggled to get up, but found that his bones felt like they were falling apart, and he was in excruciating pain, and his magic power was also not flowing smoothly.
"Looks like you're nothing special after all."
The fake Monkey King slowly walked up to him, his eyes full of contempt. "I originally intended to spare your life, but since you don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for being ruthless."
With that, he raised his golden cudgel, ready to smash it down on Sha Wujing's head.
Sha Wujing felt a chill in his heart, knowing that he would probably not escape death today.
But then he thought again, the luggage and travel documents were still in the hands of the monster, and his master and Pigsy were still kept in the dark. The great mission of obtaining the scriptures could not be ruined at this point! A strong will to survive and a sense of responsibility surged into his heart. He bit his tongue hard and, with the clarity brought by the pain, poured all his remaining magic power into his primordial spirit.
"Soul leaving the body!"
He let out a low shout, and a phantom figure floated out from his physical body; it was his primordial spirit.
In his primordial spirit state, his speed increased several times. Before the fake Monkey King's staff could land, his primordial spirit transformed into a streak of light and sped towards the South China Sea.
"Want to run?"
Upon seeing this, the fake Monkey King roared angrily and swung his staff to shatter Sha Wujing's primordial spirit, but the spirit was so fast that it had already disappeared into the horizon.
He snorted coldly, turned to look at Sha Wujing's body, and swung his staff down—"Bang!"
With a loud crash, Sha Wujing's body was smashed to pieces, turning into blood and flesh scattered all over the ground.
Sha Wujing's spirit raced through the air, feeling waves of weakness washing over him. (End of Chapter)