Honghuang: My understanding is beyond belief. I am the first immortal of Jiejiao.

"Stop spreading these fallacies! I...I..."

His voice stopped abruptly, because a water mirror appeared in Lin Zhu's hand, showing the scene of the Peach Banquet from back then.

In the water mirror, General Rolling Curtain carefully carried the glass cup toward the Jade Emperor's throne.

Just then, an almost imperceptible surge of magical power shot out from the sleeve of a certain celestial official, striking his wrist precisely.

"This is impossible!"

Sha Wujing's eyes widened.

"It was clearly a slip of the hand."

Lin Zhu put away the water mirror.

"Now you understand? You are nothing more than a pawn in the Journey to the West scheme. Your fate was sealed from the moment you were banished to the mortal realm."

Sha Wujing was struck as if by lightning, and staggered back several steps.

All the resentment, bitterness, and grievances accumulated over four hundred years erupted at this moment.

"why me?!"

He roared to the sky, his voice echoing at the bottom of the river.

"Am I so loyal and accomplished in battle that I deserve to be a sacrifice?!"

The water of the Liusha River is forever murky, like blood.

Sha Wujing stood in the middle of the river, the turbid water reaching above his knees.

For four hundred years, he has had to endure the pain of a flying sword piercing his chest every day.

Today was no exception; a golden light descended from the heavens, piercing his calloused chest and drawing out a spray of black blood.

“Ugh!”

He tilted his head back and let out a roar that was not human, the sound echoing across the empty river.

The pain had long since become a habit, but every time a flying sword pierced his chest, the feeling of his soul being torn apart still made him tremble all over.

Ripples spread across the river, and several white bones floated on the water.

Those were the passersby he devoured yesterday.

Sha Wujing looked down at his rough hands, where bits of flesh and blood remained under his fingernails.

He was once the Curtain-Raising General of Heaven, but now he has become a demon who eats human flesh.

"Why."

He muttered to himself, his voice hoarse like sandpaper being rubbed.

The upheaval four hundred years ago is like a nightmare that lingers in my mind.

He had merely accidentally broken a glass cup, yet he was accused of "great disrespect" and personally ordered by the Jade Emperor to be banished to the mortal realm.

What's even more hateful is that the Bodhisattva he once respected actually gave false testimony in front of all the immortals, saying that he had long harbored rebellious intentions.

"Sha Wujing, do you know your crime?"

The Jade Emperor's voice seemed to still echo in my ears.

He was kneeling in the Lingxiao Palace, his forehead pressed against the cold jade floor, his whole body trembling.

"I am innocent!"

"Be bold!"

The Bodhisattva shouted sternly.

"I have witnessed with my own eyes that you are secretly colluding with demons and plotting evil!"

The scene in his memory made Sha Wujing clench his fist tightly, his nails digging deep into his palm.

He hated! He hated those high and mighty gods, hated the bodhisattva who framed him, and hated even more the self who once naively believed in the justice of the heavenly court.

"hehe."

Sha Wujing suddenly burst into laughter, a laugh tinged with madness.

"They're all liars! They're all liars!"

He frantically pounded the water, stirring up murky waves.

Four hundred years of loneliness and suffering had long since clouded his judgment.

Sometimes he couldn't even tell whether he was a fairy or a demon, a human or a monster.

On the riverbank, several crows were startled by his movements and took flight, emitting piercing cries.

Sha Wujing looked up and suddenly froze.

A figure was standing on the shore.

The man, dressed in a blue robe, stood with his hands behind his back, his face indistinct in the setting sun.

But Sha Wujing's heart suddenly clenched; he was all too familiar with that figure.

"Linlinzhu?"

His voice was trembling uncontrollably.

Four hundred years ago, when he was at his lowest point, Lin Zhu gave him a golden elixir, helping him become an immortal.

In his heart, Lin Zhu was his only benefactor and his only source of light.

But now, that ray of light appears in his darkest moment.

Sha Wujing subconsciously took a step back, stirring up the turbid river water and causing it to foam with blood.

He dared not go forward, dared not confirm, fearing that this was just another illusion tormenting him.

"Brother Sha, how have you been?"

Lin Zhu's voice came through clearly, as gentle as ever.

This call completely shattered Sha Wujing's psychological defenses.

He staggered forward, but stopped abruptly about 30 feet from the shore, his face displaying a complex expression of fear, panic, and sorrow.

"No, it's impossible."

Sha Wujing shook his head, his disheveled hair obscuring his distorted face.

"You shouldn't have come. You shouldn't have seen me like this."

Lin Zhu sighed and took a step forward.

"Brother Sha, you've suffered."

"stop!"

Sha Wujing suddenly roared, his voice carrying the roar of a wild beast.

"do not come!"

Lin Zhu stopped and looked at him quietly.

Sha Wujing trembled all over, and the grievances and anger of four hundred years were about to burst forth at this moment.

He wanted to question Lin Zhu about why she had only appeared now, to pour out the pain of these past years, and even more so, to know the truth.

"you"

Sha Wujing's voice was terrifyingly low.

"What do you know?"

Lin Zhu's gaze was as deep as a pool.

"I know you've been wronged."

These words struck Sha Wujing's heart like a heavy hammer.

His legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees in the river, splashing up a spray of bloody water.

"Why."

Sha Wujing raised his head, his eyes bloodshot.

Why are you doing this to me? What did I do wrong?

Lin Zhu remained silent for a moment, then spoke slowly.

Do you want to know the truth? Do you want revenge?

"revenge?"

Sha Wujing suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter filled with madness.

"I can't even get out of this Flowing Sand River, how can I take revenge? Every day I'm pierced through the chest by flying swords, I can't even die!"

His laughter abruptly stopped, replaced by a furious roar filled with gritted teeth.

"But I hate it! I hate those high and mighty gods! I hate that Bodhisattva who gave false testimony! And I hate this damned fate even more!"

Suddenly, waves rose on the river surface even without wind, and the turbid water surged as if boiling.

Wisps of black energy began to emerge from Sha Wujing's body; it was the manifestation of resentment that had been suppressed for four hundred years.

Lin Zhu's eyes held a complex expression, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Brother Sha, calm down. I'm here to tell you the truth."

"the truth?"

Sha Wujing grinned maliciously.

"The truth is that I was treated as a pawn and trampled on at will!"

"Do not."

Lin Zhu shook his head.

"The truth is, you are the one destined for this calamity."

Sha Wujing was stunned.

"What's the meaning?"

Lin Zhu took a few steps forward, and this time Sha Wujing did not stop him.

He stood on the riverbank, facing Sha Wujing across the water. "Since the beginning of time, cause and effect have been intertwined, and calamities have been constant. The journey to the West is to sever some of these karmic ties and restore peace to the world."

The madness in Sha Wujing's eyes gradually faded, replaced by confusion.

"Journey to the West?"

"good."

Lin Zhu nodded.

“You are a key link in this chain. Although you were granted immortality by the True Man who bestowed upon you the Golden Elixir, you are destined to become a person destined to face calamity for the Western Sect due to karma.”

Sha Wujing's body trembled slightly.

So, all my suffering was preordained?

Lin Zhu did not answer directly, but said...

"Buddha is the Way. All your experiences are the result of cause and effect."

"cause and effect."

Sha Wujing murmured the word repeatedly, then suddenly let out a shrill, mournful laugh.

"What a 'cause and effect'! Just because of this so-called cause and effect, I have to endure four hundred years of torment? I have to go from being a dignified Curtain-Raising General to a man-eating demon?"

He suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with bloodlust.

"Then what am I? A pawn?"

Lin Zhu remained silent for a moment, then spoke softly.

"Heaven and earth are the chessboard, and all living beings are the chess pieces."

"fart!"

Enraged, Sha Wujing's black aura suddenly expanded, forming a black whirlpool on the river's surface.

"I refuse to accept this! Why should my fate be controlled by others?"

His body began to change; strange black patterns appeared on his skin, fangs emerged from the corners of his mouth, and his originally cloudy eyes turned completely blood red.

Lin Zhu frowned slightly as he watched this scene.

"Sha Wujing, calm down! If demonic energy enters your body, you will be doomed!"

"No chance of recovery?"

Sha Wujing grinned maliciously.

"Am I not already beyond redemption?"

He suddenly leaped out of the river, creating a wave of blood, and landed in front of Lin Zhu.

At this moment, Sha Wujing had completely changed his appearance, growing to a height of ten feet, with his muscles bulging and black demonic energy swirling around him. He was no longer the same as before.
"tell me."

Sha Wujing's voice was deep and thunderous.

"Was all of this a scheme from the very beginning? Including that golden elixir you gave me?"

Lin Zhu looked up at him, her expression remaining calm.

"The elixir is real, helping you become an immortal is real, and my feelings for you are real. But fate cannot be defied, and you are destined to go through this tribulation."

"Destiny".

Sha Wujing slammed his enormous hand down on the ground, creating a deep crater.

"To hell with destiny!"

Lin Zhu sighed.

“Sha Wujing, your choice now is very important. If you continue to sink into the demonic path, you will truly be doomed forever; if you can see through cause and effect, there is still a chance for the future.”

The demonic energy emanating from Sha Wujing fluctuated in intensity, revealing the intense inner struggle he was going through.

Four hundred years of suffering, the anger of being used as a pawn, and the resentment towards fate—these emotions clashed wildly within him.

"Transfer?"

he sneered.

"What turning point? Continue to be your pawn?"

Lin Zhu shook his head.

"The journey to the West is about to begin, and your choices will affect the balance of power in the Three Realms."

On the banks of the Liusha River, Sha Wujing roared to the sky, crushing the shards of the glass lamp he was holding tightly into pieces that dissipated into the wind.

"Western Paradise... Buddha... You have schemed against me for five hundred years. From this day forward, I, Sha Wujing, will no longer be your pawn!"

Crimson demonic flames ignited in his eyes, and demonic energy surged around him. His originally honest and simple face was now as ferocious as a demon.

Lin Zhu stood to the side, a slight smile playing on his lips, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

“Very good, Wujing, you have finally seen the truth.”

Lin Zhu stood with his hands behind his back, his voice low and seductive.

"But you alone are not enough to shake the Western Paradise. You need allies."

Sha Wujing suddenly turned his head, his scarlet eyes fixed on Lin Zhu.

"Allies? Who?"

Lin Zhu smiled slightly and looked into the distance.

"The monkey that was suppressed for five hundred years under the Five Elements Mountain."

The Five Elements Mountain, guarded day and night by the Five Directions Protectors, is shrouded in Buddhist light, suppressing the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, who wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace five hundred years ago.

At the foot of the mountain, Sun Wukong was pressed down so that only his head was sticking out. His golden headband had long since lost its luster, but his eyes still held an arrogant look.

He gazed at the sky and murmured to himself.

"Buddha, you old man, you've suppressed me, Sun Wukong, for five hundred years. What are you after?"

Suddenly, a figure quietly appeared in front of him.

"Great Sage, how have you been?"

Lin Zhu smiled slightly, holding a sky-covering talisman in his hand. With a gentle wave, the surrounding space and time suddenly distorted.

Sun Wukong's pupils contracted as he felt the pressure on his body suddenly disappear. He stood up abruptly, stretched his limbs, and his eyes flashed with wild joy.

"Hahaha! I, Old Sun, am free?!"

Lin Zhu shook his head.

"It's only temporary. The Five Directions Protectors are still monitoring us. This talisman can only allow us to temporarily escape their sight."

Sun Wukong narrowed his eyes and sized up Lin Zhu.

"Who are you? Why are you helping me, Old Sun?"

Lin Zhu stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly.

"Who I am is not important. What is important is, Great Sage, have you ever thought about why Buddha suppressed you for five hundred years?"

Sun Wukong snorted coldly.

"Hmph! That old Buddha is treacherous and cunning; he's just afraid that I, Old Sun, will cause trouble in the Heavenly Palace again!"

Lin Zhu shook his head.

"No, Great Sage, you are wrong. The Buddha suppressed you not because he was afraid of you, but because... you are the one destined for tribulation."

"The one destined for disaster?"

Sun Wukong frowned.

"good."

Lin Zhu's gaze was deep.

"The great calamity of the Journey to the West is approaching, and Buddhism needs a pilgrim to retrieve the scriptures. You are the protector they have chosen. They will suppress you for five hundred years to wear down your arrogance and make you obediently escort Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West, so that they can achieve their merits."

Anger began to rise in Sun Wukong's eyes.

"You mean... Buddha was plotting against me, Old Sun, from the very beginning?"

Lin Zhu nodded.

"Exactly. You think you caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace on your own merit? No, that was just a show put on by the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist sect, designed to make you make a mistake so that the Buddha could rightfully suppress you and then make you 'convert' to Buddhism."

"fart!"

Enraged, Sun Wukong instantly produced his golden cudgel and slammed it into the ground. With a deafening roar, the earth cracked.

Lin Zhu remained unmoved and continued.

"If you don't believe me, Great Sage, think about it: when you wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, why did the gods of Heaven let you off the hook? Why couldn't Laozi's alchemy furnace burn you to death? Why was Buddha able to suppress you with a single palm strike?"

Sun Wukong was stunned, as memories flooded back like a tide.

Yes... Back then, when he wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, he seemed powerful, but upon closer inspection, it seems that the gods of the Heavenly Court did not do their best to stop him, and even... it was as if they were cooperating with him in his performance!
"Buddha... Heavenly Court... How dare you play tricks on me, Old Sun?!"

Sun Wukong gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.

Upon seeing this, Lin Zhu's lips curled up slightly.

“Great Sage, it’s not too late to wake up now. If you are willing to be a pawn of Buddhism, five hundred years from now, you will only become their dog. But if you are willing to resist…”

Beneath the Five Elements Mountain, five hundred years of time, like a knife, have carved their way into Sun Wukong's primordial spirit.

dark.

silence.

Only the occasional dripping of mountain spring water overhead serves as a reminder of the passage of time.

Why is the old Buddha here?

The Monkey King's voice echoed in the void. The golden cudgel was no longer in his hand, but his arrogance never faded.

Five hundred years of suppression have only made the memories of those times when they were blinded by passion even clearer.

"Is the Great Sage thinking about that duel at the foot of Mount Ling back then?"

A clear voice suddenly rang in his mind, startling Sun Wukong so much that his monkey hair stood on end. In the past five hundred years, besides the local earth god and that annoying Jiedi, had there ever been a third person who could speak with him under the Five Elements Mountain? (End of Chapter)