I am submissive in Journey to the West, I strike hard at the gods

Little did he know that at that moment, Pigsy was walking out of the White Bone Cave from another exit, cursing and swearing.

Meanwhile, auspicious clouds swirled around Mount Ling, and golden light filled the sky.

Guanyin Bodhisattva sits serenely on a lotus throne, her vase tilting slightly, dewdrops falling from willow branches, creating ripples.

She reported Bajie's disappearance to the Taoist Zhunti, her tone tinged with worry: "Although Bajie is somewhat greedy and angry on the journey to the West, he is an indispensable person."

Now that he has disappeared, it is feared that demons are at work. I hope my senior brother can make a decision.

Upon hearing this, Zhunti stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then suddenly sneered: "Hmph, it must be that Jiang Wang pulling tricks behind the scenes again! Come, let's go to the Heavenly Court and take a look!"

Inside the Palace of the Old Man Under the Moon, red threads are intertwined, and marriage registers are piled up like small mountains.

Zhunti opened the marriage register of the pilgrimage team, his gaze sweeping over it, but his expression grew increasingly gloomy.

On the register, next to the names of Tang Sanzang, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, and even the White Dragon Horse, were countless red threads, with all sorts of names attached to the other end of the threads, including the shadows of Jiang Wang and Haotian! Zhunti was so angry that his beard trembled, and he roared, "Well done Jiang Wang and Haotian! How dare they arrange so many marriages on the journey to the West, disrupting the grand plan of my Buddhist sect!"

He stood up, flicked his sleeves, and headed straight for the Nuwa Palace.

Inside the Nuwa Palace, Nuwa was reclining on a cloud couch, playing with a crystal-clear jade stone in her hand. Upon hearing this, she simply smiled lazily and said, "Fellow Daoist Zhunti, why get angry? It's just a small marriage, let's break it off."

Zhunti snorted coldly: "In that case, Your Majesty, please lend me the red embroidered ball. I will personally cut this tangled red thread!"

Nuwa waved her hand, her smile meaningful: "The red embroidered ball is not something anyone can use. If Fellow Daoist Zhunti were to accidentally break a thread that shouldn't be broken, wouldn't that disrupt the Heavenly Way? I'll do it myself."

Although Zhunti was unwilling, he had no choice but to agree.

Nuwa took the Book of Marriage, flipped through a few pages, and frowned, muttering, "This Jiang Wang is truly reckless! He's tied the red thread in a complete mess, even the White Dragon Horse wasn't spared!"

She waved her hand to summon the red embroidered ball, and with a light touch of her jade finger, the red threads broke one by one, turning into specks of red light and dissipating.

It took her three whole days to clear up the marriage records of the pilgrimage team. In the end, she handed the marriage book to Qingluan and instructed, "Send it back to the Moon God's Palace. Be careful and don't let anyone peek at it."

Holding the Book of Marriage, Qingluan flew out of the Nuwa Palace, a hint of curiosity rising in her heart.

She glanced down at the book, her gaze involuntarily falling on Jiang Wang's name.

To her surprise, her heart skipped a beat—next to Jiang Wang's name, there were still several unbroken red threads! Even more shocking was that Jiang Wang's name had clearly been marked as "soul scattered."
Yet it was still prominently listed.

She bit her lip, a complex light flashing in her eyes, and murmured, "He... he's not dead?"

A surge of joy welled up inside her. She glanced around furtively, and when no one was looking, she quietly hid the red embroidered ball in her sleeve, making a silent vow: "I'll cut those tangled red threads for him! Jiang Wang can only be mine!"

At the same time, Jiang Wang was standing in a hidden crevice in space, in front of a lush peach mother tree, exuding a faint fairy aura.

The cave of white bones behind him gradually emerged from the void and returned to its original position.

He looked down at the system interface in his hand, which showed that the second part of the chain quest had been completed, and the reward was this peach mother tree.

The system's cold voice then rang out: "Third stage of the mission: Kill the White Bone Demon and create the illusion that she 'committed suicide due to being tormented by love'."

Success reward: Yellow Plum with innate spiritual root.

The Yellow Plum is one of the ten innate spiritual roots; its fruit can help people break through cultivation levels and extend their lifespan by ten thousand years. There is only one such tree in the world.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wang's lips curled into a cold smile, and he muttered, "The White Bone Demon? She's quite an interesting opponent."

He turned and looked in the direction of the White Bone Cave, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Meanwhile, at another exit of the White Bone Cave, Pigsy walked out, carrying his nine-toothed rake and looking indignant.

He muttered curses, his voice echoing through the mountains: "You White Bone Demon, always clamoring for a divorce, why don't you make it clear who the child will be raised to! I, Old Pig, am Marshal Tianpeng, what's wrong with me? Humph, whatever, I'm too lazy to serve you anymore, I'm going back to continue my journey to the West!"

He flicked his sleeves, the rake leaving a deep mark on the ground, and walked angrily down the mountain. Behind him, a faint low laugh seemed to drift from a cave, carrying a strange chill.

Jiang Wang stood on a desolate hilltop. The wind, carrying yellow sand, swept in from afar, brushing against his black robe, the hem of which fluttered in the wind.

He squinted, gazing at the winding, westward-bound road in the distance.

The sun was blazing, making the ground slightly hot. The pilgrimage team in the distance moved slowly, like a string of tiny black dots, as if time itself had been stretched out.

He lowered his head, his fingers gently caressing a jade pendant hanging from his waist. The pendant was carved with a plum tree, its branches and leaves lush and faintly radiating spiritual light—it was the newly acquired innate spiritual root, the Yellow Plum, full of spiritual energy, which invigorated the mind when touched.

He withdrew his gaze, his eyes calm as still water, but his mind was churning with thoughts.

The system notification sound was still echoing in his ears when the rewards for completing the task arrived in his account: Huang Zhongli plums, doubled spiritual root production, and a chance to win a super experience point lottery... These rewards were generous, but not enough to satisfy him.

The pace of the journey to the west has been slowed down too much; the pilgrimage team now travels no more than thirty li a day, all because of those few burdensome children.

Jiang Wang's lips curled up slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

The system's use of "children as a burden"

The design was ingenious, but to him, it was just a small piece in the game.

From the distant pilgrimage group, the faint sounds of children crying could be heard, mixed with Pigsy's gruff rebukes.

Jiang Wang's gaze swept over the hill and landed on the bulky figure.

Pigsy rejoined the group, bringing his children with him, causing the group to move at a snail's pace.

Jiang Wang shook his head and muttered to himself, "That old pig, he really is a romantic."

A few days ago, Sun Wukong bid farewell to Tang Sanzang and left the group alone.

That day, the sky was overcast with dark clouds overhead. Sun Wukong stood in front of Tang Sanzang, his hairy face showing a cold and resolute expression.

His golden armor had long since been removed, leaving him in only an ordinary blue cloth robe. The fiery gaze in his eyes had lost its former intensity, replaced by a hint of weariness.

"Master, I, Old Sun, am going to find my own path."

His voice was low and tinged with disdain, “I’ve helped you this far on your journey to the west, which is more than enough.”

From now on, with your mid-stage Golden Immortal cultivation, you'll be able to protect yourself, so I won't keep you company any longer."

Tang Sanzang sat on a blue stone, holding his staff, his face calm, but there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

He sighed softly, "Wukong, your mind is made up, and I will not force you to stay."

"But the journey west is long and fraught with demons, you... take care."

Sun Wukong chuckled, scratched his cheek, and seemed too lazy to say anything more.

He turned around, and without even taking off, he strode eastward, his figure gradually disappearing into the wilderness.

Tang Sanzang stared at that retreating figure for a long time without moving, until Sha Wujing softly called to him, "Master, it's getting late, we should hurry on our way."

Sun Wukong had been gone for less than half a day when he encountered Zhu Bajie on a mountain road.

Pigsy carried his nine-toothed rake on his back, followed by several thin, ragged children, their faces covered in dust. Monkey King stopped, frowned, and sized Pigsy up, his tone unfriendly: "Fool, where are you going? And with this bunch of brats? What kind of behavior is this?"

Pigsy scratched his head, chuckled, revealing a set of big white teeth: "Brother Monkey, I, Old Pig, am going back to the team! These are my kids, I can't just abandon them, can I?"

He paused, as if remembering something, his smile froze, and he said in a low voice, "Brother Monkey, are you... leaving?"

Sun Wukong snorted coldly and glanced sideways at the child behind Bajie: "Your business is none of my concern."

Tang Sanzang's cultivation is now quite strong, and with Sha Wujing protecting him, that's enough.

"If you want to go back, then go back. Don't get in my way."

He paused, then softened his tone, "However, let me remind you, you'd better figure out the truth about the White Bone Demon, lest you be fooled."

Bajie was taken aback, his expression changed slightly, and then he waved his hand and said, "Brother Monkey is joking. The White Bone Demon is long dead. I saw it with my own eyes. What's the trickery?"

Although he said that, a doubt arose in his heart.

Sun Wukong, too lazy to say anything more, nodded, and with a flash, disappeared at the end of the mountain path.

Pigsy, leading the children, traveled a long and arduous journey and finally caught up with Tang Sanzang's group.

Tang Sanzang was sitting cross-legged under an old tree chanting scriptures, while Sha Wujing was meditating beside him. The surroundings were so quiet that only the sound of the wind could be heard.

Pigsy called out from afar, "Master! I, Old Pig, am back!"

The loud voice startled the birds in the trees, causing them to flutter away.

Tang Sanzang opened his eyes, looking gently at Bajie, then at the children behind him, his brow furrowing slightly: "Bajie, who are these children...?"

Bajie chuckled and scratched his head, saying, "Master, this is my child."

Back then, I was married to that White Bone Demon... cough, and we had these children.

Now that she's gone, I can't just leave the children to wander alone, can I? I'm thinking of taking them with me on this journey, so we can look after each other.”

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing put down the packing bag he was carrying and said in a deep voice, "Second Brother, the journey to the West is fraught with danger. Taking these children with us might..."

Before he could finish speaking, Pigsy interrupted him: "Old Sand, don't worry, I, Old Pig, know what I'm doing! It's better for these kids to stay with me than to be out there eating and sleeping in the open."

Tang Sanzang was silent for a moment, then nodded: "In that case, Bajie, you take them with you."

However, the journey is long, so you must be careful.

He paused, then added, "However, the children are young, which may slow down the journey."

Pigsy patted his chest and vowed confidently, "Master, don't worry, I, Old Pig, will definitely protect them!"

However, the reality is far from as easy as Pigsy made it out to be.

The children were young and weak, and they cried and fussed after walking only a short distance.

At first, Pigsy patiently coaxed them, but later he lost his temper and yelled, "Stop crying! If you cry again, I'll throw you into the mountains to feed the wolves!"

The children were frightened by him and cried even harder, which slowed the march of the group to a crawl, covering no more than thirty li a day.

One day, the group reached a desolate mountain when they suddenly heard a child's cry from afar, shrill and desperate: "Father! Father! Save us!"

Bajie was stunned, his expression changed drastically, and his hand holding the rake trembled slightly.

He suddenly turned to look at Sha Wujing and growled, "Old Sha, listen! That's the voice of my kids! Could it be... that White Bone Demon is up to her tricks again?"

Sha Wujing frowned and said in a deep voice, "Second Brother, the White Bone Demon is dead. You saw it with your own eyes. How could it be her? Could it be the work of other demons?"

He paused, then advised, "Why don't we go and see what's going on and figure out why?"

Pigsy hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Let's go! Let's go check out the White Bone Cave!"

He turned to Tang Sanzang and said, "Master, you wait here, Sha Wujing and I will be right back!"

Tang Sanzang nodded and instructed, "Be careful."

The two traveled swiftly and arrived at the White Bone Cave.

The cave entrance was desolate, overgrown with weeds, and inside, a chilling wind blew, exuding a deathly aura.

Pigsy gripped his rake tightly and carefully stepped into the cave, with Sandy following closely behind.

The cave was empty except for a few lines of writing carved on one stone wall. The writing was crooked but clearly visible: "If life were only as beautiful as the first meeting, why would the autumn wind bring sorrow to the painted fan?"

Bajie stared at the words, stunned for a long time, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"She...is really dead."

Bajie murmured softly, his voice carrying a hint of indescribable melancholy.

He turned to look at Sha Wujing and said with a wry smile, "Old Sha, am I stupid? I know she's dead, yet I'm still suspicious."

Sha Wujing sighed and patted Zhu Bajie on the shoulder: "Second Brother, the deceased is gone. You have children to take care of now, so don't think too much about it."

He paused, then said, "Those shouts are probably caused by other demons. We need to hurry back and protect Master and the children."

Bajie nodded, put away his rake, and hurriedly returned with Sha Wujing.

When they returned to the group, they found the children safe and sound, playing around Tang Sanzang.

Bajie breathed a sigh of relief, but a vague unease lingered in his heart.

Where did that shouting come from?

A few days later, Guanyin Bodhisattva appeared, sitting on auspicious clouds, her gaze sweeping over the pilgrimage team, her brows slightly furrowed.

She said softly, "Tang Sanzang, the journey to the West is a major undertaking to obtain the scriptures. At this rate, you are only covering thirty li a day. When will you reach Mount Ling?"

Tang Sanzang clasped his hands together and bowed his head, saying, "Bodhisattva, Pigsy has returned to the group with several children, which has indeed slowed down our journey."

However, given Pigsy's compassionate fatherly heart, the disciple could not force him.

Guanyin looked at Zhu Bajie, her tone slightly reproachful: "Bajie, since you know the journey to the West is difficult, why do you insist on bringing these children along? Why not hand them over to me and take them back to Luojia Mountain in the South China Sea to look after them? We can reunite after the journey to the West is completed."

Upon hearing this, Pigsy immediately became anxious, his eyes widening: "Bodhisattva, this won't do! My children, I must take care of them myself! If we send them to the South Sea, who knows when we'll see them again? I'd rather not go on this pilgrimage than abandon them!"

His tone was resolute, and his eyes were full of stubbornness.

Upon hearing this, Guanyin's expression darkened slightly. Just as she was about to persuade him again, Tang Sanzang spoke up, saying, "Bodhisattva, Bajie's mind is made up. Why not let him take care of the children for now?"

"How about we send them to the South China Sea when they're older and more capable of protecting themselves?" (End of Chapter)