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

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wang's pig-like eyes lit up, as if he had grasped at a lifeline.

He rubbed his hands together and chuckled, "Little White Dragon, look at your brain! You're even smarter than me, Old Pig! Alright, I'll go to Flower Fruit Mountain and beg that monkey to come back and save the day!"

Without further hesitation, he twitched his ears, took advantage of the northwest wind, spread his ears out with both hands like two sails, pushed off with his feet, and transformed into a black cloud, whistling as he flew towards Flower Fruit Mountain.

The white dragon horse watched his departing figure, sighed softly, and a glimmer of hope appeared in its eyes.

The night view of Huaguo Mountain is different from that of Baoxiang Kingdom. Here, the mountains are layered and the mist is shrouded in a mysterious atmosphere.

Jiang Wang arrived on a cloud and saw from afar that the mountain valley was brightly lit and the monkeys were making a ruckus, as if some grand event was being held.

He dispelled his cloud-like aura, landed at the foot of the mountain, quietly concealed his presence, mingled with the monkey troop, and headed deeper into the mountain valley.

Upon closer inspection, one can see Sun Wukong sitting atop a giant rock, clad in golden armor, wearing a phoenix-winged purple-gold crown, and wielding a golden cudgel, exuding an imposing aura.

Surrounded by monkeys, some offering fruit, others pouring wine, the scene was lively and bustling.

Sun Wukong leaned against a rock, a lazy smile on his hairy face, as if enjoying this carefree life.

Looking at this scene, Jiang Wang couldn't help but feel a little envious. He thought to himself, "This monkey lives a more comfortable life than I, Old Pig! If I could have a group of little brothers serving me like this, why would I have to suffer the hardships of the journey to the West?"

As he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a cold snort, and Sun Wukong's fiery eyes had already locked onto him.

Jiang Wang's heart skipped a beat. He quickly forced a smile, cupped his hands, and said, "Brother Monkey, it's me, Old Pig, who's come to see you!"

Sun Wukong snorted, jumped off the boulder, and with a gentle wave of his golden cudgel, the surrounding monkey troop scattered.

He sized Jiang Wang up and down, then sneered, "You idiot, you pig-headed fool, you think I'm too blind to recognize you among my monkey troop? Tell me, what do you want? Is it that bald monk Tang Sanzang has gotten into some trouble again and wants me, Old Sun, to clean up his mess?"

Jiang Wang, caught off guard, chuckled sheepishly, scratched his head, and tentatively said, "Brother Monkey, Master... he misses you. He specifically sent me to invite you back to continue protecting him on his journey to the West!"

He himself didn't believe what he was saying, and his voice grew softer and softer.

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's eyes flashed with a complex expression. He stared at Jiang Wang with a half-smile, and after a long while, he said, "Fool, your lie is worse than your rake."

"That bald monk Tang Sanzang wishes he were as far away from me as possible, why would he ask you to come and invite me? Tell the truth, or I'll send you flying back to Gao Village with this staff!"

Jiang Wang was so frightened that he trembled, and cold sweat poured down his pig-like face.

He swallowed hard and hurriedly said, "Brother Monkey, I was wrong! The truth is... it was Brother Sha who was captured by the Yellow Robe Monster, and Master is also missing. I can't defeat that monster, so I had to come and ask you for help!"

He paused, and seeing that Sun Wukong's expression hadn't changed, he mustered his courage and added, "Also, that Yellow Robe Monster kidnapped Princess Baihuaxiu of Baoxiang Kingdom. I heard that she had some connections with you when she was in Heaven, and now she's been ravaged by that monster... alas, it's a terrible sight!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's expression suddenly changed. A flash of fire seemed to appear in his eyes, and the smile on his furry face vanished, replaced by a sharp killing intent.

He suddenly stood up, twirling the golden cudgel in his hand, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

"Baihua Xiu? Kui Mulang's ex-lover?"

He gritted his teeth, his voice filled with anger, "That monster dared to touch her! I, Old Sun, will skin him alive!"

He said no more, turned to the monkeys and shouted, "Men, guard Flower Fruit Mountain well, I'll be right back!"

Having said that, he grabbed Jiang Wang's ear, transformed into a golden light, and headed straight for the Wave Moon Cave.

Outside the Wave Moon Cave, the night was deep. On the open ground in front of the cave entrance, two demon children were playing, chasing each other with wooden swords in their hands, their laughter clear and crisp.

Jiang Wang and Sun Wukong landed, and Sun Wukong immediately spotted the two demon children.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and with a swift movement, he grabbed one of the demon children from mid-air, holding him aloft. He sneered, "You little demon brat, how dare you act so arrogantly in front of me, Old Sun!"

The demon child was so frightened that he cried loudly and struggled to call for his father.

A gust of wind blew inside the cave, and the Yellow-Robed Monster and Hundred Flowers Shy rushed out upon hearing the sound.

The Yellow-Robed Monster, dressed in a golden robe and with a ferocious face, saw Sun Wukong holding his child and his eyes widened in fury. He roared, "You impudent monkey, put down my son!"

Baihua Xiu looked terrified, tears welling in her eyes. She rushed forward to snatch the child back, but was driven back by a single look from Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong smiled coldly, and with a quick scan of his fiery eyes, he recognized the Yellow Robe Monster as Kui Mulang from the Heavenly Court.

He recalled the old stories of the Heavenly Court, the entanglement between Baihuaxiu and Kui Mulang, and his anger burned even brighter.

Without another word, he swung his arm and slammed the demon child to the ground. With a muffled thud, the demon child was dead.

Baihua screamed and rushed forward to hug the child, tears streaming down her face.

The yellow-robed monster, his eyes blazing with fury, roared and pounced on Sun Wukong, his steel blade transforming into a streak of cold light as it cleaved straight at Sun Wukong's face.

Sun Wukong snorted coldly, and his golden cudgel swayed in the wind, transforming into hundreds of shadowy staffs. In just three moves, he forced the yellow-robed monster to retreat repeatedly.

Although Kui Mulang was one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions and possessed considerable magical power, he was like an ant in front of Sun Wukong, utterly powerless to fight back.

Just then, a white light flashed across the sky, and the other six of the seven constellations of the White Tiger in the west arrived together, all trying to dissuade him: "Great Sage, please calm down. Although Kui Mulang has committed a crime, please spare his life considering that he is a constellation appointed by the Emperor!"

Immediately afterwards, a golden light came from the horizon, and Guanyin Bodhisattva appeared, her voice kind yet carrying an undeniable majesty: "Wukong, put down your butcher's knife and stop committing murder!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of hesitation flashed in Sun Wukong's eyes, and his golden cudgel paused slightly.

Suddenly, Baihua Xiu raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears, and cried out, "Sun Wukong, don't kill him! He may have made a mistake, but it doesn't deserve to die!"

These words were like a thorn, piercing Sun Wukong's heart.

He recalled the tender affection Baihua Xiu had for Kui Mulang in the Heavenly Court back then, and jealousy surged in his heart, making him unable to suppress his anger any longer.

He roared, "What a fine excuse that doesn't warrant death! I, Old Sun, will uphold justice on behalf of Heaven!"

The golden cudgel slammed down, and with a scream, Kui Mulang's head exploded, and his soul was scattered.

Upon seeing this, Baihua Xiu let out a heart-wrenching cry, staggered to her feet while holding the child, and crashed violently into the stone tower at the cave entrance. With a muffled thud, she perished.

Sun Wukong stood there, stunned. The anger in his eyes gradually subsided, replaced by a complex mix of emotions.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Guanyin stepped forward, flipped her wrist, and a golden light flew out, transforming into a tight headband that firmly bound Sun Wukong's head.

Sun Wukong felt a splitting headache and roared, "Bald monk, immortals and Buddhas, you are all plotting against me, old Sun!"

Guanyin simply smiled faintly: "Wukong, this is the will of Heaven. Now that you have returned to the journey to the West, you should devote yourself to Buddhism and not let your worldly desires be stirred again."

Sun Wukong was heartbroken and his hatred for the immortals and Buddhas deepened, but he knew he could not resist, so he could only grit his teeth and agree.

He turned to look at Jiang Wang and the white dragon horse that had arrived shortly after, and whispered, "Let's go to Baoxiang City and rescue that bald monk." The three arrived at Baoxiang City, where the city lord pointed to a tigress in an iron cage and declared confidently, "This is Tang Sanzang, transformed by demonic magic!"

Sun Wukong scanned the tiger's belly with his fiery eyes and discovered that the tigress was pregnant with a fetus, clearly not Tang Sanzang.

He frowned and muttered, "What an ingenious illusion! Even I, Old Sun, almost couldn't see through it... There's probably a bigger conspiracy behind this."

He looked up at the horizon, a cold glint in his eyes, and doubts began to rise in his mind.

Jiang Wang leaned against the branches of an old locust tree outside Chang'an City, playing with a copper coin in his hand. Sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves, casting dappled shadows on his face.

His gaze was distant, as if fixed on some unseen horizon, while the copper coin twirled between his fingers, making a soft clinking sound.

The sound was slow, yet carried a strange rhythm.

The air was filled with the coolness of early autumn, and the faint fragrance of locust blossoms mingled with the dampness of the soil, stirring a slight feeling in his heart.

The system's cold, mechanical voice rang in his mind, informing him that he had completed mission twenty-six and that the rewards had been credited to his account: a scroll of "Taiyi Xuan Gong Fragment" and a "Hidden Yuan Pill".

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

He didn't rush to check the reward, but instead tossed the copper coin into the air, caught it, and tossed it up again, as if using this simple action to sort out his thoughts.

Meanwhile, far away in the mountains outside Baoxiang City, Sun Wukong stood on a boulder, casually shoving his golden cudgel on the ground, his eyes sharp as knives as he scanned the scene before him.

A huge tiger lay prone in the grass, its fur a mix of yellow and black, its demeanor calm and composed, yet its eyes held a spiritual quality unlike that of ordinary wild beasts.

Pigsy and Sandy stood to one side, the atmosphere somewhat heavy.

Wukong frowned. He had just cast a spell to try to make the tiger, which was suspected to be Tang Sanzang in disguise, reveal its true form, but the result was unexpected—the spell's light dissipated, and the tiger remained a tiger, without any change.

Wukong's heart sank, and his fiery eyes narrowed slightly, golden light swirling in his pupils as he tried to see through the mystery.

Sha Wujing spoke in a low voice, his tone hesitant: "Eldest brother, this tiger... is it really not Master? But it looks calm to me, unlike an ordinary ferocious beast."

He paused, as if recalling something, and then said, "Back when I fought Kui Mulang, if the headband hadn't suddenly activated, I might not have lost."

In my opinion, this matter is likely orchestrated by Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Sha Wujing's voice was low and deep, carrying a hint of resentment that was barely perceptible, clearly indicating that he still harbored resentment about the headband incident from back then.

Upon hearing this, Wukong snorted coldly and tapped the ground lightly with his golden cudgel, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

"Guanyin? Hmph, if she really wanted me, Old Sun, to rejoin the team, she could just recite the Tightening-Headband Mantra. Why bother with this trick of hiding the master and replacing the tiger?"

His gaze shifted to the tiger, and his tone was somewhat impatient, "This tiger doesn't have a trace of Master's aura, yet it's here. It's really strange."

He paused, as if he had thought of something, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, "Could it be that Guanyin wants me, Old Sun, to take the initiative to come out of seclusion, and deliberately set up this trap? But why doesn't she just say it directly, instead of going through all this trouble?"

Pigsy, arms crossed, yawned lazily and interjected, "Brother, don't make wild guesses."

In my opinion, this tiger is probably just an ordinary tiger, perhaps a spirit beast that was cultivating in the mountains and just happened to be passing by.

Even with your sharp eyes, you can't always be right. Have you forgotten what happened at Huangfeng Ridge? You didn't even notice the fake Guanyin standing right in front of you!"

Bajie's words carried a hint of sarcasm, and a playful smile played on his lips.

Upon hearing this, Wukong's face darkened, and he turned to glare at Bajie, his eyes seemingly blazing with fire.

"You idiot, if you bring up Huangfeng Ridge again, believe me, I, Old Sun, will send you back to Gao Village to farm with one blow!"

Although his tone was fierce, he wasn't actually angry; his words only made the atmosphere more somber.

Sha Wujing quickly tried to smooth things over: "Second Brother, Eldest Brother, let's try to find Master first."

If the tiger isn't the master, then where is the real master?

Wukong took a deep breath, suppressing his impatience, and said in a deep voice, "This is indeed strange."

Our master is filled with Buddhist light and would never eat meat. We might as well use this as a clue and bring some mutton to find the tiger.

If it doesn't eat meat, it might be an incarnation of the master.

His gaze swept over Pigsy and Sandy, and his tone was decisive, “Split up. Wujing, go east; I’ll go west; you go south, you idiot.”

Results are required within two weeks!

Upon hearing this, Pigsy's face fell, and he muttered, "Half a month? That forest to the south is huge; even if I worked myself to death, I still wouldn't be able to search it all..."

But when faced with Wukong's unquestionable gaze, he could only nod reluctantly and slowly head south, carrying his nine-toothed rake.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and the autumn wind in the mountains became increasingly cool, with fallen leaves covering the forest floor in a thick layer.

Wukong and Sha Wujing had already searched both east and west, but found nothing.

The two returned to a dilapidated temple outside Baoxiang City, lit a bonfire, and waited for news from Bajie.

In the firelight, Wukong's expression grew even more somber, as he slashed his golden cudgel across the ground, leaving deep marks.

Sha Wujing sat to one side, wiping his demon-subduing staff with his head down, occasionally looking up into the distance as if waiting for Zhu Bajie to appear.

Finally, a familiar humming sound came from afar, and Pigsy's fat figure swayed and appeared on the mountain path.

He carried a rake on his shoulder, had a blade of grass in his mouth, and walked as slowly as if he were taking a stroll.

Upon seeing his expression, Wukong flew into a rage, jumped to his feet, and shouted, "Fool! Where have you been for the past two weeks? How's the search going in the south? Any leads on Master?"

Pigsy strolled over slowly, spat out the grass in his mouth, casually patted the dust off his body, and lazily said, "Hey, eldest brother, don't rush."

"That forest to the south is huge. I ran over a hundred miles, my legs are almost broken, how could it be so easy to find?"

He paused, and seeing Wukong's expression growing increasingly grim, he quickly added, "But... hehe, I actually found something."

Wukong's eyes lit up, and he pressed, "What is it? Tell me quickly!"

Sha Wujing also raised his head, a hint of expectation flashing in his eyes.

Pigsy, however, kept everyone in suspense. He chuckled, found a stone stool to sit on, slowly took out his water pouch, took a sip, and then said, "Don't rush, don't rush. I, Old Pig, have run over four hundred li and found a strange tiger." (End of Chapter)