Honghuang: Creation of the Green Lotus, the beginning of the Three Pure Ones

Pigsy rubbed his numb arms, grimacing and cursing, "That damned Taoist Celestial Venerable, he's really ruthless. If it weren't for my quick reflexes, Cuilan would be..."

Gao Cuilan's face was slightly pale, but her eyes were unusually firm. She tugged at Zhu Bajie's sleeve and said, "Bajie, I'm alright. It's just that this magic weapon is incredibly powerful. What should we do?"

Tang Sanzang sat down cross-legged, clasped his hands together, and frowned. "Amitabha, Dao Xing Tianzun's actions are intended to trap us and hinder our journey to the West."

"He made it clear that we must consume all the rice and grain here to escape our predicament, which was obviously a deliberate attempt to make things difficult. However, everything in the universe has its counterpart, and there must be a way to overcome this predicament."

Sha Wujing gripped his demon-subduing staff, cautiously surveying his surroundings, at the almost solidified rice-flour walls, and said in a deep voice.

“Master, eldest brother, second brother, this rice and flour seem ordinary, yet it seems to be inexhaustible. I tested it with my staff and sensed a strange suction force deep within it.”

Sun Wukong's fiery eyes gleamed as he carefully examined this strange space once more. The fact that his golden cudgel had failed to reach the boundary during its sudden expansion made him realize that this was not a cage that could be broken simply by brute force.

"This damn treasure jar contains a universe within itself, forming its own world. These grains are probably not physical objects, but rather manifestations of some kind of law or spiritual power, or perhaps connected to some spiritual vein in the outside world, hence they are inexhaustible. That old bastard Dao Xing is certainly willing to invest heavily."

Just then, Gao Cuilian spoke up, saying, "I have heard of this treasure jar. It once relieved Xiqi of its food shortage during the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods."

"I never imagined that this treasure trove, capable of emptying grain, could also trap people. But there must be a reason for this; we just need to find the trick."

Upon hearing this, Pigsy's face fell. "Wife, even if there's a trick, how long will it take to find it?"

"Besides, that Daoist Celestial Venerable clearly has ill intentions. He was just trying to ambush you. Who knows if he will use any more underhanded tricks?"

After concentrating on her senses for a moment, Gao Cuilan suddenly spoke up, "Bajie, perhaps I can try to find the weak point of this magic weapon."

Upon hearing that Gao Cuilan had a solution, Sun Wukong hurriedly asked, "Then what wonderful method does your sister-in-law have?"

Gao Cuilan explained, "I am the essence of the Weak Water, and I am most sensitive to all waters in the world, as well as all fluids and things that contain the spirit of water."

"Although these grains appear dry, they actually contain extremely subtle moisture within them, which is why they can maintain their shape."

"If this treasure jar truly has a core array eye, or a key node for the flow of spiritual energy, then the way its water vapor and spiritual essence flow must be different from that of ordinary rice and noodles."

"So if I have a little time, I might be able to sense the anomaly and break this treasure cage in one fell swoop."

Sun Wukong was overjoyed: "Great, sister-in-law, this matter depends on you. I, Old Sun, along with Pigsy and Sandy, will protect you and will never let that old Taoist priest sneak up on you again."

Tang Sanzang nodded and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Miss Gao. Remember, be careful in everything you do."

Gao Cuilan said no more, and sat down cross-legged surrounded by the crowd, her eyes slightly closed, her hands forming a mudra on her knees.

A faint, pale blue aura gradually emanated from her body, and a cool yet profound aura spread out.

Time passed slowly, and the treasure container remained silent except for the occasional rustling sound of rice and flour slipping through.

Pigsy gripped his nine-toothed rake tightly, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, terrified that the demon-subduing pestle would fall again.

Sha Wujing stood guard on the other side, staff in hand, as firm as a rock. Sun Wukong, however, was restless with his monkey nature, his golden eyes constantly scanning the area, his golden cudgel trembling slightly, ready to respond to any unexpected situation. Tang Sanzang silently recited scriptures, and faint golden Sanskrit characters emerged from his body, forming a light protective shield.

Although it could not completely resist the pressure of the treasure, it brought a sense of peace and stability, which to some extent alleviated the anxiety in everyone's hearts and the invisible erosion of their divine consciousness.

Outside the container, Dao Xing Tianzun stood in mid-air, holding a whisk, the container spinning beneath his feet. He could sense that the people inside were not frantically trying to devour the rice; instead, their auras were restrained, as if they were searching for something.

"Hmph, just a death throes," Dao Xing Tianzun sneered. In truth, however, he already harbored some worries.

He believed that Sun Wukong would have Gao Cuilan use her Weak Water essence to corrupt the rice and flour.

In doing so, the source of the Weak Water will be rapidly depleted. It may even eventually reach a point where it cannot be controlled, and it will die from exhaustion of its source.

As for his sneak attack on Gao Cuilan, it wasn't really to kill her. Rather, it was to create tension and throw Sun Wukong and the others into disarray.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as he wished, and a sinister look crept onto his face. He made a hand seal again, chanting incantations, and the surface of the treasure cup flashed with light.

Inside the battle chamber, everyone suddenly felt a surge of pressure. The previously relatively still Miyama Menkai began to slowly writhe and squeeze in, as if trying to completely devour and bury them. Furthermore, a strange force attempted to penetrate their consciousness and disturb their minds.

"Watch out! That old Taoist priest is activating his magic weapon again!" Sun Wukong shouted, his golden cudgel whirling like the wind, forcing the rice and flour that were pressing in back several feet.

Pigsy and Sandy hurriedly brandished their weapons, fighting back with all their might. Gao Cuilan's delicate body trembled slightly, her brows furrowed, clearly indicating that the external interference had affected her keen senses.

"Sister-in-law, is it possible to hold on?" Sun Wukong asked anxiously.

Gao Cuilan gritted her teeth, beads of sweat forming on her forehead: "It's alright, it's just that the interference is too great, and the location of the anomaly point is elusive and difficult to pinpoint."

Upon seeing this, Tang Sanzang suddenly increased the volume of his chanting and his golden light intensified, attempting to stabilize the space and alleviate the pressure on Gao Cuilan.

However, Dao Xing Tianzun's methods did not stop there. Seeing that the mental interference seemed ineffective, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he once again summoned the Demon-Subduing Pestle.

This time, the Vajra Pestle did not strike directly, but hovered above the treasure vessel. Sharp golden rays of light fell like fine rain, piercing through the vessel walls and shooting directly at Gao Cuilan, who was focusing all her senses on sensing.

This golden light was not a physical attack, but it specifically targeted the soul, making it extremely vicious.

"Not good." Sun Wukong sensed the attack targeting his soul and tried to stop it, but it was too late.

At the critical moment, Pigsy roared and suddenly pounced in front of Gao Cuilan, using his broad back to block the falling golden rain of light.

Pigsy groaned, his body trembled violently, and his face instantly lost all color, clearly indicating that his soul had suffered a great shock.

"Bajie!" Gao Cuilan exclaimed in surprise, her mind reeling and her senses momentarily cut off.

Sun Wukong's eyes were bloodshot with rage, and he wished he could immediately pierce through this demonic battle with his golden cudgel and go out to settle accounts with Dao Xing Tianzun.

Sha Wujing roared angrily, his demon-subduing staff scattering the layers of rice and flour to protect Zhu Bajie. (End of Chapter)