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

Meanwhile, deep within a secret chamber of the palace, a woman dressed in a black robe with a seductive figure suddenly opened her eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them.

"Such pure Buddhist protective golden light. It seems that Junior Brother Jin Chanzi has arrived? With your strong masculine aura, I'm afraid this Women's Kingdom will be your calamity."

A cold smile curled at the corner of her lips, and a hideous scorpion tail phantom flashed by in the void behind her.

He was the Nine-Tailed Earth Scorpion, a disciple of the Styx Ancestor. He had performed a grand drama with the Buddha, where a scorpion stung a monk, before arriving in the Western Liang Women's Kingdom.

The purpose was to uncover the secrets of the Western Liang Women's Kingdom, and at the same time, to help Tang Sanzang better comprehend the newly emerging Buddhist teachings.

After all, it is clearly impossible to revive Buddhism and Taoism with the current sanctimonious Buddhist teachings.

Only by Tang Sanzang's journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures and comprehending the true supreme Dharma could the dormant Buddha-Taoist path be successfully awakened and allowed to descend upon the primordial world.

Meanwhile, on the terrace of the Queen's bedroom, a slender figure stood by the railing. Her face was not visible in the darkness, but her beauty was unparalleled.

As if sensing something, she looked towards the direction of the post station, then glanced at the location of the Grand Preceptor's secret chamber, and sighed softly.

That sigh contained the desolation of endless years, and a faint, almost imperceptible expectation.

"It's finally here. Could the opportunity my mother spoke of be you?"

She opened her palm, and a wisp of extremely pure, chaotic yin energy, capable of freezing everything, quietly flowed within it.

……

The following morning, the four were led into the Golden Palace of the Royal Palace. The palace, as always, was filled with women, both civil and military officials, and was solemn and dignified.

The Imperial Preceptor stood beside the steps, adorned in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe, exuding an air of elegance. Upon seeing Tang Sanzang enter, a complex and almost imperceptible glint flashed in his eyes, which quickly transformed into a formulaic, gentle smile.

"The holy monk from the Great Tang Dynasty of the East has traveled a long way and has endured many hardships. His Majesty is unwell and unable to meet with him. I will affix my seal to the travel documents on his behalf."

The Imperial Advisor's voice was clear and melodious, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority.

Sun Wukong observed coldly. Although his fiery eyes were suppressed by the extreme yin energy of the place, he could still see the dark demonic aura flowing beneath the magnificent palace attire.

It shares the same origin as the scorpion tail phantom he discovered last night. This Imperial Advisor must undoubtedly be the Nine-Tailed Earth Scorpion. She concealed herself extremely well; if Sun Wukong hadn't been on guard, he would have almost been deceived by her dignified appearance.

The Imperial Preceptor accepted the official document, but did not rush to use the seal. Instead, he turned his gaze to Tang Sanzang and examined him closely, as if admiring a rare treasure.

With a smile, she continued, "The holy monk has traveled a long and arduous journey, crossing mountains and rivers; he must have had a very difficult time."

"There are also some scenic spots in our country that are truly spectacular, unlike any other place. The holy monk might as well stay a few more days to enjoy the scenery, which may also be beneficial to his spiritual practice."

Her words, seemingly well-intentioned, were actually a delaying tactic to keep Tang Sanzang there, making it easier for her to seize an opportunity to make him experience a tribulation of love.

Tang Sanzang, with a clear mind, returned the greeting with his palms together and said in a calm yet firm voice, "Thank you for your kind offer, National Preceptor. However, the journey to the West is a great undertaking, concerning the liberation of all beings, and I dare not delay even for a moment because of the allure of the scenery."

"We humbly request the Imperial Preceptor to grant us this favor and affix the seal immediately so that we may depart at once. We are deeply grateful for your great kindness."

The Imperial Advisor's smile remained unchanged, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes, like a venomous scorpion lurking beneath the grass.

She gently stroked the edge of the document and said softly, "I naturally understand the Holy Monk's eagerness to seek the Dharma."

"However, every country has its laws. Before official documents are stamped, it is necessary to verify their authenticity and check the official seal in accordance with regulations. This is a procedure that cannot be omitted. Please return to the inn to rest for the time being. We will have a reply this afternoon."

His words were impeccable, leaving no room for rebuttal. Tang Sanzang had no choice but to obey and leave the Golden Palace, returning to the inn to wait.

In the Journey to the West chat group: Sun Wukong: Master, it seems your senior sister has ill intentions?

Tang Sanzang: Stop talking nonsense.

Pigsy: Why bother with all that? Let's just keep up with his act, isn't that enough?

Sha Wujing: Second Brother is right.

Nine-Headed Insect: Junior Sister Nine-Tailed won't harm you, but she might make you suffer a bit.

Pigsy: Would you call this infighting among fellow disciples?
Cihang Daoren: Jin Chanzi needs to undergo a tribulation of love in order to comprehend the supreme Buddhist teachings. And the Nine-Tailed Earth Scorpion is the key.

Sun Wukong: What should we do, Master Cihang? Can't you just give me a straight answer?

Cihang Daoren: There is a powerful figure in the Western Liang Women's Kingdom. In order not to expose the Nine-Tailed Earth Scorpion, even I dare not contact him. Therefore, we can only deal with things as they come.

Tang Sanzang: It's alright.

Sun Wukong: How about I go and meet that Nine-Tailed Master first?

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door. A group of female officials entered gracefully, the one at the head carrying a golden platter on which were several exquisite vegetarian dishes and a pot of tea.

"By order of the Imperial Preceptor, a vegetarian meal is specially prepared to comfort the holy monk and his entourage after their long journey." The female official's voice was gentle and her demeanor was graceful. She quickly presented the bowls and chopsticks to Tang Sanzang.

Since it was arranged by the Nine-Tailed Earth Scorpion, Tang Sanzang naturally had no doubts. He put his palms together to thank the female official, picked up his chopsticks, and ate some vegetarian food.

The vegetarian food was cold to the taste, but it had a unique sweetness. Seeing this, Pigsy couldn't wait to reach for the snacks.

However, as soon as he swallowed the food, a strange change occurred. Tang Sanzang suddenly felt as if his stomach had been invaded by an ancient iceberg, and he was in excruciating pain.

That pure, extremely yin energy was not poison, but it created the most intense conflict with the yang essence within his body.

Tang Sanzang felt a chill run through his body, yet large beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, his face instantly turned ashen white, devoid of any color, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Pigsy dropped the snack he was about to put in his mouth to the ground. He was also relieved that he hadn't had a chance to eat it yet.

Sun Wukong rushed forward and supported Tang Sanzang, who was almost collapsing. When his hand touched Tang Sanzang's back, he felt a terrifying, cold power surging wildly through his meridians.

It clashed fiercely with Tang Sanzang's own pure Yang energy, devouring and killing each other, almost tearing Tang Sanzang's body apart.

Sun Wukong's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, his anger reaching its peak. He abruptly turned his head, his eyes blazing with golden, fierce light, staring intently towards the direction of the royal palace.

"You vile woman! You actually used such insidious means to harm my master. I, Old Sun, will not let you get away with this today."

Sun Wukong naturally wanted to take this opportunity to meet the Nine-Tailed Earth Scorpion and figure out what to do next.

He gently handed Tang Sanzang over to Sha Wujing and Gao Cuilan to look after, and said to Zhu Bajie, "Fool, keep a close eye on your master and sister-in-law."

Before he finished speaking, his figure transformed into a furious golden streak of light, carrying soaring demonic energy and killing intent, heading straight for the Golden Palace of the royal palace.

Meanwhile, within a secret spatial realm within the palace of the Queen of the Women's Kingdom, a woman of breathtaking beauty yet utterly cold demeanor opened her eyes.

"The person Hongjun spoke of has finally arrived, but this monkey is stronger than I expected. However, replacing you won't be too difficult." (End of Chapter)