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Chapter 239 Let him go

Even after leaving the palace, Nezha was still puzzled, and finally couldn't help but ask.
"It's just finding a scorpion demon, why not just summon a local earth god and ask him? That old man definitely knows everything."

Chen Guangrui continued walking, his tone steady, "Asking about land, you can indeed find out."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Nezha asked impatiently.

Chen Guangrui glanced at him.
"How long has the Mother-Child River of the Women's Kingdom existed? How long has the Abortion Spring been occupied? Doesn't the land here know this? Why doesn't he say so?"

Nezha was taken aback. He wasn't stupid; he immediately realized what was going on. "You mean... this matter is related to those above?"

He subconsciously raised his finger and pointed to the sky.

Chen Guangrui nodded slightly. "If you press him for information, he might give you some useful information. But what then? How do you know someone won't come after him later? Asking him now is just harming him."

Nezha pursed his lips, his eyes showing some confusion, as if he understood but not quite, but he stopped shouting about restraining the Earth God.

The Pleiades Constellation Lord, standing nearby, cautiously interjected, "Marshal, is it really necessary to involve that Scorpion Demon in this matter?"

He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "That scorpion demon, as far as I know, is no simple creature. In terms of combat strength alone... she is quite troublesome."

Sun Wukong, who had been swaying leisurely with his golden cudgel, perked up immediately upon hearing this. "Oh? How troublesome is she? I'd like to have a go at her. Old Master Maori, are you perhaps afraid?"

The Pleiades Star Lord maintained a polite smile, but avoided Sun Wukong's burning gaze, only vaguely saying,

“The Great Sage is all-powerful and naturally fearless. But that poisonous creature… the Great Sage will know its true strength once he fights it.”

His words were essentially meaningless, only adding to the mystery.

Chen Guangrui's gaze fell on Pleiades, calm and undisturbed, yet it made Pleiades subconsciously straighten his back a little more.

Chen Guangrui said, "To cure an illness, you must get rid of its root cause. If the root cause is not removed, how can the illness be cured?" His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable determination.

The Pleiades star official opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing, and simply lowered his head silently.

The group had just left the palace grounds and reached a relatively secluded alleyway along the palace wall. Suddenly, a burly, dark figure leaped out of the shadows beside them, rushing towards them with a gust of wind.

"Hey! Who goes there, you scoundrel!"

Sun Wukong reacted the fastest, letting out a roar and almost instinctively swinging his golden cudgel, transforming into a golden light as he charged forward! The golden cudgel, carrying immense power, smashed down on his head!
The dark figure was clearly no ordinary opponent; in a moment of haste, it also swung out a dark, heavy stick of unknown material to parry the attack.

"clang!"

A deafening clang of metal clashing against metal exploded in the passageway, sparks flying, and shockwaves surging, causing dust to fall from the palace walls on both sides.

Sun Wukong's attack was blocked, which fueled his ferocity. He retaliated with another sweeping strike, but the dark figure was equally unyielding, wielding his black staff to parry. The two exchanged two more blows in the blink of an eye, their staffs flashing and the wind whistling, a display of speed that was dazzling to behold.

"Stop! It's me!" Taking advantage of the gap in the parry, the dark figure suddenly let out a low roar, his voice rough yet urgent.

Hearing that familiar voice, Sun Wukong abruptly stopped his third strike, the golden cudgel hovering in mid-air. Chen Guangrui also raised his hand in greeting. Everyone looked on intently.

As the smoke and dust dissipated, a tall and burly figure could be seen, wearing an ill-fitting suit of black iron armor and carrying a bulging bundle on his back. Who else could it be but the Black Bear Spirit?
He gripped the black-tasseled spear tightly, his breath slightly ragged, and watched the crowd warily, especially Sun Wukong, who had almost mistaken him for a monster.

"Hey, it's you, you black rascal!" Sun Wukong put away his staff, scratched the back of his hand, and grinned. "What are you doing hiding by the wall like that? You scared me half to death."

The black bear spirit deflected Sun Wukong's golden cudgel, caught his breath, and fixed his gaze directly on Chen Guangrui, his tone deliberately polite.
"So it's Marshal Chen. I was too impetuous. I'm truly sorry." He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, but his eyes swept warily over the people around Chen Guangrui.

"It's alright," Chen Guangrui said calmly.

The black bear spirit paused for a moment, then began to recount what had just happened.

"Marshal, just now at the inn, the Queen sent a lady-in-waiting to deliver a decree, and then she canceled the summons to my master at the last minute. That's alright, but..."

He paused deliberately, observing Chen Guangrui's reaction. "However, among the accompanying female officials, there was one whose behavior was quite strange. She ignored everyone else and only stared at my master, and there was something wrong with her gaze."

He stared intently at Chen Guangrui.
"The Marshal just came out of the palace. Does he know the background of this female official? But... does Her Majesty the Queen have any special instructions?" His words were tinged with a hint of probing, suspecting that this unusual female official was related to Chen Guangrui or the Queen.

After listening, Chen Guangrui's expression remained unchanged; he simply shook his head slightly.

"I've only been in the Western Liang Women's Kingdom for a short time, and I'm not as familiar with the situation as you are. I know even less about palace affairs." His tone was ambiguous.

Black Bear pondered for a moment, noticing that Chen Guangrui didn't seem to be lying, or rather, he was hiding it very well. He continued,
"The Marshal is right. Her Majesty the Queen must not trust us pilgrims, so sending a trusted confidant to check things out is quite reasonable." He gave himself a way out, but he was not entirely convinced.

He changed the subject, a smile spreading across his face, and spoke in a consultative tone.
"Marshal, my master, the Venerable Xuanzang, is currently unwell, but this journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures cannot be delayed. We are now trapped in this Women's Kingdom, and without the necessary travel permits, we cannot move an inch."

He tentatively asked, "You seem to have quite a connection with the Western Liang Women's Kingdom? I wonder if you could do us a favor and put in a good word for us with the Queen, so that we can obtain the travel permits sooner and be allowed to go west? My master and I will remember this favor and will repay it handsomely in the future." He lowered his posture even further, with a pleading tone.

Chen Guangrui listened quietly, and only after the black bear spirit finished speaking did he slowly say, "I can handle the matter of the travel permit."

The black bear was delighted and was about to express its gratitude.

Chen Guangrui then said, "But you have to promise me one thing."

The black bear spirit's smile froze for a moment, and his heart sank. He knew it wouldn't be that simple. He cautiously asked, "What does the Marshal need me to do?" His mind raced, trying to guess what conditions Chen Guangrui might ask for—whether he demanded some treasure or wanted him to do something dangerous.

Black Bear had already deduced a hundred possibilities in his mind. He really didn't know what Chen Guangrui was up to.

However, whatever he was planning, the Black Bear Spirit had a feeling that Chen Guangrui didn't want the journey to the West to go so smoothly.

Chen Guangrui looked at the Black Bear Spirit and said, "I heard that among your group of disciples, there is a lazy and gluttonous Zhu Wuneng. How can such a lazy and gluttonous person meet the Buddha when he arrives at Mount Ling? Besides, you have been gone for so long, and he still does not know how to repent."

At this point, Chen Guangrui stopped talking, but his meaning was clear: he wanted to chase Zhu Bajie away himself.

A chilly breeze blew through the palace walls. When the Black Bear Demon heard Chen Guangrui tell him to chase Pigsy away, his bear eyes narrowed sharply, and his grip on the black-tasseled spear tightened. He remained silent for a moment, his heavy breathing particularly noticeable in the stillness.

"Marshal," the black bear spirit's voice was low and filled with extreme caution.

"Old Pig... after all, he is the pilgrim guided by the Bodhisattva. If we drive him away, how can the pilgrimage team remain intact? How will we explain this to the Buddha?"

What he was thinking about was the Heavenly Court's backing behind Zhu Bajie, and also the face of Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Moreover, he also used the reason that Buddha had to explain it to him. Chen Guangrui said that Zhu Bajie was gluttonous and lazy, and Buddha could not explain it to him. Then I would say that he was chosen by the Bodhisattva. If he did not let Zhu Bajie go to Mount Ling, how would Buddha explain it to him? Who would explain it to him?
Chen Guangrui's tone remained calm, as if he were discussing something perfectly ordinary. "The pilgrimage team can still complete the journey even without him. Besides, his mind isn't really on the pilgrimage. Keeping him around would only be a burden to you and Xuanzang. If he slacks off and causes trouble on your journey west, how can you manage him? Wouldn't it be better to use the energy saved to support your master?"

The black bear demon's bear-like face twitched. Chen Guangrui's words had struck a nerve. Pigsy's laziness, lechery, and troublemaking nature had long been a nuisance to him; he was always the one cleaning up Pigsy's messes. If he could get rid of this burden, the journey would indeed be much more peaceful and worry-free.

Especially a few days ago, at Jindu Mountain, he was so exhausted that he almost lost his mind, and Pigsy was still talking about breaking up the group, not only causing trouble but also disrupting the morale of the army.

He, Black Bear, had waited hundreds of years for this opportunity, and every time he felt it was about to be ruined by this Pigsy.

"But, his background..." The Black Bear Spirit still hesitated. Pigsy was once Marshal Tianpeng. Although he was demoted, who knew if the Heavenly Court would still recognize him? What if he angered some big shot? He still wanted to achieve enlightenment. If he offended someone he shouldn't have, it would cause trouble for him and make things even more complicated.

Black Bear was very thoughtful; it was impossible for him to chase Pigsy away just because of a single sentence from Chen Guangrui.

"Background?" A faint smile seemed to flicker across Chen Guangrui's lips. "Times have changed. Some connections may not be as effective anymore. Besides, you only need to let him incur public wrath and leave on his own. Who can say that you forced him?"

He pointed at the black bear spirit, "With your intellect, surely you can think of a way to make him leave willingly? You might not have a hundred, but you'll certainly have three or four options."

The black bear spirit looked down at his calloused paws. Yes, it wasn't impossible to make that stupid pig make a mistake, lose face in front of his master, or cause an unmanageable disaster, if handled properly, so that his master would kick him out, or he would be too ashamed to stay.

The risks seemed to be within a manageable range. Thinking that he would have one less troublemaker on his journey westward, his mind began to work with ideas.

"...The Marshal is right." The Black Bear Spirit finally raised his head, a hint of determination in his eyes. "Old Pig is indeed a problem. This matter...I will do my best to handle it."

He didn't give a definitive answer, but his meaning was clear. To ensure a smooth journey and to avoid trouble for himself, the risk was worth taking.

Of course, he also had other ideas in mind. This idea came from Chen Guangrui, so he must have other ways. When the time came, if it was something that went smoothly, he would of course do it. But if he, Lao Hei, were to be the one to take the lead, that would be absolutely unacceptable.

"Mm." Chen Guangrui nodded and said no more.

Having received Chen Guangrui's promise, the black bear spirit turned back. As for when the queen would exchange their documents, that depended on Chen Guangrui's abilities.

The Pleiades Star Lord, who had been keeping his eyes down and mind at ease, spoke at just the right moment, his voice carrying the tact and diplomacy characteristic of officialdom.
"Marshal, we still have no clue whereabouts of the scorpion demon. What should we do next? Should we continue searching in this palace, or..."

As he spoke, he subconsciously brushed away the non-existent dust from his official robe with his fingertips and adjusted the towering pheasant crown on his head.

Chen Guangrui's gaze swept across the depths of the palace, then glanced in the direction of the post station, and pondered, "Since the Scorpion Demon is lying in wait, she may not show herself for a while. Tang Sheng, Nezha."

"I'm here!" Tang Sheng immediately perked up, his bald head shining in the sunlight, his eyes darting around as he looked at Chen Guangrui.

"Speak!" Nezha crossed his arms, his Wind Fire Wheels spinning slightly beneath his feet, looking impatient.

"You two stay here and wander around the palace area," Chen Guangrui instructed.
"Be alert for any unusual auras or movements. Remember to conceal your presence, do not disturb the people inside the palace, and especially do not approach the post station."

He emphasized the post station, his gaze lingering on Tang Sheng's face for a moment. Xuanzang was at the post station; if he and Xuanzang were to unexpectedly meet, no one knew what the consequences would be.

Upon hearing that he could stay near the palace, Tang Sheng's little face immediately lit up with an excited smile, and he patted his chest to assure him, "Father, don't worry."

He was overjoyed, thinking there must be many beautiful palace maids near the palace.

Nezha pouted, "I know, I know, it's just finding someone, stop nagging. Hey, little bald guy, let's go!"

He was about to leap onto the roof of the palace on his fiery wheels.

"Hey, wait for me." Tang Sheng quickly jogged to catch up, not forgetting to turn back and grin at Chen Guangrui.

Sun Wukong watched the two people leave, and his mind began to wander. However, he remained cautious. What kind of person was he, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, spending his days hanging out with two children?

The Pleiades Constellation Official watched the retreating figures of the two troublemakers, one big and one small, and his lips twitched almost imperceptibly. Tell them to tone it down and not cause trouble? He himself didn't quite believe that. He turned to Chen Guangrui, his face once again plastered with a respectful smile: "Marshal, then we..."

“We,” Chen Guangrui said calmly, turning his gaze back to the city streets, “are just strolling around this capital of the Women’s Kingdom.”

"Yes, Marshal." Pleiades Constellation Official responded immediately. He straightened his clothes, trying to make himself look more like a respectable attendant, and followed behind Chen Guangrui and Sun Wukong toward the bustling yet gloomy streets of the Western Liang Women's Kingdom.

(End of this chapter)