Primordial Era: A brick knocks Hongyun unconscious, and he seizes the throne at the start.

Jisako, Jinguang Temple.

The temple, which should have been bathed in Buddhist light, was now shrouded in gloom. The monks, dressed in rags and withered-looking, were carrying water and chopping wood under the scorching sun, doing hard labor.

Xuanzang and his entourage passed by and, seeing this tragic scene, immediately inquired about it. An old monk, weeping, said, "Venerable elders, you are unaware of this. Three years ago, the Buddha's relics on the pagoda of my Golden Light Temple were suddenly stolen. The king was furious, believing that we had stolen them ourselves. He confiscated the temple's property and forced us to do hard labor as atonement. We are only given one meal of thin porridge a day, and more than a dozen of my fellow disciples have already starved to death..."

Xuanzang clasped his hands together and chanted the Buddha's name, then angrily exclaimed, "This is outrageous! Who stole that Buddhist treasure?"

Lu Chen (Qingfeng Daoren) raised his eyes and looked towards the direction of the chaotic rocky mountains outside the city, and said indifferently, "Bibo Pool, the Dragon King of Ten Thousand Saints has taken in a son-in-law named Nine-Headed Insect. This insect has nine heads and is extremely powerful. He is the one who stole that Buddhist treasure."

Sun Wukong scanned the area with his golden eyes and, sure enough, saw demonic energy rising from the direction of the chaotic rock mountain. He sneered, "Another demon causing trouble! I, Old Sun, will go and meet him!"

Lu Chen stopped him: "No rush. That Nine-Headed Insect has someone backing it."

"Who?"

"Buddhism".

Sun Wukong was taken aback. Lu Chen explained, "The Dragon King of Ten Thousand Saints has a history with Buddhism, and the Nine-Headed Insect's origins are even more mysterious. The Buddhist treasure was stolen, and Jin Guang Temple was wrongly accused, yet no one has addressed the matter for three years. Guess who's suppressing this?"

Sun Wukong's eyes darted around, and he understood: "Does the Buddhist sect want to make the Kingdom of Jisaguo disappointed with the Buddhist temple, so that they will convert to another religion?"

Lu Chen nodded: "Smart."

Xuanzang was shocked: "Daoist Master, are you saying... that the Buddhist sect stole its own Buddhist treasures to frame its own temple?"

"It's not exactly framing, just using someone else to do the dirty work," Lu Chen said. "Jisaguo is a major power in the Western Regions, with numerous Buddhist temples and thriving incense offerings. But what the Buddhist sect wants is absolute control. The Golden Light Temple is too powerful and doesn't obey, so they just replace it with a group of obedient ones."

Xuanzang remained silent for a long time, then suddenly said, "Daoist Master, this humble monk wishes to save these monks."

Lu Chen looked at him and smiled: "Holy Monk, this is true compassion. It's not blind faith in Buddhism, but rather protecting those who truly practice Buddhist monasticism."

That night, Lu Chen, along with Sun Wukong, sneaked into the Bibo Pool of Luanshi Mountain.

At the bottom of the pool, the Dragon Palace was resplendent in gold and jade. The Nine-Headed Insect was drinking with Princess Wansheng in his arms, and on the table sat the radiant Buddha relic, which he used as a coaster for his wine cup.

"You beast!" Sun Wukong roared in fury and swung his staff to strike.

Lu Chen stopped him and transmitted his voice, "You go and distract him, I'll take the sacrificial pie."

Sun Wukong understood, smashed the Dragon Palace gate with his staff, and shouted, "Nine-Headed Insect! Your Grandpa Sun has arrived!"

Nine-Headed Insect was shocked and drew his weapon to fight. The two fought from the bottom of the pool to the surface, and from the surface to mid-air, locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lu Chen sneaked in, his chaotic energy spreading out and instantly suppressing the Dragon Palace's restrictions. He reached out and summoned the relic into his hand.

Just as they were about to leave, a beam of Buddhist light suddenly descended from the sky and blocked their way—it was Guanyin Bodhisattva!

"Master Qingfeng, this is a treasure of our Buddhist sect. Please return it." Guanyin's expression was calm, but her eyes held a sharp edge.

Lu Chen smiled: "The Bodhisattva's arrival is truly timely. The Nine-Headed Insect has been stealing treasures for three years, yet the Bodhisattva has not come. I, this humble Taoist, have come to retrieve the treasures, and the Bodhisattva has arrived."

Guanyin remained silent.

Lu Chen played with the relic, then suddenly said, "Bodhisattva, you said this relic is a Buddhist treasure. Aren't those monks at Jin Guang Temple Buddhist disciples?"

Guanyin's eyes twitched slightly.

"It's been three years, and those monks have been tortured to the point of wishing they were dead. Has the Bodhisattva ever gone to see them? Has the Bodhisattva ever uttered a single Buddhist chant for them?" Lu Chen pressed on relentlessly. "The Bodhisattva may not care, but I, this humble Taoist, will. I am not a member of the Buddhist order, but I am more like a monk than the Bodhisattva."

He put the relic into his sleeve and turned to leave.

Guanyin stood still for a long time.

In mid-air, Sun Wukong and the Nine-Headed Insect were locked in a fierce battle. The Nine-Headed Insect revealed its true form, its nine heads each wielding supernatural powers, spewing fire and water—it was incredibly formidable!

Lu Chen looked up and threw out the Chaos Brick—

"Thump!"

The nine-headed worm fell to the ground and fainted.

Sun Wukong landed and kicked him: "Master, what should we do with this guy?"

Lu Chen thought for a moment, then raised his hand and pointed a finger at the center of the Nine-Headed Insect's brow, and a stream of chaotic energy entered. The Nine-Headed Insect shuddered, and only one of its nine heads remained, transforming into an ordinary burly man.

"Cut off eight of his heads, but leave one as a human. Send him to the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons to start his cultivation anew," Lu Chen said. "If he can repent in the future, he will have his own destiny."

The following day, at the palace of King Jisai.

Xuanzang presented the relics and revealed the truth. The king was both shocked and ashamed, and personally went to Jin Guang Temple to apologize, releasing all the monks and rebuilding the temple.

The old monk of Jin Guang Temple knelt before Xuanzang, tears streaming down his face: "Holy monk, your great kindness is beyond repayment!"

Xuanzang helped him up and said softly, "Master, there's no need to thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank that Daoist Qingfeng."

The old monk looked at Lu Chen, who simply smiled.

On their journey west, Sun Wukong asked in bewilderment, "Master, why didn't you tell that old monk that Buddhism wanted to harm them?"

Lu Chen shook his head: "What's the use of telling him? To make him hate Buddhism? And then what? What can an old monk like him do? It's better to let him continue to believe in Buddhism, at least he'll have something to hold onto."

Sun Wukong scratched his head: "Then what's the point of all this we've done?"

Lu Chen gazed westward, his eyes profound: "Meaning? To let those who need to know know that justice still exists in this world. To let those who need to be awakened wake up and stop being blind. That's enough."

Next stop, Xiaoleiyin Temple.

Yellow-Eyebrowed Ancestor, Human Seed Bag, Golden Bell.

And that pretentious "Buddha".