"Holy Monk, your two disciples came here and I drove them away, now just stay here peacefully!"
In the Golden Helmet Cave, the Green Ox Demon, holding a Steel Spear, approached Jiang Liu. Looking at Jiang Liu, who was bound by ropes, he spoke.
"Alright, I will stay here peacefully, but could you loosen these bonds on me?" Despite being tied up with ropes, Jiang Liu showed no sign of fear, just calmly speaking to the Green Ox Demon.
Although his Dispel Curse could remove all control type effects, at the moment, it was ineffective.
Because he was tied up with the ropes, Jiang Liu found that he couldn’t mobilize even a thread of his True Yuan within his body.
It was like playing a game where, though you could remove control, if you were silenced beforehand, the skill to free yourself wouldn’t come out, rendering it completely useless.
"Well, that’s fine…"
Hearing Jiang Liu’s words, the Green Ox Demon thought for a moment and then, seemingly unworried that Jiang Liu might escape, really raised his hand and gathered back the ropes.
"Holy Monk, a monk does not lie. You said you would stay here in peace, I hope you won’t go back on your word!" After retracting the ropes, the Green Ox Demon said.
Back in the Doushuai Palace, when two Taoist boys were chatting casually, they too mentioned the incident of Xuanzang being captured and taken to the cave. At that time, Xuanzang, despite having the chance to escape, didn’t flee.
So since Xuanzang said he wouldn’t leave, the Green Ox Demon believed him.
"It seems you are not afraid of death at all!" After freeing him from the ropes, the Green Ox Demon, seeing Jiang Liu’s fearless demeanor, remarked again.
"Amitabha, what is there to grieve about in living, what is there to suffer in dying? If even life and death cannot be transcended, how would I be qualified to meet the Buddha in the Western Heaven!"
Hearing the Green Ox Demon’s words, Jiang Liu, of course, couldn’t confirm that he was certain the demon wouldn’t kill him. Thus, after chanting the Buddha’s name, he responded with the air of one who is unafraid of death.
"Worthy of the title ’Holy Monk’, such a disposition is truly admirable!" Seeing Jiang Liu’s truly fearless approach towards life and death, the Green Ox Demon inwardly nodded and without further words, turned and left.
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"Phew…" Watching the Green Ox Demon turn and leave, Jiang Liu inwardly heaved a sigh of relief.
If he remained tied up, he would have been completely silenced, wasting his time here.
Now that the binding silence effect was removed, he could pass the time by cultivating the Green Lotus Taoist Scripture, and in this way, it wouldn’t be a waste.
Captured? Since it was the Supreme Elder Lord’s Green Ox, Jiang Liu naturally didn’t worry about his own safety, thinking it was merely adding an ordeal.
Of course, perhaps they wanted the formula for the healing potion in his possession.
Jiang Liu, serene and composed, continued to sit and cultivate the Green Lotus Taoist Scripture, feeling no need to do anything else.
"Master, Master…"
However, just as Jiang Liu sat down cross-legged, preparing to cultivate the Green Lotus Taoist Scripture, suddenly, a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz sounded.
At the same time, a fly flew straight in front of Sun Wukong.
The strangest thing about this fly was that its head actually bore the looks of a monkey—it was none other than Sun Wukong.
"Eh? Wukong, you’re back!" Jiang Liu, sitting cross-legged, looked at Sun Wukong before him and said, "What about Fairy Zixia? Is she alright?"
"Master, you yourself have been captured by a demon, and you still have the heart to worry about Zixia?" Sun Wukong landed on Jiang Liu’s shoulder and replied.
As the words fell, Sun Wukong continued, "Don’t worry, Master, Zixia is fine, only she’s staying in the Moon Palace, keeping Fairy Chang’e company!"
While speaking, Sun Wukong briefly summarized to Jiang Liu the events that had taken place in the Heavenly Court.
"Oh, so that’s how it is! Well, that’s good to hear!" Hearing Sun Wukong’s words and learning about Fairy Zixia’s current situation, Jiang Liu nodded in relief.
Perhaps for Fairy Zixia, the current circumstances were truly not bad?
Although the Moon Palace is cold and lonely, it’s fortunate she has Fairy Chang’e for company; living there, she can avoid many disputes.
"By the way, Monkey, what about the Map of Mountains and Rivers? Is it still in your possession?" After reassuring himself about Zixia, Jiang Liu then inquired. Continue your saga on freewebnovel
"Of course, if it’s not with me, then with whom? Zixia didn’t say she wanted it back!" Hearing Jiang Liu’s question, Sun Wukong naturally answered.
"That’s good, that’s good..." Hearing that the Map of Mountains and Rivers was still in Sun Wukong’s possession, Jiang Liu was much relieved and nodded silently.
The Map of Mountains and Rivers, Zixia said, was lent to her by a mysterious woman, and since it was only lent, it would inevitably have to be returned someday.
Therefore, Jiang Liu had been waiting to see who would eventually come back to claim it, but unexpectedly, after more than a month, no one had come.
"Right, Master, should I, Old Sun, rescue you now?" Setting aside Jiang Liu’s thoughts for a moment, Sun Wukong then spoke to Jiang Liu.
"No, no rush. Although this demon creature has captured me, for now, it doesn’t seem to have any intention of harming me. I’ll wait and see what his true purpose is!" Hearing Sun Wukong’s proposition, Jiang Liu shook his head and said.
Although he knew the purpose of the Green Ox Demon was to acquire the formula for the Healing Potion, Jiang Liu was even more certain of his own safety.
So, if there was an opportunity, of course he would choose to stay here and delay time as much as possible.
"Master, this demon creature has extraordinary means!"
However, although Sun Wukong had always been obedient to Jiang Liu’s orders, this time there was a look of hesitation on his face, and he said, "Based on what Bajie and Junior Brother Sha said, this evil demon is very powerful, and the ring in his hand can even ensnare any Dharma Treasure. If you stay here, in case..."
"Monkey, it seems you lack confidence in yourself!" Jiang Liu said to Sun Wukong with a teasing smile upon hearing his words.
"I, Old Sun, of course have confidence in myself, but Master, you don’t need to put yourself in danger, right?" Sun Wukong argued back upon hearing Jiang Liu’s words.
The reasoning was very simple: a wise man does not stand under a wall that is about to collapse!
"Hmm, you do make some sense!" Jiang Liu nodded in agreement after listening to Sun Wukong.
While talking, Jiang Liu pondered for a moment and then said, "Monkey, let me take a look at your Ruyi Golden Cudgel!"
"The Ruyi Golden Cudgel!?" Sun Wukong was a bit surprised to hear Jiang Liu’s request, but he did not ask further, nodded, and took out his Ruyi Golden Cudgel.
Jiang Liu reached out and took the Ruyi Golden Cudgel, feeling its weight in his hand.
The cudgel, weighing 13,500 catties, which would roughly equate to over 6 tons in modern terms.
Even with Jiang Liu’s Cultivation Level reaching the Returning Void Realm, he found it extremely heavy.
His True Yuan surged inside him, veins bulging on his arms as he opened the Blacksmith’s Life Profession interface and placed the Ruyi Golden Cudgel directly into it.
At the same time, he opened his inventory space and took out a purple-red gemstone, the Soul Gem.
With Jiang Liu’s current Profession Level, he naturally couldn’t strengthen and repair equipment of the Ruyi Golden Cudgel’s quality, but merely setting the Soul Gem in it was not an enhancement, and it didn’t pose any difficulty, nor was it related to the Blacksmith’s Profession Level.
Accompanying Jiang Liu’s actions, a dazzling light flashed by and soon after, the appearance of the Ruyi Golden Cudgel changed.
In the center of the cudgel, one could see a purple-red gemstone perfectly integrated and set within it.
Looking at the Attribute Information of the Ruyi Golden Cudgel, the Attack Power and such remained unchanged, only now there was an additional attribute of Soul Binding.
"Monkey, take a look now, do you notice anything different?" Jiang Liu asked Sun Wukong after the Soul Gem had been set into place.
Although he did not know what the master had done, Sun Wukong noticed his movements and presumed he must have done something to his Ruyi Golden Cudgel.
Sun Wukong reached out and took the Ruyi Golden Cudgel, gripping it exactly at the spot where the Soul Gem was placed.
Clenching the cudgel in his hand tightly, Sun Wukong found there was no significant change to it; if anything, it was a change in sensation.
Firmly grasping the Ruyi Golden Cudgel once again, Sun Wukong could feel an incredibly harmonious sensation, something he had never felt before.
It was as if the Ruyi Golden Cudgel had truly become a part of his own body.
He even felt that, no matter where the Ruyi Golden Cudgel went, he could make it return to him—it had truly become an indispensable part of him.
Moved by the feeling, Sun Wukong casually tossed the Ruyi Golden Cudgel some distance away.
Then, with a mere thought, almost instantly, the Ruyi Golden Cudgel transformed into a streak of light and reappeared in Sun Wukong’s hand.
"Excellent, what a treasure!"
Seeing the Ruyi Golden Cudgel easily return to his hand, Sun Wukong couldn’t help but smile, and he also looked up at Jiang Liu, saying, "Master, what skillful means!"
"Right, now you don’t have to worry about your Ruyi Golden Cudgel being snatched by the Vajra Bracelet!" Seeing Sun Wukong’s delighted expression, Jiang Liu also smiled slightly and said.
Unlike Zhu Bajie and the others, since his Ruyi Golden Cudgel was no longer susceptible to being taken away, Sun Wukong felt somewhat more at ease.
After all, Bajie had mentioned before that the evil demon’s means were only average; it was the ring in his possession that was particularly formidable.
"All right, Monkey, you may go. If anything happens, I will inform you!" After helping Sun Wukong set up the Soul Binding for the Ruyi Golden Cudgel, Jiang Liu waved his hand and said.
"Understood!" Sun Wukong nodded; since the master had decided so, he had nothing further to say and transformed back into a fly and flew away.
Meanwhile, the Green Ox Demon disguised as the demon, sat alone on his throne, his expression filled with anxiety.
His purpose in descending to the Lower Realm this time was to get his hands on the formula for that red Potion by any means possible.
But as for how to go about it, Green Ox Demon felt completely clueless.
(PS: Preparing for a burst release in the early morning - are your starting coins at the ready? I worry they might not be enough...)