At the ruins of Five Finger Mountain.
Above the bottomless pit.
Tang Sanzang stood in the empty air, his expression deeply satisfied as he slowly let out a breath.
"Comfortable..."
"It's been so long since I used my true power..."
As someone whose strength in Great Tang had completely exceeded the proper limits.
Tang Sanzang had basically had no opportunity to fight anyone in recent years.
So, to him, the earlier opportunity had been quite an interesting affair.
Especially when his own power collided with the power Buddha had left behind—it gave him a long-forgotten thrill.
It was the feeling of encountering a formidable enemy.
And finally being able to fight to his heart's content...
Incomparably wonderful.
Not long after, once he had finished sighing with emotion.
His gaze turned toward the steaming pit beneath his feet.
"Good disciple, why aren't you coming up yet?"
"Surely you can't expect your master to go down and invite you?"
Following his question.
A reply slowly emerged from the pitch-black, dust-filled pit.
"...There's nothing to be done. The divine ability Master used just now was truly astonishing. Even this Old Sun's indestructible diamond body could barely endure it..."
Yet Tang Sanzang was not the least bit embarrassed by those words, and burst into laughter as he replied.
"Even if you praise me for such things, it's no use."
"Come on. Your master happens to be lacking a flute-playing boy at his side..."
With that, he clenched one hand, and a somewhat bedraggled figure was immediately hauled out of the pit through the air.
Then he turned and headed directly into the distance.
Tang Sanzang could clearly sense that his escort party still existed and had not encountered any major problems.
Naturally, he had to return.
As for Sun Wukong, dangling from his hand,