Journey to the East

As Li Ye's conversation with Sanzang grew pleasant, the boiling Dragon Blood within him gradually calmed.

However, after the boost from the Dragon Blood overload disappeared along with its subsidence, Li Ye found the resulting emptiness vanishing as his magic power filled the void. That power surged anew, as if it had permanently settled within him.

This newfound strength didn't feel foreign to Li Ye; rather, he felt a sense of inherent understanding.

It wasn't power supported by the Holy Grail, but an expansion of Li Ye's own limits.

The most direct manifestation was the increased upper limit of his Mana Burst, which was noticeably higher than before. Li Ye estimated it had risen from Rank B to B+.

Dragon Blood's potential...

Li Ye ran a hand through his pale hair. While he felt his mind was fine, his body seemed to be undergoing irreversible changes.

It wasn't just the external changes; Li Ye felt a massive increase in his appetite, a hunger that couldn't be sated.

His physical stats, like Strength, also appeared to have improved to some degree.

Am I completely evolving into a humanoid Dragon?

"Where are we going next! Shouldn't we look for water and food! Even though that's usually Wukong's job, I can do it too!"

Sanzang licked his lips and asked excitedly.

Interrupted from his thoughts by Sanzang, Li Ye snapped back to attention. He noticed Sanzang's pale lips and instinctively asked, "Servants need to replenish their food too?"

Hearing Li Ye's question, Sanzang nodded and said matter-of-factly, "Of course! If I don't eat, I'll definitely die! The Buddhist scriptures say: All sentient beings depend on food for their existence. Food is a matter of utmost importance!"

Sanzang held up his index finger, speaking to Li Ye like an elder instructing a junior, "Besides, I'm so hungry and thirsty. I haven't eaten anything since I manifested!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ye clapped his hands and laughed, "If Master Sanzang says so, what are we waiting for? Let's go beg for alms. I actually know a place—"

Li Ye had initially hesitated about venturing deeper into the desert to search for remnants of the Crusaders. But seeing Sanzang speak up, he readily abandoned that idea.

After his battle with the nameless Servant, Li Ye had once again recognized his own shortcomings. Although infinite magic power gave him a significant advantage, it wasn't absolute.

Li Ye's Mana Burst had a limit. Exceeding that threshold was a realm he couldn't reach, a domain inhabited by beings far beyond his grasp.

Even though the secondary enhancement from his Dragon Blood had raised his threshold, it still wasn't enough for Li Ye.

His techniques were still too crude. Despite surviving numerous life-or-death battles, the valuable experience gained through combat hadn't led to a qualitative leap.

He currently needed more profound martial arts and greater control over his magic power.

And a sword that could support him in battle.

Damn it, where am I going to find a sword?

The thought of weapons gave Li Ye a headache. Since encountering the Lion King, he had gone through several weapons, either pilfering them from Crusader Knights, Purification Knights, or borrowing them from Ozymandias.

Even after entering the Atlas Institute, which Holmes had praised as a "Mage's Dress repository," Li Ye had failed to find a single Mage's Dress.

I need to find a way to get a Mage's Dress—

Having somewhat solidified his immediate plans, Li Ye then considered Sanzang's situation.

Should he take Sanzang to the Holy City or the Holy City?

Going to the Holy City meant directly confronting the Lion King. Although, from Sanzang's current stance, he wouldn't clash with the Lion King's faction.

After all, Sanzang was still unclear about the current state of the Singularity and was in an observation period. Only after Sanzang had witnessed everything within the Singularity would his stance become clear.

As for Ozymandias, the Sun King, it would be much easier for Sanzang.

Ozymandias, as a protector of the Human Order, and with his kingly demeanor, had no reason to oppose Sanzang.

After weighing the options, Li Ye decided to escort Sanzang back to the Holy City, leaving Sanzang to decide their next destination afterward.

As Li Ye led Sanzang back to the Holy City along their original path, he asked, curious about Sanzang's manifestation, "Master Sanzang, did you manifest alone? Like just now, you were the only one surrounded by Crusader Knights, even—"

He had cried like that.

Sanzang, who had manifested naturally in this Singularity, was undoubtedly the representative of Buddhism.

Li Ye knew perfectly well which Buddha Sanzang referred to: Shakyamuni Buddha, who achieved enlightenment.

"The only solver of the suffering of birth and rebirth on Earth."

"One who has attained the true meaning of life."

"The only enlightened savior among humans."

"The first to reach the 'End'."

Was this crisis of the Human Order merely a significant fluctuation for the Buddha?

Li Ye wasn't sure if his appearance would cause any changes, but with Sanzang's manifestation, Li Ye was certain that at least the gaze of the Awakened had fallen upon this Singularity.

Hearing Li Ye's words, Sanzang's face contorted with distress, "Is... is there any way? I alone... just can't... I get lonely, can't stand it, both lonely and afraid, I can't do anything—"

Sanzang's sudden outburst made Li Ye instinctively raise his hand, "It's not a problem anymore, Master Sanzang. From now on, it will be a journey like you've always had."

Upon hearing Li Ye's words, Sanzang's face lit up, "As a virtuous monk who has experienced eighty-one tribulations, I can surely face difficulties with ease, otherwise, Wukong and the others would laugh at me."

Hearing the name Wukong again, Li Ye hesitated for a moment before choosing to ask, "Um, Master Sanzang, the weapons you used earlier, were they the weapons of your three disciples?"

With that, Li Ye flicked his gaze to the Nine-Ringed Vajra Staff in Sanzang's hand.

Having witnessed Sanzang's combat twice now, Li Ye was deeply impressed by their decisive and sharp fighting style.

It wasn't just Sanzang's superb martial arts, but also their unpredictable weapon, which sometimes appeared as a black iron staff, other times as a Nine-Toothed Rake, and at others as a Demon-Subduing Staff.

Li Ye couldn't quite recall Sanzang's specific details, but he felt that the transformed weapons weren't mere shells.

"Hm? Weapons?"

Sanzang looked at Li Ye in confusion, then leaned back with sudden realization. "I don't know. They should be the weapons of my three foolish disciples. They couldn't come along, but their weapons could. It's a shame I'm usually so good to Wukong and the others—"

Sanzang spun the Nine-Ringed Vajra Staff with one hand, a casual swing causing the air to whistle.

Is that really true?

Hearing Sanzang's nonchalant remark, Li Ye's curiosity was immediately piqued.

After all, these were some of the most renowned divine weapons from Journey to the West. Whether it was Sun Wukong's Ruyi Jingu Bang, Zhu Wuneng's Nine-Toothed Rake, or Sha Wujing's Demon-Subduing Staff, they were undoubtedly top-tier Noble Phantasms.

Furthermore, the Nine-Ringed Vajra Staff in Sanzang's hand was even more significant, a treasure personally bestowed by a Bodhisattva. Li Ye hadn't yet witnessed its effects.

It was likely a super Noble Phantasm as well.

"So, Master Sanzang, when you journeyed west, who was it that subdued the monsters?"