The corners of the Wind and Moon Demon's eyes sank.
She thrust her trident forward, several arms tugging the black threads at once. Beneath the gray sun, great swaths of dark shadows came crashing down.
Wukong did not retreat a single step.
He swept the Golden Cudgel sideways.
Boom!
The black threads burst apart.
For a moment, the four of them held her firmly at bay in midair.
The Wind and Moon Demon tried to go down.
Wukong blocked her.
She tried to go left.
The Silver Spear was already there.
She tried to circle around using the black threads, but Bajie and A-Hu sealed her path from front and rear.
She changed direction several times in succession, yet could not get even half a step closer to the long stairway.
The Wind and Moon Demon's eyes flashed. She stopped trying to force her way through and slowly drew her trident back to her side. Hovering in midair, she fixed a fierce stare on the figure before the great hall's doors.
At the top of the long stairway, Xuanzang stood beside Sha Wujing and continued:
"Your Majesty remembers correctly."
The Queen braced herself against the hall door, her phoenix eyes stirring slightly as she gazed quietly at Xuanzang.
Xuanzang turned his gaze back to the crowd and said slowly, "The disciple who questioned the heavenly maiden that day."
"Was none other than the Venerable Shariputra."
The Queen's expression shifted. "Him again?"
Xuanzang nodded. "Indeed."
"After the Dragon Maiden became a Buddha, the Venerable Shariputra saw her instantly change from female to male, travel to the Stainless World in the south, sit upon a precious lotus, and attain perfect enlightenment."
Xuanzang slowly raised a hand, his voice carrying down the long stairway.
"Upon witnessing this, the Venerable Shariputra became certain