Reward settlement

Tang Sanzang and his disciples were blocked within the Gao Village region, unable to continue west.

Several days passed, and the Ao Tu System's progress quickly rose from twelve days to fifteen.

If the rewards were settled now, Ao Tu would receive three rewards: a Three-Turn Golden Elixir, true dragon essence blood, and a Purple-Patterned Peach of Immortality.

Ao Tu's cultivation was currently at the mid-Profound Immortal stage, approaching the late-Profound Immortal stage. Some medicinal power from the Sixth-Turn Golden Elixir remained unrefined within him. If he could eat another Three-Turn Golden Elixir, although it would not increase his cultivation as much as the Sixth-Turn Golden Elixir had, it would still be enough for him to break through to the late-Profound Immortal stage.

Afterward, if he refined the true dragon essence blood and the Purple-Patterned Peach of Immortality together, he would have a very good chance of breaking through to the Golden Immortal realm.

An Undying Golden Immortal could count as a powerful figure even along the route of the Journey to the West.

Moreover, the system's progress was still increasing.

As long as he could hold out another half month, he would obtain an extremely powerful houtian spiritual treasure-the Five-Fire Divine Flame Fan!

With this treasure, even Sun Wukong would be no match for him. If Ananda came again, Ao Tu would give him a surprise!

Meanwhile, in Gao Village, Bajie had worked for several days straight, but he put in appearances rather than effort, with practically nothing to show for it.

The villagers were no fools. At this rate, they would not receive their land even after another ten years. So they sought out Tang Sanzang again, carrying the agreement Ao Tu had signed, and demanded that Tang Sanzang hand over the land.

The villagers were all worked up. Helpless, Tang Sanzang could only lower his head and recite sutras, murmuring Amitabha Buddha's name.

Once the crowd finally dispersed, Tang Sanzang demanded to know why Bajie had not put any effort into his work.

Bajie had an excuse too, and lamented:

"Master, it's not that Old Pig hasn't been trying. I'm all alone! These thousands of mu of land would work several oxen to death. How could I possibly manage it by myself?"

Tang Sanzang thought that made sense.

But Sun Wukong said from the side:

"Master, don't listen to this fool's nonsense. He was Marshal Tianpeng before descending to the mortal world. When he mistook you for a demon earlier, he stood up to Old Sun's Golden Cudgel and knocked down seven great mountains in a row. How has he suddenly lost his strength? I think he's just asking for a beating!"

Bajie hurriedly hid behind Tang Sanzang and said:

"Master, Old Pig did do some things wrong before, but that demon deceived me too. Though I meant to strike you, in my heart I wanted to protect you. As the saying goes, those who leave home for the religious life do not hold past wrongs against others. For the Bodhisattva's sake, please forgive me!"

Tang Sanzang sighed.

"Forgiving you is easy. But how are we master and disciples to get past Gao Village now?"

Bajie said:

"Master, that's easy. Senior Brother once oversaw farming and livestock in the Heavenly Court, and his official rank was as high as could be. Leave this to him-it's what he does best."

Hearing this, Sun Wukong moved to strike Bajie.

"Fool, what nonsense are you spouting? You're asking for a beating!"

Bajie dodged around Tang Sanzang and said:

"How am I spouting nonsense? When you guarded the Peach Garden, weren't all those Strongmen who hoed around the trees, carried water, tended the peaches, and swept the grounds under your command? As the saying goes, the tea doesn't turn cold just because its drinker has left. Go up to Heaven and call a few of them down. Then why worry that this land can't be tilled?"

Hearing this, Sun Wukong could not help recalling the past, and stayed his hand.

Seeing this, Tang Sanzang urged him, "Disciple, if you truly have such abilities, make the trip and settle this matter in Gao Village, so we can continue west to fetch the scriptures."

Sun Wukong sighed at his words.

"Master, you don't know the whole story. Back then, Old Sun stole peaches and elixirs and committed many wrongs. I fear the garden's land deity and Strongmen were all implicated. I'm afraid it will be hard to see those old acquaintances now!"

Tang Sanzang said, "Disciple! Have you not heard that there is no greater good than recognizing one's faults and correcting them? The Buddha's words say: 'All evil karma I created in the past arose from beginningless greed, hatred, and delusion, born of body, speech, and mind. I now repent of it all!'"

At last, Sun Wukong was moved by his words.

"All right, Master. Old Sun will make a trip to the Heavenly Court. But there's one thing: Old Sun never does anything without getting proper credit. After I leave, Bajie, explain everything clearly to the villagers. The one helping them is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, not that demon."

Bajie replied:

"Senior Brother, don't worry. Elder Gao, the wealthy landowner here in Gao Village, was originally my father-in-law. I'll find him and have him explain everything to everyone."

Sun Wukong smiled at Bajie and said:

"Fool, who would have thought you were a householding monk!"

Bajie said:

"Senior Brother, why are you making fun of me like that? People often speak of Daoists who cultivate at home without abandoning worldly life, calling them householding Daoists. Whoever heard of a householding monk?"

Sun Wukong said, "You still have a father-in-law here. Doesn't that make you a householding monk?"

Bajie said, "That's all ancient history."

Smiling, Sun Wukong walked outside and flew up to the South Heaven Gate with a somersault.

Before the South Heaven Gate, Pang, Liu, Gou, and Bi bowed, while Ma, Zhao, Wen, and Guan bent their backs.

Sun Wukong waved a hand. "No need for formalities, everyone. Sorry for the trouble, but please announce that Old Sun wishes to see the Jade Emperor."

What a marvel indeed-the monkey who had once thrown the Heavenly Palace into chaos now understood etiquette.

After some time, the Jade Emperor issued a decree summoning Sun Wukong inside.

Upon entering Lingxiao Palace, Sun Wukong offered a deep, formal salute and stated his request.

Having heard his petition, Celestial Worthy Jade Emperor decreed, "In accordance with Wukong's petition, let the Peach Garden Land Deity and Strongmen be placed at Wukong's disposal."

Sun Wukong bowed in thanks, then rode a cloud to the Peach Garden.

On this visit, the surroundings remained, but the people had changed. Of the land deities, Strongmen, and Immortal Officials he had once known, fewer than one in ten remained.

Because the Great Sage had wreaked havoc in the Peach Garden back then, the Queen Mother had punished them. Some had been banished to the mortal world, while others had been struck from the Immortal Register, a lifetime of painstaking cultivation scattered in a single day...

Remembering the past, Sun Wukong could not help feeling sorrow.

As the saying went, one day in Heaven was one year on earth.

Since Tang Sanzang had not been abducted by a demon, Sun Wukong did not hurry. By the time he had assembled the Strongmen and descended to the mortal world, more than ten days had passed in Gao Village.

Sun Wukong descended with a group of Strongmen from the heavenly palaces.

The Strongmen swung their hoes, and the earth churned. Mu after mu of wasteland was reclaimed in the blink of an eye.

Other Strongmen sprinkled water from the Immortal Spring, instantly turning ordinary soil into prime farmland.

The villagers of Gao Village all knelt in thanks, crying that immortals had descended to earth.

Once their work was done, the Strongmen naturally returned to the Heavenly Palace.

Tang Sanzang had intended to leave that very day, but it was already late, and the villagers urged them to stay, treating them to a vegetarian feast. Thus, they spent another day in Gao Village.

The following day, Tang Sanzang and his disciples began their departure from Gao Village.

Meanwhile, Ao Tu's system progress had reached precisely thirty days.

He could not help rejoicing, thinking himself quite lucky.

But...

To his surprise, the system did not stop counting. Tang Sanzang and his disciples traveled for another three days, and only after they crossed Fuling Mountain did the system finally begin settling the rewards.

By then, the progress had reached thirty-three days.

It turned out that the system's definition of the Gao Village region included not only Gao Village itself, but also the vast area around Fuling Mountain.

[Ding, settling rewards. Total time intercepted: thirty-three days.]

[Ding, reward obtained: Three-Turn Golden Elixir.]

[Ding, reward obtained: true dragon essence blood.]

[Ding, reward obtained: Purple-Patterned Peach of Immortality.]

[Ding, reward obtained: houtian spiritual treasure-Five-Fire Divine Flame Fan.]

[Ding, the three excess days will automatically carry over to the next side mission. Next side mission: Wind Rises at Dusk.]