Reward settlement

After Tang Sanzang and his disciples crossed the Flowing Sand River, the story continued.

Guanyin Bodhisattva invited Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Old Mother Lishan to devise a plan to subdue Ao Tu.

Meanwhile, Ao Tu's rewards were settled, and five rewards were issued.

The Three-Turn Soul-Reviving Pill, the Six-Thousand-Year Peach of Immortality, the Headache Chime, the Dragon-Binding Rope, and the Five-Colored Divine Light.

Ao Tu put away the Three-Turn Soul-Reviving Pill for future use.

He swallowed the Peach of Immortality, increasing his cultivation somewhat.

He put away the Headache Chime and tied the Dragon-Binding Rope around his waist.

He fully mastered the Five-Colored Divine Light. Five rays appeared behind him, arranged according to the five elements-green, yellow, red, white, and black-which he could summon and withdraw at will.

With Tiger Vanguard in tow, he traveled a thousand miles west. Passing a mountain cliff, he spotted a grove of shady pines in the distance, amid which stood a majestic array of palaces and mist-shrouded towers.

There he saw: mist and rosy clouds held the lingering dew; moss lent its fresh green hue. Colorful phoenixes sang in emerald parasol trees; flowing waters concealed azure dragons. Verdant crags welcomed the rising moon; birds sang with joy beneath clear skies. Two groves of bamboo offered cool shade; flowers engulfed a path in luxuriant bloom. White clouds appeared from time to time, drifting aimlessly with the wind.

Truly, it was an ancient site a thousand years old, bearing the traces of immortals from ten thousand years past.

For some unknown reason, a crowd of demons had gathered beneath those palatial halls.

Ao Tu glanced over them and saw tiger demons, leopard demons, mountain wolf demons, elk demons, musk deer demons, fox demons, black snake demons, rat demons, crow demons, mantis demons, dragonfly demons, ant demons, and others.

These demons came in all shapes and sizes, yet all stood politely outside.

He heard someone inside talking about a dragon maiden from the west who had settled on this mountain to seek a husband.

At that, Ao Tu grew somewhat wary.

He stepped forward and stood on the cliff, looking down to investigate the situation.

Just then, the system's voice sounded.

[Ding, entered mission area]

[Current side quest: Four Saints Test Chan Mind]

[Mission requirement: Keep the Pilgrim within this area. Rewards will be calculated according to the duration of the delay.]

[Mission rewards: Three days / Buddhist art · Rebirth Mantra, seven days / spell · Turn Earth into Steel, half a month / Purple-Patterned Peach of Immortality, one month / spiritual root · Third-Grade Golden Lotus, one season / supernatural ability · Rainbow-Transformation Technique, half a year / ancestral dragon essence blood, one year / congenital spiritual treasure · Soul-Scattering Gourd, three years / congenital spiritual treasure · Hetu Luoshu, twelve years / Chaos Bell, sixty years...]

[Current progress: One day]

Seeing this, Ao Tu recalled what he had heard about a dragon maiden seeking a husband and realized that Guanyin Bodhisattva and the others had laid a trap for him.

After a little thought, he decided to turn their scheme against them. He led Tiger Vanguard up and stood outside with the other demons to wait.

Before long, the courtyard gates of the palace opened, and a woman emerged.

The woman was middle-aged, yet hardly looked old. She wore an immortal-green jacket woven with gold, with a pale red outer garment over it, and a goose-yellow skirt adorned with colorful knots, beneath which showed embroidered platform shoes. Black and white mingled in her hair, but her face remained beautiful.

As the saying went:

Cloudlike hair, half grayed, spread like phoenix wings; twin dangling earrings bore rows of precious pearls.

Without rouge or powder, her beauty still shone; her charm yet rivaled that of youth.

The woman looked down and immediately spotted Ao Tu, who stood like a crane among chickens in the crowd. "Young man, have you come to seek a bride?"

Ao Tu feigned sincerity. "Indeed."

The woman said, "Then please, come in!"

Ao Tu brought Tiger Vanguard along and followed the woman inside.

Seeing this, the other demons dispersed amid curses and grumbling, saying that the dragon maiden had no eye for a good match.

The woman courteously invited Ao Tu into the hall, offered him a seat, and called for tea.

A young girl with twin buns and loose strands of hair emerged from behind a screen, carrying a golden tray with white jade cups. Fragrant tea gave off warm steam, and exotic fruit released a subtle perfume. She raised the jade cups and served the tea.

Just then, the woman noticed the belt around Ao Tu's waist, and surprise flashed in her eyes.

Ao Tu asked, "May I ask your surname, Mother-in-law? And why have you come here to seek a live-in son-in-law?"

The woman said, "My maiden name is Jia, and my husband's surname was Mo. I am a relative of Dragon King Sagara of the Western Ox Continent. My husband died young, and fate granted me no sons, only three daughters. That is why I wish to marry them off."

Ao Tu said, "Then we belong to the same clan."

The woman said, "Indeed. Those demons below the mountain are all crude and ugly. None can compare to your natural good looks, and your bloodline is close to ours."

Ao Tu nodded. "That is true."

The woman asked, "Son-in-law, I have yet to learn your name or where you live."

Ao Tu replied, "My name is Ao Tu, though I am also called King of Spirit Mountain. I live at the foot of Spirit Mountain and am a disciple of the Buddha."

At those words, the woman could not help bursting into laughter, hiding her face behind her round fan.

Ao Tu asked, "Why are you laughing, Mother-in-law?"

The woman said, "Learning of my son-in-law's distinguished background filled me with joy, so I laughed."

Behind the screen, Guanyin Bodhisattva frowned slightly as she listened to Ao Tu.

The woman continued, "Since you belong to the Buddhist faith, son-in-law, would this marriage not be...?"

Ao Tu said, "It is no matter. There is no need to worry, Mother-in-law. As a Buddhist disciple, I chiefly cultivate the Buddha within my heart."

The woman asked, "What is the Buddha within your heart?"

Ao Tu said, "The Buddha within my heart means that even if I indulge in greed, anger, and delusion and break every precept, it does no harm as long as I keep the Buddha in my thoughts."

The woman covered her face and laughed again despite herself.

Inside the room, Guanyin Bodhisattva said angrily, "This vile beast slanders our faith so! How can I spare him?"

Manjushri and Samantabhadra hurriedly urged her, "Great Bodhisattva, we must put the greater plan first! The greater plan!"

By then, the woman felt they had talked enough, so she said:

"In that case, I shall call my three daughters out, and we can see which one to betroth to you."

Ao Tu said, "Please invite the three young ladies out."

At the woman's call, three maidens emerged from the room, each with beauty capable of toppling cities and kingdoms.

The woman introduced them. "This is my eldest daughter, Zhenzhen. This is my second daughter, Aiai. This is my youngest, Lianlian. Aren't you going to pay your respects to the king?"

The three daughters said together, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

They were none other than Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Guanyin Bodhisattva in disguise.

The woman said, "Well, my dear son-in-law, which daughter has caught your eye?"

Ao Tu replied with feigned affection, "All three are exceedingly lovely."

The woman smiled. "Then shall I marry all three to you and let them share your bridal chamber?"

Ao Tu said, "Thank you for your generous affection, Mother-in-law, but I dare not accept."

The woman said, "Why? Are you weak in body and lacking in stamina?"

Ao Tu said, "Not at all. I know the arts of dual cultivation, as well as the methods for a prolonged bedchamber battle. I merely fear that the three young ladies will grow too fond of pleasure and affection, making it difficult to treat them fairly and leading to discord over time."

At those words, Guanyin Bodhisattva was once again beside herself with anger, clenching her delicate fists.

Manjushri and Samantabhadra hurriedly held Guanyin Bodhisattva back.

Ao Tu said, "Look, Mother-in-law, Lianlian is already showing some discord-

"as we speak."

The woman covered her mouth and laughed. "You certainly have thought everything through. Then shall I betroth Zhenzhen to you?"

Ao Tu said, "No, I fear Aiai and Lianlian would resent it."

The woman said, "Then shall I betroth Aiai to you?"

Ao Tu said, "No, I fear Zhenzhen and Lianlian would resent it."

The woman said, "Then shall I betroth Lianlian to you?"

Ao Tu said, "No, I fear Zhenzhen and Aiai would resent it."

The woman said, "My dear son-in-law, I am out of ideas. Tell me what we should do."

Ao Tu reached out and conjured three bright red bridal veils. Smiling, he said, "How about this? I have three veils here. Let the three young ladies cover their heads and try their luck at a Heavenly Marriage. Whichever one catches me shall marry me."