Vanquishing demons at Lion Camel Ridge (IV)

Meanwhile, Ao Tu led his demon horde to Lion Camel Ridge.

[Enter the Mission Area]

[Current Side Quest: Exorcising Lion Camel Ridge]

[Quest Requirement: Block the Pilgrim in the Lion Camel Ridge Area. Rewards will be calculated based on the time taken to block them.]

[Quest Reward: 3 days/ Heavenly Essence Grass, Seven Days / Red Gold, Half a Month /Half a month/ Nine-Turn Primordial Embryo Pill, 1 month/ Houtian Spiritual Treasure - White Jade Bowl, Season / Supernatural Ability - Great Flood, 6 months/ Golden Crow Remnant Feather, 1 year/ Ancient Buddha Fortune, 3 Twelve Years / Zhuxian Formation, 12 years/ Chaos Bell, Sixty Years...]

[Current progress: 1649 days]

Ao Tu had seen the rewards. Among them, the Heavenly Essence Grass was actually wolfberry leaves, which he had plenty of in his Flower Realm. He rarely picked them, only occasionally using them when Alchemy. The Nine-Turn Primordial Embryo Pill, on the other hand, was a divine pill of the Internal Alchemy School. Taking it could enable Mortal to instantly become immortals and cultivate an immortal body.

As for the other rewards, Ancient Buddha Fortune for a year. After receiving it, he might be able to share in the fortune of Buddhism's Eastward Rise's resurgence in the East.

The reward for the three-year-long Zhuxian Formation that there was no Formation Diagram, only the Formation. Moreover, he did not possess the Four Swords of Zhuxian, so the power he could unleash was probably limited.

However, this is not the time to consider these things.

The most important thing now is to delay them at Lion Camel Ridge for as long as possible and try to obtain the Chaos Bell, the reward for Twelve Years. That's what he should be doing now.

Ao Tu led his demon horde into Lion Camel Ridge. Fearing they might run into Tang Sanzang and his disciples on the way, he deliberately took a detour from the the South, which caused him to be delayed for several days.

As they were walking, they saw Taibai Star shining brightly on the Mountain Ridge ahead. Ao Tu stepped forward and realized that it was Taibai Jinxing Lower Realm.

Ao Tu laughed and said, "What brings you here, old man?"

Taibai Jinxing turned around upon hearing the voice, and seeing it was Ao Tu, couldn't help but laugh, "Your Great King arrived even earlier than me!"

The two looked at each other and smiled.

After laughing, Taibai Jinxing explained his reason for the Lower Realm: "The Demon in Lion Camel Ridge are ferocious. I foresaw that the Great Sage and his disciples would arrive, so I came here to deliver a message, lest the Great Sage be negligent and suffer a terrible fate."

Ao Tu said, "I was delayed in Heaven for a long time, and I've been traveling these past few days, so I didn't notice. Have Tang Sanzang and his disciples arrived yet?"

Taibai Jinxing said, "Your Great King, please look, isn't that the one in the mountain pass?"

Upon hearing this, Ao Tu looked over and indeed saw four familiar figures: one leading the way, one holding the horse, and one carrying a load, walking towards him.

Ao Tu said, "They've indeed arrived. In that case, I'll head over now."

Taibai Jinxing bowed respectfully and said, "Your Great King, please."

Ao Tu also cupped his hands in greeting and retreated, then beckoned the demons to hide in the mountains and forests, unfurling a Sun-Moon Banner to conceal them.

That flag was Merit Numinous Treasures, with Merit flowing across its surface. After it covered the demons, the demonic energy of the demons was not released, and they could not be seen from the outside.

On the other side, after escaping from Pansi Ridge, Tang Sanzang disciples tested Bajie and tempered Tang Sanzang. They continued their journey, passing through late spring and midsummer, and arrived at the beginning of autumn.

But see that:

A sudden rainstorm dispelled the lingering summer heat, startling a single leaf from a paulownia tree.

Fireflies flit along the path at dusk, crickets chirp in the bright Moonlight Essence.

Yellow hibiscus blooms, reflecting the dew; red smartweed covers the sandy shore.

The willow catkins fall first, and the cicadas sing in rhythm.

The weather was cool, perfect for traveling. The four of them set off on their Journey to the West and soon arrived outside Lion Camel Ridge.

Looking into the distance, one can see a High Mountain piercing the blue sky, obscuring the stars and the sun.

Upon seeing this, Tang Sanzang's heart skipped a beat, he stopped his horse, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Wukong asked, "Master, why are you crying?"

Tang Sanzang said, "Wukong, look at this mountain ahead. It's incredibly tall, and there's no mountain higher than it along the way. There must be Demon on it! In the past, we would travel for a year or two before encountering a single Demon. Now, we've only traveled for four months, and we've already come to this place of Demon demons. Why is the journey to the Western Heaven so difficult? When will we finally reach the Western Heaven?"

Wukong listened, looked up, and laughed:

"Master, don't be afraid of the high mountains. We can stay for a few more years. Besides, just a few more countries away is Tianzhu Kingdom, which is very close to Spirit Mountain. We've already covered seven or eight miles. Buddha won't abandon us."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang stopped crying and continued walking forward.

The four of them entered the mountains and traveled for six or seven miles when suddenly an Old Man appeared on the hillside ahead. He had disheveled sideburns and white hair; his beard was sparse and Silver Threads.

The Old Man called out loudly, "Elders heading west, stop your horses! There is a band of Demon on the mountain who have devoured all the people of this Jambudvipa. Do not proceed! Go back quickly!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang quickly pulled on the reins, stopped the White Horse, turned around, and hid behind Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing, saying:

"Wukong, look at this desolate wilderness, how come an old man suddenly appears out of nowhere? Do you think it's Demon in disguise?"

Bajie exclaimed, "It's Demon! It's Demon!"

Wukong said, "Fool, don't talk nonsense. Let me see the truth!"

After speaking, Wukong used his Golden Eyes to look at him and recognized him as Venus, the Western Heaven Taibai Jinxing. He then smiled and said, "He's not Demon, but a good person who has come to deliver a message to us."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang felt a surge of joy and said to his disciples, "Since they are good people, which of you will go and ask them?"

Wukong said, "I'll go ask."

Tang Sanzang said, "You are ugly, and that old man is quite old; you might frighten him."

Wukong laughed and said, "Master, don't worry, he won't be scared."

Without waiting for Tang Sanzang to say anything more, he leaped onto the hillside.

Taibai Jinxing saw Wukong, he pretended to be frightened, turning pale and unsteady on his feet.

Wukong helped him up, saying, "Old man, don't be afraid of me. We're old acquaintances. How can you not remember me? Since you've come to deliver the message, tell me how many Demon are in this mountain, and what Supernatural Ability and treasures they possess, so I can devise a way to subdue them."

Upon hearing this, Taibai Jinxing realized that Wukong had recognized him, so he no longer concealed his identity, transformed into his Original Form, and spoke:

"Great Sage, this mountain is called Lion Camel Ridge. Inside the ridge is Lion Camel Cave, where three Demon reside, all possessing great Supernatural Ability. They also command tens of thousands of Little Demon, occupying the southern and northern ridges, the eastern slope, and the western path. If Great Sage is even slightly lazy, it will be difficult for him. Therefore, I have come to inform Great Sage."

Upon hearing this, Wukong asked, "Do you know what treasures those three Demon possess?"

Taibai Jinxing said, "I have never heard of it."

Wukong then asked, "Those three Demon occupied this place and killed several Bodhisattva and hundreds of Arhat?"

Taibai Jinxing said, "I've never heard of that before. I've only heard that it ate the people of an entire nation!"

Wukong laughed, "What kind of skill is it to eat an entire nation? He only gains a reputation for being a big eater. That's all he has. Thanks for the message, Old Star. Although there are many Demon in these mountains, they are all useless. They can only eat Mortal. I'll get rid of them and continue on my way."

Taibai Jinxing said, "Great Sage, you must be careful."

Wukong said, "I understand, I understand."

Taibai Jinxing then rode on a colorful cloud and returned to the Heavenly Realm.

Wukong jumped back to Tang Sanzang and the others.

Tang Sanzang asked, "Wukong, what happened to that old man?"

Bajie said, "He must have been scared away by his senior brother and fallen down the hillside."

Wukong grabbed Bajie's ear and said, "You idiot, what nonsense are you talking about? When did you see him fall down the mountain?"

Bajie hurriedly begged for mercy, "Brother! I was just teasing you! Don't take it seriously! Don't take it seriously!"