The three people and one horse walked slowly along the desolate mountain path.
On both sides are rolling Green Mountain, covered with lush trees, their depths hidden from view.
The wild grasses in the mountains are quite dense, reaching above the knees, making walking quite strenuous.
Ling Yi's Clone through the grass with a blade, forcibly clearing a path.
Ling Yi himself stood beside Tang Sanzang, looking around Yinyin a hint of anticipation in his Guangzhi.
Tang Sanzang had the same gaze, but his expectations were different.
"I wonder what this tiger demon tastes like!" Tang Sanzang licked his lips and murmured.
"I've never eaten it before!" Ling Yi replied.
"You really want to eat the tiger demon? Aren't you afraid of being eaten by the tiger demon instead?" Tang Sanzang looked at Ling Yi with surprise.
In Tang Sanzang's eyes, the two guards and the one Emperor Li Shimin of Tang assigned to him were nothing more than A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality.
Even if they knew some martial arts, it wouldn't be enough against a tiger demon.
Tang Sanzang had already made arrangements for Ling Yi and the other person before he climbed Double Fork Ridge.
Upon encountering the tiger demon, he immediately killed it and then found an excuse to send Ling Yi and the other person back to Chang'an.
Otherwise, following him would only lead to a pointless death, like being in Dream Entry.
Although Tang Sanzang went astray, it was only his Buddhist heart that went astray; the good intentions in his heart remained.
Just then, the Clone in front of them suddenly let out a scream and disappeared from their sight.
Tang Sanzang was startled and rushed forward to check, only to find that Ling Yi's Clone had fallen into a trap and had been pierced through several times by the sharp bamboo spikes standing upside down in the trap.
"Damn it, are you out of your mind? Amitabha Buddha, which bastard dug this trap?" Tang Sanzang cursed.
That death was so damn sudden; Tang Sanzang genuinely didn't have a chance to react at all.
Ling Yi and Ling Er had taken care of him the whole way, and Tang Sanzang was deeply saddened by their sudden loss.
The key point is that his Divine Sense didn't detect the trap at all, which is simply impossible.
He was Golden Immortal Pinnacle, his Divine Sense could cover a radius of a hundred miles. It was one thing that he didn't discover the tiger demon in the " Dream Entry," but how could he not even notice this trap that looked like it was dug by A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality?
This is clearly impossible; it's likely that the Buddhist School has secretly sabotaged things to kill Ling Yi and Ling Er.
Like in Dream Entry, could one become a lone commander and then naturally assign Son Goku to oneself?
"Truly a fine Buddhist School!" Tang Sanzang's tone was full of Taunt and anger.
Little did he know, all of this was done on purpose by Ling Yi.
The trap was there originally, but Ling Yi used the Cosmic Power to influence Tang Sanzang, obstructing his Divine Sense.
Ling Yi and his Clone only need one to stay by Tang Sanzang's side and get involved in the plot.
This Clone was simply created by Ling Yi in accordance with the original plot.
"Alas, Ling Er has never been diligent enough in his cultivation, and his Kung Fu Hustle are ultimately lacking. Holy Monk, please don't take it to heart. Our mission is to protect you on your journey westward."
"My brother was able to uncover a trap for the holy monk, saving him from a calamity. His death can be considered a worthy end."
Ling Yi sighed as he spoke, wiped away his tears, and put on a sorrowful expression.
Tang Sanzang was at a loss for words. In his view, this was a Buddhist School tactic, but Tang Sanzang naturally couldn't reveal the "truth."
Otherwise, given the methods of those people in Spirit Mountain, they would surely bring disaster upon Ling Yi.
"Brother Ling Yi, you are ultimately just a A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality. Go back to Chang'an. If you see the Tang Emperor, just say that this humble monk sent you back."
Ling Yi shook his head firmly and said, "I have received His Majesty's strict order to ensure the Holy Monk's safe arrival in the Western Paradise."
"This humble monk has his own methods and does not need your protection!" Tang Sanzang shook his head.
"Holy Monk, there's no need to say more. I, Ling Yi, am by no means a coward who fears death, nor will I give up halfway."
Tang Sanzang opened his mouth, but Ling Yi's serious expression made him unsure of what to say.
He pondered to himself that the Tang Emperor's order was most likely a death order, and that if he returned, he would likely be severely punished and lose his head.
Forget it, I'll just have to put in more effort to protect him from now on.
Just then, a Tiger Roar's roar rang out, followed by a Gale. A huge tiger demon, accompanied by demonic wind, appeared from behind Ling Yi Ling Yi and pounced straight at him.
Meanwhile, hidden in the Lin Zhong, Taibai Jinxing, in Changes, had already drawn his bow and aimed an arrow at the tiger demon.
They waited until the tiger demon killed Ling Yi before rescuing Tang Sanzang.
Although the Merit he had accumulated was long gone, he had no choice but to continue performing this ordeal.
There are eighty-one tribulations, but not one can be missing, even if it's just to make up the numbers.
This calamity is the responsibility of the Heavenly Court, and it absolutely cannot be overlooked.
However, what happened next left Taibai Jinxing completely dumbfounded.
Just as the tiger demon was about to pounce on Ling Yi, Tang Sanzang made the first move.
"Amitabha Buddha, you audacious tiger demon, die for this humble monk!"
Tang Sanzang leaped off his white horse, raised his Nine-Ringed Monk's Staff high, and slammed it down, instantly turning the tiger demon into Masai.
This attack was launched by Tang Sanzang in a fit of rage, and he held nothing back.
With Tang Sanzang's current strength at the Golden Immortal Pinnacle, how could this tiger demon, who could barely transform into human form, possibly compare?
He died instantly, his soul completely scattered.
Ling Yi seemed stunned, staring blankly into the air.
But in my heart I was thinking, "So, all these eighty-one tribulations have to follow the original plot, right?"
If it's a tiger demon, it has to be a tiger demon; a bear demon or a fox demon won't do.
Taibai Jinxing slowly put away his bow and arrows. Only then did he realize that this Tang Sanzang was no longer the Tang Sanzang he knew.
He started cultivating four years ago, and now this Tang Sanzang's cultivation level is no weaker than his.
If we go out now, will Tang Sanzang recognize us and kill us with his staff?
So, should we consider this calamity a success or a failure?
Seeing Tang Sanzang and Ling Yi skinning and dismembering the tiger demon, Taibai Jinxing decisively chose to run away.
That's terrifying! Was he a virtuous person who had cultivated for ten lifetimes? Was he a person destined by Buddhist School to retrieve the scriptures?
That guy must be an executioner who's cultivated for ten lifetimes, right?
Tang Sanzang encountered another mishap, and the thirty-nine Buddhist School protectors in the air immediately relayed the news back to Spirit Mountain.
Tathagata learned of this, he was also somewhat troubled.
Whether Tang Sanzang attained spiritual cultivation, whether he ate meat and drank alcohol, or whether he frequented brothels, it had little impact on Tathagata.
The Buddhist School inscriptions and such can be easily reversed by simply taking some pictures of Buddha and spreading the word.
Those roc demons, white elephant demons, and lion demons could devour the entire population of an entire country; Tang Sanzang's little troubles were child's play.
Tang Sanzang's main value lies in his journey to the West, facing numerous hardships at every step, and guiding the Karmic Luck of the Human Clan to the Spirit Mountain.
What Spirit Mountain truly needs is this Karmic Luck, not any Merit.
Earning Merit is incredibly easy for these deities.
These powerful beings, whether they harm or help others, it's all just a matter of a thought; the key lies in the attitude of Heavenly Dao.
His headache wasn't about Tang Sanzang, but about the guard who had followed Tang Sanzang all the way from Chang'an City.
Tang Sanzang may grow up to be a monster, but his guards must die.
The existence of those two guards is significant; with these Human Clan present, the Human Clan's Karmic Luck, which is drawn in, will always remain somewhat connected to the Human Clan.
Only by severing this connection can Tang Sanzang, carrying the Karmic Luck of these Human Clan, lead them to Spirit Mountain.
In other words, these guards represent the last vestige of Human Dao's stubbornness, as it teeters on the brink of extinction.
As for the eighty-one tribulations, they are merely a formality, a way of fulfilling one's duty as Heavenly Dao.
Otherwise, looking back, how many of those eighty-one tribulations were just a charade?
Strictly speaking, which of these eighty-one tribulations wasn't a charade? Every single one was a performance, and performance itself is a deception.
The Qing'er knew all Tathagata these things, but few truly understood the essence of Journey to the West.
Even Guanyin and others did not know the true purpose of the Journey to the West.
Those who know the truth about him are, besides Tathagata and the Jade Emperor, the Heavenly Dao and Hongjun, and the Six Sages.
"Great Guanyin, you must make another trip. The pilgrimage team is ordained by Heavenly Dao, and there can be no mistakes."
Upon hearing this, Guanyin understood Tathagata meant, performed a Buddhist salute, and then disappeared from the main hall of Spirit Mountain.
After Guanyin left, Tathagata frowned. For some reason, he felt that some inexplicable entity was watching him.
After releasing his Spiritual Sense to Perception the surroundings, he found nothing.
Tathagata uttering the words "Amitabha," the Buddha abandoned all distracting thoughts and closed his eyes to cultivate. It wasn't Tathagata the Buddha was magnanimous, but rather that during the Calamity, the secrets of heaven were in chaos, and some methods of divination that could predict the past and future were greatly restricted.
Therefore, it's understandable that one might misjudge the situation at the moment.
Besides, it's perfectly normal for someone to be watching him, since all six Holy Capital are present.
On the other side, Tang Sanzang and Ling Yi had already grilled the remaining meat from the tiger demon.
But Tang Sanzang did all the eating, while Ling Yi just munched on a flatbread.
It wasn't that Ling Yi disliked barbecue, but rather that he couldn't bring himself to eat the tiger demon, after all, this tiger Ling Yi had devoured countless people.
Tang Sanzang ate with great relish, throwing the bone in his hand into the fire. Tang Sanzang wiped his greasy hands on his Brocade Kasaya, then grabbed a corner of the Brocade Kasaya to wipe his mouth.
Then he stood up and said, "Brother Ling Yi, you'd better think this through. Once you cross this mountain, there will be no turning Jade Emperor."
"Holy monk, there is no need for further words."
Ling Yi glanced at the greasy Brocade Kasaya, which returned to its pristine state after a flash of light, and his lips twitched wildly.
Giving this Brocade Kasaya to Tang Sanzang is truly... making the most of it.
"Sigh, then we'll stay overnight and set off again tomorrow morning," Tang Sanzang sighed.
Seeing that Ling Yi was unmovable, he planned to knock Ling Yi unconscious that night and send him directly back to Chang'an.
I'll just speak to the Tang Emperor myself and ask him to spare Ling Yi from punishment.
With this in mind, Tang Sanzang Meditation and began to meditate with his eyes closed.
In the dead of night, Tang Sanzang, who was Meditation, suddenly exuded Shang-Chi.
He finally reached the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm from the Golden Immortal Pinnacle realm.
"This cultivation method is truly wondrous. I wonder what kind of being gave it to me. Regardless of their purpose, I have ultimately benefited."
Just then, Guanyin descended from the sky on auspicious clouds, giving Tang Sanzang a look of extreme disgust, as Tang Sanzang's performance was truly appalling.
Now, because of Tang Sanzang, Buddhist School has almost become a joke.
It's utterly shameful that someone destined by Heaven to go on a pilgrimage would eat meat, drink alcohol, and frequent brothels.
Guanyin didn't want to say a word to Tang Sanzang. She raised her palm and reached out to grab Ling Yi, who was "sleeping" on the ground.
Tang Sanzang was taken aback. Guanyin wasn't after him, but rather this guard?
Could it be that this guard has something special about him?
Without a second thought, Tang Sanzang stepped in front of Ling Yi.
It wasn't that she had a particularly close relationship with Ling Yi; she simply wanted to stop Guanyin.
The Buddhist School is using me, Tang Sanzang, as a pawn. How can I let the Buddhist School have its way? Anyway, the Buddhist School wouldn't dare to touch me.