A Core Ship From The Start
Chapter 1376 - 928: Kingdom of Baoxiang Joyfully Welcomes the Third Princess; Master and Disciples Encounter a Ghost Temple on Their Journey

Chapter 1376: Chapter 928: Kingdom of Baoxiang Joyfully Welcomes the Third Princess; Master and Disciples Encounter a Ghost Temple on Their Journey

Duanmu Huai rescued the Third Princess, killed a demon on the way, swept some treasures, and took some food and drink, which even made Sun Wukong shake his head.

"Master, they say monks should be empty of the four elements, but how come you’re not empty at all?"

"How am I not empty, don’t talk nonsense."

Upon hearing Sun Wukong’s words, Duanmu Huai also glared.

"Look, this cave now has no treasures, no people, no wine, and even the wife has run away. Isn’t that empty of the four elements? I brought blessings to this cave, you know nothing."

"To think there’s such a way to be empty of the four elements, it’s the first time I’ve heard it..."

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s response, Sun Wukong was left speechless, but he didn’t say more and the group, loaded with their finds, left the dilapidated cave and returned to the caravan.

Upon returning, they saw the caravan people were still there, shaky with fear. Seeing Duanmu Huai and Sun Wukong return with another person surprised them even more. However, the old caravan master was sensible and dared not ask too much. Instead, it was Duanmu Huai who noticed that the woman named Cui’Er had disappeared and started asking about her, which made everyone exchange glances.

Turns out, when Quinn Wolf was showing off his power here with his little demons, the caravan folks were so terrified they couldn’t even think about the woman. By the time they turned back, they found the woman was nowhere to be seen.

"Psh, it must be that the demon saw how formidable Master and I were and ran away. Good that she knew better, otherwise I would have definitely smashed her head."

"Cut down on the drama a bit. If you’re gonna hit, just hit hard and be done with it. Why bother with all this back-and-forth hassle, isn’t it tiring?"

Hearing Sun Wukong’s complaints, Duanmu Huai also gave his two cents, saying that after all, you’re the Heavenly Great Sage who caused a huge ruckus in the Celestial Palace five hundred years ago. According to that setup, you should be a lawless and fierce character. But in reality, on this journey to the West, it seems like every demon can spar a few rounds with Sun Wukong, constantly battling tens of rounds.

When you think about it, it’s rather... demeaning.

It’s like in martial heroes’ novels, where if Yu Canghai challenges Zhang Sanfeng and doesn’t get killed in one palm strike, he’s considered weak. Not to mention Sun Wukong, honestly, if he really faced a demon, with his capabilities, he could just smash them with one swing of his cudgel.

Just like the White Bone Spirit, when Sun Wukong saw her trying to eat Monk Tang, he just smacked her neatly with his cudgel.

It’s a pity that it only happened a few times. Afterwards, you would always see Sun Wukong fighting hundreds of rounds with this one, dozens with that one, though in the end the demons always fled. But this also shows that Sun Wukong’s strength isn’t absolutely formidable.

It’s like a foot soldier in front of Lu Bu, being able to run away is also a skill, right?

Duanmu Huai once told Sun Wukong, if you’re going to fight, just fight, don’t do those fancy moves, just smash with the cudgel, and then make the cudgel tens of meters thick, nothing can withstand that. But this monkey is still a monkey, he agrees on the surface but forgets all about it once he starts fighting.

Well, maybe he just likes to play...

After crossing the mountain, the group arrived at the Kingdom of Baoxiang, where the Third Princess identified herself to the guarding guards, who were also hugely surprised and quickly reported it. The King of Baoxiang also hurriedly summoned them to the palace, and the father and daughter cried painfully together in the grand hall. According to the king, since the Third Princess went missing thirteen years ago, he had been sending people to look for her but to no avail. Unexpectedly, they later found out she was captured by a demon, and the princess recounted how she had missed her parents every day since being captured and, of course, also explained how Duanmu Huai had slain the demon.

The King initially did not believe it, but upon seeing Duanmu Huai, he was instantly startled — Well, it seems that often people do judge by appearances.

"I’ve long heard that the Holy Monk from the Eastern Tang Dynasty was powerful in subduing demons along the way. Seeing you today proves that seeing is believing. Holy Monk, by ridding our kingdom of a great menace and saving the princess, you have shown immense valor. If you would, forget about the Western Paradise and keeping long hair; how about I take you as my brother, we sit together on the dragon throne, and share the riches?"

"Your Majesty, I appreciate your kindness."

Duanmu Huai knew the king was just making a gesture, and besides, this Kingdom of Baoxiang... to put it bluntly, it’s just a city, a small piece of land, nothing impressive. Such riches... Well, might as well pass on them.

"I have decided to head for the Western Paradise to obtain the True Scripture, and must not stop here. Of course, if there’s good wine and good meats, that would be enough."

"I thought the Holy Monk would be vegetarian..."

"Too much vegetarian food, one has to eat some meat too. Wine and meat pass through the intestines while Buddha stays in the heart. If there is no Buddha in the heart, what’s the point in going vegetarian and chanting scriptures daily? And when you encounter demons and devils causing harm, wouldn’t you still be helpless?"

"This... does make some sense."

Faced with Duanmu Huai’s response, the Emperor of Baoxiang was confused. If anyone else had said this, he would have scolded them for misleading the people. But standing before him was someone who had single-handedly slain all the demons in a cave with his fists — you may not care whether he’s right or wrong, but you certainly wouldn’t want to provoke those fists.

Luckily it was also time to celebrate the Third Princess’s return to the country, so Duanmu Huai and Sun Wukong joined in the grand banquet and feasted. Following that, the King of Baoxiang gave them documents for safe passage and also gifted them a hundred taels of gold, then saw them off from the city as they continued their journey west.

"Sigh......."

Stepping out of the city gates, Sun Wukong also let out a hearty burp.

"Master, following you feels even freer than being in the heavens. Up there, feasts are only held for the Jade Emperor’s birthday or the Queen Mother’s birthday, and I’ve never been invited. But here, I end up feasting and drinking fine wine every other day—it’s truly carefree, but..."

"But what? You aren’t full yet?"

While picking his teeth with a twig, Duanmu Huai asked.

"It’s not that, it’s just that along the way, we’ve been indulging in sightseeing, fish, and meat. It doesn’t seem at all like we’re on a pilgrimage to fetch the scriptures. Can this really work?"

Sun Wukong might be mischievous, but he understood what was necessary; Guanyin had tasked him with protecting Monk Tang on the pilgrimage—but now, it seems unclear who’s protecting whom. Still, no matter what, Duanmu Huai was supposed to venture to the Western Paradise to fetch the scriptures. You’ve just been eating and drinking non-stop, and even in wild mountains and forests, you casually catch a few demons to spice up the journey. When demons eat people, and you eat demons....

"Fetching the scriptures is only the result, not the process."

Duanmu Huai took out his gourd of wine, shook it at Sun Wukong who took it expertly, cooled it, and handed it back.

"You must understand, Monkey, as long as we reach Spirit Mountain and get the scriptures, that’s enough. How we get the scriptures, or whether Tathagata agrees to give them, isn’t important. If he refuses, then we’ll storm Spirit Mountain, burn down his sanctuary, seize his treasures, snatch his scriptures, kill his disciples, and leave him with nothing! Didn’t they always say these are just worldly possessions? Let’s see if he can restrain his tears while I’m looting them!"

"That’s...."

Sun Wukong scratched his chin thoughtfully but inhaled sharply. After all, he still didn’t know what kind of background his master came from. Initially, at the foot of Five Fingers Mountain, he only learned from the Bodhisattva that soon a monk would come from the Eastern Tang Dynasty to the Western Paradise to worship Buddha, and his task was to protect him.

Of course, along the journey, Sun Wukong also realized it wasn’t about him protecting the monk; it was about the monk not needing protection at all.

Who knows what sort of immortal this master is?

Observing Duanmu Huai, swaying atop Pegasus, Sun Wukong contemplated inwardly. He was aware of Duanmu Huai’s abilities—when angered, he could change the weather, making gods and ghosts flee, hardly inferior to the Jade Emperor or Tathagata. He had been subduing demons and purging calamities along the way; although sometimes brutal, he never harmed the innocent. In Monkey’s view, this man must be an extraordinary immortal. Yet, what piqued Sun Wukong’s curiosity was, although well-informed when in the Celestial Realm and having many connections, he had never heard of this man. Even more puzzling was his intent to storm Spirit Mountain for the scriptures, looking ready to kill....

At this thought, Sun Wukong scratched his head.

Could it be that he had followed the wrong person? This wasn’t the Monk Tang who was journeying to the Western Paradise?

Well, whatever.

After thinking it over, Sun Wukong decided to set this concern aside. After all, Guanyin simply told him to protect Monk Tang on the pilgrimage to the Western Paradise. As his master said, as long as the scriptures were obtained, how they were obtained doesn’t matter, especially since no one clearly told him whether to walk, kneel, or run to get them when they trapped him under Five Fingers Mountain, right?

This Monkey has always been mischievous by nature, and suffering 500 years under Five Fingers Mountain no doubt fueled some resentment. If he had been protecting that feeble monk from the tales, Sun Wukong would have likely kept his grievances to himself. But seeing Duanmu Huai now, Monkey only felt invigorated—he hardly felt his waist ache or his legs pain any longer, even his hands and feet felt more powerful, and wielding the Golden Cudgel, he felt like causing a great uproar in the Western Paradise... Hehe, these Bodhisattvas and Buddhas think they can fool me? They really think I, Old Sun, have no temper?

Back when I couldn’t smash their Western Paradise Buddha hall, now seems like the perfect chance to make up for it!

The two continued their journey westward. If it were any ordinary Monk Tang, this journey might have taken several years. But who could blame the Monkey for taking a Pegasus from the heavens that could travel thousands of miles a day? However, with high mountains and long roads, by dusk, it was still desolate all around.

Just then, Sun Wukong looked up and saw a temple midway up the mountain, clearly visible. With dark vapors swirling around the temple and a chilling breeze, observing this scene made Sun Wukong roll back to Duanmu Huai’s side.

"Master, there is a temple not far off. In my view, it’s likely a demon’s lair. Shall we check it out?"

"Of course, we’re free anyway, no harm in taking a look."

Duanmu Huai showed no fear and, upon hearing Sun Wukong’s words, quickened his steps towards the temple on the mid-slope. As they approached, the trees surrounding the temple were blackened and dead, leaving only dry branches, with occasional crow caws in the distance. Under the dim sunset, the whole temple appeared as if smeared with blood, sending shivers down one’s spine.

So-called withered vines, old trees, crows, small bridges, flowing water, and homesteads.

But that’s all there is to it.

"This place would make a great scene for a ghost movie."

Looking at the dilapidated temple, Duanmu Huai nodded repeatedly. After seeing the plaque above, he couldn’t help but laugh.

"Hey, I didn’t expect this to actually be a film set; that’s really interesting."

To find out what plaque Duanmu Huai saw, and what happens next, stay tuned for the next episode.