The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 265 - 239: Reunion of Buddhism and Daoism at Wuzhuang Temple_2

Chapter 265: Chapter 239: Reunion of Buddhism and Daoism at Wuzhuang Temple_2

Wukong sat in meditation for many days. When the two Taoist Boys saw that the pepinos had been stolen, they naturally came to confront Tang Sanzang and refused to let him leave.

Feeling helpless, Tang Sanzang wanted to ask Wukong for help, but seeing him deep in meditation, he refrained from disturbing him. Zhu Bajie and Monk Sha, having witnessed Wukong enter his meditative state, dared not interrupt either. When Tang Sanzang accepted them as disciples, they had almost been turned into mincemeat by Wukong’s staff, so they still harbored a sense of fear towards him.

Tang Sanzang inquired, "What should we do about this? You’ve stolen their fruit, and now they refuse to let us go, insisting on waiting for their master to return and deal with this matter justly!"

Zhu Bajie shifted the blame, "Those fruits were all thrown by Mr. Monkey, and they have nothing to do with me! Monk Sha knows as well that this was all Wukong’s doing alone, it has nothing to do with us!"

Sighing, Tang Sanzang said, "We, as monks, should not indulge in carnal desires! ’Form is emptiness!’ These are all but illusions; the body is merely a stinking skin sack. Why bother with it?"

Monk Sha then said, "Master, it is our fault for lacking restraint. We heard that eating a single pepino fruit could extend life by forty-eight thousand years, so we couldn’t help ourselves! Next time we will be more careful and not cause trouble for you, master."

Tang Sanzang snorted, wanting to scold them, but he swallowed his words. Now they were caught red-handed; there was no escape. He wondered how Zhen Yuanzi would decide on the matter upon his return.

At that moment, Zhen Yuanzi had already descended from the Upper Pure Heaven. Learning that Wukong was in seclusion, he smacked his forehead and decided to take matters into his own hands.

Zhen Yuanzi arrived at the rear courtyard and stood before the pepino fruit tree. With a gentle call and a breath, he toppled the tree, uprooting it, and laid it flat on the ground.

Zhen Yuanzi felt a pang of sorrow thinking, "This is a treasure of Heaven and Earth’s Spiritual Roots. If the Buddhist sect cannot save it, I hope my master can fully revive it. Otherwise, it will be a great loss!"

Zhen Yuanzi, who was quite destitute, relied on the pepino fruits to earn some Cultivation resources. Many sought after this treasure. If he exchanged it, it would be popular.

However, as the Leader of the Heaven-Penetrating Sect, who was also revered as the Spiritual Treasure Celestial Venerable, had obtained countless treasures on his visit to the Upper Pure Heaven. He had rewarded most of his disciples with them, and kept some handy ones for himself. After all, being in West Cow He State, one needs some means to stand ground; the stronger one’s self-preservation ability, the better.

Zhen Yuan Immortal toppled the pepino fruit tree and stomped on the ground, instantly shaking the Lord of the Land out of the earth.

"Ha, Great Immortal Zhen Yuan, what brings you to seek out this humble one? I will heed your instruction!" The Local Deity said, bowing and scraping.

The Local Deity, a mere Yin God, was not under the Heavenly Court’s jurisdiction but rather governed by the Underworld, not much different from other Fur Gods like the ox-heads and horse-faces. His status was not high, a mere subsistence. With Zhen Yuanzi’s profound mana, the Local Deity dare not neglect the Great Immortal, fearing a casual flick could turn him to ash.

The Great Immortal asked, "Did you see who knocked down my pepino fruit tree?"

The Local Deity replied, "Wasn’t it the Great Immortal who just cast a spell to topple it himself?"

Zhen Yuanzi shook his head, "No, no! It was Sun Wukong from the group of four disciples of Tang Sanzang who knocked it down. Did you know that?"

Startled, the Local Deity realized this was a setup. However, he dared not interfere, for the Great Immortal was the revered Ancestral Earth Immortal, a formidable figure capable of establishing a sect and propagating The Way of the Dao in West Cow He State—one whom he could not provoke. With a mind’s turn, he nodded repeatedly, "I know, I know! That Rowdy Monkey is very naughty; causing Havoc in Heaven wasn’t enough, he even dared to harm your pepino fruit tree. He must be strictly dealt with, strictly indeed!"

Zhen Yuanzi smiled, "You’re quite sharp. Let’s settle it this way. My pepino fruit tree was toppled by Sun Wukong, who once caused Havoc in Heaven. Go and spread the word; say that I intend to refine Tang Sanzang into vital essence to revive my tree!"

The Local Deity shivered, "Alright, alright, I’ll go now. Just wait here, Great Immortal."

The Great Immortal turned somber, "Make sure you don’t go around gossiping, or else, be careful not to find yourself chasing pies in the sky."

The Local Deity felt a chill down his spine, feeling as if two massive mountains weighed upon him when that gaze fell on him. He hastily said, "This humble one dares not speak out of turn. I will only convey what the Great Immortal has instructed. Rest assured, Great Immortal, rest assured!"

Zhen Yuanzi said dismissively, "Go on then! Spread the word quickly. It’s time for me to demonstrate my divine power."

No sooner had the Local Deity left than Yin Xi, the Patriarch of the Louguan Sect, came to visit. Zhen Yuanzi joyfully said, "Yin Xi, your timing couldn’t be better!"

Yin Xi asked, "How could it be bad timing? Could it be the Great Immortal is unwilling to receive an old friend at this hour?"

Zhen Yuanzi responded, "Not at all, not at all! You come to visit, and I have no pepinos to offer. Earlier, that Rowdy Monkey, Sun Wukong, who once caused Havoc in Heaven, knocked down my fruit tree. I have no choice now but to refine Tang Sanzang."

Yin Xi then asked, "How could that Rowdy Monkey be so troublesome, toppling the Heaven and Earth Spirit Root? Whatever shall we do?"

The Zhen Yuan Immortal laughed, "Refining you should do the trick!"

With a flash of cold light in his eyes, the Great Immortal released his horsetail whisk, which immediately transformed into a waterfall-like cascade. Every thread as sharp as steel needles seemed poised to penetrate Yin Xi’s body! Yin Xi, startled, swiftly mounted the Auspicious Clouds and fled skyward. But with a flick of his whisk, Zhen Yuanzi sent its strands chasing persistently after Yin Xi, covering the sky and overwhelming