I am submissive in Journey to the West, I strike hard at the gods

"Tonight we pray to the stars for blessings, and beseech the Three Pure Ones to protect us, so that our Taoist sect may prosper forever!"

Tiger Power Immortal's voice was like thunder, Deer Power Immortal struck the golden bell, and Sheep Power Immortal sprinkled talismanic water.

The disciples played instruments and sang, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

Sun Wukong sneered: What a wicked Taoist! Using the name of the Three Pure Ones to carry out the destruction of Buddhism! He flew back to the temple, woke up Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, and whispered: "Junior brothers, the Three Pure Ones Temple in the city is offering generous tributes. Those wicked Taoists are busy praying for blessings. It's the perfect time to strike."

Let's go 'borrow' some, just to help our master recover and also to vent our anger for those monks."

Upon hearing this, Pigsy's eyes lit up, and he rubbed his belly, saying, "Second Brother, you should have said so earlier! I, Old Pig, am starving! Come on, come on, there must be some good food among the offerings!"

Sha Wujing nodded calmly: "Elder brother, please make the arrangements. I will accompany you."

Under the cover of night, the three of them quietly slipped out of Zhiyuan Temple and headed straight for Sanqing Temple.

Sun Wukong was in front, using his seventy-two transformations to become a gentle breeze, stirring up the dust at the temple gate and covering his tracks.

Pigsy and Sandy followed closely behind, Pigsy muttering to himself, "Second Brother, this wind is making my nose itchy..."

The prayers in the temple were in full swing, and the disciples were immersed in the incantations.

Sun Wukong landed and appeared, uttering a soft shout: "Raise the wind!"

He plucked a monkey hair, blew a breath of magic air, and instantly a strong wind arose, extinguishing all the candle flames, and the talismans on the altar fluttered in the air.

The disciples cried out in alarm: "A wind demon is causing trouble! Quickly protect the altar!"

The three immortals got up to check, but were blown about by the wind and couldn't examine the situation properly.

Taking advantage of the chaos, the three of them slipped into the rear hall's offering room.

Offerings were piled high in the hall. Pigsy pounced forward, grabbed a honeydew melon, and started eating it: "Wow, so sweet! Second Brother, this place is really nice!"

Sun Wukong stopped him: "Silly pig, don't be in such a hurry."

"Let's change our appearance first, so as not to alert the demonic cultivator."

He transformed into the appearance of Laozi, with a flowing white beard and a whisk in his hand; Sha Wujing transformed into Yuanshi Tianzun, with a jade ruyi in his hand; Zhu Bajie originally wanted to transform into the Tongtian Sect Master, but was glared at by Sun Wukong and had no choice but to reluctantly transform into an ordinary celestial official.

Sun Wukong said, "In that case, we can eat and drink in peace."

Even if those evil Taoist priests came, they wouldn't dare to act rashly.

Upon hearing this, Pigsy was overjoyed.

He looked around and saw that the statues of the Three Pure Ones in the main seat were lifelike. The Supreme Lord Laozi had a kind face, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable was majestic and dignified, and the Tongtian Sect Master had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes.

Suddenly an idea struck him, and he chuckled, "Second Brother, you guys keep eating, I'll go 'invite' three old immortals to join in the fun!"

After saying that, he stepped forward, picked up the statue of Laozi, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and walked out with a pig-like grunt.

Sun Wukong was taken aback: "Bajie, what are you doing? Put it back right now!"

Pigsy shook his head and said, "No way! I don't like this statue of Laozi. I'm going to give it a bath in the latrine!"

He carried the statue and went straight to the latrine behind the temple. He threw it down, and with a splash, the statue fell into the cesspool, splashing up filth.

Pigsy clapped his hands and laughed: "Haha, now it's clean! Next up, Primordial Heavenly Lord!"

Seeing this, Sha Wujing shook his head and sighed, but couldn't help but laugh: "Second Brother, this... is probably going to cause trouble."

Sun Wukong frowned, sensing that something was amiss.

Remembering Jiang Wang's cunning scheme, he hurriedly said, "Stop fooling around. Before eating, we need to test if it's safe."

That Jiang Wang is cunning and shrewd; he might have done something wrong.

He conjured a small mouse from his sleeve and fed it to the offerings one by one.

The melons are fine, the liquor is safe, and the delicacies are safe.

When it was the turn of the basket of bananas, the mouse took a bite, and immediately its limbs stiffened, it rolled over and couldn't move, foaming at the mouth.

"poisonous!"

Pigsy's eyes widened. He had just grabbed a banana and was about to put it in his mouth when he heard this, and his hand trembled, causing the banana to fall to the ground.

He swallowed hard. "That was close! These bananas are so yellow and tempting, who knew they were the devil's messengers?"

Sun Wukong scanned the banana peel with his fiery eyes and indeed saw black energy flowing beneath it: "Great Luo Stiffness Powder! This poison is no ordinary poison; even a Great Luo Golden Immortal would be stiff for seven days if poisoned by it."

It must have been Jiang Wang's doing!

He secretly rejoiced that he had taken precautions and thus avoided this calamity.

Meanwhile, in Chang'an City, Jiang Wang sat alone in a secret room. A light screen appeared in the void in front of him, and the system's cold voice sounded: "Host, side quest triggered: postpone the Journey to the West."

Option 1: Spread rumors that the sorcerers of Chechi Kingdom are secretly supported by Buddhism. Reward: 5000 experience points.

Option 2: Secretly contact the three great immortals, provide them with the secret method to destroy Buddhism, and you will be rewarded with one Primordial Spirit Crystal.

Option 3: Infiltrate the Sanqing Temple and personally poison the offerings. Reward: 10000 experience points and one new supernatural ability.

Jiang Wang frowned and analyzed, "The first option is too vague. Rumors don't travel far, and while experience is reliable, it's lacking."

The second option, Hunyuan Spirit Crystal, is precious, but contacting the demonic cultivator requires revealing oneself, which carries significant risk.

The third option offers the greatest reward, but requires infiltrating enemy territory; a single misstep could mean certain death.

After weighing the options carefully, he sighed and said, "Well, to postpone the journey to the West, we have no choice but to take the risk."

The third option is risky, but if successful, it will solve the problem once and for all.

He stood up, used his invisibility technique, and instantly disappeared to the Sanqing Temple in Chechi Kingdom.

Taking advantage of the chaos of the prayer, he slipped into the offering hall, grabbed a banana, and injected it into the Great Luo Stiffness Powder.

The poison was colorless and odorless; it seeped into the fruit pulp and disappeared instantly.

He sneered, "Sun Wukong, you've fallen for my trap! The journey to the West will have to wait another three months!"

After Jiang Wang fled, the turmoil at the Sanqing Temple gradually subsided.

The three immortals calmed their disciple and relit the candles, unaware that the statue had been desecrated and that the offerings contained a deadly trap.

Tiger Power Immortal frowned and said, "The wind just now must have been caused by evil spirits."

Tomorrow I will submit a memorial to the King, urging him to expedite the suppression of Buddhism.

Sun Wukong and his two companions cleaned up the mess, took the non-poisonous offerings, and quietly retreated back to Zhiyuan Temple.

Pigsy munched on a melon as he walked, muttering, "Second Brother, what a waste of those bananas."

If it weren't poisonous, I, Old Pig, could have eaten a whole basket of them!

Sha Wujing said, "Brother is wise; he was prepared in advance and thus avoided a great disaster."

Sun Wukong nodded, but his heart was heavy: "This Jiang Wang is pressing us relentlessly."

Tomorrow will be the day of direct confrontation with those three evil Taoists.

"I, Old Sun, will risk my life to protect my master on his journey to the West!"

On Mount Ling, the Sage Zhunti closed his eyes to meditate, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Guanyin stood to one side and said softly, "Sage, Jiang Wang is indeed useful."

The calamity that befell Chechi Kingdom has been compounded by another unexpected turn of events.

Zhunti opened his eyes: "That's right."

The debate between Buddhism and Taoism should be this lively, as it always is.

The ordeal of Tang Sanzang is becoming increasingly interesting.

The night was deep in Chechi Kingdom. In the Sanqing Temple, the statues of gods were filthy, and poisonous bananas were hidden inside.

The Lingshan Palace is majestic, and beneath its glazed tiles, lotus flowers bloom, each petal formed from supreme magical power.

The Sage Zhunti was clad in a golden robe, with the Seven Treasures Tree leaning against him. Its branches and leaves swayed gently, faintly revealing the image of the birth and death of the world.

He looked at Guanyin, his voice neither hurried nor slow, yet as serene as the turning of the heavens: "Bodhisattva, you have accompanied Tang Sanzang for many years, do you know his heart?"

Guanyin lowered her head, her willow-leaf eyebrows slightly furrowed: "Master, your heart is as still as water, devoted only to the righteousness of Buddhism."

However, Jiang Wang's actions crossed a line, and may cause him to develop inner demons.

Zhunti laughed loudly: "Inner demons? Those are precisely the best medicine for refining the mind."

Jiang Wang, though not a character in the original story, is like a random piece of chess that stirs up the world.

The eighty-one tribulations were missing a few, but his arrival filled in the gaps.

The matter of abolishing cultivation should be postponed for now.

Go and tell him that Buddhism has its own arrangements.

Guanyin obeyed the order, transforming into a gentle ray of light that swept across the western sky and sea of ​​clouds.

She knew in her heart how much scheming was hidden in this arrangement, and how could Tang Sanzang bear to deceive her with his clear eyes? But for the sake of righteousness, she could only swallow her guilt.

On the western slope, the wind rustles the grass low, and Tang Sanzang sits on his prayer mat, chanting scriptures in a low voice. Sun Wukong leans on his golden cudgel, his monkey eyes scanning the surroundings, while Zhu Bajie burps contentedly, and Sha Wujing adds firewood to the fire.

When Guanyin appeared, the air was filled with the fragrance of lotus flowers. She landed and bowed gracefully: "Master, the Buddha has decreed that the journey to obtain the scriptures is ordained by Heaven. Why doubt it?"

Tang Sanzang stood up, put his hands together, and the doubt in his eyes dissipated like morning mist: "Bodhisattva has shown me that I almost had a worldly desire."

"Continue westward."

A warm feeling welled up in his heart, and he had no doubt about Guanyin's promise.

His peak cultivation level as a Great Luo Immortal made these words feel like sweet rain, washing away the dust.

Sun Wukong squinted and looked closely, his fiery eyes piercing through the golden light, and saw a blue shadow between Guanyin's eyebrows—a sign of her guilty conscience.

He scoffed inwardly: "Bodhisattva, I, Old Sun, have seen through your acting!" But he didn't point it out, only winking at his fellow disciples: "Bear with it, the time isn't right yet."

After setting off, the master and apprentice chatted casually.

Pigsy, carrying his rake, complained, "Master, when will this Journey to the West ever end? I'm so tired of hearing about it."

Sha Wujing advised, "Junior brother, just be patient."

Sun Wukong scouted ahead, but his mind was on Jiang Wang's elusive figure: that fellow must have a backup plan.

At the border of Chechi, the city stands majestically, and the fields outside are golden.

Sun Wukong had extraordinary hearing and could hear the sound of whips and cries from afar.

He transformed into a sparrow and flew away, only to see the monks with bent backs and sweat pouring down their faces, and the Taoists whipping them like snakes, tearing their skin and flesh.

A monk whispered: "Twenty years ago, there was a severe drought. Three immortals, with the help of the Three Pure Ones, summoned clouds and rain, and the people were deeply grateful."

From then on, Taoism flourished, Buddhist temples were burned down, and we became slaves..."

Enraged, Sun Wukong summoned his golden cudgel, unleashing a whirlwind of wind and thunder. The overseer Taoist's head exploded, splattering blood everywhere.

The other Taoist priests were terrified, and Sun Wukong pursued them like a tiger among sheep, his staff flashing and smashing them until their bones were broken and tendons snapped.

With tears in their eyes, the monks knelt and thanked the Great Sage, saying, "Great Sage, you are merciful!"

Tang Sanzang rode up and saw this, and put his palms together and said, "Excellent, excellent."

Wukong, you are protecting the orthodox teachings of Buddhism, and I will naturally support you.

"We will go into the city tomorrow to seek justice for you."

Inside Zhiyuan Temple, the night was cool and still.

The old abbot brewed tea for his guests, and amidst the fragrant aroma, he recounted his bitterness: "The three great immortals, the tiger is incredibly strong, the deer is as swift as lightning, and the sheep is extremely vicious."

They prayed every night for blessings, asking the Three Pure Ones for protection, and piled up offerings like mountains.

We monks have no choice but to eke out a living.

Sun Wukong nodded, unable to sleep that night.

He rose and flew out, and the sounds of sheng and xiao filled the temple. Three great immortals sat on the altar: Tiger Power Immortal's beard and hair were like steel needles, Deer Power Immortal's eyes were like cold stars, and Sheep Power Immortal's tongue spat out blue flames.

The disciple kowtowed, for the banana among the offerings had been infiltrated by the poisonous juice of ginger, awaiting its deadly intent.

Sun Wukong returned to the temple and woke the two men: "Let's move!"

Pigsy leaped up: "There's food? Let's go!"

Sha Wujing silently followed.

As they infiltrated, Sun Wukong unleashed his Wind Spell, throwing the temple into chaos.

The disciple fled in terror, and the three immortals shouted, "What kind of evil wind is this?"

But his robe sleeves were rolled up and fluttered.

Inside the offering hall, the candlelight flickered red.

Pigsy grabs a melon and gnaws on a fruit, juice splashing everywhere: "Awesome!"

Sun Wukong transformed into Laozi and waved his whisk: "Hold on."

Sha Wujing transformed into a celestial being, exuding an awe-inspiring aura.

Pigsy got excited and carried the statue to the latrine. He got splattered with filth and laughed, "Laojun, let's take a bath!"

Sun Wukong couldn't stop him and thought to himself: This pig has caused trouble! When testing the offerings, the rat was munching on a banana and stood frozen like a wooden sculpture.

Pigsy exclaimed in lingering fear, "Second Brother was incredibly resourceful!"

Sun Wukong said, "Jiang Wang's poison is specifically effective against the Great Luo Immortals."

Luckily, I, Old Sun, was overthinking things.

Jiang Wang was in Chang'an, in a dark, secluded room with flickering light.

He muttered to himself, "The third option is risky enough."

"Let the journey to the West proceed slowly; that way, my plans will be more stable."

When injecting the poison, his fingers trembled slightly, but he gritted his teeth and succeeded.

When he escaped back, he was unaware that Sun Wukong had already broken the trap.

On the way back to the temple, Pigsy munched on a melon and said, "Those bananas almost killed me!"

Sha Wujing said, "Eldest brother, the evil Taoist will surely be angry tomorrow."

Sun Wukong gripped his staff: "Anger? I couldn't be happier."

"In Chechi Kingdom, in this battle between Buddhism and Taoism, I, Sun Wukong, have arrived!"

Lingshan, Zhunti opened his eyes: "Interesting variables."

"Guanyin, go and see if Tang Sanzang has made any unusual moves."

Guanyin agreed, her heart filled with overwhelming guilt: "Master, I'm so sorry..." In Chechi Kingdom, the night wind was bleak.

Sanqing Temple: statues filled with excrement, bananas containing poison.

The pilgrimage team faces another tribulation, and Sun Wukong's eyes burn with fierce fighting spirit.

Tomorrow, the bloody battle will begin!
The next morning, as the first rays of dawn appeared, the bells of Zhiyuan Temple rang out melodiously.

After finishing his morning prayers, Tang Sanzang summoned the monks: "Don't panic, everyone. Your master and disciples will uphold justice for you."

The monks wept and bowed, saying, "Great kindness from the Dharma Master!"

Sun Wukong and his two companions returned last night. Zhu Bajie was sleeping like a log, even dreaming of chewing on a honeydew melon.

Sun Wukong sat cross-legged on the rooftop, his staff casting a shadow in the moonlight, lost in thought: Jiang Wang's choice to poison the bananas must have been driven by the system.

But how could he know the tribute would end up in my hands? Hmph, he's scheming at every step, how could I, Old Sun, fall for it? Pigsy woke up, rubbed his eyes and said, "Second Brother, the wind was really strong last night! Those tributes tasted really good, except for the bananas... oh dear, I almost messed things up."

Sha Wujing, while cooking porridge, said, "Junior brother, fortunately, our senior brother has a rat to test for poison."

Otherwise, if one is poisoned by the Stiffening Powder and remains stiff for seven days, what will happen when the evil Taoist attacks?

Sun Wukong nodded: "Exactly."

That poison was of the Great Luo level, and ordinary elixirs could not cure it.

Jiang Wang's move was extremely insidious.

But little did he know, I, Old Sun, have discerning eyes and have long recognized the demonic aura.

Jiang Wang of Chang'an practiced his martial arts at dawn, and the system light screen disappeared.

He muttered to himself, "Mission accomplished, experience gained."

If the journey to the West is delayed, the Buddhist sect's plans will be disrupted, and I will have an opportunity to take advantage of it.

Little did they know, Sun Wukong had already broken through.

At dawn at the Sanqing Temple, a disciple exclaimed in alarm, "Where are the statues?!"

The three immortals arrived and found the latrine filthy and the statue floating in the water. Tiger Power Immortal roared, "Who did this?!"

Deer Spirit sniffed the offerings: "The banana smell is off!"

The Great Immortal Yangli sneered, "It must be that bald monk on his pilgrimage! The wind that rose last night must have been the monkey demon!"

They reported this to the king, who was furious: "Capture the traitors immediately! The Daoist tradition cannot be desecrated!"

Sun Wukong had already heard the news.

When the master and his apprentice entered the city, the people gathered around, pointing and gossiping.

Pigsy whispered, "Second Brother, trouble is coming."

Sun Wukong gripped his staff: "Come on, I'm waiting!"

Ever since Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, saw through the strange banana trick, a surge of anger rose within him. (End of Chapter)