Honghuang: Eat a Hunyuan Daluo

Sun Wukong finished his seclusion in the Water Curtain Cave of Flower and Fruit Mountain.

It wasn't that Sun Wukong didn't want to continue his seclusion, but Xuandu told him that the time had come, and the journey to the West would begin in a little over two years, so he should go and find the pilgrim.

Since Sun Wukong had agreed to Xuandu's request, he didn't hesitate any longer and flew directly to the Tang Dynasty. He wanted to see what kind of person this pilgrim was beforehand.

Meanwhile, after regaining his memories, Jin Chanzi struggled with whether to go to the Western Paradise to obtain the scriptures. After a year and a half of deliberation, Jin Chanzi finally decided to go to the Western Paradise to obtain the scriptures, not for the sake of Buddhism, but for his own sake.

The reason he had to think about it for so long was twofold: firstly, Jin Chanzi was genuinely undecided, and secondly, the chickens on the back mountain of Jinshan Temple were so delicious that he couldn't bear to part with them.

The reason that Jin Chanzi finally made up his mind was that he found that he could not break through to the Earth Immortal realm no matter what he did. This was a sign that he was in the midst of a tribulation. If he wanted to break through to the Earth Immortal realm, restore his previous cultivation level, or even go further, there was only one way: to complete the journey to the West to obtain the scriptures.

Having decided to travel west, Jin Chanzi went to the palace to report the matter to Li Shimin and ask for some travel expenses.

Li Shimin readily agreed, not only providing Jin Chanzi with travel expenses but also finding a skilled protector for him.

This man is named Li Ke, and he is only 16 years old this year. It is said that his family has been doing tea business in the Western Regions for many years and rarely returns to the Tang Dynasty. He is very familiar with the westward route.

In addition, he was a very skilled martial artist. Although he had never cultivated, he could easily deal with ordinary demons.

Finally, Jin Chanzi left the palace carrying a small box, followed by Li Ke who was leading two white horses.

The box was carved from a single piece of rosewood. When the box was opened, it was filled with gold and silver ingots, with silver ingots making up 90% and gold only 10%, totaling about 1000 taels.

"His Majesty is truly generous to the master!" Li Ke exclaimed.

"This humble monk once helped Your Majesty resolve some minor troubles. Your Majesty is merely returning the favor. Benefactor Li, is there anything you need to tidy up?"

"No, if it's convenient for you, Master, please send it directly!"

Upon hearing this, Jin Chanzi hung the box on his horse, then mounted it and said, "Brother Li, let's set off!"

Two fine horses galloped away, kicking up clouds of dust on the road before disappearing in the blink of an eye.

After leaving Chang'an, Jin Chanzi and Li Ke traveled westward together.

Six months later, the two men and two horses arrived at the border of the Tang Dynasty. Before them lay a vast expanse of deep mountains and forests. Once they left this forest, they would be leaving the Tang Dynasty.

As the two people and two horses entered the forest, the Buddhist aura began to surge, with a vast golden aura flowing out, seemingly transforming into a boundless ocean.

Such a significant change in fortune naturally caught the attention of all the gods and Buddhas in the heavens, and they realized that the journey to the west had officially begun!

Not long after Jin Chanzi and Li Ke entered the deep mountains and forests, Li Ke suddenly stopped the horses, narrowed his eyes, and said, "Something's not right, something's very wrong. There's a demonic aura here."

"Can Benefactor Li handle this?"

"Judging by its demonic aura, it's just a minor demon. Killing it will be as easy as cutting melons and vegetables." Li Ke's face was full of confidence, but he gripped his sword tightly as he spoke.

The two traveled several more miles when suddenly a series of crackling and tinkling sounds came from the mountains and forests.

Thirty or forty lesser demons emerged from the mountains and surrounded Jin Chanzi and Li Ke with menacing force.

Thirty or forty lesser demons cleared the way, and a majestic tiger spirit emerged. He was imposing and awe-inspiring, with a fierce and imposing appearance, his eyes gleaming with lightning speed, and his voice booming like thunder. He was truly powerful and strong.

Jin Chanzi, mounted on his horse, showed no sign of panic. Instead, he asked with interest, "Benefactor Li, can you handle this?"

Li Ke swallowed hard and said, "I didn't expect there to be so many monsters, but please rest assured, Master, I can handle them!"

After saying this, Li Ke twirled his longsword and charged straight at General Yin.

General Yin licked his lips cruelly, revealing a sinister smile: "Two humans with delicate skin and tender flesh must taste wonderful."

General Yin took out a steel knife and attacked Li Ke. The man and the tiger exchanged dozens of blows in the blink of an eye.

Beads of sweat glistened on Li Ke's forehead and dripped onto the ground.

"When did such powerful monsters appear on the border of the Tang Dynasty? We miscalculated today!" Li Ke was confident that he could hold his own against General Yin, but besides General Yin, there were also thirty or forty lesser demons!

Jin Chanzi is just a weakling; how could he possibly withstand these minor demons?
While Li Ke was holding off General Yin, thirty or forty lesser demons surrounded Jin Chanzi. One of them, a rat demon with a lewd appearance, smiled sinisterly: "You have a road to heaven but choose not to, and you come to hell on your own. Our king loves fresh, steamed tender meat the most. You are a handsome monk with fair skin. You would definitely taste delicious steamed."

Jin Chanzi smiled slightly, dismounted, and said with a laugh, "Then why don't you hurry up and wash this humble monk, steam me, and offer me to your king?"

The rat demon sneered, "You little monk, you're quite sensible. I'll give you a quick death."

After saying this, the rat demon walked up to Jin Chanzi, took out a sharp blade from his bosom, and with lightning speed, stabbed it towards Jin Chanzi's chest.

Jin Chanzi neither dodged nor flinched, but closed his eyes, as if resigned to his fate, letting the rat demon stab him.

On the other side, Li Ke was furious at the sight. He wanted to stop the rat demon from assassinating Jin Chanzi, but he was held back by General Yin and could not break free.

"Crack!" The dagger pierced Jin Chanzi's chest.

The scene of the dagger piercing flesh and heart that Li Ke had imagined did not materialize.

Instead, the dagger seemed to have struck a solid metal wall, producing a crisp sound, before snapping into several pieces to the rat demon's astonishment.

"How...how is this possible?" The rat demon stared wide-eyed at the dagger in his hand, now only the wooden handle remained, his face filled with shock.

Jin Chanzi clasped his hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer: "Amitabha, the monk has taken a blow from you, now it's my turn, little mouse."

Jin Chanzi stretched his body, stretched out his palm, clenched his fingers, then turned around and swung it around, slapping the rat demon squarely across the face.

"Bang!" The rat demon's head was severed, blood gushing out like a fountain. The rat's corpse slammed into the boulder, turning into a pile of minced meat. A pungent, foul stench assaulted the senses, making people want to vomit.

Li Ke, who witnessed this scene from not far away, was so shocked that his mouth dropped open.

Then came a loud clang. Li Ke was so shocked that he lost his grip on the sword, causing it to fall to the ground.

Li Ke rubbed his eyes hard, still unable to believe what he was seeing.

The holy monk of Jinshan Temple, the master whom the Tang Emperor personally ordered to protect, turned out to be a master even more powerful than himself.

Jin Chanzi cracked his knuckles, revealing two rows of white teeth, and smiled slightly, saying, "I didn't want to make a move, but I really have no choice right now." With that, a nine-ringed staff appeared in Jin Chanzi's hand. He weighed it in his hand to adjust to the weight, then immediately charged into the demon horde, like a wolf among sheep, and began to wield his staff with unrestrained power!
The nine-ringed staff was wielded with great force and power. The lesser demons died if they were grazed or injured if they were touched. Once these demons were hit, they couldn't even utter a word before turning into a pile of minced meat!
In just over ten breaths, all the lesser demons had been smashed into a pile of minced meat. A thick, pungent stench filled the air, but Jin Chanzi ignored it, brushing off the bloodstains from his body. He turned to the tiger and said, "You must be some kind of vanguard, right? Do you still want to eat this humble monk's flesh?"

General Yin was terrified by Jin Chanzi's series of methods: "Fellow Daoist, no, senior, immortal, I was wrong, Xiao Hu really knows he was wrong, and will never dare to do it again."

Jin Chanzi smiled and said, "I wonder if you've ever heard a saying?"

"What did you say?" General Yin asked, trembling.

"Kill without mercy, nip it in the bud!" As soon as Jin Chanzi finished speaking, he leaped up, and the nine-ringed staff in his hand grew to thirty meters long in the wind. A terrifying golden light bloomed on it, dazzling and spreading in all directions!
"Fall!" Jin Chanzi swung his nine-ringed staff in mid-air and then smashed it down with the force of thunder. The staff fell with the force of thunder, directly knocking General Yin to the ground.

"Pfft!" A cloud of blood mist slowly rose from the nine-ringed staff. When the staff was lifted again, General Yin had not even left behind his body.

Li Ke was stunned: "This, Your Majesty, are you mistaken? The Holy Monk has such strength, why does he need my protection?"

Li Ke quickly stepped forward, walked to Jin Chanzi's side, and showed admiration on his face: "Where did the Holy Monk learn such supernatural powers?"

Li Ke boasted of his unparalleled swordsmanship, claiming to be invincible throughout Chang'an.

But seeing Jin Chanzi in action today, I realized that there are always people more capable than you, and the sky is always higher than the heavens.

Jin Chanzi smiled and shook his head: "They're just some farmers, Benefactor Li, the battle isn't over yet."

"It's not over yet?" Li Ke asked in confusion. "Weren't they all killed by the Holy Monk?"

Jin Chanzi glanced at Li Ke and said calmly, "The physical body is dead, but the primordial spirit is still there, and the true spirit can be reincarnated and cultivated again. What if, after reincarnation, by chance, he regains his memories of his previous life and comes to seek revenge on this poor monk?"

Li Ke stared in disbelief: "Yes, what should we do then?"

Jin Chanzi smiled slightly, "That's natural. Prevention is better than cure. We should nip anything that could threaten us in the bud!"

After saying this, Jin Chanzi sat cross-legged, and chanting hymns rang out from his mouth, thus liberating the souls of all the little demons.

Li Ke's lips twitched, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

After doing all this, Jin Chanzi slowly opened his eyes and looked into the depths of the forest.

The ground shook violently the next second, and before Li Ke could react, a humanoid monster appeared in front of them.

Li Ke was immediately drenched in sweat. It was actually a humanoid monster. It was said that once a monster cultivated into human form, it could fly and escape into the earth like an immortal in the heavens, and possessed all kinds of supernatural powers and magic.

How could Li Ke, a mere mortal, possibly handle a humanoid monster?
Jin Chanzi glanced at the monster and thought, "It's actually a true immortal. Are there true immortal-level monsters within the Tang Dynasty? Or is this the so-called 81 tribulations?"

"Are you Tang Sanzang?" the demon asked, his eyes shining as he looked at Jin Chanzi.

"If you're referring to Tang Sanzang as the monk who traveled from the Tang Dynasty to the Western Paradise to obtain Buddhist scriptures, then that's me."

"Great! I'm going to eat you so I can live forever!"

Jin Chanzi shook his head and said, "You've been fooled. I'm just a mortal. Eating me won't make you immortal."

The monster, however, seemed not to hear and charged towards Jin Chanzi.

Li Ke drew his sword, wanting to fight alongside Jin Chanzi, but Jin Chanzi chanted a Buddhist prayer, then clasped his hands together and closed his eyes.

"Holy Monk, you won't give up, will you? No! Please!"

Before Li Ke could finish speaking, a crisp sound of metal clashing together rang out.

The monster was immediately blasted away. Jin Chanzi opened his eyes and saw a monkey with a hairy face and a thunder god's mouth in front of him.

The monkey's eyes gleamed with golden light, as bright as the sun, and its cultivation was unfathomable. Jin Chanzi was certain that the monkey's realm was stronger than his own at its peak.

"Who are you?" Jin Chanzi asked.

"The one who will escort you to the Western Paradise to retrieve the scriptures."

As the two were talking, the monster that had been knocked away suddenly returned and charged at them like a madman.

Sun Wukong sighed and said, "Isn't it good to be alive?"

After saying this, a golden light flashed in Sun Wukong's eyes, and he gently spun the golden cudgel in his hand, creating a whistling sound that seemed to tear even the air apart.

Although the demon was a true immortal, it seemed powerless against Sun Wukong. Its frantically charging figure suddenly stopped, and a trace of fear flashed in its eyes.

The golden cudgel had transformed into a streak of golden light, swift as lightning, striking directly at the monster's chest.

The monster hurriedly raised its hand, trying to summon protective demonic energy, but the demonic energy was crushed to pieces by the power of the golden cudgel as soon as it took shape.

With a loud "bang," the monster was struck head-on by the golden cudgel and flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing through several towering ancient trees before slamming into the distant mountain rocks, kicking up clouds of dust.

The ground cracked, rocks flew everywhere, and the entire forest seemed to tremble under the blow.

Li Ke's eyes widened, and he could barely hold onto his sword. He muttered, "This...this monkey's strength with a single blow is terrifying?"

Jin Chanzi slightly opened his eyes, his gaze calmly fixed on the smoke and dust, as if observing whether the monster still had any strength left.

Sun Wukong shouldered his golden cudgel and flashed to the spot where the monster had fallen.

The monster had half its body embedded in the rock, its breath weak, black blood spilling from the corner of its mouth, and its human-shaped face contorted with terror in its eyes.

"Monkey... Monkey King, spare me!" the monster struggled to speak, his voice trembling.

"I, Old Sun, have already spared you once." After saying this, Sun Wukong raised his golden cudgel high, and the cudgel shone with golden light, just like the blazing sun in the sky.

The monster roared in despair, trying to transform into black mist to escape, but the golden cudgel fell, bringing with it an invisible pressure that sealed off the spiritual energy within a radius of several miles, leaving the monster no chance to escape.

Boom! Another deafening roar echoed as the golden cudgel crashed down, creating a deep crater in the ground. The monster didn't even have time to scream before it turned into dust and vanished with the wind. Only a wisp of smoke remained in the crater, proof that it had once existed. (End of Chapter)