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Chapter 101 I'll Hit You!

Dust billowed at the newly chosen site of the new village. Under the watchful eyes of the two boys, Jinlu and Yinlu, a group of laborers were sweating profusely as they dismantled and moved away the foundation that had just been built the day before, along with the prepared wood and stone materials.

The boy with the silver furnace clutched his jade bottle, his face scrunched up with heartache, muttering repeatedly, "Such a fine estate...such fine land...what a waste..."

Although the boy with the golden furnace also had a tense expression, his eyes tried hard to maintain the certainty that "listening to Mr. Chen is the right thing to do."

"Huh? Where's that slovenly old Taoist priest?"

The Silver Furnace Boy suddenly noticed that someone was missing. He looked around and asked, "Mr. Chen, where did the old Taoist priest who came with you go?"

Chen Guangrui glanced in the direction of Gao Laozhuang and said in a flat tone, "He has his own things to do, he's gone."

"Hmph, gotta run off fast!" Silver Furnace Boy snorted in dissatisfaction, immediately putting the old Taoist priest out of his mind. His primary concern now was his beloved estate.
"Hey, Chen Guangrui, the village has been demolished, completely cleaned up! When are you going to kick that old man Gao out? Look over there."

He pointed with his little finger to the peaceful and tranquil Gao Lao Zhuang not far away, his voice rising eight octaves, filled with disbelief and grievance.

"Zhu Ganglie is still happily playing the role of his 'good son-in-law' and 'mighty king' inside. Judging from this, that old man Gao treats him very well, without the slightest sign of turning against him. Our village... wasn't it all for nothing?"

Upon hearing this, the Golden Furnace Boy immediately frowned and sternly reprimanded the Silver Furnace.

"Silver Furnace, stop talking nonsense! Mr. Chen has his own plans, how can you presume to guess them? I told you to wait patiently, so just wait patiently."

He straightened his small frame, looking ahead with a determined gaze, displaying an air of absolute certainty towards Chen Guangrui's orders.

Yes, although she had her doubts.

Chen Guangrui simply looked in the direction of the manor, unmoved by the silver furnace's accusations and anger. "Hmm, it's been demolished. What, are you afraid it won't work anymore?"

These words were like a spark falling into a hot oil pan. The Silver Furnace Boy jumped up, his face flushed, clutching the bottle, ready to lash out at Chen Guangrui, "You…"

He almost blurted out the word "white," wanting to say that he had tricked them into demolishing the building for nothing, but Jinlu Tongzi quickly covered his mouth.

"Waaaah..." The Silver Furnace Boy rolled his eyes back as he was being covered, while the Golden Furnace Boy continued to cover him tightly while scolding him with a stern face.
"Shut up and stay put. If you say another word, I'll tell the ancestor!"

Just as the three were awkwardly pulling at each other, a burly figure appeared on the ridge of the field not far away, carrying a rake, looking furtive, and trying to slip past along the corner of the wall. Who else could it be but Zhu Ganglie?

"Pigsy!" Although his mouth was covered, Silver Furnace Boy's eyes were sharp. He mumbled a cry, broke free from Golden Furnace's hand, pointed in that direction, and shouted, "He's trying to escape!"

Following the finger of the Silver Furnace Boy, Zhu Ganglie, who was just carrying a rake and heading this way, has now turned around and run away. What else could he be doing but trying to slip away?
"Trying to run away?" The Golden Furnace Boy's eyes sharpened, and he immediately understood Pigsy's intention. "Grab him!"

Before the words were even finished, two small figures instantly transformed into streaks of light, and with a "whoosh," like eagles catching chicks, they landed precisely in front of and behind Zhu Ganglie, trapping him firmly in the middle of the field ridge.

Zhu Bajie, carrying his rake, was about to slip past Chen Guangrui and the others back to the village when he was suddenly blocked in his path, startling him. Upon recognizing Chen Guangrui and the two little devils, an embarrassed yet obsequious grin immediately appeared on his large, black-haired face. He scratched his enormous, protruding ears.
"Hehe... Mr. Chen, what are you two celestial children doing here?"

Chen Guangrui did not speak.

The Golden Furnace Boy stood with his hands on his hips, his little face as serious as an iron plate. "Why are you hiding when you see us?"

"Hiding? No... I didn't hide!" Pigsy denied it outright, but his eyes darted around.

"Old Pig, I just... um, suddenly remembered there's still a plot of land at the east end of the village that hasn't been plowed! I have to hurry back and finish it; the farmhands are all waiting. If we're late, Master Gao will be unhappy..."

As he spoke, he tried to slip away, bypassing the boy.

"Pah! I'd never believe you!" The Silver Furnace Boy jumped in front of him angrily, shaking the bottle in his hand.
“You saw us, remembered that Xinzhuangzi was demolished, felt guilty, and were afraid that we would come after you.”

"Oh dear, Immortal Child, you've been wronged!" Pigsy quickly waved his hands and bowed to Chen Guangrui.
"Mr. Chen, you are wise. I am truly grateful to you from the bottom of my heart. If it weren't for your brilliant plan, hehe, Gao Cuilan... tsk tsk, she would have become my wife."

Mentioning Gao Cuilan, his small eyes lit up with pride. "Sir, you are truly talented! This idea saved me from so many detours. How could I forget your great kindness!"

His words were sincere, and it was clear that he was genuinely grateful to Chen Guangrui for helping him devise a plan to "trick" Gao Laozhuang and Gao Cuilan.

"Then why are you going back to Gao Village?" Jinlu Tongzi asked coldly.

"Well... there's work to be done in the village!" Pigsy said with a forced smile, his large, fan-like ears twitching. "The farmhands are all waiting for me to do some work! And... hehe, Miss Cuilan is waiting for me to carry the load!"

The more he talked, the more he felt that things would get worse if he didn't leave soon. He cupped his hands in greeting to Chen Guangrui and the two boys, "Sir, Immortal Boys, you go ahead with your business. I really have to go back! Farewell, farewell!"

After saying that, he shouldered his rake, took big strides, and almost ran for his life towards Gao Village. His back looked as if he was afraid that if he was a step too slow, Jin Lu and Yin Lu would put him in a bottle again.

"You, you're going to be the death of me!" Silver Furnace Boy watched Pigsy run off into the distance, stamping his feet in anger.
"Did you see that? Ah, Chen Guangrui, did you see that? He was so smug when he went back to Gao Village, getting along so well with Old Man Gao's family! Calling her 'Miss Cuilan' and 'Master Gao' all the time, not showing the slightest bit of animosity!" He vented all his anger on Chen Guangrui, his face flushed red, pointing at the foundation that had just been reduced to a pile of rubble.

"Now look what's happened! The manor was demolished for nothing! It can't be rebuilt! The pigs weren't even released! I... I have nothing to brag about anymore! Tell me, were you lying to us?"

Chen Guangrui looked calmly in the direction of Gao Village. In response to Yinlu Tongzi's excited questioning, he simply said, "Don't rush."

Humming a little tune, Zhu Bajie carried his rake and strode briskly back to the gate of Gao Village. He was happily planning what sweet things to say to Miss Cuilan when he saw her. But as soon as he entered the village, the atmosphere became a little awkward.

At this time of day, the farmers should be busy in the fields, and the village should be quiet and peaceful.

Today, however, the manor was filled with people, and the atmosphere was tense. Many servants gathered together, holding pitchforks and hoes, whispering among themselves. More importantly, his future father-in-law, Grandpa Gao, had a face ashen as if it had been painted with soot, and he was standing in front of the main hall, gesturing wildly.

"Quickly, quickly, bolt the front and back doors, splatter the black dog's blood on the threshold, and get the peach wood sword ready!"

Pigsy's heart skipped a beat; his initial lightness vanished instantly. He strode forward and asked in a gruff voice,

"Sir, what's going on? Are there rats in the village?"

Upon hearing the sound, Gao Taigong turned around abruptly. Seeing Zhu Ganglie's face, instead of his usual smile, he looked as if he'd been bitten by a snake, taking a step back in terror and pointing at Zhu Ganglie in a shrill voice.

"Hey! You monster! I... I treated you with sincerity, letting you work as a farmhand in my house for several years, never deducting a single penny from your wages, and even... I even promised to marry my daughter to you, but who knew... who knew you would turn out to be a malevolent monster who harms people. That cat demon the other day was clearly the trouble you brought, you ruined the feng shui of this village!"

This sudden turn of events and accusation struck Zhu Bajie like a bolt from the blue. His black-haired face was initially stunned, and then a surge of anger at being deceived and wronged rushed straight to the top of his head.

"Old Gao, you're talking nonsense!" Pigsy was furious, his voice booming so loudly it echoed throughout the village. His black fur stood on end in anger. He swung his rake, pointed it at Old Gao's nose, and began to hurl insults.
"When I, Old Pig, was a marshal in heaven, you old dog were still nowhere to be found. I, Old Pig, didn't look down on your poor Gao Village. With a sincere heart, I worked my butt off for several years, turning your dilapidated land into a bountiful harvest! Your granaries and oil jars were overflowing! Wasn't every bushel of grain and every inch of land in your family earned through my hard work and struggle? Huh?"

He grew angrier and angrier as he spoke, slamming his massive rake down hard on the ground, creating a deep crater.
"I, Old Pig, have worked from dawn till dusk, carrying manure for your family, cultivating the land, and reclaiming wasteland. I've broken over a hundred carrying poles and worn out countless pairs of straw sandals. All the manure in your Gao Village was poured out by me, Old Pig, scoop by scoop, to create this golden harvest."

"You've got it all figured out. Now that life's good and the granaries are overflowing, you're complaining that I, Old Pig, am a monster? You heartless old thing, when you were begging me to stay on your knees, did you forget that I was a monster?"

"Explain yourself clearly. Did I, Old Pig, eat an extra grain of your coarse rice at your house? Or wear an extra piece of your tattered clothes? I, Old Pig, eat the grain I grow myself and put my strength into my own land. It's clearly you, you old dog, who discard me after I've served my purpose, who crosses the river and burns the bridge. Do you think I, Old Pig, have too much of a appetite?"

"You...you still want to use force? Try touching me today and see what happens! I've hired a master!"

Old Master Gao knew he was in the wrong, but he couldn't care less at this point. He was sprayed with spittle, and both shocked and frightened, he hid behind several servants, his voice trembling.

"Quickly...quickly capture this monster! Wizards! Wizards, quickly cast a spell!"

Before the words were even finished, the few half-baked monks and Taoists that Gao Taigong had invited, who seemed to have gotten their courage from nowhere, brandished peach wood swords, splashed black dog blood, shook bells, and chanted incantations as they charged at Zhu Ganglie.

"Aaaaah, I'm so angry!" Pigsy was so furious that he felt a surge of anger rising to the top of his head.

He hadn't expected that Old Master Gao would turn on him so ruthlessly.

"I'm going to do whatever I want to you!" he roared, revealing his enormous pig demon form!

Suddenly, his body grew several feet taller, his head became like a small mountain, his mouth like a blood basin, his two fangs protruded like halberds, his black hair stood on end like steel needles, his fan-like ears fanned the wind, and the rake in his hand instantly swelled up, gleaming with a chilling light!

With a "boom!" a rake swept across, and the few sorcerers pretending to be masters of magic were sent flying, along with their magical artifacts, their screams cut short. The servants who had been surrounding them were terrified and scattered in all directions, crying and screaming.

Grandpa Gao was so terrified by this sudden turn of events and the enormous, ferocious boar demon's true form that he fainted instantly. The entire Gao Village descended into chaos, filled with wailing and howling.

"Get out of the way, all of you!" Although Pigsy attacked, he didn't kill them; he just scared them away.

Finally, he stared intently at the direction of the embroidered pavilion in the backyard. Only one thought remained in his mind: "Cuilan! My Cuilan!"

The enormous demonic body smashed through the artificial hills and trees blocking its way. Zhu Ganglie rushed to the backyard in a few steps, and with a swipe of his huge pig hoof, he smashed through the gate of the embroidered tower!

Amidst screams and cries, he lifted the panicked and pale-faced Gao Cuilan up like a chick and tucked her under his arm!
"Don't be afraid, my wife! I, Pigsy, am not keeping this old bastard here anymore. I'll take you back to Fuling Mountain!" Pigsy yelled at Gao Cuilan, who was nearly fainting from fright in his arms.

"I, Old Pig, will take you away to find a good place to live a carefree and happy life!"

Having said that, he ignored the grieving villagers of Gao Village and the unconscious Gao Taigong. His massive body, carrying the bride he had snatched, stirred up a gust of wind and soared into the air with a whoosh. He flew over the courtyard wall and disappeared into the distance towards Yunzhan Cave, leaving behind only the devastation of Gao Village and the cries of the villagers.

At that very moment, in the Gao family's courtyard, amidst the chaos of the crowd, a figure began to slip away towards the accounting office.

(End of this chapter)