Start with Xu Xian and quickly master the mythology!

Chapter 129 The Calamity of Wuzhuang Temple

Buzhou Mountain.

Xu Xian and Zhenyuan Daxian enjoyed tea and discussed philosophy, having a very pleasant time together.

Xu Xian looked at the ancestor of the earth immortals with an air of otherworldly grace before him, took a sip of fragrant tea, and chuckled inwardly.

Zhenyuan Daxian appeared calm and collected, but in reality, his mind was already preoccupied with the affairs of Wuzhuang Temple.

As one of the most powerful beings in the world, how difficult it must be for Zhenyuan Daxian to advance further?

Therefore, upon hearing about the eastward transmission of Mahayana Buddhism, Zhenyuan Daxian decisively chose to place his bet!

He wanted to establish a karmic connection with Patriarch Bodhi through Sun Wukong.

Then, through the calamity at Wuzhuang Temple, they gained favors from the Heavenly Court and Mount Ling.

Only in this way can Zhenyuan Daxian truly gain the opportunity to advance further.

Therefore, even while he was enjoying tea and discussing philosophy with Xu Xian, his mind had already flown back to Wuzhuang Temple.

Fortunately, with cultivation at the level of Zhenyuan Daxian, multitasking is no problem at all.

Even though his mind was preoccupied, he still did not show any abnormality.

Xu Xian, of course, wouldn't expose it; he could only wait and see how Zhenyuan Daxian would break the deadlock.

According to the original story, Guanyin Bodhisattva would personally come to Wuzhuang Temple to revive the ginseng fruit tree.

But in fact, the ginseng fruit tree, as the spiritual root that created the world, is not something that Monkey King can shake.

It was all just a show.

Xu Xian invited Zhenyuan Daxian at this time because he actually wanted to play a role in the play, in order to prepare for the opportunity to hear about the Hunyuan Dao Fruit later.

"Fellow Daoist, please have some tea."

Xu Xian then offered him another cup of Enlightenment Tea, and the two chatted freely and comfortably.

Qingfeng and Mingyue looked at the ginseng fruit, their mouths watering.

"We'll eat it ourselves; it won't be a waste of Master's good intentions!"

Having said that, the two boys no longer yielded. They took the jade tray, turned around, and quickly walked into the side room, closing the door behind them.

A soft chewing sound came from inside the room.

In no time, the two ginseng fruits were eaten clean by the two children, one for each of them.

Under the eaves outside the hall, Pigsy was dozing against a vermilion pillar, but his nose was unusually sensitive.

The intoxicating and captivating fragrance wafted over, and he suddenly jolted awake, his fat ears twitching.

He tiptoed quietly, his plump body pressed against the crack in the side room window, squinting one eye as he peeked inside.

At a glance, one could see Qingfeng and Mingyue, two children, holding the fairy fruit that resembled children, chewing it with gusto, and the fragrance of the fruit filled the air.

He was so tempted that he scratched his head and drooled, which dripped from the corners of his mouth onto his clothes without him even noticing.

After the two children finished eating, they wiped their mouths and walked out of the side room. Pigsy quickly ran back to Monkey King's side.

She tugged at his sleeve, lowered her voice, and scratched her head in frustration.

"Monkey King! Monkey King! Did you see that?"

"Those two little Taoist boys were secretly hiding in the house, stealing good food!"

"It looks exactly like a doll, and smells so good it could steal your soul! It must be a treasure that grants immortality!"

Sun Wukong glanced at him, couldn't help but chuckle, and said lightly, "You fool, you have a keen sense of smell. That's a ginseng fruit, the innate spiritual root of the ancestor of earth immortals. Eating it will grant you immortality."

"Your master is foolish. He mistook the food for a child and refused to eat it, thus giving it away to those two boys for nothing."

Upon hearing the words "ginseng fruit," Pigsy became even more anxious, stamping his feet and pounding his chest in frustration.

"Oh dear! What a pity! What a waste! That's a once-in-a-lifetime treasure! How can we let it slip by?"

"Brother Monkey, you are incredibly powerful, possessing seventy-two transformations and the ability to become invisible. Quickly go to the backyard and steal a few so that I, Old Pig, can have a taste!"

"If Master doesn't eat, wouldn't it be wonderful if we brothers shared it?"

Sun Wukong was naturally mischievous and had a certain curiosity about this innate spirit.

With Bajie's persistent pleading, his mischievous nature was aroused, and he immediately nodded in agreement.

"Alright! I'll go steal a few and share them with you and Junior Brother Sha, so we can also taste what the spiritual root of the ancestor of earth immortals is like!"

Having said that, Sun Wukong swayed, made an invisibility spell, transformed into an invisible golden light, and silently slipped out of the main hall.

Avoiding the two children, Qingfeng and Mingyue, they headed straight for the ginseng fruit tree in the backyard.

The ginseng fruit orchard in the backyard of Wuzhuang Temple.

The garden gate was tightly closed, with a copper lock engraved with "Innate Spiritual Root" hanging on it.

Sun Wukong, hidden in the golden light, flicked his fingertips lightly.

The copper lock clicked to the ground, then fell silent.

He pushed open the door and entered, and a rich aura of innate spiritual energy rushed towards him.

The spiritual energy is as rich and pure as honey that cannot be dissolved, carrying the refreshing coolness of grass and trees. Taking a breath of it makes your internal organs feel as if they have been washed by a clear spring.

The soil in the garden is the sacred soil of Kunlun, spread out as smooth as a mirror.

The area was surrounded by jade railings, engraved with runes of a mountain-protecting formation. The railings shimmered with a faint light, yet they could not stop the Great Sage Equaling Heaven from his steps.

The ginseng fruit tree in the very center is indeed a unique spiritual root in the world.

The trunk is over ten spans in circumference, and the bronze-colored bark is covered with patterns that resemble coiled dragons or the movement of a galaxy.

Every line of the texture tells a story of the vicissitudes of time.

Three thousand six hundred golden leaves, each the size of a palm, with veins as clear as golden threads.

The leaves overlapped layer upon layer, blocking out the sun and making the whole garden cool and shady.

Sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves, sifting out fine golden rays that fall to the ground and condense into fleeting streaks.

Ginseng fruits dot the branches and leaves.

Each one was less than a foot tall, pure white, and shrouded in a faint pinkish glow.

Its limbs were curled up, its eyebrows and eyes were curved, its nose was small, and its lips were bright red.

A gentle breeze causes the fruit to sway softly, making a faint, buzzing sound.

He really looked like a sleeping baby.

Sun Wukong withdrew his invisibility spell and revealed his true form.

He landed under the fruit tree, his golden cudgel shrinking into an embroidery needle, hidden in his ear.

Suddenly, his piercing eyes lit up, and two beams of golden light shone directly at the man.

They could clearly see the fruit's innate spiritual light and the earth's energy veins.

"Wow, this is amazing! It truly lives up to its reputation!"

He exclaimed in admiration, rubbed his hands together, and leaped onto the tree trunk.

The branches were supple, supporting his weight, and he swayed only slightly.

He stretched out his large, hairy hand and aimed at the ripest ginseng fruit, the one with the brightest light.

The moment my fingertips touched the fruit, it seemed as if the fruit had eyes.

With a "thud," it detached itself directly from the fruit stem.

Sun Wukong instinctively reached out to catch it.

The fruit, however, did not fall into his hand; instead, it plunged headfirst into the sacred soil beneath the tree.

With a soft "poof" sound.

A few specks of soil were stirred up in the sacred soil, and the fruit vanished without a trace in an instant.

Sun Wukong was stunned.

He blinked, looked down at the ground, then looked up at the branches.

"How strange!"

He leaped down from the tree, stamping his foot and cursing, "That cunning little rascal! How could he be so treacherous!"

"It barely touched the ground before it burrowed into the dirt and ran away!"

He assumed it was the local earth god causing trouble.

He immediately made a hand seal and chanted, "Earth God! Earth God! Come quickly to see me!"

The voice just fell.

The spiritual soil beneath their feet rose slightly, and a yellowish-brown shadow cautiously emerged.

The old man was dressed in an earth-colored Taoist robe, wearing a crooked little crown, and leaning on a withered wooden cane.

As soon as he appeared, he kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead touching the sacred soil with a soft "thump-thump" sound.

"Great Sage, please calm your anger! Your humble servant is here!"

Sun Wukong, hands on his hips, pointed at the pit in the ground and roared, "I, Old Sun, am picking fruit here! How dare you, old official, secretly take it away?"

The old earth god kowtowed repeatedly, his voice trembling with sobs: "Great Sage, you've been wronged! Even if I had the greatest courage in the world, I wouldn't dare touch your things!"

He raised his head and pointed tremblingly at the ginseng fruit tree: "Great Sage, you may not know this, but this treasure is an innate spiritual root created by heaven and earth, possessing the nature of the five elements."

"It falls when it encounters gold, withers when it encounters wood, dissolves when it encounters water, scorches when it encounters fire, and enters when it encounters earth."

"Just now, when the Great Sage reached out, the fruit stem touched your golden body, and it fell to the ground. As soon as it touched the soil, it naturally burrowed inside."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong suddenly understood.

He touched his monkey-like cheeks and laughed, "So that's how it is! I misunderstood you."

"No, no, I wouldn't dare," the old man quickly waved his hand.

"If the Great Sage wants to pick it, he should use a golden tool to pry open the stem, and then use his robe to cover it so that it does not touch the ground."

"I understand, you may leave."

Sun Wukong waved his hand.

As if granted a pardon, the Earth God transformed into a beam of yellow light and disappeared back into the earth.

Sun Wukong leaped back onto the tree trunk.

He took the golden cudgel from his ear, brandished it in the wind, and shouted, "Transform!"

The golden cudgel transformed into a three-inch-long small golden lever, exquisite and glittering with gold.

He selected three ripe ginseng fruits.

He lifted his shirt with his left hand and spread it out underneath.

Holding the small golden pry bar in his right hand, he aimed it at the stem of the first fruit and gently pried it open.

A soft "click" sounded.

The fruit stalk broke off.

The fruit fell straight down, landing perfectly inside his clothes.

It feels warm to the touch.

The peel was as smooth as cream, and it even twitched slightly in his palm, like a baby being affectionate.

Sun Wukong was overjoyed and moved nimbly.

I pried off two more and carefully tucked them into my clothes.

"That's enough, that's enough."

Fearing he would be discovered if he picked too many, he put away his small gold shovel and jumped down from the tree.

He carefully tucked the three ginseng fruits into his bosom, straightened his clothes, and put them back in their original state.

His figure flickered and transformed into an invisible golden light.

Pushing open the garden gate, locking the brass lock, and quietly leaving the backyard, I headed straight for the guest rooms in the front yard.

Guest rooms in the front courtyard of Wuzhuang Temple.

The door was ajar, and a faint light shone through the paper windows.

Pigsy was lounging on the couch, his hands behind his head, muttering something under his breath.

"Why hasn't Monkey King returned yet? Could he have been captured by those two little Taoist boys?"

His large ears stood straight up, and his nose twitched as he sniffed the faint fruity scent in the air.

Saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth onto the couch, but he was completely unaware of it.

Sha Wujing sat upright on the futon.

He held the demon-slaying staff in both hands, carefully wiping the patterns on the staff with the corner of his clothes.

His expression was calm, but a hint of anticipation could not be hidden in his eyes.

Tang Sanzang sat on the futon in the center.

He clasped his hands together, closed his eyes slightly, and recited the Heart Sutra.

However, he was turning the prayer beads rather hastily, clearly indicating that he had distracting thoughts.

With a creak.

The door was gently pushed open.

A golden light flashed, and Sun Wukong appeared.

"You idiot! Brother Sha! Look what I brought!"

He stepped in with a smile and closed the door behind him.

Upon seeing him, Pigsy instantly sprang up from the couch.

She rushed forward in two strides, her eyes fixed on his arms.

"Monkey King! Where's the fruit? Where's the fruit?"

Sun Wukong didn't keep anyone in suspense.

He reached into his pocket and took out three ginseng fruits, placing them on a wooden plate on the table.

Three fruits lay side by side, their white and pink hues seemingly smiling, their exotic fragrance instantly filling the entire guest room.

Pigsy's eyes were wide open like copper bells.

He swallowed hard, making a gulping sound in his throat.

Sha Wujing put down his staff, stood up and walked forward.

He looked at the fruit, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, then bowed and said, "Senior Brother, could this be a ginseng fruit?"

"Exactly!" Sun Wukong picked up one and laughed, "These treasures are precious, I only picked three."

"You, Pigsy, and I will each eat one. We'll save Master's one for when he changes his mind, and then we'll persuade him to eat it."

"Okay, okay!"

Pigsy eagerly took one.

He opened his mouth and threw it in.

The fruit had just entered my mouth.

He gulped it down.

The fruit went straight into my stomach without even being chewed.

Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing were dumbfounded.

Pigsy smacked his lips, scratched his head, and looked completely bewildered.

"Brother—this—this is it?"

"I ate too fast, I didn't even get a taste!"

He tugged at Sun Wukong's sleeve, pleading pitifully, "Brother Monkey, can you steal one more? Just one! I, Old Pig, want to have a taste!"

"You idiot!"

Sun Wukong laughed and scolded, slapping his hand away, "One for each of us, there aren't any extra!"

"Beware of overindulgence, or you'll burst your belly!"

Pigsy dared not refute.

He could only shrank back dejectedly, staring longingly at the two remaining pieces on the table.

Sun Wukong picked one up, brought it to his nose, and smelled it.

Its unique fragrance is refreshing and delightful.

He took a small, gentle bite.

The peel is crisp and tender, and the juice is sweet and refreshing.

A surge of pure, innate spiritual energy instantly flowed from the tip of the tongue into the throat.

It flows through the entire body along the meridians.

He felt a jolt throughout his body, and every pore on his body seemed to open up.

The magical power within his dantian had subtly improved.

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Sun Wukong chewed slowly and carefully, finishing the fruit completely.

He even carefully chewed the fruit pit and swallowed it.

Sha Wujing picked up the last one.

He ate very politely.

Holding the fruit in my hand, I took small bites.

Savor the sweetness of the fruit pulp and the refreshing coolness of the juice.

As spiritual energy entered his body, his complexion became increasingly rosy, and his eyes were filled with joy.

The three of them finished eating.

The unique fragrance in the guest room was still strong.

My whole body felt warm and comfortable, an indescribable feeling of ease.

Pigsy was still not satisfied.

He licked his lips, his eyes still darting around the table.

The ginseng fruit orchard in the backyard of Wuzhuang Temple.

Qingfeng and Mingyue finished taking care of the miscellaneous tasks in the temple.

Remembering his master's instructions, I felt a little uneasy.

"Mingyue, before Master left, he specifically instructed us to keep a close watch on the ginseng fruit tree." Qingfeng held a whisk, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Let's go to the park and check everything, just in case something goes wrong."

"That's exactly right." Mingyue nodded. "If we lose even one, we'll be in deep trouble when Master returns."

The two walked side by side into the backyard.

Their steps were light, yet tinged with caution.

We arrived at the entrance of the ginseng fruit orchard.

Qingfeng reached out and touched the brass lock on the door.

The brass lock was intact, with no signs of being pried open.

"It's alright." He breathed a sigh of relief.

The bright moon pushed open the garden gate.

The two stepped inside.

As soon as she entered the garden, Qingfeng's steps suddenly stopped.

He looked up at the ginseng fruit tree, and his face suddenly turned deathly pale.

"No—that's not right!"