After transmigrating into the body of the Jade Rat Spirit, I became Nezha's adopted sister.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the throne. He knew Nezha's temperament better than anyone else: unruly, stubborn, and with only a handful of people around him, who had he ever truly cared for? Let alone such an almost immature gesture.

"The word 'love' is indeed profound."

The Jade Emperor shook his head slightly, then his eyes returned to their deep gaze: "However... the journey to the west is long, and the tribulations are not yet over. The ordeal with Kui Mulang cannot end here."

With a slight thought, an invisible decree was sent to the Heavenly Prison.

A moment later, Kui Mulang, who had just been imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison and was looking dejected, suddenly felt the restraints around him loosen, and heard the Jade Emperor's voice, which seemed to penetrate directly into his soul: "Kui Mulang."

Kui Mulang trembled and immediately knelt down: "This sinful subject is here!"

"I know that your feelings for Baihuaxiu have not ended, and I also know that you are filled with fear."

The Jade Emperor's voice was emotionless, yet carried an undeniable authority: "The journey to the West to obtain the scriptures is a predetermined undertaking. Your tribulation is not yet over."

Kui Mulang felt a chill in his heart, his voice bitter: "Your Majesty? I...I have already followed Your Majesty's tacit permission...no, I descended to the mortal realm without permission, committing a grave mistake. Now that I have been captured, how dare I go again? That Sun Wukong..."

The Jade Emperor interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Tang Sanzang and his disciples are currently escorting Baihuaxiu to Baoxiang Kingdom. You must immediately descend to the mortal realm, go to Baoxiang Kingdom, and transform Tang Sanzang into a fierce tiger."

Kui Mulang was terrified, nearly collapsing to the ground. Go again? What difference would that be from suicide? If Sun Wukong were to strike, would he even survive?

"Your Majesty! I...I really dare not! That monkey is fierce, and I am still injured. If I go there, I will surely die!" Kui Mulang kowtowed repeatedly.

The Jade Emperor's voice continued, carrying a hint of meaning: "This time when you descend to the mortal realm, someone will be there to assist you and help you succeed. You only need to follow the plan and transform Tang Sanzang into a tiger; there's no need to get entangled with Sun Wukong and the others."

Kui Mulang's lips trembled; he wanted to beg again.

"Kui Mulang, if you handle this matter well and resolve this crisis, after Baihua Xiuyang's lifespan ends and her soul returns to its rightful place, the Heavenly Court will forgive and forget your past affairs."

Forgive and forget? Could he possibly rekindle his romance with Baihuaxiu?

A sudden gleam flashed in Kui Mulang's eyes, and his breathing quickened. The promise was too tempting for him to resist.

Wasn't his descent to the mortal realm solely for the purpose of being able to stay with Baihuaxiu forever? If he could gain the Heavenly Court's approval, even if it were a hundred years later...

Struggle and longing intertwined in his eyes, and in the end, the anticipation for the future overcame the fear of Sun Wukong's golden cudgel.

Kui Mulang gritted his teeth and kowtowed heavily: "This sinful subject obeys the decree! I will certainly handle this matter properly for Your Majesty!"

"Go." The Jade Emperor's voice faded away.

Once the confinement within the Heavenly Prison was lifted, Kui Mulang understood. Enduring the excruciating pain in his chest, he got up and slipped out of the Heavenly Prison.

Kui Mulang emerged from the Heavenly Prison, cold sweat still clinging to his forehead. The Jade Emperor's words still echoed in his ears: Go to Baoxiang Kingdom and transform Tang Sanzang into a tiger. He would be there to meet him.

A backup? He had absolutely no idea. That monkey had just beaten him half to death, and now he was going to provoke him again?

But the Jade Emperor's promise was like a hook, forcing him to bite.

He touched the still-healing wound on his chest, gritted his teeth, and transformed into a beam of yellow light, silently falling behind the pilgrimage team.

After Sun Wukong escorted Kui Mulang to heaven, Tang Sanzang and his disciples, along with Princess Baihuaxiu, continued their journey westward and soon arrived at the territory of Baoxiang Kingdom.

When the king and queen finally saw their beloved daughter, whom they had been separated from for thirteen years, they were naturally filled with mixed emotions of sorrow and joy. They held a grand banquet and treated Tang Sanzang as an honored guest, expressing their gratitude with tears in their eyes.

For a time, the Royal Palace of Baoxiang was bustling with activity, filled with the pleasant sounds of music and the clinking of glasses.

At the Royal Palace of Baoxiang, a grand banquet was in full swing.

Tang Sanzang was not fond of drinking alcohol, so he only drank tea and discussed Buddhist teachings with the king.

Pigsy was already staggering from drinking, clutching the wine jar and grinning foolishly. Sandy silently stood guard by his master's side.

Sun Wukong squatted on the eaves outside the palace, munching on a peach while idly observing the layout of the palace's guards.

After the banquet, the four of them were arranged to stay at the palace, in preparation for leaving the next day after the official documents were changed.

.............

The next day, a man claiming to be the prince consort arrived at the gate of the King of Baoxiang's palace.

The gatekeeper, seeing his extraordinary bearing, though harboring doubts, still politely allowed him in.

The king was even more puzzled when he heard this.

My daughter was rescued by the holy monk yesterday and cried that she had been kidnapped by a monster for thirteen years. How come a prince consort has appeared today?

However, since it concerned the dignity of the royal family, it could not be taken lightly. After a moment of contemplation, he still ordered someone to summon him into the main hall.

The man was dressed in a brocade robe and jade belt. His face resembled Kui Mulang's by seven or eight points, but he lacked Kui Mulang's evil aura and instead had a more gentle and refined demeanor.

He walked calmly into the hall, bowed to the king on the throne, and said in a clear voice, "Your son-in-law greets your father-in-law!"

The king sat upright on his throne, his brow furrowed, and asked in a deep voice, "Who are you? Why do you call yourself my son-in-law?"

The man raised his head, his eyes slightly red, as if he were trying to suppress his grief: "Father-in-law, please forgive me. I am not a demon, but a celestial star official descended to earth. Because of a predestined relationship with the princess, we are now married."

"Thirteen years ago, it wasn't that I abducted the princess, but rather it was by divine intervention that I brought her to my cave to enjoy peace and tranquility. That day, a monk from the East and his hairy-faced, thunder-mouthed disciple barged into the cave, injured me without a word, and then used sweet words to bewitch the princess, forcibly taking her back. The princess... the princess must have been frightened and misled by the monk's words, which is why... Father-in-law, please know that everything I said is true, without a trace of falsehood!"

His words were sincere and heartfelt, perfectly portraying the image of an innocent victim who remained deeply devoted and unrepentant.

King Baoxiang listened with skepticism, especially when he heard the other party claim to be a celestial official, which made him even more hesitant.

If it were truly a celestial being descended to earth and destined to be with the daughter, wouldn't the holy monk and his disciples be meddling in other people's business, or even deceiving him?

"This... words are not enough, you..." the king hesitated.

The man, Kui Mulang, who had been sent to the mortal realm by imperial decree, was secretly pleased to see the king wavering, but his face showed even more sorrow: "If Father-in-law does not believe me, I can immediately summon the princess for questioning. However, the princess has been frightened by that demonic monk and is in a daze, so she may not be able to regain her senses for a while. To prove her innocence and to dispel the demonic aura tainted on the princess, I dare to ask Father-in-law to invite that monk from the East to the palace for a meeting. I have magic that can make that demonic monk reveal his true form!"

The king was already suspicious of the sorcerer's claims, and seeing the prince consort's confident assertions, he nodded in agreement and ordered someone to invite Tang Sanzang and his disciples, who were resting in a side hall.

In the main hall, Tang Sanzang arrived with Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing as summoned. As soon as Sun Wukong entered the hall, his Golden Eyes of Fire fixed his gaze on the so-called prince consort. Although the other man's appearance and aura had changed, how could he hide it from him?

"Hey! You bastard Kui Mulang! How dare you change your appearance and come here to distort the truth!" Sun Wukong roared, his golden cudgel already in his hand.

Kui Mulang's heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to remain calm and said to the king, "Father-in-law, look! This villain injured my son-in-law the other day, and today he's going to commit violence in the palace again! Please protect Your Majesty!"

The king was startled by this and quickly rebuked him, "How dare you be so rude in the palace! Holy monk, is what this prince consort said true?"

Tang Sanzang clasped his hands together and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please understand. Although my disciple is impetuous, he is by no means the kind of person who would harm others without cause. Yesterday at the Wave Moon Cave on Wanzi Mountain, it was indeed this...this benefactor who kidnapped the princess and intended to harm me."

"You wicked monk! Stop spouting nonsense!"