Primordial Era: Starting by overwhelming the Sages, Hongjun was stunned!

Outside the temple.

Kong Xuan stood with his hands behind his back.

Xuanzang led his white horse past him, but did not see him.

Kong Xuan watched his retreating figure, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Sun Wukong landed:

"Senior, why didn't this monk kill that old bastard?"

Kong Xuan said calmly:

"Because he is a Buddhist."

"Those who believe in Buddhism do not kill."

Sun Wukong pouted:

"That old man wanted to harm him, but he didn't kill him?"

Kong Xuan shook his head:

"Don't kill."

"But from then on, the old man chanted scriptures every day, but it was actually to pray for his own salvation."

"This punishment is worse than death."

Sun Wukong scratched his head:

"I, Old Sun, don't really understand."

"But if the senior says it's good, then it's good."

Kong Xuan looked towards the distant mountain path:

"Let's go."

"There are even more monsters ahead."

Sun Wukong grinned:

"No matter how many come, I'll kill them all!"

Two figures disappeared into the void.

In front.

The white horse carried Xuanzang further and further away.

Night was drawing to a close.

A faint glimmer of dawn appeared on the horizon.

The journey westward continues.

Twilight.

The white horse carried Xuanzang slowly along the mountain path. Having not slept all night, Xuanzang's face showed weariness, but his eyes remained clear.

He glanced back.

The Guanyin Temple has been hidden in the morning mist and can no longer be seen.

He sighed softly:

"Amitabha."

"I hope that Elder Jinchi can truly repent."

The mountain road ahead gradually widens, and the trees become sparser.

Just as Xuanzang was about to urge his horse to go faster, he suddenly heard a commotion ahead.

He reined in the reins and looked up.

At the bend in the mountain path, a group of people were gathered in a circle, arguing and shouting. Some were crying, some were begging for mercy, and some were grinning maliciously.

Xuanzang frowned slightly.

He dismounted, took the reins, and slowly stepped forward.

You can only see it clearly when you get closer.

It was a group of bandits who were surrounding an old man and trying to steal his belongings.

The old man knelt on the ground, pleading desperately:

"Your Majesty, spare my life! That's all I have! I need it to buy medicine to save my granddaughter!"

The bandit leader kicked him to the ground:

"Get out! If you don't leave, we'll kill you too!"

The old man wailed and crawled over to try and snatch back his bundle.

The bandit leader drew his sword and was about to strike.

"stop!"

A loud shout.

The bandit leader was taken aback and turned around to look.

A monk was seen leading a white horse, standing not far away.

It was Xuanzang.

The bandit leader was stunned for a moment, then grinned maliciously:

"Hey? Where did this wild monk come from? Tired of living?"

The bandits also burst into laughter.

Xuanzang's expression remained unchanged, and he clasped his hands together in prayer:

"Amitabha."

"Esteemed benefactors, in broad daylight, under the clear sky, why do you commit such an unjust act?"

The bandit leader, carrying a knife, stepped forward:

"Unjust deeds? I've done exactly that!"

"What? You monk, trying to meddle in other people's business?"

Xuanzang looked at him:

"This humble monk dares not meddle in other people's business."

"But the old man needed money to buy medicine to save his granddaughter."

"If you all take it, his granddaughter probably won't survive."

"This humble monk begs you all to have mercy and spare his life."

The bandit leader laughed heartily:

"Show mercy? I haven't even known how to write the word 'mercy' since I was born!"

He looked Xuanzang up and down:

"You monk, you're quite the smooth talker."

"Fine, I'll spare him."

"Pay the money to redeem it."

Xuanzang was taken aback:

"This humble monk possesses nothing of value..."

The bandit leader interrupted him:

"Nothing of value? Isn't that horse?"

He pointed to the white horse:

"Leave that horse behind, and I'll spare this old man's life."

Xuanzang's expression changed slightly.

This white horse was given to him by the Buddha as a means of transportation.

How can you give it to someone else?

But if we don't give it to him, the old man...

He was hesitating.

suddenly.

A voice came from behind:

"Give it to him."

Xuanzang was taken aback and turned around to look.

There was no one behind.

The sound seemed to come from the void.

A thought struck him.

That sound...

who is it?

In the void.

Sun Wukong grinned:

"This monk is kind-hearted."

"Alright, I, Old Sun, will lend him a hand."

He was about to appear when a hand held him down.

Kong Xuan's voice came softly:

"No rush."

"Let him choose for himself."

Sun Wukong was taken aback:

"Choose it yourself? This monk is soft-hearted. What if he really gives the horse to those thieves? What will happen then?"

Kong Xuan looked down:

"If he gives, it is out of his mercy."

"If he doesn't give it, that's his decision."

"Anything is fine."

"You just need to protect him and prevent him from dying."

Sun Wukong scratched his head and stopped talking.

below.

Xuanzang took a deep breath.

He gazed at the white horse, and at those clear, watery eyes.

A feeling of reluctance welled up in my heart.

This horse carried him all the way.

I accompanied him the whole way.

They were already his partners.

But if they don't give it to him, the old man won't survive.

He closed his eyes.

When I opened my eyes again, they were clear.

He turned around and clasped his hands together in prayer towards the bandit leader:

"donor."

"This humble monk is willing to exchange his white horse for it."

The bandit leader's eyes lit up:

"really?"

Xuanzang nodded:

"really."

He untied the reins and patted the white horse's neck:

"Go."

The white horse gazed at him, its eyes filled with reluctance.

It nuzzled Xuanzang's hand and hissed.

Xuanzang's eyes were slightly red.

"Go."

"Accompany that old man home."

"This humble monk...has his own way."

The white horse lowered its head and silently walked to the old man's side.

The old man struggled to his feet, looked at Xuanzang, and tears streamed down his face.

"Master...Master's great kindness...this old man..."

Xuanzang waved his hand:

"Old man, let's go quickly."

"I bought the medicine; saving my granddaughter is the priority."

The old man knelt down, kowtowed several times, then led the white horse away, staggering.

The bandit leader laughed heartily:

"Good monk! You've got it!"

He waved his hand:

"Brothers, let's go!"

The bandits roared and fled.

On the mountain path, only Xuanzang remained.

He stood there, gazing at the empty mountain path.

a long time.

Suddenly he laughed.

The smile was faint, yet it conveyed a sense of relief.

"Amitabha."

"A horse for a life."

"It was worth it."

He turned around and continued walking.

The mountain path beneath our feet is rugged.

The burden on my back is heavy.

But he walked with unwavering resolve.

Step by step.

In the void.

Sun Wukong scratched his head:

"This monk..."

"Did you really give them the horse?"

Kong Xuan stared at that retreating figure, his eyes flickering slightly:

"He has Buddha in his heart."

The Buddha said, "Saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda."

In his heart, the old man's life was more important than this horse.

Sun Wukong grinned:

"Alright."

"Since you say there's no rush, then I, Old Sun, will wait a little longer."

"I'll come out when he can't walk anymore."

Kong Xuan nodded slightly.

Two figures followed behind Xuanzang, neither too fast nor too slow.

They walked for about an hour.

Xuanzang's pace slowed down more and more.

He hadn't slept all night and had walked so far; the blisters on his feet had already burst, and his monk's shoes were soaked with blood.

But he kept going.

He simply recited scriptures silently.

Recite one step at a time.

One word, one Buddha.

suddenly.

The sound of horses' hooves came from ahead.

Xuanzang looked up.

Then the bandit leader turned back, followed by several henchmen.

The bandit leader rode forward, grinning maliciously:

"Monk, I suddenly remembered something."

"You gave me that horse, that's true."

"But you might be hiding other treasures on you."

"Let me search!"

Xuanzang's expression remained unchanged:

"This humble monk possesses nothing of value."

The bandit leader jumped off his horse:

"You'll only know if it exists after searching!"

He waved his hand:

"Search it for me!"

Several henchmen rushed up, ready to attack.

Xuanzang took a step back and gripped his staff tightly:

"Esteemed benefactors, please do not push your luck too far."

The bandit leader laughed heartily:

"You're going too far? I'll bully you, so what?"

He grabbed Xuanzang by the collar.

next moment.

A golden light descended from the sky!

boom!

The bandit leader was sent flying by a blow, crashing into the mountainside and dying instantly.

The henchmen were stunned.

They looked up.

A figure slowly descended from the void.

With a hairy face and a thunderous mouth, a gleaming golden headband, and holding an iron rod.

Sun Wukong.