Journey to the West: Please Call Me the White Bone Demon

After parting ways with Sun Wukong at Flower Fruit Mountain, Venus knew that the monkey was fast and could reach White Tiger City in the blink of an eye. Besides, the Great Heavenly Venerable only wanted him to find the monkey; he wasn't a Buddhist, so why should he get involved?

So he didn't chase after them, but instead rode a cloud slowly back to the Heavenly Court.

As soon as they entered the South Heavenly Gate, they heard faint laughter coming from there, which sounded like the voice of the Great Heavenly Venerable.

Venus, filled with doubt, went straight to the Tongming Palace.

The celestial maidens' dance in the palace had ended, and the Jade Emperor sat on his throne, holding the Haotian Mirror. The mirror shimmered with light, reflecting the scene of White Tiger City below.

Seeing Venus enter, the Jade Emperor greeted him with a smile, "Come, come, Venus is here! Come and see, this monkey is quite capable. He can raise horses, he can be a fruit farmer, and now he's even doing the work of carrying manure!"

Upon hearing this, Venus was taken aback and quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "This old minister greets the Great Heavenly Venerable."

Looking up at the Haotian Mirror, they saw Sun Wukong in the mirror sometimes using a pitchfork to wipe the ground clean with straw, and sometimes carrying several buckets of molten gold on a cart, working side by side with Tang Sanzang. The master and his disciples were chatting and laughing, quite content.

Venus was dumbfounded, rubbing his beard as he said, "What's going on? I just invited that monkey down from Flower Fruit Mountain, and now...why is he also going to pick up manure?"

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor burst into laughter again, stroking his beard and saying, "Taibai, you do not understand the mystery behind this."

With a flick of his sleeve, magic materialized, recreating the scene from the Haotian Mirror.

After reading it, Venus couldn't help but laugh: "Yun Zhao is truly eloquent! He actually left that rascal speechless and even made him realize his true nature, willingly becoming a dung collector. Who would have thought that the once-renowned Great Sage Equaling Heaven would now be a dung collector?"

The Jade Emperor nodded, stroking his beard and sighing, "Indeed, Yun Zhao is resourceful; his words struck right to the heart."

"The monkey's past ambitions clouded his original intentions, but now that the dust has settled, he is at peace."

"I see that this journey to the West, though delayed, has also brought trials and tribulations. The monkey's enlightenment this time has greatly improved his character, which may be of even greater benefit to his cultivation."

Venus couldn't help but chuckle and said, "The Great Celestial Venerable is right. That monkey was so arrogant back then, but now he's been completely subdued by a city lord's few words and is willing to carry manure. This shows that people's hearts can change and the mysteries of cause and effect are profound."

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor laughed heartily, but then said seriously, "Taibai, do you think my Heavenly Court is like what Yun Zhao said, treating all living beings like straw dogs? Which of those demons we've eradicated wasn't a scourge to their region, committing countless evils? I rule the Three Realms, pacifying millions of people; I have my own justice. As for those lowly demons, if they don't disrupt peace, why have I ever interfered?"

Venus bowed and said, "Great Heavenly Venerable is wise! The Heavenly Court's laws are strict, rewarding the good and punishing the evil without bias. Yun Zhao's words were merely meant to provoke that monkey; how could this old minister dare to have any other thoughts?"

The Jade Emperor nodded, a smile returning to his face: "That's true."

He paused, then asked, "Taibai, what do you think should be done about this monkey's matter? Yun Zhao lost face for his Western Sect, but now that our Heavenly Court knows about it first, should we send someone to rescue him?"

Venus pondered for a moment and said, "Great Heavenly Venerable, if that monkey had not been willing to atone for his sins, how could he have been so easily trapped? It seems he has truly attained enlightenment."

"This old minister requests permission to descend to the mortal realm and inquire about the true intentions of Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong. If they are unwilling, this old minister will report to the Great Heavenly Venerable and request that a deity be sent to rescue them. If they are willing, then there is no need to concern ourselves with them. This would also be an explanation to the Western Sect, as the matter of the pilgrimage has its own cause and effect."

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor clapped his hands and said, "Excellent! Let it be so. Go to White Tiger City and ask Tang Sanzang and the Monkey King if they are willing to work there. If they are unwilling, I may send Nezha and Li Jing to investigate. If they are willing, then let them go."

Venus received the decree and was about to descend to the mortal realm when the Jade Emperor waved his hand and stopped him: "No rush, no rush. That monkey needs to suffer a bit to temper his temper."

"Come, Taibai, play a game of Go with me. I've been bored and need an opponent."

Venus had no choice but to obey and sit with him.

The Jade Emperor holds the white stone, and Taibai holds the black stone. Using a small world as the board and all living beings as the guide, the two play a game of chess, going back and forth.

The Jade Emperor was a highly skilled chess player, but Taibai dared not go all out. At crucial moments, Taibai would always give up a piece. While several hours passed outside the game, millions of years had already passed inside.

The Jade Emperor won several rounds and laughed heartily, "Taibai, you old man, you're letting me win again!"

Taibai stroked his beard and laughed, "This old minister's chess skills are shallow; how could he possibly match the Great Heavenly Venerable's divine strategies?"

The Jade Emperor shook his head: "Boring, boring! When you play chess with me, you never dare to use your full strength, always letting me win. It's no fun."

"Alright, go and take care of the monkey's matter."

After saying that, he waved his sleeve, and a golden light swept up Venus and sent him out of the Tongming Hall, heading straight for White Tiger City below.

However, the time in Heaven is vastly different from that in the mortal realm, and the two played for several hours. The Jade Emperor, in high spirits, played several more rounds until he grew bored and finally released Taibai to descend to the mortal world.

What was a moment of leisure in Heaven had already passed eight months in the mortal realm.

Venus fell like a meteor, reaching the mortal realm in no time.

He descended on a cloud, and when he was still dozens of miles away from White Tiger City, he dispelled the cloud and transformed into the appearance of an old man with white hair. He originally planned to enter the city discreetly, meet Tang Sanzang and his disciples, and then leave.

As they were heading towards the city gate, they suddenly felt an invisible aura quietly locking them in from the void.

The aura wasn't overwhelming; it was clearly only at the Taiyi realm, yet it inexplicably made him feel uneasy, as if he were facing some ancient, ferocious demon.

Sensing something amiss, he dared not presume, and instead revealed his true form: a white robe and star-studded crown, his beard and hair flowing freely. He cupped his hands and addressed the void in a loud voice: "Who are you, friend? This old Taoist has been passing through this blessed land without offending you. May I ask to come out and greet you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the void rippled slightly, and Yun Zhao's figure appeared.

So it was you!

Venus sized up Yun Zhao. He had seen Yun Zhao's appearance before in the Great Celestial Venerable's Flowing Light Recall. He stroked his beard and smiled, "So it's the White Tiger City Lord in person. This old Daoist greets you."

Upon hearing this, Yun Zhao recalled that some time ago, a powerful aura in the void had locked onto White Tiger City, as if it were spying on it.

He felt a sense of unease and tried several times to trace the source to see who was investigating, but he was always blocked by an invisible barrier and could not see clearly.

The barrier was as vast as a galaxy. He tried several times without success, so he calmed down and thought to himself: "When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it. This simulation has lasted for almost five years, so no matter how you calculate it, I've already made my money back."

He then ignored it.

Now that he has met Venus, and senses his cultivation as a Great Luo Golden Immortal, as well as the stellar aura emanating from Venus, he couldn't help but think of someone and politely cupped his hands, saying, "Senior, could you perhaps be Venus in person?"

Taibai Jinxing stroked his beard and smiled: "There's no need for such formality as senior. Our cultivation levels are similar, so just address each other as fellow Daoist."

Realizing the other party's identity, Yun Zhao also realized that the spying aura he had sensed earlier came from the Heavenly Court!

Sensing that Taibai meant no harm, Yun Zhao joked, "Fellow Daoist Taibai, what brings you here? Do you also wish to seek refuge with my White Tiger City?"

Venus shook his head: "Fellow Daoist is joking. I know that Tang Sanzang was punished by you to work here, and even that powerful monkey was captured by you."

"The Great Heavenly Venerable has issued a decree, ordering this humble Taoist to come and inquire. If Tang Sanzang and the Monkey King are not willing to stay here, then our Heavenly Court will send generals to rescue them. If they are willing, then let them go."

Upon hearing this, Yun Zhao felt a chill run down his spine. The words were frank, and even though the two were enemies rather than friends, he couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill towards them.

He readily agreed, saying, "In that case, why don't I go with you, fellow Daoist?"