Journey to the West: I really want to improve!

"You are now revered as the Western Mighty Demon King, a notorious troublemaker throughout the world, and the only demon king among the Seven Great Saints to be valued by both the Heavenly Court and Buddhism."

"But you yourself pursue freedom and ease, wanting to establish your own school in the gap between Buddhism and Taoism, and do not want to attach yourself to any power."

"But your final fate was to be subdued by the Buddha, convert to Buddhism, and become a guardian deity of the West," Mu Xin said softly, taking a sip of tea.

thump--!

With a muffled thud, Xuan Shuo fell flat on his backside.

Xuan Shuo's face turned deathly pale, his legs went weak and he couldn't stand up for a moment, his whole body stiffened.

Mu Xin's words were of a much higher level than he had imagined; they were secrets he was not qualified to hear.

What does it mean to be subdued by the Buddha and become a guardian deity of the West?

The minotaur in front of me is actually this powerful?!

Xuan Shuo stared at Mu Xin and the Bull Demon King in disbelief, and the entire Qilin was in a bad mood.

"Furthermore, your son, Red Boy, also known as the Holy Infant King, will be taken in by Guanyin as her disciple, Sudhana."

"Your mount, that Azure Water Golden-Eyed Beast, will be strangled."

"And you will be besieged by the Heavenly Court's Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li, Nezha and heavenly soldiers and generals, and the Buddhist sect's Four Vajras and Arhats. Although you showed your true form as a white ox and resisted stubbornly, you were eventually pierced through the nose by Nezha's demon-slaying sword and had no choice but to convert to Buddhism."

Ignoring Xuan Shuo's cowardly appearance, Mu Xin took a sip of tea and continued speaking while looking at the Bull Demon King.

"I need to go out first. You two talk here. I didn't hear a thing you just said!"

"Let me out!" Xuan Shuo finally managed to stand up and started yelling.

"Could you please tell him to shut up? He's disrupting our conversation."

"Just shut him up. He'll still have to hear what I'm about to say. After all, the son of a high-ranking member of the Thunder Department is still quite useful," Mu Xin said with a light laugh to the Bull Demon King.

The Bull Demon King's expression was uncertain, his heart filled with doubt and suspicion. He couldn't tell whether Mu Xin's words were true or false, but he suppressed his agitation and decided to listen to the other party's detailed explanation first.

He casually raised his hand, and an invisible restriction instantly enveloped Xuan Shuo. Xuan Shuo immediately froze on the spot, unable to speak or move, only able to hear with his ears, and could only obediently stand aside.

"Please explain in detail, Immortal." The Bull Demon King stood up and poured Mu Xin a cup of tea.

"There are some things I can't say directly, but what I just said is something that was bound to happen."

"Fate is always a fixed order; what is called destiny is nothing more than the ordinary outcome that heaven and earth follow according to their usual course."

"But the most unpredictable thing in the world is never the way of heaven, but the obsession and striving in the hearts of living beings. A single thought can shake mountains and seas, and a single step can turn the world upside down."

"As long as you are willing to put in your best effort and stay true to your original aspirations, you can break through the shackles of fate and let the future take shape in the direction your heart desires."

"Do you understand what I mean?" Mu Xin asked mysteriously.

Upon hearing Mu Xin's words, the Bull Demon King's eyes, which were like copper bells, flickered with light, and his thick eyebrows furrowed tightly.

Having roamed the demon realm for so long and witnessed countless predestined fates, he found these words to be mysterious and unbelievable.

At this moment, he was filled with a mixture of surprise and doubt. He was half disbelieving in the absurd claim of defying fate, and half captivated by the secret concerning his own future.

He was momentarily caught in a state of doubt and contemplation, and the demonic energy surging around him fluctuated in intensity.

"Why is the immortal so certain that I will be exterminated by both the Buddhist and Taoist sects?"

"There are plenty of demon kings in the lower realm. One more or one less won't make a difference. I, Old Bull, don't have that much influence," the Bull Demon King said after a moment of silence.

Mu Xin smiled, knowing that his previous words could not completely convince the Bull Demon King.

"After Sun Wukong returned from his apprenticeship, he became sworn brothers with seven others, including the Flood Dragon Demon King and the Roc Demon King. You were the eldest brother, living a carefree life, not relying on the Heavenly Court or the Buddhist sect."

"Now that Sun Wukong has been recruited by the Heavenly Court and given the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven, he will soon be assigned a new mission."

"You and he will have many entanglements in the future, and you will naturally come under the scrutiny of the Heavenly Court and Buddhism."

"You can contend with the Heavenly Law and the Earthly Manifestation with your own physical body. Your cultivation level is top-tier even in the Heavenly Court."

"Do you think the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist sect will let you live so freely in the mortal realm?"

"Most importantly, your cultivation is self-taught. Demon kings like you, who have no background but a family, are the easiest to manipulate."

Mu Xin drank another cup of tea, smiled at the Bull Demon King, and said in a gentle voice, but the content made the Bull Demon King shudder.

These few words, like a sharp blade, pierced straight into the Bull Demon King's deepest, most hidden fears.

Although he couldn't figure out the true intentions of this junior from the Heavenly Court, the other party's words struck at his very core.

Even the mighty Demon King, who dominated the demon realm, felt a sudden chill in his heart; he was afraid.

"Since the immortal has seen through my destined tribulations, do you perhaps have a way to break them?"

"As long as you can help me escape this deadly predicament and protect my family and empire, I will gladly pay any price—immortal treasures, cultivation, my cave dwelling—even sacrificing the title of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven! I will not utter a single word of refusal!"

The Bull Demon King stepped forward, his large, copper-bell-shaped eyes filled with urgency, and he lowered his posture even further.

Mu Xin smiled; things were gradually getting back on track.

Li Jing asked him to go down to the mortal realm to help the military find money, which was no easy task.

Violence is absolutely not an option; a stable line of communication is necessary.

This way, you can both complete the leader's task and build up connections in the lower realms.

Asking others for favors is never a reliable method; only by making others ask you for favors can you turn passivity into initiative.

"Do you know that the Heavenly Court and Buddhism are not of one mind?" Mu Xin asked softly.

The Bull Demon King's eyes narrowed; the little immortal's words were becoming increasingly dangerous.

Xuan Shuo, standing next to him, immediately closed his eyes, already regretting provoking Mu Xin!

These words alone were enough to send shivers down one's spine; he was afraid that if he returned to Heaven, his father would strike him down.

"Immortal, as you know, I am merely a demon king from the lower realm. The affairs of the Heavenly Court and Buddhism are still too far removed from my own concerns," the Bull Demon King replied tactfully.

"If you can follow the military and the mines, your future will be much easier."

"If you can help the military and the Thunder Department create value, then if the Buddhist sect wants to harm you in the future, someone will naturally step in to protect you."

"So you understand what I mean?" Mu Xin ignored the Bull Demon King's cunning and continued.

"Immortal, I, Old Ox, have said that I want to join the Heavenly Court's military and thunder departments, but I don't know how."

"If you can help me make the connection this time, I, Old Niu, am willing to serve you faithfully and follow your lead."

Upon hearing Mu Xin's words, the Bull Demon King immediately understood and patted his chest to guarantee it.

Mu Xin smiled; dealing with smart people is always easy.