Journey to the West: Building a Celestial Empire Starting from Lion Camel Ridge

Mountain God Temple.

Everyone's hearts sank to rock bottom.

Without the protection of the mountain god, they were like lights in the darkness, fish on a chopping board, amidst the ruins of White Bone Town.

Countless bone demons and hungry ghosts will overwhelm them in an instant.

What is Foundation Establishment? What is Qi Refining?

Under the charge of the Bone Demon, they were nothing but clay chickens and earthenware dogs.

Amidst intense fear, some people in the mountain temple sobbed softly, while others wailed loudly.

"We've been worshipping them for years, and the mountain god just left so casually!"

"Then what are we? What are we! These spirits are high above us, receiving our offerings and feeding on our faith. What do they take us for?!"

Meng Chong was indignant and rushed to the statue, loudly questioning it.

But the statue, now powerless, did not answer him; instead, it crumbled into countless fragments.

"What are you to me? Just a straw dog."

Wanyan Liang suddenly let out a cold laugh, his expression shifting between light and shadow in the dim candlelight.

As a powerful cultivator in the late Foundation Establishment stage, he was intoxicated by that power, but the emptiness brought about by the retreat of the mountain god made him suddenly realize the truth.

Borrowed power is never truly one's own.

"So what do we do? Just sit here and wait to die?"

Another young man asked in a low voice, but seeing that Meng Chong and Wanyan Liang's faces were ashen and their lips were tightly pursed, he subconsciously shut his mouth.

"What should we do?"

Wanyan Liang was in a daze for a moment, then looked around at everyone. Some were sorrowful, while others were numb.

"I am prepared to surrender."

surrender?

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines.

Where can they surrender?

Where is Chen Ping'an?

The two sides have just fought a battle. Would the other side be willing to accept our people?

Everyone was secretly pondering this.

......

Five Elements Mountain.

Chen Ping'an helped Sanzang up the mountain again, and they reached the highest point.

Sure enough, there were rays of golden light and auspicious clouds, and a large square rock.

A letter was pasted on the large stone, bearing the six golden characters "Om Mani Padme Hum".

It is the six-syllable mantra of Buddhism.

Tang Sanzang looked westward and prayed, "Disciple Chen Xuanzang, specially ordered to seek scriptures, has indeed been granted the status of a disciple. He has uncovered the golden characters, rescued the divine monkey, and together we will attain enlightenment on Mount Ling."

"If there were no distinction between disciples, this person would be a vicious monster who deceives and tricks his disciples. He will not bring good fortune, and thus he will not be able to rise up."

After offering the blessing, he bowed again.

After bowing, he took a deep breath, stepped forward, and gently peeled off the six golden characters.

A fragrant breeze wafted by, and with a swift motion, the "sealing slip" was tossed into the air. The voice proclaimed, "I am the Great Sage's guardian. Today his suffering is over; we shall return to the Buddha and return this seal."

Tang Sanzang bowed to the sky, then descended the high mountain and arrived at the stone box.

He said to the old monkey, "The seal has been removed, are you coming out now?"

Wukong was overjoyed and called out loudly, "Master, Senior Brother, please step aside so I can come out. Don't startle you."

Chen Ping'an led Sanzang, and the two returned eastward. After walking for more than ten miles, they stopped.

Boom!

The sound was deafening; it was truly like the earth cracking and mountains collapsing.

Tang Sanzang was terrified and fell off his horse, only to see the old monkey already close by, kneeling down naked.

"Master, Senior Brother, I'm out!"

He bowed four times to Sanzang, then stood up and greeted Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an smiled and gestured, and Wukong didn't say anything more before packing his luggage and saddle up his horse.

When the horse saw him, its back went weak and its hooves slumped, and it could not stand up straight, trembling.

This is because the monkey was originally the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses, responsible for raising and tending the dragon horses. He had certain rules and regulations, which is why ordinary horses were afraid of him.

When Sanzang asked Wukong's name, he happily said, "That suits our sect perfectly. Your appearance is just like that little ascetic. I'll give you a nickname, 'The Pilgrim,' shall we?"

Wukong said: "Okay! Okay! Okay!"

From this time onwards, he was also known as Sun Wukong.

Chen Ping'an was on the right, and Sun Wukong was on the left. The two of them protected Tang Sanzang and continued their journey westward.

Before long, they passed the Two Realms Mountain.

Suddenly, a fierce tiger appeared, roaring as it charged towards them, its ferocity awe-inspiring and its killing intent palpable.

Sanzang was terrified on horseback, while Chen Ping'an stood by with his hands hanging down.

In the original story, Wukong killed the tiger with a single blow, without needing to intervene himself.

The traveler stood by the roadside, beaming with joy, and said, "Master, don't be afraid of him. He's just giving me clothes."

Sending clothes?

Tang Sanzang was puzzled. What did he mean by that?

He put down his luggage, pulled a needle out of his ear, and shook it in the wind. It turned out to be an iron rod about the thickness of a bowl.

Is this the Golden Cudgel?

Chen Ping'an looked at the stick; it had two golden hoops at both ends and a section of black iron in the middle.

Wukong took it in his hand and laughed, "I haven't used this treasure for over five hundred years. Today I'll use it to earn some clothes to wear."

He took a step forward, facing the tiger, and shouted, "You beast! Where are you going!"

The tiger crouched down, lying in the dust, not daring to move.

But he struck him on the head with a club, causing his brains to splatter and killing him instantly.

Startled, Tang Sanzang tumbled off his horse, biting his finger and exclaiming, "Heavens! The striped tiger that Liu Taibao fought the other day, and we battled for half a day, but today Wukong didn't even need to fight. He smashed that tiger to pieces with one blow. It truly is 'there's always someone stronger than the strong'!"

Then he saw Chen Ping'an standing to the side with a look of pity on his face.

"My eldest disciple is quite skilled and compassionate. He only frightens away snakes, insects, and beasts without harming them at all. Compared to him, Wukong's actions seem inferior."

"To take someone's life for a piece of clothing is not something a monk should do!"

Tang Sanzang sighed and watched as Wukong, without changing his expression, peeled off a square piece of tiger skin, cut it into two pieces, wrapped one around his waist, and tied it tightly with a kudzu vine he picked from the roadside to cover his lower body.

Chen Ping'an took out clothes from the package and handed them to Wukong.

"Thank you, senior brother!"

Wukong was overjoyed. After the binding was complete, the three of them continued their journey.

......

The three of them walked and talked, unaware that the sun and stars had fallen.

And in a remote sanctuary.

After finishing his dinner, Chen Pingan looked up at the ruins of White Bone Town shrouded in night.

One after another, the Soul-Illuminating Lamps lit up.

The first two nights were thrilling but safe.

I wonder what tonight will bring.

Fan Qiming, Xu Yi, Zhou Cheng, and others have already taken up their combat posts.

Chen Ping'an remained standing guard on the purification altar in the center of the shelter. Beside him stood a towering energy tower, from which, in Chen Ping'an's perception, streams of energy flowed into the arrow tower and the soul-illuminating lamp.

"Lord, something's happened!"

Suddenly, Little Stone shouted loudly.

Chen Ping'an quickly walked up the stone wall and looked into the distance.

In the distance, the bone demons surged like a tide.

A group of people could be vaguely seen trapped inside.

"Lord, what should we do? Should we intervene?"

Fan Qiming asked in a low voice.

Chen Ping'an pondered for a moment: "Don't act rashly. It's already late at night, and it's too dangerous to leave the shelter."

He looked at the group of people who were surrounded by bone demons and tree spirits.

Is it a ruse?

It didn't seem like it; those people were almost completely obscured by the bone demon, and faint screams could be heard.

"Let's wait and see, and strengthen our defenses. If they manage to get under the Soul-Illuminating Lamp, then we'll make further plans."

Even as the wails and screams could be faintly heard, Chen Ping'an chose to remain indifferent and watch.

In the shelter, everyone's life is extremely precious, and you must not act rashly before you can clearly see the truth.

Those guys at the mass grave are quite skilled. If they come with the intention of revenge, then everyone in the shelter will be sending themselves to their deaths if they leave.