Journey to the West: The gods and Buddhas panicked when the monkey was trapped inside him.

Sun Wukong looked at the servants who were fleeing in disarray and couldn't help but shout loudly.

"Why are you running?! This monster has already been subdued by me, Old Sun! What are you all yelling about?!"

Tianpeng followed behind Sun Wukong, somewhat helplessly touching his big ears.

"Look at me, I've been a farmhand for three years, and this is still how I'm treated in their eyes."

"With that shout, the whole village knows that Old Pig is here again."

Sun Wukong patted him on the shoulder.

"Stop talking nonsense and come with me, Old Sun, to see the master."

The two strode into the courtyard.

The courtyard was already in chaos, with a dozen servants holding machetes and wooden sticks, retreating to the corner of the wall, all trembling.

Grandpa Gao, leaning on his cane, hurriedly ran out from the back room.

Tang Sanzang looked up and his gaze fell on Sun Wukong, who looked relaxed, and then he looked at the pig-faced big man standing next to Sun Wukong with an honest expression.

Old Master Gao was so frightened that he hid behind Tang Sanzang, poking out half his head and shouting in a trembling voice.

"Holy Monk, save me! That monster... how did that monster follow Elder Sun in?"

Tang Sanzang gently patted the back of Gao Taigong's hand, signaling him to calm down.

Sun Wukong stepped forward and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Tang Sanzang.

"Master, I have not failed you!"

"I, Old Sun, chased this monster to his lair yesterday and fought him all night long, until the sky darkened and the earth trembled, and finally I completely subdued him!"

"I, Old Sun, originally intended to tie him up and bring him back to await my master's judgment."

"But who knew that after I subdued this monster, it kept saying that it wasn't some wild demon, but rather that it was waiting here specifically for the pilgrims from the Tang Dynasty to travel to the Western Paradise to retrieve the scriptures!"

"When I heard that, I thought, 'Isn't this you, Master?' So I didn't use any ropes and just brought him back to ask him directly."

Upon hearing the words "a great battle lasting all night," Tianpeng, who was standing at the back, twitched violently at the corner of his eye.

Drinking celestial wine all night, is this what you call a night of battle?

But then I thought about it again, and the hangover had exhausted all my strength, so it could be considered a pretty tough battle. My brother wasn't lying after all.

Tianpeng was a sensible person, so he quickly stuck his rake into the ground, put his hands together, and bowed respectfully to Tang Sanzang.

"Amitabha! This disciple was blind and did not recognize Mount Tai; I was unaware that my master's venerable presence had arrived!"

"Master, I was not originally a mortal spirit, but Marshal Tianpeng, who commanded 100,000 naval troops of the Heavenly River."

"Because he was drunk and acted immorally, he violated the heavenly rules and was banished to the mortal world by the Jade Emperor. Unfortunately, he was mistakenly reincarnated into this pig's body and has been living as a herdsman in the Yunzhan Cave of Fuling Mountain."

"Fortunately, Guanyin Bodhisattva enlightened me, instructing me to cultivate in seclusion here and await you, Master."

"The Bodhisattva said that when you, Master, pass by this place, I will take you as my master and accompany you to the Western Paradise to worship Buddha and seek scriptures, so as to atone for my sins."

"This disciple has been waiting here for many years, and today I have finally been able to see my master!"

"I implore my master to have mercy and accept me as your disciple!"

Tianpeng spoke solemnly and methodically.

After these words, the courtyard fell into a deathly silence.

Grandpa Gao was completely dumbfounded.

This monster who has been possessing his daughter for half a year is actually a celestial being descended from heaven? And he even wants to become this monk's disciple?

Tang Sanzang quietly watched Tianpeng, not rushing to help him up, his expression showing no joy, but instead pondering for a moment.

After a long silence, Tang Sanzang finally spoke.

"Since it is the Bodhisattva's decree to accept you into the sect and guide you on your journey to the West, this humble monk will consider it."

"However, let's put the matter of becoming an apprentice on hold for now."

"The worldly grudges you have with the Gao family over the past three years must be settled completely today."

Tianpeng was taken aback, then nodded.

"I will follow Master's instructions."

Old Master Gao, who had been hiding behind Tang Sanzang, hurriedly stepped out from behind him and echoed his sentiments.

"Yes, yes, yes! The holy monk is right! We need to settle the accounts between our two families first!"

Old Master Gao was calculating things very quickly.

If this monster really becomes the holy monk's disciple, and the master and disciple join forces, how can I, a mere old man in the mortal world, possibly compete with them?

We must finalize things now to avoid being retaliated against by this monster in the future.

Tang Sanzang looked at Gao Taigong, then at Tianpeng, his tone impartial.

"Yesterday, the old benefactor told this humble monk the whole story."

"To be fair, you two are both right and wrong in this matter."

"Benefactor Gao, this man has been married into your family for three years, working the fields and earning most of your family's wealth. But when you saw his true colors, you discarded him like trash and insisted on annulling the engagement. This is because your Gao family has been ungrateful."

Old Master Gao blushed and lowered his head, not daring to refute.

Tang Sanzang then turned to look at Tianpeng.

"And you, even if you have merit, forcibly locked someone's daughter in her boudoir for more than half a year, severing her from her family? This is your domineering and tyrannical behavior."

"Now that we are face to face, let's not bring up fighting or arguing again."

"How about we each take a step back, discuss a mutually beneficial solution, and resolve this feud?"

Grandpa Gao was afraid that the monster would change his mind, so he nodded vigorously.

"The old man is willing to back down!"

"If this... this elder is willing to release my Cuilan, this old man is willing to take out the silver from the treasury as compensation for the past three years' wages!"

"I beg the elder to have mercy and spare my daughter!"

Seeing Gao Taigong's terrified expression, Tianpeng's last trace of worldly attachment vanished completely.

The paths of immortals and mortals are different.

Why should I, a dignified Marshal Tianpeng, bother arguing with a mere mortal?

Since you have decided to wholeheartedly pursue the Tao, any lingering in these mundane affairs will only become a hindrance.

Although it was all an act to avoid disaster, Gao Cuilan had indeed treated him perfectly over the past three years.

Ultimately, it was his own demonic body that frightened mortals and tarnished the girl's reputation.

Tianpeng waved his hand casually, his expression remarkably calm.

"Grandpa, there's no need to say any more."

"I, Old Pig, am determined to seek immortality and cultivate my true self. The gold, silver and copper coins of this mortal world are like mud and dirt to me. I don't want a single penny of them."

"In these three years, I, Old Pig, have left all the hundred acres of fertile land and the tall buildings that I built for your Gao family, along with the vast fortune I've earned, to your family."

"Consider this my compensation to Miss Cuilan for the past six months, as a way of repaying the karma of these past six months."

Grandpa Gao was dumbfounded.

A fortune, yet not a single penny?

They even gave away the cultivated fertile land and the completed houses?

They originally thought the monster would demand an exorbitant sum of money, or even become enraged and attack them, but who would have thought that the other party would be so generous.

Grandpa Gao's lips trembled. His resentment and fear, which had filled him with, suddenly turned into a deep sense of shame and embarrassment.

"How...how can this be...?"

Tianpeng ignored his polite formalities, turned around, made a hand seal with his right hand, and pointed into the air towards the backyard.

"break!"

A faint golden light shot out and pierced straight through the doorway of the back hall.

A sharp "crack" came from deep within the backyard, and the heavy iron lock snapped in two.

Several bold maids quickly ran to the backyard.

Before long, a sound of weeping came from the backyard, growing louder as it approached.

A young woman dressed in a pale yellow brocade dress stumbled into the front hall, supported by her maid.

The woman was thin and tearful; she was Gao Cuilan, who had been imprisoned for half a year.

"Father! Mother!"

Gao Cuilan spotted her parents in the hall and rushed over, crying out.

Grandpa Gao and his wife embraced their daughter, and the three of them wept bitterly. Their cries echoed throughout the main hall, and all the servants in the courtyard bowed their heads and sighed.

Tianpeng simply stood there quietly watching this scene, his eyes filled with neither resentment nor longing, only clarity and understanding.

Life is like a dream, and gatherings and separations are inevitable.

With this release, the slight unease that had been weighing on his heart vanished completely in the morning breeze, and his Dao heart became even more steadfast.

Tang Sanzang stood aside, taking in Tianpeng's every move, his eyes showing approval.

"Amitabha Buddha, let go of your attachments, and each will find their place. Well done, well done."