The Monkey King

What is Westbound?

Journeying westward is Xuanzang’s journey to enlightenment. That is an internal struggle within the Buddhist sect, a battle over Buddhism. It is a bet between Xuanzang, Tathagata and Sun Wukong. This is something everyone in the three worlds knows. Although it has the aftertaste of the disaster more than 600 years ago, at best, it is just a local war.

However, now there are two more players in this chess game, one is Subhuti and the other is Laojun. In this way, the nature has completely changed.

In just a few hours, everything that happened in Xianyue Sanxing Cave had spread quietly to every corner of the Three Realms.

The Dragon King of the Four Seas summoned his scattered followers.

The Ten Halls of Yama sealed the entire Yama Hall like an iron barrel, and strictly controlled every soul entering and leaving the underworld.

As the nominal highest administrative center, Tianting has even sealed Nantianmen tightly. Even the middle and lower-level Buddhist practitioners who were scattered around began to gather in Lingshan.

However, this is done quietly. Everyone is tense, but everyone is unwilling to be the first person to be sucked into the center of the whirlpool, even Buddhism.

Monkeys are not scary, what is really scary... is Laojun, the "inaction" that can restrain all heavenly practitioners. It can be like a shackle, tightly binding everything.

In a short period of time, the figure that had controlled the Three Realms for tens of thousands of years after more than six hundred years seemed to once again envelope everything in the world, suffocating everything.

However, while the pairs of eyes were opening as wide as possible and carefully observing every move, the monkey in the center of the whirlpool was still confused.

On the way back, the vague words that Lao Jun said kept repeating in the monkey's mind. In the end, only the word "price" was left.

"What does the price...mean?"

He murmured to himself, countless images passing through his mind.

For eight hundred years, he seemed to be paying the price all the time, voluntarily or forced to give up many things for what he wanted. However, in the end, he was just alone.

However, even so, can he refuse?

Thinking about it, the monkey couldn't help but smile bitterly.

There was never a way back before him.

The most terrifying thing in life is not "choice", but "no choice". You know you're wrong, but you still have to grit your teeth and keep going. Keep walking, keep walking, until both legs are numb, still not daring to stop. Just because once you stop, you will be shattered into pieces.

In this case, Laojun didn't explain it clearly, probably because the price was really heavy. It's so heavy that even under the current situation, the monkey may not agree...

Thinking about it, his heart could not help but feel cold.

He suddenly had an idea to leave everything behind at this moment, then find a place to hide, and no longer care about anything. It's like being trapped under the Five Elements Mountain, pretending to be crazy and acting stupid for more than six hundred years. You can leave at any time, but you don't dare to leave, living a life like a zombie.

Although it is sad, isn't it because he did not leave the Five Elements Mountain that the Three Realms have been peaceful for hundreds of years?

It was really one mistake, and everything was lost.

At first, just because of the glimmer of hope Xuanzang gave him, he decided to risk everything and fight to the death. However, the end result seemed to be worse than before... If he failed this time, he would probably be distraught and disappear completely. Then no one will remember him anymore.

The monkey was thinking wildly all the way. The journey of just a thousand miles took a full hour. When we arrived, the sky was already full of stars.

From a distance, he saw Xuanzang lighting a bonfire and sitting by a dry stream. The others all gathered on the other side of the creek ten feet away, whispering to each other and looking in the direction of Xuanzang from time to time.

Seeing the monkey coming back, they trotted over to greet him one by one.

"what happened?"

"Great Sage." Lu Liuguai said hesitantly: "Master Xuanzang asked us to leave..."

"Oh?" Monkey chuckled and said leisurely: "I thought you wanted to say that he changed his mind and wanted us to stay. This should be a big deal, right? When did he not let us go?"

"This time is different." The Bull Demon King on the side interjected, but he just kept his mouth open for a long time without saying anything, and kept looking back at Xuanzang.

Behind them, the demon generals also looked at the monkey eagerly. The look in Leiyin County's eyes was obviously different from before.

Probably... they no longer have confidence in heading west.

Glancing at the silent canopy, Monkey clapped his hands casually and said, "Okay, I'll talk to him. It's time to open up and talk."

With that said, he had already taken steps and walked slowly towards Xuanzang.

Seeing the monkey coming from a distance, Xuanzang couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, but he just blinked his eyes twice, clasped his hands, and still sat motionless.

Step by step, Monkey walked in front of Xuanzang and sat down slowly with his body bowed.

"I heard that you drove them away?"

Xuanzang picked up a branch and threw it into the bonfire, saying, "I'm just letting them live their lives, poor monk."

"Hey." Monkey stretched out his hand and rubbed his face and said, "They are my subordinates."

"Human beings are neither noble nor inferior, and so are monsters." Xuanzang took a deep breath and sighed softly: "No one should die for other people's dreams."

The monkey looked up at Xuanzang, pursed his lips and said, "What do you want to say?"

"Leiyin County, the Great Sage, several of your subordinates must have died violently. The poor monk feels that leaving them behind will only increase casualties."

Hearing this, the monkey couldn't help but laugh and sneer.

"Is it interesting to say this? From the day I left Huaguo Mountain, my own life has been hanging on my belt, and it may be gone at any time. In this world, there is no such thing as immortality, as long as you want to live."

Xuanzang lowered his eyes slightly and did not answer.

The two of them were silent for a long time, and Monkey said softly: "I know you want us to leave. In fact, to put it bluntly, you were forced to leave because of our intervention several times along the way... please France, Leiyin County, it's all So. But you don’t say it, because you asked me to come out in the first place. Some things, once said, will break your skin. I understand this. However, I still have to ask you clearly today, and I hope you can be honest. Answer me. Answer directly."

After saying that, the monkey glanced at Xuanzang quietly.

Xuanzang said calmly: "Great Sage, please speak."

"I don't want to gamble anymore, I want a practical answer. How far have you gone to achieve enlightenment on the journey to the west? How sure are you?" Raising his head, the monkey stared at Xuanzang with wide eyes, word by word. He said: "Give me a sure message so that I know what to do next." (To be continued~^~)