A gentle breeze swept by, pressing the green grass flat.
The three by the water sat in silence; Aiden Ao wore a look of terror.
"I... I've been conscripted?"
"Yes, you've been conscripted."
Aiden Ao blinked at Tripitaka behind the tree, then at Monkey crouched before him, utterly bewildered.
"What?" Monkey smiled slyly, reaching out to pat Aiden Ao's face. "You don't agree?"
The look in Monkey's eyes sent a chill down Aiden Ao's spine. He quickly forced a fawning smile: "No, no, no, Great Sage! Whatever you say, I agree, I agree. Just... Great Sage, what exactly do you want me for?"
"Nothing much." Monkey let out a long sigh, stood up, and stretched. "Just turn into a horse for him to ride. We'll travel together to the Western Ox Continent—could be two or three years if we're lucky, a decade or more if not. That's all there is to it."
"To the Western Ox Continent? On foot?" Aiden Ao grew even more confused, blinking blankly. "Great Sage, are you going to protect this monk on a scripture quest?"
Monkey paused, then laughed and retorted, "Hey, how did you know it's a scripture quest?"
Aiden Ao suddenly leapt up from the ground, dragged Monkey aside with a secretive air, glanced back at Tripitaka standing in the distance, and whispered, "Great Sage, is that monk's name Tripitaka?"
"Yes. Why?"
"If that's true, then there's a problem." Aiden Ao's eyes darted around, edging closer to Monkey and whispering, "Great Sage, you've definitely been duped!"
"Duped?" Monkey eyed Aiden Ao suspiciously and asked in a low voice, "How have I been duped?"
Pressed by Monkey's question, Aiden Ao swallowed nervously and said cautiously, "You don't know yet, do you? That monk was sent by the Buddha to fetch scriptures, to bring Buddhist teachings into the Central Lands. In plain terms, it's all to strengthen the Buddhist order."
"Oh?" Monkey gazed at Aiden Ao with a meaningful look. "Is that so?"
"It's all over the Three Realms! If you ask me, that monk must have tricked you, Great Sage, into playing bodyguard for him. Just think—who was it that broke Blossom Mountain back then? That scene was... truly unbearable. Bald monks deserve to die, especially a bald monk named Tripitaka. I've heard that eating this monk's flesh grants immortality, but alas, with your Heaven's Way cultivation, Great Sage, you're already undying. Otherwise, how about you give him to me? I promise, his death won't be... pleasant."
With that, Aiden Ao rubbed his hands together, chuckling slyly. He only stopped when he noticed Monkey's gaze had turned strange, then swallowed awkwardly and mumbled, "Great Sage... I mean, just a piece of meat, just one piece. I won't be greedy..."
"Hmph, Tripitaka's flesh..." Monkey sighed, "Who told you eating his flesh could make you immortal?"
"Does anyone even need to tell me? The whole Three Realms is talking about it."
Monkey glanced thoughtfully at Tripitaka, then fixed his gaze on Aiden Ao. "Doesn't the Western Sea Dragon Palace have Peaches of Immortality? I remember I never burned down the Immortal Peach Orchard—so why are you after his flesh now?"
Aiden Ao rolled his eyes and whispered, "Great Sage, you don't know. Back then, I was furious at Heaven's actions, so when you rebelled, I, as your kin, rebelled too. I fought the Heavenly Soldiers for three days and nights, but in the end I lost and had to flee to the mortal world. I've been hiding for over six hundred years now."
"Oh? So I should thank you then?"
"I wouldn't dare." Aiden Ao shook his head and waved his hands, forcing a fawning smile. "Just remember me if you ever divide up his flesh, just a little bit—I'd die happy."
Monkey smiled and nodded silently. "Not bad. You're teachable."
"Oh, not at all! It was all thanks to your guidance back at Blossom Mountain, Great Sage." Aiden Ao laughed heartily.
Suddenly, Monkey slammed his staff down hard.
With a loud clang, Aiden Ao dropped to the ground, trembling, drenched in sweat.
Monkey stared coldly at Aiden Ao and said slowly, "I've taken note of everything you just said. Rest assured, if it's all true, you'll get your share. But if I find out even half a word is a lie..."
As he spoke, Monkey stroked Aiden Ao's head, gently plucked a hair, waved it before Aiden Ao's eyes, and growled in a low voice, "You know about Soul Tokens, right? Even if you break the link, with just a moment's thought, no matter where you hide, I can find you—anywhere in the Three Realms!"
Aiden Ao's face was twisted with fear, his mouth hanging open, unable to speak.
Monkey finished speaking and turned to leave, but Aiden Ao suddenly lunged forward, hugging Monkey's leg and wailing, "Great Sage, spare me! I'm telling the truth! The truth!"
"Speak."
"I..." Aiden Ao stammered, "I want to marry Belle Whitebone. My father wouldn't allow it, and Heaven wanted her too, so I rebelled and came to the mortal world. Great Sage, spare me! Please!"
Even Tripitaka, watching from the side, couldn't help but smile faintly at the scene.
Seeing Aiden Ao sobbing and sniffling, Monkey finally sighed, "Now that sounds a bit more believable."
"Then..." Releasing Monkey's leg, Aiden Ao looked up with pitiful eyes. "Great Sage, could you spare me a piece of flesh?"
Scratching his head, Monkey squatted down and asked, "You only rebelled against Heaven—if your lifespan runs out, can't you just ask your family for a Peach of Immortality?"
"Great Sage..." Aiden Ao shivered, "It's not for me, it's for Belle. That girl hasn't improved her cultivation in years—at this rate, in a century or so, her lifespan will be up. My father opposed our marriage from the start; he'd never give me a Peach of Immortality. So... I had no choice. I heard his flesh grants immortality, so I thought I'd try. I never expected you'd be with him, Great Sage—my apologies, truly..."
Aiden Ao forced a dry laugh, wiping his tears and sweat.