An entire night had passed. At dawn, the demon officer dispatched by Six-Ears Damon finally rushed back, his face visibly grim.
Under the gaze of the assembled demons, he quietly approached Six-Ears Damon and whispered a few words.
In an instant, Six-Ears Damon's formerly lazy expression twisted into one of furious anger.
The change was so abrupt that the surrounding demon officers all froze in shock.
Suddenly, Six-Ears Damon seized the demon officer by the throat and roared, "Say it again!"
The shout was nearly a bellow.
At that moment, his slightly parted mouth revealed sharp fangs, and every strand of fur on his body bristled upright.
The surrounding demon officers stared in stunned silence.
"G-Great Sage, I swear I'm telling the truth!"
"I told you to say it again! Say it again!"
As he spoke, the hand gripping the demon officer's throat tightened slightly.
The goat demon tried to intervene, but was shoved aside by Six-Ears Damon, landing hard on the ground.
Panicking, the demon officer struggled and shouted, "Master Sage Subhuti refused to see me, and... and Tusita Palace has already taken Clara Heart away—!"
Those words took all the demon officer's strength to shout, echoing deafeningly through the camp.
Six-Ears Damon trembled slightly, a chilling smile curling at his lips: "He let Lord Lao take Clara Heart away?"
"Tusita Palace took her away... What happened?"
"Didn't Lord Lao just fall out with Master Sage Subhuti? Why would Master Sage Subhuti suddenly..."
"Could it be... Master Sage Subhuti has changed his mind again and doesn't want to side with us anymore?"
"It... it seems so."
The demons present began to murmur among themselves.
In the next instant, the Six-Eared Macaque's brow furrowed. Before the demons could react, the demon officer's head silently flew from his shoulders.
His body collapsed in a crooked heap, blood pooling across the ground.
The scene happened so suddenly that the surrounding demon officers were left dumbstruck, staring at the Six-Eared Macaque with deep fear in their eyes.
The Six-Eared Macaque himself stood frozen, fists clenched and trembling, veins bulging across his forehead. His blood-smeared face looked even more savage.
......
"Master, is this really okay?" In the Hall of Silent Meditation, Eugene bowed and said, "Just now, Six-Ears Damon already sent someone. By now, he must know that Clara Heart has been taken away."
"Whether he learns now or later, he was bound to find out." Master Sage Subhuti slowly closed his eyes, the wrinkles on his face seeming much deeper than moments before.
He reached out to pick up his cup of tea, but his hand trembled and accidentally knocked it over.
It was the second cup of tea spilled today. In eight hundred years, only these two cups had ever been spilled in the Hall of Silent Meditation.
Eugene glanced calmly at the spilled tea and said softly, "Allow me to clean up for you, Master."
He moved forward, flicked his wrist, set the cup upright, and the tea vanished from the floor in an instant.
After finishing, he respectfully knelt back in his original place.
Yet Master Sage Subhuti's gaze lingered on the spot where the tea had spilled. After a long moment, he smiled faintly and sighed, "It seems I truly am old. Perhaps it's time to retire to the mountains and leave worldly affairs behind. I'm no match for Lord Lao after all."
Eugene looked up slightly at Master Sage Subhuti, still kneeling and bowing, waiting motionlessly.
The Hall of Silent Meditation was utterly silent, as if the entire temple, like its master, had aged in an instant.
"Master, what will you do next?"
Master Sage Subhuti replied expressionlessly, "Wait. If Heaven shows mercy, it will grant me an opportunity."
......
Gazing into the distance, the Monkey King leaned on his Golden Staff, head held high with pride: "So, when do you think they'll finally attack?"
"Do you really want to fight him that badly?" Marshal Silver said quietly from beside him. "Neither of you will die. Even if you fight, so what?"
"Even if nothing changes, I still want to fight. Beating him up will make me happy." Monkey snorted. "Ideally, I'd drag that old man hiding behind him out for a beating too. I shouldn't have listened to all that abstruse talk—men's affairs should be settled with fists!"
In the distance, Barry Bear still silently guarded Tripitaka.
Slowly opening his eyes, Tripitaka asked softly, "What happened?"
"I don't know." Barry Bear shook his head. "Great Sage said Six-Ears Damon is coming."
"Six-Ears Damon is coming? Didn't he say..."
"You can't take what he says at face value." Barry Bear replied gravely. "Do you remember, Tripitaka? Last time in Thunderhill County, he attacked you."
Tripitaka shook his head and smiled gently. "Anyway, I think Six-Ears Damon isn't as bad as the rumors say."
Facing Tripitaka's stubbornness, Barry Bear could only sigh. Then he gripped his black-tasseled spear and said solemnly, "You are generous, Master. I admire you. But... well, never mind. In any case, rest assured. I can't speak for others. But if Six-Ears Damon wants to harm you, he'll have to step over my corpse first. As long as I live, I'll keep you safe."
Tripitaka gazed at Barry Bear's solemn face for a long while, then smiled faintly. "Thank you."
A thousand li away, among drifting clouds, Clara Heart and Birdie were flying slowly.
Suddenly, a ray of light shot into Clara Heart's nape. She stopped abruptly and turned, staring in the direction of Monkey's camp.
"What's wrong?" Birdie asked casually.
After a brief silence, Clara Heart said uncertainly, "It feels like... something bad is about to happen. I have a bad feeling."
Birdie chuckled. "Oh? What do you mean?"
Clara Heart's eyes flickered; she spoke up: "No, I have to go!"
Without waiting for Birdie's protest, she was already streaking toward Monkey's position.