Staring at Erik Yang's expressionless face, Monkey couldn't help but feel a little stunned.
He simply couldn't imagine that such words could come from Erik Yang's mouth. Was he really supposed to abandon Anna Yang?
Supporting his knees, Erik Yang slowly stood up to leave. Monkey hurriedly called out, "She can handle it? How exactly can she handle it? Damon Six-Ears is a bloodthirsty monster! What if... what if..."
Erik Yang stopped in his tracks and, with his back to Monkey, sighed softly, "My sister is a clever woman."
"Hm?"
Turning around, Erik Yang gazed at Monkey with a blank expression and said softly, "She's very clever—cleverer than either of us imagine, even a bit cunning. That's what her life has made her. For the two of us siblings, if we hadn't learned to be cautious in everything, we'd have died in some nameless corner long ago and never made it this far."
Monkey stared blankly at Erik Yang, momentarily at a loss.
After a brief pause, Erik Yang swallowed hard and continued, "She's a woman—she can be willful, needs comfort, throws tantrums, and has her little moods. But... when something truly important happens, she's extraordinarily calm—at least calmer than I am as her brother. She knows perfectly well what must be done and what mustn't be done. So, if she says she's fine, then she really is fine."
With that, Erik Yang turned around, leaning on his Three-Point Double-Edged Blade, clutching the wound on his shoulder, and staggered away step by step.
In the morning light, Monkey stood there dazed, blinking, watching that retreating figure, lost in a haze.
After a long moment, he finally turned back, hoisted the still limp and crawling Tripitaka onto his back, and flew off toward the direction of the Western Ox Continent.
Only when Monkey's figure vanished at the horizon did Erik Yang slowly turn his head, quietly gazing in the direction where Monkey had departed.
Warren Wu hurried over, reaching out to help, but Erik Yang stopped him.
"I'm fine. It's just a minor wound."
"Second Master, why did you..." Warren Wu frowned deeply, wanting to speak but hesitating.
"What is it?"
Pressed by the question, Warren Wu furrowed his brow even tighter. He opened his mouth, but for a long while could only stammer, unable to find the words.
Shaking his head helplessly, Erik Yang sighed, "From now on, I can't manage Anna's affairs anymore."
"Huh?" Warren Wu was left dumbstruck by the remark.
Watching the stunned Warren Wu, Erik Yang smiled faintly and said, "It's not that I don't want to manage her affairs—it's that I can't. If Damon Six-Ears had attacked from a distance, maybe I'd have had a chance. But once he closed in... I couldn't even withstand three moves. I've always been the one rushing into close combat, but I never thought... Even I, the War God of the Three Realms, Erik Yang, would see this day. I can't manage her anymore... So, whatever Anna says, I'll just pass it on as she wishes."
There was an indescribable bitterness in that smile.
......
"Hey." In the rushing wind, Monkey suddenly spoke up, "Let me discuss something with you."
Tripitaka, his eyes squeezed shut by the wind, shouted in a drawn-out voice, "Wha... what is it?"
"Could you go hide at my master's place for a few days? Just a few days. I need to take care of something important. Once this danger passes, we'll continue westward."
"No, absolutely not!"
"Why not?"
"L-let me down so I can talk."
Helpless, Monkey had no choice but to land hurriedly on a hillside and set Tripitaka down from his back.
As soon as he touched the ground, Tripitaka collapsed completely, panting heavily and coughing violently.
"Are you alright?" Only now did Monkey realize he hadn't put up any kind of shield for the trip.
If it were a cultivator, it wouldn't matter, but Tripitaka was just an ordinary mortal with no cultivation at all. Carried by Monkey at full speed... that wind was no joke. This ordeal was really tough on him.
"I-I'm fine." Tripitaka finally caught his breath, slumping to the ground, panting, "Just now... what were you saying?"
"I said you should go hide at my master's place for a few days—Crescent Star Cave. I need to take care of something important." Hands on his hips, Monkey looked down at the slumped Tripitaka, raised his brows, and asked, "You just said no. What do you mean by that?"
"No, absolutely not." Waving his hand, Tripitaka shakily pushed himself to his feet, pressed his palms together, and said, "The Westward Quest is, by nature, walking against Heaven itself. If we retreat at the first sign of hardship, how can we hope to save all beings? When trouble comes, we must face it head-on, not shrink away."
Hearing this, Monkey's brows immediately furrowed into a deep scowl.
"Are you truly insane?"
"This poor monk is not insane."
"You're not insane?" Monkey swallowed hard, a bit annoyed. "Sure, you look normal now, but what you're saying is even crazier than before."
"I've never been insane from beginning to end."
"Then what about everything you've done before?" Monkey pointed west and shouted, "Standing in the rain, slashing your own wrist—how is that not insane?"
Tripitaka shut his eyes tight and let out a long, deep sigh, saying nothing.
At this moment, Monkey couldn't worry about anything else. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed Tripitaka and forcibly hoisted him onto his back.
"What are you doing!"
"You don't get to choose! Once we're at Crescent Star Cave, if you have the guts, walk back yourself!"
Ignoring Tripitaka's struggles, Monkey shot into the sky. In the howling wind, Tripitaka could only cling tightly to Monkey, shut his eyes, and dare not move a muscle.
......
At this moment, in Lionback Kingdom.
In the lavish room, Anna Yang paced back and forth, inspecting her surroundings.
"Everything has been arranged exactly as Her Holiness the Holy Mother once lived on Blossom Mountain—nothing has been overlooked."
Tilting her head slightly, Anna Yang gazed through the lattice window at the ruined walls outside. The corners of her lips curled up in a mocking smile.
Those were left behind by Monkey's fierce battle here earlier.
Seeing this, Six-Eared Macaque coughed awkwardly. Polydemon quickly walked to the window, lowered the bamboo blinds, then turned around and smiled sheepishly, "There are still some inconveniences outside, but I’ll have someone clean it up right away. It won’t offend Her Holiness’s eyes."
Noticing Polydemon's nervous expression, Anna Yang's mocking look grew even stronger. She slowly shook her head, sat down, and began fiddling with the tea set, making tea for herself.
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"Alright, I'm satisfied. You may leave now."
"Leave?" Six-Eared Macaque raised his brows slightly. "I've done what I promised you. What about your promise to me?"
"What did you promise me?"
"I..." Caught off guard by the question, Six-Eared Macaque was momentarily speechless. After pursing his lips for a while, he lowered his voice and said, "I promised you that you could have everything you once possessed on Blossom Mountain."
Anna Yang glanced meaningfully at Six-Eared Macaque, swirling her teacup as she said slowly, "Did I ever tell you I wanted those things?"
"You! Fine, you never asked for anything. But what about what I want?"
"And what is it you want?"
"I want you to announce to the world that I'm the real one!" Six-Eared Macaque suddenly shouted, startling the little demons behind him into shrinking back.
Polydemon's face darkened slightly.
Yet at that moment, Anna Yang intentionally or unintentionally glanced at him, making him lower his head further and not dare to look up, let alone speak.
"Oh? So that's what you want." Anna Yang suddenly laughed and looked at Polydemon. "Polydemon, tell your Great Sage here—wasn't it me who first confirmed his title as Great Sage Equal to Heaven?"
Hearing this, Polydemon wished he could crawl into a hole. He hung his head, desperate to disappear. Unfortunately, Six-Eared Macaque showed no such awareness. He stared at Polydemon in confusion, as if he genuinely wanted him to say it.
In this situation, Polydemon definitely didn't dare to speak.
After a long standoff, Anna Yang finally sipped her tea and said with a smile, "The title 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' never needed anyone's recognition. It was earned, blow by blow. If you don't accept it, you get beaten until you do. That's why I say, you're not him. If you were, you'd never ask for such a thing."
"Enough!" Six-Eared Macaque roared, and the two little demons guarding the door immediately dropped to their knees in fright. Polydemon could only close his eyes helplessly.
He suddenly realized that this 'Great Sage' he had supported was worlds apart from the original. Some things simply can't be gained by cultivation alone.
"All of you, get out!"
With that order, the two little demons and Polydemon felt as if they’d been granted amnesty. They quickly bowed and retreated. At the door, Polydemon hesitated for a moment, met Anna Yang’s gaze, but finally let go of the door without closing it.
Once everyone else had left, only Six-Eared Macaque and Anna Yang remained in the room.
Six-Eared Macaque glared at Anna Yang, gritting his teeth in hatred. Anna, however, simply sipped her tea in perfect composure.
"What’s wrong? Still not convinced?"
"Convinced of what?" Six-Eared Macaque strode up to Anna Yang, grabbed her wrist, and snarled, "You’re the one on the chopping block. What should I be convinced of, huh? Why don’t you tell me—what is it I’m supposed to accept?"
This sudden move clearly startled Anna Yang.
More than six hundred years had passed, and even now, she was only at the Spirit Refining stage. Facing Six-Eared Macaque was like an ant facing an elephant.
At this moment, the wrist gripped by Six-Eared Macaque was throbbing with pain. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.
Yet she only grit her teeth, enduring the pain in silence, her eyes wide as she stared back at Six-Eared Macaque.
After a long time, her face deathly pale, she finally forced out a bitter smile and said, "You know perfectly well what you need to accept."
At her words, Six-Eared Macaque bared his fangs and snarled, "Do you believe I won't kill you?"
"I believe you." Anna Yang laughed even more brightly. "But the monsters of the Three Realms would never believe that their most beloved Great Sage would kill his lawfully wedded wife. If you kill me, even if you once were, you won't be anymore."
"You!" Six-Eared Macaque gripped Anna Yang's wrist tightly, unable to form a coherent sentence.
"I’ve known Monkey since he was just a monkey, before he had any cultivation at all." Anna Yang reached out and, finger by finger, pried Six-Eared Macaque’s hand from her wrist, smiling softly. "The strength of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven comes from his heart, his obsession—not just his cultivation. So, let me teach you how to be the real Great Sage Equal to Heaven, shall I? Don’t forget, I was the one who helped him and ruled all of Blossom Mountain."
Anna Yang gazed at Six-Eared Macaque with a gentle smile.
Her charming expression made Six-Eared Macaque momentarily dazed, his eyes twitching slightly.