"Get lost—! That's my weapon!"
Who says it's yours?
I'll cut you down!
Come on, then! Come on! Hahaha!
Roars and curses echoed endlessly. In an instant, the dust that had just begun to settle rose again, and amid the sounds of battle, rocks tumbled down the slopes all around.
At that moment, Clara Heart finally arrived, staring in bewilderment at the devastated landscape before her.
After a moment, she gathered herself, blinked, and flew toward where Monkey and Six-Ears Damon were locked in combat, landing on a nearby hillside.
"Stop—! Both of you, stop!"
The sounds of battle fell silent.
A breeze swept through, scattering the dust. Before Clara Heart stood Monkey and Six-Ears Damon, both looking battered and disheveled.
At this moment, both were already covered in wounds, their clothes in tatters, yet each stubbornly gripped one end of the Golden Staff and Iron Sentinel, locked in a standoff.
Their eyes turned to Clara Heart at the same time, but their expressions could not have been more different.
Monkey only paused for a moment. If anything puzzled him, it was simply why Master Sage Subhuti would let Clara appear at this moment.
Wasn't it Master Sage Subhuti who encouraged Six-Ears Damon to come?
Six-Ears Damon, on the other hand, was completely stunned. After a long moment, he finally reacted and asked in confusion, "Why are you here? Weren't you supposed to go to Tusita Palace?"
"I..." Clara parted her lips, suddenly realizing she was somehow entangled in the situation before her, and quickly swallowed the words she was about to say.
Monkey seemed to realize something too, his gaze flickering back and forth between Clara Heart and Six-Ears Damon.
For a moment, all three were frozen in place.
This stalemate made Saint Raymond, who had been quietly watching from afar, visibly restless.
On one side, Monkey was still unable to gain the upper hand and return to help. On the other, in the clash between demon generals, King Bullhorn's side fought while retreating and was clearly losing ground.
Protecting someone is very different from simply fighting, especially when the one they're protecting is, in their eyes, as defenseless as Tripitaka. A single careless mistake could mean total defeat.
In the chaos, when General Curtain managed to block a combined attack from several demon generals, only to be struck head-on by a war hammer and sent crashing toward the ground, Saint Raymond could no longer hold back.
He hurriedly rolled up his sleeve, ready to act.
Just then, a hand suddenly blocked his way.
Turning, Saint Raymond saw Earth-Store King standing beside him, expressionless.
"Don't rush. Marshal Silver will recover soon. If you intervene now, the Westward Quest will become a joke." As he spoke, Earth-Store King's gaze shifted.
Following Earth-Store King's gaze, Saint Raymond suddenly noticed that in the middle of the dried-up creek, Marshal Silver—who had been poisoned by the goat-spirit's smoke—was slowly opening his bloodshot eyes.
Next, he saw Marshal Silver grab his Nine-Toothed Rake and charge swiftly back into the battle.
Earth-Store King sighed, "In single combat, demon generals are usually much stronger than Heavenly generals. But when it comes to teamwork, especially protecting someone, demons are hopeless. Luckily, Marshal Silver was once a Heavenly Marshal—this sort of thing should be no problem for him."
Sure enough, as he spoke, Marshal Silver joined the fray, quickly taking King Bullhorn's place.
Under his command, the demon officers on Monkey's side quickly steadied their formation, surrounding Tripitaka—who was carried on Prince Adrian the Little White Dragon's back—in three layers at the center.
For a moment, Gavin Goathorn found himself completely out of options.
He never imagined that Marshal Silver, whom he had always dismissed, would prove so crucial. Clearly, Six-Ears Damon's plan had now completely collapsed.
Seeing the crisis resolved, Saint Raymond finally relaxed a little. He asked softly, "Why did you come as well, Venerable Earth-Store?"
"If you came, how could this poor monk not come?"
"Oh? Surely you didn't come for the same reason as I did—to ensure Tripitaka reaches Great Thunderclap Temple safely?"
"This poor monk came for someone else."
As he spoke, Earth-Store King's gaze slowly turned toward Six-Ears Damon.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the three were still locked in their standoff.
Six-Ears Damon widened his eyes, desperate to get an answer from Clara Heart, who only stammered, unsure if she should speak.
Monkey's gaze flickered constantly.
Why did Clara Heart supposedly go to Tusita Palace? What's happening here?
Why hasn't Master Sage Subhuti appeared after all this fighting? Was Six-Ears Damon really just here to kill Tripitaka?
Who moved the Golden Staff just now? The staff is extremely heavy—few among the demon officers could lift it, and even fewer could throw it such a distance. Moreover, there was no warning or sign beforehand.
Clearly, this wasn't something Clara Heart could have done.
But if not Clara Heart, then who?
What was supposed to be a brutal fight with Six-Ears Damon was now growing more and more complicated, forcing Monkey to reconsider everything.
Could something else have happened?
Taking advantage of a moment when Six-Ears Damon was distracted, Monkey suddenly released Iron Sentinel, gripped the Golden Staff with both hands, and kicked at Six-Ears Damon's hand holding the staff.
Caught off guard, Six-Ears Damon had no choice but to let go of the Golden Staff and dodge away with his Iron Sentinel.
With that sudden move, the two finally separated.
A quiet voice arrived: "Great Sage, it's lost."
Gripping Iron Sentinel, Six-Ears Damon retreated step by step, breathing heavily. He said offhandedly, "Don't lie to me. Why are you here? Weren't you supposed to go to Tusita Palace?"
Clara Heart still gave no answer.
After a long time, Six-Ears Damon nodded slightly, took a slow breath, and smiled, "Enough, I understand now."
With that, he rose into the air, swaying as he flew off toward Lionback Kingdom. Seeing this, the demon officers still fighting quickly broke off and followed him.
In an instant, only Monkey's forces remained on the battlefield.
"Let's go," Earth-Store King said softly. "This is when he needs us most."
With those words, he vanished into thin air like a wisp of blue smoke.
Seeing this, Saint Raymond also slowly retreated and disappeared without a trace.
Watching Six-Ears Damon fly off, Monkey staggered and collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
He stared at Clara Heart from afar, silent.
The demon officers, battered and wounded, finally breathed a sigh of relief and landed on the hillside.
Tripitaka climbed down from Prince Adrian the Little White Dragon's back and collapsed on the ground.
Marshal Silver said softly, "It was my carelessness."
"No, it was this poor monk who was too reckless." Tripitaka wiped sweat from his brow and sighed, "It's all my fault."
King Bullhorn raised his hand and shouted, "Count the wounded!"
High in the sky, Six-Ears Damon flew on, utterly dejected, his face ashen.
"Great Sage, it's all right," Gavin Goathorn said cautiously. "If not this time, then next time. They'll slip up eventually. Tripitaka can't defend himself—any one of us could take his life if we got close. Besides, that... that imposter can't guard him forever, right? Next time, as long as—"
"Shut up."
"Huh?"
"I said shut up!"
Startled by the rebuke, Gavin Goathorn swallowed his words and dared not speak again.
Is killing Tripitaka really that important?
No, killing Tripitaka is just a way to vent his anger. Six-Ears Damon knew this all too well.
The real issue is that he has nowhere left to retreat.
If Lord Lao, Master Sage Subhuti, and even Clara Heart all stand against him, what's left on his side? Even if he kills Tripitaka, so what? Would killing Tripitaka make the heavenly tribulation take his enemy away?
There's nothing left—nothing at all. Even his own identity will soon be a lie...
He could only shake his head helplessly, forcing a smile.
The worst thing isn't despair, but having once hoped and then being utterly disappointed. Isn't that exactly his situation now?
Clutching Iron Sentinel tightly, a wave of bitterness welled up in his heart, burning with frustration yet powerless. That was the true tragedy.
Just as he was lost in this fog, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
"Why not hear this poor monk's opinion?"
Looking up, he suddenly saw Saint Raymond and Earth-Store King suspended before him.
Earth-Store King smiled gently, "Perhaps we can reach some kind of understanding."