In the cutting wind, Wren Fox—the fox-demon girl once called Birdie—flew westward at the fastest speed she could muster.
......
Inside the side hall, Abbot Goldenpool enthusiastically questioned Tripitaka, stacking Buddhist sutras three feet high, but his questions never touched upon anything essential.
Tripitaka could not help but hesitate, furrowing his brows as he glanced toward Monkey.
Monkey lounged carelessly on the threshold, turning his head away, not bothering to look, letting Goldenpool do as he pleased.
"I told you to come back—this fellow has never sincerely sought your teaching. Why waste time on him? He’s just here to delay you on orders."
Tripitaka gathered his thoughts and sighed softly.
Though the truth was already plain, Tripitaka still answered every question. The teacher explained thoroughly, but the student paid no attention; his mind wandered, focused only on how to ask questions, never considering the answers at all.
"So, are you really going to keep letting him mess around like this?" Monkey’s voice sounded again in Tripitaka’s mind.
"As long as there’s even a sliver of hope, I am willing to try. Since I’ve promised to stay for two days, then two days it is. After that, regardless of the outcome, we’ll set out."
"Alright, then. Good luck." Monkey rolled his eyes and asked no further.
Tripitaka gave Goldenpool a faint smile, lowered his head, and continued to answer in detail.
Goldenpool was distracted, but the two monks sitting beside him craned their necks, listening intently.
Monkey glanced back at the other four in the side hall and lazily yawned.
The sprawling mountain range was almost entirely hollowed out, yet its surface was covered with vegetation like any wild land. Only the demons guarding each cave-manor reminded visitors that a hidden demon kingdom lay within.
Wren Fox slowly descended, landing before one cave-manor, where two young demons immediately came forward to greet her.
"Is Father here?" Wren Fox asked urgently.
"Lord Louis... Lord Louis is inside the cave-manor."
"Alright."
Brushing past the two little demons, Wren Fox hurried into the cave-manor, covering her mouth the whole way, unable to suppress her laughter.
Just then, her white-robed brother, the Serpent Lord, came walking toward her and said, "Where have you been? I was just looking for you."
"We’ve found the Great Sage!"
The moment she said it, Wren Fox could no longer hide the joy bubbling in her heart.
The Serpent Lord was instantly stunned.
He narrowed his eyes, watching his sister who was grinning like a flower. With a puzzled look, he lowered his voice and asked, "What did you say?"
"The Great Sage... we’ve found him, we’ve found him!" Wren Fox blinked rapidly, trying to calm her excitement, and whispered, "He’s at Mercy Abbey near Black Wind Mountain."
"Buddhist territory? What is he doing there?"
"I... I don’t know either, but the news should be accurate. He’s with Aiden Ao, the Third Prince of the Western Sea."
"Aiden Ao, the Third Prince of the Western Sea?" The Serpent Lord fell silent.
"What’s wrong?"
"Wait a moment, let me think." The Serpent Lord bowed his head, hesitated for a moment, and then said slowly, "We need to report this to Father immediately, but remember—not too hastily. After all, it’s a monastery, Buddhist ground."
"Don’t worry. I’ve heard of Mercy Abbey—it’s mostly reputation. I doubt Spirit Mountain truly regards Abbot Goldenpool as one of their own."
"Regardless, caution is best."
With that, the two turned and hurried deeper into the cave-manor.
...
Inside a small wooden hut, Belle Whitebone held the Jade Tablet, her thoughts drifting. She asked, "How did you end up with the Great Sage? Has he truly returned?"
"Who was that just now? Is someone else with you?"
"It was Wren Fox."
"Wren Fox? Lord Louis’s adopted daughter? Is she still with you now?"
"No." Belle shook her head. "She’s gone back—probably rushing to tell her adoptive father. After all, the Great Sage has returned. They’ve waited so many years for this day."
...
In the corner of the abbey, Aiden Ao felt a sudden chill run down his spine.
Swallowing hard, he whispered, "You... you have a Jade Tablet to contact her, right? Quickly, tell her—don’t let the Great Sage find out I was the one who spilled it, or that monkey will slaughter me..."
...
Meanwhile, in the side hall, the sermon continued.
Abbot Goldenpool bombarded Tripitaka with a stream of chaotic questions. No matter how convoluted or strange, Tripitaka patiently explained each one in detail. The two monks seated beside them were stunned, unable to help but praise Tripitaka’s profound insight.
Monkey still lounged by the door, gazing out at the courtyard, bored.
A monk was sweeping fallen leaves in the courtyard. When he looked up and saw Monkey watching him, he was startled, quickly lowered his head, and swept much faster.
...
Inside the cave-manor, Lord Louis’s eyes widened, his whiskers twitching.
"What did you say? The Great Sage has been found?"
The Serpent Lord gave Wren Fox a calm glance and said softly, "By all accounts, the news should be correct. He’s at Mercy Abbey."
For a moment, Lord Louis was completely stunned.
"The Great Sage... the Great Sage has returned. The demon race is saved, we’re saved..." He blinked repeatedly, trembling as he rose from his stone chair, pacing back and forth in the cave-manor. His weathered face was lit up with a rare smile, as joyful as a child: "After all these years, at last, at last... Six hundred years—Shortbeak, Rhino... I, Louis Quickpaw, clung to life just to see this day. The Great Sage has returned, he’s really back..."
By now, tears streamed down Lord Louis’s aged face.
The Serpent Lord hurried forward to steady him, but Louis pushed him away.
Wiping his tears with his sleeve, Louis Quickpaw stood silently for a long moment, eyes closed. When he finally regained his composure, he opened his eyes and pointed at the Serpent Lord: "Immediately—gather the troops. I will personally welcome the Great Sage."
"But... Father, that’s Buddhist territory," the Serpent Lord hesitated.
"What’s a mere abbey to us? Even if a Buddha is there, I’ll attack!" After a brief pause, Louis Quickpaw added, "Gather everyone! All troops! Prepare the welcoming celebration here, and all Spirit-Transformation-Stage warriors come with me to Mercy Abbey to escort the Great Sage back—quickly!"
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"Yes, Father!"
...
Two lone wild geese drifted south, the sunset painting the land in fiery hues.
Monkey still lounged at the side hall entrance, yawning from boredom. He glanced back at Tripitaka and sent a voice directly into his mind.
"Are you really going to keep wasting time with him?"
Tripitaka didn’t answer, continuing to explain with full concentration.
The other two monks present had already moved closer, listening intently. Only Goldenpool, the main figure, still had a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.
"What’s that?" Suddenly, someone outside the abbey cried out.
Monkey was caught off guard.
"That’s... Oh no, it’s demons, so many demons—!"
With a shriek, several monks tumbled in from outside the abbey, scrambling to lock the main gate behind them.
The monks inside the abbey rushed into the courtyard to see what was happening, but quickly retreated in terror. Overhead, armored demons were descending, swiftly encircling the entire monastery.
Screams erupted everywhere, plunging the abbey into chaos. Many monks fled into the side hall in panic.
At this moment, in the side hall, even elders like Goldenpool had turned pale, trembling and lost for words. "Master Tripitaka, do you recognize these demons?" they asked, voices shaking.
Tripitaka was calm, though confused, and could only look toward Monkey.
"I’ll go take a look."
Gripping his Golden Staff, Monkey strode quickly through the open courtyard toward the main gate. The demons flying overhead spotted him at once.
...
Outside the gate, more than a hundred demons had gathered, slowly parting to form a path.
Louis Quickpaw, small and stooped, walked step by step to the tightly closed gate. He straightened his sleeves, then dropped to his knees, and with all his strength cried out, "Your minister—Louis Qing—together with the assembled generals, respectfully welcomes the Great Sage!"
Then he bowed deeply.
The rest of the demons quickly dropped to their knees as well, shouting in unison, "We respectfully welcome the Great Sage!"
The great wooden gates slowly swung open...