Journey to the West 07

There was a sound of something tapping the ground behind him. Fang Zhiyi slowly turned his head and looked at the monkey holding the golden-hooped staff. He felt a sense of resignation. Yeah, how could he fight against this Victorious Fighting Buddha?

Fang Zhiyi stood up, propping himself up with one hand on his knee, and looked at Sun Wukong before him.

"But, since I'm already here, shouldn't I at least try?" he muttered to himself.

Unexpectedly, the golden-hooped staff in Sun Wukong's hand suddenly pointed—not at Fang Zhiyi, but to the side. "This thing... Old Sun seems to have seen it before."

Fang Zhiyi felt his blood run cold. The last time something like this happened was when they encountered that Tasker. Little Hei froze on the spot, mumbling, "See? I told you we couldn't handle it."

"You want to spar with Old Sun? Have you thought about the consequences?" Sun Wukong stopped staring at Little Hei and turned his gaze to Fang Zhiyi, the gleaming golden rod now pointing directly at Fang Zhiyi's face.

A moment later, Fang Zhiyi suddenly laughed. "I know who you are. But even today, I still don't know what kind of sutra you all actually brought back. However... I still have to try to do what I must do."

In the next instant, he struck. His whole body shot forward like a cannonball, but it didn't hit its target.

Was he seen through again? Fang Zhiyi complained inwardly.

Sun Wukong vanished from his spot, and then Fang Zhiyi felt something attacking from behind. The feeling was terrible; he could sense it but couldn't avoid it. A tremendous force sent him flying.

"I swear, I've never been hit this hard..." Fang Zhiyi spat out a mouthful of blood. "Little Hei, sorry... looks like we're done for this time..."

Little Hei looked at Sun Wukong, who was approaching unhurriedly with the staff resting on his shoulder, then looked at Fang Zhiyi. Suddenly, he curled his lip. "Done for, my ass! Who do you think you're looking down on!"

Fang Zhiyi felt the consciousness in his mind fading. Damn it, he originally thought he could brag later—after all, he was someone who had taken a blow from Sun Wukong's staff!

Little Hei grabbed him by the ear.

The next moment, Sun Wukong was stunned. The black bear he had struck dead under his staff gradually revealed its true form, but he lifted his head, looking left and right.

After a moment, he suddenly burst out laughing. "Interesting! Truly fascinating!"

Fang Zhiyi was once again sitting inside the Sun-facing Cave. Before him was a wolf demon scurrying over to tattle. At this moment, he felt an intense, all-consuming pain throughout his body, as if a hundred thousand army ants were gnawing on his bones.

This agony came from the soul.

Little Hei had said that entering the same world multiple times from a fixed point would subject one to a baptism more painful than transcending a heavenly tribulation.

The wolf demon, seeing Fang Zhiyi's grim expression as he sat above, knew the Great King was probably angry.

But contrary to the wolf demon's expectations, Fang Zhiyi waved his hand after a moment. "Let them say what they want. I didn't eat anyone anyway."

"Great King, you're really something," the wolf demon finally blurted out after a long pause.

However, Fang Zhiyi immediately sneaked off to Chen Family Village. Sure enough, since he hadn't come, that little girl hadn't been chosen. He watched Cuicui hanging medicinal herbs to dry in the courtyard, a smile on her face, and felt a sense of relief in his heart.

Was this the correct answer?

From the very beginning, she shouldn't have gotten involved with him.

Thinking it over carefully, Cuicui's tragedy in the original plot began when she encountered the black bear demon.

So, wouldn't it be solved if he just didn't go near her?

Fang Zhiyi turned and headed back to his cave without a second glance. He needed to recuperate for a while. But as he circulated his demonic power, Fang Zhiyi felt a surge of joy. He felt stronger—not in terms of cultivation, but his soul had become much more robust.

"That's because the pain was like a tempering for your soul," Little Hei said weakly. "It's equivalent to you transcending one tribulation, or maybe two?"

"Are you okay?" Fang Zhiyi asked with concern.

"Won't die... it's not a big problem," Little Hei said, flexing the muscles he had conjured up.

It took Fang Zhiyi a long time to repair his soul, and during that time, he also felt his strength had increased somewhat.

The days were calm and peaceful. However, Fang Zhiyi never expected that while everything was calm one day, just a day later, the little demon he had sent to watch over Cuicui came rushing back in a panic. He said he had dozed off for a moment, and Chen Family Village was raided by bandits. Fang Zhiyi sprang up, cursing and swearing as he ran outside.

"So you are the black bear spirit? This old one's Taoist name is Yalong Taoist. Today, I have specially come to..."

"Go to hell!"

Without a second thought, Fang Zhiyi threw the exact same punch as before.

Yalong Taoist seemed to anticipate this move, raising her smoking pipe to block. Fist met pipe, and in just a second, the pipe shattered into pieces.

The old fox's face showed an expression of shock.

"You're merely a bear demon with a hundred years of cultivation. How can you be so..."

Fang Zhiyi didn't waste words on her and immediately attacked. He could also feel that his demonic power had risen by an entire level.

Yalong Taoist began to feel strained and called upon her disciples to support her.

Fang Zhiyi suddenly leaped into the air, spreading his arms wide, and uttered that same line.

"Crow Takes Flight!"

Yalong Taoist was once again stunned by the name of the move and its imposing momentum.

Then she saw the black bear spirit turn and flee without a backward glance.

A moment later, Yalong Taoist scratched her head. "Strange, I feel like I've heard that move name somewhere before."

Fang Zhiyi rushed to Chen Family Village at top speed. The place was in utter disarray. He fiercely questioned several villagers before learning that Cuicui had been taken by the bandits. The villagers' eyes were evasive, as if they had done something shameful.

So, Fang Zhiyi began searching everywhere. Little Hei also started circling around, trying to find any trace of the bandits.

Strangely, the bandits seemed to have vanished into thin air.

To protect her chastity, Cuicui hanged herself in the room while the bandits were preparing for the forced wedding.

It was the same revenge plot, but different from before. This time, Cuicui had become a vengeful spirit, dressed in bright red bridal robes, killing one bandit after another.

No one in the entire bandit stronghold was spared.

By the time Fang Zhiyi found the place, she was already gone.

It wasn't until he heard the news that Tang Seng and his disciples were passing through that Fang Zhiyi suddenly understood. He rushed back to Chen Family Village in a frantic hurry.

"Demon! You dare try to harm my master! Take this!" It was Sun Wukong again. His golden-hooped staff, gleaming with light, swung down towards the vengeful spirit.

Cuicui's crimson eyes held no humanity anymore. She only knew she had to keep growing stronger, strong enough so no one could bully her, strong enough to protect her grandmother.

"Venerable Monk! Quick, quick, subdue it!" the surviving villagers cried out.

After a brief exchange, Sun Wukong found Cuicui's true form and brought his staff down. But a figure shot out horizontally and blocked the blow.

Sun Wukong was only surprised for a second before his eyes sharpened. Then he grinned widely. "To think such a strange thing could happen! This is incredibly interesting!!"