Great Demon Sun Wukong

With that voice, a person suddenly appeared atop the Luminous Pearl at the top of the high tower. "Who goes there? Why not report your name?" Sun Wukong looked up and slightly furrowed his brows as he spoke. The person first laughed heartily, then said, "It's rare that the Great Saint hasn't recognized me. It doesn't matter if I tell you. I am the son-in-law of the Myriad Saints Dragon King of the Blue Wave Pond, and also the Nine-headed Bug. I didn't expect the Great Saint's methods to still be so ruthless, slaughtering an entire city. If people learn of this, your title as a great demon king would be hard to shake off."

Sun Wukong let out a cold snort, then his eyes flashed with golden light and disappeared—the Fire Eyes Golden Gaze had already activated. In that instant, Sun Wukong knew who this person really was. "In front of my Fire Eyes Golden Gaze, there's no need for you to pretend. Tell me, what exactly are your intentions?" Though Sun Wukong had already seen through the person's true form, he did not point it out.

The demon who called himself the Nine-headed Bug laughed heartily again, saying, "As expected of Sun Wukong. Since that's the case, I'll speak plainly. This time, I've come to defeat you. Although there is no grudge between us, someone promised that if I take your three souls and seven spirits, they would all belong to me. With your three souls and seven spirits, I imagine my power will greatly increase."

The Nine-headed Bug appeared quite frank, seemingly very confident in his own strength. Sun Wukong said nothing further; the situation was already at such a point that there was nothing more to say. "Bajie, Lao Sha, protect the master. This time, this guy is coming for me." Sun Wukong finished speaking and had already soared skyward with the Jingu Bang.

This Nine-headed Bug held a crescent moon shovel in his hand, wearing a bright silver helmet that outshone white snow; with armor that gleamed frostily. Draped in a robe like colorful clouds enveloping jade; his waist bound with a rhinoceros-patterned belt, truly like a flowery python entwined with gold. Seeing Sun Wukong coming at him with the Jingu Bang, the Nine-headed Bug laughed heartily, then flicked his right hand and threw the crescent moon shovel.

Sun Wukong flicked the Jingu Bang, knocking the crescent moon shovel to the ground, but in that split second, the Nine-headed Bug had already advanced, his right fist thrusting directly at Sun Wukong's chest. Although Sun Wukong, having deflected the crescent moon shovel, exposed a small opening, he still evaded the punch with a twist of his body, then instinctively reversed the Jingu Bang, probing towards the Nine-headed Bug's back.

Subsequently, Sun Wukong and the Nine-headed Bug began fighting in mid-air. However, as they fought, Sun Wukong noticed something was wrong because he felt his three souls and seven spirits were restlessly agitated, as if an unseen force was tugging at his soul and essence. Consequently, though Sun Wukong initially held the upper hand, he began to lose ground as the fight continued.

Given the unfavorable situation, after they exchanged over fifty rounds, Sun Wukong started to feel his mind grow sluggish. The Fire Eyes Golden Gaze erupted instantly, and almost immediately, Sun Wukong's gaze focused on the Luminous Pearl atop the pagoda. When the Nine-headed Bug noticed Sun Wukong's gaze fixed on the Luminous Pearl, his expression changed as well.

Almost simultaneously, Sun Wukong and the Nine-headed Bug both lunged towards the Luminous Pearl. But since the Nine-headed Bug had never strayed too far from the pagoda, he managed to seize the Luminous Pearl first, holding it in his arms. Although Sun Wukong was a bit slower and failed to snatch the Luminous Pearl, he took advantage and swung a stick at the Nine-headed Bug's lower back, forcing the latter to flip his body hurriedly while protecting the Luminous Pearl.

It seemed Sun Wukong had anticipated the Nine-headed Bug's move, waiting there in advance. As the Nine-headed Bug's body started flipping, Sun Wukong delivered a knee strike to the Nine-headed Bug's back. Sun Wukong struck with considerable force, and struck by this blow, the Luminous Pearl in the Nine-headed Bug's arms immediately fell down.

The Nine-headed Bug was greatly alarmed, attempting to dive down and catch it, but Sun Wukong would not let him have his way, immediately entangling with him. All that was heard was a "crash" as the Luminous Pearl shattered upon hitting the ground. Sun Wukong chuckled and said, "Sorry, your treasure is broken."

Seeing the Luminous Pearl shattered on the ground, the Nine-headed Bug was furious and exclaimed, "Sun Wukong, you really are seeking death. Originally, I planned for you not to die so painfully, but since you're courting death, don't blame me." Following the Nine-headed Bug's words, the originally shattered Luminous Pearl on the ground suddenly emitted bursts of golden light, and along with that golden glow, came waves of Buddhist chants.

Sun Wukong froze for a moment, then hastily used his Fire Eyes Golden Gaze to look downwards. Upon seeing it, Sun Wukong was infuriated. It turned out that what was emitting the golden light wasn't the broken Luminous Pearl, but a Buddha's Relics. So that's how it was, the Luminous Pearl was merely used to cover the Buddha's Relics, and it was this Buddha's Relics that was truly emanating light, making the Sacrifice Country a dead kingdom.

Furthermore, Sun Wukong could feel that the Buddha's Relics contained Buddha's power, undeniably from Tathagata—again with Tathagata. Sun Wukong thought this time it was merely a demon causing trouble, not expecting that Tathagata was still the one orchestrating it from behind the scenes. Moreover, to deal with Sun Wukong, he even turned an entire country into a sacrifice. Such acts are hardly something a Buddha would do; even those of the evil path seldom would. This goes beyond merely taking lives.

Additionally, Sun Wukong noticed that the Buddha's Relics were placed atop a stalk of Immortal Herbs. A closer look at the Immortal Herbs made Sun Wukong's heart skip a beat. Because Sun Wukong recognized that plant. Back when Sun Wukong guarded the Peach Garden, he had once sneaked into the Queen Mother of the West's Jade Pool. In that Jade Pool were numerous Immortal Herbs and fruits. Among them, a type called the Nine-leaf Lingzhi Grass looked exactly like the Immortal Herb holding up the Buddha's Relics before him.

"Even the Queen Mother of the West is involved, huh? Good, just great." Previously, when encountering the Bull Demon King on Flame Mountain, Sun Wukong discovered that the Flame Mountain was created by Tathagata and the Supreme Elder Lord and later blamed on Sun Wukong. And now, even the Queen Mother conspired with Tathagata, showing that the issues between Heaven and the Spiritual Mount aren't as clear-cut as deep-seated enmity.

But why is this? Why would the Queen Mother do such a thing? One must know that the Queen Mother is actually the Queen Mother of the West, who belongs to the Demon Clan. Though it's unclear why the Queen Mother would team up with Tathagata to harm him, now is not the time to ponder it. The countless rays of Buddha Light from the Buddha's Relics were like invisible hands, pulling Sun Wukong's three souls and seven spirits.

This Buddha's Relics was filled with Tathagata's Buddha's power, and having absorbed the spirits of an entire Sacrifice Country, its potency was such that even Sun Wukong felt an overwhelming sense of inevitability. Soon, Sun Wukong sensed his three souls and seven spirits beginning to waver. At this moment, the Nine-headed Bug was already holding the Nine-leaf Lingzhi Grass and the Buddha's Relics in his hands, laughing wildly at Sun Wukong, "Are you in pain? Sun Wukong, did you really think you were the leader of the Demon Clan? You're too full of yourself. Today, I'll strip your soul and essence, leaving you an empty shell."

Finishing his words, the Nine-headed Bug activated the Buddha's Relics once more, and its golden light grew stronger. Sun Wukong felt his three souls and seven spirits beginning to separate from his body. In desperation, he barely managed to lift his right hand, aiming it at the Nine-headed Bug, and instantly released three silvery white chains. Those three chains immediately coiled around the Nine-headed Bug. With the Nine-headed Bug's concentration disrupted, the light from the Buddha's Relics dimmed slightly. Sun Wukong seized this opportunity, unleashing his full demonic power and soared skyward; escaping.

The reason Sun Wukong chose to temporarily flee was that the Buddha's Relics were indeed troublesome, and he knew that the Nine-headed Bug's target was solely himself, posing no threat to his master and companions, or rather, having no interest in them at all. Therefore he temporarily fled. If the Nine-headed Bug, like other demons, targeted the master, Sun Wukong would fight him to the death no matter what.

Temporarily escaping the Sacrifice Country, Sun Wukong found he had nowhere to go. Though he could handle the Nine-headed Bug on his own, the soul-capturing power of the Buddha's Relics was highly problematic. It seemed he had to seek allies, and unlike before, Sun Wukong couldn't turn to the people of Heaven because the Nine-headed Bug wasn't sent by Heaven—he wouldn't find the culprit there.

Suddenly, Sun Wukong thought of someone, someone who, though also part of Heaven, would definitely help him.