Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

At the break of dawn the next day, outside the town, a dark-skinned man carrying a hoe waved goodbye to Jiang Liu, "Master, have a safe journey, I hope you can reach the Western Heaven soon!"

"Can you phrase that differently!?" The dark-skinned man's farewell words made Jiang Liu's complexion rather dark.

In his view, these words were a blessing, but to Jiang Liu, they sounded like a terrible curse.

"Ah!?'' Jiang Liu's dark expression caused the man to pause in confusion, not understanding what was wrong with his words.

However, since Jiang Liu asked for a different phrase, the man didn't think too much about it, nodded, and said, "Then, I wish you a smooth journey with the wind at your back…"

"After all that, it still means exactly the same thing!"

Shaking his head helplessly to himself, Jiang Liu had no intention of dwelling on this topic. He spoke up, "As we part ways, I hope we can meet again if destiny allows. You've already seen the techniques for grinding and grilling anise hyssop; how to operate them, I believe, you will ponder on your own!"

"Thank you, master!" Hearing that Jiang Liu wasn't completely against him learning the techniques, the dark-skinned man was filled with gratitude.

Researching secretly after he had left was completely different from Jiang Liu's outright agreement for him to learn.

Waving his hand, Jiang Liu also received several dozen pounds of cumin powder and, feeling good about it, he waved goodbye, then sat on the back of the White Dragon Horse and turned to leave.

"Wait, master…"

However, as he watched Jiang Liu turn to leave, the dark-skinned man seemed to recall something and said, "Master, be careful if you are heading west. Towards the southwest is Yellow Wind Ridge, where some demons dwell. I think it's better for you to avoid Yellow Wind Ridge!"

"Yellow Wind Ridge!?" Jiang Liu's eyes brightened upon hearing the man's words.

Yellow Wind Ridge? Wasn't that the place where the Yellow Wind Monster in the original story resided?

"Thank you for informing me; otherwise, I might have truly missed it!" Thinking of the demons on Yellow Wind Ridge, Jiang Liu was secretly delighted and thanked the man.

While speaking, he beckoned Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie to join him and headed towards Yellow Wind Ridge.

To Jiang Liu, defeating monsters for leveling up and looting equipment meant that Yellow Wind Ridge signified Experience Points and equipment items.

"Almost missed it?" With a confused face, the man murmured quietly as he watched Jiang Liu and his companions depart, not quite understanding the meaning.

…

"Master, that person just mentioned that there are demons on Yellow Wind Ridge, why don't we take a detour instead!?" Zhu Bajie, bearing his Nine-Toothed Rake, followed behind Jiang Liu, proposing the idea.

Given Zhu Bajie's lazy nature, he preferred to avoid battles if possible, especially since the recent troubles at Foutu Mountain, where their master actively caused a disturbance, provoking Zen Master Wuchao to take action himself, which had frightened Zhu Bajie greatly.

Hence, hearing about demons on Yellow Wind Ridge, Zhu Bajie thought it best to have less trouble rather than more.

"Bajie, as monks, we hold compassion in our hearts; not only should we promote goodness, but we should also punish evil. Since there are demons on Yellow Wind Ridge, we shall go see for ourselves. If the demons are unforgivably evil, it's our duty to eliminate them and bring peace to the local people!" Jiang Liu spoke with a serious expression, earnestly addressing Zhu Bajie.

"Master, aren't monks supposed to refrain from killing? The way you act, would it not become hard to rid yourself of the killing intent one day!?" Zhu Bajie shook his head with some thought before asking.

"We sever karma, not lives; besides, Ksitigarbha once said, 'If I do not enter hell, who will?' Heaven has bestowed us with extraordinary powers, and we should bear the corresponding responsibility. The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility, don't you understand?"

Jiang Liu didn't care whether the grand principles he professed were fitting or not; in any case, his sole purpose was clear: to eliminate the monsters of Yellow Wind Ridge.

"Well, who am I to argue with the master?"

Zhu Bajie was merely voicing a light objection; did he have the courage to stop Jiang Liu's decision? He did not. Seeing that Jiang Liu was set on exterminating the demons, Zhu Bajie reluctantly shook his head and said no more.

As they continued their journey, the outline of Yellow Wind Ridge quickly came into view.

However, before they approached Yellow Wind Ridge, Jiang Liu suddenly saw two men, who looked like refugees, running towards them with panicked expressions. Your next journey awaits at empire

"What's wrong with you two? Has something happened?" Seeing the distressed look of the two men, Jiang Liu went up to them, stopped them, and asked politely.

"Master, don't go any further! The demons of Yellow Wind Ridge have gone mad; they all rushed out of Yellow Wind Ridge today, it was so terrifying!" The two fleeing men spoke urgently as they saw Jiang Liu apparently heading towards Yellow Wind Ridge.

Normally, demons had their own territories, but it appeared from what these two men said that the demons of Yellow Wind Ridge were behaving unusually today.

"Could it be that the demons have come down the mountain to eat people!?" Jiang Liu's expression turned grave as he asked in a serious tone.

If that was indeed the case, it seemed he would have to exterminate all the demons of Yellow Wind Ridge without fail today.

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"No, no, that's not it!" Hearing this, the two men shook their heads again, their expressions showing some confusion, and said, "Those demons seem to be looking for a strange thing, what was it called again?"

The man who was speaking seemed to be unable to remember what the demons were looking for, so he turned his head to ask his companion.

"It seems to be called, what? Chili powder? Yes, that's it, chili powder..." After thinking for a moment, the man who was asked nodded with certainty in response.

Chili... chili powder...!?

These words left Jiang Liu stunned.

Even Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie behind him looked at each other in disbelief. They had just heard their master talk about this chili powder thing last night and were clueless where to find it, but now, they've come across news about this chili powder!?

"Wukong, Bajie, let's go!" Hearing the news about the chili powder, Jiang Liu was also somewhat excited.

With the opportunity to both fight monsters to level up and possibly find chili powder, how could he resist? After calling out, Jiang Liu said to the White Dragon Horse, "Xiaobai, let's hurry!"

Upon receiving Jiang Liu's command, the White Dragon Horse neighed and lifted its hooves, instantly transforming into a white shadow, dashing toward the direction of Yellow Wind Ridge like lightning.

As for Zhu Bajie and Sun Wukong? Naturally, they did not hesitate and quickly followed.

"They, they..." Watching Jiang Liu finding out that the demons from Yellow Wind Ridge had descended the mountain and then rushing toward them, the two men who had escaped were dumbfounded.

The two quickly realized something—could that young Little Monk have come specially to subdue demons and eliminate evil!?

"Hey, where did this Little Monk come from, daring to barge into our Yellow..."

Just as the White Dragon Horse was galloping at full speed, suddenly, a Frog Demon jumped out, wielding a steel fork and shouting loudly at Jiang Liu on the horse's back.

However, before the Frog Demon could finish its sentence, it felt a gust of wind sweep by, and the sight before its eyes blurred.

Looking back, it could only see the white horse speeding away: "Such, such a swift steed..."

"Eh? Did I just hear something!?" The ride was very smooth, and as Jiang Liu sat on the White Dragon Horse, pondering over the situation with the Yellow Wind Monster and the chili powder, he suddenly looked around.

The scenery around him was rapidly receding, and there was nothing else, which made Jiang Liu shake his head, feeling that he had just been mistaken.

Charging recklessly, they arrived at the entrance of Yellow Wind Hole at high speed. Furthermore, since most of the demons from Yellow Wind Ridge had begun moving to search for the chili powder, Jiang Liu and his companions unexpectedly encountered no obstacles on their way directly to the cave entrance.

"Who are you? What brings you to my Yellow Wind Hole!?" At the cave entrance, two Demon Marshals with beast heads and human bodies, wielding weapons, looked at Jiang Liu riding the white horse, followed by a skinny monkey and an ugly black Pig Demon, and were taken aback, questioning them in a forceful tone.

"May I ask if King Yellow Wind resides here? I've come to seek him for an inquiry!"

Before resorting to fighting, Jiang Liu still wanted to clarify the whereabouts of the chili powder, so he did not rush to act, adopting a strategy of courtesy before force.

"You wait, I'll go in and inform the Great King!" Seeing Jiang Liu openly state his purpose, one of the Demon Marshals replied and turned to walk into the cave.

At this time, the Yellow Wind Monster was slouching lazily on his throne, and a subordinate came running hurriedly over, his rushed steps echoing clearly in the cave.

"What's the matter!?" Opening his eyes, the Yellow Wind Monster looked at the subordinate before him and asked.

As he spoke, his eyes held a hint of anticipation, saying, "Could it be? Have you found the chili powder I've been looking for?"

"Not that, Your Majesty, a Monk has come outside, saying he has something to ask of you!"

The Demon Marshal shook his head in response, internally criticizing the situation: You send everyone to look for chili powder, yet Great King, you know nothing about it. How do you expect them to find the chili powder overnight?

"A Monk? I will not meet him!" Frowning, the Yellow Wind Monster waved his hand and said, continuing his nap with eyes closed.

However, before the Demon Marshal could leave, it seemed that the Yellow Wind Monster recalled something and suddenly opened his eyes to ask, "Wait, what does the Monk you mentioned look like!?"

The Demon Marshal paused mid-step, not daring to conceal anything, and replied, "The Monk who came seems very young, apparently only about fifteen or sixteen years old, riding an extraordinarily magnificent tall steed..."

"And then? Is there a monkey and a pig accompanying this Monk?" But before the Demon Marshal could finish his sentence, the Yellow Wind Monster abruptly interrupted to inquire.

"Yes, that's correct, Great King, is that Monk your friend!?"

Hearing the words of the Yellow Wind Monster, the Demon Marshal nodded. Since the Great King seemed to know the appearance of the other party without having met them, the Demon Marshal obviously misunderstood the relationship between the Yellow Wind Monster and Jiang Liu.

"It's over, I must escape through the back door!"

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