Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

"Sun Wukong, could you ask the Local Deity here if he knows the situation!?" After accepting the task, it was natural to get to work on completing it, Jiang Liu said, addressing Sun Wukong beside him.

"Okay, Master!" Hearing Jiang Liu's words, Sun Wukong naturally did not hesitate and nodded.

At the same time, he stomped on the ground and performed the Soul-Subduing Art: "Where is the Local Deity!?"

With Sun Wukong's call, the ground split open directly, and then the Local Deity jumped out, greeting them sequentially.

"Greetings to the Holy Monk, Great Saint, Marshal, General Juanlian..." The Local Deity, with a very polite demeanor, respectfully saluted Jiang Liu and his companions.

"Amitabha, greetings to you, Local Deity!" Jiang Liu, with a humble and courteous demeanor, returned the salute to the Local Deity.

"The Holy Monk is too polite!" Seeing Jiang Liu actually return the salute, the Local Deity seemed flattered and quickly waved his hand.

Yes, this was in the Hall of Longevity, a person who dared to challenge the Emperor of Longevity. Yet, to himself, he was so humble and courteous?

This naturally made the Local Deity feel flattered, and he asked, "I wonder, what instructions does the Holy Monk have for calling upon this minor deity?"

"It's like this, we, master and apprentices, on our Journey to the West for Scriptures, arrived at your esteemed land and found the weather here unusually strange. So, we wish to inquire if the Local Deity knows the reason behind all this?" Jiang Liu spoke, questioning the Local Deity.

"Holy Monk, this matter must be spoken of starting seven or eight days ago!" Hearing Jiang Liu's inquiry, the Local Deity clearly understood and began to explain.

"Seven or eight days ago, the weather here was actually not peculiar. As the days passed, the weather indeed turned colder day by day. Everything was as usual."

"However, just seven or eight days ago, suddenly, a scorching red light appeared from beyond the heavens, landing deep within the neighboring mountains. This scene seemed like an Exotic Treasure appearing, attracting countless demons, ghosts, and even human cultivators to compete for it!"

"Since then, within a radius of several hundred miles, the temperature has been rising day by day, until today, it feels like midsummer!"

"What exactly is that red light? Many demons went to fight over it, but what was the outcome?" Sun Wukong could not help but ask the Local Deity upon hearing this.

"Great Saint, you overestimate this minor deity. My cultivation is only at the level of a Demon King. Among the countless demons fighting for it, there are even existences at the Demon Immortal Realm. How could I dare to approach?" The Local Deity replied with a somewhat helpless expression to Sun Wukong's inquiry.

"Well, alright..." The Local Deity's words made Sun Wukong nod in acknowledgment.

Indeed, the Local Deity, along with the Mountain God and River God, are just minor deities. In terms of power, they are only comparable to regular Demon Kings.

Perhaps in a well-policed place like Chang'an City, they might be considered strong, but within the Three Realms and Six Paths, they can only be seen as minor characters.

Of course, to someone like Sun Wukong, even mentioning the Demon King Realm, or even the Demon Immortal and Taiyi Realm existences, are just small fry.

"In that case, thank you, Local Deity. As for the specific situation, we, as master and apprentices, will naturally investigate thoroughly!" After pondering for a moment, Jiang Liu expressed gratitude to the Local Deity.

"The Holy Monk is too polite. If there's nothing else, this minor deity will take his leave now!" Listening to Jiang Liu's words, as if there were no more questions, the Local Deity said and then disappeared into the ground.

"Master, what shall we do next?" With the Local Deity gone, Sun Wukong and the rest looked at Jiang Liu and asked.

"What to do? Of course, we should first find a place to rest!" Hearing Sun Wukong's words, Jiang Liu smiled and said.

"Ah? Aren't we going to investigate the true nature of the red light?" Jiang Liu's words left Sun Wukong and his group slightly startled; after exchanging glances, they questioned Jiang Liu.

Yes, when a regular master promised to help others, wouldn't they be full of energy?

Why does the Master now seem not in a hurry at all?

In response to Sun Wukong and their inquiries, Jiang Liu merely smiled without saying much more.

Actually, Jiang Liu's thoughts were simple. If this task was truly a scheme by the Immortals and Buddhas behind the scenes, he could easily track them down, and upon finding out the mastermind, Jiang Liu would immediately complete the tribulation.

Then, he would directly strike at the mastermind, eliminating the powerful ones among the Immortals and Buddhas ahead of time.

Manjushri Bodhisattva was like this, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva was like this, Empress Qinghua was like this, and the Emperor of Longevity was also like this. Jiang Liu had already mastered this trick!

But this time, with the Tathagata and Maitreya Buddha conspiring, the tribulation set up was aimed to prevent him from tracing it back to them, hence the arrangement.

If that's the case, then finding them would be nearly impossible.

In that case, why rush to complete the task?

This tribulation was set by you, so if I delay, you could step out and urge me.

But now, you fear I might trace it back to you, so naturally, by delaying here, you have no position to come out, do you?

Therefore, Jiang Liu had no intention of rushing to complete this task.

Delaying for a few days, loitering around, letting the whole team's strength enhance as much as possible, isn't that nice?

So, once Jiang Liu made up his mind and thought that the Tathagata and the others had no position to urge him, Jiang Liu wasn't in a hurry. The master and disciples settled down in this city.

Eat when it's time to eat, drink when it's time to drink, and when it's time to pull out the Map of Mountains and Rivers for a dungeon raid, then just go for a good raid?

And just like that, a month passed in the blink of an eye.

After a month, Jiang Liu's level hasn't upgraded. After reaching level 82, the Experience Points needed for Jiang Liu to level up have already reached the 7 billion mark.

However, after a month of bitter cultivation, Jiang Liu's Experience Points reached around 5.8 billion, so upgrading to level 83 isn't too far now.

Of course, during these days of bitter cultivation, both the White Dragon Horse and Sha Wujing collectively leveled up by one.

It's worth mentioning that even the Evil Corpse's level has risen to 72, stepping into the realm of Taiyi True Immortal.

"Hmm, a month has passed, and I've been staying here for a month, yet no one has urged me to hit the road, that's nice, should I continue waiting?"

"Waiting for a year and a half is too exaggerated, but waiting for two or three months should be no problem, right?"

However, despite Jiang Liu's firm intentions to stay here as long as possible, things didn't develop as Jiang Liu expected.

Because, as the weather gets hotter, the people's lives here become increasingly difficult, with water sources becoming scarcer, and many households' ancient wells gradually drying up.

"Master, recently, quite a few people have started fleeing!"

After finishing the dungeon raid that day, the master and disciples were having a meal together when Sha Wujing spoke up to report the recent situation to Jiang Liu.

"Has the situation become this severe?" Hearing Sha Wujing's words, Jiang Liu's heart sank slightly.

Although from a selfish perspective, the reason for the drought here is unrelated to him, and no one has the right to criticize him for staying longer.

But, when he clearly has the ability to resolve these crises and help thousands, yet observes passively?

Jiang Liu felt that he couldn't act in such a manner.

If he really were to do this, then what difference would there be between him and those high-and-mighty Bodhisattvas and Buddhas?

The aspect he disliked most about them was their aloof attitude, treating sentient beings as insignificant.

With these thoughts, Jiang Liu spoke up, "Wukong, we've stayed here for quite some time, everyone's cultivation level has improved significantly, today, let's explore the depths of the mountains!"

"Alright, Master!" Upon hearing Jiang Liu's words, Sun Wukong and the others responded in unison.

Seeing how quick Sun Wukong and the others agreed, Jiang Liu was slightly taken aback and then silently shook his head.

Alright, Sun Wukong and the others were probably eager inside, wanting to solve this difficulty, right?

It's just that they were being held back by their master, so they didn't speak up.

However, tonight, even Sha Wujing couldn't resist reminding him of this.

"It seems that while I'm at odds with the Tathagata, I still have to be considerate of the ordinary people?" Thinking about Sun Wukong and the others' thoughts, Jiang Liu murmured to himself.

The Immortals and Buddhas up in the sky, treating sentient beings as insignificant, yet here he, the one resisting the Immortals and Buddhas, needs to care for those ordinary folks?

Who's truly the protagonist and who's the antagonist here?

Thinking of this, Jiang Liu couldn't help but smile wryly and shook his head.

According to past beliefs, his current thoughts are so altruistic, akin to a Holy Lady?

But thinking of this, Jiang Liu shook his head again, not minding.

A Holy Lady is fine, as long as it's not a false Holy Lady.

Buzz...

However, just as Jiang Liu was sorting through these thoughts and prepared to act together with Sun Wukong and the others, suddenly, from the void, a golden glow of merit descended, landing directly on Jiang Liu.

"What? Just this? A merit has fallen upon me!?"

Suddenly, without any warning, merit falls on him, leaving Jiang Liu stunned and momentarily uncertain of the reason.