Now, Ao Tu had woven a clever tale about his identity and origins, and Tang Seng did not doubt him in the slightest, declaring on the spot that he was willing to help Ao Tu restore his kingdom.
When Qiao’er’s parents learned that their son-in-law was the “prince of Baoxiang Kingdom,” they were overjoyed, so excited that they could not sleep all night. They packed their belongings, preparing to go along with him.
But Qiao’er knew that her husband would be leaving tomorrow.
She nestled in Ao Tu’s arms and held him tightly through the night.
The night passed.
At dawn, everyone readied their luggage and prepared to set out.
Qiao’er’s parents followed after them.
Seeing this, Ao Tu asked, “Where are you going?”
Qiao’er’s parents said, “Son-in-law, we are going with you to Baoxiang Kingdom!”
Ao Tu said, “Who are you people? What Baoxiang Kingdom are you going to?”
Qiao’er’s parents said angrily, “Son-in-law, we are your father-in-law and mother-in-law. How can you speak like this?”
Ao Tu laughed. “I am the dignified prince of Baoxiang Kingdom. How could I have a father-in-law and mother-in-law like you?”
Qiao’er’s parents cried in shock, “Our daughter is your wife, properly married to you with matchmaker and ceremony. How can you abandon her at will?”
Ao Tu said, “My union with your daughter was merely a temporary expedient. First, it was not discussed with my royal father and mother. Second, it was not witnessed by the ministers and officials. Third, we did not pay respects at the ancestral temple. What proper marriage is this? You baseborn commoners have received a hundred days of this prince’s favor; that is already an immense blessing. How dare you still push for more?”
With that, Ao Tu’s gaze sharpened. He glared at Qiao’er’s parents, frightening the two old people so badly that they fell to the ground and dared not speak.
Seeing this, Tang Seng could not help saying,
“Patron, earlier you were modest and respectful. Why are you now like a completely different person? The ancients said, ‘A wife who shared your poverty must not be lightly cast aside.’ How can you act in such a manner?”
Ao Tu said, “All living beings have no constant form. How can one cling to a momentary impression and judge by it? You and I have known each other for only a few months. How could you know my nature?”
“This...” Tang Seng was left speechless.
He felt that Ao Tu’s Buddhist understanding was profound and that he was not a bad person, yet the things Ao Tu did were precisely what he could not comprehend.
Ao Tu said coldly to Qiao’er’s parents, “How can a phoenix be matched with common birds? How can a true dragon dwell together with snakes and insects? You lowly peasants of base status—how dare you defile the bloodline of my royal house? After I leave, if you dare come even one step near Baoxiang Kingdom and cause my reputation to suffer disgrace, I will surely pull you up by the roots. Do not blame me for failing to warn you!”
When Qiao’er’s parents heard this, their faces turned deathly pale, and they dared not say another word.
Qiao’er knelt down with tears in her eyes. Her slender body bent in farewell as she said,
“This concubine will never leave this place by even half a step for the rest of her life.”
Ao Tu paid her no further heed and left with Tang Seng and his disciples.
His strength was only enough to protect himself. Bringing her along would merely give rise to tragedy. Better to sever the relationship clearly and let her remain here, then return after he attained the Dao.
On the road, Bajie could not help saying, “Your Highness, you’re far too rigid. That young lady is so pitiful. She obeyed your every word, and she was pretty too. If you were afraid she’d shame your household, you could just hide her away in a golden house and not let others know, couldn’t you?”
Hearing this, Ao Tu grabbed Bajie by the ear and said,
“You blockhead, now you’re lecturing me instead! Do you often do this sort of thing?”
Bajie clutched his ear and said, “Aiyo, Your Highness, how come your grip is just like my senior brother’s? This old pig is a good monk who has received the precepts. I would never do such a thing.”
The group traveled for three days, and on the fourth day, they passed White Tiger Ridge.
[Calculating rewards. Total obstruction time: one hundred and thirty-four days.]
[Reward obtained: Third-Turn Golden Pill.]
[Reward obtained: Sixth-Turn Golden Pill.]
[Reward obtained: Demon Court · Lesser Heavenly Circuit Formation.]
[Reward obtained: Shamanic Weapon · Peachwood Staff.]
[Reward obtained: Divine Ability · Art of Transforming into a Rainbow.]
[The surplus forty-six days will automatically be transferred to the next side mission. The next side mission is: Encountering Demons in Black Pine Forest.]
Ao Tu sensed the Art of Transforming into a Rainbow that he had already fully mastered, and a faint smile rose in his heart. Now he lacked nothing. He could act with all his might; even if he fought until the Buddha Tathagata came in person, he could flee at any time.
Everyone continued westward. After seven or eight days, they saw a stretch of pine forest.
Vines climbed and creepers tangled, the pines grew thick in clusters, trees stood dense and imposing, and the mountain road was rugged and uneven.
[Entering mission area.]
[Current side mission: Encountering Demons in Black Pine Forest.]
[Mission requirement: obstruct the scripture pilgrim within the Baoxiang Kingdom region. Rewards will be calculated according to obstruction time.]
[Mission rewards: three days / fire jujubes; seven days / spell · Spirit-Detaining Curse; half a month / shamanic art · All Things Flourish; one month / divine ability · Three Heads and Six Arms; one season / Nine Bends Yellow River Formation (formation only); half a year / Ancestral Dragon essence blood; one year / innate spirit treasure · Soul-Scattering Gourd; three years / innate spirit treasure · Hetu Luoshu; twelve years / Chaos Bell; sixty years...]
[Current progress: forty-six days.]
It had to be said that this time’s mission rewards were somewhat different from usual.
Ao Tu’s gaze was immediately drawn to the one-season reward, the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation.
This formation was very powerful!
Unfortunately, it was only the formation. It would have been perfect if the Hunyuan Golden Dipper were issued along with it.
But it did not matter if there was no Hunyuan Golden Dipper. The formation alone was already enough to defeat the overwhelming majority of enemies. Besides, the Hunyuan Golden Dipper would be refreshed sooner or later anyway.
As for the other rewards—
The divine ability Three Heads and Six Arms was fairly good. It was a standard combat divine ability, and many people knew it. Its enhancement to battle strength was not small.
However, Ao Tu already had the Five-Colored Divine Light. Compared with the Five-Colored Divine Light, Three Heads and Six Arms was clearly a level inferior.
The shamanic art All Things Flourish was a spell he had never heard of. Judging by the name, it might be an ancient technique used to pray for the growth of crops.
As for the fire jujubes and Spirit-Detaining Curse, there was not much to say. They were ordinary enough, merely adding a few more methods to his arsenal.
At this moment, Tang Seng saw the rugged mountain road ahead and said,
“Disciples! The mountain road is difficult to travel. We must be careful and guard against wild beasts and evil things!”
Hearing this, Bajie said, “Master, watch this old pig open the way for you!”
That blockhead roused his spirits and began waving his rake about, raking apart tangled vines, overturning shrubs, and clearing out a path. He led Tang Seng straight into the pine forest.
After traveling for half a day, Tang Seng said to Ao Tu, “Your Highness, we have walked for half a day, and this poor monk is somewhat hungry.”
Ao Tu said, “Then we will rest here.” He ordered Tiger Vanguard, “Bring some dry rations.”
Tiger Vanguard said, “Your Highness, the dry rations have been used up.”
Ao Tu said, “How have they been used up? Did we not bring a month’s worth of provisions?”
Tiger Vanguard said, “Your Highness does not know. That elder surnamed Zhu has an enormous appetite. The provisions have already been eaten.”
Hearing this, Tang Seng could not help looking at Bajie.
Bajie said aggrievedly, “Master, this old pig does eat a bit more, but I also do more work! I was opening the road just now!”
Tang Seng said helplessly, “Bajie, now that the dry rations have been used up, go beg some vegetarian food.”
Bajie said, “Then please wait here a while, Master. This old pig will go and return.”
And so Tang Seng, Ao Tu, and the others sat down in the forest, while Bajie went to beg for alms.
Bajie left the pine forest and traveled several dozen li to the west, yet he did not see a single human figure. He could not help sighing. “Truly, only when one manages a household does one know the cost of firewood and rice; only when one raises a child does one understand a parent’s kindness. In the past, when Eldest Senior Brother was around, we never lacked for alms. Now where am I supposed to find food?”
Bajie thought to himself, “If I can’t find any vegetarian food and just go back like this, telling that old monk there’s nowhere to beg alms, he definitely won’t believe I walked so far. I must muddle away another hour or two before I can give him an answer. ...Fine, fine. I’ll just sleep a bit here in the grass.”
Bajie burrowed headfirst into the grass and lay down. At first he only meant to sleep a little and then get up, but once he lay down, he began snoring away. What sense of time could he still have?