Chapter 261 - 238: Great Immortal of Mira Palace Attends the Lecture
Wukong was tasked with escorting Xuanzang to the Western Heaven to retrieve the scriptures.
This Xuanzang, different from the previous ones, seemed less dogmatic and rigid. He had his own unique insights into the Buddhist Law, which Wukong found quite to his liking after exchanging a few words.
For Wukong, the dangers along the way were mere child’s play; there was no need to seek help from Guanyin. With a flurry of his cudgel, he would ensure any demons and ghosts met their end in the Yellow Springs. Whether they were from the Heavenly Court or dispatched covertly by the Buddhist sect, they all turned into powder beneath his cudgel.
"Brother, your disciple is quite formidable. Without making a sound, he has secretly cultivated to almost the level of a Mixed Yuan Golden Immortal. That Black Wind Demon you once instructed was killed by him with just two blows. Do you not grieve for him?" Yuan Shi Immortal Monarch asked.
"It’s just a chess piece I played casually; if he got killed, so be it! It was just a warm-up. We’ll have a proper confrontation with the Buddhist sect at Wuzhuang Temple," said the Leader of Heaven-Penetrating very calmly. It turned out that Black Bear Spirit, who stole the kasaya from Guanyin Temple, had been enlightened by him when he had nothing better to do and had been given some guidance in cultivation.
"He can hardly be considered a disciple of Heaven-Penetrating. If he got killed, so be it! It would be even better if Macaca could kill Tianpeng and Great General Roll-banners as well!" said Laojun.
Zhu Bajie and Monk Sha were spies planted by the Jade Emperor. The Queen Mother’s glaze cup wasn’t so easily shattered. Though General Tianpeng was somewhat frivolous, the rules of the Heavenly Court were clear. To meddle with Chang’e was an impossible act. These two were demoted to the mortal world for such charges, which seemed quite ridiculous to those with discernment.
Upon reaching Cloud Ladder Cave, Wukong was prepared to pulverize Bajie with his cudgel, but Guanyin intervened, claiming that he had a destiny with the Buddha and must be properly guided and not killed.
Helpless, Wukong retracted his Jingu Bang, thinking, "Adding this pig to the team must be for spying on Old Sun! Now, whatever move Old Sun makes, he will likely see it clearly!"
Zhu Bajie joining the pilgrimage team was probably just to spy and cause trouble under the Jade Emperor’s orders, occasionally suggesting they disband to shake their resolve. However, Bajie was secretly thinking that if Taoism won, he could return to the Heavenly Court, and if Buddhism won, he could even ascend to the Western Heaven and become a Venerable. Either way, it seemed beneficial to him.