Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 591 - 585: Heavenly Court is Shocked [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1

The hunter's family were all somewhat dumbfounded.

They were puzzled about what was going on with Tang Sanzang, that he could utter such heretical and deviant words.

Great White Planet was also terribly troubled. If not for using the Heavenly Vision to confirm that this monk before him was indeed the renowned Tang Sanzang, he would have assumed this person was an impostor. If he truly was Tang Sanzang, how could he utter such blasphemous words? Could it be that Saint Zhunti hadn't completely removed Tang Sanzang's memories? But that seemed unlikely; Saint Zhunti, after all, was meticulous.

Great White Planet did not wish to give up, so he continued to probe further.

"Tang Sanzang, you bear the important mission of the Journey to the West. You need to go to the West to retrieve the Buddhist Law and use it to save all sentient beings."

"Today, you drink alcohol, eat meat, and even intend to kill, but I will not hold it against you. Can you assure me that from now on you will no longer break the precepts and will wholeheartedly embark on the Journey to the West?"

The hunter's family also watched Tang Sanzang, hoping for a definitive answer.

Tang Sanzang furrowed his brows and said without hesitation, "Old Immortal, you're quite the busybody. You belong to Taoism, and I to Buddhism. Why are you interfering in Buddhist affairs?"

"Besides, I've already told you: it's perfectly normal for a humble monk like me to drink wine and eat meat. It's also a method of my cultivation."

He then began skinning and cleaning a tiger, expertly setting it to roast over the fire. His skilled technique made one suspect he was not a virtuous monk, but a mountain bandit or an outlaw.

Great White Planet, so furious his beard bristled and eyes widened, said, "You ungrateful monk! You've broken the precepts and still spew such slick nonsense!"

Tang Sanzang ignored him, merely saying, "I even suspect you're not a deity but a demon in disguise, here to test my Buddhist faith. Let me tell you, my Buddhist faith is unbreakable and will not be shaken."

Great White Planet was beside himself with anger. This Tang Sanzang was impervious to persuasion, whether gentle or firm.

The hunter's family watched. Great White Planet could do nothing but huff and glare. He considered hitting the man several times but always restrained himself in the end.

This Tang Sanzang was a man of good deeds across ten lifetimes, the chosen figure for the Journey to the West's great trial, and the one designated by Buddhism to retrieve the scriptures. Regardless of any changes in this lifetime, Tang Sanzang had to journey to the West to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures. In other words, Tang Sanzang's life could not be endangered in any way. He could be allowed to fall into perilous situations, but ultimately, he had to be rescued; he absolutely could not meet with mishap again. If Great White Planet himself were to strike Tang Sanzang down, ruining the grand plans of the Heavenly Court and Buddhism, he would undoubtedly become a sinner. This was precisely Great White Planet's concern, why he feared he might strike too hard and kill this reckless, indulgent monk.

Tang Sanzang, meanwhile, busied himself roasting the tiger meat. He even asked the hunter's family for seasoning and invited them to join him.

"Brother Liu, Sister-in-law Liu, Aunt Liu, don't just stand there! Come and help. We'll have plenty of opportunities to work together in the future," he said.

Hearing this, the hunter's family grew frightened. They did not wish to keep Tang Sanzang around any longer.

Great White Planet stamped his foot in fury. "You incorrigible meat-and-wine monk! Since you insist on this degenerate path, I have no choice but to go to the West and ask Guanyin Bodhisattva to personally instruct you!"

Tang Sanzang merely waved his hand, showing no particular goodwill towards Great White Planet.

Standing on a cloud, Great White Planet looked down. Seeing Tang Sanzang's attitude, his anger flared up.

He raged, "Tang Sanzang! No matter what, I saved you from a tiger's maw! I am your benefactor! How can you treat me with such an attitude? This is utterly unreasonable!"

Tang Sanzang replied, "Old Immortal, you are of Taoism, and I am of Buddhism; our paths are inherently different. I am grateful you saved me, but I mustn't get too close, lest it cause misunderstandings among my Buddhist elders."

Great White Planet was both furious and frustrated, yet he couldn't find a rebuttal.

In the end, he had no choice but to leave. However, instead of heading straight to the West, he went up to the Heavenly Court to report the situation to the Jade Emperor.

「Lingxiao Palace.」

Great White Planet recounted everything that had occurred at Double Fork Ridge to the Jade Emperor and all the ministers, holding nothing back.

Everyone was greatly astonished and found it incredible.

It seemed none of them had anticipated this Tang Sanzang would be so different, so utterly contrary to their expectations.

The Jade Emperor frowned. "My Close Subject Li, are you certain? Is this Tang Sanzang genuine or an impostor?"

Great White Planet hastily replied, "Your Majesty, I saw him clearly. A Buddhist aura envelops this Tang Sanzang; he is undoubtedly the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi."

"If so, why has his temperament changed so drastically? Why is he so different from when he was growing up in the Tang Country of the East?" the Jade Emperor asked, frowning.

Great White Planet quickly shook his head; he didn't know either.

The Jade Emperor then looked at the assembled immortals, but they too shook their heads, equally clueless.

Wen Quxing stepped forward. "Your Majesty, our only course now is to quickly inform the West and apprise Tathagata Buddha of the situation, so they can formulate a countermeasure."

Thunder God Wen Zhong stepped out and added, "Yet, our Heavenly Court has an agreement with Lingjiu Mountain: our court will escort Tang Sanzang out of the Tang Country's borders, after which Buddhism will take over."

"Tang Sanzang hasn't even left the Tang Country yet. If we directly contact Lingjiu Mountain now, it would damage the Heavenly Court's prestige."

Wen Quxing then asked, "Then, Taoist Master Wen, what do you think is best?"

Wen Zhong replied, "The best course of action is to observe for now and determine the precise reason for this drastic change in Tang Sanzang's temperament."

"Taoist Master Wen makes a sound point," the Jade Emperor declared. "Let all ministers hear this command: Taoist Master Wen, Wen Quxing, and all literary ministers must figure out the reason behind the drastic change in Tang Sanzang's nature. I don't care what methods you use, but you must make the cause clear."

The ministers acknowledged the order.

The Jade Emperor then asked, "Has there been any news of the Yang siblings?"

The immortals shook their heads in unison.

The Jade Emperor turned to Zhao Gongming, Chief Deity of The Mysterious Altar Department, and said, "Zhao Xuantan, you once battled Yang Jian for three days and nights and left him mortally wounded. Do you know which direction he fled in the end?"

Zhao Gongming replied, "He fled towards the Flowing Sand River region. For certain reasons, I did not pursue him into that territory."

The Jade Emperor frowned. "What specific reason makes you consider Flowing Sand River a forbidden zone, that you dare not even set foot there?"

Zhao Gongming was silent for a moment before explaining, "Your Majesty, I don't fear Flowing Sand River, nor am I unwilling to set foot there. However, purely due to an agreement I made with others, I did not approach."

The Jade Emperor frowned again. "With whom did you make an agreement that made you dare to violate the heavenly laws and abandon a criminal who was within easy reach?"

Zhao Gongming replied, "I did not violate the heavenly laws. I simply have an agreement with my three younger sisters not to set foot in the Flowing Sand River region.

"Otherwise, the three of them will surely gang up on me, pestering me endlessly."

The Jade Emperor and the ministers were all stunned for a moment, not expecting it was the San Xiao who had made Zhao Gongming halt at the Flowing Sand River.