Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything-Chapter 504: Six Demons of the Wood Immortal Hermitage

I never would have guessed that deep within Thistle Ridge there was actually a Wood Immortal Hermitage?

With a sense of caution in his heart, Jiang Liu looked around for a moment and quickly noticed several demon creatures in front of the Wood Immortal Hermitage, old and young, male and female.

Jiang Liu's wary eyes watched these few demon creatures, and in his heart, he silently brought up the character UI to check their information.

Suddenly, his expression turned a bit strange.

Jiang Liu could tell that these demons, who had transformed into human forms, were not of high levels, above level 50 but below 60, belonging to the realm of a Demon King.

Furthermore, their character UIs were almost all white.

Only the leader called Eighteen just had a blue UI, which was indeed similar to his own.

"Are these demons courting death?" Initially, he thought the demons capable of capturing him were something formidable, but seeing that they were all merely at the level of Demon King and hadn't even reached the status of a Demon Immortal, Jiang Liu's mouth twitched slightly.

He felt it was a case of overweening arrogance for mere Demon Kings to dare to capture someone right under Sun Wukong and the others' noses?

"Great Master, we meant no harm in inviting you here," sensing the wariness in Jiang Liu's gaze, Eighteen, who had captured Jiang Liu, spoke humbly and politely with a friendly tone.

"Inviting? So this is how you invite people?" Although Eighteen appeared humble and polite, Jiang Liu, having seen much of the world, wouldn't believe him just because he spoke nicely. At these words, he revealed a sneer on his face.

"Great Master, I apologize for our earlier actions, but we truly meant no harm!" Hearing Jiang Liu's reply, Eighteen's face showed neither shame nor nervousness, but his apology appeared to be sincere.

"Enough of the apologies, I have a question for you. Do you know who I am?"

Jiang Liu waved his hand, showing no interest in their apologies, but calmly looked at them as he asked the question.

Six Demon Kings, and only one with a blue UI? In Jiang Liu's view, there was no need for Sun Wukong and the others to come to his aid. Even alone, he had the strength to protect himself.

Besides, if he called upon the 3,000 Fire Dragon Soldiers for help, he might even be able to turn the tables on them.

"Well, we do not know your esteemed name, Great Master," Eighteen replied after hearing Jiang Liu's question, exchanging glances with the others, and they all shook their heads in succession.

"As I expected..." Seeing their reactions, Jiang Liu felt it was indeed the case.

They didn't recognize him, let alone recognized Sun Wukong and the others. Otherwise, with their meager strength as Demon Kings, how would they dare capture someone right under Sun Wukong and the others' watchful eyes?

It could only be said that ignorance is truly fearless.

Moreover, it was unexpected that they, being Tree Demons skilled in the Earth Escape Technique, could actually succeed in their bold endeavor?

Sun Wukong and the rest, including himself, would this be considered a capsizing in the gutter?

"Unaware, what is the Great Master's dharma name?" After listening to Jiang Liu's question, Eighteen thought for a moment and then asked.

First, now that they had formally met, it was indeed proper to exchange names.

Secondly, it seemed that Jiang Liu's dharma name should be quite impressive?

"Amitabha, I am known as Xuanzang," hearing Eighteen and the others' inquiries, Jiang Liu did not intend to hide and directly answered.

"Xuan... Xuanzang...?"

As Jiang Liu announced his dharma name, Eighteen and the other demon creatures' expressions changed dramatically, looking at Jiang Liu in astonishment.

"Although we have been hidden away in Thistle Ridge for many years, engaging in poetry and writing, we are also aware of some affairs in the outside world. We've heard that there's a Holy Monk from the Great Tang who has lit twelve Scar of Precepts and is traveling to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and seek scriptures? Could it be that it's really you, Great Master?" Eighteen asked Jiang Liu in amazement.

"I've heard that as the Holy Monk Xuanzang journeyed westward, he subdued three disciples with immense divine skills. The eldest disciple is Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven who caused Havoc in Heaven five hundred years ago. The second disciple was Marshal Tianpeng, who once commanded the eighty thousand Naval Forces of the Heavenly River. The youngest was General Juanlian, who used to be in front of the Jade Emperor..." As Eighteen finished speaking, the Maple Tree Demon and Red Body Ghost began to speak up with gravity.

"I've also heard of the Holy Monk Xuanzang. Back when I was in the Great Tang, the relationship between the Holy Monk and Princess Gaoyang made little girls like me truly envious..."

Unlike Eighteen and the Red Body Ghost, Apricot Immortal gazed at Jiang Liu with a face full of charm, her eyes sparkling brightly.

"Amitabha, all that you have said is indeed true."

Nodding his head, Jiang Liu glanced at Eighteen and the others, then slowly lifted his hands to remove the Golden Haze Crown from his head, revealing the twelve Scars of Precepts clearly on his head.

"Indeed, it really is the Holy Monk Xuanzang!" Seeing the twelve Scars of Precepts on Jiang Liu's head, Master Lingkong exclaimed in surprise.

"That's right, when we invited the Holy Monk Xuanzang a moment ago, he indeed had three disciples by his side, very much fitting the images from the legends!" Eighteen suddenly came to his senses then, remembering Sun Wukong and the other disciples from when they captured Jiang Liu, his face turned even uglier.

At the entrance of the Wood Immortal Hermitage, six great Demon Kings, apart from the Apricot Immortal, who gazed tenderly at Jiang Liu, the others wore extremely uneasy expressions, looking at each other in shock and horror.

Although initially without malice, their intention was merely to capture Jiang Liu and engage in an earnest discussion about poetry and literature.

But who would have thought that they had snatched up a huge trouble?

The Great Sage Equalling Heaven? Marshal Tianpeng? General Juanlian!?

Merely pondering over these names, several Demon Kings felt their breathing become somewhat labored!

Originally, they found a little kitten incredibly adorable and happily decided to take it home to play, only to realize, was this a mere kitten? It was a tiger cub, and behind it, there might be its terrifyingly fierce tiger parents ready to pounce at any moment!

That was exactly the state of mind of the Demon Kings at the Wood Immortal Hermitage now.

"Indeed, fear is born of ignorance!" Observing these Demon Kings, nearly moved to tears, Jiang Liu couldn't help but shake his head with a silent chuckle, understanding their feelings somewhat.

"Alright, you few, you've taken the trouble to capture me and bring me here, what for?" After re-securing the Golden Haze Crown on his head, Jiang Liu didn't beat around the bush and directly asked the eighteen of them.

"Holy Monk, we truly meant no harm. We invited you here simply because we admire your literary grace, and so, we wished to discuss poetry with you!"

Having no ill will toward Jiang Liu to start with, and now recognizing his identity, the eighteen became even more eager to explain.

"Admiring my literary grace? Discussing poetry with me? Could it be... they are..." Hearing the words of the eighteen, a thought flashed through Jiang Liu's mind, and he came to a guess about their identities and the cause and effect of this affair.

"Do you know Little Tao?" With an inkling of their identity, Jiang Liu continued and asked.

"Holy Monk, we are all Little Tao's masters!" Upon hearing Jiang Liu mention the name of Little Tao, the eighteen hurriedly nodded their heads.

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"Holy Monk, I'm very fond of your poem 'Visiting the Garden in Vain'..."

At the same time, Apricot Immortal stepped forward two paces, gazing at Jiang Liu with affection, "Especially the last line, 'You can't contain the spring in the garden; a branch of red apricot blooms beyond the wall.' I adore it even more. In the heart of the Holy Monk, is the red apricot truly the most beautiful?"

The words of Apricot Immortal with her affectionate gaze made the corner of Jiang Liu's mouth twitch slightly.

A female demon gazing at him with such affection? Was she trying to seduce him?

Having journeyed to the West, Jiang Liu had seen plenty of such situations and was utterly unfazed.

But the meaning of this last line of the poem? Was it to praise the beauty of apricot blossoms?

In his previous life, that wasn't the meaning at all. Was she misunderstanding something?

"Cough cough, the meaning of this last line isn't as straightforward as it appears on the surface; there's an underlying interpretation!" Clearing his throat, Jiang Liu said.

"Oh? There's another interpretation? What is it?" The moment Jiang Liu spoke, Apricot Immortal's eyes lit up with anticipation, waiting for his explanation.

Literally, this line of poetry praises the apricot blossom, and even if it contained a hidden deeper meaning, surely it would still imply something positive, right?

The eighteen and the other Demon Kings, who were equally fascinated and obsessed with poetry, all believed 'Visiting the Garden in Vain' to be exquisite. They were also unaware that the poem held meanings unknown to them.

Thus, when it came to discussing poetry, these Demon Kings gazed at Jiang Liu with the curiosity of children, eagerly awaiting his response.

"This, the concealed interpretation, isn't so pleasant to say…" With the Demon Kings staring at him, Jiang Liu's expression became slightly awkward.

"Holy Monk, please tell us quickly, we are all earnestly seeking instruction!"

Although the eighteen looked like white-haired elderly sages, their passion for poetry turned them into children thirsty for knowledge, pushing Jiang Liu to speak up.

After a moment of silence from Jiang Liu, he said, "In my hometown, it's common to describe women who are married or betrothed yet develop feelings for another man as committing an act of infidelity, metaphorically referenced as 'the red apricot blooms beyond the wall.'"

Uh...

Upon hearing Jiang Liu's explanation, the eighteen were all dumbstruck, looking at each other in confusion.

To describe such behavior with the term 'the red apricot blooms beyond the wall?'

Upon reflection, it seemed quite graphic indeed.

Only, they had not anticipated that the last line "a branch of red apricot blooms beyond the wall" would harbor such a meaning!

"Holy Monk!"

However, compared to the eighteen, Apricot Immortal's complexion was sullen, but her gaze remained firmly on Jiang Liu, declaring resolutely, "Holy Monk, rest assured, this red apricot of mine is different from the others. I will be devoted to you alone, and will never betray you!"