It turned out that the black leopard Xuan You was not lying before. The demon world was in turmoil. They planned to elect a demon king.
With the demon world in chaos, demons were taking the opportunity to cause trouble in the human world. Naturally, the flesh of Monk Tang was what they desired most.
Yang Xue was a bit worried. It seemed that she could no longer stay in the inn as a cook.
Yue Bai also didn't want to stay in this troubled place. They knew that Monk Tang was about to reach the Land of Women, and she just wanted to take Xiaoshan back to Qingqiu.
The black leopard Xuan You came here this time sincerely wanting to win Yue Bai back and take her back to Mount Daqing to be his wife.
Yue Bai refused. Late - coming affection was more worthless than grass. She just wanted to live a carefree life with Xiaoshan.
Only then did Yang Xue learn that Yue Bai had chased after that black leopard for three hundred years.
But during those years, she watched him accept other demons without hesitation.
After suffering for three hundred years, she was no longer blindly infatuated with him as before.
However, there was a rather tricky problem now. Yue Bai had actually become Yang Xue's contract beast!
Xuan You scrutinized Yang Xue with a dark face. "What on earth did you do to her?"
"I just infused some spiritual energy into her. I didn't do anything else." She spread her hands, looking innocent. "I don't know how to make a contract with spiritual beasts. Besides, Yue Bai is a thousand - year - old fox demon. I don't have that ability."
"With such a serious injury, Yue Bai was originally on the verge of going mad from practicing and it was hard for her to survive. Yet you managed to make her safe and sound!" He walked up to her menacingly. "A person who can baffle even the Tathagata is truly extraordinary. It seems I underestimated you. All along, you've been pretending to be weak while being actually powerful, and you even made that monkey fall in love with you. Who is your master?"
Yang Xue was too lazy to deal with him. "Believe it or not. Anyway, I won't threaten Yue Bai. She is free."
Xuan You fell silent. He knew that if it weren't for Yang Xue, Yue Bai's life would be in danger. It wasn't a bad thing for her to be under a spiritual contract.
What he suspected was that Yang Xue was deliberately playing dumb.
"The demon world's plan to elect a demon king is no small matter. Why don't you persuade Sun Wukong? What's so good about going on a pilgrimage for scriptures? It's just working for others." Suddenly, he gave a mysterious smile. "I know you can remove his golden hoop. If you can save someone even I couldn't, removing a mere golden hoop is nothing."
"That would only lead to chaos in the world and make him the target of everyone. I'm not going to do that." She looked at Xuan You calmly and asked faintly, "What's in it for you if you persuade him to become the demon king?"
"There are plenty of benefits. I don't know where to start. But I can tell you one thing. The Tathagata knows that Sun Wukong has fallen in love with a mortal and doesn't plan to spare his life. Maybe before long, there will be a new Sun Wukong to replace him."
"What do you mean?" Yang Xue suddenly jumped up from her chair. Thinking of the fate of the Six - Eared Macaque, her heart raced. "Do you mean they're going to get rid of him secretly? Did the Tathagata find someone exactly like him and is planning to set a trap for him?"
"How did you know?"
She suddenly felt a sense of fear, an unprecedented fear.
If Xuan You was telling the truth, why did he tell her these things?
Could it be that the one who was killed back then was really the Great Sage?
No, she must save the Great Sage!
She didn't care if the Six - Eared Macaque wanted to replace Sun Wukong on the pilgrimage for scriptures, but her Great Sage couldn't die!
Seeing Yang Xue clench her fists and her beautiful face filled with worry, the black leopard Xuan You couldn't help but feel a bit regretful. Why did she have to fall for Sun Wukong?
But what he cared about wasn't this. "It doesn't matter how I know. I'm just here to tell you that your sweetheart is in danger now. Are you going to save him or not?"
Yang Xue knew that it wouldn't be easy to save Sun Wukong. If she really removed the golden hoop, wouldn't it be the same as going against the Three Realms?
Throughout history, there had been many people who fought against the powerful, but none of them had succeeded in the end. They were all suppressed.
And she, a person who had just reached the Great Vehicle realm, had no ability to challenge the Three Realms. It was simply overreaching.
"You may not know this yet, but the little demons in the White Bone Cave have all been annihilated. None of them survived." Seeing her hesitating, the black leopard added fuel to the fire.
"What?" She immediately asked, "What about Xiaorou and Maomao?"
"I don't know." He walked to the window, looking at the bustling street at dusk, and asked calmly, "Didn't you entrust them to the care of the God of Wealth?"
The God of Wealth. Right... They might be safe.
Yang Xue suddenly realized how difficult her situation was. She had been too idle these days and almost indulged in the false appearance in front of her.
Taking a deep breath, she adjusted her mood and turned to look at Xuan You. "What exactly do you want to do? Just be straightforward."
"I just simply want to watch the fun. After all, I sometimes can't stand those hypocritical gods who are so calculating. If the monkey wants to be the demon king, I will definitely stand by your side." Xuan You suddenly leaned close to her ear. "Of course, if you don't like Sun Wukong, it's not a bad idea to throw yourself into my arms."
"Scumbag!" Yang Xue spat out directly. "I'll tell Yue Bai if you're not careful."
"Don't. She has a bad temper." He stopped joking and looked at the white clouds in the sky with a melancholy expression. "It's good that she's now under your spiritual contract, which proves that your strength is above hers. I'll go and gather information first. I'll come back after you've settled down."
"Okay."
Since things had come to this, she had to find a quiet courtyard as soon as possible.
Yue Bai was about to take Xiaosan back to Qingqiu, but she didn't know what Xuan You had said to her. After learning that Yang Xue wanted to stay in the Land of Women, she agreed to stay and accompany her.
After renting a courtyard on the outskirts of the city, Yang Xue went to say goodbye to Hua'er, but she refused to see her.
"Go. I know you're not an ordinary person. May you take care of yourself in the days to come." Through the door, Hua'er's voice sounded vicissitudinous and sad. "I don't like saying goodbye. If you have time, fry me a plate of sour and spicy shredded potatoes before you leave."
Yang Xue's nose turned sour. This kind - hearted elder sister had been so good to her. Only now did she realize how reluctant she was to part.
"Okay." She went to the kitchen and fried a table full of dishes that Hua'er liked.
Yang Xue felt very lucky to have met such a lovely innkeeper. If she stayed here any longer, she might implicate her.
To show her gratitude, after it was quiet at night, she went to Hua'er's room and left her a menu for a hot - pot restaurant.
There was a small courtyard on a quiet street corner away from the downtown area. It was secluded and serene. There were several osmanthus trees in the yard, lush and lovely.
After settling down, Yang Xue took out the wooden token that the God of Wealth had given her before and wanted to summon him.
"You finally remembered me?" Unexpectedly, as soon as she took out the wooden token, the God of Wealth suddenly appeared in the room, holding a beggar's chicken in his hand. "What's the matter?"
"How did you..."
"Just a coincidence. Next time, you need to break the token to summon me." After he sat down on a chair directly, the smile on his face disappeared and he said seriously, "Yang Xue, could you do me a favor?"
Yang Xue peeled off the lotus leaf and tore off a chicken leg. She was eating happily. "Tell me. Since you brought me something delicious, as long as I can do it, I will spare no effort."
"Could you accompany me to the Heavenly Court?"
"..." The chicken leg in her mouth suddenly lost its flavor. She looked up with a bitter face. "Can I spit it out and return it to you?"
The God of Wealth laughed. "Don't worry. You won't be in danger. Sun Wukong has gone to the Heavenly Court and is now in the Hall of Miraculous Mist. Besides, do you want to know why you've been hunted?"