"You just..." Avalokitesvara looked at her with some concern.
Yang Xue gave a faint smile. "I'm fine."
"Okay." She hesitated but finally said nothing.
Tang Seng still looked like an ordinary mortal. After being comforted and persuaded by his disciples one after another, he gave up the idea of going back to the Tang Dynasty alone.
Yang Xue understood his state. To be precise, he was in a huff.
The path he thought was bright turned out to be far from it. Instead, it was full of hardships and desolation. His ideals and pure land were defiled, and he just couldn't accept it for the time being.
"Master, Avalokitesvara is coming." Seeing Avalokitesvara and Yang Xue approaching, Sun Wukong got up, walked up to Yang Xue, and pulled her aside.
Yang Xue was helpless. She really didn't drool over Tang Seng.
"Poor monk Tang Seng pays homage to the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva." He put his hands together and knelt down piously as he used to.
"Golden Cicada, get up." Avalokitesvara knew that the man in front of her would rather remain the hopeful mortal monk Tang Seng than return to his original position.
"Golden Cicada, now that you've returned to your position, why don't you go back to the Great Thunder Sound Temple? That's where you belong." When Avalokitesvara asked this question as usual, she already had the answer in mind.
"Bodhisattva, the poor monk feels that his cultivation is not yet complete and the time is not right."
Yang Xue translated Tang Seng's words roughly as follows:
I'm really pissed off now. Back then, you tricked me into being reincarnated as a mortal. I worked hard on the journey to fetch the scriptures, but in the end, you deceived me!
I'm just a by - stander. Even a monster like the Golden Roc can have a golden body, while I've suffered so much after all these years of cultivation. I don't want to go back like this.
"Master, why don't you go to the Flower - Fruit Mountain with me? The monkeys there are also cultivating, but no one is guiding them. How about giving them some advice?" Sun Wukong laughed. "If you don't want to, disciple will send you there right now..."
"Cough... cough..." Tang Seng coughed uneasily, not wanting to lose face in front of the bodhisattva.
"Since you still have earthly ties, you can go find the queen of the Kingdom of Daughters." Unexpectedly, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva spoke up. "You can also take on a mortal form and stay there. After you experience life and death as a mortal, you can then return to the Spirit Mountain."
"..." Tang Seng stood there stiffly, his eyes wide open in disbelief as he stared at the bodhisattva.
The others were in a similar state. Could it really be like this?
"But if you choose to go back to the Flower - Fruit Mountain and live out your mortal life, your merits and demerits will offset each other. When you return to the Spirit Mountain again, you won't be enfeoffed and will still be the Golden Cicada."
That meant all the hardships he had endured from the time he was sent down to earth until now would be exchanged for a lifetime with the queen.
It was quite a bargain!
"The merciful and compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is truly kind - hearted. Master, why don't you hurry up and thank the bodhisattva? If you miss this opportunity, you won't get another one. If you really can't forget the queen, just agree quickly." Yang Xue was getting impatient and quickly walked up to him.
Sun Wukong grabbed her wrist. "Xue'er, what if Master doesn't necessarily want to spend the rest of his life with the queen? This deal might not be worth it."
"Master, just agree quickly. I know you can't let go of the queen. You never used to lose sleep or toss and turn at night, but ever since you left the Kingdom of Daughters, you often sigh at the moon and feel sad about the spring flowers. Why are you hesitating now?" Zhu Bajie stamped his foot and shook Tang Seng's arm impatiently, wishing he could agree on his behalf.
Sha Seng looked calm and said softly, "Things are different now. Master is not the same as he was yesterday. He needs to think it over. You'd better not force him."
"I agree." Tang Seng suddenly knelt in front of Avalokitesvara. "Thank you, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, for your enlightenment."
"..." Sha Seng looked up and sighed softly.
"Hahaha, hahaha, this is great. This marshal can also go back to Gao Lao Zhuang. I've been away for more than ten years. My wife must be waiting impatiently..."
"Bajie, you can't go back to Gao Lao Zhuang. Forget it." Sun Wukong put his arm around Zhu Bajie's shoulder. "Why don't you go back to the Flower - Fruit Mountain with me? During the years I was under the Five - Finger Mountain, many monkeys on the mountain became enlightened and took on human forms. There are quite a few girls among them."
"Brother Monkey..." Zhu Bajie realized what was going on and slumped on his shoulder sadly. "Why can't I go back to Gao Lao Zhuang? Does it mean..."
"Your wife has already remarried and had children. If you go back, you'll just scare them." Sun Wukong patted his shoulder to comfort him. "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Bajie. Look forward."
Yang Xue walked behind Sun Wukong, peeked out quietly, and stared straight at him with her big, bright eyes. "Great Sage, how come I didn't know there were so many girls on the Flower - Fruit Mountain?"
"Huh?"
The others heard this and looked over, all looking curiously at Sun Wukong.
"Xue'er, you've seen them. The girls who served you are the ones. I'm not like others who would go down the mountain and kidnap mortal girls. They are all monkeys who have cultivated into human forms." Sun Wukong jumped up anxiously. "Xue'er, you actually doubt this great sage. Before you, I've never..."
"Oh, I remember." Yang Xue smiled faintly. "I'm just teasing you."
"Hahaha~" Zhu Bajie slapped his leg and laughed. "Brother Monkey, you're actually so afraid of your wife. I thought only you would be jealous."
Everyone laughed heartily, having a great time.
Looking at them, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva inexplicably felt out of place.
The White Dragon Horse, Sha Seng, and Zhu Bajie all chose to follow Sun Wukong to the Flower - Fruit Mountain temporarily and wait for good news.
Avalokitesvara personally sent Tang Seng to the Kingdom of Daughters. On the way there, he had a feeling of shame for the first time in his life.
Avalokitesvara watched as Tang Seng appeared in the imperial garden and stood silently facing the queen, and then rushed towards each other. She rarely showed a relieved smile.
What they didn't know was that today's decision was made by her without permission. After she went back, she might face the wrath of the Tathagata.
...
After much wandering, everyone returned to the Flower - Fruit Mountain.
Yang Xue sat in the familiar room and watched Sun Wukong walking towards her. She thought that finally she was reunited with the Great Sage and they could start their happy life together...
Unexpectedly, a Six - Eared Macaque suddenly showed up.
"Knock! Knock! Knock!"
Sun Wukong walked towards the door unhappily, thinking it was the maid bringing hot water. Who would have thought that as soon as he opened the door, he saw a face exactly like his own.
He immediately flew into a rage, took out his golden cudgel, rushed out, and pointed at the Six - Eared Macaque. "What are you doing here? You came uninvited. You're looking for death!"
"Great Sage, don't be so excited. I'm here to deliver a letter on the order of Patriarch Puti." He carefully handed over the envelope in his hand. "He told me to stay here for the time being. If the Tathagata goes back on his word, it will be beneficial to the Great Sage."
Sun Wukong took the envelope doubtfully. As he read the contents, his face became increasingly gloomy.
Yang Xue walked behind him. "What's wrong, Great Sage?"
"Nothing!" He stuffed the envelope away haphazardly. "Xue'er, we'll go to the Heavenly Court together tomorrow. First, we'll visit the Supreme Lord Lao Jun, and then we'll go see the Jade Emperor."