Ch 26: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

As a native of White Tiger Ridge, Gou Tou felt deeply connected to the place. Hearing Tang Sanzang’s praise, he felt a sense of pride and showed a pleased expression. “Of course,” he said. “Our great king is omnipotent and especially kind. Once a demon comes to White Tiger Ridge, they never want to leave.”

He continued with a satisfied tone, “Thirty years ago, I heard about the splendors of the human world, so I asked Sister Li Mao to take me out for a look. But after seeing it, I found it wasn’t nearly as good as our White Tiger Ridge.”

Tang Sanzang nodded and said, “The human world has its bustle, and this place has its tranquility.”

Gou Tou scratched his head, not used to such refined conversation, and simply led them as Jiang Lin had instructed.

Their destination was none other than Jiang Lin’s small residence. Before arriving, the travelers, including Sun Wukong, were curious about what kind of place this peculiar White Bone King might reside in. In their minds, demons usually lived in dark caves, decorated with terrifying beast heads and eerie ghost fires, evoking fear at first sight.

However, after seeing the celestial beauty of White Tiger Ridge outside, they realized that such a scene was unlikely here. So, could it be a grand palace instead? Demons typically upheld strict hierarchies, and given White Tiger Ridge’s display of power, a palace would befit its ruler’s status.

With these thoughts, they soon arrived at a tranquil valley. The valley was filled with lush green trees and vines, with a gentle breeze occasionally carrying the scent of plants.

At the valley’s entrance stood two figures. On the left was a tall man in a black robe, with handsome features, jade-like skin, and a warm smile that instantly put people at ease. Beside him stood a small girl, about chest-high, with playful twin buns tied with green ribbons, looking extremely cute.

Sun Wukong’s eyes suddenly lit up with a dazzling golden light. In those eyes, burning with fiery flames, the two figures standing before him were not as they appeared: one was a white jade-like skeleton, and the other was a green vine.

What surprised Sun Wukong was that, as the ruler of a territory, even if this White Bone King had a good temperament, he should have accumulated quite a bit of murderous aura—after all, among demons, power was paramount, and becoming a king usually meant stepping over the corpses of those who opposed him.

But Jiang Lin had none of that. His aura was clean, carrying the gentle warmth of spring rain, full of vitality. If it weren’t for the fact that his Fiery Eyes would never lie, and that the true form couldn’t be faked, Sun Wukong might have thought that this White Bone King was actually an ancient tree.

At the same time, Jiang Lin was also observing the famous master and his disciples. In his previous world, there had been countless adaptations of their images, each with its own interpretation, and Jiang Lin had his own favorites as well. Seeing them in person now, he couldn’t help but feel a bit excited.

Tang Sanzang was a very handsome monk, with jade-like features, an elegant and gentle demeanor, and eyes filled with kindness and compassion. Jiang Lin thought that if there truly were a merciful Bodhisattva, they would likely look just like this. This matched closely with the portrayals he had seen in films and television.

However, his disciples looked somewhat different from the “Journey to the West” adaptations Jiang Lin was familiar with. Sun Wukong did not have a hairy face or a thunderous mouth, and Zhu Pajie did not have a pig’s head.

The Great Sage was an extremely tall and handsome demon god, with facial features much like a human’s, though his hair was golden-red, and he wore a golden circlet on his forehead. His eyes shone with a blazing light, and even when standing casually, his presence was incredibly imposing.

Zhu Pajie appeared simple and honest, with well-proportioned features that made him seem very straightforward. However, his eyes constantly darted around, indicating that he was not as simple-minded as his appearance suggested. Sha Wujing, on the other hand, had a thick beard and remained silent, standing quietly behind Tang Sanzang with the least presence among the group.

As for the White Dragon Horse, there wasn’t much to comment on—Jiang Lin wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about horses, but he could see that this one was as white as snow, with no imperfections in its coat, making it an exceptionally majestic creature. Yet, knowing that it was actually the Third Prince of the Dragon King, a pure-blooded divine dragon, Jiang Lin couldn’t help but feel a bit of pity for him.

With a smile, Jiang Lin stepped forward and greeted them, “I am Jiang Lin of White Tiger Ridge. Greetings, elders.”

Tang Sanzang and his disciples realized that Jiang Lin was his name. Tang Sanzang pressed his palms together in a respectful gesture and responded, “Thank you, Benefactor Jiang.”

Jiang Lin smiled warmly and said, “I’ve heard that you have traveled from the Eastern Land of the Tang Dynasty to seek the true scriptures—a truly noble pursuit. I’ve already prepared a welcome feast for you in my small courtyard. Please, join me.”

The disciples exchanged glances, and Sun Wukong casually slung his Golden-Banded Staff over his shoulder and stepped forward, saying, “Sure, let’s go.”

In the small courtyard, there were a few small tables set up, and someone was already seated at one of them. Zong Yu was swinging his legs, eyeing Tang Sanzang and his disciples. After observing them, he felt somewhat unimpressed: they just looked like an ordinary monk and demons, he thought. Why did Jiang Lin make such a fuss to personally welcome them and prepare such a formal reception? Hmph!

Tang Sanzang and his disciples also noticed the child. Seeing Zong Yu’s childlike appearance, Tang Sanzang, still in his mortal form, assumed he was just like the young demons playing outside and addressed him as “little benefactor.”

Sun Wukong, now seated lazily, remarked, “Master, don’t be fooled. This is no ordinary child—he’s probably lived even longer than I have.”

Zong Yu looked at him and asked in a crisp voice, “I’ve heard you’re the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, with the ability to see the truth with your Fiery Eyes. Can you tell what my true form is?”

Sun Wukong, intrigued by the question, focused his blazing eyes on Zong Yu. After a moment of intense scrutiny, he exclaimed, “Huh!”

Zong Yu, a bit nervous, asked, “Well? Did you figure it out?”

After a while, Sun Wukong withdrew his gaze, puzzled, and studied Zong Yu. “This is truly strange. All I can see is a mass of black mist that devours everything that comes near it.”

In other words, he couldn’t tell.

Zong Yu had asked with high expectations, and now that they were unmet, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Jiang Lin, noticing this, offered comfort, “If even the Great Sage’s Fiery Eyes can’t see through it, it means your true form must be something very powerful and rare. That’s a good thing.”

Zong Yu looked at him and asked, “Really? Do you think so?”

Jiang Lin reassured him, “Of course. How could an ordinary little demon possibly be as powerful as you?”

Finally, Zong Yu’s mood improved. He really is easy to please, Jiang Lin thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang and his disciples observed the casual and affectionate conversation between Jiang Lin and Zong Yu, feeling that White Tiger Ridge was truly unlike any other place of immortals or demons they had encountered before. Compared to other demon realms, it was filled with much more goodness. And compared to the realms of immortals, it had a warmth that those places lacked.

Soon, Li Mao arrived with a few young demons. The little demons, still at a youthful age, each carried a tray in their hands. Jiang Lin introduced her with a smile, “This is Li Mao, our top chef here at White Tiger Ridge. Her skills surpass even the royal chefs of the human world. Please, elders, have a taste.”

Hearing this, the travelers were somewhat skeptical. After all, they had passed through many kingdoms on their journey, tasting the skills of various royal chefs. How could the culinary abilities of demons from White Tiger Ridge, no matter how impressive, surpass those of humans?