220: Wuchao's True Intentions

Look, just look! This is what loyalty means, this is what a good Disciple is! Even when he was dying, he was still thinking of his Master first. Sha Wujing is truly the model of what a Disciple should be!

Tang Ku glared at Old Pig for no apparent reason. Old Pig looked completely bewildered, then lowered his head, feeling aggrieved.

Ahem... well, Monk Sha, first take a careful look at where we are!

Tang Ku gave a light cough, then spoke to Sha Wujing in as gentle a tone as possible.

Sha Wujing jerked his head up, looking around with a sobbing voice. After a while, he suddenly stopped crying, as if pondering some problem he couldn't quite figure out.

Suddenly, he slapped his forehead and stammered, "Master, are we at... at the Liusha River?"

Tang Ku smiled and said, "That's right, that's right. We aren't dead yet. You were severely injured before and completely lost consciousness. Pigsy, Zen Master Wuchao, and I really exhausted all our efforts to wake you up. Now it's good, your consciousness has finally recovered!"

"Hm? Lost consciousness... then... did this Disciple hurt you?" Looking at Tang Ku's tattered clothes, Sha Wujing asked with a worried expression.

"Haha, don't worry. Your Master is no longer that timid and cowardly monk. With your power, you couldn't hurt a single hair on your Master. It's just that I look a bit wretched, but in reality, I don't have a single injury!"

Tang Ku laughed.

Sha Wujing turned his head in a daze, looking at Pigsy, who said with a look of disdain, "Hmph, Master's current power is much stronger than ours. To be honest, if we went all out, even if both of us attacked together, we wouldn't be a match for Master!"

"Is this because you have become a True Buddha?" Sha Wujing asked with great joy. "That's great! I thought I had hurt you while I was unconscious!"

Tang Ku smiled and said, "Well, since you have recovered, come back to Chang'an with me. Many things happened after you lost consciousness, and I need to explain them to you one by one..."

Sha Wujing was stunned. He was an honest man, but he was not a fool. Since waking up, he hadn't seen the White Dragon Horse or Sun Wukong nearby, so he had already guessed three parts of the truth. He said in a deep voice, "Master... then... what I saw... wasn't a dream, right?"

"Hmm... it was indeed not a dream, but this matter cannot be explained in a few words. We must wait until you are settled before we talk about it!"

Tang Ku turned to look at the smiling Zen Master Wuchao and bowed, "This time, it was really thanks to you, Zen Master; otherwise, it would have been very difficult... Hmm, in fact, Pigsy's question just now was also my question. But since you said everyone has their own karmic fate, it is not appropriate for me to ask more. If you have time, why not come with us to Chang'an for a few days? Let the people of Chang'an see another True Buddha, how about it?"

"Haha, the world is vast, why should I be confined to Chang'an... Hmm, but I do intend to go to the Great Tang, just not now. I have stayed on that crow's nest for too long, and it is time to come out and walk around... Sanzang, I must remind you, although you can enter and exit your own murderous thoughts freely, do not commit too many murders. You must know that although these immortals and Buddhas cannot do anything to you, this Universe has certain rules. If you are punished by the rules, it would truly not be worth the loss..."

Zen Master Wuchao smiled, and Tang Ku nodded thoughtfully.

"Haha, one more thing... Hmm, Monk Sha, since you have subdued those Flying Swords, this is now your Divine Ability. In the future, it may evolve into even stronger techniques..."

Zen Master Wuchao patted his gourd, and those hundred-plus swords suddenly flew out from the mouth of the gourd, then turned into a streak of light and flew into the center of Sha Wujing's forehead.

Sha Wujing was startled for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully and clasped his fists, "Thank you, Zen Master!"

Zen Master Wuchao smiled again. He no longer followed the Buddhist etiquette of pressing his palms together, but instead bowed to everyone around him, "Everyone, there will be a time to meet again in the future. This monk will take his leave now..."

With that, Zen Master Wuchao placed the gourd on the ground, mounted it, and flew into the sky, disappearing before their eyes in the blink of an eye.

"Master... what kind of riddle is that Wuchao playing? Why does he help us so much without making any demands? Honestly, why do I feel so uneasy about it?" Pigsy pouted and said.

"Senior Brother, are you overthinking it? He did save my life, after all!" Sha Wujing touched his forehead and said. "Besides, he also gave me such a powerful Magic Treasure!"

"Pfft, this thing was subdued by you yourself, what does it have to do with him?" Pigsy pouted. "By the way, do you really have no memory of what happened under the Liusha River earlier?"

"None!" Sha Wujing shook his head. "And this sword is not as simple as you say. How come I feel a sharp smell of wine on this long sword, mixed with the Sword Qi, as if it were drunk..."

Pigsy had a speechless expression: "Because that gourd is for holding wine..."

Old Pig looked at Tang Ku. He hadn't received an answer to his previous question, and he was truly feeling a bit uneasy!

"...Zen Master Wuchao said that everyone has their own karmic fate. That you and I can meet him is fate!" Tang Ku looked at the Heavenly Dao. "And karmic fate and favors are generally intertwined. And what a favor represents, need I say more?"

Pigsy exclaimed, "That monk is actually so insidious? Using these small favors to bind us together?"

"Insidious is not the word for it!" Tang Ku said. "Zen Master Wuchao is alone. Although he has relied on his own ability to Cultivate and become a True Buddha, he is ultimately isolated. In this situation, looking for an ally is only natural. We owe him many favors. If we don't repay these favors in the future, the Heart Demon will take advantage of the opportunity to enter, so these favors must be repaid... Even if he didn't ask for anything, his intention is very clear..."

Pigsy sighed helplessly, "If I had known, I wouldn't have gotten so close to him in the first place!"

But Sha Wujing smiled and said, "Senior Brother, what's wrong with you? This should be a good thing, right? Hmm, if what I saw in the Western Heaven is true, then when he is looking for an ally, don't we also gain a powerful friend?"

Pigsy suddenly shuddered, clapped his hands, and said, "That's right, that's exactly it... In other words, in a situation where we are surrounded by enemies, we have gained a strong helper. Is that the logic?"

Tang Ku nodded, but then shook his head and said, "Strong, it is true, but it is far from enough... Hmm, our power is still too far behind those three parties. How a Mortal can fight against Heaven requires more thought..."