97: The weird Che Chiguo

“Chechi Kingdom?”

Looking at the city gate before him, Tang Ku suddenly felt a surge of emotion. “When I went on the pilgrimage for scriptures, my disciples and I fought against three Yao Immortals here. In the end, the three of them reaped what they sowed and died tragically. At that time, I even felt that Wukong had gone a bit too far. Now that I think about it, it feels like it happened just a few days ago; it’s truly vivid in my memory!”

“I’ve heard of this matter!”

Yang Jian looked at the bustling crowd coming and going through the city gate. For a moment, he suddenly felt as if he were standing outside the Southern Heavenly Gate. The prosperous scene and the faintly circulating Dragon Qi made him feel a sense of longing.

“Did the Southern Heavenly Gate move here?”

He shook his head, casting out the unrealistic thoughts in his mind, and continued, “Those three demons back then weren’t truly evil, but they were too greedy. Although they were from the Dao sect, they had no compassion. If the Great Sage had truly wanted to kill them back then, it would have been a matter of one strike. Gambling with them was already giving them a way out, but they insisted on walking to their deaths.”

Nezha and the Bull Demon King, who had transformed into human form, exchanged glances, then suddenly frowned slightly. Then Nezha said, “True Lord Brother, are you spacing out?”

Spacing out, even if it might happen to some ordinary Immortals, would absolutely not happen to Yang Jian.

With the Major Achievement of the Eight Nine Arcane Art, both his body and spirit were tempered like a diamond body. Spacing out was uncommon.

Yang Jian shook his head and said, “No, I just thought of some past events, and felt a bit emotional!”

Tang Ku had no experience with this, so he couldn’t discern anything. And when Nezha and the Bull Demon King saw that Yang Jian was unwilling to speak, they didn’t press the matter and said no more.

Behind them, Wu Zhen had changed into a new monk’s robe. Ao Lie held onto her sleeve, curiously surveying the surrounding scenery, seemingly finding everything new.

All of them possessed magical power, so when they reached the city gate, they had already entered before the soldiers at the entrance could question them. The city guards, however, stood dumbfounded, as if they hadn’t seen them enter at all.

The streets were bustling with people coming and going, incredibly lively.

Various local specialty snacks and all sorts of small businesses had set up stalls on the street.

Among them, a scallion oil meat pancake stall was doing incredibly well. Our Third Prince, the Dragon King, couldn’t move once he got close, stubbornly insisting on buying pancakes to eat. Fortunately, Tang Ku was not short on gold and silver; with gifts from the Queen of the Daughters Country and the Tang King, he never lacked money to spend.

Along the way, he bought a large pile of various snacks and toys. If Nezha hadn't been carrying a Qiankun Bag, even Immortals would have been exhausted to death.

Of course, saying this is a bit exaggerated, but they indeed found that the exhaustion of taking care of a child was an exhaustion of the heart!

However, the cultivation of these individuals was not simple, and they quickly discovered that this country… was actually a bit off.

The entire country, from top to bottom, was filled with a vibrant Qi, and all the people’s faces were beaming with happy smiles. Without warning, they all felt a chill, especially Wu Zhen, who was extremely sensitive to human hearts, felt a genuine sense of unease.

Speaking of which, this peaceful scene was precisely what a country should look like when its people live in peace and prosperity. But can you imagine, on the bustling streets, from high-ranking officials and nobles to peddlers and porters… whether small vendors or thugs, and even beggars in the corners, all had faces filled with contented smiles.

If begging could make one feel full of happiness, it could only mean that the money they begged for each day was not small, not only enough to support themselves but also with a slight surplus.

However, these people were sallow and emaciated, their clothes ragged, dirty, and torn, and even their begging bowls had countless chips.

Under such circumstances, if they could still feel happy, then it was truly a bit too bizarre!

It wasn’t just the atmosphere!

As they passed through the main city road, at least twenty people’s eyes had already noticed them, watching them with vigilant gazes.

Of course, if these were ordinary patrolling soldiers or government officials, it would be normal for them to be a bit wary of outsiders. But… they were just waiters in restaurants, porters carrying water on the street, or old aunts selling fruit, and pharmacy apprentices, and the like.

It was as if these Mortals could see through their origins, making them increasingly unnerved… Except for the little food-loving Ao Lie, almost everyone felt this strange awkwardness.

Especially Yang Jian, his feelings seemed even stronger than everyone else’s. The surrounding aura made him feel as if he had come to certain Immortal residences in the Immortal Realm in a trance, but when he focused, he seemed to return to the human world.

“Something’s not right…” Tang Ku quickened his pace, his brow furrowed, leading everyone towards the palace. Generally, if there was anything strange about a country’s capital, it was always related to the palace.

“Did you feel it?”

Standing at the palace gate, the Bull Demon King sniffed and frowned slightly, saying, “I seem to smell the scent of Immortal Qi… Hmm, that pure Immortal Qi that only the Immortals of the Immortal Realm can possess!”

The several of them exchanged glances but did not answer. In fact, although they could sense an unusual aura, it was not as obvious as the Bull Demon King’s. After all, he was of the Yao Race and was more sensitive to such Immortal Qi.

“This military lord…”

Tang Ku, without even thinking, walked directly up to the nearest guard leader, put his palms together, and said, “Poor Monk Tang Sanzang, I am the pilgrim who went for scriptures back then. Now I revisit the old place and come to pay my respects to His Majesty the King of Chechi Kingdom. I hope you will announce my arrival!”

The guard leader was startled, and hurriedly cupped his fists, saying, “So it is the Holy Monk, Datang Yudì! Truly disrespectful, disrespectful! I will go and announce it now, I will go and announce it now!”

With that, the guard leader actually ran into the main gate himself, going all the way inside to relay the message.

Tang Ku was astonished. Nezha couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Why did this guard leader act so intimately upon seeing the Holy Monk, as if he had seen a relative?”

“Haha, this young sir is unaware, but when the Holy Monk passed through our Chechi Kingdom, he eliminated those three demons. Our country now enjoys favorable weather and national peace and prosperity; half of the credit for this falls on the Holy Monk!” Another guard chuckled, “Our entire country, from top to bottom, is grateful to the Holy Monk. In recent months, with the new emperor’s ascension, he has even more highly praised the Holy Monk’s deeds, making them known throughout the nation!”

Only then did everyone realize. Only Tang Ku frowned slightly, turning to glance at the only soldier who was still watching him with a vigilant gaze, revealing a look of confusion. He thought to himself, “Did the old king pass away? I remember his age wasn’t small, but his body was still robust!”