607: Chapter 607 Heavenly River Tribulation - The Phantom Child Exorcises Demons

By the banks of the Heavenly River.

The four members of Tang Monk's party stood by the water, gazing at the churning, muddy waves. At a loss for what to do, they had no choice but to find a nearby village to rest.

"Amitabha. May I ask, kind benefactor, if you could allow my disciples and me to stay for the night?" Tang Monk knocked on a tall gate with the three others. Although the lintel was old, it exuded an air of modest prosperity.

The old man who opened the door swept his gaze over the four of them—only Tang Monk appeared dignified and upright, while the other three looked quite different. Yet, he showed no sign of disdain, hurriedly stepping aside to let them in. "Please, Elders, come in quickly! Do not stand on ceremony. Sit for a moment, and I will prepare some vegetarian food."

"Many thanks, benefactor." Tang Monk accepted graciously. Having traveled through the dust and wind, his stomach was indeed empty.

After taking their seats, he pressed his palms together and asked, "May I ask for your honorable name, benefactor?"

"This old one's surname is Jiang. Everyone in the village calls me Old Man Jiang. Elder, you..."

"What a coincidence. My secular surname was also Jiang. To run into a kinsman here!" Tang Monk was slightly stunned, then smiled.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie's voice rose immediately. "Oh! So we are relatives? Is this village perhaps called Jiang Family Village?"

"Not so. Our ancestors migrated here from another region. We took root, and it has been passed down for three or four generations."

"I see... By the way, is there a ferry on this Heavenly River? How does one cross?"

Old Man Jiang's expression dimmed, his lips trembling as if burdened by a thousand catties. Before he could speak, the courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open. "Uncle! I beg you, save Jinmu and Jintong! They are only seven years old!" A woman stumbled in, clutching two innocent young children, her face streaked with tears.

Old Man Jiang lowered his head, silent. After a long while, he sighed, "Niece-in-law... the lot has fallen to them. It is their fate; there is no escaping it." The sigh was as heavy as a stone, smashing the room into silence. Tang Monk lowered his eyes, pressed his palms together, his fingertips trembling slightly.

"Old sir, if it is convenient, could you tell me what is going on?" Tang Monk said softly. "If it is within my power, I am willing to do my part."

Old Man Jiang looked up, sizing up the four of them, and finally let out a long sigh, slowly explaining.

"Eats people?!" Sun Wukong gripped his golden cudgel tightly. "It's the work of a demon! Master, we cannot ignore this!"

"Little Master—hush!" Old Man Jiang waved his hands in a panic. "That Great King Linggan possesses great Divine Ability. The favorable weather and timely rain here depend entirely on his protection. If we provoke him... in an instant, frost and snow will descend, floods will run rampant, fields will be destroyed, houses will collapse, and there will be no way to survive! It just so happens that the offering he demands for the river must be children under the age of ten..."

"Unreasonable! Absolutely unreasonable!" Tang Monk's chest heaved, his face turning pale. Suppressing his anger, he turned to look at Wukong. "Wukong, is there a way to save these people?"

"Leave it to me!" Wukong patted his chest, then turned his head to wink at Bajie. "You blockhead, lend a hand!"

Seeing him grinning and dancing with excitement, Zhu Bajie knew something was wrong and tried to slip away, but his ear was grabbed, causing him to jump in pain. "Brother Monkey! Slow down, slow down! With my physique, if I stand before that demon, I fear not even my bone fragments will be left... Ouch! Don't twist! Don't twist! Alright, alright—exterminate the demon! Exterminate the demon! I'll listen to you, okay?" In his heart, he cursed the monkey eighteen times: 'Are you so full you have nothing better to do than wade into this mess? Isn't it better to wait for the boat peacefully? You just have to go looking for trouble!'

"That's better! Go on—transform into a little girl, and make it quick!" Wukong let go, hands on his hips, urging him.

Bajie rubbed his bright red ear, shrinking into a corner. He glanced at the little girl with red, teary eyes, gestured a bit, and muttered with a bitter face, "Brother Monkey, at best I can turn into a millstone or a half-cut tree stump... I really haven't learned how to look like this delicate, pretty girl..."

"I told you to transform, so do it! Why so much chatter? If you dawdle again, I'll twist your ear off and feed it to the dogs!" Wukong raised his palm, making a gesture to strike.

With no other choice, he had to bite the bullet and transform: first turning into a blue stone, then twisting into a wooden stake. But the moment he caught sight of Sun Wukong's Fiery Eyes scanning over, a chill ran down his spine. He immediately retracted his Divine Ability and hurriedly molded himself into the shape of a seven- or eight-year-old girl—except that his round belly refused to flatten no matter what. He could only smile bitterly and shake his head at Sun Wukong, muttering to himself: 'With this appearance, how can I ever show my face in public again?'

Sun Wukong didn't say much. He raised his hand to cast a spell, and with a flash of golden light, Zhu Bajie truly became a delicate, jade-like little girl. Everyone was stunned, their eyes nearly falling to the ground—no one had expected this monkey to possess such genuine skill! This time, they might really be able to save some lives.

Before the old man and the others could recover, Sun Wukong transformed himself into a handsome young boy and spoke crisply, "We two will take their place. Will that work?"

The old man slapped his thigh. "Like! Just like them! It's as if they were carved from the same mold!"

"Then it's settled—the two of us will go as the offerings for them. Is that appropriate?"

"Oh, Brother Monkey..." Zhu Bajie's voice cracked, shouting so loudly it was deafening. "If we really get chewed up and swallowed by that demon, what then?!" Before he could finish, he was pushed into a corner by the others; no one paid him any mind.

The old man was still clutching the corner of his clothes, his brows knitted into a knot. "Can... can it really work?" If something went wrong, what could he possibly use to pay for it?

"Rest assured! Leave it to me!" Sun Wukong stomped his foot, returned to his original form, and patted his chest, swearing.

Zhu Bajie nodded with drooping ears. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the monkey's fists clenching until they clicked. He agreed quickly with his mouth, but in his heart, he cursed this unlucky task eighteen times.

Hearing this, Tang Monk pressed his palms together and smiled. "Benefactor, set your heart at ease. My eldest disciple possesses heaven-reaching, earth-shattering abilities; there will certainly be no mishaps."

The old man finally breathed a sigh of relief and busied himself with the night's offerings. The others grinned, holding bowls and picking up food, the sound of laughter and chatter buzzing throughout the courtyard.

"The Heavenly River." Jiang Chen stood before the stone tablet on the riverbank. His feet had barely touched the mortal dust before he knew he had landed here. He narrowed his eyes, examining the current, and thought: 'This must be a tribulation point. Whether it is from the classic novel or a popular tale, I can just flip through it. If I can find some amusement to pass the time, it will be worth this trip to the Lower Realm—the smoke and fire of the human world is much livelier than the coldness of the Heavenly Court.'

Suddenly, he saw a group of villagers gathered on a ridge in the distance, drums and music blaring. Not knowing what they were busy with, he raised an eyebrow and strolled over to see what was happening; it was better than standing around staring blankly.

"Elder, is it truly foolproof?" The old man leaned in for the third time, his voice suppressed to a mere whisper.

"Benefactor, do not panic." Tang Monk lowered his eyes and whispered, his fingertips lightly touching his lips. "Hush—if others hear, it will ruin the plan." He then turned to instruct his two disciples, "Be light on your feet, and keep your eyes open in all directions."

The procession of offerings set off slowly, everyone lowering their heads and averting their eyes. A gray, defeated look covered their faces, and they didn't even dare to cough loudly.

"Heh, Tang Monk and his disciples actually ran into this critical moment?" Jiang Chen leaned behind a willow tree, his gaze sweeping over the procession, the corners of his mouth slightly raised. "That fish demon must be hiding at the bottom of this water. Why not fish it out and roast it over a fire? River food that has cultivated into a demon must have a decent taste... worth considering." He pressed his tongue against his back teeth, as if he could already taste the charred aroma.

Sun Wukong was sitting by the offering table when the hairs on his body suddenly stood up—someone was watching from the shadows! He tensed his body, holding his breath, scanning the surroundings rapidly with his peripheral vision. But that gaze was like mist and smoke; he could find no origin, nor could he catch any trace.

"The Lingming Stone Monkey, indeed worthy of his reputation." Jiang Chen stood with his hands behind his back, nodding silently. "His alertness is excellent." He then retreated into the shadows of the trees, waiting quietly for the midnight revelation.

Only after that sense of being watched completely dissipated did Sun Wukong dare to relax his waist and exhale, beads of fine sweat forming on his forehead. *Who could it be? To be able to hide so deeply? ...Could that demon's cultivation be higher than my own?* As the thought arose, he shook his head violently. *Absolutely impossible! If that were true, the westward journey would have fallen apart long ago; how would it be his turn to play god and act like a ghost today?*

The night was heavy. Zhu Bajie and Sun Wukong were squatting behind the offering table, feasting heartily, the fear of the day long cast to the nine heavens. Especially Bajie, whose cheeks were puffed out as if he were hiding two sweet melons, and the pile of sacrificial fruits and pastries, which had been as high as a small mountain, was on the verge of being finished.

"You glutton, shut your mouth!" Sun Wukong suddenly poked him in the forehead. "When the demon comes later, if he sees you eating with your mouth full of oil, he's sure to grab you for the pot first—how fragrant fat meat is!"

Bajie's hand shook, and the fruit almost rolled into his crotch. Looking up and seeing the monkey winking and making faces, he immediately realized he had been played again, so angry that smoke poured from his nostrils.

Just as he was about to jump up and curse, a fishy wind suddenly rolled in from outside, causing the candlelight to flicker wildly. Their expressions turned stern, and they leaped onto the altar, scrambling to strike the pose of offerings—but Bajie froze halfway, clutching his stomach and gasping. *Oh no! I'm too full, my belly is puffed out like a gong, and I can't shrink it back!*

"What are you standing there like a fool for? Let me, Old Pig, lend a hand!"

Zhu Bajie cast a spell with a shake, instantly transforming into a dumpling-like little girl. She sat upright and steady, waiting eagerly for the demon to push the door open.

The door opened with a creak, and a person stepped inside, their demeanor appearing quite proper. But the two of them knew clearly—this was not their true face; it was likely another illusion!

"Yo, this year's goods are quite neat, fair, clean, and smooth... which one should I gnaw on first?" The demon stroked his chin, talking to himself.

"Eat her! Look at those cheeks, so tender you could pinch water out of them, it must be fragrant!" The "little boy" suddenly spoke, startling the demon.

"No! Eat him first! His skin and flesh are ten times softer than mine; it will be tasty when chewed!" The little girl immediately retorted.

The demon's brain buzzed: in previous years, the offerings were either shaking like chaff or crying for their parents. Today, it was the opposite—the two brats were fighting to die, even pushing each other towards his mouth? Audacious! Just as he was about to scowl and reprimand them, he heard another crisp sound—

"Eat me instead! Feel my arm, it's cool and bouncy, I guarantee one bite will be crispy right down to the bone marrow!"

"Heh! This kid has a bit of a ruthless streak!" The demon grinned, his gums showing with glee. "Fine, this Great King will fulfill your wish—I'll chew you first, then chew him, and I guarantee I won't even let you make a sound!" Before the words fell, the little girl suddenly shouted loudly:

"Quick! Kill that monkey first! That taste is absolutely amazing!"

"Monkey? Where did a monkey come from?!" The demon turned his head abruptly, scanning all around, but not a single monkey hair was to be seen.

"Old Sun is here!" The "little boy's" golden cudgel was already swung fully and smashed down! The demon screamed, hurriedly drawing his sword to parry. Zhu Bajie, who had been lying in ambush on the side, did not delay, his nine-toothed rake whistling through the air as he slammed it down on the demon's head!

With a shrill, miserable howl, the demon wrapped himself in a black wind and turned to flee. As he left, a few silver, glittering fish scales were scraped off by the rake's teeth, falling to the ground with a rustle.

"Brother Monkey! Brother Monkey! Look! I, Old Pig, shaved them off!" Zhu Bajie picked up the scales and trotted over to hand them to him.

Sun Wukong inspected them in his palm and nodded. "Indeed, these are fish scales. It's a pity he slipped away—what now?"

"Chase him? Chase him into the bottom of the Heavenly River to fish? Forget it!"

In the end, they could only give up. Who would have thought this demon was so slippery, escaping right under their noses? It was truly infuriating! Zhu Bajie gripped the fish scales, and as the two returned to the Jiang residence, their footsteps were quite light.