608: Chapter 608 Frozen Trap - Ancient Tortoise Reports

"Master! Master! Look at this! The fish scale I knocked off!" Zhu Bajie ran straight to Tang Monk, holding the scale.

The old man leaned in for a closer look and slapped his thigh in delight: "Oh! It's miraculous! Now we can finally rest easy!"

"Excellent, excellent." Tang Monk pressed his palms together and smiled, his brow relaxing. "Since the matter is resolved, it is enough to comfort my life."

He didn't take the monster's escape to heart—the fact that it could be scared off showed its cultivation was limited, so why worry? The group immediately set up a lively feast to celebrate.

Jiang Chen stood quietly on the rooftop, the corners of his lips slightly raised. Clouds churned in the sky, and a chill quietly spread—that Spirit-Inspiring King really had inherited the techniques of the goldfish from Cihang's seat; his methods were not ordinary.

Snow began to fall without warning. At first, it was like fine salt, gradually filling the sky, then pouring down, swallowing the mountains and fields. Frost flying in the sixth month was bone-chillingly cold, even breath condensed into white mist. People hurriedly dug out thick quilts and wrapped themselves tightly to feel a bit warmer.

The next morning, the snow intensified. The northern wind whipped up ice particles, stinging people's faces painfully.

"Master, I fear this snow will seal the mountains for several days; we will have to stay here for a while." Sun Wukong looked up at the leaden-gray sky.

"It is of no matter." Tang Monk's gaze was calm. "The journey to the West is long; why fear a temporary snowstorm? The true scriptures are on the other shore; as long as the heart's lamp is not extinguished, our steps will not stop—this resolve has never wavered."

"Rest easy, Master!" Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing leaned in from left and right. "The snow will stop, the road will open. We shall just stay by the fireplace and wait for it to melt."

The old man lifted the curtain and entered, bowing to the four of them: "Who would have thought the heavens would be so contrary? This snow falls endlessly. Elders, please stay comfortably for a few days; consider it this old man's small gesture of hospitality. Thanks to the Elders' help, the children were able to save their lives. Rest assured, as soon as the snow stops, I will immediately prepare a ferry to take you across the river—just wait with peace of mind."

"Many thanks, benefactor. We monks are troubling you again." Tang Monk pressed his palms together, responding most appropriately.

In the following days, the snow became increasingly fierce, pressing down on the eaves until they creaked, and even the wind seemed unable to catch its breath. Everyone felt uneasy, hoping it would end quickly.

Not until the morning of the third day did a shout suddenly explode from outside: "The Tongtian River has frozen solid! The ice is thick enough for ox carts to run on; everyone is walking across!"

Tang Monk was stirred by the news, his brows lifting with joy—could it really be heaven's help? If the ice sealed a thousand miles, why would they need a boat? He immediately stood up, wanting to go to the riverbank to investigate. His three Disciples naturally followed, reaching the shore without even touching the dust with their feet.

He saw figures moving on the ice, carrying loads on their shoulders and backs, their steps steady; it truly seemed indestructible. Sun Wukong narrowed his eyes, scanned the area, and turned to Zhu Bajie: "You blockhead, go down and knock on it a couple of times. Don't let it crack halfway across, or we'll end up in King Yama's ledger."

"Got it! Watch closely, Monkey Brother!" Zhu Bajie picked up his Nine-Toothed Rake and struck it with a "thud"—the ice surface didn't move at all, only vibrating a ring of fine white frost. He squatted down, scraped it a few times, and grinned: "Master! Monkey Brother! It's solid! It's even steadier than a bluestone slab to walk on, just cross with confidence!"

Tang Monk felt relieved and lifted his leg to mount the horse, but was stopped by Zhu Bajie's hand: "Wait, Master! This is probably your first time walking on an ice river, right? You can't ride the horse—if the hooves slip, you'll be thrown off; you must also hold your Zen staff horizontally across your chest. If you happen to step into a hole, you can at least brace yourself and not fall straight in."

Tang Monk listened and nodded silently, truly feeling that this second Disciple was meticulous despite his rough appearance, and couldn't help but praise him: "You fool, not bad! You are worthy of being the Marshal Tianpeng who once commanded the Heavenly River; you even know the tricks of walking on ice."

"Monkey Brother, wait!" Zhu Bajie slapped his forehead again, turned, and brought some coarse linen to wrap the white horse's four hooves tightly. "If the hooves aren't wrapped securely, one slip on the ice and everything is lost!" The group then packed up and prepared to set off.

The four of them and the horse stepped onto the ice, their steps resonant, robes fluttering, as dignified as if they were crossing a mountain pass.

When they reached the center of the river, the figures that had been swarming everywhere suddenly vanished like smoke, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye. The next instant, with a loud "boom," the ice layer shattered like thunder, and cold water gushed out. Sha Wujing and Tang Monk, who were walking side by side, were caught off guard and swept into the ice hole by a black wave—leaving only Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie standing on the edge of the broken ice, water droplets dripping from the golden cudgel.

"Damn it! Damn it all! How could I have forgotten this—it was clearly a trap set by that monster!"

"Monkey Brother, cursing is useless. How do we save Master now?" Zhu Bajie said with a bitter face, rubbing his hands.

"Save him! Of course, we must save him! But who among us is good at water combat? My skills lose thirty percent once I enter the water—why don't you go down and scout the bottom, little brother?" Sun Wukong looked at the ink-dark river surface, his Adam's apple bobbing, rarely showing such anxiety.

"Fine! Wait for me, Monkey Brother!" Before Zhu Bajie finished speaking, he had already leaped into the bone-chilling cold current with a "splash," sending up a spray of water a zhang high.

Sun Wukong gripped the golden cudgel tightly, scratching his cheeks in anxiety on the bank, when he suddenly saw a youth in a green shirt carrying a basket, about to step onto the ice. He dashed over and blocked him with a hand: "Don't go! A monster is hiding in the river; it swallows people and doesn't even spit out the bones!"

The youth slowly turned, the corners of his lips slightly raised: "A monster? I think you look like one—a hairy face with a thunder-god mouth, exactly like a monkey."

Sun Wukong's chest tightened, and his anger flared up half a foot high. But a thought flashed through his mind—remembering his Master's usual instructions—and he forcibly swallowed his anger, only saying in a deep voice: "Every word I say is true. There is indeed a Prodigy in the river, and we are just about to capture it."

"Oh? Really?" The youth's smile deepened. "It doesn't matter; it won't eat me. Your Master, on the other hand, has tender skin and is very fragrant. It's been many years; you've actually learned to restrain your temper—back then you were a wild monkey who would bristle at the mere plucking of a hair; now you can actually use strategy, which is quite impressive."

"You... who exactly are you?" Sun Wukong's pupils contracted sharply, the golden cudgel held horizontally across his chest, his whole body taut like a bowstring.

"Don't tense up; we've actually met before—that time with you and your Master, when no one else was present. Sigh, why mention that? The river must be crossed, and I will go first. You keep your footing steady and take your time. The more obstacles on this journey, the more authentic the scriptures will be; as long as you don't turn back, there will be no trouble. We might meet again in the future—ha, farewell!"

Before the words faded, the person had already boarded a boat. With a light tap of his toes, the small boat shot off like an arrow from a bow, breaking through the water and vanishing into the mist in the blink of an eye.

Sun Wukong stood stunned, his neck stiff—who was that? How could he be so fast that I couldn't even catch his shadow?

Just as he was about to ponder further, a white wave suddenly exploded on the water surface. Zhu Bajie dragged the monster, forcing it out of the water. Neither of them had time to dwell on that strange person just now; they steeled their hearts: deal with this one first!

"Old Sun is here!" The golden cudgel smashed down through the air. The monster screamed, sank to the bottom with a "glug," and dared not show its head again.

"Monkey Brother, what are you so anxious about? Would waiting another half-moment cost you a hair?" Zhu Bajie wiped the water from his face and shouted indignantly.

"Yes, yes, yes, Old Sun was too quick—but now that he's shrinking back and won't come out, what do we do?" Sun Wukong became anxious again.

"How about... you use the golden cudgel to stir the center of the river violently? Perhaps it will shake him until his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering!"

"Fine! Watch me try again!" He leaped onto the cliff edge, the golden cudgel expanded in response, plunging straight into the bottom of the water, churning up turbid waves and splashing water to the sky, without stopping for a moment.

"W-what is going on?!" The Spirit-Inspiring King scrambled back to the river palace, looking disheveled. Before he could even stand steady, the entire water mansion shook like a sieve, beams and pillars trembling chaotically, and coral shattering.

"Great King! Great King! A giant pillar-like club has poked into the center of the river and is stirring wildly! The little ones cannot get close at all; it's too, too fierce!" A shrimp soldier knelt and reported, trembling.

Upon hearing this, the Spirit-Inspiring King's back went cold—Sun Monkey's golden cudgel! It actually had such power?

"Great King, do not panic!" A female monster swayed forward, her voice cloyingly soft. "That monkey cannot step into the water, so we should just keep the doors closed. Let's boil Tang Monk first to satisfy our craving; do you think he'll be able to keep guarding?"

"Right! Sister River speaks clearly!" The Spirit-Inspiring King slapped the table and stood up. "Prepare the pot! Light the fire! Eat the monk first!"

On the river surface, Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie saw the water waves gradually calm down, but their hearts hung higher and higher—had that monster really shrunk back to the bottom?

"Great Sage! Great Sage—"

Just as they were pacing in anxiety, they suddenly heard someone calling from behind. Turning around, they saw an old turtle who had transformed into human form, standing with his hands cupped in a bow.

"Who are you? Are you also a monster in this river?"

"Great Sage, please be at ease! I am originally the rightful deity of this river, but I was forcibly occupied by that monster, and my kin have been oppressed for a long time. Just now, I heard him plotting to devour your Master, so I came specifically to report the news. Please go and save him quickly!"

"What?! He dares to touch my Master? He's turning the heavens upside down!—Where exactly did that bastard come from?"

"I heard... he came from the South Sea and seems to have some connection with the Purple Bamboo Forest. As for the rest, I do not know."

The two exchanged a look, understanding immediately: it must be the South Sea Bodhisattva Guanyin's Daoist site! Sun Wukong immediately turned around: "Bajie, I will return shortly. I leave the Master to you; keep a close watch!"

"Go with peace of mind! Old Pig is here!" Zhu Bajie patted his chest and agreed.

After Wukong's figure disappeared, the old turtle leaned close to Bajie, lowered his voice, and discussed in detail how to stall the monster, then wait for an opportunity to sneak into the water.

Mount Putuo in the South Sea, the Purple Bamboo Forest, the place where Bodhisattva Guanyin practiced in seclusion.

"Great Sage, please be calm. The Bodhisattva is preparing a Magical Artifact; it will be ready in a moment, just a moment..." Jinzha stood to the side with his hands hanging down, his voice so soft it was as if he were afraid of startling a spiderweb. He was a Disciple and dared not disturb the Bodhisattva's quiet cultivation, but the background of this wild monkey truly made sweat bead on his forehead.

"A moment? My Master is about to be put in a pot right now! Move aside!"

When Wukong burst into the meditation room, Bodhisattva Guanyin was bowing her head, weaving a bamboo basket, her black hair unstyled, her plain clothes unadjusted.

His anger flared: What kind of basket is she weaving at a time like this? Lives are about to be lost!

"Let's go." Bodhisattva Guanyin suddenly raised her head, the bamboo basket resting on her lap, her hair bun loose, and no makeup applied.

Wukong instead gave a sheepish smile: "Bodhisattva, are you not in a hurry for this moment? It wouldn't be too late to set off after grooming yourself properly."

"You monkey... alright, let's go!" Bodhisattva Guanyin scolded with a smile, flicked her sleeves, and headed straight for the Tongtian River.

Jiang Chen paced to the opposite bank of the Tongtian River. Seeing Bodhisattva Guanyin Bodhisattva take back the goldfish spirit, he sneered slightly in his heart: such a trick of self-capture and self-management is too obvious. A traitor who abandoned the old teachings actually thinks she can really borrow the power of Buddhism to achieve the right fruit? That is not necessarily the case. Enough, since it is settled, there is no need to think too much. Crossing the river is important; we shall meet again.

Leaving the riverbank, he traveled alone through the vast mountains and wilderness. The forest was deep and the road remote; jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards appeared and disappeared from time to time, which could be considered a natural barrier, serving as a form of tempering.

This day, he walked into a valley where peach blossoms were in full bloom, the stream was clear and shallow, flowers and trees were lush, pavilions were scattered in a well-ordered manner, and the pines and cypresses were verdant and dripping with green—a scene of vibrant Life Qi. The owner of this place certainly had some elegance.

Just as he was standing still to observe, he suddenly saw the cave door open slightly, and a person walked out slowly. Upon first seeing Jiang Chen, the figure paused slightly, then immediately walked forward—but at a distance of three paces, they fell to their knees with a thud, forehead touching the ground, shoulders trembling slightly.

"What is this for? Why are you kowtowing for no reason? Do we know each other?" Jiang Chen frowned slightly, his tone carrying a hint of confusion.