Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

Kong Xuan felt that his idea was not wrong, and things should develop according to his expectations.

After leaving for three days, estimating that Xuanzang and the others had already left, Kong Xuan returned to Flower Valley.

The scenery of Flower Valley was still very beautiful, with various gorgeous flowers all over the valley.

If it were an ordinary time, Kong Xuan would have felt refreshed and happy upon seeing it. But upon his return, when looking at the towering Exquisite Immortal Mansion in the valley, his face turned dark, and where was the feeling of being refreshed and happy?

"How can this be!?" Looking at the Exquisite Immortal Mansion in the Flower Valley, Kong Xuan's face turned somewhat unpleasant, and he muttered secretly in his heart.

For three days, he deliberately left in front of the Journey to the West Pilgrimage Team, giving them a full three days to create an opportunity for their escape.

But what happened? Three days passed, and they still hadn't left the Flower Valley?

This development, which was outside his original plan, made Kong Xuan feel very uncomfortable.

"Amitabha, sir, you've returned..." As Kong Xuan came back, Jiang Liu happened to see him and immediately greeted him.

"You're still in this Flower Valley!" Landing his form, Kong Xuan spoke.

"Although this humble monk does not have many virtues, keeping promises is something I can do. Since I promised to plant your flowers and plants, how can I leave without fulfilling it?" Jiang Liu said solemnly, with a righteous and earnest manner.

Upon saying this, Jiang Liu paused slightly and then asked Kong Xuan, "Dear sir, could it be that you are unhappy with us staying here?"

"Hehe, how could that be? I am, of course, happy with your commitment to promises!" Kong Xuan replied.

However, as he answered, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. Whether his true inner thoughts were as he expressed, perhaps only Kong Xuan himself knew.

"What should I do?" After responding to Jiang Liu, Kong Xuan mused silently.

He had deliberately created the opportunity for them to escape, yet they didn't leave.

What should he do next? How could he make them leave?

After all, he was known as the strongest Quasi-Saint, and Kong Xuan's wisdom was not low. Xuanzang and the others staying here was indeed beyond his expectations.

However, with a slight shift of thought, Kong Xuan quickly came up with a new idea.

He, in the form of the elderly figure, showed a pleased smile, looking satisfied, and nodded continuously while stroking his long beard, gazing at Jiang Liu and his team.

"Not bad, not bad. Although you have trampled on this old man's flowers and plants, committing a great sin, you have passed this old man's test. Excellent..."

"Test? What test?" Listening to Kong Xuan's words, Sun Wukong couldn't help but ask.

Sun Wukong's question made Jiang Liu glance at him, inwardly sighing with some helplessness.

Jiang Liu already had a rough guess about Kong Xuan's intention.

Sure enough, confirming Jiang Liu's suspicion, Kong Xuan spoke, "I left you here to plant flowers deliberately choosing those that would take hundreds of years to mature, and intentionally left in front of you to test you!"

"If you took the opportunity to escape, it would show great malice in your hearts."

"But since you didn't escape, it shows that you are truly repentant, which comforts this old man's heart greatly!"

Towards the end, Kong Xuan nodded slightly and said, "You have successfully passed this old man's test, and you are forgiven. Seeing your sincere repentance, I will no longer keep you. You can leave now!"

As he spoke, Kong Xuan waved his hand, signaling Jiang Liu and his companions that they could leave directly.

On the surface, he looked gratified and happy, but inwardly, Kong Xuan nodded secretly, praising himself for being very clever.

This way, with an excuse, couldn't he justifiably let Xuanzang and the others leave?

Great, as expected from myself.

It's a pity that he only used this idea now, wasting so much time. If he'd used it earlier, wouldn't he have gotten rid of them already?

"No, I won't leave!"

However, as Kong Xuan finished speaking, Jiang Liu immediately replied, refusing without thinking.

"Not leaving!?" Jiang Liu's words made Kong Xuan look slightly surprised, astonished at him.

Apparently, for a moment, he completely didn't understand what Jiang Liu meant by that.

Could it be? He didn't want to leave? Or was he not anxious at all about the Journey to the West for Scriptures?

Now that he himself had already shown forgiveness, and he could leave now, yet? He refused to leave himself?

"Sir, I do not have many virtues, but keeping promises is definitely one! Since I have promised you, if I don't plant these flowers and grasses, I will never leave!"

Seeing Kong Xuan's astonished look, Jiang Liu naturally understood his thoughts, so he spoke earnestly.

Listening to Jiang Liu's words, looking at his righteous demeanor, Kong Xuan's face darkened slightly.

He had already said he forgave him and that he could leave directly, but he didn't go?

This situation was completely unexpected for Kong Xuan, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say.

He couldn't possibly say that valuing promises is a mistake, could he?

"Xuanzang..."

With a slightly darkened expression and after a brief moment of silence, Kong Xuan spoke up, looking earnest, "While valuing promises is certainly a virtue, there are priorities in everything. For instance, your Journey to the West for scriptures aims to save all beings, this..."

"Old man, there's no need to say more. Once I decide on something, I will never change it!"

However, before Kong Xuan could finish speaking, Jiang Liu immediately shook his head.

At the same time, he interrupted with a determined look, saying, "Indeed, the purpose of my Journey to the West for scriptures is to save all beings, and this is indeed very important."

"However, if I don't atone for the mistakes I've made for the sake of the Journey to the West and the beings of the world, I won't be able to pass this hurdle in my own heart!"

"As the saying goes, how can one save others if they cannot save themselves?"

Jiang Liu's determined and righteous demeanor made his words irrefutable.

Kong Xuan opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him a bit more, but found himself at a loss for words…

Kong Xuan turned around and returned to the nearby hilltop, sitting back down with his eyes slightly closed, as if he was already wandering the void in his mind.

As for Jiang Liu? He looked at Kong Xuan sitting cross-legged on the hilltop, pondering to himself.

Jiang Liu was not in a good mood. From Kong Xuan's words and actions, he could tell that Kong Xuan was anxious, eager to have him leave.

For him, this was not a good thing.

"It's only been three months, and he can't wait any longer? I originally hoped to drag it out for a year or two, but it seems that won't work. Still, one step at a time, let's drag it out as long as possible..."

As he pondered silently, Jiang Liu showed no signs of this outwardly, continuing to enjoy food and adventures with Sun Wukong and others as if unaffected by the situation.

On the surface, Jiang Liu and the others seemed unchanged, and likewise, Kong Xuan continued sitting on the hilltop as a "supervisor," showing no change.

In reality, however, as Kong Xuan sat on the hilltop, he was secretly contemplating strategies.

He had already forgiven them, but Xuanzang still refused to leave? This was unexpected for Kong Xuan.

However, upon reflection, it seemed somewhat logical.

Stubbornness, Xuanzang's so-called valuing of promises, seemed entirely stubborn to Kong Xuan.

But upon further thought, if he weren't stubborn, how could he have persisted in his beliefs to the point of killing Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and even Emperor Ziwei?

"It seems impossible for Xuanzang to leave on his own. What should I do?" Kong Xuan mused to himself.

After much consideration, there seemed to be only one solution? Accelerating the growth of those flower and grass seeds?

Thinking of this, Kong Xuan felt extremely frustrated.

Logically, searching for spiritual soil and spiritual liquid to accelerate the growth of flowers and grasses should be the task of Xuanzang and his party, right?

But now? I have to do it for them? Yet, despite the frustration, what can I do?

Xuanzang is so stubborn, and as the coordinator of the Journey to the West for Scriptures, I can't really let him stay here for hundreds of years, can I?

"Sigh, indeed, coordinating this westward journey is incredibly difficult..." Thinking of his current predicament, Kong Xuan couldn't help but sigh.

Originally, he thought that coordinating the Journey to the West for Scriptures would be very easy for him, but it turned out he was wrong.

No wonder even Maitreya Buddha actively requested to step down from this position.

Of course, despite his inner sigh, Kong Xuan still had full confidence in himself.

The main point being, Maitreya Buddha couldn't suppress the Scripture Seeking Team, but he could!

Despite feeling extremely frustrated and secretly displeased, things had come to this. In order to complete the Journey to the West for Scriptures, Kong Xuan had to get up.

With a movement, taking advantage of the time when Jiang Liu and his team were resting, he soared into the sky to search for spiritual soil and spiritual liquid to accelerate the growth of flowers and grasses as much as possible.

Through a speechless night, early the next morning, when Jiang Liu and others got up, they suddenly heard a startled cry from the White Mouse Demon.

"Holy Monk, the flowers and grasses outside have sprouted..."

(PS: Typing on the high-speed train, I am trying my best...)