Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

Watching the three children play, Princess Iron Fan felt very relieved in her heart. It had been a long time since she had seen her child, and now he had grown up, made his own friends, and matured. That was good, she thought, since maybe one day when he heard the bad news he would be able to bear it on his own.

"By the way, mother, why is my father not here?" Red Child suddenly asked.

His question sent a wave of panic through Princess Iron Fan's heart. She suppressed the chaos within her and, trying to appear calm, she coldly said, "Where else would he be but amusing himself with the newly-wed Fox Spirit, indulging in pleasures without a thought of us?"

Red Child keenly sensed a slight change in his mother's expression and, after a moment of contemplation, said, "Then I will go look for father soon. It's been many years since I've seen him, and I really miss him."

Princess Iron Fan suddenly said urgently, "Are you planning to leave me behind? What is there to see in that heartless father of yours? Since he cruelly abandoned us, we should never go to see him again."

Not only did Red Child look surprised at this, but Dragon Princess and Little Black Bear also lifted their heads in astonishment.

"Mother, tell me the truth, has something happened to father?" Red Child asked solemnly.

Princess Iron Fan shook her head and said, "Child, don't ask anymore, leave this place quickly, return to Bodhisattva Guanyin, with her protection no one can harm you; as for us, you need not worry further."

But Red Child said resolutely, "I will not leave; where is the logic in a son fleeing when his own parents are in danger?"

Dragon Princess and Little Black Bear chimed in, "Exactly, we won't leave either. We'll give him a good beating when the time comes!"

Princess Iron Fan, seeing the excited state of the children, said, "You all are good children, but this matter is no longer something you can interfere in. Go back obediently. You are still young, unaware of the world's wickedness. If you are determined, wait until you have grown up, then you can avenge us."

Red Child gently took his mother's hand and said, "Mother, I felt restless, and that's why I begged Bodhisattva for permission to visit. Before coming here, I was already prepared to face death, so please speak plainly."

With heartfelt sincerity and determination in his words, Princess Iron Fan carefully examined her child, seeing the firm expression on his still-young face, sighed and said, "You have grown up, but I wish you hadn't. I fear your father, as I suspected, has become a puppet, controlled by someone mighty and inscrutable, who has laid plans over many years. If you insist on staying, you'll just be another person sent to die. It would be better to save yourself for future strength so you can return and avenge us one day."

At his mother's words, Red Child's face changed dramatically, tears uncontrollably streaming down his cheeks as memories of his father—a man who always provided for him, never angered by his misdeeds, and who played with him—flashed through his mind. His father had silently become someone else's puppet.

The depth of his father's love in the past now mirrored the pain in Red Child's heart. He knelt on the ground, tears flowing incessantly. The father who had once loved him so dearly had left like this, and he had not even seen him one last time.

Princess Iron Fan was also in tears, but as a mother, she knew this was not the time for weeping. The mastermind, cunning in his ways, might already be aware of what was happening here. She must urge her child to leave quickly.

So, she wiped the tears from her face and said solemnly to Red Child, "Child, sorrow is useless; it will only make our enemies laugh at our weakness. You are still young, with your whole life ahead. Don't act rashly and ruin it here. Leave quickly!"

Red Child wanted to say something, but he saw Princess Iron Fan had already pulled out the Plantain Fan, planning to fan them to the South Sea for safety.

However, she then realized that no matter how she activated the Plantain Fan, not even a breeze emerged.

"This is what I gave you. Without my permission, did you think you could use it?" A robust voice echoed, startling everyone in the cave.
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The Bull Demon King, with his eyes bloody red, casually walked into the cave, wearing a sinister smile on his face.

Princess Iron Fan's face showed a sorrowful expression, "It really is you, Ancestor! I am afraid, from the first day my husband set foot on the island, you began your calculations.

Princess Iron Fan felt like her entire life was a joke, like a puppet on strings, arranged and living according to someone else's script.

"Haha, indeed, I had my eye on him since he began seeking immortals everywhere. The Great Saint Who Pacifies Heaven is indeed a fine pawn. It was I who secretly guided him to Rakshasa Island and let him know of an old ancestor living in seclusion here."

"To win him over, I didn't hesitate to let you marry with the precious Plantain Fan. All for today isn't it? I've painstakingly planned for years, and now the time of harvest has arrived."

"You truly have a cruel heart. My husband and I, we respected you so much, strived to complete every task you gave us. Little did we think that in your eyes, we were nothing but pawns," Princess Iron Fan cried out indignantly.

"Haha, to pursue the Great Dao, by all means necessary. In my eyes, all beings are but chess pieces if they can help achieve the Great Dao!" the Bull Demon King said coldly.

Seeing this, Princess Iron Fan shouted loudly, "Run away!" And then she attacked with her sword. She knew that with the old ancestor's power, it was easy to subdue her but gambled that since the ancestor had just taken control of the Bull Demon King's body, he couldn't exert much power yet, giving her child a chance to escape.

The Bull Demon King sneered, "Did you think I would let you go?"

With a light grab, Princess Iron Fan was caught in his hand, and he laughed loudly, "Did you think there were no contingencies in place on you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Princess Iron Fan felt a strange force rising inside her body. She hurriedly tried to use all her mana, hoping to suppress this mysterious force from an unknown source.

But the force was slippery, unstoppable no matter how she tried to contain it, and the mana emanating from the Bull Demon King outside was suppressing her further. She knew this time she likely couldn't escape her fate.

Princess Iron Fan looked at Red Child despairingly and finally uttered two words: "Run fast!"