Chapter 7: The Six-Eared Monkey Strikes Guanyin with a Staff

Let us not mention how Wukong, with the help of the Hongmeng Purple Qi within him, concealed the secrets of heaven, preventing the many mighty beings from making calculations, as he and Xie Xiaofeng, along with the four Sword Masters, rushed back towards Ximen Chuixue's Mei Hua Villa... Now let's talk about the greatly compassionate Bodhisattva Guanyin, who felt such shock that she rode upon her own lotus pedal, bringing no attendants along as she hurried to this location.

The Six-Eared Macaque had one of his arms severed by Yan Shisan's "Life-Seizing Thirteen Swords," but that arm was from his transformation into his Three Heads Six Arms form, so it did not harm his foundation. At this moment, though, his blood and energy were in turmoil. Since none of the five adversaries were easy to deal with—they were all vicious and ruthless—he did not dare give chase for fear of jeopardizing his life.

Bodhisattva Guanyin flew by and saw Sha Monk lying on the ground with both arms severed, staring up with wide-open eyes, long since dead; looking farther away, she saw the Little White Dragon with its neck sliced by a sharp weapon, its Primordial Spirit seemingly destroyed; Zhu Bajie's head had been smashed in, blooming like a peach blossom, similar to a busted watermelon, leaving only a corpulent body; the Six-Eared Macaque sat despondently by the bridge, his body drenched in blood, clearly after a fierce battle.

"Bodhisattva!" The Six-Eared Macaque saw Guanyin and promptly knelt and bowed his head in worship.

"Wukong!" Guanyin frowned, asking, "What has happened here?"

The Six-Eared Macaque replied, "I don't know either. Today, as I was passing through this place, a young Daoist blocked the way on this single-log bridge. Master asked Bajie to rouse him, but unexpectedly, the man launched an attack, and Bajie instantly fell victim to foul play. In a hurry, I picked up my cudgel to strike him dead, but the Daoist, outmatched, called out for his companions. In no time, four Cultivators with profound Mana emerged, swiftly severing Junior Brother Sha's shoulders and kicking him to death..." As he looked up, he saw Guanyin's face looking extraordinarily pale, her fingers trembling slightly, "After that, I turned back to rescue Master, but I was entangled by the other two men. With Mana as high as mine, I struggled to counter them. I employed my Three Heads Six Arms technique, yet one of my arms was chopped off. I didn't see how the Little White Dragon died. Lastly, Master was abducted by them, taken off toward the east. I wanted to give chase, but having been injured, I waited here for Bodhisattva."

Unable to restrain herself, Guanyin cursed, "Useless!"

The Six-Eared Macaque hurriedly bowed his head and remained silent.

Guanyin, with knitted brows, manipulated her hand seals and cast Spells, attempting to glimpse some clues, but regardless of her efforts, she couldn't spread out the Mirror Technique to reflect the recent events, surely because someone used Divine Skills to shroud the secrets of this place!

Guanyin then retrieved an insect from within the Mustard Seed, which shook its head and wriggled about but failed to catch even a trace of the scent of the five individuals.

These five people must have been meticulously cautious in ambushing Tang Sanzang and his disciples, leaving no loopholes. Xie Xiaofeng, Ye Gucheng—who among them was easy to deal with? Who wasn't exceedingly clever? Xie Xiaofeng was right; even if the Tathagata Buddha himself arrived, he would not discern any traces!

Seeing the ruthless lethal methods with which these people killed, annihilating both body and Primordial Spirit, causing them to thoroughly vanish from Heaven and Earth, Guanyin felt aghast.

"Did you get a clear look at the features of any of these individuals?" Guanyin asked.

"I only caught a clear look at the young Daoist. The others moved too quickly and possessed such profound Mana that, preoccupied with my defense, I really didn't get a good look," replied the Six-Eared Macaque softly.

Guanyin, furious, her face ashen, realized that she had failed the task entrusted to her by the Buddha. Now, three of the Journey to the West envoys were dead, and Tang Sanzang had been captured. Given the ruthless modus operandi of the group, they would surely eat him immediately, unlike the usual demons who would dilly-dally waiting for Sun Wukong to come to the rescue.

Guanyin's voice trembled as she spoke, "These individuals are ruthless and decisive in their actions, and they possess extraordinary methods to obscure the workings of destiny, their origins must be extraordinary! Wukong, convey the young Taoist's appearance to me with your divine sense, and I shall go to the Western Heaven to report to the Tathagata Buddha."

The Six-Eared Macaque dared not delay and hurriedly transmitted Wukong's appearance to Guanyin to examine.

Guanyin frowned slightly, thinking to herself, "Who is this person? So young, yet he possesses such abilities. I wonder whose disciple he is!"

The Six-Eared Macaque said, "This young Taoist has some abilities, having withstood eighty-one of my strikes with his spell without suffering any damage. His skill seems like the Golden Bell Shield of the Buddhist Sect, yet it is not quite the same..."

Guanyin said no more and simply stated, "In that case, you should accompany me to the Western Heaven."

However, Guanyin was indeed scheming, knowing that if she went alone, she would likely bear all the wrath. If she took the Six-Eared Macaque along, she could transfer the anger onto him and suffer less blame herself. And the Six-Eared Macaque, being a cunning and shrewd creature, immediately shook his head.

Guanyin said, "Come with me to explain this matter clearly to the Tathagata Buddha, and then let him make the final decision."

The Six-Eared Macaque still shook his head.

Guanyin let out a cold laugh and recited an incantation, "To all such worlds and the honored Buddhas who eternally dwell within. May those honored ones show me compassion. Whether in this life or in past lives, for all the sins committed since the beginning of samsara. Whether I acted alone or incited others, whether I rejoiced in the actions of others. Whether stealing from stupas, monks, or from monks' quarters in all directions. Whether I took for myself or incited others, whether I rejoiced in the taking. For the five heinous crimes, whether acting alone or inciting others, whether I rejoiced in their doing. For the ten non-virtuous paths, whether acting alone or inciting others, whether I rejoiced in their doing. For all the sins that I've committed, whether they've been concealed or not. Destined for hell, evil spirits, sentient beings, and all such woeful states, the low and despised, and the crushing carts, in the regions like these. For all the sins that I've accumulated, I now express my repentance."

What Guanyin was reciting was none other than the life-threatening Tightening-Crown Spell, which, if not for its potency, would have seen Wukong killed by a single strike from Tang Sanzang's staff.

The Six-Eared Macaque immediately felt the tight band on his head constrict, causing a splitting headache and profuse sweating as he clutched at his head and rolled on the ground in agony.

Yet Guanyin's face showed not a trace of mercy as she continued to recite the incantation.

"Bodhisattva, I'll go, stop reciting, please! I'll go, I'll go!" the Six-Eared Macaque shouted out loud, his voice hoarse with exertion.

Only then did Guanyin cease her recitation and swept her sleeve, saying, "If you will go, then spare me further words! Come with me!"

With that, the lotus pedestal beneath her feet instantly rose into the air, enveloped by white mist, and headed towards the Western Heaven.

The Six-Eared Macaque, left with no choice and genuinely terrified of the Tightening-Crown Spell, shook his dazed head, gritted his teeth, mounted the Somersault Cloud, and followed the Bodhisattva's figure. Inwardly, he gritted his teeth and silently cursed, "Guanyin, if I ever get this tight band off, I will surely make you experience the agony of flesh and blood!"

Guanyin was unaware of the Six-Eared Macaque's thoughts and internally pondered how to explain the situation to the Tathagata.

However, the mind of the Six-Eared Macaque rotated like lightning as it thought, "Once I reach the Western Heaven, given the nature of the old Buddha Tathagata and Guanyin, they will surely not let me off lightly! The Journey to the West is an extremely important plan for the Buddhist Sect, and now it has been ruined. Due to Guanyin's special status, all the wrath of the Buddhist Sect will undoubtedly fall on me... In the end, I fear my life will be at risk! If that's the case, why not completely break away and rebel against the Buddhist Sect!"

The thought incensed the Six-Eared Macaque even more, and it nearly lashed out in murder due to Guanyin's recitation of the Tightening-Crown Spell!

"After killing Guanyin, I will head to the Demon Abyss in the Northern Region. Even if the Buddhist Sect wants to capture me, they will have to weigh their options carefully!" The Six-Eared Macaque's anger surged from within, and evil grew at the edge of its courage, determined to kill Guanyin and then flee.

Now was the perfect opportunity, as Guanyin had arrived hastily and had not brought either her mount or Daoist Boy.

The Six-Eared Macaque feigned a servile demeanor and followed up, saying, "Please, Bodhisattva, ask for mercy on my behalf when you face the Buddha Ancestor later!"

Guanyin let out a quiet chuckle, thinking to herself, "Ask for mercy for you? Then who will ask for mercy for me?"

Just as she was about to reply, she saw a golden staff swooping toward her face with enough force to rend cracks in the void!

"How dare you, Six-Eared Macaque, to strike at me!" Guanyin exclaimed in shock and anger. Caught off guard, she could only use her hands to block.

"Crack!"

With a sharp sound, even with Guanyin's great mana, her hand bones fractured and blood gushed due to the staff strike.

The Six-Eared Macaque didn't dare give Guanyin the chance to recite the Tightening-Crown Spell, knowing it would mean certain death. It quickly formed a Dharma Decree with its hands and split into nine copies, forming a formidable array and assaulting Guanyin one after another!

Staff strikes followed one after the other, filling the sky with their shadows!

Guanyin was forced to dodge in every direction, completely unable to concentrate on chanting any incantation.

"Buddha Ancestor?!" The Six-Eared Macaque suddenly cried out in utter terror.

Guanyin truly fell for the trick and looked back, only to find no one behind her — all she could blame was the Six-Eared Macaque's acting, which was too convincingly realistic.

Realizing the danger, Guanyin knew she was caught off guard. Sure enough, without turning back, a staff strike landed on her waist.

Guanyin immediately cried out in disarray, flying sideways and spitting blood. The blow almost knocked her primordial spirit out of her body. She quickly took a sip of clear water from her pure bottle, and her injuries healed considerably.

Seeing Guanyin endure the blows, the Six-Eared Macaque grew fearful and swiftly transformed into a streak of light to escape!

That staff strike left Guanyin struggling to catch her breath, unable to chant spells, perhaps not even able to recall the incantations. Had the Six-Eared Macaque been more daring and pressing with its attack, the Bodhisattva might have perished there!

"When have I ever been so humiliated?" Guanyin silently resented, trying to chant a spell but finding herself too weak to muster any energy, and she had to let the Six-Eared Macaque escape.

Guanyin used the clear water from her pure bottle to wash away the bloodstains on her white clothes, then tidied up her hair bun. She took a willow leaf from the willow branch inside the bottle, chewed it a few times, and then hastily swallowed it.

After swallowing the willow leaf, Guanyin felt much relieved. She cast a Mirror Technique to tidy up her appearance before continuing on her lotus pedestal towards the Western Heavenly Buddha Land.

"How audacious the Six-Eared Macaque is, to dare ambush me. If just now it had pursued its advantage..." Guanyin mused darkly, stopping herself from thinking any further, for had the Six-Eared Macaque been desperate, she would be lying dead right now.

As she set foot in the Western Heavenly Buddha Land, Guanyin saw disciples Kasyapa and Ananda of the two Buddha Ancestors.

"Bodhisattva Guanyin." Ananda and Kasyapa quickly greeted her with a bow.

"Where are you going?" Guanyin asked.

"To search for Master Tang Sanzang and his disciples. The Buddha Ancestor had a premonition and sensed something ominous."

"No need. Master Tang Sanzang has met with disaster. Take me to see the Buddha Ancestor quickly!" Guanyin said with a sigh.

Ananda and Kasyapa were shocked and stood frozen on the spot.