Chapter 415: Can We Be Friends?
Rushing toward the direction they had pinpointed, the group was filled with both tension and anger. Sun Wukong, in particular, was furious—he felt as if he had been played for a fool. This humiliation was something he was determined to repay.
After flying for a while, Sun Wukong finally spotted some clues from high above. He sniffed the air around him—yes, that was definitely the scent of a fox spirit.
"There!"
Without hesitation, Sun Wukong dashed toward the location. The group soon discovered a mountain gate, and Sun Wukong declared, "This is the place, without a doubt."
"Monkey Bro, are you sure Master was taken here?"
"Of course! That fox spirit actually dared to capture our master while I was away watching the Golden List Livestream. How utterly shameless!"
"607!"
"Alright then, Monkey Bro, let's break in right now!"
With that, Zhu Bajie charged forward, raising his Nine-Toothed Rake and smashing it against the mountain gate. Loud bangs echoed as the gate shook violently. Inside, the fox spirit was startled—she hadn't expected them to find this place so quickly.
Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang, trapped inside, was confronted by the fox spirit.
"Tang Sanzang, you really are something. Your disciples have come to rescue you. But tell me, now that you're in my hands, do you think they stand a chance of getting you back?"
"I have no quarrel with you," Tang Sanzang replied. "If you release me, we could still be friends. What do you say?"
"Who wants to be friends with you?"
Tang Sanzang had been captured by many demons before, and quite a few female ones had enjoyed hearing sweet words from him. He wondered if saying something nice might convince this one to let him go.
But his thinking was too naïve. If it were that easy to leave, he wouldn't have been in this situation to begin with. The fox spirit stared at Tang Sanzang, observing his fair skin and handsome features. As a man, he was indeed quite attractive. It would be a waste to simply eat him.
After all, she was still a woman, and for the first time, she felt reluctant to consume Tang Sanzang. Wouldn't it be boring to just eat him?
Besides, did eating his flesh truly grant immortality? That was still uncertain. The fox spirit hesitated and finally decided—she would not eat him just yet. Smiling, she said,
"Tang Sanzang, you're quite lucky. When I first captured you, I was planning to eat your flesh and drink your blood. But just now, I changed my mind. A man as good-looking as you—eating you would be such a waste."
"You're right, Lady Bodhisattva! You mustn't eat me! Why not just let me go? Then we really could be friends!"
"Who wants to be your friend?" The fox spirit scoffed. "But… if you're willing to be my husband, then I might consider letting you go."
"What? You want me to be your husband? That's impossible! I am a monk—I have taken vows! Becoming your husband is absolutely out of the question!"
Tang Sanzang was very clear about his principles. Friendship was one thing, but marriage was entirely different. No matter what happened in this world, some things could never be allowed to occur.
He was a monk on a sacred journey to the West. He had to remain pure and resist worldly temptations.
The fox spirit was undoubtedly beautiful, but that did not mean he could allow himself to be swayed. If he succumbed to desire, how could he continue his pilgrimage?
Moreover, she wasn't even a human woman—she was a demon! How could he ever fall for a demon?
Still… she was quite stunning.
"Why are you sweating, monk?" The fox spirit smirked. "What were you just thinking? You said it was 'impossible'—so you truly refuse to be with me? If you agreed, your life would be full of happiness and pleasure. Doesn't that tempt you?"
"Of course, I want happiness and joy. But I do not wish to be with you. Please, just let me go!"
"Let you go? Absolutely not! I won't waste this opportunity. Now that I've captured you, whether you agree or not, you are mine."
"This…"
Tang Sanzang was flustered. What did she mean by "whether I agree or not, I am hers"?
"Lady Bodhisattva, you must not do this! I am a monk, carrying an important mission. My duty is to travel to the West for the sacred scriptures. Please don't hinder my quest!"
"And what if I do? What will you do about it? You really refuse to be with me?"
"I… I truly don't know what to say. Why are all you female demons so persistent?"
Tang Sanzang had encountered many female demons before. At first, they all wanted to eat him for his so-called 'immortal flesh.' But after capturing him, they always ended up wanting him as their husband instead.
Thinking about this, he felt both exasperated and helpless.
The fox spirit narrowed her eyes. "So, you've met other female demons before?"
"Of course! Not just one, but many!"
Meanwhile, Ye Tian was searching for the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow. However, its whereabouts were unknown, and finding it would be incredibly difficult.
After Houyi shot down the suns in ancient times, the bow had vanished. It was said to be lost somewhere in the world. Now that a new sun had appeared, bringing disaster upon the land, retrieving the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow was the only way to stop it. But where could it be?