Chapter 266: Journey to the West: Nine-story Demon Tower
Sun Wukong stood on a big rock in the mountains, his hair fluttering gently in the breeze, and he looked calm. He looked down at the fat rabbit he had just caught, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. Then, he gently plucked a hair from his body, and the hair quickly changed in his hand and turned into a sharp knife in an instant.

The knife flew in Sun Wukong's hand, and his movements were extremely skillful, as if every skinning and cutting was an art that had been honed through thousands of times. The rabbit's fur was completely peeled off, and the bloody internal organs were thrown aside by him. The whole process was clean and neat, without any delay.

Then, Sun Wukong shook his hands again, and a chopping board appeared out of thin air. He cut all the peeled rabbit meat into small pieces, each of which was evenly sized and just the right size. Then, he once again conjured up many golden needles more than a foot long, which seemed to have life in his hands and automatically strung up the pieces of rabbit meat.

The rabbit skewers were neatly placed on the chopping board, like rows of arrows ready to be fired, emitting a faint aroma of meat. Sun Wukong nodded with satisfaction, then waved his hand, and a pile of dry firewood appeared out of thin air beside him. He opened his mouth and blew out the Samadhi True Fire instantly, igniting the dry firewood quickly. The blazing flames jumped in the night, illuminating the entire mountain.

Tang San stood aside and witnessed the whole process. He was already dumbfounded. He had never seen such a magical way of roasting meat, and he had never thought that his newly accepted apprentice would have such a skill. He watched the rabbit skewers on the chopping board fly automatically to the fire to be roasted under the control of Sun Wukong's eyes, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

After a while, the rabbit skewers began to emit oil, and the aroma of meat filled the air. Tang San couldn't help swallowing his saliva, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Wow! Wukong you are so awesome! I didn't expect skewers could be grilled like this! So good, so good." Tang San exclaimed sincerely.

He secretly rejoiced in his heart that he not only accepted a servant, but also such a magical servant. Sun Wukong's skills and craftsmanship opened his eyes, and he felt that he had really picked up a treasure this time.

Sun Wukong couldn't help but smile proudly when he heard Tang San's praise. He blinked his golden eyes, and a skewer of roasted rabbit meat flew into Tang San's hands. Tang San held the golden needle, brought the fragrant skewer to his nose and took a deep sniff, with an intoxicated look on his face.

"Oh! Wukong, your grilling skills are really good enough for you to sell grilled skewers." Tang San said half-jokingly.

Sun Wukong laughed loudly upon hearing this: "Haha, I won't set up a stall. I only grill meat for Master. As long as Master is happy, I will be satisfied."

As he spoke, he looked at the skewers in Tang San's hand with extremely expectant eyes, his heart so nervous that it seemed to jump out of his chest. This was his first time grilling meat for his master, and he hoped so much that his master would like his cooking skills.

"Eat it quickly, put it in your mouth, why are you just smelling it and not eating it?" Sun Wukong couldn't help but urge him. He was too nervous, as if he was more eager to taste the barbecue than Tang San.

Tang San looked at Sun Wukong's eager look, and his heart couldn't help but warm. He took a bite of the roast meat, and his mouth was immediately filled with fragrance. The meat was tender and juicy, as if all the fatigue was released at this moment. He nodded with satisfaction: "Well, not bad, really not bad! Wukong, your cooking skills are indeed extraordinary."

Hearing Tang San's praise, Sun Wukong finally breathed a sigh of relief. He watched his master happily enjoying the rabbit skewers he had grilled, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Finally, after a long wait and anxious anticipation, when Sun Wukong felt that his master would not eat the rabbit meat, Tang San took action. He slowly put the skewer in his hand to his mouth, opened his mouth, and carefully bit off a small piece of rabbit meat. With a chewing sound, Tang San's throat moved slightly, and the small piece of rabbit meat was swallowed smoothly.

Sun Wukong had been staring at this scene nervously, and at this moment, it was as if a huge stone had fallen from his heart. The master really ate meat! This was an indescribable excitement and satisfaction, as if all his efforts had been rewarded.

However, in this joyful atmosphere, Tang San suddenly frowned and sniffed hard, "Hey... Wukong, hurry! The meat is going to burn!" As soon as he finished speaking, a burnt smell filled the air.

Hearing this, Sun Wukong's fiery eyes suddenly shot up, his gaze like a torch. He quickly controlled his magic power, and saw the skewers of meat roasting on the fire slowly fly up, lightly leaving the licking of the flames, and steadily fly in front of Tang San.

"Master, please pick carefully and throw away any burnt parts." Sun Wukong said, and put more than a dozen skewers of meat into the fire one by one to continue roasting. His movements were skillful and quick, as if each turn of the roasting was carefully calculated.

Tang San took the flying skewer of meat and looked at it carefully, "Wow! Not bad, just a few small pieces may be a little burnt, but it's not a big problem. Overall, it's grilled quite well!" While praising Sun Wukong's cooking skills, he couldn't wait to continue devouring it.

Sun Wukong was always watching his master's every movement and expression when he ate the skewers. Whenever Tang San looked over at him, he would quickly turn his head away, pretending to be concentrating on grilling the meat. However, he would always glance at Tang San out of the corner of his eye, fearing that he would miss every subtle reaction of his master.

"Wukong! Why are you always secretly looking at me?" Tang San, who was eating happily, suddenly stopped chewing. He had already noticed Sun Wukong's strange look. At this moment, he still had a piece of rabbit meat in his mouth. His voice seemed a little unclear, but there was a hint of teasing and curiosity in his tone.

Sun Wukong was slightly startled by Tang San's question, but he tried his best to remain calm on the surface. "Ah...haha, no, Master, I don't look at you all the time." He laughed to cover up his loss of composure, while continuing to use his magic power to control the rabbit skewers to move and roll above the firewood. Although his eyes seemed to be focused on the barbecue, his heart had already drifted to Tang San.

Tang San couldn't help but snort when he saw this, "Hmph! Don't think you can fool me, you monkey! You must be hiding something from me! If you don't tell the truth... I'll recite the Tightening Curse to let you have a taste of its power!" As he spoke, a sly and threatening look flashed in his eyes. Obviously, he didn't intend to let go of this topic easily, but wanted to further explore the secrets in Sun Wukong's heart.

Hearing the words "tightening curse", Sun Wukong was shocked. He knew the power of the tightening curse very well, so he dared not try it easily. So he quickly put on a look of begging for mercy, "Oh my! Master, please don't be angry! I'm just telling you!"

It turns out that the reason why Sun Wukong had been secretly observing Tang San's reaction to eating rabbit meat was because this was the first time he cooked for his master. He was both excited and nervous, fearing that his cooking skills would not suit his master's taste. And every time he saw his master eating with gusto, he would feel an inexplicable sense of satisfaction and pride. This feeling was so new and precious to him that he couldn't help but want to keep observing.

"Hahaha!" After listening to Sun Wukong's explanation, Tang San couldn't help but burst out laughing, "You monkey! Really funny! So you are worried about this! Don't worry, don't worry! Your cooking skills are really good! The rabbit meat is roasted to the crispy outside and tender inside, and it is full of fragrance! It is delicious!" As he said that, he took another big bite of the rabbit meat and savored it carefully.

When Sun Wukong heard the terrifying spell, his face suddenly changed and he looked extremely nervous. He shook his furry monkey paws hastily, his fiery eyes full of fear and helplessness. The headache caused by the spell was like countless steel needles piercing his brain at the same time, a torture he absolutely did not want to experience again.

"Ah? No! Master, please don't chant, don't chant!" Sun Wukong's voice was filled with pleading. "I say, I say, please don't chant that curse."

Tang San looked at Sun Wukong like this, and couldn't help but feel an indescribable sense of pride in his heart. Back then, this monkey was fearless and didn't even take the Jade Emperor seriously. Now, he was controlled so easily by him. This sense of control made Tang San secretly happy. However, his face showed no expression, and he remained serious and indifferent.

"Go ahead." Tang San spoke calmly, his tone revealing unquestionable majesty.

Sun Wukong swallowed his saliva, knowing that his life was in the hands of his master. He organized his words carefully, fearing that he would be cursed again if he was not careful.

"Master... I was looking at you just now because, because you eat meat." Sun Wukong stammered out the truth, and at the same time secretly glanced at Tang San with his flaming eyes, observing his reaction.

When Tang San heard this, he was stunned for a moment, then reacted. He realized that as a Buddhist disciple, he should have followed the rules and regulations, not killing or eating meat. However, at this moment, the aroma of rabbit meat still lingered in his mouth, which made him feel a little embarrassed.

He tried hard to swallow the last bite of rabbit meat, and looked at Sun Wukong with a guilty conscience, trying to cover up his gaffe. However, Sun Wukong's flaming eyes had already seen through everything he did.

"Nothing... Master, you are a Buddhist disciple!" Sun Wukong muttered in a low voice, revealing a bit of helplessness and worry. He was worried that his words would anger Tang San. After all, as a disciple, he shouldn't point out the master's mistakes so directly.

However, to his surprise, Tang San was not angry. He chewed the rabbit meat in his mouth, looked at Sun Wukong with an embarrassed look, and suddenly burst into laughter: "Haha!"

This laughter made Sun Wukong stunned. He looked at Tang San in confusion. Tang San continued to laugh, as if he had found something very funny. Gradually, Sun Wukong also reacted and was infected by Tang San's laughter, and started laughing along with him.

Amidst the laughter, the awkwardness and tension between the master and the disciple instantly disappeared. Tang San patted Sun Wukong on the shoulder and said, "Wukong, you are right. As a Buddhist disciple, I should indeed abide by the precepts. I was wrong this time, and I will pay attention next time."

When Sun Wukong heard his master say this, his worries immediately disappeared. He scratched his head and said a little embarrassedly: "Master, I am also wrong. I shouldn't have stared at you like that and made you angry."

"Alright, alright, what's past is past." Tang San waved his hand, "Let's continue on our way, there are more important tasks waiting for us."

The two laughed for a while, and their laughter echoed in the valley, as if even the heaven and earth were infected by their joy. Tang San finally stopped laughing, and then said seriously: "Wukong, the fact that we ate meat together must not be spread to others."

His tone was serious, but there was still a smile in his eyes, as if he was sharing a secret with a close friend. Sun Wukong scratched his head, and the monkey hair on his face seemed to tremble with his movements. He grinned and said, "Master, don't worry, I know what's going on."

Tang San nodded and continued, "Especially we can't tell Tathagata Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva. Although we eat meat, we can't let them catch us. After all, they are Buddhists and take these rules very seriously."

Sun Wukong's expression turned serious when he heard this. He glared at Tang San and turned his head away pretending to be angry: "Hmph, Master, you underestimated me. How could I not know the importance of something? We can enjoy eating this meat, but we can't miss the important thing because of it."

Tang San secretly laughed when he saw Sun Wukong's reaction. He patted Sun Wukong on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Okay, okay, Master is worrying too much. Wukong, you naturally know your limits."

Sun Wukong smiled proudly, and suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Master, what should we do next time we eat meat?" His eyes were shining with anticipation, as if he couldn't wait to enjoy the delicious rabbit meat again.

Tang San smiled slightly and said mysteriously: "Next time we eat meat, we will eat it inside the time barrier. That way, we don't have to worry about being discovered, and we can enjoy the delicious food to our heart's content."

"Haha, Master, you are so interesting!" Sun Wukong was overjoyed when he heard that. He jumped up excitedly, gesticulating and saying, "I like you so much! This is a great idea! Haha, I'll remember this. Next time I must go to the time barrier to eat!"

Seeing Sun Wukong jumping and scratching his head with joy, Tang San couldn't help laughing. He thought to himself: Although this monkey is naughty, he is really a man of character. His joy, anger, sorrow and happiness are all written on his face, and people can see through him at a glance.

However, at this moment, Tang San suddenly felt something strange in his mind. He glanced at Sun Wukong carefully, and muttered to himself: Damn, Sun Wukong said he likes me? Are you that? A series of associations about "GAY" flashed through his mind, and he suddenly became a little nervous.

But after carefully observing Sun Wukong's expression, he saw that he had no such intention at all, and was simply happy because he had found a good way to eat meat, so Tang San was relieved. He secretly laughed at himself: Tang San, Tang San, you are too worried. Although this monkey is a little weird, he doesn't look like that kind of person.

"Master!" Just as Tang San was laughing to himself, Sun Wukong suddenly grabbed his arm and his expression became serious. He shook Tang San's arm and said in a pleading tone: "Master, if you meet a bad guy next time, can I beat him to death with a stick?"

The eyes of this Monkey King, who hated evil as much as he could, were full of anticipation and desire. He seemed to be eager to wield the Ruyi Jingu Bang again and catch all the evildoers in one fell swoop.

Tang San looked at Sun Wukong's serious and determined eyes, and couldn't help feeling relieved. He patted the back of Sun Wukong's hand and said as if it was a matter of course: "Of course I can beat him to death! I have to eradicate all evil. You are the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong, who can resist your golden cudgel?"

When Sun Wukong heard this, a cunning flashed in his eyes and he chuckled: "Thank you for the compliment, Master! I will live up to your expectations and will never show mercy when I meet bad guys!" After saying this, he laughed triumphantly again.

Tang San couldn't help laughing when he saw Sun Wukong's smug look. But after laughing, he approached Sun Wukong mysteriously and whispered, "But, Wukong, if you encounter a beautiful bandit or a goblin next time, you must remember to keep it for your master."

His words were full of teasing and ridicule, as if he was sharing a secret with Sun Wukong. When Sun Wukong heard this, he was stunned at first, then his eyes widened, and he looked at Tang San in disbelief: "Beauty? Master, the beauty you are talking about, are you referring to the female monkey?"

His words were full of doubt and curiosity, as if he was confirming a new concept. When Tang San heard this, he was stunned at first, then he couldn't help laughing: "Hahaha! Wukong, you are so cute! The beauty I mentioned, of course, refers to a real beauty! Not a female monkey!"

He laughed so hard that he almost cried. Sun Wukong scratched his head, looking confused and lost. He stared at Tang San with wide eyes, as if trying to understand this new world.

After the two laughed, they started a new round of conversation. While tasting the delicious rabbit skewers, they talked about future plans and adventures.

Tang San looked at Sun Wukong's lively and agile figure, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: It is a great joy to have such a disciple by my side! And Sun Wukong also secretly made up his mind: No matter what, he must protect the safety and happiness of his master! Because in this world, besides the monkeys and grandchildren of Huaguo Mountain, the person he cares about most is Tang San.

"Puff..." Tang San just took a bite of rabbit meat, but suddenly couldn't help but spit it all out, followed by a violent cough. He stared at Sun Wukong in front of him with wide eyes, his face full of surprise and embarrassment. The originally tender and juicy rabbit meat in his mouth now seemed to be burned by fire, making it difficult for him to swallow.

Sun Wukong didn't seem to notice Tang San's abnormality, his face still had that look of longing, as if he was immersed in some beautiful fantasy. He kept talking: "Master, you wait."

Tang San was speechless for a while. He quickly waved his hand to interrupt Sun Wukong, forcing a smile on his face, and said helplessly: "Wukong, let's be clear. The beauty I'm talking about is not the kind of female monkey you mentioned." Sun Wukong was stunned, his face full of confusion: "Isn't it? Then what kind do you want, Master?"

Tang San took a deep breath, trying to calm down the embarrassment in his heart. He slowly spoke and described in detail the image of a beauty in his mind: "The skin is white and tender like jade, delicate and smooth, and her face must be beautiful, with clear eyebrows and eyes, red lips and white teeth."

At the end, Tang San couldn't help but laugh complacently. He glanced at Sun Wukong, who was looking at him blankly, obviously shocked by his description.

"Master..." Sun Wukong swallowed his saliva and said carefully: "I may not be able to find the kind of beauty you are talking about."

"If you can't find it, just look for it slowly. I'm not in a hurry anyway." Tang San waved his hand, looking nonchalant. He paused and continued, "But Wukong, if you meet a female monkey, leave it to yourself. I can't afford it."

Hearing this, Sun Wukong's eyes suddenly lit up, he jumped up excitedly, and said loudly: "Haha, thank you, Master! Don't worry, if I meet a beautiful fairy in the future, I will definitely not let you down!"

Tang San looked at Sun Wukong's excitement and couldn't help but smile bitterly. He shook his head and sighed to himself: "This monkey really doesn't understand the human world."

At this moment, Sun Wukong suddenly stretched out his hairy monkey paw, and a small pagoda-shaped treasure suddenly appeared in his palm. Although the pagoda was small in size, it exuded a mysterious aura, and people could tell at a glance that it was extraordinary.

"Master, look at this!" Sun Wukong handed the small tower to Tang San, and said with a proud smile: "This is one of my magic weapons! Are you interested?"

Tang San took the small tower curiously, looking left and right, but couldn't figure out what was so mysterious about it. He looked at the small tower carefully, and saw that it was only as thick as a finger, and the tower was carved with complicated runes and patterns, and every stroke was exquisite. However, no matter how he urged his magic power to probe into it, he could not feel any abnormal fluctuations.

"This... what kind of magic weapon is this?" Tang San couldn't help but look at Sun Wukong with some confusion, "Why can't I see what's so special about it?"

Sun Wukong burst into laughter upon hearing this: "Master, Master, you don't know this. This small tower may seem ordinary, but it actually contains a lot of secrets. As long as you master the correct way to use it, it can unleash endless power. But... this method of use is my unique skill! Do you want to learn it?"

Tang San immediately became interested when he heard this: "Oh? There is such a good thing? Then of course I have to learn it! Wukong, please teach me quickly!"

Sun Wukong laughed proudly: "Okay, okay, after we finish this rabbit meat dinner, I will explain to you the secret of this magic weapon."

"Haha, Master, this is a treasure I stole from that old Tathagata, it's called the Demon-Trapping Tower." Sun Wukong smiled proudly, and handed a small tower to Tang San with both hands. This small tower was neither gold nor jade, it had a mysterious luster, as if it contained endless mysteries.

Sun Wukong pointed at the small tower, looking quite proud: "There are magic formulas on it, but Master, you have to drip blood to recognize the master first before you can see the magic formula on it. This Demon Trapping Tower is an amazing treasure."

Tang San looked around the Demon Trapping Tower with curiosity. He had read about the plot of dripping blood to recognize the master in fantasy novels, but he didn't expect to encounter it today. He looked at Sun Wukong with doubt: "Dropping blood to recognize the master? Is this really necessary?"

"Oh, Master, you don't understand this." Sun Wukong slapped his thigh and explained seriously, "This Demon-Trapping Tower is a magic weapon of Buddhism. Although I have great magical powers, I don't have Buddhist skills, so I can't use it. But it's different for you, Master. You just need to bite your finger and drip a drop of blood onto the Demon-Trapping Tower, and it will be able to sense your breath and belong to you from now on."

Tang San listened to Sun Wukong's explanation and began to get excited. He bit his finger and a drop of bright red blood fell, creating a faint halo on the Demon Trapping Tower. As the blood seeped in, the Demon Trapping Tower seemed to have established a mysterious connection with Tang San.

"Master, you can now check the magic spells on the tower." Sun Wukong reminded.

Tang San looked as he was told, and saw that lines of golden words had indeed appeared on the Demon Trapping Pagoda, which were the spells for using this pagoda. He was delighted and couldn't help asking, "What is the use of this thing?"

"It's very useful!" Sun Wukong's eyes flashed with cunning, and he gestured with his hands and feet. "For example, Master, if you meet a female demon you like, but she is more powerful than you and doesn't listen to you, what should you do? With this demon-trapping tower, you can easily take her in!"

Sun Wukong paused, and approached Tang San mysteriously: "The goblins in the Demon Trapping Tower are at your mercy. Because in this pagoda, you are the supreme god! If you tell her to go east, she will never dare to go west; if you tell her to chase a dog, she will never dare to chase a chicken!"

As Tang San listened to Sun Wukong's description, the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter. He stroked the Demon Trapping Tower, his heart full of anticipation and reverie. If it was really as Sun Wukong said, then this Demon Trapping Tower would be the treasure he had always dreamed of!

"Hahaha!" Tang San couldn't help but burst into laughter, "What a great demon-trapping tower! Wukong, you really understand Master's heart! With this treasure, won't our journey to obtain scriptures be even more smooth and even more powerful?"

"Of course!" Sun Wukong smiled proudly, "Master, just wait and see! With this Demon-Trapping Tower in hand, what demons and monsters do we have to fear? Let's go all the way west to obtain the scriptures!"

Tang San's eyes flashed with eagerness. He took a deep breath and resolutely bit his middle finger. In an instant, a bright blood bead emerged from his middle finger, condensing the essence of life. He carefully dripped the blood bead on the small tower in front of him, and saw that the small tower seemed to have life and slowly began to absorb the blood bead.

As the blood beads seeped in, the small tower emitted a soft and mysterious light, reflecting Tang San's face, as if an indescribable connection had been established between him and it. Tang San's heart moved, and he could vaguely feel the emotional fluctuations transmitted by the small tower, which was a kind of joy and relief, as if the small tower was cheering that it had finally welcomed a new owner.

This strange feeling made Tang San more certain that this small tower was definitely not an ordinary thing. He calmed down and looked at the side of the Demon-Trapping Tower with a serious look. Sure enough, there were densely packed words carved on the tower, and every line and every sentence contained profound mysteries, which were obviously detailed instructions on how to use this Demon-Trapping Tower.

Tang San's heartbeat accelerated. He knew the importance of the Demon Trapping Tower, which might become a powerful assistant in his future cultivation. He couldn't wait to explore its mysteries, so he shouted loudly: "Wukong, quickly set up the time barrier, I want to concentrate on learning how to use this pagoda!"

Sun Wukong smiled slightly when he heard this. His technique of setting up the time barrier was indeed perfect. He waved his hand casually, and a mysterious force instantly enveloped the surroundings, isolating the passage of time. In this way, Tang San could study peacefully in the barrier without being disturbed by the outside world.

After the barrier was set, Tang San immediately devoted himself to studying the description of the Demon Trapping Tower. He read it word by word, fearing to miss any details. It turned out that this Demon Trapping Tower was divided into nine layers according to the magic power level of the demon fairy! Each layer had a different function and could trap the corresponding level of demons.

The first floor is specially designed for those first-level demons who have just cultivated into human form and have low magic power. Once trapped in it, they cannot escape and can only surrender. As the number of floors increases, the level of the trapped demons becomes higher and higher. By the second floor, demons of a slightly higher level can be trapped. Their magic power is stronger, but they still have nowhere to escape in front of this demon-trapping tower.

The more Tang San read, the more excited he became. He imagined that after mastering this Demon Trapping Tower, he would be able to deal with all kinds of powerful demons. When he read the description of the ninth floor, he was so shocked that he almost cried out. It turned out that this ninth floor could even trap a super demon fairy like Sun Wukong! This was beyond his imagination, and it also filled him with endless expectations for this Demon Trapping Tower.

He knew that if he wanted to truly master the power of the Demon-Trapping Tower, he would need to continue to explore and practice. But at the moment, he had at least taken the first step, successfully dripping blood to recognize the master, and had a preliminary understanding of how to use the Demon-Trapping Tower. Next, he would work hard to improve his cultivation so that he could better control this magical pagoda.

The moment Tang San saw the Demon Trapping Tower, he was filled with indescribable excitement. This mysterious and ancient tower would become an indispensable aid in his future journey. Imagine that with this Demon Trapping Tower, he could easily collect those monsters in it, whether it was lonely time on the road or when he wanted to have some fun, he could always release these monsters for entertainment. Especially for those monsters with powerful backers, if they were allowed to go back, wouldn't it be too easy for them? Tang San felt that collecting them in the Demon Trapping Tower was the true justice of heaven.

After a brief excitement, Tang San began to concentrate on learning how to use the Demon Trapping Tower. He found that although the Demon Trapping Tower was mysterious, it was not complicated to use. It was nothing more than using some specific spells to put the goblins into the tower and then release them when needed. However, there was also an important limitation, that is, the goblins must be placed in the corresponding levels of the Demon Trapping Tower according to their level. Otherwise, if they were placed in the wrong level, the goblins might take the opportunity to escape.

What made Tang San even more delighted was that this Demon-Trapping Tower had a special function. That was that once the goblins were taken into the tower, their cultivation skills would no longer be able to continue to grow. Moreover, he could also set the environment in the Demon-Trapping Tower as needed, and use elements such as water, fire, thunder and lightning to torture these goblins at will. Thinking of this, Tang San couldn't help but feel an inexplicable pleasure in his heart.

However, while he was happy, Tang San was also depressed. Although the Demon Trapping Tower was powerful, it required the owner to have a certain amount of mana to open the corresponding levels. But now he had almost no mana, and he couldn't even open the first level of the Demon Trapping Tower. If he wanted to really trap the goblins, it seemed that he still had a long way to go!
Tang San spent another month of training in the time barrier. However, he found that the little spiritual power in his body did not seem to have any obvious growth. The immobilization technique also remained at the same level, which made him feel helpless and frustrated. When he was training, his mind began to wander and it was difficult for him to concentrate.

As Tang San's disciple, Sun Wukong naturally kept an eye on his master's progress. He saw Tang San's disappointment and absent-mindedness, so he stepped forward and gently comforted him, "Master, you can't rush this practice. The mentality is very important, you must remain calm and patient. Anyway, we have plenty of time along the way, so we can practice slowly. Besides, we can travel during the day and come here to practice at night. This way, we can improve our practice and won't delay the journey."

Hearing Sun Wukong's consolation, Tang San couldn't help but smile. He knew that he was indeed a little impatient. Cultivation is not something that can be achieved overnight. Moreover, with a disciple like Sun Wukong accompanying and supporting him, what else can he worry about? So, he cheered up and devoted himself to cultivation.

As time went by, Tang San gradually mastered the use of the Demon Trapping Tower and began to try to open higher levels.

"Well, Wukong is right, let's go." Tang San took a deep breath, his face showing a determined look. He certainly understood that the path of cultivation is not easy, and ordinary people often need years or even decades of hard practice to achieve a little success. And many people, even if they spend their entire lives, may not be able to touch the threshold of cultivation. Now, with the careful guidance of Sun Wukong, the peerless master, he can truly step into the door of cultivation.

Thinking that he could practice in the time barrier every night, which was equivalent to half a month in the outside world, Tang San was very excited. If he could continue like this for three or four months, wouldn't he be equivalent to the results of others practicing for four or five years? By then, he might also have some real magic power.

Seeing this, Sun Wukong nodded slightly and immediately removed the time barrier. Once the barrier was dissipated, the flow of time around him instantly returned to normal. Tang San once again climbed onto the horse, rode on the saddleless dragon horse, and set off on a new journey with Sun Wukong.

In the following days, the master and apprentice traveled by day and slept by night, trekking through mountains and rivers. Along the way, they encountered many wolves, insects, tigers and leopards, but with Sun Wukong's superb martial arts and Tang San's growing magic power, these beasts failed to pose much threat to them.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye it is early spring. The mountains and forests are now covered with greenery, and the grass and trees have sprouted new green buds. The plum blossoms have all fallen, but the willow branches have just sprouted green leaves, which look full of vitality.

As the master and disciple hurried on their way, they did not forget to appreciate the beautiful scenery along the way. Whenever the sun set, Tang San would rein in his horse and look far into the distance, only to see the outlines of pavilions and towers faintly revealed in the valley, appearing even more mysterious and solemn in the afterglow of the setting sun.

On this day, Tang San stopped his horse again, pointed at the valley in the distance and asked: "Wukong, where do you think that is?" Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong immediately opened his flaming eyes and looked over there. After a moment, a smile appeared on his face, and he said: "Haha, Master, that is either a palace or a temple. Let's speed up and stay there for the night."

Tang San nodded in agreement, and then released the reins of the dragon horse, letting it run forward. In the past two months, whenever night fell, he would let Sun Wukong set up a time barrier, and then he would practice hard in the barrier. Under Sun Wukong's careful guidance, he could clearly feel that the yellow spiritual power flowing in his meridians was gradually becoming thicker and stronger.

What made him even happier was that the immobilization technique that originally could only immobilize small rabbits could now immobilize larger animals such as pigs and sheep. This was clearly a significant change brought about by the increase in magic power. He gradually realized that the size of the animals he could immobilize was closely related to his own magic power level.

As his magic power continued to grow, Tang San's confidence also grew day by day. He firmly believed that as long as he continued to work hard to practice, he would one day be able to become a peerless master like Sun Wukong.

The master and his apprentice traveled through mountains and rivers, and finally arrived at a mountain on horseback. From a distance, the mountain gate was majestic and imposing, and it turned out to be a temple. They drove their horses closer and looked carefully, and saw that the layers of halls and pavilions were staggered, and the corridors and rooms were antique, exuding a tranquil and solemn atmosphere.

Outside the Sanshan Gate, there are thousands of colorful clouds, as if it is a fairyland in the sky; and in front of the Wufu Hall, there are thousands of red mists, which makes it seem mysterious and auspicious. On both sides, pine trees and bamboos grow in an interlaced manner, without any age or rules, and have a quiet artistic conception; and a cypress forest, with colorful leaves, grows with pride, as if showing people their tenacity and beauty.

The bell and drum towers stand tall, and the pagoda towers reach into the clouds, revealing a strong Buddhist atmosphere everywhere. The monks here are in meditation, with no distractions in their minds, and even the birds singing in the trees seem so leisurely and contented. The entire temple is lonely and dust-free, really like a piece of pure land, making people feel an unprecedented sense of emptiness and tranquility.

Just as described in the poem: "The upper temple Jetavana is hidden in a green nest, and the scenery of Zhaoti is as beautiful as that of Vimalakirti. It is true that there are few pure lands on earth, and most of the famous mountains in the world are occupied by monks." The beautiful scenery and Zen spirit here make people intoxicated.

Tang San came to the temple, stroked the dragon horse's mane, and slowly got off the horse. He was about to push the door open with Sun Wukong, but suddenly saw a young monk walking out of the temple. The monk looked no more than 20 years old, wearing a left-haired hat and a spotless robe, looking neat and tidy. He had copper rings on his earlobes and a silk belt around his waist. He walked steadily on the grass, holding a wooden fish in his hand and chanting something, looking pious to Buddha.

Since Tang San had assumed the role of Tang Monk, he naturally had to act like a monk. He quickly put his hands together and chanted: "Amitabha, good, good."

Upon seeing this, the young monk hurriedly responded, "Amitabha, all monks in the world are one family. May I ask where you are from, Master?" His voice was clear and magnetic, revealing a gentle and elegant temperament.

Tang San imitated Tang Seng and answered politely, "Disciple is the imperial envoy of the East, and I am ordered to go to Leiyin Temple to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. It's getting late when I arrived here. I would like to stay in your temple for one night to avoid the wind and rain, and continue tomorrow." As he spoke, his expression was solemn, as if he were really a devout Buddhist.

When the young monk heard this, a trace of surprise and respect flashed in his eyes. He nodded slightly and said, "Oh? So you are a monk who is seeking scriptures. I am sorry for your disrespect. Master, please go inside and rest." As he said this, he turned sideways and let Tang San into the temple.

However, when the young monk looked back and saw the monkey-like appearance of Sun Wukong, he was shocked. He stared at Sun Wukong with wide eyes for a long time before he asked Tang San tremblingly in a low voice: "You...what is that thing holding the horse behind you?" His voice trembled slightly, and he was obviously frightened by Sun Wukong's appearance.

Tang San couldn't help but laugh when he saw this. He patted Sun Wukong on the shoulder and introduced him, "This is my disciple Sun Wukong. Although he doesn't look amazing, he has unique skills and is an amazing monkey."