Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

The Female Officer's face was extremely unsightly.

Although for Her Majesty the Queen, ten silver coins, or even a hundred silver coins, were not a problem, the feeling of being extorted was very uncomfortable.

It was like a bottle of mineral water that usually costs about two yuan, but suddenly someone forces you to buy it for twenty yuan. Could you bear it!?

Even though twenty yuan was not a huge amount of money for anyone, the feeling of being extorted was enough to make anyone upset.

"Let's go, do not disturb my cultivation!" Ruyi True Immortal had the face of a monopoly merchant as he issued a direct eviction order.

The female soldiers looked at each other, their faces full of anger, but they dared not make a move.

This Female Officer was so angry that her face turned red and her chest heaved significantly, wanting to rage but not daring to do so.

The Abortion Spring was, after all, asked for by Holy Monk Xuanzang and his party, and if anything went wrong because of her own quarrel over pride, it would be her own fault.

After taking several deep breaths, the Female Officer clenched her teeth, forcibly suppressed the anger in her heart, and then had someone bring over a full five hundred silver coins, a large bundle, and threw it in front of Ruyi True Immortal, saying, "Here, this is five hundred silver coins. Give me the spring water for five people!"

"Five people's share!? That's a lot!?"

However, even though Ruyi True Immortal extorted the Female Officer, he did not look at the pile of silver coins but just looked at the Female Officer in surprise.

The price for the spring water from his Abortion Spring was not low, and ordinary people only asked for one person's share. Suddenly asking for five people's share was the first time Ruyi True Immortal encountered such a request since he began guarding the Abortion Spring.

"Yes, for five people!" The Female Officer gritted her teeth, suppressing the anger in her heart, and nodded.

"Not selling!" However, Ruyi True Immortal spoke again at this time, directly and decisively refusing.

"What!?"

This time, the Female Officer could no longer restrain her explosive temper and nearly screamed out, "You said that the spring water for one person costs a hundred silver coins; I have already given you five hundred silver coins for five people's share!"

"Not enough! My spring water is sold in limited quantities; the more you want, the higher the price. For a share of five people, at least ten thousand silver coins are required!" Shaking his head, Ruyi True Immortal seemed determined.

"You're …robbery!" The Female Officer was furious and no longer had the will to concede. She turned around and left.

If it weren't for the fact that she couldn't beat this guy, the Female Officer would have already instructed the female soldiers behind her to join forces and take him down.

"Sigh..." As the Female Officer left with the female soldiers in a rage, leaving not a single silver coin behind, Ruyi True Immortal showed a hint of regret. He sighed, shook his head, and resumed his seated meditation posture.

This sigh seemed to carry regret for having demanded too high a price, as a surefire deal had just slipped through his fingers.

The Abortion Spring was some distance from the Royal City of the Women's Kingdom, but it was only a few dozen miles away.

The transaction for the spring water from the Abortion Spring had unexpectedly failed, and the Female Officer returned to the Royal Palace at full speed. By the time she entered the palace, it was the middle of the night.

However, the Female Officer had no intention of worrying about disturbing Her Majesty's rest and headed straight to the Queen's sleeping quarters.

The Queen had already instructed that she should be reported to immediately upon acquiring the spring water, at any time.

However, as the Female Officer approached the Queen's sleeping quarters, she happened to pass by the Eastern Hall and saw Jiang Liu alone outside the hall, not resting. He appeared to be deep in thought, as if troubled by something.

Hesitating for a moment, the Female Officer approached Jiang Liu.

Her gaze swept over Jiang Liu's abdomen. In only two or three days, compared to the average pregnant woman of two to three months, Jiang Liu's belly had grown quite large.

"Holy Monk, it's quite late and you're still not resting. Are you troubled by something?" After a glance at Jiang Liu's abdomen, the Female Officer asked.

"Oh, it's the official!" Due to today's incident in the Imperial Garden, a restless Jiang Liu stayed outside with his stomach protruding. Hearing the Female Officer's words, he turned his head.

Immediately, a thought crossed his mind, and he asked, "By the way, weren't you going to buy the Abortion Spring Water for us? Did you manage to get it?"

"No!" Upon hearing Jiang Liu's inquiry and remembering the indignities she suffered at the Immortal Gathering Hermitage, the Female Officer showed a mix of guilt and anger. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire

Of course, the anger was directed at Ruyi True Immortal, while the guilt naturally concerned Jiang Liu.

"What!? No? Why!?" Surprised by the Female Officer's response, Jiang Liu asked.

If Ruyi True Immortal was guarding the Abortion Spring to gather wealth, then it should have just been a matter of spending money to purchase the spring water. How could it have failed? It didn't make sense!

"Holy Monk, you have no idea how detestable that Ruyi True Immortal is!"

Hearing Jiang Liu's question, the Female Officer, feeling stifled, was eager to share her experiences and poured out the entire incident at the Abortion Spring to Jiang Liu.

Ordinary people have to pay ten silver coins just for a sip of water from the Abortion Spring!?

You must understand that ten silver coins are almost the income of an average family for two to three months! The price was indeed not low!

But upon seeing the Female Officer and her group, he demanded a price of one hundred silver coins right off the bat!?

Then, when they heard the female officer and her companions wanted to purchase water for five people, they actually had the audacity to raise the price again, to the outrageous sum of 10,000 silver!?

10,000 silver! I've been leveling up by battling monsters for so many years, and I've only accumulated about 30,000 silver in total?

Part of it was a gift from the Emperor of Tang, and another part was from grinding in the Demon Realm, looting it from the monsters.

Of course, I'd been hitting dungeons a lot lately, getting more experience points from the bigger monsters, so a big part of it was also earned more recently.

"Milord, it seems that the issue with Ruyi True Immortal is not about the price anymore, he deliberately doesn't want to sell it to you! You don't need to trouble yourselves over this matter anymore; we will resolve it ourselves!" After pondering for a short while, Jiang Liu spoke up to the female officer.

It was indeed the truth. If Ruyi True Immortal really wished to sell, he wouldn't have quoted such an exorbitant price.

Could it be because the Women's Kingdom had previously wanted to eradicate him and reclaim the Abortion Spring, that he was harboring a grudge?

"But..." upon hearing Jiang Liu's words that they would handle the matter themselves, the female officer hesitated.

In principle, shouldn't this be something the Women's Kingdom should resolve for him?

"Alright, let's settle on this decision. You may go now, milady!" With only nine days left before the baby's due date, and already two to three days gone, Jiang Liu had no more time to dilly-dally.

After turning around and heading back to the Eastern Hall, Jiang Liu pulled Sun Wukong aside and explained the failed transaction for the Abortion Spring water.

"Hmph, that guy guarding the Abortion Spring is really infuriating! I, Old Sun, will go and deal with him right now!" Upon hearing about the incident at the Abortion Spring, Sun Wukong showed an angry expression and bared his teeth as he spoke.

"On this matter, your master will accompany you in person for a visit!" After thinking it over, Jiang Liu spoke up.

Sun Wukong going alone? Given his temperament, things might end badly; Ruyi True Immortal is, after all, Demon King Ox's brother, and to some extent, also one of our own, isn't he?

"Alright, Master, let's go!" Having heard that Jiang Liu would join him, Sun Wukong naturally had no objections.

"Monkey Brother, Master, make it a quick trip and be back soon!" Zhu Bajie, relieved that he didn't have to go, happily chose to stay at home to care for himself, waving his hand as he spoke.

Sun Wukong leapt up and soared into the sky.

Jiang Liu recited a few incantations and, across the sky, a white cloud drifted down, forming a nine-tiered staircase stretching right under his feet.

After climbing the staircase, Jiang Liu and Sun Wukong flew side by side, heading towards the Immortal Gathering Hermitage.

The short distance of several dozen li was naturally covered in the blink of an eye.

Sensing the arrival of Sun Wukong and Jiang Liu, Ruyi True Immortal, who had been meditating next to the Abortion Spring, opened his eyes. Seeing Jiang Liu, he slightly furrowed his brows: "A Monk!?"

Clearly, Ruyi True Immortal didn't seem to have a good impression of the monastic identity.

"Eh? Sun Wukong? It's you!?"

However, when his gaze landed on Sun Wukong, he was momentarily stunned and spoke in surprise, obviously recognizing Sun Wukong.

"You? Who are you? I, Old Sun, think you look kind of familiar!" Scratching his head, Sun Wukong, who had been brimming with anger and ready to fight, appeared puzzled upon hearing Ruyi True Immortal's words.

He did look familiar, but Sun Wukong couldn't quite place him at the moment.

"I am Ruyi True Immortal! My brother is Demon King Ox! We met once, five hundred years ago!" Seeing that Sun Wukong didn't remember him, Ruyi True Immortal said somewhat awkwardly.

"Oh, it's you! An acquaintance, indeed!" Upon hearing Ruyi True Immortal's words, Sun Wukong remembered who he was and realized with a start.

Sun Wukong and Demon King Ox were sworn brothers, and since Ruyi True Immortal was the Demon King's biological brother, they indeed counted as acquaintances.

"That? Could this be Holy Monk Xuanzang!?"

Having recognized Sun Wukong, Ruyi True Immortal's gaze then fell on Jiang Liu, and he made a guess about Jiang Liu's identity as well.

"Indeed, it is this humble monk!" Jiang Liu nodded and responded.

"Not long ago, I met with my brother and he told me much about the Holy Monk. I didn't expect the fates would allow me to meet the Holy Monk today!" Despite his apparent distaste for monks, Ruyi True Immortal seemed quite eager to help Jiang Liu.

While speaking, Ruyi True Immortal looked at the two of them and said, "Holy Monk, Great Saint, what brings you two here in the middle of the night?"

"Well, we're here to ask for some of the Abortion Spring water. The five of us disciples inadvertently drank water from the Child-Mother River, and so..."

Hearing Ruyi True Immortal's question, Jiang Liu felt a bit awkward but still told the truth.

"Five people!? Were the people who came to buy the water just now doing so on behalf of the Holy Monk? If I had known this earlier, I wouldn't have made it difficult for her!" Upon hearing that Jiang Liu needed water for five people and recalling the female officer he had just driven away, Ruyi True Immortal naturally understood the situation.

"Did you make it hard for her on purpose? Do you bear a grudge against the royal family of the Women's Kingdom?" Hearing Ruyi True Immortal's words, Jiang Liu asked.

"Not really, it's just, the reason why I'm guarding this Abortion Spring and why I've significantly hiked up the price is not what you think, Holy Monk. You certainly don't believe I'm interested in that mere worldly wealth, do you? Those trivial riches mean no more to me, a cultivator, than dirt. The reasons for my actions are out of a predicament..." Ruyi True Immortal shook his head and heaved a long sigh.

(PS: Fifteen updates complete, feeling exhilarated? Well, I'll shamelessly continue to ask for rewards, wondering if today's total sales could make it into the top 10, anxious...)