The Black Bear Spirit, under Zhong Yuan’s thoughtful gaze, grew increasingly fearful and chose to reveal some information.
However, he didn't mention anyone else, not those who had joined him in confronting Sun Wukong back then.
He only spoke of himself.
He said that after following Guanyin back to the South China Sea, he had been diligently cultivating, and except for the slightly bland food and the occasional boredom, he didn't find much to complain about.
But one day, the Dragon Maiden by the Bodhisattva's side found him and said that the Bodhisattva had a crucial task for him, and if he succeeded, he would be freed from the Tight Hoop and regain his freedom.
Initially, he declined, saying he didn't want to go. But a few days later, the Dragon Maiden returned with Shancai, pressuring and enticing him, saying that the Bodhisattva had already arranged everything, and it was unacceptable for him not to go.
He eventually agreed.
While the Bodhisattva hadn't personally spoken, it was clearly her tacit approval.
Later, after Sun Wukong died, despite contributing little, he still received one of the Great Sage's Six Roots.
And the Bodhisattva indeed removed his Tight Hoop. He then returned to Black Wind Mountain and never went back to the South China Sea.
The mention of Shancai, the Bodhisattva's attendant, caught Ma Tian Ba's attention.
But the Black Bear Spirit only said that Shancai had wanted to go at the time, but Guanyin Bodhisattva had forbidden it.
Before leaving, he had also tried to persuade Shancai, saying that there was no need to risk his life for the sake of a Tight Hoop.
After that, he had never seen Shancai again, so he truly didn't know much more.
Zhong Yuan, of course, understood that this Shancai was the Red Boy of the Flaming Mountain.
But according to Ma Tian Ba, the Red Boy had also returned to the Flaming Mountain.
Apparently, he had caused quite a stir.
Zhong Yuan felt that Bull Demon King might possess one of Sun Wukong's Six Roots. Ma Tian Ba had mentioned that the Bull Demon King had been in a daze ever since Sun Wukong's death.
He was also one of those forced by the Heavenly Court to take action against Sun Wukong, making him a prime candidate.
Perhaps Guanyin had kept the Red Boy in the South China Sea as a hostage to pressure the Bull Demon King.
Regardless, Zhong Yuan decided to follow his intuition in his pursuit of other Great Sage Roots, seeking further inheritances.
Now was not the time to go to the Flaming Mountain with Ma Tian Ba.
The Heavenly Court desired the death of all demons, regardless of their ascension to immortality, as seen with the Shenhou's demotion. Zhong Yuan's primary objective remained the enhancement of his own strength.
With his extraordinary innate talent, he was still confident in his abilities.
He had to be confident; he couldn't back down.
Having gained a general understanding, Zhong Yuan realized that the Black Bear Spirit's knowledge was ultimately limited, so he didn't ask further.
He didn't kill him.
Instead, he sent the Black Bear Spirit back to plead with Guanyin for his crimes.
After returning to Black Wind Mountain, the Black Bear Spirit had attempted to revive Elder Jinchi, causing no small amount of carnage, so there was no doubt about his guilt.
But he was also, in a way, a mountain guardian deity under Guanyin, so letting Guanyin personally punish him was the most reasonable course of action.
Zhong Yuan also wanted to see how Guanyin would choose to punish him if he truly resolved to stay in the South China Sea and never return.
Would she keep him? Or find an excuse to kill him?
For example, she could directly declare that the Black Bear Spirit was guilty of death for resurrecting Jinchi and causing harm.
The Land God, too, expressed agreement with Zhong Yuan's decision.
"Be careful with those deities and bodhisattvas; it's best to avoid offending them if possible."
He wondered if anyone would think that he was becoming close to the Heavenly Court out of fear.
Zhong Yuan then asked the Land God and Ma Tian Ba about their knowledge of the Yellow Wind Ridge.
But neither had much information, only knowing some historical facts.
For example, the Yellow Wind Demon was originally a rat from beneath Mount Ling, who had stolen the Buddha's lamp oil and escaped to the mortal realm, becoming a demon.
During the Journey to the West, Sun Wukong was unable to withstand the Yellow Wind Demon's Mystical Wind, and it was only by calling upon Lingji Bodhisattva that he defeated the demon and overcame this obstacle.
Afterwards, the Yellow Wind Demon was taken back to Mount Ling by Lingji Bodhisattva.
Clearly, like the Black Bear Spirit, he had been assigned to work with the Heavenly Court against Sun Wukong.
"The Yellow Wind Demon probably returned to the Yellow Wind Ridge after that."
"I wonder what kind of person this Lingji Bodhisattva is."
"The Great Sage Root in the Yellow Wind Demon's possession should be Ear-Hearing Anger."
However, Zhong Yuan had no idea what this meant.
He wasn't even sure if it concealed any of Sun Wukong's inheritances, like Eye-Seeing Joy.
Having learned the Eight-Nine Profound Art and mastered the Seventy-Two Transformations, he had already acquired Sun Wukong's most important inheritance.
He couldn't imagine what else the subsequent Six Roots could offer.
Ma Tian Ba, now harboring resentment towards the Buddhist Bodhisattvas, had his own opinion on Lingji Bodhisattva and the Yellow Wind Demon, saying directly: "A thief who steals oil ascends the high platform. Someone must have provided a ladder."
Zhong Yuan could only say that Ma Tian Ba was even bolder than him.
But it did give Zhong Yuan a sense of realization.
Finally, Zhong Yuan visited Yuan Shou Cheng and paid his respects to Shenhou.
But this time, neither of them said much.
Zhong Yuan eventually left Black Wind Mountain.
With no time to waste, he and Ma Tian Ba stayed only one night in Black Wind Mountain, heading straight for the Yellow Wind Ridge the next day.
Their path, westward as it were, was also the way Ma Tian Ba would return to the Flaming Mountain, a retrace of the old Journey to the West route.
As Ma Tian Ba had said, along the way, they easily encountered many small demons, but human settlements were sparse.
Places with a large human population were mostly Buddhist kingdoms, relying on the Buddha's protection to maintain peace.
It seemed that Buddhism had earned no small amount of merit, but in reality, the human population had dwindled considerably compared to five hundred years ago.
As the two journeyed through wind and dust, they finally reached the borders of the Yellow Wind Ridge, immediately noticing something amiss.
…………