Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 769 - 768: Forced to Acknowledge

Mingyue snorted coldly, "It would have been better if you had confessed earlier. Who knows what you’re still holding out for?"

Qingfeng, however, said nothing and simply gave a respectful bow toward Master Zhenyuan, "Master, this monkey has already admitted to eating the Ginseng Fruit. You see, how would you like to deal with him?"

Master Zhenyuan stroked his beard and first looked towards Chen Nuo, "Mr. Chen, what do you think?"

"This is a matter within your temple, and it would be inappropriate for me to make a decision. It all depends on what you plan to do," Chen Nuo said with a smile, declining.

"Why would you say that, Mr. Chen? If it wasn’t for you, we probably wouldn’t have been able to make this monkey admit he ate the Ginseng Fruit. So, would you care to give us a suggestion on how to deal with him?"

Master Zhenyuan asked, "To tell you the truth, I’ve been running this temple for many years and have never encountered someone daring to steal the Ginseng Fruit. This monkey is the first."

Hearing what Master Zhenyuan said, Xuanzang felt even more ashamed. It was his fault for not disciplining his disciple properly. He pressed his palms together and addressed Master Zhenyuan, "It is my fault for not instructing my disciple appropriately; you may deal with him as you see fit."

The Six-Eared Macaque, looking at Xuanzang, felt resentment boiling inside. This monk had forced him to confess in such a way—he was no saint either.

If it weren’t for the desire to achieve Buddhahood, he would have never chosen to follow such a stubborn and cowardly monk. Along the journey, he had helped him so much, yet the monk showed no gratitude and instead acted as though it was all expected.

That would have been tolerable, but the monk always put on airs as a master in front of him. If achieving Buddhahood meant following such a person, he’d rather cultivate on his own.

The more the Six-Eared Macaque thought about it, the angrier he became. He was angry seeing Xuanzang, angry seeing Qingfeng and Mingyue, and even angrier seeing Master Zhenyuan and Chen Nuo.

There were Master Zhenyuan and Chen Nuo, still discussing how to punish him, conversing with such indifference as if they were merely discussing what to have for dinner.

This temple leader who runs such a grand temple can’t bear to let someone eat a fruit—if that’s the case, he might as well just sell the fruit. But since they were wronging him so, the Six-Eared Macaque, taking his weapon, turned around and headed for the Ginseng Fruit Tree.

Chen Nuo was still talking to Master Zhenyuan when he looked up and saw that the Six-Eared Macaque was gone. He paused mid-sentence, then suddenly thought of something and said to Master Zhenyuan, "Bodhisattva, hurry towards the Ginseng Fruit Tree."

Master Zhenyuan didn’t immediately grasp the meaning behind Chen Nuo’s words and still smiled, "What’s wrong? What about the Ginseng Fruit Tree?"

"The monkey is gone; I suspect he’s going to take his anger out on that tree. You must hurry to stop him, or the Ginseng Fruit Tree will not be safe," Chen Nuo said.

Master Zhenyuan looked up, indeed, the monkey was nowhere to be seen. He called out to Qingfeng and Mingyue, "Head towards the Ginseng Fruit Tree."

Qingfeng and Mingyue followed Master Zhenyuan and Chen Nuo, using spells that allowed them to reach the Ginseng Fruit Tree in an instant. Sure enough, they saw the Six-Eared Macaque holding a knife, ready to chop down the tree.

Master Zhenyuan used a spell to grab Six-Eared Macaque’s hand, "You reckless monkey, what are you trying to do?!"

"Since you don’t even grow these fruits for people to eat, I might as well chop down the tree now!" Six-Eared Macaque retorted.

"Misguided disciple, while I have not yet recited the Tightening-Crown Spell, you better stop at once!" Xuanzang hurried over and, seeing what was transpiring, angrily exclaimed.

"I’ve already told you, I only ate one fruit. You didn’t believe me and even pressured me to admit to eating two Ginseng Fruits. What kind of monk are you!" Six-Eared Macaque, seeing Xuanzang approach, was infuriated.

"The two Immortal Children have already said that two fruits are missing from this tree. If it wasn’t you who ate them, then who did?" Xuanzang felt his suspicion was well-founded; if Six-Eared Macaque had stolen one, then he could have stolen a second.

"I told you, I did not eat two. Since you don’t believe me anyway, I will chop down this tree right now, so nobody can have any!" Six-Eared Macaque said and tried to break free from Master Zhenyuan’s hold.

Seeing Six-Eared Macaque in such a state, Master Zhenyuan used his ultimate technique, Sleeve Universe, and instantly engulfed Six-Eared Macaque within it.

Just as Six-Eared Macaque was about to raise his weapon to chop down the tree, he found himself abruptly in a dark place. He looked around and discovered that there was nothing there and no matter what he tried, he could not break free. In desperation, he scratched his head and face.

Xuanzang was just about to recite the Tightening Spell when he suddenly noticed his disciple had vanished. He was also somewhat astonished; it all happened so quickly, and his disciple had just been standing there a moment ago.

Xuanzang did not understand what had happened, but looking at Master Zhenyuan’s expression, he began to understand—it must have been this temple master who captured his disciple.

"May I ask, temple master, have you captured my disciple?" Xuanzang inquired.

At first, Master Zhenyuan reluctantly used Sleeve Universe against the Six-Eared Macaque, but the monkey’s threat to chop down the Ginseng Fruit Tree was something Master Zhenyuan could not bear, so he used his move against Six-Eared Macaque.

"This monk truly cannot discipline his disciple. Since that’s the case, you might as well stop bothering yourself with him. Let him stay in my Sleeve Universe until he dies," Master Zhenyuan declared.

Xuanzang had initially asked for his disciple to be punished, but he had not intended for them to capture and detain him indefinitely.

He had only this one disciple, and he was taken on as a disciple at The Bodhisattva Guanyin’s behest, to protect him on his Journey to the West for Scriptures. With so many dangers along the way, how could he proceed without his disciple?

"Temple master, this disciple was taken on at The Bodhisattva Guanyin’s instruction to protect me on my Scripture-seeking journey to the Western Heaven. If you are angry that he stole the Ginseng Fruit, a beating would suffice. But capturing him like this—doesn’t that seem a bit improper?" Xuanzang pleaded.

Master Zhenyuan, however, discerned the implication in Xuanzang’s words. Narrowing his eyes at Xuanzang, he asked, "Tang Sanzang, are you trying to use Bodhisattva Guanyin’s name to press me?"

"The monk dares not," Xuanzang brought his hands together in prayer and deeply bowed, then continued, "But every word I have spoken is true. Thus, I implore you, temple master, to release my disciple. Even if he has committed wrongdoing, as his master, I cannot shirk my responsibility. I must properly discipline him myself. Temple master, perhaps you could also punish me in his stead."