Golden Turtle Island

  Time flowed quietly by.

  In the blink of an eye, a hundred years had passed.

  During this century, Yun Xiao had not paid much attention to Xu Fang’s activities. After all, she understood that this was something she couldn’t assist with. If Xu Fang succeeded, it would be due to his own fortune; if he failed, her constant worrying wouldn’t change anything.

  Instead, she used this time to focus on restoring her own cultivation.

  Back during the Investiture of the Gods, she had already been at the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm. However, after being imprisoned in Tushita Palace for so many years, her cultivation had regressed.

  Now, after a hundred years, she had managed to restore her strength to the late-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.

  Boom—

  On this day, the ground of Golden Turtle Island suddenly trembled faintly.

  The tremors quickly intensified, and before long, the entire island seemed to shake violently.

  "This…"

  Yun Xiao was jolted out of her meditative state, her expression flickering with surprise as she stared at the cave before her.

  "Could Xu Fang have succeeded?"

  Rumble—

  At that moment, a deafening explosion resounded through the sky!

  The cave burst open, and a figure shot out from the shattered rocks, wreathed in raging flames. As the figure landed, the flames gradually dissipated, revealing Xu Fang’s form.

  "It seems you’ve succeeded."

  Yun Xiao smiled faintly and stepped forward. "Congratulations."

  "Just luck."

  Xu Fang extended his hand, returning the Karmic Flame Red Lotus to her. "I owe you a favor for this. If you ever need anything in the future, I will do my utmost to repay you."

  While inside the cave, he had secretly extracted a trace of the Red Lotus’s essence and integrated it into his dantian, nourishing it with his magic power. Over time, it would grow stronger.

  As for the main body of the Karmic Flame Red Lotus, he naturally had to return it to Yun Xiao.

  "You’re too kind."

  Yun Xiao nodded, storing the Red Lotus away before asking, "What are your plans now?"

  "Plans?"

  Xu Fang let out a cold laugh. "My sworn brother was schemed against by them and is still suffering under the Five Finger Mountain. Back then, I fought tooth and nail for the Jade Emperor, only to be repaid with betrayal. Now, I’m going to settle the score!"

  "If you need help, you can always return to Golden Turtle Island."

  Yun Xiao nodded. "In a way, our enemies are the same. There may come a time when I’ll need your assistance as well."

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  "I’ll remember this kindness."

  Xu Fang cupped his hands in salute. "I’ve imposed on you for long enough. I’ll take my leave now."

  "I won’t see you out."

  ……

  Watching Xu Fang depart, Yun Xiao’s expression was complex.

  In Xu Fang, she seemed to see the shadow of the past—when the mighty Tongtian Jiaozhu stood alone against multiple Saints. That was why she had believed in Xu Fang from the start.

  "You go and do what you must… and I will do the same."

  She opened her palm, gazing at the Karmic Flame Red Lotus. "I should inform Master about this… Hm?"

  Just as she inspected the Red Lotus, her beautiful eyes suddenly widened in disbelief.

  "What’s going on? A wisp of the Red Lotus’s origin essence is missing!"

  The Red Lotus originally had twelve petals in full bloom, but now, one of them was gone.

  "Did Xu Fang steal it?"

  Yun Xiao clenched her fists, her delicate face darkening with anger. "That little thief! I lent him the Red Lotus in good faith, and he secretly stole a piece of my treasure!"

  She was just about to chase after him when she suddenly sighed, thinking of Xu Fang’s circumstances. Instead, she turned and reactivated Golden Turtle Island’s protective formations.

  "If he had the skill to take a wisp of the Red Lotus’s essence, then that’s his ability. I can only hope he repays this kindness in the future."

  ……

  Above the clouds, Xu Fang flew swiftly in rainbow light.

  As Golden Turtle Island grew smaller in the distance, he let out a sigh of relief.

  He had left in a hurry precisely because he feared Yun Xiao would discover the missing origin essence of the Karmic Flame Red Lotus.

  Seeing that no one pursued him from the island, he relaxed.

  Given Yun Xiao’s cultivation, it was impossible for her not to notice. Since she hadn’t come after him, it meant she wouldn’t hold it against him.

  Now, he still had his own plans to carry out.

  There were only two hundred years left before the official start of the Journey to the West. If he wanted to interfere and oppose the two colossal forces of Buddhism and the Heavenly Court, he needed to establish his own faction—one strong enough to stand firm.

  Logically, Tongtian Jiaozhu’s Intercept Sect would have been the most suitable. By allying with Yun Xiao and rebuilding the sect, they could quickly rally a force under the prestige of Tongtian Jiaozhu.

  However, Xu Fang had no intention of doing things that way.

  The faction he wanted had to be led by himself!

  He refused to toil for others and let them reap the rewards.

  But if he wanted to establish a force capable of rivaling Buddhism and the Heavenly Court, his options were limited.

  Among the Three Realms, the mortal world was the most chaotic. However, the Southern Jambudvīpa, Eastern Pūrvavideha, and Western Aparagodānīa continents were all under the jurisdiction of Buddhism, Daoism, and the Heavenly Court.

  Only the Northern Uttarakuru Continent—a land of harsh mountains and treacherous waters, teeming with demon kings—remained ungoverned.

  If he wanted to quickly build his own power base, the Northern Uttarakuru Continent was the best choice.

  The only problem was that Xu Fang had already twice wreaked havoc there, slaughtering countless demons and even offending the quasi-Saint Kun Peng!

  "Fortune and misfortune are intertwined. It seems I must seek out Kun Peng for a talk."

  Xu Fang sighed. Time was not on his side. Two hundred years might seem long, but in the world of Journey to the West, it was but the blink of an eye.

  Having made his decision, Xu Fang wasted no time. Transforming into a streak of light, he sped toward the Northern Uttarakuru Continent.

  ……

  A rainbow streaked across the sky.

  Northern Uttarakuru Continent

  In the past, though this land was harsh, it was not entirely desolate. After the final battle between the Wu and Yao tribes, most of the remaining demons had migrated here.

  Unfortunately, Xu Fang had once led the Divine Strategy Army here, slaughtering demons for a hundred years to temper his troops!

  Later, when the Bull Demon King stole Sun Wukong’s Primordial Qi, Xu Fang had returned, killing countless demon kings and even provoking Kun Peng to descend with an avatar…

  Now, the Northern Uttarakuru Continent was a wasteland.

  The rainbow dissipated as Xu Fang appeared above the desolate land.

  He had once signed in outside Kun Peng’s secluded cave, so he knew exactly where the ancient demon resided.

  Instead of seeking out other demon kings, he headed straight for his destination.

  "Is the venerable Kun Peng present? An old acquaintance has come to visit. I hope you will grant me an audience!"

  Xu Fang’s voice boomed across the land, causing the few remaining demons to peek out in curiosity.

  But when they saw who it was, they scattered in terror!

  "Run!"

  "That butcher is back! Flee!"

  "Damn it, who provoked him this time? Why is he here again?!"

  "Quick, inform the Ancestor Kun Peng!"

  ……

  Watching the demons flee at the mere sound of his voice, Xu Fang could only shake his head in amusement.