With a bitter laugh, the man said, "Very well, if that's how it is, then come!" He leapt forward, swinging his arm, and threw the inner core into the midst of over a dozen heavenly soldiers.
"Not good, he's going to self-destruct his golden core!" Before the shout could end, a thunderous boom resonated, limbs and torsos flew everywhere, and amongst the dozen heavenly soldiers, seven or eight were severely injured. This self-destruction of the golden core was one of the most ruthless spells, possessing tremendous power. However, regardless of whether one cultivates as an immortal or a demon, if the golden core is destroyed, all cultivation will be lost, rendering one no different from an ordinary person.
In the instant the golden core exploded, the graceful man transformed into a small fox, falling pitifully from the sky. The woman on the ground, named Yuer, seeing her husband self-destruct his golden core, could no longer concern herself with escaping through the earth. She leapt out from the bushes and caught the man in her arms.
"You fool, why haven't you left!" the weak voice of the small fox said.
"If I left, who would hold you? To die together, what harm is there?" The woman's tone was incredibly serene, as if she was sharing the world's most intimate sweet nothings with the man, "Our child, if he knew, he wouldn't blame us, right."
The small fox weakly nodded: "Yes, he wouldn't... he wouldn't."
The heavenly soldiers, already fuming with rage, although called heavenly soldiers, had little experience in battle. Unlike these two fox demons who lived their days in constant unease, striking ruthlessly without leaving any way out, they thought they held the upper hand and were caught off guard by the surprise attack of the golden core.
"Damn it, I'm so angry." The leading heavenly soldier, slightly more skilled and unharmed, was frustrated as his subordinates were injured and a significant amount of elixirs would be needed for their treatment. What infuriated him most was the audacity of these two fox demons, tarnishing his dignity.
As he revealed a talisman in his hand, preparing to unleash a fatal strike, a voice like a great bell boomed, "Who is causing trouble here, disturbing your grandpa's peaceful dream!"
Despite hearing someone speaking, the heavenly soldier did not cease his spellcasting. The talisman flashed with a purple light and then turned to ashes. Immediately after, a thick purple lightning bolt descended from the sky, silent yet incredibly fast, striking directly where the two fox demons lay. Enraged to the extreme, the heavenly soldier had used the "Mystic Thunder Talisman" given by a celestial general, which was among the strongest in the Five Elements talismans. Although the talisman he used was not of high grade, it was overkill against these two fox demons.
Knowing their fate was sealed, the foxes closed their eyes, their faces serene, not as if they were facing death, but as if they were basking in the fragrance of spring flowers. The heavenly soldier thought, no matter who you are, I'll exterminate these two demons first.
Then, with a "hmph" filled with a trace of anger, a massive figure appeared before the group of heavenly soldiers, shielding the two fox demons beneath him.
In a split second, the purple lightning struck this giant figure with a soft "puff". The figure raised his head and chuckled, "What's this? Quite powerful."
Upon closer inspection, the figure stood four zhang tall, with a bull's head and human body, his white jade horns shining like two curved sabres. Wearing a tattered Daoist robe, the purple lightning left not a single mark on him.
The heavenly soldiers were terrified. Still, they tried to maintain their composure, "Who are you to obstruct the heavenly court's business!"
The bull-headed man asked, "What's the heavenly court?"
"You, you have quite the nerve!" Seeing the imposing manner of the other, the heavenly soldier leader knew they stood no chance and declared, "Don't you flee. I will report this to the celestial general, and you will answer for this!"
"Flee? You've disturbed my sleep and haven't even settled the account with you, eat my punch." With that, he stepped forward and threw a punch, sending the dozen or so heavenly soldiers flying with screams of agony. They thought their lives were over, but although they landed with severe pain, they were unharmed.
The bull-headed man laughed heartily, "Just scaring you, we're even now, off you go!"
The heavenly soldier leader dared not say another word. This excursion to the mortal realm, intended to capture a few demons for merit, ended in loss and confrontation with a formidable opponent. He must report this incident, even at the risk of severe punishment, to prevent demons from rampaging unchecked.
As the heavenly soldiers fled on their clouds, the fox demon Yuer knelt gratefully, "Thank you, Immortal, for saving our lives."
The bull-headed man, imposing just moments before, became somewhat awkward seeing the beautiful woman kneeling before him. Unsure whether to help her up or not, he simply stepped aside, returning to his normal size, and said, "What Immortal, demons are demons, it's nothing to be ashamed of!"
Yuer remained kneeling, "May I ask, Sir... could you lend your aid once more to save my husband, the little fox? I would be eternally grateful."
The bull-headed man replied, "Stand up and talk!" He bent down to examine the male fox, seeing him barely breathing in Yuer's arms, his cultivation all but gone with the loss of his inner core. Frowning, he said, "His inner core is gone, what to do now, I only know how to kill, not to save."
Seeing his straightforward and sincere manner, Yuer knew he was not merely placating her. Her eyes dimmed with despair.
Just then, a thin voice said, "Saving someone? I happen to know how!"
The three turned towards the voice, only to see a slender figure slowly emerging from the trunk of a massive tree. It was none other than Sun Wukong.
Having left the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit half a month ago, Wukong had been wandering through the clouds and mountains, thoroughly enjoying his carefree journey. Along the way, whenever he encountered injustice, he would intervene, punishing the wicked and uplifting the righteous. Unknowingly, he found satisfaction in deciding the fate of others, comforting his heart.
Another reason for his contentment was discovering that performing good deeds increased a mysterious energy within him, varying in magnitude. Wukong thought this must be fate's reward, realizing that accumulating good deeds could enhance one's Taoist cultivation, which then transforms into magical power. Thus, doing good was fundamentally beneficial.
That day, Wukong arrived at the scene just as a group of heavenly soldiers were attacking the two fox demons. Not wishing to confront the soldiers prematurely, he stayed hidden, observing the situation.
Feeling compassion for the cornered fox demons, Wukong was about to intervene when he noticed magical fluctuations coming from a nearby boulder, which then transformed into a bull-headed man who drove away the heavenly soldiers.
Wukong was secretly amazed by such stealth techniques, comparable to his own 36 transformations. He found the bull-headed man's actions and style to his liking and couldn't resist revealing himself.
Unbeknownst to him, the bull-headed man was equally surprised, having not detected Wukong's presence despite the close distance, unaware that their magical abilities shared similarities.
Seeing Wukong claim he could save her husband, and amazed by his magical prowess, Yuer immediately knelt before him, pleading with tears in her eyes.
Wukong pretended to be profound, "Seeing the deep love between you and your husband, unwilling to live without each other, such love is commendable by heaven and earth. Therefore, I'll teach you a life-saving technique."
Yuer replied, "Please, enlighten me."
Wukong frowned, "I'm not an immortal. Even if beasts like us attain Tao, we're merely demon immortals. In my view, what's wrong with being a demon? It's not inferior to immortals." His words were deliberately aligned with the bull-headed man's views, who showed a hint of a smile upon hearing Wukong's agreement.
Wukong continued, "In the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, I have the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, a paradisiacal place where hundreds of rivers converge. It houses around forty to fifty thousand of our kind, all under my command. If you wish, I can take you both there. With your talents, you could regain your human forms within a hundred years. What do you think?"
Yuer was deeply moved by his offer but looked at the male fox for his opinion. The male fox asked, "Can you ensure our safety?"
Wukong smiled, "Though we are demons, we understand the value of brotherhood and sisterly affection. Rest assured."
Reassured, they thanked Wukong profusely. "In that case, I'll take you with me right away to avoid any further disturbances from the heavenly soldiers." Wukong spoke at length, deliberately excluding the bull-headed man from his plans, yet the latter, intrigued by the mention of such a haven, was tempted to speak but hesitated, restrained by pride.
Annotations:
Golden Core (金丹, Jindan): A crucial stage in Taoist cultivation, symbolizing the accumulation of vital energy and the birth of an inner spiritual core. Self-destruction of the golden core is a desperate act sacrificing one's cultivation for explosive power.
Heavenly Soldiers (天兵, Tianbing): Mythological beings serving the heavenly court, often depicted as divine warriors enforcing celestial laws and orders.
Bull-Headed Man:This is the Bull Demon King(牛魔王) to come. The Bull Demon King, also known as the King of Strength, is a character from the classic novel "Journey to the West". He is the husband of Princess Iron Fan and the father of the Red Boy.
In his early years, the Bull Demon King became sworn brothers with Sun Wukong and six other demon kings on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, self-proclaiming as the "Great Sage Equaling Heaven". Afterwards, he married Princess Iron Fan in the West, became the son-in-law to Princess Jade Face, and resided for a long time in Princess Jade Face's Cloud-Touching Cave.
Taoist Cultivation (道行): The process of spiritual cultivation in Taoism, aimed at achieving immortality and harmony with the Tao. It involves moral living, meditation, and the cultivation of energy (qi).
Demon Immortals (妖仙): In Chinese mythology, beings who have achieved a certain level of cultivation and immortality through Taoist practices, not born as gods but have ascended from their original demon or animal forms.
