But the fool’s reaction was quite quick, and he immediately smiled and said, "What I meant was that I’m always in a hurry. I’m an impatient person by nature, and I apologize if I’ve caused any offense, Your Highness."
The Fake Princess, thinking she might have misheard, didn’t ponder it further and simply nodded, saying, "Then, Prince Consort, would you please lift my veil?"
Zhu Bajie let out a chuckle and quickly lifted the veil for the Fake Princess, revealing the unparalleled beauty of the Tianzhu Princess.
To Zhu Bajie, even competing with Chang’e would not matter, let alone beholding the Princess of Tianzhu.
Still, he flattered her by saying, "My lady, you’re truly beautiful!"
The Fake Princess couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Zhu Bajie and said with annoyance, "Just look at that dumb expression of yours!"
Zhu Bajie’s gaze swept around, hoping to spot Sun Wukong, while he casually responded, "I’m not usually this dumb, but I turn into a fool the moment I see you, Princess. You’re just too lovely."
The Fake Princess laughed and said, "I hadn’t realized you had such a way with words."
Zhu Bajie offhandedly agreed, "Of course, how else could I possibly keep our master so cheerful? I’m naturally lazy and good-for-nothing, with hardly any talent. If I didn’t know how to sweet-talk the monk, I’m afraid he would have sent me packing long ago!"
The Princess asked with a puzzled frown.
Zhu Bajie scratched his head and chuckled, "That monk! The monk was my former master! If I weren’t good at making him happy with my words, how could the task of Seeking Scriptures have fallen to me?"
"What’s so good about Seeking Scriptures?" the Princess asked, somewhat displeased.
"There’s plenty of good! Although the journey is tough, once successful, the King of the Eastern Tang will surely reward me generously! Besides, if I hadn’t come to seek scriptures, how would I have met Your Highness and found this wonderful fate?"
Zhu Bajie said, smiling.
"I’ll give you that, you do have a way with words," the Fake Princess said, still smiling.
Zhu Bajie rubbed his hands together and shamelessly said, "Your Highness, it’s getting late, and as they say, ’A spring night is worth a thousand gold.’ We should probably rest early."
The Princess laughed and scolded, "Are you that impatient, you oaf?"
Zhu Bajie grinned and replied, "I can’t help it, Your Highness, who wouldn’t lose their composure with such a beautiful princess? The moment I see you, I can’t control myself."
The Princess felt a secret thrill of delight and was somewhat surprised at how easily she had deceived Xuanzang. Considering the hour, it was the perfect time to absorb Xuanzang’s Yang Essence. The Fake Princess couldn’t wait any longer and lightly nodded, saying, "I suppose you must be tired after the day’s events, Prince Consort. In that case, let’s retire early."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie’s face lit up with elation. He flicked his sleeve, summoning a gust of wind that extinguished all the candles in the room.
Then, like a starving wolf, he pounced on the Princess and toppled her onto the bed.
His hands patted randomly over the Princess’s body, attempting to seal the demonic power within her.
The Princess slightly furrowed her brow and asked in confusion, "How does the Prince Consort know spells?"
Zhu Bajie blurted out, "This humble monk has been cultivating from a young age, naturally acquiring some spells. However, my cultivation is shallow and hardly worth mentioning. Besides, without these spells, I couldn’t have crossed over mountains and rivers, traveling safely all the way from the Great Tang of the Eastern Land to India."
The Princess said no more and began to channel the Art of Absorbing Yang Energy within her.