"Holy Monk, are you overestimating this old man? I only heard about this from the Local Deity at Flower Fruit Mountain. It just so happens that you, Holy Monk, are traveling in my territory, hence I came to inform you. Even Holy Monk doesn't know about the fire eruption at Flower Fruit Mountain, how could I know?" Hearing Jiang Liu's question, the Local Deity hurriedly shook his head and replied.
"Alright, in any case, thank you, Local Deity!"
The Local Deity's response was within Jiang Liu's expectations. After a helpless sigh, Jiang Liu still expressed his gratitude.
"Holy Monk, you're too polite! There's nothing else to report, so I won't disturb you any further!" With nothing more to say, the Local Deity bid farewell.
"Hmm, safe travels, Local Deity…" Jiang Liu nodded slightly and responded.
Soon, the ground cracked open, and the Local Deity disappeared into it.
"Master, what should we do next?" After the Local Deity left, Zhu Bajie turned to Jiang Liu and asked.
"Let's stay here and wait for Wukong!" After thinking it through, Jiang Liu decided it was a good opportunity to legitimately stall for some time.
Jiang Liu's suggestion met with no objections.
So, Jiang Liu brought out the Exquisite Immortal Mansion, and the master and disciples entered it. Some cultivated while others rested, waiting for Sun Wukong to return.
However, they had barely settled in the Exquisite Immortal Mansion for about an hour when a merchant caravan appeared, coincidentally passing by the mansion.
By this time, Jiang Liu had been on the Journey to the West for over five years, and it was now August, with the weather still somewhat hot.
The merchants were stunned to see an Exquisite Immortal Mansion in the wilderness, then they began to discuss in low voices.
"Our water supply is running low. Should we ask for some water?" someone suggested.
"No!" A more cautious person immediately shook his head and said, "This is the wilderness. How could there be such a fine mansion here? Could there be demons?"
The mention of this word caused a stir among the caravan!
"If we continue without water, our days will still be difficult. I think with so many of us, we have nothing to fear!" Another man spoke up seriously.
Some wanted to knock on the door for water; the heat made it a matter of life and death.
Of course, there were others who disagreed, suspecting the mansion to be too unusual, maybe housing demons or ghosts!
Amidst their standoff, a little girl about one or two years old tugged at her father's clothes, saying in a babyish voice, "Dad, thirsty, thirsty…"
"Sweetie, Daddy will get you some water!"
Looking at his two-year-old daughter with her chapped lips from dehydration, even the toughest man couldn't bear it.
After a soft reassurance, the man ignored the arguing groups and approached the Exquisite Immortal Mansion.
"What's happening? It sounds like there's some commotion outside!"
Inside the Exquisite Immortal Mansion, Jiang Liu quietly stayed, suddenly pricking up his ears as he faintly heard the noise, silently pondering.
At that moment, there was a sudden knock on the door.
"Master, I'll go open the door!" Sha Wujing habitually volunteered as the knocking began.
"Okay, go ahead!" Jiang Liu nodded, feeling a silent curiosity.
If Sun Wukong had indeed been lured away by some trick, who could it be knocking now?
Usually, Sha Wujing quickly brought visitors in after opening the door.
But this time, after opening the door, Sha Wujing didn't bring anyone in for a long while, which puzzled Jiang Liu. What's going on? Where are they?
With curiosity, Jiang Liu walked towards the main entrance of the Exquisite Immortal Mansion.
There, Sha Wujing stood at the mansion's entrance, outside already.
Outside, many humans were scattering in a panic, appearing disturbed and fearful.
In Sha Wujing's arms was a little girl about one or two years old, looking even smaller compared to him.
On the ground, a young man in his twenties lay, staring at Sha Wujing in terror but showing no intent to flee.
"What's going on?" Jiang Liu was baffled by the scene.
Originally, Jiang Liu thought Sun Wukong had been lured away by some plot, so the visitor would have ulterior motives.
But now? It seemed like just ordinary people?
Seeing a young man lying on the ground, Jiang Liu silently chanted to reveal the person's details.
Okay, the man really was just an ordinary person, only level 1, clearly frightened by Sha Wujing's appearance.
"Wujing, what's going on?" After seeing the man's details, Jiang Liu asked Sha Wujing.
Turning around, Sha Wujing, who had been staring at the little girl in his arms, seemed lost in thought, his gaze filled with profound sadness.
"What's happening?" Sha Wujing suddenly holding a human girl with such a sorrowful look puzzled Jiang Liu even more.
Raising his hand, Jiang Liu made a Brahma Heart Lotus appear, then activated its special effect.
A brilliant lotus appeared in Jiang Liu's palm, emitting countless starlit beams that gently entered Sha Wujing's body.
As the starlit beams entered, Sha Wujing's sorrowful expression eased significantly.
Sha Wujing turned to look at Jiang Liu.
"Wujing, what's wrong?" With the Brahma Heart Lotus's effect easing Sha Wujing's sorrow, Jiang Liu curiously asked.
"Nothing, Master, it's nothing…" Sha Wujing replied, shaking his head.
Sha Wujing's demeanor filled Jiang Liu with questions.
Saying nothing is wrong, but his face tells a different story?
Trying to avoid the issue? Does he think I'm blind?
While Sha Wujing remained tight-lipped, Jiang Liu's attention turned to the man lying on the ground. He opened his mouth to ask the man's background.
"Master, master, please, return my child. Her mother died in childbirth, leaving only us two. If anything happens to her, what reason do I have to live?"
Frightened by Sha Wujing, the man turned to Jiang Liu, who appeared more approachable, and pleaded.
"Wujing, give the child back to her father," Jiang Liu said, empathizing as a father himself.
"Oh, okay, Master…" Sha Wujing replied, but he still held onto the girl, reluctant to let go.
This made Jiang Liu suspicious.
This was the first time Jiang Liu saw Sha Wujing act .
Was there something special about this little girl?
Curious, Jiang Liu opened the girl's details.
Okay, the girl was also just an ordinary person, at level 0, nothing unusual.
Jiang Liu gazed at Sha Wujing in silence, while the man continued pleading.
Under Jiang Liu's gaze, Sha Wujing hesitated before bending down to hand the girl to her father.
Grabbing his daughter, the man quickly withdrew, then turned and fled after getting some distance.
"Sigh…" Watching him leave, Sha Wujing seemed to want to call out but couldn't bring himself to.
"Wujing, was there something wrong with the little girl?" Jiang Liu couldn't help but ask again.
"Master, she's just an ordinary human girl…" Sha Wujing hesitated, then replied.
"If she's just an ordinary girl, then why…" Jiang Liu was even more puzzled.
"She's an ordinary girl now, but in her past life, she was Amei!" Sha Wujing replied firmly.
Hearing this, Jiang Liu understood.
Sha Wujing had previously experienced a Love Tribulation, almost turning him into a demon because of Amei.
So, Amei was reincarnated as this little human girl?
The man had already run quite far with his daughter.
But Sha Wujing kept staring in their direction.
"Wujing, if you're still concerned, go follow them…" Jiang Liu finally said, seeing Sha Wujing's lingering gaze.