The brief words laid bare a blood feud so profound it could fill bamboo scrolls, striking the twelve-year-old Jiangliuer with overwhelming force.
So his father was "Chen Guangrui", his mother "Yin Wenjiao" – his father a top scholar, his mother a prime minister's daughter.
He should have been born into privilege.
Had his parents survived, he'd be a prefect's son. Well-fed, comfortably housed, sleeping soundly...
Not like now, stomach perpetually empty.
Not scraping by doing menial tasks at Golden Light Temple for thin gruel, enduring monks' scorn and mockery.
"I had a father, but he was murdered..."
"I have a mother, but she was taken..."
"My true surname is Chen..."
As the truth of his origins shattered him, Jiangliuer's vision blurred uncontrollably. Grief and indignation detonated in his chest like cannon fire.
He scrubbed furiously at his eyes.
The tears wouldn't stop.
"I have enemies. They killed my father, stole my mother. This blood debt... Unavenged, I'm unfilial! Unfilial, how can I call myself human?"
Jiangliuer clenched his fists. Not only would he secure food, shelter, respect...
He would avenge his father!
Rescue his mother from that tiger's den!
But...
"I strain to carry water buckets – what strength have I for vengeance? Blood debts require killing. Yet I... I can't even slaughter a chicken, let alone men."
Now he understood why Abbot Faming withheld the truth. What use was this knowledge to his current powerless self?
No...
Wrong!
Jiangliuer's gaze fell on the "Multiverse Journey West" chat group. These masters of great arts – they could help!
Especially "Muscular Tang Sanzang" who promised guidance!
This blood debt might yet be repaid!
Hope reignited in the boy's eyes.
He straightened his spine.
Made his decision.
［Jiangliuer］："@Muscular Tang Sanzang, venerable master, teach me vengeance! Whatever you ask in return, I'll comply!"
［Jiangliuer］："Daoist arts or Buddhist teachings – any path to vengeance, I'll walk it!"
［Muscular Tang Sanzang］："Dao? Buddhism? Why chase shadows?"
［Muscular Tang Sanzang］："Remember, external methods are mirages. Only self-realization and steel-forged muscles pave the true path!"
［Jiangliuer］："Huh???"
The boy stared bewildered at the avatar resembling an enlightened monk.
Since when did Buddhist masters spout such heresy?
Would this be his future?
［Altar Guardian］："Master, don't corrupt the young one. You're from different worlds."
［Altar Guardian］："Little master, simple solution! At eighteen, visit Women's Kingdom. Seduce their queen. Command her army to storm Tang territory. Slay your enemies, then enjoy paradise with a beautiful monarch – perfect!"
［Jiangliuer］："Huh???"
Seduce a queen? This "Pig Bodhisattva" seemed equally unreliable.
Was he truly enlightened?
［Great Sage Equal to Heaven］："Tch. Free me from Five Elements Mountain. My nature guarantees your vengeance."
Jiangliuer found the arrogant Monkey King's proposal most credible.
But where was Five Elements Mountain?
He had no idea!
【"Yellow-Brow Patriarch" uploaded group file: 《Great Sutra of Karmic Slaughter》】
［Yellow-Brow Patriarch］："Golden Cicada, master this art and more than vengeance – the mortal realm becomes your playground! Heh, don't waste my kindness."
［Yellow-Brow Patriarch］："As your senior brother from past lives, would I harm you?"
［Yellow-Brow Patriarch］："Learn without fear!"
Through group chats, Jiangliuer vaguely understood being Golden Cicada's reincarnation, though the implications escaped him.
If this "senior brother" served under Future Buddha Maitreya, shouldn't he be benevolent?
The boy felt drowning in cosmic complexities.
Everything looked murky...
......
Black Myth World
Within an opulent temple sat a creature both humanoid and turtle-like, perched lotus-style on an altar. Its grotesque mouth curved in beatific smile – simultaneously demonic and enlightened.
Before it rose an incense furnace choking with ash-smoke.
Temple pillars bore couplets:
——Shouldering mankind's suffering, now entering eternal joy
Any Buddhist would recognize lines from 《Maitreya's Mahayana Sutra Commentary》.
Chanting echoed beyond the hall.
This was no ordinary temple.
"Heh, twelve-year-old Golden Cicada incarnation. How delightful." The creature's rumblings defied mortal comprehension. "If I plant my teachings in this sapling – murder, theft, lust, deceit, intoxication... Another victory over Golden Cicada."
Its jaws stretched in ghastly mirth.
"Before the Journey West, I lost our debates. After... I'll claim victory!"
"The《Great Sutra of Karmic Slaughter》I uploaded shatters Buddhist precepts. Powerful? Undeniably. But cultivation requires breaking every prohibition!"
As Yellow-Brow prepared further enticements, intervention came from unexpected quarters.
［Muscular Tang Sanzang］："Tch. This trash technique merits my cultivation? Even toilet paper outclasses it."
Trash?!
Yellow-Brow's temperature spiked. Furious typing ensued.
［Yellow-Brow Patriarch］："Golden Cicada! Enough insolence!"
［Yellow-Brow Patriarch］："This sutra combines my Buddhist insights with Maitreya's Mahayana path! Mastery guarantees Western Paradise!"
［Yellow-Brow Patriarch］："Doesn't this surpass Sakyamuni's teachings tenfold?!"
［Muscular Tang Sanzang］："Dipankara, Sakyamuni, Maitreya... All excrement!"
［Yellow-Brow Patriarch］："？？？"
The demon-priest gaped.
The Multiverse group had existed barely a month.
He knew little about this "Muscular Tang Sanzang".
Such brazen blasphemy against Three Ages Buddhas – Past, Present, Future!
Even Yellow-Brow only dared mock Present Buddha, shielded by Future Buddha's patronage.
But this Golden Cicada...
Dismissed all Three Ages as excrement!
What manner of arrogance was this?
......
