I just became the Pirate King, and you're telling me I also time-traveled at the same time.

Chapter 966 On the Road

A thin layer of heat hung in the air, making one's skin feel hot. The cicadas chirped intermittently, as if they were being steamed by the heat and unable to breathe. The stream at the village entrance had dried up, leaving only a shallow damp mark. The pebbles at the bottom of the stream were white from the sun and were burning hot to the touch.

As soon as the pilgrim reached the village entrance, Tang Sanzang reined in the horse.

The white dragon horse lowered its head and sniffed the ground, its nostrils twitching twice before letting out a very soft neigh.

"There seem to be houses here," Tang Sanzang said softly, raising his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight as he looked towards the village. "It's still early; perhaps we should ask for a bowl of water and inquire about the way ahead."

Sun Wukong twitched his ears and sniffed around the village.

"It smells human, and the food smells delicious." He grinned. "I, Old Sun, am starving. Come on, let's go in and beg for something to eat."

Pigsy immediately perked up and hoisted the rake onto his shoulder.

"Yes, yes, I'm so thirsty I'm practically parched. Master, let's go inside."

Chu Yang walked at the back, but his gaze lingered on the old locust tree at the village entrance for a couple of moments longer.

A wisp of extremely faint white vapor flashed by in the thickest crack in the tree trunk, like a thin mist blown away by the wind, and disappeared in an instant.

He lowered his eyes and didn't speak, but simply moved the black dagger at his waist back a little, so that the hilt was closer to his palm.

The village is small; you reach the end after turning two earthen walls.

The gate to the innermost house was ajar, and a young woman in a light purple cloth dress stood in the doorway. She was probably in her early twenties, her skin tanned slightly by the sun, but not rough; instead, it had a healthy, radiant glow. Her hair was simply tied in a bun, with a few stray strands clinging to her forehead, damp with sweat. She held a chipped celadon bowl in her hand and was looking out.

When she saw someone come in, she was taken aback at first, then her face lit up with surprise, and she quickly went to greet them.

"Are you traveling monks passing by?" Her voice was clear and crisp, with the unique straightforwardness of mountain people. "I just cooked a pot of mung bean soup, and it's gotten a little cold. I was just about to ladle some out for passersby to cool off. Please come in, please come in!"

Tang Sanzang clasped his hands together and bowed slightly.

"Thank you for your kindness, benefactor. We, a humble monk and his three disciples, are passing through this blessed land and are parched. If we could have a bowl of water, it would be an immense favor."

"Oh, Master, you're too kind!" The woman quickly waved her hand and stuffed the celadon bowl into Tang Sanzang's hands. "Have a sip to soothe your throat. My name is Cui'er. My parents passed away a long time ago, and I live with an old uncle. He went up the mountain to gather firewood and hasn't come back yet, so I live alone. Please, Masters, don't mind, come in and sit down."

Sun Wukong narrowed his eyes and looked her up and down.

A cold glint flashed in his golden eyes.

He was about to speak when Chu Yang suddenly stepped forward, standing between him and Cui'er, and smiled as he cupped his hands in greeting:

"Miss Cui'er, we are a few travel-worn and covered in dust, so we won't come in and disturb you. Why don't we rest under the shade of the trees in the courtyard? We would be very grateful if you could have some soup with us."

Cui'er paused for a moment, then smiled even more sweetly.

"That's fine! I'll go get the soup right away. Please wait a moment!"

She turned and went into the house, her skirt swaying, carrying a very faint fragrance... like gardenias, or like white magnolias under the moon.

The fragrance was fleeting.

Sun Wukong's nostrils twitched, and he had already twirled the staff halfway around in his hand. He whispered to Chu Yang:

"Kid, something's off about this woman. I, Old Sun, smell a deathly odor on her."

Chu Yang gave a soft "hmm," his voice so low that only the three of them could hear it.

"I know. So don't rush to do it."

Pigsy leaned closer and whispered:

"Brother, you mean...you want to keep her here?"

Chu Yang didn't answer directly, but turned his head to Tang Sanzang and said:

"Master, this young lady comes from a poor family and guards the household alone. We've accepted her kindness, so we should at least express our gratitude. Perhaps... we could ask her if she'd like to travel with us for a while?"

Tang Sanzang was taken aback.

"As we see fit?"

"Yes." Chu Yang's voice was very soft. "The White Tiger Ridge area is mountainous and densely forested, and I've heard that many wild animals roam there. It's not safe for her, a woman all alone at home. If she's willing, we can take her for a while and settle her in the next big town. That way, we can repay the favor we did for this bowl of soup today."

Sun Wukong almost smashed his staff on the ground.

"Are you crazy? That woman is probably a monster! You want to keep a monster by your side?"

Chu Yang turned to look at him, his eyes calm.

"Brother Monkey, do you believe me or not?"

Sun Wukong glared at him for a long time, then finally snorted and slammed his staff into the ground.

"...I don't believe you for a second. But today I, Old Sun, will see what you're really up to."

Pigsy scratched his head and muttered to himself:

"Brother, don't go too far... I, Old Pig, don't want to have my pig's trotters gnawed by a demon in the middle of the night."

Cui'er came out carrying a large earthenware basin.

The basin contained mung bean soup, with a few mint leaves floating on top of the noodles, emitting a refreshing aroma. She placed the basin on the stone table in the center of the courtyard, and then took four rough porcelain bowls and arranged them neatly.

"Please, gentlemen, enjoy your meal. My cooking skills are rough, and the soup is a bit bland, please don't mind."

Tang Sanzang first accepted the bowl with both hands, took a small sip, and nodded, saying:

"It's sweet and delicious, thank you, lady."

Cui'er smiled with her eyes crinkling, but her gaze kept drifting unintentionally towards Chu Yang.

Chu Yang also picked up his bowl, took a sip, then suddenly looked up at her and asked gently:

"Miss Cui'er, how old are you this year?"

Cui'er was taken aback, and subconsciously answered:

"I... am twenty-one."

Are you living alone?

"Well... my parents died in a flash flood three years ago, leaving only my uncle and me to depend on each other. He went up the mountain to gather firewood today and probably won't be back until evening."

Chu Yang nodded, then asked:

"Has the young lady ever thought about going out to see the world?"

Cui'er twisted her fingers on the hem of her skirt and lowered her voice.

"I do want to... but I'm a woman with small feet, I can't walk far. I've heard there's chaos and war outside, I'm afraid..."

As she said this, her eyes suddenly reddened, and tears welled up in her eyes, but stubbornly refused to fall.

Seeing this, Tang Sanzang felt sorry for him and said softly:

"Amitabha. Young lady, there's no need to be sad. If you don't mind, my master and I are about to travel west. If you'd like, you can come with us for a while. Once we reach Qinghe Town ahead, we'll help you settle in. How about that?"

Cui'er suddenly looked up, and tears fell into the bowl with a patter.

"Master... are you serious?"

"Monks do not lie."

Cui'er knelt down with a thud, her forehead hitting the ground.

"Thank you, Master! Thank you, Masters! I...I'll go pack my things now!"

She scrambled to her feet and ran into the house, her steps frantic, almost tripping over the threshold.

Sun Wukong stared at her retreating figure, spitting out a few words through gritted teeth:

"Kid... you'd better give me, Old Sun, an explanation."

Chu Yang replied in a low voice:

"Brother Monkey, don't rush. She won't dare to make a move right now. If we keep her by our side, she'll be hesitant to act. We can deal with her when she slips up."

Sun Wukong sneered.

"Aren't you afraid she'll do something to Master in the middle of the night?"

"No," Chu Yang shook his head. "What she wants is her master's trust, not to devour him now. There are many of us; she's just a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, she can't cause any trouble."

Pigsy wiped his sweat.

"Dude...you're playing with fire."

Chu Yang smiled and said nothing more.

He simply moved the black dagger further behind his waist, so that the scabbard was close to his back, ready to be drawn with a backhand at any moment.

Cui'er came out quickly.

She carried a small bundle on her back, bulging with what looked like it was stuffed inside. In her hand, she also carried a bamboo basket covered with a blue cloth, from which the faint aroma of fried pancakes wafted.

"Masters, I brought some dry food to eat on the road." Her voice was light and cheerful, like a village girl who was really going out to see the world.

Tang Sanzang nodded.

"Thank you for your trouble. Let's get going now."

The group left the village.

Cui'er walked beside Tang Seng, her head down, occasionally stealing a glance at him, her cheeks slightly flushed, like a shy country girl.

Sun Wukong walked in front, his staff leaving a shallow mark on the ground. Every few steps, he would turn back and glare at Cui'er.

Pigsy deliberately lagged behind, standing shoulder to shoulder with Chu Yang.

"Brother, aren't you afraid she'll sneak into Master's tent at night?"

Chu Yang replied in a low voice:

"She wouldn't dare. At least not tonight."

Why?

"Because..." Chu Yang's gaze swept over Cui'er's back in front of him, "What she fears most right now is not that we take action, but that we drive her away."

Pigsy was taken aback.

"Drive them away?"

"Yes." Chu Yang's voice was extremely soft. "She went to great lengths to disguise herself as a village girl to gain her master's trust and create discord. She finally managed to infiltrate, do you think she'd be willing to expose herself so quickly?"

Pigsy scratches the pig's ear.

"...That makes some sense."

As night fell, they set up camp in a mountain hollow.

The valley was sheltered from the wind, surrounded by a dense pine forest with a thick layer of pine needles that felt soft and yielding underfoot. In the center of the valley lay a large, flat rock, perfect as a table. Occasionally, the long, hollow howls of wolves echoed from the distant mountain ridge.

After the campfire was lit, Cui'er took the initiative to cook.

She took out some fried pancakes from her bamboo basket, then pulled out a few dried mushrooms and a handful of millet, and cooked a pot of mushroom and millet porridge in the small iron pot she carried with her. The porridge was thick and steaming, its aroma wafting in the night breeze.

Tang Sanzang smelled the fragrance and praised it:

"Miss Cui'er's cooking is really good."

Cui'er smiled and handed him a bowl.

"Master, you flatter me. I grew up in the mountains, and all I know how to cook is this simple food."

She served Pigsy a large bowl of hot food, which he slurped up while it was still steaming, scalding him so much that he had to exhale in pain.

"Delicious! Much better than what I, Old Pig, cook myself!"

Cui'er smiled and handed Sun Wukong another bowl.

Sun Wukong did not accept it.

He stared at her, his eyes narrowed into slits.

"I, Old Sun, am not hungry."

Cui'er's hand froze in mid-air, and her smile faltered.

"...Does the Great Sage think my hands are dirty?"

Sun Wukong snorted coldly.

"I, Old Sun, don't eat things of dubious origin."

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Tang Sanzang put down his bowl, frowned, and said:

"Wukong, don't be rude. Miss Cui'er means well."

Sun Wukong's lips twitched, but he finally stuck his staff into the ground, took the bowl, but didn't drink from it; he just placed it on the stone.

Cui'er's eyes reddened, and her voice trembled with tears.

"I...I just wanted to repay the kindness of my masters. If you're worried, Great Sage, I...I'll leave now and won't cause you any trouble."

She made a move to get up.

Tang Sanzang quickly reached out to help him up.

"Don't be anxious, young lady. Wukong is straightforward and means no harm. You can stay here without worry."

Cui'er bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall.

Chu Yang suddenly spoke, his voice gentle.

"Don't be sad, Miss Cui'er. Brother Monkey has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Since you're willing to come with us, we're family now. Come, sit down and have something to eat."

He pushed his bowl in front of Cui'er.

Cui'er paused for a moment, then slowly sat down, picked up the bowl, and drank the wine in small sips.

The firelight reflected on her face, her tear tracks still wet, yet tinged with a cautious gratitude.

Sun Wukong stared at her for a long time, then finally snorted, picked up the bowl, and drank it all in one gulp.

"The taste is alright."

Cui'er stopped crying and started laughing.

Late at night.

After finishing his evening prayers, Tang Sanzang sat cross-legged by the fire and entered a meditative state.

Pigsy crawled into his own bed early and started snoring.

Sun Wukong leaned against a pine tree, his staff resting on his knees, his eyes half-open and half-closed.

Cui'er curled up on a blanket furthest from the fire, her back to everyone, as if she were asleep.

Chu Yang, however, did not sleep.

He sat beside Tang Sanzang, poking at the fire with a dry twig, making the sparks fly upwards.

About half an hour later, he suddenly spoke softly, his voice so low it was almost drowned out by the wind.

"Miss Cui'er...isn't asleep yet?"

The figure under the blanket opposite moved.

After a long while, a very soft "hmm" came from behind.

Chu Yang smiled and continued to stir the fire.

"It's cool in the mountains at night, and the blankets are a bit thin. If you're cold, move closer to the fire."

Cui'er slowly turned over, facing the fire.

The firelight reflected on her face, making her eyes shine exceptionally bright.

"Master Chu...Master Chu, aren't you afraid of me?"

Chu Yang raised an eyebrow.

"What are you afraid of?"

Cui'er bit her lip.

"The villagers all say there are monsters on this mountain. I'm a woman, and if I go with you... what if..."

Before she could finish speaking, tears started falling again.

Chu Yang looked at her, his voice very soft.

"We are not afraid of monsters. We have the Great Sage, Marshal Tianpeng, and our master's Buddhist protection."

He paused, then added.

"Besides... I'm here."

Cui'er was startled and looked up at him.

In the firelight, her pupils shrank to an extremely small point.

"you……"

Chu Yang smiled and threw the dry branch into the fire.

"Go to sleep. We have a long journey ahead tomorrow."

Cui'er stared at him for a long time before finally slowly closing her eyes.

But her fingers were secretly clenched under the blanket.

The next morning.

The fog was very thick, and the entire valley seemed to be soaked in a layer of white gauze.

As everyone packed their belongings and prepared to set off, Cui'er suddenly took out a blue handkerchief from her bundle, walked up to Tang Sanzang, blushed, and whispered:

"Master...your robe got dirty yesterday when you were walking. I washed it clean last night and even burned some dried mugwort. Please don't mind the strong smell."

She folded the handkerchief neatly and presented it with both hands.

Tang Sanzang took it, unfolded it, and saw that it was indeed washed clean, with several stitches sewn tightly along the edges.

"Thank you for your trouble, young lady."

Cui'er blushed even more and lowered her head, not daring to look at him.

Sun Wukong watched from the sidelines, his teeth itching with rage, and he pounded a hole in the ground with his golden cudgel.

Chu Yang, however, smiled and smoothed things over.

"Master, Miss Cui'er is very skillful. We need someone to sew and wash clothes on the road, and having her around will save us a lot of trouble."

Tang Sanzang nodded.

"That's excellent."

Cui'er's eyes lit up, and she nodded hurriedly.

"I will definitely serve my masters well!" (End of Chapter)