Chapter 41 Bet

Upon hearing this, Sanzang felt as if his heart were being immersed in cold water, sinking deeper and deeper into the depths.

Zhen Yuanzi laughed and said, "I have a total of twenty-eight ginseng fruits. Even counting the shortest number, it would take ten thousand years to harvest a new tree of fruit. There are no endless ways to eat them."

Bao'e said, "Then let me eat two first, and let all my fellow disciples have some, so they can at least taste them. After a thousand or ten thousand years, when the fruit ripens again, it won't be too late to eat them. We can also invite that monkey to be our guard, so we can play together."

Everyone laughed when they heard this.

Only Sanzang felt increasingly bitter, his brows furrowed and eyes wide with worry, on the verge of tears.

Not wanting others to see through his act, he forced a cheerful expression and stepped forward to the immortal, saying, "Thank you for your hospitality these past few days, sir. I had intended for my two disciples to stay and help you catch the thief as soon as possible. Unfortunately, they only know how to have fun and don't know how to work hard; they are of no use. If this continues, I fear they will become lazy and unwilling to go on the pilgrimage."

Zhen Yuanzi understood his intention to leave, but smiled and said, "No rush, no rush. Stay a few more days before you go."

The monk was a kind and gentle elder, so it was difficult to refuse and he could only agree in person.

When he returned with Bao'e, he finally said, "Wumiao, let's go while it's still early."

Bao'e shook her head: "Master, let's leave tonight."

"Why must we travel at night?" Sanzang asked. "What if we encounter jackals, wolves, tigers, or leopards?"

She said, "The fairies can't see you at night, so smear some soot on your face to hide you better."

Sanzang then realized that she was mocking him.

He frowned and sighed, saying, "I'm afraid we'll be late for the journey to the West. How can you scold me like that?"

"Don't talk nonsense about whoever insulted you, and don't pin the blame on me," Bao'e said. "Master, it's good that you're leaving, but you have to give me some money."

"What money?"

"Before my senior brother left, he said he would raise some money for me to make new clothes. Now that he's gone, I have nowhere to put my clothes. Master, you are merciful. You know how to keep that monkey in check and prevent him from hitting people. How can you just stand by and watch me go on my journey to the West in tattered clothes?" This Bao'e was greedy and dragged her rake towards him, groping him all over. "Master, where do you hide your secret stash? Let me see it."

"Wumiao, Wumiao! You rascal, you're really making a scene. This humble monk has no private savings." The elder had no choice but to dodge left and right, wiping his sweat with his clothes.

Bao'e teased him for a long time before finally stopping.

A few days later, Bao'e was strolling around when she suddenly heard someone calling her.

She followed the sound and saw Bai Gu standing behind the window, her face still stunningly beautiful, but showing signs of illness and haggardness.

Bao'e: "Brother, you're such a good hider! How come you're always hiding in this room and never come out? No wonder I haven't seen you for so many days."

"I've looked, I've looked," Bao'e mumbled incoherently. "I've been looking every day, so much so that I can't eat or drink."

The fairy laughed and said, "Bao'e, if you don't want to eat or drink, there's only one reason: the food and drink aren't very good. Come here; I can't go out. Come in and talk to me for a while."

He was somewhat distressed, convinced that the immortal had trapped him here and would one day kill him.

This only made him more willful, and when Bao'e entered the room, he grabbed her.

"Bao'e, the woman who delivered the vegetarian meal that day was me, did you know that?"

The simpleton chuckled and said, "Brother, you're mistaking me for a fool and trying to fool me. That beautiful sister is clearly a woman with a lovely face, how could it be you?"

Bai Gu immediately changed his demeanor.

With willow-leaf eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, a graceful figure, and an exquisite and beautiful dress, she was a captivating and alluring woman.

However, upon closer inspection, it does bear some resemblance to his original form.

Bao'e stared blankly, lost in thought.

“Bao’e,” Bai Gu said, but it was still a male voice. He raised his hand and placed it on her chest, gently circling it. “I wonder what kind of heart is hidden here. Has she forgotten me?”

He used a teasing technique that was both close and distant, making Bao'e's heart itch unbearably and her lust run wild.

“Good sister, brother, sister,” she cried out, “I dare not forget, but in broad daylight, you must not act so wantonly, or someone will see me and beat me into a shameless vixen.”

Bai Gu couldn't stop laughing.

"If we don't get through today, who knows if there will be a tomorrow?" He led her to sit on the edge of the bed. "Bao'e, don't think about anything else."

After he finished speaking, he found her lips and took them in his mouth, licking and kissing them.

Bao'e was not one to be trifled with; in the blink of an eye, she became greedy and hummed as she bumped into his arms.

"Don't rush," the fairy chuckled lazily, "Do you still remember that tailor's ruler?"

Bao'e nodded: "I remember, I remember, is it still tied around your waist?"

“It’s still tied, but it’s somewhere else.” He then loosened his clothes and removed his jade pendant.

Bao'e had just seen the long silver chain, which was indeed still wrapped around her, with a pearl hanging in the middle, giving it a different kind of trembling and charming appearance.

She thought to herself: This scoundrel is even more dissolute than she thought; he is truly unfathomable.

The fairy held her wrist and then taught her to sit on his lap.

Bao'e exclaimed in alarm, "With chains wrapped around me like this, even a chair would feel like it's covered in thorns, so uncomfortable to sit on! Brother, please don't try to kill me."

Bai Gu's laughter never stopped.

"If you want to untie it, leaving a single pearl won't hurt." He made a hand gesture, and the chain indeed disappeared, leaving only a lustrous pearl.

Bao'e was relieved, and he watched her slowly sit down without blinking.

After the two of them were completely in each other's arms, his pupils dilated for a moment, and he suddenly said, "They are crying together, and tears are flowing uncontrollably."

Bao'e buried her head on his shoulder, squinted her eyes, and didn't say a word, only humming softly as she swayed back and forth.

"Bao'e, Bao'e..." He was panting heavily, his voice trembling, a thin blush of lust in his eyes, and he spoke without restraint, "Little Bodhisattva, you are so capable, making me so happy. Bao'e, isn't that right?"

Bao'e was so weak and listless that it took her a long time to respond: "Brother, why can't that pearl stay still? It's always being mischievous and sneaky, running around everywhere."

The two were overjoyed, unaware that Zhen Yuanzi happened to be passing by.

This great immortal was arrogant and had never seen such joy before. Upon seeing it, he was immediately enraged and wished he could capture the two of them with his sleeve and give them a good beating with his Three Star Whip.

But he couldn't just barge in, so he suppressed his anger and waited patiently.

After they had rested, he entered the room. Ignoring their expressions, he cursed the white-robed man: "You lewd and wicked demon! You trespassed into my Wuzhuang Temple. I spared your life because you haven't killed anyone. But how dare you do such lewd things in my temple? I'll beat you to death!"

Bai Gu was slightly flustered, but still stood in front of Bao'e and said, "Great Immortal, you may kill me as you please, but it was my fault."

Zhen Yuanzi sneered and looked at Bao'e: "Zhu Bao'e, you foolish blockhead, you were tasked with escorting Sanzang on his journey to the West, how can you not be willing to let go of this mortal heart! Even if you have ten thousand skins, you only have one bone. You are greedy for his beauty, do you know what kind of person is under this beautiful skin?"

As he spoke, he lightly waved his jade whisk.

Then Bai Gu revealed his true form.

It was originally a pink skull with the words "White Bone Gentleman" carved on its spine.

The demon was flustered and dared not look at Bao'e's expression, so she tried to pull something over to cover herself.

Unexpectedly, the simpleton was quite straightforward and fearless. Instead, he comforted Zhen Yuanzi: "Great Immortal, don't be afraid. He is just a skeleton, but he has a kind heart. When I kiss him, he has never turned into this form to scare me."

The immortal was so angry that he frowned and closed his eyes, wishing he could slap her in the mouth.

"Fine, fine, fine! You have a kind heart!" He laughed angrily, then wrapped her up in his sleeve and headed out. "Zhu Bao'e, go away. This humble temple will not keep a lustful demon like you."

He wanted to send her away from Wuzhuang Temple.

Unexpectedly, when they passed by the ginseng garden, a black wind suddenly swept by.

Suddenly, darkness fell all around, and the sounds abruptly faded away.

It was completely quiet, without a sound.

Zhen Yuanzi glanced around, holding his jade whisk horizontally, and said, "After being so unruly in my temple for so many days, you've finally decided to show yourself."

A voice came from nowhere: "Taoist, we are of the same origin, why are you so distant?"

It was exactly the same as his voice, only lighter and more playful, with a smile in his voice.

Zhen Yuanzi immediately understood: he was underground in the ginseng garden.

The soil beneath the ginseng fruit tree is 47,000 years old and quite solid.

Even so, it is not enough to become a force to be reckoned with. It is likely that it absorbed all the distracting thoughts he had discarded during his many years of cultivation, which is why it became a demon and caused trouble.

As he was pondering how to leave, he suddenly felt his sleeve move twice, and then he remembered that there was Zhu Bao'e in his sleeve.

Just then, the earth demon said, "Great Immortal, you are always clear-headed. Why don't you make a bet with me?"

What kind of bet are you going to make?

"It would be too boring if we didn't bet on the means." The voice was light and flirtatious, and chuckled. "For the first bet, if you can release the fairy in your sleeve and hold her hand, I will make this underground a little brighter so that we can see."