The Golden-Head Guardian Deity opened the travel chest and was immediately stunned. Inside were only a few changes of clothes for Tripitaka—no trace of the Brocade Cassock, not even a thread. This was serious.
Back at Eagle Stream, Guanyin had already expressed concern that someone might try to meddle with the cassock and had instructed the Five Noble Truths (Buddhism) to keep a close eye on it. They had inspected it themselves, confirming that the Brocade Cassock was indeed safe in the chest. But now, it had vanished.
This was the second time the guardians had double-checked only for something to go awry. With a grim expression, the Golden-Head Guardian Deity flew up to rejoin his companions.
"It's gone. The Brocade Cassock has disappeared!"
"What happened?"
The other four guardians were taken aback.
"Whatever's happened, we're in trouble with this ordeal. I must return to Spirit Mountain to inform the Tathagata and seek a solution. Meanwhile, the four of you keep a close watch on that Black Bear Demon—no matter what, we cannot afford any mistakes with the next ordeal!"
Understanding the severity of the situation, the four guardians immediately headed for Black Wind Mountain and the Black Wind Cave to prevent any unforeseen incidents. Meanwhile, the Golden-Head Guardian Deity hurried back to Spirit Mountain to report the matter. As for the matter of the night fire ordeal, that would be settled once he reached Spirit Mountain.
Spirit Mountain, Thunderclap Monastery
The Tathagata had just returned from his arduous trip to the Tusita Palace to procure the Ninefold Resurrection Violet-Gold Elixir. But his face? It said it all.
"How are Tripitaka and his disciples doing?" he asked, as usual.
"Reporting to the Tathagata, Tripitaka and his disciples have arrived at Guanyin Monastery," Guanyin responded promptly.
Guanyin Monastery, as her dedicated temple, was always on her radar.
"So soon?" the Tathagata was surprised. Previously, Tripitaka had been dragging his feet on the way to Eagle Stream, but now, he had arrived much faster than expected.
"I had Ao Luan transform into a Dragon-Tortoise. With its stable gait, Tripitaka didn't need to stop for rests. Considering Ao Luan's speed, their arrival at Guanyin Monastery was only natural," Guanyin replied proudly, clearly fishing for praise.
The Tathagata's lip twitched. A Dragon-Tortoise? Really? But as it did speed things up, he decided not to comment, instead changing the topic.
"Given that, the two ordeals set at Guanyin Monastery should proceed smoothly, right?"
A bit disappointed at the lack of praise, Guanyin nodded. "I had the Five Noble Truths (Buddhism) verify that the Brocade Cassock was in place. And with the monastery's greedy abbot, Elder Jinchi, those two ordeals should be secure."
"Good!" The Tathagata sighed in relief. With all the challenges that had plagued the journey thus far, it was reassuring to hear that things were under control.
But peace? That was just a fleeting dream.
Just then, the Tathagata noticed the Golden-Head Guardian Deity hurrying into the hall, his face ashen with urgency. The Tathagata's expression darkened instantly. No doubt, something had gone wrong.
"Tathagata, grave news! The Brocade Cassock is missing!"
There it was—another headache. The Tathagata didn't even respond, diving straight into divining the whereabouts of the Brocade Cassock. Guanyin, after a moment of stunned silence, joined him in her own divination attempt.
Both of their faces darkened as they opened their eyes moments later. The Brocade Cassock was truly gone—without a trace, without even a whisper of where it could be.
The cassock was no ordinary artifact but a treasured vessel of Buddhist fortune, gifted to Tripitaka to help accumulate karmic merit on his journey to the West. And now, they couldn't sense its presence anywhere. Even if a Saint had stolen it, there should have been some trace. Yet the heavens were perfectly clear, as if nothing had happened at all. All they could discern was that the cassock existed somewhere, but where and in whose possession—those questions remained unanswered.
"Tathagata, what should we do now?" Guanyin was out of options, looking to the Tathagata for guidance.
"You must go in person. Create a replacement cassock. This ordeal must not fail," the Tathagata ordered gravely.
Guanyin nodded and, with a gesture, channeled her essence into the Guanyin statue at the monastery, manifesting herself there.
Back at Guanyin Monastery, Elder Jinchi was busy showing off his trove of worldly treasures to Tripitaka, who, though unimpressed, kept up a polite front. Watching the display, Guanyin shook her head slightly. Then, with a wave of her hand, she cast a spell on the travel chest atop the Dragon-Tortoise.
Monkey King noticed the surge of energy and, upon realizing it was Guanyin herself, understood that the ordeal would proceed as planned. With nothing more to do, he decided to sit back and watch the events unfold. At least the Buddhists had already lost one precious fortune-bound treasure, so it wasn't a total loss.
To catch Elder Jinchi's attention, Guanyin cast a spell, making the replacement cassock radiate an intense golden Buddhist light.
"This…"
The effect was immediate. Elder Jinchi froze, staring in awe at the cassock's holy radiance. In an instant, his mood soured; all his prior boasting suddenly felt empty. None of his treasures could compare to this otherworldly artifact.
Tripitaka, meanwhile, was confused. He knew exactly what was in his travel chest. Yes, the Brocade Cassock was there, but this kind of display? It didn't make sense. Tripitaka was wary, sensing an unseen threat.
"Revered monk, might you let me examine the treasure in your chest?" Elder Jinchi asked, eyes glimmering with unmasked greed.
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