Chapter 132: The Original Intention Remains Unchanged

"I only left behind a single monkey hair back then; I never expected it to bring such profound changes to them. I wonder if this is a blessing or a curse."

"White Tiger Ridge is destined to be a trial in the Journey to the West. Yet, White Village, which should have vanished by now, still exists—and its people have become extraordinary. Will this alter the course of the Journey?"

Yuan Wuji pondered this incessantly, but he soon reached a conclusion: "The matters of the Journey to the West are of utmost importance to the Buddhist faith. As a cultivator at the Taiyi Loose Immortal stage, there is no need for me to expend too much energy on it."

Perhaps the Buddhists would eventually discover the discrepancies between this version of the Journey and the original, leading them to him. However, with the Holy Mother of Jinling standing behind him, he doubted the Buddhist sect would dare to offend her during such a critical period. If they angered her, she might just tear a massive hole in their precious Journey to the West, and then they would see who suffered the greater loss. The Buddhists should have enough sense to realize this and refrain from acting against him rashly.

Moreover, during his time at the Doumu Palace, Yuan Wuji had gathered from the words of the Holy Mother of Jinling that the Tathagata of the Western Heaven seemed to have some connection to the Jie Sect. But that was not a problem for him to worry about right now; what truly piqued his interest was the transformation of White Village.

Stepping away from the village perimeter, Yuan Wuji reverted to his true form. "I shall enter White Village as I am now. Given my aura, they should recognize who I am," he murmured.

He had developed his own plans for White Village—perhaps he could cultivate it into a force of his own? Although he currently held dominion over Hao Mountain and Wuzhang Mountain, neither were forces he had built from the ground up; he had simply inherited them. The people of White Village possessed remarkable combat talent; if properly trained, they could become a formidable power.

"Where are the descendants of White Village?"

Yuan Wuji’s voice boomed over the village, infused with a sliver of his own aura. He expected the villagers to arrive immediately. Indeed, within two or three breaths, the space below him was packed with people. Their auras were unmistakable—some radiated demonic energy, others divine.

Yuan Wuji knew these auras intimately, for they originated from him. As this was his first face-to-face meeting with them, he understood them deeply. Their physical constitutions and their powers were his gifts. The moment they stood near him, they felt an irrepressible urge to prostrate themselves before him.

***

In truth, Yuan Wuji’s own constitution was unique—half divine, half demonic. When he was but a stone embryo, the Holy Mother of Jinling had placed him upon the Divine Plate in the Doumu Palace, which birthed his divine body.

The reason the Heavenly Court was divided into gods and immortals was due to the two primary races that formed it. The God Race consisted largely of former members of the Jie Sect who had been forced onto the Investiture of the Gods by the Chan Sect, becoming a major faction in the Heaven. The Immortal Race was more diverse—including those from the lower realms who attained immortality, those born in the Heaven, and demon immortals. Thus, "immortals" were the most common beings in the Heavenly Court.

Yuan Wuji was originally a common Arm-Armed Ape. Had he been born normally, he would have belonged to the Demon Race. But with the assistance of the Holy Mother of Jinling, he successfully transformed into a member of the God Race, his constitution shifting accordingly. Later, by cultivating the Tiangang Golden Pellet, he pushed the potential of his divine body to its absolute limit. However, after obtaining great opportunities in the mortal realm and practicing the Myriad Demon Method—cultivating the Myriad Demon Heart and the Myriad Demon Golden Pellet—he fully ignited the demonic nature within him. He became more demonic than any demon, resulting in his current state: a dual constitution of half-god, half-demon.

Possessing both the Tiangang Golden Pellet and the Myriad Demon Golden Pellet allowed him to manifest both natures fully. He possessed all the traits of the God Race, yet he was undeniably a demon—more fiercely and quintessentially demonic than any other. Consequently, the villagers who absorbed his aura developed a bifurcation, with some displaying divine auras and others demonic.

"Is that... is that the Great General Divine Monkey we worship?"

"It... it seems to be him, yes?"

"The aura is exactly the same; it must be him!"

"Everyone, hurry and bow to the Great General Divine Monkey!"

Someone in the crowd shouted, and all the villagers immediately fell to their knees.

"Greetings, Great General Divine Monkey!"

"Rise, all of you," Yuan Wuji said, signaling them to stand, as he had questions to ask. "Who is the village chief?"

"I am, I am!" A middle-aged man ran forward. His aura was demonic, with a faint, blood-red mist swirling around him.

***

This village chief appeared to be the strongest among them; scanning the crowd, Yuan Wuji noted that no one else’s aura could compare.

"I ask you: is this the state of all the villagers in White Village now?"

"Yes, Great General. Our ancestors told us that when our village was threatened by demons, they prayed to you daily. One day, you manifested, scaring off all the nearby monsters. Since that time, every child born in our village has possessed immense divine strength. Our ancestors said this was a gift from you, so we would never be bullied by demons again. They taught us to treasure the power you bestowed upon us."

Yuan Wuji recalled the events. The village had indeed prayed to him through a statue, though at the time, he had paid them little mind. It seemed that the monkey hair he had left behind had triggered these changes. In a sense, he had indeed helped them.

"I see... Back then, I was occupied with pressing matters, so I bestowed upon you the power to protect yourselves. It seems you have mastered it well."

"We... we never imagined that you, Great General, would still remember a small mountain village like ours," the chief said, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Naturally, I remember. It is inconvenient to speak here; shall we continue our conversation in the temple you built for me?"

"Yes, yes, of course! How foolish of me to keep you standing here, Great General!" The chief tapped his own head, then cleared a path for Yuan Wuji to walk at the front, with the others following behind.

The chief led the way, though Yuan Wuji already knew where the temple was. He did not point this out, allowing the chief to continue his duties.

"Great General, it is just ahead."

The temple was indeed impressive, covering an area equal to dozens of village houses.

"The other decorations were bought in town with our collective savings," the chief explained.

Yuan Wuji looked around; it was well-appointed. For a mountain village, acquiring such ornaments was no small feat, and their dedication was evident. The central statue, in particular, must have cost them a fortune.