Li Changzhou left in a hurry, but his pace was slow, moving too fast might mean not encountering those three, and he also needed time to think.
"Tang Seng's body might not stay hidden for two days," Guanyin reminded him, as it wasn't yet time to declare everything safe.
Carrying Tang Seng's body was not an option, nor was it feasible.
Even Sun Wukong, who had consumed the flesh that grants eternal youth, could not manage it, so how could he?
Moreover, since Tang Seng was key to the journey of scriptures, if Li Changzhou took the body, countless immortals would immediately appear to aid Sun Wukong.
And if he didn't, like now, hiding the body in the Tongtian River, those immortals would treat it as a test for Tang Seng and his disciples.
Li Changzhou had to strike the right balance, too little and he wouldn't be able to capture Tang Seng, too much and he'd be besieged by legions of heavenly gods and Buddha.
"Drag it out as long as possible," Li Changzhou said, "This wasn't in my plan. I intended to force Sun Wukong away. The two days would've passed quickly, but who knew Tang Seng would die."
"Such is fate, not within human control."
What fate, decree, or destiny? Li Changzhou had never believed in these things.
Not defying the heavens nor disrespecting them; he simply believed that even if there's such a thing as "fate" in the world, it resides solely in human efforts.
Although Guanyin was a wise teacher, Li Changzhou did not simply follow her instruction; he was accustomed to thinking and deciding for himself.
"What do you plan to do now?" Guanyin asked him.
"I plan to pretend to borrow the river eye, but not really. After returning, I'll have Sun Wukong come to borrow it."
His back and forth took one whole day;
By the time Sun Wukong had borrowed the river eye, he had already secretly moved Tang Seng's body, hiding at the riverbed to confront Sun Wukong, thus holding on for another day would complete the task.
When Li Changzhou caught up with the three men, after a brief conversation, they flatly refused to lend the river eye.
He followed the current downstream, returning to the Tongtian River, stepping into the Water Turtle Mansion with a look of urgency.
"Monster, take this!"
The Nine-toothed Spiked Rake and Demon-Subduing Pestle struck at once.
Li Changzhou was taken aback and clumsily dodged, shouting hurriedly, "Brother Monks, it's me!"
"I'll kill you myself!" Zhu Bajie waved the Spiked Rake, nine spikes of energy stabbing towards him.
Sha Seng released a crescent-shaped force with his Demon Suppressing Staff as well.
True to the fame of the Marshal of the Heavenly Canopy and Sha Seng, who even though both were Immortals, they fought with full strength without tearing apart the Tongtian River, their mana nearly solidifying, not a bit wasted.
Li Changzhou still managed to dodge, and just in one exchange, the hair tied within his Fragrant Leaf Crown became disheveled.
Only when the energy from the spikes and crescent forces exploded in the distance did the might of the Immortals present itself, shaking the entire Tongtian River.
As the aftermath rippled out and the water trembled slightly, suddenly, a huge noise erupted as if a lid exploded off, making the broad river surface boil.
Li Changzhou dashed to a far distance, shouting, "Fellow Daoists, what are you doing! Stop!"
Hoisting the Spiked Rake, Zhu Bajie gloated, "Trying to deceive your Grandfather Pig, huh? Penglai brat, I've been told all about your tricks! Daring to kill my master, today I will drill nine holes in your head!"
"Monster, you will die!" Sha Seng, wielding his Demon Suppressing Staff, charged forward.
Li Changzhou's anxious expression changed, darkened, and with a raise of his arm, the Water Element True Blade was drawn.
Under him, the foundation of Water Turtle Mansion collapsed in an instant, foul mud surging up.
Bubbles clustered thickly, and within them, Sha Seng, like a torpedo, surged up again.
The Demon Suppressing Staff, wrapped in white skeletons and carrying chilling winds and murderous intent, shovelled towards Li Changzhou's waist.
With a loud thud, Li Changzhou raised his other arm, clashing with Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing with two Water Element True Blades.
◇
Bang! Bang! Bang!
From time to time, the river exploded, sending up mountainous waves.
Sun Wukong hovered near the river surface on a cloud, his left hand shading his Eyes of Golden Flame, staring intently at the rippling blue light below, his right hand holding the Golden Hoop, ready to finish the monster the moment it emerged.
Soon, while the monster did not appear, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing emerged from the water.
Sha Wujing looked pale, obviously injured; Zhu Bajie breathed heavily, unharmed but greatly drained of his mana.
"Fellow junior brothers, where is the monster?" Sun Wukong asked eagerly.
Zhu Bajie waved his sleeve, mouth agape, too tired to speak.
Sha Wujing replied, "Elder brother, that monster possesses a profound water magic, very powerful. Together, Second Brother and I could only manage a draw with him."
Not only was Sun Wukong unflustered, but he also smiled, "Not bad, pretty much as I expected. If the creature had any real skill, it wouldn't need to rely on petty tricks."
He continued, "Bajie, Sha junior, would you mind going down again for a few hundred rounds, pretend to lose, and lure him up here? I'll be waiting on the shore, guaranteed to kill him with one strike."
"No way! No way!" Zhu Bajie lay down on the shore, saying, "If you want to go, you go yourself, I'm too tired to move!"
"Bajie, Bajie," Sun Wukong said playfully, massaging Zhu Bajie's shoulders and legs.
◇
As Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing departed, a haggard Li Changzhou, with his hair hanging loosely in front of him, threw it back, his expression serene and composed.