Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

"You'd better hurry and leave; there are no old acquaintances of yours on this mountain, only endless poisonous insects." The Taoist felt a genuine fondness for Lu Yu and truly did not want him to die in this place, thus he spoke to persuade him. "As you can see, I'm not afraid of them," Lu Yu said with a smile still on his face, pointing to the surrounding insects being continuously burned. "These poisonous insects are merely discarded waste. There is a Taoist in the mountains whose strength is exceptional. Many cultivators have come only to lose their lives in vain. You are young; it would be best not to seek death in these mountains." The Taoist persisted in his earnest entreaties, perhaps due to his age or possibly because it had been a long time since he had seen anyone, which stirred his compassion. "No, if I don't find the old acquaintance, I certainly won't leave so easily," Lu Yu continued, still smiling. "Then tell me the last and first name of this acquaintance of yours, and I will tell you whether he is really here," the Taoist eagerly asked. He was quite suspicious that the person before him might be a relative of someone who had died on this mountain, otherwise, why would he be so incessant? "The person I am looking for is the Jinguang Taoist, but it seems he is now called the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes," the light voice of Lu Yu rose by the Taoist's ear, striking him like a bolt from the blue, causing him to stand frozen in place, staring blankly at Lu Yu. Few knew of the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes, and even fewer were aware of the title Jinguang Taoist, a name used by his honored master hundreds of years ago. If it were not for his long service and the snippets of the past he had gleaned from bits of conversation, he would have never connected this title with his honored master. Lu Yu slowly walked past the Taoist, gently patting his shoulder before continuing on with a leisurely pace. It took a long while for the Taoist to come back to his senses. He watched Lu Yu, who was now quite a distance away, and marveled inwardly. He had not expected such a young individual to be an old acquaintance of his master. By that count, he too must be an old monster. The words he had just spoken, had they reached his master's ears, given his master's unpredictable temper, his life would likely be at stake. Thinking of this, the Taoist wished he could slap himself for letting his compassion get the better of him, for speaking too much. At this moment, he felt some fear but dared not run away. The Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes' methods were still vivid in his mind; he simply couldn't muster the courage to flee, only being able to walk slowly back to the Taoist temple with a heavy heart, his steps as if shackled by iron chains. Lu Yu did not concern himself with the Taoist's turmoil. He continued towards the Taoist temple, the poisonous insects around him becoming more numerous, larger in size, and more vivid in color. Yet, these still could not halt Lu Yu's advancement. More and more poisonous insects died by his side, leaving a layer of black ash on the green stone slab path he traversed—all who were burned dead. The Taoist, following behind, grew increasingly horrified. Lu Yu's power exceeded his expectations. Those insects, which in his memory were invincible, now seemed as fragile as paper, turning to ash before even reaching Lu Yu's body. He also realized that Lu Yu's visit was apparently not for reminiscing; otherwise, why would he slaughter the poisonous insects nurtured by his own master? Those that had appeared were all carefully selected by the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes, each one extraordinarily precious. His master usually preserved them like seeds, but now they had all tragically perished at the hands of Lu Yu. Given his master's character, he would hardly let this pass. Just as the Taoist thought this, a roar came from the Taoist temple: "Thief, how dare you!" A middle-aged Taoist, furious, stormed out from the temple, his eyes red and blazing with anger. The attendant Taoist had served the Demon Lord for many years but had never seen him so enraged. The fury that surged forth seemed ready to ignite the entire forest. "It's been a long time, Jinguang Taoist, or should I now call you the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes," Lu Yu said with a serene smile. Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes looked at Lu Yu, and suddenly a scene from many years ago flashed in his mind. He couldn't help but cry out, "It's you, Lu Yu!" The voice no longer had the previous composure, and there was a hint of weakness. Others might not notice, but the Taoist who had served him for many years heard it clearly. "Lu Yu!" He savored the name, feeling as if he had heard it somewhere before. Suddenly, a scene from the past flashed through his mind, where the figure standing in the sky, blessing the common people, perfectly merged with that of the scholar in green robe before him. He couldn't help muttering to himself, "So, it's the Tea Saint." At this moment, a strong hope arose in his heart. He hoped the Tea Saint could drive away this terrible demon lord and grant him freedom, so he wouldn't have to live behind a thick mask and in constant fear anymore. It was then that he faintly remembered that the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes had started to stay reclusive and devoted himself to deep cultivation after seeing the Tea Saint achieve the position of a Sage. Perhaps, he was afraid that this human Sage would come knocking at his door. "It is I, we haven't seen each other for several hundred years, right? The karma from back then should now be settled," said Lu Yu softly, his eyes intently fixed on the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes, with flickering lightning seemingly bursting forth. "You are too overbearing. Do you really think that by achieving the position of a Sage, you can overpower me? Back then, you ruined my plans and took my treasure. Now you have the nerve to come and settle karma with me. Do you really think I'm easy to bully?" the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes bellowed furiously. At this point, he could no longer maintain the image of a composed and dignified Taoist. He was thunderous, and his face was contorted with ferocity. "Enough talk, face my sword!" A fierce Sword Qi swept across the sky, targeting the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes' face. The Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes lifted his Taoist robe, and an invisible barrier appeared, blocking the sharp Sword Qi from Lu Yu. He laughed proudly, "Knowing the ferociousness of your Immortal Sword, how could I be unprepared?" For many years, Lu Yu had haunted him like a nightmare, making him uneasy for many years. Now, all his preparedness was aimed at Lu Yu. This Five-Colored Taoist Robe he wore had been made using special spider silk mixed with many precious materials. To acquire this silk, he even formed a fraternal bond with the seven spider demons that produced it, all to resist the Flying Sword of the Sword Immortal. Lu Yu glanced at the five-colored gleaming Taoist robe on the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes and instantly understood its effect, which seemed naturally able to counter all Sword Qi. A slight smile lifted the corner of his mouth as he said, "It must have been hard preparing such a Magical Treasure." After finishing speaking, he took a light breath forward, and blazing flames burst forth from his mouth, rushing straight at the Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes. The Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes was taken aback by this, as his treasured garment, though strong, was made of spider silk and naturally afraid of fire.