Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything
Chapter 894 - 894: Hell and Heaven Coexist

After Jiang Liu and the others walked about a hundred miles forward, they stopped.

It wasn't that Jiang Liu and the others didn't want to move forward, but because there was no path ahead anymore.

As far as the eye could see, there was a vast expanse of water, with occasionally a few taller buildings, whose rooftops could still be seen poking out of the water.

Flooded, the whole of Southern Dipper City had been completely submerged.

This was not just hearsay, but a fact.

"Such a tragic sight..." Watching all of this, Jiang Liu murmured silently in his heart.

Although he had already roughly understood the truth of the matter from the Golden Hair Lion's words, understanding through words and seeing with one's own eyes are completely different experiences.

Learning from books always feels shallow, to truly understand, you must experience it firsthand!

"Alright, seeing all of this, the reason to execute Emperor Longevity seems even more justified now!" Observing this unbearable scene, the anger in Jiang Liu's heart burned even more fiercely.

"Wukong, summon the Local Deity and ask where the townsfolk of Southern Dipper City have gone, since it has been submerged." After a moment of silence, Jiang Liu spoke, asking Sun Wukong beside him.

Indeed, as far as the eye could see, nearly all of Southern Dipper City was completely submerged in rainwater, but where have the townsfolk gone?

Not a single soul was seen now.

"Okay, Master!" Sun Wukong next to him wiped away the rainwater from his face with his hand and nodded.

Speaking, he stomped his foot in the mud, at the same time, he whispered: "Where is the Local Deity!?"

Following Sun Wukong's words, the ground cracked, and then the equally drenched Local Deity emerged from beneath, greeting Jiang Liu and the others: "Greetings, Holy Monk, greetings, Great Saint!"

"May I ask, Local Deity, what is this place's domain, and why has it turned into this scene?"

Although Jiang Liu's heart was like a mirror, he still had to perform the act, pretending not to know, Jiang Liu asked.

"Holy Monk, this is the domain of Southern Dipper City, and for the past month, it's been pouring rain non-stop in Southern Dipper City, as you can see, the entire city has been submerged, as for why, this little deity does not know!"

The Local Deity, not only drenched, but even the white hair and beard could be wrung with water, shook his head in reply.

Jiang Liu wasn't surprised by the Local Deity's response, whether he truly didn't know or just pretended not to, it didn't matter to him.

"Oh, I see, then do you know where the townsfolk of Southern Dipper City have gone?" Jiang Liu's face displayed a look of realization, then asked the Local Deity again.

"Alas, due to the continuous rain causing the rivers to burst their banks, many townsfolk have perished in the waves, and those who survived have been leaving one after another!" Upon hearing Jiang Liu's inquiry, the Local Deity shook his head and sighed.

Yes, under different circumstances, there might be room to stand.

But with the flood coming, there was no choice but to escape from being drowned, thus, the townsfolk of Southern Dipper City died or fled.

"Moreover..." Speaking up to this point, the Local Deity hesitated to continue.

"Moreover what? If you have something to say, say it!" Sun Wukong beside him couldn't help but ask, noticing the Local Deity's hesitation.

"Moreover, the flood caused a plague, killing a large number of people, and those fleeing townsfolk, sigh..." In the end, the Local Deity did not continue, leaving only a long sigh.

This sentence made Jiang Liu's heart sink even further.

The flood washed away everything, naturally leading to famine.

As the saying goes, people are made of iron, food is made of steel, and missing a meal brings hunger; famine naturally causes more deaths.

Now, there is even a plague!?

Floods, famine, plague!

These three blows have left the townsfolk of Southern Dipper City devastated.

Even more terrifying is if the plague spreads completely, the consequences would be unimaginable!

"Local Deity, may I ask where most of the fleeing townsfolk from Southern Dipper City have gone now?" With a gloomy face, Jiang Liu asked immediately, to save more people, those infected with the plague must be found quickly and treated early.

"Reporting to the Holy Monk, those fleeing townsfolk have all headed north! Because it's dry and rains less there!" Hearing Jiang Liu's inquiry, the Local Deity replied.

"Headed north? Disciples, let's go!" Nodding, Jiang Liu didn't say more and called Sun Wukong and the others.

The White Dragon Horse naturally understood Jiang Liu's intention, and following his call, immediately trotted north at great speed.

Following Jiang Liu, Sun Wukong and his three disciples naturally jogged along.

Sitting on the White Dragon Horse, Jiang Liu's mood was heavy; despite the greater the suffering of Southern Dipper City's townsfolk, the easier it became to achieve his goals.

However, that ease is built on countless people's suffering, and Jiang Liu doesn't want it to be this way!

"Alas, the Human Clan, although the protagonist of heaven and earth, living in such conditions is still a bit too difficult, isn't it?" A deep sigh filled his heart.

In a world where demons and evil spirits run rampant, one might unpredictably suffer attacks from demons.

And as for the Immortals and Buddhas, they are no good either, treating life as worthless, aloof and detached, sacrificing tens of thousands of people for a little personal benefit without a blink.

Jiang Liu's face was silent, but deep inside his heart, there was nothing but seething anger.

Sun Wukong and the others also said nothing, but followed beside Jiang Liu; more or less, they could sense the suppressed rage of their master within.

The calm under this storm such, made Sun Wukong and the others feel oppressed, and at the same time, they understood that their master was truly angry.

"Master, just about a hundred miles ahead, we will reach there!"

Although Sun Wukong was the smallest, he was the fastest, leading at the front, and after looking around with golden light in his eyes, he said with an expression of surprise.

"Wukong, what is the situation ahead?" Seeing Sun Wukong's surprised expression, Jiang Liu asked.

"It's like this, Master, I, Old Sun discovered that those exiled people have all stopped at a village and town over a hundred miles away and have not continued north!"

"However, this village and town seem to have a lot of people infected with the epidemic..." Upon hearing Jiang Liu's inquiry, Sun Wukong responded.

"Oh?" Upon hearing Sun Wukong's words, Jiang Liu's eyebrows lightly raised, and his face carried a look of surprise.

These people, fleeing from Southern Dipper City, would spread the epidemic to many others; this did not surprise Jiang Liu.

He even thought that all of this was within his expectations.

But why did these people stop in a village and town instead of continuing to scatter and flee?

What is going on?

Jiang Liu was somewhat puzzled, but he did not say much. Everything should still be discussed once they reach that village and town.

A hundred miles distance, naturally did not count as far for Jiang Liu and the others in their traveling state.

After spending about an hour, Jiang Liu and his group arrived before a town.

Jiang Liu looked at this town, not very large, but it accommodated many people, many scantily-clad refugees crowded within this town.

Some people were already lying on the ground, breathless, evidently dead from illness.

A few people, expressionlessly, dug a pit, burying the corpses, seemingly accustomed to this sight.

Some women sat down against a wall, holding a child in their arms, gently patting it, humming a lullaby.

The child in their arms neither cried nor caused trouble, surrounded by numerous flies; this child had been dead for days, its body starting to emit the smell of decay.

There were also many people, looking weak, lying on the ground, staring blankly at the sky, seemingly quietly waiting for their own death.

If this was all one could see, then this village and town were almost like a mortal purgatory.

However, amidst this mortal purgatory scene, Jiang Liu also saw a scene as if in paradise.

Some people, clearly infected with the disease, coughing incessantly, yet some elder invited the sick person to rest at home.

The sick person shook his head, refusing the invitation, not wanting to spread his sickness to kind-hearted people.

Some cooked meals, leaving only a little portion for themselves, sharing the rest with others.

Most heart-moving for Jiang Liu was at the northernmost part of the village, built with a few simple branches forming a barricade without any protective ability, blocking the path north.

Beside the barricade, a white-bearded elderly monk sat quietly, murmuring Buddhist Scriptures, preaching the essence of Buddhist teachings, encouraging people to be good.

However, the old monk coughed continuously, apparently also infected.

Yet behind him, a cloth strip was stretched out, upon which was written: Please pass on kindness.

Seeing this, Jiang Liu's heart was deeply moved.

And this made Jiang Liu understand why these people stayed in the village and town without leaving.

Was it this old monk who persuaded everyone to stay, not to flee north and spread infection to others?

"Outlanders, you must leave quickly!"

Just as Jiang Liu and his group arrived in the town, prepared to enter, two elderly men at the gate blocked Jiang Liu and his group, advising them.

"Indeed, many people in our town are infected with the epidemic, please leave quickly!" The other old man followed to explain.

Perhaps long accustomed to life and death, since even seeing Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, who followed along like demons, these two elders showed no sign of panic or fleeing.