Chapter 012: Miss Duan

Although he hadn't found the Nest Monk, Wang Bo's trip wasn't entirely in vain. From Zhu Ganglie's mind, he retrieved Zhu Ganglie's cultivation method and transformation techniques.

He sensed that this cultivation method was several levels higher than the Feathering Ascension Sutra or the Pure Yang True Dharma he had obtained, clearly no ordinary thing. But this only made Wang Bo more suspicious that the one who taught Zhu Ganglie this method was someone from the Buddhist sect.

Even if not from the Buddhist sect, they were some big shot who knew the inside story.

Their only purpose in teaching Zhu Ganglie such advanced cultivation was to ensure he grew up smoothly, without being killed halfway by other demon hunters.

But this had nothing to do with Wang Bo. After acquiring the cultivation method, he withdrew the dragon formed by sword qi and released Zhu Ganglie.

Zhu Ganglie was one of the three guardians appointed by the Buddhist sect to protect Chen Xuanzang.

If Wang Bo killed Zhu Ganglie here, it would inevitably attract the attention of the Buddhist sect.

So after obtaining the cultivation method, Wang Bo got up and left. He had no intention of getting involved in the Journey to the West.

Thus, Zhu Ganglie could not be harmed.

In essence, Wang Bo's strength was insufficient. If he were strong enough to overthrow Tathagata, he wouldn't have to worry about this or that.

When leaving the human-flesh restaurant, Wang Bo didn't forget to take along a few diners who hadn't managed to escape. Meeting was fate; he would save as many as he could.

After leaving the territory of Gao Village, Wang Bo set the diners down, told them not to go back to Gao Village, and turned away.

He planned to find a place to digest the cultivation method he had just obtained.

But before he could walk far, a wooden and iron-armored contraption appeared before him. As it passed by, it stopped.

The window of the contraption opened, revealing a smiling, pretty face.

The owner of this face was about twenty years old, dressed in coarse linen, but her ethereal aura was hard to conceal.

“Hey,” she called out, “Excuse me, is that Gao Village ahead?”

Wang Bo nodded, sensing a powerful magical force in her, not as strong as Zhu Ganglie's, but not far off.

This surprised Wang Bo. So far, he had seen many demon hunters, but they were all far inferior to Zhu Ganglie.

To put it metaphorically, it was like the difference between elementary school students and college students.

Though not quite accurate, the metaphor was vivid.

Yet this young woman before him was only slightly weaker than Zhu Ganglie, making her a remarkable expert in the mortal world.

Among the demon hunters Wang Bo had seen, this woman was the strongest.

For a moment, Wang Bo grew curious about her identity.

Who was she?

But when his gaze swept over the contraption, he seemed to realize something. He recalled that in the story, the Miss Duan who had been chasing after Chen Xuanzang also had such a vehicle.

If so, was this woman that Miss Duan from the story?

Wang Bo wasn't sure, but he felt she should be that Miss Duan.

The woman, unconcerned by Wang Bo's scrutinizing gaze, asked curiously, “I heard there's a demon named Zhu Ganglie in Gao Village who likes to eat people. Is that true?”

Wang Bo nodded. "There is indeed a Zhu Ganglie in Gao Village, but what do you want with him? Don't tell me you're planning to subdue demons and vanquish monsters?"

"What, you don't think I can?" the woman retorted.

"Your strength is no match for Zhu Ganglie," Wang Bo said.

"How do you know my strength is no match for Zhu Ganglie?" the woman said defiantly. "Why should I believe what you say?"

Wang Bo thought for a moment and said, "If you don't believe me, go ahead and get yourself killed. I won't stop you."

With that, he shook off the woman and strode forward.

Wang Bo was in a hurry to go back and digest what he had just gained, so he didn't feel like talking much. Good advice is wasted on those who are doomed.

Although he was somewhat curious about the woman's identity, it was only curiosity. Wang Bo wasn't obsessive, nor was he the type who had to get to the bottom of things once his curiosity was piqued.

But to Wang Bo's surprise, the woman didn't head toward Gao Village. Instead, she turned the steering wheel of her mechanical cart and slowly caught up.

"Hey, let me ask you, are you also a demon hunter?" the woman asked curiously.

"I'm not."

"Then what's your name?"

"Wang Bo."

"Wang Bo? That's a pretty ordinary name. My surname is Duan. You can call me Miss Duan."

Wang Bo's footsteps paused almost imperceptibly, then he continued walking, but his gaze involuntarily shifted to this Miss Duan. "I've heard of you."

Miss Duan said without a hint of shyness, "Of course. I'm the renowned demon hunter, known to everyone throughout the Great Tang."

Wang Bo filtered out that remark and asked, "I've heard you have a magic treasure called the Wandering Flying Ring."

Miss Duan couldn't help covering her sleeve. "Why do you ask? Don't tell me you covet my treasure."

Wang Bo shook his head. "I'm not interested in the Wandering Flying Ring. What I want to know is your identity."

"Me? What identity do I have? I'm just a powerful demon hunter."

"I want to know your relationship with Guanyin."

Wang Bo asked. Before his transmigration, when he watched the plot, many people said that this Miss Duan was actually one of the incarnations of Bodhisattva Guanyin.

Because her magic treasure, the Wandering Flying Ring, was eventually given to Chen Xuanzang, who then placed it on Sun Wukong's head, becoming the Tightening Band.

And in the orthodox Journey to the West, it was Guanyin who gave the Tightening Band to Tang Sanzang.

Interestingly, in this world, before embarking on the pilgrimage, Chen Xuanzang had to comprehend the love of all beings, but each time he fell just short, unable to break through his limits.

But it was precisely because of Miss Duan's death that Chen Xuanzang lost his small love and thereby comprehended the love of all beings.

Her death made Chen Xuanzang.

And her treasure turned into the Tightening Band.

So in many people's eyes, this Miss Duan was actually an incarnation of Guanyin, because Chen Xuanzang had been unable to grasp the love of all beings, forcing her to stage this act to help him break through and complete the great mission of obtaining the scriptures.

Wang Bo was half-convinced of this theory.

But now, Wang Bo's belief outweighed his doubt. He had widely befriended demon hunters in Chang'an, yet Miss Duan had never appeared. Now, just as he had dealt with Zhu Ganglie and obtained his cultivation method, Miss Duan showed up right in front of him—wasn't that too much of a coincidence?