Journey to the West: Defiant Bones, A Record of Buddha's Slaying in the Abyss of No Return

I am Sun Wukong. Right now, Tang Sanzang has me pinned against a pillar in the temple. His chanting mouth is half an inch from my ear, and he forces burning fragments of relic mixed with blood down my throat.

“If it hurts, scream, like you used to.” His voice trembles, but his prayer beads are cinched tight around my wrists. It’s all an act for the Buddha’s shadows outside the hall. Yet the silver needle hidden in his fingertips is unmistakably piercing my pulse point, transferring his merit to me to keep me alive.

From within the Buddha’s shadow, Tathagata laughs. “Golden Cicada, the way you protect that rebellious monkey is just like protecting your former self.”