Zhu Bajie watched enviously from below. This monkey, it must be said, was quite capable, actually managing to borrow a magic treasure!
However, Zhu Bajie soon became uneasy!
Damn it, monkey, what's going on? You're not returning the treasure, you're stuffing it in your pocket? Are you courting death?
Not just courting death, but courting a great death! This was a spirit treasure belonging to an old Quasi-Saint and even a Saint. You actually embezzled it? Are you insane?
Zhu Bajie knew this monkey was probably provoked. It couldn't be helped. Even Bull Demon King, a former companion, had a magic treasure, yet he didn't. Now, seeing a treasure, he wanted to embezzle it. But you should pick on someone soft, this is something you can embezzle?
“Brother Monkey, did you forget something?” Zhu Bajie reminded him!
It couldn’t be helped. If you act like this, trouble will ensue. The key is, every time trouble arises, this monkey is the fastest to flee, and they might be the ones left to take the blame. So Zhu Bajie had to remind him!
“What?” The monkey looked utterly bewildered. What was this pig up to?
Zhu Bajie was speechless. I can't believe this! You're unbelievable!
“Brother Monkey, who did you borrow this spirit treasure from?” Zhu Bajie decided to approach indirectly, wanting the monkey to understand not to court death!
Sun Wukong felt there was nothing to hide, so he said, “From Patriarch Hong Yun on Fangzhang Island in the East Sea!”
Zhu Bajie blinked. Alright, the famous good guy of the Great Desolation. But even if he's a good guy, you can't bully him like this. He's a Quasi-Saint, and he has a friend like Zhen Yuanzi!
“Brother Monkey, you’re not planning to return the spirit treasure, are you!” Zhu Bajie said, rolling his eyes. It couldn’t be helped, this monkey was clueless, so he had to be blunt. He didn't want to be left to take the blame!
Sun Wukong finally understood. So all this pig had been talking about was this. He said, “It’s fine, we’ll return it after we finish collecting scriptures!”
That's right, Sun Wukong thought this way. Without a spirit treasure on this journey, he felt unsafe. Moreover, this Banana Leaf Fan was excellent. With just one wave, it could send someone flying a hundred and eight thousand li. It was too powerful!
Zhu Bajie completely lost the will to speak. This monkey was courting a great death. Forget it, maybe Patriarch Hong Yun wouldn't mind!
And so, the four master and disciples passed Flame Mountain and arrived at the Country of Jishai. As they approached the city, they saw a troop of soldiers escorting a group of monks. Tang Sanzang was greatly alarmed and quickly said, “Wukong, go see what’s happening! Why are they detaining monks!”
Sun Wukong hurried over and, after inquiring, learned that these monks were from Golden Light Temple, and they were implicated because the national treasure was stolen!
“Master, they say that three years ago, it rained blood here, and then the national treasure stored in Golden Light Temple went missing. The King believed the monks stole it, so these monks were implicated and are now being paraded through the streets!” Sun Wukong recounted what he had learned!
Tang Sanzang sighed, chanting Amitabha. “Wukong, get me a broom. When I left Chang’an, I said: burn incense at every temple, bow at every monastery, and sweep every pagoda.”
He then added, “Now that the monks in the temple are suffering this injustice, I should sweep the pagoda and then go to see the King to explain the situation!”
Sun Wukong nodded and quickly found a broom, accompanying Tang Sanzang to sweep the pagoda. After all, there was something strange about this pagoda, and he didn’t feel at ease leaving Tang Sanzang alone!
Soon, as Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang swept to the tenth floor, Sun Wukong suddenly felt an anomaly at the top of the pagoda. He whispered, “Master, there’s an anomaly at the top of the pagoda. There might be a demon. Master, you stay here and don’t move. I’ll go and take a look!”
Tang Sanzang was greatly alarmed and immediately sat down on the spot, waiting for Sun Wukong!
Sun Wukong reached the top of the pagoda and saw two fish demons drinking, talking nonsense. However, he also learned that these two fish demons seemed to be from the Dragon King of Blue Wave Pool in Stone Mountain, and they were patrolling the pagoda!
Sun Wukong immediately took out his Golden Cudgel and charged forward. However, he didn’t dare to use full force when attacking, for fear of killing these two fish demons!
After capturing the two fish demons, Sun Wukong learned that their names were Benbo'erba and Ba'erben! One was a catfish demon, and the other a black carp demon!
He also learned their objective: they were waiting for his master and disciples. It seemed the old Dragon King wanted to eat Tang Sanzang’s flesh!
Sun Wukong snorted and descended, carrying the two fish demons!
Tang Sanzang heard this and said, “Wukong, keep them under guard. Tomorrow, after I see the King, we will bring them along, and then we can vindicate Golden Light Temple!”
The next day, Tang Sanzang went to see the King to get his travel documents. When the King of Jishai heard Tang Sanzang’s words, especially that he had captured two fish demons, he immediately pardoned Golden Light Temple!
He also learned that it was because the daughter of the Dragon King of Blue Wave Pool wanted the bottom of the pool to be bright, so she had Nine-Headed Insect steal the Buddha’s Light Relic from Golden Light Temple, which led to this unjust case!
Having understood the whole story, the King of Jishai immediately requested Tang Sanzang to retrieve their national treasure, as he believed Tang Sanzang, a virtuous high monk, could subdue demons!
Before Tang Sanzang could speak, Sun Wukong said, “Master, let me go!”
Tang Sanzang nodded. The King of Jishai immediately said, “Revered Monk, do you need any troops or weapons? I can provide them for you!”
Sun Wukong laughed heartily and said, “I have my own weapons. I’m going now!” With that, he soared into the clouds and mist!
The King of Jishai was greatly astonished, realizing he was an immortal!
Zhu Bajie then laughed, “My Brother Monkey is the Great Sage Equaling Heaven who once wreaked havoc in Heaven. Ten thousand heavenly soldiers were no match for him, and even the Jade Emperor was beaten by my Brother Monkey!”
Of course, this was largely boastful, but it was also true that the Jade Emperor had indeed been beaten by the monkey!
The King of Jishai was filled with admiration. Looking at the monks from the Great Tang and then at the monks of his own country, there was indeed no comparison without contrast!
Sun Wukong arrived at Blue Wave Pool in Stone Mountain. He glanced down and snorted, “A mere Dragon King dares to covet a supreme Buddhist treasure! Come out!”
With that, he stirred the pool water with his Golden Cudgel. The old Dragon King at the bottom of the pool, who was drinking with his son-in-law, Nine-Headed Insect, was thrown into chaos. Nine-Headed Insect was immediately enraged and rushed out!
Seeing Sun Wukong, he sneered, “I wonder who it is, turns out to be the Bixie Heavenly Horse. Since you’re here, it means Tang Sanzang has also arrived. Perfect, capture Tang Sanzang and achieve immortality!”
Sun Wukong narrowed his eyes. This demon was not simple. He raised his Golden Cudgel and struck. Nine-Headed Insect took out his weapon, the crescent-shaped spade. Moreover, this spade was no ordinary weapon; it was the weapon bestowed by Di Jun, the Emperor of the Ancient Demon Court, to Gui Che, one of the Ten Great Demon Commanders!
And Gui Che was Nine-Headed Insect’s father!
It could be imagined that this crescent-shaped spade was a mid-grade innate spirit treasure, capable of both attack and defense, and extremely powerful!
Sun Wukong’s Golden Cudgel was merely a acquired spirit treasure, and the gap was huge. Thus, Sun Wukong was beaten to the point of questioning life!
But Sun Wukong now also possessed a spirit treasure. He took out the Banana Leaf Fan and fanned directly. Nine-Headed Insect was greatly alarmed and quickly threw out a pearl, which transformed into a barrier, blocking Sun Wukong’s fan!
This pearl was also a mid-grade innate spirit treasure, the Divine Protection Pearl, a treasure specifically for defense! These were the two mid-grade innate spirit treasures Gui Che had left for Nine-Headed Insect, and it was precisely because of these two spirit treasures that Nine-Headed Insect had been able to live so carefree until now!