But even so, a monkey could borrow it to sweep the rosy clouds, and that's what Zhu Bajie found amazing!
Sun Wukong was quite pleased with Zhu Bajie's praise; this dimwit certainly knew how to talk! If only he knew Zhu Bajie was secretly calling him a country monkey, or he would have used the Golden Cudgel!
The four masters and disciples continued forward. The relocation of Fire Phoenix Mountain had made the road much easier. After all, they were already out of the Great Tang dynasty, surrounded by mountains. The four masters and disciples had no fixed route but were heading west!
"Brother Monkey, go and beg for alms!" Zhu Bajie complained!
Sun Wukong rolled his eyes, took out a white flour cake, and handed it to Tang Sanzang. Tang Sanzang ate half of it. Seeing Zhu Bajie staring at him, he had no choice but to give the remaining half to Zhu Bajie!
Zhu Bajie immediately began to eat heartily, but soon, he complained that there were only cakes and no dishes, making the meal unsatisfying!
Sun Wukong ignored him and walked ahead, suddenly encountering a place shrouded in immortal mist!
Sun Wukong was startled, as such an unusual occurrence usually meant a demon!
So, Sun Wukong said, "It's not quite right ahead. Although there's no demonic energy, it's shrouded in immortal mist. I'll go and take a look!"
With that, he ascended on his cloud. Zhu Bajie opened his mouth and mumbled, "Nonsense, it's the abode of the Ancestor of Earth Immortals, of course, it's shrouded in immortal mist! What is this country monkey doing, running so fast!"
Then Zhu Bajie said, "Master, ahead should be Longevity Mountain, Wuzhuang Monastery!"
Tang Sanzang heard this and thought, well, he didn't know, but Bajie did, so perhaps they could pass through.
"Shall we go and see?" Tang Sanzang asked!
Zhu Bajie nodded, simultaneously calculating his own plans. After all, Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi was the Ancestor of Earth Immortals. Zhu Bajie was no fool; he was a registered disciple of Xuandu and a famous Marshal Tian Peng in the celestial realm. He knew all the prominent figures of the primordial era. It was just bad luck that he overacted and was reborn as a pig. Otherwise, Zhu Bajie felt this tribulation would have been more enjoyable!
What was Wuzhuang Monastery most famous for? It was undoubtedly the Ginseng Fruit! That thing bloomed every three thousand years, bore fruit every three thousand years, and ripened in another three thousand years, taking at least ten thousand years to be edible. It was said that just smelling it could extend one's life by three hundred and sixty years, and eating one would easily grant tens of thousands of years of longevity. Zhu Bajie had only heard of it, never tasted it.
Unfortunately, the Ginseng Fruits of Wuzhuang Monastery were only available during the Ginseng Fruit Conference, and even then, only prominent figures of the primordial era were invited, with the lowest being of his master's level – famous disciples of the second generation of the Chan and Jie sects. As for the third generation, well, they could only watch!
At other times, they were eaten by Old Ancestor Hongyun. It was said that Old Ancestor Hongyun and Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi were inseparable friends, so they generally had no hope of obtaining them.
Now, during this tribulation, could he instigate Monkey to steal a few?
After all, this was the easiest time to get them. Yes, he decided, he would instigate Monkey to steal them then. Since they were the masters of this tribulation, he presumed Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi wouldn't hold it against them too much. Just stealing a few fruits shouldn't be a big deal.
At this moment, Zhu Bajie had already made his plans, and thinking of the Ginseng Fruit made his mouth water!
After a while, Sun Wukong returned and said, "Master, ahead is a Taoist temple. It should be the residence of a virtuous Taoist. We can lodge there for a night before continuing!"
Sun Wukong looked around and, finding no demons, felt reassured and returned.
Tang Sanzang nodded. Although it was a Taoist temple, it was not impossible to visit.
Thus, the four masters and disciples arrived at Wuzhuang Monastery on Longevity Mountain!
Let's go back to a few days ago. Zhenyuanzi suddenly had a premonition that the four masters and disciples would pass by. After all, his Wuzhuang Monastery on Longevity Mountain was located at the junction of east and west. Since the scripture pilgrims were going to the west to retrieve the scriptures, they would inevitably pass by Wuzhuang Monastery.
"This monkey is outrageously bold. Won't he push down my fruit tree!" Zhenyuanzi muttered to himself!
This fruit tree was his lifeline. It had suffered a calamity at the beginning of creation, and it had only recovered its origin with the help of the Three Lights Divine Water. Was it going to suffer another calamity now?
Zhenyuanzi hesitated!
A few days ago, Duobao came, which was to say, Tathagata, and begged him to let the scripture pilgrims pass, to complete this calamity.
Zhenyuanzi was initially puzzled, but then he suddenly understood. It turned out that the Heavenly Court had taken away seventy-two tribulations, leaving only nine for the West. Then Tathagata began to scheme, hoping that some unexpected events would occur along the way, which would also count as a tribulation, thus reducing the Heavenly Court's arrangements. After all, there were only eighty-one tribulations. If an accident occurred, you couldn't possibly arrange more, right? Thus, Tathagata found Zhenyuanzi!
Of course, Tathagata's current cultivation was at the late stage of quasi-sage, having severed three corpses, making him the foremost beneath a saint. However, facing an ancient mighty figure like Zhenyuanzi, even though Zhenyuanzi had only severed two corpses, his merit was immeasurable! Several times he had saved the earth's veins, and that merit had long since propelled him to the late stage of quasi-sage. Coupled with a top-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Bitter Bamboo Staff, which was said to seal the five senses and be unfathomable to ghosts and spirits, and the Book of Earth, which could make even saints retreat by three steps once opened, did you really want to break the primordial earth's membrane? Look at the fate of the Two Sages of the West!
Even saints couldn't withstand it, let alone Duobao Tathagata!
"Haha, Zhenyuanzi, what's there to think about? Leave behind a wisp of the Ginseng Fruit Tree's essence, then protect it with the Book of Earth and hide it away. We can go play on my Fangzhang Island!" Hong Yun said with a hearty laugh!
Zhenyuanzi nodded. Indeed, he was a mighty figure of the primordial era. He respected only heaven and earth. Even saints were his friends, so he feared no one. However, with Buddhism now in ascendant, he did not want to offend Buddhism too much, which was why he did not directly refuse.
Leaving behind a wisp of essence was already a great concession!
Thus, Zhenyuanzi waved his hand, covering the Ginseng Fruit Tree with the Book of Earth. In the original spot of the Ginseng Fruit Tree, another fruit tree appeared. Zhenyuanzi pondered for a moment, then with a wave of his hand, all the fruits from the real Ginseng Fruit Tree flew onto the fake one. After giving a few instructions to Qingfeng and Mingyue, he left Wuzhuang Monastery!
At this moment, the four masters and disciples were looking at the couplet at the entrance of Wuzhuang Monastery!
Eternal life, divine abode;
Longevity with heaven, Taoist recluse!
Seeing such a couplet, Sun Wukong scoffed, "Good heavens, this fellow has quite the nerve. Five hundred years ago when I wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, even that old fellow Tai Shang Lao Jun wouldn't dare to write like this!"
Zhu Bajie glanced at Sun Wukong, "You're the one with nerve, daring to speak like that about the Ancestor of Earth Immortals? Are you getting too carried away! Anyway, Zhu Bajie wouldn't dare to be presumptuous. But thinking about being able to eat Ginseng Fruit this time, Zhu Bajie's mouth watered. That's a good thing!"
"Alright, stop looking. Let's hurry inside. Perhaps there will be vegetarian dishes!" Zhu Bajie urged, as if he were eager for a vegetarian meal. Sun Wukong paid no mind, this dimwit was always like this!