"Bajie, can you lend your Three Realms Mall account to me for a moment?"
"Master, don’t you have one yourself?"
Tang Sanzang said embarrassingly, "I just posted a comment under the Buddhism account without notifying them first, and they might have thought I was impersonating Tang Sanzang. There was a misunderstanding, so they blocked my account.
Bajie, let me use your account. I will personally communicate with the disciples of Buddhism to resolve this misunderstanding."
"No problem, fulfilling Master’s needs is a disciple’s duty."
Zhu Bajie immediately took out his Three Realms Mall and handed it to Tang Sanzang.
Moments later, Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie sat in the horse carriage in silence, as Zhu Bajie’s account was also muted.
"Master, have you offended Buddhism?"
"Do they have any complaints against you?"
"Are we still going to proceed with obtaining the scriptures?"
"Yes, of course, we will proceed. Once we reach Spiritual Mountain, I will personally seek justice."
A streak of golden light swept across the sky and with a bang, landed on the horse carriage, revealing Sun Wukong as he stepped in, bringing a gust of cold wind.
Tang Sanzang quickly stood up and asked, "Wukong, you didn’t do anything rash just now, did you?"
Zhu Bajie also immediately exclaimed, "Brother, Master and I just had our comments under Buddhism blocked as well. Did you go and cause a scene at Buddhism?! Not to blame you, Brother, but you are often too impulsive."
"I did feel like causing a scene and even went to see Emperor Gouchen, planning to ask the emperor to dispatch troops so I could lead them to attack Spiritual Mountain and seek justice for the emperor.
But the emperor told me to continue the Westward Journey, which was not satisfying at all."
Tang Sanzang put his palms together and chanted, "Amitabha Buddha, it’s good that nothing happened! It’s good that nothing happened.
Wukong, do not act so recklessly next time. You are now a disciple of the Buddha, and thinking about attacking Spiritual Mountain is out of the question."
"Understood, understood, Old Sun gets it." Sun Wukong said, taking a bottle of wine and sitting down to drink.
Tang Sanzang glanced around nervously and asked, "Wukong, did Emperor Gouchen take any offense towards me?"
Sun Wukong scoffed, saying, "Little monk, aren’t you overestimating yourself? You’re not even worthy of catching Emperor Gouchen’s eye."
Tang Sanzang said relievedly, "That’s good, that’s good!"
As the saying goes, distant water cannot cure immediate thirst. Half a month later, Tang Sanzang and his disciples finally approached Futu Mountain.
Sun Wukong put away the horse carriage, and the group started ascending the mountain. Halfway up, they saw a red twisted tree growing on a cliff with a huge bird’s nest on it. White flames burned intensely on the bird’s nest, incinerating the void around it, a truly terrifying sight.
Zhu Bajie pointed at the bird’s nest from afar, saying, "Master, this is where Wu Chao Zen Master cultivates."
Tang Sanzang, leaning on his staff with both hands together, respectfully said, "Monk Tang Sanzang has come from Eastern Tang, travelling westward to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures, hearing that the Zen Master possesses great dharma, I’ve come to pay my respects."
From the flaming bird’s nest, a figure slowly emerged. It was none other than Great Sun Tathagata Lu Ya, who had sold off palaces on Spiritual Mountain and dared not use his real name, now wandering incognito as Wu Chao Zen Master.
Wu Chao Zen Master gracefully stepped through the air, smilingly said, "I’ve long heard of the Saint Monk’s great fame. It’s an honor to meet you today, this monk pays his respects."
Zhu Bajie chuckled and said, "Zen Master, do you still recognize this old pig?"
Wu Chao Zen Master nodded and smiled, "Recognize, recognize. Being able to journey to the West with the Saint Monk is indeed your good fortune."
Tang Sanzang asked, "Zen Master, after leaving the Great Tang, I have been traveling non-stop through hardships. How much farther is Spiritual Mountain? When will I arrive?"
Wu Chao Zen Master shook his head and said, "It’s far! Very far! The roads are difficult with tigers and leopards; it’s hard to pin down a date."
"The two disciples of this poor monk possess the ability to tear tigers and leopards apart with their bare hands; indeed, we do not fear tigers and leopards." This update is available on Nove1Fire.net
Wu Chao Zen Master gazed into the Western, and with a sigh said, "Tigers and leopards are easy to contend with, but the Heart Demon is hard to eliminate. Without banishing the Heart Demon, it is difficult to see Spiritual Mountain.
I have a scroll of the ’Heart Sutra,’ containing fifty-four phrases, totaling two hundred and seventy characters. Should you encounter demonic miasmas, simply recite this sutra, and you shall be unharmed. Today, I present it to you, elder."
Tang Sanzang immediately expressed his joy, "Thank you, Zen Master!"
"Listen well, Guanyin Bodhisattva practices deeply in the Prajnaparamita, she illuminates and sees that the five aggregates are empty, overcoming all suffering. Shariputra, form is no different from emptiness, emptiness no different from form; form is itself emptiness, emptiness itself is form..."
Tang Sanzang clasped his hands and listened respectfully.
Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie squatted on a nearby rock and yawned out of boredom.
Zhu Bajie’s expression changed, and he glanced around, whispering, "Brother Monkey, my stomach feels a bit uncomfortable, I’ll go relieve myself first. Please look after Master for me."
Sun Wukong waved his hand casually, "Go ahead! Go ahead!"
Zhu Bajie gratefully said, "Thanks, Brother Monkey!" Utilizing the Earth Tunneling Technique, he swiftly disappeared from Futu Mountain.
In another range of mountains, Zhu Bajie’s figure appeared and shouted, "Mountain God, come out to meet me!"
A yellow light emanated from the nearby mountain, and an elder with a fox’s head wearing a yellow robe emerged from within the mountain and respectfully bowed, "I, the lesser god, pay respects to Marshal Tianpeng!"
"What do you need from me?"
The Mountain God respectfully gestured and said, "Please, Marshal, come inside for a detailed discussion."
Ripples appeared on the mountain wall, resembling the surface of water.
Zhu Bajie followed the Mountain God inside without hesitation. As for being schemed against, that was impossible. Not to mention the vast difference in strength; even if the strengths were comparable, he wouldn’t dare.
Entering the mountain wall, the scene before Zhu Bajie blurred, and he instantly found himself in a cave mansion. Inside, lava flowed and the rocky walls bloomed golden, adorned with various gemstones, filled with a unique kind of beauty.
A thin battle general inside the cave mansion quickly greeted Zhu Bajie with a fist and palm salute, saying respectfully, "This lowly officer has seen the Marshal!"
Zhu Bajie laughed heartily, "Ah, so that’s what’s happening. You were looking for me! What’s wrong? Is there a problem with the Heavenly River?"
The Deputy General stood up, serious, and said, "Rest assured, Marshal, even in your absence, the Heavenly River Navy dares not slack off. The Heavenly River remains as stable as ever."
Marshal Tianpeng replied irritably, "If nothing is wrong with the Heavenly River, why come to find me? Don’t you know I am undergoing tribulations?"
The Deputy General managed a smile and bowed, "On behalf of the eighty thousand soldiers of the Heavenly River Navy, I come to congratulate the Marshal on your grand wedding."
"You’re quite slow with this congratulation!"
"Marshal, forgive me. I didn’t dare pry into your tribulations; that’s why I am late."
Zhu Bajie waved his hand, sadness in his voice, "Enough, enough. Just a calamitous affair. Let it blow away with the wind."
The deputy hesitated and then whispered, "Marshal, your residence in the Mortal World has been occupied by others."