Chapter 58: Encountering Demons In Black Pine Forest
However, Ao Tu took Tang Sanzang and dodged around.
Those little demons saw they could not capture Ao Tu and the other one, so they surrounded the two of them, with one splitting off to report to the Great King. He reported:
“Great King, those two people are very good at running, circling around the woods. Brothers cannot catch him!”
That old demon angrily said: “A bunch of useless things, cannot even catch two people. I will go take a look!”
Outside, Ao Tu saw a little demon go in, so he said to Tang Sanzang:
“That little demon must have gone to find the old demon. I will hold them off here; you run back first.”
Tang Sanzang said: “Your Highness, what about you?”
Ao Tu said: “My feet are fast. Once you leave first, I can escape.”
Tang Sanzang said: “But these monsters have surrounded us in a circle. How can I run out?”
Ao Tu said: “I have great strength. I will throw you out. Silently recite the Six-Character Mantra, do not worry about anything, do not look back, and run away all the way!”
Tang Sanzang said: “Good!”
Ao Tu grabbed Tang Sanzang’s clothes and threw him with force, immediately hurling Tang Sanzang out.
Tang Sanzang fell to the ground, dazed and confused, but regardless of the pain, he hurriedly got up, recited the Six-Character Mantra, and felt strength arise within his body. His two legs flew like the wind, and he fled straight away.
By the time that old demon came out, he saw the little demons surrounding only one person, and asked:
“Why is there only one?”
The little demons said: “Great King, that monk was thrown flying by him and ran very fast. We little ones were afraid that if we split up to chase, we would let this one escape too, so we waited for the Great King to come and deal with it.”
That old demon heard this, looked at Ao Tu, and asked:
“Where are you from, and why did you come to my place?”
Ao Tu laughed and said: “If you want to ask my name, first tell me yours!”
That old demon heard this and angrily said: “Insolent! Eat one strike from my saber first!”
He raised his saber and charged to kill.
Ao Tu raised his hand and produced an ordinary wooden staff, blocking that old demon’s Precious Saber.
The old demon said: “Such great strength! You must not be an unknown person!”
Ao Tu said: “I have innate divine strength!”
The old demon swept his saber horizontally, with saber shadows flickering, shining like silver, saber light filling the sky from all directions.
Ao Tu turned that wooden staff into three thousand, arrayed in the air, blocking all the saber light.
The old demon said: “Good! You do have some skill, but this weapon is inferior. I do not know which old man you stole it from.”
Ao Tu said: “My wooden staff does not show Buddha’s Light, yet it has supernatural power. It is many times stronger than your rotten saber!”
The old demon said: “How do you know about my Precious Saber? This saber was forged from nine heavens star silver and tempered with divine fire. With one swing, it draws the power of the star constellation; with one chop, it grinds your divine body to dust across ten thousand kalpas!”
Ao Tu laughed: “I know, I know. This saber is one you brought down from Heaven, Kui Mu Lang.”
Kui Mu Lang was greatly shocked upon hearing this and said:
“How do you know my identity?”
Ao Tu said: “From heaven above to earth below, what does this seat not know?”
He raised his hand and summoned the Dragon-Binding Rope.
Kui Mu Lang saw this and hurriedly fled backward, but he could not escape at all and was bound in an instant, falling to the ground.
Kui Mu Lang hurriedly begged for mercy: “Senior, Senior! This little god was ignorant and did not know of Senior’s arrival, offending Senior. Please spare my life, Senior!”
Ao Tu said: “I can spare you, but you must do one thing for me.”
Kui Mu Lang said: “Senior, just give the order. This little god will certainly do it!”
Ao Tu said: “I am not some senior, but a monster, with the title Spirit Mountain Great King. I intend to seize the position of King of Bao Xiang Kingdom. In a few days, two people will come to demand the Princess. Capture the one surnamed Sha and release the one surnamed Pig. Understand?”
Kui Mu Lang said upon hearing this: “Which is the one surnamed Pig and which is surnamed Sha? Is there a Shadow God Picture so this little god can identify them accordingly and avoid mistakes?”
Ao Tu said: “No need for a Shadow God Picture. You will naturally know at the time.”
Kui Mu Lang hurriedly said: “Yes, this little god understands, this little god understands!”
Ao Tu thus withdrew the Dragon-Binding Rope and released Kui Mu Lang.
Let us not speak of Ao Tu laying plans here.
Meanwhile, Sha Seng left the woods to search for Ba Jie, going dozens of li around, without seeing a single village.
He stood on a high mound looking around and heard someone speaking in the grass. Parting the deep grass to look, it turned out Ba Jie was arching inside and talking in his sleep.
Ba Jie had arched that deep grass patch into a pigsty shelter, extremely comfortable, sleeping soundly until Sha Seng grabbed his ears and woke him.
Sha Seng said: “Second Senior Brother! Master told you to beg for food. Why are you sleeping here?”
Ba Jie woke up abruptly and said: “Brother, what time is it?”
Sha Seng said: “Get up quickly! It is already dark. Master said finding a place to stay is the priority.”
Ba Jie got up in a daze, carrying the alms bowl and dragging the plum blossom pitchfork, and went straight back with Sha Seng.
When they reached the woods, Master was gone.
Sha Seng hurriedly asked the Tiger Vanguard: “Where are my Master and your Your Highness?”
The Tiger Vanguard said: “They went to the south. They told me to guard the luggage here.”
Sha Seng and Ba Jie hurriedly went to search.
After just two steps, they ran into Tang Sanzang running back in disarray.
The two hurriedly went up to greet him: “Master, where did you go?”
Tang Sanzang saw this and felt as if he had returned from the gates of hell, his whole body going soft.
He had fled all the way with death hanging over his head, not daring to look back or stop for a moment. He was truly exhausted half to death, half his life left on the road.
Ba Jie and Sha Seng hurriedly carried Tang Sanzang back. The Tiger Vanguard saw this, took water, and gave it to Tang Sanzang to drink.
Tang Sanzang was still panicked and breathless, saying haltingly: “South side, south side has monsters, making buns!”
Sha Seng said: “Master, what kind of monsters?”
Ba Jie said: “Master, what kind of buns?”
Sha Seng could not help looking at Ba Jie: “Second Senior Brother, you are still thinking about eating? Did you not hear Master say there are monsters?”
Ba Jie said: “What monsters! Master must have misspoken. There must be a family on the south side giving vegetarian meals, steaming buns for us to eat!”
Sha Seng said: “You only know buns. Did you not see Master is exhausted like this?”
Ba Jie said: “Master is just stuffed from eating. Help Master move around a bit and he will be fine!”
Tang Sanzang finally caught his breath and said:
“Wu Neng, Wu Jing, there is a group of monsters on the south side. They surrounded Your Highness and me, wanting to make human meat buns. Your Highness held them off and let me escape. Hurry and go save him!”
Ba Jie and Sha Seng heard this and hurriedly rushed south to save him.
Halfway, the two encountered Ao Tu returning.
Sha Seng said: “Your Highness, Master sent us to save you. Why are you back? Where are the monsters?”
Ao Tu said: “Those monsters saw your Master run away, so they split off some to chase your Master. Seeing fewer surrounding me, I took the chance to escape.”
Ba Jie laughed upon hearing this: “This group of monsters really cannot look after both ends!”
Ao Tu said: “Never mind me. Where is your vegetarian meal?”
Sha Seng said upon hearing this: “Ask Second Senior Brother about that!”
Ba Jie hemmed and hawed: “Why ask me?”
Sha Seng said: “We told you to beg for food, but you lazed off to sleep. Who else to ask?”
Ba Jie said: “There are no households for dozens of li around. Was I not tired from walking too?”
Ao Tu said: “Go back first. We will talk tomorrow.”
