Chapter 42: Wuzhuang Temple Retains Friends
Now speaking of White Tiger Ridge.
After Ao Tu left for several days, life at Qiao Er’s home returned to how it was before.
Qiao Er gazed into the distance every day, but the figure of the person she longed for never appeared.
She secretly ran to that river from before and called out, but there was no response.
Her parents saw through their daughter’s thoughts and said, “Daughter, that young master is a son from a wealthy family. He must have gone home by now and will not return.”
Qiao Er said nothing, just diligently tilled the land. Her face flushed red from exhaustion, sweat dripping from her cheeks one by one, falling into the soil.
As the sun slanted to the west, she went home. Looking at the empty wooden house, she swept the dust blown in by the mountain wind, then returned home.
He will come back. The Dragon God even told her to cooperate with the act!
At that time, Ao Tu followed Ming Yue into Wuzhuang Temple.
The sky was slightly dim. Qing Feng stood at the entrance of the main hall, hurling insults at Tang Sanzang and his disciples inside.
Calling the bald donkeys long, the thieving monks short, he cursed without stopping.
Ming Yue saw this and, fearing Ao Tu would be displeased, quickly said:
“Senior Brother, the Heavenly Venerable has arrived!”
Qing Feng turned his head and, seeing Ao Tu, immediately bowed respectfully and said:
“This boy servant did not recognize the Heavenly Venerable’s divine arts before and spoke offensively. I hope the Heavenly Venerable will forgive me!”
Ao Tu said: “Never mind, this seat will not hold it against you. What are you doing here?”
Qing Feng replied: “Reporting to the Heavenly Venerable, these are the four thieving monks. They stole the immortal fruits from our temple and knocked down the fruit tree. I captured them and locked them here, waiting for our master to return and deal with them!”
Ao Tu said: “Let me take a look. Who dares to be so bold?”
Qing Feng said: “These four bald donkeys have ugly appearances that might disturb Your Honor.”
Ao Tu said: “No matter.”
Qing Feng then opened the first layer of doors.
Ao Tu looked inside and saw precisely Tang Sanzang and his disciples four, locked in the room behind the second gate.
Wukong had fiery golden eyes and had already spotted Ao Tu. He saw through Ao Tu’s true form and said: “Ao Tu, what are you doing here?”
Ao Tu said: “Who is Ao Tu? This seat is Fu Zhu Zhen Shi Tian Zun. I heard someone knocked down Great Immortal Zhen Yuan’s ginseng fruit tree. Was it you four?”
Tang Sanzang and the others hung their heads and said nothing.
Qing Feng said: “It was exactly these four!”
Ao Tu said: “Which of these four is the leader?”
Qing Feng pointed at Tang Sanzang and said: “It’s him, this Tang fellow!”
Ao Tu approached and said: “Oh, so you are the ringleader?”
Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang bowed respectfully and said:
“Taoist Priest, this poor monk comes from the Eastern Land Great Tang. I am a monk going to the Western Heaven to pay respects to the Buddha and seek scriptures. It is these disciples of mine who are naughty and committed offenses, offending the immortal estate.”
Qing Feng said: “Thieving monks like them still have the nerve to go to the Western Heaven for sutras?”
Ao Tu said: “That is not right. You two are young and have never been to the Western Heaven, so you do not know the scenes there.”
Qing Feng and Ming Yue said: “May we ask the Heavenly Venerable, what are the scenes in the Western Heaven?”
Ao Tu said: “This seat comes from the west and knows a little about it.”
Qing Feng and Ming Yue said: “Please explain, Heavenly Venerable.”
Ao Tu said: “Western Spirit Mountain has laws different from the masses. Killers are Buddhas, those who harm are Bodhisattvas, thieves are Arhats. These four monks are skilled at stealing, perfectly suited to travel to the Western Heaven.”
At these words, Qing Feng said: “Ah, so that’s it. It turns out the Buddhist Sect is all a bunch of bald thieves!”
Tang Sanzang hurriedly said: “Taoist Priest, how can you slander my Buddhism like this?”
Ao Tu said: “When did I slander your Buddhism?”
Tang Sanzang said: “Amitabha! Disciples of my Buddhist Sect uphold the precepts strictly. The five precepts of Buddhism: the first forbids killing, the second forbids stealing. Western Spirit Mountain is a pure Buddhist land. How could it be as the Taoist Priest says?”
Ao Tu said: “I come from the west and often see disciples of Spirit Mountain who delight in eating boys and girls; or usurp lords and occupy countries; or abduct others’ wives; even worse, devour all the people of a country. These are all scenes at the foot of Spirit Mountain.”
Tang Sanzang listened and could not stop shaking his head, chanting sutras, saying:
“Amitabha! For the Taoist Priest to slander the Three Jewels like this is truly a sin! A sin!”
Ao Tu said: “You don’t believe me? Then tell me, what should this Western world be like?”
Tang Sanzang yearned and said: “The Western world is a place of ultimate bliss. Bodhisattvas are greatly compassionate, Buddhas universally save sentient beings. No greed, no killing, nurturing qi and hidden spirits. Though no supreme truth, everyone has long life.”
Ao Tu laughed: “If as you say, you this monk have committed the sin of theft, your disciple is full of killing aura, surely has killed people, and not just one life. When you arrive at the Western Heaven, will the Buddha Ancestor transmit the sutras to you?”
Wukong, upon hearing this, thought it bad.
He had fought Ao Tu many times and, at these words, knew it was aimed at him. Not knowing what trick this demon dragon would play next, he quickly said:
“Master, this Taoist priest is a monster in disguise. Do not believe him!”
Tang Sanzang said nothing, just kept his head down with an unsettled expression.
Seeing his goal achieved, Ao Tu said no more and said to Qing Feng and Ming Yue:
“Take me to see the spiritual root!”
Qing Feng and Ming Yue promptly agreed and took Ao Tu to the ginseng fruit garden.
Arriving in the garden to look, the tree lay fallen on the ground, roots exposed with the soil split open, leaves fallen and branches broken. There was not a single fruit left on the tree.
Qing Feng and Ming Yue nervously said: “Heavenly Venerable, can you revive the treasure tree?”
Ao Tu said: “It can be revived. This tree is the spiritual root of heaven and earth. Though fallen, it is not dead. I have three lights divine water that can bring the dead back to life, transcend all calamities, eliminate all suffering, and revive this tree.”
Qing Feng and Ming Yue were overjoyed at these words and knelt together, saying:
“We beg the Heavenly Venerable to cast a spell and revive our immortal tree!”
Ao Tu said: “Reviving the tree is easy, but this divine water of mine is a treasure condensed from ten thousand years of bitter cultivation and cannot be used lightly!”
Qing Feng and Ming Yue quickly said: “Heavenly Venerable, whatever you need, just say it. We will comply without question.”
Ao Tu said: “It is not difficult. Just bring me two little people to eat, and it will be done.”
Qing Feng and Ming Yue were shocked: “Two little people!”
Ao Tu said: “What, I revive your family’s treasure tree, and you can’t even provide two little people for me?”
Qing Feng and Ming Yue hesitated: “This…”
In terms of value, the ginseng fruit tree was a priceless treasure, naturally more precious. But to casually fetch two people for no reason because of this, Qing Feng and Ming Yue could not do it.
After a long time, Qing Feng and Ming Yue said: “Heavenly Venerable, this goes against the teachings. Can we wait for our master to return before deciding?”
Ao Tu said: “How does this violate any teachings? Never mind. Seeing you two boy servants cannot make the decision, we will wait until your master arrives!”
Qing Feng and Ming Yue said: “Thank you for your mercy, Heavenly Venerable.”
At once, Ming Yue arranged the best guest room for Ao Tu and invited him to stay.
Qing Feng prepared fine tea and meals for Ao Tu.
At night, the moon rose in the east.
Wukong said: “Now all is silent. Those boy servants must be asleep. Let us go.”
Ba Jie said: “The doors are all locked. How do we proceed?”
Wukong said: “Watch my methods!”
Wukong twirled the golden cudgel in his hand, pointed at the door, cast a spell. With a clang, the door lock fell off, and all layers of doors swung open.
Ba Jie laughed: “Impressive skill! Senior Brother’s lock-picking craft is better than that of a veteran locksmith! After fetching the sutras, if there’s nothing to do, he could make a living picking locks.”
Wukong said: “What’s so special about this door! Even the South Heaven Gate or Dou Shuai Palace, Old Sun could open with a point of his finger.”
