Chapter 26: Quicksand Hard To Cross
However, Tang Sanzang ignored Wukong’s obstruction and went to call the fisherman.
“Fisherman, fisherman! Please come over!”
That fisherman was Sha Seng in disguise. Hearing this, he rowed the boat over.
“Venerable Master, what matter do you have in calling me over?”
Wukong hurriedly followed, staring closely at Sha Seng.
However, what puzzled Wukong was that although Sha Seng had some malevolent stars aura on him, there was no demonic aura, as if he truly was not transformed from a monster.
Tang Sanzang said: “This poor monk wishes to go west and wants to ask you to ferry me across the river.”
Sha Seng said: “No, no, I cannot take you across.”
Tang Sanzang said: “Why is that?”
Sha Seng looked around, as if guarding against something, and said: “Masters, this is not a place to talk. Please go to my home first. I’ll be there as soon as I cast this net.”
Tang Sanzang said: “May I ask where your esteemed abode is?”
Sha Seng pointed south and said: “Over there, about five miles away.”
Hearing this, Tang Sanzang led Wukong and the others to Sha Seng’s residence.
Soon after, Sha Seng also rowed the boat over.
“Masters, please.” Sha Seng said.
Tang Sanzang gave a salute, then followed Sha Seng into the house. Wukong and Ba Jie also followed inside.
Sha Seng put down his straw cloak and bamboo hat, revealing a bald head.
Tang Sanzang said: “Fisherman, could it be that you are also a monk like this poor monk?”
Sha Seng said: “Though I delight in monks and love the Buddha, I am not a monk.”
Ba Jie laughed: “Then you must have bald sores or head ringworm, otherwise why no hair?”
Sha Seng said: “No, no, this was burned by fire!”
Tang Sanzang said: “Burned by fire?”
Sha Seng said: “Masters do not know: this place originally had a village with over a hundred households. But because monsters ate people, the villagers all fled in fright. The monster had no people to eat, so in great anger, it released demonic fire and burned the village clean. I escaped a bit late and was burned in the fire by that monster, thus becoming like this.”
Tang Sanzang said in shock: “Could it be that you are a wronged ghost!”
Sha Seng said: “I am not a wronged ghost.”
Tang Sanzang said: “Then how did you survive?”
Sha Seng poured tea for the three and recounted:
“I was fortunate to be saved by the Bodhisattva and thus survived. She told me to wait here, saying a holy monk from the Eastern Land Great Tang would pass by this place and eliminate the monster for me, avenging my great hatred. Then I was to ferry him across the river. Masters, you come from afar—have you seen the holy monk from the Eastern Land?”
Tang Sanzang said joyfully: “Amitabha, this poor monk is precisely from the Eastern Land Great Tang, going to Western Heaven to worship Buddha and seek sutras.”
Hearing this, Sha Seng immediately said:
“It is the holy monk in person! I have finally waited for you. Please accept my bow! I beg the holy monk to subdue the monster for me!”
Tang Sanzang hurriedly helped Sha Seng up and said:
“Fisherman, no need for this. This poor monk’s two disciples are adept at subduing demons. Whatever monster it is, just tell them.”
At this time, Wukong was slightly less suspicious of Sha Seng’s identity. Because Sha Seng truly had no demonic aura, and his words were reasonable and evidence-based.
However, Wukong did not fully believe him and remained guarded in his heart. He said: “What monster is it? Tell us first.”
Sha Seng said: “This river of ours is called Black Water River. Near the river water, there are three demons, also called the three harms. Walking south from here, there is a grove of trees. The fierce tiger in the grove is the first harm.”
Wukong said: “And then?”
Sha Seng said: “The poisonous dragon in the river is the second harm. It eats travelers crossing the river, so when I fish, I dare not go deep, and I also dare not ferry the holy monk across now.”
Wukong said: “What is the third harm?”
Sha Seng said: “Young Master, do not aim too high. With your small thin body, I’m afraid even subduing one harm is difficult, yet you speak of the third harm?”
Wukong said angrily:
“This fellow does not yet know Old Sun’s abilities. I am the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven Sun Wukong who caused the Great Havoc in Heaven five hundred years ago. Not even ten thousand heavenly soldiers and generals were my match. A mere small fierce tiger can be extinguished with a flick of the finger!”
Sha Seng said: “You little monk, quite the braggart. That fierce tiger opens its mouth wider than your body and would swallow you in one bite. By noon when I prepare vegetarian meal for the holy monk, you will probably have become the monster’s dung.”
Ba Jie laughed: “Monkey bro, he doesn’t believe in your abilities!”
Wukong said angrily: “Old Sun will go catch that fierce tiger right now for you to see!”
Sha Seng said: “Young Master, do not be reckless. I see this pig elder has some strength. You should all go together!”
Ba Jie laughed: “Monkey bro, he fears the fierce tiger will eat you and wants old pig to help you!”
Wukong glanced at Sha Seng, still guarded in his heart, and said: “Ba Jie stay to protect Master. Old Sun will go and return soon.”
With that, Wukong jumped outside and rode his cloud away.
Arriving at the southern grove, he looked down and indeed saw a massive fierce tiger lying in the woods.
Wukong jumped off the cloud and struck with his staff.
With a thud, the ground was smashed into a big pit.
It turned out to be a tiger skin.
Wukong said in shock: “Bad! I’ve been tricked!”
No sooner had he spoken than the surroundings changed: red sand filled the sky, black mist pervaded; no sky above, no ground below; yin-yang and five elements could not transform, trapping Sun Wukong within.
Sun Wukong tried to escape with somersault cloud, but Ao Tu grabbed a handful of red sand from the altar and threw it at Sun Wukong, knocking him down and back into the formation.
Hit by the red sand, Sun Wukong felt as if his whole body was being cut by a thousand knives. Pressed down by the sky-filling red sand, he could not move an inch. Worried for Master’s safety, he sent out his original spirit to leave.
Seeing this, Ao Tu scattered three more handfuls of red sand, striking down Sun Wukong’s original spirit, confusing his divine soul, and making it fall heavily back into the formation, unable to leave again.
There is a saying:
Few who comprehend the Intercepting Teachings’ arts, profound wonders hold heavenly secrets.
First forged in the furnace to golden powder, later refined to endless white jade mist.
A few pieces of red sand make hearts fall, black mist pervades and chills bones fly.
If today one comprehends the dragon-tiger ground, even immortals’ souls return to extinction.
With Sun Wukong trapped in the Red Sand Formation, Ao Tu took out a piece of cloth and used a transformation technique to make Sun Wukong’s words appear on it, writing:
The sutra-seeking road is long with hardships endured, long parted from home, I miss the old borders.
Now I ask my master to wait a while, temporarily return to homeland for a visit.
In a month or so, return to follow the saddle horse, again protect the westward journey breaking evil barriers.
Fear not demons coming to obstruct, by your side there is still Ba Jie to help!
He handed it to the Tiger Vanguard: “If that Zhu Bajie comes looking for Sun Wukong, give this to him.”
The Tiger Vanguard received the order, took the cloth, and went out.
Meanwhile, Ba Jie and Tang Sanzang waited a long time at Sha Seng’s home without Wukong returning. Tang Sanzang said:
“Ba Jie, why hasn’t Wukong returned? Go take a look.”
Ba Jie said: “Senior Brother has heaven-shaking abilities. What could happen?”
Tang Sanzang said: “For Master is uneasy. Go take a look!”
Ba Jie said: “Fine, fine, I’ll go.”
Ba Jie went out the door and walked toward the south.
Soon, he reached the grove and called: “Senior Brother, Senior Brother?”
He shouted for a long time, seeing no one.
Just then, a fierce tiger jumped down.
Wearing black gold armor, black gold helmet on head, holding a tiger head saber, with a black gold long spear on his back.
Because of the changed attire, Ba Jie did not recognize the Tiger Vanguard and said: “Could you be the fierce tiger among the three harms? Where is my senior brother?”
The Tiger Vanguard laughed loudly:
“What fierce tiger? I am the Great King of this South Mountain! The senior brother you speak of is that monkey with the furry face and thunder god’s mouth, right? Seeing me living freely in this South Mountain, he grew envious. After I persuaded him a few words, he has already left!”
Ba Jie said in shock: “Where did he go?”
The Tiger Vanguard said: “Naturally, back where he came from!”
Ba Jie said: “I don’t believe it. My senior brother is not a fickle person!”
The Tiger Vanguard laughed: “You don’t believe? He left a letter here, saying if a long-mouthed big-eared monk comes looking for him, I should give him this letter!”
