Chapter 122: Encountering The Black Water River On The Road
Yet the laborers were chopping wood.
The trees transformed by Ao Tu were extremely tall, each one six or seven zhang high and as wide as four or five men could encircle.
Even several laborers chopping at one tree together had to work extremely hard to fell it.
Once the tree was felled, Tiger Brother stepped forward before everyone and used a knife to cut the trunk.
Tiger Brother stood by using fire control magic to dry the wood.
Tiger Brother then used magic power, squeezing and pressing, quickly making a wooden cart.
The laborers saw this and all exclaimed: “This is truly gods working miracles!”
As Tiger Brother made carts, he had people send the wooden carts to the earth-digging side to help them transport soil.
Twenty thousand laborers mobilized, shouting work chants with great momentum, cart after cart of wood and cart after cart of soil transported to the Black Water River riverbank.
Tang Sanzang saw this and said: “I wonder how these things will be used to build a bridge?”
Ba Jie said: “Master, in my old pig’s view, this river god is an amateur.”
Wukong said: “How is he an amateur?”
Ba Jie said: “The river is so wide, this soil dumped in would be washed away in moments; these logs are big, enough for a one- or two-li bridge perhaps, but for over sixty li, they certainly won’t hold.”
Sha Seng said: “Second Senior Brother is right. For such a long bridge, forget wood—even iron chains couldn’t secure it.”
Wukong laughed: “In Old Sun’s view, no wood or iron chains are needed. Ba Jie, just put your nine-chi Plum Blossom Pitchfork there, make it bigger to span the banks—isn’t that a fine bridge?”
Ba Jie hurriedly said: “No! No! My Plum Blossom Pitchfork is still useful!”
Wukong said: “What’s it useful for?”
Ba Jie said: “This Plum Blossom Pitchfork is my old pig’s property, I can’t part with it. Following Master these years, I haven’t saved any money. If one day we hit rock bottom, I can pawn the Plum Blossom Pitchfork to get through the crisis.”
Wukong laughed: “In that case, let Junior Brother Sha leave his Treasure Staff.”
Sha Seng said: “No, Senior Brother.”
Wukong laughed: “What, you need to keep your Treasure Staff to pawn when times get tough?”
Sha Seng said: “Not for pawning—my Treasure Staff is needed to protect Master!”
Wukong said: “Idiot, listen to what Junior Brother Sha said? You’re only thinking of yourself.”
Ba Jie said: “Bro, how about you leave your Golden Cudgel? Your Golden Cudgel is straight and smooth at both ends—perfect for a bridge.”
Wukong said: “No, no—my Golden Cudgel is too slippery; if people walk on it, one slip and they’d fall into the river.”
Tang Sanzang said: “Disciples, stop arguing first—look!”
Wukong and the others looked and saw Ao Tu casting a spell.
Ao Tu pointed with his hand, and the soil in the wooden cart turned into a giant stone.
Ao Tu said: “Push the stone into the river.”
The laborers exclaimed in shock: “Push it into the river? This…”
Ao Tu said: “No more words—push it into the river.”
The laborers, hearing this, had no choice but to obey the order, pushing the wooden cart to dump the giant stone into the river.
A muffled thud was heard as the giant stone fell into the river, yet it floated on the surface without sinking.
The laborers wondered: “Why doesn’t this stone sink?”
One laborer noticed something and said: “Look!”
A Giant Turtle emerged from the water, bearing the giant stone on its back.
Ao Tu said: “This is the Black Water River Turtle God, who learned of your difficulty building the bridge and came specially to help.”
The laborers all bowed: “Thank you, Turtle God.”
That Old Turtle was the Black Water River God; Ao Tu had him bear the giant stone to build the bridge piers.
The Black Water River God was somewhat unwilling in his heart; he believed himself the true river god and shouldn’t be just a stone-bearing old turtle.
But under Ao Tu’s coercion, he could only reluctantly agree.
With bridge piers for support, a bridge surface was still needed.
Ao Tu ordered the laborers to pile the felled wood on the riverbank.
Once the wood was piled, Ao Tu had everyone stand back.
Ao Tu raised his hand to cast a spell, using Witchcraft: All Things Sprout.
The ground rumbled; before everyone’s eyes, the many logs turned into an incomparably massive giant tree that grew from the riverbank, a hundred zhang wide and half a man’s height.
The laborers were all amazed.
The giant tree rooted firmly underground, then its trunk grew toward the opposite bank of the Black Water River under Ao Tu’s control.
But it only grew a little before stopping.
Ao Tu said: “You all hurry and chop more trees; only with enough wood can the bridge grow.”
The laborers, hearing this, hurriedly pushed the wooden carts back to chop wood.
Tang Sanzang sighed: “Truly the power of gods!”
Wukong laughed: “This guy does have a way.”
Time reached afternoon, with the sun setting in the west.
The two little tigers and two little wolves each led laborers back.
The laborers, not knowing why, asked: “Why are we back?”
Ao Tu said: “After a day’s work, it’s time to provide you food.”
The laborers were overjoyed: “Dragon King Grandfather is so merciful—such good pay and now providing food too!”
Ao Tu clapped his hands, and Ming Niang flew out from the river.
Ao Tu said: “This is the Black Water River Goddess, who pities you commoners’ hardships and has come specially to cook food for you.”
The laborers all respectfully bowed: “Thank you, Goddess!”
Ming Niang felt some disdain for these commoners but just nodded faintly, went to an open area nearby, scattered seeds of grains and vegetables from her hand; the seeds fell to the ground, sprouted and grew to maturity in moments.
The laborers saw this and were even more shocked, kneeling and bowing again.
The ability to make crops grow earned the common people great reverence for Ming Niang.
In truth, the spells making the crops grow were not cast by Ming Niang but secretly activated by Ao Tu.
Ming Niang didn’t know such magic; she was just putting on a show.
Ao Tu had previously promised merit to Ming Niang over the little flood dragon matter, so he cooperated with her now.
Once the grains had grown, Ming Niang cast a spell to harvest the grains and vegetables, then used magic power to cook them to maturity.
Whether tasty or not was secondary; mainly, they filled the belly.
And these were proper grain; for the laborers, it was rare food indeed.
Tang Sanzang and his disciples each took a portion, and it tasted quite good.
Ming Niang did have some skill in cooking.
After cooking for everyone, Ming Niang specially made a few dishes just for Ao Tu to taste.
Ba Jie’s nose twitched, spotting what Ao Tu was eating, and called out:
“Look, this river god is eating something different from us—he’s got special treatment!”
Wukong set down his bowl and chopsticks: “Come on, let’s go ask him.”
Tang Sanzang stopped him: “Wukong, special treatment or not is their business; let’s not cause trouble over it.”
Wukong laughed: “Don’t worry, Master—Ba Jie and I just want to ask, nothing else. Right, Ba Jie?”
Ba Jie said: “Right, Master. My old pig means no harm; I just want to see what he’s eating.”
Tang Sanzang shook his head helplessly.
Wukong and Ba Jie came before Ao Tu and immediately demanded:
“You river god, why are you secretly eating special food here?”
