Chapter 63: Encountering Demons In Black Pine Forest
Tang Sanzang hurried towards the palace.
Ao Tu saw him approaching and knew that his scheme had been exposed, so he dismissed the guards in advance.
Tang Sanzang took step after step up the jade stairs, recalling all that had happened in the past half-year.
From first chasing away Wukong, accepting enlightenment at White Bone Ridge, making a grave mistake in Bao Xiang Kingdom, to discovering the truth today.
Tang Sanzang entered the Golden Palace.
Ao Tu was sitting on the throne.
“You know everything now, don’t you?” Ao Tu asked.
Tang Sanzang prostrated himself on the ground and respectfully said, “Disciple Tang Sanzang, meets the Spirit Mountain King Buddha.”
Ao Tu: “What??”
Tang Sanzang said, “This disciple was enlightened by Buddha, and therefore pays respects.”
Ao Tu said, “What did I enlighten you about?”
Tang Sanzang said, “This disciple, with mortal eyes, was misled and believed falsehoods. Only today do I realize that the woman who delivered food, the hunter, the prince, the old woman, the soldier, and the abbot were all manifestations of Buddha, intended to enlighten this disciple and teach him to deeply understand Buddhist principles.”
Ao Tu heard this and smiled, shaking his head:
“Tang Sanzang, you are mistaken. There is no Spirit Mountain King Buddha. This title was merely fabricated by me. From beginning to end, I never intended to enlighten you; instead, I wanted to use your hands to seize the position of King of Bao Xiang Kingdom!”
Tang Sanzang said, “Whether the Spirit Mountain King Buddha exists or not, the Spirit Mountain King Buddha is already in this disciple’s heart. Today, this disciple is willing to sacrifice himself to atone for past mistakes.”
Ao Tu shook his head:
“The King of Bao Xiang Kingdom is dead, and I have become the new King of Bao Xiang Kingdom. All the civil and military officials support me. No matter what you do, it will not change anything. If you are sensible, then pretend you know nothing, and I will still treat you with the courtesy of a minister of a great kingdom. You can still go to the Western Heaven to retrieve your true sutras. Otherwise, do not blame me for turning hostile.”
Tang Sanzang said, “The events in Bao Xiang Kingdom were all due to this disciple’s prejudice and misjudgment. How can this disciple stand by and do nothing? If I cannot atone for my mistakes, what is the use of fetching the sutras even if I reach the Western Heaven?”
Ao Tu said, “It seems you are determined to be stubborn and ignorant?”
Ao Tu took out the Headache Gourd and tapped it lightly.
Tang Sanzang immediately collapsed on the ground, his head splitting with pain.
Ao Tu said, “Tang Sanzang, if you turn a blind eye and pretend that this King of Bao Xiang Kingdom is the real King, I will spare you. Otherwise, I will strike this gourd thirty times, and you will suffer unbearable pain, unable to live or die.”
Tang Sanzang trembled all over, forcing himself to get up from the ground, clasped his hands, and said:
“Please forgive this disciple, but I cannot obey.”
Ao Tu struck the gourd a few more times, causing Tang Sanzang to nearly faint from the pain, yet his will remained unchanged.
Ao Tu thought to himself: Although this Tang Sanzang is pedantic, he does have some admirable qualities.
Putting away the Headache Gourd, Ao Tu said:
“Tang Sanzang, why must you be so stubborn? I am now the King, the four seas are at peace, and the common people live and work in contentment. What is wrong with that? If you insist on your own way, I will cast a spell and transform you into a monster. The common people have mortal eyes, and who will believe you?”
Tang Sanzang clutched his forehead and said, “In the past, this disciple could not distinguish right from wrong, drove away Wukong, and wrongly condemned the King. The common people have mortal eyes and do not know the truth; how am I different from them? Karma cycles, and this disciple is now willing to accept punishment.”
Seeing this, Ao Tu cast a spell and transformed Tang Sanzang into a fierce tiger, confining him in the palace. He then publicly announced that the monk from the Tang Dynasty had been transformed by a tiger demon and sent men to confiscate Tang Sanzang’s luggage.
The soldiers hurried to the post station to seize the luggage of Tang Sanzang and his disciples.
The White Dragon Horse was at the manger in the post station, eating grass and fodder.
He was originally the third prince of the West Sea Dragon Palace. Because he broke heavenly rules, he was enlightened by Guanyin, accepted a dragon pearl, transformed into a white horse, and carried Tang Sanzang to the Western Heaven to retrieve the sutras.
Seeing that someone had confiscated Tang Sanzang’s luggage, and hearing that Tang Sanzang had been transformed into a tiger demon, he thought to himself:
“My master is a good person. How could he be transformed into a tiger demon? He must have been harmed by demons.”
When night fell, Little White Dragon saw that Ba Jie and Sha Seng had not returned. He could not help but say:
“Elder brother has been banished; Ba Jie and Sha Seng are also gone without a word! If I do not save Tang Sanzang today, my merit will be lost! Lost!”
Thereupon, the White Dragon Horse snapped the reins, loosened the saddle and bridle, and with a swift leap, transformed into a white dragon. He then rode on dark clouds, soaring straight into the heavens.
Little White Dragon, in mid-air, saw that the Golden Palace was brightly lit with candles. A fierce tiger was chained within the hall.
Seeing that no one was around, he transformed into human form and went down, saying:
“Master, Master, how did you become like this?”
Tang Sanzang saw Little White Dragon and asked, “Who are you, and why do you call me Master?”
Little White Dragon said, “Master, I am the third prince of the West Sea Dragon Palace, the white horse beneath your legs. Today, both Senior Brother Wu Neng and Senior Brother Wu Jing have not returned, and the soldiers have confiscated your luggage. They also claim you were transformed into a tiger demon. This disciple knows you are in distress and has come to rescue you.”
Tang Sanzang said, “Your master, with mortal eyes, was misled and believed falsehoods. I drove away Wukong and wrongly condemned the King, leading to today’s predicament. Please go and invite your Elder Brother back, and tell him that your master was wrong and wronged him.”
Little White Dragon said, “Master, rest assured, I will go and invite Elder Brother back. However, with demons wreaking havoc, and none of us by your side to protect you, your safety is uncertain. Let me first eliminate this demon, then I will go invite Elder Brother!”
Having spoken, Little White Dragon, disregarding Tang Sanzang’s obstruction, and overestimating his own abilities, went to Ao Tu’s palace.
Ao Tu was resting alone in the Yin An Hall, without any palace maids by his side, as Ao Tu did not wish to tarnish the palace’s reputation.
Seeing this, Little White Dragon transformed himself into a palace maid. His body was light and agile, and his appearance was charming and alluring.
He stepped inside and said to Ao Tu:
“Great King, why are you resting alone in the palace? Isn’t it rather boring? Allow me to pour you some wine.”
Ao Tu glanced at Little White Dragon and said, “Pour the wine.”
Little White Dragon picked up the wine pot and poured wine into the cup. The wine rose three to five fen above the rim of the cup, yet did not spill.
Ao Tu saw this and was not surprised. He said, “What else can you do?”
Little White Dragon said, “I can also sing and dance!”
Ao Tu said, “Then sing!”
Little White Dragon opened his mouth and sang a little tune.
Ao Tu shook his head and said, “Not good, not good.”
Little White Dragon said, “Why is it not good?”
Ao Tu sneered, “In the past, Guanyin walked with me in the garden, opened her ruby lips, revealed her jade teeth, and sang the song of Xi Zhou, yet she could not deceive me. You impudent creature, dare to overestimate yourself and show off here?”
Hearing this, Little White Dragon knew his identity was exposed and drew his sword to attack Ao Tu. He angrily said, “Monster, how dare you insult a Bodhisattva!”
Ao Tu raised his hand, revealing his dragon claws, and grabbed Little White Dragon’s precious sword.
Little White Dragon was shocked and said, “You monster, are you also of the Dragon Clan?”
Ao Tu said, “You wretched dragon, willing to be a white horse, to be ridden by others, you have disgraced our Dragon Clan.”
Little White Dragon, filled with shame and anger, said, “Monster, prepare to be killed!”
The two left the Yin An Hall. Little White Dragon let out a dragon roar, revealed his true form, and rode on the clouds.
Ao Tu also revealed his true form and fought Little White Dragon in the air.
In fact, if one were to speak of it, they were actually related. Little White Dragon was the third son of Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, and Ao Tu was Ao Run’s nephew. In terms of relationship, Little White Dragon was Ao Tu’s older cousin.
However, Ao Tu’s bloodline had evolved, and he had become a five-clawed golden dragon, so Little White Dragon could no longer recognize him.
Ao Tu also did not wish to acknowledge Little White Dragon. Their current identities would benefit neither of them if they acknowledged each other. Therefore, Ao Tu spoke not a word, and only attacked with all his might.
The two dragons fought fiercely in the air. Although Ao Tu could only last for about thirty rounds against Sun Wukong, fighting Little White Dragon was more than enough for him.
