Journey to the West: Starting from Changing Sun Wukong’s fate
Chapter 253 - 254: It was clearly me suppressing you, how did it become you suppressing me?

Chapter 253: Chapter 254: It was clearly me suppressing you, how did it become you suppressing me?

The disciples had not traveled much longer when they heard some voices again.

"Master, save someone. Master, save me!"

The voice sounded close by; looking up, the four disciples could see a child bound to a tree branch not far away, looking pitiful.

"Oh, master, it’s a child!"

Seeing the child tied to the tree, Zhu Bajie couldn’t help but feel surprised, especially since they couldn’t make out the depth of the situation.

"Amitabha Buddha, I didn’t expect it to be such a pitiful child, master, let’s save him!"

Compassion arose in Sand Monk’s heart, hoping to save the pitiful child.

Xuanzang glanced at Sun Wukong, who said nothing and looked indifferent to the situation.

"Wukong, go take a look at the child!"

Xuanzang instructed.

Sun Wukong reluctantly nodded; he had initially not wanted to get involved, but now that Xuanzang had spoken, it wouldn’t be right to refuse.

Arriving under the tree, Sun Wukong looked at the child and asked, "Whose child are you? For what reason have you been hung up here?"

Red Child, seeing him speak, pretended to be mysterious and, with tears in his eyes, cried out, "Little monk, there’s a Withered Pine Stream over there, and a village beyond the stream where I’m from."

"Just because we had amassed gold and silver, and had not a little wealth. My grandfather passed away long ago, and my father inherited the wealth. He became extravagant after coming into money, and inevitably our wealth diminished significantly. Moreover, my father liked to make friends with the heroes of the Martial Forest and wished to lend out the gold and silver!"

"Who would have thought that the people he lent money to would disappear without a trace, no longer returning what they borrowed? My father had already sworn not to lend another penny."

"Yet when another would-be borrower insisted on borrowing money and saw that our family would not lend, they came in broad daylight, looted all our wealth, killed my father, and, seeing my mother was beautiful, abducted her to become some bandit chief’s wife."

"My mother couldn’t bear to part with me, so she held me in her arms and followed these thieves into the mountains. But the thieves found me a drag and wanted to kill me too. Thankfully, my mother pleaded desperately for me, which spared me from dying under a knife. Instead, they tied me to a tree to let me die of cold and hunger!"

"I don’t even know where those thieves took my mother, and I’ve been hanging here for three days and nights without a single passerby!"

"I don’t know what good deeds I did in a past life to be so fortunate to meet several monks today. If you would show great mercy and save my life to return home, I will surely repay you in the future."

Hearing Red Child’s story, even Zhu Bajie felt some pity: "Maybe, eldest brother, we should let this child down!"

"Yes, eldest brother!"

Junior Brother Sand couldn’t help but chime in from the side.

Sun Wukong looked at his two junior brothers and laughed, saying, "Something about your story doesn’t sit right with me. Your home has been raided, your father killed by thieves, and your mother taken away, so whom should we entrust you to if we rescue you?"

"While we don’t expect anything in return, your story seems a bit inconsistent!"

Hearing Sun Wukong’s words, the child wasn’t surprised. The Great Sage Equalling Heaven wasn’t so easily fooled. Seeming somewhat scared, the child said, "Master, although my parents are dead and missing, and our wealth stolen, thankfully some farmland was untouched, and relatives are still around."

Sun Wukong responded, somewhat surprised, "You still have relatives?"

Red Child said, "My maternal grandfather’s home is South of the Mountain. My aunts live North of the Ridge. Li Si at the head of the stream is my uncle by marriage. Hongsan in the forest is my clan elder. I also have paternal uncles and cousins living around the village."

"If the elderly master would kindly save me, once we reach the village and I meet the relatives, I would recount the master’s rescue. We would sell some farmland as a substantial way to express our gratitude."

Hearing his words, Sand Monk couldn’t hold back and said, "Eldest brother, he’s just a child and his life story is so sad. Let’s save him."

The past Great General Who Lifts the Curtain who had incarnated as Sand Monk didn’t know if the child was telling the truth or not, and just wanted to save him.

Zhu Bajie felt some sympathy too, but since Sun Wukong had not spoken, he naturally wouldn’t rush to the rescue.

If it were at the start of their journey from the Great Tang, Xuanzang might have naively believed that such a child existed in this place, but after so long, he naturally wouldn’t believe so easily now.

And the Journey to the West was a play arranged by the celestial Court and the Western Direction. Any one of the characters might be a demon.

Even Xuanzang had some trouble discerning the veracity of the child’s story, but from Sun Wukong’s demeanor, the likelihood that the child was a demon was very high.

"Wukong, what do you think we should do?"

Xuanzang looked at Sun Wukong.

"Seeing Junior Brother Sand and the dolt wanting to save him, let’s just rescue him and see what he’s up to!"

Sun Wukong was ambivalent and gave a glance at Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk who looked full of pity.

Hearing Sun Wukong’s words, Sand Monk quickly stepped forward to help and brought the child down from the tree.

After Red Child was let down, he began to kowtow in gratitude to Xuanzang and the others continuously.

Xuanzang also felt some pity, and if the demon had any tricks, they would surely be aimed at him. He then said, "Child, get on the horse, I will take you with us!"

Hearing Xuanzang’s words, Red Child’s eyes shifted, looked at everyone, and then gazed deeply at Sun Wukong.

He knew well that if he couldn’t deal with Sun Wukong, it wouldn’t be easy to handle these people.

"Master, my hands and feet are numb from being tied, and my waist hurts. Plus, I’m just a country child and not used to riding horses."

Xuanzang was somewhat surprised to see the demon’s reluctance to come near him.

So be it then.

"Then let my second disciple carry you on his back!"

Xuanzang looked toward Zhu Bajie.

Zhu Bajie did not refuse, after all, it was just a child.

Red Child glanced at Zhu Bajie, then shook his head and said, "Master, my skin is frozen and tender. I dare not let this master carry me. His mouth is wide, his ears are large, and the mane on the back of his head is rough, it will be too uncomfortable."

At that moment, Xuanzang grew curious about what the demon wanted to do and suggested, "Then let my third disciple carry you."

Red Child looked over and couldn’t help but shake his head, saying, "Master, those thieves who came to rob my home also had fierce and vicious looks, with beards, wielding knives and sticks."

"Although I know this master is not one of the robbers from my home, seeing him still brings back memories of my home. I wouldn’t dare let him carry me, why not have the little monk carry me instead?"

Having said this, Red Child pointed at Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong couldn’t help frowning and said, "I won’t carry you, aren’t you afraid of my looks?"

Red Child looked toward Sun Wukong, shook his head and said, "Kind-hearted little master, you will surely carry me, won’t you?"

"Big brother, it’s just a child. If it wasn’t because you didn’t let me, old Zhu, carry him, I would not refuse at all!"

"Yeah, big brother, this little child doesn’t weigh much. Why not just carry him!"

Sha Wujing also couldn’t help but offer some encouragement.

Sun Wukong said with some resignation, "I’ll carry! I’ll carry!"

Hearing Sun Wukong’s words, Red Child was inwardly delighted and then climbed onto Sun Wukong’s back, continuing to walk forward.

"You macaque, to have such a day. Today, I will certainly suppress you!"

Red Child murmured looking at Monkey Head.

"What did you say?"

Sun Wukong, having clearly heard everything, knew that the child must be up to something, but even he found it somewhat difficult to see through.

He had seen many demons, but this was the first time he had encountered such a peculiar one.

"I didn’t say anything. Little master must have heard wrong," Red Child said with a smile.

"You demon, you deserve to die for daring to play tricks in front of Old Sun!"

Sun Wukong huffed, having no interest in dealing with the Calamity of Measurement of the Journey to the West, but now it seemed to be right in front of him.

With a sly smile, Red Child retorted, "Master, I am indeed the child of a good family who has unfortunately suffered this great disaster. How could I possibly be a demon?"

Sun Wukong couldn’t help but laugh, "If you’re the child of a good family, then why are your bones so light?"

Red Child sighed before responding, "I have small bones."

With a light laugh, Sun Wukong asked, "How old are you this year?"

Red Child replied, after a moment, "I’m seven years old."

Sun Wukong couldn’t help laughing, "One should weigh a pound for each year, so you should be seven pounds, how come you’re not even four pounds?"

Red Child’s eyes darted around, "I’m malnourished."

Sun Wukong said, "Alright, I’ll carry you, but if you need to pee, you must tell me."

Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing walked ahead, while Sun Wukong, carrying the child, followed behind them, heading westward.

Sun Wukong remained vigilant, monitoring the demon’s every move.

By now, the demon had started to stir, seeing Sun Wukong at the back of the group.

Drawing a deep breath, unbeknownst to them, the demon’s weight rapidly increased to a thousand pounds.

Sun Wukong chuckled and said, "Little demon, do you really think you can suppress Old Sun with your Dharma body?"

Hearing Sun Wukong’s words, the demon realized that the monkey had caught on and promptly let his Primordial Spirit flee to the Ninth Heaven.

He then eyed Sun Wukong, who was carrying Red Child on his back.

"Transform!"

With the word "transform" from Red Child, the child on Sun Wukong’s back instantly turned into a large rock.

It grew larger and larger, and in the blink of an eye, it had turned into a huge mountain.

In an instant, each step Sun Wukong took left a footprint behind.

"What a Great Sage Equalling Heaven, to think he can’t be suppressed by this. Watch as I move more mountains to him!"

Seeing Sun Wukong still managing to walk forward, albeit with some difficulty, there seemed to be no other changes.

This made Red Child frown slightly.

He was about to move other mountains in place.

At that moment, Red Child suddenly felt a growing weight on his own back.