Journey to the West: Starting from Changing Sun Wukong’s fate
Chapter 305 - 306: Why are you looking at me like that, thinking of worshiping me as an offering?

Chapter 305: Chapter 306: Why are you looking at me like that, thinking of worshiping me as an offering?

Old Yang’s son had been mixing with these robbers for countless years.

This time, his boss and a few companions had gone out, originally planning to rob some money. Unexpectedly, when they returned, they had all become bald.

What’s more, they were chanting scriptures, even wanting to convert the remaining people.

Only then did they finally ask about it.

It turned out that their boss had actually encountered a monk and, having been converted, hoped they too would turn back from their ways.

The remaining robbers were unwilling to listen, instantly feeling anger rising in their hearts and evil growing in their guts, intending to kill this monk.

Perhaps by killing him, their boss would return to his senses.

With a little investigation into the monk’s whereabouts, they found he seemed to have already left, and in such a vast area, there was nowhere else to go.

So they could only go look at his family’s home.

When Old Yang’s son arrived at his own home, it was already the third watch of the night.

Bang bang bang!

Old Yang heard the knocking at the door, hurried to open it, and let them in.

Old Yang’s son returned to his room, woke up his wife, and ordered her to cook, then asked, "Whose white horse is that in the backyard?"

His wife answered, "It belongs to the monk from the Great Tang of the Eastern Land on his journey to the Western Heaven to seek scriptures. He’s staying at our place today, invited by father-in-law and mother-in-law."

"Where are they?" Old Yang’s son asked with bulging eyes upon hearing this.

"They’re sleeping in the shed in the backyard," his wife replied.

Hearing this, Old Yang’s son’s eyes darted around, and he walked out, saying to the robbers in the yard, "Brothers, fortune smiles upon us! Our enemies are right here in my house!"

"Which enemies?" the thieves asked.

Old Yang’s son said, "Who else could it be but the monk who served our boss that bewitching potion today!"

"Just perfect to capture these bald donkeys, chop them into mincemeat, one to take their white horse and possessions, and two to avenge our boss," the robbers exclaimed noisily.

Old Yang’s son hurriedly said, "Don’t rush! Sharpen your knives well, and after we eat well and drink our fill, we’ll act together."

So the robbers really went to sharpen their knives, each one of them, and their spears too, just waiting to act after they had eaten their fill.

Old Yang heard his son actually plotting murder and quickly tiptoed to the backyard, just in time to see Xuanzang and his disciples packing up. It turned out Sun Wukong had been awoken by the noise early on, aware that robbers had come, and had woken his master to prepare for escape.

Old Yang ran over and said, "Elder sirs, my unfilial son has brought back a gang of robbers, and knowing you’re here, they intend to harm you. You better hurry and escape! While they have yet to notice, go out through the back door!"

So Old Yang led Tang Monk and his disciples, with Zhu Bajie quietly leading the horse, as the group tiptoed out of the back door and followed the main road to flee westward.

As for the robbers, after having their fill of food and drink, they took their knives and spears to the backyard, only to find the white horse gone and no sign of the people, and seeing the back door open, they figured they had fled that way. They all shouted, "Chase them down, catch them!"

These robbers had the audacity of a bear’s heart and a leopard’s guts, knowing that Xuanzang came from the Eastern Land and had traveled thousands of miles unscathed, yet they still dared to give chase.

In fact, it was destined, for these robbers were habitual raiders and robbers, preordained to convert such outlaws.

Having just eaten their fill and refreshed, they had the energy, each running swiftly as an arrow, chasing until dawn in the East, when they finally saw Xuanzang and his followers from a distance, the thieves shouted in unison, "Hey, monk from the Tang Dynasty, stop right there."

Hearing the shout from behind, Xuanzang hurriedly turned to look, only to see twenty or thirty robbers catching up. He helplessly called out, "Disciples, the bandits have caught up! What shall we do?"

Sun Wukong casually said, "Master, Old Sun will go and deal with them."

Zhu Bajie spoke up, "Oh, come off it, if Big Brother steps in, will these people still be alive?"

Xuanzang thought about it and agreed, then raised his hand and chanted, "Amitabha Buddha!"

At that moment, all four of them stopped in their tracks and turned to face the robbers.

These fearless robbers shouted, "Impudent bald thieves, see what you’ve done to our boss!"

With their shout, they each brandished their weapons and made to attack Xuanzang and the others.

Sun Wukong wielded his Jingu Bang, Zhu Bajie his Nine-toothed Rake, and Sand Monk his Zen Staff; the moment those robbers drew closer, they would not hesitate to strike them down.

They were not Xuanzang; taking a life or two did not matter to them.

"Amitabha, well said, well said. All of you lay down your murderous weapons and at once attain Buddhahood; it’s not too late!"

Xuanzang’s Buddhist chanting spread outward.

"Attack, kill them!"

Old Yang’s son shouted loudly, leading the charge towards Xuanzang and the others.

However, as he approached Xuanzang, the monk began reciting Buddhist scriptures, and boundless Buddha’s light emitted from his body.

When this Buddha’s light fell upon them, it warmed them, causing them to be momentarily befuddled.

In their minds, they couldn’t help but think of all the people they had killed.

Eventually, they began to feel a sense of regret.

Tears flowed from their eyes.

"Master is indeed powerful; with just one glance, these people have all converted!"

Zhu Bajie, witnessing this scene, could not help but admire inwardly.

"After all, he is our master, isn’t that quite normal?"

Seeing this, Sand Monk couldn’t help but chuckle as well.

"Come, help your teacher shave them bald!"

Xuanzang said.

"Yes, Master!"

Zhu Bajie responded.

Then they all worked together to shave the bandits bald.

"Remember from now on, you must help the people nearby and never rob again!"

Xuanzang looked at the group of bald heads and slowly spoke.

"Elder, we understand. From now on, we will surely help and provide universal salvation to all beings!"

The bandits bowed respectfully in unison.

With the bandits watching them leave, Xuanzang and his party continued on their journey.

After a month’s time, they discovered a vast expanse of yellow sand ahead.

"Master, look!"

Sun Wukong pointed ahead and said, "This place is barren for hundreds of miles around, not a blade of grass grows, almost like a desert."

Xuanzang suggested, "Perhaps this place is actually a desert?"

Sun Wukong crouched down, grabbed a handful of soil from the ground, and asked with a smile, "Master, have you ever seen such a desert? Normal deserts are made of yellow sand, but this place is filled with gray and black sand, like volcanic ash. The air is filled with the smell of saltpeter, as if a great fire had just passed through. Is this also normal?"

Sand Monk also grabbed some of the earth and laughed, "Big brother, you’re not wrong. As the saying goes, ’Anything abnormal is a sign of trouble.’ Given the unique terrain, it’s better for us to be cautious."

Zhu Bajie wiped sweat from his forehead and said, "Big brother, it’s deep autumn now, but why is it getting hotter instead? And the further west we go, the hotter it becomes, how strange. Could it be that we’ve reached the legendary Land of Sunset, the Sahali Country?

In the tales, that’s the End of Heaven. When the afternoon hours arrive, the True Sun Fire falls into the Western Sea. The terrifying sound of the fiery orb plunging into the water can kill all life.

To protect the citizens, the king had people climb the city walls and beat drums and blow horns to combat the boiling sounds of the sea."

This sweltering heat must be because we’ve reached Sahali Country, right?"

Sun Wukong couldn’t help but laugh, "You idiot, stop spouting nonsense. Old Sun has been to the End of Heaven before, and we’re still far from Sahali Country."

"Just think about it. With the slow pace we’ve maintained since we started, how many years has it been? With our speed, we won’t get there for another three to five hundred years, let alone now."

Zhu Bajie asked in confusion, "Brother Monkey, if you say this isn’t the Land of Sunset, then where are we? It’s so hot here! I, Old Pig, am almost roasted, Master... Master... can you not look at me? I’m a bit scared..."

Sand Monk suggested, "It might also be due to unusual weather patterns, with summer rules coming into autumn. After all, when people commit misdeeds, heaven can punish them with a reversal of seasons. Master, what do you think?"

Xuanzang glanced at his three disciples and said, "Isn’t there a household in front of us? We could simply ask them."

The group looked far into the distance and, indeed, saw a manor afar.

The manor was covered with red tiles; red brick walls, red lacquered doors—all so red that it felt even hotter just looking at it.

Xuanzang sat up straight and quickened his pace, "Let’s go and have a look."

As they approached, they indeed found an old man inside.

After hearing Xuanzang and his disciples’ inquiry, he said, "To reach the West, you must cross Flame Mountain, which lies to the west. It stretches across the land, its length and width unknown, and it burns all year round, barren of vegetation. Even iron dropped on it would instantly melt into liquid."

"This intense heat is all because of Flame Mountain."

Sun Wukong frowned and said, "This mountain is indeed strange. Without a way to extinguish the fire, it would be really difficult for ordinary people to cross."

The old man nodded, "Difficult? It’s impossible!"

"So, if you want to continue your Journey to the West, it would be best to seek the help of the Iron Fan Immortal."

"Iron Fan Immortal?" Zhu Bajie asked, "What kind of immortal is that?"

The old man didn’t hide the truth, "Our survival here, despite the perennial drought and scorching heat due to Flame Mountain, is all thanks to the Iron Fan Immortal. She lives in the Banana Leaf Cave on Emerald Cloud Mountain, fourteen hundred miles southwest from here."

"When we need to plant crops, we prepare offerings of pigs and sheep..."

At this point, he glanced at Zhu Bajie.

Zhu Bajie glared at him and said, "What are you looking at me for? Just keep talking!"

The old man cleared his throat and continued, "We also prepare Red Flowers, Exotic Fragrant Fruits, Chicken, Goose and Fine Wine, bathe and change clothes, pray with earnest, and make our way to the cave. The Iron Fan Immortal often lends a hand."

"She has a Banana Leaf Fan, with which one fan stroke can extinguish fire, two can generate wind, and three can bring rain, allowing us to grow crops and rear livestock."

"If you want to cross Flame Mountain, you can seek her help to fan it three times. Once the fire is out and the temperature drops, you can naturally pass through."

Hearing this, Sun Wukong frowned, "That’s so troublesome... trouble, too much trouble."

"Master, what should we do?"

Sun Wukong looked at Xuanzang.

Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk also looked at Xuanzang.