Journey to the West: Starting from Changing Sun Wukong’s fate
Chapter 456 - 419 Kill this ignorant Monk

Chapter 456: Chapter 419 Kill this ignorant Monk

Sun Wukong left the city walls and met up with Xuanzang and Sand Monk in the forest before they continued on their way.

They traveled westward, and the journey was safe and uneventful.

One day, as the four disciples were hurrying on their way, a city loomed in the distance. Xuanzang, riding on his horse, asked, "Wukong, there’s another city ahead, but I don’t know what place it is."

Sun Wukong shook his head and said, "I don’t know either. We just need to keep moving, once we enter the city we’ll naturally find out."

Zhu Bajie suddenly cut in, "Brother Monkey, you’ve traveled this road before, how can you not recognize it? Is there something fishy in the city that you’re pretending not to know, just to make fun of us?"

Sun Wukong replied irritably, "You fool, always spouting nonsense. Although Old Sun has been to Mount Meru, I always traveled riding the clouds and fog, never once touching ground, so how could I possibly know what place this is?"

"I’m not pretending not to know, I genuinely don’t know. Besides, this is the peaceful world of the Western Heaven, what oddity could there be in a city?"

Zhu Bajie grinned sheepishly and quickly shut his mouth.

As they were talking, they approached the city where they saw two old men sitting and chatting by the side of the road. Xuanzang quickly dismounted and asked, "Old Benefactors, the monk inquires."

The two elderly men were enjoying their conversation, but when they heard someone speaking, they turned around to see a monk and casually asked, "What would this Elder like to say?"

Xuanzang hurried to say, "This monk has come from afar to worship Buddha and seek the True Scriptures. Having just arrived at this Treasured Place, I don’t know its boundaries. Could you tell me where I can find kind-hearted families to ask for some alms?"

One of the old men replied somewhat impatiently, "Our humble place is Tongtai Prefecture, and there’s a county behind the prefecture called Diling County."

"If the Elder wishes to have a meal, there’s no need to beg for alms. Just go past this archway, along the north and south streets, and look for a house with a tiger statue at the front gate. That’s the Kou Yan Outer Home, and they have a sign out front that reads ’All Monks Welcome.’

"No matter how many monks come from afar like you, they will provide for all. You can go there to ask for alms. Go, don’t interrupt our conversation."

Xuanzang’s face lit up with joy upon hearing this and went back to tell Sun Wukong and the other two what the old man had said. Sand Monk said with a chuckle, "The Western Direction is the land of the Buddhists indeed. There are those who provide for monks. Since this place is a prefecture and county, we needn’t show our Guan Wen, let’s go and get some food before we continue on our way."

Xuanzang nodded and led his three disciples in the direction the old man had pointed. When they arrived at Kou Yan Outer Home, they indeed saw a sign that read ’All Monks Welcome.’

Xuanzang happily exclaimed, "In the lands of Western Buddhist Land, neither the wise nor the foolish resort to deception. When those two elders spoke, I did not believe them, but now that I am here, it turns out to be as they said."

Zhu Bajie, unable to contain his impatience, said, "If that’s the case, what are we waiting for? Let’s go in quickly!"

Sun Wukong quickly held Zhu Bajie back, laughing and saying, "You gluttonous fool, you have no sense of propriety. Let’s wait here until someone comes out. We’ll explain our purpose, and if the Family Head invites us in, then we may enter. If you barge in recklessly like this and offend the host, they may not even feed you even if they have food to spare."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie mumbled, "Are there really so many rules? If they have written ’All Monks Welcome,’ would they really turn us four monks away?"

Despite his grumbling, Zhu Bajie did not rush in thoughtlessly.

Soon enough, someone came out from inside, looked at Xuanzang and the three others, appeared surprised at first, but then, realizing they were all dressed as monks, a look of joy crossed his face, and he hurriedly said, "Please wait a moment here, sirs. I will go and inform our master."

With that, he scurried back inside.

The man ran into the courtyard and happened to see Kou Hong walking leisurely. Rushing over, he called out, "Master, there are four monks outside!"

Upon hearing this, Kou Hong quickly asked, "Truly four monks?"

"No more, no less, exactly four monks. They seem to be from far away, judging by their attire," the man replied promptly.

"It doesn’t matter where the monks are from, as long as they are monks, that’s good enough! Amitabha Buddha, Buddha Ancestor bless! Twenty years ago, this disciple vowed to provide meals for ten thousand monks, and so far, I have provided meals for nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-six. Thank heavens for sending these four monks today to complete my vow of merit."

Kou Hong was overjoyed, he was so excited that he dropped his walking stick and rushed outside.

Kou Hong ran out to see indeed four monks waiting, the leader of whom was rather distinguished looking, while the others were hardly distinguishable from demons. Although Kou Hong was surprised, his excitement overshadowed his fear. Ignoring their looks, he stepped forward to greet them, saying warmly, "Please come in, honorable monks."

Kou Hong welcomed Xuanzang and his disciples into the guest hall and served them fragrant tea. After the tea was finished,

Kou Hong asked, "May I know from where the esteemed Elders have come?"

Xuanzang promptly replied, "This monk is an imperial envoy from the Great Tang of the Eastern Land, traveling to Mount Meru to see the Buddha Ancestor and seek the True Scriptures. Having heard of your house’s respect for monks, I have come to request some food."

The benefactor’s face brightened with delight, and he said with a beaming smile, "This humble person is named Kou Hong, styled Dakuang, and I have lived a vain sixty-four years. From the age of forty, I have promised meals to ten thousand monks to achieve Perfection. I have been doing this for twenty-four years, and I have records of the monks who have had their meals."

"With nothing much to do these days, I counted the names of the monks who have eaten here, and I have reached nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-six, just four short of completion."

"Today, fortuitously, four monks like you have come, completing the number of ten thousand. Please leave your esteemed names, and I ask you to stay for more than a month until the vow is fulfilled,"

"After that, I will arrange a sedan and horses to escort your group up the mountain. It is only eight hundred miles from here to Mount Meru, and it’s not far off."