It is said that Tang Seng and his disciples finally passed Yellow Wind Ridge, and the rewards from Ao Tu’s system were updated accordingly.
Among them, there was nothing much to say about the three-day reward, the Three-Turn Soul-Returning Pill, or the seven-day reward, the six-thousand-year Peach of Immortality.
The half-month reward was an acquired spiritual treasure: the Headache Chime.
Ao Tu knew of this treasure. It was a plague-spreading implement belonging to a disciple under Lü Yue, the Great Emperor of Pestilence. Strike it once, and it could cause a person to be tainted with pestilential qi, giving them an unbearable headache.
After he obtained this chime, whenever he had nothing to do, he would go strike it twice at Tang Seng, making Tang Seng suffer headaches from time to time and unable to continue the journey.
The one-month reward was the acquired spiritual treasure, the Dragon-Binding Rope. Although it was, like the Headache Chime, an acquired spiritual treasure, there were still differences in rank among acquired spiritual treasures.
During the Investiture of the Gods era, when the two teachings contended, Huanglong Zhenren of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect challenged the enemy before the formation. Zhao Gongming of the Jie Sect brought out this treasure, and in an instant bound Huanglong Zhenren out of thin air and hung him from a banner pole.
Clearly, the Dragon-Binding Rope and the Five-Fire Divine Flame Fan were both top-tier acquired spiritual treasures. Though they were acquired spiritual treasures, their power was no weaker than ordinary innate spiritual treasures; it was merely that they could not, like innate spiritual treasures, assist one in comprehending the Great Dao.
Finally, Ao Tu turned his gaze to the reward for one season: the Five-Colored Divine Light.
Spiritual treasures were good, but they were not as good as having a divine ability upon oneself.
The Five-Colored Divine Light brushed away all things. No matter how many spiritual treasures you had, once the divine light rose, it would seize you together with your treasures.
If he could possess this divine ability, then even if Buddha Tathagata came, Ao Tu would dare exchange a couple of moves with him.
Only, obstructing them for an entire season was far too long.
One season was three months.
Even counting the remaining thirty-four days at Yellow Wind Ridge, Ao Tu would still need to obstruct Tang Seng and his disciples for nearly another two months before he could obtain it. Ao Tu himself had no confidence; he could only do his utmost.
Since Tang Seng and his disciples had already passed Yellow Wind Ridge, they would likely arrive here before long.
Ao Tu had Sha Seng build a wooden hut on the bank of the Flowing Sand River to receive the soon-to-arrive Tang Seng and his disciples.
He was going to put on an act to delay time.
Ao Tu instructed Sha Seng, “Drive away the people living nearby, lest the scripture pilgrims arrive and discover a flaw.”
Sha Seng said, “Honored Deity, there is no need to drive them away.”
Ao Tu said, “Why?”
Sha Seng said, “This disciple was punished by the Jade Emperor and suffers his sentence in this Flowing Sand River. Unable to endure hunger and cold, every two or three days I would emerge from the waves to find a person to eat. Woodcutters who encountered me lost their lives; fishermen who saw me perished. As time passed, no one remained living along either bank of the Flowing Sand River.”
Ao Tu laughed and said, “Excellent. Lay down the butcher’s knife and become a Buddha on the spot—your way of doing things is just right for joining my Buddhist sect! For now, transform into a fisherman and wait here. When you encounter the scripture pilgrims, do thus and thus, like this and like that…”
Sha Seng memorized all of Ao Tu’s words.
Because Ao Tu’s plan was only to obstruct the scripture pilgrims and had no intention of harming them, after Sha Seng heard it, he became even more convinced of Ao Tu’s identity.
It is said that after Tang Seng and his two disciples, three in all, crossed the eight-hundred-li Yellow Wind Ridge, they headed west into a stretch of level land. Time passed swiftly; autumn departed and winter arrived. The northern wind was fierce with bitter cold, and yin qi settled into a light frost.
After a month or two, as they were traveling along, they suddenly saw a great expanse of water in raging billows, its turbid waves surging and heaving.
Tang Seng called from atop his horse, “Disciple, look at that broad expanse of water ahead. Why are there no boats traveling upon it? Where are we to cross?”
When Bajie saw it, he said, “It truly is a raging torrent. Without a boat, there’s no crossing it.”
Wukong leapt into the air and shaded his eyes with his hand to look. Startled, he said, “Master, this truly is difficult, truly difficult! If it were Old Sun crossing this river, I’d only need to twist my waist and I’d be across. But for Master, there are truly a thousand parts difficulty in crossing and ten thousand ages’ hardship in passing.”
Tang Seng said, “I see no end to it from here. How many li wide is this river?”
Wukong said, “About eight hundred li.”
Bajie said, “Senior Brother, how do you know it’s eight hundred li?”
Wukong said, “I won’t hide it from you, worthy brother. These eyes of Old Sun can see fortune and misfortune a thousand li away in broad daylight. Just now, from the air, I saw that no one knows how far this river runs upstream or downstream, but straight across it is a full eight hundred li wide.”
When Tang Seng heard this, he sighed in worry and vexation, not knowing how they should cross the river. Turning his horse back, he suddenly saw a stone stele on the bank.
On it were three seal-script characters: “Black Water River.” There were also four lines of true words, saying: Rolling across the land like ink, surging a thousand li in ash. Look nearby and no man’s shadow is seen; gaze afar and forms are hard to find.
Bajie said, “So this river is called Black Water River. Now that you mention it, the water is indeed somewhat muddy, not as clear as the Heavenly River that Old Pig managed back in the day.”
Wukong said, “The name of this river sounds somewhat familiar.”
Bajie said, “Senior Brother, back then you occupied a mountain and proclaimed yourself king, making friends with heroes from all under heaven. Perhaps you heard the name of this river from someone’s mouth.”
Wukong recalled his former glory and said, “Exactly! Exactly!”
Tang Seng said, “Disciple, do not chatter about such irrelevant matters for now. At present, this river is swift and difficult to cross. Is there anyone among you who can carry your master across it?”
Wukong said, “Bajie, you carry Master across.”
Bajie said, “Master is flesh and bone of a mortal body, heavy as Mount Tai. I’m one who rides clouds—how could I support him? It would have to be your somersault cloud.”
Wukong said, “As the old saying goes: ‘To move Mount Tai is as light as a mustard seed; to carry a mortal man is hard to free from the red dust.’ My somersault is also riding a cloud, only it goes a bit farther. If you cannot carry him, how could I?”
After hearing this, Tang Seng grew somewhat angry and said, “You two usually have such formidable abilities and claim to possess the skill to subdue dragons and tame tigers. Yet now, neither of you is willing to carry your master across the river?”
Bajie lowered his head and said nothing.
Wukong laughed and said, “Master, subduing dragons and taming tigers is easy; crossing the river is hard. On this westward journey, you must thoroughly experience foreign lands before you can transcend the sea of suffering. Bajie and I can only serve as protectors, ensuring your body and life remain safe, but we cannot endure these hardships in your stead. Otherwise, I fear you would be unable to obtain the scriptures, and the Buddha would refuse to transmit them. This is what is meant by, ‘If something is easily gained, it will be taken lightly.’”
Tang Seng said anxiously, “What are we to do! We have only just passed through the dangers of Yellow Wind Ridge, and now this great river blocks our way. When will we ever reach the Western Heaven?”
Wukong said, “Master, do not be anxious. Let Old Sun see whether there are any households nearby and inquire about the truth of this place.”
Wukong sprang up on a cloud and looked all around. Only four or five li away did he see a dwelling; apart from that, within a thousand li in every direction, there was not a single household.
When Wukong landed, Tang Seng asked impatiently, “Disciple, are there any households?”
Wukong said, “There is one, but it’s not a good place to go.”
Tang Seng said, “Since there is a household, how is it not a good place to go?”
Wukong said, “For a thousand li around, there is no trace of human habitation. Only five li to the south is there one household. It is likely transformed by a demon.”
Tang Seng said, “Perhaps it is someone living here in seclusion.”
Wukong said, “Impossible, impossible. Even a true hermit living in seclusion would occasionally go to a populated place to exchange for wine to drink. How could there be someone living alone like this for a thousand li in every direction?”
As they were speaking, they saw a person appear from within the rolling river water.
That person’s face was dark green and black, somewhat ill-omened. He had a large, sturdy build, wore a rain cape, and had a bamboo hat on his head. Alone, he rode in a small boat, standing barefoot upon it, holding a fishing net in his hands.
When Tang Seng saw him, he was overjoyed and said,
“Excellent! There is a fisherman. Let us go find him and have him ferry us across the river!”
Wukong hurriedly stopped him and said,
“Master, do not go. Just now Old Sun looked around, and there were hardly any households for a thousand li in every direction. How could a person suddenly appear? He must be a demon in disguise!”
Tang Seng wavered in his heart.
Just then, they heard the fisherman lift his voice and sing:
“A single leaf of a little boat drifts wherever it may dwell; amid ten thousand folds of misty waves, I know no fear. I lower my hook and cast my net to catch fresh-scaled fish; without sauce, rich and greasy, they yet have flavor. My rain cape serves as quilt as I sleep upon the autumn river, snoring soundly, free of cares, yearning not for worldly honor or wealth.”
Tang Seng was delighted and said, “He truly is a man of refined spirit!” And he was about to step forward.
Wukong stopped him again and said, “Master, you must not go. That is a demon!”
Tang Seng said, “Nonsense. How could a demon compose such refined poetry? This is clearly an eminent gentleman living here in seclusion!”
Wukong said, “Master, demons are full of cunning schemes. With your mortal eyes and fleshly body, you cannot distinguish truth from falsehood. You must not go!”
At this moment, the fisherman poled his boat and was about to drift away.
Seeing this, Tang Seng said, “My mind is made up. Do not stop me again. If you delay my great undertaking, take care that I recite that Tight-Fillet Spell!”