Now, as for White Tiger Ridge.
Several days had passed since Ao Tu took his leave, and life in Qiao’er’s family returned to what it had been before.
Every day, Qiao’er gazed into the distance, but never saw the figure of the person she longed to meet.
She secretly ran to the river from before and called out, but there was no response.
Her parents saw through their daughter’s thoughts and said, “Daughter, that young master is the child of a wealthy and noble family. He must have gone home by now, and he won’t be coming back.”
Qiao’er said nothing. She only worked diligently at turning and replanting the fields, her cheeks flushed red with exhaustion, beads of sweat sliding one by one down her face and dripping into the soil.
When the sun slanted westward, she went home. Looking at the empty wooden hut, she swept away the dust blown in by the mountain wind, then returned to her own house.
He would come back. Lord Dragon God had even said she was to cooperate in putting on an act!
At that time, Ao Tu followed Mingyue into Wuzhuang Temple.
The sky had grown somewhat dim. Qingfeng stood at the entrance of the main hall, hurling abuse at Tang Seng and his disciples inside.
Bald donkey this, thieving monk that—he cursed without end.
Seeing this, Mingyue feared Ao Tu would be displeased and hurriedly said,
“Senior Brother, the Heavenly Venerable has arrived!”
Qingfeng turned back. Seeing Ao Tu, he hastily bowed respectfully and said,
“This little boy failed to recognize the Heavenly Venerable’s divine arts earlier and offended you with his words. I beg the Heavenly Venerable to forgive me!”
Ao Tu said, “Forget it. I won’t take issue with you. What are you doing here?”
Qingfeng replied, “In answer to the Heavenly Venerable, it is those four thieving monks. They stole and ate the immortal fruit in our temple, then pushed down the fruit tree. I captured them and locked them up here to await Master’s return and judgment!”
Ao Tu said, “Let me have a look. Who could be so bold?”
Qingfeng said, “Those four bald donkeys are ugly in appearance. I fear they might startle Your Reverence.”
Ao Tu said, “No matter.”
Qingfeng then opened the first door.
Ao Tu looked inside and saw that it was indeed Tang Seng and his three disciples, locked in the room beyond the second door.
Wukong possessed Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils. He had long since spotted Ao Tu and seen through to his true form. He said, “Ao Tu, what are you doing here?”
Ao Tu said, “Who is Ao Tu? I am Heavenly Venerable Fuzhu Zhenshi. I heard someone pushed down Great Immortal Zhenyuan’s ginseng fruit tree. Was it the four of you?”
Tang Seng and the others lowered their heads and said nothing.
Qingfeng said, “It was the four of them!”
Ao Tu said, “Which of the four is the leader?”
Qingfeng pointed at Tang Seng and said, “Him, the one surnamed Tang!”
Ao Tu approached and said, “Oh? So you’re the chief thief?”
Hearing this, Tang Seng bowed respectfully and said,
“Daoist Master, this poor monk is a monk from the Great Tang of the Eastern Land, traveling to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. It was these disciples of mine who were unruly and committed this wrong, offending this immortal abode.”
Qingfeng said, “Thieving monks like them still have the nerve to go to the Western Heaven for scriptures?”
Ao Tu said, “That is not quite right. You two are young and have never been to the Western Heaven, so you do not know what it is like there.”
Qingfeng and Mingyue said, “May we ask the Heavenly Venerable, what is the Western Heaven like?”
Ao Tu said, “I came from the west, so I know a little.”
Qingfeng and Mingyue said, “We beg the Heavenly Venerable to explain.”
Ao Tu said, “At Spirit Mountain in the Western Heaven, the rules differ from those of ordinary folk. Those who kill are Buddhas; those who injure others are Bodhisattvas; those who steal are Arhats. These four monks are skilled at theft, so they are perfectly suited to journeying to the Western Heaven.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Qingfeng said, “Well then! I knew it—so the Buddhist sect is nothing but a band of bald thieves!”
Tang Seng said anxiously, “Daoist Master, how can you slander my Buddhist faith like this?”
Ao Tu said, “When did I slander your Buddhist faith?”
Tang Seng said, “Amitabha! We disciples of Buddha uphold the precepts with utmost rigor. Of the Five Buddhist Precepts, the first forbids killing, and the next forbids stealing. Spirit Mountain in the Western Heaven is a pure Buddha-land. How could it be as the Daoist Master says?”
Ao Tu said, “I came from the west, and I have often seen disciples of Spirit Mountain who delight in eating virgin boys and girls, or usurp thrones and seize kingdoms, or abduct other men’s wives. There are even worse ones who devour every person in an entire nation. Such are the sights at the foot of Spirit Mountain.”
When Tang Seng heard this, he could not stop shaking his head and chanting scripture. He said,
“Amitabha. For the Daoist Master to slander the Three Jewels in this way is truly a sin! A sin!”
Ao Tu said, “You don’t believe me? Then tell me, what should the Western world be like?”
Tang Seng said with yearning, “The Western world is a place of ultimate bliss. Bodhisattvas are greatly merciful and compassionate; Buddhas deliver all living beings. There is no greed and no killing. They nurture qi and preserve the spirit. Though they may not all be supreme perfected ones, every person enjoys firm longevity.”
Ao Tu laughed and said, “If it is as you say, then you, a monk, have committed the crime of theft, and that disciple of yours is covered in murderous aura. He must have killed people, and not merely one life either. When you reach the Western Heaven, will the Buddha transmit scriptures to you?”
As soon as Wukong heard this, his heart cried out that things were bad.
He had dealt with Ao Tu many times. The moment he heard Ao Tu’s tone, he knew the words were aimed at him, though he still did not know what mischief this demon dragon intended. He hurriedly said,
“Master, this Daoist is a monster in disguise. Don’t believe him!”
Tang Seng said nothing. He merely lowered his head, his expression shifting uncertainly.
Seeing that his aim had been achieved, Ao Tu said no more. He said to Qingfeng and Mingyue,
“Take me to see the immortal root!”
Qingfeng and Mingyue hurriedly agreed and led Ao Tu to the ginseng fruit garden.
Once inside the garden, he saw the tree lying on the ground, the soil split open and its roots exposed, leaves fallen and branches broken, without a single fruit left on the tree.
Qingfeng and Mingyue said nervously, “Heavenly Venerable, can the precious tree be healed and revived?”
Ao Tu said, “It can be healed. This tree is a spiritual root of heaven and earth. Though toppled, it is not dead. I possess Three-Light Divine Water, which can bring the dead back to life, deliver one through all calamities, and dispel all suffering and hardship. It can heal this tree.”
Hearing this, Qingfeng and Mingyue were overjoyed beyond measure. Together they knelt and said,
“We beg the Heavenly Venerable to cast your spell and heal our family’s immortal tree!”
Ao Tu said, “Healing the tree is easy. It is only that this divine water of mine is a treasure condensed through ten thousand years of bitter cultivation. It cannot be used lightly!”
Qingfeng and Mingyue hurriedly said, “Whatever the Heavenly Venerable requires, please speak. We will obey in all things.”
Ao Tu said, “It is not difficult. Bring me two little humans to eat, and that will do.”
Qingfeng and Mingyue were greatly shocked. “Two little humans!”
Ao Tu said, “What, I heal your family’s precious tree, and you won’t even bring me two little humans?”
Qingfeng and Mingyue hesitated. “This…”
In terms of preciousness, the ginseng fruit tree was a priceless treasure and naturally far more valuable. But if they were asked to go and obtain two people for no reason because of this, Qingfeng and Mingyue could not bring themselves to do it.
After a long while, Qingfeng and Mingyue said, “Heavenly Venerable, this matter goes against our teachings. Could we wait until our master returns before making a decision?”
Ao Tu said, “What teachings could this possibly go against? Forget it. Seeing as you two little boys cannot make the decision, we’ll wait until your master arrives.”
Qingfeng and Mingyue said, “Many thanks to the Heavenly Venerable for your compassion.”
Thereupon, Mingyue arranged an upper room for Ao Tu and invited him to stay.
Qingfeng prepared fine tea and food for Ao Tu.
At night, the moon rose in the east.
Wukong said, “At this hour, all sounds are still. Those boys must be asleep by now. Let’s leave.”
Bajie said, “All the doors are locked. How are we to do it?”
Wukong said, “Watch my methods!”
Wukong twirled the Golden-Hooped Staff in his hand and pointed it at the door, casting a spell. There came a sound, and the lock fell away; every layer of doors swung open.
Bajie laughed and said, “Fine skill! Senior Brother, your lockpicking craft is even better than that of an old locksmith! Once we return from fetching the scriptures, if you’ve nothing to do, you could make a living picking locks.”
Wukong said, “What’s so remarkable about this little door? Even the Southern Heavenly Gate or the Tushita Palace would open if I, Old Sun, pointed at them.”