Now Wukong cast a spell, opened the door, and invited Tang Seng out.
Tang Seng said, “Wukong, we have committed the crime of theft. If we leave like this, will the Buddha not blame us?”
Wukong said, “Master, that Daoist during the day was a demon. Don’t listen to him deceiving you. Those fruits grew on a tree; even birds passing through the air ought to have a share. We brothers ate a few of them—what great crime is that?”
Bajie said, “Master, hurry and go. If they catch us here, at the very least we’ll be made to do ten years of hard labor. Then there’ll be no fetching the scriptures at all!”
Only after hearing this did Tang Seng come out.
Tang Seng mounted the horse, Bajie carried the luggage, and Sha Seng led the horse as they headed straight onto the western road.
Wukong said, “You go on slowly for now. Let Old Sun cast another spell and make those two boys sleep for a month.”
Tang Seng said, “Disciple, you must not harm their lives. Otherwise we will have added the crime of injuring others for gain—how could we ever reach the Western Heaven then?”
Wukong said, “I know, I know!”
Wukong went inside and cast a spell, making the two boys sleep so soundly they could not hope to wake.
All of a sudden, someone patted Wukong on the shoulder, startling him so badly that he leapt up.
Ao Tu said, “It’s me.”
Seeing it was Ao Tu, Wukong set his mind at ease and said, “You wretched demon dragon, what scheme are you using now to trick my master?”
Ao Tu said, “What have I tricked him about? The road west is full of disasters and hardships, all man-eating demons and monsters. I stopped him from going west to save him, so he could live a few more peaceful days.”
Wukong said, “You certainly know how to talk. But you’ve stirred up that old monk’s suspicions. I fear he’ll start reciting the spell again.”
Ao Tu laughed and said, “I am the Great King of Lingshan, and I want to eat Tang Seng’s flesh. Driving a wedge between master and disciples is only right and proper. Now that I’ve told you in advance, if you have the ability, then break my scheme. If not, just wait to suffer!”
Wukong said, “You wretched demon dragon—one day, when Old Sun catches you, I’ll make you lead my horse and carry my luggage every day!”
Ao Tu said, “You wretched monkey—one day, when I capture you, I’ll make you my little scout, patrolling the ridges and mountains!”
The two then parted ways.
Wukong opened his cloud-steps, caught up with Tang Seng, and they hurried west along the main road.
As the saying goes, a thief is guilty at heart. That night, Tang Seng and his disciples did not stop their horse, traveling on until daybreak.
Utterly exhausted, Tang Seng said, “That monkey will be the death of me! He’s dragged me into a whole night without sleep!”
Wukong said, “Master, stop complaining. The sky is bright now. For the time being, make do and rest here, regain your strength, and then we’ll go on.”
Tang Seng dismounted and sat down leaning against a pine tree.
Sha Seng put down the luggage and dozed. Bajie used a stone as a pillow and slept.
Wukong, restless by nature, had nothing much to do, so he snapped off branches and played with them.
At that time, Great Immortal Zhenyuan had just finished the assembly at Yuanshi Palace. Leading his disciples, he descended directly from the Jasper Heavens, lowered his auspicious cloud, and arrived before the gates of Wuzhuang Temple on Mount Wanshou.
He saw that the temple gates were wide open and the ground was clean.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “Qingfeng and Mingyue are useful after all. Usually, even when the sun is three poles high, those two still won’t stretch their backs. Today, while we were away, they actually got up early, opened the gates, and swept the ground.”
All the disciples were pleased. But when they went into the hall, there was no incense burning and not a trace of anyone—where were Mingyue and Qingfeng?
They went to the two boys’ room and saw them sleeping heavily inside, unable to wake, not responding when called.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan knew someone had used magic, so he cast a spell to undo it.
Only then did Qingfeng and Mingyue wake. When they learned Tang Seng and his disciples had fled, they knelt down, tears falling down their cheeks, and told Great Immortal Zhenyuan the whole story from beginning to end.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “Don’t cry! Don’t cry! Would you recognize those monks?”
The two said, “We would recognize them all.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “Since you would, come with me. Disciples, prepare the instruments of punishment. When I return, I’ll beat him.”
The disciples received the order.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan took Qingfeng and Mingyue, rose on an auspicious glow, and went to pursue Tang Seng.
In an instant, they were a thousand li away.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan looked down from the clouds but did not see Tang Seng. Turning his head, he said, “We’ve overshot by more than nine hundred li.”
It turned out Tang Seng had traveled all night without stopping the horse, yet had only covered one hundred and twenty li—and even that was thanks to the dragon horse.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan turned his cloud about, went back over more than nine hundred li, found Tang Seng and his disciples, lowered his cloud, and with a shake of his body transformed into an ordinary Daoist.
Waving a horsetail whisk and lightly tapping a fish-drum, he came straight beneath the tree and said to Tang Seng, “Elder, this poor Daoist offers his respects.”
Tang Seng hurriedly said, “Forgive my lack of courtesy! Forgive my lack of courtesy! This poor monk returns the greeting.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan asked, “Elder, from what place have you come? Why are you sitting in meditation by the roadside?”
Tang Seng felt ashamed in his heart and did not dare say that he had stolen something and fled here overnight, so he said, “This poor monk was sent from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land to fetch scriptures from the Western Heaven. Passing through here, I am merely taking a brief rest.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “Since you have come from the east, did you perhaps pass through my humble mountain?”
Tang Seng asked, “May I ask what treasured mountain is yours, Daoist?”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “Wuzhuang Temple on Mount Wanshou is this poor Daoist’s place of residence.”
Hearing this, Wukong hurriedly answered, “We did not! We did not! We came by another road.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan revealed his true form and laughed.
“You impudent monkey! Who do you think you’re fooling? You knocked down my ginseng fruit tree and fled here in the night, and still you won’t confess? Quickly return my tree!”
Hearing this, Wukong drew his iron staff and struck.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan raised his horsetail whisk to block the Golden-Banded Staff. Standing in the clouds, he spread his robe sleeve into the wind and used a technique called “Universe in the Sleeve.” With a sweeping rush, he came forward and enveloped Tang Seng and his three disciples, horse and all, inside.
Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Seng battered wildly inside that sleeve, but could not damage the opening in the slightest.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan turned his auspicious cloud and descended straight to Wuzhuang Temple. He ordered his disciples to bring ropes and bind Tang Seng and his disciples each to a pillar beneath the eaves of the main hall. Then he said,
“Disciples, bring me my dragon-hide Seven-Star Whip. First give these monks a beating to vent anger on behalf of my ginseng fruit tree!”
The disciples brought out the whip and asked, “Master, whom shall we beat first?”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “Tang Seng failed to conduct himself as a proper master. Beat him first.”
Hearing this, Wukong thought to himself, “That old monk can’t endure a beating. If one round of lashes injures him badly, wouldn’t that be my sin?” So he said,
“Sir, you are mistaken. I was the one who stole the fruits, I was the one who ate the fruits, and I was the one who pushed down the tree. Why not beat me first? Why beat him?”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan laughed and said, “This impudent monkey does dare to own up to what he has done. Beat him first, then!”
After thirty blows, Great Immortal Zhenyuan ordered again, “Tang Seng should also be beaten for failing to instruct you strictly and allowing his disciple to commit violence.”
Wukong said, “Sir, you are mistaken again. When the fruits were stolen, my master knew nothing of it. He was in the hall speaking with your two boys; we were the ones who did the deed. Even if there is a crime of failing to instruct strictly, as his disciple, I ought to take the beating on his behalf. Beat me again.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan laughed and said, “You impudent monkey—though you are sly, treacherous, and unruly, you do have some filial devotion. Beat him again!”
They beat him for a long while, until evening was approaching.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “We will interrogate him again tomorrow morning.”
The disciples put away the whips and instruments, and each returned to his room.
Qingfeng and Mingyue had been affected by Wukong’s sleep spell, their heads muddled and heavy, and had forgotten to tell their master about Ao Tu. Now that they remembered, they hurriedly reported it.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “You two—such an extraordinary person came, and yet you did not tell me earlier? It is late today, and it would not be proper to disturb a guest’s rest. Tomorrow we shall invite him here to meet.”
At that time, Tang Seng was tied to a pillar beneath the eaves, tears streaming from both eyes as he complained,
“Pitiful indeed! You have brought disaster upon us, yet I am the one dragged into suffering here!”
Wukong said, “Master, I was the one who took the beating. You never received a blow, so what are you complaining about?”
Tang Seng said, “Though I have not been beaten, being tied up hurts too.”