Ao Tu changed into a brocade kasaya, took up a nine-ringed monk's staff, and donned a Five Directions Five Buddhas crown that covered his hair. He truly looked dignified and imposing, the very image of a noble Buddhist saint.
Ao Tu called out, "Bajie, lead the horse and follow me into the city to beg for alms."
Bajie hadn't quite processed the situation and instinctively replied, "Yes, Master!"
Tang Seng immediately looked over. Only then did Bajie realize his slip of the tongue and quickly ran to lead the horse.
Ao Tu rode the white horse, while his two disciples Tang Seng and Bajie followed beside him, heading to the city together.
After entering the city, Ao Tu looked up and saw resentment lingering around a large household, so he walked over.
He had Tang Seng knock on the door and told Bajie to put away his features.
Bajie said, "This face of mine was born this way. How am I supposed to put it away?"
Ao Tu said, "If you don't put it away, when there's vegetarian food later, I won't let you eat at the table."
Hearing this, Bajie honestly restrained his appearance.
Tang Seng knocked on the door, and before long, a servant came out and said, "You are?"
Ao Tu said, "This poor monk comes from the Eastern Land of Great Tang, traveling to the West to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. Passing by this place, I saw resentment lingering in your esteemed residence and came specially to assist."
The servant heard this and, seeing Ao Tu's extraordinary attire, hurriedly said, "Holy monk, please wait. I will go report to my master."
Before long, the master of the house came out and respectfully invited Ao Tu and his disciples inside.
As it turned out, this household was indeed not at peace.
A few days prior, the master's wife had miscarried, producing a fully formed dead infant.
Since then, every night the household was haunted by an infant's cries, sending everyone into panic. Now Ao Tu's arrival was exactly what they needed to resolve their burning crisis.
Ao Tu set up the scene, having the master arrange an altar and light bright lamps.
He sat high at the head of the altar, chanting the Rebirth Sutra. Buddhist sounds filled the air, sweeping away evil and baleful influences and restoring peace.
Tang Seng and Bajie, as Ao Tu's disciples, sat in the lower seats and also chanted scriptures.
Tang Seng chanted quite earnestly, but Bajie was a monk who had joined halfway and didn't know the scriptures. He simply sat cross-legged, putting on airs and muttering vaguely:
"I, Old Pig: appointed Marshal by imperial decree, commander-in-chief of naval forces, the Peaches of Immortality at Jade Pond, drunk and drowsy, throwing tantrums every which way, crashing into Guanghan, the romantic immortal maiden, mortal heart hard to extinguish..."
Before long, the dead infant was delivered. However, Ao Tu did not stop, chanting for a full three hours before finally rising.
The master was indeed satisfied, gifting two hundred taels of silver and laying out a full table of vegetarian feast for Ao Tu and his disciples to enjoy.
Bajie ate his fill and couldn't help saying, "Since leaving Gao Village, I've never eaten such a fine meal!"
Tang Seng said, "You idiot, all you know is eating!"
Bajie pouted and didn't reply.
Tang Seng asked Ao Tu, "Benefactor, isn't it improper for us monks to accept so much money?"
Holding his plate, Bajie said, "Master, you're too pedantic. We performed a funeral service for his family. Isn't it right and proper to collect some money?"
Tang Seng cursed, "Blockhead, we monks have the six sense roots purified. How can we covet money and enjoyments?"
Ao Tu said, "Monks indeed should not act this way, but I am not a monk."
Tang Seng opened his mouth but was at a loss for words.
Ao Tu usually had Buddhist dharma at his lips and had taught Tang Seng much, which made him almost forget that Ao Tu was a layman with a wife and family.
After finishing the meal, taking the money, and inviting a physician, the group returned.
The physician felt Tiger Vanguard's pulse and examined his injuries, saying, "The patient's injuries are extremely severe—flesh lacerated, skin torn, bones shattered. Under normal circumstances, we can only amputate this leg."
Hearing this, Tang Seng chanted Amitabha Buddha, feeling extremely guilty.
But at that moment, the physician's tone shifted, saying, "Yet this patient's pulse is steady and his blood qi is strong—different from ordinary people!"
Ao Tu said, "This brother of mine is an expert from the palace of Treasure Elephant Kingdom, so he knows some blood-qi circulation arts."
The physician nodded and said, "If that's the case, then he can be treated."
Tang Seng was overjoyed and said, "Then please, sir, quickly write the prescription!"
The physician listened and wrote two prescriptions, one internal and one external, stating that although the patient's blood qi was strong, his injuries were too severe, and it would take four or five months before he could barely walk.
Thus, in the following days, Tang Seng cared for Tiger Vanguard daily.
Sha Wujing built another wooden hut nearby. Since they couldn't eat food for free, the two also went up the mountain to chop firewood and worked the fields.
Every day Tang Seng brewed medicine and changed dressings for Tiger Vanguard, followed Ao Tu up the mountain to gather herbs, and when they lacked money, he went with Ao Tu into the city to perform Buddhist ceremonies and deliver souls, exchanging for money.
Over time, he became quite a capable monk.
The Six Ding and Six Jia, the Five Direction Jiedi, the Four Value Gongcao, and the eighteen Guardian Arhats who watched over him took turns on duty. Seeing this scene, they knew something was amiss, yet were helpless.
This Tang Seng had not been captured by demons, was in no danger, and had not forgotten his mission to fetch scriptures. His two disciples Bajie and Sha Wujing also guarded him daily. According to their duties, they should not interfere.
Yet this situation was clearly wrong.
They wanted to report upward but were troubled that it wasn't time for rotation yet, not daring to leave their posts without permission, so they could only wait slowly.
These deities rotated once per day, taking turns on duty. Converted to mortal time, that was once per year.
At this point, there was still more than half a year until the next rotation, so they could only wait slowly.
Meanwhile, at Flower-Fruit Mountain, Water-Curtain Cave.
When Wukong first returned home, he felt somewhat uneasy.
Every day he looked toward the west, touching the fillet on his head, not knowing when he would be summoned back again. Even when the monkeys offered fruits and fine wine, he couldn't enjoy them fully.
However, as time slowly passed—
Half a month, one month, two months, three months...
The Great Sage wore a purple-gold crown and an ochre-yellow robe, commanding the host of demons with awe-inspiring might. He ascended to Heaven to gather with immortals and entered the sea to make merry with the Dragon King—how carefree he was!
Looking back, although the Tight-Fillet Spell caused extreme pain when chanted, it was worth it!
One day, the True Immortal of Virtue and Blessing of Mount Zhongnan held an "Apricot Appreciation Gathering," inviting various immortals to gather. Wukong happened to be visiting the Barefoot Immortal and, hearing of this, wanted to make some connections, so he pestered to go along.
At Mount Zhongnan, Jade Pillar Cave.
A crowd of immortals gathered, including: the Five Bushel Star Lords, the Great Yellow-Horn Immortal, the True Martial Emperor, the Three Holy Immortal Maidens, the Lord of Pure Void and Morality, the Old Mother of Mount Li, and others.
After Wukong and the Barefoot Immortal arrived, from afar they heard the Old Mother of Mount Li discussing something about a son-in-law with the other immortals. Wukong saw it was an acquaintance and hurried up to greet her.
The Old Mother of Mount Li responded with a smile and introduced Wukong to the other immortals.
When Wukong wreaked havoc in Heaven, these great gods had heard of him but hadn't paid too much attention. Today they could be considered acquainted.
Just as they were speaking, they saw Moksha hurry over, respectfully saluting the immortals, and say to the True Immortal of Virtue and Blessing, "My family's Bodhisattva has recently been comprehending and cultivating, so she is inconveniently unable to attend the gathering. She specially sent this disciple to apologize and hopes the True Immortal will not blame her."
The True Immortal of Virtue and Blessing smiled and said it was fine.
Wukong saw Moksha coming and hid in advance.
But in this immortal mansion, it wasn't easy to hide. After dodging and hiding, Moksha still caught sight of half a figure.
Moksha saw this and found it familiar, but because his seniority was too low, he could not go over to investigate. He had to set the matter aside for the time being. After returning from Mount Zhongnan, he did not go to the Southern Sea, but went straight to the westward journey path to investigate.