Now, it is said that Zhu Bajie had slacked off to sleep.
Tang Sanzang waited in the woods until nightfall, yet still did not see Bajie return. He was so hungry that his stomach churned and his legs trembled, his head swam and his eyes grew dim.
He called to Sha Wujing, saying, "Wuneng went to beg for alms—why hasn't he returned by now?"
Sha Wujing said, "Master, I suppose it's because this is a superior region in the West, with many households that give alms to monks. Second Senior Brother also has a large belly—he must be waiting to eat his fill before returning."
Tang Sanzang said, "Alas. While he gorges himself on alms there, we are freezing and starving here—what are we to do? The sky grows dark; this is no place to stay. We must seek shelter somehow."
Sha Wujing said, "Do not worry, Master. Sit here with Your Highness for now; I will go find him and bring him back."
Tang Sanzang said, "Precisely, precisely."
Sha Wujing took up his staff and went straight out of the pine forest to look for Bajie.
Tang Sanzang and Ao Tu sat in the woods, exceedingly bored and weary.
Just then, as the great sun sank in the west, a cluster of golden light somehow appeared in the south.
When Tang Sanzang saw it, he grew curious and said, "Your Highness, look at that glowing light in the south—what could it be?"
Ao Tu stopped to look and said, "I see it as a demonic light."
Tang Sanzang said, "Your Highness speaks wrongly. That golden light is serene and peaceful—how can you call it demonic?"
Ao Tu shook his head and said, "How do you know that light is serene and peaceful? With mere mortal eyes, it is difficult to see the truth; you must go there personally to understand."
Tang Sanzang said, "What Your Highness says is most reasonable."
Thus, he ordered Tiger Vanguard to watch over the luggage and horses, and the two of them walked toward the southern path.
Paying no heed to the roosting birds' cries or the wildflowers and mountain grass, they passed through the dense forest. Looking up, they saw the golden light flickering and auspicious vapors billowing. Drawing near, they saw it was a pagoda with a gilded roof shining with light.
Tang Sanzang said, "Amitabha Buddha! What karma! What karma! This disciple was in this desolate wilderness with nowhere to go, yet I see a golden Buddha pagoda—truly the Buddha has shown his spirit. I imagine there must be a monastery beneath the pagoda, and within the monastery monks who can provide us lodging and a meal."
Ao Tu said, "This is a demon pagoda—how could there be any vegetarian meal?"
Tang Sanzang said, "How could it be a demon pagoda?"
Ao Tu said, "How could it be a Buddha pagoda?"
Tang Sanzang said, "That golden light radiates auspiciousness, and the colorful vapors billow—how is that not a Buddha pagoda?"
Ao Tu said, "That golden light radiating auspiciousness and those billowing colorful vapors are precisely what demons use to lure passing travelers."
Tang Sanzang said, "Your Highness has not gone there personally—how can you speak so rashly?"
Ao Tu laughed and said, "Exactly! Exactly! It is precisely so! We must go see for ourselves to understand."
The two walked toward the pagoda. It was indeed a fine place.
Beneath a stone bridge, clear springs surged ceaselessly; upon the platform, bright white plaster. Fragrant pines and purple bamboo, birds and beasts in orderly rows; lush green sweet grasses flourished, brilliantly wild flowers bloomed. Flowers reflected on grass tips where wind cast shadows; water flowed through cloud grottoes where the moon lacked roots.
Tang Sanzang smiled and said, "Your Highness, you were wrong, you were wrong!"
Ao Tu did not explain, saying, "After you!"
Tang Sanzang said, "After you!"
Tang Sanzang stepped forward and came beneath the pagoda gate. He saw a spotted bamboo curtain hanging inside. He strode through the doorway, lifted it, and went in. Looking up sharply, he saw a demon lying on its side on a stone bed.
You ask what he looked like:
An indigo face, white fangs, a great mouth three feet long and wide. On both sides, unkempt sideburns, as if dyed with rouge; three or four purple, towering goatee hairs, like aged lychees.
A nose arched like a parrot's beak, eyes staring like morning stars. Two fists larger than alms bowls; two blue feet rougher than tree stumps.
A pale yellow robe draped diagonally across his shoulders, finer than a brocade cassock. In his hand, a blade whose keen light gleamed; beneath him, a stone bed smooth and flawless.
Truly an ancient demon of many years, a terrifying mountain monster.
When Tang Sanzang saw this appearance, he recoiled in terror, his whole body going numb, his legs weak and soft, and hurriedly tried to withdraw to flee.
Ao Tu, who had followed behind, said, "What is it? Why so frightened? Could it be you've seen the Buddha?"
Tang Sanzang said anxiously, "What Buddha? It's a terrifying old demon!"
Ao Tu said, "This pagoda radiates golden auspiciousness and billows with colorful vapors—how could there be an old demon inside? You must have seen wrong. Let me go in and look again."
Tang Sanzang hastily said, "Your Highness, do not look! Do not look! It truly is an ancient old demon. Flee quickly! If we delay, our lives will be forfeit!"
Just as he spoke, the demon heard the commotion, woke up, and opened wide his pair of golden, ghostly eyes, shouting, "Minions! Who is outside the door?"
A minor demon heard this, ran over, and stuck his head out to look beyond the door.
Ao Tu called out, "Benefactor, we have come to beg for alms."
The minor demon drew back and reported, "Great King, two people have come outside. One is a monk. They say they've come to beg for alms!"
When the demon heard this, he laughed loudly and said, "There are actually people coming to our place to beg for alms? This truly is what they call 'business chasing a meal, food and clothing coming of their own accord.' Minions, quickly seize these two for me!"
When the minor demons heard this, they swarmed out all at once.
When Tang Sanzang saw them, his heart trembled with terror, his legs went weak and his feet numb.
Ao Tu smiled and said, "You see, it truly is a Buddha pagoda—the monks are generous and charitable. Seeing us come to beg for alms, they've sent so many people to entertain us at once."
They saw a host of minor demons—jackal spirits, wild wolf spirits, black wolf spirits, gray wolf spirits, weasel spirits, fox spirits, lynx spirits, wild dog spirits—every one of them baring their fangs, drooling, their eyes glowing green, wishing they could swallow the two alive and flay them.
Tang Sanzang was so frightened he turned to flee, but the road was uneven. In his haste, he tripped, fell to the ground, and his hat fell off, revealing a bald head.
The demons laughed and said, "This tender, smooth-fleshed meat monk has even shaved his head for us—saves us the trouble! Truly a fine delicacy!"
The Wild Wolf Spirit said, drooling, "A monk like this is best eaten steamed!"
The Gray Wolf Spirit said, "This monk's flesh is good—it must be boiled in clear water to have flavor!"
The Fox Spirit said, "No, no, this monk is so small—steaming or boiling won't be enough to go around. Better to mince him into filling and make human-meat buns!"
All the demons said, "Good, this proposal is excellent!"
When Tang Sanzang heard this, he was so terrified his very soul nearly left him.
But Ao Tu said, "No, no, good benefactors. I could eat the meat buns without issue, but he is a monk—he only eats vegetarian food. Please trouble yourselves to prepare some vegetarian dishes as well!"
When the host of demons heard this, they all burst out laughing, saying:
"You young man are quite bold, truly daring to beg for alms from us! Have you ever seen benefactors with appearances like ours?"
Ao Tu said, "Though your appearances are somewhat peculiar, they are still rather pleasing to the eye. I imagine you must all be good people who delight in charity and giving."
The group of minor demons laughed, "Look, he says we're good people!"
The Wild Wolf Spirit said, holding a glinting wolf-tooth club:
"Seeing that you're so sensible, this old lord will give you a quick death—a single blow to kill you, sparing you the pain of being eaten alive!"
With that, he swung the club.
Ao Tu dodged sideways, and the Wild Wolf Spirit staggered as his blow met empty air.
The Wild Wolf Spirit said, "You boy are quite slippery!"
He swung again in a horizontal sweep. Ao Tu dodged once more, avoiding the blow. His foot hooked out, and the Wild Wolf Spirit tumbled to the ground.
The Wild Wolf Spirit roared in anger, "Get him together!"
The host of minor demons surged forward.
Ao Tu saw this, grabbed Tang Sanzang, and fled through the mountain forest, dodging and weaving.
The minor demons scattered to surround them—this one grabbing from the right, that one from the left, this one blocking in front, that one circling behind to intercept.
Ao Tu held onto Tang Sanzang, now going left, now right, now forward, now backward, circling around large trees and leaping over rocks.
He exhausted the whole group of minor demons until they were panting with tongues lolling out, lying sprawled on the ground, unable to catch the two of them no matter what.