Journey to the West: The roadblock!

Chapter 10, Exorcising the Demon at Gao Village (Part 5)
Meanwhile, Ao Tu ordered Bajie to buy grain. Before long, Bajie returned with the grain, having bought two hundred catties each of rice, millet, sorghum, wheat, and beans, totaling one thousand catties.

They gave the grain to the old woman and prepared a sumptuous vegetarian meal. The master and apprentice ate, and the remaining grain was left in the old woman's house. Ao Tu then instructed the old woman:

“Old benefactor, I am leaving this grain at your home. If you ever run out of food, you may take it yourself as payment for the storage. But you are not allowed to sell it. Do you understand?”

The old woman knew perfectly well that Ao Tu was helping her, and she knelt down with her grandson, saying:

"Thank you for your mercy, Holy Monk. I will never forget your great kindness for the rest of my life."

Ao Tu laughed and said, "Get up. By the way, if I ever visit your home again, you must treat me with great hospitality and not be negligent."

The old woman readily agreed, indicating that she would certainly treat them with great hospitality.

The next day, Ao Tu took Bajie to other poor families in the village and gave them silver coins in turn, some more and some less.

Then he repeated what he had said to the old woman to these people.

For a time, everyone praised Ao Tu's good deed.

During this time, when someone inquired about land matters, Ao Tu said:

"This humble monk will make an offering today, and begin cultivating the land tomorrow."

And so, on the third day...

Early in the morning, Ao Tu watched from afar in the air and saw that Tang Sanzang and his disciples were not far away. He then called to Bajie:

"Bajie, your senior brother is coming soon. Would you like to go and greet him?"

Bajie quickly regained his senses and said:
"Oh, there really is a senior brother! Where is he?"

Ao Tu said, "Don't rush, don't rush, this is for you."

Ao Tu took out a golden flower.

Bajie asked in surprise, "What is this?"

Ao Tu said, "This is the golden flower that Venerable Ananda gave to me in the past. Eating it can make you feel light and healthy, prolong your life, and increase your magical power. I am giving it to you today. You can refine it."

Pigsy happily accepted the golden flower and said:
"Master, you're so good to me. Why did you suddenly think of giving me this?"

Ao Tu said, "This is my compensation to you."

Bajie asked, "Compensation? What compensation?"

Ao Tu said, "Refine it first, then we'll talk."

Pigsy refined the golden flower, and sighed with lingering satisfaction:
"I, Old Pig, haven't enjoyed such good things in a long time since I was banished to the mortal realm. Thank you, Master! By the way, Master, you haven't told me what kind of compensation this is yet?"

Ao Tu said, "It's because your senior brother has a quick temper and is difficult to get along with. I was afraid you would be bullied by him, so I'm making it up to you."

Pigsy patted his chest and said:

“Master, I’m not afraid! I’m not bragging, but I, Old Pig, am highly skilled. I once commanded 80,000 naval soldiers of the Milky Way, possessed 36 transformations, and had a precious golden rake forged from divine iron. No matter what kind of deity descends to the mortal realm, they can’t bully me.”

Ao Tu said, "That's good. Go wait outside the manor. He'll be here soon."

Bajie said, "Yes, Master, I'll go and wait for him right away."

Bajie followed his master's orders and went outside the manor, while Ao Tu transformed into his true form and escaped.

Meanwhile, after traveling for several days on a desolate road, Tang Sanzang and his disciples finally spotted a village in the distance below the mountain.

Tang Sanzang said, "Wukong, look, there's a village over there. Let's go and beg for some food."

Sun Wukong said, "Master, don't be anxious. Let me go and see what the outcome will be."

Sun Wukong flew up to the clouds and looked around. He saw a village below the mountain:

Dense bamboo fences, rows of thatched cottages. Old trees greet the door, a stream and bridge reflect in the house. Farmers till the fields, loyal dogs guard the corners of the houses. It must be a wonderful village.

Just as they were about to turn back, they saw a demon emerge from the village and sit on the main road outside. It had a black face, short hair, a long snout, and large ears; wasn't it just an old pig that had become a demon? Sun Wukong quickly returned to Tang Sanzang's side and said:

“Master, do not proceed. That village is a good village, but there is a pig demon standing at the entrance blocking the road.”

Tang Sanzang was startled and said, "How come there's a pig demon blocking the way in such a nice village? What should we do?"

Sun Wukong said, "Master, don't be afraid. Sit here and wait for me to get rid of that pig demon so you can continue your journey."

Tang Sanzang grabbed Sun Wukong and said, "Wukong, do you know if that pig demon is a domestic pig or a wild boar?"

Sun Wukong said, "Why should I care whether he's a domestic pig or a wild boar, he's just a pig demon?"

Tang Sanzang said with a worried expression:

"If it's a domestic pig that has become a spirit, there's probably only one, and you can just kill it, Wukong. But if it's a wild boar that has become a spirit, there are probably more in this mountain. Once you leave, they might sneak out and harm me as well."

Sun Wukong said, "Master, don't worry. You have the Six Ding and Six Jia protecting you, that pig demon can't hurt you. I'm off!"

Having said that, Sun Wukong somersaulted to the front of Gao Village and shouted sternly:

"Hey, you pig demon, where did you come from? Why are you blocking the way in front of the village and hindering my old Sun's path?"

Bajie was sitting on the main road at the village entrance waiting for his senior brother when he suddenly heard these words and was startled.

Looking up, he saw a snarling monster with piercing eyes and a pointed, monkey-like face; it wore a cotton robe and a tiger-skin skirt around its waist. Because it was so different from the golden armor and purple-gold crown it had worn five hundred years ago, Pigsy didn't recognize it at first and said:
"Damn monkey, which mountain did you come from to scare your grandpa Pig? Get out of here, or I'll give you a whack and leave nine holes in your skinny body."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong flew into a rage and said:

"You wicked demon, how dare you boast like this! Take this blow from my old Sun Wukong's staff!"

Having said that, he took the golden cudgel out of his ear, swung it around, and struck him on the head.

Pigsy hurriedly raised his rake to meet the blow, but the force of the blow made his hand ache and his tendons go numb. He was greatly shocked.

Looking more closely at Sun Wukong, his appearance seemed somewhat familiar. Upon closer inspection, he recognized the golden cudgel and exclaimed in surprise:

"Aren't you the弼马温 (Bima Wen, the stable boy who caused trouble in Heaven)? How did you escape and come here to bully me?"

Sun Wukong raised his staff and struck:
"Who are you, you scoundrel? How do you know my name, Old Sun?"

Pigsy revealed his origins as Marshal Tianpeng descended to earth, and raised his rake to greet him, saying, "Keeper of the Heavenly Horses! When you caused trouble in the Heavenly Palace back then, you implicated countless of us. And now you come here to act violently again! Don't be rude! Take this!"

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "So you are the Water God Tianpeng descended to the mortal realm. How dare you block my way here! Take this!"

The two engaged in a fierce battle, with the golden cudgel clashing against the nine-toothed rake.

Pigsy was beaten for no reason, which enraged him. He brandished his rake, stirring up a fierce wind that darkened the sky and the earth. It reached out like a flying dragon's claw, striking the ground and startling even ghosts and gods.

Sun Wukong was not afraid at all, and fought with Bajie for more than a hundred rounds with his staff. Bajie's arms were sore and he could not win. He was defeated and turned into a gust of wind and ran back to Gao Village.

Sun Wukong chased after him, but since it was in a village, it was inconvenient to fight, so he just chased after Pigsy and teased him.

Unable to defeat him, Pigsy angrily cursed, "You damned stable boy, I didn't provoke you, yet you come to beat me and won't let it go. What kind of logic is that?"

Sun Wukong said, "What's the reason for you blocking the entrance to the village and blocking my way?"

Bajie said, "I was ordered by Master to wait for my senior brother at the village entrance. What does it have to do with you? How am I blocking your way?"

Sun Wukong asked, "Who is your senior brother?"

Pigsy didn't know who it was and was speechless for a moment.

Sun Wukong grabbed Bajie's ear and said, "So, you dare to lie to me?"

Bajie said, "How could I lie to you? My master didn't tell me who my senior brother is. He only said that he is a celestial being who has descended to the mortal world. His rank is higher than mine. He is in charge of agriculture and animal husbandry in the Heavenly Palace and will be coming over soon."

Suddenly, Pigsy realized what was happening.

(End of this chapter)