Journey to the West: The roadblock!

Chapter 106 Battle Against Red Boy (Part 10)
Meanwhile, Wukong, carrying his dirty clothes, left the room and bumped into Red Boy.

Red Boy asked, "Uncle Sun, where are we going?"

Wukong said, "The clothes are dirty, take them to be starched and washed."

Red Boy said, "How can Uncle do such a small thing himself? Let me do it!"

Without saying another word, Red Boy snatched the clothes.

Wukong laughed and said, "You little brat!"

Red Boy smiled, picked up the clothes, and left.

Wukong returned to his room and watched Tang Sanzang recite scriptures for a while, but it wasn't very interesting. So he leaned against the bed, sat cross-legged, and pretended to doze off, practicing his inner energy and cultivating his spirit.

After reciting for a while, Tang Sanzang felt a little sleepy and went back to bed to rest.

Upon seeing this, Wukong woke up, kicked Bajie aside, and made room for Tang Sanzang.

It turned out that the bed was a large stone bed, three zhang wide, covered with five layers of mats, three layers of cotton, and one layer of mattress, which was quite comfortable to sleep on.

Normal people can sleep upright, and five or six people can lie down without feeling crowded at all. But Pigsy, that clumsy fellow, rolls around on top of the bed, taking up no space at all.

Wukong kicked him, and Bajie scratched his butt and moved away.

Wukong helped Tang Sanzang lie down.

Tang Sanzang said, "Wukong, you should rest too."

Wukong said, "Master, you go to sleep. I'll rest now."

Tang Sanzang assumed the Arhat posture and fell asleep.

Wukong continued to feign sleep to the side.

On the other side, Red Boy handed the clothes to the little demon and asked her to wash them carefully.

After some time, Xiao Yao washed the clothes and brought them over.

Red Boy exhaled a breath of fire, drying the clothes, then carried them to Tang Sanzang and his disciples' room and entered.

When Wukong saw Red Boy enter in the middle of the night, he suddenly opened his eyes and became alert.

Red Boy carefully walked to the luggage of Tang Sanzang and his disciples and squatted down.

Wukong got up, silently came behind Red Boy, patted him and said, "Nephew, what are you doing?"

Red Boy turned around and saw that it was Wukong. He said:
"Uncle Sun, the clothes are washed. I saw that you were all asleep, so I didn't want to disturb you. I was thinking of just putting the clothes here."

Wukong looked and, sure enough, saw that Red Boy was holding a stack of dry clothes in his arms.

Wukong said, "So fast?"

Red Boy said, "I dried it with fire."

Wukong understood.

Red Boy put down the clothes and asked, "Uncle Sun, aren't you resting yet?"

Wukong said, "Old Sun's energy and spirit are already at their peak, so I don't need to rest normally."

Red Boy exclaimed in delight, "Uncle Sun, since you don't need to rest, could you tell me about yourself?"

Wukong asked, "Tell me about my story? What story?"

Red Boy asked, "Father told me that you once caused a great disturbance in the Heavenly Palace, and even 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals could not subdue you. Is that true?"

Wukong laughed and said, "That's the truth."

Red Boy said, "Uncle Sun, I want to hear your story of fighting against 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals."

Wukong said, "Well... there's really nothing to talk about, it's all just old news."

Red Boy said, "Uncle Sun, please tell me about it!"

Wukong said, "You're so young, why are you listening to this? Those things happened so many years ago, I've almost forgotten them."

Red Boy tugged at Wukong's arm and pleaded, "Just tell me a short part, okay?"

Wukong asked, "Just tell a short part?"

Red Boy said, "A short piece."

Wukong said, "Sigh, there's really no other way. I'll reluctantly tell you a short passage."

Red Boy, resting his chin on his hand, sat expectantly at the wooden table beside him.

Wukong sat down and said, "It's settled then, I'll only tell you a short part. I'm usually too lazy to talk about these things, so I can't go into too much detail!"

Red Boy said, "Mmm."

Wukong said, "Back in the day, I, Old Sun..."

As time passed, it got late at night. Pigsy stirred in bed and got up to use the restroom.

But then a voice came from the side:
"After I seized the Ruyi Jingu Bang from the Dragon Palace of the East Sea, I went straight down to the underworld, overturned the Netherworld, and knocked down the Yama Palace. All ten Yama Kings knelt down before me, and the Netherworld messengers treated me with utmost respect."

Red Boy exclaimed, "Wow!"

Wukong said, "I told them to bring me the Book of Life and Death. Which of the Ten Kings of Hell dared to disobey?"

Pigsy shook his head, walked outside in a daze, urinated for a short while, and when he returned, he heard:

"After leaving the underworld, Old Sun subdued the seventy-two demon kings and tens of thousands of lesser demons under his command. Truly, all the mountains and seas bowed in submission, and all the nine netherworlds and ten categories of beings were wiped off the map. Later..."

Bajie opened his mouth as if to say something, but feeling sleepy, he didn't speak and went back to bed to sleep.

It was bright.

"After Old Sun defeated that little giant spirit god, a child appeared, about your age. Do you think he is?"

Red Boy asked, "Who is someone my age?"

Wukong said, "He is Nezha, the third prince and son of Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King. Back then, he cut off his flesh to return to his mother and removed his bones to return to his father, losing his physical body. Later, he reshaped his body with lotus flowers, hence his appearance."

Red Boy said, "So that's how it is! Uncle Sun, what are his skills? How was your battle with him?"

Wukong said, "Speaking of his skills, he's far inferior to me, Old Sun..."

Sha Wujing woke up groggily and, hearing Wukong's words, shook Bajie beside him, saying, "Second Brother, Second Brother, look, what's wrong with Eldest Brother?"

Bajie, somewhat resentful after being shaken awake, opened his eyes, listened for a while, and said:
"He's explaining to our nephew how he was once the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses. I suppose our nephew is going to buy horses soon and is asking him for advice."

Upon hearing this, Wukong's arms lengthened, and he grabbed Bajie's ear. Tang Sanzang soon woke up as well.

Red Boy ordered his demon subordinates to prepare breakfast.

After the four of them had breakfast, Tang Sanzang said he wanted to take his leave.

Red Boy urged Tang Sanzang to stay a few more days.

Tang Sanzang did not refuse and agreed to stay for a few more days.

In the days that followed, Red Boy served them diligently, responding to their every need. In his spare time, he would pester Wukong to tell him about his heroic deeds.

Wukong also quite liked this little nephew, recounting his journey from his havoc in the Heavenly Palace to how he defeated the demon dragon with his staff.

Six or seven days later, Tang Sanzang again said he wanted to leave.

Red Boy earnestly tried to persuade him to stay.

Bajie and Wukong also tried to persuade Tang Sanzang, and Tang Sanzang couldn't resist their entreaties, so he agreed to stay a few more days.

Another six or seven days passed.

On this day, Wukong recounted how he vanquished demons in the Black Pine Forest, using his golden cudgel to beat the dragon and the yellow-robed monster until they begged for mercy.

Red Boy listened with rapt attention.

After Tang Sanzang and Wukong finished speaking, Tang Sanzang once again took his leave.

Red Boy tried to persuade him to stay again.

Tang Sanzang insisted on leaving.

Red Boy said, "Grandmaster, is there anything I have done wrong in serving you? Why don't you stay a few more days?"

Tang Sanzang said, "It's not because you've served me poorly, but because it's the Emperor's decree. I bear the great responsibility of obtaining the scriptures and dare not delay any longer."

Red Boy said, "I beg our Grandmaster to stay a few more days."

Tang Sanzang shook his head.

Pigsy couldn't help but say, "Master, there's food and drink here, and my nephew is so good to us, why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang glared at Zhu Bajie and said, "Fool, if you want to stay, then stay by yourself!"

Pigsy dared not speak.

Wukong laughed and said, "Little nephew, don't stay any longer. I'll come back to find you after I return from my pilgrimage."

Seeing this, Red Boy knew that it was about time.

I've made a good impression on them these past few days, it's time to extract their cultivation techniques.

Red Boy bowed deeply and said:

"Uncle Sun, the reason I insisted on keeping you here is that I have a favor to ask."

Wukong laughed and said, "I saw through you long ago, little nephew. What do you want from me?"

Red Boy said, "My father sent me here to guard the mountains and rivers, but I am young and my skills are weak. I am no match for the demons here. Please, Uncle Sun, teach me even a move or two!"

Red Boy then looked at Tang Sanzang and said:

"Please, Master, stay a little longer so that Uncle Sun can pass on some skills to me."

Tang Sanzang frowned and said, "This..."

Wukong said, "Nephew, your father is highly skilled, so why do you go to such lengths instead of seeking help from nearby sources?"

Red Boy said with tears in his eyes:

"Uncle Sun, you don't know. I was born with a gentle nature, I love to be kind to people, I dare not bully little demons, and I dare not scold or beat my subordinates."

Therefore, my father disliked me and my mother didn't love me. They drove me out of the cave early on and made me guard the mountains and rivers here.

"How pitiful I was, growing up in the mountains, with no relatives to rely on, no friends to accompany me, and unbearably lonely!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang was deeply moved.

Red Boy looked at Tang Sanzang again and cried out:
"Grandmaster, please stay a few more days! If you leave, I will be all alone again!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang couldn't help but recall his childhood.

He was similar to this child in his youth, his parents were absent, but fortunately he had his master and the monks to keep him company. But this child, if they were to leave, would only have a group of demons by his side…

Bajie, standing nearby, advised, "Master, look how pitiful my little nephew is all alone. Please agree to let him stay a few more days!"

Sha Wujing also said, "Second Brother is right!"

Red Boy, seizing the opportunity, said:
“Grandmaster, it is now the beginning of winter. This 600-mile-long Drill Mountain is full of towering mountains and steep ridges, and it cannot be traversed in just one or two days.”

If we leave in a hurry, and after a few days, heavy snow falls in the mountains, covering the ravines and abysses, one wrong step and we'll be dead. The great mission of obtaining the scriptures will be lost forever!
As the saying goes, "Sharpening your axe won't delay your woodcutting," so it's better to stay in the cave and leave after spring arrives!

Wukong said, "Master, what I say makes sense. Even bears, with their thick hides, hibernate in winter. How can humans not hibernate in winter?"

Tang Sanzang sighed, "Very well, then let's stay a little longer."

Everyone was delighted.

At Red Boy's request, Wukong taught him his skills.

Wukong's seventy-two transformations and somersault cloud were passed down from Patriarch Bodhi. Without the Patriarch's permission, Wukong dared not pass them on to others.

Fortunately, Wukong had obtained a magic manual in Wuji Kingdom, which he could pass on to Red Boy.

When Red Boy received the teachings from Wukong, he was immediately astonished. These teachings were indeed incredibly profound; even a mere fragment contained the Great Dao. No wonder that old demon had tried so hard to obtain them.

Wukong asked, "Nephew, what weapon did your opponent use?"

Upon hearing this, Red Boy said somewhat embarrassedly, "He didn't use a weapon."

Wukong exclaimed in surprise, "You were defeated without even using a weapon? This... why don't I just help you subdue him directly!"

With Sun Wukong's help, Red Boy was naturally willing.

But Red Boy still wanted to obtain the complete cultivation technique.

Therefore, he said, "Uncle Sun, if you interfere in the fight between us juniors, it will only damage your reputation. Why don't you teach me a few moves first, so I can fight him first?"

Wukong said, "That's true."

(End of this chapter)