Journey to the West: The roadblock!

Chapter 151 The Battle of Wits in Chechi Kingdom (Part 21)

Meanwhile, Pigsy and Monkey were both defeated.

Upon seeing this, Sha Wujing was about to step forward.

Ao Tu laughed and said, "General Curtain Roller, are you going to use your precious staff as a weapon for Buddhism?"

Seeing that his identity and background had been exposed before he could even speak, Sha Wujing had no choice but to return and say to Wukong, "Brother Wukong, what do you think of this..."

Wukong said, "The only way now is to take Master's treasure."

Sha Wujing asked, "What treasures does Master possess?"

Bajie said, "Master has a brocade cassock worth five thousand taels of silver and a nine-ringed staff worth two thousand taels of silver. Brother, which one should we use to gamble?"

Wukong said, "That Taoist's robe is a treasure. Taking less of it might not be enough to compete with it. Let's take more!"

Sha Wujing asked, "Why would Master accept this?"

Wukong said, "You all come with me. Whatever I say, you say. Try to persuade Master to take out his cassock and wager with him."

Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie agreed, "Okay!"

The three of them approached Tang Sanzang together, and Wukong said:

“Master, that demon laughed at our Buddhist sect for having no treasures. Our treasures were all obtained before we became monks, and each has its own origin. They cannot be considered Buddhist treasures. Now, we can only use your brocade cassock to gamble for victory.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang indeed refused and advised him:

"Wukong, stop gambling. I heard from the king that the Great Master is a virtuous and complete Taoist, and the three national teachers are all good people. You have already lost two rounds in a row, so listen to your master, apologize, and admit defeat."

Wukong said, "Master, why are you boosting the enemy's morale while diminishing your own? When did I, Old Sun, ever lose two matches to him?"

Tang Sanzang said, "We failed to win through rain or transformation, so we still lost two battles, didn't we?"

Wukong said, "I won the battle to bring rain. Although that old Taoist priest had some magical power, he couldn't bring rain after all. It was I, Old Sun, who managed to bring down the sweet rain. I should be the victor! I didn't lose the transformation either. It's just that the old Taoist priest was unethical and took advantage of my unpreparedness to break my transformation. This battle should be nullified. Even if he wins, it's just a close contest."

Tang Sanzang asked, "Can this be considered a stalemate?"

Wukong said, "How can it not be an evenly matched contest? Bajie, Sha Wujing, you two be the judge!"

Bajie said, "Master, what my senior brother said is right. It's an evenly matched contest. Master, don't worry. Back when my senior brother wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, even 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals were no match for him. Why should we be afraid of a Taoist priest now?"

Sha Wujing said, "Master, what my eldest and second senior brothers said is right!"

Tang Sanzang said, "That brocade cassock was given to me by Guanyin Bodhisattva so that I could travel west to seek the scriptures. How can I gamble with others?"

Wukong said, "Master, that Taoist priest laughed at our Buddhist sect for having no treasures. How can we admit defeat? If we lose, wouldn't it mean that our Buddhist sect is no match for his Taoist sect?"

Tang Sanzang said, "Our Buddhist school is all about emptiness. What use is victory or defeat? Even if the Buddha himself were here, he wouldn't argue about winning or losing. Let them win."

Wukong laughed and said, "Master, if the Buddha were here, we would definitely have to gamble with him! The Buddha once gambled with me, Old Sun, for the position of the Jade Emperor!"

Tang Sanzang said, "Monkey, stop talking nonsense!"

Bajie said, "Master, my senior brother means well. Think about it, if we admit defeat now, we'll have to kneel and worship before the statues of the Three Pure Ones for 1,111 days!"

Tang Sanzang said, "This..."

Wukong said, "Master, it's alright for us to kneel for a few days. We can just consider it an apology to him. It's just that we're afraid it will delay your journey to the West."

Tang Sanzang's resolve wavered.

Sha Wujing said, "Master, these 1,111 days is more than three years! At this time, I don't know how many miles we will have to travel!"

Tang Sanzang sighed and said, "Alright, take the brocade cassock. But you must not be stubborn or competitive. If you win, make peace with him; if you lose, just accept it as fate and do not force it."

Wukong said, "I understand, I understand."

Wukong took the cassock and came over to Ao Tu, saying, "Old Taoist, look, is this a treasure of our Buddhist sect?"

Upon seeing this, Ao Tu laughed and said, "Whose tattered cassock is this that you picked up?"

Bajie said, "A tattered cassock? Old Taoist, you really don't recognize a treasure! This is a brocade cassock, a treasure given to my master by Guanyin Bodhisattva. It has auspicious light protecting it and is surrounded by eight treasures. How can your tattered clothes compare?"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "Guanyin Bodhisattva? She herself doesn't even have a cassock to wear, how could she bestow a cassock upon you?"

Wukong said, "Enough talk. The cassock is ready. Come quickly!"

Sha Wujing said, "Brother, is there any need to compare? In my opinion, the strength and weakness have already been determined."

Wukong asked, "What do you mean?"

Sha Wujing said, "Our cassock is adorned with dazzling pearls, exquisite and scattered; its precious light is brilliant and dazzling. How can his tattered clothes compare?"

Bajie exclaimed, "Absolutely! Absolutely!"

Ao Tu said, “My clothes are for people to wear; your robes are for people to see. My clothes do not reveal any divine light because I conceal it; your robes are dazzling, but they are worldly and vulgar. If you don’t believe me, try it and you’ll see!”

Tiger Power Immortal said, "Ha, that monk's cassock is all show and no substance! How dare he even try it?"

The Great Immortal Deer Power said, "With a bunch of glass jewels embedded in it, it'll be uncomfortable to turn over!"

The Great Immortal Yangli said, "How dare he try? Those jewels might have been stolen from somewhere. If he tries to break them, they'll be smashed."

Bajie said, "You Taoist priests, your clothes are the ones that were stolen!"

Tiger Power Immortal said, "You thieving bald monks, your robes are stolen!"

Sha Wujing said, "The clothes were stolen!"

The Great Immortal Deer Power said, "The cassock was stolen!"

Wukong said, "Old Taoist, stop talking. Let's try it. Tell me quickly, how do we try?"

Ao Tu said, "It's simple. Everyone get dressed and stand still. You hit me once, I hit you once, and we'll see who can't take it first."

Wukong laughed and said, "Good, just what I wanted!"

After saying this, Wukong put the cassock on his body.

Ao Tu said, "Wait."

Wukong asked, "What, have you changed your mind?"

Ao Tu asked, "Whose cassock is this?"

Wukong said, "Of course it's my master's cassock!"

Ao Tu said, "Whoever owns the robe, it should be worn by that person. Since it is your master's robe, it should be worn by your master for comparison!"

Tiger Power Immortal said, "That's right!"

Deer Power Immortal said, "Let the Tang Dynasty monk wear it!"

Wukong said, "Is there such a logic to that?"

Ao Tu said, "Of course. Otherwise, you put on your cassock, and I'll know whether your cassock is better or your monkey skin is tougher."

Wukong thought for a moment and said, "Alright, but I have to make the first move."

Ao Tu said, "Okay."

Wukong then took the cassock and gave it to Tang Sanzang to wear.

Tang Sanzang panicked and said, "How dare you agree to something so carelessly, you monkey?"

Wukong asked, "Master, what's wrong?"

Tang Sanzang said, "What else is there to say? That Taoist priest reached out and even grabbed the Dragon King from the sky. How could my mortal body withstand his blows?"

Wukong said, "Master, don't worry, it's not his place to hit you."

Tang Sanzang said, "If you hit him once, he hits me once, how can it not be your turn?" Wukong said, "Master, think about it, my golden cudgel weighs 13,500 catties. If I touch it, I'll die; if I bump into it, I'll be killed. If I hit him once, even if he has magic power, he'll be crippled if not killed. How can he hit you?"

Tang Sanzang said, "Since you are confident of winning, it's good that you win. But that Taoist priest is a good person, so don't harm him."

Wukong said, "I understand."

Wukong put the cassock on Tang Sanzang, and they stood on either side.

Wukong raised his golden cudgel and said, "Old Taoist, raise your hands."

Ao Tu said, "If you want to fight, then fight. Why are you raising your hand?"

Wukong said, “My master is merciful and said you are a good Taoist priest, so he asked me to spare your life. But I don’t know how deep my staff is. If I hit you too hard, I will kill you and disobey my master’s orders; if I hit you too softly, I’m afraid you will turn around and hurt my master. So I told you to raise your hands and break them so you can’t be violent.”

Ao Tu laughed and said, "What a sharp tongue you have! I'll raise my hand, go ahead and hit me."

Ao Tu raised his hands.

Wukong raised his golden cudgel and struck with all his might.

Everyone stared intently.

Ao Tu's purple robe emitted a beam of light, firmly blocking Wukong's golden cudgel without it moving an inch.

Ao Tu laughed and said, "It's my turn. Tang Dynasty monk, if you respect me by an inch, I'll respect you by a mile. Now stretch out your leg, and I'll break your legs and feet, but leave your hands so you can chant sutras and repent before the statue of my Three Pure Ones."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang sighed deeply and stretched out his leg.

Ao Tu raised his hand, and Tiger Power Immortal handed him a whisk. Ao Tu waved the whisk, which resembled a white ribbon.

Tang Sanzang closed his eyes.

Wukong suddenly stepped in front of him, blocking the whisk.

Ao Tu pointed at Wukong and laughed, "Look, this monkey is cheating again!"

Wukong said, "How can you cheat? At worst, you can just admit defeat."

Ao Tu said, "What a clever monkey monk! You hit me once but couldn't break it, but when I hit you, you admit defeat. Is there any logic to this?"

Wukong said, "If you want to hit me, hit me as many times as you want, but don't hit my master. He can't take a beating. If you hit him with your whisk, even a dragon would have its tendons broken. If you hit my master's leg, his leg will rot and he won't be able to ride a horse and reach the Western Paradise."

Ao Tu laughed and said, "So, you admit that your Buddhist cassock is useless?"

Wukong said, "You win this round."

The Great Immortal Deer said in a sarcastic tone, "Oh, who was that just now? Auspicious light protecting him, eight treasures swirling around! It really is a precious cassock!"

The Great Immortal Yangli said, "It was bestowed upon us by Guanyin Bodhisattva!"

Tiger Power Immortal exclaimed, "Wow! What a magnificent light!"

Wukong said angrily, "Don't be so arrogant! Let's have another match and bet on who wins!"

Upon hearing this, Ao Tu laughed and said, "Sun Wukong, it is said that King Ying Zheng of Qin unified the six kingdoms and boasted that his virtue surpassed that of the Three Sovereigns and his achievements exceeded those of the Five Emperors. Therefore, he called himself the First Emperor. Do you know which emperor could compare to him?"

Wukong said, "You old Taoist, why are you making this up instead of betting with me? That King Ying Zheng of Qin is the First Emperor. If we're talking about comparing him, only the wise kings of ancient times can compare."

Ao Tu said, "No, no, there is a king of this world who can be compared to him, and even surpass him."

Pigsy and Sandy looked at each other, puzzled, and asked, "Who is the king of this world?"

Ao Tu said, "Naturally, it is the Tang Emperor."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang said, "Great Master, although His Majesty has created a prosperous era and performed immeasurable merits, he dares not presume to claim that he surpasses the First Emperor. All matters here are for future generations to judge."

Ao Tu laughed and said, "There's no need for future generations to judge. Your King Tang has the merit of expanding the territory, building city walls all the way to Chechi Kingdom, which is tens of thousands of miles away. Do you still say that he is inferior to King Qin?"

Tang Sanzang said, "Why do you say such things, Master? When did our Great Tang Dynasty ever build city walls?"

Ao Tu said, "Your eldest disciple Sun Wukong has lost three matches in a row, but he still refuses to admit defeat and wants to compete again. His skin is so thick, isn't it like a city wall? In my opinion, it far surpasses the ten-thousand-mile city wall built by the First Emperor!"

Tiger Power Immortal laughed loudly, "This city wall, even if you pour water on it or bake it with fire, you won't be able to budge it!"

The Great Immortal Lu Li said, "Even if you chop or slash with a knife or axe, it won't budge an inch!"

The Great Immortal Yang Li said, "If it leaks or breaks, it will automatically heal!"

Tang Sanzang blushed.

Wukong retorted angrily, "Old Taoist priest, all you do is boast and talk. Do you dare to fight me?"

Ao Tu smiled but remained silent.

Tang Sanzang said, "Wukong, stop gambling! Stop gambling! As the saying goes, 'To know one's mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue!' The Great Immortal just now intended to spare my life, which is already a great kindness! You should admit defeat!"

Wukong said, "Master, why are you so afraid of him? At worst, we are evenly matched, like two equally matched generals! I, Old Sun, have traveled to many famous mountains and honed my skills. I will definitely gamble with him again!"

Tang Sanzang asked, "What else do you want to bet on?"

Wukong said, "Let's bet on supernatural powers and magical arts, and show no mercy. Let's see who loses first!"

Tang Sanzang said, "Stop gambling! You hit him just now, and he didn't budge. How can you possibly win? Let me admit my mistake, say some nice things, and ask for his help!"

Wukong said, “Master, how could you underestimate me? He has immortal robes to protect him, but I have an indestructible body! Back then on the Demon-Slaying Platform, my body withstood swords and axes, spears and blades, lightning and fire, and remained unmoved. What supernatural powers does he have that he can do to me? His immortal robes may be an object, but they are no match for my indestructible body. I know he will be caught off guard, and I will definitely win this time.”

Tang Sanzang said helplessly to Ao Tu:

"Great Master, thank you for sparing our lives. This whole affair was caused by our mistaken belief in the words of the monks of Zhiyuan Temple without verification. We beg your forgiveness, Great Master, and we are willing to apologize before the statue of the Three Pure Ones."

Ao Tu laughed and said, "You are willing to apologize, but your disciple is not."

Tang Sanzang said, "Wukong, quickly apologize and admit your mistake!"

Wukong said, "I'll apologize or admit my mistake, but I can't be considered to have lost! Since I attained enlightenment, I've only lost once to the Buddha. How could I lose to a Taoist like you?"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "Tang Sanzang, look."

Tang Sanzang said, "Wukong!"

Wukong said, "Old Taoist, stop talking. If we don't wager on supernatural powers and magic, I will never admit defeat!"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "Alright, I'll bet with you. But if you lose again this time, will you regret it?"

Wukong said, "I will never go back on my word."

Ao Tu said, "I'll trust you one more time."

The two flew into the air, and the people below could only vaguely see two figures.

Wukong somersaulted on his cloud and disappeared in an instant.

Ao Tu stood still.

Suddenly, Wukong appeared and struck with his staff, which landed on Ao Tu's waist. However, the purple ribbon immortal robe blocked the blow, and Ao Tu remained motionless.

Wukong was gone in an instant.

Ao Tu sat cross-legged in the air, his left hand making a gesture of grasping and his right hand making a gesture of holding up, with yang energy rising and yin energy sinking.

Wukong watched from the shadows and saw that Ao Tu neither made any hand seals nor chanted any incantations, and there was no movement in the world. He wondered what kind of technique this was.

After waiting for a long time and seeing no movement, Wukong reappeared and attacked.

Ao Tu flicked his wrist, and a divine thunderbolt descended from the heavens above, beyond the chaos.

Divine Thunder has no origin and is supreme; it is the beginning of all things, hence it is named Primordial Jade Purity Divine Thunder.

(End of this chapter)