Journey to the West: The roadblock!

Chapter 31, Crossing the Shifting Sands (Part 7)
After learning the whole story, Wukong asked Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, to go and persuade him to surrender.

The two rode on clouds and soon arrived at the Flowing Sand River.

Wukong said, "We've arrived, Old Dragon King. Go down and see your nephew!"

The Dragon King of the West Sea, Ao Run, looked at the river and then at the boundary marker on the bank. He hesitated to speak, but urged by Wukong, he entered the river.

Tiger Vanguard was patrolling the diving area when he saw Ao Run enter. He hurried down to report, "Your Majesty, your uncle has arrived!"

Upon hearing this, Ao Tu immediately went to greet him.

Upon seeing Ao Run, he asked, "Uncle, didn't we say we shouldn't contact each other anymore? Why have you come again?"

Ao Run then told Ao Tu about Sun Wukong's trip to the Dragon Palace to find them.

After hearing this, Ao Tu shook his head and sighed, "That monkey."

Ao Run then asked Ao Tu why this place had been turned into the Blackwater River.

Ao Tu avoided Sha Wujing and briefly told Ao Run about how Sha Wujing had turned the Liusha River into the Black Water River to obstruct Tang Sanzang and his disciples' journey to the West.

After listening to this, Ao Run earnestly advised, "My dear nephew, our dragon clan is weak and cannot compete! Since you have such talent, why not focus on cultivation? Wouldn't that be better?"

Can you focus on your cultivation?

Ao Tu laughed and shook his head, saying, "Alright, Uncle, let's not talk about that anymore. You'll have to suffer this time!"

After saying this, Ao Tu used his magic to bind Ao Run, and tied him up at the bottom of the water along with Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie.

Outside, Wukong waited on the shore.

Before long, waves surged and churned, and Ao Tu emerged from the water.

Wukong laughed and said, "Little dragon, have you figured it out?"

Ao Tu said, "You monkey, you asked my uncle to subdue me, you really don't understand Buddhism."

Wukong asked in confusion, "Why doesn't your uncle know about Buddhism?"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "Don't you know? I am a Buddhist monk and once rang the bell under the Buddha. All Buddhist monks sever all emotions and attachments and do not recognize relatives. That old dragon of the West Sea is now locked at the bottom of the river by me, keeping your master company!"

Wukong realized Ao Tu was slandering Buddhism and almost couldn't help but laugh. He forced a smile and said:
"You filthy dragon, how dare you be so disrespectful? Release my master at once, or don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Ao Tu said, "Sun Wukong, I have heard of your abilities and admire your loyalty. I can release your master, but it is the dead of winter now and it is not advisable to travel. The Spring Equinox will be on the 24th, and I promise to send your master out then."

Upon hearing this, Wukong frowned and said:

"You demonic dragon, what tricks are you playing? If you're going to release my master, release him now. Why wait until the beginning of spring? Do you think you, as a demon, need to consult the almanac or feng shui?"

Ao Tu said:
"Monkey, if you trust me, then agree. When the time comes, I will definitely release your master and I will never break my promise! You don't know yet, but I previously arranged a month's leave for you. Use this time to go home and visit your master!"

After listening, Wukong pondered for a moment and said:

"Very well, I see that you are a man of integrity and keep your promises, so I will grant your request. However, you must serve my master well, providing him with three meals a day and six meals a day without fail. If you lose weight, I will hold you accountable!"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "I'll go and move a crystal palace over here to take care of him!"

So the agreement was made.

Wukong went east, heading straight to Dongsheng Shenzhou, to Aolai Country, and Huaguo Mountain.

Ao Tu returned to the water and kept his promise. He used magic to build a palace for Tang Sanzang to live in. He also spent money to invite several old monks from outside to sit in meditation and chant sutras with Tang Sanzang. He ordered Tiger Vanguard to go into the mountains every day to pick some mountain delicacies and wild vegetables, such as mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, wood ear fungus, daylilies, agar, yam, and polygonatum, to cook vegetarian meals for Tang Sanzang.

On the other side, Wukong, riding the clouds, had already spotted the Eastern Ocean and the Flower Fruit Mountain range. He sighed deeply, saying, "I haven't traveled this path for five hundred years!"

There it was: swaying mist and rolling waves. The tide surged, flooding the bay. Wild birds roamed freely, sandpipers drifted on and off. Waves rolled up the snow of a thousand years, and the wind brought the chill of winter.

He descended from the clouds and opened his eyes to observe.

The mountain was devoid of flowers and grass, and all the mist and haze had vanished; the peaks and rocks had collapsed, and the forests and trees were scorched and withered.

Wukong stared at the desolate landscape, stunned and filled with even greater sorrow.

A poem says:
Looking back at the sacred mountain, tears stream down my face; the desolation of the mountain only deepens my sorrow. At the time, I thought the mountain was unharmed; only today do I realize the land has suffered a loss.

The rosy clouds and mist in the sky have all dissipated, and the wind and clouds on the ground have all dispersed.

No tiger roars are heard on the eastern ridge, no white ape cries are heard on the western mountain.

Bluestone is burned into a thousand pieces of soil, and green sand turns into a pile of mud.

Where did the birds fly in the past? Which mountains did the beasts roam?

In his grief, Wukong saw seven or eight little monkeys leap out from the grassy slope and the hollow in the mountain, rushing forward to surround him and kowtow. They cried out, "Great Sage Grandpa! Have you come home today?"

Wukong said, "Why aren't you playing around? Why are you all hiding and concealing yourselves?"

Upon hearing this, the monkeys all wept and said:

"Ever since the Great Sage captured the Upper Realm, we have suffered the torment of hunters, which has been truly unbearable! How could we withstand his powerful crossbows and bows, his hawks and hounds, his nets and hooks? Therefore, we cherish our lives and dare not venture out to play; we simply hide deep in our caves and stay far away from our nests. When we are hungry, we steal grass from the hillside, and when we are thirsty, we drink from the clear spring water in the ravine. Just now we heard the voice of the Great Sage, who has come to greet us."

Upon hearing this, Wukong felt even more miserable. He then asked, "How many of you are still on this mountain?"

The monkeys said, "There are only about a thousand old and young ones."

Wukong asked, "I once had a total of 47,000 demons. Where have they all gone?"

The monkeys said, "Since the Great Sage left, most of us have been burned and killed by the heavenly generals; those who survived have mostly been robbed by hunters over the years."

Wukong said, "What does it have to do with him robbing you?"

The monkeys said, “He took those of us who were shot, wounded, poisoned, or killed, skinned and deboned them, boiled them in soy sauce and vinegar, steamed them, fried them in oil and salt, and ate them as a side dish. Those who were caught in nets or trapped were used to jump through hoops, do somersaults, stand on their hands like dragonflies, play drums and gongs, and perform other tricks in the street.”

Upon hearing this, Wukong became extremely angry and asked, "Who is in charge of things in this cave?"

The demons said, "There are also Marshals Ma and Liu, and Generals Ben and Ba in charge."

Wukong said, "Go and tell him that I have arrived."

The little demons burst through the door and announced, "Grandpa Great Sage has come to our house!"

Upon hearing the news, Ma, Liu, Ben, and Ba hurriedly went out to kowtow and welcome Wukong into the cave.

Wukong sat in the middle, while the monsters bowed before him.

Offering fruit and coconut wine to Wukong as a welcome feast.

Wukong said, "Don't drink yet. I ask you: when do those hunters come to my mountain?"

Ma and Liudao: "No matter when, they often come to bother us."

Just then, a little monkey came to report: "The hunters are here."

When Wukong reached the summit, he saw that on the southern half, drums were beating and gongs were ringing, and more than a thousand men appeared, all carrying hawks and hounds and wielding swords and spears.

These are hunters from nearby countries who have gathered here to hunt.

Upon seeing this, Wukong was furious. Having entered the Buddhist order, he became more restrained and did not attack directly. Instead, he made a hand seal, which conjured a gust of wind that blew these people five hundred miles away, preventing them from ever returning.

After dealing with these people, Wukong used his magic to repair the mountain range; he went to the four seas to borrow some sweet rain, and ordered the monkeys to plant elms, willows, pines, nanmu trees, peaches, plums, dates and apricots, restoring it to its former appearance.

There stood Flower and Fruit Mountain: its peaks were as green as jade, and its height seemed to touch the clouds. Streams murmured and springs dripped. At dawn and dusk, the cliffs and precipices were covered with new trees and flowers.

The monkeys were overjoyed and couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa Sage, are you leaving again after returning home this time?"

Wukong said, "We still need to go west, so we'll only stay here for twenty-four days."

The monkeys said reluctantly, "Why only stay for twenty-odd days? Why not stay for a few more years?"

Wukong laughed and said, "These twenty-four days have been quite an achievement. I should thank my dragon brother!"

(End of this chapter)