Journey to the West: The roadblock!

Chapter 52, The Three Battles with the White Bone Demon (Part 5)
Now, Ao Tu activated the six-syllable mantra.

"Om Mani Padme Hum!"

Six large golden characters flew out into the air, accompanied by the sound of Buddhist chants.

Wukong was distracted by the headband and had no time to resist. He was hit by the six big characters and sent flying.

Ao Tu said, "Tang Xuanzang, if you do not absolve yourself of your sins, you will not be able to reach Mount Ling. You should take care of yourself."

Having said that, the Buddha image vanished into thin air, actually returning to its illusory form. The Buddha statue also disappeared with the wind.

Wukong flew back and wanted to fight Ao Tu again.

Ao Tu shielded Qiao'er and the others behind him.

Tang Sanzang angrily said, "You impudent monkey, you have repeatedly broken the precept against killing. Even the Buddha cannot tolerate you. Do you still intend to commit violence?"

Wukong said, "Master, I only fought demons. This person is that demon dragon in disguise. He captured you several times before, don't you remember?"

Tang Sanzang said, "Nonsense! If he's a demon, are all these people here demons?"

Wukong looked at the person behind Ao Tu.

A woman, an old man, and an old woman—all ordinary people.

Wukong could only say, "Those three are mortals, only this one is a monster!"

Qiao'er mustered her courage and said, "You're the monster! This is my husband!"

Qiao'er's parents also said, "You hairy-faced, thunder-mouthed scoundrel, not only did you kill someone, but you also framed my son-in-law as a monster?"

Even if Wukong had a mouth, he couldn't explain himself.

Tang Sanzang said, "You impudent monkey! What else do you have to say! A monk's good deeds are like the grass in a spring garden, which grows imperceptibly but increases daily; a person who does evil is like a whetstone, which wears imperceptibly but diminishes daily."

You are ungrateful and have even taken a life, causing me to lose all my merits and be burdened with karmic debts. How can I then obtain the true scriptures? Go back!

Wukong said, “Master, you are only a mortal and cannot recognize the transformations of demons. I am eliminating harm for you, yet you blame me. As the saying goes, things should not be done more than three times. You have banished me three times. If I do not go, I will appear to be a despicable and shameless person. I will go! I will go! But if I go, I am afraid you will have no one to rely on.”

Tang Sanzang angrily said, "You impudent monkey, are you the only one who is human? Aren't Wuneng and Wujing human too?"

Upon hearing this, Wukong exclaimed, "How bitter! How bitter! This journey to the West is fraught with peril and danger. To protect you, I have traversed ancient caves and deep forests, captured demons and monsters, recruited Bajie and Sha Wujing, and endured countless hardships."

Back when I wreaked havoc in Heaven, I wasn't suffering like this. Now, I've ended up like a bird shot down after the hunt, a hunting dog cooked after the rabbit is dead! —Enough! Enough! Enough! Going back is fine, but I'm afraid of that Tightening-Headband Curse.

Tang Sanzang said, "Go back now, I will not recite anymore."

Wukong said, “It’s hard to say. When you reach that place of suffering from the poisonous demon and can’t escape, and Bajie and Sha Wujing can’t save you, when you think of me, you can’t help but recite my name again. Even if it’s a journey of 100,000 miles, my head will still ache.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang became even more enraged. He ordered Sha Wujing to take out paper and pen from his bundle, wrote a letter of dismissal, and handed it to Wukong, saying:
"You impudent monkey! Take this as proof! I no longer want you as my disciple! If what you say is true, then I will fall into the deepest hell!"

Wukong quickly accepted the letter of demotion, folded it, hid it in his sleeve, and said:

“Master, there’s no need for an oath, I will go. It’s just that I’ve followed you for so long, but now I’m giving up halfway and haven’t achieved enlightenment. Please sit down and accept my bow, then I’ll go.”

Tang Sanzang turned away and ignored him, saying:

"I am a good monk, I will not accept your gifts, you wicked man!"

Seeing this, Wukong used a magic trick, plucking three hairs from the back of his head and transforming them into three incarnations, making a total of four, which surrounded Tang Sanzang and made him bow down.

Tang Sanzang couldn't dodge it from either side and was also bowed to.

Wukong jumped up, put away his hairs, and instructed Sha Wujing:

“Brother, you are a good man. If any demons capture Master, just say that I am their eldest disciple. Knowing my methods, they will not dare to harm Master.”

Tang Sanzang said, "I'm a good monk, I won't mention your name, you wicked person. Aren't you going back?"

Upon hearing this, Wukong somersaulted on his cloud and vanished in an instant.

After Wukong left, Tang Sanzang sincerely apologized to Ao Tu.

Ao Tu said, "My little sister was beaten to death by your disciple, and my brother was crippled. Do you think you can atone for your sins by simply bending down and kneeling?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang said, "This humble monk has failed in his duties of discipline, and all the mistakes I have made are my fault. I will do anything to atone for the sins I have committed."

Ao Tu said, "You monk at least have the appearance of admitting your mistake. In that case, first bring my little sister's body back and bury her in peace." Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang immediately ordered Bajie to carry the body.

Bajie said, "My senior brother beat him up, why should I carry him? He's been beaten into a pulp, I won't carry him!"

Tang Sanzang ordered Sha Wujing to carry it.

Sha Wujing packed his bags and pretended to be deaf.

Pigsy patted him and said, "Brother Sandy, Master is calling you!"

Sha Wujing asked, "Ah! Master, what do you need me for?"

Tang Sanzang said, "Bring back the body of that poor woman who was killed by Wukong, so that she can be laid to rest."

Sha Wujing asked, "What woman?"

Tang Sanzang said, "It's the woman we met on the road who brought us food!"

Sha Wujing asked, "What's wrong with the woman who brought the food?"

Tang Sanzang took a breath and said, "I'm asking you to carry her body back!"

Sha Wujing asked, "Sha Wujing, shall we carry her body back?"

Tang Sanzang said, "Yes, go quickly."

Sha Wujing said, "Master, when we were walking today, I was carrying the load and following behind the white horse, and I didn't remember the way we came."

Tang Sanzang was so angry he had no choice but to say, "If you won't go, I'll go carry it myself!"

Seeing this, Pigsy quickly pulled Sandy aside and said:
“Master, with your disciples here, how could we dare to trouble you to go? If word gets out, wouldn’t we be considered unfilial? Please rest here, and Junior Brother Sha and I will go find the body.”

Seeing this, Tang Sanzang calmed down a bit. He watched Bajie and Sha Wujing leave and said to Ao Tu, "Benefactor, my two disciples have already gone."

Ao Tu thought to himself that this monk knew how to order people around, so he said:
“My brother was also injured by your disciple. Now he is crippled and unable to move. Shouldn’t you go and take care of him?”

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang said, "What you say is true, benefactor. This humble monk will now chant sutras and pray for his well-being."

As he spoke, Tang Sanzang went inside to chant sutras for Tiger Vanguard.

Seeing this, Ao Tu gave Tiger Vanguard a wink.

Tiger Vanguard said, "Water, I want to drink water."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang got up and went to fetch water for Tiger Vanguard.

Tiger Vanguard drank the water, and Tang Sanzang sat down and recited two lines of scripture.

Tiger Vanguard said, "I'm hungry, I want to eat."

Tang Sanzang then got up and served food to Tiger Vanguard.

Tiger Vanguard ate his meal, and Tang Sanzang sat down and recited two lines of scripture.

Tiger Vanguard said, "It hurts, my leg hurts!"

Tang Sanzang said, "Benefactor, I can't help you with your leg pain. When my two disciples return, they have the ability to fly through the clouds, and I will have them go down the mountain to find a doctor for you."

Tiger Vanguard said, "My leg is sore and hurts a lot. Could you move it for me?"

Tang Sanzang had no choice but to move Tiger Vanguard's legs.

Tiger Vanguard's legs were as heavy as a thousand pounds, making Tang Sanzang, this pale-faced monk, sweat profusely before he could barely move an inch.

Tiger Vanguard said, "It hurts, it hurts even more. Move to the right—then move to the left..."

At that time, Pigsy and Sandy arrived in the forest.

Sha Wujing asked, "Second Brother, are you really going to carry a dead person?"

Bajie said, "Why carry it? This is a desolate wilderness. Let's just rest here for a while, and when we get back we can just tell the old monk that the remains can't be found, isn't that enough?"

(End of this chapter)