Journey to the West: The roadblock!

Chapter 82 Treasure Hunt in the Lotus Cave (Part 8)
Meanwhile, Wukong used the Golden Rope, which, like a flying dragon, broke through the air to bind Ao Tu.

Ao Tu laughed as he held the purple-gold-red gourd in the air, chanted "Collect," and the golden rope was sucked in with a whoosh.

Upon seeing this, Wukong exclaimed in alarm, "Oh no! That Silver Horn King tricked me!"

When Wukong sneaked into the cave, he heard the Silver Horn King say that this treasure could only be taken in if someone responded to his call. However, he did not expect that this was a lie.

This treasure could be picked up and used to capture people immediately.

Wukong dared not linger, and turned and somersaulted away.

Ao Tu did not give chase. Instead, he flew down with his gourd and saw Pigsy and Sandy fighting against the Golden Horn King and the Silver Horn King.

Ao Tu put the gourd down, chanted "Collect," and collected Pigsy and Sandy into the gourd.

Ao Tu captured Tang Sanzang, returned to his cave, released Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, and imprisoned Tang Sanzang in the cave again.

The three of them drank heartily with Ao Tu, and then discussed that once they captured Sun Wukong, they would eat Tang Sanzang's flesh.

Wukong, on the other hand, somersaulted and jumped to the South China Sea.

The clouds descended, revealing Guanyin Bodhisattva seated in a purple bamboo grove, on a nine-tiered lotus throne, not yet having dressed. A poem reads:
She is lazy and afraid of dressing up, so her face is very graceful.

Her hair was tied up in a loose bun and she never wore a tassel.

She didn't wear a plain blue robe, but a tight-fitting jacket.

She wore a brocade skirt tied around her waist and had bare feet.

Wukong rushed forward, but Huian Xingzhe Muzha and the Dragon Girl holding the pearl both stopped him, preventing him from getting closer. Wukong then shouted:
"Bodhisattva, my master is in trouble at Pingdingshan. Please come with me to save my master."

Upon hearing this, Guanyin Bodhisattva stood up and asked, "Is it that demonic dragon again?"

Wukong said, "That's right, please ask the Bodhisattva for help!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva, standing on the nine-tiered lotus platform, flew out and said:

"Let's go, we must catch that beast this time."

Wukong asked, "Bodhisattva, how do you intend to capture him?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "I will lead him to this nine-tiered lotus platform, close the lotus petals, and use the precious pearl bestowed by the Buddha to suppress him on top, so that he cannot escape."

Wukong said, "A good plan! Please, Bodhisattva, straighten your clothes, and we will go now."

Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "No need to straighten your clothes, hurry up and leave, lest that wicked beast escape."

Guanyin Bodhisattva rode on auspicious clouds, stood on a lotus platform, and hurried towards Pingdingshan.

Wukong quickly followed.

They soon arrived at Pingdingshan, where Guanyin Bodhisattva and Wukong stood on the clouds.

Wukong asked, "Bodhisattva, how do we lead that demon dragon to sit on the lotus platform?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "I will place the lotus platform here, hidden underground. Wukong, go down and challenge the demon dragon. Just make sure he stands here."

Wukong said, "That's difficult! That's difficult! Bodhisattva, I always fight that demon dragon in the sky. How can he possibly come down? This plan is going to be difficult!"

Just then, two little demons walked by, carrying a large chair, heading towards the Lotus Cave.

Upon seeing this, Wukong's eyes lit up, and he said, "Bodhisattva, a business opportunity has arrived."

Wukong leaped down, transforming into a small demon himself, and blocked the two demons' path, saying, "Halt! What are you doing here?"

The meticulous ghost and the clever bug put down their chairs and asked, "What do you do?"

Sun Wukong said, "I am a demon from the Lotus Cave!"

The clever and cunning insect said, "Are you a monster from the Lotus Cave? How come we've never seen you before?"

Sun Wukong said, "I am a demon under the command of the Great King. I just arrived today, so you don't recognize me."

Upon hearing that the clever and cunning insect was under the Great King's command, it quickly flattered him, saying, "So we're family!"

Sun Wukong said, "Don't rush to get on my good side. Let me ask you, what are you doing carrying this big chair? Did you steal it from somewhere?"

The meticulous ghost hurriedly said, "It wasn't stolen, it was bought! This is a top-quality chair that the Great King and the Second King instructed us to go down the mountain to purchase. It's covered in gold and weighs a thousand catties!"

The clever insect said, "This is specially for the Great King! Because the Great King doesn't have a suitable chair in the cave, the Great King and the Second King specially instructed us to go down the mountain to get one!"

Upon hearing this, Wukong grinned, revealing his monkey face, and said, "Good, good, good! A good chair, just right!"

The clever ghost and the nimble insect were startled by what they saw and exclaimed, "Sun Wukong!"

The two hurriedly ran backward.

Wukong wielded his golden cudgel and struck at the clever ghost and the nimble insect.

Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "Wait, Wukong, don't harm their lives."

Guanyin Bodhisattva descended from the clouds, and with a wave of her willow branch, made the clever and mischievous insect fall asleep.

Wukong laughed and said, "The Bodhisattva is truly compassionate. Let's trouble the Bodhisattva to transform into this little demon's appearance, and then turn the lotus platform into a chair. We'll sneak into the cave and coax that demon dragon into sitting on the chair, how about that?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "Excellent!"

She transformed herself into the appearance of a refined ghost.

Wukong then transformed into a clever insect.

Guanyin Bodhisattva transformed the nine-tiered lotus platform into a chair, and the two of them carried the chair towards the Lotus Cave.

Upon entering the Lotus Cave, Ao Tu was drinking with King Golden Horn and King Silver Horn.

Guanyin Bodhisattva and Sun Wukong carried a chair to offer as a sacrifice:

"Your Majesty, please take the throne!"

Ao Tu asked, "What is this?"

King Golden Horn explained, “Brother, there is no suitable seat for your status in this cave, I’m sorry to trouble you. This is a throne that I sent the clever and resourceful insect down the mountain to procure. What do you think of it? Is it to your liking?”

Ao Tu looked at it and saw a throne that was a full four feet six inches long and two feet eight inches high, paved with gold and inlaid with jewels—truly magnificent. Ao Tu laughed and said, "What a fine throne! My worthy brother has gone to great lengths!"

King Golden Horn said, "Quickly bring up the throne, please, Your Majesty, take a seat!"

Wukong was overjoyed and hurriedly carried the throne up.

When Ao Tu saw that look of joy, he felt that it looked somewhat familiar.

He became alert, and instead of sitting down immediately, he picked up his wine glass, poured himself a drink, and said:

"You two, you clever devil and quick-witted bug, have carried the throne all the way here. Your hard work and merits are rewarded. Here is a cup of fine wine for you!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva frowned slightly, but in order to capture this wicked beast, she still disguised herself as a little demon and said, "Thank you for the great king's reward!"

Then they fought with Wukong to drink the fine wine.

Ao Tu immediately recognized her, grabbed Guanyin Bodhisattva's wrist, and laughed:

"Guanyin, instead of chanting sutras in the Purple Bamboo Grove, why are you here tricking me into drinking your wine!"

Seeing that her scheme had been exposed, Guanyin Bodhisattva revealed her true form and, in turn, seized Ao Tu's wrist, saying in a fit of rage:

"You beast, you won't escape this time! I will capture you!"

When the Golden Horned and Silver Horned creatures saw that it was Guanyin Bodhisattva, they were terrified.

Undeterred, Ao Tu extended his dragon claw and struck Guanyin's chest with a palm.

Guanyin stretched out her palm, which was not as ferocious as Ao Tu's dragon claw, but was pure white like jade, and met Ao Tu's dragon claw.

The two palms came together, and their magical power collided.

Ao Tu suddenly felt his blood and qi surge.

The two sides were vying for magical power. At first, Ao Tu's power had the upper hand, but Guanyin Bodhisattva's power was stronger, and she quickly turned the tables and suppressed Ao Tu.

On the other side, Golden Horn and Silver Horn joined forces to fight Sun Wukong.

Chaos reigned inside the Lotus Cave.

Ao Tu shot out two golden rays from his eyes and struck Guanyin Bodhisattva.

A divine light appeared between Guanyin Bodhisattva's brows, protecting her and blocking Ao Tu's golden light. She then opened her mouth and spat out a precious pearl, which she threw at Ao Tu.

Ao Tu tried to leave, but Guanyin Bodhisattva held his wrist tightly, preventing him from going.

Ao Tu transformed into a streak of rainbow light, and no matter how hard Guanyin Bodhisattva tried to restrain him, he dodged away, easily avoiding the precious pearl.

Ao Tu flicked his wrist, took out the purple-gold-red gourd, and said to Guanyin Bodhisattva, "Take it!"

Caught off guard, Guanyin was suddenly sucked into the gourd.

Ao Tu posted the note that read "By order of the Supreme Lord Laozi, please hurry!" and laughed, "Guanyin, you won't be able to escape this time!"

Upon seeing this, Wukong was shocked and quickly somersaulted away.

King Golden Horn and King Silver Horn were equally astonished, exclaiming, "Brother, you've put Guanyin Bodhisattva inside?"

Ao Tu said, "That's right!"

Silver Horn King said, "But I didn't hear you call her just now, and she didn't answer. How did she get in there?"

King Golden Horn said, "That's right, now that you mention it, it seems like last time when they were trapped, they were trapped inside just like that!"

Ao Tu explained, "When I was studying this gourd last time, I was fortunate enough to comprehend one of its laws, so it can directly hold people without any restrictions."

Silver Horn King exclaimed in astonishment, "Brother, you are truly talented! What a gift you have!"

Ao Tu said, "It's nothing."

King Golden Horn said, "Now that we've put Guanyin Bodhisattva inside, won't she turn into pus in a short while?"

Ao Tu said, "She is protected by divine light, so she cannot be harmed."

As she spoke, she shrunk the gourd and put it in her bosom to prevent anyone from letting her out.

He picked up the pearl from the ground again; wasn't it another innate treasure?
Ao Tu activated the precious pearl, and bursts of Buddhist light emanated from it. Inside, there was a complete world of all heavens, all of which were Buddhist worlds, containing supreme Buddhist power.

Upon just seeing the Buddha's light, the Golden Horned King and the Silver Horned King covered their heads, feeling a headache.

Ao Tu, however, was unaffected.

Although he had a long-standing conflict with Buddhism, he was a truly eminent monk!
Looking at the throne again, after Guanyin Bodhisattva was put into the gourd, the magic of the throne naturally broke, and it returned to its original form, which was a nine-tiered lotus platform.

This lotus platform is a treasure made from acquired merit, a precious object refined by Guanyin Bodhisattva when she attained the position of Bodhisattva.

Ao Tu sat cross-legged on the lotus platform, feeling his body clear and refreshed. Waves of lotus fragrance wafted over him, instantly clearing away the doubts that had been difficult to resolve in his cultivation.

"Good baby!"

Ao Tu was overjoyed and took the lotus platform for his own use, planning to sit on it to study the Purple Gold Red Gourd and the precious pearl.

Meanwhile, Wukong emerged from the Lotus Cave and sighed:

"How bitter! How bitter! Even Bodhisattvas have fallen into this predicament; this journey to the West is truly arduous!"

He leaped to Mount Ling and went to the Great Thunderclap Temple to seek an audience with the Buddha.

Vajra guards the gate, monks greet them, and bodhisattvas and arhats stand on either side of the temple.

When Buddha saw Wukong, he asked, "Wukong, why have you come again?"

Wukong sighed, “When I arrived at Pingding Mountain, I encountered a group of demons who were colluding with the demon dragon Ao Tu to eat my master. Those demons have a very powerful treasure that is difficult to defeat. I beg Buddha to use his great power to subdue the demons and rescue my master.”

Upon hearing this, the Buddha, with his all-seeing eye, looked towards Flat-Topped Mountain and saw Golden Horn and Silver Horn, knowing them all. He said:

“I have seen that demon, but I cannot help you. Go to the South Sea and ask Guanyin for help.”

(End of this chapter)