Journey to the West: Black Six Ears

The journey was arduous, involving traversing mountains and valleys, and stumbling along the way.

Xuanzang finally arrived at the imperial city of Baoxiang Kingdom.

"It really is a great place."

Although the capital of Baoxiang Kingdom was far inferior to Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty, it was still much more prosperous than the yellow sand and thorns along the way.

Xuanzang took a deep breath and said to his disciple beside him:

"Bajie, put away your ears and belly, let's go inside."

Because of the search and arrest operation, Xuanzang didn't even manage to enter a decent house along the way.

Now they are finally about to enter the Kingdom of Baoxiang. As long as they explain things clearly, they should be able to obtain the travel permit and continue their journey.

If we can't get it, then we'll have to find a way to sneak out of this Treasure Elephant Kingdom.

However, that would mean they would really have to hide from people, which was not the outcome Xuanzang wanted.

"It's all that monkey's fault."

Even now, Xuanzang still harbored anger towards that monkey.

If it weren't for that monkey that wouldn't listen to people and caused trouble, they would have had food and drink in that village long ago. Why would they have had to hide all this way?

Fortunately, the monkey had been chased away, and he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Without the monkey chattering in his ear, he felt much better.

"Master, let's go inside quickly."

Pigsy gripped the reins and said anxiously.

Although the monkeys were not around during this time, with King Yellow Wind by their side, food was not scarce. In fact, it could be said that finding food was very easy because King Yellow Wind was fast.

Even the Yellow Wind King could find some vegetarian food or even meat to eat every meal.

The two followers have recently become completely devoted to King Huangfeng.

King Huangfeng looked at the city wall and couldn't help but take a deep breath.

His ears twitched slightly, as if he had heard someone speaking.

"Your Majesty, how do we get in?"

Pigsy looked at King Yellow Wind and asked.

Even Xuanzang turned his gaze over, his face full of hope.

King Yellow Wind rubbed his head; he was now truly feeling the hardship of leading the team.

"You shouldn't be able to get in using normal methods."

It was broad daylight, and there were guards at the gate. The group of five was a large, conspicuous group, and with people like Zhu Bajie and Xuanzang whose identities were immediately recognizable, it was impossible for them to blend in.

Xuanzang and his companions pinned their hopes on the Yellow Wind King because they knew they couldn't get in through normal means.

"I'll blow a gust of wind in a bit to blind them, then you guys hurry up and run inside."

Although the Yellow Wind King could fly everyone inside, it was obvious that Xuanzang would never agree to such a proposal.

Then we can only use the brute force method and take it one step at a time.

"Great idea, great idea!"

Upon hearing this, Xuanzang nodded repeatedly, saying he couldn't help it.

The Yellow Wind King indeed took a breath and blew gently.

The wind howled as soon as it left the hillside, tearing the ground as it rushed towards the city walls.

Boom!

The wind lashed against the city walls, making an unsettling sound.

The wind that rushed into the city gate carried a turbulent wind and blinding yellow sand.

The city gate guards couldn't even stand up, and the people inside the city were all blown about by the strange wind.

"Let's go."

King Yellow Wind withdrew his powers and spoke to the group.

And so, taking advantage of this opportunity, the group slipped into the imperial city.

Just then, inside the royal palace of Baoxiang Kingdom, the handsome yellow-robed monster stood before the king:

"Your Majesty, the monster that captured your daughter has already entered the city."

The king, his face solemn, nodded earnestly and addressed the civil and military officials standing to the side:

"Send the city guards to set out; they must capture this tiger demon!"

As soon as the order was given, all the officers and soldiers of the entire Baoxiang Kingdom sprang into action.

Xuanzang and his companions thought they had found a way into Baoxiang Kingdom, but little did they know that once they entered Baoxiang Kingdom, they had actually stumbled into a dangerous place.

"Thanks to Your Majesty, we were able to enter the imperial city so smoothly."

Chaos reigned within the imperial city, with people and horses overturned due to the strong winds.

Therefore, everyone clearly understood that Xuanzang and his group's calm demeanor meant they had brought trouble upon themselves.

Soon, a group of soldiers carrying weapons rushed towards them.

"dismount!"

Several soldiers holding spears blocked the way for the pilgrimage team, pointing at Xuanzang.

Xuanzang immediately dismounted and addressed the soldiers:

"I am a monk from the Great Tang Dynasty in the East, on my way to the Western Paradise to obtain Buddhist scriptures. I am passing through this blessed land and request an audience with Your Majesty."

The soldiers ignored them completely and rushed forward to grab at everyone.

"spread!"

Pigsy didn't want to be captured, so he raised his nine-toothed rake and swung it left and right, plowing all the people nearby to the ground.

The Yellow Wind King casually waved his hand, and a gust of wind blew by, causing people and horses to fall over in an instant.

"Stop! Harming people is prohibited here!"

Just then, a sharp shout rang out.

Soon, a richly dressed man came up behind the group.

"His Majesty!"

The soldiers knelt before the man.

Xuanzang, seeing him, was also terrified and immediately knelt down:

"Your Majesty, this humble monk greets you."

"Monk, I know everything about the murder you committed on my Baoxiang Kingdom's territory. What else do you have to say in your defense!"

The king shouted and pointed at Xuanzang.

"Your Majesty, the murderer was my eldest disciple, and I have already banished him."

The king waved his hand:

"I don't care about this matter, but you can't just let it go like this by taking my daughter away. Arrest her, and if she resists, kill her without mercy!"

At this moment, on Mount Ling in the Western Paradise, at the Buddha's sacred site.

A group of bodhisattvas and deities sat quietly, waiting for the one who had gathered the crowd to speak.

The Buddha sat high above, hands clasped together, his voice deep and resonant:

"Venerable Guanyin, where is the pilgrim on his journey to the West now?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva stepped forward and calculated with her fingers:

"Your Majesty, the pilgrim is currently in the Kingdom of Baoxiang."

Baoxiang Kingdom is already within the territory of Xiniu Hezhou, so it seems that it is not too far from the Western Heavenly Spirit Mountain.

Buddha nodded, then changed the subject:

"The other day, the Heavenly Court sent a message that the Jade Emperor, at the invitation of the Ancestor of the Earthly Immortals, is going to hold a Daoist conference at Yaochi and invites our Buddhist sect to attend."

The collaboration with the Jade Emperor has been successful, and this invitation is likely a celebration of that success.

Buddha did not intend to get involved in such matters with the Jade Emperor, so he was not prepared to go, but he could not refuse to give the Jade Emperor face.

"May the Venerable Guanyin go in my stead."

If Guanyin Bodhisattva goes there, then the Buddhist community will have been given face, and the other party won't say anything.

Furthermore, the one who actually initiated this conference was Zhen Yuanzi, the ancestor of the Earth Immortals, so it would be most appropriate for a Bodhisattva to attend.

Guanyin Bodhisattva is naturally willing to do things that can enhance her influence.

But Buddha recently assigned him a task, which he has not yet completed.

Moreover, this matter is very likely related to Zhen Yuanzi.

"Reporting to the World Honored One, the matter of the Six-Eared Macaque has not yet yielded a result."

Six-eared macaque?

Buddha frowned, only then remembering the matter of the Six-Eared Macaque.

Although Bodhisattva Lingji did not die, his Buddha body, which he had painstakingly cultivated, was destroyed. This was a challenge to the dignity of Buddhism and was no small matter.

Unexpectedly, Guanyin Bodhisattva was unable to subdue the monkey directly.

However, that monkey wasn't very capable, and for Buddhism, subduing it would be a simple matter.

"The monkey's matter is unimportant; leave it to Manjushri and Samantabhadra to handle. How long has it been since the Bodhisattva's beast descended the mountain?"

Manjushri and Samantabhadra exchanged a glance, their hearts skipped a beat, and they realized something.

Manjushri quickly stepped forward:

"Your Majesty, it has been seven days."

The Buddha lowered his eyes, his gaze devoid of sorrow or joy, his voice booming like a great bell:

"Seven days in the mountains are like thousands of years in the world. I wonder how many lives have been lost there. Quickly take him away and capture the Six-Eared Macaque again."

The two Bodhisattvas immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

The Buddha's meaning is that he doesn't intend to hold them accountable, but...

"World Honored One, what exactly is this Six-Eared Macaque?"

They had never heard of the Six-Eared Macaque before, nor did they know where to find it.

Upon hearing this, the Buddha finally spoke:

"Your magical powers are vast, but you can only see the general affairs of the universe. You cannot know all the things in the universe, nor can you understand all the kinds of things in the universe."

The two Bodhisattvas then inquired about the different types of beings in the heavens.

Seeing the two of them like this, the Buddha then said:

"Within the universe, there are five immortals and five insects. This fellow is neither heaven nor earth nor god nor human nor ghost, nor is he a snail, nor a scaled creature, nor a hairy creature, nor a feathered creature, nor an insect. He is a pair of monkeys who live in chaos."

This six-eared macaque is one of the four monkeys.

After saying this, Buddha calculated with his fingers.

"This monkey is in the Kingdom of Baoxiang."