Chapter 171: Under Five Elements Mountain, Bajie and Wukong

On a Nameless Mountain, firewood burned under the dark night.

Bajie and Xuanzang sat before the fire.

"Master, do you have a woman you like?" Bajie asked.

"Oh, right, Master, you are a monk, you cannot be near women!"

"Thinking about it this way, I, Old Zhu, suddenly feel happy."

"Master, your Skin is Absolute and one of a kind! If I had your dignity, Cuilan would not have abandoned me!"

"Ah, pity my life as a pig, when will I ever attain a human life!"

"..."

For some reason, Xuanzang really wanted to stew Bajie right now.

This pig head spoke like a cannonball, one after another.

"Bajie, tell me, how were you demoted back then? Did you really harass Chang'e?" Xuanzang asked.

Hearing this, Bajie's expression gradually darkened, and he said:

"Even if I were given ten times the courage, I wouldn't dare harass Chang'e Fairy. To the high and mighty Jade Emperor, what is a Marshal Tianpeng anyway!"

"? So, what was the real reason then?" Xuanzang asked.

"Master, is there a possibility that I am actually an undercover agent?" Bajie asked.

"Uh..."

Xuanzang pondered for a moment, took a sharp pig-slaughtering knife from his robes, and said:

"Alright, then I'll slaughter you."

"Don't, Master? I'm joking, how could I possibly be an undercover agent." Zhu Bajie said hurriedly.

As for whether he was an undercover agent, only he himself knew.

"...," Xuanzang.

"Master, I am just a small pawn, following arrangements from above. This Journey to the West is essentially a game, much like the havoc in the Heavenly Palace five hundred years ago.

The difference is, back then the protagonist was the Houzi, and now it is you.

As for my demotion, sigh, it was just a random excuse from the Jade Emperor.

Fleet Admiral Tianpeng is just a position; anyone can take it," Bajie said.

"You see things quite clearly, and you just say it out loud like that?" Xuanzang laughed.

"After all, the Journey to the West has tied us together, and I see that you, Master, are so capable in a fight, with a level of magic power at least starting at the Golden Immortal realm; maybe in the future you can even kick the Buddha.

I am your disciple, and if I can manage to become a Bodhisattva or Venerable, that would be better than being in the Heavenly Court," Bajie said.

"If the Houzi had your brains, he wouldn't have ended up pressed under Five Fingers Mountain," Xuanzang said.

Mentioning the Houzi, Bajie realized belatedly and said:

"Wait, that's not right! By logic, shouldn't the Houzi be the first one to be rescued? Master, what about the Horse Protector?"

"I let him stay under the mountain for a few more days to catch some wind, so I could come find you first," Xuanzang said.

"Doesn't that mean I am the first one to join?" Bajie said.

"If you can beat the Houzi, you can be the senior disciple," Xuanzang said.

"..." Bajie.

The next day, under Five Elements Mountain.

Xuanzang, Bajie, and Sun Wukong, who was pressed under the mountain, stared at each other with wide eyes.

The Houzi woke up and discovered Xuanzang and Zhu Bajie, and was stunned.

"Xuanzang, you tricked me? You are the Scripture Seeker!

"

Sun Wukong realized what was happening and immediately shouted.

All his monkey fur stood on end; Xuanzang even lied to the Houzi, which was somewhat immoral.

"Hey, Horse Protector? Five hundred years no see, you didn't get thin as Skin under Five Fingers Mountain, how come you look all round now?" Bajie laughed.

"Who are you, you pig demon?" Sun Wukong said.

"Me, I am Tianpeng!" Bajie said hurriedly.

Sun Wukong looked at Bajie's pig head, pondered for three seconds, and said casually:

"Don't know you!"

"Back then when you, the Horse Protector, were herding horses at the Heavenly River, we even fought, forgot?" Bajie reminded him.

Mentioning herding horses at the Heavenly River, Sun Wukong finally remembered that this indeed happened, and said:

"So it's you. How did you end up looking like this? But it actually suits you quite well, hehehe."

"The past is not worth looking back on. Horse Protector, from now on we are fellow disciples. Together we will accompany Master on his Scripture Seeking journey," Bajie said.

"? Xuanzang... no, Master. Why did you take in this pig head? Is he any good?" Sun Wukong complained.

"The journey west is arduous, sleeping in the open. Bringing Bajie along can sometimes improve our meals."

"Bajie, to be a person, one must have a spirit of sacrifice," Xuanzang said seriously.

"Master, I am a pig, not a person! I don't need a spirit of sacrifice. Besides, does your old self have the heart to hurt me?"

Bajie acted coquettishly, wanting to rub against Xuanzang's arm.

Xuanzang hurriedly dodged; this Bajie was full of saliva and snot.

"This idiot!" Sun Wukong shook his head.

Bajie noticed the leftover Happy Water beside Sun Wukong and snatched it with quick hands and eyes.

"Damn it, you dead pig, that's my Happy Water!" Sun Wukong shouted loudly.

"We are fellow disciples, what's yours is mine, Bi Ma Wen."

After speaking, Bajie opened his blood-basin-sized mouth and downed the remaining Happy Water in one gulp.

Gulp, gulp, gulp!

Burp~

Having finished it in one breath, Bajie patted his belly, savoring the aftertaste, and sighed:

"To think there is such divine water in the world; it is not a whit inferior to immortal wine and fine brews. Bi Ma Wen, you really know how to enjoy yourself. Is there any more? Give some more to your junior brother!"

Bajie cast a sidelong glance and discovered that the cans of Happy Water around Five Fingers Mountain were stacked two or three stories high, so he knew the monkey had the goods.

"Get lost!" Sun Wukong cursed.

"Stingy!" Bajie whispered.

He then looked at Xuanzang, his gaze somewhat eager, and said:

"Master, let me, old Sun, out. I, old Sun, don't want to be pressed down anymore!"

"Monkey, I have come today to return your freedom!" Xuanzang said.

"Hehe, many thanks, Master. There is a talisman left by Rulai on the mountaintop; as long as it is removed, I, old Sun, can come out myself," Sun Wukong said.

Hearing this, Xuanzang looked up and saw that there was indeed an old talisman on the peak of Five Fingers Mountain, where one could vaguely see the characters "Om Mani Padme Hum"!

This was the Six-Syllable Mantra of Buddhism, containing the magic power left by Rulai; translated, it roughly meant "I am going to trick you"!

"The mountaintop is too far; Bajie, go and remove it for me," Xuanzang said.

"Master, the mountain is high and the road is long. I, old pig, cannot stand it!" Bajie said resentfully.

"Go quickly, do you have the heart to let Wukong continue to be pressed under Five Elements Mountain?" Xuanzang said.

"Go quickly, one bottle of Happy Water," Sun Wukong urged.

In fact, in Sun Wukong's view, it didn't matter who went to remove the talisman!

"One bottle? Monkey, you are my, old pig's, senior brother after all. In our relationship, how is one bottle enough? No, add another bottle."

Bajie's mind was quick, and he raised the price on the spot.

"..., fine." Sun Wukong was stunned, then gritted his teeth and agreed.

Hearing this, Bajie patted his backside, jumped up, and rode the clouds and mist to the top of Five Fingers Mountain in an instant.

Bajie arrived before the talisman, bowed very politely, and said:

"Buddha, I, old pig, am removing it. If you don't speak, I, old pig, will take it as your consent."

As the words fell, Bajie removed the talisman with lightning speed!

"Hahaha!"

"I, old Sun, am out!"

Seeming to feel that the talisman was gone, Sun Wukong channeled his magic power and pushed against Five Fingers Mountain with all his might!

Boom!

Five Fingers Mountain shook, rocks tumbled down, and the Great Emperor for a hundred miles around trembled!

But after a huge commotion, Sun Wukong was still pressed under the mountain, and the rocks on the mountain became even tighter.

"Hiss!"

Sun Wukong felt the crushing force, and he felt terrible, his stomach feeling bloated.

"What is going on? Rulai, are you tricking me, old Sun, again?" Sun Wukong roared at the sky.

Seeing this, Xuanzang's eyes showed a look of contemplation; this result was about what he had guessed.

The talisman was likely similar to a fingerprint authentication; it was useless for others to remove it.

Bajie flew down, saw the monkey spouting profanities, and asked:

"What's going on?"

"No matter, the problem is not big," Xuanzang said.

At this moment, above the firmament, a dazzling Buddha Light suddenly appeared.

……

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