Chapter 38: Tang Seng

Before leaving, Kong Xuan instructed Sun Wukong that he must listen to Tang Seng from the very beginning and be careful of the Tight-Fillet Spell; Sun Wukong nodded repeatedly in agreement. Then Kong Xuan flew away, stopping not far off to prepare to track Tang Seng and his group later.

After waiting for a hundred years, a monk riding a horse finally approached; that monk had a burly build and a face full of whiskers, looking just like a martial monk from the Shaolin Si of a past life.

The monk dismounted, looked at Sun Wukong, who was pressed beneath Wuzhi Shan, and asked, "Are you the person Bodhisattva told me to rescue, so that you may escort me to retrieve the scriptures?"

"Yes, I am indeed the one converted by Guanyin Dashi; I hope the Master will help rescue me," Sun Wukong replied hurriedly. He was incomparably excited that he was finally going to get out.

"Name," Tang Seng asked.

"Sun Wukong, Master, do you not know my name?" Sun Wukong said, puzzled.

"Oh, it's nothing, I just wanted to confirm if you are the person I am to rescue. If it is you, that is best; if it is not, and I release a dangerous demon, it would be bad if Rulai Fozu were to blame me later. Even if he didn't blame me, I would still feel guilty. As for whether the Buddha would actually blame me or not, that is not something I can know," Tang Seng said.

"Alright, alright, Master, hurry up and release me. I can't wait any longer, hurry," Sun Wukong said anxiously. Seeing that he was about to get out, yet having to listen to this endless chatter, he was truly frustrated.

"Wait, don't be impatient. As your future Master, I must ask about your situation clearly before releasing you; it won't be too late," Tang Seng said, unhurried and unperturbed.

"Fine, fine, Master, whatever you want to know, ask me quickly, I will tell you everything," Sun Wukong wished he could just strike him dead with a single staff blow.

"Name, gender, home address, age, whether you have a criminal record, how many years you have been pressed here, and any bad habits," Tang Seng asked a whole string of questions.

Hearing this, Kong Xuan almost laughed out loud. Damn, could it be that he also transmigrated? Was he a police officer in his past life?

Hearing Tang Seng's words, Sun Wukong's face turned pale, and he replied helplessly, "My name is Sun Wukong, male, home is at Shuilian Dong on Huaguoshan in Dongsheng Shenzhou, I don't even remember my age myself, it seems to be about a thousand years. As for a criminal record, I stole Wangmu's flat peaches and injured countless heavenly soldiers. I have no bad habits. Master, please release me quickly, I'm about to suffocate," Sun Wukong pleaded.

"Alright, seeing as you are so sincere, I will release you first. In the future, you must turn over a new leaf and start life anew. My Buddha's discipline is strict, and everything is handled impartially," Tang Seng slowly climbed up Wuzhi Shan and peeled off the Foyin on the mountain.

Hearing Tang Seng say the Foyin had been peeled off, Sun Wukong told Tang Seng to stand back, then exerted himself and stood up. Finally free from the oppression of Wuzhi Shan, he felt such relief; he flew around in the sky, incomparably happy, and after flying for a while, he came back down.

"Master, let's go retrieve the scriptures, let's hurry," Sun Wukong said quickly.

"No rush, retrieving the scriptures is a major matter; one cannot be so impatient. Let's rest for a while first."

"Very well, Master," Sun Wukong replied helplessly.

"Wukong, look at your head, there is nothing there. Master has a hat here, take it and wear it," Tang Seng said, taking out a hat with concern.

Upon seeing that hat, Sun Wukong trembled immediately. Grandmaster said that only if I were disobedient would I be given a hat to wear; I haven't been disobedient, yet Laozi is giving me a hat? He hurriedly conjured a set of clothes for himself and said to Tang Seng with a smile, "Master, I have one now, so I don't need to wear yours."

Tang Seng looked at the imposing hat on Sun Wukong's head, then looked at the small flower-patterned hat in his own hand, and said shamelessly, "Your hat is so ugly; mine is better-looking, wear mine."

Hearing this, Kong Xuan almost laughed out loud. This guy is too shameless; to dare say that the hat Wukong conjured is inferior to that piece of trash hat—it is truly shameless to the extreme.

Sun Wukong trembled and said hurriedly, "Master, you must be hungry, I will go find you some food." Having said this, he immediately flew away, not giving Tang Seng a chance to speak.