Sun Wukong was somewhat dumbfounded when he suddenly heard Zhu Bajie say that.
What did that mean?
What did he mean, it was better to forget? Did that mean Old Sun had forgotten something?
Perhaps. For some reason, he always felt as though he was incomplete.
Tang Yu gave Zhu Bajie a deep look. It seemed this Er Daizi understood more than Wukong did.
"What are you talking about, you idiot?" Sun Wukong asked.
Zhu Bajie shook his head, clearly unwilling to say more.
It seemed this Er Daizi held some dissatisfaction toward both the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Sect.
There might be a chance to make use of that.
Tang Yu mused to himself.
A great river appeared ahead, its waters surging with waves, stretching beyond sight.
A stone stele stood not far away.
Flowing Sand River!
Eight hundred li of flowing sand, three thousand fathoms of weak water; even goose feathers could not float, and reed blossoms would surely sink to the bottom.
Without realizing it, they had reached the Flowing Sand River. San Lengzi was here.
Speaking of San Lengzi, he too was merely a victim of the struggle between Buddhism and Daoism.
He had been banished to this godforsaken place.
He had originally been the Curtain Rolling General, the one who drew Jade Emperor's curtains.
Do not underestimate that position. He had been a favorite before Jade Emperor.
He was like an emperor's favored eunuch at his side.
Yet because he had accidentally shattered a Glazed Lamp, he had been banished to the mortal realm.
It was merely an excuse to make an issue out of it.
In short, he was a sacrifice.
Tang Yu looked at Wukong, then at Er Daizi. As for this San Lengzi...
Kill him!
"Wukong, Er Daizi, let's rest here for a while." Tang Yu swung down from the donkey.
Sun Wukong looked at the stele and said worriedly, "Master, how are we supposed to cross this river?"
After all, to seek scriptures in Western Heaven, they had to travel step by step.
This river spanned eight hundred li, and even goose feathers could not float upon it. Crossing it would not be easy.
"Can't you fly?"
Tang Yu snapped irritably.
Why did this Wukong not know how to use his head?
"If we can cross it, we cross it. If we can't, we'll camp here and sleep here."
Tang Yu spread his cassock on the ground and lay down on it.
The Buddhist Sect's bastards were the ones who should be anxious.
"Master is right."
Zhu Bajie tossed aside his rake and sat down as well.
The monkey's eyes rolled, and he understood too.
"Hehe, Master, I get it."
"You get shit." Tang Yu sat up and said, "Let me tell you two, there's a demon in this Flowing Sand River."
Uh!
Sun Wukong immediately gripped the Golden Cudgel and became alert, though he found it strange. He had neither smelled demonic aura nor seen a demon, so how did Tang Yu know?
"Enough. Come here and listen." Tang Yu whispered into the ears of the two demons for a while, then asked, "Understand?"
"Understood, understood." The two demons nodded repeatedly.
Tang Yu nodded in satisfaction and could not help sighing. He really was having a hard time carrying them.
"Master, don't worry. Old Sun knows what to do." Sun Wukong chuckled and swung the Golden Cudgel twice.
A monkey was still a monkey, always so impatient.
Tang Yu moved two steps away from the riverbank and instructed, "Wukong, get your master something to eat. In that little grove we passed earlier, I saw wild rabbits."
Tang Yu paid close attention to food, keeping an eye out for it at all times.
Though he would not go hungry, he could not avoid craving it.
Besides, eating was a kind of enjoyment.
Sun Wukong answered and turned into a streak of light, vanishing from sight.
Western Heaven.
The Journey to the West party was under their constant watch.
Seeing that the master and disciples had reached the Flowing Sand River, once they accepted Sha Wujing, their team would be complete.
They only hoped no further accidents would occur.
The repeated accidents and unexpected changes had nearly broken Tathagata Buddha's composure.
Hmm?
No, this would not do.
He needed to hold one in his mouth.
He needed to think carefully about what came next.
He took out his cigarettes, only to find that the three cigarettes inside were long gone. Only an empty pack remained.
The more cigarettes one had smoked, the more one wanted to smoke when there were none left.
Everyone knew that principle.
He carefully examined the pack and even shook it upside down, hoping a cigarette might fall out. Only a few scraps of tobacco leaves came out.
After thinking about it, Tathagata Buddha gathered up the tobacco leaves and put them into his mouth to chew.
He swallowed them with a gulp.
There was no feeling at all. It seemed he still had to smoke them.
But there were no cigarettes left. What was he supposed to do?
Eh, Tang Sanzang.
Right, find Tang Sanzang.
The Buddhas looked at Buddha in confusion, not knowing what their leader was up to again.
Should he not be closely monitoring the Journey to the West at all times? Yet he had taken out an empty cigarette pack and fiddled with it for ages.
When Buddha's gaze turned toward them, they all immediately sat up straight, waiting for him to give orders.
He looked around and felt that someone was missing.
"Hmm? Where is Lingji Bodhisattva?" Tathagata Buddha asked.
"Reporting to my Buddha, Lingji Bodhisattva said he was feeling a little unwell today," Manjushri Bodhisattva said.
Unwell?
What bullshit? How could a Bodhisattva be unwell?
Tathagata Buddha made a calculation with his fingers, and his expression changed slightly.
Meanwhile, in a meditation room, Lingji Bodhisattva wore nothing but a pair of shorts, exposing his pale, fleshy body. He sat in the room, picking at his toes with one hand and holding a cigarette in his mouth...
Hiss...
Hah...
Amazing.
Fortunately, he had been clever enough to hide some cigarettes away and secretly enjoy them.
This stuff was a treasure.
However, thinking of the three cigarettes he had given Tathagata Buddha made his heart ache, because he did not have much left either.
"Lingji Bodhisattva, you have some nerve."
A sudden shout rang out in the room.
Lingji Bodhisattva shuddered, and the cigarette in his hand fell to the floor.
Without even raising his head, he dropped to his knees. "Greetings, my Buddha."
He was screwed. Buddha had caught him smoking.
Yet Tathagata Buddha did not blame him, merely saying lightly,
"Where's the goods?"
Lingji Bodhisattva froze, then quickly understood. He hurriedly took out his last two cigarettes and handed them over with a pained expression.
"Buddha, please see clearly. Only these last two remain."
Tathagata Buddha's eyes immediately lit up. He put one between his lips and was just about to light it when he noticed the cigarette Lingji Bodhisattva had dropped on the floor.
He immediately took the one from his mouth and saved it, then picked up the half-cigarette from the floor and took a puff.
With that puff, Tathagata Buddha instantly felt refreshed and clear-headed.
He had originally intended to blame Lingji Bodhisattva, but after that puff, Tathagata calmed down. "Rise. I do not blame you."
Lingji Bodhisattva stood up trembling, keeping his head lowered and not daring to look at Buddha.
"I have an important matter for you to handle."
These two cigarettes were not enough to last even a day, so Buddha intended to send Lingji Bodhisattva to Tang Sanzang to trade for some more.
"Please speak, Buddha."
Lingji Bodhisattva hurriedly responded respectfully.
"You are someone I value greatly, and someone I trust."
Those words nearly moved Lingji Bodhisattva to tears.
"I have decided to send you to Tang Sanzang to trade for some cigarettes. Also, find out where these cigarettes came from."
Before you continue