As soon as the Golden-Headed Kṣitigarbha finished speaking, Xuanzang straightened his robes and headwear, then slowly stepped forward, his expression composed.
He was neither frightened by the gods and Buddhas filling the sky nor delighted to have powerful allies at his side.
Xuanzang pressed his palms together and bowed deeply to the gods among the clouds.
How could the gods dare accept such a bow? They hurriedly turned aside, saying, "Holy monk, you honor us far beyond our station."
Xuanzang straightened, his gaze clear, and spoke gently:
"Honored gods, you have guarded this humble monk day and night throughout this journey. Thank you for all your efforts."
The Golden-Headed Kṣitigarbha hastily cupped his hands. "It is our duty. The Bodhisattva decreed that, since the holy monk is mortal flesh and blood and might not withstand the suffering inflicted by demons on the Journey to the West, we of the Six Ding and Six Jia and the Five Directions Kṣitigarbhas must take turns keeping watch, recording your merits and ensuring your safety."
"Ensuring my safety..."
Xuanzang softly rolled those words over his tongue, a gentle smile tinged with helplessness appearing at the corners of his mouth.
"Honored gods, this humble monk has a presumptuous request."
The Golden-Headed Kṣitigarbha said, "Please speak, holy monk. Whatever you require, we shall grant it without refusal."
Xuanzang raised his head, his gaze passing beyond the clouds as though looking toward the impossibly distant Spirit Mountain:
"This humble monk goes to the Western Heaven to seek scriptures in name, but to cultivate his heart in truth. These hundred and eight thousand li, these nine times nine, eighty-one tribulations, are all trials I ought to endure."
"If gods and Buddhas pave my way at every step, shield me whenever trouble comes, bring water when I am thirsty, and conjure food when I am hungry... then I am not fetching the scriptures. You are carrying me to Spirit Mountain as a guest."
The gods exchanged glances, momentarily at a loss for words.
Xuanzang's voice was not loud, but every word rang like steel:
"If that is so, even if I reach Spirit Mountain and meet the Buddha, this humble monk will be nothing but an empty shell."
"My fate is mine to bear, and so is my suffering."
"If I cannot endure even this little hardship, how can I speak of delivering all living beings?"
Silence fell over the clouds.
"This humble monk knows you are acting under a sacred decree and dare not disobey. I have no wish to put you in a difficult position."
Xuanzang pressed his palms together once more, his tone utterly sincere:
"Forgive the trouble, honored god, but please go to the South Sea and invite the Bodhisattva here. This humble monk will explain matters to her."
As though granted a pardon, the Golden-Headed Kṣitigarbha answered loudly:
"I obey! I shall invite the Bodhisattva at once!"
Xuanzang smiled faintly. "Thank you for granting my request, honored god."
Before long, with the Golden-Headed Kṣitigarbha leading the way, Guanyin Bodhisattva descended upon Eagle Sorrow Ravine, standing on the Lotus Pedestal with the Pure Water Vase in her hand.
When the guardian gods filling the sky-the Six Ding and Six Jia, the Five Directions Kṣitigarbhas, the Four Duty Merits, and the Eighteen Dharma-Protecting Garan-saw the Bodhisattva arrive in her true form, they all straightened their attire and bowed together among the clouds.
"We pay our respects to the Bodhisattva."
Their voices shook the heavens.
Seeing this, Sun Wukong tucked the Golden Cudgel into his ear and bounded forward with a chuckle. "Bodhisattva, you finally came! What a fine task you arranged! I don't know whether that loach in the ravine is some relative of yours, but he's downright rude. He swallowed my master's baggage and still wanted to throw his weight around!"
Guanyin ignored his teasing. Instead, she lowered her cloud and came before Xuanzang.
Guanyin studied the young monk before her, a meaningful look in her eyes.
Only a few days had passed on this journey, yet this Pilgrim had already given her far too many "surprises."
"This humble monk pays his respects to Guanyin Bodhisattva."
"Xuanzang," Guanyin said, her voice solemn yet gentle.
"I hear you sent the Golden-Headed Kṣitigarbha to invite me here because you had something to say?"
Xuanzang straightened and raised his head, sweeping his gaze over the thirty-nine guardian gods crowded among the clouds before resting it on Guanyin.
"Bodhisattva, this humble monk wishes to ask these honored guardian gods to return to their posts. There is no need for them to follow me in secret any longer."
Xuanzang gently brushed Wukong's hand aside, still looking at Guanyin, his tone calm but firm:
"Bodhisattva, you once said that the Journey to the West is a path of cultivation, and that only by enduring nine times nine, eighty-one tribulations, can one attain true fruition."
"If Wukong clears the path ahead while the gods protect me in secret, bridging every river and turning every peril into good fortune, then how is this humble monk seeking scriptures? I am plainly acting out a play."
Guanyin frowned slightly. "Xuanzang, you are mortal flesh and blood, and demons are dangerous. Without protection, I fear you would find it hard to take even a single step."
"This humble monk does not wish to travel that way. Wukong's protection is enough. There is no need to go to such lengths."
With that, Xuanzang lowered his head and bowed.
Seeing how resolute Xuanzang was, Guanyin turned toward the clouds and lightly waved the Willow Branch. "In that case, we shall do as you wish."
Guanyin turned toward the clouds and said softly:
"All of you."
"We are here!" the gods answered in unison.
"Since the Pilgrim has such resolve, disperse. Only the duty merit officer for the day need remain in the Heavenly Court to record the tribulations."
"We obey your sacred decree!"
Though inwardly astonished, the gods dared not defy the decree once given. One after another, they became streaks of light and scattered into the heavens.
Only after settling the matter of the guardians did Guanyin turn her gaze toward the unfathomable depths of Eagle Sorrow Ravine.
"Ao Lie."
At that soft summons, the waves parted, and a jade dragon burst from the water. He circled once in the air, transformed into a handsome young man in silver armor and white robes, and landed on the bank.
Though Ao Lie looked somewhat bedraggled, a measure of the Dragon Tribe's pride still lingered in his expression. Yet the sight of Sun Wukong holding his cudgel made him involuntarily shrink his neck.
"Ao Lie pays his respects to the Bodhisattva!"
Guanyin said, "Ao Lie, you violated heavenly law and should have been executed. Taking pity on the hardships of your Dragon Tribe, I specially asked the Jade Emperor to spare your life so you could wait here for the Pilgrim and serve as his mount, atoning for your crime through service."
With that, Guanyin took out the Willow Branch and prepared to cast her spell. "Since you have submitted, I shall now saw off your horns, strip away your scales, and turn you into a horse for Sanzang to ride."
Ao Lie's face went pale, and a flicker of humiliation crossed his eyes. But to stay alive, he could only close his eyes and accept the spell.
"Wait."
Xuanzang suddenly spoke.
Guanyin paused. "Xuanzang, what is it now?"
Xuanzang patted A-Hu beneath him.
"Bodhisattva, this humble monk has no need of this horse."
"Sanzang, the road to the Western Heaven is long, and its mountains and waters treacherous. You are mortal flesh and blood. Without a dragon horse as your mount, in what year, in what month, could you ever reach Spirit Mountain? This mortal tiger..."
Guanyin frowned slightly as she looked at Xuanzang. "Though this tiger possesses spiritual awareness, he is still a mortal beast. He cannot go to Spirit Mountain."
A-Hu understood "mortal beast" and "cannot go." He gave a low, mournful whimper and rubbed his large head against Xuanzang's palm, his eyes full of attachment.
Xuanzang stroked the tiger's head, his voice firm. "Though A-Hu is a mortal beast, he possesses profound Buddha-nature. He has accompanied me all this way, never leaving or abandoning me. Just now, beneath the dragon's might, he knew he was no match yet still dared to step forward. In my heart, this humble monk has already accepted him as a disciple and taken on that karmic bond. If he will not leave me, how could I abandon him?"
"As for this dragon prince..."
Xuanzang stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Ao Lie's face, which was obedient yet plainly marked by humiliation, and said evenly:
"This humble monk has already said that this Journey to the West is not undertaken to escort prisoners."
"If he is guilty, he should be punished according to the law, rather than having a fully sentient dragon prince forcibly stripped of his horns and scales for someone to ride, using such humiliation to cancel out his sins..."
At those words, Sun Wukong picked at his ear beside them and chuckled.
Ao Lie was even more stunned, standing like a wooden chicken as he stared blankly at Xuanzang.
Guanyin Bodhisattva sighed softly at this, but she did not grow angry.
"Xuanzang, since you possess such compassion, I shall not force the matter."
"But Ao Lie's death sentence under heavenly law has already been decided. He must therefore accompany you west. If you refuse, he will have nowhere to go and can only return to the Dragon Execution Platform to meet his death."
"Do you still wish to refuse?"
Having said this, the Bodhisattva looked at Xuanzang with the hint of a smile.
Xuanzang, too, froze for a moment, perhaps not having expected the Bodhisattva to say such a thing.
But before Xuanzang could speak, Guanyin turned toward Ao Lie and said gravely:
"Ao Lie."
"Your disciple is here."
"Our Buddha is compassionate. Since Sanzang does not wish to ride you, you shall be spared the suffering of becoming a horse.
"But you must still accompany Xuanzang west as one awaiting punishment. Are you willing to serve as an attendant, carrying the baggage and leading the tiger, clearing paths through the mountains and carrying messages, redeeming your crime with these merits?"
Ao Lie felt as though he had been granted a pardon!
Overcome with excitement, he kowtowed heavily, his forehead striking the rock with resounding thuds:
"Your disciple is willing! I am willing to attend him and escort the holy monk! Even ten thousand deaths would not make me refuse!"
Before you continue