Bajie froze.
Sha Wujing was startled.
Little White Dragon's gaze shifted slightly.
A-Hu tilted his head.
Wukong clutched his forehead.
All that agitation had been scattered by a single blow of the Ruler.
Only pain remained.
Pain, sharp and clear.
Xuanzang held the Ruler, his voice ringing clear as a bell, suddenly drowning out the roaring waves.
"When a thought of anger rises, your own heart is the first to fall into turmoil."
"When the monkey mind is unsettled, all the world falls into chaos."
"Wukong, your heart is in turmoil!"
Wukong rubbed his forehead and looked up at Xuanzang.
"Master?"
Xuanzang looked at him.
"Furthermore, even when I am not here, you must never lash out at your junior brothers as you just did."
Wukong opened his mouth.
"I..."
Xuanzang said slowly, "You are the eldest brother."
"So you must be the first to grow calm, the first to steady your heart."
"How can you let irritation rule you and recklessly fan the flames?"
Having said that, he lightly tapped Wukong's chest with the Ruler.
"Your unease will become an even greater unease in your junior brothers."
Xuanzang pointed at Bajie and the others behind Wukong.
"Just now, you were only looking at me. Look at them now!"
Wukong turned at his words, his gaze passing over his junior brothers one by one.
Every one of them was watching him.
Only then did he realize.
Because of him, there was a trace of panic on every face.
Bajie glanced at Wukong, then at the Ruler, and hurriedly said to Xuanzang:
"Come now, Master."
"Whatever the case, there's no need to hit him."
"We're all right."
"We know Brother Monkey was anxious."
He stole another glance at the Ruler.
"That thing really hurts when it hits you."
"It's only a