Once Old Tortoise had finished speaking, its enormous shell slowly rose above the water.
It lifted its head higher.
Old Tortoise said solemnly:
"Holy Monk, please climb aboard."
Xuanzang did not move.
With the Golden Cudgel over his shoulder, Wukong took half a step forward.
Golden light flashed in his eyes.
There was not a trace of demonic taint on Old Tortoise.
Bajie hugged the Rake and craned his neck to inspect the broad shell.
Then he looked at Old Tortoise, cleared his throat, and pressed his palms together in greeting:
"Softshell Turtle benefactor."
"You said you came on the Bodhisattva's orders to ferry us across."
"It's not that Old Pig doesn't believe you."
"But there was just an uproar in this Tongtian River. We've only just come up from below, and our clothes aren't even dry yet."
He raised a hand and pointed toward the middle of the river.
"You ought to tell us who you are, at least."
"Since when did the Bodhisattva have someone like you in her service? How come we've never seen you?"
Old Tortoise nodded.
"Please hear me out, Elder."
It began slowly:
"I am a white Softshell Turtle native to this Tongtian River."
"My family has lived in this river for generations."
"At the river bottom stands a Water Tortoise Manor, passed down from my ancestors to me."
"In my youth, I lived in a muddle, knowing only to lie in the mud and swallow water, shunning the cold and seeking warmth."
"Later, I awakened to my true roots and began nurturing my qi and cultivating my spirit."
"So I rebuilt my ancestral home and cultivated here at the bottom of the Tongtian River."
Bajie blinked after hearing this.
"Well!"
"You're a wealthy fellow with a home of your own."
With that,