Tiger Vanguard

It was midsummer, and the blazing sun burned like fire.

Heat shimmered over the main road, and the leaves on the trees lining it had curled under the sun.

"Hot... this heat's killing Old Pig..."

Zhu Bajie dragged the Nine-Toothed Rake behind him, his clothes already soaked with sweat. The black hemp garment Gao Cuilan had sewn clung tightly to his belly. His long tongue hung out, and his big ears flapped noisily to fan him as he stopped for breath three times with every step:

"Master, this sun's as vicious as Taishang Laojun's alchemy furnace. Those mountains ahead look steep and treacherous-there can't be a decent road through them. Let's find some shade and rest our feet. Even a sip of cool water would do."

Xuanzang rode on A-Hu's back.

Though A-Hu had grown wings and become a spirit beast, even he could not endure this scorching heat. His tongue hung far out as he panted heavily.

Xuanzang alone sat upright beneath the blazing sun, his expression cool and composed despite the sweat on his brow.

A tranquil heart naturally brought coolness. It was no empty saying.

Sun Wukong walked at the front, using the Golden Cudgel as a walking stick. At those words, he glanced back with a chuckle:

"Idiot, if you can't walk anymore, why not carry Little White Dragon's luggage and let him carry you?"

Ao Lie, carrying the luggage behind them, cast Zhu Bajie a cold glance. He said nothing, but his eyes plainly said: Just try it.

Zhu Bajie did not invite humiliation. He muttered, "Brother Monkey, all you ever do is tease me. I'm fat, aren't I? Fat people can't stand the heat..."

As they spoke, suddenly-

Whoosh-!

A fierce wind swept up from the ground.

But this wind was exceedingly strange. Unlike a summer breeze threading through the woods, it came fast and swept fiercely onward, carrying a nauseating, bloody stench.

"What a wind! What a wind!"

Sun Wukong held the Golden Cudgel across his chest. His Fiery Golden Eyes blinked as he stood facing the wind and sneered:

"Master, there's demonic energy in this wind!"

"Roar-!!"

A roar shook the mountain forest until the trees trembled.

As the wind dispersed, a demon leaped out onto the hillside.

The monster looked ferocious indeed, wielding a red copper saber and wearing a pair of deerskin boots.

He was a fierce tiger that had attained demonic cultivation!

Leading several dozen striped lesser demons, he planted himself in the middle of the road and bellowed with imposing menace:

"Where did you monks come from? How dare you cross my Yellow Wind Ridge!..."

The tiger demon's words stopped abruptly.

His eyes, as large as bronze bells, fixed on the mount beneath Xuanzang.

A-Hu.

A-Hu gave a low growl, crouched, spread his wings slightly, and bared his fangs.

The tiger demon froze for a moment, then flew into a rage!

"Aaargh! You infuriate me!!"

His steel-like whiskers quivered with fury. He pointed his red copper saber at Xuanzang and roared like thunder:

"You bald ass! You monk, you don't know when to die! How dare you ride one of my own kind?!"

"I am Tiger Vanguard, subordinate to Great King Yellow Wind! You monk dare treat my kin as a beast of burden? This is intolerable bullying! An unspeakable humiliation!"

Xuanzang's expression remained unchanged. He merely reached out to soothe the agitated A-Hu.

"Amitabha Buddha."

Xuanzang pressed his palms together and said calmly:

"You misunderstand, Great King. A-Hu is no beast of burden. He is this humble monk's disciple, following me in cultivation."

"Bullshit!"

Tiger Vanguard would hear none of it. He swept his red copper saber through the air. "Your tongue's as glib as a reed pipe! Making a tiger eat vegetables and chant scriptures? You're domesticating my kin! Unless I eat you today, I'll never quell the hatred in my heart!"

"Little ones! Attack! Chop this monk into mincemeat! Bring that disgraceful winged tiger back to me!"

"Yes!"

The lesser demons charged forward, howling.

"Heh heh! Just in time!"

Before Xuanzang could speak, Zhu Bajie perked up.

The idiot who had just been complaining of heat and exhaustion saw that this demon was no formidable foe. That monkey looked down on him every day-he had to show his master a trick or two.

"Stay seated, Master! Leave these few to Old Pig!"

With a loud shout, Zhu Bajie spat into his palm, drew the Nine-Toothed Rake, and roused his spirits. His corpulent body proved as nimble as a bouncing ball as he charged straight at Tiger Vanguard.

"You vile beast! Do you recognize your Grandpa Pig? Take my rake!"

Clang-!

The red copper saber and Nine-Toothed Rake collided violently.

Tiger Vanguard felt the web of his hand go numb and was inwardly startled. This fat monk looks like nothing but a rice bucket, but he's got some strength!

Zhu Bajie pressed his advantage relentlessly, striking and cursing at once. "You beast fit for skinning! Why don't you piss yourself a puddle and look at your reflection? My master is the holy monk journeying from the Great Tang to fetch the scriptures. A-Hu is my junior brother-that's a blessing as vast as heaven! What the hell do you know? It's only because Old Pig hasn't shown his true form. Otherwise, my master could ride a pig-now that would be imposing!"

Sun Wukong listened with delight from the sidelines. Hugging the Golden Cudgel, he was in no hurry to join the fight. "Idiot, A-Hu is your senior brother. If you're itching for trouble, why not let Old Sun ride you?"

Then he urged, "Can you manage or not? Finish up so we can get moving."

"Shut up, both of you!"

Their banter enraged Tiger Vanguard until the three corpse spirits within him leaped in fury.

"Damned pig! I'll swallow you alive!"

Tiger Vanguard roared and revealed some of his true skill. His red copper saber whirled into a mass of crimson light as he fought Zhu Bajie.

They traded blows for seven or eight exchanges.

Gradually, Tiger Vanguard began to falter.

Zhu Bajie had once been Marshal Tianpeng, after all. Though reborn as a pig, he still possessed his divine strength. How could a wild mountain tiger spirit withstand him head-on?

This monk's a thorny one!

Tiger Vanguard's eyes rolled, and a plan came to him.

He feinted with his saber, deliberately left an opening, then turned and fled.

"Where do you think you're going? Stay right here!"

Zhu Bajie was enjoying the fight far too much to let him go. He raised his rake and gave chase.

Sun Wukong saw it clearly from behind and shouted, "Idiot! Don't let him escape! After him!"

With that, he too chased after them, cudgel in hand.

Before his shout had faded, Tiger Vanguard reached the foot of the slope and suddenly rolled on the ground. His figure vanished in an instant.

All he left behind was a striped tiger skin draped over a boulder of bluestone shaped like a reclining ox.

Unable to stop his momentum, Zhu Bajie struck down with his rake.

Thud!

That was the sound of his strike landing on the rock, yet it sounded strangely soft.

He looked again. Where was the demon? There was nothing but an empty tiger skin!

Zhu Bajie froze.

At that very moment, the fierce wind rose again!

Whoosh-!!!

A violent yellow wind swept over them, blotting out the sky and covering the earth.

It rose with astonishing speed and carried a bewildering power that threw the soul into confusion.

Heaven and earth darkened; sand flew and stones hurtled through the air.

"Master!" Sun Wukong cried in alarm, realizing they had fallen for the demon's trick of shedding his shell like a cicada!

He hurriedly turned back to protect Xuanzang.

Ao Lie lunged forward, only to be blocked by the wind and sand.

Then came a tiger's roar. A-Hu sank his teeth into the intruder and refused to let go.

Through the wind came Xuanzang's calm voice. "A-Hu! Let go. Your master is all right!"

When the wind and sand dispersed.

The main road lay empty.

Ao Lie's silver armor was covered in yellow sand, his face blank with bewilderment.

Sun Wukong stood where he was, golden light darting wildly through his Fiery Golden Eyes as he stared fixedly ahead.

A-Hu lay in the grass beside the road, several saber wounds cut deep enough to expose the bone. He struggled to rise, anxious whimpers escaping his mouth.

But the monk who had been riding on his back was long gone.

"Master... Master's gone!"

Ao Lie lowered his head. "I was useless!"

Zhu Bajie plopped onto the ground and slapped his thigh, wailing, "It's over, it's over! We'd only just had a proper meal, and now Master's been carried off by a demon!!"

"Shut up!"

Sun Wukong bellowed, spun around, and kicked Zhu Bajie in the backside:

"What are you crying for?!"

Sun Wukong walked over to A-Hu and reached out, channeling a stream of immortal energy into him to stabilize his wounds.

Sun Wukong raised his head and looked toward the peak due south, where demonic energy surged into the sky.

"Crafty demon. So you resorted to trickery."

Sun Wukong slammed the Golden Cudgel against the ground, instantly cracking the earth.

"You dared seize my master?"

"Bajie! Get up! Come with Old Sun and smash his gates!"

"Little White Dragon, stay here and look after A-Hu and the luggage."

"If I don't raze this place to the ground today, Old Sun is no Great Sage Equal to Heaven!"