"Thank you, Master!"
Wukong bowed again, and Six-Eared Macaque bent forward to pay his respects as well.
Xuanzang withdrew his dharma form, and the phantom bodhi tree gradually faded away.
Wukong rose and pulled Six-Eared Macaque to his side. "It's settled, Little Six."
Six-Eared Macaque looked up at him and smiled too.
Xuanzang stood. "All right. Since that's settled, go back and rest. We still have a journey ahead tomorrow morning."
Everyone agreed and returned to their rooms.
At dawn the next day, they finished their morning devotions and packed their luggage.
Xuanzang thanked the old gentleman for putting them up, then chanted sutras and prayed for blessings at the villagers' request. Only then did they bid everyone farewell and continue west.
Once they were out of the village, Bajie sidled over. "Brother Monkey, did things work out last night?"
Wukong looked back. "You fool, you weren't asleep after all."
"You woke me up! Not one of you bothered to be discreet."
Bajie immediately added, "Besides, you two were gone for ages, and Master and A-Hu disappeared too. How could we not know?"
Carrying Xuanzang on his back, A-Hu spoke without even turning his head. "I knew you were pretending to sleep."
Little White Dragon chuckled.
Bajie ignored them and asked again, "So how did it go?"
Wukong patted Six-Eared Macaque's shoulder. "My master agreed."
Hearing this, Sha Wujing smiled as well. "That's good."
Bajie chuckled. "Once you've learned some skills, you'll be able to follow him into trouble too."
Wukong made as if to kick him, but Bajie had already hurried a few steps ahead and ducked to Xuanzang's side.
Watching the two of them, Six-Eared Macaque couldn't help laughing.
Wukong lowered his foot. "See that, Little Six?"
"That's your second brother's finest move. Get the upper hand with