Little White Dragon stopped and turned to look at him.
"Little Six, what is it?"
Six-Eared Macaque let go. "Third Brother, don't rush."
He glanced at Wukong, then looked toward Xuanzang. His lips moved before he finally spoke. "Martial Uncle, that Flaming Mountain is terrible."
Little White Dragon said, "If it's fire from the earth, I can put it out with a rainstorm. Why couldn't we cross?"
Six-Eared Macaque hurriedly waved his hands. "Third Brother, that isn't ordinary fire. Anyone trying to cross would melt into liquid, even with a bronze skull and an iron body. Let's go around."
At this, Bajie frowned slightly and exchanged a look with Wukong.
Then he rested the Rake on his shoulder.
"Master, Little Six has a point. Eight hundred li of flames-why force our way into them? Just take the path where there is no fire."
Before Xuanzang could speak, Wukong asked, "Where is there no fire?"
Bajie turned to Six-Eared Macaque. "Right, Little Six. Where?"
Six-Eared Macaque answered, "To the east, south, and north. There's no fire in any of those directions."
Wukong asked again, "Which direction has the scriptures?"
Bajie lowered his head with a smile. "Little Six, what do you say?"
Six-Eared Macaque glanced at him and said quietly, "The west has the scriptures."
"Well, that's bad. That's bad."
Bajie drew in a sharp breath and patted his belly.
"Where there are scriptures, there's fire; where there's no fire, there are no scriptures. We truly can neither advance nor retreat. And we insist on going where the scriptures are. Whatever shall we do?"
Six-Eared Macaque did not react. Little White Dragon frowned, but Sha Wujing grew anxious. "Second Brother is right. Whatever shall we do?"
Six-Eared Macaque raised his head.
Bajie still watched him with a half-smile, but Wukong's smile