Outside Flaming Mountain, at the Village Entrance.
"May you meet a wretched end too!"
The old man's bamboo staff still pointed at Xuanzang.
Xuanzang looked around at the people holding clubs and clutching stones, then brought his palms together.
"Amitabha Buddha."
He gently patted A-Hu. "A-Hu, let your master pass."
A-Hu looked back at him and hesitated a moment before folding his wings.
"Master," Little White Dragon called softly.
Xuanzang shook his head at him and walked up to the old man.
"What, are you going to fight?"
"Wukong is my disciple. If he has done wrong, then as his master, I have a responsibility to bear. I would never stand aside."
The old man raised his bamboo staff. "What a show of virtue! How are you going to bear it?"
Xuanzang bowed with his palms together.
"I dare not lightly offer words of consolation for your suffering. But we must establish what happened. If my disciple truly caused this harm, our Journey to the West will end here."
"And what if you stop? Will that erase what we've suffered?"
The bamboo staff came down hard.
A five-colored halo rose of its own accord over Xuanzang's shoulder and held up the end of the staff. It was the Five-Spirit Fortune Virtue True Qi.
"So that's why you're not afraid!" the old man raged. "You have magic too!"
Xuanzang lowered his eyes. Red light flashed between his brows, suppressing the five-colored halo.
The second blow followed at once, striking his shoulder squarely.
His body dipped to one side, then steadied.
"Master!"
Wukong shuddered, broke free, and rushed forward to support Xuanzang. Turning his head, he shouted, "Come at me if you want! This has nothing to do with my master!"
Little White Dragon and Bajie hurried over as well.
Xuanzang raised