Master and Senior Brothers

Mucha lowered his cloud and landed on the bank. Putting away his gourd, he looked at Xuanzang with nothing but reverence.

He gave Xuanzang a long look, pressed his palms together, and bowed respectfully.

"Holy monk, your merit is boundless. The wronged souls of the Flowing Sand River have all departed, and the Weak Water has cleared. Henceforth, the way will be open."

"The Bodhisattva will surely rejoice when she hears."

Xuanzang straightened, his expression calm. "You praise me too highly, Pilgrim. We have crossed the river. Thank you for your help."

Mucha nodded and said no more.

"In that case, I shall return to the South Sea and report."

With that, Mucha hung the red gourd back at his waist, stepped onto an auspicious cloud, and streaked straight south like a rainbow.

As they watched Mucha disappear into the distance, the mood on the bank immediately relaxed.

Sha Wujing still stood where he was, looking rather at a loss.

He had only just awakened from his madness, then suddenly joined this company. Faced with these strangely shaped "senior brothers," he did not know quite how to conduct himself.

"Hey, Junior Brother Sha."

A large, fat hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

Sha Wujing started and turned, finding himself face-to-face with Zhu Bajie's beaming pig face.

Zhu Bajie stuck out his great belly, planted one hand on his hip, and pointed at himself with the other, putting on the air of an old hand.

"Don't be so stiff. We're family from now on. Come, come, let your second senior brother introduce everyone."

Zhu Bajie cleared his throat and pointed at Sun Wukong, who was crouching on a rock nearby, polishing the Golden Cudgel.

"That monkey-you probably know him already. The Great Sage Equal to Heaven Sun Wukong, who wreaked Havoc in Heaven five hundred years ago. He's our eldest senior brother now. His temper's a bit fiery, but he's mighty capable. Whenever we run into demons, you can't go wrong hiding behind him."

Sun Wukong's ears twitched. He tucked the Golden Cudgel into his ear, chuckled, and jumped down from the rock.

"Idiot, stop spouting nonsense. Junior Brother Sha, don't listen to this oaf's drivel. Now that you've joined our master, we're brothers. Your eldest senior brother was rash earlier, and I owe you an apology. Don't take it to heart."

Sha Wujing hurriedly waved his hands and assured him he would not.

Zhu Bajie snorted twice.

"Don't mind Eldest Senior Brother. That's all empty politeness. We all came to know each other through a fight. Old Pig here was once Marshal Tianpeng, commander of eighty thousand naval troops! These days, I'm Master's second disciple. My Dharma name is Wuneng, and I also go by Bajie. On this journey, I'm the one who does most of the worrying. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me."

Sha Wujing quickly nodded and answered earnestly, "Yes, Second Senior Brother."

"Now, these two."

Zhu Bajie pointed at A-Hu, who had been lying beside Xuanzang all this time, then at Little White Dragon, who was sorting the luggage nearby.

"That's A-Hu. Also a fellow disciple, though without a place in the rankings. A bit of a simpleton. Don't go bothering that tiger for no reason."

Lying on the ground, A-Hu lazily raised an eyelid and blew a puff of hot air through flared nostrils, seemingly scorning the pig, while a low rumble rose from the tiger's throat.

"As for this pretty boy..."

Zhu Bajie glanced at Little White Dragon and curled his lip.

"He's the West Sea Dragon King's third prince, Little White Dragon Ao Lie. His Dharma name is Wuji, and he's your third senior brother. Usually, he carries the luggage. A bit proud, unlike your easygoing second senior brother here..."

"Damn pig, who are you calling a pretty boy?"

"And stop plastering gold over your own face. If we're going by seniority, shouldn't A-Hu rank ahead of you? Go on, call A-Hu 'Second Senior Brother.'"

A teasing smile curved Little White Dragon's lips as he came over and lightly patted Zhu Bajie's belly.

"Shoo, shoo! Nonsense! Master and Eldest Senior Brother said I was second senior brother. I earned it!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Sun Wukong rocked with laughter nearby, then bounded over and patted Zhu Bajie's pig head.

"Idiot, Little White has a point! Old Sun forgot earlier. How about we make A-Hu second from now on, you third, Little White Dragon fourth, and Junior Brother Sha fifth?"

"No, no, no! That won't do! You promised me, didn't you? Stop teasing me, Senior Brother. I was wrong, all right?" Zhu Bajie shook his head like a rattle drum, his pig face flushing the color of pig liver.

Xuanzang smiled. "Enough, Wukong, Bajie. Stop teasing. We travel and cultivate together. These are only rankings within our fellowship-what distinction is there between high and low? A-Hu won't mind either."

A-Hu gave a soft rumble of agreement.

Watching them squabble and joke with such warmth, Sha Wujing showed a trace of an honest, genuine smile on his careworn face.

He straightened his clothes and stepped back, his expression solemn, then respectfully bowed to each of them in turn.

"Master." He bowed deeply to Xuanzang, his forehead almost touching the ground.

"Eldest Senior Brother."

"Second Senior Brother."

"Third Senior Brother."

"Senior Brother... Tiger." He awkwardly cupped his hands toward A-Hu as well.

Having finished his bows, Sha Wujing straightened, his gaze falling on the luggage pole at Little White Dragon's feet.

Without another word, he strode over and reached out to shoulder it.

"Third Senior Brother, let me carry the luggage from now on."

Sha Wujing spoke in a low voice.

"I've only just joined you, and I have no great abilities. All I have is this strength!"

"No."

A fair, slender hand pressed down on the carrying pole.

Little White Dragon Ao Lie stopped Sha Wujing. "Junior Brother Sha, this is the task the Bodhisattva assigned me. Carrying this load along the journey is part of my cultivation. You've only just arrived, and already you want to steal my work?"

One insisted on taking the work, while the other refused to give it up.

Sha Wujing grew flustered and hurriedly waved his hands, his face turning bright red.

"No, no, no, Third Senior Brother. I'm the junior disciple. I should carry the load. If I don't do any work at all, I... I won't feel at ease."

Zhu Bajie watched in delight from the side. He pulled a wild fruit from inside his robe, bit into it with a crunch, and said indistinctly, "Oh, what's there to fight over? Neither of you has a clue. In our company, the division of labor is perfectly clear!"

He pointed at Xuanzang. "Master is in charge of sitting."

Then he pointed at Wukong. "Eldest Senior Brother is in charge of watching."

Next, he pointed at A-Hu. "A-Hu is in charge of walking."

He looked at the dark-faced Little White Dragon. "Third Junior Brother is in charge of carrying."

Finally, he pointed at himself. "And all the remaining work depends entirely on knowing what needs doing!"

Xuanzang had been smiling as he watched his disciples banter. At these words, he turned toward Zhu Bajie with a half-smile.

"Oh? Bajie, since you say it depends on knowing what needs doing, tell me-what have you done on this journey?"

Zhu Bajie froze, nearly choking on the fruit in his mouth.

His eyes rolled, and he immediately put on a cheeky grin. Sidling up to Xuanzang, he shamelessly said, "Master, how can you say that? With all these towering mountains and endless rivers, this journey is dull and tedious. Without Old Pig cracking jokes to cheer everyone up, wouldn't the days be unbearable? That counts as cultivating the mind too. It's called... called 'joyful meditation'! Right?"

"Pfft."

Sun Wukong laughed so hard he almost fell off the rock. Pointing at Bajie, he said, "Idiot! You call that meditation? I'd say you're in charge of satisfying your cravings!"

Little White Dragon could not help rolling his eyes either. He snorted. "Shameless."

Xuanzang reached out and lightly smacked Zhu Bajie's forehead with a crisp slap.

"I'd call yours 'slacking-off meditation.'"

Though it was a rebuke, his tone held no severity, only a touch of affection between master and disciple.

Xuanzang turned toward Sha Wujing and spoke gently.

"Wujing."

"Your disciple is here!" Sha Wujing immediately released the pole and stood at attention like an obedient child.

"If you wish to carry it, then carry it."

"Wuji, you also have to look after A-Hu and carry messages back and forth. That is hard work too. Leave the luggage to Wujing."

At this, Little White Dragon bowed to Xuanzang. "I shall obey, Master."

Sha Wujing shouldered the load as though he had obtained a priceless treasure, as though it were not luggage but some supreme honor.

As long as he had work to do, he did not feel like an outsider.

Seeing how cautious he was, so afraid of taking a single wrong step, Xuanzang sighed inwardly.

Xuanzang reached out and patted the tiger's back.

A-Hu gave a low growl and obediently crouched down.

Xuanzang swung himself onto the tiger.

"Let's go. Before it gets late, we'll cover another stretch."

Xuanzang's sleeves swayed gently, and his voice drifted into Sha Wujing's ears on the evening breeze.

"We are all fellow travelers on the path. Simply cultivate."

Hearing this, Wukong also patted Sha Wujing's shoulder, then somersaulted ahead to scout the way.

Bajie pulled out a wild fruit and followed while eating, not forgetting to call back, "Junior Brother Sha, keep up! Don't fall behind!"

Little White Dragon smiled at Sha Wujing and said, "If you get tired, tell me."

Sha Wujing paused, then nodded firmly, his eyes growing warm.

"Yes! Master! Senior Brothers!"