Over a year earlier, on Flaming Mountain.
The Flaming Mountain Earth God stared at the Bull Demon King, saying nothing for a long while.
The Iron Cudgel still pressed against him, and the Banana Leaf Fan that could extinguish the fire remained tucked inside the Bull Demon King's robes.
"I can tell them."
The Bull Demon King gripped the Iron Cudgel without a word.
The Earth God finally spoke. "Sun Wukong kicked over the furnace. I saw it with my own eyes, and I won't cover for him."
The Earth God paused.
"If you want people from all the surrounding villages to come, I can pass along the word."
"But once I've told them, you must extinguish the flames here, as the Iron Fan Immortal and I agreed."
Something flickered in the Bull Demon King's eyes.
Naturally, the Earth God noticed.
"The fan is already in your hands. She is a Female Immortal who attained the Dao, and she deliberately left the fan behind. Surely she made all the necessary arrangements."
The Bull Demon King's expression changed. Only after a moment did he say, "We'll discuss it when she returns."
The Earth God frowned. "You know full well-"
The Bull Demon King cut him off. "She will return."
"Do you know where she went?"
The Bull Demon King did not answer.
"If you don't, all the more reason to deal with what's before you first."
The Earth God said, "As for your grievance with Sun Wukong, you can settle it face-to-face when he arrives. You were sworn brothers once. Surely you can talk things through. Why drag these farming families and me into it?"
The Bull Demon King put away the Iron Cudgel and said, "Do this first."
The Earth God pushed himself upright, retrieved his Dragon-Head Staff, and straightened