Above the clouds.
Gripping Bajie by the back of his collar, Wukong somersaulted clear of the Baoxiang Kingdom's city gates.
He glanced down at Bajie, who dangled like a heap of mud as he dragged him through the air, and teased:
"All right, fool, stop playing dead. There's nobody else up here. Spare me that wounded-martyr act."
Wukong let go, sat cross-legged on the cloud, and casually pulled a wild fruit from his robe to munch on.
Bajie landed heavily on the cloud. Rubbing his thick neck, where the collar had left red marks, he groaned and struggled upright. He patted his broad sleeves, but his expression did not improve in the slightest; dark clouds still hung over his face.
"Brother Monkey, you've really landed Old Pig in misery this time!"
Bajie plopped down on the cloud and tossed the Nine-Toothed Rake aside, looking as though he had nothing left to live for. "Do you know who that demon in Boyue Cave is?"
"Who cares who he is?"
Wukong spat out a fruit pit and waved dismissively.
"One blow from my cudgel, and I'll make him show his true form."
Bajie's face flushed crimson. His lips moved a few times, but in the end, he could not bring himself to say the name "Kui Mulang."
Seeing him like this, Wukong laughed instead.
He casually tossed the fruit pit off the cloud, brushed the crumbs from his hands, and said earnestly:
"Fool, lazy as you usually are, you're still a smart fellow. Why do you think Master said all that in the hall, if not to give you a hint? What, did none of it sink in?"
Bajie's throat bobbed. He opened his mouth but had no answer.
In his mind, Xuanzang's voice began to echo:
"Through attachments to love, deluded