Now, Ao Tu saw through Wukong's transformation but did not expose him. Instead, he said:
"You little demon know nothing. This Treasure Fan of mine has quite a history."
Hearing this, Wukong hurriedly asked:
"Second King, might I ask where this Treasure Fan came from?"
Ao Tu said, "I cannot say, cannot say."
Wukong hastily poured Ao Tu some wine. "Second King, please tell your humble servant about it. Let me broaden my horizons!"
Ao Tu said, "This is my private secret. I cannot tell outsiders."
Wukong kneaded Ao Tu's shoulders. "Second King, I've been tight-lipped since childhood. I promise not to tell anyone. Please, just tell me!"
At this, Ao Tu pinched Sun Wukong's ear. "You promise not to tell anyone else?"
Wukong endured it and said, "I promise, I promise!"
Ao Tu said, "Pour me some wine."
Wukong hastily poured him some wine.
Ao Tu took a sip and said with a smile:
"Very well. Since you seem to have some filial devotion, I shall tell you! Bring your ear closer!"
Delighted, Wukong hurriedly leaned in.
Ao Tu said:
"From here, head toward the Eastern Continent of Victory. There is a country there called the Lingjue Kingdom. Within that country stands Silent Sound Peak, and beneath the peak lies Blind Barrier Pool. Beside the pool is Mute Stone Cave, where the Six-Obscured Adept lives. He is also known as the Withered Wood Venerable. I stole this Magic Treasure from him. Now that you know, you must never breathe a word of it. If he finds out, he will surely come to capture me!"
Wukong was overjoyed and committed the information to memory. Afraid Ao Tu might notice something amiss, he respectfully waited on him a little longer before withdrawing.
Once outside the cave, Wukong hurriedly mounted a cloud. Finding Nezha and Heavenly King Li, he said:
"I've uncovered that demon's origins. Wait here. I'll go fetch someone to subdue him."
Nezha asked, "What are his origins?"
Wukong said, "There's no time to explain. If I delay, my master may come to harm."
With that, he somersaulted away to the Eastern Continent of Victory.
The Eastern Continent of Victory revered Daoism and suppressed Buddhism, so Buddhist temples were few and Daoist temples many.
Wukong descended from his cloud, transformed into a young Daoist priest, and found the ruler of a small kingdom. "Your Majesty, this humble Daoist has come from far away. As the ruler of a kingdom, have you ever heard of a neighboring country called the Lingjue Kingdom?"
The ruler said, "I have not."
Wukong mounted his cloud again, flew among famed mountains and mighty rivers, and summoned the mountain gods and earth gods to ask:
"Mountain gods, earth gods, have you ever heard of a mountain called Silent Sound Peak?"
The mountain gods and earth gods said, "We have not."
Wukong mounted his cloud again, came to a confluence of rivers, and summoned all the river gods to ask:
"Have you ever heard of Blind Barrier Pool?"
The river gods said, "We have not."
Wukong then gathered the demons of the mountains and asked:
"Have you ever heard of Mute Stone Cave?"
The demons said, "We have not, we have not!"
After a full day of inquiries, he had not found a single clue. Wukong was so anxious that he bounded up and down, yet there was nothing he could do.
At last, he found a Daoist temple and asked an elderly priest:
"Venerable priest, have you ever heard of the Six-Obscured Adept, also known as the Withered Wood Venerable?"
The old priest pondered. "The Six-Obscured Adept? The Withered Wood Venerable? Young priest, why are you looking for this person?"
Wukong recounted the whole affair from beginning to end.
After hearing him out, the elderly priest burst into laughter and said:
"Young priest, that demon tricked you! There is no Withered Wood Venerable. He was mocking you for having spirit without awareness, silence without sound, blind eyes that see nothing, and a mute mouth that hears no voice. Your six senses are blocked, leaving you no different from withered wood!"
Wukong suddenly understood. Grieved and furious, he bowed low and said:
"This disciple was too anxious and lost his wits. Thank you for enlightening me, venerable priest!"
He turned, leaped onto his Somersault Cloud, and returned to Yellow Wind Ridge.
Seeing him, Nezha asked, "Where is the person you went to fetch?"
Wukong said, "Don't ask. That demon hoodwinked Old Sun, and I wasted a whole day running about. Tomorrow, we'll rally our forces anew, and Old Sun will scout Yellow Wind Cave again."
They rested that night, of which no more need be said.
The next day, Wukong once again transformed into a flying insect and flew into Yellow Wind Cave.
Thus the Great Sage scouted Yellow Wind Cave for the third time, sworn to save the scripture-seeking monk even at the cost of his life.
Once inside, Wukong searched carefully.
Seeing that his master and the others were still bound to the Wind-Calming Stakes in the Rear Garden and had not been eaten, Wukong breathed a sigh of relief.
On closer inspection, he saw that his master, Bajie, Lingji Bodhisattva, and the Water Virtue Star Lord were all tied to the stakes. Only the East Sea Dragon King was missing.
Wukong thought sorrowfully:
My poor old neighbor! He came to help me subdue the demons, only to be eaten by them instead. Dragon meat must prolong life, so those demons great and small in the cave divided him up and devoured him first, leaving not even his bones. How pitiful! How pitiful!
Just then, two little demons passed by, talking:
"That old dragon is so demanding. His water has to be freshly drawn, and it has to be flowing mountain spring water. His meat must be properly skinned, without so much as a scrap of hide or hair..."
"Enough. He's the Second King's relative. Just serve him carefully!"
Hearing this, Wukong's heart stirred, and he hurried after them.
Following the two little demons, Wukong arrived at a separate dwelling. When he went inside, he found it was a splendid room.
The room was adorned with colorful embroidery and inlaid with precious gems. Within stood a table painted in five colors and gilded with gold, along with green jade platters patterned with a thousand flowers. Fine wine and fragrant tea stood on the table, and rare delicacies filled the platters.
And seated in their midst-was that not the old East Sea Dragon King?
After everyone else had left, Wukong revealed his true form, strode forward, and seized the old Dragon King.
"You old mud loach! I wondered why I couldn't find you in the Rear Garden. I thought the demons had eaten you. So you're related to them, and here you are living in luxury!"
Seeing him, Ao Guang hastily said, "Spare me, Great Sage! This humble dragon is guilty."
Wukong said:
"Tell me at once how that demon is related to you, or Old Sun will personally let you taste this iron cudgel!"
Ao Guang said, "That demon is a nephew of mine. His birth name is Ao Tu. My brother-in-law distributed the wrong amount of rainfall, violating Heaven's laws, and was executed by a human official. Seeing that the boy had nowhere to live, my third brother, Dragon King Ao Run of the West Sea, used his connections to send him to serve as Bell Keeper under Buddha in the Western Heaven. I do not know how he escaped the Western Heaven and came here to do evil."
Hearing this, Wukong recalled what Guanyin Bodhisattva had told him earlier and said:
"So he is Ao Tu! He's already barred Old Sun's way twice before. I'll go to the Western Heaven and fetch Venerable Ananda. We'll capture that wicked monster for certain!"
With that, Wukong transformed into a tiny insect, flew out of Yellow Wind Cave, and headed straight for the Western Heaven.
After Wukong left, Ao Guang looked around and said:
"Great Sage, Great Sage, are you still here? This humble dragon has something important to tell you!"
He waited a long while, but no answer came.
Only then did he dare to be certain that the monkey had truly left.
Ao Guang then called to a little demon in the cave. "Quickly, tell your Second King to come here
!"
Before long, Ao Tu arrived and asked:
"Uncle, why did you call for me?"
Ao Guang said, "My dear nephew, Sun Wukong just slipped into the cave and discovered our relationship. He has already gone to the Western Heaven to seek Venerable Ananda. Release Tang Sanzang at once and flee for your life!"
Ao Tu said, "It's no matter. I knew this day would come. Thank you for warning me, Uncle. From this day forth, I, Ao Tu, sever all ties with you and the Four Seas. We are no longer connected."
Ao Guang knew Ao Tu was doing this to avoid implicating him, so he urged:
"My dear nephew, my dear nephew, do not persist in your delusion!"
Ao Tu said, "Enough prattling. Heavenly King Li and the Third Prince are just outside. Why haven't you smashed through the cave entrance and fled for your life?"
Hearing this, Ao Guang sighed, smashed through the cave entrance, and escaped outside.
Ao Tu chased after him and called out:
"Old dragon! You betrayed me without a thought for our kinship! Don't run! I'll tear you into ten thousand pieces!"
As he spoke, he leaped up and kicked Ao Guang in his aged lower back.
Ao Guang spat out a mouthful of blood and thought, That brat is striking to kill!
Seeing this, Third Prince Nezha and Heavenly King Li both came to his aid.
Ao Tu retreated into the cave.
Before you continue