The bandits asked Tang Sanzang to let them go up the mountain on their own.
Over the past three months, Tang Sanzang had not dared pause in teaching the bandits to do good. Now, feeling that he had successfully persuaded them to turn to goodness, he no longer stopped them.
The bandits went up the mountain, claiming they would gather firewood and medicinal herbs. But how could they possibly be the sort to settle down?
Ordinary families might not enjoy great wealth or high status, but they could maintain a steady livelihood and pass their lives in peace, with their feet firmly on the ground.
These men, however, were full of wicked thoughts, loved ease and hated work, neglected honest occupations, and thought only of robbing and murdering others. How could they endure the toil of gathering firewood or the hardships of gathering herbs?
Previously, with Tang Sanzang watching nearby and Wukong standing there with his staff, they had not dared act out.
Now that neither Tang Sanzang nor Wukong was around, they immediately revealed their true colors.
Once on the mountain, none of them gathered firewood or herbs. They stationed themselves at the mountain roads, returning to their old trade and waiting for travelers.
Two of them knew how to catch rabbits, so they went into the mountain, searched around, and caught a wild rabbit.
The bandits said delightedly, "We've eaten vegetarian food with that monk for three months. At last, we can eat meat again!"
They skinned the rabbit, roasted it on the spot, and divided it among themselves.
On their way back, they went into town to buy wine and meat as well, spending more than half the money they had painstakingly saved during this time in one go. With the remaining money, they bought firewood from