When Wukong and the other two returned, they saw from afar that the Flaming Mountain Local God was sitting alone in the clearing. Tang Sanzang had long since vanished without a trace.
The three hurriedly descended from their cloud.
Wukong grabbed the Flaming Mountain Local God. "Local God, where is my master?"
"Great Sage, you're back," the Flaming Mountain Local God said. "Isn't the Holy Monk right here?"
The Flaming Mountain Local God pointed at the mound of earth before him.
Seeing it, Wukong said angrily, "You fell for a demon's Illusion Spell!"
As he spoke, Wukong took out the Golden Cudgel and smashed the mound flat.
Only then did the Flaming Mountain Local God see. "Where is the Holy Monk?" he cried in alarm.
"I was about to ask you!" Wukong said. "Before we left, you said you would watch over Master. How did he disappear?"
"I-I truly don't know!" the Flaming Mountain Local God said anxiously. "How could the Holy Monk vanish in the blink of an eye?"
"Master is an impatient man," Bajie said. "Perhaps he saw how long we were taking to borrow the Fan, left us behind, and went on ahead himself? Let's go catch up with him!"
"Marshal, that's impossible," the Flaming Mountain Local God said. "Flaming Mountain has eight hundred li of flames. How could the Holy Monk, a mere mortal, make his way across?"
"Idiot, Master must have been captured by a demon!" Wukong said.
"Senior Brother, what are we to do?" Sha Wujing asked.
Wukong was anxious too. "What demon could have captured Master?"
"There's no need to ask," the Flaming Mountain Local God said. "Within several thousand li of here, there is only one demon."
Wukong naturally knew whom the local god meant, and his expression shifted slightly. He recalled