Wukong had returned home and spent his days carefree among the monkeys. Twenty-four days passed in the blink of an eye. Feeling the Golden Fillet on his head, he said, "I'm off. No need to see me out!"
Without waiting for the monkeys to urge him to stay, Wukong sprang onto a cloud and returned to the Flowing Sand River in an instant.
"Demon dragon, come out! Time's up. Give me back my master!"
Hearing him, Ao Tu emerged from the river and checked his system progress. Ninety-one days-one day more than a season. He smiled and said:
"I'll keep my word, of course. Wait here. I'll release your master right away!"
With that, Ao Tu went down and sent Tang Sanzang, Bajie, and the West Sea Dragon King out together. The old monks who had kept Tang Sanzang company chanting sutras each received gold and silver as payment and were sent back to where they had come from.
Tang Sanzang's complexion was rosy, his face radiant. He had not grown thin or hungry in the slightest; in fact, he had gained two jin. He had merely suffered a bit of a fright. At the sight of Wukong, he hurriedly said:
"Wukong, where have you been? Why did it take you so long to rescue your master? That demon carried me off, and although he never mistreated me, I've been frightened out of my wits these past days!"
Bajie said beside him, "Master, you ate mountain delicacies and lived in a palace all this time. That demon even found old monks to keep you company. What have you got to complain about? If Old Pig had a life like that, I'd gladly stay a year or two!"
Tang Sanzang rebuked him, "You blockhead! Your master was charged by King Tang to travel west and fetch the scriptures. So long as I'm heading west, even dining on the wind and sleeping beneath the dew would taste sweet as honey. If I cannot head west, then even dwelling in jade halls and jeweled towers, feasting on a hundred delicacies, would be like lying on steel blades and drinking poison!"
Seeing how sternly Tang Sanzang spoke, Bajie stuck out his snout and said no more.
Meanwhile, Ao Tu took Tiger Vanguard with him and prepared to leave.
Sha Wujing still did not know the full story and hurriedly asked, "Honored gods, what am I to do once you leave?"
Ao Tu said, "Go with Sun Wukong to the Southern Sea and see Guanyin Bodhisattva. Then you'll understand."
With that, Ao Tu used Earth-Traveling Golden Light and departed with Tiger Vanguard.
Sha Wujing and Wukong therefore went to the Southern Sea to find Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Guanyin Bodhisattva was leaning on the railing beside the Precious Lotus Pool with the Pearl-Holding Dragon Maiden, admiring the flowers.
Seeing Wukong and Wujing arrive, Guanyin Bodhisattva asked:
"Why aren't you guarding Tang Sanzang? What brings you to see me again?"
Wukong and Sha Wujing each explained what had happened.
Guanyin Bodhisattva said angrily:
"That accursed beast! He fooled you again. He changed the river's name and deceived Wujing to stop you and your master from traveling west!"
Hearing this, Sha Wujing bowed. "Your disciple was ignorant and foolish. That demon deceived me, and I delayed our great undertaking!"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "That beast is cunning and well versed in schemes. You can hardly be blamed. Rise."
Only then did Sha Wujing rise.
Guanyin Bodhisattva turned to Wukong and asked:
"Since you encountered that beast, why didn't you report to me? Instead, you tangled with him and wasted all these days!"
Wukong said, "Only because Master and Bajie were in his hands. I feared they might lose their lives if I angered him, so I swallowed my grievances to keep them safe!"
Guanyin Bodhisattva was somewhat skeptical and admonished him:
"You monkey, now that you've entered the Buddhist fold, you must remember the suffering of those five hundred years beneath the mountain. Do not ruin your future again."
Wukong gave a perfunctory bow. "Rest assured, Bodhisattva. Old Sun understands."
Guanyin Bodhisattva added, "If you encounter that demon dragon again, report to me at once. You must not let him ruin the great undertaking of fetching the scriptures."
Sha Wujing knelt and assented.
Wukong merely gave an offhand reply.
Seeing his irreverent attitude, Guanyin Bodhisattva said:
"That demon dragon is full of cunning tricks. Do not fall into his trap!"
Wukong said, "What trap have I fallen into? His father died. It's only natural that he should come seeking revenge. Old Sun is only responsible for protecting Tang Sanzang on the Journey to the West. The rest is none of my business."
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "The Jing River Dragon King violated Heaven's laws. The fault was his own. How could he blame anyone else?"
Wukong said, "Quite right, quite right. Without a cause, how could there be an effect? That old dragon of the Jing River must have eaten too much offering fruit and had nothing better to do, so he decided to break a heavenly law and test the waters."
Angered by his words, Guanyin Bodhisattva raised her jade-white hand and struck the monkey on the head three times. "You insolent monkey! Stop talking nonsense. Everything has its destined course! Say another word of nonsense, and beware of me reciting the Tight-Fillet Spell."
Wukong hurriedly said, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. Please, Bodhisattva, work some magic so my master can cross the river!"
Guanyin Bodhisattva took out a Red Gourd and instructed him:
"Place this gourd on the Flowing Sand River. String together Wujing's nine Pilgrim skulls and arrange them in the Nine Palaces formation, with the gourd in the center. That will make a Dharma Boat capable of carrying Tang Sanzang across the Flowing Sand River."
Wukong said, "What Pilgrim skulls?"
Sha Wujing said, "Eldest Brother, when I was a demon in that river, I ate countless people. Pilgrims came through several times, and I ate them all. The heads of everyone I ate sank to the bottom when I threw them into the river. Not even a goose feather floats in that water. Only those nine Pilgrim skulls floated on the surface. I thought they were treasures, so I strung them together and played with them in my idle hours."
Hearing this, Wukong asked, "Where are those skulls now?"
Sha Wujing said, "That demon dragon took them and hasn't returned them."
Guanyin Bodhisattva was speechless. "Very well. I'll go with you!"
Wukong and Sha Wujing bowed in thanks, and there was no more to be said.
The three rode a cloud and soon reached the Flowing Sand River.
Seeing the Bodhisattva arrive, Tang Sanzang and Bajie hurriedly knelt to pay their respects.
Guanyin Bodhisattva said to Tang Sanzang, "This place was originally called the Flowing Sand River, but that demon dragon changed its name. The demon in the river is the Curtain-Rolling General descended to the mortal world. He is also a faithful follower whom I brought to the path of goodness, one destined to guard you as you fetch the scriptures."
Delighted, Tang Sanzang accepted Sha Wujing as his disciple and gave him a common name as well: Sha Monk.
Guanyin plucked a willow leaf and tossed it into the river, where it became a Willow-Leaf Boat.
Tang Sanzang boarded it and sat down, as steady as if he were in a light skiff.
Bajie supported it on the left, while Wujing held it up on the right. Sun Wukong led the dragon horse behind them, following half in cloud and half in mist.
Tang Sanzang glided safely across the eight-hundred-li expanse of the Flowing Sand River, passing over the Weak River amid calm winds and quiet waves. Swift as flight, fast as an arrow, he soon set foot on the far bank, free of the surging waters. Neither mud nor water clung to him; his feet and hands were dry, clean and untouched.
Tang Sanzang bowed in thanks to the Bodhisattva, and the master and his three disciples continued west.
With matters here settled, Guanyin Bodhisattva returned straight to the Eastern Sea, though her heart was troubled.
Mucha asked, "Master, what troubles you?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "That beast has obstructed the journey to fetch the scriptures time and again. That alone would be tolerable; sooner or later, I will subdue him. What I fear is that he may bewitch Wukong and ruin the great undertaking."
Mucha said, "That beast only runs rampant because he has a few strange treasures he obtained from who knows where. Why not turn his scheme against him, Master, and set a trap to capture him along the pilgrimage route?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said joyfully, "Excellent! The lotuses in my Precious Lotus Pool have been blooming lately. Go invite the two Bodhisattvas, Manjushri and Samantabhadra, as well as Old Mother Lishan,
to come to my Mount Luojia and admire the lotuses."
Mucha was startled. He had never imagined that the Bodhisattva would invite so many divine sages merely to subdue one little demon dragon.
Meanwhile, over at Ao Tu's side.
[Ding, calculating rewards. Total interception time: ninety-one days.] [Ding, reward obtained: Three-Turn Soul-Reviving Pill.] [Ding, reward obtained: Six-Thousand-Year Peach of Immortality.] [Ding, reward obtained: Houtian spiritual treasure · Headache Chime.] [Ding, reward obtained: Houtian spiritual treasure · Dragon-Binding Rope.] [Ding, reward obtained: supernatural ability · Five-Colored Divine Light.] [Ding, one excess day automatically carried over to the next side quest. Next side quest: Four Saints Test Chan Mind.]
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