Tang Sanzang and his disciples rode on, taking a detour around the foot of the mountain beneath Lesser Thunderclap Temple.
Suddenly, a Daoist stepped out ahead of them and called:
"Are those approaching the Pilgrims from the Eastern Land?"
Wukong saw him and whispered, "Master, he's a demon."
"I know," Tang Sanzang replied quietly.
Unaware that his disguise had already been seen through, the Yellow-Browed Old Demon still stepped forward, offered Tang Sanzang a Daoist bow, and said, "Greetings from this humble Daoist!"
Holding the reins, Tang Sanzang silently turned his horse around without returning the greeting.
The Yellow-Browed Old Demon thought that Golden Cicada had been foolish and dull before his reincarnation, and was even worse afterward, forgetting even his manners. Was someone like this worthy of fetching the scriptures and becoming a Buddha?
"I am the Golden Summit Great Immortal of Jade Truth Temple at the foot of Spirit Mountain," the Yellow-Browed Old Demon said. "By the Buddha's decree, I have waited here for the Pilgrims. After all these years, you have finally arrived. But why, Holy Monk, do you see Thunderclap and yet refuse to enter?"
Hearing this, Tang Sanzang gave a perfunctory reply. "The mountain is high and treacherous. I dare not enter."
The Yellow-Browed Old Demon smiled and moved closer.
Wukong and Bajie hurriedly blocked him, one on either side.
The Yellow-Browed Old Demon gave an awkward laugh. "There are indeed some steep and fearsome places in that mountain. All manner of beings and spirits have heard of our Buddha's Buddhist scriptures of the Mahayana and have come to listen. How about this? I shall personally lead you there, Holy Monk."
With that, the Yellow-Browed Old Demon tried to step forward again.
Bajie and Wukong still barred his way.
"Holy Monk, why is this?" the