Practicing Medicine in Zhu Zi Kingdom (Part Twenty-Five)

They found themselves in a place with no sky and no earth.

Hearing the voice, Wukong knew it was the old demon, so he shouted loudly, "Demon, what kind of Illusion Spell have you used to cover up the sun and deceive me?"

Ao Tu said, "Sun Wukong, how could you know that I swallowed the Heaven and Earth, swallowed the sun and the moon, and held all the mountains, rivers and land of the Zhu Zi Kingdom in my mouth? How could you, a mere Monkey, know my Supernatural Ability?"

Upon hearing this, Bajie was filled with fear and said, "Brother! This Demon has devoured Heaven and Earth; we're doomed! Let's quickly find a propitious place and plan our funeral!"

Sha Wujing said, "Second Senior Brother, there's no sky or sun these days, not a ray of light to be seen. How are we supposed to find a propitious burial site?"

The gods said, "Yes! Yes!"

Bingling Gong said fairly, "I govern the mountains and rivers of the world; I will search for them for everyone."

The immortals were delighted to hear this and all came to express their gratitude.

Only Wukong didn't believe it, saying, "An ancient saying goes, 'The heavens are boundless, the earth is endless, the sun is the essence of yang, and the moon is the essence of yin.' What ability does that Demon have to swallow the Heaven and Earth, the sun, and the moon? It must be a lie! Watch Old Sun, break through his Illusion Spell and show you!"

Having said that, Wukong Somersault Cloud upwards, covering 108,000 li in the blink of an eye, but he couldn't reach the end. He did this twelve times in a row, and then with a "thud," he hit a celestial stone. It was extremely hard, and the impact made Wukong's head throb. He fell down and didn't know how many days he had been falling before he landed on a rocky cliff. The surrounding area was extremely smooth, with only a small foothold.

Wukong rubbed his head and said, "Demon, you can't fool me. I, Old Sun, touch the sky and stand on the earth. How dare you say you've swallowed the Heaven and Earth?" Ao Tu laughed loudly, and a Nine Hells wind from the Netherworld swept through the void, making everyone shiver.

Ao Tu said, "Sun Wukong, your head isn't touching the sky, and your feet aren't stepping on the ground, but rather my ninth upper tooth and my seventeenth lower fang!"

Upon hearing this, Bajie was so frightened that he buried his head in the gaps between Ao Tu's teeth, like a hidden valley at the edge of a cliff, Earthly Way in fear, "Brother! This Demon's teeth are taller than Mount Tai, and I don't know how big his mouth is!"

Wukong was startled and somewhat frightened upon hearing this.

Only Nezha, the Lotus Root Incarnation, was carefree and fearless. Riding on his Wind Fire Wheels for illumination, he walked to Ao Tu's tongue, plopped down, and used fire to train Ao Tu's tongue.

Ao Tu felt an itch on the tip of his tongue, so he rolled up his long tongue, wrapped Nezha inside, opened his mouth, and spat it out.

Nezha finally saw the light of day again, but he had already arrived at the Mist-and-Cloud Cave on Qiyun Mountain, where he was surrounded by Demon.

Sai Taisui Sui began to speak to Ao Tu, but in a moment of carelessness, he was about to say "Bodhisattva." Ao Tu gave him a cold look, and Sai Taisui quickly changed his tone, addressing him as "Grandfather" and asking, "Grandfather, what should we do with this child?"

Ao Tu said, "Imprisoned in the Prison Cave!"

The Little Demons, following orders, imprisoned Nezha.

Ao Tu coughed again, spitting out more than a dozen Immortal, Little Demons were still ordered to imprison inside.

He coughed again, vomited out a dozen more, and was locked up again.

When Ao Tu first came to live in Mist-and-Cloud Cave, he specially dug additional Prison Cave, which came in handy now. There was enough room even if all the gods were imprisoned inside, so the King and Queen of the King of Zhu Zi Kingdom were also imprisoned inside.

As for the rest of the mountains, rivers, lands, and people of the Zhu Zi Kingdom, Ao Tu did not make things too difficult for them. He only instilled fear in them before he sneezed and sent them back to their original homes.

Upon seeing Ao Tu's appearance, Wukong recognized him as the Divine Physician from before and exclaimed in surprise, "Demon, it's you!"

The King of Zhu Zi Kingdom said, "Divine Physician, why are you now associating with Demon and harming me?"

Wukong said, "Your Majesty, he is Demon, and the leader of this group of Demon!"

Ao Tu said, "Sun Wukong, I originally did not wish to provoke you and your master, but you have gone too far by killing my grand-disciple. Today I have brought you here to avenge my grand-disciple!"

Wukong said, "Old Sun, have killed too many Demon to remember which one was your grand-disciple."

Ao Tu said, "It's the one you killed on the road, called ' Youlai Youqu.'"

Upon hearing this, Wukong remembered something and said:

"So it was that Little Demon. That Little Demon did have some kindness after all. I didn't want to kill him, but he was stubborn and unruly, aiding and abetting evil. So I killed him. It was a fitting end for him!"

Upon hearing this, Ao Tu laughed angrily, saying, "You, Sun Wukong, dare to spout such nonsense even though I've captured you here! Someone, bring me some rattan and willow branches!" The Little Demon beside him brought ancient rattan and willow branches grown in the shade; the former were soft and sturdy like wood, the latter as hard as iron. Wukong, completely unafraid, shouted, "Come at me! Come at me!"

Ao Tu said, "Good! Good! I've long heard that you, Sun Wukong, are a hero, and today I see you truly live up to your reputation! Men, hang Tang Sanzang up!" Tang Sanzang, who had been silent to the side, suddenly raised his head and exclaimed in surprise, "Benefactor, this humble monk has no grudge against you!"

Ao Tu said, "Tang Sanzang, I have no grudge against you! But you went to the Journey to the West scriptures, so you should have retrieved them. Instead, you let your disciple commit violence. How can I forgive you? Give him twenty lashes first!"

Upon hearing this, the Little Demon tied Tang Sanzang's hands together, hung him in the cave, and began to beat him with his stick.

Poor Tang Sanzang's Flesh, with his mortal body, how could he withstand it?

Even Great Virtuous Eminent Monk cannot escape the pain; after ten blows, they would cry out in agony.

Wukong, his eyes blazing with fury, shouted, "Demon, every wrong has its perpetrator, every debt its debtor! If you want to fight, fight Old Sun, your master! Why are you behaving like this?" Ao Tu, "Every wrong has its perpetrator, every debt its debtor! Why are you meddling in other people's business? Guards, hang all four of them, master and disciples, along with their horse, and give each of them twenty lashes!"

Upon hearing this, the Little Demon hung up the four men and their horses and beat them.

Wukong wasn't afraid of pain, but seeing Tang Sanzang being beaten made him anxious and angry. He cursed and shouted, hoping to reduce the beating on Tang Sanzang and turn the tables on him. Ao Tu saw this and said, "This Monkey is stubborn. Give them each twenty more lashes with the rattan whip."

Bajie cried out, "Brother! Please say less! I, Old Pig, am thick-skinned and tough, but Master can't take it! If this keeps up, Master will be beaten to death!"

Upon hearing this, Wukong dared not shout or curse anymore.

After the fight, Ao Tu still instructed the Little Demon to imprison the four, and ordered the preparation of firewood and the burning of pots and pans, so that the horses would be killed and the people cooked the next day, and the four would be killed to avenge his grand-disciple Youlai Youqu.

The Little Demons were overjoyed upon hearing this and went to prepare firewood.

As night fell, Tang Sanzang was in pain all over his body and was also afraid, so he couldn't fall asleep.

Bajie and Sha Wujing couldn't sleep either.

Bajie said, "Tomorrow we'll be cooked in the soup pot, but I don't know how we'll cook it yet."

Sha Wujing said, "Second Senior Brother, no, Elder Brother will find a way to save us!"

Bajie said, "Elder Brother? Elder Brother couldn't even escape from that Demon's mouth, and you're trying to save us?"

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing also hung his head in dejection and said:

"I wonder what kind of Demon this is, it's so powerful! I've never heard of such a powerful Demon before!"

Tang Sanzang was terrified and cried out, "Wukong, Wukong, do you have a way?"

Wukong closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, without saying a word.

Bajie said, "Brother, what time is it? You still have the mind to sleep?"

Wukong opened his eyes and said, "I wasn't sleeping, I was thinking of a way!"

Tang Sanzang asked, "Wukong, have you come up with a plan?"

Wukong said, "Master, don't be afraid. I, Old Sun, have a plan. I will definitely be able to get you out of here."

Tang Sanzang was delighted to hear this.

Sha Wujing asked, "Elder Brother, what method is that?"

Wukong turned around and said to Sha Wujing, "Back then, the Bodhisattva bestowed upon Old Sun three Life-Saving Hairs. I used one in my early years, and now I have two left. Junior Brother Sha, bite off one."

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing bit off a piece of meat from behind Wukong's head.

Wukong transformed his hair into a bow, biting one end while Sha Wujing bit the other, and together they sawed through the Immortal Rope binding them, freeing Tang Sanzang and his companions. They then sawed open the other Prison Cave, freeing all the gods.

Wukong dared not linger and quickly led the gods out of the cave, saying, "Gentlemen, that old demon is definitely not Demon from the mortal realm. You must quickly return to Heaven and report to His Majesty to find out which demon god Lower Realm!"

As they were talking, a terrifying mist filled the sky, revealing a gigantic maw.

Wukong exclaimed, "Not good!" and turned to leave in a Somersault Cloud.

Ao Tu opened his enormous mouth and used a Swallowing Heaven and Devouring Earth Supernatural Ability to hold back the Heaven and Earth and moon. No matter how Wukong Somersault Cloud, there were only soft walls all around. In the blink of an eye, he swallowed all the gods.

Wukong and the gods fell into Ao Tu's stomach. The gods said, "Great Sage, we have all been swallowed by that Demon. What should we do now?"

Bajie said, "I have an idea."

All the gods looked over upon seeing this.

Bajie said, "How about we cover our mouths and noses with our clothes and let that Demon take us out like dung?"

Heavenly King Li said, "This... is not a bad idea, but my Pagoda has sharp points and edges, I don't know how to place it?"

Bajie said, "Saving our lives is the most important thing; who cares about the pagoda?"

The Giant Spirit God said, "Marshal, my body is too large; I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to descend!"

Bajie said, "Let my senior brother shrink you so you can go down."

Wukong said, "Fool, stop talking nonsense! That old demon must have cultivated a flawless divine body, why would he need the Reincarnation of the five grains?" Bajie sighed and said, "Brother, what do you suggest we do?"

Wukong said, "This is the old demon's internal organs. Let's use our Supernatural Ability to turn this place upside down, and he'll surely spit us out." The gods all agreed that it was a good idea, and so they each displayed their Supernatural Ability.

In an instant, wind, thunder, water, fire, swords, spears, and clubs all unleashed within Ao Tu's belly.

Wukong stabbed the Golden Cudgel into Ao Tu's stomach, uttered the word "grow," and the Golden Cudgel grew to a length of 100,000 zhang without stopping.

Ao Tu felt no pain whatsoever. His liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, the Five Phases elements, and the Primordial Laws permeated his six palaces, which were like six universes. No matter how much Wukong and the others exhausted their magic power, they could not shake them.

Ao Tu returned to the Mist-and-Cloud Cave on Qiyun Mountain, and waited until the gods were exhausted and their magical powers were depleted before spitting them out one by one.

Wukong rolled to the ground, gazing at the dark, sunless Prison Cave, and tears welled in his eyes as he cried out, "Master! What calamity have you suffered in your past life to encounter such a vicious demon! No matter how much magic I use, I cannot save you!"

Nezha, having exhausted his magical power, lay sprawled on the ground, disheveled and unkempt. As if remembering something, he said to Wukong:

"Monkey, that Sai Taisui once made a slip of the tongue, referring to that Demon as 'Bodhi.' At the time, we didn't realize it, but now that we think about it, someone with such Supernatural Ability might actually be a Bodhisattva."

Wukong listened with a mixture of belief and doubt.

At this moment, the King of Zhu Zi Kingdom said:

"Elder, when that Divine Physician came to our country, he told me that my illness was because I had offended the Buddha, and that was why we needed to invite Great Virtuous Eminent Monk to chant sutras and pray for blessings."

Upon hearing this, Wukong flew into a rage and said, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

The King of Zhu Zi Kingdom said, "Earlier, your Elder Sun said that the Divine Physician was incompetent. I believed you and thought he was lying, so I didn't say anything." Upon hearing this, Wukong's words were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't speak.

At this moment, Ao Tu came over.

Upon seeing this, Wukong immediately lay down on the ground, pretending to be unconscious.

Upon seeing Ao Tu approach, the King of Zhu Zi Kingdom hurriedly said, "Divine Physician! Bodhisattva! I know I was wrong, please forgive me!"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "Your Majesty, there's no need to admit your mistake. As the saying goes, death absolves all debts. I have already devoured the people of your entire nation, and I will devour you and the Queen afterward. The enmity will naturally be resolved."

Upon hearing this, the King of Zhu Zi Kingdom was so frightened that he knelt on the ground and exclaimed, "You have devoured all the people of my kingdom!"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "I originally intended to eat only half the country, but those people were all mortals, and they were completely consumed in my belly in an instant. So I accidentally ate the whole country."

Upon hearing this, the King of Zhu Zi Kingdom was terrified, his bones trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word. Tathagata after Ao Tu left did he burst into tears. Nezha said, "You cowardly King, what are you crying for! This Bodhisattva dared to do such a heinous thing! When I get out, I will definitely go to the Jade Emperor and report him. First, we'll arrest Tathagata and ask him to be guilty of failing in his duties, and then punish him for his grave crimes!"

Unexpectedly, Ao Tu returned and laughed, "Little Nezha, this is how things are done in the Western Heaven Buddhist Sect's Ways. Are you afraid you won't be able to complain? Besides, you can't. After dawn, I'll wash you clean, put you in a steamer. Your flesh is the tenderest here. I'll steam your hands and feet until they're cooked, and then I'll dissect and enjoy you! As for the King, he's old meat and not good to eat, so he'll be given to us!"

Upon hearing this, Nezha roared in anger:

"Old Demon, you dare to eat me! My brother is the Demon Dragon Ao Tu, with the Golden Bushel of Primordial Unity in his hand. Who in the Three Realms doesn't know him? If you dare to touch a single hair on my head, he will grind you to dust! Even as Demon, you will have nowhere to hide! Even if you hide beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, I still have my master, uncles, senior uncles, and even the Celestial Worthy Patriarch. If you don't believe me, come and try!"

Ao Tu was delighted by the flattery, so he went up to him, pulled a small smirk, and left with a smile.

Nezha cursed angrily from behind.

Seeing that Ao Tu had really left, Wukong stood up and said, "Nezha, it's better to fight than talk. Don't say anything more to him. Quickly untie my Rope, and I'll go to Old Sun to complain Tathagata him."

Nezha said, "Monkey, Tathagata you go to Buddha to complain, Tathagata will surely protect him. Tathagata not go to the Jade Emperor to complain about Buddha?"

Wukong said helplessly, "Alas! How could Old Sun, not know this? I'll first go to Guanyin Bodhisattva and ask her to settle things for me, and then I'll file a complaint. In that case, Buddha certainly wouldn't dare to be too biased."

Upon hearing this, Nezha expressed some dissatisfaction, but still removed Wukong's last Life-Saving Hairs, untied the Rope, and let Wukong leave. This time, Wukong dared not rescue the gods again, and carefully escaped from the Demon Cave on his own, riding the clouds all the way to the Southern Sea.

Before long, they arrived at the Mount Putuo in the South Sea. Wukong descended from the clouds and requested Bodhisattva.

The Black Bear Spirit guarding the gate said to Wukong, "Great Sage, the Bodhisattva and Hui'an the Wanderer have gone to the Eastern Land on the Buddha's decree's orders and are not in the mountains."

Upon hearing this, Wukong hesitated, unsure whether he should wait there or head towards Spirit Mountain.

If he were to go directly to Spirit Mountain to file a complaint, he would have a grudge against Kasyapa, and the Great Monk was known for protecting his own, so it might be difficult to file a complaint.

But if we wait here, we don't know when the Bodhisattva will return.

Just then, auspicious Auspicious Clouds drifted by.

Guanyin Bodhisattva, carrying Mucha, laughed from the clouds and asked, "Wukong, have you encountered any obstacles in the Zhu Zi Kingdom?"