Now, Wukong arrived at the Southern Sea.
Guanyin Bodhisattva was refining some treasure, though he did not know what.
Wukong dared not disturb her and respectfully paid his obeisance.
Guanyin Bodhisattva spared him a moment of her attention and asked, "Wukong, how far has Tang Sanzang traveled?"
Wukong said, "He has reached Longevity Mountain on the Western Ox Continent."
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "There is a Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain. Have you met Great Immortal Zhenyuan?"
Wukong bowed his head to the ground. Not daring to conceal anything, he recounted each of his misdeeds and pleaded:
"This disciple did not recognize Great Immortal Zhenyuan and offended him. I sought a remedy overseas, searched all three islands, and traveled throughout the heavens, but none of the immortals had a remedy for the tree. With a sincere heart, I have come to bow before you and plead my case, Bodhisattva. I beg you to take pity on me and graciously grant me a remedy to save my master."
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "Why did you not come to me sooner, instead of searching elsewhere?"
Hearing this, Wukong secretly rejoiced. What good fortune! What good fortune! The Bodhisattva must have a remedy! He stepped forward to implore her.
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "My Jade-Cleansing Bottle contains Three-Lights Divine Water. It can bring the dead back to life and overcome all calamities. It can heal that immortal tree and its sacred roots."
Wukong asked, "Has it ever proven effective?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "It has. The willow branch in my bottle was once scorched dry in the Supreme Lord's furnace. I placed it in the bottle, and after a day and a night, its branches were green and its leaves fresh again, just as before."
Wukong laughed. "What wonderful luck! What wonderful luck! If even something scorched can be revived, what difficulty could there be with a tree I merely toppled? Bodhisattva, please hurry and come with me to save my master!"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "Wait."
Wukong asked, "What is it, Bodhisattva?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "This Three-Lights Divine Water has not yet finished condensing."
Wukong froze. Gazing at the droplet suspended in the air, not even halfway condensed, he asked, "Bodhisattva, surely that is not the Three-Lights Divine Water?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "It is."
Wukong asked, "How much longer will it take?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "An ordinary practitioner must first spend ten thousand years condensing one drop of Sunlight Divine Water, then another ten thousand years obtaining one drop of Moonlight Divine Water, and another ten thousand years obtaining one drop of Starlight Divine Water. Only by combining all three can one obtain a single drop of Three-Lights Divine Water."
Wukong cried in alarm, "Thirty thousand years! Bodhisattva, have you visited the underworld recently?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva asked, "Why would I visit the underworld?"
Wukong said, "If you have not, let Old Sun make a trip. I will turn the underworld upside down again, seize the Book of Life and Death, cross out Tang Sanzang's name, and then cross out everyone surnamed Tang as well. Otherwise, after thirty thousand years, never mind Tang Sanzang-even the Tang dynasty will have turned to drifting ash."
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "You monkey, let me finish. It is true that an ordinary practitioner needs thirty thousand years to condense this Three-Lights Divine Water. But with my great magical power, I need only seven times seven days-forty-nine days in all."
Delighted, Wukong said, "That is good! That is good! How much longer is left?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "Twenty days have passed, leaving twenty-nine. If you lend your magical power, it can be finished sooner."
At this, Wukong promptly sat cross-legged and lent his strength alongside the other deities.
Several days passed this way. Restless by nature, Wukong found it hard to remain seated. "Bodhisattva," he said, "as the saying goes, 'With preparations in place, calamity cannot catch you unawares.' You carry that cleansing bottle every day, so why not keep some divine water stored in it?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "The Jade-Cleansing Bottle originally held half a bottle of divine water."
Wukong asked, "Then why not go and save my master?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "When I subdued that demon dragon before, he caught me unprepared and swept it away with his five-colored light."
Wukong understood.
Suddenly, his eyes darted about as something occurred to him. He stood and said:
"No need to trouble you further, Bodhisattva. Old Sun has thought of someone else who can revive the Ginseng Fruit Tree!"
Guanyin Bodhisattva asked, "Who is it?"
Wukong said, "A Daoist Old Sun only recently met."
Guanyin Bodhisattva asked, "There is such a Daoist?"
Wukong laughed. "Bodhisattva, from ancient times to the present, how many gifted people and extraordinary souls have there been? Healing a tree is nothing remarkable. Old Sun has heard of mortals so skilled at divination that they can even divine the Jade Emperor's decrees!"
Hearing this, Guanyin Bodhisattva glared at Wukong. "You monkey, talking nonsense again!"
Wukong smiled and bowed to Guanyin Bodhisattva. "Thank you for your trouble, Bodhisattva. Old Sun is off."
With that, he rode a cloud back to Wuzhuang Temple and lowered it to the ground.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan was speaking with the Three Star Elders, with Ao Tu beside them.
Seeing Wukong return, Great Immortal Zhenyuan asked, "Sun Wukong, have you found a remedy for the tree?"
Wukong said, "I have! I have!"
Great Immortal Zhenyuan asked, "What immortal remedy is it?"
"No need to explain!" Wukong landed beside Ao Tu and seized his wrist. "Brother, you kept me in the dark and put me through so much! Had I known you could heal the tree, why would Old Sun have gone racing overseas and through the heavens?"
Ao Tu laughed. "You monkey, I am Vozhu Zhenshi Heavenly Venerable. Since when have I been your brother?"
Wukong said, "Heavenly Venerable or brother, please grant me a way to heal the tree. Do not put Old Sun through any more torment."
Ao Tu smiled. "Very well, I will oblige you. Consider it compensation for your headache!"
Wukong said, "Old Sun really has suffered a terrible headache these past few days, searching for an immortal remedy. Thank you, brother. Oh, no-Vozhu Zhenshi Heavenly Venerable!"
Ao Tu smiled without a word and went with the others to the Ginseng Fruit orchard.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan, the Three Elders of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity, Tang Sanzang and his disciples, and all the temple's disciples entered the orchard to watch.
The tree lay on the ground, its roots exposed in the split earth, its leaves fallen and its branches withered.
Ao Tu was naturally less skilled than Guanyin Bodhisattva at using Three-Lights Divine Water, but fortunately, he had plenty of it.
Ao Tu manifested the Five-Colored Divine Light, raised the tree upright, and poured a pool of divine water beneath its roots.
In moments, the roots and bark knit together, leaves grew and buds sprouted, and the branches turned green and bore fruit.
Amid lush green leaves, twenty-three Ginseng Fruits appeared once more.
The two young attendants, Qingfeng and Mingyue, said, "When the fruits went missing the other day, we counted over and over and found only twenty-two. Now that the tree has revived, how is there one more?"
Wukong remembered. "Old Sun only stole three that day. One fell to the ground and vanished into the soil on contact. Only today has the matter become clear."
Great Immortal Zhenyuan was overjoyed. He ordered a disciple to fetch the Golden Striker and knock down ten fruits, then invited everyone back to the splendid hall, both to thank them for their efforts and to hold a "Ginseng Fruit feast."
The disciples arranged tables and chairs and set out platters for the elixir fruits. They invited their guest Ao Tu to the seat of honor, seated the Three Elders on the left and Tang Sanzang and his disciples on the right, while Great Immortal Zhenyuan took the host's seat at the front to keep them company.
Ao Tu and the Three Elders each ate one. Great Immortal Zhenyuan ate one as well. Wukong and his two fellow disciples also ate one each. Knowing it to be an immortal treasure, Tang Sanzang ate one too.
The temple's disciples, along with Tiger Vanguard, shared one fruit.
After the feast, Wukong saw the Three Star Elders off on their return to Penglai.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan faithfully kept his promise, set up an incense altar, and prepared to become sworn brothers with Wukong.
Since both were also on excellent terms with Ao Tu, and it was Ao Tu who had healed the tree, they drew him in as well, and the three became sworn brothers together.
At daybreak the next morning, Tang Sanzang packed his things to leave.
Zhen Yuanzi urged him to stay and would not let him go, arranging hospitality that kept them there for several days.
Since eating the Grass-Returning Elixir, Tang Sanzang had shed his mortal flesh and bones for a new constitution, his spirit refreshed and his body vigorous. He had no wish to linger. After several days, he ignored their pleas and simply left with Wukong and the others.
After Tang Sanzang and his disciples departed, Ao Tu also took his leave.
Zhen Yuanzi personally broke a branch from the tree, with two fruits hanging from it, and gave it to Ao Tu.
Ao Tu readily accepted it and rode away on a cloud.
White Tiger Ridge.
Qiao'er was washing clothes by the river.
The river lay still, without a ripple.
When Qiao'er finished washing, she looked at the tranquil surface of the lake, pressed her lips together, and returned home.
Her parents saw her and asked, "Did you go to that distant river to wash clothes again?"
Qiao'er said nothing.
Her parents said, "Child, your father and mother are afraid you will encounter danger. That young gentleman will not return. Give up that hope."
Ao Tu descended from the sky on a cloud.
Before you continue