Tears Shed on Hidden Mist Mountain (XV)

Meanwhile, Wukong, having failed to retrieve his Golden Cudgel, slipped out through a crack in the door and bumped into a small tree planted outside.

Wukong thought that since he had come all this way, he couldn't go back empty-handed. The Daoist Daoist treasured this tree very much, so he could take the tree and exchange it for the Daoist's Golden Cudgel.

Wukong then stepped forward and pulled the tree out.

The tree was newly planted and very easy to pull out; it came out with a gentle tug.

Wukong took the treasure tree and left the Cave Abode.

Just as dawn was breaking, Wukong, shrouded in the morning mist, returned to Tang Sanzang and Tang Sanzang companions. Finding them all asleep, he hurriedly called out, "Master! Master! Let's go!"

Tang Sanzang was woken up and saw Wukong holding the small tree. He exclaimed in surprise, "Wukong, why did you steal someone else's precious tree?"

Wukong laughed, "He took Old Sun Golden Cudgel, so I'll take his precious tree. That's called 'even debts'! Let's hurry and find a place to hide. That Daoist must be anxious about losing his precious tree. Once we're hidden, I'll use this tree to exchange for the Golden Cudgel and the man!"

Seeing that the die was cast, Tang Sanzang had no choice but to agree and woke up Bajie. Sha Wujing had already woken up and heard half of what was said; although he didn't hear the whole thing, he roughly understood the situation. The four of them, along with the Black Dog Spirit and the Little Leopard Spirit, hurriedly left before dawn.

Ao Tu originally intended to wait a few days before capturing the four masters and disciples. However, Hidden Mist Mountain was not like Flaming Mountain; it was too small. If the four masters and disciples were allowed to roam freely, they would descend the mountain in no time. Therefore, he had no choice but to capture them as soon as possible.

Tang Sanzang and his disciples, along with their horse, were hurrying on their way.

Suddenly, a Daoist appeared on the road ahead, carrying a banner. It was none other than the Virtuous Daoist.

Tang Sanzang was startled. As the saying goes, "A guilty conscience makes one feel ashamed when meeting people at dawn." Poor Tang Sanzang, a perfectly respectable monk, now dared not look people in the eye and could only cover his face with his hands in shame and turn away.

Ao Tu wouldn't let him leave, and grabbed Tang Sanzang's arm, saying, "Monk, do you still recognize me?"

Tang Sanzang said, "This humble monk is very grateful for the rice you kindly gave me, Daoist Master. I will never forget it."

Ao Tu chuckled, lifted Tang Sanzang's arm, and said, "Look at these hands! I originally thought they were hands for chanting scriptures and saving people, but I was wrong?"

Tang Sanzang asked, "What do you mean, Daoist Master?"

Ao Tu sneered, "These hands, some use them to chant scriptures and guide people, others use them to steal and pilfer!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang felt extremely ashamed, his face turning red with embarrassment.

Ao Tu then used the flagpole to strike Tang Sanzang's feet, saying:

"These feet, clad in monk's shoes, were initially thought to be worn by monks for walking and worshipping Buddha, but unexpectedly, they also possess the ability to pass through houses and enter homes!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang felt even more pitiful and ashamed, wishing he could disappear into the ground and never see anyone again.

Wukong shouted from the side:

"Daoist, don't insult my master! I stole the tree! If you hadn't taken Old Sun Golden Cudgel, why would I have taken your precious tree?"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "I took your Golden Cudgel because you came to my door first. Your martial arts were inferior, and you lost to me! You took my precious tree because you took advantage of the darkness and closed the doors. You were quick and clever, and you got it. How can you confuse the two?"

Hearing this, Wukong felt his sore spot was hit, and he scratched his head in frustration, saying, "If you hadn't bullied the weak, why would Old Sun, have come here? Enough talk, take this!"

After saying that, Wukong leaped forward and started attacking wildly.

Ao Tu used the banner to block it, saying, "You damned bald thief, how dare you aid the demons in destroying the Dao!"

Upon seeing Bajie, Pigsy raised his Rake and shouted, "Old Daoist, you seized someone's Cave Abode without even knowing what happened, and you still accuse them of being rude? Take this!"

Having said that, he raised his rake and struck.

Upon seeing this, Sha Wujing shouted, "Elder Brother! Second Senior Brother! I'm coming!" and charged forward, brandishing his Demon-Subduing Treasure Staff.

The Black Dog Spirit and the Little Leopard Spirit also pounced, baring their fangs and claws.

Upon seeing this, Ao Tu grabbed a handful of Yin and Yang Dao Principles and threw it in front of him. It first stuck Wukong, then Bajie, then Sha Wujing, and then the Black Dog Spirit and the Little Leopard Spirit as well.

Everyone was hanging there, unable to move no matter how much force was applied.

This is a manifestation of the principles of Yin and Yang Dao Principles, combining strength and gentleness. If brute force is used, there is gentleness within it; if skillful force is used, there is strength within it. Unless one can directly break through the Yin and Yang and Yang principles, one cannot escape.

Ao Tu was holding back; otherwise, with a single turn of the Great Way of Yin and Yang, he would have ground Wukong and the others into Powder, added some honey water, and had the boy knead it into Elixir Pills.

At this point, only Tang Sanzang and the White Horse remained on the field.

Tang Sanzang was powerless to resist.

Ao Tu took the precious tree off the White Dragon Horse, then kicked it, causing the Little White Dragon to stick to the Yin and Yang Dao Principles. He then picked up Tang Sanzang, and using the wind and air, returned to the cave in a short while.

Ao Tu replanted the precious tree, tied Tang Sanzang and his disciples to a pillar, and released the Black Dog Spirit, the Little Leopard Spirit, and several other minor Demon, instructing them to dig several Prison Cave in the cave. Once the holes were dug, Tang Sanzang and his disciples were imprisoned inside.

Sha Wujing exclaimed, "Oh no! Elder Brother, Second Senior Brother, that Daoist is going to dig Prison Cave to lock us up!"

Bajie said, "It's alright! It's alright! I don't think that Daoist would steam and eat us like Old Pig Demon. He'll at least feed us while he's imprisoning us. Once I've eaten all the food he has in his cave, he'll let us out!"

Upon hearing this, Ao Tu walked over, struck Bajie a few times with the banner pole, and said:

"You Fat Monk, you have a good idea! You think you can just freeload? I'll lock you monks up in that Prison Cave, give you work to do when you have it, and labor when you don't. Earn a hundred thousand taels of silver and give it to me to compensate for the loss of my precious tree!"

Upon hearing this, Bajie exclaimed in distress, "Oh no! Oh no! A hundred thousand taels of silver! This Daoist was a reincarnation of an old landlord in his previous life. If we fall into his hands, we're doomed! I'm afraid that after working for him for a year, we'll still owe him money! Brother, what are we going to do?"

Wukong was tied up to the side, his eyes closed, concentrating his mind, and he didn't say a word.

Tang Sanzang said, "Master, it was my fault for not disciplining them properly and they stole your precious tree. I am willing to work to make up for it. But those little Little Demon are innocent. I heard that they have been cultivating in seclusion in the mountains and have never gone out to harm people. Master, could you please let them go and leave us to work?"

Upon hearing this, Ao Tu laughed and said, "You monk, what Buddhist Dharma have you learned? Why are you speaking up for the Demon?"

Tang Sanzang said, "Buddhist scriptures say that all sentient beings in the world can be saved and liberated by the Buddhist Dharma. Although they are Demon, they have never harmed anyone and are of pure heart. Please, Daoist, release them!"

Ao Tu said, "Although these Demon have not harmed anyone, I cannot let them go, because the Daoist Scriptures scriptures say, 'Evil must be eradicated completely.'"

Tang Sanzang said, "They have never done evil, so why talk about eradicating evil completely?"

Ao Tu said, "Although they haven't done anything evil now, if we release them, they might do evil in the future. Wouldn't that be the fault of me, Taoist? Therefore, although I don't want their lives, I'm keeping them by my side and imprisoning them."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang finally understood the reason behind the Daoist priest's actions and quickly advised him, "Daoist priest, you are mistaken! Our Buddhist Sect say..."

Ao Tu interrupted Tang Sanzang, saying, "I don't listen to the Buddhist Sect teachings; I only believe in Daoism scriptures."

Tang Sanzang said, "This... but this humble monk is not familiar with the Daoism..."