Tang Xuanzang Is Captured

"Wujing, if you leave this desolate mountain wilderness, what will I do if monsters come looking for you?"

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing said to Tang Xuanzang:

"Master, don't panic. Please sit here. I'll go find him now."

After speaking, Sha Wujing threw down his staff and went out to look for Zhu Bajie.

Tang Xuanzang sat alone in the forest, feeling extremely depressed. He could only force himself to stand up, put his luggage aside, tie his horse to a tree, and take a walk in the forest. As he walked, Tang Xuanzang became increasingly flustered, and thus he took the wrong path.

After lingering in the same spot for a while, Tang Xuanzang saw a house in front of him. The house was shimmering with golden light and radiating Buddhist light. Tang Xuanzang looked closely and found that it was a pagoda. The top of the pagoda was shining brightly.

Upon seeing this, Tang Xuanzang thought to himself:

"Why don't my disciples have this destiny? Ever since I came here from the Eastern Lands, I have secretly sworn an oath in my heart."

"Whenever I come across a temple, I burn incense and pray to Buddha; whenever I see a pagoda, I calmly sweep it. Isn't that a golden pagoda that's radiating light?"

After speaking, Tang Xuanzang walked towards the private room.

Then Tang Xuanzang arrived at the gate of the pagoda, where he saw a mottled bamboo curtain hanging on it. Tang Xuanzang walked in, picked up the bamboo curtain, and suddenly looked up to see a stone bed, on which a Yaomo was sleeping.

The Yaomo's face was covered in messy hair, revealing its snow-white fangs, and its face was black.

Upon seeing this, Tang Xuanzang was immediately terrified, his legs going weak. He instantly forgot that he knew some Buddhist Order Secret Method.

Tang Xuanzang immediately turned around and prepared to go outside.

The monster's sense of smell was incredibly sharp; it immediately opened its golden, eerie eyes and spoke in a hoarse voice to the smaller monsters:

"Men, go out and see who's at the door!"

After he finished speaking, a little demon poked his head out and looked towards the door. He saw a bald monk.

The little monster immediately ran back to report to the demon:

"There's a monk at the king's gate with fair skin and tender flesh; he'd definitely be a great food source."

Upon hearing this, the monster was overjoyed and immediately said to the group of lesser monsters:

"That's pretty good. You guys hurry up and catch him, I'll reward you handsomely."

Upon hearing this, the monsters immediately rushed out. Tang Xuanzang, seeing this, inwardly cried out in alarm and scurried away as fast as he could, but Tang Xuanzang was too terrified and his legs went weak. In the end, he accidentally fell on the rugged mountain path.

The little demons were overjoyed at the sight and rushed over laughing, like cats seeing mice.

After a while, the little monsters carried Tang Xuanzang to the monster's side.

Upon seeing Tang Xuanzang Tang Xuanzang, the demon was overjoyed and stared intently at him.

Seeing this, the monster thought to itself with smug satisfaction:

"This monk must be someone close to the Jade Emperor, not to be underestimated. I might as well use his power to intimidate him and teach him a lesson."

After thinking for a moment, the monster flew into a rage, its eyes blazing, and roared:

"Bring that delicate-skinned monk in."

After seeing the monster, Tang Xuanzang clasped his hands together in front of it. Upon seeing this, the monster asked Tang Xuanzang:

"Where are you from, and where are you going? Tell me now, or I'll make you regret it."

Upon hearing this, Tang Xuanzang immediately said to the demon:

"This humble monk comes from the Great Tang of the Eastern Lands, on his way to the Western Heaven Paradise to obtain Buddhist scriptures. I am passing through this place and have inadvertently trespassed into your territory. Please forgive my sins."

Upon hearing this, the monster burst into loud laughter:

"I knew it! I've been observing the sky lately and noticed some unusual phenomena. I was certain that a group of immortals had come here, and sure enough, I met you."

"I was just thinking about how to devour you, and then I met you. How could I possibly let you go so easily?"

"Men, tie this monk up!"

Upon hearing this, the little monsters immediately took out a rope and tied Tang Xuanzang to the wooden stake.

Seeing this, the demon picked up a precious sword, pointed it at Tang Xuanzang, and asked:

"Monk, tell me quickly, how many of you have come this time? I can't let you go to the Western Heaven alone."

Seeing this, Tang Xuanzang quickly said to the monster:

"Your Majesty, I have two disciples, one named Zhu Bajie and the other named Sha Wujing. They have both gone out to beg for alms."

The monster, upon hearing this, happily said:

"That's wonderful! If you bring your two apprentices along, there will be three of us, enough for a meal."

Upon hearing their king utter those words, the lesser demons immediately petitioned him for credit.

"Your Majesty, please rest here for a while. We'll go and capture those two apprentices now, so you can enjoy them with us."

Upon hearing this, the demon immediately addressed the lesser demons:

"You must not do that. You should stay here and protect Tang Xuanzang. When his disciples return from begging for alms, they will definitely not be able to find their master and will come to you on their own."

Upon hearing this, the monsters immediately closed the gate tightly and waited quietly for Tang Xuanzang's two disciples to arrive.

Meanwhile, Sha Wujing was searching for Zhu Bajie in the woods. After walking for more than ten miles, he did not see a single village. So Sha Wujing stood on a high slope to look around.

Suddenly, they heard someone whispering and looked closely. It turned out to be Zhu Bajie lying there talking in his sleep.

Sha Wujing was instantly enraged and grabbed Zhu Bajie's ear, saying:

"Master Bajie told you to come here for a talk, but you're just lying here sleeping. Now come back with me."

Zhu Bajie immediately came to his senses and asked Sha Wujing:

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Then Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie arrived at the place where Tang Xuanzang had been, only to find that Tang Xuanzang had disappeared without a trace, with only the White Dragon Horse and the rest of the luggage still in the same place.

Seeing this, Sha Wujing secretly sighed and quickly said to Zhu Bajie:

"Now things are really bad; the demons will definitely capture Tang Xuanzang. What should we do now?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie didn't take it to heart at all. He patted Sha Wujing on the shoulder and said to Sha Wujing nonchalantly:

"Wujing, don't talk nonsense. This name sounds so peaceful, there are no demons around. Maybe Master has been restless for a while and is admiring the scenery. Forget it, let's go find him and bring him back."

After Zhu Bajie speaking, the two of them mounted their horses and searched for Tang Xuanzang in the jungle.

A little while later, Zhu Bajie saw a golden pagoda shining brightly to the south. Zhu Bajie immediately said to Sha Wujing:

"Master is really lucky. He must have gone up to that pagoda. Every time Master sees a pagoda, he makes sure to clean it thoroughly."

"Perhaps Master has been waiting for us there for a long time. Let's hurry up and go now."