Searching for Sun Wukong

Meanwhile, Sha Wujing flew through the air for three days and three nights before arriving at the Eastern Ocean. After hearing the sound of the waves, he looked closely and realized that Flower-Fruit Mountain was right in front of him. A little while later, he heard someone muttering softly inside.

Sha Wujing looked closely and saw that it was Sun Wukong sitting on the cliff reading out the travel permit.

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing immediately said to Sun Wukong:

"Senior Brother, this is Master's passage document. Why are you reciting it there?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong panicked, not recognizing Sha Wujing at all, and hurriedly asked, "Who are you? Why are you here?"

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing quickly stepped forward and said, "Reporting to Senior Brother, I believe Master is simply a bit impatient, which is why he misunderstood you and sent you back."

"I have two things I feel guilty about towards you. The first is that I didn't try to stop Master from leaving. The second is that when Master was thirsty, we went out to find water, but you came back, knocked him unconscious, and stole his luggage."

"We hope you can come back with us for the sake of our past relationship, return the luggage to the driver, and have a good talk with him."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong sneered and said to Sha Wujing:

"Your words are not to my liking at all. I robbed Tang Xuanzang of his luggage not because I didn't want to go to the Western Heaven, nor because I necessarily loved this place."

"I have already thoroughly studied the secret manual. I will personally go to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and obtain scriptures, and then send them to the Eastern Lands. I will succeed on my own and make those people call me their master."

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing laughed and said to Sun Wukong, "Brother Monkey, what you said is really meaningless."

"There has never been a story about Sun Wukong going on a pilgrimage to obtain scriptures. The Buddha Tathagata created the Sanzang True Scriptures, originally intending for Bodhisattva Guanyin to travel to the Eastern Lands to find a person to retrieve the scriptures. We endured countless hardships underground to protect that person."

"Bodhisattva Guanyin once said that the pilgrim was Jin Golden Cicada, who was banished from Spirit Mountain because he did not listen to the Buddha's teachings. He will only be able to succeed after he cultivates the Great Dao."

"If you don't go with Tang Xuanzang, how could the Buddha Tathagata possibly pass on the true scriptures to you?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong smiled and said to Sha Wujing:

"Although you're telling me this now, you say you have Tang Xuanzang and me protecting you. Does that mean I don't have Tang Xuanzang? I have another Tang Xuanzang here that I created myself."

After saying this, Sun Wukong immediately addressed the monkey demons around him:

"You'd better hurry and fetch our master craftsman."

Upon hearing this, the monkey demons immediately ran inside, led out a white horse, and invited Tang Xuanzang out. Behind them followed Zhu Bajie carrying the luggage, while Sha Wujing held the magic staff.

Upon seeing this, Sha Wujing was immediately enraged and raised his weapon to strike the other Sha Wujing. However, the other Sha Wujing immediately collapsed to the ground, dying and revealing his true form—a monkey demon.

Upon seeing this, Sun Wukong became extremely angry and immediately raised his Ruyi Jingu Bang, ordering the monkeys to surround Sha Wujing.

Sha Wujing out of Flower-Fruit Mountain. Looking down at the Flower-Fruit Mountain, he thought to himself:

"Now that Sun Wukong has turned into this form, I must quickly go and tell Bodhisattva Guanyin."

After thinking it over, Sha Wujing immediately went to the South Sea. When the Pilgrim Muzha saw Sha Wujing, he raised his weapon and said to him:

"Sha Wujing, instead of protecting Tang Xuanzang on his journey to the Western Heaven to obtain Buddhist scriptures, what exactly are you doing here now?"

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing quickly said, "I have something I want to tell the Bodhisattva today, and I hope you can take me with you."

Knowing that they had come looking for Sun Wukong, Muzha immediately led Sha Wujing to Bodhisattva Guanyin and said to Bodhisattva Guanyin:

"Outside Bodhisattva Guanyin's residence is Tang Xuanzang's young disciple, Sha Wujing, who wishes to meet you."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong was overjoyed and immediately said to Bodhisattva Guanyin:

"It seems that Tang Xuanzang has encountered some difficulties, Sha Wujing wants to ask you to go with him to subdue the monster."

Bodhisattva Guanyin remained silent upon hearing this. Just then, Sha Wujing arrived beside Bodhisattva Guanyin. Upon seeing Sun Wukong, he raised his weapon and struck at Sun Wukong. However, Sun Wukong, looking completely bewildered, said to Sha Wujing:

Why did you hit me? What did I do to offend you?

At the same time, Bodhisattva Guanyin also came out to mediate, saying:

"Wujing, don't rush to act. Tell me what's wrong first."

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing sheathed his weapon and angrily addressed Bodhisattva Guanyin from beneath the platform:

"This monkey has committed countless atrocities along the way. A few days ago, he killed two bandits at the foot of the Sun Wukong, which his master blamed. However, that night, he stayed at the bandits' house and cut off the bandits' heads to show his master."

"My master was so frightened that he fell off his horse, scolded him a few times, and sent him away. After we parted, my master was extremely thirsty, so he sent Zhu Bajie to fetch water. I waited for a long time but Zhu Bajie didn't return, so I went to look for Zhu Bajie."

"But when Sun Wukong saw that neither of us was coming back, he knocked Master unconscious with his staff and took the entire package."

After saying this, Sha Wujing paused for a moment and then continued:

"When I arrived at Flower-Fruit Mountain, Sun Wukong suddenly turned on me and refused to acknowledge me. He even recited Master's travel permit again. I asked him what he was reciting."

He said that if he couldn't protect Tang Xuanzang, he would go to the Western Heaven Paradise to obtain the scriptures himself and return them to the Great Tang of the Eastern Lands, which would also be considered his contribution.

"After a short while, I continued to tell him that without a master, the Buddha Tathagata could not have passed on the true scriptures to him, but Sun Wukong used the monkey demon to create the three of us, master and disciples."

After saying this, Bodhisattva Guanyin immediately said to Sha Wujing, "Wujing, what you said is a bit incorrect. Sun Wukong has always been with me. When did he leave?"

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing quickly replied, "There's a Sun Wukong in the Water Curtain Cave now, why would I lie to you?"

Upon hearing this, Bodhisattva Guanyin immediately sensed that the situation was somewhat troublesome and said to Sha Wujing:

"Don't worry, I'll go with you to Flower-Fruit Mountain to take a look. If it's real, it will be very difficult to eliminate; if it's fake, then eliminating it will be a piece of cake. We'll see the truth then."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong followed Bodhisattva Guanyin and Sha Wujing to the Water Curtain Cave.

Just as Sun Wukong was about to enter the Water Curtain Cave, Sha Wujing hurriedly grabbed Sun Wukong and said something to Sun Wukong.