The Python Demon

The monster ran into its cave, leaving only its tail outside. Zhu Bajie put down his Nine-Toothed Rake, grabbed the monster's tail, and pulled it out.

But after a long time, Zhu Bajie was exhausted, yet his tail did not move at all.

Sun Wukong smiled and said to Zhu Bajie, "Bajie, why don't we just let this matter go and put it away for now? We'll figure out how to handle it later. Don't drag it away now."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie released his hands, and the monster's tail immediately retracted.

Seeing this, Zhu Bajie couldn't help but complain to Sun Wukong:

"Sun Wukong, why did you say those things? If I hadn't let go, this half of his body would already be ours. He's already inside that cave and he's never coming out."

After thinking about it seriously for a long time, Sun Wukong said to Zhu Bajie:

"This python is so big, and that cave is so small. It must be very difficult for it to turn around in there. This must be just the front entrance; there must be a back entrance."

"You go and block the back door now, while I'll guard the front door."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie dashed to the back of the mountain and indeed found a hole.

After a short while, Zhu Bajie stood still, preparing for the demon's arrival.

Just as Zhu Bajie stood on the ground, Sun Wukong lengthened his Ruyi Jingu Bang and forcefully stabbed the monster into the cave. The monster immediately felt unbearable pain and hurriedly tried to leave through the back door.

However, Zhu Bajie was completely unprepared and was suddenly whipped to the ground by the monster's tail, where he fell and howled in agony.

Seeing that there was no living creature in the cave, Sun Wukong took his Jingu Bang and went inside to chase after the monster.

However, after hearing Sun Wukong's shouts, Zhu Bajie endured the pain and got up, frantically wielding his Nine-Chi Rake and striking around.

When Sun Wukong saw Zhu Bajie's appearance, he laughed and said to Zhu Bajie, "What are you doing here? The monsters are all gone, what's the point of you doing all this?"

After hearing what Sun Wukong Zhu Bajie, not wanting Sun Wukong to look down on him, rolled his eyes at Sun Wukong Zhu Bajie:

"What do you know? I'm just stirring up trouble."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong smiled but remained silent. Then Sun Wukong patted Zhu Bajie on the shoulder and said, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and catch up!"

No sooner had Sun Wukong finished speaking than the two of them arrived at the monster's cave.

The monsters then formed a ball, raised their heads, and opened their blood-red mouths, trying to swallow Zhu Bajie.

Zhu Bajie was so frightened that he quickly retreated, but Sun Wukong bravely stepped forward and entered the monster's mouth.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Bajie was instantly terrified and deeply saddened. He covered his head and cried loudly:

"Brother Monkey, you've really been wronged. You haven't even succeeded in your journey to the Western Heaven, and now you've lost your life. What are we going to do?"

After a short while, Sun Wukong's voice came from inside the monster's stomach. Sun Wukong said to Zhu Bajie:

"Bajie, please don't shout so loudly, it hurts my ears. I'm inside this monster's belly now, I'll have him conjure a bridge for you in a bit so you can see it."

After saying this, Sun Wukong immediately used the enlarging ability of his Ruyi Jingu Bang) to stretch the monster away.

Sun Wukong thrust hard, and the monster was pierced through a large hole, collapsing to the ground, bleeding profusely, and soon lost its life.

After seeing that the snake was already dead, Zhu Bajie raised his Nine-Toothed Rake and hammered it a few more times. Seeing this, Sun Wukong slowly crawled out of the snake's belly and said to Zhu Bajie:

"The snake that's Zhu Bajie is already dead, why are you still hitting its corpse?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie scratched his head sheepishly and smiled at Sun Wukong, saying, "Brother Monkey, you probably don't know, but I, Zhu Bajie, usually love to beat up dead snakes."

As soon as Zhu Bajie finished speaking, he put away his Nine-Toothed Rake, grabbed the monster's tail, and slowly led him into the village.

At the same time, the old man and the neighbors said to Tang Xuanzang, "Your two disciples haven't returned all night; they must be dead."

Tang Xuanzang didn't believe it at all and continued, "Such a thing is absolutely impossible. Why don't we go out and take a look now?"

Just as Tang Xuanzang finished speaking, Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie dragged the giant python and started shouting loudly.

Everyone was astonished at the sight, and the entire village, young and old, men and women, came to speak to Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie:

"This master is the very demon who was harming people here. Thanks to you all for slaying the demon today, we are able to return to our peaceful lives."

The people around them were very grateful and invited Tang Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, Sun Wukong, Sha Wujing to visit their homes. The four of them stayed there for four or five days, and were finally allowed to leave only after many kind words were spoken to them.

They traveled happily until they unknowingly arrived at a cave. Tang Xuanzang, smelling the stench of the cave, frowned and, seeing the road blocked, said to Sun Wukong:

"Wukong, what should we do now? How do we get across from here?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong covered his nose, pondered for a long time, and was immediately at a loss for a solution. So, Sun Wukong shook his head and said to Tang Xuanzang:

"This is indeed a little sad, and I honestly don't know how to get through it."

Upon hearing this, Tang Xuanzang felt a pang of sadness. He muttered softly to himself:

"What should we do now? We've already overcome so many monsters ahead, but now we can't get past this muddy swamp and stench. What should we do?"

After saying this, Tang Xuanzang couldn't help but shed tears.

Upon hearing Tang Xuanzang's words, the old man quickly said to Tang Xuanzang:

"Master, please don't worry. Now that we've brought you here, since your apprentice helped us subdue the monster as agreed, we must grant you one request. We're now opening another good road to take you there."

After the old man finished speaking, he wanted everyone to help, but Sun Wukong smiled and said:

"You won't need to worry about this. Besides, if you were to clear the way, it would take too long."