Discovering a Yaoguai

"That demon isn't trying to harm you at all. If he wanted to, he would have found you even if you were hiding here."

Just as Sun Wukong finished speaking, a loud wind howled outside, whipping up dust. At that moment, all the officials exclaimed in unison, "How can this monk's words be so prophetic? He said a monster was coming, and the monster really did come!"

Upon seeing this, the king immediately abandoned Sun Wukong and led Tang Xuanzang into the cave.

However, all the officials had also fled, and Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing were also trying to hide, but Sun Wukong grabbed them both and said:

"Why are you two hiding? Come with me and see what kind of monster he really is."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie quickly said, "What you're saying is utter nonsense. Why do we have to see what that monster actually looks like?"

"All the officials have already gone into hiding, our master has also gone into hiding, and the Emperor is afraid. Let's not go either, and stop pretending to be heroes."

Zhu Bajie hurriedly tried to escape by swinging his arms, but Sun Wukong had already frozen him in place. Suddenly, a demon appeared in mid-air.

Upon seeing the demon, Sun Wukong was immediately puzzled and turned to Sha Wujing, saying:

"Wujing, do you know this monster?"

After thinking about it seriously for a long time, Sha Wujing said to Sun Wukong, "I've never even seen him before, how could I recognize him?"

No sooner had Sha Wujing finished speaking than Sun Wukong asked Zhu Bajie, "Bajie, do you know this monster?"

After hearing what Sun Wukong said, Zhu Bajie replied, "How could I recognize him if I've never even seen him? Besides, I've never eaten or drunk with him, and we're not even relatives or neighbors."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong looked at the demon and began to think seriously. After a short while, Sun Wukong slowly said:

"This monster looks a bit like the gatekeeper ghost from the east."

After hearing what Sun Wukong said, Zhu Bajie quickly shook his head and said to Sun Wukong, "That's not true at all."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong looked at Zhu Bajie a puzzled expression and said to him, "How do you know he isn't?"

After hearing what Sun Wukong said, Zhu Bajie smiled and said to Sun Wukong:

"Ghosts usually only appear at night. It's still early, so where would any ghosts come out? If it were a ghost, it wouldn't be able to fly through the clouds and only use strong winds. The only thing that could create such strong winds is probably Sai Taisui."

After hearing what Zhu Bajie said, Sun Wukong laughed and said to Zhu Bajie:

"You've learned quite a bit, haven't you? Since you've put it that way, you two stay here and guard the place. I'll go up and ask him his name, and while I'm at it, I'll rescue the king's concubine and bring her back with me."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie earnestly said to Sun Wukong, "Go ahead, but whatever you do, don't expose us all."

Sun Wukong ignored these words, while Zhu Bajie simply rode a cloud to the side of the monster.

At the same time, as Sun Wukong approached the demon, he suddenly summoned his Ruyi Jingu Bang) and said to the demon:

"Where did you come from, Yaomo? How dare you act so arrogantly here?"

After hearing what Sun Wukong said, the demon, not to be outdone, Sun Wukong:

"I am a vanguard under the command of the Great King Sai Taisui Qilin Mountain. Today, the King has ordered me to take two more palace maids back to serve the Empress. Who are you to dare ask my name?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong immediately said:

"I am Sun Wukong, Great Sage Equal to Heaven, protecting Tang Xuanzang from the Eastern Lands on his journey to the Western Heaven to retrieve Buddhist scriptures. We are passing through this area and have only recently learned that you demons and Yaomo are endangering the lives of the people. We were just looking for you when you delivered yourself to our doom."

After saying this, Sun Wukong raised his Ruyi Jingu Bang) and charged at the monster. The monster, oblivious to the danger, thrust his spear at Sun Wukong.

After a brief battle in the air, Sun Wukong used his staff to shatter the monster's weapon in two, and the monster fled in panic.

After seeing the monster escape, Sun Wukong immediately jumped down and said to Zhu Bajie:

"Go and bring your master and the emperor out now; the monster has already left."

After hearing what Sun Wukong said, Tang Xuanzang brought the king out of the cave. Suddenly, they saw that the weather was clear and there was no evil spirit in the air. The king was overjoyed.

So the king personally came to the table, poured Sun Wukong a cup of wine, and said to Sun Wukong, "Divine Monk, thank you so much this time."

After Sun Wukong received the cup of wine, he remained silent. Just then, a man returned and said to the king:

"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! The Ximen Gate is on fire!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong frowned, then threw the wine cup into the air. After a short while, the wine cup slowly fell to the ground.

Upon seeing this, the king panicked and hurriedly said:

"Reverend monk, please don't be angry. It was indeed my fault. If I were to express my gratitude to you, I should do so in the main hall."

"But there's wine here, so I said I'd say it here first, but you threw the glass away. I don't know if you're already angry."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong shook his head. After a short while, another person suddenly reported to the king:

"Your Majesty, a heavy rain has fallen outside. A fire suddenly broke out at the West Gate, but the rain extinguished it. The streets are now flooded, but they reek of alcohol."

After hearing what that person said to the king, Sun Wukong smiled and said to the king:

"Your Majesty, you saw me throw down that cup and suspected I was blaming you, but that's not the case at all. That monster couldn't defeat me, so it ran away."

"I didn't chase him. He just started a fire. This glass of wine was what I used to put out the fire and save a family outside. I didn't mean anything by it."

The king was overjoyed upon hearing this, and his reverence for Sun Wukong grew even stronger.

A short while later, the king brought Sun Wukong back to the palace. The king's words implied a desire to relinquish the throne. Seeing this, Sun Wukong smiled and said:

"Your Majesty, that vixen just now claimed to be a vanguard under Sai Taisui, sent here to take away palace maids. Now that he has been defeated, he will surely return and report back to that beast."

"That beast will definitely come looking for me, but I'm afraid he'll make a scene and frighten the people in the city, so I plan to wait for that monster in mid-air."