Setting a Trap

The elephant demon said confidently to the Azure Lion.

"Don't even mention these thousand demons, even if you bring all the demons with you, as long as you can capture Sun Wukong, they'll all get credit."

Then the elephant demon summoned all the lesser demons to the cave entrance to practice some formations. After a short while, one of the demons said:

"Your Majesty, although we are all ready, Sun Wukong has not yet arrived. Perhaps I should go and fetch Sun Wukong?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, and then the little demon immediately ran to Sun Wukong's side and shouted, "Sun Wukong, come out and fight our King!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie laughed and said, "Brother Monkey, as the saying goes, you don't lie to your own people. You've come here again, lying to us about how to subdue the demon and have us carry a sedan chair to send Master off. Now you're shouting for a fight at the gate. What's the reason for this?"

"Actually, I've already subdued that monster. It's just that it showed its face; even hearing about a grandson is a headache. It must be that elephant Yao Qi's angry and doesn't want to send us away, so it's come here shouting for a fight."

"I also know a few brothers among those demons who are very loyal. Now I've subdued the great demon, and the second demon has emerged. You can fight him and test your true strength."

Sun Wukong scratched the monkey fur on his body and said to Zhu Bajie with a smile.

However, Zhu Bajie was extremely excited, experiencing something so unprecedented for the first time, and said to Sun Wukong:

"Why be afraid of him? Let me go fight him now and then come back."

"If you're going, go now. Don't waste time here, or we won't be able to handle it if they take other measures later."

After saying this, Sun Wukong continued to Zhu Bajie, "Do you need my help? I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it alone. With your brains, you might get yourself into trouble again, and I'll have to go through the trouble of rescuing you."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie immediately said to Sun Wukong, "Brother Monkey, you're absolutely right. I need to borrow your rope for a bit, and I'll return it to you later."

Seeing this, Sun Wukong said to Zhu Bajie:

"What use is that rope to you? I don't think you need it at all. Besides, that monster can only use its nose, so it's not a big deal. Just use your Nine-Toothed Rake and fight it head-on."

"Actually, I've put this rope around my waist as a lifeline. When the time comes, you and Sha Wujing can pull me back to let me out and fight him."

"If you beat him, you won't have to do this anymore, but if I lose, it will be as I just said."

Zhu Bajie touched his belly and smiled honestly at Sun Wukong and said.

After saying this, Zhu Bajie shouldered his Nine-Toothed Rake and ran up the hillside, shouting loudly, "Monster, come out and fight your grandpa Pig!"

The monster scrambled over to the two demons and said to them:

"Your Majesty, this is terrible! That long-snouted, big-eared monk is here! What should we do?"

Upon hearing this, the two demons left the camp and attacked Zhu Bajie without saying a word. Zhu Bajie, wielding his Nine-Toothed Rake, quickly caught it, and the two fought back and forth on the hillside.

After a short while, Zhu Bajie's arms went weak, and he couldn't stop the Yaomo at all. Seeing this, Zhu Bajie quickly shouted loudly:

"Senior brother, this is bad! Quickly pull the rope back, or I'll lose my life!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong immediately called for Sha Wujing.

"Wujing, hurry and pull the rope back! That idiot can't hold on any longer."

However, it was too late for Sun Wukong to speak. Zhu Bajie had already scrambled halfway there when he tripped over the rope and fell to the ground. Seeing this, the elephant demon immediately took Zhu Bajie into the cave abode.

Meanwhile, Tang Xuanzang waited for a long time but Zhu Bajie didn't return, and he couldn't help but angrily say to Sun Wukong:

"Sun Wukong, no wonder Zhu Bajie has been frowning at you the whole time. It turns out you don't have any affection for each other at all; instead, you're just jealous."

"He just told you to pull the rope, why didn't you? Instead, you threw the rope away. Now he's been captured by the monster. What do you think we should do?"

Seeing the angry Tang Xuanzang, Sun Wukong couldn't help but laugh and say, "Master, you're showing a little favoritism now. Oh well, they're both your flesh and blood, so I won't say anything more."

"Now that Zhu Bajie has been captured by the demons, you're only blaming me now. Let him suffer some hardship and see just how difficult the journey to the West truly is."

However, Tang Xuanzang explained to Sun Wukong:

"Actually, it's not that I'm not worried about you, but I know you have Seventy-Two Transformations and you definitely won't hurt yourself. But Zhu Bajie in a terrible state, and this trip is probably going to be very dangerous. You still have to go and rescue him."

"Alright, Master, don't complain now. I'll go save him right now."

Sun Wukong could no longer bear what Tang Xuanzang was saying, so he hurriedly spoke to Tang Xuanzang.

After speaking, Sun Wukong immediately jumped onto the mountain, thinking bitterly:

"This Zhu Bajie is determined to kill me. I can't let him live happily now. I'll go see how those demons manipulate Zhu Bajie and let Zhu Bajie suffer some pain before I go to save him."

After thinking it over, he recited the Method Formula, transformed himself into an insect, flew to Zhu Bajie's ear, and followed the monster back to the cave.

The elephant demon, leading a group of lesser demons, arrived at the cave entrance with gongs and drums, threw Zhu Bajie inside, and shouted:

"Big brother, look! I've caught one already!"

Upon hearing this, the Azure Lion was overjoyed and loudly proclaimed:

"Who exactly did you arrest? Bring him here right now so I can take a look."

"Bang!"

"Ouch, could you be a little gentler?"

A loud bang was followed by Zhu Bajie's scream of agony.

"Second brother, what you've caught doesn't seem to be it!"

A questioning voice came from the Azure Lion's mouth. Zhu Bajie, hearing this, was overjoyed and exclaimed:

"Since Your Majesty is useless, then release me and bring back the useful ones."

However, Kunpeng had no intention of letting Zhu Bajie go. Kunpeng said, "Although this pig is useless, we'll put him in the pond behind the house to soak. After he's soaked, we'll cut open his belly, put salt in, and dry him in the sun. When the sky turns cloudy, we can eat him with wine."

Upon seeing this, Zhu Bajie was greatly surprised and quickly said:

"Forget it, I guess I was just unlucky today to run into these monsters. I'll definitely get my revenge later."