Rescuing Zhu Bajie

Sun Wukong flew to a high place and saw that Zhu Bajie was tied up with his limbs facing upwards, his mouth agape, and he was panting heavily.

Looking at Zhu Bajie's face, Sun Wukong felt both hatred and pity, and then said:

"What should we do now? He used to be someone important, but he keeps threatening to disband the group and speaks ill of me to our master, which led to our master using the Tightening Incantation to curse me."

"I heard Sha Wujing say the other day that he's saved up some money on the side. I don't know if he actually has any. I'll scare him a little."

After speaking, Sun Wukong flew to Zhu Bajie's side, pinched his nose, lowered his voice, and said loudly, "Zhu Bajie, Zhu Bajie."

Zhu Bajie panicked instantly, inwardly sighing, "What bad luck! My name was given to me by Bodhisattva Guanyin, and I only became known as Zhu Bajie after I started following Tang Xuanzang. How come people still know my name now?"

After thinking for a moment, Zhu Bajie couldn't help but say, "Who's calling my name? Come out right now, or don't blame me for embarrassing you."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong sneered and slowly said, "It's me."

"Who are you?"

After saying this, Zhu Bajie immediately asked a question.

"I am the Soul Reaper."

After Sun Wukong saw that Zhu Bajie had followed his routine, he said to Zhu Bajie.

"Sir, where are you from?"

Clearly, Zhu Bajie panicked instantly after hearing what Sun Wukong said, and immediately said to Sun Wukong.

"Fine, since you're about to die, I'll tell you then. I was sent by the Fifth King Yama to bring you back."

After speaking, Sun Wukong sneered and slowly looked at Zhu Bajie. However, Sun Wukong did not reveal his true form, while Zhu Bajie looked back and forth inside the cave.

"Sir, go back and tell your boss that he and my senior brother Sun Wukong are on good terms. Ask him to let me off the hook for now, and I can come back tomorrow."

After searching for a long time without finding anyone, Zhu Bajie could only speak to the air.

Hearing this, Sun Wukong snorted coldly and continued, "Nonsense! Yama, the King Yama, orders people to die at midnight. Who dares to keep you alive until dawn? Don't talk to me anymore. Come back with me now, or I'll tie you up with a rope and take you back. That would be a real mess."

"Sir, I really can't. You see, I want to live a little longer. I'm going to die sooner or later anyway, so you might as well wait for me for one more day, until that monster captures my master and senior brother, so we can all go together."

Seeing that Sun Wukong wasn't buying it, Zhu Bajie devised a plan and said to Sun Wukong...

"Stop talking nonsense. Fine, I'll wait a while longer. My business is very extensive, and some people are waiting for me. How about this, do you have any money or anything on you?"

After speaking, Sun Wukong rolled his eyes and stretched out a hand towards Zhu Bajie from a distance.

"How pitiful! We monks have no money whatsoever."

Zhu Bajie, who was worried about his money, sighed and said slowly when he heard that he needed to spend some money to get through the day.

"If you don't have any money, then you'd better come with me now."

Seeing that Zhu Bajie was still not telling the truth, Sun Wukong decided to take the next step.

Upon hearing Zhu Bajie panicked instantly and hurriedly said:

"Sir, wait a moment. I know this rope is called the Life-Pursuing Rope.' If someone gets caught on it, they might die. I do have some money, but not much."

After speaking, Sun Wukong remained silent for a short while. Zhu Bajie, seemingly thinking Sun Wukong was not satisfied with the money, continued speaking to Sun Wukong:

"How about I give you this money first, and then I'll give you some more when I come tomorrow? What do you think?"

"Alright, alright, even a small fly is still meat. Now tell me where all your money is."

Helpless, Sun Wukong could only wave his hand and say to Zhu Bajie.

"It's truly pitiful. Ever since I became a monk, only wealthy families give me some silver, which I've been saving and haven't spent."

"But before that, we came to a city where a thief stole some of my silver. I only have a little left, but you can take it all if you want."

Seeing this, Sun Wukong was overjoyed, thinking to himself, "This Zhu Bajie isn't even wearing pants now, where did he hide all that money?"

After thinking for a moment, he asked, "So where did you hide all the money? I see you're completely naked right now, you're definitely lying to me, aren't you?"

"How could I dare to lie to you? All that money is in my left ear right now, and I can't take it because I'm tied up. You can take it yourself."

Seeing that Sun Wukong was already angry, Zhu Bajie quickly said something to Sun Wukong.

After speaking, Sun Wukong reached into the ear and touched it. He then found a piece of silver in his hand and couldn't help but laugh. When Zhu Bajie heard that it was Sun Wukong's voice, he cursed loudly in the water.

"Damn you, the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses! I've already fallen to this state, and you still want my money."

However, Sun Wukong wasn't angry. He just smiled and said, "Look how badly you've portrayed me. I protected my master on his journey to the Western Heaven to retrieve the scriptures, enduring countless hardships, while you're here hoarding your own money."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie quickly explained to Sun Wukong, "Don't talk nonsense here. This isn't some secret stash of money at all; it's all scraped from my teeth."

"There are some things I wanted to eat that I haven't bought yet. I only saved some money to buy a few clothes. Now you're trying to scare me. Give me back my money right now."

Sun Wukong, now in his true form, took Zhu Bajie's money and said, "Now that all this money is in my hands, I won't give you a single penny."

After saying this, Zhu Bajie started cursing at Sun Wukong.

"I've already given you the money I paid to save my life, you should at least get me out of here."

"Don't worry, I'll save you right now."

Seeing that Zhu Bajie was getting anxious, Sun Wukong patted Zhu Bajie's ear and said Zhu Bajie.

After speaking, Sun Wukong used his Ruyi Jingu Bang to pull Zhu Bajie out of the water through the Zhu Bajie on his back.

Zhu Bajie jumped up, took off his clothes, wrung them out, and put them on. He shouted, "Brother Monkey, open the back door! Let's run away quickly!"

"We've come all this way, why bother going through the back door? That's utterly pathetic. We should just walk out the front door honestly and squarely."

Sun Wukong looked at Zhu Bajie with disdain and said righteously.

"My brother, my legs are completely numb, I can't walk at all."