Temptation

"Wukong, we just passed through, and now we're suddenly in such a dense forest on this rugged mountain path. What does this mean?"

Sun Wukong scratched his head dismissively and said, "Master, I don't know why you've suddenly become like this. You're never afraid when we walk through this place, so why are you so timid today?"

Tang Xuanzang then slapped Sun Wukong on the back of the head and said:

"What are you talking about? I have indeed walked through many forests with you, but none as deep as this one!"

After speaking, Sun Wukong showed no fear and raised his Ruyi Jingu Bang to split open the road, leading Tang Xuanzang into the forest. They walked for almost a day without seeing a way out of the forest.

At this moment, Tang Xuanzang said to Sun Wukong:

"Wukong, we've been traveling for so long, and I feel like nothing has happened. The journey has been so peaceful, and there are even exotic flowers and Rare Flowers and Exotic Herbs in the mountains. It's been wonderful."

"I'd like to sit here and rest for a while. I'm also quite hungry. Could you go somewhere and bring me some food?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong said to Tang Xuanzang, "Master, since you've said so, then dismount first, and I'll go beg for alms for you now."

Tang Xuanzang indeed dismounted, Zhu Bajie tied the horse to a tree, Sha Wujing put down his luggage, took out a bowl and handed it to Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong said:

"Master, please sit here for a while. Don't be afraid, I'll be right back."

Tang Xuanzang sat under the shade of a tree, while Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing went to find flowers, pick fruits, and play.

As Sun Wukong rode his Somersault Cloud into the air, he looked back and saw auspicious clouds shrouding the pine forest. Suddenly, Sun Wukong exclaimed, "This place is wonderful! It's absolutely wonderful!"

Why would Sun Wukong say that? It turns out that Sun Wukong was praising Tang Xuanzang, who was the reincarnation of Golden Cicada Tang Xuanzang, which is why auspicious clouds were covering him.

"Back when I Heavenly Palace five hundred years ago, I wandered the world, gathered some demons, and called myself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. I could Dragon-Subduing, and many of the demons under my command called me Grandpa Great Sage."

"But now I can't escape my fate and have become your disciple. When I see auspicious clouds above your head, I'm sure I'll also benefit from returning to the Eastern Lands and achieve enlightenment."

After thinking for a moment, Sun Wukong suddenly saw a black mist rising from the bottom of the forest. The black mist slowly rose, and Sun Wukong was greatly surprised.

"Oh no, this is terrible! Where there's this kind of black mist, there must be monsters. Besides, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing wouldn't release this kind of black mist at all."

After speaking, Sun Wukong carefully observed the situation in mid-air, hesitating.

At the same time, Tang Xuanzang was sitting in the forest chanting Buddhist scriptures when he suddenly heard a soft, whimpering sound.

Tang Xuanzang was immediately surprised and said, "Excellent, excellent! How could anyone be making noise in this kind of forest? It must be wolves, insects, tigers, and leopards scaring others. Let me go and take a look."

After thinking it over, Tang Xuanzang got up and went to the passage. Suddenly he saw a woman tied to a big tree. Her upper body was tied to the tree with ropes, while her lower body was buried in the ground.

Tang Xuanzang unaware that the woman before him was a demon, and at this moment, he was also a little afraid.

So he stepped forward and gently kicked her, and the woman cried out in pain. Only then did Tang Xuanzang realize that the person in front of him was a human.

"You monk, you didn't come to my rescue, fine, but why did you kick me?"

After feeling the pain, the woman angrily reprimanded Tang Xuanzang, but Tang Xuanzang pretended not to hear and only said to the woman, "This female benefactor, what is it that has led you to be tied up here?"

Tang Xuanzang, with his mortal eyes, had no idea that the person in front of him was a demon. When the demon saw Tang Xuanzang asking questions, tears streamed down its face. The demon had a face that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky, and a face that could shame the moon and flowers.

This made Tang Xuanzang hesitant to step forward. He continued, "Female Bodhisattva, what exactly happened to you? Tell me so I can save you."

The demon, with his sweet words and feigned sincerity, quickly said to Tang Xuanzang:

"Master, my home is on the Loess Plateau, in a city more than two hundred li away from here."

After hearing the monster say this, Tang Xuanzang knew that the monster was about to tell a story, so he sat down cross-legged and listened quietly.

"Back then, during the Qingming Festival, we were sweeping tombs together outside. We had just burned the paper money when we heard the sound of gongs and drums. Suddenly, some bandits appeared, brandishing knives and guns, and attacked us. We were terrified."

"My father and mother each escaped with their lives, but I was too young to run. I tripped over a stone and fell to the ground, where I was kidnapped by those bandits and taken to the mountains."

"The First King wanted me to be his wife, the Second King wanted me to be his concubine, and everyone else coveted my beauty. So they all started arguing, but I don't know what they were thinking. After they tied me up in the forest, they left."

After speaking, the monster began to cry. Tang Xuanzang, being truly kind, couldn't help but shed tears as he listened, his voice choked with emotion, "Bajie, come here quickly!"

Meanwhile, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, who were enjoying their travels, heard Tang Xuanzang's pitiful voice and Zhu Bajie asked Sha Wujing, "Master, what's wrong? Is he any of your relatives?"

Sha Wujing then tugged at Zhu Bajie's ear and said, "Second Brother, don't talk nonsense! We didn't see a single person when we came here. How can you say such a thing?"

Zhu Bajie immediately explained to Sha Wujing, "If that's not the case, then why is Master crying there? Let's hurry over and take a look."

Sha Wujing, carrying his load, came to Tang Xuanzang 'Tang Xuanzang side and said, "Master, what happened? Bajie and I both heard you crying there."

After he finished speaking, Tang Xuanzang pointed to the woman in the tree and said, "You two hurry over and save this female bodhisattva."

However, Zhu Bajie, completely ungrateful, tried to attack. Meanwhile, Monkey Sun Wukong, watching from mid-air, saw the black mist thicken even more, completely obscuring the auspicious light, and exclaimed:

"This is bad. This black aura shrouding the auspicious light is probably a demon trying to harm Master. The alms-begging matter is a minor issue. I need to go see my Master first."

After speaking, Sun Wukong went forward and saw Zhu Bajie untying the ropes. Sun Wukong grabbed Zhu Bajie by the ears and threw him to the ground.

Zhu Bajie looked completely bewildered, then looked up and saw Sun Wukong before raising his head and saying something.