Journey to the West 02

Sun Wukong and Sha Seng went to investigate, finding that while this ghost's spiritual power was low, it was extremely cunning, tricking and escaping from them several times.

After luring the three—Sun Wukong and the others—away once more, A Cui's vengeful spirit manifested. With a green face and fangs, black flames swirling around her, she lunged at Tang Seng the moment she saw him. In life, she had faintly overheard the monsters of the Sunward Cave discussing how there were great benefits to eating this monk, though they had only been talking idly.

Now, wanting revenge, she desired to devour this monk; even a single bite would be good.

Little did she know, Sun Wukong actually revealed himself from a corner, shouting as he struck with his staff. Golden light radiated in all directions. The vengeful spirit let out a shriek but did not dissipate. Sha Seng stepped forward, raising his Demon-Subduing Staff, and Bajie swung his rake. Only by combining their strength did they gradually disperse the resentment surrounding the spirit. A Cui's soul gradually became clear, restoring the appearance of a young maiden. She looked at Tang Seng, tears falling: "I never wanted to harm anyone; they harmed me first..."

Tang Seng pressed his palms together and said, "When will the cycle of vengeance end? Please let go of your attachment and seek reincarnation soon." As his words fell, A Cui gradually dissipated.

Sun Wukong scratched his head: "Master, she probably can't reincarnate."

Tang Seng merely chanted "Amitabha Buddha" and closed his eyes.

The villagers immediately offered the prepared grain and clothing. Tang Seng declined, so the villagers then begged the eminent monk to take action and eliminate the mountain king. Tang Seng agreed and dispatched his eldest disciple.

Sun Wukong sped along and quickly found the bear demon gnawing on wild fruits. After watching for a moment, Sun Wukong shook his head—this thing wasn't a man-harming monster either, was it? He secretly left again, merely telling the villagers it was resolved. The village rejoiced.

The master and disciples continued their westward journey, unaware that from the direction of the nameless mountain behind them, a black wind carrying a figure was chasing after them. It was the bear demon. Having calculated that A Cui should have returned, it went down the mountain to look for her, but at the village entrance, it heard villagers saying, "That monster's woman was eliminated by the eminent monk."

It charged into Chen Village, saw A Cui's burnt-down house, smelled the lingering resentment in the air, and recalled the villagers' words, "the eminent monk struck and dispersed her with one blow from his staff." It suddenly froze on the spot, grabbed a villager at random, and under its intimidation, the villager recounted the whole story.

What had A Cui done? It remembered this human girl as very kind; the little imps in the cave all liked her... It didn't understand. A Cui had only wanted to seek justice for herself, so why was she eliminated as "evil"? It also didn't understand why the villagers who had harmed A Cui could stand safely to the side, watching Tang Seng and his disciples "subdue the monster."

The bear demon knew its own spiritual power was low, no match for that monkey who could unleash golden light. But it also wanted an explanation. Why should a perfectly fine person, who died and became a ghost, have to die again? It didn't know anything about the Eighty-One Trials, nor did it understand why there had to be Eighty-One Trials.

Under the setting sun, the golden light of the Golden-Hooped Rod flashed. The black-maned bear demon fell to the ground. Its last glance was still towards the direction of Chen Village.

The wind swept up dust, covering its body and also burying the unasked question of "justice." When it woke again, it had no memory. Glancing at the monkey before it, it instinctively felt he was not to be provoked, so it turned and ran into the woods.

"Why bother? Centuries of cultivation, just thrown away like that?" Sun Wukong shook his head, but then he touched the golden fillet on his own head and also sighed.

Fang Zhiyi felt somewhat dazed. He looked down at his own furry palm: "Little Hei, we've gone a bit too far, haven't we?"

Little Hei was also somewhat helpless: "No choice. It was bound to come sooner or later."

"Do you know the sheer weight of 'Journey to the West'?" Fang Zhiyi asked with a bitter smile.

Little Hei shook his head.

"Let me put it this way: here, a minor monster that Sun Wukong casually smashes to death would, in the worlds we've visited before, be at least at the level of a patriarch!"

Little Hei looked utterly innocent.

Fang Zhiyi could only sigh.

"Great King! Great King! Something terrible has happened, Great King!" A wolf demon, carrying a broken wooden club, rushed in.

Fang Zhiyi asked in a muffled voice, "What's all the shouting for? I'm perfectly fine!"

The wolf demon wore a pained expression: "This humble one was patrolling the mountain and heard some humans spouting nonsense!"

Although Fang Zhiyi knew what it was about, he patiently asked, "What did they say?"

"They said you, Great King, ate the virgin girl they offered but aren't protecting their village, and their village even lost two pigs!"

Fang Zhiyi took a deep breath: "That's it?"

The wolf demon nodded, then after a moment: "Great King, when did you eat her? How come we didn't know?"

"Eat your old mother, that's what!" Fang Zhiyi cursed, immediately standing up and kicking a nearby stone block, which instantly cracked. "I'm going to demand justice!"

"Ah? Great King? Great King? You're going to demand justice? This..."

The wolf demon's voice was left behind as Fang Zhiyi strode down the mountain path. The demonic power within him flowed slowly through his meridians. It had to be said, the original owner of this body was a sincere demon, having cultivated diligently for centuries. His demonic power was as pure as freshly refined iron. Pity he was born in the wrong place. In another world, he'd be a proper regional overlord, but in the world of Journey to the West, he couldn't even beat the Golden-Maned Hou that guards the door for Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Sun Wukong? Fang Zhiyi felt a bit disoriented. Was he really going to meet that monkey of heaven-defying power?

Just like in the original plot, Fang Zhiyi stormed to the entrance of Chen Village and took a deep breath.

"Whoever's in charge, get out here!"

At this roar, people in the village peeked out cautiously. Upon seeing him, they immediately screamed in terror.

"Monster! The monster's here!"

"Quick, quick, fetch the village chief!"

In just a moment, the village chief arrived, followed by several villagers. They didn't even dare look Fang Zhiyi in the eye.

"Monster Lord, Monster Lord, please spare us!" The village chief's legs trembled. The legends were true after all! "Please calm your anger. We humble folk have prepared this year's virgin girl for you. Please accept her!"

He reached to untie a sack. Fang Zhiyi saw Chen A Cui's pale face. She wore a faded coarse cloth jacket, her hair tied with a straw rope, a bit of dust on her face, but her eyes shone like stars in the mountains. She wasn't afraid at all; instead, she stiffened her neck and met Fang Zhiyi's gaze.

"Bullying the small! Shameless!" Chen A Cui, stared down by Fang Zhiyi's unblinking eyes, actually showed no fear.

The village chief, however, was so frightened he shuddered, glaring at her viciously: "Shut up!" Then he turned to Fang Zhiyi. "Monster Lord, she..."

"You call this age a 'virgin girl'? Do you think this Great King hasn't read any books?" Fang Zhiyi frowned. Should he just find a fault and crush this old fool to death?

The village chief was momentarily speechless, only forcing an obsequious smile. "Time was a bit tight, Great King. Please don't disdain her..." His face wore a fawning smile, rubbing his hands together like a giant rat that had gained sentience.