Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Five Finger Mountain Distracts Sun Wukong [Seeking Collection Seeking Recommendation Tickets]_1
His training complete, the Black Bear Spirit decided to leave.
Staying here with Sha Chen, even though he could peacefully cultivate, the cultivation resources weren’t even enough for Sha Chen himself, let alone him. Staying and watching Sha Chen voraciously consume resources while he got nothing—not even a sliver—made him feel resentful.
It was better to go out and strive, to rob and steal; that was far more exhilarating.
When the Black Bear Spirit was about to leave, Sha Chen packed a bundle for him, putting in some strong liquor and dried food.
"I’ll wait for your triumphant return."
The Black Bear Spirit was deeply moved. Master didn’t even tell me to be careful! That shows how much he trusts me.
"Master, from this day forward, I will serve you faithfully, dedicating my life to your cause and never regretting it, even in death!"
Sha Chen said, "AHEM. Alright, good luck."
The Black Bear Spirit left.
After leaving the Flowing Sand River, he deliberately made a trip back to the Black Wind Cave, only to find it already occupied by other demons. Moreover, they had close ties with Elder Jin Chi of the Guanyin Zen Temple, which reminded him of Sha Chen’s words.
Buddhism was indeed scheming against him. This realization made him even more determined to follow Sha Chen wholeheartedly, not even returning to his old home. He set out once more, this time to venture overseas and conquer new territories for Sha Chen.
He didn’t notice a steamed bun falling from his bundle to the ground.
「Spring passed and autumn came.」
The bun had long since gone bad. Gradually, it melded into the earth, then tunneled away, only to reappear thousands of miles east of the Flowing Sand River.
Emerging from the ground was a handsome young man, wielding a Three-foot Green Peak, a wine gourd tied at his waist. Laughing heartily, he strode towards Five Finger Mountain.
This young man was actually none other than an avatar of Sha Chen, formed by the technique ’One Qi into Three Pure Ones’.
Sha Chen still felt there was something unusual about the Black Bear Spirit being hunted; it seemed too deliberate.
The Black Bear Spirit had mentioned that the Nine-headed Saint’s followers seemed to know his hiding place every time, leaving him no way to escape. Thankfully, the Eight Diagrams Immortal Clothes had allowed him to narrowly escape death several times.
Sha Chen felt there was more to this than met the eye.It probably wasn’t just the Nine-headed Saint who wanted the Black Bear Spirit dead; others had to be involved.After some thought, he suspected it was primarily Buddhism.And possibly Guanyin, he reasoned, because the Black Bear Spirit was originally one of the merits to be gained from the pilgrimage for scriptures, a fruit Guanyin herself intended to pluck.His sudden departure must have displeased her.This tactic of pushing someone into a desperate situation and then extending a helping hand was all too familiar.Sha Chen was convinced Buddhism couldn’t deny its involvement.
Therefore, he planned to give Buddhism some trouble of its own, continue disrupting their schemes, and help Sun Wukong. Let them have a headache over it!
Sha Chen’s avatar looked completely different from his true form; he was fair-skinned and refined, resembling a scholar. He carried a sword in his hand and had a wine gourd tied to his waist.
He first lived in the nearby kingdoms and cities for a year or so, blending into the bustle of daily life before heading to Five Finger Mountain.
About three years later, the avatar arrived in the region a thousand-mile radius around Five Finger Mountain, only to find the area desolate and uninhabited, devoid of even birds or beasts. The trees were withered, the land parched. It lacked any vitality, akin to a wasteland.
The avatar sneered, "Buddhism’s methods are truly ruthless. Knowing Sun Wukong enjoys lively and unfettered surroundings, they made this area utterly silent and even cut off all life, forcing Sun Wukong to eat dirt."
Then he donned the Eight Diagrams Immortal Clothes and vanished.
「Five Finger Mountain.」
There was a cave here, its entrance pitch-black, with a large pile of copper pellets stacked outside.
Suddenly, a monkey emerged halfway from the cave, grabbed a copper pellet, and began to gnaw on it voraciously. He then pointed at the sky and started cursing loudly.
But no one paid him any mind.
The monkey was in tatters, looking utterly wretched. His eyes were fierce, his face hideous and ferocious. One moment he was cursing the heavens, the next he was slamming his head against the ground, causing the earth to tremble.
As twilight approached, the monkey grew tired and retreated into the cave to hide.
Sha Chen’s avatar approached.
SWOOSH!
Suddenly, the monkey once again thrust his body out, staring ferociously at the spot to his left where Sha Chen’s avatar stood. However, the avatar wore the Eight Diagrams Immortal Clothes, rendering him invisible.
The fiend monkey snarled, "So fair and clean, like a pampered young master. Who are you? You’ve been watching this Old Sun for ages!"
The avatar smiled and sent a telepathic message, "Great Saint, would you like some wine?"
Upon hearing the word "wine," the monkey’s mouth watered, and his eyes lit up.
He snarled, "Do you have any?"
The avatar replied, "I do."
The monkey commanded, "Bring it here."
The avatar said, "May I enter the cave? It’s not convenient outside."
The monkey sized up the invisible avatar. "You’re not afraid of this Old Sun? Not afraid you’ll come in but won’t be able to leave?"
The avatar laughed. "The Great Saint is a reasonable being. Surely you can tell the difference between one full meal and a constant supply."
The monkey laughed heartily and retracted his body back inside.
The avatar followed him in. The moment he entered, Sun Wukong pinned him to the ground with a foot, Sun Wukong’s face twisted into a snarl as he leaned close to the avatar’s ear.
"Who are you?" Sun Wukong asked ferociously.
The avatar was panicking inwardly but kept a calm expression. "Is this how the Great Saint treats a friend who brings him food and drink?"
Sun Wukong released his foot, his expression suddenly changing. He helped dust the avatar off and smiled, "Where’s the food and drink?"
The avatar produced a Qiankun Bag and from it, took out more than a dozen jars of strong liquor, a jar of peach wine, various fruits and cooked dishes, and some wild game.
Upon seeing this, Sun Wukong was moved to tears. He grabbed everything and began wolfing it down ravenously.
Only then did the avatar have a chance to survey the cave within Five Finger Mountain. He saw Sun Wukong chained hand and foot, living in this cramped space. There wasn’t even a blade of grass; the place was utterly barren.
Such conditions—devoid of life outside, with no food or drink—were a tremendous torment for Sun Wukong.No wonder five hundred years were enough to make him yield; anyone else would have likely begged for mercy within a few years.The avatar thought to himself, Buddhism’s methods truly are ruthless.
As Sun Wukong ate, he began to cry. "Good brother, you’re too kind! Where did all this come from?"
The avatar replied, "Try the wine."
Sun Wukong quickly poured the wine into his mouth, savoring it so much he seemed lost in the pleasure.
When he finally drank the peach wine, he was overcome with emotion, hugging Sha Chen’s avatar and weeping profusely.
"The taste of peaches..." he sobbed. "Oh, peaches! I caused all this trouble by stealing them back then, leading to this karma I face today. Every time I remember, I’m consumed by regret!"
The avatar was inwardly shocked.Had Sun Wukong actually given in!?It seemed so.
He also thought to himself that it was fortunate he’d arrived in time. Otherwise, after a few more hundred years, Sun Wukong would have truly come to fear Buddhism deep in his heart, completely resigned to his fate.
The avatar quickly helped Sun Wukong sit up straight. "Great Saint, don’t regret it! You don’t realize how heroic and upright your actions were, how profoundly they stirred the hearts of people! The world knows and calls you a great hero."
Sun Wukong listened, utterly confused.
"Do people really say that?"
The avatar assured him, "Absolutely true."
"Come, come, let’s drink and talk. ’Today we have wine, so today we drink our fill!’ Let me slowly weave these tales for you."
Sun Wukong said, "Good brother, where are you from, and how should I address you? This Old Sun wants to acknowledge you as my brother."
The avatar replied, "Just call me Li Bai. I am from China. Every word you’ve uttered, Great Saint, has filled the world with admiration."
Sun Wukong asked, "What did I say?"
Sha Chen’s avatar, Li Bai, said, "You wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace because the heavens were unjust, and you were seeking fairness for all. Everyone knows this."
"You once declared, ’If the heavens oppress me, I shall crack open those heavens! If the earth confines me, I shall shatter that earth! We are born free beings, who dares to reign supreme above us?’ Great Saint, that was your defiant roar against tyranny and injustice! The world knows of it and admires you immensely for it!"
Sun Wukong’s eyes widened. Did this Old Sun really say all that!?