Chapter 970
I, Old Sun, won't ask.
With a loud crash, the Water-Fire Cudgel broke in two, and Tiger was sent flying backward, crashing into half of an earthen wall.
The courtyard fell silent instantly.
Everyone was stunned.
Sun Wukong put away his staff and stood in front of the young man.
"Get up. I, Old Sun, will stand up for you."
The young man looked up, his face bruised and swollen.
"Sir...sir, you are...?"
"Enough with the nonsense." Sun Wukong bent down and lifted him up. "Let's treat his leg first."
Tiger crawled out of the ruins, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
"You...you dare hit me?!"
Sun Wukong sneered.
"It was you who hit."
Tiger's face turned ashen.
"Brothers! Charge! Kill this monkey!"
Seven or eight hooligans rushed up from all sides, wielding knives and clubs.
Sun Wukong snorted.
The golden cudgel danced, creating a blur of light and shadow.
"Bang bang bang bang-"
The screams were continuous.
In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the ground was covered with people, groaning and unable to get up. Tiger was beaten black and blue, his right arm hanging limply, the bone clearly broken.
He lay on the ground, his voice trembling.
"You...you just wait! My dad's the town's head constable! You're dead!"
Sun Wukong stepped on his back.
"I, Old Sun, have even fought against heavenly soldiers and generals, why would I be afraid of your father, a mere constable?"
Just as he was about to deliver another blow, he heard Tang Sanzang's voice from behind.
"Wukong! Stop!"
Tang Sanzang had arrived unnoticed, his face ashen.
Sun Wukong turned around.
"Master, this scoundrel is bullying us! I—"
"Stop!" Tang Sanzang's voice was stern. "Monks are supposed to be compassionate; how can they harm people at will?"
Sun Wukong was taken aback.
"Master...he broke someone's leg!"
Tang Sanzang looked at the young man on the ground.
The young man was in so much pain that he was covered in cold sweat, but he still kowtowed to Tang Sanzang.
"Thank you, Master... Thank you, Grandpa..."
Tang Sanzang sighed and went over to help him up.
"Sir, your leg injury is serious and needs to be set as soon as possible. Does the shop have a doctor?"
The shopkeeper cautiously peeked out.
"Yes...yes! I'll go and fetch them right away!"
Tang Sanzang nodded and then looked at Sun Wukong.
"Wukong, you went too far."
Sun Wukong's eyes widened.
"Master! Look at his leg! If he had been any later, he would have been crippled!"
Tang Sanzang shook his head.
"Even if there is injustice, it should be reported to the authorities. How can one carry out punishment privately?"
Sun Wukong was so angry that his hair stood on end.
"The government? Tiger Lord's father is the head constable! You want me to report to the government? Isn't that like a lamb being led to the slaughter?"
Tang Sanzang's voice became even deeper.
Even so, human life must not be taken.
Sun Wukong pointed at the snorting tiger on the ground.
"I didn't kill him! I just taught him a lesson!"
Tang Sanzang closed his eyes.
“Wukong…you are too hot-tempered. I have taught you many times, but you never listen.”
Sun Wukong's chest heaved.
"Master, you...don't you believe me?"
Tang Sanzang remained silent.
But the disappointment was obvious in those eyes.
Sun Wukong suddenly laughed.
The smile looked somewhat bitter.
"Alright. Since Master thinks I'm wrong, then... I'll leave."
He hoisted the golden cudgel onto his shoulder, turned around, and left.
"Brother Monkey!" Pigsy chased after him, "Where are you going?"
Sun Wukong didn't even turn his head.
"I, Old Sun, am not serving you anymore! Master is kind-hearted, go find a kind-hearted disciple!"
He somersaulted over the courtyard wall and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Tang Sanzang stood there, his face pale.
Chu Yang walked over and said softly:
"Master... Monkey King was angry, don't take what he said to heart."
Tang Sanzang shook his head.
"What he said... isn't wrong."
"But... as his master, I ultimately failed to teach him well."
He turned to look at the young man on the ground.
"My lord, healing your injuries is the priority."
The young man was in tears.
“Master…Grandpa…My name is Li Shitou, and I’m a worker at Li’s Tofu Shop in town. Today, I was only punished by Tiger for refusing to give him tofu pudding for free…”
Tang Sanzang sighed.
"Amitabha. The world is in a difficult state."
The doctor was quickly summoned.
He was an elderly man with white hair and beard, carrying a medicine box in his hand. He knelt down as soon as he entered the door.
"This humble woman...this humble lady...this lowly servant greets Master!"
Tang Sanzang quickly helped him up.
"Sir, please get up. Please treat this benefactor's leg."
The doctor examined Li Shitou's injuries and shook his head.
"I have three broken bones and injured tendons. I need to have the bones set, put on a splint, and apply medicine. I will need to rest for at least three months."
Tang Sanzang nodded.
"Thank you for everything, sir."
The doctor worked for most of the hour before he could set the leg back up, fix it with bamboo splints, and prescribe several doses of medicine to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis.
Li Shitou was in so much pain that he was covered in cold sweat, but he still kowtowed to Tang Sanzang.
“Master’s kindness is so great, I… I can never repay it in this lifetime.”
Tang Sanzang helped him up.
"There's no need for thanks, benefactor. For a monk, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda."
Night fell.
One by one, the lanterns in the inn lit up, their orange glow shimmering on the earthen walls like tired faces.
Tang Sanzang sat in the side room, a paper fan resting on his lap, motionless for a long time.
Chu Yang pushed the door open and came in.
"Master, dinner has been brought."
On the table were three bowls of vegetarian noodles, a dish of pickled vegetables, and a pot of hot wine.
Tang Sanzang shook his head.
"This humble monk is not hungry."
Chu Yang sat down.
"Master...Brother Monkey..."
Tang Sanzang closed his eyes.
"He has a fiery temper, but he's not a bad person at heart. It's just... he's too impatient."
Chu Yang asked softly:
"Does Master really intend to send him away?"
Tang Sanzang remained silent for a long time.
"This humble monk... never intended to drive him away."
"But... if he continues like this, I'm afraid he'll ruin the important journey to the West."
Chu Yang looked at him.
"Master, you are feeling sad."
Tang Sanzang opened his eyes, his gaze somewhat blank.
"Chu Yang... tell me, did this humble monk... do something wrong?"
Chu Yang shook his head.
“Master is right.”
"Monkey King isn't wrong either."
"But... the road ahead is long, and there will always be times when we stumble and fall."
Tang Sanzang smiled bitterly.
"This humble monk is only afraid that... I might mislead sentient beings."
Chu Yang pushed a bowl of noodles in front of him.
"Let's eat something first. If Master doesn't eat, neither will Pigsy and his disciples."
Tang Sanzang looked at the steaming bowl of noodles and suddenly felt a lump in his throat.
"Alright...this humble monk will eat."
He picked up the bowl and ate in small bites.
The noodles were thick, and the soup was bland.
But when you eat it, you feel an indescribable sense of peace and comfort.
Late at night.
The town gradually quieted down, with only the occasional bark of a dog coming from afar.
Chu Yang stood in the courtyard, looking up at the sky.
The moon was very round, and its silvery light spilled all over the ground, like a layer of frost.
He suddenly spoke, his voice very soft.
"Monkey King...where are you?"
A gust of wind blew by, carrying a withered leaf that swirled around his feet.
no answer.
Only a flash of golden light appeared on the distant mountain ridge. Extremely fast.
Extremely far.
It's like someone is watching this place from afar in the darkness.
It's like...waiting for something.
Chu Yang smiled.
He moved the short sword at his waist back a little.
The hilt of the knife rests against my palm.
It's cold.
But it feels grounded.
A night breeze blew in from outside the town, carrying the scent of pine resin from the distant mountains and a hint of late autumn chill. The town was asleep; most of the lanterns on the main street were extinguished, leaving only a few swaying in the wind, their orange glow like the shuffling footsteps of a drunkard. Occasionally, a dog barked from the depths of the alley, short and wary, quickly swept away by the wind. The moon hung low in the west, its silvery light spilling onto the bluestone slabs, making the moss in the cracks gleam like thin green threads.
Chu Yang walked alone at the end of the alley.
Instead of returning to the inn, he turned into an even narrower dead-end alley. At the end of the alley was a low wall, its top covered with withered grass that rustled in the wind. He leaped over the wall, landing almost silently.
Behind the wall was an abandoned vegetable garden, so overgrown that even stray dogs wouldn't come near it. A few crooked jujube trees still bore a few dried jujubes, dark and shriveled like withered grapes. In the center of the garden was a dry well, its opening covered with broken wooden planks, from which a faint musty smell emanated.
Chu Yang walked to the well, squatted down, and gently tapped the well cover three times.
"Brother Monkey".
The manhole cover moved.
Then it was opened halfway.
Sun Wukong poked half his head out of the well, his fur damp from the moisture at the bottom, sticking to his forehead like a monkey just pulled from the water. He glared at Chu Yang, his voice muffled.
"How did you find your way here, kid?"
Chu Yang smiled.
“The town is only so big, and you haven’t even left the town. I came here because I smelled it.”
Sun Wukong snorted and shrank back into the well.
"I, Old Sun, can stay wherever I want; it's none of your business."
Chu Yang ignored him and jumped down.
The well wasn't deep, only a little over two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters). The well walls were covered with moss, making them slippery and slightly springy to the touch. A thick layer of dry grass covered the bottom of the well, and Sun Wukong sat on the pile of grass, his golden cudgel lying beside him, its shaft reflecting the moonlight and gleaming with a cold silver luster.
Chu Yang sat down opposite him, knee to knee.
"Monkey King, are you angry?"
Sun Wukong turned his face away.
"Why should I, Old Sun, get angry? Master can think whatever he wants, it's none of my business."
Chu Yang took out two fist-sized gourds from his pocket and shook them.
"The baijiu from the east end of town, the shopkeeper said it's been aged for three years, it's really strong. I bought two gourds, shall we drink together?"
Sun Wukong glanced at him sideways.
"When did you learn to drink, kid?"
"I haven't learned it yet." Chu Yang pulled out the stopper, took a big gulp, and coughed twice because he choked. "But tonight... I want to learn it."
Sun Wukong finally turned his head.
He stared at Chu Yang for a long time, then suddenly reached out and snatched a gourd, tilting his head back to gulp it down.
The wine dripped down his chin, wetting the hair on his chest.
"Good wine!"
He wiped his mouth and grinned.
"It's not quite as good as the celestial nectar, but it's potent enough!"
Chu Yang also took a sip, and the spiciness made his tongue go numb.
"Brother Monkey, did you feel good beating that Tiger Lord?"
Sun Wukong chuckled.
"That was satisfying! That scoundrel broke Li Shitou's leg with one blow. If I, Old Sun, had been a step later, that kid would have been ruined for life."
Chu Yang nodded.
"I also think...you did the right thing."
Sun Wukong was taken aback.
"You brat...aren't you going to stand up for your master?"
Chu Yang placed the gourd on his lap and rubbed his fingertips against the mouth of the bottle.
“Master is kind-hearted, but also has a woman’s compassion. The world is in chaos, and evil people run rampant. If you don’t fight back, they will fight others next time. Breaking a leg is considered mild. If someone is really killed one day, even if Master chants sutras to help them pass on, he will not be able to bring the dead back to life.”
Sun Wukong's eyes lit up.
"You little brat... at least you've said something sensible."
Chu Yang smiled.
“I never thought there was anything wrong with fighting bad guys. It’s just that… Master’s path is different. He wants to cultivate Buddhism, to save all people, and even to convert evil people. The path we follow is inherently different from his.”
Sun Wukong took a swig of wine and lowered his voice.
"I know. That's why I'm angry."
“Five hundred years ago, I, Old Sun, wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, killing heavenly soldiers and generals and smashing the Lingxiao Palace. But over the years following my master, I have learned to restrain my temper and not kill people indiscriminately. But today… I can’t hold back.”
Chu Yang looked at him.
"Brother Monkey, you've already endured enough."
"Your master made you wear the golden headband and recite the Tightening-Headband Mantra, and you endured it."
"You tolerated your master's orders to stop you from fighting monsters."
"You didn't hold back today... I don't think there's anything wrong with that."
Sun Wukong fell silent.
He held the gourd up to the moonlight, and the wine inside swayed like a pool of shimmering silver.
After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"You tell me... am I... not suitable to be this apprentice?"
Chu Yang shook his head.
"You're not the one who's right for me."
"This is the road."
"On the journey to the West, we must be compassionate, tolerant, and even help demons. But demons eat people, and bullies oppress people. Are you expecting us to just stand by and watch? That's not compassion, that's cowardice."
Sun Wukong suddenly laughed.
The smile looked somewhat bitter.
"You brat... if Master heard you say that, he'd be chanting sutras for three days and three nights."
Chu Yang also smiled.
"So I'm only telling you."
He took another swig of wine, which made him squint.
"Brother Monkey, let's not talk about our master or the journey to the West tonight."
"Let's drink."
"Drink until dawn."
Sun Wukong raised an eyebrow.
"Alright! I, Old Sun, am happy to oblige!"
The two sat facing each other at the bottom of the well, taking turns sips.
The alcohol got stronger, but the conversation grew longer.
Sun Wukong began to recount the story of Flower Fruit Mountain, his monkey subjects, how he stole the peaches of immortality, and how he fought Erlang Shen to the point of chaos. As he spoke, he slammed his golden cudgel against the well wall, causing dirt to fall from the wall.
"Back then, I, Old Sun... felt so good!"
Chu Yang listened, occasionally interjecting a comment.
"You must have been incredibly handsome back then."
Sun Wukong laughed heartily.
"Handsome? I, Old Sun, was born handsome!"
He suddenly stopped and stared at Chu Yang.
"You brat...why don't you talk about yourself?"
Chu Yang was taken aback.
"Me?"
“Yes.” Sun Wukong leaned closer, his breath reeking of alcohol. “You’re always by Master’s side, not much of a talker, but a lot of a talker. I, Old Sun, always feel… you’re not like an ordinary person.”
Chu Yang smiled and put the gourd aside.
"I'm just an ordinary person."
"So ordinary... he can't even lift the golden cudgel."
Sun Wukong chuckled.
"Don't give me that. I, Old Sun, am not blind."
“Your black knife… I can’t smell anything wrong with it.”
"And where did you get that Cultivation Bead and that Wind Spirit Jade Token?"
Chu Yang remained silent for a moment.
Then he whispered:
"Pick it up."
Sun Wukong glared at him.
"Found it?"
"Hmm." Chu Yang looked up at the patch of moonlight above the well. "I found it."
"A life I picked up, a knife I picked up,... this road I picked up."
Sun Wukong did not ask any further questions.
He just took another swig of wine.
"Row."
"If you don't tell me, I, Old Sun, won't ask."
Anyway... you're a good friend.
The two continued drinking.
The gourd was gradually emptying.
The moon had already moved to the west, and a faint glimmer of dawn was appearing on the horizon.
Sun Wukong leaned against the well wall, his hair disheveled, but his eyes were frighteningly bright.
"Chu Yang".
"Ok?"
"I... want to go back."
Chu Yang raised an eyebrow.
"Go back where?"
"I'm going back to my master's side," Sun Wukong said softly. "I... can't bear to leave him."
Chu Yang looked at him.
What are you reluctant to part with?
Sun Wukong remained silent for a long time.
Then he spoke.
"I can't bear to part with... that bowl of vegetarian food."
"I can't bear to part with Master's face when he chants sutras."
"I can't bear to part with it... I, Old Sun, finally have a place where I can put down my sticks and rest." (End of Chapter)