Chapter 979
: Still far inferior to me, Old Sun!
"Oh? He's most afraid of fire?" Sun Wukong's eyes lit up. "Great! I, Old Sun, am the best at using fire. When the time comes, I, Old Sun, will set a fire and burn his soul to ashes. Let's see if he dares to do evil again!"
Chu Yang nodded and said, "This weakness is very important. With this weakness, it will be much easier for us to deal with him. When we go to Black Wind Mountain later, we can prepare some torches so that we can use them to deal with him if we encounter any danger."
Just then, A Niu and an elderly woman with white hair walked in. The old woman was carrying a large tray with several dishes of vegetarian food and bowls of white rice on it, the aroma of which was very enticing. "Masters, Great Sage, the vegetarian meal is ready!" A Niu said with a smile.
Granny Wang placed the tray on the table, bowed slightly to the four members of the Tang Monk's group, and said, "Masters, Great Sage, this is just a simple meal, please don't mind, and eat."
Pigsy was starving. When he saw the vegetarian food, his eyes lit up. He picked up his chopsticks and began to eat heartily, muttering, "Delicious! Delicious! Aunt Wang, your vegetarian food is so delicious, even better than the vegetarian food in the Women's Kingdom!"
Aunt Wang said with a smile, "I'm glad you like it, Pigsy. If you like it, eat more. There's plenty left in the pot. We can add more if you're still hungry."
Tang Sanzang picked up his chopsticks and slowly ate his vegetarian meal, saying gently, "Aunt Wang, you're too kind. This vegetarian meal is already very good. Thank you for your trouble."
Sun Wukong also picked up his chopsticks and, while eating his vegetarian meal, asked, "Brother A Niu, where exactly is the Black Wind Cave on Black Wind Mountain? After we finish our vegetarian meal, we should go straight to Black Wind Mountain. We can't waste time, lest that Black Wind Monster comes out again and harms the villagers."
Ah Niu said, “Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Black Wind Cave is located halfway up Black Wind Mountain. You should start from behind the village and walk up the mountain path for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. You will then see a dark cave, which is Black Wind Cave. However, you must be careful. There are two little demons guarding the entrance to Black Wind Cave. They are both subordinates of the Black Wind Monster and are extremely fierce.”
"Two little demons are nothing to me!" Sun Wukong grinned. "When I get there, I'll take them down one by one with my staff, then storm into the Black Wind Cave and deal with that Black Wind Monster!"
While eating his vegetarian meal, Chu Yang said, "Brother Monkey, we must not be careless. Those two little demons may not be very capable, but they might tip us off. We need to sneak in quietly, deal with those two little demons first, and then break into the Black Wind Cave to catch the Black Wind Monster off guard."
“Brother Chu Yang is right.” Sun Wukong nodded. “Then we’ll listen to you. We’ll sneak in quietly, deal with those two little demons first, and then deal with the Black Wind Monster.”
Tang Sanzang put down his chopsticks and said, "Wukong, Chuyang, you two go to deal with the Black Wind Monster. Be careful and cautious, and do not be reckless. If you encounter danger, come back immediately and do not linger in battle. Also, try not to harm the Black Wind Monster. If you can persuade him to do good, it will be a meritorious deed."
"Don't worry, Master!" Sun Wukong and Chu Yang replied in unison.
Pigsy put down his chopsticks, patted his chest, and said, "Master, I, Old Pig, will go with them too! I, Old Pig, can also help and deal with that Black Wind Monster!"
“You stay at the inn and protect Master.” Sun Wukong shook his head. “Master can’t be left unattended. Although you’re not the best, you can still hold off some minor demons and prevent Master from getting into danger. We’ll come back to find you after we deal with the Black Wind Demon.”
"I want to go too!" Pigsy said aggrievedly. "I, Old Pig, also want to slay demons and make a name for myself. I can't always let you and Brother Chu Yang steal the limelight."
"You fool, stop fooling around!" Tang Sanzang said gently. "Bajie, protecting your master is also a very important matter, no less meritorious than slaying demons. You stay in the inn and guard this humble monk well. When Wukong and Chu Yang return, we will continue our journey westward together."
Upon hearing this, Pigsy had no choice but to nod and say, "Alright, then I, Old Pig, will stay at the inn to protect Master. Brother Monkey, Brother Chu Yang, you must come back soon. I, Old Pig, am waiting to continue our journey west with you. And after you've dealt with the Black Wind Monster, don't forget to bring back some good food for me."
"You idiot, all you know is eating!" Sun Wukong rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, I won't forget you. When I, Old Sun, come back, I'll bring you some wild fruits from Black Wind Mountain so you can eat your fill!"
After everyone finished their vegetarian meal, Aunt Wang cleaned up the dishes and chopsticks. A Niu went to prepare a few torches and handed them to Sun Wukong and Chu Yang: "Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Benefactor Chu Yang, these are torches. Take them. They will come in handy if you encounter the Black Wind Monster."
"Thank you, Brother A Niu," Chu Yang said, taking the torch.
Sun Wukong and Chu Yang stood up and cupped their hands in greeting to Tang Sanzang: "Master, we're off. Don't worry, we'll be back as soon as possible."
Tang Sanzang put his hands together and said, "Amitabha, you two must be careful and return quickly."
"Bajie, protect your master well and don't be lazy!" Sun Wukong instructed Zhu Bajie.
"Brother Monkey, don't worry, I, Old Pig, will definitely protect Master well and won't slack off!" Pigsy nodded hurriedly.
Sun Wukong and Chu Yang followed A Niu out of the inn and headed towards Black Wind Mountain behind the village. The path behind the village was narrow, overgrown with weeds and shrubs. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground, creating a serene atmosphere. A faint fragrance of grass and trees filled the air, and occasionally, the clear, melodious chirping of birds drifted from the woods.
“Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Benefactor Chu Yang, the entrance to Black Wind Mountain is just ahead.” A Niu stopped and pointed to a mountain peak ahead, saying, “Follow this mountain path uphill for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and you will see Black Wind Cave. Those two little demons are on guard at the entrance of Black Wind Cave. Be careful and sneak in quietly so they don’t discover you.”
"Alright, thank you, Brother Aniu." Sun Wukong nodded. "You go back first. After we deal with the Black Wind Monster and rescue the young people in your village, we'll come back to Li Family Village to find you." "Okay! Then I'll go back. Take care, everyone!" Aniu said, cupping his hands in greeting, and turned to walk towards Li Family Village.
Sun Wukong and Chu Yang watched Ah Niu's figure disappear into the woods before turning and heading towards Black Wind Mountain. The mountain path grew steeper, the trees on both sides became denser, the sunlight dwindled, and the gloom in the air grew heavier, sending chills down their spines. Occasionally, a gust of wind would blow, rustling the leaves as if some monster was lurking in the shadows, making the scene particularly eerie.
"Brother Chu Yang, can you feel it? The yin energy on this mountain is very heavy. It seems that the Black Wind Monster has indeed been cultivating here for a long time, and his magical power is not weak." Sun Wukong said in a low voice, his golden eyes scanning the surroundings, observing the movements warily.
"Yes, I can sense it." Chu Yang nodded, his voice low. "Moreover, I can also sense demonic energy not far ahead. It should be those two little demons on guard duty. Let's slow down, sneak over, deal with them first, and then break into Black Wind Cave."
“Alright!” Sun Wukong nodded, slowed his pace, and quietly walked forward with Chu Yang. Their footsteps were very light, almost inaudible, as they moved through the dense forest like two agile cheetahs, vigilantly observing their surroundings.
After walking for about half an incense stick's time, a dark cave appeared ahead. The cave entrance was quite large, about two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) high. On the rock at the entrance, the three large characters "Black Wind Cave" were carved, the characters ferocious and exuding a sinister and terrifying aura. On either side of the cave entrance stood two small demons, both resembling black bear spirits, about eight chi (approximately 1.6 meters) tall, their bodies covered in black bear fur. They held long knives in their hands, vigilantly watching their surroundings, glancing around every now and then, fearing that an enemy might intrude.
"This is it. Those two little demons are standing guard at the cave entrance." Chu Yang lowered his voice and whispered in Sun Wukong's ear, "Let's divide the work. You take care of the little demon on the left, and I'll take care of the one on the right. Be quick and don't let them make any noise, so as not to alert the Black Wind Monster inside the cave."
"Alright! Let's do it this way!" Sun Wukong grinned, nodded, gripped his golden cudgel tightly, and stared intently at the little demon on his left, ready to make his move.
Chu Yang also gripped the short sword at his waist, his eyes fixed on the little demon on his right. He took a deep breath, channeled his spiritual energy into the short sword in his hand, and prepared to make his move.
The two exchanged a glance, nodded, and rushed out simultaneously. Sun Wukong was incredibly fast, like a golden streak of light, instantly reaching the little demon on the left. The little demon was startled and was about to scream when Sun Wukong raised his golden cudgel and smashed it down on his head. With a "bang," the little demon had no time to react and was knocked to the ground, instantly lifeless.
At the same time, Chu Yang rushed to the little demon on the right. The little demon turned pale with fright when he saw Sun Wukong make a move. Just as he was about to raise his long sword to fight back, Chu Yang leaped away, dodging the sword. At the same time, he swung his short sword and slashed it towards the little demon's throat. With a "swoosh," the little demon died on the spot, without even a groan.
The two moved swiftly, dispatching the two lesser demons in the blink of an eye without making a sound or alerting the Black Wind Monster inside the cave. Sun Wukong looked at the two demons on the ground and grinned, "Hahaha, these two little demons are too weak! I, Old Sun, took them down with a single blow!"
"Don't be careless." Chu Yang frowned and said, "These two little demons are just minions. The Black Wind Monster is the real opponent. Let's sneak into the cave and see what the Black Wind Monster is doing. We should also look for the young people he captured and see if they are still there."
“Alright!” Sun Wukong nodded, put away his golden cudgel, and together with Chu Yang, quietly entered the Black Wind Cave. The Black Wind Cave was pitch black, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. A faint smell of blood and demonic energy permeated the air, making one want to vomit. Occasionally, some luminous moss on the cave walls emitted a faint green light, illuminating the path ahead.
The two slowed their pace and cautiously made their way into the cave. The stones beneath their feet creaked and groaned, the sound particularly clear in the silent cave. Their eyes were fixed on what lay ahead, vigilantly observing any movement, afraid of disturbing the black wind monster inside.
After walking for about several dozen steps, the cave gradually widened, and a huge hall appeared in front of them. In the very center of the hall, there was a huge stone table with some raw meat and wine on it. A black bear demon, more than ten feet tall, was sitting at the stone table, eating the raw meat and drinking the wine in large mouthfuls, with a fierce expression. It was none other than the Black Wind Monster.
In a corner of the hall, several young men, all villagers from Lijiazhuang, were tied up. Their faces were pale, their bodies were trembling, their eyes were filled with fear, and their mouths were stuffed with cloth, so they could not speak.
"It's him!" Chu Yang lowered his voice and whispered in Sun Wukong's ear, "Let's rescue those young people first, then deal with him."
“Alright!” Sun Wukong nodded, his eyes fixed on the Black Wind Monster, gripping his golden cudgel tightly. “You go and save those young people. I, Old Sun, will deal with this Black Wind Monster and distract him so he doesn’t hurt them.”
"Okay! Be careful!" Chu Yang nodded and quietly walked towards a corner of the hall, carefully avoiding the Black Wind Monster's gaze.
Sun Wukong took a deep breath, leaped into the air, and landed in the center of the hall. He raised his golden cudgel and roared at the Black Wind Monster, "You audacious Black Wind Monster! How dare you commit evil deeds in Black Wind Mountain, stealing villagers' grain, capturing young people, and even harming mortals! I, Old Sun, have come today to deal with you and rid the people of this scourge!"
The Black Wind Monster was startled and stopped eating the raw meat. He looked up and saw Sun Wukong. His eyes were filled with surprise and anger. He stood up abruptly and roared, "Who are you? How dare you trespass into my Black Wind Cave and ruin my plans! Don't you want to live?"
"I, Sun Wukong, am the Great Sage Equal to Heaven!" Sun Wukong grinned, raised his golden cudgel, and pointed it at the Black Wind Monster. "You wicked monster, today I, Sun Wukong, will deal with you, rescue the young people you captured, and restore peace to the villagers of Li Family Village!"
"The Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong?" The Black Wind Monster's eyes widened, a look of fear appearing on his face, but he quickly regained his ferocity. "Hahaha, so it's you! I've long heard of your fame, but I never expected you to come here and meddle in my affairs! Since you've delivered yourself to my doorstep, don't blame me for being impolite. I'll capture you too, eat your flesh, and enhance my magical power!"
As he spoke, the Black Wind Monster picked up the black iron rod that was placed next to the stone table and smashed it at Sun Wukong with tremendous force, accompanied by a whistling sound, as if he wanted to smash Sun Wukong into mincemeat.
Sun Wukong grinned, showing no fear, and raised his golden cudgel to meet the attack. With a loud "bang," the golden cudgel and the black iron rod collided, producing a deafening roar that sent sparks flying and shook the entire cave, causing stones on the ground to tumble down.
"Goodness, not bad strength!" Sun Wukong took a step back, rubbed his arm, and grinned. "However, compared to me, he's still far from being as strong!" (End of Chapter)