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 consu 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 so strong liquor and dried food.
"I’ll wait for your triumphant return."
The Black Bear Spirit was deeply moved. Master didn’t even tell to be careful! That shows how much he trusts .
"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 ho. He set out once more, this ti to venture overseas and conquer new territories for Sha Chen.
He didn’t notice a stead bun falling from his bundle to the ground.
「Spring passed and autumn ca.」
The bun had long since gone bad. Gradually, it lded into the earth, then tunneled away, only to reappear thousands of miles east of the Flowing Sand River.
Erging from the ground was a handso 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, ford by the technique ’One Qi into Three Pure Ones’.
Sha Chen still felt there was sothing unusual about the Black Bear Spirit being hunted; it seed too deliberate.
The Black Bear Spirit had ntioned that the Nine-headed Saint’s followers seed to know his hiding place every ti, leaving him no way to escape. Thankfully, the Eight Diagrams Immortal Clothes had allowed him to narrowly escape death several tis.
Sha Chen felt there was more to this than t the eye.It probably wasn’t just the Nine-headed Saint who wanted the Black Bear Spirit dead; others had to be involved.After so thought, he suspected it was primarily Buddhism.And possibly Guanyin, he reasoned, because the Black Bear Spirit was originally one of the rits 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 soone into a desperate situation and then extending a helping hand was all too familiar.Sha Chen was convinced Buddhism couldn’t deny its involvent.
Therefore, he planned to give Buddhism so trouble of its own, continue disrupting their sches, 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 thods 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 erged 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 mont 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 ssage, "Great Saint, would you like so 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 co 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 al and a constant supply."
The monkey laughed heartily and retracted his body back inside.
The avatar followed him in. The mont 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 so wild ga.
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 trendous tornt for Sun Wukong.No wonder five hundred years were enough to make him yield; anyone else would have likely begged for rcy within a few years.The avatar thought to himself, Buddhism’s thods truly are ruthless.
As Sun Wukong ate, he began to cry. "Good brother, you’re too kind! Where did all this co from?"
The avatar replied, "Try the wine."
Sun Wukong quickly poured the wine into his mouth, savoring it so much he seed lost in the pleasure.
When he finally drank the peach wine, he was overco 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 ti I rember, I’m consud by regret!"
The avatar was inwardly shocked.Had Sun Wukong actually given in!?It seed so.
He also thought to himself that it was fortunate he’d arrived in ti. Otherwise, after a few more hundred years, Sun Wukong would have truly co 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."
"Co, co, let’s drink and talk. ’Today we have wine, so today we drink our fill!’ Let 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 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 , I shall crack open those heavens! If the earth confines , I shall shatter that earth! We are born free beings, who dares to reign supre above us?’ Great Saint, that was your defiant roar against tyranny and injustice! The world knows of it and admires you imnsely for it!"
Sun Wukong’s eyes widened. Did this Old Sun really say all that!?
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