414: Chapter 398 The Weapon is Gone_2 414: Chapter 398 The Weapon is Gone_2 “My three sons have always been fond of martial arts.
Today, with devout hearts, they wish to beco your disciples and learn so martial arts.
We hope the Master will open your magnanimous heart, steer the vessel of rcy, and instruct them.
They will surely repay you with wealth enough to replenish a city.”
“This…”
Xuanzang couldn’t help feeling sowhat troubled, partly because King Hua had personally co to request his help, making it hard for Xuanzang to refuse.
However, accepting the request would an his three disciples would have to teach the princes martial arts, potentially causing delays to their journey.
Hence his hesitation.
Seeing this, King Hua hurriedly said, “I hope the Elder will consent.
Surely you wouldn’t force , a king, to kneel down and beg you.”
“I dare not!
I dare not!”
Xuanzang quickly replied, “It’s just that we are on our way to the Western Heaven Seeking Scriptures, and I’m afraid we cannot stay long in Yuhua State City.”
King Hua replied with a smile, “Don’t worry about that.
The honored Elders are just to stay here for a while.
Whenever free, the three Elders can teach my three sons so martial arts.
How much they learn will depend on their own abilities.
When the ti cos for you to leave, you can continue on your journey.
If the honored Elders can agree to this, I am sure to reward you handsoly.”
Seeing this, Xuanzang had no choice but to agree.
When Sun Wukong saw that Xuanzang had agreed, he spoke up, “Your Thousand Years Old, you really don’t understand.
We monks always welco more disciples!
Since your sons are earnest in their pursuit of goodness, we can take them as our disciples and ask for nothing in return.”
At this point, Zhu Bajie also interjected, “Right!
We don’t ask for anything in return.
Just make sure there are enough good food and wine every day to satisfy this Old Zhu.”
Seeing that Sun Wukong and the others had agreed, King Hua was overjoyed.
He imdiately ordered a grand banquet to be prepared in the main hall of the royal palace to entertain Xuanzang and his disciples and arranged for them to stay in the palace.
After the banquet, the ceremony of becoming a disciple began.
Sun Wukong approached Xuanzang, bowed deeply, and said, “Forgive your disciple’s transgressions.”
“Since the day you rescued from Two-Realm Mountain and taught as a Buddhist monk, I have journeyed towards the west, never repaying my teacher’s kindness, yet I have crossed waters and climbed mountains, exerting all my heart power.
“Now we have co to the lands of Buddha, and fortunately t the wise king’s three sons who wish to beco our disciples and learn martial arts.
As they are to be our disciples, they also beco the disciples of my teacher.
I respectfully report this to my teacher to seek permission to instruct them.”
According to the rules, when you accept disciples, you must first seek the approval of your own teacher.
Although Sun Wukong’s abilities were not taught by Xuanzang, since Xuanzang is, after all, his teacher, Sun Wukong naturally sought his consent.
Moreover, this was the proper etiquette, which Sun Wukong understood well.
Xuanzang was naturally delighted and hurriedly helped Sun Wukong to his feet, continuously praising him.
At this ti, Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk ca forward and respectfully perford the ceremonial bow to Xuanzang, saying, “Master above, we are dull and not eloquent; we are not good with words.
We ask the Master to preside over the Dharma Appearance and allow each of us to have a disciple to rember on the Western Road.”
Xuanzang nodded and agreed to their request.
Consequently, the three princes formally beca disciples of Sun Wukong and his two brothers.
After the ceremony of apprenticeship,
Sun Wukong smilingly asked, “What kind of martial arts would you like to learn?”
The princes replied, “We wish to learn the staff for those accustod to it, the rake for those who fancy it, and the staff for those who love it.”
Sun Wukong said with a smile, “Teaching you is easy, but you don’t have the strength to wield our weapons.
I’m afraid you might end up ‘drawing a tiger that looks like a dog’, and that would be troubleso.
“The ancients say, ‘A teacher’s laziness corresponds to lax instruction, a student’s failure is his own fault.’
“Since you are sincere, you should go and make offerings to Heaven and Earth.
I will first bestow upon you so divine power, and then I can teach you martial arts.”
Upon hearing this, the three princes were overjoyed and ordered the incense table to be set, prepared the offerings, gave thanks to the grace of Heaven and Earth, and then Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sand Monk each perford rituals to bestow so divine power on the princes.
Under the influence of this formidable force, the bodies of the three princes were transford, not only becoming stronger and more robust but also greatly increasing in strength, a true tamorphosis.
Although they could not be compared to Sun Wukong and others, wielding weapons weighing a thousand eight hundred pounds was no longer an issue for them.
The three princes fell into a coma after being endowed with divine power, and only woke up the next day to co over and express their gratitude for their master’s kindness.
Sun Wukong and his two brothers each took out their weapons for them to test their strength.
The Eldest Prince still could not lift the Jingu Bang, but he was able to shake it, straining with all his might and only able to drag it slightly.
Although the Second and Third Princes could barely lift the Nine-toothed Rake and the Demon-Subduing Staff, they were unable to wield them properly.
The three princes knelt before their master, speaking respectfully, “Thank you, Master, for bestowing divine power upon us.
However, we can lift our Master’s divine artifacts but are unable to use them.”
“Why not have craftsn create weapons of the sa style as our Master’s divine artifacts, albeit lighter, for us to use?
It would be wonderful if our teacher would permit this.”
Sun Wukong chuckled and said, “I was thinking the sa thing.
Even if you could use our divine weapons, we would not possibly let you, else we would be left without weapons.
You three young Highnesses should better ask the best craftsn in the city to tailor-make three similar weapons for you.”
The three young princes were overjoyed at this and imdiately sent for the artisans to co.
Being eager to learn martial arts, the princes ensured everything was done efficiently.
Soon, the craftsn were summoned, and thousands of pounds of fine steel were purchased.
A workshop was set up in the rear courtyard of the royal palace, and the craftsn were ordered to work day and night to create the weapons.
However, creating weapons weighing over a thousand pounds was not sothing that could be completed in just a day or two, even if the craftsn worked around the clock.
During these days, Sun Wukong and his brothers’ weapons were kept in the workshop.
Speaking of the Jingu Bang, Nine-toothed Rake, and Demon-Subduing Staff, all of them were divine weapons.
While they were usually carried by them without any problem, now that they were placed aside, a myriad of dazzling lights shot up into the sky, and a thousand auspicious vapors enveloped the earth.
Such a spectacular scene could be seen clearly from dozens of miles away.
Seventy miles away from Yuhua Imperial City, there was a mountain called Leopard Head Mountain, and on this mountain, there was a cave nad Tiger’s Mouth Cave.
Within this cave lived a group of demons, and the Demon King among them was a Yellow Lion Demon.
The Demon King, having nothing to do at night, suddenly saw bright lights and auspicious vapors rising within the city and could not help but show a hint of surprise, muttering to himself, “I have lived in Yuhua Province since my youth and never heard of this city having such treasures.
What kind of treasure could emit such lights and vapors?
I must investigate.”
The demon’s heart was already filled with greed, and he rode his clouds straight towards Yuhua Imperial City, guided by the lights, arriving at the royal palace.
Peering out of the clouds, the demon looked down and saw that the rays and vapors were emitted from the three weapons: the Jingu Bang, the Nine-toothed Rake, and the Demon-Subduing Staff, all stored inside the workshop.
At this ti of deep night and silence, the craftsn had already gone to sleep, and Sun Wukong and his brothers were not guarding the place.
Seeing that nobody was around, the demon used his divine skills to conjure a gust of wind and swept up the three treasures, then rode the clouds back to Leopard Head Mountain.
The Yellow Lion Demon stole the three magical treasures, overjoyed, and kept chanting, “Great treasures!
What fantastic treasures!
It must be fate that led to encounter these three treasures.
Truly, a trendous stroke of luck!”
The next day, when the craftsn got up and found that the three treasures had disappeared, they were utterly astonished and quickly reported the matter to the three princes.
After hearing this, the three princes did not take it too seriously.
The Eldest Prince laughed and said, “My master’s treasure weights over ten thousand pounds, and the treasures of my two martial uncles each weigh over five thousand pounds.
Who could move them?
The masters must have taken the treasures back.”
The three princes nodded and said, “It must have been the masters who collected them.
Still, to be safe, we should ask to make sure.”
So, the three princes made their way to the lodgings of Sun Wukong and the others.
It was still early, and they did not dare to enter hastily, only calling out from outside the courtyard, “Master!”
Sand Monk had just gotten up and was about to feed the horses when he saw the three princes waiting.
He imdiately asked, “What is it?”
The three princes stepped forward, bowed, and said, “Master, have you collected your weapons?”
Sand Monk frowned, puzzled, and said, “Aren’t the weapons always kept in the workshop?”
“Ah?” The three princes’ faces changed suddenly, and they could not help but gape in shock.
At that mont, Sun Wukong leaped out of the house and asked, “We did not take back our weapons.
Could it be that they have disappeared?”
The three princes could only report truthfully, “To inform Master, this morning the craftsn suddenly discovered that all three of your weapons were missing.
Despite a thorough search, none was found.
We thought perhaps the masters had taken them, which is why we have co to inquire.”
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