Journey to the West: Beginning with the Apprenticeship of Bodhi Patriarch

Chapter 221: Feng Shijun, a man turns into a demon
The local god came to pay homage and told him that something happened in the mountain and that there was a demon causing trouble. It patrolled the temple and warned him not to enter, which was why he was unable to come to pay homage in time.

Sun Wukong heard this and said, "This is your home, how come that monster has taken over your home?"

The land god said tremblingly, "It's not that the cuckoo has taken over the magpie's nest. The monster is quite spiritual and cunning. It always wants to harm me, but I noticed it and stayed away from it. That's why it didn't harm me. The monster knows it's hard to harm me, so it often patrols outside the temple. If it can see me, it's a good thing. If it can't see me, it can use this temple as bait and wait for passers-by to come. If the passers-by stay in the temple at night, it will cast a spell to harm them and eat them."

Sun Wukong said: "If what you said is true, then that monster is extremely cunning?"

The land god bowed and said, "That's right, that's right. So I didn't mean to come to see the real person, I just had no choice."

Sun Wukong asked, "Was the tiger shadow outside the temple yesterday that monster?"

The land god said, "It is undoubtedly that monster."

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "You said that the demon would cast a spell to harm the passers-by in the temple, but how come it left the temple yesterday before it even approached it? Don't try to fool me. Although I have become a Buddha now, I will still be a little angry if you try to fool me."

The land god was frightened and fell down. He said tremblingly, "I dare not deceive the Great Sage. Please judge for me! The Great Sage and the real people are here. Although they have not revealed their whereabouts, they have their own majesty. The monster is cunning. If it has any feelings, it will not dare to approach. It just left far away."

Sun Wukong wanted to say something more, but Jiang Yuan stopped him and said, "Earth God, where did this monster come from? Is it a tiger spirit?"

The land god bowed and said, "Master, that spirit is not a tiger spirit, but it looks like a tiger. It is not a spirit but a human."

Jiang Yuan smiled and asked, "If you are a human, how can you turn into a tiger-shaped monster?"

The land god said, "That man was originally the magistrate of a county at the foot of the mountain. However, as the magistrate, he did not think about benefiting the people, but often studied some evil ways. Later, by mistake, he turned himself into a tiger and ate people in the county. Fortunately, he was afraid of the gods and temples in the city, so he did not dare to do too much. He fled to this mountain to cause trouble. Because he turned from a man into a tiger, the people in the county often called him 'Feng Shijun'."

Zuo Liang was surprised when he heard this and said, "Feng Shijun? There is a book that once recorded that in the Han Dynasty, there was a governor of a city who also did not govern the people. One day, he suddenly turned into a tiger and ate many people. He was then called 'Feng Shijun'."

The land god said, "That's right. That's right. All evil methods are the same."

Jiang Yuan said: "That envoy is so cunning, is it because he is a transformed person that he is cunning?"

The land says 'yes'.

The Immortal asked, "Since Envoy Feng has done such evil things, is it possible that no god has come to descend?"

The land god shook his head and said, "No one knows how a god came to descend. I wanted to report it, but the spirit was cunning and knew I was going to report it. It often stopped me halfway. I almost died several times."

Jiang Yuan asked again: "You have the ability to escape underground, so you can't avoid him?"

The land god said: "Master, you don't know that he has an evil magic, but he also has some tricks to prevent my earth escape method, so it is difficult for him to escape with the earth escape method."

Upon hearing this, the Immortal hesitated for a moment and said, "Wukong, if that's the case, you should go ahead and capture the envoy in the mountains. If he really has committed many evil deeds, you can do whatever you want with him."

Sun Wukong replied: "Yes, Big Brother!"

The Bull Demon King stepped forward and asked, "Master, do you want me to go and help?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "No need, just wait here."

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Brother, why use a butcher knife to kill a chicken? Just let me go, there is no need for you to do it. Brother, just stay here and protect our eldest brother."

The Bull Demon King had no choice but to give up and said, "In that case, I will just wait here."

Sun Wukong said goodbye to the immortal, got up and went outside.

Zuo Liang was a little worried and said, "Sir, Master Niu. Is it dangerous for this Buddha to leave like this?"

The Bull Demon King smiled and said, "You don't need to worry about my brother. Instead of worrying about my brother, you should worry about the envoy."

Zuo Liang wanted to say something else, but suddenly he saw Liu Yanchang sleeping soundly in the corner. He couldn't help but say, "This guy is really careless. He can even sleep."

The Bull Demon King said, "He often says, 'A gentleman does not speak of strange things, supernatural powers, or the gods.' This is ignorant and fearless. This statement must have come from the Kong family of the Southern Continent. But I don't believe that Kong would say such a thing. Even if he did, it definitely didn't mean this."

Zuo Liang asked: "Sir, do we need to wake him up?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "No need to wake him up, just let it be."

Zuo Liang and Niu Mowang accepted the order.

……

But Sun Wukong left the land temple and walked outside. He opened his flaming eyes wide, trying to find the envoy, but he looked around and saw no trace of him.

Sun Wukong said: "It really is a person who has transformed into several bodies, one in each heaven and earth. He is very cunning. I don't know what he sensed last night. He became alert and hid himself."

He looked around and walked forward.

Soon, he came to a mountain stream, and saw the water rushing there, really like a boiling melon.

Sun Wukong took a closer look and found a water cave beside the stream. There was some evil spirit in the cave. He jumped and landed beside the water cave. He wanted to see if there was any inscription beside the water cave, but found no inscription outside the water cave.

Sun Wukong had no choice but to shout, "Who is that person in there? Come out and show yourself."

He shouted with great power and an air of immortality that captivated people, causing the water cave to shake.

After a while, a man with a single horn walked out of the crowd, looking terrified. He bowed to Sun Wukong and said, "I, the little demon, pay my respects to the Immortal! I don't know how I have offended you, but please forgive me!"

Sun Wukong said: "I am a cultivator, my name is Sun Wukong, I called you out now, I have something to ask you."

The man knelt on the ground and asked in surprise, "Is the immortal the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, the Fighting and Victory Buddha?"

Sun Wukong said: "That's right, that's right. You can't recognize me."

The man bowed and said, "Of course I know you. The great sage's name is well-known to everyone. I have heard a lot about the great sage's name. Since I started practicing, I have taken the great sage as my master and practiced wholeheartedly."

Sun Wukong smiled and said, "In that case, tell me your name so I can know you."

The man said, "I am Ao Qing, the nephew of the Dragon King of the East China Sea. I am now in the form of a dragon. I worship the Great Sage, so I practice hard, hoping to catch up with the Great Sage as soon as possible and have the same magical powers as the Great Sage. That is why I practice in seclusion in the mountains and have not gone out for many years."

Sun Wukong praised him, "You have such perseverance and determination, you will surely achieve success in your practice one day."

Ao Qing bowed again and said, "I don't dare to say such words from the Great Sage. But I don't know why the Great Sage came. Is there anything I can help you with? If there is anything I can help with, please tell me clearly, and I will definitely help you with all my strength."

Sun Wukong said, "I need your help with something. I am here on the orders of my senior brother, Master Guangxin, to subdue a demon. But this demon is a bit cunning and is hiding in the mountains. I can't find it, so I asked you, who is familiar with it, to ask for help."

Ao Qing was a little surprised and asked, "Great Sage, I often practice in the mountains and don't know what's going on there. If you want to know about the evil spirits in the mountains, you have to find the land god. The land god is a ghost in the ground."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong told Ao Qing everything that the land god had said.

Upon hearing this, Ao Qing asked, "Is Envoy Feng the tiger spirit?"

Sun Wukong said: "That's right, that envoy was created by a human being, he is very cunning. I am here to subdue that envoy."

Ao Qing pondered for a long time and said, "If it is normal, I may be able to help the Great Sage. Great Sage, you don't know that I am cultivating in the mountains and don't know about the evil spirits in the mountains, but if it is this tiger spirit, I recognize it."

Sun Wukong asked: "How do you say that?"

Ao Qing replied, "Great Sage, the tiger spirit lives near the river. It makes a lot of noise and often wakes me up, so I know what's going on."

Sun Wukong said happily, "I never thought you knew where the tiger demon was. Now point it out to me so that I can go and subdue it."

Ao Qing pointed to a place outside the river and said, "Great Sage, there is a lake in the river, and there is a palace in the lake. That is the palace built by the tiger spirit. The tiger spirit usually lives there. Great Sage, you can go and take a look."

Sun Wukong noted the direction and said, "Thank you, thank you!"

Ao Qing asked, "Great Sage, do you need me to go with you and help you?"

Sun Wukong shook his head and said, "No need, no need. I am grateful that you can tell me this, but you don't have to go with me."

After hearing this, Ao Qing had no choice but to give up.

Sun Wukong said goodbye to Ao Qing and went to the outside of the river. He rode on a cloud and in a moment he reached the outside of the river. He saw that there was indeed a lake in the mountain.

Wukong looked at the lake with some displeasure, as he was not good at swimming. However, he understood that the envoy did not have any magical powers, so it should be no problem.

With this in mind, Sun Wukong performed a water-avoiding technique and dived into the lake. But as he entered, the waterway parted and he easily fell to the bottom of the lake.

As soon as he entered, he saw a large palace built at the bottom of the lake, with towers, pavilions, and other facilities. The palace was built in the style of a government office in a city.

Seeing this, Sun Wukong thought to himself, "This fellow is quite immoral. I heard that he never governed the people before. Now he has turned into a monster and even transformed his mansion into a government mansion."

He opened his fiery eyes wide and looked around carefully, but found that there were no little monsters stationed in this huge mansion at the bottom of the lake. However, there was some black air in the central hall of the mansion, so he guessed that the envoy had stayed here.

Sun Wukong fell towards the mansion.

After a while, Wukong approached the central hall of the mansion. He looked carefully and indeed saw a gorgeous tiger crawling on the ground in the hall.

But seeing this tiger with its bloody naked body, flaming temples, sharp and fierce eyebrows, white steel teeth and a pair of shining golden eyes, it is truly a ferocious monster.

Sun Wukong thought to himself, "This envoy is a monster transformed from a human. Judging from his appearance, he is not inferior to the monsters on the journey to the west, but I don't know what his abilities are. Let me show you my abilities and give him a try."

Say it.

Sun Wukong plucked a handful of hair and blew it downwards, using his magical power...

(End of this chapter)