Journey to the West: Starting with the Hunting of the Three Demons of Twin Fork Ridge

Chapter 161 Fire Cloud Cave - The Pilgrim's Prejudice Exposed

Upon hearing Li Fa's words, the Monkey King panicked, inwardly cursing, "That damned witch! She's ruined my grand plan! How can I explain if she really boils my master alive?!"

In a moment of panic, he quickly spoke up to stop him, saying, "My dear son, don't eat yet, I can't eat today!"

Red Boy was taken aback by this and asked, "Why can't Father eat it?"

Good sir! He also came up with a clever excuse in a moment of inspiration.

He put on a look of sudden realization, sighed deeply, and said, "My son, you don't know this, but I am getting old these days. I often think back on my past deeds, which have caused countless deaths and committed many sins. I am often disturbed by nightmares at night."

Feeling deeply remorseful, he wished to do some good deeds, accumulate merit, and atone for his past sins; therefore, he decided to observe a period of fasting.

Red Boy asked, "I wonder if Father observes a long-term or monthly fast?"

The pilgrim said, "It is neither a long fast nor a monthly fast, but a fast called Thunder Fast, which is only for four days each month."

Red Boy asked, "Which four days?"

The traveler said, "The third Xin day falls on the sixth day. Today is Xin-You day, so firstly, we should observe a fast, and secondly, You day is not a day for entertaining guests. Let's wait until tomorrow, when I will personally wash and steam it so that we can enjoy it together."

Upon hearing this, Red Boy thought to himself, "My father used to eat people to survive, and he's over a thousand years old now. How come he's suddenly fasting? He committed so many evil deeds back then; how could he possibly accumulate that much in just three or four days of fasting? This is suspicious! Suspicious indeed!"

As he pondered this, Li Fa spoke up again, deliberately teasing the traveler, saying to Red Boy, "Son, don't listen to his nonsense! If he doesn't want to eat today, so be it. You and I will eat first. If you really want to show him respect, we can eat and leave him some, right?"

Li Faguang was focused on teasing the traveler, but he overlooked something of paramount importance.

That's Princess Iron Fan.

Never! Eat! People!

Moreover, the princess at most ate livestock such as cattle, sheep, and pigs, and rarely even uttered words about cannibalism.

Unexpectedly, this very sentence revealed a flaw in his plan.

Upon hearing this, Red Boy also had some doubts, thinking to himself, "Something's not right! My mother is usually compassionate and never harms anyone. She's over a thousand years old now, and usually only eats things like cattle and sheep. Why is she eating people now? That's suspicious! Suspicious!"

With that in mind, he made up his mind to test the two men's sincerity.

So he got up, went to the two of them, and bowed down.

The pilgrim said, "Child, there are no fixed customs in our household, so there's no need for bowing. Just tell me what you want to say."

Li Fa also said, "My son, speak your mind. What's wrong with bowing?"

Red Boy prostrated himself on the ground and said, "This foolish man has something to say to you. The other day, I was traveling leisurely, riding on auspicious light, all the way to the highest heavens, when I suddenly encountered Mr. Zhang Zuyan Daoling."

The traveler asked, "Is it Zhang Daoling, the Celestial Master?"

Red Boy said, "That's right."

The traveler asked, "What is it you want to say?"

Red Boy said, "When he saw that I had regular features and a balanced three-section, he asked me what year, month, day and hour I was born. Because I was young, I don't remember clearly."

The master is very skilled in astrology and would like to consult the Five Elements for me. Now that my father and mother are both here, it's a good opportunity to ask him about this. If I have the chance to meet him again, I'd like to trouble him to perform the calculations.”

Upon hearing this, the pilgrim sat up and chuckled to himself, "What a monster! I, Sun Wukong, have been a Buddhist monk and protected Master Tang. I've captured several demons along the way, unlike this scoundrel who is so mean."

He asked me about family matters and trivial matters, things like "no rice, no firewood," and I could easily give him a flimsy, platitude answer. Now he's asking me my birthdate, but how am I supposed to know?!

The good Monkey King was also very clever. He sat upright in the middle without showing any fear. Instead, he smiled happily and said, "My dear son, please rise. Because I am old, I have been preoccupied with many things these days and have forgotten the day you were born. Ask your mother."

Upon hearing this, Red Boy indeed asked Li Fa again, "Does Mother remember?"

Li Fa had previously infiltrated Princess Iron Fan's ranks. The princess often mentioned the name "Red Boy," so how could he not know it? He said, "My son was born in the year of Bingwu, the month of Dingsi, the day of Wuwu, and the hour of Jisi. He was born in a year of fire, a month of fire, a day of fire, and an hour of fire. How could I, as his mother, forget him?"

Upon hearing this, Red Boy's suspicions about Li Fa immediately dissipated.

As for Li Fayan's talk about cannibalism, he thought it was his mother deliberately contradicting the Bull Demon King.

Then he turned back to the traveler and sneered, "Father, have you heard what Mother said? Though I am young, I am not stupid. My father always says those eight words about me, that I have an immortal lifespan, how could he forget them today! This is outrageous! You must be a fraud!"

Having said that, with a clatter, he summoned a horde of demons, spears and swords clashing around him, as the wandering traveler approached without a head or face.

The Great Sage used his golden cudgel to block the attack, then revealed his true form and said to Red Boy, "My dear son, you are in the wrong. How can a son beat his father?"

Red Boy was furious upon hearing this and was about to draw his spear when the Monkey King transformed into a golden light and vanished.

He was about to give chase when Li Fa stopped him, saying, "Don't chase after it! That monkey can travel 108,000 li in a single somersault. How can you possibly catch up?"

Red Boy said, "Fine, fine! Let him go! It's just a pity for Mother!"

Li Fa said, "It's not a loss, it's not a loss, but there's one thing I don't understand."

Red Boy said, "Mother, please speak."

Li Fa said, "Since my son also possesses the methods of cultivating immortality and breathing techniques, why does he still want to eat this Tang Sanzang?"

Red Boy said, "I dare not lie to Mother. It was my master who taught me the Dharma. He said that there is a Tang Monk in the East who is the original body of ten lifetimes of cultivation. If I eat him, I can completely refine the innate essence of the Fire within my body. At that time, even Father King will probably not be my match."

Upon hearing this, Li Fa was shocked and asked, "Grandmaster? Which grandmaster?"

Red Boy said, "Mother, what kind of memory do you have? And which other grandmaster is it? Of course, it's Grandmaster Guangming."

Upon hearing this, Li Fa thought to himself, "Guangming! Isn't that Princess Iron Fan's master? What is he plotting? Moreover, the essence of innate fire? Princess Iron Fan never mentioned that Red Boy possessed such a thing!"

As he was pondering this, he heard Red Boy ask, "Mother, do we still want to eat Tang Sanzang?"

Li Fa said, "Don't rush to eat. Since Sun Wukong has escaped, we can't eat in peace. Let's wait until another day, when your mother and I catch that monkey together, and then we can eat Tang Sanzang."

Red Boy said, "Since that's the case, Mother, you must be tired from your journey. Please rest in the back hall first. I will have someone prepare a vegetarian meal."

Li Fa nodded and said, "Alright. I am indeed a little tired."

Red Boy summoned two little demons who led Li Fa to the back hall.

Li Fa arrived at the back hall, dismissed the little demons, and sat alone on the stone couch, pondering in his heart.

"Guangming Daoist... what exactly is this man's scheme? Since he is Princess Iron Fan's master, why would he use Red Boy? Could it be that he has a grudge against Buddhism and wants to use Red Boy to ruin the pilgrimage? Or does he have some other motive?"