Chapter 40 Bao'e was sullen.

Tripitaka asked, "Wumiao, how did you get to that place?"

Bao'e truthfully replied, "I don't want to get close to anyone, for fear that you'll chant sutras."

Sanzang said, "Come here. If you are sincere in repenting, I will not scold you."

Bao'e dragged her rake to his side without even looking at the white orphan.

Upon seeing this, Bai Gu understood immediately.

He harbored even more resentment towards the elder, yet still longed for immortality. Thinking of how all the ginseng fruits on that tree had vanished, he secretly plotted to eat the monk.

At this moment, Zhen Yuanzi smiled at him and said, "You wicked demon, you trespassed into my Wuzhuang Temple. Now you have redeemed yourself with merit, so I will not kill you, but I will not let you go either. Don't think you can escape. I will deal with you slowly later."

The great immortal then ordered the lesser immortal to tie up the white ghost and take him to the backyard to be locked up.

He then ordered that fruits, vegetables, and vegetarian wine be prepared for the elders and their entourage to stay as guests and eat vegetarian food, while he went to inspect the ginseng garden.

Sha Wujing went to put away the luggage, Wukong released the horse, and Bai Gu left behind a fake body so that the little fairy could kidnap him.

He then transformed into an elderly man, leaning on a cane, to play tricks on Tang Sanzang.

The old man was hunched over, like a cooked shrimp, and walked with a shaky gait.

Bao'e was preoccupied with the vegetarian meal and did not notice him.

When Sanzang saw the old man, who was kind and gentle, he said, "Old benefactor, if you want to burn incense, you should go to the main hall instead."

The old man approached slowly and said in a trembling voice, "Elder, I am not burning incense, I am searching for someone."

Sanzang didn't recognize that it was a demon, so he stopped and let it get closer.

He asked, "Whom are you looking for, sir?"

“My family lives just west of White Tiger Ridge. We are all kind and virtuous. It’s just a pity we have no sons. So we prayed to gods and Buddhas everywhere. When we were old, we finally had a son. He is also a kind-hearted man. He never married and only adopted a son and a daughter.” The old man said sadly, “Our family of four came to Wuzhuang Temple to burn incense, but for some reason, my son and my two grandsons have disappeared. That’s why we’ve been looking for them everywhere.”

Upon hearing this, Sanzang immediately thought of the woman who had been killed by Wukong.

He was slightly flustered and his face was pale. He asked, "Old man, what does your granddaughter look like?"

"Elder, have you perhaps seen her before? My granddaughter is a beautiful woman, and I happen to have a portrait of her. Would you please take a look?" The monster said, taking out a portrait from his sleeve.

The elder, without suspicion, bent down to look.

The traveler suddenly arrived and recognized the demon at a glance. He shouted, "You wicked demon, how dare you play tricks and harm my master! Don't run, take this!"

He drew his staff and struck the demon in the face.

Hearing his angry curses, Bai Gu preemptively used a corpse-dissolving technique, sending his true body flying into the air while leaving only his illusory body in place, which was then smashed into a pulp by the pilgrim's staff.

Blood splattered everywhere, frightening the elder so much that his bones went weak and his muscles went numb. He couldn't stop himself from falling down and finally fell asleep to the side.

He pointed at the wanderer, trembling, and said, "You monkey, you vicious beast! I've tried to persuade you like this, yet you still kill people without cause, beating his grandson to death and then an innocent old man to death. How many people can withstand your blow!"

The traveler stepped forward and said, “Master, don’t worry. He’s not an old man at all; he’s clearly a demon in disguise.”

Bao'e heard the noise, turned around and saw Sanzang sleeping to the side. She said in a daze, "Master, it's still early. We have to go for our meal. Why are you dozing off without waking me up?"

Sanzang was so angry that his face turned pale. He couldn't care less about her. He just pointed at Wukong, speechless, and broke out in a cold sweat.

He finally regained his composure and began reciting the "Tightening Spell" dozens of times.

The monk's eyes bulged and his head ached from chanting, making it unbearable. He rolled around on the ground, somersaulting and doing handstands, shouting, "Stop chanting! Stop chanting!"

Bao'e, unaware of the danger, stepped forward and said, "It's fine if you're sleepy, but why do you want this monkey to dance? It's not your own mother, how can it dance to lull you to sleep?"

This fool kept spouting nonsense, and when Sanzang heard it, he couldn't help but be distracted and momentarily stopped chanting.

The pilgrim clutched his head, staggered to his feet, and pleaded, "Master, stop chanting! Stop chanting! Just say what you need to say!"

Sanzang said, "I am not your master, I have never taken in a wicked disciple like you who committed violence, and I have nothing to say about it. You may leave, I will not stop you."

With tears welling in his eyes, the traveler asked, "Master, where do you want me to go?"

“I want you to go eat.” Bao’e stepped forward and took his arm. “Brother, you’re a man of character. It’s just dancing, why are you crying?”

"You idiot! I wasn't dancing at all, he was the one who cursed me with that Tightening-Headband Mantra!" Wukong said to Sanzang. "That was a demon who wanted to deceive and harm you. I killed him, so why are you cursing me instead, and even trying to banish me, Old Sun!"

"You impudent monkey, you're no better than a pilgrim! How can he be a demon?" Sanzang said. "Hurry up, hurry up! If you don't leave, I'll chant the spell again!"

"Fine, fine! I'm leaving, but you mustn't chant the sutra." The pilgrim said angrily, "You've chased me away time and time again. If I were to shamelessly refuse to go, I wouldn't be a human being! Just one thing: once I'm gone, you mustn't chant that 'Tightening-Headband Mantra' again."

Sanzang turned to the side and said, "I will not recite it. You may leave."

Bao'e had just figured out what had happened, and she hurriedly said, "Master, why are you chasing after my senior brother? If he leaves and you run into a demon again, who will save you?"

“I do not need his help. This humble monk is single-mindedly focused on obtaining the scriptures. Whether I live or die, I have no regrets.”

"Fine, fine, fine! You have such a devout heart for Buddha, yet you pretend to be confused while being clear-headed, determined to humiliate me!" The Monkey King looked at Bao'e and said to her, "Sister, he has repeatedly chased me away. If I hadn't left, I would have been truly ashamed. Now, with the Six Ding and Six Jia gods guarding him, he doesn't need me. You must take care. I know you are a very lazy person and can't distinguish demons. Just remember, don't let evil people harm this monk's life. Also, tell Sha Wujing that he can at least recognize thieves. If this monk is captured by demons, just mention my name, Old Sun, understand?"

When she saw that he was really going to leave, Bao'e panicked.

Firstly, she and the traveler were somewhat compatible in temperament, and she couldn't bear to see him suffer; secondly, she remembered clearly that in "Journey to the West," he was the one who subdued demons and monsters, and now that he was leaving, when would they reach the Western Paradise?

She grabbed him and said to Sanzang, "Master, why are you chasing after my senior brother? If he were really a violent robber, he would probably hit you first. Since he didn't hit you, why would this stick fall on the head of an innocent person first?"

"It is time to leave!" The Great Sage's eyes were filled with tears. He broke free of his grasp, said nothing more, and first created several clones to kowtow around Sanzang to bid him farewell before heading into the sky.

Just as Sanzang had driven Wukong away, Sha Wujing returned with his luggage. Not seeing Wukong anywhere, he asked, "My eldest brother is always so impatient, why hasn't he returned yet?"

Bao'e said sullenly, "I'm leaving."

Sha Wujing asked, "Where did you go to have fun?"

“I got scolded by that monk and went home,” Bao’e said. “Don’t ask. If the old monk takes pity on you, he might accuse you of being an accomplice and expel you.”

The monk was upset but didn't know what to say. He sighed and frowned, but he was determined not to take back what he had said.

Sha Wujing didn't ask any more questions and went to eat vegetarian food with the group of minor immortals.

Just as they were about to eat vegetarian food, Zhen Yuanzi returned and asked about Wukong. Sanzang only said that he was a wicked disciple who committed violence and had no heart for good, and that he had already been driven away, without saying anything else.

After a moment's thought, Zhen Yuanzi realized that a demon was behind it all.

He thought to himself: That mischievous monkey is hot-tempered, and this elder is stubborn. They're making a ruckus, and it's no use if others intervene. So he might as well ignore it.

After the meal was finished, Sanzang and his group went to rest. Only then did he raise his hand and chant an incantation, drawing the corpse demon in mid-air into his sleeve.

He released Bai Gu and laughed, "You wicked demon, not only did you trespass into my Wuzhuang Temple, but you also kept stirring up trouble and hindering the cultivation of everyone else. I really can't let you live."

Knowing he might have to entrust his life to this place, Bai Gu said, "If you want to kill me, just do it, but don't slander me. I only want to eat Tang Sanzang's flesh, not to sow discord among anyone. Besides, if that elder trusts his disciple, no matter who instigates him, he won't expel him. If he doesn't trust him, even if no one has bad intentions, he will still feel discord."

"You wicked creature, spouting twisted and heretical doctrines, you should first reflect on your sins behind closed doors, lest you die an unjust death." Zhen Yuanzi summoned a group of lesser immortals, who bound the demon but did not kill him; instead, they locked him in the Hall of Repentance.

While the immortal was focused on finding the robber who stole the ginseng fruit, he also made sure to entertain the Tang Monk and his disciples.

The elder was extremely grateful, so he asked his two disciples to help him capture the evil thief.

Bao'e was initially annoyed, but the group of little fairies found her amusing and decided to play with her.

After playing around for a few days, she finally calmed down and was happy to be free again, spending her days making noise and playing around with the little fairies.

As time went on, she occasionally noticed that Zhen Yuanzi would watch them from afar.

She didn't take it to heart until that day, when the immortal, holding a jade whisk, called out from afar, "Stop fooling around, come here."

The fairies stepped forward, not forgetting to pull Bao'e along.

Bao'e said, "What a bunch of scoundrels! That's not my master, why are you dragging me into this?"

A Taoist priest chuckled and said, "Can you see the bamboo grove where Master is? There are some tender bamboo shoots there. They're delicious whether stir-fried, used in soup, or pickled."

Bao'e dragged her rake and went with them.

When she arrived, she realized that the great immortal wanted her to compete with the lesser immortals.

Zhen Yuanzi laughed and said, "I have a long-standing friendship with your master and know that he is a capable man, but I don't know anything about his disciple. Whoever you compete against, if you can defeat him, I will give you one of the ginseng fruits when we find them. How about that?"

Bao'e was indeed coaxed and excitedly prepared to pick up her rake.

The fairies knew she was strong and all wanted to compete to see who was stronger, but one disciple asked, "Master, how shall we determine the winner?"

The sage said, "If you suffer a defeat and cannot recover, then you have lost. What do you say?"

"well!"

Some disciples were eager to try. Qingfeng and Mingyue were the two youngest, especially Mingyue, who was lively and mischievous. She rushed forward and said, "I'll do it! I'll do it!"

Little did they know that Bao'e suddenly became lazy and, fearing she would be hurt, simply turned into a mountain and pressed down firmly on Mingyue.

Before he could even show his skills, he cried out "Ouch!" and repeatedly admitted defeat, groaning in pain.

Good Bao'e revealed her true form and said to him with a smile, "Brother, you are too weak. You gave in after just one breath."

Mingyue was both angry and amused: "You cunning rascal! You've been tricking me!"

“Good brother, don’t wrong me. That immortal didn’t say whether it was a contest of hands and feet or a contest of agility. I’m a useless warrior, I can’t show any decent fists and feet, so I can only hope for a small victory.” Bao’e looked at Zhen Yuanzi, “Immortal, don’t lie to deceive people.”

Zhen Yuanzi couldn't stop laughing, and he was very pleased to see her.

Now, Sanzang had just finished reciting the scriptures and was strolling around when he suddenly saw a group of people in front of the bamboo forest.

He went to the bamboo forest, and as soon as he approached, he heard the immortal say, "Good, good, good! Zhu Bao'e, what do you think about staying here to cultivate?"

Sanzang paused, stepped past him, and went straight to look at Bao'e.

The fool asked, "Are there countless ginseng fruits to eat?"