Chapter 15 Hey, take this brick!

As Tang Sanzang and Hu Rong stepped out of the temple gates, several monks caught sight of them and were so terrified they felt their souls leave their bodies, convinced they were being haunted by vengeful spirits. It wasn’t until Hu Rong produced the Golden-hooped Staff and gave them a good scare that the monks’ nerves were somewhat calmed.

Hu Rong, eager to subdue the Black Bear Demon, quickly settled Tang Sanzang with a few words and then, in a single somersault, leapt into the sky. With just a twist of his waist, he soared twenty miles to Black Wind Mountain.

Though the mountain bore the name “Black Wind,” in the springtime, the scenery was breathtaking: myriad ravines vied to outflow one another, countless cliffs competed in beauty. Birds sang unseen, and petals fell yet left the trees fragrant. After rain, azure cliffs gleamed with fresh sheen, and the wind caused pines to unfurl like emerald screens. The wild grass swelled, wildflowers blossomed, and the cliffs were sheer and imposing; vines grew thick, fine trees adorned the slopes, and the lofty peaks rose over gentle knolls.

Riding a cloud of seven-colored auspicious light, Hu Rong scanned about and spotted, on a fragrant grassy slope at the mountain’s base, three demons seated on the ground engaged in lively debate. They spoke of establishing cauldrons and refining mercury—matters Hu Rong could not comprehend.

The one in the chief position was unmistakably the Black Bear Demon, notorious for his pretentious airs, and he wore a tightening headband on his brow. On his left sat an unfamiliar Daoist, actually a transformed gray wolf; on his right, a scholar in white robes, none other than the Snake Spirit in human guise.

“How strange!” the Black Bear Demon exclaimed, slapping his thigh. “The treasure I obtained from the monks at Golden Pool last night is most peculiar!”

The White Snake Spirit asked, “What’s peculiar about it?”

The Black Bear Demon’s face twisted with vexation. “This thing on my head was once the prized treasure worshipped at Guanyin Temple! But ever since I put it on, I haven’t been able to take it off. Isn’t that odd?”

The Gray Wolf Demon chuckled. “Could it be that the treasure is sentient and has chosen you as its master?”

“As if I’d be so lucky!” the Black Bear Demon grumbled, rapping the headband on his forehead. “Ever since I donned it, I’ve had a constant sense of impending doom.”

“Hahaha, you must be joking, big brother!” cackled the White Snake Spirit, waving his goose-feather fan. “Within a hundred miles of Black Wind Mountain, all demons bow to you. Who would dare provoke you?”

But before he could finish, a voice thundered, “Monster, where do you think you’re going!” Hu Rong leapt from behind a cliff, raised the Golden-hooped Staff, and struck the Snake Spirit square on the head. Blood and brains spattered, and the creature reverted to its true form—a white snake.

“Ah!” the Black Bear Demon, startled by the sudden attack and not recognizing the intruder, instinctively transformed into a gust of black wind and fled.

The Gray Wolf Demon seized the opportunity to escape on a cloud, but Hu Rong, already reciting an incantation, raised his left hand with the Invincible Brick and hurled it at the black cloud. “Take this, you cur!”

A thunderous crack rang out. From the cloud came a shriek as the Gray Wolf Demon tumbled from the sky. His soul grievously wounded, he could no longer maintain his human form, and lay on the ground, clutching his head in his paws, rolling and howling, “Spare me, great immortal! Spare me!”

“Do you recognize who I am, little demon?” Hu Rong stepped before the half-dead wolf, suddenly asking.

“Ah… yes, yes, I do!” the Gray Wolf Demon gasped in agony, peeking at Hu Rong. That hairy face and thunderous mouth seemed familiar, but he couldn’t recall from where and simply tried to bluff his way through.

“Recognize you? Nonsense!” With a single blow, Hu Rong finished off the babbling Gray Wolf Demon. Then, raising his head to gaze at the azure sky at a forty-five-degree angle, he sighed with melancholy, “Five centuries as a titled immortal—at long last, I return to the Three Realms, only to discover my legend has already faded into oblivion!”

Shaking his head, Hu Rong followed the trace of the Black Bear Demon’s demonic aura over the mountaintop. There, before a sheer cliff, he found a cave dwelling with its doors tightly shut. Above the entrance hung a stone plaque inscribed with six bold characters: “Black Wind Cave of Black Wind Mountain.”

“Found you, my boy! Time for you to taste the weight of Mount Tai!” Hu Rong tossed the Golden-hooped Staff above the cave, reciting the true spell, “Grow—grow—grow!” In an instant, the staff enlarged, stretching for miles, and with a mighty crash, smashed down on Black Wind Cave, causing the mountain to quake and countless stones to rain down.

The lesser demons inside the cave had no inkling before the rocks crushed them—dead or wounded, none escaped. Only the Black Bear Demon, possessed of formidable magic, blasted a hole through the rubble, snatched up a black-tasseled spear, and leapt out, cursing, “Where did this damned monkey come from, daring to cause trouble at your Grandpa Bear’s lair?!”

“Black brute, do you recognize who I am?” Hu Rong, restraining his fury, tried to assert his presence, hoping to regain a shred of former glory.

The Black Bear Demon peered at him, scrutinizing the dark, hairy face, and after confirming he had no idea, sneered coldly, “You nameless, rootless ape, how dare you toy with me? You must be tired of living!”

“Damn! Even you don’t recognize me—so my fame really has faded from the Three Realms!” Hu Rong heaved a sigh. “I am Sun Wukong, the one who caused havoc in Heaven five hundred years ago. Do you remember now?”

“Sun Wukong?!” The Black Bear Demon roared with laughter. “So, it’s the once-famous Keeper of the Heavenly Horses! Hahaha! Sun Wukong, did you know that your time as Stablemaster has been the butt of jokes in the demon world for five centuries? Even your sworn brothers consider it shameful and have openly severed ties with you!”

Hu Rong knew the “sworn brothers” referred to were the six so-called “plastic brothers” his former self, Sun Wukong, had befriended as Demon Kings on Flower-Fruit Mountain: the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, the Bull Demon King; the Great Sage Covering the Seas, the Jiao Demon King; the Great Sage Overturning Heaven, the Roc Demon King; the Great Sage Moving Mountains, the Lion Camel King; the Great Sage Who Commands the Wind, the Monkey King; and the Great Sage Who Drives Away Gods, the Baboon King.

When they incited Sun Wukong to rebel against Heaven, each was more boastful than the last, their titles grander and grander. But when the Jade Emperor truly lost his temper and dispatched a hundred thousand celestial soldiers against Flower-Fruit Mountain, these “brothers” scattered quicker than the wind.

Later, when Sun Wukong was subdued by the Buddha, not one dared utter a word for five hundred years; no one remembered the seventh brother…

“If I ever run into those traitors, I’ll never let them off!” Hu Rong muttered bitterly as fragments of old memories surfaced. “And you, black brute, you’ve angered me for no reason—see if I don’t destroy you!”

“Hah! Keeper of Horses, five centuries ago I might have feared you a little! But now, you’ve been crushed by the Buddha’s palm for five hundred years—your powers have waned. What right have you to act tough with me?”

The Black Bear Demon spat contemptuously and lunged at Hu Rong with his black-tasseled spear, moving with the force of thunder and the speed of wind, closing the distance in an instant.

Hu Rong watched coldly. Only when the spear was almost upon him did he raise the Golden-hooped Staff with one hand and bring it down—

Clang!

The staff struck the spear with a deafening crash, startling the Black Bear Demon, who immediately sensed the overwhelming power surging through the staff, nearly forcing him to drop his weapon.

“How… how is this possible? Keeper of Horses, your… your magic…” The Black Bear Demon gripped his spear with both hands, gritting his teeth to squeeze the words out.

“There’s a saying among mortals: ‘After three days apart, a man must be seen with new eyes.’ You, black brute, for all your literary airs, have never heard these words?”

Hu Rong appeared calm and unruffled, holding the Golden-hooped Staff in one hand, while in the other, the Invincible Brick hovered above his palm, emitting an eerie green glow.

“What… what is that?” Though the Black Bear Demon was now in a losing position, his eyes still flickered with greed at the sight of the Invincible Brick.

“I’ll say it only once,” Hu Rong replied, ignoring the demon and toying with the brick. “Submit, or die!”

“Keeper of Horses, you go too fa—ah!” The Black Bear Demon didn’t finish; the brick struck his forehead, and his world spun—his magic froze, his soul was shaken to its core, and he nearly passed out on the spot.

“Since you refuse… then die!” Without a shred of mercy, Hu Rong raised the Invincible Brick and brought it down mercilessly on the now-defeated Black Bear Demon.