With only the master and his three disciples left in the courtyard, Fang Er smiled and said, "Xuanmiao, is that right?"
Xuanmiao nodded, "Indeed, it is this humble monk."
"Called Xuanmiao? I don't like this name, sir!"
"It's better to change it back. From today onwards, you shall be called Tang Sanzang, and your three disciples' names will also be changed!"
"Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing. Yes, that's it! No room for discussion, sir brooks no arguments!"
The master and his three disciples were stunned. After a long while, Xuanmiao, no, Tang Sanzang nodded with a bitter face.
"Namo Hu Huanxi Buddha, I thank you, sir, for the bestowed names."
"When you are under someone else's roof, you must bow your head. Who in their right mind would want to die if they can live!"
"Good, that's more like it. Come, tell sir how your three disciples came to be."
"Big Eagle, come inside and bring out the chairs. Sir will do nothing today but listen to their stories." After Yan Shuangying brought out the chairs, Fang Er sprawled on one, crossed his legs, and listened to Tang Sanzang recount the Journey to the West, which had now been altered.
"Sun Wukong was rescued by Tang Sanzang at the foot of a mountain."
"According to Tang Sanzang, this fellow's origin is truly extraordinary. He is, in fact, a descendant of Ou Zhizi!"
"Having received the true inheritance, he wields the Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique with masterful skill."
"One day, a meteorite descended from the sky. Sun Wukong followed the meteorite into the mountains. As a result, the meteorite struck the ground, causing a landslide, and he was buried beneath it."
"Fortunately, he was quite far from the mountain, and only his body was buried, with his head remaining exposed."
"Buried for five days and five nights, just as he was about to die, Tang Sanzang passed by and rescued him."
"As for Zhu Bajie, he was rescued by Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong together."
"In a place called Fuling Mountain Cloud Ladder Cave, there was a group of vicious mountain bandits. After they robbed a village, they discovered the plump and long-eared Zhu Wuneng. This fellow was fat and strong, a rare find for bandits who lacked food."
"Thus, he was captured and taken back. The pot was prepared, water was boiled, and he was steamed!"
"Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong happened to pass by. How could the mere bandit lackeys let such plump sheep pass them by?"
"So, they came to rob them, but were quickly subdued by Sun Wukong's fists and kicks."
"A blacksmith's temper is the most fiery; how could he not retaliate when provoked? Sun Wukong, all by himself, attacked Cloud Ladder Cave, eliminated the bandits, and conveniently rescued Zhu Bajie from the steaming cage."
"Thus, another member joined the pilgrimage team."
"As the three masters and disciples passed through Tuyuhun, there was a great river named the Flowing Sand River."
"Sha Wujing was originally a local herdsman. While drawing water from the Flowing Sand River, he accidentally slipped and fell in."
"Having grown up by the river, his water skills were extraordinary. However, the current of the Flowing Sand River was swift, and despite using all his strength, he couldn't swim ashore."
"The pilgrimage trio passed by and casually rescued him. To repay their kindness, he also joined the pilgrimage team."
"Thus, the four-person pilgrimage team was formed."
"After experiencing the events in the Women's Country, Tang Sanzang attained the Dharma of Joyful Meditation. After Cheng Yaojin and the others took away all the people of the Eastern Women's Kingdom, the master and his three disciples also prepared to continue their journey west."
"Sun Wukong, by chance, discovered a giant meteorite in the Eastern Women's Kingdom."
"This thing held an irresistible attraction for a blacksmith; otherwise, he wouldn't have nearly been buried alive chasing a meteorite."
"Using the methods passed down from Ou Zhizi, he forged four artifacts from the meteorite."
"One staff weighed one hundred and eighty jin!"
"A rake weighed fifty-four jin!"
"A demon-subduing pestle weighed fifty-four jin!"
"A Zen staff weighed thirty-six jin!"
"Each of the master and his three disciples received one artifact."
"It's just that Tang Sanzang had not trained in martial arts, and even the thirty-six jin Zen staff felt inconvenient for him. So, Sun Wukong destroyed the staff and cast it into Buddhist beads of varying sizes, stringing them together and giving them to Sha Wujing."
"It was precisely the largest bead among these meteorite prayer beads that blocked Huang Sheng's fatal saber for Sha Wujing."
After listening to Tang Sanzang's narration, Fang Er's eyes widened.
"Outrageous, it's truly outrageous!"
"The Tang Sanzang who was originally on a pilgrimage ended up doing business as a Dharma transmitter!"
"Zhu Bajie nearly got steamed and eaten!"
"Sha Wujing nearly drowned in the Flowing Sand River!"
"What surprised him the most was that Sun Wukong was a descendant of Ou Zhizi!"
"Come, Wukong, let sir have a look at your staff." Fang Er was very curious about whether Tang Sanzang was telling the truth.
"This Sun Wukong, who was as short as a dwarf, could wield a hundred and eighty jin staff? How could it be that Tang Sanzang was bragging?"
Sun Wukong glanced at Tang Sanzang. Seeing him nod gently, he picked up the staff and walked to Fang Er.
He propped the staff upright and struck it on the ground.
With a "bang!", the bluestone floor tile shattered in response.
"Sir, please!" Sun Wukong's tone was filled with pride; he knew his staff best.
"Ordinary people couldn't even lift this staff. Heh heh heh heh, look at my old Sun's staff, let's see how you make a fool of yourself."
Fang Er's mouth twitched twice. He believed it!
He clearly saw that Sun Wukong had merely let the staff fall freely, and the bluestone tile was completely crushed by the staff's own weight!
"Big Eagle, give it a try."
It was so heavy that he definitely couldn't lift it himself, so it was more reliable to let Yan Shuangying try.
Yan Shuangying stepped out in response, grasped the staff with both hands, and the muscles in his arms bulged visibly even through his clothes. He consolidated his dantian and pulled with all his might. After swinging it a few times, he returned the staff to Sun Wukong.
"Sir, it is indeed nearly two hundred jin heavy!" Yan Shuangying whispered to Fang Er after testing the staff.
Fang Er's heart stirred, then he pointed at Sha Wujing and said, "Come, let sir have a look at your prayer beads."
"Eldest Brother and Second Brother are right!" Sha Wujing nodded heavily and said.
Fang Er: "..."
"What the heck is this?"
"Hahahaha, sir, you wouldn't know. Just then, Sun Wukong, standing nearby, laughed."
"Sir, Junior Brother Sha is a hidden person and does not speak Tang dialect. My Second Brother and I have only taught him this one sentence."
"Therefore, he only knows how to say this one sentence."