#moksa

[cruella-devegan]

Moksa / Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Farmhouse Pizza with caramelized onion, cauliflower and vegan mozzarella on buckwheat pizza

[nicksalius]

Meditazione yoga: un viaggio verso l’infinito interiore (Claudio Lamparelli)

La Meditazione Yoga è una pratica profonda che unisce tecniche corporee e concentrazione mentale per raggiungere l’arresto dell’attività pensante e accedere allo stato di samadhi, l’unione con il Sé universale. Attraverso la sospensione del respiro, la fissazione dello sguardo interiore, la contrazione di specifiche aree del corpo e la pressione della lingua contro il palato, si stimolano i…

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Moksa

[saileshcreates]

Moksa

[quitealotofsodapop]

Diet peach soup would probably have the celestials and Marshalls get involved a lot sooner. Overpowered babies are not a good idea to leave unsupervised. As for Macaque, the lady bone demon is most likely going to just shove him onto the thrall, as his problem. Either to be raised as her soldier, or as a potential backup vessel.

Prev.

Yeeeaah the Stalwarts have to get involved sooner than later since their king is now in his terrible twos (again). They present themselves to Pigsy and Tang as village elders who want to help them in raising the boys, and introducing them to their culture. Pigsy was eh on the idea, but Tang was uber excited! Monkey demon culture lessons!

Peaches and MK honestly thought that the Stalwarts were their grandparents for a long time, especially since they didn't know Papa Tang's side of family and assumed he was a just patchy-furred monkey. XD

Nezha, checking in on Wukong: "Why do I sense two baby stone monkeys- WHAT THE SCALLOP!?"

Peaches still gets his school bestie in the form of "Nez", albeit from an earlier age. Nezha can risk a mini-god running around without a voice of reason. Moksa tags in on his younger bro's behalf + as a kindness to Guanyin, as a "cool older kid" watching out for the little monkeys. The -Zha brothers want to keep Sun Wukong's condition as much as a secret as possible from the rest of the Celestial Realm.

Erlang takes one third-eye-look at the situation and goes "Ah crap, I'm gonna have to be their mentor." Cue an Athena and Telemachus dynamic developing between Erlang and the boys once they lift the Staff. But for now, he's Babysitter Jian - the only kid Pigsy and Tang have ever seen feed, wash, and entertain the little monkeys without so much as a grumble. (Jian, shrugs: "I have little cousins.")

Even the Peach Maidens who attended the Orchard with Wukong long ago ensure that he and his little brother are well-watched - glamouring themselves as a gaggle of old ladies in their favourite park. Always ready to pinch cheeks, give fresh fruit treats, and tell the boys how big they're getting!

The Thrall is currently reforming his body after Wukong slapped him across the country for stealing the Stone Egg (aka unhatched MK) + forcing him to drink some nasty potion (Meng Po's soup), so he's not much help in raising de-aged macaques rn.

Macaque accidentally dodges LBD by being a slippery little guy! Falls and crawls through so many shadows that its hard to keep track of him from the Underworld. Lives rough on the street for some time before ending up in the hands of someone who would truly care about him.

Sandy: "Aww. You're an odd little kitten aren't ya?" De-Aged!Macaque: (*spitting and hissing at the giant with all his might, violently protecting the cat food he found. Is barely the size of a football*) Sandy, gently picks up cub: "Hey hey... I used to be an angry little guy too. I learned that when a lot of people are upset, they're really just scared about something that hard to explain." De-Aged!Macaque: (*angry grumbles as he's picked up! Presses ears against fish man's chest to drown out the sound of the city*) Sandy: "Are your ears at you, little buddy? I can see why. One, two three... six ears! Thats a lot of earmuffs." De-Aged!Macaque: (*grumbling gets quieter. Absent-mindedly sucks on his fingers.*) Sandy, conflicted: "I... I really should just bring you to a police station or something. But something tells me that you'll need someone in your corner who understands how messy life can be. If I can manage it, would you be ok staying here with me?" De-Aged!Macaque: (*uninterested squeak*) Sandy, smile forming: "I'll take that as an Okey-dokey. Now... how about a name? Your white fur is super shiny in the moonlight... how about Moon?" "Moon": (*tares up at his new guardian with big violet eyes, one is milky and possibly blind. Makes a curious chirrup at the name.*) Sandy, heart-warming smile: "I think thats a winner."

Little Moon is a curious little guy. Not only because of his ears (the fish man jokes that it's his son's axolotl-like gills), but from an early age Moon has had control over shadows.

It began as simple fascination with stage magic. Moon watched stage magicians preform their tricks of misdirection and illusion, and wanted to see if he could replicate it.

Sandy: (*makes a bunny shape in the shadow of a lamp*) Moon: (*excited cheep!*) Moon: (*manipulates shadows to make many bunnies!*) Sandy, surprised: "Oh!"

Sandy was worried that this power wasn't something that could be trained easily, and an incident where Mo disappeared into one of Moon's shadows for an afternoon (reappeared unharmed once the treat bag was shaken) prompted the fish man to try and find an outlet for his kid.

Thats how he met The Nine Tailed Vixen. The elderly huli jing was hosting a children's acting class at her theatre, and Sandy wondered if it would aid his son's creative drive. It turned out to be a blessing since the heavenly fox was quick to identify, and help Moon tame his wild magic.

(Jiuweihuli is so relieved to have her protégé safe and sound again. Sandy is a good man, and she's glad that her little shadow has found a kind papa.)

Sensing a hunch, the old fox contacted Nezha on whether there wer other de-aged little monkeys...

Peaches and Moon meet during one of the acting camps. At first they cannot believe their eyes.

On sight they feel as though they've known the other their entire lives and beyond.

At the end of the day's acting camp, a group of old friends reunite.

Pigsy, with MK in a sling: "Sandy!?" Sandy: "Pigsy!" Peaches & Moon, running to their respective parent: "Baba!" Pigsy & Sandy, both surprised: "Baba!? You?!" "Yeah!" "Since when?" "Since I found him on the street!" "Whoa. weird."

Peaches and Moon are hard to separate after that meeting. Even if acting camp didn't turn out well for the ginger monkey (stage fright activated), they rarely go more than a week without an excited play date or visit to the theatre.

DBK's gut reaction to the young monkey demon holding his sworn brother's staff is; "Did Sun Wukong have a child- wait. What in Yama's name happened to you!?" Peaches doesn't answer the question as he nearly passes out screaming. Moon is half-way across town wondering what's scared his bestie so bad.

[journeythroughjourneytothewest]

And in an exciting new stage, we’ve been introduced to all but one of the future pilgrims! Thank you for adding them and their stats to reflect this @pompomqt​. Here’s looking forward to how they’ll continue to grow as the tale goes on.

Journey to the West Chapter 8

So after the events of last chapter, the Buddha finally returns to the Treasure Monastery of Thunderclap. About 500 years after he subdued Monkey, Buddha says that he has 3 baskets of scriptures, one that speaks of the collection of Heaven, one which tells of Earth and one that can redeem the damned. So he calls on a volunteer from the crowd to travel east to find a virtuous believer to make the Journey to the West, to bring the scriptures back to the sinful people of the east to enlighten the people there. The Bodhisattva Guanyin volunteers as tribute. So the Buddha gives her an embroidered cassock and a nine ring priestly staff to give to the scripture pilgrim which will supposedly prevent him from falling back into the wheel of transmigration and protect him from poison and harm. He also gives her three tightening fillets, and tells her to be on the look out for monsters with great power that can be persuaded to become a disciple of the scripture pilgrim. If they are disobedient they can recite a spell that will tighten the fillet and cause them to feel like their brains will burst. Before this I think I knew that there were three fillets, one for each of the disciples, but I've only ever heard of Monkey's being used. I wonder if he is the only one who it's ever truly used on- or if he's just the most famous?

So as per Buddha's instruction Guaynin heads out with her disciple and body guard Moksa. As they are flying low to examine the terrain they come across the massive and evil looking Flowing Sand River. As they are examining the river and wondering how the scripture pilgrim is going to get across, they are attacked by the soon to be 'Sandy'. When Sandy tries to grab Guanyin, Moksa intercepts him and they battle for a while, before Sandy recognizes Hui'an as Guanyin's disciple, and Moksa points her out to him. Sandy apologizes and explains that he isn't a monster, but instead the Curtain-Raising General, who was given eight hundred lashes and banished to earth for breaking a crystal cup. And even worse, every seven days the Jade Emperor sends a flying sword to stab him more then a hundred times before it leaves again. This situation has led to him finding and eating travelers for food.

Guanyin tells him that she's on her way to find a scripture pilgrim, and suggests that he becomes the pilgrims disciple, in exchange she will have the sword called off, and when they succeed his sins will be forgiven and he will be restored to his former position. Sandy is willing, but worried that since he has devoured numerous scripture pilgrims, and chained their skulls together because they floated in the water rather then sank, that no other scripture pilgrim will every come this way. Guanyin instructs Sandy to hang the skulls around his neck, because when the scripture pilgrim comes there will be a use for them. I'm honestly very curious on what this 'use' could possibly be... but who am I to question the Bodhisattva? Anyways she gives him the name 'Sha Wujing' which means 'Sand Aware of Purity', and then she heads off, leaving Sha Wujing to wait for the scripture pilgrim.

A while after Guanyin and Moksa bid ado to Sandy they encounter the evil looking mountain 'Mountain of the Blessed Mound', and are once again attacked by a monster. This pig monster tries to attack Guanyin with his rake, but is deflected by Moksa. The two battle it out for a while, before Guanyin intervenes by throwing down some lotus flowers to separate them. Which leads to Pigsy recognizing her, and asking her to pardon his sin. He explains that he was originally The Marshal of the Heavenly Reeds in the Heavenly River, but because he got drunk and dallied with the moon goddess the Jade Emperor had him beaten with a mallet two thousand times and banished to the earth. Apparently he had a mistake when trying to reincarnate and ended up in the womb of a sow. After having killed the sow and the rest of the litter, he took over this mountain and began eating people. Pigsy, despite asking Guanyin to forgive his sin, initially seems reluctant to change his ways in order to earn said forgiveness, saying that he'll starve to death trying to follow the law of Buddha and that he's better off eating travelers. But Guanyin explains her quest and explains that if he becomes the pilgrims diciple, he can be forgiven from his sins. Pigsy finally agree's and she gives him the name 'Zhu Wuneng' meaning 'Pig who is aware of ability'. So with that Guanyin and Moksa take their leave, leaving Pigsy to be strictly vegetarian until the Scripture Pilgrim arrives.

After once again journeying on for a while, they come across a young dragon calling for help. The dragon explains that he is a son of the dragon king of the Western Ocean Aorun, but because he accidentally set fire to the palace his father had the court of heaven charge him with grave disobedience. The Jade Emperor hung him in the sky, gave him 300 lashes and ordered him to be executed in a few days.

So Guanyin and Moksa rush up to the see the Jade Emperor, and convince him to spare the dragons life, and give him to her for the scripture pilgrim to use as a mode of transportation. The Jade Emperor agrees, and the young dragon pledges obedience to Guanyin. So Guanyin tells him to wait in a mountain stream and transform into a white horse and accompany the pilgrim when he arrives. I wonder why she didn't give him a new name like she did with Sandy and Pigsy?

After the duo take their leave of the young dragon, they come across Five phases mountain, where Sun Wukong is being imprisoned. Guanyin composes a short poem about how Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in heaven, causing Sun Wukong to complain and demand to know who is composing poems about his faults. Which- fair reaction lol. Anyways, Sun Wukong complains about how he has been here for such a long time and never even received any visitors and asks Guanyin to rescue him. Guanyin says that she fears if she releases him, he will just cause mayhem again, but he says that he is willing to learn the proper path and practice cultivation. Guanyin then tells him that is he is willing, then she will send the Scripture Pilgrim to release him, so he can follow him as a disciple. She then offers to give him a name, but he says he already has one- 'Sun Wukong'. This works out perfectly for Guanyin who had given Pigsy and Sandy names that were also built on the word 'Wu'. So with that sorted out, Guanyin and Moksa make it to Chang'an of the Great Tang Nation, and set of camp in a local spirit's temple.

And with that- we have all but 1 member of this five man band revealed. Thanks for reading this weeks chapter of Journey to the West with @journeythroughjourneytothewest Current Sun Wukong Stats: Names/Titles: Monkey, The Stone Monkey, The Handsome Monkey King, Sun Wukong (Monkey awakened to the void), Bimawen (Banhorseplague) and The Great Sage Equal To Heaven. Immortality: 5 Weapon: The Compliant Golden Hooped Rod Abilities: 72 Transformations, Cloud-Somersault, Ability to transform his individual hairs, super strength, Ability to Summon Wind, Water restriction charm, and the ability to change into a huge war form, ability to duplicate his staff, ability to immobilize others, the ability to put others to sleep, and the Fiery eyes and Diamond Pupils Demon Kill Count: 1+ Unknown Number of Minions God's Defeated: 19 + Unknown number Defeats: 2 Crime List: Robbery, Murder, Mass Murder, Arson, Theft, Coercion, Threatening a Government Official, Resisting Arrest, Assault, Forgery, Employee Theft, False Imprisonment, Impersonating a Government Official and Treason. Cry Count: 3 Mountains Trapped Under: 1 Current Sha Wujing Stats: Names/Titles: The Curtain-Raising General, Sha Wujing (Sand Aware of Purity), and Sandy. Weapon: 'Monster Taming Staff' Crime List: Breaking a Crystal Cup, murder, and desecration of a human corpse. Current Zhu Wuneng Stats: Names/Titles: The Marshal of the Heavenly Reeds, Zhu Wuneng (Pig who is aware of ability) and Pigsy. Weapon: Rake Crime List: Sexual Harassment and Murder. Current Bai Long Ma Stats: Names/Titles: Bai Long Ma (White Dragon Horse), and Prince of the Western Ocean. Crime List: Arson, and Grave Disobedience.

[googleitlol]

So… saying Dove is a little antsy to find Wukong and get out of Red Boy's cave may be an understatement.

With many of Red Boy's men injured, it takes about a full day to clear the rubble blocking the entrance. Having nothing to do but wait only drives Dove mad with worry. The second enough is cleared for her to leave, she says goodbye to Red Boy and goes. They do have a little talk first about maybe finding different methods to controlling the Samadhi Fire, or at the very least controlling his temper so something like this doesn't happen again.

She'd stay to help him if she could, but in the moment, all she can think about is finding out what happened to Sun Wukong.

Dove Masterlist:

Oh

There’s a space through the blockage. Too small for a person but just enough for your dove form, and that’s all you need. With nothing else keeping you here, you make your way to the entrance, Red Boy following from behind.

“Take care, Red Boy.” You give the boy a smile once you reach the entrance.

The kid doesn’t look up at you, his eyes focused on the ground in front of his feet. “Are you sure you can’t stay?”

A quiet huff of air escapes from your lips, strings pull at your heart as you watch the boy. If only you do more for him, but that just isn’t possible. You can’t put off returning to your friends any longer, and you have to figure out what happened to Sun Wukong. The thought of having Red Boy join you did cross your mind, he certainly would be helpful if he could learn to control the Samadhi Fire. But if you’re able to find Wukong and others, there’s no way they would want him to join. Not after, well, everything.

Still, he needs better guidance than what is here for him in this cave. You just aren’t able to be the one to do it. “My friends are waiting, and I need to know what happened to Sun Wukong.” You crouch down and rest a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry you had to go through that fight, try to take it easy from now on, okay? Try putting an end to all that eating-people thing.”

“…I’ll think about it.” He groans. A little worrying, but you feel as though that’s as good of an answer as you’re going to get.

Standing back up, you pat the boy on the head, ruffling his hair a bit. “Goodbye, Red Boy.”

He grunts in response, and with that, you take flight and squeeze through the opening amidst the rubble. The land before you once you emerge from the cave is a depressing sight. The water seems to have gone down a bit, but the ground alongside it is a muddy mess. Forgotten arrows and blood-stained weapons stick out from the ground and mountainside, scattered across the battlefield. Some trees have fallen over, others that still stand have burnt branches and scorched trunks.

You don’t spend much time taking in the aftermath of the battle, determined to get moving as quickly as possible. Sun Wukong must have drifted downstream, so that’s where you have to go. With any luck, you might run into the rest of the pilgrims on your search. This is the same direction Tripitaka went to find Pigsy and Sandy, after all.

Staying close to the river, the trek down the mountain is quiet, oddly so. Not a single animal crosses your path, there are no birds in the sky nor is there a single buzz of an insect. It might have worried you if not for your thoughts focused on one thing and one thing only.

Your eyes constantly scope out the surrounding area for hours, looking for any trace of Sun Wukong. It’s like you can still see him falling into the river, that moment playing in your mind over and over. Never did you think you’d ever see him like that, like he could actually be… no, he isn’t.

Come on, this is Sun Wukong you’re thinking about. He’s the Monkey King, Great Sage Equal to Heaven! Maybe that hit only surprised him. After all, nothing can hurt him. At least, not physically. You hope so.

Dammit! Your thoughts are getting the better of you. How can they not? If Wukong really was okay, why haven’t you seen him? Why didn’t he get out of the water? The thought of finding his body washed up along the riverbed sends a shiver down your spine. What if he’s unresponsive? If you hold him up only for him to slump back like dead weight? If you try and feel for a pulse–

Before you can spiral any further, an odd scent disrupts your thoughts. Why… Why can you smell saltwater?

The ground begins to shake, and you quickly take dove form and fly up to a nearby tree. The roar of the river grows louder, even more so than during the thunderstorm. It’s coming from uphill, and when you look back, you see it isn’t the river growing louder.

A tidal wave crashes down the mountain, a massive wall of water falling downhill towards you. Smaller trees are knocked down by the rolling force and you quickly take off to a higher vantage point in the sky. The mass of water rushes past, drowning the surrounding land and rising exponentially.

Where did all of this come from? It isn’t slowing down, if anything, more water is coming, but the question of its origin eludes you. It smells like ocean water, but how did it get here? It’s encompassing the mountain at an impossible rate, the trees that still stand barely have a moment left in the air before the water rises to swallow them completely.

Damn, how are you meant to find anyone in this?! Who could be doing this? Did the dragon king’s army return? But they couldn’t have made it rain saltwater, there isn’t even any rain clouds overhead! But then who could be responsible? Who could turn an entire mountain into an ocean?

…Wait a moment.

You look out over the water, a hint of nostalgia flashing through your mind. It is almost like the Southern Sea, by Potalaka Mountain. It couldn’t be… surely, not.

As if you had the capacity to take in any more sudden events, a boy’s scream pierces through the sky. Was that Red Boy? You look out in the direction of the cry and notice three figures in the distance where you came from, by Red Boy’s cave. One of them is on a strange mass, the other two hovering just above on some kind of platform.

You fly over, as fast as you can. What could have happened now?! When you get closer, you’re able to recognise the figures and realise– oh, shit.

The figure sitting on the mass is Red Boy, and the thing he’s sitting on is a collection of swords??? How does that even happen?! What surprises you even more are the two figures in front of him on a lotus platform. Your fellow disciple, Moksa, and Guan Yin herself.

All one thousand of her arms are revealed, her gaze cold as she narrows her eyes at the demon boy before her. You’ve rarely seen that look from her, brows pinched together and her glare sharp enough to pierce metal. You only ever saw that expression when you got into serious trouble as a child.

She holds five golden bands up into the air before sending them towards Red Boy. Four bands fly to his wrists and ankles with the last one falling around his neck. “Listen to me well, child. Under normal circumstances, I would have given you the opportunity to surrender yourself without the constriction of the golden bands. However, you have made a mistake. Have your men release my disciple and I may spare you.”

Shit shit shit shit–

Pushing yourself to go faster, you fly towards the three to disarm the situation. You don’t have to get much closer before your master raises her head up and turns in your direction, Moksa quickly doing the same. “Squab?” She calls out to you as you approach.

Once you’re close enough, two of her arms pull you close into a tight embrace. “Thank goodness you’re safe, my child. Are you hurt?” She loosens her grip a bit once you change back to your human form and stand on the platform with her, but more of her smothering hands begin checking your face and arms, focusing on the wrappings on your arm while you try to speak.

“No– I mean, a little, but it’s alright! I’m okay.” You quickly pull your arm back, but before you can say much else, she wraps you in another hug.

“I was told what happened, I came as soon as I could.” She explains, finally letting you go and giving you the chance to breathe, her arms slowly fading with the reassurance of your safety.

With her check-up over with, you look back to the demon child sitting on the mass of swords. “Please, let Red Boy go. I have already resolved the problem, he let me leave without issue.”

Moksa shoots you a surprised look. “You did?”

“Yes!” Red Boy shouts out on your behalf, the poor boy on the verge of tears.

Guan Yin looks over to the demon child, and the swords vanish in an instant. Red Boy manages to catch himself with his fire cloud, quickly shooting your fellow disciple and master an irritated look while Moksa steps closer to you to give you a hug. “You had us worried, Sister. We were told that you were able to negotiate the freedom of the Tang Monk, but you were still trapped in the demon’s cave.” He explains with a frown, and you mirror the look. Who could have told them that?

“She isn’t in there!” Your head whips back when you hear his voice.

He’s there, crouched on his somersault cloud and looking back in the direction of the cave as he flies forward. “I went back to the brat’s home, but–”

He isn’t able to finish before you jump to him, tackling him into a hug. “Wukong!”

“WoOAHH–!” He lets out a shout as he loses his balance and falls back, sending the two of you crashing into the sea below.

The splash of salt water isn’t enough for you to let go, not until you notice your friend sinking deeper into the water like a rock. A hand grabs onto the back of your shirt as well as Wukong’s, Moksa pulling the two of you out of the water.

Wukong is quick to jump back onto his cloud, barely shaking off the water before taking you out of Moksa’s arms. “Dove, you’re okay!”

“Are you?!” You hold his arms in your own. He looks a little beat. From what’s exposed of his chest, you can see wrappings that go around his chest and back. “I saw you fall in the fight but you didn’t surface! I know you’re immortal but I thought you might have– I thought that…”

You pull him close, holding him tight in your arms. You let your head rest on his shoulder, that faint scent of peaches more comforting than you ever thought it could be. “You scared me.”

He’s quiet for a moment, stiff before returning the embrace. “You’re one to talk.” He chuckles, one arm wrapping around your back while the other cradles the back of your head, his fingers tangling in your hair.

“Usually, when it’s just Master that’s been taken, I can handle things with just my brothers and you.” He mumbles, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance. “I had to bring an entire army and a bodhisattva for this! You are exhausting to rescue.”

“Me?! I negotiated Tripitaka’s freedom and my own after your first fight!” You release him from your hold with a laugh. To think you even spent so long worrying about this stupid monkey. “ You’re exhausted? I’ve been following the river for hours, terrified at the thought of finding your corpse washed up on its banks!”

“That doesn’t make any sense, I can’t die!” He scoffs, rolling his eyes at the thought.

“Explain all this, then!” You take the idiot by his lapels and pull his shirt down a bit to expose the wrappings, how badly was he hurt when he got hit??

You reach out to turn him around and check his back when he lets out a hiss. You retract your hand when he pulls back and shoots you with a look. “Sorry.”

“Wow, Sister, leave the injured man alone. Or at least wait for us to leave.” Moksa scolds with a smirk, and it only hits you now that you have an audience watching you pull your friend’s shirt down.

Guan Yin laughs softly under her breath, clearly amused despite your face growing more and more red. “I see that you really are alright.”

You nod, turning to face the bodhisattva while Wukong fixes his shirt. “Yes, Master. I apologise for any worry I may have caused with my absence.”

“Miss, you have a lot of friends with very violent tendencies.” Red Boy frowns, his arms crossed.

Before you can respond, Wukong put an arm over you and gives the boy a glare. “Says the one who was planning on eating her.”

“I didn’t want to eat her, just your master.” Red Boy scoffs. “I’m not so terrible as to do harm to the people that are nice to me.”

“Yeah, because locking them up is so much better.” Wukong bites back. “You’re lucky I didn’t swat you halfway across the continent!”

The boy laughs. “Like you could! Remind me, simian, who was the one that lost both fights?”

“You mean after you pulled those dirty tricks with the fire?!” He sneers, his cloud moving the two of you closer to the boy before you pull his arm back.

“Okay! Let’s all take a breath.” You hum, giving your friend a smile. “I think it’s about time we got back to the others, yeah?” Wukong looks over to you as you speak, the anger on his face receding before giving the demon boy one last glare.

“Yeah, you’re right.” When he looks back at you, he returns your smile.

Your master hums. “Give your companions my regards, I’m afraid I will have to stay back.” She glances over to Red Boy, who shrinks back a bit under her gaze. “There are some things I would like to discuss before returning home.”

With that, Sun Wukong scoops you into his arms. You let out a bit of a surprised noise when he does, and he takes off before you’re able to say a word. Hopefully, your master goes easy on the boy.

Soon it’s just you and Wukong soaring through the new sea, and you give the demon a worried frown. “Here, I can change back into a dove–”

“No, it’s alright.” He grunts, his eyes facing towards the horizon.

Your brows furrow, discomfort itching at your limbs. “But you’re hurt, I don’t want you to strain yourself.”

“Ha!” He grins, shaking his head as though you said something amusing. “I can still lift my staff just fine, and it weighs several tons more than you ever could.” Wukong looks down to you, noticing the worry on your face and frowning. He hums a bit as he looks back up, silence stretching for only a moment before he continues.

“I just… it’s been a long couple of days, and I want to.” He admits. “You’ve had me worried sick and, I don’t know– I feel better like this. Is that okay with you?”

Wukong looks back down to you, his eyes almost… you’re not sure what to call it. The look he shares with you, it’s soft, gentle. You’re taken aback a little by the sincerity in his voice, and even though you feel an immense relief to see him safe– to see him alive– you still feel your heart quicken its pace the longer you share this look with him. Perhaps it was because you haven’t had a peaceful moment with him in the last two days or so, but his red and golden eyes stun you in the moment. Those golden irises, they’ve always taken you a little by surprise.

Eventually, you remember he asked you a question, and turn away into his shoulder in hopes to hide the flushed red growing over your face. You’re not even sure why you can feel any heat in your cheeks. “Sure, Peaches, I don’t mind.”

“Peaches?” Your eyes go wide as he echoes the nickname.

Now you have a reason for your face turning red. “I mean, you are what you eat.” You mumble, as though any sort of reasoning could make this any less embarrassing. You didn’t mean to say any of that out loud! Gah, what is going on with you?!

He laughs a bit, clearly amused. “No, I like it! You’re right, I am what I eat.” His chuckle rumbles through his chest, and oddly enough, you can feel his heartbeat become a little faster. “Does this mean I get to call you Love-Do–”

“No.”

His laughter fills the air, and you can’t help but smile a little when you hear it. Knowing he’s safe, that he’s with you now, it feels as though a weight has lifted. You’ve never felt so afraid for him before, have such panic rush through you over the thought that he was in genuine danger. Hearing his laughter, you can’t help but feel this sense of relief, of joy.

Wukong sighs, and you feel his hold tighten just slightly. “I’m glad you’re safe, Dove.”

Your smile refusing to fade, you tuck your head into the crook of his neck and sigh. The scent of peaches is so calming. “I’m glad you’re safe too, Peaches.”

Sun Wukong giggles, and you grin. He sounds like he really likes that nickname, huh? Maybe it wouldn’t be so embarrassing to use it more, if it got that sort of reaction from him. Maybe not in front of the others, though.

~~~~

She called him Peaches. It’s… it’s cute. Sun Wukong didn’t expect that from her, though her embarrassment is making it all the better. With the stress of these past days, he nearly forgot how much he loves it when she gets all flustered like that. It’s just… he can’t think of any other way to describe it other than cute.

The sage can feel his heart racing but he tries his best to ignore it and play it cool. Damn, how does she do it? When she was gone, he was beyond stressed, and having her in his arms is so calming, yet his heart is going a mile a minute. How does she do this to him?

She’s the only one who ever can. It felt like some sort of magic, but not her usual magic. Not her gift, it was… it was something else. That ‘something else’ has been bugging the sage for some time now. He’s not sure when it started, but whenever he’s able to see that smile, when he caught a glimpse of her in the heat of battle– sometimes when she was the way she is now, all flustered– that something else prods at him.

Wukong looks down at her again, safe in his arms. He could stay like this forever, if he could. Her warmth encapsulates him, making his injury nothing more than a faded memory. It feels so right, so perfect, having Dove in his arms.

Her calming aura and that something else continues to pick away at him. It makes him feel light, and when it’s there he can’t help but smile and tighten his hold slightly. He doesn’t want this to slip away. What a nice feeling, this something else. “I’m glad you’re safe, Dove.”

She smiles before nuzzling her head into his neck, and the action is enough for Wukong to believe his heart might burst from his chest. He feels his face flush as she lets out a little sigh of content. The small sound is enough to make his chest constrict. “I’m glad you’re safe too, Peaches.”

The giggle that comes from him is completely involuntary, as though it’s an automatic reaction to her name for him. This woman… That something else, it’s almost eating away at him.

That something… else…

Oh. Oh, wait.

No… wait, no… oh.

Oh.

[whatsontap]

[journeytothewestresearch]

Is Six Ears an Aspect of Sun Wukong?

I've seen some people claim that Six Ears is not an aspect of Sun Wukong's mind. They either ignore the references to "one mind" and "two Minds" (and the Buddhist philosophy behind them), or they just say it's allegory and nothing more. Well, there are actually internal story details from chapter 58 that support the close connection between the Monkey King and his doppelganger.

1) The Bodhisattva Guanyin and her “eyes of wisdom” (huiyan, 慧眼) can’t tell them apart:

The various deities and the Bodhisattva stared at the two for a long time, but none could tell them apart (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 106). 眾諸天與菩薩都看良久，莫想能認。 [And later:] Pressing his palms together, our Buddha said, “Guanyin, the Honored One, can you tell which is the true Pilgrim and which is the false one?” “They came to your disciple’s humble region the other day,” replied the Bodhisattva, “but I truly could not distinguish between them …” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 114). 我佛合掌道：「觀音尊者，你看那兩個行者，誰是真假？」菩薩道：「前日在弟子荒境，委不能辨 …

2) The tight-fillet spell works on both Monkeys:

Asking Moksa and Goodly Wealth [a.k.a. Red Boy] to approach her, the Bodhisattva whispered to them this instruction: “Each of you take hold of one of them firmly, and let me start reciting in secret the Tight-Fillet Spell. The one whose head hurts is the real monkey; the one who has no pain is specious.” Indeed, the two disciples took hold of the two Pilgrims as the Bodhisattva recited in silence the magic words. At once the two of them gripped their heads and rolled on the ground, both screaming, “Don’t recite! Don’t recite!” The Bodhisattva stopped her recital … (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 106). 菩薩喚木叉與善財上前，悄悄吩咐：「你一個幫住一個，等我暗念緊箍兒咒，看那個害疼的便是真，不疼的便是假。」他二人果各幫一個。菩薩暗念真言，兩個一齊喊疼，都抱著頭，地下打滾，只叫：「莫念，莫念。」菩薩不念 …

(If someone disagrees with this one, they need to show where it says Six Ears is faking the pain.)

3) Both the Jade Emperor and the imp-reflecting mirror can’t tell them apart:

Issuing a decree at once to summon Devariija Li, the Pagoda-Bearer, the Jade Emperor commanded: “Let us look at those two fellows through the imp-reflecting mirror, so that the false may perish and the true endure.” The devaraja took out the mirror immediately and asked the Jade Emperor to watch with the various celestial deities. What appeared in the mirror were two reflections of Sun Wukong: there was not the slightest difference between their golden fillets, their clothing, and even their hair. Since the Jade Emperor found it impossible to distinguish them, he ordered them chased out of the hall (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, pp. 107-108). 玉帝即傳旨宣托塔李天王，教：「把照妖鏡來照這廝誰真誰假，教他假滅真存。」天王即取鏡照住，請玉帝同眾神觀看。鏡中乃是兩個孫悟空的影子，金箍、衣服，毫髮不差。玉帝亦辨不出，趕出殿外。

4) Only omniscient beings like Investigative Hearing (Ksitigargbha's mount) and the Buddha can tell the two apart:

[T]he Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha said, “Wait a moment! Wait a moment! Let me ask Investigative Hearing to listen for you.” That Investigative Hearing, you see, happens to be a beast that usually lies beneath the desk of Ksitigarbha. When he crouches on the ground, he can in an instant perceive the true and the false, the virtuous and the wicked among all short-haired creatures, scaly creatures, hairy creatures, winged creatures, and crawling creatures, and among all the celestial immortals, the earthly immortals, the divine immortals, the human immortals, and the spirit immortals resident in all the cave Heavens and blessed lands in the various shrines, rivers, and mountains of the Four Great Continents. In obedience, therefore, to the command of Ksitigarbha, the beast prostrated himself in the courtyard of the Hall of Darkness, and in a little while, he raised his head to say to his master, “I have the name of the fiend …” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 112) …地藏王菩薩道：「且住，且住。等我著諦聽與你聽個真假。」原來那諦聽是地藏菩薩經案下伏的一個獸名。他若伏在地下，一霎時，將四大部洲山川���稷，洞天福地之間，蠃蟲、鱗蟲、毛蟲、羽蟲、昆蟲、天仙、地仙、神仙、人仙、鬼仙，可以照鑒善惡，察聽賢愚。那獸奉地藏鈞旨，就於森羅庭院之中，俯伏在地。須臾，擡起頭來，對地藏道：「怪名雖有…」。 [...] Smiling, Tathagata said, “Though all of you [Guanyin] possess vast dharma power and are able to observe the events of the whole universe, you cannot know all the things therein, nor do you have the knowledge of all the species” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 114). 如來笑道：「汝等法力廣大，只能普閱周天之事，不能遍識周天之物，亦不能廣會周天之種類也。」 […] [After the Buddha explains the ten categories of life and the four types of celestial primates (see the introduction here), he says:] As I see the matter, that specious Wukong must be a six-eared macaque … (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 115). 我觀假悟空乃六耳獼猴也 …

In short, the twin monkeys are so hard to tell apart simply because they are representations of the true and illusionary minds (refer back to the article) within the same person.

So what does this say about Shadowpeach? I know LMK is a separate entity from the novel, but applying canon to this ship would make it more self-love, right? I'm sure those with creatively perverted minds know what I'm taking about.

[journeythroughjourneytothewest]

A lovely set of sketches as always! Many thanks for sending them to this group @creativeafterdark. It's always neat to see how people visualize how the different characters looked when going through the book's events. And yes, you do have to wonder what it was like for the Mt. Huaguoshan monkeys, especially Sun Wukong, when they realized they were losing the war...

So chapter 6 was...A LOT. But as usual I have some sketches for it!

@journeythroughjourneytothewest

Starting with

My designs for Guanyin, Muzha and Erlang! I plan to give Erlang a slightly different design for any future appearances, but i enjoy the idea of him being younger at this time. I really adore Guanyin so I was extra excited they were in this chapter and I got to make a design for them.

The meeting of the two Sages. Erlang must definitely had been young due to Wukong's smack talk. I really enjoyed the fight and banter between the two. I can see why a lot of people say they'd be buddies were the circumstances different.

Liu and Ma realizing that Wukong may have met his match with Erlang. Honestly the monkeys go through so much in this chapter. And I just made it worse for Liu elsewhere

I think this chapter is most disconcerting when you realize that Wukong was GENUINELY afraid when realizing just how evenly matched he and Erlang were. And I can only imagine the emotions he had as he was dragged to heaven.

I want to read the next chapter before I draw my personal ideas for the siege on the mountain ordered by Erlang. It'd be where my Macaque Spirit King would get some very heavy trauma but also be the start of my version of Liu'er Mihou's descent into madness.

And as a bonus:

Local god gets called a cheater by visiting angel. (More of a scene from a jttw x mythology story/au idea where multiple mythologies interact and a few different folks end up in China during the Havoc)

[cruella-devegan]

Moksa / Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Ubud souvlaki with skewered oyster mushrooms, sweet potato flat bread, Greek salad and vegan tzatziki

[art-that-fucks-you-up-tournament]

SET FOUR - ROUND THREE - MATCH ONE

"Symphony of the Sixth Blast Furnace" (1979 - Evgeny Sedukhin) / "Khajuraho Group of Monuments" (c. 885-1000)

SYMPHONY OF THE SIXTH BLAST FURNACE: I love the things it does with shape and light and I love how big and bright and holy the machinery is. the beauty of everyday overlooked things. (@regicidal-optimism)

KHAJURAHO GROUP OF MONUMENTS: alright so obviously the carvings of these temple floor me. they are absolutely stunning and intricate!!!

although khajuraho has much more to it than its erotic nature the thing i love about this picture are these particular carvings. they give a small glimpse of how sex wasnt a stigma back then.

espl because now sex is something that is considered to 'make you stray further from god', it is big deal that it was depicted on temples! (and obviously it shouldnt be)“Even the Kama (sex) scenes, when seen in combination of sculptures that precede and follow, depict the spiritual themes such as moksha (the transcendent state attained as a result of being released from the cycle of rebirth.). This state which is “like a man and woman in close embrace” is a symbol of moksa, final release or reunion of two principles, the essence (Purusha) and the nature (Prakriti). Source” (anonymous)

("Symphony of the Sixth Blast Furnace" is an oil on canvas painting by Soviet artist Evgeny Sedukhin.

"Khajuraho Group of Monuments" was a group of 85 Hindu and Jain temples, spread over 20 sq km (7.7 sq mi); today, only about 25 temples have survived, spread over six sq km (2.3 sq mi). They are located in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, India.)

[journeythroughjourneytothewest]

Chapter Recap: Chapter Twenty-Two: Eight Rules fights fiercely at the Flowing-Sand River; Moksa by order receives Wujing's submission

This chapter begins with the three pilgrims proceeding swiftly through the Yellow Wind Mountain and then traveling without any special difficulty until autumn. Yet it is at this time that they come upon “a huge and turbulent river, its waves surging and splashing.” Tripitaka and Eight Rules are doubtful that they can cross it, and even Sun Wukong is left “somewhat frightened” by the ferocity of its waves and the fact that it is at least eight hundred miles wide. For while he “need only make one twist of his body” to “reach the other shore…for you, Master, it’s a thousand times more difficult, for you can’t traverse it even in ten thousand years!”  

Anxious to cross but equally anxious at the dangers that lay in trying, Tang Sanzang soon discovers a slab of stone. All three pilgrims read it and discover that their most recent obstacle is the “Flowing-Sand River,” which is not only eight hundred miles wide but also three thousand miles deep. It is further composed of “weak water” so that even feathers and petals sink to its bottom. As the trio are going over these facts, a “most savage and hideous monster” with a “head full of tousled and flame-like hair,” a “pair of bright, round, eyes which shone like lamps,” “an indigo face, neither black nor green,” a neck adorned with “nine skulls” as a necklace, and wielding “an awesome priestly staff” suddenly bursts from the water. This yaoguai “went straight for the Tang Monk,” but Pilgrim Sun manages to pull his shifu to higher ground while Zhu Bajie engages this “fiend” in a battle. We also learn through a poem that just as Eight Rules was once the Marshal of Heavenly Reeds, this river yaoguai was once the Curtain-Raising Captain by the Throne, and that in years past they had met each other as deities in the Divine Mists Hall. Now, however, they fight ferociously for twenty rounds, with neither one emerging the victor.

Sun Wukong, for his own part, is standing guard over Tang Sanzang, Bai Longma, and the luggage. Yet he “became so aroused by the sight of Eight Rules engaging that fiend” that eventually the monkey “could not restrain himself,” and leaves Tripitaka’s side so that he could “go play with [the yaoguai] a little.” Ignoring the Tang monk’s pleas for him to stay, the Monkey King joins the fight “with a loud whoop” and leaves the river monster “so shaken” that he “dove straight into the Flowing-Sand River and disappeared.” This upsets Zhu Bajie greatly, who leaps about wildly asking Sun Wukong while he spoiled the battle. The Monkey King laughingly tells the pig that when “I saw how delicious your fight with him was…I jumped up here to have some fun with him.” The two soon return to Tang Sanzang “holding hands and teasing each other,” but they do have to tell Tripitaka about their failure to catch the yaoguai. The Tang monk also suggests that the river yaoguai might be a good person “to lead us across” the Flowing-Sand River, as he had “probably lived here for a long time.” Sun Wukong agrees, and states that when they catch this yaoguai they won’t kill him immediately but will “just make him take Master across the river before we dispose of him.”

All apparently agreeing to this plan, Zhu Bajie tells Sun Wukong to fight with the river yaoguai while he guards Tang Sanzang. The Monkey King, however, reveals with a laugh that “doing business in water somewhat cramps my style” because he either has to transform into a water creature or use one hand to wield a water repelling spell when dealing with that element. Eight Rules then states that he had once “commanded a naval force of eighty thousand men” and had thus “acquired some knowledge” of moving through water when he was the Marshal of the Heavenly River, but that he is afraid that the river yaoguai might “have a few relatives down there in his den, and I won’t be able to withstand him if his seventh and eighth cousins all come out.” As such, Sun Wukong proposes that Zhu Bajie fight with the monster a little bit before feigning defeat to entice him to the shore, whereupon “old Monkey will help you.” Eight Rules agrees to this plan, and immediately “leaped through billows and waves and headed for the bottom of the river.”

The river yaoguai, for his own part, is at home catching his breath. Yet he is forced to confront Zhu Bajie once again, with the pig demanding that this monster explain what he means when he says he’s “no demon or fiend, nor do I lack a name or surname,” even though he does “stay here and take human lives.” The river yaoguai then reveals through poetry how he was once the Curtain-Raising Captain in the South Heaven Gate, exalted by the Jade Emperor himself. Yet one day when the Queen Mother was giving the Festival of Peach, he had dropped and broken a jade cup, which so enraged the Jade Emperor that he immediately stripped him of his rank and finery and would have had him killed if the Naked Feet Great immortal hadn’t begged to free the ex-captain. So instead the Jade Emperor sentenced the ex-captain to exile on the shores of the Flowing-Sand River. Here the ex-captain had become a yaoguai who’s “eaten many men;/over and over I took human lives.” He then threatens to make Zhu Bajie his “minced meat sauce.” This so enrages Eight Rules—for “Old Hog is tempting enough to make people’s mouths water, and you dare say that I’m coarse, that I’m to be chopped up for a chopped meat sauce!”—that they immediately start fighting. They go at it for two hours with neither one prevailing.

Up on the shore, Sun Wukong watches the fight “with bulging eyes,” but he dares not intervene. Finally Zhu Bajie feigns defeat and makes for the eastern shore, the river yaoguai hot on his heels. The plan is ruined, however, when “our Pilgrim could no longer restrain himself. He abandoned his master, whipped out the iron rod, leaped to the riverside and struck at the monster’s head. Fearing to face him, the monster swiftly dove back into the river.” An infuriated Eight Rules calls Sun Wukong a “BanHorsePlauge” and “impulsive ape,” berating him for spoiling the effort. The Monkey King merely laughs and says they should talk to Tang Sanzang.

Returning to the monk, Zhu Bajie first gives his report before Sun Wukong suggests they bed down for the night “and let old Monkey go beg some vegetarian food.” The Monkey King quickly returns with a full bowl, laughing when Tripitaka suggests that they “go to that household which gave us the food and ask them how we may cross this river”; the family the meal is from, after all, live “about six or seven thousand miles” away. Eight Rules accuses Sun Wukong of fibbing, which leads the monkey to describe the merits of his cloud somersault, “which with one leap can cover one hundred and eight thousand miles.” Hearing this, Zhu Bajie asks Sun Wukong why he doesn’t simply carry Tripitaka to the Buddha. Yet when the Monkey King asks the pig why he doesn’t do so, for he too knows how to ride the clouds, Eight Rules states that the “mortal nature and worldly bones of Master are as heavy as the Tai Mountain…How could my cloud soaring bear him?” Sun Wukong says it’s the same case with him; “old Monkey knows every trick well, including becoming invisible and making distances shorter. But it is required of Master to go through all these strange territories before he finds deliverance from the sea of sorrows; hence even one step turns out to be difficult. You and I are only his protective companions, guarding his body and life, but we cannot exempt him from these woes, nor can we obtain the scriptures all by ourselves.” And after all, as Sun Wukong concludes, “What’s easily gotten/ soon forgotten.” Zhu Bajie accepts this all “as instruction,” and all three pilgrims eat some of the vegetarian food before going to sleep.

The next morning, Sun Wukong suggests that they try to pull the same trick as last time, promising that “this time I’ll try not to be impulsive.” After some complaining Eight Rules agrees to go along with it, and so dives back down to confront the river yaoguai. After the ex-captain gives a lengthy poem on the merits of his treasure staff, the two deities turned yaoguai start fighting in earnest “from the bottom of the river up to the surface of the water.” Zhu Bajie once again pretends to be defeated and flees, but the river yaoguai sees through it and refuses to go out on the bank. When Sun Wukong sees this state of affairs, “he became highly irritated” and tries to capture the monster nevertheless, but the river yaoguai “dove into the water and disappeared” before he has a chance. Eight Rules and the Monkey King are thus once again unsuccessful, and once again decide to talk to Tang Sanzang.

When he hears the news of this most recent failure, Tripitaka immediately starts crying. But Sun Wukong asks him to “please don’t worry,” as he’s going to leave for the South Sea to seek out Bodhisattva Guanyin again in hopes of her help while Zhu Bajie stays behind to guard the monk. The monkey leaves on this mission with Tang Sanzang’s encouragement and Eight Rules’ request to “please convey my gratitude to her for her kindly instructions in the past.” It takes Sun Wukong no time at all to reach the South Sea and the Potalaka mountain, and soon enough he prostrates himself before the bodhisattva. The monkey explains this most recent ordeal with “a monster in the river who is quite accomplished in the martial arts,” and asks her to “take pity and grant us deliverance.” Bodhisattva Guanyin, however, but asks Sun Wukong if he is “still acting so smug and self-sufficient that you refuse to disclose the fact that you are in the service of the Tang Monk?” The Monkey King is forced to admit that he had never brought the matter up to the river yaoguai. The bodhisattva chide Sun Wukong further, revealing to him that the “monster in the Flowing-Sand River…happens to be the incarnate Curtain-Raising Captain, who was also brought into the faith by my persuasion…Had you been willing to mention that you were a scripture pilgrim from the Land of the East…he would have yielded.”

There is, of course, the problem of this monster being “afraid to fight now; he refuses to come up to the shore and is hiding deep in the water.” Bodhisattva Guanyin thus summons her disciple Hui’an and gives him “a little red gourd from her sleeves” along with the instructions to “Take this gourd and go with Sun Wukong to the Flowing-Sand River. Call ‘Wujing,’ and he’ll come out at once. You must first take him to submit to the Tang Monk. Next, string together those nine skulls of his and arrange them according to the position of the Nine Palaces. Put this gourd in the center, and you will have a dharma vessel ready to ferry the Tang Monk across the boundary formed by the Flowing-Sand River.” Sun Wukong and Hui-an leave to carry out Bodhisattva Guanyin’s instructions “with the Great Sage carrying the gourd.”

Soon enough the Monkey King and Moksa meet up with Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie. Sun Wukong gives an account of what just happened and what he was told to do. Moksa, gourd in hand “and treading half on cloud and half on fog,” “moved directly above the surface of the Flowing-Sand River” and cries out the river yaoguai’s religious name, asking him why he hadn’t yet submitted to the scripture pilgrim. Wujing, who, “fearful of the Monkey King, had gone back to the bottom of the river to rest in his den,” swiftly leaps out of the water as soon as he hears Moksa calling, “all smiles” as he greets Hui-an but quickly souring when he spots Eight Rules and the Monkey King. Yet Moksa is able to smooth over any tension with some explanation, even though the river yaoguai is soon called a “bum” by Zhu Bajie, who asks Wujing why “did you not submit to me in the first place?” This time, it is Sun Wukong who calms the pig down, even stating that it’s “really our fault for not mentioning that we were seeking scriptures, and we didn’t tell him our names.” The river yaoguai then tells the Tang Monk that that Bodhisattva Guanyin already gave him “the religious name Sha Wujing,” and that he’s eager to accept Tripitaka as his master. At Tang Sanzang’s request, Sun Wukong shaves Sha Wujing’s head, and the river yaoguai thus becomes “the youngest disciple of the Tang Monk.” Tripitaka, when he sees that his newest follower “comported himself very much like a monk,” also gives him “the nickname of Sha Monk.”

The matter settled, Moksa then has Sha Wujing take off his skull necklace and arrange the skulls “after the design of the Nine Palaces, placing the gourd in the middle.” Tang Sanzang “thus embarked on the dharma vessel,” finding it to be “as sturdy as a little boat.” He is further “supported by Eight Rules on his left and Wujing on his right, while Pilgrim Sun, leading the dragon-horse, followed in the rear, treading half on cloud and half on fog. Above their heads Moksa also took up his post to give them added protection. In this way our master of the Law was safely ferried across the boundary of the Flowing-Sand River.” As soon as they reach the other side Moksa takes back the gourd, while “the nine skulls changed into nine curls of dark wind and vanished.” After receiving thanks from the Tang monk, Moksa goes back to the South and Tang Sanzang remounts Bai Longma, and the journey to the west goes on.

What adventures the now complete pilgrim group may encounter next is a question that will be answered in the next chapter.

[digitalagepulao]

How did Atreus react when he learn that Wukong was freed from the five element Mountain?

Quite simply, Wukong dropped in on his sommersault cloud in Midgard and pounce-tackled him into a hug xD

It was an incredibly emotional and affectionate-violence reunion, but in the best way possible. Yknow how some dogs will almost crash into you because they are so excited? That but with two supremely powerful beings. There were tears and there was laughter, but it was overwhelmingly a happy moment for them both. A bit bittersweet as they took in the scars from the years apart (Loki's sewn lip scars and Wukong's fillet and firey eyes), but still happy.

In truth, he already knew Wukong would be freed in time. Muzha/Moksa and the deities in charge of his punishment told him everything when he went to visit him and that Buddha had set the time of his sentence.

[witch-of-the-world]

So Nezha's got two older brothers, Jinzha and Moksa, a younger sister Zhenying, and he also has an adopted sister who's a mouse.

Just trying to keep track here.