The Battle in Journey to the West-Chapter 53 - 0 The Mind-Monkey and Strategy Horse

Wukong laughed and taunted, “You think you can outnumber me? Well, even against Grandfather Sun, that won’t do!”

With that, he wielded the Jingu Bang atop the Heavenly Horse, and each sweep of his staff felled rows of soldiers. Yet he withheld his full strength, merely causing the soldiers to wail and tumble in disarray. Mounting his horse and wielding his staff with skill, those who were struck lay still on the ground, saved only by Wukong’s restraint. After beating several groups of rescuing soldiers, the leader was inwardly shocked by the Demon King’s formidable strength and resorted to an Escape Technique to flee. Wukong did not stop him, allowing the message to be passed on.

The leader hurried into the residence of Marshal Tianpeng and exclaimed, “Disaster, Marshal, a great disaster!”

Tianpeng emerged from the mansion, his brow furrowed in displeasure, “What disaster? You’re making a fuss over nothing!”

The leader reported, “That Demon King from Flower-Fruit Mountain, Sun Wukong, whom His Majesty took under his wing some days ago, is riding wildly by the Heavenly River. When I asked him to leave, not only did he refuse, but he also attacked us. Many of our patrolling brothers have been injured. Marshal, you must go quickly; this man’s mana is powerful, and we are no match for him!”

Tianpeng burned with rage upon hearing this, “This Sun Wukong, how audacious! A mere backwoods ruffian dares to run riot in my domain by the Heavenly River?”

The leader, having been beaten by Wukong and unable to retaliate, was already resentful and wanted to use Tianpeng to exact revenge. He agreed, “Yes, exactly! That Rowdy Monkey has no sense, saying that your position is not as high as his, and that you should go pay your respects to him.”

Tianpeng, now utterly infuriated, his face turning red, demanded, “Did he really say that?”

The leader eagerly affirmed, “Absolutely true! Marshal, you must act quickly, otherwise our brothers will all be beaten to death by him!”

On hearing this, Tianpeng thought this was intolerable; how dare a mere Protector of the Horses act so wildly above him! He picked up his Nine-toothed Rake and commanded, “Lead the way to the front!”

“Yes, of course!” replied the leader.

So the leader led Tianpeng towards Wukong, who was still enjoying the skirmish. The fallen soldiers, having enough strength to get up, pretended to be dead instead; every one of them lay still on the ground feigning death. Wukong, with Jingu Bang in hand, would slam each one on the buttocks, causing painful outcries and leaving each soldier with a butt swollen high, making it likely they wouldn’t be able to leave their beds for days without resting.

Just as Tianpeng arrived, he witnessed this scene and bellowed furiously, “You Demon Monkey, stop your violence and harming my brothers! Come and fight me!”

Wukong glanced at him and scoffed, “What are you? Take this!”

Wukong swung his staff towards Tianpeng’s crown, and Tianpeng, hastily intercepting with his Nine-toothed Rake, felt the immense power behind the Monkey King’s strike, his hands numbing slightly from the force. Tianpeng wielded his rake with might, displaying his martial arts while Wukong answered with his staff. The two clashed, exchanging blows in a match where victory was hard to determine.

“This Rowdy Monkey is really formidable!” Tianpeng secretly marveled.

Their battle was spectacular, as if the Three Talents – heaven, earth, and man – had been obscured, and only then did the two separate. One wished he could sever your jaw, and the other wished he could bite off your head.

Tianpeng recited a spell, and nine nails detached from his rake, trailing flames as they aimed straight for Wukong.

Unaware that this weapon could also function as a Magical Treasure, Wukong thought Zhu Bajie had kept this quite a secret. Quickly mobilizing his Divine Skills, he transformed into a puff of blue smoke to dodge, while Tianpeng was capable of the Thirty-six Heavenly Transformations, though not of the orthodox lineage of Goddess Nu Wa and hence simply a trick compared to Wukong’s prowess.

“Your so-called transformations are no more than thirty-six paltry tricks!” Wukong mocked, demonstrating one of his own divine skills.

This skill was “Subdue Dragons and Tigers,” and instantly, divine dragons and fierce tigers burst forth from the crown of his head, leaping and roaring with formidable force. Compared to Tianpeng’s “Subdue Snakes and Dogs,” Wukong’s dragons and tigers were far superior, making Tianpeng’s art seem insignificant. Empowered by the dragons and tigers, Wukong roared and invoked the Five Elements Great Escape, appearing behind Tianpeng with a swing of his staff that nearly frightened the Marshal out of his wits.

Tianpeng hurriedly turned around to confront, but those nine iron nails also spun back towards him, yet ultimately they were still a step too late.

Struck in the waist by Wukong’s staff, Tianpeng was sent flying outwards, feeling as if all his bones were about to be shattered by that Rowdy Monkey, as if on the brink of death, with darkness enveloping his vision.

“Ah! This fellow wields formidable divine skills, several times mightier than mine. How can this be?” Tianpeng was inwardly shocked, tumbling twice on the ground before he could rise.

Wukong, baring his teeth and grinning, lifted his Jingu Bang to strike again, while Tianpeng, knowing he couldn’t diminish his prestige in front of his subordinates, quickly raised his Nine-toothed Rake to meet the incoming Jingu Bang.

“Clang!”

At the sound of the sharp clash, Wukong again put to use the Size-Manipulating Magic, delivering a kick that immediately swelled to the size of a small hill, sending Tianpeng tumbling into the Heavenly River, where he struggled twice before flipping back out of the water.

Meanwhile, Tianpeng’s nine nails turned and headed towards Wukong, the nails flashing with fire, arranged in the Nine Palaces Formation, trapping Wukong in the center.

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Tianpeng cursed, “You Rowdy Monkey, let’s see if you don’t beg this old man for mercy!”

But Wukong just laughed loudly, “You callow fellow, just come at me and we’ll see who’s stronger! Spare me the big talk!”

Enraged, Tianpeng pinched off a spell, and the nine nails flared with a fiery brightness so fierce that it gave Wukong a feeling of intense heat, hardly inferior to Red Boy’s Samadhi True Fire. Wukong hastily used a technique to Summon Wind and Call Rain, and suddenly a fierce storm arose, barely suppressing the brightness of the fire. Tianpeng was startled, continuously channeling his mana to smelt Wukong to death on the spot, but how could Wukong, with his copper skin and iron bones, possessed of such innate physical strength, be so easily smelted to death?

This time, Wukong opted not to use his divine skills. With a swish, Tianpeng saw a colossal iron whip rise from within the array, stirring and rolling, promptly scattering all nine nails, and the whip glittered with golden light as it came barreling towards him! Wukong’s divine power surged, and the Eighty-Four Talismans shone in unison. As the talismans illuminated him, Tianpeng suddenly felt his whole body go limp and powerless, only able to watch helplessly as Wukong beat him to death.

With a sly grin, Wukong didn’t let the Divine Whip strike, but instead flipped through the air, landing a kick in mid-air!

“Smack!”

This kick landed squarely on Tianpeng’s face, instantly marking it with a pitch-black footprint on what became a veritable “shoe-last” face.

The Heavenly Horse that Wukong had ridden neighed loudly, seemingly with a mocking tone in its sound, very much amused.

When Tianpeng was kicked in the face by Wukong, he flew sideways once again, coming to a rest on the ground, and had it not been for the immaculate ground of the Heavenly Court, he would certainly have been covered in filth, utterly disheveled.

Wukong put away the Divine Whip, and after being struck by it, the nine nails lost their flame and fell to the ground, motionless. It seemed that Tianpeng would have to properly refine them again before they could be reused. Wukong couldn’t help feeling secretly elated at having the legitimate reason to trounce Tianpeng; during his journey to obtain scriptures, Zhu Bajie had overtly and covertly marginalized him, but whenever he’s tried to clap back, Tang Sanzang was there to defend Bajie. Now, having dealt a heavy hand to leave him swollen and battered, Wukong was truly delighted.

As Wukong approached with Jingu Bang, ready to give Tianpeng a few more whacks to indulge himself, Tianpeng could no longer restrain himself and pleaded for mercy, “Immortal, please hold back, hold back!”

Wukong asked, “How shall you address me?”

Tianpeng responded, “This officer didn’t recognize the presence of the Immortal and has offended you, I beg for your mercy! Spare my life!”

Wukong inquired, “Oh! What’s your official title?”

Tianpeng replied, “I am the Marshal of the Heavenly River, in command of a hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers.”

Wukong then asked, “Are you saying your rank as Marshal of the Heavenly River is greater than my rank as Protector of the Horses?”

Tianpeng awkwardly said, “Surely… my rank is greater, but the capabilities of the Immortal are far superior!”

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With a wry chuckle, Wukong said, “So the rank of this blockhead of an official is even greater than mine? It seems the Jade Emperor really has no one else to rely on! What’s the grade of my own official position then?”

In his heart, Tianpeng sneered, but he respectfully answered, “The Immortal might not be aware, but your position… has no grade.”

Wukong remarked, “No grade? Doesn’t that mean it’s even greater?”

Tianpeng said, “No grade means it’s insignificant, not worth ranking. It’s a truly inconsequential position.”

Seeing the sly glint in his eyes, Wukong didn’t take it to heart, just sneering inwardly.

If you want to know what happens next, please tune in to the following chapter to find out.