Chapter 24: The Immortal of Long Life Mountain Entertains an Old Friend; The Pilgrim Steals the Ginseng Fruit at Five-Village Temple

As Wukong, Sanzang, and Sha Wujing emerged from the forest, they found Zhu Bajie tied to a tree, writhing in pain and crying out. Wukong stepped forward and teased him: "Well, well, well! Fine son-in-law! Why aren't you getting up to thank your in-laws, or rushing to tell your master the good news? Instead, you're putting on an acrobatic show here? Hey! Where's your mother-in-law? Where's your wife? What a tightly bound son-in-law you make!"

The Fool was so embarrassed by this mockery that his face turned bright red. He gritted his teeth and endured the pain, daring not to cry out anymore. Sha Wujing, seeing his pitiful state, set down his carrying pole and untied the ropes. Bajie quickly knelt and kowtowed to the three of them, too ashamed to lift his head. There is a poem to the tune of " Moon on the West River " that describes this:

Bajie scooped up some dirt, lit incense , and bowed toward the sky. Wukong asked, "Do you recognize those Bodhisattvas?"

Bajie replied, "I was so dizzy and dazed at the time, I couldn't tell who they were!"

Wukong handed him the letter. When Bajie saw the poem written on it, he felt even more ashamed. Sha Wujing laughed and said, "Second Brother, you're blessed indeed! To have four Bodhisattvas come to arrange a marriage for you!"

Bajie quickly said, "Brother, don't mention it anymore! It's too shameful! From now on, I'll never dare to act recklessly again. Even if my bones break from exhaustion, I'll only carry the load and follow Master to the Western Heaven."

Sanzang said, "It's good that you've come to this realization."

Wukong led his master onto the main road, traveling by wind and sleeping under the dew . After traveling for some time, a towering mountain loomed before them, blocking their path. Sanzang reined in his horse and said, "Disciples, we must be cautious of this mountain ahead. I fear there may be demons who harm people."

Wukong replied, "With the three of us here, what demon is there to fear?"

Only then did the elder feel at ease and proceed. Truly, this mountain was a magnificent sight:

Delighted, Sanzang said from his horse, "Disciples, in all my journey westward, the mountains and waters I have passed have all been treacherous places. I have never seen such a beautiful mountain—so serene and interesting. If we are not far from Thunderclap Temple , we should tidy our appearance before meeting the Buddha."

Wukong laughed and said, "Far from it! Far from it! It's still a very long way!"

Sha Wujing asked, "Elder Brother, how much farther is it to Thunderclap Temple?"

Wukong replied, "One hundred and eight thousand miles, and we haven't even traveled a tenth of the way."

Bajie asked, "Brother, how many years will it take to get there?"

Wukong said, "If you two were going, you could make it in about ten days. If I were going, I could make fifty round trips in a day and still be back in time to see the sun. But if Master is going—don't even think about it! Don't even think about it!"

Tang Sanzang asked, "Wukong, then how long will it actually take to get there?"

Wukong said, "You could go from youth to old age, and from old age back to youth again, passing through a thousand or a hundred thousand cycles, and still find it hard to arrive. But if your mind is sincere and your nature is steadfast, whenever you think of it, the Spirit Mountain will be right before your eyes."

Sha Wujing said, "Elder Brother, although this isn't Thunderclap Temple, judging by the scenery, there must be good people living here."

Wukong said, "You're right. There are certainly no demons here. It must be a place where holy monks and immortals reside. Let's walk slowly and enjoy the view." We shall say no more of this for now.

This mountain was called Long Life Mountain . Within it was a Taoist temple called Five-Village Temple . In the temple lived an immortal whose Taoist name was Zhenyuanzi , also known as the Lord Who Is as Old as the World . The temple possessed a rare treasure—a spiritual root that had been produced when heaven and earth were first separated and the cosmos began. Among the four great continents of the world, only the Five-Village Temple in West Ox-Heaven Continent had this treasure, called the " Grass-Returned-to-Elixir ," also known as the " Ginseng Fruit ." This fruit bloomed once every three thousand years, bore fruit once every three thousand years, and took another three thousand years to ripen—a full ten thousand years before it could be eaten. In all that time, only thirty fruits were produced. The fruit looked exactly like a newborn baby three days old, with complete limbs and fully formed features. If one was fortunate enough to smell its fragrance, they would live for three hundred and sixty years. Eating one would grant a lifespan of forty-seven thousand years.

On that day, the Great Immortal Zhenyuan received an invitation from the Primordial Heavenly Worthy , asking him to ascend to the Miluo Palace in the Upper Pure Heaven to listen to the " Fruition of the Primordial Dao ." The Great Immortal had countless scattered immortals under him, and at that time, he still had forty-eight disciples, all of whom were perfected adepts of the Complete Truth . The Great Immortal took forty-six of his disciples to heaven to hear the teachings, leaving the two youngest behind to watch the temple. Their names were Qingfeng (Clear Wind) and Mingyue (Bright Moon). Qingfeng was only one thousand three hundred and twenty years old, while Mingyue had just turned one thousand two hundred.

Zhenyuanzi instructed the two acolytes: "Do not delay the invitation of the Primordial Heavenly Worthy. I am going to the Miluo Palace to hear the teachings. You two must take good care of the temple. Soon, an old friend will pass by this place. Do not treat him poorly. Take two Ginseng Fruits and give them to him as a token of our past friendship."

The two acolytes asked, "Master, who is this old friend? Tell us, so we can receive him properly."

The Great Immortal said, "He is the holy monk from the Great Tang in the East, whose Taoist name is Sanzang. He is now journeying to the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures."

The two acolytes laughed and said, "Confucius said, 'Those who follow different paths cannot take counsel together.' We are of the Great Unity Taoist tradition—how could we have any acquaintance with a Buddhist monk!"

The Great Immortal said, "You don't understand. That monk is the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, the second disciple of the Tathagata Buddha of the Western Paradise. Five hundred years ago, I met him at the Ullambana Assembly, and he personally offered me tea. The son of the Buddha respected me, and so he is considered an old friend."

Upon hearing this, the two immortal acolytes quickly agreed. Before leaving, the Great Immortal cautioned them again: "My Ginseng Fruits are limited in number. Give him only two—do not take more."

Qingfeng said, "When the garden was opened, everyone ate two fruits. There are still twenty-eight left on the tree. We certainly won't take more."

The Great Immortal said, "Although Tang Sanzang is an old friend, you must be wary of his disciples causing trouble. Do not let them know about the Ginseng Fruit."

The two acolytes acknowledged the order. The Great Immortal then ascended to heaven with his disciples, heading toward the celestial realm.

Meanwhile, the four pilgrims were exploring the mountain when they suddenly looked up and saw several tiers of pavilions amidst a grove of pines and bamboos. Tang Sanzang said, "Wukong, what place is that?"

Wukong looked and said, "That place is either a Taoist temple or a Buddhist monastery. Let's walk a little faster and we'll know when we get there."

Before long, the four of them arrived at the gate. They saw: The pine slope was desolate, and the bamboo path was secluded. White cranes came and went, escorting drifting clouds; gibbons climbed up and down, offering wild fruits. Before the gate, the pond was wide and the tree shadows were long. The rocks were cracked, and moss flowers bloomed. The palace stood tall and majestic, reflecting purple light; the towers were ethereal, draped in cinnabar clouds. Truly, this was a blessed land and a spiritual realm, a Penglai immortal cave. It was a place of pure tranquility, with few human affairs, capable of nurturing the mind for the Dao. Green birds often carried messages from the Queen Mother; purple phoenixes constantly delivered scriptures from Lord Laozi. One could not fully behold the lofty virtue and moral grandeur—truly, this was a dwelling place of immortals.

Sanzang dismounted and saw a stone tablet to the left of the mountain gate, inscribed with ten large characters: "Blessed Land of Long Life Mountain; Cave Heaven of Five-Village Temple." The elder said, "Disciples, it is indeed a Taoist temple."

Sha Wujing said, "Master, judging by the scenery, there must be good people living in this temple. Let's go in and have a look. Even if we return east in the future, we can still remember this beautiful place."

Wukong said, "Well said." The four of them entered the temple together.

They then saw a couplet on the second gate: "A palace of immortals who never age; A home of Daoists who live as long as heaven."

Wukong laughed and said, "This Taoist is bragging and trying to fool people! When I caused havoc in Heaven five hundred years ago, I didn't see such arrogant words even at the gate of the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord!"

Bajie said, "Never mind that. Let's go in and have a look! Maybe this Taoist really has some virtue."

When they reached the second gate, two young acolytes hurried out to welcome them. Their appearance was: Clear-boned and spirited, with bright expressions; their hair was tied in twin knots, short and fluffy. Their Taoist robes were natural, the collars seeming to wrap around clouds; their feather garments were light, the sleeves seeming to brush against the wind. Around their waists were tightly tied sashes with dragon-head knots; on their feet were lightly bound straw sandals with silkworm-mouth velvet. Their bearing was extraordinary—clearly not ordinary people. These were the two immortal acolytes, Qingfeng and Mingyue.

The acolytes bowed and said, "Venerable Master, we failed to welcome you from afar. Please, have a seat."

The elder was very pleased and entered the main hall with the two acolytes. The main hall was a five-bay building facing south, all with carved lattice windows, bright above and dark below. The immortal acolytes pushed open the lattice doors and invited Tang Sanzang into the hall. Inside, they saw the two characters "Heaven and Earth" hanging in the center, decorated with colorful ornaments. There was a vermilion lacquered incense table with carved patterns, on which stood a golden incense burner and vase, with prepared incense sticks placed beside the burner.

Tang Sanzang stepped forward, took an incense stick with his left hand, inserted it into the burner, and bowed three times. After bowing, he turned and asked, "Immortal Acolytes, this Five-Village Temple is truly a Western immortal realm. Why do you not enshrine the Three Pure Ones, the Four Emperors, or the various celestial deities, but only the two characters 'Heaven and Earth'?"

The acolyte laughed and said, "To be honest with you, Venerable Master, of these two characters, the 'Heaven' above is worthy of our incense and offerings, but the 'Earth' below is not even qualified to receive them. This arrangement was specially made by my master."

Sanzang asked, "Why do you say that?"

The acolyte said, "The Three Pure Ones are my master's friends. The Four Emperors are my master's old acquaintances. The Nine Luminaries are my master's juniors. The Star Lords are my master's subordinates."

Upon hearing this, Wukong laughed so hard he rolled on the ground. Bajie asked, "Brother, what are you laughing at?"

Wukong said, "I always thought I was the one who bragged, but it turns out this little Taoist is even better at talking big!"

Sanzang asked, "Where is your master?"

The acolyte said, "My master received an invitation from the Primordial Heavenly Worthy and has gone to the Miluo Palace in the Upper Pure Heaven to hear the 'Fruition of the Primordial Dao.' He is not at home."

Wukong couldn't help but shout, "You shameless little Taoist! You can't even recognize a real person, and you're still putting on airs! Who in that Miluo Palace is a Great Unity Celestial Immortal? Did they invite a worthless wretch like you to preach the Dao?"

Seeing Wukong's anger, Sanzang feared that the acolyte might talk back and cause trouble, so he quickly said, "Wukong, stop arguing. Since we've come in, we shouldn't leave immediately, or it will seem like we don't understand proper etiquette. As the saying goes, 'Egrets don't eat egret meat.' Since his master isn't here, let's not disturb them. You go to the mountain gate to graze the horse. Sha Wujing, guard the luggage. Bajie, open the bundle and get some rice and grain. Borrow their stove and cauldron to cook a meal. When we leave, we'll give them some firewood money. Each of you go about your business. I'll rest here for a while, and we'll leave after we eat."

The three of them heard this and went about their tasks. Mingyue and Qingfeng praised them privately: "What a fine monk! Truly a holy man descended from the Western Paradise, keeping to his true nature. Our master told us to receive Tang Sanzang and give him Ginseng Fruit to eat, and also warned us to guard against his disciples causing trouble. Indeed, those three disciples have fierce faces and rough tempers. Fortunately, we managed to send them away, or they would surely have fought with Tang Sanzang over the Ginseng Fruit."

Qingfeng said, "Brother, we don't yet know if this monk is truly our master's old friend. Let's ask him, so we don't mistake him for someone else."

The two acolytes stepped forward again and asked, "May we ask, Venerable Master, are you the Tang Sanzang from the Great Tang, journeying to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures?"

The elder returned the greeting: "I am indeed that humble monk. How did you immortals know my name?"

The acolyte said, "When my master left, he instructed us to welcome you from afar. We didn't expect you to arrive so quickly, so we failed to greet you properly. Venerable Master, please be seated. I will fetch you some tea."

Sanzang said, "I dare not trouble you."

Mingyue quickly returned to the room and brought out a cup of fragrant tea for the elder. After finishing the tea, Qingfeng said, "Brother, let us not disobey our master's command. Let's go get the fruits."

The two acolytes took their leave of Sanzang and returned to their room together. One took the Golden Striker, and the other took a cinnabar plate, lining the bottom with a green silk cloth. They then went straight to the Ginseng Garden. Qingfeng climbed the tree and struck the fruit with the Golden Striker, while Mingyue caught them below with the cinnabar plate. In a short while, they had knocked down two fruits. They placed them on the plate and brought them to the front hall to present to Tang Sanzang: "Venerable Master Tang, our Five-Village Temple is in a remote place and has nothing good to offer. We only have two local vegetarian fruits to quench your thirst."

When the elder saw the fruits, he was so startled that he stepped back three feet and said, "Blessed be! Blessed be! The harvest is so good this year—how can this temple be eating people? This is a newborn baby only three days old! How can you offer it to me to quench my thirst?"

Qingfeng thought to himself, "This monk has been too long in the mortal world. His vision is common; he doesn't recognize the precious treasures of our immortals."

Mingyue stepped forward and said, "Venerable Master, this thing is called 'Ginseng Fruit.' Eating one is perfectly fine."

Sanzang said, "Nonsense! Nonsense! How much hardship do parents endure to conceive a child! This baby hasn't even been born for three days—how can it be eaten as a fruit?"

Qingfeng said, "This truly grows on a tree."

The elder said, "Rubbish! Rubbish! How can a tree bear a human child? Take it away! This is too sinful!"

Seeing that Tang Sanzang absolutely refused to eat, the two acolytes had no choice but to carry the plate back to their room. The Ginseng Fruit was peculiar in that if left too long, it would harden and become inedible. So the two of them returned to their room, took one each, and sat on the bed eating them.

Ah! As it turned out, there was more to this! The acolytes' room was separated from the kitchen by only a single wall. Any whisper on one side could be clearly heard on the other. Zhu Bajie was cooking in the kitchen. He had first overheard the acolytes talking about taking the Golden Striker and the cinnabar plate, so he had been paying attention. Then he heard them say that Tang Sanzang didn't recognize the Ginseng Fruit and had taken it back to their room to eat themselves. His mouth watered with greed, and he thought to himself, "How can I get a taste of a fresh one!" But his own body was too clumsy to steal any, so he could only wait for Wukong to return and discuss it with him. He tended the fire absentmindedly by the stove, constantly craning his neck to look outside.

Before long, Wukong returned from grazing the horse and tied it to a locust tree. He was heading toward the back courtyard when the Fool quickly waved his hand and called out, "Over here! Over here!" Wukong turned around and walked to the kitchen door, asking, "Fool, what are you shouting about? Is there not enough rice to eat? Let Master eat his fill first, then we can go to some wealthy household ahead and beg for more."

Bajie said, "Come in. It's not about the food. There's a treasure in this temple. Do you know about it?"

Wukong asked, "What treasure?"

Bajie laughed and said, "If I tell you, you've never seen it. If I show it to you, you wouldn't recognize it."

Wukong said, "You Fool, how dare you mock me! Five hundred years ago, I visited immortals and sought the Dao, wandering to the ends of the earth. What haven't I seen?"

Bajie said, "Brother, have you ever seen a Ginseng Fruit?"

Wukong was surprised: "This I have truly never seen! I've only heard people say that the Ginseng Fruit is a 'Grass-Returned-to-Elixir' that can extend one's lifespan. Where can it be found now?"

Bajie said, "It's right here! Those acolytes took two to give to Master, but the old monk didn't recognize them and said they were newborn babies, so he didn't dare eat them. And those acolytes went too far—since Master wouldn't eat them, they could at least have given them to us! Instead, they hid them from us and 'gobble-gobble' ate them in the next room. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! How can we get one to taste? I see you're quick and nimble—go to the garden and steal a few. What do you say?"

Wukong said, "That's easy! I'll go, and it'll be as easy as reaching out and grabbing it!" With that, he was about to leave.

Bajie grabbed him and said, "Brother, I heard them say they need to use the Golden Striker to knock down the fruit. You have to do it cleanly—don't let the secret out!"

Wukong said, "I know! I know!"

The Great Sage used his invisibility spell and slipped into the acolytes' room. He saw that the two acolytes had finished eating the fruit and had gone to the front hall to talk with Tang Sanzang, so they weren't in the room. He looked around for the Golden Striker and saw a bare golden rod hanging on the window lattice. It was about two feet long and as thick as a finger. The lower end was shaped like a garlic bulb, and the upper end had a hole through which a green velvet cord was threaded. He thought, "This must be the Golden Striker." He took the Golden Striker and left the acolytes' room, heading toward the back. He pushed open two gates and looked up—ah! It turned out to be a garden!

He saw: Vermilion railings and jade thresholds, winding steps piled with artificial rockeries. Rare flowers vied in beauty with the blazing sun; emerald bamboos competed in greenness with the blue sky. Beside the Floating Cup Pavilion, a curve of green willows seemed to drift like mist; before the Moon-Viewing Terrace, several clumps of green pines seemed splashed with indigo. Bright red pomegranate flowers, glossy green cushion grass, lush blue-green orchids, and a leisurely flowing stream. Cinnamon trees leaned against the golden well next to the phoenix tree; brocade locust trees pressed against the vermilion railings by the jade steps. There were red and white thousand-petal peach blossoms, and fragrant yellow autumn chrysanthemums. The rose-hedge trellis faced the Peony Pavilion; the hibiscus terrace adjoined the Peony Garden. One could not see enough of the frost-defying bamboos and snow-fighting pines, along with the crane-raising gardens and deer-releasing estates, the square ponds and round pools. The spring water flowed like broken jade; the flowers and grass in the ground seemed piled with gold. When the north wind blew, plum blossoms turned white; when spring arrived, crabapples turned red. Truly, this was the most beautiful immortal scenery in the mortal world, the finest flower garden in the Western Paradise.

Wukong couldn't get enough of the view. He pushed open another gate, and it turned out to be a vegetable garden. It was planted with vegetables for all four seasons: spinach, celery, beet greens, ginger moss, along with bamboo shoots, gourds, water chestnuts, green onions, garlic, coriander, chives, lettuce, crown daisy, bitter herbs, gourds, eggplants, turnips, radishes buried in the ground, red amaranth, green cabbage, and purple mustard—a vast expanse of green.

Wukong laughed and said, "This Taoist really grows his own food and eats it." He walked through the vegetable garden and pushed open yet another gate. Ah! Right in the center stood a large tree. Its green branches were dense, and its green leaves were luxuriant. The leaves were like those of a banana tree, and the tree was over a thousand feet tall; its trunk would take seven or eight people to encircle with their arms. Wukong leaned against the tree and looked up. He saw a Ginseng Fruit hanging from a branch facing south. It truly looked like a small child, with a stem attached to its bottom, sticking to the branch. Its hands and feet moved as if alive, and it nodded and shook its head. When the wind blew, it even seemed to make a sound. Wukong was overjoyed and praised in his heart, "What a fine treasure! Truly rare! Truly rare!" He leaped up and, with a "swish," climbed the tree.

Monkeys are the best at climbing trees and stealing fruit. He struck the fruit with the Golden Striker, and with a "plop," it fell to the ground. He jumped down to find it, but the fruit was nowhere to be seen. He searched through the grass for a long time, but there was no trace. Wukong was puzzled: "Strange! Strange! Could the fruit have grown legs and walked away? Even if it could walk, it couldn't jump out of this wall! I know—the garden's local spirit must not want me to steal it and has taken the fruit away!"

He made a hand seal and recited the "Om" spell, summoning the garden's local spirit. The local spirit bowed to Wukong and said, "Great Sage, you summoned this humble deity. What are your instructions?"

Wukong said, "Don't you know that I am the most famous thief in the world? In those days, I stole the peaches of immortality, stole the imperial wine, and stole the elixir of immortality, and no one dared to share the spoils with me. Today, I'm trying to steal a single fruit, and you dare to rob me? This fruit grows on a tree—even the birds in the sky have a share in it. What's so special about me eating one? Why did you snatch it away as soon as I knocked it down?"

The local spirit said, "Great Sage, you wrong this humble deity! This treasure belongs to the Earth Immortals. I am merely a Ghost Immortal. I'm not even fortunate enough to smell it, let alone dare to take it!"

Wukong asked, "If you didn't take it, then why did it disappear as soon as I knocked it down?"

The local spirit said, "Great Sage, you only know that this treasure can extend one's lifespan, but you don't know its special properties."

Wukong asked, "What properties?"

The local spirit said, "This treasure blooms once every three thousand years, bears fruit once every three thousand years, and takes another three thousand years to ripen—a full ten thousand years before it produces only thirty fruits. Those who are fated to smell it will live for three hundred and sixty years; those who eat one will live for forty-seven thousand years. But it fears the Five Elements."

Wukong asked, "How does it fear the Five Elements?"

The local spirit said, "This fruit falls when it meets metal, withers when it meets wood, dissolves when it meets water, scorches when it meets fire, and burrows into the ground when it meets earth. To knock it down, you must use a metal implement. When it falls, it must be caught on a plate lined with a silk cloth. If it touches a wooden implement, it will wither and won't grant longevity when eaten. When eating it, you must use a porcelain vessel filled with clear water to dissolve it. If it meets fire, it will be scorched and useless. If it meets earth, it burrows in. Just now, when the Great Sage knocked the fruit to the ground, it burrowed into the earth. This soil is forty-seven thousand years old. Even a steel drill cannot penetrate it—it's three or four parts harder than raw iron. Only by eating the fruit can one achieve longevity. If the Great Sage doesn't believe me, try striking the ground."

Wukong pulled out his Golden-Banded Staff and struck the ground. With a "clang," the staff bounced back, leaving not a single mark on the earth. Wukong said, "Indeed! Indeed! My staff can shatter rocks into powder and leave marks on raw iron, but it can't even dent this soil! It seems I wronged you. You may go." The local spirit returned to his shrine.

The Great Sage now had a plan. He climbed back up the tree, holding the Golden Striker in one hand and using the other to gather the front of his brocade robe into a pouch. He parted the leaves and branches, knocked down three fruits, and caught them in his robe. Then he jumped down and went straight to the kitchen.

When Bajie saw him, he quickly asked, "Brother, did you get them?"

Wukong said, "Aren't these them? Don't hide this from Sha Wujing. Call him over."

Bajie waved his hand and called out, "Wujing, come here!"

Sha Wujing put down his carrying pole and ran into the kitchen: "Brother, what do you want me for?"

Wukong opened his robe: "Brother, look at what this is."

Sha Wujing looked and said, "It's a Ginseng Fruit!"

Wukong said, "Well, well! You recognize it! Where have you eaten one before?"

Sha Wujing said, "I've never eaten one, but when I was the Curtain-Raising General, I accompanied the Jade Emperor to the Peach Festival and saw immortals from overseas presenting this fruit to the Queen Mother as a birthday gift. I've seen it, but I've never tasted it. Brother, can I have a taste?"

Wukong said, "No need to ask. We brothers will each have one."

The three of them each ate one. Bajie had a big belly and a big mouth. He had long been hooked by the craving. He grabbed the fruit, opened his mouth wide, and swallowed it with a "gulp." Then, rolling his eyes, he pretended to be ignorant: "What did you two just eat?"

Sha Wujing said, "A Ginseng Fruit."

Bajie asked, "What did it taste like?"

Wukong said, "Wujing, don't mind him! He ate his own first, and now he's asking us?"

Bajie said, "Brother, I ate mine too quickly. I didn't savor it slowly like you two did. I don't even know if it had a pit. Brother, help a brother out! You've already whetted my appetite. Go get one more so I can taste it slowly."

Wukong said, "Brother, you're too insatiable! This isn't rice or flour that can fill you up. It takes ten thousand years to produce just thirty fruits. For us to eat even one is an immense stroke of luck. Don't be greedy! That's enough!" He stood up, threw the Golden Striker back into the acolytes' room through the crack in the window, and ignored Bajie.

The Fool was still muttering on and on, not realizing that the two acolytes had returned to their room to get tea. They happened to hear Bajie shouting, "I didn't get enough of the Ginseng Fruit. I wish I could get another one." Qingfeng became suspicious: "Mingyue, do you hear that long-snouted monk saying he wants more Ginseng Fruit? When our master left, he warned us to guard against his disciples causing trouble. Could they have stolen our treasure?"

Mingyue turned around: "Brother! Oh no! Oh no! How did the Golden Striker fall to the ground! Let's go to the garden and have a look!"

The two of them hurried to the garden and saw that the garden gate was open. Qingfeng said, "I closed this gate. How did it get opened?" They then went to the vegetable garden, and that gate was also open. They quickly entered the Ginseng Garden, leaned against the tree, and counted the fruits. They counted back and forth, and there were only twenty-two left.

Mingyue