51. Zhu Bajie
Demon Compendium
Name: Zhu Bajie
Type: Pig Demon
Martial Power: Four Heavenly Kings level
Demonic Power: Great Demon level
Position: Former Marshal Tianpeng
Current: True Pill Envoy
* * *
It was a rare, peaceful day.
Tripitaka had finished his meditation and was eating the food Sun Wukong had prepared. Sha Wujing was tending to Tripitaka and, from time to time, feeding White Dragon his horse fodder.
Sun Wukong sprawled out in front of the campfire, legs crossed, whistling a tune.
It was a tranquil scene.
Except for Zhu Bajie.
“Hey, Brother Sun. Why am I in this state?”
Buried up to his neck in the hard dirt, only his head sticking out, Zhu Bajie lamented.
Sun Wukong didn’t even bother to look at him as he replied.
“Well, you almost ruined everything by getting completely bewitched by those spider demons.”
“Come on, Brother Sun. That’s a bit harsh. I, Zhu Bajie, former Marshal Tianpeng, was just momentarily fooled by their tricks, that’s all.”
“Should’ve buried your mouth too. You never shut up. Are you really such a pathetic demon that you’d fall for such a cheap spell technique?”
Zhu Bajie couldn’t find a retort to Sun Wukong’s sharp tongue.
Once, he had been the supreme commander of the Heavenly River Navy, Marshal Tianpeng.
His martial power rivaled the Four Heavenly Kings who guarded the Heavenly Realm, and his demonic power was among the greatest of all demons.
But now, he had nothing to say to Sun Wukong’s scolding.
“You were the one having fun, weren’t you? While you were busy enjoying a hot spring with those spider demons, Tripitaka nearly got eaten by that multi-eyed demon. And you don’t even feel sorry about it.”
“Bah.”
Zhu Bajie snorted. It was clear Sun Wukong had no intention of letting him off the hook, no matter what he said. Zhu Bajie gave up and turned his gaze elsewhere, landing on Tripitaka, who was meditating with his eyes closed.
“Master, it’s all my fault. Please forgive me, will you? If I can’t eat anything like this, I’ll die!”
“Wukong is right. Bajie, you need to reflect on your actions.”
“But, Master! Didn’t you also get bewitched and kidnapped by those demons?”
Tripitaka’s face turned red as he coughed awkwardly. Sun Wukong snickered and chimed in.
“Tripitaka’s human. A human! How could a person possibly resist a demon’s spell technique?”
Tripitaka composed himself and spoke in a stern voice.
“Bajie, just as gluttony consumes you, so too does lust drag you into ruin. You must restrain yourself and be vigilant.”
“Hmph!”
Zhu Bajie scoffed. Normally, he would bow his head at Tripitaka’s words, but today he seemed especially irritable.
He lifted his chin defiantly.
“I was born this way. I love to eat, and I’m drawn to beauty. Why should I suppress what’s natural?”
“That’s exactly why you were kicked out of the Heavenly Realm! It was your lust that got you exiled after you harassed Lady Chang’e of the Moon!”
Sun Wukong burst out laughing. Watching Zhu Bajie get scolded by Tripitaka was always a delight.
Zhu Bajie glared at Sun Wukong, thoroughly annoyed.
“What are you laughing at, Brother Sun? Isn’t it natural for a man to be attracted to women? Or do you not feel any desire at all?”
It was a jab, implying Sun Wukong was less than a man, but it didn’t faze him.
“I don’t know anything about that. Who am I? I’m Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, born of stone. Did you really think such base and vulgar desires could take root in my heart?”
Tripitaka added to Sun Wukong’s words.
“Wukong was formed by the essence of heaven and earth atop Huaguo Mountain. He has no parents.”
“Hmm. When you put it that way, it sounds like I insulted his whole family.”
Sha Wujing quietly interjected. Tripitaka shot him a look, and Wujing quickly averted his gaze.
“In any case, Wukong is a being who came into existence on his own. He wasn’t born from the union of man and woman, so he simply doesn’t possess those kinds of desires.”
At Tripitaka’s explanation, Zhu Bajie looked at Sun Wukong with a strangely wistful gaze.
Sun Wukong was baffled.
“What’s with that look? Why are you pitying me?”
“What a sad life you must lead.”
“Me? I’d say I’m better off than you. At least I didn’t get kicked out of the Heavenly Realm because I couldn’t control my desires.”
“...Well, maybe you’re right.”
Zhu Bajie’s voice was gloomy. Sun Wukong, expecting him to argue back as usual, was caught off guard.
“Wujing, what’s wrong with Bajie?”
“Maybe the moonlight’s making him sentimental, Brother Bajie’s feeling down.”
Zhu Bajie ignored them and continued to lament.
“Because of this lust, I don’t know what love is.”
Sun Wukong fell silent. He couldn’t quite grasp what Zhu Bajie meant.
Desire, love—those were emotions Sun Wukong simply didn’t understand.
“It’s only natural. Born with this ugly, pig-like face, how could I ever feel love? All I can do is satisfy my desires.”
Zhu Bajie’s lament suddenly reminded Sun Wukong of the first time they met.
Zhu Bajie had disguised himself as a human and married a woman.
It hadn’t been a happy marriage. No one saw him as a husband or a son-in-law.
The bride was terrified her husband would eat her at any moment, and her family felt the same.
Zhu Bajie was a hideous demon, a repulsive being, a monster to be feared.
He couldn’t love. He simply wasn’t allowed to. All he could do was chase fleeting desires.
“But that doesn’t make it right to deceive people by disguising yourself as a human and forcing them into marriage.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
For some reason, seeing Zhu Bajie so resigned made Sun Wukong irritated. He jumped up and yanked Zhu Bajie out of the ground in one go.
His massive body dangled helplessly in Sun Wukong’s grip.
Zhu Bajie stared blankly and asked,
“Brother Sun, have you ever wanted to be human?”
Sun Wukong hesitated.
Memories of the past flashed before his eyes—standing before his first master, Patriarch Subhuti.
The whispers of the other disciples behind his back.
‘Look at that monkey demon pretending to be human.’
‘Does he even know he’s a demon?’
‘Why does Master dote on such a monster?’
‘That thing should be nipped in the bud!’
Sun Wukong gave a bitter smile.
“What would I do as a human? I’m the king of demons. The Demon King, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong.”
Zhu Bajie chuckled.
“Of course you’d say that, being the king of demons. But if I could be reborn, I’d want to come back as a human.”
“Better than a pig, I suppose, but why bother?”
“I want to be born human, so I can experience the love I never could in this body.”
“What a joke. Wouldn’t it be better to go back to the Heavenly Realm and be surrounded by fairy maidens?”
“You don’t get it!”
Zhu Bajie suddenly spread his arms wide, raising his voice.
“Humans alone can feel the full range of emotions in this world. No beast can experience all five desires. That’s why Buddha called them compassionate beings! I will become human, no matter what!”
“...You’re ridiculous.”
Sun Wukong clicked his tongue.
“And if you’re born human, what, you think you’ll get married or something?”
“Just wait and see. I’ll be reborn as a stunning beauty.”
“A beauty? Not even a handsome man, but a beauty?”
“Think of how many beauties have bewitched me. Beauty is a terrifying thing, you know. More powerful than any demon. I’ll be reborn as the most beautiful woman in the world and steal the hearts of every man alive!”
Sun Wukong sighed. This fool, this hopeless idiot. Doesn’t even think about regaining his position in the Heavenly Realm—just wants to be reborn as a human, and a woman at that.
What a ridiculous notion.
Maybe sensing Sun Wukong’s thoughts, Zhu Bajie snorted.
“Just wait, Brother Sun.”
“For what?”
“When I’m reborn as the world’s greatest beauty, I’ll have you wrapped around my little finger!”
“...You’re insane.”
Sun Wukong could only laugh in disbelief.
* * *
“You really were born beautiful.”
“...What?”
Muhwa dropped her spoonful of porridge in surprise.
Her eyes went wide.
Did I hear that right?
“Never mind.”
“No, wait... Didn’t you just say something?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Hmm.”
Muhwa swallowed hard. She wanted to ask more, but her gaze was drawn back to her bowl.
She was so hungry it felt like her stomach was glued to her back.
‘I’ve always been a bit of a glutton, but this is something else.’
Today, it was worse than usual. Muhwa devoured the porridge as if inhaling it.
‘Maybe it’s because I’m still recovering.’
She’d been poisoned with a deadly concoction. Even if she’d been lucky, she should have suffered serious internal injuries as a martial artist.
She felt tired and weak, but otherwise, she was fine. She knew exactly who to thank for that.
‘This energy...’
The unfamiliar energy lingering in her body.
It was Sun Wukong’s unique aura.
Muhwa tilted her head in confusion.
‘But why?’
Saving her life made sense—as a fellow traveler, an ally, and a friend. If Sun Wukong had been poisoned, she would have done the same.
But something else puzzled her.
‘Why bring me porridge, too?’
He healed her, saved her life, and now he was even taking care of her while she was sick?
“Hmm.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Muhwa quickly averted her gaze from Sun Wukong’s eyes.
She felt like strange thoughts were creeping into her head for no reason.
Maybe it was the medicine, but she felt a strange heat rising in her body.
To break the awkward silence, Muhwa hurriedly changed the subject.
“Um, how did you know, Teacher Sun?”
“Know what?”
“My name.”
“Your name?”
“You called me Wu Neng.”
“That’s the Law Enforcement Hall Leader’s name, isn’t it?”
“No, I mean, how did you know that?”
I only just heard it in my dream.
In her dream, she’d heard her mother call her Wu Neng. She was sure it was the name she’d forgotten.
Maybe the pain had brought back a lost memory.
But she hadn’t told anyone about the dream—so how did Sun Wukong know?
Sun Wukong smiled mysteriously.
“My name’s Wukong, my younger brother’s is Wujing, so of course you’d be Wu Neng.”
“Huh?”
“Brothers should share a generational name, right?”
Confusion flickered across Muhwa’s face. Sun Wukong just laughed, clearly not planning to explain further.
‘He’s not just strange—he’s downright mysterious...’
The poison had left her exhausted, and her mind was a mess. She didn’t even have the strength to ask more questions.
Then another dream came to mind.
The Golden Monkey fighting a yeti.
“Golden Monkey...”
“Hm?”
“Oh, I had a dream. There was this golden monkey in armor, and he called me Wu Neng.”
“...”
“He was fighting a yeti on top of a snowy mountain. It felt so real.”
Sun Wukong looked at Muhwa with a strange expression. He was always like this—sometimes, the difference between man and woman seemed to mean nothing to him, and he acted as if there was no distance at all.
Like now, staring at her so intently.
Muhwa suddenly felt embarrassed and looked away.
“I’m tired. I think I’ll lie down for a bit.”
Leaving Muhwa to burrow under her blanket, Sun Wukong stepped outside.
His expression was grave.
‘If it’s a yeti from Snow Mountain, that wasn’t a dream—it really happened.’
She’d seen the past.
Sun Wukong thought of the demonic power lingering in Muhwa’s body.
‘Could demonic power have triggered memories of a past life?’
After all, Bajie had been a demon. It wasn’t impossible.
Sun Wukong stroked his chin.
‘So demonic power can trigger memories... I’ll have to test this.’
He set off.
Deep within the Inner Courtyard of the Namgung Clan—a place only blood relatives could enter.
The Namgung Clan’s Heavenly Prison.
Sun Wukong entered without hesitation. Even the Namgung Clan martial artists standing guard didn’t stop him.
“All right, we have things to discuss, don’t we? Multi-Eyed Demon.”
The Multi-Eyed Demon, bound in chains and immobilized by pressure point strikes, glared with bloodshot eyes.
“We’ve got a lot to talk about, from our past lives up to now, don’t we?”
Sun Wukong smiled faintly.