Three days before September of the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin, the king of Tang, sent Tang San out of Chang'an Pass with hundreds of officials. Tang Sanzang bid farewell to the Tang King and the hundred officials, took Wang Sheng and Li Bao, and went west.

On the way, a familiar voice said: "Jin Cicada, how many years is this year Zhenguan?"

The voice came from Tang Sanzang's arms, and it was the words of Wu Yang in the ancestral witch mirror.

Tang Sanzang said: "Zhenguan thirteen years!"

"Thirteen years of Zhenguan?

"I'm sure!" Tang Sanzang said. He called out to Wang Sheng and Li Bao, the two generals who opened the road in front, and said, "Two generals, how many years is this year Zhenguan?"

Wang Sheng and Li Bao didn't know why, although they were very strange in their hearts, they were all honest and replied: "Holy monk, this year is the thirteenth year of Zhenguan. ”

Tang Sanzang nodded, motioned to Wang Sheng and Li Bao to continue exploring the way forward, and said to Wu Yang: "Wu Ancestor, this year is the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, is there anything wrong?"

"Of course not!"

"Why?"

"Eighteen years ago, Haizhou genius Chen Cao Chang'an City High School champion, it was the thirteenth year of Zhenguan. (See the appendix volume after the eighth chapter of the original Journey to the West, Tang Keju was in the spring, so Chen Cao was the champion in the spring of the thirteenth year of Zhenguan.) There is no specific time for the champion in the original work, only that it is said that it is the champion in the thirteenth year of Zhenguan. The thirteenth chapter of the original work, the beginning is, 'But it is said that three days before September in the thirteenth year of Tang Sanzang Zhenguan, King Mengtang and many officials sent out of Chang'an Pass'. This is the most conspicuous paradox of Journey to the West, which is described in many versions of Journey to the West that I have seen. ）

Tang Sanzang woke up like from a dream, and was stunned for a moment!

Wu Yang said: "Eighteen years ago, Chen Cao was the champion, it was the thirteenth year of Zhenguan. Eighteen years later, you grew up in Jinshan Temple, studied the scriptures in Hongfu Temple in Chang'an City, cultivated the Buddha fruit in the early and middle realms, became brothers with the Tang King, and traveled west to learn the scriptures, but the time was still 13 years of Zhenguan. ”

Tang Sanzang said slowly: "There is a great power that has compressed the eighteen years of the Tang Dynasty into the thirteenth year of Zhenguan?"

"Yes!" Wu Yang said, "To be precise, there are great supernatural powers who have compressed the time of eighteen years into half a year. ”

"It's like your witch mirror time and space, ten days and ten nights have passed in the mirror, and the world outside the mirror has only passed an hour. ”

"Yes, the mystery of time in the mirror is the same as the supernatural mystery of compressing eighteen years in half a year of Zhenguan!"

"In order to complete his plan, the Buddha used his great magical powers to reverse time and space and change time?"

"Yes!"

Tang Sanzang was shocked by the Buddha's supernatural powers: "The Buddha used the method of stealing the heavens and exchanging the earth to turn back time, can't the two Taisui Yin Jiao and Yang Ren in charge of time in the heavenly court be able to detect it?"

"One year on earth, one day in heaven, with the supernatural power of the Buddha, it is naturally not difficult to pound the eighteen years in the territory of the Tang Dynasty in Nanzhan Buzhou. The Heavenly Court system has not changed for many years, and the management is chaotic, and Yin Jiao and Yang Ren, who are in charge of time, are just small gods, and it is easy for the Buddha to deceive them. ”

Xuanzang said lightly: "Wu Yang, since the Buddha is in a hurry to complete the public case of traveling west to learn scriptures, so as to implement his plan, then let's go slowly." ”

Wu Yang said: "Sanzang, you have promised King Tang that you will come back within three years." ”

Sanzang said: "If the king's life is not subject to the foreign king's life, my heart is towards the king of Tang." The road is far away, the world is changeable, how can you be trustworthy when you say it every three years. ”

Wu Yang said: "In that case, Sanzang, do you plan to come back in a few years?"

"Since the Buddha is in a hurry, then I am not in a hurry, and I will come out five times more than the normal time, about fifteen years. Even if the Buddha saw that the time was too long and delayed his big plan, then he would use his supernatural powers to steal time and space. ”

Wu Yang said with a smile: "This way to the west, from the moment you set foot on the road to the west, you will be the gods, Buddhas, immortals, three clears, four royals, five directions, five elders and other powerful people intentionally or unintentionally concerned, your life and death success or failure is concerned about a lot of powerful thoughts, some of the immortal ancient predecessors, are also inadvertently concerned about the success or failure of your westward journey, the Buddha is too jealous, he wants to steal the day and time after you go on the road, but he will never dare." ”

Sanzang smiled: "Since this is the case, then let's slow down." I have only then realized that I am too shallow and need a lot of time to practice. Although Lan Bing was suppressed by the Buddha under the lotus platform, my own mana was not enough, and even if I went, I couldn't save her. ”

Sanzang immediately urged the horse forward, called Wang Sheng Li Bao, and said that the westward journey of 108,000 miles is not better than speed, but better than persistence, he wants Wang Sheng Li Bao to walk slowly, and there is a place with good scenery, so rest assured.

Wang Sheng and Li Bao are submissive and obedient. So the three of them rode their horses and walked slowly.

A few days later, Sanzang and Wang Sheng Li Bao came to Famen Temple to spend the night. After preaching in Famen Temple for seven days, he went on the road again, and after ten days he went to Gongzhou City. Play in the city of Gongzhou for three days, meet the local monks, and preach for a day. The next day, Sanzang and Wang Sheng Li Bao said goodbye to the city lord of Gongzhou, the city lord of Gongzhou surnamed Qing Dali, with the entourage will send Sanzang to the side of the mountain, dismounted and said respectfully: "Holy monk, in front of the Black Mountain Ridge, many mountain goblins, eat people and take people, the sky black people can't pass, now in the morning bright time, the holy monk must cheer up, rush through the Black Mountain Ridge, the Black Mountain Ridge seventy miles of mountain road, the holy monk must pass the main peak before dark." ”

Wang Sheng and Li Bao heard that there was a demon in front of him, and he was beating a drum in his heart. They are not afraid of ordinary bandits and robbers, and fierce beasts can also fight, but the mountain goblins and monsters, they have never fought, and they are afraid in their hearts.

Sanzang was happy in his heart, he proved that Situ Hanguo, and newly practiced the magic wand method, and the Wuxiang Tribulation Finger was even more superb, there was a demon in front of him, so it was just right to subdue the demon and eliminate the demon, try his own ability.

Xuanzang said: "Qing City Lord, since there is a demon in the Black Mountain Ridge, please ask the Qing City Lord to lead the army to escort the three of me over, and when I come back from learning the scriptures, I will give the emperor Ming, and there should be a heavy reward." ”

Qing vigorously changed color and said: "Holy monk, it's not that I can't help the holy monk, it's really that the demon king is vicious and abnormal, usually we send him melons, fruits and cakes on time every month to pay homage, so as to keep the people of a city safe, if I come out and lead the troops to escort you, first, there are many people who walk slowly, and you can't cross the mountains before dark; ”

Sanzang said: "In this case, the city lord of Qing, please go back, we can speed over the mountains." ”

Qing vigorously apologized repeatedly, Sanzang glanced at Wang Sheng and Li Bao, and said: "Two generals, we usually walk slowly, but today is different from the past, a dangerous place, fortunately, our horses are recuperating in Gongzhou City, and they are on the road." ”

Wang Sheng Li Bao stubbornly said: "The holy monk rest assured, swear to protect the holy monk over the mountain." ”

The three of them said goodbye to the lord of Qingcheng, and Sanzang took the lead and went up the mountain bravely.

At the beginning, there was a mountain road, until noon, after thirty miles, after going up to the main peak of the Black Mountain Ridge, the mountain road was gone, all were rugged and weedy paths, thorny, and horses could not walk. The three of them had to dismount and lead their horses to find the way.

I tried to walk for an hour, but I couldn't walk two miles, people were still on the main peak of the Black Mountain Ridge, looking at the sun gradually slanting westward, Wang Sheng Li Bao panicked, took out a Tang knife, cut thorns and weeds, suddenly there was a loud bang, the ground collapsed, the three of them even fell into a huge pit with their horses and luggage, countless strange laughter and roars sounded on their heads, Wang Sheng Li Bao looked up in horror, countless mountain monsters appeared around the entrance of the cave, the appearance was ugly and hideous, and they were looking at the three people in the pit pointing and chirping.