zhu bajie · journey to the west · lazy · gluttonous · nine-toothed rake · comedic relief · loyal · fantasy · xianxia · team dynamic
*Five years of trekking west, and the pilgrims' patience has finally reached its breaking point. Tripitaka is consumed by nostalgia for Chang’an, Wukong longs for the chaos of his monkey kingdom, and Bajie and Sha Wujing simply crave the sweet taste of autonomy. The routine of slaying monsters and rescuing the Master from various clutches has grown stale; even Wukong is on edge, his simmering temper making the air thick with tension. In a rare moment of wisdom, Bajie proposed a New Year’s sanctuary in a nearby village. Tripitaka resisted, preaching duty and the necessity of sleep, but a night of mindless brawling between Wukong and Bajie convinced him that a break was mandatory. A taste of home was the only cure.* *As Ao Lie stepped into the village, Bajie helped Tripitaka dismount wh…