Sun Wukong, though banished by Tang Sanzang, couldn't help but worry about his master, feeling a mix of emotions. As he traveled, he arrived at the Eastern Sea and thought to himself, "Wow, I haven't taken this path in five hundred years!" The sea was a magnificent sight, with its waves crashing fiercely and endless mist stretching to the horizon. The roaring waves sounded like thunder, and as they surged over the bay, it was like a wild storm sweeping through a summer day. There were no villages along the shore, no fishing boats on the water, just ancient waves rolling up like white snow and the autumn breeze bringing a chill.
At this moment, Wukong, heavy-hearted, flew across the Eastern Sea and returned to his old home, the Flower and Fruit Mountain. But what he saw there broke his heart. The flowers and grass were gone, the mist and clouds had disappeared, the peaks had collapsed, and the trees were charred and withered. You might wonder why it was like this? It turns out that after Wukong's havoc in the Heavenly Palace and his capture, Erlang Shen and his seven brothers from Meishan set fire to the place. Seeing this desolation, Wukong felt a pang of sorrow, almost bringing tears to his eyes. As an old poem goes, "Tears fall when gazing back at the immortal mountain, the desolation adds to the sorrow."
As Wukong was lamenting, he suddenly heard some rustling in the grass and bushes. Out jumped seven or eight little monkeys, who surrounded him, bowing and shouting, "Grandpa Great Sage! You've finally returned!" Wukong asked, "Why aren't you all out playing? Why are you hiding? I've been here for a while and didn't see any of you." Hearing this, the little monkeys began to cry and complain, "Ever since you were captured, we've suffered terribly at the hands of hunters. Life has been unbearable! They come with crossbows, hawks, and hounds, nets and hooks. We've had to hide in the caves, afraid to come out to play, only sneaking out to find some grass to eat and drinking from the stream when thirsty. We only dared to come out now because we heard your voice, hoping you can protect us." Wukong felt even more sorrowful and asked, "How many monkeys are left on the mountain now?" The little monkeys replied, "Including the old and young, just about a thousand."
Wukong continued, "I used to have forty-seven thousand demon followers. Where did they all go?" The little monkeys explained, "After you left, Erlang Shen set the mountain on fire, killing most of them. We survived by hiding in wells, streams, and under bridges. After the fire, with nothing to eat, many left. In the past two years, hunters have captured half of those remaining." Wukong asked, "What do they do with you?" The little monkeys said, "Those hunters are terrible! They skin and debone the ones shot or killed, turning them into meals. The ones captured alive are forced to perform tricks and somersaults on the streets." Hearing this, Wukong was furious, asking, "Who's in charge now?" The little monkeys replied, "Marshal Ma Liu and General Ben Ba are still here."
Wukong instructed the little monkeys to inform them of his return. Ma Liu and Ben Ba hurried out to welcome him. Wukong sat in the center, with all the monkeys bowing before him, and asked, "Grandpa Great Sage, we heard you were escorting Tang Sanzang to fetch scriptures from the West. Why aren't you heading west, and instead, you're back here?" Wukong sighed, "You don't know. Tang Sanzang is ungrateful. I helped him subdue demons along the way, but he accused me of being violent and refused to let me be his disciple, banishing me with a letter of dismissal." The monkeys laughed and clapped, "Haha, that's great news! Forget about being a monk. Stay with us for a few years!" They then shouted, "Prepare some coconut wine to welcome Grandpa!" Wukong said, "Hold on, before we drink, tell me, how often do those hunters come to our mountain?" Ma Liu replied, "Great Sage, they come causing trouble almost every day." Wukong asked, "Why haven't they come today?" Ma Liu answered, "They'll probably be here soon."
Wukong instructed the little monkeys, "Go out and gather the burnt stones from the mountain. Pile them up; I have a use for them." The little monkeys swarmed out, quickly piling up stones. Wukong looked at the piles and said, "Now, all of you hide in the cave and let me take care of this."
Sun Wukong ascended to the mountaintop and looked into the distance. From the south, he saw a large group of people and horses approaching, accompanied by the sounds of drums and gongs. There were over a thousand men, armed with hawks, hounds, and weapons. Upon closer inspection, Wukong noticed that these people appeared fierce and aggressive, like tigers searching the mountains or dragons leaping through ravines. They wore fox pelts on their shoulders, silk sashes around their waists, and carried wolf-fang arrows in their quivers and precious eagle bows at their sides. Packs of hunting dogs and falcons filled the air, while others carried wicker baskets with cannons and powerful birds of prey. They had an array of hunting tools, including sticky rods and rabbit forks, as well as bull-headed road-blocking nets and deadly traps, all ready and at their disposal, with shouts echoing through the mountains.
Seeing these hunters invading his mountain, Wukong was enraged. He recited a spell, took a deep breath from the southeast, and exhaled a powerful gust of wind. What a fierce wind it was! It whipped up dust and sand, uprooted trees, and churned the sea waves into towering mountains, creating a chaotic and terrifying scene. The sky turned dark, obscuring the sun and moon. The wind howled like a tiger, and the bamboo groves roared like dragons. Sand and stones flew through the air, causing havoc and injury. Wukong used this mighty wind to lift the stones and send them hurtling through the air, striking the hunters and their horses, leaving them bloodied and battered. The ground was littered with bodies, and the earth was stained red with blood.
Having dispatched the hunters with a single gust of wind, the Great Sage felt a great sense of relief and joy. He descended from the clouds, laughing heartily, "Ah, what a twist of fate! Ever since I became a monk with Tang Sanzang, he's been lecturing me about 'a thousand days of good deeds are not enough; one day of evil is too much.' How amusing! I helped him fight off demons along the way, and he called me violent. Yet today, back home, I've dealt with so many hunters in one go." Then he shouted, "Come out, little ones!"
Hearing the Great Sage's call, the little monkeys emerged as soon as the wind subsided. Wukong instructed them, "Go down to the southern mountain, strip the hunters of their clothes, wash off the blood, and wear them to keep warm. Push the bodies into the deep ravine. Drag the dead horses here, skin them for boots, and preserve the meat for later. Take their bows, arrows, and weapons for practice. Gather the colorful flags; I have a use for them." The little monkeys quickly obeyed and set off to carry out his orders.
The Great Sage had the flags cleaned and reassembled into a grand banner, inscribed with the words "Restoration of Flower and Fruit Mountain, Reestablishment of Water Curtain Cave, Great Sage Equal to Heaven." He erected it outside the cave, recruiting troops, stockpiling supplies, and living freely. With his reputation and skills, he even visited the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas to borrow magical rainwater, rejuvenating the mountain with lush greenery. He planted elms and willows in the front, pines and cedars in the back, and a variety of fruit trees, living leisurely without concern for monastic life.
Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang, having listened to slander and dismissed Wukong, continued his westward journey. Zhu Bajie led the way, while Sha Wujing carried the luggage. After crossing White Tiger Ridge, they entered a dense forest filled with intertwined vines and green pines. Tang Sanzang cautioned, "Disciples, the mountain path is treacherous and difficult. This pine forest is dense; be careful, there may be demons lurking." Look at that simple-minded Bajie, full of energy, he told Sha Wujing to lead the horse while he wielded his nine-toothed rake to clear the path, leading Tang Sanzang into the forest.
As they walked, Tang Sanzang reined in his horse and said, "Bajie, I'm hungry. Where can we find some vegetarian food?" Bajie replied, "Master, get off the horse, and I'll go look for some." Tang Sanzang dismounted, and Sha Wujing set down the luggage, handing Bajie a bowl. Bajie said, "I'm off." Tang Sanzang asked, "Where are you going?" Bajie replied, "Don't worry, I'm going to dig ice for fire, squeeze snow for oil, and find you some food." Bajie left the pine forest and walked west for more than ten miles, not seeing a single soul. It was truly a desolate place, frequented by wolves and tigers. Exhausted, Bajie grumbled to himself, "When the Pilgrim was around, the old monk always got what he wanted. Now it's my turn, and I'm realizing how hard it is to manage things." As he walked, he grew more and more tired, thinking, "If I go back now and say I found nothing, the old monk won't believe I walked so far. I better wander around a bit more before returning. I'll take a nap in this haystack first." With that, he nestled his head in the grass and fell sound asleep.
Let's leave Bajie sleeping for now and return to Tang Sanzang. In the forest, feeling uneasy, he called to Sha Wujing, "Why hasn't Wuneng returned from seeking food?" Sha Wujing replied, "Master, you know him. Seeing how many people in the West offer food to monks, and given his big appetite, he won't care about you. He'll return only after he's full." Tang Sanzang said, "Yes, if he's being greedy, where will we find him? It's getting late, and this isn't a place to spend the night. We need to find shelter." Sha Wujing said, "Don't worry, Master. You sit here; I'll go find him." Tang Sanzang said, "Yes, yes, it doesn't matter if we don't have food, but we must find a place to stay." Sha Wujing picked up his staff and left the pine forest to look for Bajie.
Tang Sanzang sat alone in the forest, feeling incredibly bored. To shake off the monotony, he decided to stand up and stretch his legs. He piled up the luggage, tied the horse to a tree, took off his bamboo hat, set down his monk's staff, and adjusted his robes before leisurely strolling through the woods to clear his mind. As he admired the wild grasses and mountain flowers and listened to the birds returning to their nests, his mind remained troubled. Eventually, he accidentally wandered off the path.
As fate would have it, while he intended to clear his mind and perhaps find Bajie and Sha Wujing, those two had taken the straight western path, while Tang Sanzang himself veered south. Exiting the pine forest, he looked up to see a dazzling golden light and colorful aura in the distance. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a pagoda, its golden roof shimmering in the setting sun. He thought to himself, "My disciples really missed out! Since leaving the Eastern Land, I've vowed to burn incense at every temple, bow to every Buddha, and visit every pagoda. Isn't that a golden pagoda? How did we miss that path? Surely there's a monastery beneath it, and monks within. I must go and see. There's no one around here, so leaving the luggage and horse should be safe. If it's convenient there, I'll wait for my disciples to join me, and we'll seek lodging together."
Alas, Tang Sanzang's luck had truly run out. He hurried toward the pagoda, which stood in a place where:
Stone cliffs soared into the clouds, and mountain peaks pierced the sky. Dense trees flanked the path, and vines tangled front and back. Flowers swayed, and water trickled softly. From afar, it seemed a fairyland; up close, it resembled the paradise of Penglai. Pines and bamboos encircled the area, with monkeys darting about. Outside the cave entrance, beasts roamed in groups; in the woods, birds flocked together. Despite its beauty, it was a perilous place, and Tang Sanzang had unwittingly stumbled upon it.
Reaching the pagoda's entrance, Tang Sanzang saw a bamboo curtain hanging inside. He pushed the door open, and upon looking up, he saw a demon lying on a stone bed. This demon was truly peculiar in appearance: a blue face with white teeth, a wide-open mouth, disheveled hair dyed crimson; three or four purple whiskers resembling lychee buds. Its nose was like a parrot's beak, and its eyes like morning stars. Its fists were as large as a monk's alms bowl, and its feet like tree stumps on a cliff. It wore a light yellow robe, finer than a brocade kasaya, and held a gleaming treasure sword, sleeping on a smooth rock. It had once commanded an army of little demons and sat among them with great authority and power.
At the sight of this, the elder monk was so frightened that he staggered back a few steps, his body tingling and his legs weak. He quickly turned to flee. But this demon was extraordinarily perceptive, opening its ghostly golden eyes and shouting, "Minions, see who is outside!"
A little demon peeked out and saw a bald monk, then rushed back to report, "Great King, it's a monk outside, with a round head, big face, and drooping ears, tender flesh, and delicate skin—a fine monk indeed!" The demon laughed heartily, "Isn't this a fine meal delivered right to us? Minions, go capture him, and you'll be handsomely rewarded!"
The little demons swarmed out. Tang Sanzang, seeing this, panicked, his mind racing like an arrow, but his legs were as limp as noodles. Moreover, the mountain path was rugged, and it was getting late, making escape impossible. Consequently, he was captured and carried back by the little demons, as the saying goes: "A dragon in shallow waters is toyed with by shrimp; a tiger on the plain is bullied by dogs." Despite the many hardships, who could be as unfortunate as Tang Sanzang on his westward journey?
The little demons carried Tang Sanzang to the bamboo curtain, cheerfully announcing, "Great King, we've captured the monk!" The old demon took a sly glance and thought, "This monk is quite dignified, truly a fine monk. He must be someone significant; I must show some authority to impress him." So, he put on a fierce display, raising his red whiskers, making his hair stand on end, glaring with wide eyes, and shouted, "Bring the monk in!"
The little demons responded in unison and pushed Tang Sanzang inside. Tang Sanzang thought, "Under the eaves, one must bow their head." So, he put his palms together and respectfully greeted the demon. The old demon asked, "Where are you from, monk? Where are you headed? Speak clearly!" Tang Sanzang replied, "I am a monk from the Tang Dynasty, sent by the Emperor of the Great Tang to the West to obtain the true scriptures. Passing through your esteemed land, I came to pay respects at the pagoda. I apologize for disturbing you. Once I have obtained the scriptures and returned to the Eastern Land, I will forever remember your great kindness."
Upon hearing this, the old demon laughed heartily, "I knew you were someone important, and indeed you are! I've been wanting to eat you, and here you are, just in time! You are the meal I've been waiting for, walking right into my hands. There's no escape for you!" He then ordered the little demons, "Tie up the monk!"
The little demons swarmed forward and tied Tang Sanzang to the Soul-Stabilizing Post. The old demon, holding a knife, asked again, "Monk, how many are in your group? It can't be just you heading to the West, can it?" Seeing the demon with a knife, Tang Sanzang honestly replied, "Great King, I have two disciples, named Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing. They went to the pine forest to seek alms. We have a load of luggage and a white horse, all left in the pine forest." Hearing this, the old demon was even more delighted, "More good fortune! Two disciples, making three of you, plus the horse, just enough for a feast!" The little demons said, "Shall we go capture them?" The old demon waved his hand, "No need to go out. Just close the front door. When they return from seeking alms, they will surely look for their master. If they can't find him, they will certainly come to our door. As the saying goes, business at the door is easy to do. Let's wait for them to walk into our trap." So the little demons closed the front door.
Leaving aside Tang Sanzang's troubles, let's turn to Sha Wujing searching for Bajie. He walked over ten miles out of the forest without seeing a single village. Standing on a high slope, he looked around and suddenly heard someone talking in their sleep in the grass. He quickly used his staff to part the grass and found Bajie sleeping inside.
Sha Wujing tugged Bajie's ear to wake him up, saying, "You fool! Master sent you to seek alms, and here you are sleeping?" Bajie groggily woke up and asked, "Brother, what time is it now?" Sha Wujing replied, "Get up quickly! Master said it doesn't matter if we have alms or not; he wants us to find a place to stay." Bajie, still half-asleep, picked up his alms bowl and grabbed his rake, following Sha Wujing back to the forest. But when they looked around, their master was nowhere to be found.
Sha Wujing complained, "It's all your fault, fool. You didn't come back after seeking alms, and now a demon must have captured Master." Bajie laughed and said, "Brother, don't talk nonsense. That forest was so serene; how could there be demons? I think the old monk couldn't sit still and went for a stroll himself. Let's go find him." So the two of them, leading the horse and carrying the luggage, packed up the cloak and monk's staff and left the pine forest to search for their master.
This time, it seemed Tang Sanzang's fate had not abandoned him. After searching for their master for a long time without success, Bajie and Sha Wujing suddenly noticed a golden light shining to the south. Bajie excitedly said, "Brother, blessed people need not worry! Look, there's a pagoda shining over there; Master must have gone there. Surely they'll treat him well; let's hurry over and get a free meal."
Sha Wujing, feeling a bit apprehensive, said, "Brother, don't be too optimistic. It's hard to predict good or bad; let's go take a look." So, the two of them marched boldly to the front door, only to find it tightly shut. Hanging on the door was a white jade plaque with the words "Banzi Mountain, Wave Moon Cave" inscribed in large characters. Sha Wujing, upon seeing it, said, "Brother, this isn't a monastery; it's a demon's lair! If Master is here, I'm afraid he's in grave danger."
Bajie dismissed his concerns, "Brother, don't be afraid. Tie up the horse and watch the luggage while I go ask what's going on." With that, Bajie raised his rake and shouted at the door, "Open up! Open up!" Inside the cave, the little demons saw this and quickly ran to report, "Great King, business has come to us!" The old demon asked, "What business?" The little demon replied, "Outside, there's a monk with a long snout and big ears, and another dark-skinned monk, calling at the door!" Upon hearing this, the old demon was overjoyed, "Ha, it's Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing! They've managed to find their way here! Since they're here, let's not neglect them." He then ordered, "Bring my armor!"
The little demons brought the gear, and the old demon donned it, holding a steel knife, and walked out the door.Over on the other side, Bajie and Sha Wujing were waiting when they suddenly saw the demon coming out with great momentum. Just look at his appearance: a green face with red whiskers, fiery hair flowing, and golden armor gleaming brightly. He wore a belt of stone around his waist, with armor strapped across his chest, standing idly in front of the mountain as the wind howled. In his hand, he held a blue indigo club and a soul-chasing, life-taking knife. This demon was known as the Yellow Robe Demon.
As soon as the Yellow Robe Demon stepped out, he asked, "Where are you monks from, daring to shout at my door?" Bajie, not backing down, retorted, "You little punk, don't you recognize your grandpa? I'm from the Great Tang, sent to the Western Heaven to fetch scriptures! My master is the Imperial Brother, Tang Sanzang. If he's here, bring him out quickly, or I'll smash your door with my rake!"
The demon laughed and said, "Yes, yes, there's a Tang monk here with me. I haven't mistreated him; I'm just preparing human meat buns for him. Why don't you come in and try one?" Bajie almost fell for it, but fortunately, Sha Wujing pulled him back, "Brother, he's tricking you. When have you ever eaten human meat?"
Only then did Bajie come to his senses, raising his rake to strike the demon. The demon sidestepped and met the attack with his steel knife. The two began to fight, soaring through the clouds, battling fiercely in the air. Sha Wujing also dropped the luggage and white horse, raised his precious staff, and rushed in to help. The scene was truly spectacular: two monks and a demon engaged in a fierce battle in the clouds. The staff clashed with the knife, the rake was fierce, and the demon showed no weakness. The Yellow Robe Demon wielded his steel knife, shining brightly, displaying great magical power without fear.
The three fought in the air for dozens of rounds without a clear winner. For the sake of their lives, they all fought with all their might, locked in a stalemate.
As for the fate of Tang Sanzang, we shall continue next time.
