The monster caught Bajie and dragged him into the cave, happily saying, "Big brother, I've caught one!" The old monster took a look and said with delight, "Bring him over, let me see." The second monster said, "Isn't it just this one?" The old monster glanced at Bajie and was somewhat dissatisfied, "Brother, you've caught the wrong person. This monk is useless." Bajie, clutching his scriptures, quickly said, "Great King, if I'm useless, just let me go. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair!" The second monster said, "Big brother, don't be in a hurry to release him. Although he's useless, he's part of Tang Sanzang's group. He's called Zhu Bajie. Let's throw him into the clean water pool at the back, strip his skin, salt him, dry him, and have him as a snack when it turns cloudy." Upon hearing this, Bajie thought, "Oh no, I've run into a monster that makes cured meat!" The little monsters carried Bajie away, threw him into the water, and left him there without further mention.
Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang sat at the foot of the hill, feeling his ears burning, his eyelids twitching, and generally uneasy. He shouted, "Wukong! Why hasn't Wuneng returned from his patrol yet?" Sun Wukong replied, "Master, you still don't know his mindset." Tang Sanzang asked, "What mindset does he have?" Wukong answered, "Master, if there are monsters in this mountain, he wouldn't have gone far. He would definitely shout and run back to report. If there are no monsters and the path is smooth, he might just wander off."
Tang Sanzang worriedly said, "If he really ran off, where would we find him? This is a wilderness, unlike the city where it's easy to find people." Wukong comforted him, "Don't worry, Master. Get on your horse. That lazy fellow is probably moving slowly. If you hurry the horse, we can catch up with him and continue on our way." So Tang Sanzang mounted his horse, Sha Monk carried the luggage, and Wukong led the way up the mountain.
Meanwhile, the old monster called the second monster over again and said, "Brother, since you've caught Bajie, Tang Sanzang must be nearby. Go patrol the mountain again and don't let him slip by!" The second monster agreed, "I'll go right away, right away!"
In a hurry, he gathered fifty little monsters and patrolled the mountain. As they were walking, they suddenly saw auspicious clouds swirling and propitious air spiraling. The second monster said, "Tang Sanzang is here!" The little monsters asked, "Where is Tang Sanzang?" The second monster explained, "Good people have auspicious clouds above their heads, while bad people have black air rising. Tang Sanzang is the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada and a good person who has cultivated for ten lifetimes, so he has these auspicious clouds swirling." The little monsters couldn't see it, but the second monster pointed and said, "Isn't it over there?"
At this moment, Tang Sanzang was riding on his horse and suddenly shivered. The second monster pointed again, and Tang Sanzang shivered once more. After pointing three times, he shivered three times in a row, feeling uneasy, and said, "Disciples, why do I keep shivering?" Sha Monk said, "Maybe you ate something bad." Wukong laughed and said, "Nonsense, Master is just a bit scared walking in this deep forest. Don't be afraid! Let me swing my staff to calm you down." With that, Wukong swung his golden staff, performing several moves in front of the horse, demonstrating his vast magical powers.
The elder watched from the horse, truly amazed by Wukong's unmatched skills. As they proceeded, they almost frightened the monsters. The monsters on the mountain peak were terrified, and the second monster exclaimed, "I've heard of Sun Wukong's fame for many years, and today I see it is well-deserved. He's indeed formidable!" The little monsters approached and asked, "Great King, why are you praising others and belittling yourself? Who are you complimenting?" The second monster said, "Sun Wukong is immensely powerful; it seems we won't be able to eat Tang Sanzang."
The little monsters, dissatisfied, said, "Great King, if you can't do it, let's inform the Great King to gather all the soldiers in the cave, set up a formation, and with everyone's combined efforts, he won't escape!" The second monster sighed, "You haven't seen his iron staff, which can defeat ten thousand men. We have only four or five hundred in the cave; how could we withstand even one strike from him?" The little monsters said, "So, we can't eat Tang Sanzang, and we caught Zhu Bajie by mistake? Should we release him now?" The second monster shook his head, "We didn't catch him by mistake, and releasing him wouldn't be good. We must capture Tang Sanzang eventually, but now isn't the time."
The little monsters asked, "How many years do we have to wait?" The second monster laughed, "Not years. I think we must use wisdom, not force, to capture Tang Sanzang. If we try to take him by force, we won't even see him. Only by moving him with strategy and making him willingly follow us can we succeed." The little monsters asked, "If the Great King has a plan, what do you need us to do?" The second monster said, "Return to your posts, and don't let the Great King know. If he's alerted and the plan is leaked, it will ruin everything. I have my magical ways to capture Tang Sanzang."
That all the other monsters dispersed, leaving only the old monster, who jumped down the mountain alone. He came to the roadside and transformed into an elderly Taoist priest. Look at him: wearing a shiny star crown on his head, with white hair fluttering; dressed in a robe embroidered with patterns, with a brocade belt around his waist; stepping on cloud shoes, appearing vigorous and spirited, just like an immortal with an ethereal demeanor. He lay by the roadside, pretending to be a Taoist with a broken leg, with blood flowing from his foot, constantly moaning, "Help! Help!"
Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang and his three disciples were happily walking forward when they suddenly heard someone shouting, "Master, help!" Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang quickly said, "Amitabha! In this desolate wilderness, with no villages around, who is calling? It must be someone frightened by tigers, leopards, wolves, or insects." So, he turned his horse around and shouted, "Who is in distress? You may come out."
The monster crawled out from the grass and knelt before Tang Sanzang's horse with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly. Seeing that he was a Taoist and so old, Tang Sanzang felt compassion and quickly dismounted to help him up, saying, "Please rise, please rise." The monster cried out, "Oh, it hurts, it hurts!" He loosened his grip, revealing his foot, which was bleeding profusely. Tang Sanzang asked in surprise, "Sir, where are you from, and how did you injure your foot like this?"
The monster, with eloquent deceit, pretended, "Master, to the west of this mountain, there is a secluded Taoist temple. I am a Taoist priest from there." Tang Sanzang asked, "Why are you not serving incense and studying scriptures in the temple? How did you end up wandering here?" The monster replied, "A few days ago, a benefactor south of the mountain invited us Taoists to perform a ritual. It was late when we returned, and I was walking with my disciple. On this secluded path, we suddenly encountered a fierce tiger that carried my disciple away. Terrified, I fled desperately and accidentally fell on a rocky slope, injuring my leg. I couldn't find my way back. Today, it's truly fate to meet you, Master. I beg you to show great mercy and save my life. If I can return to the temple, I will surely repay your great kindness, even if I have to sell myself."
Hearing this, Tang Sanzang believed he was telling the truth and said, "Sir, you and I are both people with lives. I am a monk, and you are a Taoist. Although our attire differs, the principles of cultivation are the same. If I don't save you, I am not a true monk. But while I can save you, you cannot walk." The monster said, "I can't even stand, let alone walk." Tang Sanzang said, "Very well. Since I can walk, I'll let you ride my horse for a while. Once we reach your temple, you can return the horse to me."
The monster said, "Master, thank you for your kindness, but my leg and hip are injured, and I can't ride a horse." Tang Sanzang thought for a moment and said to Sha Monk, "Carry the luggage on my horse, and you carry him for a while." Sha Monk said, "I'll carry him." The monster quickly turned around, glaring at him, and said, "Master, I'm terrified of tigers, and seeing this black-faced master frightens me even more. I dare not let him carry me." Tang Sanzang then said, "Wukong, you carry him." Sun Wukong readily agreed, "I'll carry him, I'll carry him!"
Upon hearing this, the monster was assured and let Sun Wukong carry him without further words. Sha Monk laughed and said, "This old Taoist has no sense! He doesn't want me to carry him but insists on Wukong. If he loses sight of the master, he might drop you on the rocks and break your tendons!" Sun Wukong carried the monster and laughed, "You impudent monster, how dare you provoke me? Don't you know who I, Old Sun, am? Your lies may deceive Tang Sanzang, but you can't fool me! I recognize you as a monster from this mountain, wanting to eat my master. But my master isn't someone you can eat. If you want to eat him, you'll have to share half with me!"
The monster, hearing Sun Wukong's words, quickly said, "Master, I am from a good family and became a Taoist. Today, I was unfortunate to encounter a tiger and wolf disaster. I'm not a monster!" Sun Wukong said, "If you're afraid of tigers and wolves, why not recite the 'Beidou Sutra'?" Tang Sanzang was about to mount his horse when he heard this and scolded, "You impudent monkey! Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda. Just carry him if you're going to carry him, why talk about the 'Beidou Sutra' or 'Nandou Sutra'?"
Sun Wukong listened and thought, "This guy is really lucky! My master is a compassionate and kind person, but he's a bit naive. If I don't carry you, he'll blame me. Fine, I'll carry you, but let me make it clear: if you need to relieve yourself, tell me first. If you soil my back, making it stinky and dirty, no one will wash my clothes!" The monster replied, "I'm old enough to understand what you mean."
Only then did Sun Wukong lift him up and carry him on his back, walking westward along the main road with Tang Sanzang and Sha Monk. The mountain path was uneven, so Sun Wukong walked carefully, letting Tang Sanzang and the others go ahead. After walking three to five miles, they had descended into a valley, and Sun Wukong could no longer see them. He complained to himself, "Master is so old yet still doesn't understand. This long journey is tiring even when walking empty-handed, let alone carrying this monster! Even if he were a good person, at such an age, it's about time he should be gone. I might as well throw him off; why bother carrying him?"
Just as the Great Sage was about to throw the monster off, the monster had already sensed it. It turned out he had the power to move mountains and seas. While on Sun Wukong's back, he recited incantations and summoned a Mount Sumeru from the sky, pressing it down on Sun Wukong's head. The Great Sage quickly tilted his head, and the mountain pressed down on his left shoulder and back. He laughed, "Well, you think you can crush me with such a heavy trick? I'm not afraid, but carrying a balanced load is easier than an unbalanced one!"
Seeing that one mountain couldn't hold him down, the monster recited another spell, summoning Mount Emei from the sky to press down again. Sun Wukong tilted his head once more, and the mountain pressed down on his right shoulder and back. Look at him, carrying two mountains, quickly catching up with his master! The monster, seeing this, was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat, thinking, "He can actually carry mountains!" Steadying himself, he chanted a true incantation and summoned Mount Tai from the sky, pressing it down on Sun Wukong.
This time, Sun Wukong's strength was exhausted, his muscles and bones were sore, and the Mount Tai pressing technique overwhelmed him, causing his three spiritual souls to explode and blood to spurt from his seven orifices.
The monster used his magic to subdue Sun Wukong and then rode the swift wind to chase after Tang Sanzang. From the clouds, he reached out his hand, intending to snatch Tang Sanzang from his horse. Seeing this, Sha Monk hurriedly dropped the luggage, drew his demon-subduing staff, and blocked the monster head-on. The monster raised a Seven-Star Sword to engage in battle. What a fierce fight it was!
One wielded the Seven-Star Sword, and the other used the demon-subduing staff, both shining brilliantly. The monster glared fiercely, like a black-faced god of death; Sha Monk, with an iron face, stood like a reincarnated curtain-rolling general. The monster displayed his great powers in front of the mountain, determined to capture Tang Sanzang; Sha Monk fought desperately to protect the true scripture monk, refusing to yield. They spewed clouds and mist, covering the sky and the sun, fighting until the heavens and earth were dark, and the sun and moon lost their light.
They went back and forth for eight or nine rounds, and unexpectedly, Sha Monk gradually became overwhelmed. The monster was truly fierce, wielding the sword with moves like meteors and lightning. Sha Monk was forced to the point where his hands and feet were numb, unable to resist, and when he tried to retreat, the monster blocked his way. The monster reached out with a big hand, grabbed Sha Monk, tucked him under his left arm, and with his right hand, snatched Tang Sanzang from the horse. With a flick of his toe, he hooked up the luggage, opened his mouth, bit the mane of the white horse, and with his magic, whisked them away in a gust of wind back to the Lotus Flower Cave.
The monster shouted loudly, "Big brother! I've captured the monk!" The old monster heard this and was overjoyed, saying, "Bring him here for me to see." The second monster said, "Isn't this him?" The old monster looked and sighed, "Dear brother, you've got the wrong one again." The second monster asked, "Didn't you want me to capture Tang Sanzang?" The old monster replied, "Yes, it's Tang Sanzang, but you haven't captured the powerful Sun Wukong yet. We must capture him first before we can safely eat Tang Sanzang. If we don't deal with him first, don't act rashly. He has great powers and can change in countless ways. If we eat his master, he surely won't let it go and will cause trouble at our cave, making it impossible for us to live in peace."
The second monster laughed, "Big brother, you give him too much credit. If he's as great as you say, there's no one like him in heaven or on earth. But in my view, he's just so-so, nothing special." The old monster asked, "Did you capture him?" The second monster proudly said, "I've already pinned him down with three mountains, so he can't move, which is why I was able to capture Tang Sanzang, Sha Monk, along with the horse and luggage."
Hearing this, the old monster was overjoyed, "Great, great! Capturing that guy means Tang Sanzang is our feast!" He shouted, "Servants! Bring out the wine, I want to toast the second king and celebrate his great achievement!"
The second monster said, "Brother, let's not drink yet. Let's have the minions fish Zhu Bajie out of the water and hang him up." So, they hung Bajie in the east corridor, Sha Monk in the west, and Tang Sanzang in the middle. The white horse was tied to the trough, and the luggage was put away. The old monster laughed, "Dear brother, you have great skills! In just two attempts, you caught three monks. However, even though Sun Wukong is pinned down by the mountains, we still need to find a way to bring him here and steam him together."
The second monster said, "Brother, please sit down. To capture Sun Wukong, we don't need to go personally. We just need to send two small demons with two treasures to capture him." The old monster asked, "What treasures should we take?" The second monster replied, "Just take my Purple Gold Red Gourd and your Jade Pure Flask."
The old monster took out the treasures and asked, "Which two should we send?" The second monster said, "Send Fine Ghost and Clever Bug." He instructed, "You two take these treasures, go directly to the top of that high mountain, turn the gourd and flask upside down, with the bottom facing the sky and the mouth facing the ground, and shout 'Sun Wukong!' If he responds, he will be captured inside. Quickly seal it with the Taishang Laojun's urgent talisman, and he will turn into pus within a short time." The two small demons bowed and accepted the order, taking the treasures to capture Sun Wukong.
Meanwhile, Sun Wukong was suffering under the mountain due to the monster's magic, worried about his master Tang Sanzang. As he thought about it, he sighed, "Master! Back then, you came to Two Boundary Mountain, removed the seal pressing on me, and saved my life. I became your disciple, received the decree from the Bodhisattva, and accompanied you to fetch the scriptures from the West. We've lived and practiced together, sharing joys and hardships. Unexpectedly, today, I've encountered this demon and am once again pinned down by a mountain. How pitiful! If something happens to you, what will Sha Monk, Bajie, and the little white dragon do? It's truly said, 'A big tree attracts the wind and shakes it; a man of fame loses his name.'” After speaking, tears fell from his eyes.
This commotion alerted the local mountain gods, earth spirits, and the five directions' revealing deities. The Gold-Headed Revealing Deity asked, "Whose mountain is this?" The earth spirit replied, "It's ours." The deity asked again, "Who is being pressed under the mountain?" The earth spirit said, "We don't know." The deity said, "Do you know who is under the mountain? It's none other than the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, who caused havoc in heaven five hundred years ago! Now he has converted to Buddhism and is accompanying Tang Sanzang to fetch the scriptures. How could you lend the mountain to the monster to press him down? This is courting disaster! If he comes out, will he spare you? Even if he shows mercy, the earth spirit will be questioned, the mountain god will be demoted, and we will also be held accountable!"
The mountain gods and earth spirits panicked and quickly said, "We really didn't know! We only heard the monster chanting spells to move the mountain to press someone down. How could we know it was the Great Sage underneath?" The deity said, "Don't be afraid. The law states that the ignorant are not guilty. I'll give you some advice: quickly release him to avoid being attacked." The earth spirit worriedly said, "Isn't it unreasonable to release him and still be attacked?" The deity laughed, "You don't know, do you? His Golden Cudgel is formidable! A single hit can be fatal, and even a light touch can peel off a layer of skin! You'd better release him quickly."
The mountain gods and earth spirits trembled with fear. After consulting with the five directions' revealing deities, they came to the entrance of the three mountains and shouted, "Great Sage! The mountain gods, earth spirits, and five directions' revealing deities are here to see you!" Although Wukong was pinned under the mountain, his spirit was undiminished, and he asked in a loud voice, "What do you want to see me for?" The earth spirit said, "We report to the Great Sage, we have come to move the mountain and release you. We humbly ask the Great Sage to forgive our disrespect." Wukong said, "Move the mountain, and I won't hit you." His command was like an official decree. The gods immediately chanted incantations and returned the mountain to its original position, releasing Wukong.
Wukong jumped up, shook off the dirt from his body, straightened his clothes, pulled out the Golden Cudgel from behind his ear, and shouted, "Mountain gods and earth spirits, come over here and extend your arms. Each of you will first take two hits to vent my anger!" The gods were shocked and said, "The Great Sage just said you would forgive our offenses. Why do you want to hit us now?" Wukong sneered, "Well, you usually don't fear me, but you fear that monster!" The earth spirit said with grievance, "That monster is powerful and has great magic. He chanted spells and detained us in his cave, making us take turns on duty!"
Upon hearing the word "shifts," Wukong was taken aback and sighed deeply, "Oh, heavens! Since the beginning of time, when Flower-Fruit Mountain gave birth to me, I've traveled far and wide to seek out wise teachers and learn the way of immortality. Think of me, the Great Sage, capable of transforming with the wind, subduing tigers and dragons, causing havoc in the Heavenly Palace, and proclaiming myself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, never once have I bullied mountain gods or earth spirits. Yet now, this monster dares to enslave you, making you take turns serving him! Oh heavens, why create such a demon if you created me, the Great Sage?"
As the Great Sage lamented, he suddenly saw a brilliant glow emanating from the mountain valley. He asked the mountain gods and earth spirits, "Since you serve in that cave, what is that light?" The earth spirit replied, "That's the monster's treasure shining. It's likely that a demon is coming with the treasure to subdue you." Wukong laughed, "How interesting! Let me ask you, who does he associate with in his cave?" The earth spirit said, "He likes to refine elixirs and medicines, and he associates with Taoist priests of the Complete Reality School." Wukong realized, "No wonder he transformed into an old Taoist to deceive my master. In that case, remember to watch how I deal with him!" With that, the gods quickly departed into the sky.
Sun Wukong then transformed into an old Taoist priest. You ask how he was dressed? He wore two topknots on his head, a patched robe made of various fabrics, tapped a wooden fish drum in his hand, had a Lu Gong sash tied around his waist, and leaned against the roadside, waiting for the little demons to pass by.
Before long, the two little demons indeed came. The Monkey King mischievously extended his Golden Cudgel to trip them. The two demons, caught off guard, fell with a thud. When they got up and saw an old Taoist, they shouted, "You lazy bum! If it weren't for our king respecting itinerant Taoists like you, we'd have settled this with you already!" The Taoist laughed, "Settle what? A Taoist meeting a Taoist, we're all on the same side."
The demon said, "Why are you lying here, tripping us?" The Taoist chuckled, "The young Taoist boys wanted to give this old Taoist a fall as a greeting." The demon said, "Our king's greetings usually involve a few ounces of silver. How can tripping someone be a greeting? You must not be a local Taoist." The Taoist said, "Indeed, I'm not. I come from Mount Penglai."
The little demon, surprised, said, "Mount Penglai is a divine realm on the sea!" The Taoist said, "If I'm not a celestial being, then who is?"
The demon's anger turned to joy, and they hurriedly approached, saying, "Old Immortal, Old Immortal! We have mortal eyes and didn't recognize you. Please don't take offense." The Taoist laughed, "I don't blame you. As the saying goes, 'Celestials do not tread the mortal dust,' so how could you know? I came to your mountain today to find a good person to become immortal. Who wants to come with me?"
Fine Ghost quickly said, "Master, I'll go with you!" Clever Bug added, "Master, I'll go too!" The Taoist knowingly asked, "Where are you two from?" The little demons replied, "We're from Lotus Flower Cave." "And where are you headed?" The little demons said, "By our king's command, we're going to capture Sun Wukong!"
Wukong asked, "Which Sun Wukong?" The little demon answered, "The one accompanying Tang Sanzang to fetch the scriptures!" Sun Wukong continued, "Is it the Sun Wukong who's traveling with Tang Sanzang?" The little demon said, "Exactly, exactly! Do you know him?" The Taoist laughed, "That monkey is a bit unruly. I know him and am a bit annoyed with him. I'll go with you to catch him, helping you out."
The little demon quickly said, "Master, there's no need for your help. Our second king has magic powers and has pinned him under three mountains so he can't move. We're just bringing the treasures to capture him." The Taoist feigned surprise, "What treasures are those?" Fine Ghost said, "I have the Red Gourd, and he has the Jade Pure Flask."
The Taoist asked, "How do you capture him?" The little demon proudly said, "We turn these treasures upside down, with the bottom facing the sky and the mouth facing the ground, and call his name. If he responds, he'll be captured inside. Then we seal it with a talisman from Taishang Laojun, and within a short time, he'll turn into pus."
Upon hearing this, Wukong was secretly astonished: "Impressive, impressive! Back when the Duty Officer reported, he mentioned five treasures, and these are two of them. I wonder what the other three are?" He smiled and said, "Could you lend me your treasures to have a look?" The little demons, suspecting nothing, took the treasures from their sleeves and handed them over to Wukong.
Seeing the treasures, Wukong was secretly delighted: "Wonderful, wonderful! If I were to flick my tail and leap away now, it would be as if they gifted these to me." But then he thought, "No, no! Snatching them outright would tarnish my reputation. That would be daylight robbery." So, he handed the treasures back to them and said, "You haven't seen my treasure yet." The little demons, intrigued, asked, "What treasure do you have, Master? Show us mortals and amaze us."
Wukong, the clever one, plucked a hair from his tail, twisted it, and uttered a spell, transforming it into a large purple-gold red gourd, about one foot seven inches long. He took it from his waist and said, "What do you think of my gourd?"
Clever Bug took it, examined it, and said, "Master, your gourd is quite large and looks nice, but it seems useless." Wukong laughed, "Why do you say it's useless?" The little demon said, "Our two treasures can each hold a thousand people!" Wukong dismissed this, "What's so special about holding people? My gourd can hold the sky!"
The little demon, astonished, asked, "Can it really hold the sky?" Wukong confidently nodded, "It truly can hold the sky!" The little demon was skeptical, "I fear you might be boasting. If you can show us it holding the sky, we'll believe you; otherwise, we won't." Wukong laughed, "If the sky annoys me, I'll pack it up seven or eight times a month; if it doesn't, I might not pack it for half a year."
Clever Bug whispered to Fine Ghost, "Brother, let's trade our treasure for his sky-holding one." Fine Ghost shook his head, "Why would he trade his sky-holding treasure for our people-holding ones?" Clever Bug pondered, "If he won't, we can add the Jade Pure Flask to the deal!" Wukong was secretly pleased: "Trading a gourd for a gourd, plus getting the Jade Pure Flask, a two-for-one deal, how profitable!" So, he approached Clever Bug and said, "If I show you it holding the sky, will you trade?" The little demon firmly said, "If you can hold the sky, we'll trade! If not, I'll be your son!"
Wukong laughed heartily, "Alright, alright, I'll show you holding the sky!"
Sun Wukong lowered his head, formed a hand seal, and recited a spell, summoning the Day Roaming God, Night Roaming God, and the Five Directions Revealing Deities. He said, "Quickly report to the Jade Emperor, saying that I, Sun Wukong, have converted and am now escorting Tang Sanzang to fetch scriptures from the West. We've encountered a mountainous obstacle, and my master is in trouble. The monster's treasures are formidable, and I plan to trick him into trading them. I respectfully request that the Heavenly Court lend me the sky to store in my gourd for half an hour to aid my success. If there's no response, I'll storm the Hall of Miraculous Mist!"
The Day Roaming God swiftly reached the Southern Heavenly Gate and reported to the Jade Emperor in the Hall of Miraculous Mist, relaying Sun Wukong's words verbatim. The Jade Emperor, slightly annoyed, said, "This mischievous monkey speaks without manners. Previously, Guanyin Bodhisattva pleaded for him, so we released him to protect Tang Sanzang. I've even dispatched the Five Directions Revealing Deities and the Four Duty Officers to take turns guarding him. Now he wants to borrow the sky to store—can the sky be stored?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Nezha, the Third Lotus Prince, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the sky can indeed be stored." The Jade Emperor curiously asked, "How can the sky be stored?" Nezha replied, "Since the dawn of time, the light, clear qi became the sky, and the heavy, turbid qi became the earth. The sky is essentially a mass of clear qi supporting the Jade Palace. Theoretically, it's difficult to store. But since Sun Wukong is escorting Tang Sanzang to fetch scriptures, a virtuous act benefiting the world, we should aid him today." The Jade Emperor asked, "What do you propose?" Nezha said, "Please issue a decree, allowing me to go to the Northern Heavenly Gate to borrow the Black Tortoise Flag from the True Martial Emperor. I'll unfurl it at the Southern Heavenly Gate, covering the sun, moon, and stars. When it's dark as night, with hands unseen, we can deceive the monster and ensure Wukong's success."
The Jade Emperor nodded and said, "Very well, as you propose." Nezha received the decree and went to the Northern Heavenly Gate, where he met the True Martial Emperor and explained his purpose. The True Martial Emperor promptly handed him the Black Tortoise Banner.
Meanwhile, the Day Roaming God hurried back and whispered in the Great Sage's ear, "Prince Nezha has come to assist you." Wukong looked up and saw auspicious clouds swirling, indeed indicating divine assistance. He turned to the little demons and said, "Alright, I can start storing the sky now." The little demons impatiently said, "If you're going to do it, then do it. Why dawdle?" Wukong laughed, "I was just focusing my mind and reciting a spell."
The two little demons widened their eyes, eager to see how he would store the sky. Sun Wukong tossed the fake gourd into the sky. Now, consider that it was merely a transformed hair, so how heavy could it be? Caught by the mountain's wind, it floated and drifted, taking a full half-hour to descend.
At that moment, Prince Nezha unfurled the Black Tortoise Banner with a "whoosh" at the Southern Heavenly Gate, covering the sun, moon, and stars. Instantly, the world was plunged into darkness, as if dipped in ink, resembling a universe trapped in a dye vat.
The two little demons were shocked and exclaimed, "It was broad daylight just now; how did it suddenly become dusk?" Wukong smiled, "The sky has been stored away, making it impossible to discern the time, so naturally, it looks like dusk!" The little demons asked, "Why is it so dark?" Wukong feigned mystery and said, "The sun, moon, and stars are all in the gourd. There's no light outside, so of course, it's dark!" The little demons panicked and shouted, "Master, where are you speaking from?"
Wukong teased them, "Aren't I right in front of you?" The little demons reached out, but though they could hear his voice, they couldn't touch him, which made them even more alarmed: "Master, where is this place?" Wukong continued to fool them, "Don't move recklessly! This is the coast of the Bohai Sea. If you step into the void, you'll fall for seven or eight days before reaching the bottom!" The little demons were terrified and repeatedly said, "No, no, please release the sky! We believe you can truly store the sky. If this continues, we'll fall into the sea and never return home!"
Seeing that they were convinced, Sun Wukong recited a spell to signal Prince Nezha to roll up the banner. In a moment, sunlight once again bathed the earth, and it was still midday. The little demons joyfully exclaimed, "Marvelous! Marvelous! Such a wonderful treasure, if we don't trade, we're not true to ourselves!" Fine Ghost quickly handed over the red gourd, and Clever Bug also presented the Jade Pure Flask, both giving them to Wukong. Wukong, in turn, handed them the fake gourd.
Having acquired the treasures, Wukong still wanted to have a bit more fun. He plucked a hair from below his navel, blew a breath of celestial energy on it, and transformed it into a copper coin, shouting, "Little ones, take this coin and buy a sheet of paper." The little demons asked, "What do you need paper for?" Wukong said, "I want to write a contract. You are trading two people-holding treasures for my sky-holding treasure. I'm concerned that someone might regret it over time, so it's best to have a written agreement, each keeping a copy as proof."
The little demons said, "There's no pen and ink here, so what contract can we write? Let's swear an oath instead." Wukong asked, "How do we swear?" The little demons said, "We swear that if anyone reneges on the trade of two people-holding treasures for one sky-holding treasure, they will be plagued by misfortune and illness all year round." Wukong laughed, "Alright! I won't go back on my word either. If I do, I'll suffer the same misfortune all year round!" With that, he somersaulted, flicked his tail, and leapt to the Southern Heavenly Gate to thank Prince Nezha for his help. The prince returned to the palace to report and returned the banner to the True Martial Emperor.
Sun Wukong stood on the clouds, watching the two little demons from afar. What will happen to them next? We'll find out in the next chapter!
