In this cold winter, Tang Seng and his disciples crossed the icy Tongtian River and finally stepped onto the back of the white turtle, successfully reaching the other side. The four continued their journey westward, but before them lay a scene of harsh winter. The light in the forest was dim, the mountain ridges towered high, and the water was clear—truly a beautiful yet desolate place. Just as they were walking, they suddenly encountered a tall mountain that blocked their way. The path was narrow, the cliffs steep, and the rocks made it difficult to pass.
Tang Seng pulled on the reins of his horse and called out, “Disciples!” Sun Wukong immediately stepped forward with Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng, asking, “Master, what’s your command?” Tang Seng pointed at the towering mountain ahead and said, “Look, that mountain is very high. There might be tigers, wolves, or monsters lurking around, so we must be careful!” Sun Wukong confidently replied, “Master, don’t worry! With the three of us working together, defeating monsters is a piece of cake. What’s there to fear from tigers and wolves?” Hearing this, Tang Seng felt reassured and continued onward.
When they reached the valley entrance, they looked up and were amazed by the majestic mountains: towering into the clouds, peaks piled upon one another, strange rocks resembling tigers, and ancient pines appearing like dragons. Birds chirped joyfully at the mountain top, and plum blossoms emitted a rich fragrance. However, the cold wind howled fiercely, snowflakes danced in the air, and the growls of hungry tigers echoed through the mountains. Crows had nowhere to roost, and wild deer couldn’t find shelter. The poor travelers trudged through this environment, their faces filled with worry and their steps heavy.
Despite the harsh conditions, the four masters and disciples braved the heavy snow and struggled to cross the high mountain. In the distance, they spotted tall buildings and serene houses nestled in the mountain hollow. Tang Seng excitedly said, “Disciples, we’re cold and hungry today. There must be some households there. Let’s go ask for some alms and eat before continuing!” Hearing this, Sun Wukong immediately became alert, staring at the ominous clouds and bad vibes nearby. He turned to Tang Seng and said, “Master, that place might not be safe!”
Tang Seng was puzzled: “There are clearly buildings and pavilions; how can it not be safe?” Sun Wukong chuckled and explained, “Master, you don’t know. There are many monsters along the western road. Any building or house could be a disguise for a monster. Just think about it: dragons give birth to nine kinds, one of which is called ‘Shen.’ Its breath can transform into towers and ponds. If we encounter a great river and the Shen appears, the birds will stop, and that would be dangerous; even you and I might get swallowed!”
Tang Seng listened and felt a bit scared: “If it’s not safe, I’m really hungry.” Sun Wukong said, “Master, you stay here on the horse while I go ask for alms elsewhere.” Tang Seng nodded in agreement, and Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng busily prepared food. Sun Wukong took the alms bowl and reminded Sha Seng, “Don’t wander off! Protect Master well, and wait for me to return before we set off!”
Tang Seng followed his advice and sat down. Sun Wukong drew a circle around him and instructed, “This circle is safer than a copper wall or iron bastion; no monster would dare approach. But remember, don’t step out of the circle—stepping out is dangerous!” Tang Seng and the disciples nodded seriously, sitting quietly in the circle, waiting for Sun Wukong’s return.
As soon as Sun Wukong took off on a cloud towards the village, he flew south for a while and suddenly spotted a towering ancient tree, with a village right beneath it. He descended on his cloud and carefully surveyed the scene before him—it was truly charming: snow weighed down the drooping willows, the pond was frozen, the bamboo swayed, and the pine trees stood tall. A few thatched cottages appeared particularly white among the snow, and a small bridge was slanted across a stream.
Near the village, daffodils were just beginning to bloom, and frozen chopsticks hung from the eaves. The cold wind howled, bringing with it a strange fragrance, while snowflakes danced in the air, but the plum blossoms were nowhere to be seen. As Sun Wukong admired the beautiful village scenery, he suddenly heard a sound. The wooden door creaked open, and an old man slowly walked out, leaning on a cane, wearing a sheepskin hat, tattered clothes, and straw sandals. He looked up at the sky and said, “The northwest wind is rising; tomorrow will be clear.” As he spoke, a little dog ran out from behind him, barking excitedly at Sun Wukong.
The old man turned his head and saw Sun Wukong holding an alms bowl, asking, “Old benefactor, I am a monk from the Eastern Tang, passing by here. Please, could you spare some food?” The old man nodded, sighing, “Elder, you shouldn’t ask for alms; you’ve taken a wrong turn.” Sun Wukong chuckled, “I know, my master is waiting for me on the main road to ask for alms!”
The old man shook his head and said, “Monk, you’re talking nonsense! Your master is waiting for you on the main road. After walking such a long distance, how could he not be starving?” Sun Wukong laughed heartily, “Old benefactor, I just left my master and haven’t even had a sip of hot tea before arriving here. Now I’m asking for alms and still need to hurry back to make lunch!” The old man was startled and thought to himself, “This monk is a ghost! I need to get away!” He then hurried back inside.
Wukong grabbed him, saying, “Benefactor, don’t run away! Please, give me some food!” The old man anxiously replied, “It’s not convenient! Not convenient! Don’t go to another house!” Wukong insisted, “You’re really something! You say I’m a thousand miles away, but if I go to another house, won’t that be another thousand miles?”
The old man helplessly said, “To tell you the truth, I have six or seven people in my family. I’ve only cooked three sheng of rice, and it’s not even ready yet. You should try somewhere else.” But Sun Wukong said, “As the ancients say, it’s better to sit in one place than to visit three houses. I’ll wait here for a bit.” The old man became annoyed and raised his cane as if to strike.
Wukong was unafraid and let the old man hit him seven or eight times without caring. The old man, furious, shouted, “This is a stubborn monk!” Sun Wukong laughed and said, “Old man, no matter how hard you hit, remember the count: one stick equals one sheng of rice. Take your time.” Hearing this, the old man quickly dropped his cane, dashed inside, and shut the door, yelling, “There’s a ghost! There’s a ghost!”
Now, both the old man and his family were panicking, locking both the front and back doors. Seeing this, Wukong thought to himself, “This old thief’s talk about rice is hard to believe. As the saying goes, the wise fool the foolish; I’ll go take a look.” So he used his invisibility technique and quietly slipped into the kitchen, where he indeed saw steam rising from a pot that was cooking half a pot of rice.
He was delighted and scooped a full bowl of rice from the pot. Then he rode the cloud back to continue his journey.
Meanwhile, Tang Seng sat in the circle, waiting for a while, but Sun Wukong still hadn’t returned, making him feel uneasy. He couldn’t help but ask, “Where has that monkey gone to ask for alms?” Zhu Bajie, sitting nearby, laughed and said, “You really don’t know where he went? Asking for alms? He’s clearly just messing around here, leaving us sitting in confinement!” Tang Seng was confused, “Confinement? What does that mean?”
Bajie scoffed, “Master, you really haven’t seen much of the world. The ancients drew circles to confine themselves, and he used his stick to draw a circle. This circle is more effective than iron walls; if we encounter tigers or wolves, we’d be served up as a meal!”
Tang Seng helplessly asked, “Then what good idea do you have?” Bajie thought for a moment and shook his head, saying, “This place doesn’t block the wind or keep out the cold. I think we should head west along the road. My brother has asked for alms and will surely return quickly. Besides, sitting here, my feet are almost frozen into ice blocks!” Hearing this, Tang Seng felt it made sense and decided to follow Bajie out of the circle.
Sha Seng led the horse while Bajie carried a burden, and Tang Seng walked along. Before long, they arrived in front of a pavilion. There were white walls outside, and the door was half-open. Bajie excitedly said, “Master, this place looks like a noble’s residence. There’s no one outside; they must all be inside warming themselves. Let me go take a look!” Tang Seng reminded him, “Be careful, don’t disturb anyone.”
Bajie confidently replied, “I know; ever since I reformed, I’ve learned a lot of etiquette. I’m not like those village ruffians.” After saying this, he set down his rake, adjusted his clothes, and walked inside. It was quiet inside, with not even a shadow in sight. Bajie walked into a large hall, turned around a screen, and saw a large building inside. The upper windows were half-open, and he could vaguely see a yellow silk canopy.
Bajie thought to himself, “Looks like someone is afraid of the cold and is still sleeping.” Without further thought, he walked upstairs, lifted the canopy, and was so frightened that he nearly fell! On the bed lay a pile of skeletons, the bones were terrifyingly large, with leg bones measuring four or five feet long. Bajie steadied himself and couldn’t help but sigh, “Oh, great general, you truly are a hero without a place to show your skills; today you are just a pile of white bones. It’s truly heartbreaking.”
Just as he was lamenting, a flicker of firelight suddenly appeared behind the canopy. Bajie was startled and quickly turned around to take a look, only to find it was just light coming through the window. He noticed a colorful lacquer table against the wall, cluttered with several exquisite garments. Bajie’s heart stirred, and he picked up one to examine it, discovering it was actually three fine vests made of silk!
Excited, he ran out of the hall and found Tang Seng, saying, “Master, this place is truly a house of the dead! I saw a pile of skeletons inside, and there are three vests right next to them—perfect for us to use when it’s cold!” Tang Seng frowned immediately and said, “No, no! The law states that taking what isn’t yours is theft. If someone finds out, we’ll be in big trouble!”
Bajie dismissed his concerns, saying, “There’s no one around, not even a chicken or dog; who would report us? It's just like finding something that’s been lost—there’s nothing wrong with it!” Tang Seng replied sternly, “It’s not that simple. The heavens see all; even in dark rooms, the spirits know what’s going on. Quickly return the clothes; don’t covet these unjust things.”
Bajie ignored him, laughing, “Master, I’ve never seen such nice vests. If you won’t wear them, I’ll try them on first!” Upon hearing this, Sha Seng also wanted to give it a try. The two of them took off their outer garments and put on the vests. However, as soon as they tied the straps, they found themselves unable to stand and fell with a thud! It turned out that the vests had tied their hands and hearts tightly together, leaving them in a comical predicament!
Tang Seng was in a panic, stamping his feet in frustration, and rushed to try to untie them. As expected, he couldn’t get them loose. The three of them were shouting and making a fuss, but little did they know that their commotion had already alerted the monster.
As for the building, it was indeed the lair of a demon, specifically used for capturing people. The demon was lounging in its cave when it suddenly heard a series of resentful voices from outside. It hurried out to see, and sure enough, it found several people bound tightly. The demon waved its hand, calling over its minions, who immediately captured Tang Seng, the white horse, and their belongings, dragging them into the cave. The old demon sat on a high platform, while the little demons pushed Tang Seng to the front of the platform, making him kneel on the ground.
The demon asked, “Which monk are you, and how dare you come during the day to steal my clothes?” With tears streaming down his face, Tang Seng explained, “I am a special envoy from the Eastern Tang, here to seek scriptures from the West. Because I was hungry, I sent my eldest disciple to ask for alms, but he hasn’t returned, so I accidentally wandered into this fairy realm to escape the wind. I didn’t expect my two disciples to be greedy and take the clothes. I had no ill intentions; I genuinely wanted to return them, yet I was captured. I beg for your mercy; spare my life so I can continue my journey and spread your kindness upon my return!”
The demon laughed heartily, “I’ve heard that eating Tang Seng’s flesh grants immortality. Today, you’ve delivered yourself right to my door—how wonderful! What’s your eldest disciple’s name? Where did he go to ask for alms?” Bajie immediately chimed in, “My elder brother is called Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven who caused a ruckus in the Heavenly Palace five hundred years ago!” Upon hearing this, the demon felt a chill run down its spine, thinking, “This is quite a formidable character; I’ve run into something big today!”
Thus, the demon commanded its minions, “Bind Tang Seng, and release these two disciples. Use two new ropes to tie them up. Take them to the back; once I capture his eldest disciple, I can steam and eat them!” The little demons complied, binding the three tightly, tying the white horse to the side, and carrying the luggage into the house. The demons busied themselves sharpening their knives in preparation to catch Wukong.
Meanwhile, Sun Wukong had just finished eating at a family in the southern village and was riding back on a cloud, thinking about his master and the other disciples. When he arrived at the flat area of the hillside and pressed down on the cloud, he realized that Tang Seng and the horse were nowhere to be seen. His heart tightened: “Could it be? They must have fallen into some trap!” He looked around, seeing that the circle was still there, but the pavilion was gone, leaving only strange rocks. Panic surged within him.
Sun Wukong was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, quickly heading west. After walking five or six miles, he was feeling troubled when he suddenly heard a sound from the north slope. Turning back, he saw an old man wrapped in a felt coat, wearing a warm hat, with a pair of half-new, half-worn oil boots on his feet. He was leaning on a dragon-headed cane, followed by a young attendant who was humming a tune while holding a branch of wintersweet.
Wukong set down his begging bowl and hurriedly greeted him, “Old man, I wish you well!” The old man returned the greeting, “Where do you come from, elder?” Wukong replied, “We are from the Eastern lands, specifically here to seek scriptures in the West. My master was hungry, so I went to ask for alms, but upon returning, I couldn’t find him. Do you happen to have seen him?” The old man sneered, “Among your three disciples, is there one with a long mouth and big ears?” Wukong quickly answered, “Yes, yes, yes!” The old man continued, “Is there also one with a gloomy complexion, leading a white horse, and accompanied by a fat monk with a pale face?” Wukong nodded eagerly, “Yes, yes, yes!”
The old man shook his head, “You’ve taken the wrong path; don’t search anymore, just take care of your own life!” Wukong was displeased, “That pale-faced one is my master, and the odd-looking one is my junior brother. We are all determined to go to the West together; how can I not search for them?” The old man sighed, “I just passed by and saw them go the wrong way, stumbling into the lair of a demon.”
Wukong grew anxious, “Please tell me, what kind of demon is it, and where is it? I need to find him!” The old man sighed again, “This mountain is called Jinjiao Mountain, and there is a cave ahead known as the Golden Horn Cave, where a powerful demon king called the One-Horned Beast resides. You might not come back from this trip.”
Wukong felt a tightening in his chest, “How can I not go!” After saying this, he poured the food from his bowl to the old man and tidied up the empty bowl. The old man took the bowl and suddenly knelt down, bowing his head, “Great Sage, I cannot hide this from you; we are the mountain god and the land god of this mountain, waiting specifically for your arrival. I will accept this food and return it to you after you rescue Tang Seng, as a sign of respect.”
Upon hearing this, Wukong was furious, “You little rascal! Knowing I was coming, why didn’t you greet me sooner? Hiding and peeking, what does that mean?” The land god replied, “Great Sage, you are too impatient; I didn’t dare to act rashly for fear of offending your majesty.” Wukong calmed down, “Alright, remember this: quickly take care of that bowl; I’m going to find the demon!” The land god quickly agreed.
The Great Sage tightened his tiger-skin belt, put on his tiger-skin skirt, gripped his golden staff, and headed straight for the mountain to find the demon’s cave. Turning around the mountain cliff, he saw the rocky terrain, and at the edge of the green cliffs were two stone doors. Outside, little demons were practicing with spears and swords, creating quite a lively scene.
Sun Wukong watched in awe, thinking, “This scenery is quite impressive!” He approached the door and shouted, “Little demons, go tell your master that I am the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong! Release my master, or prepare to meet your doom!” The little demons hurried into the cave to report, “Great King, there’s a hairy-faced monk outside claiming to be the Great Sage, demanding the release of his master!”
Upon hearing this, the demon king was overjoyed: “I was just hoping he would come! I’ve been away from my palace for so long; today I can finally test my skills!” He then commanded, “Minions, prepare your weapons!” The demons in the cave quickly brought out their long spears, all eager to engage in battle.
At this moment, Sun Wukong looked over and saw that the demon king was truly fearsome: with a crooked horn, bright eyes, a robust build, a wide mouth, and teeth as yellow as corn. He looked even scarier than a rhinoceros, truly deserving of the title “Beast King.”
Wukong stepped forward and said, “You demon king, quickly return my master to me! If you delay any longer, I’ll make sure you have no place to be buried!”
The demon, seeing Wukong so arrogant, immediately shouted, “You wild monkey, how dare you be so insolent in front of me! What skills do you have to make such bold claims?” Wukong retorted, “You demon, have you not seen my power?” The demon sneered, “Your master stole my clothes, and I was just about to steam him! What kind of hero do you think you are, daring to come and demand him?”
The Monkey King angrily said, “My master is a loyal and upright monk; how could he possibly steal your things?” The demon continued to press, “I set up a fairy dwelling by the mountain road, and your master had ulterior motives, sneaking in to wear my clothes. The evidence is undeniable, which is why I captured him. If you have any skills, come and compete with me! If you can defeat me, I’ll release your master; if you can’t, then you’ll meet the King of Hell!”
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong was overjoyed: “Great! That’s exactly what I want! Come on, take a hit from my staff!” The demon was unafraid and brandished his spear to engage. A great show was about to unfold! Look at that: the golden staff raised high, the spear charging forward—it was truly a match of equals, fighting fiercely! The little demons beat drums on the side, creating an exciting atmosphere.
The two fought fiercely for thirty rounds, with no clear winner. The demon king, seeing Sun Wukong’s staff techniques, secretly admired him: “Good monkey! He really has some skills!” Sun Wukong also praised, “Good demon, your spear technique isn’t bad either!”
However, after about twenty rounds, the demon king ordered the little demons to join in and surround him. Those little demons wielded knives and clubs, encircling Sun Wukong tightly. The Monkey King was undeterred: “Come on! Just what I want!” He swung his golden staff, blocking and striking, showing no fear of these little demons.
But as more and more little demons appeared, Sun Wukong grew impatient and suddenly threw his golden staff, shouting, “Transform!” Instantly, the golden staff turned into hundreds of iron rods, raining down like flying snakes. This frightened the little demons, who all covered their heads and fled, rushing into the cave.
But the demon king was not one to back down easily. With a cold laugh, he said, “Monkey, don’t get too cocky!” After saying this, he took out a shiny ring from his sleeve, tossed it into the air, and shouted “Catch!” The ring whistled down and surprisingly ensnared Sun Wukong’s golden staff!
As a result, Sun Wukong was left empty-handed and could only tumble away to escape. The demon, feeling triumphant, returned to the cave, while Sun Wukong stood there stunned, thinking, “The higher the skill, the stronger the demon; today I really miscalculated!” As for the outcome of the situation, let’s wait for the next part to find out.
