Virtue requires cultivation for eight hundred days, and hidden merit must accumulate for three thousand. To balance oneself with others and resolve grievances, one must align with the original wishes of the Western Paradise. The demons and weapons are not to be feared; it’s futile to labor under water and fire without fault. The Old Lord subdued the heavens, laughing as he led the green ox away.
Now, who is that calling by the roadside? It’s the mountain god of Jinjian Mountain, holding a purple gold bowl and calling out: “Holy monk, this bowl of rice was transformed by the Great Sage from a good place. Since you didn’t heed good advice and fell into the hands of demons, it has caused the Great Sage much trouble, and only today can he rescue you. Come, eat this rice before you continue on your way; don’t let the Great Sage’s kindness go to waste!”
Tang Seng said, “Thank you so much, my disciples! I can’t express my gratitude enough! If I had known about the danger of leaving the circle, I wouldn’t have put my life at risk.” The Monkey King replied, “To be honest, Master, it’s because you didn’t trust my circle that you ended up caught in someone else’s. How much suffering this has caused! What a pity!” Pigsy asked, “What circle are you talking about?” The Monkey King explained, “It’s all because of your foolish mouth that got Master into this big trouble! I had to turn the world upside down, calling upon heavenly soldiers and fire and water, only to have them ensnared in a white circle. The Tathagata hinted to the Arhat and revealed the origins of that demon to me. That’s why I invited the Old Lord to subdue him; it was all caused by a green ox.”
Hearing this, Tang Seng expressed his deep gratitude: “Wise disciple, after this experience, I will definitely listen to your instructions next time.” So the four of them shared the hot rice. The Monkey King remarked, “This rice has been here for a while, but how come it’s still hot?” The land god knelt down and said, “I knew the Great Sage had completed his task, so it warmed itself to serve you.”
After finishing the meal and packing up the bowl, they bid farewell to the land god. The Master mounted his horse and crossed the high mountains. It was a time for cleansing the heart and returning to the right path, dining on the wind and resting by the water as they traveled west. After a while, they encountered the early spring weather, listening to the sounds of “purple swallows chirping, yellow orioles singing.”
Suddenly, they came across a small river with clear water and cold waves. Tang Seng reined in his horse to take a look and noticed some willows on the other side, with a few thatched cottages peeking through. The Monkey King pointed and said, “That must be where they ferry people across.” Tang Seng replied, “I see the same over there, but I don’t see any boats, so I didn’t dare to say anything.” Pigsy quickly unloaded his luggage and shouted, “Ferry! Come over here!” He called several times, and soon enough, a boat emerged from the willow shade.
As the boat approached the shore, they observed it closely, and it truly was a fine vessel: short oars splitting the waves, light paddles gliding over the surface. The boat was painted and bright, with a well-stocked hold. The bow had an iron cable coiled, and the stern was bright and clear. Although it was a small boat, it was no less than navigating a lake or the sea. Even without silk cables and tall masts, it had sturdy wooden stakes and fine paddles. It wasn’t as grand as a divine ship sailing thousands of miles, but it could certainly cross a river.
The boat soon reached the shore, and the ferryman called out, “Crossing the river? This way!” Tang Seng rode closer to take a look at the ferryman: she wore a silk scarf on her head and black silk shoes on her feet. She was dressed in a cotton padded jacket and a skirt tied with a thousand stitches. Her arms were strong, but her face showed signs of aging. Her voice was delicate, like an oriole’s song, and upon closer inspection, she was an old woman.
The Monkey King approached the boat and asked, “Are you the ferryman?” The woman replied, “Yes.” The Monkey King continued, “Why isn’t the ferryman here? Why is it you who is rowing the boat?” The woman smiled without answering and extended a plank for them to board. Sand Monk carried the luggage onto the boat, the Monkey King helped Tang Seng aboard, and then he crossed over, while Pigsy led the white horse and pulled up the plank. The woman then pushed off the boat and rowed across the river in no time.
Once they reached the west bank, Tang Seng instructed Sand Monk to unpack and gave the woman some coins. She didn’t ask for much, smiling as she tied the rope to a post by the water and walked straight into the cottage. Seeing the clear water, Tang Seng, feeling very thirsty, said to Pigsy, “Go, fill the bowl with some water for me to drink.” Pigsy immediately responded, “I was just thinking of drinking too!” He took the bowl, filled it with water, and handed it to Tang Seng.
Tang Seng drank most of it, leaving just a little for Pigsy, who gulped it down in one go. Afterward, he began to help Tang Seng mount his horse. The group continued their journey west, but soon Tang Seng groaned from his horse, “My stomach hurts!” Pigsy quickly chimed in, “I feel a bit of pain too.” Sand Monk frowned and asked, “Did you drink cold water?” Before he finished speaking, Tang Seng cried out again, “It hurts badly!” Pigsy echoed, “Me too!” The two disciples were writhing in pain, and their stomachs gradually swelled, feeling as if something was moving inside.
At that moment, Tang Seng spotted a cottage by the roadside, with two bundles of grass hanging from the treetops. The Monkey King, seeing this, excitedly said, “Master, there might be someone selling wine over there. Let’s ask if they have hot soup to drink and find some medicine for your stomach pain.” Tang Seng was pleased to hear this and quickly urged his horse over. Upon reaching the cottage, they saw an old woman sitting on a straw stool, processing hemp.
The Monkey King approached her politely and asked, “Grandma, I come from the Eastern Tang. My master has a stomach ache from drinking river water.” The old woman laughed heartily, “You drank water from the river?” The Monkey King nodded, “Yes, from the clear river to the east.” The old woman laughed even more, “What a joke! Come in, I have something to tell you!”
So, the Monkey King supported Tang Seng, and Sand Monk helped Pigsy, all four of them looking pale and thin from their pain, entered the cottage. The Monkey King urgently called out, “Grandma, please make some hot soup for my master; we appreciate it!” But the old woman didn’t hurry to make soup. Instead, she cheerfully ran to the back and called out, “Come and take a look! Come and take a look!” Several middle-aged women came out, all laughing and surrounding Tang Seng.
Seeing this, the Monkey King became furious and shouted, scaring the whole family back in a flurry. He grabbed the old woman and threatened, “Make the soup quickly, or I won’t spare you!” The old woman trembled and said, “Sir, making soup won’t help; it won’t cure their stomach ache.” The Monkey King let her go, and she hurriedly explained, “We are in the Western Liang Women’s Kingdom, and we’re all women here. Seeing you so happy, we couldn’t help it. The water your master drank is bad; that river is called the Mother and Child River, and drinking from it can cause pregnancy symptoms.”
Tang Seng was shocked and speechless: “Disciples, what should we do?” Pigsy, twisting his waist, anxiously exclaimed, “Grandma, if we’re having a baby, we’re men! How can we give birth?” The Monkey King laughed and said, “As the ancients said, when the melon is ripe, it falls. When the time comes, it will definitely break open from the side and come out.” Hearing this, Pigsy trembled and couldn’t help but feel the pain: “It’s over! I’m done for!” Sand Monk laughed and said, “Second Brother, don’t move around; you might mess things up and cause complications.”
Pigsy became even more flustered, nearly in tears, pulling the Monkey King and saying, “Brother, ask this grandma if there’s a gentle midwife around; let’s find a few in advance. It’s really painful; something is moving tightly inside!” Sand Monk chuckled again, “Second Brother, since you know it hurts, don’t move around; you might burst something.” At this point, Tang Seng groaned, “Grandma, is there a doctor around? Let my disciple buy some abortion medicine to relieve this issue.”
The old woman shook her head, “Even if there were medicine, it wouldn’t help. We have a mountain called Jiejing Mountain in the South Street, which has a cave with a well known as the Falling Fetus Spring. You must drink the water from that well to relieve the pregnancy symptoms. However, getting the water is not easy.” The Monkey King, hearing this, felt hopeful: “Grandma, how far is Jiejing Mountain from here?” The old woman replied, “About thirty miles.” The Monkey King immediately became confident: “Good! Master, don’t worry; I’ll go fetch the water!”
Upon saying this, the Great Sage Sun Wukong instructed Sand Monk, “You must keep a close eye on the master. If anyone is disrespectful and bullies him, use your old methods to scare them off while I go get the water.” Sand Monk nodded in agreement. Soon, the old woman brought out a large earthen bowl and handed it to the Monkey King: “Take this to fill with water; keep it for emergencies.” The Monkey King took the bowl and leaped into the sky.
The old woman watched in astonishment, exclaiming, “Wow, this monk can ride the clouds!” She quickly called over several women, bowing to Tang Seng and calling him an Arhat Bodhisattva, while busily preparing soup and meals to serve him, creating a lively atmosphere.
Meanwhile, the Monkey King soared through the clouds and suddenly saw a beautiful mountain peak. The mountain was fragrant with flowers, the grass like a carpet, streams babbling, mist swirling, birds singing, and deer drinking water—truly a paradise on earth! Just as he was mesmerized by the scenery, he suddenly heard barking and descended the mountain, heading straight for the courtyard.
Upon reaching the entrance, the Monkey King saw an old Taoist priest sitting cross-legged on the grass. He set down the earthen bowl and approached to greet him: “Hello, old Taoist! I am a scripture seeker from the Eastern Tang. My master has a severe stomach ache from drinking water from the Mother and Child River. I heard there’s a Falling Fetus Spring here that can detoxify, so I’ve come to ask for some water.” The Taoist smiled slightly and said, “This place is the Broken Child Cave, now renamed the Gathering Immortals Cottage. I am a disciple of the True Immortal of Good Fortune. What is your name?”
The Monkey King proudly replied, “I am Sun Wukong, the eldest disciple of Tang Seng.” The Taoist then asked, “What about the gifts of flowers and wine you prepared?” The Monkey King looked innocent: “I’m just a passing monk; I didn’t prepare anything.” The Taoist shook his head with a smile: “You are truly naive. My master protects this spring; nothing is given for free. You must prepare a gift for me to help you.”
Hearing this, the Monkey King felt a bit displeased: “Human relationships are more binding than imperial decrees. Go tell my name, and I’m sure my old Sun will be given respect, even getting the well water for free!” The Taoist, feeling helpless, went inside to inform the master. The True Immortal was playing the lute, and upon hearing someone outside asking for water, he immediately became furious upon hearing the name “Wukong.” He quickly changed into his Taoist robes, took up his magical hook, and jumped out of the cottage, shouting, “Where is Sun Wukong?”
The Monkey King turned around and saw the True Immortal dressed extravagantly. He thought to himself, “This must be a big figure.” He clasped his hands in greeting: “I am indeed Sun Wukong.” The True Immortal laughed, “So you are Wukong, but why so many false names?” The Monkey King replied nonchalantly, “I have no false names. A gentleman does not change his name; I am Wukong!”
The True Immortal then asked, “Do you recognize me?” The Monkey King was taken aback: “I’ve been busy on this journey to seek the scriptures and have neglected childhood friends, so I haven’t visited you. However, I’ve heard villagers mention you, so I know of you.”
The True Immortal coldly replied, “You walk your path, and I cultivate my truth. Why have you come to visit me?” The Monkey King refused to back down: “My master drank from the Mother and Child River and is in severe pain; I’ve come to ask for a bowl of Falling Fetus Spring water to save him!” The True Immortal glared: “Is your master Tang Seng?” The Monkey King nodded repeatedly: “Yes, indeed!”
At this moment, the True Immortal gritted his teeth: “Have you heard of the Holy Infant King?” The Monkey King was puzzled: “Isn’t he the red-haired monster from the Fire Cloud Cave in the dry pine gorge? What about him?” The True Immortal angrily replied, “He is my nephew! I received word from my brother that you, lazy monkey, have harmed him. I was planning to take revenge on you, and here you come asking for water—what a huge joke!”
The Monkey King quickly smiled: “Sir, you’ve misunderstood. My brother had a good relationship with me; we were sworn brothers in our youth. I just didn’t have the chance to visit your esteemed abode. Now your nephew is doing well with Guanyin Bodhisattva; how can we blame me?” The True Immortal’s anger flared even more: “You insolent monkey, don’t try to talk your way out of this! Otherwise, I’ll use this hook on you!”
The Monkey King, hearing this, immediately brandished his iron staff: “Sir, don’t get agitated; just give me some spring water!” The True Immortal cursed: “You ungrateful monkey! If I can’t defeat you, I’ll give you water; but if I win, I’ll chop you into meat paste to avenge my nephew!” The Monkey King was equally defiant: “You wretched creature, come on, let’s compete!”
Thus, the two began to fight inside the Gathering Immortals Cottage. The battle was quite lively, with the Monkey King seeking water and the True Immortal guarding the spring—both were like gunpowder barrels, refusing to give way. They fought fiercely, with the True Immortal’s magical hook striking like a scorpion's sting, while the Monkey King’s golden staff moved as swiftly as a shooting star. After more than ten rounds, the True Immortal gradually found himself at a disadvantage and was forced to drag his magical hook and flee up the mountain.
Seeing him run away, the Monkey King felt dissatisfied and turned to search for water inside the cottage, only to find that the Taoist had already closed the door. Furious, he kicked the door down and rushed in, seeing the Taoist bent over the well drawing water. With a roar, the Monkey King raised his staff to strike, causing the Taoist to flee in fright. At that moment, the True Immortal returned, using his magical hook to trip the Monkey King, sending him tumbling onto his back.
He got up, furious, and shouted, “You rude guy!” But the True Immortal didn’t dare to fight back; he just blocked the way for him to get water. The Monkey King thought, “What should I do? I need to find some help!” So, he turned his cloud and rushed straight to the village, calling out, “Brother Sha!”
In the village, Tang Seng heard the voice and couldn’t help but groan, “Disciple, what’s wrong?” Pigsy chimed in, “Wukong is here!” Brother Sha quickly ran out, excitedly asking, “Big Brother, did you bring back the water?” The Monkey King entered the house and told Tang Seng what had happened earlier. Upon hearing this, Tang Seng was almost in tears: “What are we going to do, disciple?”
The Monkey King comforted him, “I’ll have Brother Sha wait by the temple while I fight that guy. He can sneak in and get the water to save you.” But Tang Seng frowned, “You two healthy ones go, leaving me and Pigsy, who are both sick, behind? Who will take care of us?” At that moment, the old lady nearby said, “Don’t worry, old Arhat. I’ll take good care of you. When I saw you this morning, I felt pity and knew you were the Arhat Bodhisattva, so I won’t harm you.”
The Monkey King snapped, “You women dare to hurt me?” The old lady laughed so hard she almost fell over: “Oh dear, you’re really lucky to come to my house! If you went to the second house, it wouldn’t be so fortunate!” Pigsy leaned in and asked, “What’s wrong with the second house?” The old lady continued, “In my family, there are only four or five of us, all too old to do anything anymore, so we wouldn’t dare harm you. If you go elsewhere, the young ones won’t care; they’ll definitely try to get close to you. If you refuse, they might take your lives and make your meat into scented bags!”
Pigsy burst out laughing: “That’s fine by me; they smell good, perfect for making scented bags! But me, this stinky pig, even if my meat is cut, it’ll still stink, so no harm done.” The Monkey King laughed along: “Stop talking so much; save your energy for the real work.” The old lady quickly urged, “Don’t dawdle, go get the water!” The Monkey King asked, “Do you have a bucket? Can I borrow it?” The old lady immediately went to get a bucket and handed Brother Sha a rope.
Brother Sha thought for a moment: “Let’s take two ropes, just in case the well is deep!” So, he took the bucket and rope and set out with the Monkey King from the village, riding the clouds. Half an hour later, they finally reached Jieliang Mountain, landed the cloud, and headed straight for the temple. The Monkey King instructed Brother Sha, “Hold the bucket and rope tight and hide to the side. When I’m fighting that guy, you take the chance to get water.”
Brother Sha obediently agreed. The Monkey King brandished his iron staff and shouted at the door, “Open up! Open up!” The guard hurried off to report, “Master, Sun Wukong is here again!” The True Immortal was furious: “This damn monkey is so shameless! I heard he had some skills, but today I see that his staff is really hard to deal with.” The Taoist comforted him, “Master, although he’s skilled, you’re not bad either. He’s just the right opponent.”
The True Immortal gritted his teeth: “He’s beaten me twice before!” The Taoist replied, “Although he won those times, it was just his brute strength; you managed to hook him a few times while getting water. This time, he’s coming because Tang Seng is in dire need of water, and he must have some grievances against you. We can definitely win!” Hearing this, the True Immortal felt delighted, straightened his magical hook, and walked out, shouting, “Damn monkey! What are you doing here again?”
The Monkey King replied without hesitation, “I’m here to get water!” The True Immortal coldly responded, “The spring water is mine. Even emperors and prime ministers must come with gifts to ask for water, let alone you, my enemy, daring to come empty-handed?” The Monkey King was furious, “You really won’t give it?” The True Immortal firmly said, “No, no way!”
The Monkey King cursed, “You damn obstacle! Since you won’t give water, then see my staff!” With that, he dropped all pretenses and charged forward. The True Immortal dodged to the side and immediately countered with his hook. This fight was even more intense than before: the Golden Cudgel and the magical hook clashed in the air, kicking up dust and stones, creating a tense atmosphere that was suffocating.
The Monkey King came to fetch water to save his master, while the True Immortal aimed to protect his nephew. Neither side was willing to back down, gritting their teeth in a fierce competition. They fought fiercely, with the wind howling down the hillside and a murderous atmosphere enveloping the area—it was truly a lively scene. The Monkey King became more excited as the fight progressed, while the True Immortal grew increasingly cautious, thinking that he absolutely could not lose this battle. The two heroes clashed fiercely at the temple gate, battling to the point where they seemed to want to beat out all their mutual hatred!
Meanwhile, Brother Sha entered with the bucket but was immediately blocked by the Taoist: “Who are you to dare come for water?” Without hesitation, Brother Sha set down the bucket, took out his demon-subduing staff, and struck. The Taoist was slow to dodge, and his left arm was broken with a loud crack, causing him to fall to the ground in agony. Brother Sha cursed, “I really want to kill you, you beast, but since you’re a human, I feel a bit of pity, so I’ll spare your life! I just want to get water!”
The Taoist cried out in pain and crawled away. Only then did Brother Sha lower the bucket into the well, fill it up, and exit the temple, riding the clouds as he called out, “Big Brother, I got the water! Spare him!” Upon hearing this, the Monkey King finally put down his staff, thinking, “I originally wanted to smash you to pieces, but you haven’t committed any crimes, and you’re the brother of the Bull Demon King, so I’ll spare you this time. But don’t you dare capture anyone again!”
At that moment, the demon immortal, not recognizing the situation, tried to grab the Monkey King’s foot. The Monkey King swiftly dodged and shouted, “Don’t run!” The demon immortal stumbled and fell flat on his back. The Monkey King seized the magical hook, broke it into two pieces, then into four, and threw the fragments on the ground: “Damn beast! Are you going to be disrespectful again?” The demon immortal trembled in fear, completely unable to retort. The Monkey King then laughed heartily and ascended on his cloud, feeling quite pleased.
There’s a poem to prove it: “True lead must be refined with true water, true water harmonizes with true mercury. True mercury and true lead have no maternal energy; spiritual sand and spiritual medicine are elixirs.” Having obtained the true water, the Monkey King was overjoyed and rushed to catch up with Brother Sha, heading straight for the village. At that moment, Pigsy was lazily leaning against the door frame, his belly sticking out.
The Monkey King quietly approached and teased, “Simpleton, when did you take over this place?” Pigsy panicked upon hearing this: “Brother, don’t joke! Did the water come?” Just as the Monkey King was about to tease him further, Brother Sha arrived, laughing, “The water is here! The water is here!” Tang Seng, in pain, leaned forward and said, “Disciples, thank you for your hard work!” The old lady was also overjoyed, repeatedly praising, “Bodhisattva, this is truly rare! Truly rare!”
The old lady hurriedly took a floral ceramic cup, scooped half a cup of water, and handed it to Tang Seng: “Master, drink slowly; this water can relieve your discomfort.” But Pigsy was anxious: “I don’t need a cup; just give me the bucket!” The old lady was startled: “Old sir, don’t joke! If you drink from that bucket, your belly might explode!” Hearing this, Pigsy quickly stopped and only drank half a cup.
However, it wasn’t long before both disciples started to feel sharp pains in their bellies, sounds of “gurgling” echoing. After their intestines rumbled, Pigsy couldn’t hold back any longer and had to relieve himself, while Tang Seng also urgently looked for a place. The Monkey King reminded, “Master, don’t go to a windy place; you might catch a chill and suffer from postpartum illness.” The old lady immediately brought two clean buckets for their convenience.
Before long, they each finished their business, and their stomachs gradually stopped hurting, the swelling subsiding. The old lady then cooked some rice porridge to replenish their strength, but Pigsy said, “Old lady, I’m fine; I don’t need to replenish. Just give me some soup to wash up; I want to eat porridge.” Brother Sha interjected, “Brother, you can’t wash up; people in confinement can get sick from water.”
Pigsy dismissed it: “I didn’t lose a lot of blood; a good wash will be fine.” So, the old lady still boiled some soup for them to wash their hands and feet. After Tang Seng had only two bowls of porridge, Pigsy had already eaten over ten bowls and still wanted more. The Monkey King laughed, “Simpleton, don’t eat too much; you’ll end up with a belly like a sandbag, and that won’t do!” Pigsy proudly replied, “No problem! I’m not a sow, so what’s there to fear?”
At this moment, the old lady said to Tang Seng, “Master, please give me this water.” The Monkey King interjected, “Simpleton, aren’t you going to drink?” Pigsy replied, “My belly doesn’t hurt anymore; the discomfort should have dissipated, so I don’t need to drink anymore.” The Monkey King said, “Since you’re all better, then let’s give the water to the old lady.” Grateful, the old lady stored the remaining water in a jar and buried it in the backyard, telling everyone, “This jar of water is my coffin fund!” Everyone was delighted, prepared a feast, and after Tang Seng and the others ate, they rested peacefully for the night.
The next morning, the master and his disciples thanked the old lady and left the village. Tang Seng mounted his horse, Brother Sha carried the bags, the Monkey King led the way, and Pigsy held the reins. Having all cleansed their bodies and minds, they felt naturally light and relaxed. As for what would happen next, we'll talk about it next time!
