The land god said with a serious face, "The Great Strength King is the Bull Demon King!" Upon hearing this, the Monkey King immediately frowned, "This mountain was set on fire by the Bull Demon King; how can it be called Flame Mountain?" The land god hurriedly explained, "No, no, Great Sage, if you could forgive my sins, I would dare to speak frankly." The Monkey King, confused, asked, "What sin do you have? Just tell me, it’s fine." The land god hesitated, "Actually, the fire was caused by you, Great Sage."
The Monkey King jumped up in anger, "I was there! Are you talking nonsense? I’m not the one who started the fire!" The land god helplessly replied, "Great Sage, you might not recognize me. This mountain didn’t exist before; it was created from the residual fire when you wreaked havoc in Heaven five hundred years ago and were trapped in the Eight Trigrams Furnace. I was originally the Taoist priest guarding the furnace, but since I failed in my duty, I was punished by the Old Lord and became the land god of Flame Mountain."
Zhu Bajie, listening nearby, gritted his teeth in anger, "No wonder you look like that; turns out you’re a Taoist turned land god!" The Monkey King, half-believing, asked, "Then tell me quickly, why do we need to find the Great Strength King?" The land god continued, "The Great Strength King is the husband of the Rakshasa woman. He is currently in the Moya Cave of the Jilei Mountain. He abandoned the Rakshasa woman to pursue the daughter of the Fox King, known as the Jade-faced Princess. The princess has a lot of wealth and wanted to find a husband, so she chose the Bull Demon King. He has not returned for a long time after abandoning the Rakshasa woman. If the Great Sage can find the Bull Demon King and ask him to lend the real fan, it can not only extinguish the fire but also ensure the safety of our master."
Upon hearing this, the Monkey King immediately asked, "Where is Jilei Mountain? How far is it from here?" The land god replied, "It’s directly to the south, over three thousand miles away." As soon as the Monkey King heard this, he quickly instructed Sha Seng and Zhu Bajie to protect their master, then said to the land god, "You come with me; don’t go back." Just as he finished speaking, the land god suddenly disappeared.
Half an hour later, the Monkey King finally saw a tall mountain towering in the clouds. He descended from the clouds and stood at the mountain's peak, marveling, "What a great mountain! Not too high, yet it touches the sky; not too big, yet its roots reach the underworld." The sun shone brightly in front of the mountain, while behind it, the cold wind cut through, creating a peculiar scene.
At that moment, while wandering in the mountain, the Monkey King suddenly spotted a woman walking under the pine shade, holding a branch of fragrant orchid, graceful and charming. He hid behind a strange rock, focused his gaze, and couldn’t help but admire, "This woman is truly stunning, walking as lightly as a lotus flower." Her beauty was like Wang Qiang’s, and her eyes sparkled like autumn waters—she was simply breathtaking.
As the woman approached the stone, the Monkey King quickly bowed and asked softly, "Bodhisattva, where are you going?" The woman looked up, saw the Monkey King’s appearance, and was startled, stammering, "Who are you to dare ask me here?" The Monkey King thought, "If I say I’m here for the scriptures, she might be related to the Bull Demon King and get upset."
Seeing him silent, the woman’s expression changed, angrily shouting, "Who are you to dare ask me?" The Monkey King quickly smiled, "I come from the Cuiyun Mountain, just arrived here, and don’t know the way. May I ask if this is Jilei Mountain?" The woman replied, "It is indeed." The Monkey King continued, "Where is the Moya Cave?" Upon hearing this, the woman’s anger flared, her face turning red as she scolded, "This shameless maid! The Bull King stayed at my home for less than two years, gave me so many jewels and gold, yet she’s still not satisfied, coming to ask for him!"
The Monkey King instantly realized she was the Jade-faced Princess and shouted in anger, "You shameless one! The Bull King is yours for sale, and you dare to scold me!" The woman was so frightened she nearly lost her wits and hurriedly turned to run. The Monkey King chased after her, passing through the pine shade, and arrived right at the entrance of the Moya Cave, where the woman slammed the door shut. The Monkey King put away his iron staff and paused to admire the surrounding scenery—it was truly breathtaking, a fairyland!
While we set aside the Monkey King admiring the scenery, the woman was in a panic, running with her hair in disarray, heart racing, heading straight for the Bull Demon King's study. The Bull Demon King was leisurely playing with a dan book when he saw her rush into his arms and immediately asked with concern, "My beauty, what happened? Is there something wrong?" The woman, however, was furious, shouting, "You demon, you’ve ruined me!"
The Bull Demon King was taken aback, "How have I harmed you?" The woman angrily replied, "I came to you for protection and sustenance because I have no one to rely on. The rumors in the martial world say you are a hero, but it turns out you are just a cowardly husband!" Upon hearing this, the Bull King quickly embraced her, "My beauty, don’t be angry; take your time and tell me what happened." The woman began to complain, "I was outside the cave picking orchids when suddenly a hairy-faced monk appeared, scaring me out of my wits. He said he was sent by Princess Iron Fan, and when I spoke to him, he insulted me and chased me away with a stick! I almost got beaten to death; isn’t this just inviting you to harm me?"
The Bull Demon King, after listening, was furious, "Don’t worry, I will definitely go out and see this hairy-faced monk!" He then donned his armor, picked up a mixed iron staff, and strode out aggressively, shouting, "Who is being rude here?" The Monkey King, watching from the side, noted that the Bull Demon King looked quite impressive, wearing a shiny iron helmet, adorned in splendid golden armor, with pointed boots, eyes like bright mirrors, and eyebrows like red rainbows—truly imposing.
The Monkey King quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply, "Elder brother, do you still remember your little brother?" The Bull King returned the gesture, "You must be the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong!" The Monkey King laughed, "Exactly! It’s been a long time! You’re looking more impressive than ever!" The Bull King snorted coldly, "Cut the flattery! I heard you caused a ruckus in Heaven and were trapped under the Five Elements Mountain; why have you come to find me again?"
The Monkey King hurriedly explained, "Elder brother, don’t misunderstand! At that time, my master was captured by your son, and I had no way to help. Luckily, Bodhisattva Guanyin came to my aid, and now I have become a good fortune boy, enjoying a blissful life. Why would I come to trouble you?" The Bull King scolded, "You little monkey, how dare you come here to cause trouble!"
The Monkey King quickly smiled apologetically, "I just wanted to ask about my sister-in-law, but I didn’t expect her to scold me. I momentarily lost my manners and startled her. I hope elder brother can forgive me!" The Bull King thought for a moment, "Since that’s the case, out of old feelings, I will let you go." The Monkey King was immensely grateful, "Thank you, elder brother, but I have one more thing to ask of you."
Upon hearing this, the Bull King immediately became displeased, "This little monkey is really never-ending! I let you go, and instead of leaving, you come to trouble me! What do you want?" The Monkey King quickly said, "To be honest, I’m here to protect Tang Seng on his journey west. We need to borrow my sister-in-law’s Banana Leaf Fan to pass through Flame Mountain. Last time I visited, she wouldn’t lend it to me, so I’m specially asking you for help."
The Bull King’s anger flared even more, "You’re here to borrow a fan, yet you bully my mountain wife and still want me to help you! You can’t bully a friend’s wife, nor can you destroy a friend’s concubine. Since you’ve bullied my wife and destroyed my concubine, this is truly too disrespectful! Come, take a stick from me!" The Monkey King felt a bit panicked, "Brother, if you want to hit me, I’m not afraid, but I ask you to lend me the fan!"
The Bull King sneered, "If you can defeat me, I’ll let you borrow the fan; if you can’t, today you’ll see my power!" The Monkey King felt a tightening in his chest, "Fine, then I’ll see how your skills have improved these past few years!" The Bull King said nothing, took out his mixed iron staff, and struck first. The Monkey King immediately raised his golden staff to meet it.
This battle was like a meteor colliding with the earth, as the golden staff and mixed iron staff clashed in the air, creating a thunderous sound. One hero shouted, "You monkey really harmed my son!" The other retorted, "Your son has already achieved enlightenment; stop hating me!" Back and forth they went, their old friendship forgotten, truly a family without loyalty, with everyone harboring dissatisfaction.
The Bull King swung his staff with the might of a dragon, and the Monkey King met it with his golden staff, fighting fiercely. They initially battled at the foot of the mountain, but soon they both rode on clouds, soaring into the sky, showcasing their divine powers with colorful lights radiating everywhere—the scene was truly spectacular.
The two staffs clashed in the air, producing a deafening sound, and neither could gain the upper hand. Just as they were locked in fierce combat, someone suddenly shouted from the mountaintop, "Grandpa Niu, my king sends his regards! Come quickly to the banquet!" Upon hearing this, the Bull King immediately pressed his mixed iron staff against the golden staff and said to the Monkey King, "Wait here; I’m off to a friend’s banquet!"
With that, the Bull King rushed into the cave and said to the Jade-faced Princess, "My beauty, that hairy-faced monk was Sun Wukong. I drove him away, so don’t worry. I’m going to drink with a friend." He then removed his armor, donned a dark blue robe, mounted his Golden-eyed Beast, and set off with his minions toward the northwest.
The Monkey King watched from the peak and thought to himself, "What friend is this old bull visiting? This is interesting; I need to follow him." Without hesitation, he transformed into a gust of wind and followed closely behind. Soon, they arrived at a mountain, but the Bull King was nowhere to be seen.
The Monkey King condensed his form and searched around, discovering a deep pool of clear water in the mountain. By the pool stood a stone tablet inscribed with "Chaotic Stone Mountain, Clear Wave Pool." He thought, "The old bull must have gone into the water; there are plenty of spirits at the bottom. I need to check it out."
So, the Monkey King performed a spell and transformed into a thirty-six-pound crab, jumping into the water with a splash and sinking to the bottom of the pool. Suddenly, he saw a delicate and transparent archway, with the Golden-eyed Beast tethered below. Upon entering the archway, he found that there was no water inside—truly marvelous.
The Great Sage crawled in and took a closer look; the decorations inside were extraordinarily luxurious: red palaces and shell towers, golden roofs, and white jade door hinges—it was simply a fairyland. A grand banquet was set up in the main hall, with officials of all ranks gathering joyfully, and the sound of music rose and fell, creating an extraordinary atmosphere.
The Bull Demon King was sitting at the top, surrounded by several dragon spirits, while an old dragon spirit sat in front, flanked by dragon sons and grandsons. Just as the cups were clinking, the old dragon spotted the Great Sage and immediately ordered, "Catch that wild crab!" The dragon sons and grandsons surged forward and captured the Great Sage.
The Great Sage hurriedly pleaded for mercy, "Spare me! Spare me!" The old dragon asked, "Where did this wild crab come from, and how dare you make trouble here?" The Great Sage quickly fabricated a story, "I was born in a lake and accidentally wandered here. I truly didn’t know the rules; I hope you, great sir, can show mercy and spare my life!"
The spirits around listened and urged the old dragon to forgive him. The old dragon nodded and agreed, "Let him go, but remember to keep an eye on him." Upon hearing this, the Great Sage sighed in relief and hurriedly escaped, thinking to himself, "The Bull King is here drinking; once the banquet is over, I might as well steal his Golden-eyed Beast, transform into the Bull Demon King, and trick the Rakshasa woman into giving me her Banana Leaf Fan to ensure my master can cross the mountain!"
At this moment, the Great Sage Sun Wukong was truly powerful. He untied the Golden-eyed Beast, mounted it, and shot straight out of the water. Once outside the pool, he transformed back into the Bull Demon King’s appearance, riding the Golden-eyed Beast, summoning winds and rain. Before long, he arrived at the entrance of the Banana Leaf Cave on Cuiyun Mountain. He shouted loudly, "Open the door!"
Inside the cave, two young girls heard the voice and hurriedly opened the door. Upon seeing the Bull Demon King, they ran to report, "Grandma, grandpa is back!"
The Rakshasa woman, upon hearing this, quickly tidied her hair and stepped out gracefully. The Great Sage dismounted and led the Golden-eyed Beast, secretly pleased, preparing to deceive this mistress. The Rakshasa woman, unable to see through the disguise, smiled and pulled him into the cave. The maids hurriedly set the table and brewed tea, and everyone treated the Bull King with great respect.
Before long, after some pleasantries, the Bull King said, "My lady, it’s been a long time." The Rakshasa woman smiled and replied, "Long live the king. I heard you’ve recently taken a new bride; why have you come to see me today?" The Great Sage smiled and said, "It’s not that I didn’t want to see you; it’s just that I’ve been busy with many matters at home and many friends, which delayed my visit." He then mentioned, "I recently heard that Wukong is coming to borrow the fan. I resent him for it; when he arrives, I’ll take my revenge!"
Upon hearing this, the Rakshasa woman teared up and said, "My king, as the saying goes, a man has a wife as his master, and a woman has a husband as her master. My life was almost harmed by that monkey!" The Great Sage feigned anger, shouting, "When did that brazen monkey come here?" The Rakshasa woman replied, "He came the day before yesterday to borrow the fan. Because of him, I lost my child and went to confront him. He called me sister-in-law and said that the king and he were sworn brothers." The Great Sage was startled, "Five hundred years ago, we were indeed brothers!"
The Rakshasa woman continued, "He was so scolded by me that he didn't dare to retort; in the end, I used the fan to blow him away. I didn't expect him to come back today and shout outside my door. I was scared of him, so I closed the door, and he actually burrowed in through my stomach, nearly causing me harm!" The Great Sage thought to himself, "This is indeed a problem!"
He pretended to lament, "What a pity, how could you give that treasure to that monkey?" The Rakshasa woman laughed and said, "Don’t be angry, my king; that fan was a fake, just a ruse to fool him." The Great Sage immediately asked, "Then where is the real fan?" The Rakshasa woman reassured him, "Don’t worry, I have it safe." She called for the maids to prepare drinks and brought them over, saying, "My king, congratulations on your new marriage; come, let’s have a drink!"
The Great Sage took the cup and smiled, saying, "Thank you, my lady. I came this time to handle some external affairs; it’s been a while, and I must thank you properly." The Rakshasa woman handed him the cup and replied, "Since ancient times, husbands and wives are of one mind; why be so polite?" The two began to drink together.
After several rounds, the Rakshasa woman gradually became tipsy, her mood grew more affectionate, and they leaned closer, teasing each other, creating a tender atmosphere. The Great Sage remained cautious and brought up the topic, "My lady, where is the real fan hidden? I’m worried that Sun Wukong will come to deceive you again."
The Rakshasa woman giggled as she took out a fan the size of an apricot leaf and handed it to the Great Sage, saying, "Isn’t this a treasure?" The Great Sage took it and looked, doubting, "How can this small fan extinguish a fire?" The Rakshasa woman, unfazed and feeling the effects of the alcohol, candidly replied, "My king, if you twist the red thread and chant a spell, it can become very large and fan flames for eight thousand miles!"
The Great Sage mentally noted this but pretended to be nonchalant, showing a slight smile, and turned to expose her, "Rakshasa woman, do you think I’m your true husband? You actually want me to do such disgraceful things!" Upon seeing it was Sun Wukong, the Rakshasa woman panicked, knocked over the table, and yelled angrily, "You’re driving me crazy! You’re driving me crazy!"
At this moment, the Great Sage Sun Wukong was overjoyed, just having come out of the Banana Leaf Cave, thinking of beauty, with a smug smile on his face. He jumped onto a high mountain and began to demonstrate how to use the fan. With his left thumb twisting the red thread, he chanted a spell, and the fan suddenly grew to twelve feet long, truly astonishing! He examined it closely and found that this fan was much better than the previous fake—brilliant and dazzling, with thirty-six strands of red thread; it was indeed a treasure! However, Wukong had only learned how to enlarge it and hadn’t grasped the small incantation, so he could only helplessly carry the fan on his shoulder and head back along the old path.
Meanwhile, the Bull Demon King was at the bottom of the Clear Wave Pool, enjoying the feast with the spirits when he suddenly realized his Golden-eyed Beast was missing! The old dragon king immediately gathered the spirits and asked, "Who dares to steal Lord Niu’s Golden-eyed Beast?" The spirits all knelt and said, "We are all here; who would dare to touch it?" The old dragon king frowned and said, "Then can we say that a living person has come in?" The dragon sons and grandsons replied, "Just now, a crab spirit came by." Upon hearing this, the Bull King immediately understood, "Isn’t that Sun Wukong! He came to borrow the fan from me before; I didn’t expect him to transform into a crab spirit to spy and steal my beast to trick my wife into giving him the fan!"
The spirits were all anxious and asked, "Is it that Sun Wukong who caused a ruckus in Heaven?" The Bull King nodded, "Exactly! If you encounter him on the way to the Western Paradise, it’s best to avoid him!" The old dragon king asked, "What about the king’s Golden-eyed Beast?" The Bull King laughed, "No worries, everyone disperse; I’ll go find him!" With that, he jumped out of the pool, riding a yellow cloud, heading straight for the Banana Leaf Cave on Cuiyun Mountain.
At this moment, the Rakshasa woman was anxiously pounding her chest inside the cave. Upon seeing the Bull Demon King return, she immediately rushed up and scolded, "You old fool! How could you be so careless and let that monkey steal the Golden-eyed Beast and come to trick me!" The Bull King gritted his teeth in anger, "Where did that monkey run off to?" The Rakshasa woman, furious, pounded her chest and said, "He tricked me out of my treasure and ran away as soon as he revealed himself; it drives me crazy!" The Bull King comforted her, "Don’t worry; once I catch that monkey and retrieve the treasure, I’ll skin him to vent your anger!" He shouted loudly, "Quick, bring the weapons!"
The young girls hurriedly said, "Grandpa's weapon isn't here!" The Bull King angrily replied, "Then take your grandma's weapon!" The maidservants quickly presented two precious green swords. The Bull King removed his banquet attire and changed into lighter clothing, gripping the swords in both hands. He walked out of the Banana Leaf Cave and rushed toward Flame Mountain. Truly: an ungrateful man deceives a lovesick woman; a fierce demon is ready to strike! What will happen next? We'll talk about it next time!
