In the eastern half of the city, three demon lords were locked in a fierce standoff with Sun Wukong and his brothers. This battle was truly spectacular, like a metal brush scraping a copper pot—every household was tough as nails! Just look at those six different postures, six kinds of weapons, six distinct appearances, and six varieties of emotions. It was a grand feast of magical combat, showcasing all sorts of wickedness and desires. With the golden staff in hand, Wukong could change forms at will; the Fangtian halberd was imposing, showing off its might. Pigsy’s rake was ferocious, while the second demon’s spear was equally defiant. Sandy wielded his precious staff with great ambition, determined to knock the enemies down!
The old demon wielded a steel knife that was deadly quick, capable of ending lives with just a flick of his wrist. These three demons were the invincible guardians of the true monk, while the other three were wild spirits who disrupted the laws and deceived the king. At first, the fight seemed balanced, but soon the situation grew increasingly perilous. The six demons unleashed their flying spells, swirling in the clouds, and in an instant, the world darkened, filled with mist and roars that sounded like thunder.
After a while, the sky grew darker. The wind and fog thickened, and Pigsy, with his big ears covering his eyes, felt drowsy and wanted to escape with his rake. Unfortunately, the old demon slashed at him, nearly costing him his life. Luckily, he managed to dodge, but a few of his bristles were cut off. The old demon captured him and threw him into the city, binding him in the Golden Hall. Seeing the situation turn dire, Sandy waved his precious staff to escape, but the second demon caught him, pinching his nose and dragging him into the city.
At this moment, Wukong noticed that his two brothers had been captured. He realized that he couldn’t hold out alone—one man couldn’t defeat two, and two hands couldn’t compete with four. He shouted and used his staff to separate the weapons of the three demons before leaping onto a cloud. But those demons weren’t willing to back down; they immediately transformed and flapped their wings to chase after him. You can imagine how fast they were! Just like when Wukong caused a ruckus in the Heavenly Palace, not even a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers could catch him, as he could fly ten thousand miles in the blink of an eye.
Those demons could fly ninety thousand miles with a flap of their wings, and soon they caught up to Wukong. He was grabbed and struggled in vain. Attempts to grow big or small were useless, and he was ultimately dragged back to the city. Once released, the demons commanded others to bind Pigsy and Sandy as well. The old demon and the second demon arrived to welcome them, and the three demon lords ascended to the treasure hall. Oh dear, they weren’t just tying up Wukong; they were planning to take him for a ride!
By now, it was deep into the night, and all the demons gathered together, pushing down the Tang monk. Under the lights, Tang Seng saw that his three disciples were tied up on the ground, and his heart sank. He cried out, “Disciples! You always encounter difficulties. I use my divine powers to subdue demons, and today you’ve been captured too. How can this poor monk survive?” Hearing this, Pigsy and Sandy also began to sob.
Wukong smiled slightly and comforted him, “Master, don’t worry! Brothers, stop crying! No matter how they mess with us, nothing will happen. Once that old demon calms down, we’ll be able to leave.” Pigsy grumbled, “Brother, they’re up to no good again! This hemp rope is tied too tightly; you may not feel it, but I, being the fat one, am suffering! Look, it’s digging into my arms two inches deep. How can I escape?” Wukong laughed, “Don’t worry about the hemp rope; even a thick coconut rope wouldn’t be a problem!”
Just then, the old demon called out, “Three worthy brothers, with strength and wisdom, what a clever plan to capture Tang Seng!” He then ordered, “You five go fetch water, seven scrub the pots, ten stoke the fire, and twenty carry out the iron cage. Let’s steam these four monks to perfection for us brothers to enjoy, and we’ll share a piece with you all for longevity!”
When Pigsy heard the old demon's plan, he trembled in fear, "Brother, did you hear? That demon actually wants to steam us for food!" Wukong comforted him, "Don't worry, let me see if he's a Weir demon or a Ba Shi demon." Sandy, however, was crying uncontrollably, "Brother! Don’t speak lightly; we’re right next to the King of Hell! There’s no way to escape that fate!" At this moment, the second demon said, "Pigsy is not good for steaming." As soon as Pigsy heard this, he immediately cheered up, "Amitabha! Who is the fool who says I’m not good for steaming?" The third demon continued, "Not good for steaming? Just skin him first." Pigsy panicked and shouted, "Don’t skin me! If you do that, I’ll be ruined!" The old demon replied, "The one who’s not good for steaming will stay in the bottom tier." Wukong laughed, "Pigsy, don’t be afraid; that’s a chick, not a Ba Shi." Sandy asked, "How do you know?" Wukong explained, "Steaming starts from the top; the ones that are hard to steam go on the bottom. Since Pigsy is at the bottom, he definitely isn’t a chick!"
Hearing this, Pigsy became even more anxious, "Brother, according to you, I’ll be cooked alive! If he lifts the lid, I’ll turn over, and if they start the fire again, won’t both sides be cooked while the middle remains raw?" Just then, a little demon came to report, "The soup is boiling." At the old demon's command, the other demons all moved in unison, lifting Pigsy to the bottom tier and Sandy to the second tier. Wukong calculated that it was his turn to be lifted, so he seized the opportunity to escape, thinking to himself, "This is a good chance to make a move under the light!" He plucked a hair, blew a breath of celestial energy, transforming it into a clone of himself, tied with hemp rope, and leaped into the air to look down.
The demons didn’t notice and lifted the "fake Wukong" to the top tier, while Tang Seng was also flipped over and bound, lifted to the fourth tier. Dry wood was stacked up, and flames surged. The Great Sage sighed in the clouds, "My Pigsy and Sandy can endure a few rolls, but my master will be ruined with just one roll. If I don’t rescue him quickly, he’ll lose his life in an instant!" So, Wukong formed a gesture in the air and recited a spell: "Om, pure dharma realm, Qian Yuan Heng Li Zhen." At this moment, the Dragon King of the North Sea responded, saying from the clouds, "The little dragon Ao Shun from the North Sea bows." Wukong said, "Please rise! I wouldn’t dare trouble you without reason. Today, my master Tang has been captured by a poisonous demon and is being steamed in an iron cage. Please come and protect him; don’t let him be ruined."
The Dragon King immediately transformed into a cold wind that blew under the pot, surrounding its base, and the flames weakened, saving the three from imminent death.
By the third watch, the old demon spoke, "My subordinates, we’ve put in a lot of effort to capture Tang Seng and his four disciples, and we haven’t slept for four days and nights. Now that they’re tied in the cage, they should be hard to escape. Everyone, keep a close watch. Ten little demons will take turns stoking the fire while we retreat to rest. By dawn, they will surely be cooked. Prepare garlic, salt, and vinegar for us to enjoy when we wake." The demons all complied, and the three demon lords returned to their chambers.
Wukong listened to these orders from the clouds, thinking, "With the heat rising, it must be hot. Why aren’t they afraid?" So, he decided to get closer to listen. Wukong transformed into a black fly and landed outside the iron cage to eavesdrop. He heard Pigsy complaining inside, "Damn it! I don’t know if it’s being steamed from the heat or from the anger." Sandy curiously asked, "Second brother, how do you tell the difference?" Pigsy replied, "Steaming from the heat means the lid is on, while steaming from the anger means it’s uncovered." Tang Seng responded from above, "Disciples, it’s not covered." Pigsy sighed in relief, "Thank goodness! We won’t die tonight! This is steaming from the anger!" Hearing this, Wukong felt relaxed and decided to fly over to cover the iron cage.
He gently covered it, causing Tang Seng to panic, "Disciple! It’s covered!" But Pigsy said, "Forget it! This is steaming from the heat; we’re doomed tonight!" Sandy and the elder also began to cry. Pigsy comforted them, "Don’t cry; soon it will be time for the fire stoker to change shifts."
Sandy curiously asked, "How do you know?" Pigsy, looking pleased, replied, "When they lifted me up earlier, it was just right for me. I have a bit of cold dampness, so I wanted to let off some steam. Now, however, the cold air has come back. Hey, Chief Fireman, can’t you just add some firewood?" Wukong couldn’t help but laugh, "This guy is really funny! It’s fine to endure the cold, but if it gets hot, it could be deadly. Besides, once the wind blows, he’ll be done for—think of a way quickly!"
Wukong thought to himself, "To save him, I need to reveal my true form. But if I do, those ten fire-stoking demons will definitely shout and alert the old demon, which would be a problem." Just then, an idea struck him: "When I was the Great Sage, I once played a guessing game with the Heavenly King at the North Gate and won a few sleep bugs. This is just what I need." He checked his waist and found he still had twelve, thinking, "I’ll give him ten and keep two as seeds." He threw the bugs at the ten little demons, and they crawled into their nostrils, causing them to gradually fall asleep. Only one demon with a fire fork couldn’t sleep well, rubbing his head and face while sneezing. Seeing this, Wukong threw him another bug, and the little demon promptly fell asleep with a thud.
Wukong felt delighted, "This trick is truly clever!" He revealed his true form, approached the cage, and called out, "Master!" Tang Seng immediately responded, "Wukong, save me!" Sandy asked from the side, "Brother, are you calling from outside?" Wukong laughed, "If I were outside, how could I suffer with you?" Pigsy panicked, "Brother, hurry and save us! Don’t let us be steamed again in the cage!" Wukong lifted the lid of the cage, untied his master, then retracted the transformed hair, and proceeded to release Sandy and Pigsy one by one. As soon as Pigsy was freed, he wanted to run, but Wukong shouted, "Don’t rush! I still need to chant a spell to summon the Dragon God."
After Wukong finished chanting, the Dragon King immediately appeared. Wukong told Pigsy, "We need to head to the West. There are high mountains and steep ridges ahead, and Master doesn’t have the strength; I need to find the horse." He quietly approached the Golden Hall, seeing that the demons were all sound asleep. He untied the reins without alerting anyone. The horse, originally a dragon horse, was one Wukong had raised. When he led it over, it didn’t make a sound or jump, and he quietly secured the belly strap, preparing to help his master mount.
Tang Seng cautiously climbed onto the horse, but Wukong said, "Don’t rush; we still need to get permission from the king before heading west. Otherwise, how can we leave?" Tang Seng thought for a moment, "I remember that when we entered, the luggage was placed to the left under the Golden Hall." Wukong nodded, "I got it." He jumped into the treasure hall and spotted a glimmer of light, thinking, "This must be the luggage!" He hurried over and found that it was Tang Seng’s brocade robe, which had a luminous pearl on it. He quickly took the load down, handed it to Sandy, while Pigsy led the horse, and Wukong guided them straight to the Zhengyang Gate.
However, the gate was locked, and there was a seal on it, with the sound of clanging bells ringing continuously. Wukong frowned, "The defenses are too strict; how do we get out?" Pigsy suggested, "Then let’s go out the back door." Wukong led them to the back door, but there was also the sound of clanging bells outside the back gate, which was locked as well. Wukong helplessly said, "If it were just for Tang Seng, the three of us would have flown away long ago. But since Tang Seng is bound by the five elements, it’s hard for him to ascend." Pigsy grew anxious, "Brother, don’t dawdle; find a place without bells and let Master crawl through!"
Wukong laughed, "That won’t work. If we get caught, you foolish pig will still dare to say we’re monks climbing over walls?" Pigsy, in a panic, exclaimed, "We can’t worry about that now; let’s just escape!" With no other choice, Wukong agreed, leading them to the clean wall, preparing to climb out.
Tang Seng hadn’t managed to escape yet when the three demons, sleeping soundly in the palace, suddenly woke up. They hurriedly put on their clothes and rushed to the treasure hall, asking, "How many times has Tang Seng been steamed?" The little demons were completely under the spell of the sleep bugs, unable to wake up or even react. A few other demons who weren’t on duty woke up groggily and answered, "Seven... seven... seven times!" They quickly ran to the pot and saw that the cage had been thrown to the ground, the soup pot was cold, the fire was out, and all the fire-stokers were fast asleep, causing chaos everywhere.
Upon hearing this, the demons immediately erupted in a frenzy: "Quick, get Tang Seng! Hurry and get Tang Seng!" This commotion woke up all the nearby demons, who grabbed their weapons and rushed to the Zhengyang Gate, only to find it tightly sealed with the sound of clanging bells ringing incessantly. They asked the night watch outside, "Where did Tang Seng go?" But everyone replied, "We didn’t see him leave." They hurried to the back gate, but it was also tightly shut, with the bells still ringing. Lanterns and torches lit up the area brightly, making it as clear as day, and they could see the four disciples climbing the wall!
The old demon was furious upon seeing this, shouting, "Where do you think you're going?" Tang Seng was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he fell from the wall, whereupon he was caught by the old demon. The second demon captured Sandy, and the third demon seized Pigsy, while the other demons grabbed the luggage and the white horse. Only Wukong was nowhere to be seen. Pigsy grumbled, "Damn it! I said we should rescue him completely, and now he’s back to being steamed!" The demons dragged Tang Seng back to the hall but didn’t steam him again. The second demon ordered Pigsy to be tied to a pillar in front of the hall, while the third demon tied Sandy to a pillar at the back, and the old demon tightly held onto Tang Seng.
The third demon asked, "Big Brother, why are you holding him? Are you really planning to eat him alive? That’s not very interesting! This is much better than those foolish mortals; we should wait until it’s cloudy, take our time, and enjoy him properly." The old demon chuckled, "You’re right, but Sun Wukong will definitely come to steal him." The third demon continued, "I have a fragrant pavilion here with an iron cabinet inside. Let’s hide Tang Seng in the cabinet, close the pavilion, and spread rumors that we ate him alive. That way, the little demons will spread the word throughout the city, and when Sun Wukong hears it, he’ll be frantic and won’t disturb us for a few days, allowing us to enjoy ourselves slowly. What do you think?"
Upon hearing this, the old demon and the second demon immediately became excited: "Great idea! You’re right, brother!" So they hurriedly hid Tang Seng in the cabinet, locked the pavilion, and spread the rumors, causing chaos throughout the city.
At this point, Sun Wukong couldn’t afford to worry about Tang Seng’s safety. He rode the clouds straight to the Lion-Turtle Cave, swinging his staff and defeating countless little demons one by one. After finishing the work, he rushed back to the edge of the city just as dawn broke, thinking, "I can’t let this turn into a battle; I can’t fight alone." Thus, he descended from the clouds, transformed into a little demon, and mixed into the city to gather information.
As a result, everyone in the city was saying, "Tang Seng was eaten alive by the Great King last night!" This news made Wukong anxious, like an ant on a hot pan. He walked all the way to the front of the Golden Hall and saw a group of spirits inside, all wearing golden hats, yellow cloth clothes, and holding red-painted sticks, bustling about. Wukong thought, "These must be the palace demons; I need to look like them to sneak in and gather information."
Sure enough, he transformed to look exactly like them and smoothly entered through the golden doors. As he was walking, he suddenly spotted Pigsy tied to a pillar in front of the hall, grunting. Wukong hurriedly called out, "Wuneng!" Pigsy immediately recognized the voice, "Brother, you’re here? Save me!" Wukong asked, "If I save you, do you know where Master is?" Pigsy sighed, "Master is gone; he was eaten by the demons last night."
Upon hearing this, Wukong's tears streamed down. Pigsy quickly said, "Don’t cry, I only heard the little demons say that; I didn’t see it with my own eyes. You should gather more information!" Wukong wiped his tears and continued searching. To his surprise, he found Sandy tied to a pillar at the back eaves and quickly called, "Wujing!" Sandy also recognized the voice, "Brother, you’re here? Hurry and save me!" Wukong asked, "Do you know where Master is?" Sandy was in tears, "Master was eaten by the demons!"
Hearing this, Wukong felt as if a knife was twisting in his heart, and he couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. He quickly leaped back to the eastern mountain of the city, landed on the clouds, and cried out loudly, "Master! I truly hate myself for not being able to save you; I feel so guilty that I can hardly bear it. For the sake of my cultivation, I’ve worked hard towards Buddhahood, but I never expected to encounter this disaster today, unable to protect you on your journey to the West."
The more Wukong thought about it, the more his heart ached: "It's all the Buddha in the Pure Land, with nothing to do, sending us to fetch the scriptures of the Tripitaka! If he truly cared about promoting goodness, he should send them to the Eastern lands, not make us poor souls suffer! This time, I'm truly at a loss; what if I die today?" He pondered and decided, "Forget it, I need to see the Tathagata and tell him about my experiences. If I can get the scriptures sent to the East, it will spread good deeds and fulfill my wish; if not, then I’ll return the Sealing Spell to him, and I, Sun Wukong, will go back to my cave and live a leisurely life."
With that, Wukong hurriedly leaped onto his cloud and headed straight for India. Before long, he spotted the Holy Mountain and felt a surge of joy. However, as soon as he landed, the Four Heavenly Kings blocked his path, asking, "Where are you going?" Wukong quickly bowed and replied, "I have business to discuss with the Tathagata."
The Unbreakable King from the Golden Cloud Ridge of Kunlun Mountain was displeased and shouted, "This rascally monkey is so rude! We helped you a lot when you were in trouble with the Bull Demon King, and today we don’t wish to be polite! If you have something to say, say it directly, or leave. This isn’t the Southern Heavenly Gate where you can come and go as you please!" Wukong, already irritated, became furious upon hearing this and couldn't help but shout, which startled the Tathagata.
The Tathagata was on the Nine-Grade Precious Lotus Platform, lecturing with eighteen Arhats when he heard the commotion and said, "Sun Wukong has arrived; you all go out to receive him." The Arhats immediately obeyed, taking banners and precious canopies, and went out to welcome him: "Great Sage, the Tathagata has summoned you!" Only then did the Four Heavenly Kings step aside, allowing Wukong to proceed.
Wukong was led to the Lotus Platform and, upon seeing the Tathagata, immediately prostrated himself and couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. The Tathagata asked, "Wukong, what’s wrong? Why are you so sad?" Wukong, crying, replied, "Disciple has truly suffered! Under your protection, I have worked hard to cultivate and protect Tang Seng, but when we reached Lion-Turtle Mountain, we encountered three wicked demons: the Lion King, the Elephant King, and the Great Peng, who captured my master! We were all tied up in a steamer, facing the calamity of boiling soup and fire. Fortunately, I managed to escape and called the Dragon King for help. But unexpectedly, disaster struck again—my master was eaten alive by that monster overnight, leaving no bones behind!"
As he spoke, tears streamed down his face, and his sorrow was unending. After listening, the Tathagata smiled slightly and said, "Wukong, don’t be too troubled. That monster is powerful, and you can’t defeat him, which is why you’re heartbroken." Wukong knelt and pounded his chest, saying, "To be honest, Tathagata, I have never suffered since I became the Great Sage in the Heavenly Palace. To be captured by those wicked demons this time is truly embarrassing!"
The Tathagata comforted him, "Don’t hold a grudge against him; I know that demon." Wukong was shocked, "Tathagata, how do you know him?" The Tathagata replied, "That crafty monkey! How could he be related to me?" Wukong laughed, "If he’s not related to you, how do you know him?" The Tathagata explained, "I recognized him with my wise eyes. That old demon and the second demon have connections." He then called for Ajita, "You all go to Wutai Mountain and Emei Mountain to summon Manjushri and Samantabhadra."
The Tathagata continued, "These old demons and the second demon have some relations, but those three demons are actually somewhat related to me." Wukong curiously asked, "Is that relation on the paternal side or maternal side?" The Tathagata answered, "Since the time of chaos, when heaven and earth were opened, and all things began to grow. Among terrestrial animals, the Qilin is the most revered, and among flying creatures, the Phoenix is the most esteemed. The Phoenix gave birth to the Peacock and the Great Peng. The Peacock was born evil, able to devour people, and could suck a person down from forty-five miles away."
The Tathagata continued, "I attained my golden body on the peak of the Snow Mountain, but I was also swallowed by him. I wanted to escape from him, fearing it would taint my true form, so I split open his back and crossed over to the Holy Mountain. I wanted to harm him, but the Buddhas advised me that harming the Peacock would be like harming my mother, so I left him on the Holy Mountain and sealed him as the Bodhisattva of the Great Brightness, the Peacock Mother. The Great Peng and he share the same mother, so there is some kinship."
Hearing the Tathagata's words, Wukong couldn't help but laugh, "Tathagata, by saying that, you really are the nephew of that demon!" The Tathagata smiled slightly and replied, "That monster needs me to personally go and deal with him." Wukong quickly bowed his head, saying, "I hope you can come down!"
After saying this, the Tathagata descended from the lotus platform, accompanied by the other Buddhas, and headed straight out of the mountain gate. At this moment, Ajita and Kasyapa also brought Manjushri and Samantabhadra to meet them. The Tathagata asked, "Bodhisattvas, how long have you been down the mountain?" Manjushri replied, "Seven days." The Tathagata said, "It has only been seven days in the mountains, but thousands of years have passed in the world. I wonder how many living beings have suffered there. Quickly, follow me to deal with that monster!"
Thus, the two Bodhisattvas and the others soared into the sky. The sky was filled with auspicious clouds, and the Buddha compassionately descended the Dharma gates, clearly revealing the principles of creation and transformation. Five hundred Arhats and three thousand deities followed, their presence overwhelming. At this time, Wukong reported, "Tathagata, that place emitting black smoke is the Lion-Turtle Kingdom!" The Tathagata replied, "You go down first and engage the demon in battle. If you are defeated, return to me; I will handle him."
Wukong then rushed down on his cloud, landing on the city wall, and shouted, "You wicked beast, come out and fight me!" The little demons on the city tower hurriedly jumped down to report, "Great King, Sun Wukong is challenging us on the city wall!" The old demon felt a bit anxious upon hearing this: "This monkey hasn’t shown up for days; why is he challenging us again today? Could he have summoned reinforcements?" The three demons said, "What are we afraid of? Let’s go see!"
The three demon lords each wielded their weapons and climbed the city. Upon seeing Wukong, they said nothing and raised their weapons to stab at him. Wukong swung his iron staff to meet them, and they fought fiercely. After seven or eight rounds, Wukong pretended to lose and fled. The demon king roared, "Where do you think you're going!" Wukong somersaulted into the air, and the three demons immediately chased after him on their clouds. Wukong quickly darted into the golden light of the Buddha, becoming completely invisible.
At this moment, the three Buddhas of the past, present, and future, along with the five hundred Arhats, surrounded the three demon kings, making it impossible for them to escape. The old demon panicked, saying, "Brothers, this is bad! This monkey is truly a ghost; how did he manage to summon the main character!" The three demons said, "Don’t be afraid, big brother! Let’s go together and defeat the Tathagata and seize his Thunder Sound Temple!" The demon leader, not knowing his limits, boldly stepped forward with his weapon, but was met with the incantations of Manjushri and Samantabhadra: "This wicked beast still refuses to repent; what more can we wait for!"
The old demon and the second demon were so frightened that they dropped their weapons and rolled over, revealing their true forms. The two Bodhisattvas threw their lotus platforms onto the demons' backs, leaping onto them. The second demon also surrendered. However, the third demon was unwilling to give up; he soared into the air, trying to claw at the Monkey King. The Great Sage, hidden in the light, was not afraid at all. At that moment, the Tathagata looked on and, with a flash of golden light, turned the top of the demon's head into a piece of fresh, red flesh.
The demon clawed down, but was pointed at by the Buddha, causing his wings to become weak, and he could no longer fly. He had no choice but to reveal his true form on the Buddha’s head, which turned out to be a giant golden-winged roc. It opened its mouth and said, "Tathagata, how can you use such great magical power to trap me?" The Tathagata replied, "You have accumulated many karmic obstacles here; come with me, and you will gain merit." The demon said, "Your place is extremely poor and frugal; here I eat human flesh and enjoy endless pleasures. If I starve, it will be your fault."
The Tathagata said, "I oversee the four great continents, countless beings look up to me. If one does good deeds, I teach them to first offer to you." The roc tried to leave but found it impossible, so it had no choice but to surrender. Wukong then turned to the Tathagata and bowed, saying, "Buddha, you have captured the demon, but my master is still missing." The roc gritted its teeth and said, "You wicked monkey! When did that old monk ever eat me? He is now locked away in the Iron Cabinet of the Fragrant Pavilion!"
Upon hearing this, Wukong hurriedly bowed in gratitude to the Buddha. The Buddha did not dare to let go of the roc but instructed it to act as a protector in the light, leading the others back to the clouds and directly to the temple. Wukong then descended on his cloud, entering the city, only to find that not a single little demon was left; it was as if a snake without a head could not move, and a bird without wings could not fly. Seeing that the Buddha had captured the demon king and everyone had fled, Wukong felt relieved.
He found Pigsy and Sandy and told them, "Master is safe; follow me!" He then led them straight into the inner courtyard, found the Fragrant Pavilion, opened the door, and heard Tang Seng crying inside. Sandy used the demon-subduing staff to unlock the iron lock, lifted the cabinet cover, and called out, "Master!" Upon seeing them, Tang Seng immediately burst into tears, crying, "Disciples! How did you defeat the demons and find me?" Wukong recounted the entire story from beginning to end, and Tang Seng was extremely grateful.
The master and disciples found some rice and provisions in the palace, arranged for a meal, and after a hearty feast, packed their belongings and set out on the road westward. It was truly said: "The true scriptures must be obtained by those of true virtue; the heart's toil and the mind's desires are all in vain." As they left, they did not know when they would see the Tathagata again, so stay tuned for the next installment.
