Tang Seng and his disciples finally arrived at the Zhenhai Chanlin Temple. As soon as they entered, the monks warmly welcomed them and prepared a sumptuous meal. After finishing the meal, the woman regained some strength. As night fell, the abbot’s lamps were lit, and everyone gathered around the light, eager to ask Tang Seng about his journey for scriptures and to get a better look at the woman.
Tang Seng addressed a lama monk, saying, “Abbot, we plan to leave Baoshan tomorrow. How is the road heading west?” The monk knelt down, causing Tang Seng to quickly pull him up: “Abbot, please rise! I’m asking about the journey, why are you bowing?” The monk hurriedly replied, “Master, the road west is flat and smooth tomorrow, no need to worry. However, there is something I must mention beforehand, or I won’t feel at ease. You’ve come a long way from the east, and it’s been hard on you and the little monks to rest here; but this woman may not be so comfortable. I’m not sure where she should rest.”
Tang Seng quickly explained, “Abbot, please don’t think too much. We have no ill intentions. I found this woman tied to a tree in the Heisong Forest. My disciple Wukong refused to save her, but out of compassion, I rescued her, so I ask you to arrange her accommodations.” The monk thanked him: “Since you are so generous, let her stay in the Tianwang Hall, behind the King of Heaven, where we can set up a straw bed for her to rest well.”
Tang Seng nodded in agreement, and the little monks led the woman to rest behind the hall. Tang Seng then invited the abbot to relax, and everyone dispersed. He told Wukong, “You’ve worked hard; get some rest early!” So, they all settled down, keeping watch over their master, and gradually fell asleep.
As night deepened, the surroundings were quiet, with only the moon hanging high and stars twinkling, creating a serene and beautiful atmosphere. Before long, dawn broke. Wukong woke up early and called to Bajie and Sha Monk to pack their bags and prepare to leave. But at that moment, Tang Seng was still in a deep sleep. Wukong approached and called out, “Master,” but Tang Seng only lifted his head slightly without answering.
Wukong, puzzled, asked, “What’s wrong with the master?” Tang Seng groaned, “I feel like my head is heavy and my eyes are swollen, and my whole body hurts.” Bajie, hearing this, reached out to feel his forehead and found Tang Seng was burning up. He chuckled, “I know! You probably ate too much last night because of the free meal and now have indigestion, which hurt your stomach.” Wukong scoffed, “Nonsense! Let me ask the master what’s really going on.”
Tang Seng explained, “I got up in the middle of the night to relieve myself without wearing my hat. I think the wind got to me.” Wukong grew anxious: “That’s understandable, but can you walk now?” Tang Seng lamented, “I can’t even sit up right now, how can I get on a horse? This is really delaying our journey!” Wukong reassured him, “Master, don’t worry! There’s a saying: ‘Once a teacher, always a father.’ We are your disciples, just like sons. Since you’re not feeling well, why worry about the journey? A few days of patience won’t hurt!”
As everyone surrounded their master, time passed without them noticing, morning turned to noon, and then to dusk. Before they knew it, three days had gone by. One morning, Tang Seng finally sat up and exclaimed, “Wukong, I haven’t checked if anyone has brought food to that woman these past few days!” Wukong laughed, “Don’t worry about her; take care of yourself first.” Tang Seng replied, “Right, I need to write a letter and ask you to deliver it to Chang’an to see Emperor Taizong.”
Wukong perked up immediately, “That’s easy! I can send it to Chang’an in one somersault and come back in another. I can handle the paper and ink too. But you need to tell me what to write.” Tang Seng, with tears in his eyes, said, “I’ll write: ‘Your humble servant bows three times, long live the great sage…’”
Wukong couldn’t help but burst into laughter: “Master, you’re too much! You’re feeling a bit under the weather and already want to write a letter. If you were really sick, just ask me—I, Sun Wukong, have the ability to solve this problem!” Tang Seng sighed, “Disciple, I’m really unwell; stop boasting.” Bajie chimed in, “Brother, if the master says it’s bad, just say it’s good. Let’s sell the horse, pawn the bags, and buy a coffin for the master’s funeral!”
Wukong was alarmed: “You fool, don’t talk nonsense! Don’t you know the master is the second disciple of Buddha, known as Elder Jinchan? He disrespected the Buddha’s teachings, which led to this great calamity!”
Bajie looked puzzled and asked, “Brother, since the master disrespected the Buddha's teachings and was demoted back to the eastern land, vowing to journey west for scriptures, facing demons and being tied up by monsters, suffering so much, how did he fall ill again?” Wukong shook his head and laughed, “You don’t know! Last night, the master took a nap and missed the Buddha’s teachings. As a result, he accidentally stepped on a grain of rice, which caused these three days of illness.” Bajie exclaimed in surprise, “That’s just like how I eat messily! No wonder he got sick!”
Wukong continued, “Brother, the Buddha can’t always think about you and me. Think about it: ‘Plowing the rice under the noon sun, sweat drips onto the soil below.’ Who knows that every grain on the plate comes from hard work? The master will be better by tomorrow.” At that moment, Tang Seng spoke up, “I’m thirstier today than yesterday. Go find me some cool water to drink.” Wukong immediately replied, “Sure! If the master wants water, it means he’s getting better. I’ll go find some right now.”
Wukong picked up a bowl and headed towards the kitchen behind the temple. Suddenly, he noticed that the monks had red eyes, choking back tears, but dared not cry out loud. Wukong, confused, asked, “You monks are really too sentimental! We’re only staying for a few days; we’ll thank you when we leave, and the firewood expenses will still be counted. Why are you crying so sadly?” The monks hurriedly knelt down, saying, “We dare not! We dare not!” Wukong pressed on, “Why not dare? Did my long-nosed monk eat your rations?”
The monks quickly explained, “Sir, there are over a hundred monks in this remote mountain, and each one can afford to feed you for a day. How could we care about food!” Upon hearing this, Wukong felt a bit dissatisfied: “If you don’t care, then why are you crying?” The monks sighed, “Sir, we don’t know which mountain’s demon is causing trouble in this temple. We sent two little monks to ring the bell and beat the drum at night, but we only heard the sounds and didn’t see them return. The next day, we found only their hats and shoes; their bones had been eaten. You’ve stayed three days, and we’ve already lost six monks from our temple. Everyone is terrified, so of course we’re sad.”
Wukong listened, both surprised and pleased: “This is serious! There must be demons causing trouble here; I need to get rid of them!” The monks, however, looked worried: “Sir, the demons are not easy to deal with. They ride the clouds and enter the shadows. As the ancients said, ‘Don’t trust those who seem straightforward; be wary of those who seem kind.’ If you can catch them, it would be a blessing for our remote mountain; but if you can’t, that would be troublesome.”
Wukong asked, “How would it be troublesome?” The monks replied, “To put it bluntly, sir, although we have over a hundred monks in this remote mountain, they are all newly ordained disciples, ragged and poor. They wash their faces in the morning, burn incense at night, and sincerely chant the Buddha’s name. We don’t recognize demons and can’t subdue them. If we provoke the demons, a hundred monks would only be enough for them to have one meal, and then we would be done for, even this ancient temple would be destroyed, and the light of the Buddha would vanish. That would be quite inconvenient!”
Hearing the monks’ words, Wukong felt furious and couldn’t help but shout, “You monks are really too foolish! You only know the demons are powerful, but you don’t know my abilities!” The monks whispered back, “We truly don’t know.” Wukong waved his hand: “Let me tell you today, I’m a master at subduing tigers and dragons from Flower-Fruit Mountain! I’ve even caused a ruckus in the Heavenly Palace! When I’m hungry, I bite Lao Jun’s elixirs; when I’m thirsty, I drink the Jade Emperor’s wine—completely carefree!”
He continued, “With my golden eyes, even in the dark of night, holding my golden staff, I come and go like a shadow. Those little demons see me and panic, running and hiding; I catch them every time, and once I do, I chop, burn, grind, and pound them! It’s just like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each displaying their own powers!” The monks listened, secretly nodding, feeling that this bald thief might indeed have some background.
However, a lama monk reminded him, “Wait a minute! Your master is ill, so you need to be careful when dealing with demons. As the saying goes, ‘When a young master sits at a feast, he either gets drunk or full; when a warrior faces battle, he either dies or gets injured.’ If you get into a fight and it affects your master, that would be bad.” Upon hearing this, Wukong felt it made sense: “Right! I’ll bring water to my master first, then I’ll go catch the demon.”
So, he picked up a bowl and went to the kitchen to get some cool water. Turning around, he headed to the abbot’s quarters and called out, “Master, here’s some cool water!” Tang Seng was feeling quite thirsty, looked up, took the water, and drank a hearty gulp, which felt like nectar, instantly easing his illness. Seeing his master’s spirits lifting, Wukong asked, “Master, can you eat some soup rice?” Tang Seng nodded, “This water is truly miraculous; my illness has eased by half, and I can eat some soup rice.”
Wukong joyfully exclaimed, “My master is better and wants soup rice!” The monks hurriedly began washing rice, cooking, and kneading dough, preparing four or five tables of dishes. Tang Seng only ate half a bowl of rice soup, and Wukong and Sha Monk only had one serving each, while Bajie devoured the rest. After eating, everyone tidied up, lit the lamps, and the monks dispersed.
Tang Seng asked, “How many days have we stayed here?” Wukong replied, “Exactly three days. Tomorrow night will be four days.” Tang Seng sighed, “Three days have delayed us quite a bit.” Wukong said, “Master, it’s not a big deal; we’ll leave tomorrow.” Tang Seng resigned, “Even with some illness, there’s nothing we can do.”
Wukong, however, was excited: “Since we’re leaving tomorrow, I’ll go catch the demon tonight!” Tang Seng was surprised, “What demon are you going to catch?” Wukong confidently declared, “There’s a demon in this temple, and I’m going to catch it!” Tang Seng became anxious: “Disciple, you’re still not well; how can you think of catching a demon? What if that demon is powerful and you can’t catch it? Wouldn’t that put me in danger?”
Wukong, upon hearing this, immediately became furious: “You monk are really too timid! I, Sun Wukong, subdue demons everywhere; do you see me afraid of anyone? As long as I take action, I’m sure to win!” Tang Seng grabbed him and said, “Disciple, as the saying goes, ‘Take advantage of opportunities when they arise, and spare those who deserve mercy.’ Your stubbornness would be better replaced with patience!” Wukong felt somewhat dissatisfied but confessed, “Master, to be honest, that demon has already eaten people here.” Tang Seng was shocked: “Who did it eat?” Wukong replied, “In the three days we’ve stayed, it has already eaten six little monks!” Tang Seng lamented, “When rabbits die, foxes grieve. Since it has eaten the monks of this temple, and I am also a monk, I will let you go, but be careful.” Wukong confidently assured him, “Don’t worry; I can handle it!”
Then, Wukong instructed Bajie and Sha Monk to guard Tang Seng under the lamp light, and happily jumped out of the abbot’s quarters, heading straight for the Buddha hall. He saw the stars twinkling in the sky, and the moon hadn’t risen yet; the hall was shrouded in darkness. He blew out a flame, igniting the glass lamps, drumming on the east side and ringing bells on the west side, creating a loud and lively atmosphere. At the first watch of the night, everything was quiet; at the second watch, the crescent moon rose, and suddenly a gust of wind swept through, dark clouds filled the sky, and sorrow hung in the air, as if ink had been spilled all around.
The wind shook the heavens and earth, with Chang'e hugging a tree, the Jade Rabbit searching for medicine, and the city god in the temple looking for little ghosts, while fairies flew in the sky. After the wind passed, Wukong caught a whiff of orchid and musk, and when he looked up, wow! A beautiful woman was walking straight towards the Buddha hall. Wukong muttered incantations, but in his heart, he thought, “This girl is really beautiful!”
As the woman approached, she embraced Wukong and asked, “Little monk, what sutra are you chanting?” Wukong replied solemnly, “What I promised.” The woman laughed, “Everyone else is sleeping, and you’re still chanting?” Wukong answered, “What I promised must be chanted.” She hugged him and kissed him: “Come play with me in the back.” Wukong feigned seriousness: “You really don’t understand decorum!”
The woman asked, "Can you read faces?" Wukong replied, "I know a little." The woman laughed, "Then read mine." Wukong looked at her and thought, "This girl must have a story." He said, "I see that you were driven out by your in-laws." The woman quickly replied, "You're wrong! I wasn't driven out; I just had a short life in my previous existence and chose the wrong man, which is why I had to escape from my husband."
She continued, "Now, with the starry sky and bright moon, we are fated to meet from afar. Why not go to the back garden and enjoy each other’s company?" Upon hearing this, Wukong thought to himself, "Those little monks were lured by desire and lost their lives; this girl is trying to seduce me too." So he casually answered, "My lady, I’m still young and don’t understand these things." The woman smiled and said, "Come with me; I’ll teach you." Wukong secretly laughed, "Alright, I’ll go with her and see how she tries to manipulate me."
They walked side by side, hand in hand, excitedly heading out of the Buddha hall toward the back garden. Just then, the monster suddenly tripped him, causing Wukong to fall flat on his back while calling out, "Darling brother!" Wukong thought, "This little guy really wants to eat me!" However, he reacted quickly, grabbing the monster's hand and using a small falling technique to flip the creature over.
After the monster fell, it continued to mumble, "Darling brother, you really know how to fall!" Wukong couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, thinking, "If I don’t take action now, when will I? Strike first, or suffer the consequences!" So, he bent down, jumped up, revealing his true form, and raised his golden staff high, ready to smash it down.
The monster was startled and thought, "This little monk is quite skilled!" But when it looked closely, it recognized that this was Tang Seng’s disciple, Sun Wukong, and it no longer felt afraid. This monster wasn’t an ordinary demon; it had a shiny golden nose and snowy fur, living in a place that was practically impregnable. It had been cultivating for three hundred years and had visited the Spirit Mountain, receiving guidance from the Tathagata. The daughter of the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King and Prince Nezha were both its friends.
The demon believed itself to be powerful and brandished its twin swords with a crisp, loud sound, blocking Wukong’s attacks left and right, making it difficult for him to land a hit. At this moment, the wind howled, the moonlight dimmed, and the back garden turned into a battleground. Wukong and the demon fought fiercely, exchanging blows, with swords dancing and staffs flying, making it an intense fight.
Wukong was energetic, wielding his staff with precision, while the demon began to feel uneasy, furrowing its brow and calculating a retreat. Seeing this, Wukong immediately shouted, "You ruffian, trying to run? Come and submit!" But the demon ignored him, retreating further away.
Just as Wukong was about to catch up, the demon suddenly took off its left flower shoe, blew some fairy breath, chanted a spell, and instantly transformed back into its original form, wielding its two swords and turning into a gust of wind, flying away. Wukong felt anxious, thinking, "Isn’t this the calamity of Tang Seng?" So, he rushed back to the abbot’s quarters to bring Tang Seng back.
At this moment, Wukong was extremely anxious. He swung his staff down, only to hit a flower shoe. Realizing he had fallen into the demon’s trap, he quickly turned to find his master. But when he looked, he saw Tang Seng and Sha Monk chatting away. Wukong was furious, picked up his staff, and roared, "I’ll kill you both! I’ll kill you both!"
Seeing this, Sha Monk hurriedly stepped forward and softly said, "Brother, I know you’re very angry, but killing us won’t help! You’d be better off saving the master first, and then we can go home together." Wukong understood that Sha Monk had a point, thought for a moment, and finally nodded in agreement: "Alright, Bajie, Sha Monk, you both get up. Tomorrow we’ll go find the master and put in some real effort!"
At this, Bajie, hearing that they could be spared, felt as happy as if he had eaten honey: "Brother, it’s all in my hands!" The brothers were anxious, wishing they could summon the sun immediately and set off right away.
At dawn, they packed their things and prepared to set off. Just as they reached the temple gate, they were stopped by a monk: "Sir, where are you going?" Wukong smiled and said, "It's hard to say. Yesterday, I boasted about catching a demon, but instead, I lost my master. We're going to find him." Upon hearing this, the monks immediately panicked: "Sir, we can't help you. Where should we look for the master?"
Wukong confidently replied, "I have a place to search." The monks advised, "Then take your time, but first have some breakfast." They quickly brought out several bowls of soup and rice. Bajie devoured his meal, licking the bowl clean, while mumbling, "Good monks! Once we find the master, we'll come back here to have some fun." Wukong said, "Don’t think you can come back for another meal! You should check the Hall of Heavenly Kings to see if that woman is still there." The monks shook their heads: "She left after staying for a night."
Wukong happily bid farewell to the monks, taking Bajie and Sha Monk with him, leading their horses and carrying their burdens as they headed east. Bajie looked puzzled: "Brother, why are we going east again?" Wukong smiled mysteriously: "You don’t know! The woman we captured in the Black Pine Forest a few days ago, I saw with my fiery eyes that she is a demon! The one who ate the monks yesterday was her, and the one who captured my master was also her! We must go find her!"
The other two were impressed: "Great, great! Truly meticulous! Let’s go, let’s go!" The three hurried into the forest, where they found mist swirling, rocks piled up, and the path winding like a snake. Foxes and rabbits scurried around, while tigers, leopards, and wolves roamed the woods, but they couldn’t see any trace of the demon. Wukong was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, pulled out his staff, transformed into his true form from the Great Havoc in Heaven, with three heads and six arms, each holding a staff, and began to strike wildly in the forest.
Seeing this, Bajie quickly said to Sha Monk, "Brother, Wukong is too angry. If he can’t find the master, he’s going to look like a mad kite!" In his frenzy, Wukong accidentally struck down two old men, one a mountain god and the other a land god, who knelt down and said, "Great Sage, we are the mountain and land gods, here to see you!"
Bajie laughed: "Haha, what a spirit! You knocked out two mountain and land gods. If you keep going, you might even summon the God of Wealth!" Wukong asked, "What are you guys doing here, teaming up as bandits? Where did you hide my master? Don’t make me use force!"
At this moment, the mountain and land gods panicked and quickly explained, "Great Sage, you’ve misunderstood! The demon is not under our jurisdiction. It only appears where the wind howls at night, but I know a little about it." Wukong perked up: "Then tell me quickly, don’t hide anything!" The land god continued, "That demon took your master and headed south, a distance of a thousand miles! There’s a mountain called Xian Kong Mountain, with a cave named the Bottomless Cave. That demon transformed there and took your master away!"
Upon hearing this, Wukong's heart tightened. He quickly sent the mountain and land gods away, returned to his original form, and said to Bajie and Sha Monk, "The master has gone far." Bajie immediately exclaimed, "Then let’s hurry and ride the clouds to catch up!" This fool leaped into the air, and a strong wind followed. Sha Monk also rode the clouds, while the white horse, originally a dragon, carried their luggage and galloped through the mist. Wukong did a somersault and sped southward.
Before long, they saw a large mountain blocking their way. The three stopped their horses and hovered steadily on the clouds, gazing at the mountain: the peak pierced the blue sky, with towering peaks and thousands of trees surrounding it, while birds chirped in the air. Tigers and leopards roamed in packs, and deer darted through the thickets. In the sunlit areas, flowers exuded fragrance; in the shadows, remnants of snow and ice remained unmelted. The terrain was rugged, with steep cliffs and deep ravines that made one feel uneasy. There were no woodcutters in sight, nor any herbalists; the lurking tigers and leopards could stir up trouble, and foxes scurried about on the ground.
Bajie looked at the treacherous mountain and felt anxious: "Brother, this mountain looks very dangerous; there must be demons!" Wukong nodded: "Exactly, where there are high mountains, there must be monsters. In steep ridges, there can’t be no spirits!" He then said to Sha Monk, "You and I will wait here, while Bajie goes down the mountain to find out which path is good to take, and see if there are any caves. Don’t forget to check where the doors are; investigate thoroughly so we can rescue the master together."
Bajie felt a bit disgruntled: "Old Pig is really unfortunate; why do I have to go and take the lead?" Wukong laughed: "What happened last night is all on you; how can you complain?" Bajie protested: "Don’t shout, I’ll go!" After saying this, he put down his rake, shook off his clothes, jumped down the mountain empty-handed, ready to find a path. But once he went down, he had no idea if he would find a good route, so everyone decided to wait for the next opportunity to see!
