The Heavenly Court was bustling with activity, but our Monkey King, Sun Wukong, was sleeping soundly. Let's shift our focus to Mount Putuo in the South Sea, where the compassionate and merciful Guanyin Bodhisattva resides. On this particular day, the Queen Mother invited her to the Peach Banquet. Guanyin, accompanied by her disciple Hui'an Xingzhe, ascended to the Jade Pool Pavilion. Upon arrival, they found the scene rather desolate. The banquet was in disarray, and although a few celestial beings were present, none were seated; instead, they were all engaged in animated discussions.
Guanyin greeted the immortals and asked what had happened. Everyone began talking at once, explaining the situation. After listening, Guanyin thought to herself, "This doesn't look like much of a banquet; they haven't even served the wine!" So she suggested, "In that case, why don't we go see the Jade Emperor and find out what's going on?" The immortals agreed, and they followed Guanyin to the Celestial Palace. At the entrance of the Hall of Brightness, the Four Heavenly Masters and the Barefoot Immortal were already waiting. They informed Guanyin that the Jade Emperor was troubled by the task of capturing a demon, and the celestial soldiers sent out had yet to return.
Guanyin said, "I need to meet the Jade Emperor; please announce my arrival." Master Qiu Hongji went into the Hall of Miraculous Splendor to report to the Jade Emperor. Guanyin and the other immortals entered the hall, greeted the Jade Emperor, and also paid their respects to the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord and the Queen Mother before taking their seats. Guanyin asked, "How is the Peach Banquet going?" The Jade Emperor sighed, "In past years, it was lively and bustling, but this year, that monkey demon has turned it into a complete mess. It's all for nothing."
Guanyin inquired, "Where did this monkey demon come from?" The Jade Emperor explained, "This monkey demon was born from a stone on Flower Fruit Mountain in the Eastern Continent of Superior Purity. When he was born, his eyes emitted golden light that reached the Celestial Palace. Initially, I didn't pay much attention, but later he became a spirit, subduing dragons and tigers, and even erased his name from the Book of Life and Death. The Dragon King and the King of Hell came to complain, and just as I was about to capture him, the Morning Star advised, 'Among the three realms, any creature with nine orifices can become an immortal.' So I gave him a position as the Keeper of Heavenly Horses. But he found the rank too low and rebelled against the Heavenly Palace. Later, I sent Li Tianwang and Nezha to subdue him, and he was given the title 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven,' but with no salary. With nothing to do, he wandered around causing trouble. To prevent further mischief, I put him in charge of the Peach Orchard, but he broke the rules and ate all the peaches from the old trees. On the day of the banquet, he wasn't an invited guest, but he tricked the Barefoot Immortal, changed his appearance, and sneaked in, devouring all the celestial delicacies and wine. He even stole the Elderly Lord's elixirs and royal wine, returning to the mountain to enjoy with his monkey friends. This has caused me great distress, so I dispatched a hundred thousand celestial soldiers to capture him, but there's been no news yet, and I don't know the outcome."
After hearing this, Guanyin instructed Hui'an Xingzhe, "Quickly descend to the mortal world and check the situation at Flower Fruit Mountain. If you encounter any resistance, lend a hand, but make sure to bring back accurate information." Hui'an Xingzhe adjusted his robes, grabbed his iron staff, and flew out of the Heavenly Palace towards Flower Fruit Mountain. As he approached, he saw the celestial net tightly surrounding the mountain, with guards posted at every entrance, making it impenetrable. Hui'an paused and called out, "Heavenly soldiers at the gate, please report my arrival. I am Moksha, the second prince of Li Tianwang and the chief disciple of Guanyin from the South Sea, here to gather military intelligence."
The Five Sacred Mountain Soldiers quickly relayed the message to the command tent. Generals like Xu Ri Shu, Mao Ri Ji, Xing Ri Ma, and Fang Ri Tu soon reported to the central command. Li Tianwang ordered the celestial net to be opened and allowed him to enter.
It was just dawn when Hui'an followed the banners inside and greeted the Four Heavenly Kings and Li Tianwang. After exchanging courtesies, Li Tianwang asked, "My son, where have you come from?" Hui'an replied, "I accompanied Guanyin to the Peach Banquet. Seeing the desolation and silence at the Jade Pool, she took us to meet the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor mentioned your mission to subdue the monkey demon, and with no news for a day, Guanyin sent me to inquire about the situation." Li Tianwang explained, "Yesterday, we set up camp and sent the Nine Luminaries to challenge him, but they were defeated by his magic. Later, we personally led the troops, and he formed his own battle array. Our hundred thousand celestial soldiers engaged him until nightfall, but he used a cloning technique to drive us back. We only managed to capture some wolves, insects, and tigers, not a single monkey demon. We haven't started today's battle yet."
Just then, someone reported from outside the command tent, "The Great Sage is leading a group of monkey demons, shouting outside." As the Four Heavenly Kings and Li Tianwang were discussing their strategy, Moksha said, "Father, Guanyin instructed me to gather information and said I could lend a hand if needed. I would like to see just how formidable this Great Sage is!" Li Tianwang replied, "My son, you've trained under Guanyin for many years and must have acquired some skills. Just remember to be cautious."
Wow! Our Prince Moksha, wielding his iron staff, adjusted his attire and leaped out of the camp gate, shouting, "Who is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?" On the other side, the Great Sage was not to be outdone. He raised his Ruyi Jingu Bang (Magic Golden Staff) and replied, "I am Sun Wukong! And who are you to question me?" Moksha boldly responded, "I am Moksha, the second prince of Li Tianwang, and currently a disciple under Guanyin Bodhisattva, with the Dharma name Hui'an." The Great Sage laughed heartily, "Why aren't you cultivating in the South Sea? What brings you here to find me?" Moksha replied, "My master sent me to gather military intelligence. Seeing your arrogance, I'm here to subdue you!" The Great Sage chuckled, "Just you? Don't run away; watch this strike!" With that, he charged forward.
The two of them, each wielding their weapons, engaged in a fierce battle halfway up the mountain. One was the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, a Taiyi Loose Immortal, and the other was the True Dragon, a disciple of Guanyin. Both were masters of the staff, and their fight shook the mountains and darkened the skies. Truly, it was iron staff against iron rod, each displaying different magical powers. The Great Sage's Ruyi Jingu Bang was the Celestial River's stabilizing divine needle, with boundless power; Moksha's iron staff was also forged with great skill, possessing immense might. They exchanged blows back and forth, locked in an evenly matched duel. The Great Sage's strikes were fierce like the wind, while Moksha's moves were agile and varied, with neither side giving an inch.
After fifty or sixty rounds, Moksha began to feel his arms grow weary and struggled to defend himself. He feigned an attack and retreated in defeat. Seeing this, the Great Sage also withdrew his monkey troops and returned to the cave entrance to set up camp. Meanwhile, at the camp gate of Li Tianwang, the celestial soldiers welcomed Prince Moksha back into the camp. Breathless, Moksha reported to the Four Heavenly Kings, Li Jing, and Nezha, "That Great Sage is indeed formidable; I couldn't defeat him and had to retreat!" Li Tianwang was taken aback and immediately ordered a request for reinforcements to be written, dispatching the Mighty Ghost King and Prince Moksha to report to the heavens.
Moksha and the Mighty Ghost King wasted no time, traversing the celestial net and riding the clouds straight to the Hall of Brightness. Upon reaching the Hall of Miraculous Splendor, they presented the petition. Hui'an greeted Guanyin and reported, "I was sent to Flower Fruit Mountain, met my father, and explained my master's mission. My father said, 'Yesterday we fought the Monkey King and only captured some tigers, leopards, lions, and elephants, without catching a single monkey.' Just then, the Monkey King challenged us again. I battled him for fifty or sixty rounds but couldn't win and had to retreat. My father then sent me and the Mighty Ghost King to request reinforcements."
The Jade Emperor opened the petition, read the request for assistance, and laughed, "How powerful can this monkey demon be to withstand a hundred thousand celestial soldiers! Li Tianwang is asking for help again; who should we send this time?" Before he finished speaking, Guanyin Bodhisattva clasped her hands and said, "Your Majesty need not worry. I recommend a divine general who can certainly capture this monkey." The Jade Emperor asked, "Which divine general?" Guanyin replied, "Your Majesty's nephew, the True Lord Erlang, who currently resides at Guanjiangkou, enjoying the incense offerings from below. He once vanquished six monsters and has the Meishan brothers and twelve hundred grass-headed deities at his command, with vast magical powers. However, he only responds to military orders, not summons. Your Majesty can issue a military order to enlist his help, and success is assured." The Jade Emperor, upon hearing this, immediately issued a military order and sent the Mighty Ghost King to deliver it.
The Mighty Ghost King, carrying the Jade Emperor's decree, swiftly rode the clouds to Guanjiangkou. In less than half an hour, he arrived at Erlang Shen's temple. The little ghosts at the gate quickly went inside to report, "There is a celestial messenger outside with an imperial edict." Erlang Shen and his brothers promptly came out to welcome him, burned incense, and opened the decree, which read:
"The monkey demon Sun Wukong of Flower Fruit Mountain is causing chaos, stealing peaches, wine, and elixirs, disrupting the Peach Banquet. A hundred thousand celestial soldiers have been dispatched to subdue him but have not succeeded. I hereby summon my virtuous nephew and righteous brothers to assist in the campaign against him. Upon success, there will be great rewards."
Erlang Shen, delighted after reading the decree, said, "Messenger, please return and inform them that I will immediately draw my sword to assist."
The Mighty Ghost King returned to report, while Erlang Shen gathered the six Meishan brothers—Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li, the four marshals, along with Generals Guo Shen and Zhi Jian—and assembled in front of the hall. He announced, "The Jade Emperor has just ordered us to Flower Fruit Mountain to subdue the monkey demon. Let's all go together." The brothers were eager and immediately organized their divine soldiers, mounted their eagles, led their dogs, drew their bows, and with a gust of wind, crossed the Eastern Sea, heading straight for Flower Fruit Mountain.Upon reaching Flower Fruit Mountain, Erlang Shen found the celestial net tightly blocking the way. He shouted, "Listen, divine generals of the celestial net! I am Erlang Xiansheng Zhenjun, here by the Jade Emperor's decree to capture the demon monkey. Open the camp gates and let me through." The divine generals passed the message along, and soon the Four Heavenly Kings and Li Tianwang came out to welcome him. After exchanging greetings, they recounted the events of the battle. Erlang Shen laughed, "I must engage him in a contest of transformations. Please tighten the celestial net on all sides, but leave the top open so I can fight. If I lose, don't intervene; my brothers will support me. If I win, there's no need to bind him; my brothers will take care of it. Just have Li Tianwang use the demon-revealing mirror to prevent his escape."
The heavenly kings set up their formations, and Erlang Shen, along with the four marshals and two generals—his six brothers—went out to challenge. They instructed the troops to guard the camp and keep the eagles and hounds ready. The grass-headed deities received their orders, and Erlang Shen approached the Water Curtain Cave. There, he saw a group of monkeys neatly arranged in a coiling dragon formation, with a flag in the center inscribed with "Great Sage Equal to Heaven." Erlang Shen remarked, "This audacious monkey dares to call himself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?" The sixth brother from Meishan said, "Enough admiration; let's call him out for battle." A little monkey at the camp entrance saw Erlang Shen and hurried to report.
The Monkey King, Sun Wukong, grabbed his golden staff, donned his golden armor, stepped into his cloud-treading shoes, adjusted his phoenix-plumed cap, and emerged from the camp gate. He carefully observed Erlang Shen, noting his extraordinary appearance and elegant attire. Indeed, he was:
A handsome and dignified figure, with light shining from his eyes and ears that reached his shoulders. Wearing a three-mountain flying phoenix hat and a pale goose-yellow robe. Gold-threaded boots complementing dragon-patterned socks, with a jade belt adorned with floral and eight-treasure designs. A crescent-shaped slingshot at his waist, and wielding a three-pointed, double-edged spear. He split Peach Mountain with an axe to save his mother, and shot down twin phoenixes with his slingshot. Famous for vanquishing eight monsters and forming a righteous brotherhood with the Meishan Seven Saints. Proudly unrecognized as a celestial kin, he resides in Guanjiangkou. A heroic and divine presence, known far and wide as Erlang.
Seeing him, the Great Sage grinned and raised his golden staff, loudly asking, "Which little general are you, daring to challenge me here?" Erlang Shen retorted, "You impudent creature! Don't you recognize me? I am the Jade Emperor's nephew, bestowed the title of Zhaohui Lingwang Erlang. I am here by decree to capture you, the rebellious Bi Ma Wen monkey! Are you not aware of your impending doom?" The Great Sage replied, "I recall that the Jade Emperor's sister descended to the mortal world, married Lord Yang, and bore a son who once split Peach Mountain with an axe. Is that you? I thought of scolding you, but we have no deep-seated enmity. I considered striking you, but it would be a shame to waste your life. Young lord, you should quickly retreat and call out the Four Heavenly Kings instead." Erlang Shen, enraged, shouted, "Impudent monkey! Show some respect! Take this blow!" The Great Sage sidestepped the attack and swung his golden staff in return.
This battle was truly spectacular: Zhaohui Erlang Shen against the Great Sage Sun Wukong. One was the proud and defiant Monkey King, the other a true pillar of strength. In their first encounter, both displayed their might. Never before had they gauged each other's depth; today, they truly tested each other's weight. The iron staff flew like a dragon, the divine spear danced like a phoenix, blocking left and attacking right, advancing forward and retreating backward. On one side, the Meishan brothers boosted morale, while on the other, the generals Ma and Liu issued commands. Flags waved and drums beat in unison, shouts and gongs added to the excitement. The two combatants clashed weapons seamlessly, with the golden staff, a treasure of the sea, changing forms endlessly to claim victory.Erlang Shen and Sun Wukong battled for over three hundred rounds, yet neither could gain the upper hand. Erlang Shen then unleashed his divine power, transforming into a towering giant with a three-pointed, double-edged spear, fiercely striking at Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong, not to be outdone, transformed to match Erlang Shen's size, wielding his Ruyi Jingu Bang like a pillar of Kunlun Mountain, blocking Erlang Shen's attack. Witnessing this scene, Marshals Ma and Liu trembled in fear, unable to steady their flags; Generals Beng and Ba were equally flustered, unable to wield their swords.
At this moment, Erlang Shen's six brothers—Marshals Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li, along with Generals Guo Shen and Zhi Jian—issued orders, releasing the grass-headed deities to charge straight to the Water Curtain Cave. They unleashed eagles and hounds, drew bows and crossbows, and launched a coordinated assault. The poor demon monkeys scattered in all directions, with two or three thousand captured! The monkeys abandoned their helmets and armor, fleeing in all directions, some running, some shouting, some climbing mountains, others returning to the cave, scattering like startled birds at night, dispersing like stars across the sky. Erlang Shen's brothers returned victorious.Erlang Shen and Sun Wukong were locked in an intense battle when Sun Wukong suddenly noticed his monkey troops scattering in panic. Alarmed, he ceased his magical transformations and fled. Seeing him run, Erlang Shen pursued him with large strides, shouting, "Where do you think you're going? Surrender now, and I'll spare your life!" Sun Wukong, uninterested in continuing the fight, focused solely on escaping. Just as he neared the cave entrance, he ran into Erlang Shen's six brothers, who blocked his path. "Impudent monkey! Where do you think you're going?" they shouted. Panicking, Sun Wukong quickly transformed his golden staff into an embroidery needle, hid it in his ear, and turned himself into a sparrow, flying up to perch on a tree branch.
The six brothers, unable to find Sun Wukong, anxiously exclaimed, "The monkey demon has escaped! The monkey demon has escaped!" As they were shouting, Erlang Shen arrived and asked, "Brothers, where did the monkey go?" The gods replied, "We had him surrounded here just a moment ago, but he vanished in the blink of an eye." Erlang Shen widened his phoenix eyes and spotted Sun Wukong transformed into a sparrow perched on the tree. He ceased his magical form, set down his divine spear, removed his slingshot, and transformed into a sparrowhawk, spreading his wings to swoop down.
Seeing this, Sun Wukong quickly transformed into a cormorant and soared into the sky. Erlang Shen immediately transformed into a large crane and pursued him into the clouds. Sun Wukong then dove down, leaping into a stream and transforming into a fish to swim away. Erlang Shen arrived at the stream's edge, unable to see any trace of him, and thought, "The monkey must have turned into a fish or shrimp. I'll become a kingfisher to catch him." He transformed into a kingfisher and hovered over the water, waiting. After a while, the fish that Sun Wukong had become swam by and saw the strange bird. He thought, "That must be Erlang Shen!" and quickly turned to swim away. Erlang Shen saw the fish swimming off, understood the situation, and immediately swooped down, pecking with his beak. Sun Wukong quickly leaped out of the water, transforming into a water snake, and swam towards the bank, slithering into the grass.
Erlang Shen missed the fish, but seeing the disturbance in the water, he spotted the snake darting away and recognized it as Sun Wukong. He transformed into a red-crowned crane, extending his long beak like iron pincers to peck at the water snake. The water snake leaped up and transformed into a bustard, standing dumbly by the bank. Erlang Shen saw him transform into such a lowly creature—a bustard, known for being the most base and promiscuous of birds, mingling with any flock—and was disinclined to approach. He revealed his true form, picked up his slingshot, and drew it back, aiming a shot.
Sun Wukong seized the opportunity to roll down the cliff, hiding nearby, and transformed into a small earth temple. His wide mouth became the temple entrance, his teeth the doors, his tongue the deity inside, and his eyes the windows. Only his tail was difficult to conceal, so he turned it into a flagpole at the back. Erlang Shen arrived at the foot of the cliff, finding no sign of the bustard, only a small temple. Looking closely, he noticed the flagpole at the back and laughed, "This monkey thinks he can trick me again! I've never seen a temple with a flagpole at the back; it must be him! He wants to lure me in so he can bite me, but I won't fall for it!" He raised his fist, ready to smash the windows and kick the doors. Hearing this, Sun Wukong was startled. "How ruthless! How ruthless! My teeth are the doors, my eyes the windows—what if they get smashed?" He quickly leaped into the air and vanished.
Meanwhile, Erlang Shen continued to chase Sun Wukong back and forth, eventually encountering the four marshals and two generals. They asked, "Brother, have you caught Sun Wukong?" Erlang Shen laughed, "That monkey turned into a temple to trick me. Just as I was about to smash his windows and kick his doors, he slipped away. Truly a strange affair!" Everyone was stunned, looking around but seeing no sign of Sun Wukong. Erlang Shen said, "Stay here and keep watch; I'll go to the heavens to find him." He ascended into the sky on a cloud and saw Li Tianwang holding the demon-revealing mirror, standing with Nezha in the clouds.
Erlang Shen asked, "Heavenly King, have you seen the Monkey King?" Li Tianwang replied, "He hasn't come up here; I'm keeping a watchful eye." Erlang Shen recounted how Sun Wukong had transformed into a temple and escaped. Li Tianwang listened, then scanned the area with the demon-revealing mirror and laughed, "Hurry! Hurry! That monkey used an invisibility spell and is heading towards your Guanjiangkou!" Hearing this, Erlang Shen quickly grabbed his divine spear and returned to Guanjiangkou in pursuit.
Sun Wukong had already reached Guanjiangkou and transformed himself into the likeness of Erlang Shen. Descending from the clouds, he entered the temple directly. The ghost judges, unable to recognize him, all bowed and welcomed him. Sun Wukong sat in the center and began to inspect the offerings, reviewing the sacrifices made by Li Hu, the blessings requested by Zhang Long, the petitions for children by Zhao Jia, and the wishes for health by Qian Bing. As he was engrossed in this, someone came to report, "Another lord has arrived." The ghost judges hurried out to see, filled with anxiety.
Erlang Shen entered and asked, "Have you seen someone called the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?" The ghost judges replied, "We haven't seen any Great Sage, only a lord inside checking the offerings." Erlang Shen rushed in, and upon seeing Sun Wukong, who revealed his true form, he declared, "No need to shout; this temple now belongs to Sun." Erlang Shen immediately raised his three-pointed, double-edged spear and slashed at him. Sun Wukong nimbly dodged, pulled out his embroidery needle, shook it, and transformed it into a staff as thick as a bowl, countering the attack. The two fought fiercely, from the temple all the way back to Flower Fruit Mountain.
At this point, the Four Heavenly Kings and others, seeing the situation, quickly tightened their defenses. Marshals Kang and Zhang, along with others, joined Erlang Shen in surrounding Sun Wukong. Meanwhile, the mighty ghost king had returned to heaven to report. The Jade Emperor, Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Queen Mother, and all the immortals were gathered in the Hall of Miraculous Mist, chatting. The Jade Emperor said, "Erlang Shen has been fighting the demon monkey for so long, yet there's still no news." Guanyin Bodhisattva clasped her hands together and suggested, "Your Majesty, why not go with the Daoist Patriarch to the Southern Heavenly Gate to take a look?" The Jade Emperor agreed, and they, along with the Daoist Patriarch, Guanyin, the Queen Mother, and all the immortals, went to the Southern Heavenly Gate.
The celestial soldiers and warriors opened the gate, and from afar, they saw the heavenly soldiers deploying a net that covered the heavens and earth, encircling all sides. Li Tianwang and Nezha were holding the demon-revealing mirror, standing in the air, while Erlang Shen was engaged in battle with Sun Wukong. Guanyin Bodhisattva said to Lao Jun, "The Erlang Shen I recommended is quite capable, isn't he? He has Sun Wukong surrounded. Let me lend him a hand, and we'll surely capture that monkey." Lao Jun asked, "What weapon will you use to assist?" Guanyin replied, "I'll use the willow branch from my purification bottle to strike him. Even if it doesn't kill him, it'll make him stumble, allowing Erlang Shen to catch him."
Lao Jun laughed and said, "Your bottle is made of porcelain. If you miss and hit his iron staff instead, won't it shatter? Let me handle it." Guanyin asked, "What weapon do you have?" Lao Jun removed a ring from his left arm and said, "This is forged from refined steel, which I have transformed into a spiritual elixir. It can change infinitely, is impervious to water and fire, and can ensnare objects. It's called the 'Diamond Snare.' When I crossed Hangu Pass and transformed barbarians into Buddhists, I relied on it. Let me throw it down to strike him."
With that, Lao Jun hurled the Diamond Snare from the heavenly gate, and it fell straight onto Flower Fruit Mountain, landing squarely on Sun Wukong's head. Sun Wukong was in the midst of a fierce battle with the seven brothers and didn't notice the weapon falling from the sky. It struck him, leaving him dizzy and causing him to stumble. Just as he was about to get up and run, Erlang Shen's faithful hound bit his leg, causing him to fall again. Lying on the ground, he cursed, "You damned dog! Instead of guarding the house, you come here to bite me!" Sun Wukong tried to roll over and get up but was surrounded by the seven brothers, who pinned him down, tied him with ropes, and pierced his shoulder blades with hooks, rendering him unable to transform.
Lao Jun retrieved the Diamond Snare and invited the Jade Emperor, Guanyin, the Queen Mother, and all the immortals to return to the Hall of Miraculous Mist. On the ground, the Four Heavenly Kings and Li Tianwang, along with other gods, withdrew their troops and dismantled their camps, congratulating Erlang Shen, "This is your achievement, little saint!" Erlang Shen humbly replied, "This is due to the great blessings of the Celestial Venerable and the might of all the gods. I have no credit." Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li said, "Brother, there's no need to say more. Let's escort this monkey to see the Jade Emperor and await his judgment." Erlang Shen said, "Dear brothers, you have not yet been officially appointed by the heavenly court and cannot meet the Jade Emperor. Let the celestial soldiers escort him while I, along with the heavenly kings, return to report. You stay here and search the mountain. Once I receive the rewards, we'll celebrate together."
The four marshals and the two generals agreed, and Erlang Shen, along with the others, ascended to the sky, singing songs of triumph as they returned victorious. Soon, they arrived outside the Hall of Brightness. The celestial master reported, "The Four Heavenly Kings and others have captured the demon monkey, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Your Majesty, please issue your decree." The Jade Emperor ordered that the mighty ghost king and the celestial soldiers escort Sun Wukong to the Demon Execution Platform to be dismembered. As the saying goes: Those who deceive now face punishment; the heroic spirit must temporarily rest. As for Sun Wukong's fate, please stay tuned for the next installment.
