Real Histories
In the land of the Bhikshu Kingdom, the king and the people warmly sent off Tang Seng and his four disciples out of the city, accompanying them for a full twenty miles, reluctant to part ways! Tang Seng reluctantly got off the cart, mounted his horse, and bid farewell, watching until they disappeared from sight. The four of them continued on their journey, and as spring had just passed, the mountains were adorned with blooming flowers. Suddenly, they came across a tall mountain. Tang Seng's heart tightened, and he asked, "Disciples, is there a path up that mountain ahead? We must be careful!"
At this moment, the Monkey King couldn't help but laugh, "Master, that sounds like something a city dweller would say, not a traveler! Since ancient times, mountains don't block the road; the road will connect through the mountains. How could there be a talk of paths or no paths?" Tang Seng replied, "Although the mountain doesn't block the way, I fear there might be monsters inside, especially those hidden in the deep woods!" Pigsy comforted him from the side, "Don't worry, Master! We're not far from the Pure Land, so it will surely be fine!"
Just as they were speaking, they reached the foot of the mountain. The Monkey King took out his golden staff, climbed up a rocky cliff, and shouted, "Master, this is the path around the mountain; it's quite comfortable to walk on, come quickly!" Tang Seng had no choice but to relax and ride his horse to catch up. Sandy then said to Pigsy, "Second Brother, take the burden on one shoulder!" Pigsy immediately took the load and hoisted it onto his shoulder. Everyone hurried toward the wide road on the cliff.
Along the way, the scenery was breathtaking: clouds and mist swirled around, streams babbled, flowers bloomed vibrantly, and trees formed dense forests. Plum blossoms, pear blossoms, willows, and peach blossoms complemented each other beautifully, while cuckoos sang at the end of spring and swallows whispered softly. On the high rocks, the pines were lush and green, and the winding path climbed steeply, with cliffs as sharp as knives, vines entwined, and vegetation thriving. Thousands of peaks competed in beauty, and countless valleys flowed together, truly a picturesque scene!
While Tang Seng was lost in admiration, he suddenly heard the birds chirping, stirring up his homesickness. He sighed, "Disciples, I've been on this journey since receiving the decree from the heavens, leaving the East for a long time. When will I see my hometown again?" The Monkey King chuckled, "Master, you always think about home; you really don't act like a monk! Don't worry, let's go! As the ancients said, if you want wealth and nobility, you must work hard!"
Tang Seng replied, "Disciple, although what you say is true, I still don't know where the road to the West is!" Pigsy chimed in, "Master, the Buddha wouldn't let go of the 'Tripitaka' if He didn't know we were coming to retrieve it; otherwise, how could we have been searching for so long?" Sandy added, "Stop talking nonsense! Just follow Big Brother, and with effort, we will surely reach our destination one day."
At that moment, they encountered a dense forest of black pines. Tang Seng's heart tightened again, and he called out, "Wukong, we've just crossed the rugged mountain path, how come we hit this deep black pine forest again? We must be careful!" The Monkey King shrugged it off, "What’s there to fear!" Tang Seng warned, "Don't underestimate this forest! I've walked through many pine forests, but this one is very deep. Just look at all these dense trees, they’re everywhere!"
As Tang Seng spoke, he described the forest's appearance, feeling increasingly uneasy. Meanwhile, the Monkey King paid no mind and continued forward, leading Tang Seng straight into the depths of the forest. After walking for a long time, they still hadn't found a way out. Tang Seng couldn't help but call out, "Disciples, we've traveled westward and faced so many hardships. Fortunately, this forest is serene and peaceful. I think I’ll rest here for a bit, and I’m a little hungry. Go and get me some alms to eat." The Monkey King immediately agreed, "Master, please dismount; I’ll go get the food!"
Tang Seng indeed got off his horse, Pigsy tied the horse to a tree, and Sandy busied himself organizing their belongings, preparing the bowl to hand to the Monkey King.
The Monkey King reassured Tang Seng, "Master, don’t worry, I’ll be back in no time!" Tang Seng settled down under a pine tree, contemplating his cultivation. Meanwhile, Pigsy and Sandy began to wander around, foraging for food and having a great time.
At this moment, the Great Sage was flying in the sky when he suddenly stopped to look at the pine forest, noticing auspicious clouds swirling and a mist of good fortune rising. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Wonderful! Wonderful!" You might wonder why he was so pleased. It turned out he was praising Tang Seng, believing he was the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada Elder, blessed with such good omens after ten lifetimes of cultivation. Five hundred years ago, he had caused a ruckus in the Heavenly Palace with great glory, commanding an army of forty-seven thousand monsters, all calling him the Great Sage. Now, he willingly became Tang Seng's disciple, thinking to himself: the auspicious clouds above my master's head will surely bring benefits upon our return to the East, and I can also attain a proper reward.
Just as he was lost in his thoughts, he suddenly saw a plume of black smoke rising from the south, and his heart sank. "There must be evil creatures in that black mist! My Pigsy and Sandy won't let that black smoke go!" He carefully observed from the sky, feeling uneasy.
Meanwhile, Tang Seng was sitting quietly in the forest, focusing on reciting the Heart Sutra, when he suddenly heard a faint voice calling for help. He was taken aback, thinking, "How could there be someone calling in this deep forest? Could it be that wolves or tigers have frightened someone?" So he decided to investigate, passing through ancient cypress trees and winding around thousand-year-old pines. As he got closer, he discovered a woman tied to a large tree, her upper body bound with vines and her lower body buried in the ground.
Tang Seng stopped and asked, "Bodhisattva, how did you end up tied here?" But as he looked closer, he began to have doubts; this was clearly a monster! The creature, seeing him approach, started to cry, tears flowing like springs. Just look at her tear-streaked cheeks, truly a beauty that could sink fish and make birds fall; her sorrowful starry eyes and shy demeanor could make the moon hide and flowers wilt. Tang Seng hesitated to get closer and continued to ask, "What exactly is your crime? Tell me, so I can save you."
The monster spoke sweetly and deceitfully, feigning distress: "Master, I live in the Poor Woman Kingdom, over two hundred miles from here. My parents are very kind and invited relatives and friends to sweep the tombs, but on the way, we encountered a group of robbers. Everyone fled, and only I was captured!" As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, truly heart-wrenching.
Hearing this, Tang Seng felt sad as well and called out with a choked voice, "Disciples!" At this moment, Pigsy and Sandy, who were foraging for fruits in the forest, heard their master's voice. Pigsy foolishly said, "Sandy, is Master recognizing relatives?" Sandy laughed and replied, "Second Brother, what nonsense are you talking? We've been walking for so long and haven't seen a single good person; how could he be recognizing relatives?"
Pigsy insisted, "It's not about recognizing relatives; Master is crying! Let's go take a look." So Sandy led the horse and carried the burden, following Pigsy back to the tree, asking, "Master, what happened?" Tang Seng pointed to the woman in the tree and said, "Pigsy, quickly untie that Bodhisattva and save her!"
Pigsy immediately went to help, completely unaware of the situation.
At that moment, the Great Sage saw the thick black smoke again, blocking the auspicious light, and his heart tightened. "Not good! The black smoke is covering the good fortune; it seems the evil spirits are trying to harm my master! Getting alms is a small matter; I should quickly check on my master!"
The Great Sage flew back to the clouds and landed in the forest, seeing Pigsy recklessly trying to untie the ropes. He immediately stepped forward, grabbed Pigsy by the ear, and knocked him over. Pigsy looked up and angrily said, "Master taught me to save people; why did you throw me down?"
The Monkey King laughed, "Brother, don’t untie her! She’s a monster, using this ruckus to deceive us!"
Tang Seng immediately shouted, "You unruly monkey, what nonsense are you talking? How could she be a monster? She's just a woman!" The Monkey King grew anxious, "Master, you don’t know; this is exactly the kind of monster I’ve dealt with before, one that specifically eats human flesh! Don’t be fooled!"
Pigsy muttered from the side, "Master, don’t listen to this Horse Tamer! This girl must be from around here. We traveled all the way from the East and aren't relatives; how could you say she’s a monster?"
The Monkey King was so angry he jumped up, "You fool! I’ve traveled westward; where are the lazy bugs? You, who prioritize beauty over life, are trying to woo a girl and got her tied up in a tree!" Tang Seng, feeling helpless, said, "Alright, Pigsy, what your brother says does make some sense. Since that's the case, let’s ignore her and move on." Upon hearing this, the Monkey King was overjoyed: "Great! Master has spoken; quickly mount your horse, let’s get out of the pine forest, and find a place to get some alms!"
They continued on their way, leaving the monster behind. The poor creature, grinding her teeth in anger on the tree, trembled with hatred: "I've heard that Sun Wukong has great powers, and seeing him today confirms it! I originally wanted to capture Tang Seng to achieve my immortality, but I didn't expect this monkey to see through my plan. If only I could untie myself and grab him, that would be wonderful! Now, thanks to him, I’ve wasted my efforts!"
As she thought this, she began to call out to Tang Seng with sweet words: "Master, why do you ignore the life of a living person? What's the use of worshiping Buddha and seeking scriptures?" Tang Seng, hearing this from his horse, felt a pang in his heart and immediately pulled back the reins, saying, "Wukong, go rescue that woman!"
The Monkey King was taken aback: "Master, why are you thinking of her again?" Tang Seng replied, "She's calling out!"
The Monkey King turned to Pigsy and asked, "Did you hear that?" Pigsy scratched his head: "My ears are too big; I didn't hear anything." He then asked Sandy: "Did you hear it?" Sandy shook his head: "I was focused on carrying the burden and didn't pay attention." The Monkey King added, "I didn’t hear anything either. Master, what exactly is she saying?" Tang Seng said, "She said that if we don’t save a living person, what’s the point of worshiping Buddha and seeking scriptures? Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda!"
The Monkey King laughed, "Master, if you’re so kind-hearted, then there’s no saving you! You've encountered so many monsters on your journey west; why are you reluctant to save a monster today?" Tang Seng replied seriously, "Disciple, as the ancients said, do not neglect small acts of kindness or commit small evils. We should go save her."
The Monkey King, feeling helpless, said, "Alright, since Master insists, I won’t try to dissuade you. If you want to save her, then go ahead."
Tang Seng returned to the forest, instructing Pigsy to untie the upper half of the ropes, then used his spade to free the lower half. As soon as the monster was freed, she quickly put on her shoes and happily followed Tang Seng out of the pine forest. The Monkey King couldn’t help but sneer from the side. Seeing this, Tang Seng angrily said, "You unruly monkey, what are you laughing at?"
The Monkey King laughed even harder: "I’m laughing at your good fortune for encountering such a beauty!"
Tang Seng, fuming, scolded, "You mischievous monkey! Nonsense! I have been a monk since childhood, sent westward by decree, sincerely seeking scriptures. There’s nothing fortunate about it!"
The Monkey King chuckled, "Master, although you are a monk, you only recite scriptures and haven’t seen much of the world. This girl is beautiful; if we encounter bad people and get captured, that would be troublesome! No matter how you justify seeking scriptures, in the end, we might be seen as having ulterior motives. Pigsy would be conscripted, Sandy would be questioned, and I, Old Sun, wouldn’t fare any better!"
Tang Seng dismissed the idea: "If I save her life, how could it become a burden?" The Monkey King grew anxious: "Master, you’re thinking too simply! She’s been tied to a tree and has gone hungry for days; now that we’ve brought her out, you’re riding a swift horse while she can’t keep up. If she gets eaten by wild beasts, wouldn’t that be a disaster?"
Tang Seng thought for a moment: "That is indeed a problem. What should we do?" The Monkey King smacked his forehead: "Carry her up and ride together!"
Tang Seng shook his head: "How can I ride with her? That’s inappropriate!" The Monkey King suggested, "Then let Pigsy carry her!" Pigsy immediately protested: "Me carry someone? What’s in it for me?"
The Monkey King laughed: "You have a big mouth; if you carry her, you can turn around and chat about romance, wouldn’t that be great?" Pigsy panicked: "No way! If Master gets angry, I’d rather endure pain than carry her; I could end up buried!" Tang Seng sighed: "Alright, I’ll go slowly. I’ll get down and walk; Pigsy can lead the empty horse."
The Monkey King laughed heartily: "Silly boy, now you have business to do!" Tang Seng was displeased: "This monkey is talking nonsense again! As the ancients said, a horse traveling a thousand miles cannot go without a rider. If I slow down, you must not leave me behind!" Tang Seng firmly stated: "We will all go together. Once we reach the temple, we can leave her there; that way, we’ve saved her."
The Monkey King nodded: "Master is right; let’s hurry!" So, Tang Seng led the way, Sandy carried the burden, Pigsy led the empty horse, and the Monkey King held the girl, as they all moved forward together.
They walked for twenty or thirty miles, and as evening approached, a building appeared ahead. Tang Seng said, "Disciples, that must be the temple; we’ll stay here tonight and set off early tomorrow." The Monkey King agreed, "Master is right; everyone, let’s hurry!"
When they reached the entrance, the Monkey King instructed, "You all stay back; I’ll go in first to ask for lodging. If there’s a suitable place, I’ll call you." The others waited under the shade of the willow trees, while the Monkey King, holding his iron staff, led the woman inside.
As Tang Seng approached, he noticed the door was askew. Pushing it open, he felt a wave of desolation: the long corridor was silent, the ancient temple forlorn; moss covered the ground, wild grass grew rampant, with only fireflies dancing and frogs croaking, creating an atmosphere of loneliness.
Upon entering the temple, tears streamed down Tang Seng's face as he thought: This building is on the verge of collapse, and the corridors look pitifully lonely. The surroundings were filled with broken bricks and tiles, crooked beams and pillars, grass growing taller than people, and even the incense burner was buried in dust. The bell tower was in ruins, the drum skin was torn, the glass lamps were shattered, the Buddha's golden body had lost its luster, and the Arhats were leaning awkwardly. The statue of Guanyin was also damaged, and the pure vase lay broken on the ground—truly a sight too tragic to behold.
Not to mention, during the day, there wasn’t a single monk to be seen; at night, only foxes could be heard wailing, and the wind howled like thunder, turning the place into a den for tigers and leopards. The walls had collapsed, leaving no door to close. Tang Seng felt a surge of emotion and couldn’t help but recite a poem: "For many years, this ancient temple has been neglected; in its disarray, it withers further. The fierce wind tears apart the monastery's facade, heavy rains wash away the Buddha's image."
He steeled himself and walked through the second gate, discovering that the bell and drum tower had completely collapsed. Only a copper bell remained embedded in the ground, its upper half white as snow and its lower half green as indigo. Over the years, the upper part had turned white from rain, while the lower part retained its earthy green hue. Tang Seng touched the bell and sighed, "Oh bell! You once hung high in the tower, ringing out at dawn and dusk. I wonder where the craftsmen who forged you have gone; they must have all passed on, and now you are silent."
At that moment, a Taoist priest who was tending to the incense in the temple heard him. He jumped up, grabbed a broken brick, and struck the bell. The bell rang out with a loud "ding," startling Tang Seng, who stumbled and fell over a tree root. He got up and shouted, "Oh bell! I was just lamenting your fate; why did you suddenly ring? Have you turned into a spirit?"
The Taoist hurried over and helped Tang Seng up, saying, "Sir, please rise! The bell hasn’t turned into a spirit; it was I who hit it." Tang Seng looked at the Taoist, whose appearance was frightful, and felt a bit scared: "You’re not some kind of monster, are you? I’m not an ordinary person; I come from the Tang Dynasty, and I have disciples who can subdue dragons and tigers. If you encounter them, you won’t survive!"
The Taoist quickly knelt down: "Please don’t be afraid, Sir! I’m not a monster; I’m a priest in this temple. Hearing you lament the bell’s sound, I came out to welcome you, fearing it might be a ghost knocking at the door, so I picked up a brick to strike the bell. Please, Sir, rise!" Tang Seng finally relaxed: "Alright, priest, you nearly scared me to death. Please take me inside!"
The Taoist led Tang Seng through the third gate, and wow, inside was like a heavenly paradise! The walls were made of blue bricks with colorful clouds, green tiles covered the glazed halls, golden statues adorned the sacred images, and the steps were made of white jade—truly dazzling. The Great Hero Hall emitted a blue light, the Pavilion of Pīlú was vibrant, clouds floated above the Hall of Manjushri, and the Wheel-Store Hall was adorned with flowers. The three-eaved roof had pointed treasure vases, and the Five Blessings Tower was embroidered with floral patterns. Thousands of green bamboos swayed beside the Zen couches, and myriad green pines framed the Buddhist gate—simply a fairyland on earth.
Tang Seng was left speechless and couldn’t help but ask, "Taoist, how come the front is so dilapidated while the back is so well-kept?" The Taoist smiled and explained, "Sir, there are many monsters in these mountains. When it’s sunny, robbers raid the area; when it’s cloudy, they hide in the temple, using the Buddha statues as cushions and burning wood for fire. The monks in our temple are weak and dare not confront them, so they let those bandits stay in the front while they repaired the back, resulting in the current state."
Just as he was speaking, Tang Seng saw five large characters written above the mountain gate: "Zhenhai Chanlin Temple." As he stepped inside, a monk suddenly approached him. This monk wore a velvet hat, had copper rings hanging from his ears, and was dressed in a woolen robe, with eyes that shone like silver. He shook a drum in his hand and chanted incomprehensible scriptures.
Tang Seng recognized him as a Lama monk from the West. The monk, seeing Tang Seng’s handsome face, came closer with a broad smile, grabbed Tang Seng's hand, pinched his nose, and tugged at his ears, showing great familiarity. He led Tang Seng into the abbot's chambers, saluted, and asked, "Master, where do you come from?" Tang Seng replied, "I am an envoy from the Eastern Tang Dynasty, here to the Western land of India to obtain scriptures. I wish to stay the night and set off early tomorrow. I hope you can provide me with hospitality."
The monk laughed heartily, "You’re mistaken! We didn’t leave our families for good intentions; we became monks because we couldn’t support ourselves at home. Since we are disciples of the Buddha, let’s not speak empty words." Tang Seng felt anxious, "What I said is the truth!"
The monk continued, "The journey from the East to the West is quite long! There are mountains and caves along the way, and there are monsters in those caves. You’re traveling alone, looking so delicate—how could you possibly be on a scripture-seeking journey?" Tang Seng replied, "You’re right, how could I come alone? I have three disciples with me; they clear the paths through mountains and build bridges over waters, ensuring my safety, which is why I’ve arrived here."
Hearing this, the monk panicked, "Master, you don’t know that there are tigers, wolves, and monsters here; we don’t dare go out during the day, and at night we lock the doors. You must call your disciples inside!" With his command, two young lamas quickly ran outside and saw the Monkey King, who stumbled back in fright, then saw Pigsy and stumbled again, quickly retreating: "Grandpa! This is bad! Your disciples are missing, only three or four monsters are at the door!"
Tang Seng asked, "What do they look like?" The young lama replied, "One has a thunderous mouth, one has a pestle-like mouth, and there’s one with a green face and sharp teeth. There’s also a woman, looking quite made up." Tang Seng laughed, "You don’t recognize them? Those three ugly ones are my disciples, and that woman is someone I saved from the pine forest."
The young lama exclaimed, "Grandpa, with such a good master, how could he have such ugly disciples?" Tang Seng responded, "Though they are ugly, they are useful. Hurry and invite them in! If we delay any longer, the one with the thunderous mouth might cause trouble!" The young lama rushed out, trembling, and knelt down, saying, "Gentlemen, Master Tang invites you inside!"
Pigsy laughed, "Brother, why is he so scared of inviting us in?" The Monkey King replied, "He’s afraid because we look ugly!" Pigsy scoffed, "What’s there to be afraid of? We were born this way; who says ugly is necessarily bad?"
The Monkey King said, "Let’s tidy ourselves up a bit first!" So everyone lowered their heads, led their horses, and carried their burdens slowly into the temple. They passed through the collapsed corridors, entered the third gate, tied up their horses, rested their burdens, and entered the abbot's chambers, where they met the lamas and took their seats. The monk went inside and called out seventy or eighty young lamas, who, after greeting them, began to prepare the vegetarian meal. Truly, "To accumulate merit, one must cultivate compassion; when the Buddha's teachings flourish, monks praise monks." As for how they left the temple, that will have to wait for next time!
Under the leadership of the brocade-clad official, the fake Tang Seng was dragged out of the inn, surrounded by a circle of feathered guards, heading straight for the palace gates. The brocade-clad official said to the yellow-robed official, "We have brought Tang Seng, please inform the emperor." The yellow-robed official hurried into the palace to report to the dim-witted king, who then asked the fake Tang Seng to enter. All the officials knelt down, while the fake Tang Seng stood at the steps, loudly asking, "Bikshu Wang, what do you want this poor monk to say?"
The king smiled and replied, "I have a lingering illness that hasn't healed for a long time. Fortunately, my father-in-law has given me a prescription, and all the medicinal ingredients are prepared, but I lack one essential ingredient. I specifically ask the elder to find me this medicinal catalyst. If I recover, I am willing to build a shrine for you, offering sacrifices throughout the year, ensuring the incense of the country continues."
Upon hearing this, the fake Tang Seng shook his head and said, "I am a monk, having come here alone, I do not know what your majesty is asking my father-in-law for as the catalyst." The dim-witted king answered, "I specifically seek your heart and liver." The fake Tang Seng was taken aback and then replied, "To be honest, your majesty, how many hearts and livers can one have? I don't know what kind you want." The father-in-law pointed and said, "Monk, we need your black heart."
When the fake Tang Seng heard this, he immediately shouted, "Then hurry and bring a knife! Cut open my chest and abdomen; if I have a black heart, I will certainly comply." The dim-witted king was overjoyed and immediately had an officer fetch a short knife with a cow's ear handle and handed it to the fake monk.
The fake monk took the knife, loosened his clothing, puffed out his chest, wiped his abdomen with his left hand, and with his right hand gripped the knife, swiftly cut open his belly. To everyone's shock, a pile of hearts tumbled out! The civil officials turned pale, and the military officials were left stunned. The father-in-law in the hall exclaimed, "What a multi-hearted monk!" The fake monk then picked up the hearts, bloodied and all, for everyone to see, discovering they were red hearts, white hearts, yellow hearts, along with greedy hearts, jealous hearts, calculating hearts, and competitive hearts, but not a single black heart. The dim-witted king was so scared he fell silent, trembling as he said, "Take them away! Take them away!"
At this moment, the fake Tang Seng could no longer hold back. He put away his disguise and revealed his true form, saying to the dim-witted king, "Your majesty, you have no discernment! I, the monk, have a kind heart; it is only your father-in-law who has a black heart, perfectly suitable as a catalyst. If you don't believe me, I will take his heart for you." Upon hearing this, the father-in-law widened his eyes to take a closer look, only to find that this monk had transformed into the Monkey King from five hundred years ago! He was startled and hurriedly tried to escape, but the Monkey King performed a somersault in the air, shouting, "Where do you think you're going? Take this stick!"
The father-in-law quickly met the challenge with his dragon-twisting staff. The two engaged in a fierce battle in the air, the Monkey King's golden staff clashing with the father-in-law's staff, creating an impressive spectacle. It turned out that the father-in-law was a demon who wanted to harm the child. The Monkey King displayed his divine powers, capturing the monster to save the child, creating a mist that enveloped the sky, leaving the townsfolk terrified. The civil and military officials were paralyzed with fear, and even the concubines' faces changed drastically. The monk and the dim-witted king were trembling, with nowhere to hide.
This struggle lasted for over twenty rounds, and the father-in-law's staff could not withstand the golden rod, ultimately transforming into a cold light, escaping into the inner palace, taking the demon queen with him, disappearing without a trace. The Monkey King descended from the clouds and approached the officials, saying, "Your good father-in-law!" The officials all bowed in thanks, but the Monkey King said, "Hold on, let's see where your dim-witted king has gone." The officials replied, "Our lord was frightened during the battle and has hidden himself; we don't know which palace he has gone to."
The Monkey King immediately ordered, "Quickly go find him! Don't let the beautiful queen take him away!" After hearing this, the officials searched everywhere, but the beautiful queen was also missing. The main palace, East Palace, West Palace, and all six courtyards—every concubine came to thank the Monkey King. The Monkey King said, "Please rise, no need for thanks, quickly go find your lord."
Before long, four or five eunuchs helped the dim-witted king out from behind the hall. The officials bowed down to the ground, reporting in unison, "Your majesty! Thank the holy monk for coming here to discern the truth. The father-in-law is a demon, and the beautiful queen is also missing."
Upon hearing this, the king immediately invited the Monkey King out of the palace, thanking him, "Elder, you looked so majestic this morning; how did you change your appearance now?" The Monkey King smiled and replied, "To be honest, your majesty, it was my master, the Tang Dynasty's Tripitaka, who came this morning. I am his disciple, Sun Wukong, along with my two junior brothers, Zhu Wuneng and Sha Wujing, who are currently at the Golden Pavilion Inn. Knowing you believed the demon's words and wanted to take my master's heart and liver as a catalyst, I transformed into my master's likeness to come and subdue the demon." The king, upon hearing this, immediately issued a decree for the chief minister to invite the master and his disciples to the palace.
When the Tripitaka saw the Monkey King reveal his true form and descend to subdue demons in the air, he was terrified and thought it was all over. Fortunately, Pigsy and Sandy were there to protect him. Pigsy, still smeared with mud on his face and feeling gloomy, suddenly heard someone shout, "Master, we are the officials sent by the king of the Bikshu Kingdom, here to invite you to the palace to express gratitude!" Pigsy laughed and said, "Master, don't be afraid! Isn't this just an invitation for you to take a heart? Surely, our senior brother has won and has come to ask you for a reward!" Tripitaka, distressed, replied, "Even if he has won, how can I face others with this dirty face?" Pigsy comforted him, saying, "There's no other way; we will meet our senior brother, and he will explain everything." Thus, Tripitaka, resigned, had to lean on Pigsy and Sandy, carrying their burdens and leading their horse towards the inn.
Upon seeing them, the official was so frightened that he exclaimed, "Goodness! This truly looks like a monster!" Sandy helplessly said, "Don't blame us for being ugly; it's just how we were born. If my master were here, he would look much better!" The three of them, without waiting for an announcement, directly approached the hall. When the Monkey King saw them, he immediately came down from the hall, rushed over, wiped the mud off Tripitaka’s face, blew a breath of celestial energy, and exclaimed, "Correct!" Instantly, Tripitaka returned to his original appearance, looking revitalized. The king personally came down to welcome him, addressing him as "Master Buddha." The disciples tied up their horse and all went up to the hall to meet.
The Monkey King asked, "Your majesty, do you know where that monster came from? I can help you capture it and eliminate future troubles!" The concubines from the three palaces and six courtyards heard this and came out from behind the jade screens, collectively bowing and pleading, "We implore the holy monk to cast spells, eradicate the monster, and eliminate it completely; we cannot repay your kindness!"
The king, feeling ashamed, said, "Three years ago, when it first came, I asked it. It said there was a Hua Village at Liu Lin Po, seventy miles south of the city. The father-in-law is old and has no sons, only a sixteen-year-old daughter who is unmarried and wishes to enter the palace. Because she is beautiful, I took her as a favored concubine. Unexpectedly, she fell ill, and the imperial physician's treatments were ineffective. The monster claimed to have a miraculous prescription that only needed the heart of a child to brew a soup as a catalyst. I naively believed it, and thus selected a child from the common folk, planning to perform the surgery today at noon to take the heart. Little did I know that the holy monk would arrive just in time to intervene. The monster also said that the holy monk has cultivated for ten lifetimes, and his heart is even more valuable than a child's. I mistakenly trusted it, unaware that the holy monk had seen through the demon's trickery. I hope you can use your powers to eliminate future troubles; I am willing to offer great rewards for the kingdom!"
The Monkey King smiled and said, "To be honest, the child in the cage was hidden out of compassion by my master. Don't mention any rewards; once I capture the monster, that will be my contribution." Then he called out, "Pigsy, come with me!" Pigsy replied, "I will obey your command, but I am feeling empty in my stomach and can't exert much effort."
The king immediately issued a decree, "Quickly prepare a feast at the Guanglu Temple!" Before long, the vegetarian meal was delivered. After Pigsy had eaten his fill and felt invigorated, he followed the Monkey King, soaring into the clouds. The king, concubines, and civil and military officials all bowed in reverence towards the sky, exclaiming, "True immortals and Buddhas have descended to the mortal realm!" The Monkey King, accompanied by Pigsy, headed straight south for seventy miles, searching for the monster's traces. They saw a clear stream with willows shading both banks, but they did not know where the Qinghua Village was. It was just as the saying goes: "Countless fields stretch endlessly, while the misty willows hide without a trace."
After searching for a long time without success, Sun Wukong thought to himself that this wouldn't do; he needed to come up with a plan. So he made a gesture and recited the "Om" mantra, summoning a local earth god. The earth god trembled and knelt down, saying, "Great Sage, I am the land deity of Liu Lin Po." The Monkey King asked, "Don't be afraid; I won't harm you. I want to know, where is the Qinghua Village near Liu Lin Po?" The earth god replied, "There is a Qinghua Cave here, but no Qinghua Village. I know, great sage, you must be from the Bikshu Kingdom, right?" The Monkey King nodded, "Exactly. The king of Bikshu was deceived by the monster; I recognized that monster, defeated it, and it transformed into a cold light, disappearing without a trace. When I asked the Bikshu king, he said he had inquired about that monster three years ago, which claimed to live at the Qinghua Village in Liu Lin Po, seventy miles south of the city. Now that I have come here, I see only the hill and not the village, so I came to ask you."
The earth god hurriedly bowed his head, saying, "I beg for your forgiveness, great sage. The Bikshu king is also my land's lord, and I should have known. But that monster is powerful and intimidating; if I leaked any information, it would come to bully me, so I was unable to detect it. Now that you are here, just go to the south bank, under a willow tree at the nine-forked head, turn left three times, then right three times, and clap both hands against the tree while calling out three times to open the door, and the Qinghua cave will appear."
Upon hearing the earth deity's words, the Monkey King immediately sent him back, then jumped over the stream with Pigsy to find the willow tree. They soon found it, with nine forked branches all growing from the same root. The Monkey King said to Pigsy, "You wait at a distance. Once I open the door and drive the monster out, you can help me." Pigsy obeyed and stood half a mile away from the tree. Following the earth deity's instructions, the Monkey King circled the tree's root three times, clapped his hands, and shouted, "Open the door! Open the door!" At that moment, the tree's door creaked open, revealing a dazzling light inside, but no figures could be seen. Seizing the opportunity, the Monkey King rushed in and found himself in a fairyland: mist and clouds swirled, the sun and moon shone together, and strange flowers and grasses vied for beauty, rivaling the Isle of Penglai.
Excited, the Monkey King moved forward and saw four large characters written on a stone screen: "Qinghua Immortal Abode." Unable to resist, he jumped over to take a look and discovered that the old monster was embracing a beautiful woman, panting while discussing matters of the Bikshu Kingdom. The Monkey King felt a surge of joy, thinking, "A great opportunity has come! After three years of grievances, today I can finally settle things!" He ran up, brandished his golden staff, and shouted, "You monster, take this stick!" The old monster, upon seeing him, dropped the beautiful woman and picked up a coiled dragon staff to fight back. The two engaged in a fierce battle at the cave entrance, with the golden staff clashing against the coiled dragon staff, sparks flying everywhere.
The old monster shouted, "You ignorant monkey, dare to enter my door!" The Monkey King retorted, "I'm here to subdue demons!" They exchanged blows fiercely, and the light in the cave dimmed from their fight, even the birds were too scared to fly. At that moment, Pigsy, hearing the commotion outside, felt restless and couldn't help but pull out his rake to dig at the nine-forked willow tree. He ended up uprooting the tree, causing blood to gush out, and Pigsy excitedly shouted, "This tree has come to life!" He pressed down on the tree, preparing to dig again, just as the Monkey King led the monster out.
Seeing this, Pigsy immediately raised his rake, ready to attack. The old monster, already unable to fend off the Monkey King, grew even more flustered upon seeing Pigsy and quickly transformed into a cold light, fleeing eastward. The Monkey King and Pigsy chased after him relentlessly. Just as they shouted in pursuit, they suddenly heard a series of calls, and auspicious light filled the air. Looking up, they saw it was the Star of the Southern Pole. The old star lord enveloped the cold light and said, "Great Sage, slow down; Tianpeng, don't chase him; I’m here to pay my respects." The Monkey King hurriedly responded, "Brother Longevity, where did you come from?" Pigsy teased, "Old man with a meat head, you’ve trapped the cold light; you must be able to catch the monster now!"
The Longevity Star laughed and said, "I’m right here, I beg you to spare him." The Monkey King was puzzled, "What does this monster have to do with you?" The Longevity Star replied, "He is my footman; I never expected him to turn into a monster." The Monkey King said, "In that case, let him reveal his true form." The Longevity Star released the cold light and shouted, "You vile creature, quickly reveal your true form, and I will spare your life!" The old monster turned around, and to everyone’s surprise, he transformed into a white deer. The Longevity Star picked up his staff, angrily saying, "This vile creature even stole my staff!" The white deer knelt on the ground, weeping profusely.
The Longevity Star thanked the Monkey King and prepared to ride away on the deer. The Monkey King grabbed him, saying, "Brother, wait! There are still two matters left unresolved!" The Longevity Star, curious, asked, "What else is there?" The Monkey King replied, "We haven't captured the beautiful woman yet; we don't know what kind of monster she is. We also need to go to Bikshu City to confront the foolish king and report back." The Longevity Star said, "In that case, I will wait. You and Tianpeng go into the cave to capture that beautiful woman, and then come back to reveal her true form." The Monkey King agreed, "Brother, wait for us; we will be back soon!" Pigsy, feeling invigorated, followed the Monkey King straight into the Qinghua Immortal Abode, shouting, "Catch the monster! Catch the monster!"
Upon hearing this shout, the beautiful woman trembled in fear, wanting to hide behind the stone screen. Unfortunately, there was nowhere to escape. Pigsy shouted, "Where do you think you're going? I will catch you, you monster!" The beautiful woman, with no other options, transformed into a cold light trying to flee, but was struck down by the Monkey King's staff, falling to the ground and revealing her true form as a white-faced fox. Seeing this, Pigsy couldn’t help but raise his rake and strike her on the head, turning the stunning beauty into a bundle of fur! The Monkey King quickly shouted, "Don’t damage her; we need her body to confront the foolish king!"
The foolish Pigsy didn't care about the dirt at all; he grabbed the fox's tail and dragged it along behind the Monkey King as they left. The Longevity Star, stroking the deer's head, scolded, "You vile creature! How could you betray me and come here to become a spirit? If I hadn't come, Sun Wukong would have killed you by now!" Upon hearing this, the Monkey King quickly jumped out and asked, "Brother, what are you talking about?" The Longevity Star, flustered, replied, "I entrusted this deer to you!"
Pigsy tossed the dead fox in front of the deer and teased, "Is this your daughter?" The deer nodded, sniffed the fox, and made a sound, seeming a bit reluctant. Seeing this, the Longevity Star angrily slapped the deer, saying, "Vile creature! You’ve saved your life, and yet you’re still sniffing around?"
Then, the Longevity Star took off his belt and tied up the deer, saying, "Great Sage, I want to take it to the Bikshu Kingdom." But the Monkey King said, "Wait! We need to clean this place up to prevent future monsters from appearing." Upon hearing this, Pigsy immediately raised his rake and began smashing the willow tree. The Monkey King chanted "Om" and summoned the local earth deity, instructing him, "Go find some dry wood and light a fire to eliminate the demon threat!" The earth deity immediately turned around, a chilling wind blowing, and brought a pile of dry grass and wood. Once the fire was lit, it quickly burned the monster's Qinghua residence into a pit of flames.
After the fire was extinguished, the Monkey King and the Longevity Star led the deer and dragged the fox back to the palace, facing the king and saying, "This is your beautiful consort, and you were playing with her?" The king was terrified. Then, the Monkey King, along with the Longevity Star and the white deer, approached the throne, causing the king and all the ministers and concubines to bow down in fear. The Monkey King quickly supported the king and smiled, saying, "Don’t bow to me; this deer is your father-in-law, so you only need to bow to him!" The king, feeling ashamed, could only say, "Thank you, holy monk, for saving my kingdom’s little one; this is truly a heavenly blessing!" He then ordered the Guanglu Temple to prepare a vegetarian feast, inviting the Longevity Star and the four disciples of Tang Seng to sit down and express their gratitude.
When Tang Seng saw the Longevity Star, Sandy also greeted him politely, and everyone wanted to know, "Since the white deer belongs to the Longevity Star, how could it cause harm here?" The Longevity Star laughed and explained, "Previously, the Eastern Emperor came to visit me. I was playing chess with him on the mountain when this vile creature ran away. Later, I calculated and realized it was here, so I came to look for it, just in time to encounter the Great Sage demonstrating his might. If I had arrived any later, this beast would have been finished."
Before he could finish speaking, someone reported, "The banquet is ready!" The feast was colorful and fragrant, with a red carpet laid out on the tables, adorned with beautiful patterns. The air was filled with the scent of sandalwood, and the dishes in front were mouthwatering, featuring fruits and vegetarian dishes of all kinds—truly a magnificent spread. Pigsy, looking at the lavish feast, couldn’t help but say to the Monkey King, "Brother, you take the fruits, and let me have the soups and rice!" However, this fool didn’t discern good from bad and started to wolf down the food, finishing it all.
After the banquet, the Longevity Star prepared to take his leave, but the king knelt down and requested the Longevity Star to teach him methods for curing diseases and extending life. The Longevity Star smiled and said, "I came this time to find the deer and didn’t bring any elixirs. However, I do have three jujubes that I previously offered to the Eastern Emperor but didn’t eat. I’ll give them to you." After swallowing them, the king felt his body lighten, and his ailments diminished, allowing him to live long, all thanks to those jujubes. Upon seeing this, Pigsy immediately shouted, "Old Longevity, give me a few jujubes!" The Longevity Star laughed, saying, "I didn’t bring any this time, but I’ll send you a few pounds next time." With that, he mounted the white deer and rode off into the clouds.
The king, the consorts, and the citizens of the city all burned incense and offered thanks, filled with gratitude.
Master Tang Seng said to his disciples, "Quickly tidy up and say goodbye to the king." However, the king desperately tried to keep them, wanting to ask a few questions. The Monkey King, with a serious expression, said, "Your Majesty, from now on, reduce your lust and increase your virtue. In everything, you must balance strengths and weaknesses to cure diseases and extend life; that is my teaching." After saying this, he took out two trays of scattered gold and silver coins, preparing them as travel expenses. But Tang Seng firmly refused, saying, "I don’t want your money!" The king, helpless, had to order his people to set up a royal carriage, inviting Tang Seng to sit in the phoenix carriage, while he and the consorts pushed the cart to send them out of the city.
The streets were bustling, with citizens lighting pure water and burning incense to see them off. Just then, a gust of wind blew through the air, and 1,111 goose cages fell on both sides of the road, with children crying inside. It turned out that the city god, earth deities, and other spirits had come to send off the children upon hearing of the Great Sage's success. Everyone shouted, "Great Sage, we have followed your orders and come to send off the children!" The king's consorts and subjects also bowed down. The Monkey King looked up at the sky and said, "Thank you all; please return. I will offer sacrifices to express my gratitude." With a gust of wind, the deities retreated.
The Monkey King began calling the townspeople to come and claim their children. Everyone joyfully rushed over, hugging their kids, calling out "Brother!" and "Little one!" while laughing with wide smiles. The children, unafraid of the Monkey King's ugly appearance, eagerly lifted Pigsy, carried Sandy, and supported the Monkey King, leading the horses and carrying burdens as they all made their way back to the city together. The king could only watch helplessly as this scene unfolded. Every household opened their doors for a feast, warmly welcoming them, and some even sent over monk hats, monk shoes, cloth socks, and clothes inside and out.
In this way, they lingered in the city for nearly a month before finally being able to leave. The people even set up altars for them, bowing and burning incense in gratitude. All of this showed that their merits were high and their kindness profound, having saved countless lives. However, what would happen next? Stay tuned for the next installment!
The clever Monkey King, Sun Wukong, used all his wits to persuade Buddha to capture those monsters, finally rescuing the hardships of Tang Seng and his disciples. They left Lion-Turtle City and began their journey westward. After months of traveling, winter finally arrived. Look! The plum blossoms on the mountain were about to bloom, the pond was starting to freeze, red leaves were falling, and the green pines looked even more vibrant. Light clouds floated by, hinting at snow, while the dry grass lay flat in the cold wind, casting a chilly glow that made one shiver. The disciples braved the cold, enduring the wind and sleeping outdoors, when suddenly they spotted a city ahead.
Tang Seng curiously asked, “Wukong, what place is that?” The Monkey King replied with a smile, “You’ll know when we get closer! If it’s a western kingdom, we’ll need to change our documents; if it’s a county, we can just pass through.” Before he finished speaking, they had already reached the city gate. Tang Seng dismounted, and the four of them walked into Moon City, where they saw an old soldier dozing in the sun. Wukong approached him, shook him awake, and called, “Officer!” The old soldier jolted awake, confused, and upon seeing Wukong, immediately knelt down and exclaimed, “Grandpa!” Wukong was baffled: “Don’t be ridiculous! I’m not a demon; how can you call me grandpa?”
The old soldier insisted, “You are Lord Thunder!” Wukong sighed, “Stop talking nonsense! I’m a monk from the East going to the West to fetch scriptures. I just arrived and don’t know where this is; can you tell me?” The old soldier finally came to his senses, yawned, stood up, and stretched: “My apologies, Elder. This place was originally called the Country of Bhikshus, but now it’s called Kid City.” Wukong asked, “Is there a king here?” The old soldier hurriedly replied, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Wukong turned to Tang Seng and said, “Master, this was originally the Country of Bhikshus, now called Kid City, but I wonder why the name changed.”
Tang Seng pondered, “If it’s called Bhikshu, why is it also called Kid?” Pigsy chimed in, “I think it’s because the Bhikshu king died, and the new ruler is just a kid, hence the name Kid City.” Tang Seng shook his head: “That explanation doesn’t hold! Let’s go in and ask more.” Sandy agreed, “Right, that old soldier might not know, or he might have been scared into talking nonsense. Let’s go into the city and find out.” So they continued walking, passing through three gates and entering a bustling marketplace.
The market was lively, filled with well-dressed people and a vibrant atmosphere. The taverns and theaters were bustling, tea houses had curtains hanging, and the streets were thriving with business, bustling with prosperity. People buying gold and silk were as busy as ants, competing for fame and fortune. The market was polite and dignified, picturesque with clear rivers and calm seas—truly a time of peace and prosperity. The four disciples led their horses and carried their burdens, wandering through the market for a while, dazzled by the splendor, but every household had a goose cage at the entrance.
Tang Seng curiously asked, “Disciple, why do all the families here have goose cages at their doors?” Pigsy looked around and confirmed, “Indeed, they’re colorful silk-covered cages!” He laughed, “Master, it seems like today is an auspicious day; everyone must be getting married!” Wukong scoffed, “Nonsense! Not every family is getting married! There must be a reason; I’ll go check it out.” Tang Seng grabbed him, saying, “Don’t go! You look ridiculous; people will laugh at you.” Wukong replied, “I’ll change my appearance.”
With that, the Monkey King made a gesture, chanted a spell, and transformed into a bee, buzzing over and slipping through the curtain to investigate. Inside, he found a child sitting there.
He then looked into the second cage and, lo and behold, it was another child! He continued to visit eight or nine cages, and they were all boys—no girls in sight. Some children were playing in the cages, some were crying, some were eating fruit, and others were napping. After observing all this, Wukong returned to his original form and reported to Tang Seng, “Those cages are all filled with little kids, the oldest barely seven, and the youngest only five. I really don’t understand what’s going on.”
Tang Seng, upon hearing this, couldn't help but feel puzzled. At that moment, they turned a corner and saw an official building—it was the Jin Pavilion Inn. The elder happily said, “Disciples, let’s go in and ask for directions, and we can also feed the horses. We might find a place to stay for the night.” Sandy agreed, “Yes, let’s hurry inside!” So the four of them entered with excitement. The innkeeper warmly welcomed them, and after they sat down, he asked, “Elder, where do you come from?” Tang Seng replied, “I am a monk sent from the East to the West to fetch scriptures. We hope to borrow a place to rest tonight.”
The innkeeper immediately arranged for tea, and after they finished drinking, he prepared food and treated them warmly. Tang Seng was very grateful and then asked, “Is it possible to enter the court to verify our documents today?” The innkeeper shook his head, “Not tonight; you’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning. You can stay here for the night.”
Soon, everything was arranged, and the innkeeper invited the four of them to share a vegetarian meal, while his staff prepared the guest rooms. Tang Seng felt immensely grateful, but then suddenly remembered something and asked the innkeeper, “I have a question that I don’t understand. What’s the deal with the children you’re raising here?” The innkeeper replied, “Heaven has no two suns, and people have no two principles. Raising children is the responsibility of parents; after ten months of pregnancy, they must be cared for meticulously after birth. How could anyone not understand that?”
Tang Seng continued, “But when I entered the city, I saw a goose cage at every household entrance, with children inside. What’s going on?” The innkeeper whispered, “Elder, don’t concern yourself with that, and don’t ask. Just leave tomorrow morning.” Upon hearing this, Tang Seng became even more curious, grabbing the innkeeper and insisting on getting a clear answer. The innkeeper shook his head and waved his hands, “Be careful!” But Tang Seng wouldn’t let go, determined to understand.
With no other choice, the innkeeper dismissed the others and spoke softly, “The matter of the goose cages is related to the current ruler's misrule. You should just ask him about it!” Tang Seng grew anxious, “What do you mean by misrule? You must tell me so I can be at ease.” The innkeeper, feeling helpless, explained, “This country was originally called the Country of Bhikshus, but it was recently renamed Kid City. Three years ago, an old man disguised as a Taoist brought a sixteen-year-old girl as a tribute to the king. The king fell in love with her beauty and favored her in the palace, which led to the neglect of the other concubines, and as a result, the king fell gravely ill, with the imperial physicians unable to help.”
“But this Taoist has a secret recipe that can extend life, but it requires the hearts of one thousand one hundred and ten children as medicinal ingredients. The children in those goose cages have all been selected, and their parents, fearing the king's law, dare not let them cry, which is how the rumor of ‘Kid City’ spread. Isn’t this misrule?” After saying this, the innkeeper hurriedly left. Upon hearing this, Tang Seng felt a wave of sorrow wash over him, and tears streamed down his face as he cried out, “Foolish king! For your greedy pleasures, you harm so many children. How painful this is, it hurts me too!” In his grief, he couldn’t help but recite a poem:
“The wicked ruler, ignorant of true principles,
In greed for pleasure, oblivious to his own harm.
In seeking eternal life, he sacrifices the lives of children,
To avert heaven’s calamity, he kills the innocent.”
Pigsy stepped forward, “Master, what’s wrong with you? Don’t take other people’s troubles upon yourself! This foolish king harms his own subjects; what does it have to do with you? Come, loosen your clothes and get some sleep, don’t worry about ancient matters.” Tang Seng, with tears streaming down his face, replied, “Disciple, how can you be so unkind! As a monk, accumulating merit through good deeds, it’s crucial to act with compassion. How can I allow this foolish king to run amok, consuming hearts to prolong his life? This is all misrule; how can I not be heartbroken!”
Seeing his master so distressed, Sandy advised, “Master, don’t be sad. Tomorrow, we’ll change our documents and see the king to get to the bottom of this. If that doesn’t work, we’ll find out who this national uncle really is. Perhaps he’s a demon, specifically wanting to eat human hearts, which is why he devised this scheme!”
Wukong nodded, “What Wujing says makes sense. Master, you should rest easy; tomorrow I’ll take you into the court to see what kind of person this national uncle really is. If he is indeed a person, I fear he has strayed from the right path, pretending to be a herbalist. At that time, I’ll set him straight; if he’s a demon, I’ll capture him and let the king know not to harm those children anymore!”
Tang Seng immediately opposed, “Disciple, this is a great idea! But when you meet the foolish king, be sure not to mention this matter, lest he hears it and causes trouble.” Wukong smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I have a plan. I’ll first get all the children from those goose cages out, and when the king sees they’re gone tomorrow, he’ll surely panic or ask the national uncle for a solution.”
At this moment, Tang Seng grew anxious, “But how can we get the children out of the city? If you can manage that, it would be a great achievement!” Wukong immediately perked up and instructed Pigsy and Sandy, “You two wait here. I’ll cast a spell, and if there’s a gust of wind, it means the children are leaving the city.” The three chanted in unison, “Namo Medicine Master Buddha! Namo Medicine Master Buddha!”
As Wukong stepped outside, he let out a loud whistle, flew into the air, formed hand gestures, and recited incantations, calling upon the city god, land gods, and other deities: “Come quickly! I have urgent business!” The gods hurried over and asked, “Great Sage, you called us in the middle of the night. What is the urgent matter?” Wukong explained, “I passed through the Country of Bhikshus, where the king is misruling and listening to evil beings, intending to use children’s hearts as medicinal ingredients. My master is heartbroken for these children, so I ask you to use your powers to take all the children from the goose cages in the city out and hide them in a safe place in the mountains, giving them some food so they don’t go hungry or scared.”
The gods immediately took action, and a chilling wind swept through the city, enveloping it in a thick fog, as if night had fallen. At first, the wind blew gently, but then it became fierce, with everyone busy searching for the children. Parents panicked, and siblings were filled with sorrow. That night, as the wind howled, the children were taken one by one by the gods and hidden in safe places.
By the time it was the third watch of the night, the gods had settled the children, and Wukong returned to the inn, finding the other three still chanting, “Namo Medicine Master Buddha!” He felt a surge of joy and approached them, asking, “Master, I’m back. How’s the wind?” Pigsy replied, “A good chill!” Tang Seng asked, “How did it go with saving the children?” Wukong confidently said, “They’ve all been saved; we’ll return them when we leave!” Tang Seng was immensely grateful, repeatedly thanking him, and then peacefully fell asleep.
At dawn, Tang Seng woke up, yawned, and patted his head, saying, “Wukong, I need to hurry to the court to change the documents.” Wukong immediately interjected, “Master, it’s not safe for you to go alone; let me accompany you to see whether that national uncle is a good person or a bad one.” Tang Seng frowned, “But if you don’t pay your respects, the king might be displeased.” Wukong confidently replied, “I won’t show myself; I’ll protect you in secret. No problem!” Hearing this, Tang Seng’s heart filled with joy, and he quickly instructed Pigsy and Sandy to keep an eye on their luggage and horses.
Just as they were preparing to set off, the innkeeper appeared again. This time, he was dressed quite differently from yesterday, wearing a splendid Buddhist robe, a golden top hat, and holding a nine-ringed staff, with a mysterious light shining from his chest. He looked just like a celestial being descended to earth! The innkeeper bowed to them and whispered to Tang Seng, “Don’t meddle in unnecessary matters.” Tang Seng nodded in agreement. At that moment, Wukong darted to the door, recited a spell, and transformed into a small insect, buzzing onto Tang Seng’s hat, and the two headed straight for the court.
Upon reaching the palace gate, Tang Seng encountered the yellow gate official and immediately bowed, “I am a monk sent from the East to the West to fetch scriptures. I have come today to change the documents and request an audience with the king.” Upon hearing this, the yellow gate official quickly went to announce it, and the king, upon hearing, joyfully said, “A monk from afar must possess great wisdom!” He allowed Tang Seng to enter. The yellow gate official invited Tang Seng into the hall, where he respectfully greeted the king and was invited to sit down. However, upon looking at the king, Tang Seng felt worried; the king was as thin as a stick, appearing dazed, and every movement seemed listless, with his voice breaking as he spoke.
Tang Seng handed over the documents, and the king squinted at them, staring for a long time before finally managing to stamp them with his royal seal and handing them back to Tang Seng. Just as the king was about to inquire about the scriptures, he suddenly heard the attendant announce, “The national uncle has arrived!” The king immediately supported the little eunuch, jumped down from the dragon bed, and hurried to welcome him, causing Tang Seng to hastily stand up and step aside.
Turning around, they saw an old Taoist priest swaying as he walked in from the jade steps. He wore a light yellow nine-ringed silk scarf on his head, a fragrant crane cloak draped over his shoulders, a blue cord around his waist, cloud-soled shoes on his feet, and leaned on a nine-section staff. A pouch hung from his chest, and his smooth face and flowing white beard made him look like a celestial being.
His eyes sparkled with golden light, higher than his eyebrows, and as he walked, it seemed as if he floated on clouds, surrounded by a fragrant mist. The officials at the steps called out in unison, “The national uncle has entered the royal court!” The national uncle walked directly up to the hall without bowing, striding confidently. The king slightly inclined his body and respectfully said, “The national uncle has graciously descended early today.” He then invited him to sit on a cushioned seat to his left. Tang Seng, not wanting to be outdone, stepped forward and bowed, “National uncle, I humbly greet you.” However, the national uncle remained seated without even returning the greeting and turned to the king, asking, “What is this monk’s purpose?”
The king, curious, asked, “This monk from the Eastern Tang Dynasty has come to the West to fetch scriptures; is it to change documents?” The national uncle laughed and interjected, “The road to the West is dark and treacherous; what good could it possibly bring?” Tang Seng immediately countered, “Since ancient times, the West has been a land of bliss; how could it be bad?”
Upon hearing this, the king pondered, “I have heard that in ancient times it was said that monks are disciples of Buddha. Don’t they know that being a monk can lead to immortality and that by following Buddha, one can attain enlightenment?”
Tang Seng quickly clasped his hands and replied, “Those who become monks must let go of all worldly attachments; understanding one’s true nature means realizing that all phenomena are empty. The wise live leisurely, and true insight lies in stillness. The three realms are all empty; when the six senses are purified, a thousand troubles can disappear. As long as the heart is pure, all things become clear. One’s true nature is complete and unblemished, visible even in life; while illusory appearances will ultimately decay, so why pursue them?”
His words were eloquent and convincing. The national uncle couldn’t help but laugh, pointing at Tang Seng, “Haha, you monk are simply talking nonsense! In the realm of stillness, you must recognize your true nature, but do you know where that nature comes from? Simply sitting in meditation is blind practice and meaningless effort. As the saying goes, ‘Sit, sit, sit, your butt will wear out!’ If you boil it down, it will only turn into disaster.”
The national uncle continued, “As a cultivator, my bones are strong, and those who attain the Dao are truly divine beings. I carry a gourd to the mountains to visit friends, gathering herbs to aid the world. I pick celestial flowers for hats, fold fragrant orchids for bedding, sing and dance, living carefree. I elucidate the Dao and spread the teachings of the Great One; I use talismans to drive away worldly demons, capturing the essence of heaven and earth and gathering the spirit of the sun and moon.”
“Your sitting in meditation cannot transcend the mundane! Among the three teachings, only Daoism is supreme!” The king was very pleased to hear this, and all the officials in the court applauded, “Only Daoism is supreme!” Hearing this, Tang Seng’s face flushed with embarrassment, feeling somewhat ashamed.
The king then ordered the Guanglu Temple to prepare a vegetarian feast to entertain this monk from afar. Tang Seng expressed his gratitude and had just stepped out of the hall when Wukong flew down and quietly whispered in his ear, “Master, this national uncle is an evil being, and the king has been affected by his malice. You should go to the inn and wait for the meal; I’ll stay here and listen for information.” Tang Seng nodded and left the court alone, pondering this matter.
Wukong quickly landed on the screen of the Golden Luan Hall and overheard an official from the Five Cities Army rushing in to report, “My lord, tonight a cold wind blew, and all the children in the goose cages from every neighborhood have vanished without a trace!” The king, upon hearing this, was both shocked and angry, saying to the national uncle, “This is as if heaven wants to destroy me! I have been seriously ill for months, and the imperial physicians have no remedy. Thankfully, you provided me with a celestial prescription, and I prepared to operate and take children’s hearts as medicinal ingredients today, but unexpectedly, they were blown away by the cold wind. Isn’t this a sign from heaven?”
The national uncle smiled and waved his hand, “Your Majesty, don’t be anxious. The children being taken away is heaven’s gift of longevity to you!” The king, puzzled, asked, “How so? If the children are taken away, how can that be a gift of longevity?” The national uncle mysteriously replied, “When I first entered the court, I saw a marvelous medicinal ingredient that surpasses the hearts of one thousand one hundred and ten children. The heart of a child will only allow you to live for a thousand years, but this medicinal ingredient, when combined with my celestial medicine, can allow you to live for ten thousand years!”
Upon hearing this, the king's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, “What is that medicinal ingredient?” The national uncle slowly replied, “That would be the monk who has come from the East to fetch scriptures. I see he has a pure demeanor and a proper appearance; he is definitely a true practitioner who has cultivated for ten lifetimes. Having been a monk since childhood, he is far superior to any child. If you can obtain his heart to make a broth and take my celestial medicine, you will ensure your longevity for ten thousand years!”
The king, believing this wholeheartedly, felt regret for not having known this sooner. The national uncle continued, “What’s so difficult about this? I’ve already instructed the Guanglu Temple to prepare a vegetarian feast. Once he eats, he will leave the city. Now, urgently issue a decree to secure all gates and send troops to surround the Jin Ting Inn, capturing that monk with proper courtesy. If he agrees, we will take his heart. If he refuses, we will forcibly bind him and take it; it’s quite simple!”
Upon hearing this, the king immediately issued the decree, securing all gates and surrounding the inn with soldiers.
Wukong, upon hearing this news, felt a tightness in his chest and rushed back to the inn, revealing his true form. He urgently said to Tang Seng, “Master, disaster is coming! Disaster is coming!” Tang Seng, along with Pigsy and Sandy, was having their meal when they heard this, and they were so frightened that their souls nearly left their bodies. They broke out in a cold sweat, their eyes wide in shock, unable to speak. Sandy hurried to support Tang Seng, exclaiming, “Master, please wake up!” Pigsy was also anxious, “What on earth happened? Speak slowly, don’t rush!”
Wukong quickly explained, “Since you left the court, I looked back and saw that national uncle is actually a demon! Shortly after, the Five Cities Army reported that a cold wind blew away the children. The king, upon hearing this, was delighted, thinking it was heaven’s gift of longevity, and wants to take your heart to use as a medicinal ingredient to extend his life for ten thousand years!” Pigsy couldn’t help but laugh, “What a kind act, saving the children, but now we’re in trouble!”
Tang Seng, trembling, climbed to his feet and pleaded with Wukong, “My dear disciple, what should we do?” Wukong thought for a moment and replied, “To save our lives, we must switch roles.” Sandy asked, “How do we switch roles?” Wukong explained, “If you want to save your life, Master, you should act as my disciple, and I will take your place as the master. This way, we can protect ourselves.” Tang Seng, upon hearing this, felt a glimmer of hope: “As long as it saves my life, I am willing to be your disciple!”
Seeing this, Wukong immediately commanded, “Pigsy, hurry and get some mud!” Pigsy quickly grabbed a hoe and scooped up some dirt, but was too afraid to go out for water. In the end, he simply lifted his clothing and urinated, mixing it into a lump of mud to hand to Wukong. Wukong, helpless, had to smear the mud on his face to transform into a monkey. He instructed Tang Seng to stand still and not speak, then pressed the mud onto his face, recited a spell, blew some celestial breath, and commanded, “Transform!” Instantly, Tang Seng transformed into Wukong’s likeness, took off his clothes, and donned Wukong’s attire, while Wukong put on Tang Seng’s robes and, using hand signals, transformed into Tang Seng’s appearance.
Just as they were busy disguising themselves, the sound of gongs and drums rang out; the imperial guards had surrounded the inn. An official in splendid robes entered and asked, “Where is the elder from the Eastern Tang Dynasty?” The innkeeper, trembling in fear, pointed and said, “In the guest room below.” The official immediately went to the guest room and called out, “Elder Tang, the king summons you.” The disguised Tang Seng hurried out to pay his respects, saying, “Your Excellency, the emperor has summoned this humble monk. What is your command?”
The official seized the disguised Tang Seng, saying, “I will take you to the court; there must be something you need.” This truly was a case of demons deceiving kindness, and kindness leading to disaster. After all, they did not know what awaited them at the court, so stay tuned for the next installment.
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.
The Great Sage Sun Wukong was stuck in the belly of the old demon for a while, and eventually, the demon collapsed on the ground, not moving at all. At first glance, one might really think he was dead. However, it wasn't long before he regained his senses and shouted, “Great Compassionate Bodhisattva, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven!” Hearing this, Wukong teased, “Son, don’t waste time with fancy words; just call me Grandpa Sun!” The old demon felt a pang of fear and quickly exclaimed, “Grandpa! Grandpa! It’s all my fault for swallowing you in a moment of carelessness, and now I’ve harmed myself. Please, Great Sage, spare my life, and I’ll carry your master over the mountain!”
Although the Great Sage was a hero, he cared deeply for Tang Seng. Seeing the old demon pleading so earnestly, he felt a twinge of compassion and asked, “Demon, if I spare you, how will you carry my master?” The old demon replied, “I don’t have any gold or jewels here, but my brothers and I can carry a fragrant rattan sedan chair to take your master over.” Upon hearing this, Wukong burst into laughter, “If you’re just going to carry a chair, I might as well get some treasure instead! Open your mouth, and I’ll come out.”
The old demon indeed opened his mouth, and the third demon quietly said to him, “Big Brother, when he comes out, bite him and crush the monkey, then swallow him. That way, he won’t be able to harm you anymore.” But Wukong heard everything clearly inside and didn’t rush to come out. Instead, he first extended his golden staff to test the waters. The demon bit down, shattering his front teeth. Wukong pulled back his staff and angrily said, “Good demon! I was going to spare your life, but you tried to bite me! I won’t come out now; I’ll just let you die of anger!”
The old demon was displeased and complained, “Brother, you’re harming your own kind! Just get him out; why make me bite him? He didn’t bite me, but now my gums hurt!” The third demon, seeing the old demon angry, began to provoke Wukong: “Sun Wukong, your name is thunderous; I heard you displayed your might outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, and now you’re hiding here like a little monkey!” Wukong, feeling indignant, retorted, “Why am I a little monkey?”
The three demons continued to provoke him: “A great hero travels thousands of miles, how can you be hiding in someone’s belly? If you come out and fight me, that would show true skill!” Wukong thought to himself, “If I pull out his intestines and kill this demon, it would be too easy, but it would ruin my reputation! Forget it! If you open your mouth, I’ll come out and compete with you, but this entrance is too small to exert my strength; I need a wider space.” Hearing this, the three demons immediately called for the little demons to prepare for Wukong’s exit, with the second demon supporting the old demon, yelling outside, “Sun Wukong! Hero, come out quickly! There’s a battlefield here; let’s have a good fight!”
Inside the old demon’s belly, Wukong heard the sounds of birds and the wind outside, realizing it was a spacious area. He thought, “If I don’t go out, I’ll break my promise; but if I do, this demon is truly treacherous. He said he would carry my master, but now he’s bringing troops to deal with me. I need a plan that works for both sides: I’ll go out, but I’ll leave a tether inside him.” So, he pulled out a hair, blew it with some magical breath, and transformed it into a rope, about the thickness of a hair but forty yards long.
Once the rope was out, it grew thicker with the wind. He tied one end to the old demon’s heart and made a live knot. This knot wouldn’t tighten unless pulled, causing pain when tugged. Wukong thought, “If he carries my master, that’s good; if not, and he resorts to violence, I won’t have time to fight him. I just need to pull this rope, and it’ll be like I’m still in his belly!” Next, Wukong shrank his body and crawled out, reaching the old demon’s throat. He saw the demon with his mouth wide open, teeth sharp as blades. He felt a pang of anxiety: “Oh no! If I pull the rope out through his mouth, he might bite me. I need to find a spot without teeth.”
So, Wukong crawled from the roof of the demon’s mouth to his nostrils. The old demon’s nose itched, and he sneezed, causing Wukong to fly out. As he felt the wind, he bent his waist and instantly grew three yards taller, holding the rope in his left hand and his iron staff in his right. Seeing this, the old demon raised his knife to strike, but Wukong met him with his staff. The second demon charged with a spear, and the third with a halberd, all rushing in chaos. Wukong, seeing this, loosened the rope, put away his staff, and hurriedly flew away on a cloud, thinking to himself that dealing with these little demons was quite troublesome.
He jumped out of the camp and landed on a spacious mountaintop. With a strong tug, the old demon felt a sharp pain in his heart. Struggling to escape, Wukong pulled again, and the little demons shouted from a distance in unison, “Great King, don’t provoke him! Let him go! This monkey isn’t following the seasonal customs; it’s not even the Qingming Festival yet, and he’s flying a kite!”
Hearing this, Wukong kicked with all his might, causing the old demon to fall from the sky like a spinning top, landing in the ground and creating a two-foot-deep pit. The second and third demons saw this and quickly knelt at the slope, begging for mercy: “Great Sage, you are truly magnanimous! Who knew you would tie a rope to my brother’s heart!” Wukong laughed, “You demons are so rude! You tricked me into coming out to bite me, and now you want me to fight you! With tens of thousands of your demon soldiers against me alone, it’s utterly unreasonable! I want to see my master!”
All the demons bowed their heads and pleaded for mercy: “Great Sage, have mercy and spare our lives! We’re willing to carry your master over the mountain!” Wukong replied with a smile, “If you want to save your lives, then cut the rope!” The old demon panicked: “Grandpa, if you cut the outside, the inside is still tied to my heart, and my throat is uncomfortable. What should I do?”
Wukong said, “Then open your mouth, and I’ll go back in to untie the rope.” The old demon became anxious: “If I let you in again, you might not come out! That’s too difficult!” Wukong reassured him, “I have the ability to untie the rope from the outside. If I untie it, will you really carry my master?” The old demon replied, “As long as you untie it, I’ll carry him; I wouldn’t dare to lie.” Hearing this, Wukong retracted the hair, and the old demon’s heart no longer hurt. The three demons cheered, “Great Sage, please return! We’ll bring the sedan chair to carry you right away!”
Wukong collected the rope and hurriedly turned towards Shandong. From a distance, he saw Tang Seng crying on the ground, while Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng were sorting their luggage. Wukong sighed, “It must be Bajie who told the master that I was eaten by a demon; the master is heartbroken over me, while that fool is here dividing up the things.” He thought to himself, “I should call out to him and see.” So he descended from the cloud and called, “Master!”
Sha Seng heard this and angrily rebuked Bajie: “You troublemaker! Brother is not dead, yet you say he is! You’re really doing bad things!” Bajie replied, aggrieved, “I clearly saw him being swallowed by a demon! I thought it was a bad omen, and that monkey’s spirit came back!”
Wukong approached and grabbed Bajie’s face, slapping him: “You fool! What spirit am I showing?” Bajie, surprised, said, “Brother, you were really eaten by a monster! How are you alive again?” Wukong answered, “How could someone as useless as you think that? If I was eaten, I’d pull out its intestines, squeeze its lungs, and tug on the rope until it couldn’t stand the pain, before finally sparing its life. Now they’re here to carry you over the mountain!”
Tang Seng, hearing this, quickly got up and bowed to Wukong: “Disciple, you’ve truly worked hard! If it weren’t for Wuneng, I would have given up hope long ago!” Wukong angrily hit Bajie: “This lazy bum is truly useless! Master, don’t be angry; the monster is coming to carry you!”
Sha Seng also felt ashamed and quickly packed the luggage, preparing to set off.
The three demons returned to their cave with a group of little demons. The second demon, looking dissatisfied, said, “Brother, I thought this Sun Wukong was a great demon with nine heads and eight tails, but he turned out to be just a little monkey! You really shouldn’t have swallowed him; when fighting him, he couldn’t even match us! With the tens of thousands of demons in the cave, a mere spit could drown him. You swallowed him, and he started to show his strength, making you suffer. How could you compare to him? Saying he would carry Tang Seng was completely insincere; he only tricked you into coming out to save his own life!”
The old demon, hearing this, asked, “Then what do you think the reason for not carrying him is?” The second demon smugly said, “With you and me plus three thousand little demons, we can set up a formation and I can definitely catch that monkey!” The old demon immediately nodded: “Well said! As long as you can catch him, everyone will share the credit!” So, the second demon gathered three thousand little demons and quickly set up a formation by the roadside, sending a blue flag bearer to shout, “Sun Wukong! Come out and battle with me, the second Great King!”
At this moment, Zhu Bajie heard and couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Brother, there's a saying that lies can't fool the locals. You guys are just playing tricks! How can you say you subdued the demon and will carry Master, and then call for battle? What’s going on?" Upon hearing this, Wukong understood: "The old monster has been subdued by me and doesn’t dare to show his face; he gets scared at the mention of 'Sun.' This must be the second demon not wanting to let us go, so he’s calling for battle. I think, the demons have three brothers, so they have loyalty; my brothers are also three, so don’t we have loyalty too? I’ve subdued the big demon, and if the second demon comes out, it wouldn’t hurt to fight him."
Bajie, hearing this, immediately became eager: "What’s there to be afraid of! I’ll go fight him!" Wukong nodded, "Then go ahead." Bajie excitedly said, "Brother, lend me that rope!" Wukong asked, "What do you need the rope for? You can’t even get inside his belly, and you can't tie his heart; what’s the use of it?" Bajie replied, "I want to tie it around my waist as a lifeline. You and Sha Seng can pull me back if I need it. If I win, you can loosen it, and I can catch him; if I lose, you quickly pull me back and don’t let him catch me."
Wukong secretly laughed, "This guy is really amusing!" So he tied the rope around Bajie's waist and pushed him into battle.
Bajie raised his rake and ran up the cliff, shouting, "Demon, come out! I want to fight you, the ancestor of pigs!" The blue flag bearer quickly reported, "Great King, a long-nosed, big-eared monk is coming." The second demon saw this and didn’t say a word, directly lunging with his spear. Bajie immediately charged in to meet him, and the two fought fiercely. After seven or eight exchanges, Bajie couldn’t hold on anymore and urgently called back, "Brother, it’s bad! Quick, pull the lifeline! Pull the lifeline!"
Upon hearing this, the Great Sage immediately loosened the rope, preparing to throw it out. But after Bajie lost, he knelt down. Initially, when the rope was dragging him along, he didn’t feel anything; but when he turned and loosened it, he tripped over it, falling flat on his back and landing face-first. The demon caught up with him, grabbed his nose, and pulled him back into the cave triumphantly.
At this moment, Tang Seng saw this scene from the slope and angrily shouted, "Wukong, no wonder Wuneng cursed you to death! It turns out your brother doesn’t care for you at all and is filled with jealousy! He told you to pull the lifeline, but why didn’t you pull it? Instead, you let it go? Now he’s been caught; what are we going to do?"
Wukong laughed, "Master, you’re being too biased! You didn’t care when I had the rope; it’s all just a matter of life and death. Now that this fool has been caught, you blame me. Let him suffer a bit; it’ll help him understand the difficulty of the journey for the scriptures." Tang Seng became anxious: "Disciple, how could I not worry? I thought you could transform and wouldn’t get hurt. But Bajie, that guy, can’t even jump; going like this is risky for him. You should go save him!"
Wukong helplessly said, "Master, don’t be angry; I’ll go save him right now." After saying that, he hurried up the mountain, thinking to himself, "This fool actually cursed me to death; let’s see how he suffers before I save him!" So, he chanted a spell, transformed into a small cockroach, and flew to Bajie’s ear, following the demons back into the cave.
The second demon, along with three thousand little demons, swaggered to the cave entrance, dragging Bajie inside. The old demon asked, "What did you catch?" The second demon loosened Bajie’s nose and said triumphantly, "Isn’t this it?" The old demon looked at him and shook his head: "This guy is useless!"
As Bajie listened to the demons’ conversation in the water, he quickly said, "Great King, let go of the useless ones and catch those that are useful!" The third demon nodded in agreement: "Although he’s useless, he is still Tang Seng’s disciple, Zhu Bajie. Tie him up and throw him in the back pond to soak; once the hair has soaked away, we can cut him open, salt him, and dry him for a nice drink!" Bajie was shocked and exclaimed, "Oh no! Isn’t this running into a demon that sells pickled meat?" The demons all got to work, tying Bajie up tightly, and when they reached the pond, they pushed him in with a splash.
At this moment, the Great Sage flew up and saw Bajie floating with his limbs in the air, gasping for breath, half-submerged in the water. It was truly amusing, like a black lotus pod. The Great Sage felt a mix of hatred and pity in his heart, murmuring to himself, "This kid also mixed in at the Dragon Flower Conference, but he always causes trouble and makes Master chant spells. A few days ago, I heard Sha Seng say he saved up some private stash; I wonder if he really has it. Let me scare him a bit." So, the Great Sage flew close to Bajie's ear and pretended to call out in a pinched voice, "Zhu Wuneng! Zhu Wuneng!"
Bajie panicked upon hearing this: "What bad luck! This name was given to me by Avalokiteshvara. Ever since I followed Tang Seng, everyone calls me Bajie; how does someone know I'm called Wuneng?" He couldn't help but ask, "Who is calling me?" The Great Sage laughed and replied, "It's me." Bajie hurriedly asked, "Who are you?" The Great Sage answered, "I am the one sent to collect you." Bajie was shocked: "Officer, where are you from?" The Great Sage said, "I’m sent by the King of the Underworld to collect you." Bajie quickly pleaded, "Officer, please tell the King of the Underworld that I have a good relationship with my brother, Sun Wukong. Ask him to let me live one more day, and I’ll come with you tomorrow!"
The Great Sage couldn’t help but laugh: "Nonsense! The King of the Underworld has decreed that you die at midnight; who dares to keep you until dawn? Hurry up and come with me, or you’ll be tied up!" Bajie grew anxious: "Officer, look at me like this; it’s hard to even want to live. Death is certain, and I’m just waiting for a day. That demon even captured my Master; we’ll all meet our end together."
The Great Sage secretly laughed, "Alright, I have thirty people here. Even if I delay a day to take you, it doesn’t matter. Do you have any money? Give me some." Bajie sighed, "How pitiful! Where does a monk get money?" The Great Sage insisted, "If you don’t have money, I’ll take you away! Come with me!" Bajie panicked: "Officer, don’t take me! I know that rope is the lifeline rope; once it’s tied, I’ll be done for. Wait, I have a little money, just not much." The Great Sage eagerly asked, "Where is it? Hurry and get it out!" Bajie said, "It’s pitiful! I’ve become a monk, and the believers give me food. I saved up some small change, but a few days ago, I ran into a silversmith in the city who stole a bit from me, leaving me with just four coins and six pieces. You can take it."
The Great Sage couldn’t help but laugh: "This guy doesn’t even have pants on; where does he hide his money?" Bajie hurriedly replied, "It’s tucked in my left ear! I can’t reach it because I’m tied up; you go get it." Upon hearing this, the Great Sage reached into Bajie's ear and indeed pulled out a piece of silver, worth about four coins and five or six pieces, and couldn’t help but laugh heartily. Bajie, in the water, angrily cursed: "Damn you, Bi Ma Wen! Coming here to swindle me while I’m suffering!" The Great Sage laughed: "You, this guy, old Sun protects Master and has suffered so much, yet you’re saving up your private stash!"
Bajie grew anxious: "This isn’t a private stash! It’s all from scraping my teeth; I didn’t want to spend it on food and saved it to buy cloth for clothes, and yet you come to scare me!" The Great Sage laughed: "Not a single cent will I give you!" Bajie angrily shouted: "I’ll give you money for my life; hurry and save me!" The Great Sage said, "Don’t worry, I’ll save you." After saying this, he hid the silver, revealed his form, seized Bajie with his iron staff, and pulled him up, untieing the ropes.
Bajie jumped up, took off his clothes, shook them out, and water splashed everywhere, drenching him. Excitedly, he said, "Brother, let’s take the back door!" The Great Sage shook his head: "We can’t go out the back door; we have to fight our way out the front!" Bajie complained, "My legs are numb; I can’t run." The Great Sage urged, "Hurry up and follow me!"
As for the Great Sage, he didn’t waste any time; he threw away the iron staff and charged out directly. Bajie, enduring the numbness, followed him. He saw his rake leaning against the door and quickly pushed aside the little demons to grab it, fighting fiercely. As a result, the little demons were sent flying in all directions. The old demon heard the commotion and quickly said to the second demon, "Quick, look! Sun Wukong has rescued Zhu Bajie, and the little demons at the door are all injured!" Upon hearing this, the second demon was furious, grabbed his spear, and rushed out, shouting, "You insolent monkey! How dare you be so rude!"
The Great Sage heard this and stopped, but the second demon didn’t wait for an explanation and lunged at him. Wukong wasn’t afraid; he brandished his iron staff and met him head-on. Thus, the grand battle began:
The old yellow-toothed elephant transformed into human form and became brothers with the Lion King, preparing to deal with Tang Seng together. The Great Sage, with his immense powers, was determined to eradicate the evil demons. Poor Bajie fell victim to their schemes, prompting Wukong to step in and save him. Seeing this, the demon king displayed his bravery, and a fierce battle ensued with spears and rods, neither side willing to back down. The spear darted like a python through the forest, while the staff swung like a dragon emerging from the sea; the scene was truly lively.
Bajie watched from the side, thinking, "Here I am, not helping with my rake; I must be really foolish!" As he observed Wukong and the demon fiercely battling, he thought, "This demon is really unlucky, capturing this clumsy pig while not even managing to tie up Wukong's hands." Wukong sensed that the demon was trying to pull a trick and crossed his hands with the golden staff, but the demon managed to wrap around his waist.
At that moment, Bajie suddenly had a flash of inspiration and thought, "If Wukong could poke the demon in the nostrils with his staff, it would surely hurt!" So, Wukong followed through and jabbed the staff into the demon's nostril. The demon screamed in pain, twisting its nose, giving Wukong the chance to pull it closer.
Only then did Bajie dare to step forward and strike the demon with his rake. Wukong grew anxious: "This isn’t good! That rake is sharp; if it breaks the skin, Master will scold us for harming living beings!" Thus, Bajie had to switch to using the rake's handle, taking slow steps and hitting gently, while Wukong led the demon by the nose, almost like guiding two elephants.
Meanwhile, Tang Seng waited at the bottom of the slope and, seeing the two of them coming, hurriedly called out, "Wujing, look at what Wukong is leading!" Sha Seng looked and laughed, saying, "Master, the eldest brother is pulling the demon by the nose; he’s really quite ruthless!"
Tang Seng quickly said, "Good! Such a large demon with such a long nose! Quickly ask him; if he’s willing to take us over the mountain, spare his life and don’t harm him!" Sha Seng immediately approached and shouted loudly, "Master says, if you’re willing to take us over the mountain, we won’t harm your life!"
Upon hearing this, the demon quickly knelt down, mumbling in response. It turned out that it was being yanked by Wukong by the nose, feeling as if it were severely injured, and cried out, "Lord Tang, if you spare my life, I’ll carry you across!" Wukong coldly laughed, "We are all kind-hearted people; since you’re willing, hurry and bring the sedan chair! If you change your mind, there will be no mercy!"
The demon, having gained its freedom, kowtowed and left. Wukong and Bajie quickly recounted the events to Tang Seng. Bajie felt so ashamed, hanging his clothes out to dry at the slope, thinking to himself how embarrassing it was!
Meanwhile, the second demon returned to the cave, trembling with fear. Before he could settle in, a little demon rushed in to report to the old demon and the third demon that the second demon had been dragged away by Wukong by the nose. Upon hearing this, the old demon’s heart raced, and he hurriedly went out to greet him. When they saw the second demon return, everyone crowded around to ask, "How did you get back?"
The second demon recounted Tang Seng's compassionate words, and the other demons exchanged glances, not daring to speak. The second demon asked, "Brother, can we take Tang Seng over?" The old demon replied, "Your words are quite interesting. Sun Wukong is a righteous monkey; if he truly wanted to kill me, he would have a thousand ways to do so. Now he’s only holding your nose; he didn’t tear you apart, showing he’s still afraid." Thus, the old demon quickly arranged for taking Tang Seng over.
The third demon laughed and said, "Let’s send him! Let’s send him!" The old demon replied, "You sound like a miser. If you don’t want to go, I and the second demon will go!" The third demon continued laughing, "Brothers, if Tang Seng doesn’t want us to send him, that’s his fate; if he does want us to send him, then I’ll use a strategy to lure the tiger away from the mountain." The old demon quickly asked, "Luring the tiger away? What’s that?"
The third demon explained, "We’ll gather all the demons in the cave, select sixteen or thirty to send Tang Seng." The old demon was puzzled: "What’s the difference between sixteen and thirty?" The third demon clarified, "Thirty are those who can cook, preparing good food for Tang Seng; sixteen are those who carry the sedan and fetch water, taking him partway. Once we reach the city edge, the master and disciple can’t look back; catching Tang Seng will rely on these sixteen demons!"
The old demon was delighted upon hearing this, quickly instructing the demons to prepare, first selecting thirty, then sixteen to carry the sedan, and then ordered everyone, "Don’t wander around the mountain! Sun Wukong is not easy to deal with; if he sees you coming and going, he will definitely become suspicious!"
So, the old monster led the other demons and shouted by the roadside, “Master Tang, today we won’t offend the red sand, please cross the mountain early!” Tang Seng heard this and asked, “Wukong, who is calling me?” The Monkey King pointed over there and said, “Those are the monsters that old Sun subdued, coming to send you off!”
Tang Seng clasped his hands together toward the sky and said, “Well said! If it weren’t for my virtuous disciples, how could I proceed smoothly?” He directly bowed to the demons, thanking them for their kindness. The demons hurriedly bowed their heads and said, “Please, Master, get into the sedan!” Tang Seng was completely unaware that this was a trap, so he ordered Zhu Bajie to put the bags on the horse, with Sha Seng following closely behind, while the Monkey King cleared the way with his iron rod. The eight demons lifted the sedan and shouted in unison, and Tang Seng happily sat in the sedan, moving forward along the main road.
However, amidst this joy, trouble quietly approached. The scriptures say well, “When the extreme is reached, the opposite arises; when fate encounters the true Tai Sui, it is the time of the mourning star.” Those demons worked together diligently, serving attentively, asking Tang Seng to rest every thirty or fifty miles, preparing lavish meals for him.
Just as they were nearing their destination, Tang Seng suddenly noticed the city was right in front of him. The Great Sage raised his iron rod, only a mile away from the sedan, but was startled by the atmosphere in the city. What kind of monsters were in that city? Wolf spirits, striped tigers, white-faced fierce beasts, and clever foxes—it was simply a gathering place for demons.
Just as the Great Sage was in a panic, a sudden sound of wind came from behind him. He turned around to see three demons wielding a square halberd, charging straight at him. The Great Sage hurriedly rolled over and got up, meeting them with his golden-hooped rod. The three demons and the Monkey King were filled with rage, not saying a word, gritting their teeth, ready to settle the score.
At this moment, the old demon was also unwilling to be outdone, swinging a knife at Zhu Bajie. Bajie hurriedly jumped off his horse, swinging his rake wildly. The second demon thrust a long spear at Sha Seng, who blocked the attack with his demon-subduing staff. The three demons, the second demon, the old demon, and the three monks engaged in a fierce battle on the mountain.
Meanwhile, the sixteen little demons followed orders, stealing the white horse and the bags, carrying Tang Seng in the sedan straight to the edge of the city, shouting, “The king has devised a plan; we have captured Tang Seng!” The demons in the city heard this and rushed down, opening the city gates, instructing each camp not to make noise, fearing to scare Tang Seng.
Tang Seng was welcomed into the city by the joyous demons, lifted into the golden hall, and seated in the center, with tea and food presented on both sides. At this moment, Tang Seng was dazed and had no idea about his fate. The story ends here; we will continue next time!
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