Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Good and evil forgotten in a moment of thought,

Glory and decline matter not to this soul.

Dark and bright, hidden and revealed, I drift as I float,

Eating when hungry, drinking when thirsty, as the moment allows.

When the spirit is still, it remains in serene and constant silence;

When dim and dark, demons find their way to invade.

The Five Elements stumble and crash, shattering the meditation grove—

When the wind stirs, cold and chill must surely follow.

Now, the Great Sage Sun led Bajie away from Sha Seng, leaped across the Withered Pine Ravine, and made his way straight to the monster's stone cliff. There, as expected, was a cave dwelling, truly a place of extraordinary scenery. Behold:

The ancient road winds back, serene and still,

Where even wind and moon listen to the dark cranes' play.

White clouds pierce through, filling the valley with light,

And the flowing stream crossing the bridge stirs immortal delight.

Apes cry, birds sing, flowers and trees wondrous and rare,

Vines and stone steps, orchids and fungi surpassing fair.

The green sways through cliff and ravine, scattering mist and glow,

The emerald dyes the pines and bamboos, summoning colorful phoenixes to show.

Distant peaks stand like a screen on high,

Mountains face the ravine, encircling a true immortal's lair.

From Kunlun's earthly dragon veins the lineage came—

Only those with destiny and fortune may enjoy such a frame.

As they approached the gate, they saw a stone tablet inscribed with eight large characters: "Sign Mountain, Withered Pine Ravine, Cave of Fire Clouds." Over by the wall, a crowd of little demons was there brandishing spears and waving swords, leaping about in the wind for sport.

The Great Sage Sun cried out in a stern, loud voice: "You little ones, go quickly and report to your cave master. Tell him to send out my master Tang, and I will spare the lives of every spirit in this cave. But if so much as half a 'no' escapes your teeth, I will overturn your mountain and flatten your cave dwelling to the ground."

When those little demons heard these words, they turned in alarm and haste, each retreating into the cave, shut the two stone doors, and went inside to report: "Great King, disaster!"

Now, the monster had taken Tripitaka back to the cave, stripped off his clothes, and bound him four-hoofed in the courtyard behind. He had ordered the little demons to fetch clean water and scrub him, intending to put him in a steamer for a meal. Suddenly he heard the report of disaster. He stopped the scrubbing and came to the front hall to ask: "What disaster?"

A little demon said: "There is a monk with a hairy face and a thunder-god's mouth, together with another monk with a long snout and big ears, demanding something called 'Master Tang' at the gate. He says that if so much as half a 'no' escapes your teeth, he will overturn the mountain and flatten the cave dwelling."

The demon king gave a faint, cold laugh and said: "So it's Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie. They've managed to track us down. I took their master from halfway down the mountain to here—a hundred and fifty miles—and yet they've found their way to my door?"

He ordered the little ones to push out the carts. A group of little demons pushed five small carts out and opened the front gate.

Bajie saw them and said: "Brother, this demon must be afraid of us. He's pushing out carts to move somewhere."

Wukong said: "No. Let's see where he puts them."

They watched as the little demons arranged the carts according to metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, five to watch over them and five to go inside and report.

The demon king asked: "Is it done?"

They replied: "It is done."

He ordered them to bring his spear. A group of little demons in charge of weapons had two of them carry out an eighteen-foot fire-point spear and hand it to the demon king. The king grasped the spear and strode forward. He wore no armor, only a brocade battle skirt tied at his waist, and his feet were bare as he walked out the gate.

Wukong and Bajie looked up to observe him. Behold the creature:

His face was powdered white, three parts pure,

His lips were painted crimson, a handsome allure.

His temples gathered dark clouds, outdoing indigo dye,

His brows divided like the crescent moon, sharp as a blade's edge, held high.

His battle skirt was embroidered with coiling dragons and phoenixes with care,

His form was even fuller and richer than Nezha's fair.

His hands grasped the spear with a majestic, fearsome might,

Auspicious light protected his body as he came forth to the light.

His voice thundered like spring thunder's roar,

His fierce eyes flashed like lightning's glare.

If you would know this demon's true name,

For a thousand ages he has been known—Red Boy.

The Red Boy monster came out the gate and cried out in a loud voice: "Who is it making such a racket at my place?"

Wukong stepped forward and smiled: "My dear nephew, don't put on airs. This morning you were hanging from the tip of a pine tree on the mountain road, a thin, sickly, jaundiced little child, and you fooled my master. I was kind enough to carry you on my back, and you used your wind magic to snatch my master away. Now you've put on this appearance, but don't think I won't recognize you. Send out my master at once, don't let your face turn pale and lose face, and don't spoil our family relations. I'm afraid your honored father would blame me, old Sun, for bullying a youngster—it wouldn't look right."

When the monster heard these words, his heart filled with rage. He shouted with a "Huh!": "You wretched monkey! What family relations do you and I have? You stand here spouting nonsense, making all that racket! Who is your nephew?"

Wukong said: "Brother, you just don't know. Back when I was comrades with your honored father, you weren't even born yet."

The monster said: "This monkey is talking nonsense again! Where are you from, and where am I from? How could my father and you have been comrades?"

Wukong said: "You don't know. I am Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, who caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace five hundred years ago. Before I raised havoc in Heaven, I roamed the corners of the sea and the horizons of the world, the four great continents, going nowhere I did not reach. In those days, I admired only heroes and men of mettle. Your honored father is called the Bull Demon King, known as the Great Sage Who Levels the Heavens. He and I, old Sun, became seven sworn brothers, and he was made the eldest. There was also the Dragon Demon King, known as the Great Sage Who Covers the Sea, who became the second brother. There was the Roc Demon King, known as the Great Sage Who Merges with the Heavens, who became the third brother. There was the Lion Demon King, known as the Great Sage Who Moves Mountains, who became the fourth brother. There was the Macaque Demon King, known as the Great Sage Who Penetrates the Wind, who became the fifth brother. There was the Rhesus Monkey Demon King, known as the Great Sage Who Drives the Gods, who became the sixth brother. Only I, old Sun, being small in stature, was called the Great Sage Equal to Heaven and ranked seventh. When we old brothers played together in those days, you hadn't even been born yet."

The monster, upon hearing these words, was utterly unwilling to believe them. He raised his Fire-point Spear and thrust straight at the Pilgrim. But the Pilgrim was a true expert and remained perfectly calm. He employed yet another body technique, dodging the spearhead, then hefted his iron rod and cursed: "You little beast, you know no better—take this!" The demon also used a body technique, evading the iron rod, and shouted: "You wretched monkey, you have no sense of propriety—take this spear!" The two of them cast aside all talk of kinship, their faces darkened simultaneously, and each summoned his divine powers. They leaped into the clouds above, and what a battle it was:

The Pilgrim's fame was great; the Demon King's skills were formidable. One brandished the Golden-hooped Rod horizontally; the other leveled the Fire-point Spear straight. They spat mist that shrouded the Three Realms; they blew clouds that illuminated the Four Directions. The murderous aura of the day roared and howled; the sun, moon, and stars lost their light. Their words held no courtesy; their feelings were wholly at odds. One had acted with a deceitful heart and lost all propriety; the other had changed his face and abandoned all principle. The rod, when parried, displayed awe-inspiring might; the spear, when thrust, unleashed savage ferocity. One was the Great Sage of Primordial Unity; the other was the Boy of Good Fortune who had attained the True Fruit. The two strove with all their might to prevail, all for the sake of Tang Sanzang paying homage to the Dharma King.

The demon and the Great Sage Sun fought for twenty bouts, with neither gaining the upper hand. Zhu Bajie, watching from the side, saw clearly: though the demon was not defeated, he could only block and parry, possessing no ability to attack at all. The Pilgrim, though he could not overcome him either, wielded his rod with such skill and precision that his strikes came down only upon the demon's head, never straying from that spot. Bajie thought to himself: "This won't do. The Pilgrim is slippery—if he lets a feigned opening slip, lures the demon in, and brings his iron rod down on him, there goes my credit for the deed." Watch him then: he roused his spirits, raised his nine-toothed rake in midair, and brought it down squarely on the demon's head. The monster was terrified and hastily dragged his spear away, retreating in defeat. The Pilgrim shouted: "Bajie! After him! After him!"

The two pursued him to the mouth of his cave. There they saw the demon, one hand holding the Fire-point Spear, standing on a small cart in the middle; with the other hand he made a fist and struck his own nose twice. Bajie laughed: "This fellow is shameless, resorting to trickery. Are you going to punch your own nose until it bleeds, smear your face with red, and go file a complaint against us somewhere?" The demon struck his nose twice more, recited an incantation, and fire poured from his mouth while thick smoke burst from his nostrils. His eyes flashed, and flames erupted all around. Fire blazed forth from the five carts as well. After several blasts, the crimson flames filled the sky, and the entire Cave of Fiery Clouds was shrouded in smoke and fire—truly a conflagration that scorched the heavens and seared the earth. Bajie panicked: "Brother, this won't do! If we get caught in this fire, we'll never survive. They'll roast your old pig until he's well done, sprinkle him on with spices, and he'll be nothing but a feast for them. Let's go, let's go!" With that, he paid no heed to the Pilgrim and fled across the stream.

The Pilgrim, however, possessed vast divine powers. He formed the fire-avoiding mudra, charged into the flames, and searched for the demon. The demon, seeing the Pilgrim approach, spat out several more blasts of fire, and the flames grew fiercer still than before. Ah, what fire it was:

Blazing and raging, it filled the sky and scorched; mighty and terrible, it spread red across the land. It was like a wheel of fire spinning up and down; it was like cinders dancing east to west. This fire was not kindled by Suiren drilling wood, nor was it the alchemical fire of Laozi. It was not heavenly fire, nor was it wild earthly fire—it was the True Samadhi Fire cultivated and refined by the demon. The five carts corresponded to the Five Elements; from the Five Elements, fire was generated and refined. The liver's wood could give rise to the heart's fire in abundance; the heart's fire in turn brought the spleen's earth to equilibrium. The spleen's earth generated metal, and metal transformed into water; water could nourish wood and penetrate all things with spiritual power. All generation and transformation arose from fire; fire spread across the vast sky, and all things flourished. The demon had long comprehended how to summon the Samadhi Fire, and he was forever renowned as the foremost in the Western region.

The Pilgrim, assailed by the billowing smoke and flying flames, could not find the demon and could no longer see the path before the cave's entrance. He withdrew his body and leaped out of the fire. The demon, watching clearly from the gate, saw the Pilgrim depart. Only then did he gather up his fire implements, lead his host of lesser demons back inside the cave, and seal the stone door. Believing himself victorious, he ordered his minions to prepare a banquet and play music. Their rejoicing need not be recounted here.

Now the Pilgrim leaped across the Withered Pine Stream and pressed his cloud descent. He heard Bajie and Sha Wujing talking loudly among the pines. The Pilgrim went forward and berated Bajie: "You stupid fool, you have no human decency at all! You were afraid of the demon's fire and fled for your life, leaving old Sun behind. It's a good thing I have some tricks up my sleeve." Bajie laughed: "Brother, you were bested by that demon—truly, you have no sense of propriety. The ancients said: 'He who knows the times is called a hero.' The demon is no kin of yours, yet you insisted on claiming kinship. Then he fought you and unleashed that merciless fire, and instead of retreating, you still wanted to keep fighting him." The Pilgrim said: "How did the monster's skills compare to mine?" Bajie replied: "Inadequate." "How did his spear technique compare to mine?" Bajie said: "Also inadequate. This old pig saw that he could barely hold on, so I came to help you with a rake. I didn't expect him to be such a coward—he retreated in defeat, and without any sense of fair play, he just set fires." The Pilgrim said: "Exactly—you shouldn't have come. If I had fought him a few more bouts, I could have found an opening and landed a clever blow with my rod. Wouldn't that have been the way?"

The two of them kept discussing the demon's methods and his fiery poison. Leaning against the pine roots, Sha Monk laughed until he was beside himself. Pilgrim saw him and said, "Brother, why are you laughing? Surely you must have some skill to capture that fiend and break through that fire formation. This is a matter that benefits us all. As the saying goes, 'Many hairs make a ball.' If you can capture the demon and rescue our master, it would be a great merit of yours."

Sha Monk said, "I have no special skills either, and I cannot subdue demons. I'm laughing because you two have both lost your heads."

Pilgrim said, "How have I lost my head?"

Sha Monk said, "The demon's skills are no match for yours, and his spear technique is inferior to yours. He only has more fire, which is why you can't defeat him. If you follow my reasoning and use the principle of mutual conquest to capture him, what difficulty would there be?"

Upon hearing this, Pilgrim laughed and said, "Brother, you speak truly. Indeed, we have lost our heads and forgotten this matter. If we apply the principle of mutual conquest, we must use water to overcome fire. But where can we find some water to pour on this demonic fire and extinguish it? Wouldn't that save our master?"

Sha Monk said, "Exactly so. There's no need to hesitate."

Pilgrim said, "You two stay here and don't engage him in battle. Let Old Sun go to the Eastern Sea to borrow some dragon troops and bring back some water to pour on the demonic fire and capture this wretched fiend."

Zhu Bajie said, "Brother, go with our blessing. We'll take care of things here."

The great Sage soared away on the clouds from this place and in an instant arrived at the Eastern Sea. He had no heart to enjoy the seascape, but used his water-forcing technique to part the waves. As he was traveling, he encountered a sea-patrol yaksha, who, upon seeing that it was the Great Sage Sun, hurried back to the Crystal Palace to report to the old Dragon King. Ao Guang immediately led his dragon sons and grandsons, along with shrimp soldiers and crab warriors, out the gate to welcome him and invited him inside to sit. After they were seated, the courtesies were completed, and tea was served.

Pilgrim said, "No need for tea. I have a favor to ask: My master, Tripitaka, is traveling west to worship Buddha and obtain scriptures. When we passed the Fire-Cloud Cave on Withered Pine Ravine of Mount Hao, a demon called the Boy Sage Great King, the child of the Red Boy, captured my master. Old Sun found the cave and fought him, but he unleashed fire upon us. We couldn't withstand him, and since water can conquer fire, I've come specifically to ask you for some water to send down a great rain, extinguish that fire, and rescue Tripitaka from this calamity."

The Dragon King said, "Great Sage, you are mistaken. If you need rain, you shouldn't be asking me."

Pilgrim said, "You are the Dragon King of the Four Seas, in charge of rain and moisture. If I don't ask you, who should I ask?"

The Dragon King said, "Although I oversee rain, I dare not act on my own authority. I need an edict from the Jade Emperor, specifying the location, how many feet and inches are needed, and when it should start and stop. The Three Officials must also sign the document, and the Grand Unity must issue a dispatch. I must then summon the Lord of Thunder, the Mother of Lightning, the Count of Wind, and the Lad of Clouds. As the saying goes, 'A dragon cannot move without clouds.'"

Pilgrim said, "I don't need wind, clouds, thunder, or lightning. I only need some rainwater to put out the fire."

The Dragon King said, "Great Sage, if you don't need wind, clouds, thunder, or lightning, then I alone cannot help. What if my younger brothers join me in assisting the Great Sage?"

Pilgrim said, "Where are your brothers?"

The Dragon King said, "Dragon King Ao Qin of the South Sea, Dragon King Ao Run of the North Sea, and Dragon King Ao Shun of the West Sea."

Pilgrim laughed and said, "If I have to travel to three more seas, I might as well go up to Heaven and request an edict from the Jade Emperor."

The Dragon King said, "There's no need for the Great Sage to go. I need only strike the iron drum and bronze bell here, and they will arrive in an instant."

Pilgrim said upon hearing this, "Old Dragon King, strike the bell and drum quickly."

In a moment, the three Dragon Kings of the other seas arrived and asked, "Elder Brother, what matter summons us?"

Ao Guang said, "The Great Sun Sage is here to borrow rain to help subdue a demon."

The three brothers were then introduced and met Pilgrim, who explained in detail his need for water. The gods were all delighted and willing, and they marshaled their forces:

Brave sharks formed the vanguard,

Sturgeon with gaping mouths led the charge.

The carp commander churned the waves and leaped,

The catfish commander spat mist and blew wind.

The mackerel commander scouted to the east,

The bream commander pressed the attack to the west.

The red-eyed horse-lancer danced to the south,

The black-armored general charged from the north.

The sergeant-at-arms beat the drum at the center,

Heroic soldiers filled every direction.

The cunning turtle served as chief strategist,

The wise tortoise acted as calculating minister.

The alligator chancellor had schemes and wisdom,

The soft-shelled turtle commander was versatile and capable.

Crab warriors brandished long swords,

Straight-jumping shrimp women drew hard bows.

The catfish official checked the muster rolls,

And marshaled the dragon troops out of the waves.

A poem bears witness to this. The poem reads:

The Dragon Kings of the Four Seas gladly lent their aid,

Following the Great Sage Equal to Heaven's request.

Because Tripitaka faced hardship on the journey,

They borrowed water to quench the crimson fire.

Leading the dragon troops, the Pilgrim soon arrived above Withered Pine Ravine on Mount Hao. Pilgrim said, "Sons of the Ao clan, I apologize for troubling you to travel so far. This is the demon's lair. You may halt in the air and not show your faces. Let Old Sun fight him in a contest. If I defeat him, you needn't capture him. If I lose to him, you needn't join the battle either. Only when he unleashes his fire, listen for my call, and together send down the rain."

The Dragon Kings all obeyed his orders.

Pilgrim then pressed down his cloud head and entered the pine forest, where he found Zhu Bajie and Sha Monk. He called out, "Brothers!"

Zhu Bajie said, "Brother, you've returned quickly. Did you manage to invite the Dragon Kings?"

Pilgrim said, "They've all come. You two must be careful. The rain may be heavy, so don't let the luggage get wet. Let Old Sun go fight him."

Sha Monk said, "Senior Brother, go with our blessing. We'll take care of everything here."

Wukong leaped across the ravine and arrived at the gate, calling out, "Open up!" The little demons went back to report: "Sun Wukong has come again." Red Boy looked up and laughed with delight. "That monkey must not have been burned by the fire, so he's come back. This time we won't spare him—we'll burn him to a crisp, skin and flesh alike." He hastily sprang forward, gripping his long spear, and commanded, "Little ones, push out the fire carts!" Before stepping out to face Wukong, he said, "What do you want this time?" Wukong said, "Return my master to me." The demon said, "You foolish monkey, so lacking in sense. That Tang monk was good enough to be your master, and he's good enough to be my snack. You still want him back? Don't think about it. Don't think about it." At these words, Wukong flew into a rage, drew out his golden-banded iron rod, and brought it down on the demon's head. The demon wielded his fire-pointed spear and hastily parried the blow. This contest was different from the last. What a fight!

The demon king was furious, the Monkey King enraged. This one was determined to rescue the scripture-seeking monk; that one was set on eating Tang Sanzang. The heart's transformation left no room for kinship; estrangement left no room for yielding. This one wished he could catch the other and skin him alive; that one wished he could dip the other in sauce and eat him raw. Truly heroic, indeed mighty and fierce. The rod came, the spear parried—each wagering on victory; the spear thrust, the rod met it—each vying for supremacy. They clashed for twenty exchanges, and their skills were evenly matched.

The demon king fought Wukong for over twenty rounds and saw that he could not win. He feinted with his spear, quickly withdrew, clenched his fists, and punched his nose twice. Then fire burst forth from it, and flames erupted from the carts at the gate—red flames flew from his mouth and eyes. The Great Sage turned his head and called, "Where is the Dragon King?" The Dragon King and his brothers led the water creatures in a downpour aimed at the demon's blazing fire. What rain! Truly it was:

Swirling and scattering, dense and heavy. Swirling and scattering, like stars falling from the edge of the sky; dense and heavy, like the sea's waves hanging upside down from the shore. At first the drops were the size of fists, then they poured out like water from jars and basins. The ground was flooded with duck-head green; the mountains washed clean to Buddha-head blue. From the gullies, water flew up like a thousand yards of jade; from the ravines, waves swelled with ten thousand strands of silver. The three-way crossroads filled to the brim; the winding stream gradually calmed. This was the dragon gods aiding the Tang monk in distress, overturning the River of Heaven and pouring it down.

The rain fell in torrents, great and small, yet it could not quell the demon's fire. It turned out that the Dragon King's rain was private rain, which could only extinguish ordinary fire. How could it put out the demon's True Samadhi Fire? It was like pouring oil on flames—the more they poured, the fiercer it burned.

The Great Sage said, "Let me form a sign and plunge into the fire." He brandished his iron rod, seeking the demon to strike. The demon saw him coming and blew a blast of smoke straight into his face. Wukong hastily turned his head, but the smoke stung his eyes and blurred his vision, and he could not help shedding tears like rain. It turned out that the Great Sage was not afraid of fire, but only of smoke. Years ago, when he caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, the Lord Lao Zi had placed him in the Eight Trigrams Furnace to be tempered. He had been lucky enough to take shelter in the Xun position and was not burned. But the wind had stirred up the smoke, which had seared his eyes into fiery golden pupils, so to this day he feared only smoke. The demon blew another mouthful, and Wukong could not endure it. He fled on a cloud. The demon king then gathered up his fire equipment and returned to his cave.

The Great Sage, covered in smoke and fire, tormented and unbearable, threw himself straight into the stream water to quench the flames. But the cold water struck him, driving the fire's energy to attack his heart, and his three souls fled his body. Pitiful—his chest was choked, his throat and tongue were cold, his soul and spirit scattered, and his life was nearly lost. In a panic, the four Dragon Kings above in mid-air gathered up their rain and called out loudly: "Marshal Tian Peng, General Juan Lian, stop hiding in the forest and find your senior brother!"

Bajie and Sha Wujing heard their sacred titles being called and hastily untied the horse, shouldered the load, and rushed out of the forest. They paid no mind to the mud and searched along the edge of the stream. Then they saw the upper current churning and surging, and a person being swept down in the torrent. Sha Wujing saw him, jumped into the water with his clothes on, and carried him ashore—it was the body of Sun Wukong. Alas! Look at him—curled up, his limbs unable to stretch, his whole body cold as ice. Sha Wujing's eyes filled with tears as he said, "Brother, what a pity! An ageless immortal of a hundred million years, now reduced to a man who dies halfway through his journey." Bajie laughed and said, "Brother, don't cry. This monkey is faking death to scare us. Feel him—is there still a bit of warmth in his chest?" Sha Wujing said, "His whole body is cold. Even if there's a little warmth, how can he come back to life?" Bajie said, "He has seventy-two transformations, so he has seventy-two lives. Grab his feet, and let me work on him." And so Sha Wujing grabbed his feet while Bajie supported his head, stretched him out straight, pushed his feet up, and sat him cross-legged. Bajie rubbed his hands warm, pressed them against the seven apertures of his head, and performed a massage meditation technique. It turned out that Wukong, having been driven by the cold water, had his qi blocked at his dantian and could not speak. Fortunately, Bajie's massage and rubbing soon allowed the qi to pass through the three barriers, circulate through the bright hall, and open the apertures. He called out, "Master!" Sha Wujing said, "Brother, you lived for your master and even in death you speak of him. Wake up—we are here." Wukong opened his eyes and said, "Are my brothers here? Old Sun has suffered a defeat." Bajie laughed and said, "You fool who's lost his senses! If not for old Pig saving you, you would have been done for. Aren't you going to thank me?"

Wukong got to his feet and looked up, saying, "Where are the brothers Ao?" The four Dragon Kings answered from mid-air: "We are here at your service." Wukong said, "Thank you for your trouble from afar, though we did not achieve success. Please return for now, and I will thank you properly another day." The Dragon Kings led the water creatures away in grand fashion—no more of that.

Sha Wujing supported Wukong, and together they sat down beneath the pine forest. After a while, he steadied his spirit and caught his breath, but tears could not stop rolling down his cheeks. He cried again, "Master!

"I recall the years when we left the Great Tang,

Before the cliff you saved me from calamity.

Through mountains and waters we met demonic snares,

Ten thousand sufferings, a thousand bitters that tore at my heart.

Begging for meals, we took what was given, thick or thin;

Meditating at dusk, we lodged in groves or manors.

With single-minded hope of achieving the fruit of success,

Who knew today we would know such pain and injury?"

Sha Wujing said, "Elder Brother, do not trouble yourself. Let us devise a plan—where can we go to request troops and aid to rescue our Master?" Pilgrim Sun said, "Where shall we seek help?" Sha Wujing said, "When the Bodhisattva first gave her instructions, she bade us protect Tripitaka Tang. She promised us: 'Call upon Heaven and Heaven will answer; call upon Earth and Earth will answer.' Where else should we go for help?" Pilgrim Sun said, "When old Sun created havoc in the Celestial Palace, none of those heavenly soldiers could withstand me. This demon's powers are no small matter—we would need someone with greater abilities than old Sun to subdue him. The celestial gods are no use, the earthly fiends are of no help. If we are to capture this demon, we must go and ask Guanyin Bodhisattva. But alas, my flesh is numb and aching, my waist and knees are in pain, and I cannot mount my somersault cloud. How can I go to ask her?" Zhu Bajie said, "Give me your instructions, and I will go." Pilgrim Sun said with a laugh, "Very well, you can go. When you see the Bodhisattva, do not look up at her—only bow your head low in worship. When she asks you, tell her the name of the place and the name of the demon, and then beg her to rescue our Master. If she agrees to come, she will surely capture the monster."

When Zhu Bajie heard this, he mounted the clouds and mists and headed south.

Now the demon king in his cave was rejoicing, saying, "Little ones, Sun Wukong has suffered a defeat and left. Though this round did not kill him, he must have been badly shaken. Aiya! I fear he may have gone to ask for reinforcements. Open the gates quickly—let me go and see whom he is asking."

The little demons opened the gates, and the demon flew up into the sky to watch. He saw only Zhu Bajie heading south. The demon thought: there is nothing else to the south—he must certainly be going to ask Guanyin Bodhisattva. He quickly descended from his cloud and called out, "Little ones, find my leather bag for me. It has not been used for a long time—I fear the mouth-cord may not be secure. Replace it with a new one and place it inside the second gate. I will trick Zhu Bajie and bring him back, put him inside the bag, steam him until he is tender, and reward you all." The demon actually had a leather bag that worked as he wished. The little demons brought it out, replaced the mouth-cord, and placed it inside the cave gate. But let us speak no more of this.

Now the demon king had dwelt in this place for a long time and knew every road. He knew which route to the South Sea was near and which was far. Taking the near road, he mounted his cloud, overtook Zhu Bajie, and sat squarely on a cliff face, transforming himself into a false image of Guanyin Bodhisattva, waiting for Zhu Bajie.

The fool was riding his cloud when suddenly he saw the Bodhisattva. How could he tell true from false? This was truly "seeing an image and taking it for Buddha." The fool stopped his cloud and bowed, saying, "Bodhisattva, your disciple Zhu Wukong kowtows." The demon said, "Why are you not protecting your Tripitaka on his journey to fetch the scriptures? What business brings you to see me?" Zhu Bajie said, "Your disciple and our Master were traveling along the way when we encountered the Red Boy demon in the Fire-Cloud Cave on Withered Pine Stream at Mount Hao. He captured our Master. Your disciple and my elder brother went to his gate and fought him. It turned out he could breathe fire. The first round, we could not win. The second round, we asked the Dragon King to send rain, but even he could not extinguish the fire. My elder brother was burned and injured and cannot move, so he sent your disciple to ask the Bodhisattva for help. I beg you to look down with compassion and rescue our Master from this calamity."

The demon said, "The master of Fire-Cloud Cave is not one who harms life. You must have offended him." Zhu Bajie said, "I did not offend him—it was my elder brother Wukong who offended him. He transformed himself into a little child and hung himself in a tree to test our Master. Our Master, being full of compassion, told me to untie him and asked my elder brother to carry him for a while. My elder brother flung him down, and he made a gust of wind and carried our Master away."

The demon said, "Rise, and come with me into that cave to see the cave master. I will speak a word of kindness for you, and you can offer a formal apology, and you shall have your Master back." Zhu Bajie said, "Bodhisattva, if you are willing to return our Master, I will even kowtow to him once." The demon king said, "Follow me."

The fool, knowing neither good nor ill, followed him straight back along the old road—not toward the South Sea, but straight to the gate of Fire-Cloud Cave. In an instant they arrived at the entrance. The demon went in and said, "Do not suspect anything. He is an old friend of mine. Come in." The fool had no choice but to step inside. All the little demons shouted together, seized Zhu Bajie, put him inside the bag, tied the mouth-cord tight, and hung him high from a crossbeam. The demon revealed his true form and sat in the middle, saying, "Zhu Bajie, what abilities do you have that you dare protect Tripitaka on his journey to fetch the scriptures? You dare ask the Bodhisattva to subdue me? You stare with your wide-open eyes and still do not recognize me as the Holy Infant King. Now I have captured you. I will hang you for three to five days, steam you until tender, and reward the little demons with you as a snack to go with our wine."

When Zhu Bajie heard this, he cursed from inside the bag: "You wretched monster! Utterously rude! No matter how many schemes you have used to trick me into being eaten, I will make sure every one of you comes down with a swollen-head plague." The fool cursed and ranted again and again. But let us speak no more of this.

Now the Great Sage and Sha Wujing were sitting together when a foul wind blew across their faces. Pilgrim Sun sneezed and said, "Not good, not good! This wind bodes more ill than good. I suspect Zhu Bajie has gone the wrong way." Sha Wujing said, "If he went the wrong way, can he not ask someone?" Pilgrim Sun said, "He must have run into the demon." Sha Wujing said, "If he ran into the demon, can he not run back?" Pilgrim Sun said, "It is not safe. You sit here and keep watch. I will run across the stream to find out what has happened." Sha Wujing said, "Elder Brother, your waist is injured. I fear you may fall into his hands again. Let me go instead." Pilgrim Sun said, "You are not up to it. Let me go."

Good Pilgrim Wukong clenched his teeth, endured his pain, gripped his iron staff, crossed the ravine, and arrived before the Cave of Fiery Clouds, where he called out, "You blasted monster!" The gatekeeping imp once more rushed inside to report: "The Monkey King Sun is again shouting at the gate!" The Demon King gave orders to seize him. The band of lesser demons, bristling with spears and swords, raised a great shout and flung open the gate, all crying: "Seize him! Seize him!" Pilgrim Wukong was indeed exhausted and dared not face them. He slipped into the roadside, recited a spell, and cried: "Transform!" At once he turned into a gilded satchel. The little demons saw it, picked it up, and brought it inside, reporting: "Great King, Sun the Pilgrim is afraid. The moment he heard the word 'seize,' he dropped the satchel in panic and fled." The Demon King laughed and said: "That satchel contains nothing of value—nothing but the monk's tattered patched robe and old hat. Carry it in; we can rip it up for patches and mending." A little imp indeed carried the satchel inside, not knowing it was Pilgrim Wukong in disguise. Pilgrim Wukong thought: "Good, this gilded satchel has been carried in." The demon paid no heed to the matter and tossed it inside the gate.

Good Pilgrim Wukong, false upon false, void within void: he plucked a single body hair, blew on it with immortal breath, and transformed it into a satchel identical to the first. His true body then turned into a fly, which he fixed upon the door hinge. From inside he could hear Bajie groaning and moaning, his voice thick and muddled, sounding very much like a sickly pig. Pilgrim Wukong buzzed softly and flew off to find him. It turned out he was hanging inside a leather bag. Pilgrim Wukong landed on the bag and heard Bajie cursing roundly, railing at the demon king, long and short: "How dare you falsely transform into Guanyin Bodhisattva to trick me back here, hang me up, and still say you want to eat me? One day my elder brother will unleash the boundless arts of the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, and all the blasted demons on this mountain will be captured in due time. He'll open this leather bag, let me out, and pound you flat with a thousand rake-strokes—that's what will satisfy his heart!"

Pilgrim Wukong, hearing this, smiled to himself: "Though this blockhead is suffering in here, he hasn't lowered his flag. Old Sun must capture this monster—if I don't, how can I avenge this humiliation?"

He was just about to devise a plan to rescue Bajie when he heard the Demon King call out: "Where are the Six Valiant Generals?" There were six lesser demons who were his trusted lieutenants, appointed as Valiant Generals, each with a name: one was called Mist within Clouds, one Cloud within Mist; one Rushing like Fire, one Swift as Wind; one Rising Searing-Heat, and one Searing-Heat Rising. The six generals came forward and knelt. The Demon King said: "Do you know the way to the Great King's house?" The six replied: "We know it." The Demon King said: "Go swiftly, by night and day, to invite the Great King here. Tell him I have captured the monk Tripitaka and will steam him to eat, granting a lifespan of a thousand ages." The six monsters received their orders and, dragging and shoving one another, went straight out the gate. Pilgrim Wukong buzzed softly, flew down from the bag, and followed the six demons at a distance, slipping away from the cave.

How exactly the Great King was invited shall be told in the next chapter.