This is a fresh, complete English translation of Wu Cheng’en’s public-domain one-hundred-chapter novel, produced with GPT-5.3-Codex-Spark assistance. It is an AI-assisted first edition, not a reproduction of an existing translation.

Righteous bonds are formed in the heart, and the Dharma returns to its own nature. Gold humors wood and wood, once tamed, bears perfect fruit; the heart-monkey and Wooden Mother are joined in cinnabar truth. Together we ascend to the Pure Land, coming together through the Gate of Non-Dual Dharma. The Scripture is the complete route of cultivation, and Buddha matches one’s own primordial spirit. Brother and younger brother will form three vows; demon-kind and demon-colors correspond to the five elements. Cut away the six doors of desire, and one at once comes to the Great Sound of Thunder.

The fool had been caught by a troop of monkeys, who hauled him with shouts and pulls, and in the tugging one of his straight robes was torn. Muttering anxiously to himself, he kept saying, “Enough, enough—once I go, there will be a bout of bludgeoning and death.” Not long after, he reached the cave entrance. The Great Sage was seated on a rock cliff and shouted, “You sack-borne dunce! You had gone off already; why do you curse me now?” Zhu Bajie knelt on the ground and said, “Elder brother, I never cursed you. If I had cursed you, I would have chewed out my own tongue. I only said that I would go and report to Tripitaka. How could I dare to curse you?” Sun Wukong said, “How can you hide this from me? Pull up my left ear, and I can hear those in the Thirty-Three Heavens speaking; pull my right ear down, and I can know the accounts of ten generations of King Yama and his judges. You cursed me as you passed. How could I not have heard?” Zhu Bajie said, “Brother, I know your thief-like mind and rat-like cunning; you must have changed into something else again, so you have followed me and listened.” Sun Wukong called, “Little ones, bring a big staff. Give him twenty front-facing stinging blows, then twenty on the back; then let me take my staff and see him off.” Zhu Bajie, in panic, bowed and said, “Brother, for Master’s sake, at least spare me.” Sun Wukong said, “I think that old Master is full of compassion and righteousness.” Zhu Bajie said, “Brother, not for Master’s sake—please look upon the face of the Bodhisattva of the sea and spare me.”

Sun Wukong heard him mention the Bodhisattva and softened by a third and changed course: “Brother, since you say so, I will not strike you. Speak plainly. Do not hide from me. Where does Tripitaka face danger there? Why did you come here and fool me?” Zhu Bajie said, “Brother, there was no real danger. Truly, I missed you.” Sun Wukong scolded, “You good target for beating, bad-natured rogue—you still provoke me? Since I returned to Water Curtain Cave, Sun Wukong’s heart has pursued Tripitaka. At every step the monk is in danger; at every place, calamity looms. If only you had told me in time, there would have been no need for this strike.” Hearing this, Zhu Bajie knelt and told him, “Brother, I was plain about this and told you to come; I did not expect your spirit to be so sharp. Spare me from further blows and let me rise and tell you all.” Sun Wukong said, “All right, rise and speak.” The troop of monkeys loosened their hold. The fool sprang up and looked about wildly to both sides. Sun Wukong said, “What are you peering at?” Zhu Bajie said, “I was checking whether the road was clear, so I could run.” Sun Wukong said, “Run where? I will let you go for three days. Sun Wukong has his own ways to drive you back. Say it quickly. This anger I have now is unbearable; I will not show mercy.”

Zhu Bajie said, “I will not hide it from brother. After you returned, Sha Wujing and I were moving ahead of Tripitaka. We came to a black pine forest. Tripitaka dismounted, then told me to perform his alms rite. I looked out and far around; there was no household, and from the hardship I lay down for a little sleep in the grass. Unexpectedly, Sha Wujing left Tripitaka and came looking for me. You know the monk has no fixed sitting habit; alone he roamed in the woods, seeing the scenery. When we came out of the grove, we saw a golden treasure pagoda shining. He took it for a temple. Unluckily beneath the pagoda there was a demon named Yellow-Robed, who seized him. Later when Sha Wujing and I returned, we found only the White Dragon Horse and the baggage, but no Tripitaka. Following to the cave mouth, we fought with the demon. Master was in the cave; thankfully, a rescuer appeared. It was the third princess of the Kingdom of Baoxiang, who had been taken by that monster. She had written a family letter and asked Tripitaka to carry it home, and so by a convenient arrangement Master was released. When we reached the kingdom and delivered the letter, the king invited Tripitaka to exorcise the demon and recover the princess. Brother, do you know whether that old monk can subdue a fiend? Sha Wujing and I went again to fight. We did not know the demon had far-reaching powers; he captured Sha Wujing again. I was routed and lay prone in the grass. That demon changed into a handsome scholar and entered court, claiming kinship with the king, and made Tripitaka into a tiger. It was again the White Dragon Horse who at night revealed his dragon form and went to seek Master; Tripitaka himself did not spot him. He met the demon instead in the Hall of Silver Peace, where the fiend was drinking. The monster became a palace maid, carried wine and swords for dancing, and meant to take a chance to cut him down, but instead was struck by a red, all-hall blow and the horse’s leg was hurt. It was he who told me to ask elder brother, saying, ‘Brother is humane and upright; a gentleman does not dwell on old wrongdoing, and will surely come for a single peril to save Master.’ I beg, brother, in minding the saying, “one day your teacher, lifelong your father,” please, please save him.”

Sun Wukong said, “You, this fool. When I was leaving, I had warned and warned once again: ‘If demons seize Tripitaka, you must say that Sun Wukong is his senior disciple.’ Why did you not say it then?” Zhu Bajie reflected and said, “Please, this is no match for his pride; let me goad him a bit.” He said, “Brother, if I did not mention you, it would be enough. It is because I speak of you that he is already losing composure.” Sun Wukong said, “How should I speak?” Zhu Bajie said, “I said: ‘Demon, do not be rude, and do not harm my Master. I still have a great elder brother named Sun Wukong. He has vast powers and is skilled at subduing demons. When he comes, he will make you have nowhere in which to bury your bones.’” Hearing this, the demon became even more enraged and shouted, “What Sun Wukong is that? Is he someone to fear me? If he comes, I will skin him, strip him, chew his bones, and eat his heart. Even if he is a thin monkey, I’ll still cut him into pieces and cook him in oil.” When Sun Wukong heard those words, he grabbed his ear and scratched his cheeks, then jumped and raged, “Who is the one bold enough to speak of me so?” Zhu Bajie said, “Brother, cool your temper. It was the Yellow-Robed demon who said that; I taught it to you so you would hear.” Sun Wukong said, “Worthy younger brother, stand up. It is not that I cannot go. Since a demon dared to revile me, I cannot but subdue him. You and I are going together. Five hundred years ago I made havoc in Heaven; whenever I appeared, every heavenly commander beneath the sky saw me, each bowed with back bent and called me Great Sage. This demon shows no courtesy; he dares to curse me before my face and behind it as if it were nothing. I will seize him and break his body into ten thousand pieces to repay this insult against me. When I have done so, I will come back.” Zhu Bajie said, “Brother, exactly so. You take that demon and avenge your insult. Whether you return now or later, leave it to your own decision.”

The Great Sage only then leapt from the cliff, crashed into the cave, and shed the demon’s garment. He straightened his brocade robe, bound up a tiger-skin skirt, took up the Golden-Hooped Staff, and came straight out the gate. The startled monkeys blocked his way and said, “Your Majesty, Great Sage, where are you going? Just take us out and let us play for a few years too.” Sun Wukong said, “You little ones, what words are these? In this whole world above and below, everyone knows Sun Wukong is Tripitaka’s disciple. He did not send me back; he only sent me home to see things and return, as a gift so I might roam and play at ease in my own place. Now there is this matter. You all must watch the household carefully. Plant willows and pines in season. Let nothing decline. As for me, I will go back to guard Tripitaka and bring him through the Journey to the West. After my merits are complete, I will return and share carefree heaven with you all.” The monkeys each took the command and withdrew.

The Great Sage and Zhu Bajie then rode the clouds together, left the cave, crossed the Eastern Ocean and reached the western bank, where they rested in the cloudlight. He called, “Brother, move slowly here and wait. Let me go into the sea and cleanse myself.” Zhu Bajie said, “In all this rushing we rush forward anyway—what is the use of cleansing the body now?” Sun Wukong said, “You wouldn’t know. Since I came back, for these few days I have gathered some demon-qi on my body. Tripitaka is a man who loves cleanliness; he may take offense at it.” From that moment Zhu Bajie came to understand that Sun Wukong was sincere in heart, with nothing else intended.

After a little while they finished washing and again rode the clouds westward. They saw the golden tower shining. Zhu Bajie pointed and said, “Is that not the Yellow-Robed demon’s home? Sha Wujing is still in his place.” Sun Wukong said, “You stay in the sky. I will go down and look at the gatefront and meet the demon in array.” Zhu Bajie said, “Do not go. The demon is not at home.” Sun Wukong said, “I know.” “Good, Monkey King,” he called, “settle in the auspicious light and go straight to the cave entrance and look.” As soon as he arrived, he saw two children at the threshold using curved-head sticks, playing with wool balls and grabbing at a nest in rough play. One was about ten, the other eight or nine. In the middle of their play, Sun Wukong arrived in front of them and, not caring whose family they were of, grabbed them by their topknots and lifted them up. The children shrieked, cursing and crying in a confused din. It startled the small demons of the Moon-Wave Cave, and they hastened to report to the princess: “Lady, we know not who has snatched away the two young princes.” These two children, it turned out, were born of the princess and the demon.

The princess, hearing her words, hurried out through the cave gate. There she saw the Wanderer holding the two children in his arms, standing on the high cliff as if he intended to throw them down. Alarmed, she cried out sharply: "You man, I have nothing to do with you. Why did you take my son away? His father is formidable; if even a small mistake is made, you will not get away with it." Sun Wukong replied, "Do you not recognize me? I am Sun Wukong, Tripitaka’s senior disciple. My junior disciple Sha Wujing is in your cave. Release him, and I will return these two children to you. Two for one—still a bargain for you." Hearing this, the princess rushed inside, drove away the little gate demons, and with her own hands untied Sha Wujing. Sha Wujing said, "Princess, do not release me. I fear your monster may come home, ask for you, and cause you to be blamed." The princess said, "Venerable elder, you are my benefactor. You interpreted the letter for me and saved my life. I was willing to release you as well. Yet just as I went near the gate, you had your great elder brother Sun Wukong arrive, and he ordered me to free you."

Alas! When Sha Wujing heard the three characters "Sun Wukong," it was like ambrosia poured over him, like nectar moistening the heart. Instantly he rejoiced; his whole being was filled with spring. It was no mere report that someone had come—he felt as though he had picked up a lump of gold and jade. Watch him pull his sleeves straight and step out the gate, bowing before the Wanderer: "Elder brother, you truly seem to have descended from the heavens. Please rescue me!" Sun Wukong laughed: "You rascal, can’t you recite the Tightening Headband Spell once to aid me? You speak many spells from your mouth. If we are to protect Tripitaka, how can we fail to go west on the Western journey and instead sit here crouching?" Sha Wujing said, "Elder brother, no need to say more. A worthy man does not reopen an old fault. We are like generals of a lost army; we should not boast. Save me and the children." Sun Wukong said, "Come up." Sha Wujing then leapt and sprang onto the cliff.

At that moment Zhu Bajie hung in the air and, seeing Sha Wujing emerge from the cave, pressed down the cloud and called, "Brother Sha, endure—endure." Sha Wujing said, "Second brother, where have you come from?" Zhu Bajie said, "I was routed yesterday. At night I entered the city and met the White Horse. Learning that Master was in danger, I used the yellow-robe spell and turned into a tiger. The White Horse and I discussed it and asked you, elder brother, to come." Sun Wukong said, "Pigsy, no more chit-chat. Each of you take one child, and go first into Baoxiang City to incite that demon. I will stay here and fight him." Sha Wujing asked, "Brother, how should we provoke him?" Sun Wukong said, "The two of you rise into the air and stand on the Hall of the Golden Wheels. Do not worry about who is right or wrong. Throw the children once before the White-Jade Steps. If anyone asks who you are, say you are the sons of the Yellow-Robed demon, brought here by me and one of my brothers. When the demon hears this, he will certainly return, and I need not enter the city to fight him. If we fought above the city, it would summon cloud and mist and raise dust, disturbing court and officials and all the people, and none would be at peace." Zhu Bajie laughed: "Brother, just do what must be done and leave the rest to us." Sun Wukong said, "How am I to help you?" Zhu Bajie said, "You have taken these two children; you have already broken their courage. Their throats are already hoarse from crying and they’ll surely die soon. If we drop them down at once, they may become mere lumps of flesh. When the demon catches them, he will demand our two lives in return. If not for clean proof there will be no witness at all. Can’t you stand with us?" Sun Wukong said, "If he seizes either of you, you two come here and fight. This place is a wide battlefield; I will wait here to fight him." Sha Wujing said, "Exactly, exactly. What elder brother says is reason. Let us go." Then the two set off with a show of fearsome confidence, carrying the children with them.

Sun Wukong at once leapt down from the cliff to the gate below her tower. The princess said, "You monk, you have no faith at all. You said you would return my children if I released your disciple, but you freed your disciple and kept my children, then came back to stand at my gate. What is this for?" Sun Wukong smiled and said, "Princess, do not take offense. You have been here a long time. I brought your son to let him recognize his grandfather." The princess said, "Monk, do not be impolite. My Yellow-Robed Lord is not like others; if you frighten my child, he will be deeply alarmed." Sun Wukong laughed: "Princess, one born between Heaven and Earth—how can this alone be an offence?" The princess said, "I know." Sun Wukong said, "You are a woman of the household; what do you know of such things?" The princess said, "I was raised in the palace and taught by my parents since childhood. I remember an old text: ‘Among the Three Thousand Punishments, none is greater than filial impiety.’" Sun Wukong said, "Then you are truly one lacking filial piety. For the Classics say, ‘Father bore me, Mother raised me. Alas, mother and father, your efforts and hardship gave me life.’ Thus filiality is the root of all conduct, the source of all virtue. How, then, can you keep company with a demon spirit and not even remember your parents? How else can this not be the crime of unfilial conduct?" At these words the princess grew red in face and ears, ashamed and ashamed. After a while she spoke out: "Venerable elder, your words are best. How could I not remember my parents? This demon spirit tricked and carried me off here. His commands are strict; my movements are constrained, the roads are far, and there is no one through whom I can send word. If I try to die, my parents would suspect I fled, and things would never be made clear. So I had no choice but to prolong my life. Truly I am one great sinner before Heaven." When she had finished, tears streamed from her like a spring.

Sun Wukong said, "Princess, do not grieve. Zhu Bajie told me that you had a letter, and that letter saved my Master’s life. In it there was also your longing for your parents. Let me then take down the demon, bring you back to court, and present you before the Son of Heaven. Then choose a worthy husband and serve your parents till old age. What do you say?" The princess said, "Monk, do not try to end me. Yesterday both your junior brothers, how valiant they are, could not defeat my Yellow-Robed Lord. You, one so meager of flesh and bone, looking like a crab, with bones all outside the skin—what power have you? Dare you talk of capturing demons?" Sun Wukong laughed: "You truly cannot see clearly—you cannot recognize people. A saying goes, ‘Though a bladder be large, it has no weight; though a small scale be tiny, it can still press a thousand pounds.’ As for appearance, theirs is all largeness with no use: they stride against the wind, spend cloth in their robes, their hearts are hollow fire, their crown and waist are weak, and their eating brings no merit. As for old Sun Wukong, though small in body from the start, I am not to be measured by shape." The princess said, "Do you really have such methods?" Sun Wukong said, "You have not yet seen mine. I can certainly subdue demons and am most able to pin down monsters." The princess said, "Do not mislead me." Sun Wukong said, "I will not mislead you." The princess said, "If you can subdue and pin down demons, how will you catch him now?" Sun Wukong said, "Then step aside for now and move away; do not stand before me. If he comes and you interfere, you may become soft toward him through long affection and not be able to let him be struck." The princess said, "How can I fail to be attached? What keeps me here is my compulsion, nothing else." Sun Wukong said, "You were his wife for thirteen years. Are there no feelings? If I see him, he will meet no mockery from me—one staff is one staff, one punch is one punch. Only when he is knocked down will you be free to return to court and face the Son of Heaven."

The princess truly did as Sun Wukong told her, withdrawing to a secluded place to hide. It was her marital fate to end here; thus she came upon the Great Sage’s arrival.

The Monkey King hid the princess away. Then he instantly changed form, becoming exactly like the princess, and returned to the cave, waiting for the monster there.

Then Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing took the two children into Baoxiang and flung them down before the White-Jade Steps. Wretchedly, both became like meat cakes; fresh blood spurted, and their bones were shattered. Alarmed, the officials of the whole court announced, "Disaster! Disaster! Two children have fallen from heaven!" Zhu Bajie shouted in a loud voice: "Those children are the sons of the Yellow-Robed demon, taken here by old Zhu Bajie and Brother Sha!"

The monster was still in Yin'an Hall, still heavy with the wine he had drunk. While he was in sleep he heard someone crying his name. He turned over, raised his head, and looked out. There on the cloud he saw Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing shouting. The demon inwardly thought: "Pigsy is tolerable enough. But Sha Wujing was bound in my house—how could he possibly come out? How could my household release him? And how did my child reach his hands? This is surely a stratagem by Pigsy because he could not come out and fight me directly, so he contrived this device. If I acknowledge these two and fight them, if they throw a block-spade formation at me, this whole swagger may be broken and that key flaw discovered. Yet I am still half-dazed from wine. Let me first go back home and see whether these are truly my children; I can speak with him afterward." Such a demon he was. He did not pause for courtesy and did not make a proper report to the king; he turned through hills and woods and went straight back into the cave to check the matter.

By then the court had already learned he was a demon. At night he had eaten one palace maid and there were also seventeen who had come near death. At dawn he went to the king and reported the whole matter in detail. Because he had already left without presenting himself again, the king grew all the more certain he was a monster. The king then had many officials set guards over the fake tiger; there is no need to elaborate further.

But the monster turned and went straight back to the cave mouth. When the Great Sage saw him coming, he made a show of it: he squeezed his eyes shut, let tears fall in a soft, pattering rain, then stamped his feet and beat his chest, crying and wailing as though his whole body had lost its reason. In the cave, he howled in grief. The monster, not recognizing him at first, came forward and held him, saying, "Hunca, what is it? Why are you so distressed?" The Great Sage spun out his false words, shaping a counterfeit tale, and with tears in his eyes pleaded, "My lord, there is a saying: 'A man with no wife is without master of his fortune; a woman without a husband is left with an empty life.' Yesterday you went to court to acknowledge your kin, and why did you not return? This morning Zhu Bajie abducted Sha Wujing and carried off my two sons. It was he who did it, and he will not grant mercy. He said he would take [them] to court to have them recognized by my grandfather; all this half-day, the children have been unseen, and who knows if they live or die. You have not come home either. How am I to bear this severing? So I cannot stop my tears." The demon, hearing this, grew furious in his heart and asked, "So these are truly my children?" The Great Sage replied, "Yes. Zhu Bajie took them away."

The demon, angry and leaping wildly, said, "Enough, enough. My son was smashed by him and is beyond being alive. The only thing is to take that monk and make him atone for my son's life in revenge. Hunca, do not cry now. How are you feeling in your heart now? Let me treat it." The Great Sage said, "I am not really hurt; I simply cannot bear my sons, and crying has made my heart ache." The demon said, "Never mind. Please rise. I have a treasure here; let me press it on the spot where it pains, and it will not hurt anymore. But be careful. Do not let my thumb touch it. If the thumb touches, you will see my true form." The Great Sage laughed inwardly: "This rough demon, though unruly, is strangely honest. He surrenders without torture; I’ll let him bring out the treasure, then I’ll flick him once and see what kind of fiend he is." The monster led him deeper and farther into a secluded, sealed part of the cave. From his mouth he spat out a treasure the size of a chicken egg, a dazzling reliquary-like inner pill. The Great Sage secretly rejoiced: "Fine stuff indeed. Who knows how many works were needed, how many years of trials, how many turns of yin and yang were spent to refine this inner-relic core. By fate, I have met it today, Old Sun." The monkey took it; there was no place that truly hurt, so he pretended to touch lightly, then snapped one finger at it. The demon panicked and lunged to snatch it. Just then, the monkey swerved and in one movement swallowed it whole. The demon came with clenched fist to strike. The Great Sage blocked the blow with one hand, wiped his face, revealed his true form, and said, "Monster, do not be impertinent. Look closely—do you recognize who I am?"

The demon, on seeing him, was greatly startled and said, "Ah! Hunca, why do you show this sort of face?" The Great Sage barked, "You rotten fiend! Who is this Hunca of yours? You do not even recognize your ancestors." The demon suddenly seemed to realize and said, "I seem to recognize you a little." The Great Sage said, "I will not strike you yet; look again." The monster said, "Though your face seems familiar, I cannot recall your name. Who are you? From where did you come? Where did you lay my Hunca low, then come into my home to trick away my treasure? Truly rude and detestable!" The Great Sage said, "You still do not recognize me. I am Sun Wukong the Pilgrim-walker, Tripitaka’s senior disciple. I am your predecessor from five hundred years ago." The monster said, "No such words. No such words. When I seized Tripitaka, I knew only that he had two disciples, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing. Who has ever mentioned a man surnamed Sun? You are some odd monster from elsewhere, come here to deceive me." The Great Sage said, "I did not come with those two. My master, because Sun Wukong is in the habit of beating monsters and has killed many, is a compassionate and good-natured man and sent me back, so I did not travel with him. You do not know the names of your own ancestors." The demon said, "How very masculine you are. Once your master drove you away, how can you still have the face to come before others?" The Great Sage said, "You brute, do you not know 'a teacher for one day is a father for life'? 'Between father and son there is no enmity from a single night apart'? You harmed my master; how could I fail to save him? You may have harmed him, but afterward you still curse me behind my back—what kind of words are those?" The demon said, "I never cursed you." The Great Sage said, "It was Zhu Bajie who said it." The demon said, "Do not believe him. Zhu Bajie has a sharp mouth and a tongue like a wife’s gossiping tongue—how can you believe him?" The Great Sage said, "No need to talk of such side matters. Sun Wukong has come to your home today and you have made your guest wait. Though you offer no wine or dishes, you still still have a head to spare. Quickly extend your head; let Sun Wukong strike one staff-blow as your tea." Hearing him speak of beating, the demon laughed hoarsely, "Sun Wukong, you have misjudged. If you had said you would beat him, you should not have entered here. I have hundreds of demons, great and small. Even if you have hands all over your body, you cannot break out of my gate." The Great Sage said, "Do not speak nonsense. Forget to say hundreds. There may be thousands, ten-thousands. As soon as I sort out each one, it is easy to beat them; staff by staff, blow by blow, I will cut off their roots and lines entirely."

The demon, hearing this, hurriedly sent word. The demons on the mountain front and back, in and out of the cave, gathered all at once, each gripping weapons and blocking the three or four gate layers densely so none could pass. The Great Sage saw this and was overjoyed. With both hands arranging his staff, he cried out, "Transform!" and became three heads and six arms. He swung the Golden-Hooped Staff, and it changed into three Golden-Hooped Staffs. Watch those six hands wielding three staves as he went straight on, like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, like an eagle plunging through a chicken pen. That is no pity to the lesser fiends: one blow crushed skulls, another swept blood like running water. He moved and dodged across the field like entering an empty wilderness. Only one old demon remained, who rushed out of the gate and shouted, "You wild monkey—you are truly idle and lazy! How do you come into this doorway and bully folk?" The Great Sage wheeled round at once and beckoned, "Come then, come on. To strike you down is my merit." The demon raised a treasured saber and hacked in from separate angles; the Great Sage drew the iron staff and met him face to face. On the mountain ridge, in half-cloud and half-mist, the killing began there:

The Great Sage’s marvels are mighty, the fiend’s skill is deep. Here one sweeps the iron staff straight, there one lifts a steel sword askew. The blade arcs in a slow glow like dawn-bright cloudlight. The light swing of the staff traces drifting colored cloud. They come and go and guard the peak, again and again, turning all over in circling passes. One changes his face as the wind shifts; one stays on the ground, swaying his whole body. That one glares like fire and stretches ape-arms. That one flashes golden eyes and bends the tiger's waist. You come, I go, and trade in battle; blade meets staff and yields no mercy. The Monkey King’s iron cudgel follows the Three Strategies, the monster’s steel sword keeps the Six Manuals. One relies on habitual methods as demon-lord; one casts out power to guard Tripitaka. The fiercer the Monkey King grows, the fiercer the demon lord becomes. Forgetting life and death, they strike through the air, all in honor of Tripitaka’s distant obeisance to Buddha.

The two fought for five or six dozen rounds and no winner could be seen. The Great Sage thought to himself, "This wild fiend’s sword can indeed withstand old Sun’s staff. If I let old Sun leave him a gap, I’ll see whether he can recognize me." The good monkey king raised both hands with his staff and took a "High-Searching Horse" stance. The demon, not knowing it was a tactic, saw an opening, flourished his treasured sword, and dashed down three directions to hack. The Great Sage swiftly turned into a "Great Central Calm" and deflected his sword, then used a "Steal-Peach Beneath the Leaves" move; he brought the staff to the demon’s crown, and the demon vanished from sight. Gathering in the staff at once, he looked around, but the fiend was nowhere. The Great Sage cried out in shock, "My son, if I strike once I should see him, but he is gone. If he had truly been killed, there should be some pus and blood. How is there not even a trace? Then he must have run." He leaped onto the clouds to look around, and in all four directions there was no movement. "My two eyes see everything, wherever I glance. Yet how could he run off so swiftly? I have understood: the demon who says he recognized me is not an ordinary earthly monster. He is likely an exquisite spirit from heaven."

At last the Great Sage could no longer restrain his anger. He brandished the Iron Staff, struck a thunderous blow, and bounded straight to the Southern Heavenly Gate. Pang, Liu, Gou, Bi, Zhang, Tao, Deng, Xin, and the rest were so flustered that they bowed low on both sides, bending and covering their backs, not daring to block him, and let him charge into the gate all the way to the Hall of Bright Clarity. The four Great Celestial Masters, Zhang, Ge, Xu, and Qiu, were already there and asked, "Great Sage, how did you come?" Wukong said, "It was because I protected Tripitaka to the Precious-Elephant Kingdom. A demon deceived the royal maiden and hurt my Master. Old Sun fought with him. In the midst of the bout the fiend disappeared. I thought that fiend is not a mere mortal demon but a heavenly essence, so I came up here to investigate what demon-spirits passed this way." On hearing this, the Master went at once to the Lingxiao Hall and made his report. By order he inspected the Nine Luminaries, the Twelve Primary Constellations, the Five Dippers of the four directions and centre, the stars of the River of Heaven, the Five Mountains and Four Rivers, and all the deities under Heaven. None had dared leave their posts. He then inspected the outer constellations of the Twenty-Eight Mansions under the Dipper; they should have been twenty-eight, but there were only twenty-seven, with only the Kui-star missing. The Master reported back: "The Kui-mu Wolf has come down from Heaven." The Jade Emperor asked, "How long has it been since he was not in Heaven?" The Master answered, "At every fourth-Mao he is absent; every three days the count is updated, and now it is already thirteen days." The Jade Emperor said, "Thirteen days in Heaven means thirteen years below." He then ordered the local star department to bring him back to the Court.

The twenty-seven mansion-officers took the order and left through the Heavenly Gate, each chanting mantras that stirred the Kui-star. You ask where he had hidden himself. He was a divine general once frightened when Sun Great Sage threw Heaven into uproar; he had slipped into a ravine and concealed himself beneath water vapour, and so no one had seen him. Hearing the officers of his own retinue recite the spells, he dared to appear and followed the host up to Heaven. Wukong blocked the gate and was about to strike him; only the pleading of the other stars prevented that, and he was brought before the Jade Emperor. At his waist the fiend drew out a gold tally and, kneeling at the hall, offered a guilty submission. The Jade Emperor said, "Kui-mu Wolf, in Heaven there are delights without edge or end; if you cannot relish them, why did you wander off by yourself?" The Kui-star knelt and spoke: "Ten thousand years and ages, pardon my mortal offence. The princess of the Precious-Elephant Kingdom is no ordinary human. She was once a jade maiden who served incense in the Hall of Fragrant Offerings. Because she wished to join with me in the mortal world, she first came down and was reborn in the inner court of the imperial palace. I did not break my prior accord. I changed form and became this demon, occupied a famed peak, drew her to a cave residence, and we have been joined as husband and wife for thirteen years. 'A single sip and a single bite are no accident but fate.' Now Sun Great Sage has come and brought this to success here." Hearing him, the Jade Emperor took back the gold tally and demoted him to the Doushui Palace to tend the fire for the Supreme Lord Laozi. With merit, he may return to rank; without merit, his fault will be made even heavier.

When Wukong saw that the Jade Emperor had issued such a release, he rejoiced inwardly, bowed deeply toward Heaven, and said to the assembled gods, "Gentlemen, let us get started." The Master smiled and said, "That monkey is still so rustic; after he has captured the demon spirit for him, he did not thank the heavenly grace, he simply bows and withdraws." The Jade Emperor said, "As long as no trouble results, heaven keeps its peace and that is our good fortune."

The Great Sage settled his radiant light, and at once turned toward Wanzi Mountain's Wave-Moon Cave, found the princess, and plainly recounted the words about her descending to the mortal world to subdue the demon. Suddenly they heard Pigsy and Sha Wujing shouting from midair: "Elder Brother, there are demon spirits! Let us leave a few and we will beat them." Wukong said, "The demon spirits have all been utterly annihilated." Sha Wujing said, "Once the demons are all slain there is no hindrance. Bring the princess into court at once. Do not open your eyes. Brothers, use the Earth-Shortening art."

The princess only heard wind roaring in her ears; in a moment she was brought back into the city. The three brought her up to the Golden Luan Hall. She respectfully bowed to her father-king and mother-empress, met her sisters, and all officials came to take leave. She then opened her memorial: "By the boundless power of Senior Monk Sun, the Yellow-Robed demon has been subdued and brought me back to the kingdom." The king asked, "What sort of demon is this Yellow Robe one?" Wukong said, "Your Majesty’s new consort is the Kui-star from above; the one you call beloved was once a jade maiden in the incense-hall of the Heavenly Chamber. Out of desire to descend, she came down as human and was reborn within the inner apartments. No one can call this a trivial matter; all these marriages are ties from former ties of lives. The monster was reported by Old Sun in Heaven to the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor checked that he had been absent from Heaven for thirteen days there, which is thirteen years below—one day in Heaven is one year in the mortal world. By order, the local star officers seized him and brought him back. He was sent to the Doushui Palace, completed service, and earned his rank again. Old Sun also rescued Your Majesty’s beloved." The king thanked Wukong for his grace and said, "Go now and fetch your Master."

The three of them came down from the Precious Hall and, with all the officials, entered the court room. They hauled out the iron cage and unfastened the chains of the false tiger. The others saw a tiger; only Wukong saw a man. The Master had been overwhelmed by the demon spell and could not walk, though his mind remained clear; only his mouth and eyes could hardly open. Wukong laughed, "Monk, you are such a fine monk—how did you make yourself into such a terrible face? You called me a violent bad one and sent me back, saying you would keep to the Way, yet in one breath you made this countenance?" Pigsy said, "Brother, save him now; do not spend all your time teasing at him." Wukong said, "You are forever egging things on. He is your cherished and proud disciple. If you won’t save him, how will you keep searching for Old Sun? I told you before: once the demon was subdued and I had repaid the grudge of being slandered, we would return." Sha Wujing came forward on his knees: "Brother, as the ancients said, 'Do not look at the monk’s face, look at Buddha’s face.' Since Eldest Brother has come this far, I entreat you to save him. If we could save him ourselves, we would not have dared to come so far and call on you." Wukong lifted him by the hand and said, "How could I have peace and not save him? Bring water at once." Pigsy flew to the post-station, fetched the baggage and mounts, took out the purple-gold bowl and filled it halfway with water, then passed it to Wukong. Wukong took the water in his hand, chanted the true mantra, and with one fierce spray cast it into the tiger’s face, expelling the demon spell and releasing the tiger spirit.

The monk returned to his true form, steadied his mind, and opened his eyes, then recognized Wukong. He caught Wukong’s arm and cried, "Wukong, where have you come from?" Sha Wujing stood respectfully at his side and gave a full report: how Wukong had been summoned, how the demon was subdued, how the princess was saved, how the tiger spell was lifted, and how all matters had been brought back to court. Tripitaka could not thank him enough: "Excellent disciple, you have borne the burden of this all; only you have borne it. From now on, go straight to the West, and at once return to the Eastern lands to present to the Tang king. Your merit is foremost." Wukong laughed, "No more of it, no more of it. Need not speak those words; this is enough to show how deeply I am loved." Hearing this, the king once again thanked all four disciples. He had a plain ceremonial banquet arranged and threw wide the East Pavilion. The monk and his disciples received the imperial kindness, bid the king farewell, and headed west. The king, followed by many officials, escorted them far on their way. It is so:

The lord returns to the treasure hall and settles the realm; the monk goes to Leiyin to honor Buddha.

In truth, who knows what happened after this, and when they at last reached the Western Heaven? Let the next chapter explain.