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.

Soon, Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie were about to use their arts to subdue those women when there was suddenly a rushing noise of wind. Sha Wujing bawled out in alarm, and when they turned their heads in haste, Tripitaka was nowhere to be seen. Sun Wukong said, “Who is it that has come and carried off our Master?” Sha Wuking replied, “It is a woman. She raised a whirling storm array and snatched Master away.” Hearing this, the Great Sage whistled sharply and leapt into the clouds, reaching out with his hand and looking in every direction. He saw a mass of dust, the wind roaring heavily, sweeping toward the northwest. He turned back at once and called, “Brothers, mount up in the clouds and chase after Master with me.” In response, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing threw their packs onto the horse, and with one cry both of them leapt into midair.

The king, ministers, and women of Western Liang were startled and fell to their knees in the dust. They all said, “It was an Arhat that ascended in broad daylight; our lord need not be in fear. Tripitaka is also a Buddhist monk of the Way. We all lacked clear eyes and mistook him for a man from China. We wasted this divine effort for nothing. Please, let Your Majesty return by carriage to the capital.” The queen felt deeply ashamed. All the officials and attendants returned to their own state together; no further account need be given.

Again, the Great Sage and the two brothers rose through cloud and mist, pursuing toward the whirling wind. At length they arrived at a tall mountain. The dust had settled, the wind had dispersed, and still they did not know where the demon had gone. The brothers stepped down from the clouds and searched for a way, when suddenly one side of a wall showed bright green stone, like a screen. The three led the horses around the stone screen. Behind it were two stone gates. On the gate were six great characters reading, “Toxic-Enemy Mountain Pipa Cave.” Zhu Bajie, ignorant of the danger, strode forward to force the gate with his spade and hook. Sun Wukong quickly stopped him: “Brother, do not be in haste. We chased after that whirlwind all this way, and only after searching now have we come upon this gate, still not knowing whether it is shallow or deep. If this is not the proper gate, would it not only attract suspicion? You two take the horses and stand by the stone screen for a little while. I will go in first and inquire, to test whether anything is solid or hollow. Then we can act properly.” Sha Wujing, hearing this, said with approval, “Very good, very good indeed. Coarse in form, fine in thought—you are right: in a crisis one must first hold steady.” The two led the horses back.

Sun Wukong displayed divine power, twisted his chant, recited a spell, and in an instant transformed into a honeybee, truly nimble and light. See him:

His wings are thin and soft, bending with the wind. A narrow waist, light as sunlit silk. His mouth is sweet and once sought the flower’s stamen, His tail is keen and skillful at descending like a toad. His making of honey is not yet deep in craft, Yet his obeisance is humbly modest. Now he works this clever stratagem, And dances, winging into the eaves of the gate. From a flaw in the gate Sun Wukong pierced through and entered, passing over two layers of doors. There, in the pavilion at the center, sat a female demon. On either side stood several maidens in bright-coloured embroidered robes, with side buns in their hair, all in gaiety and joy, talking happily over something they themselves did not know how to stop. The Wukong flew silently onward and clung to the lattice of that flower pavilion, then listened closely. He saw two little girls with uncombed knotted hair carrying two hot trays up to the pavilion, saying, “Madam, one tray is savory buns stuffed with human flesh, and one tray is vegetarian buns stuffed with Deng-sha.” The demoness laughed, “Girls, bring out Tripitaka.” The maidens in embroidered robes moved into the inner room and supported Tripitaka out. The Master’s face was yellow, his lips pale white, his eyes red and wet with tears. In secret Wukong sighed and said, “The Master has been poisoned.”

The demoness came down from the pavilion, her ten fingers of spring-like tenderness, and seized the monk: “Master, do not fear. Though this is not the palace of the women’s kingdom of Western Liang, nor as rich and splendid, this is still quiet and free, truly fit for Buddha recitation and sutra study. Be my Dharma companion here; then one might truly have a hundred years of harmony.” Tripitaka was silent. The demoness continued, “Make no more worries. When you attended the banquet in the women’s kingdom, you ate nothing. Here I have both meat and vegetarian dumpling cakes; take some and calm your terror.” Tripitaka reflected inwardly: “I will not speak. I will not eat. This monster is not like that queen. The queen, at least, was of human form and acted with propriety. This one is a demon spirit. It is likely to harm me. If my three disciples do not know I am trapped here, and if she strikes me, would it not be for nothing a life given away?” He asked himself and, finding no way out, summoned his spirit and said at last, “Which is meat? Which is vegetarian?” The demoness answered, “The meat is stuffed with human flesh; the vegetarian is stuffed with Deng-sha.” Tripitaka said, “I, poor monk, eat only vegetarian food.” She laughed: “Girl, bring hot tea. Have him, your household elder, eat the vegetarian buns.” One maid at once brought a cup of fragrant tea and placed it before the elder monk. The demoness split open one vegetarian bun and handed it to Tripitaka. Tripitaka passed the meat bun, whole, to the demoness. The demoness laughed: “Tripitaka, why did you not split it open for me?” Tripitaka joined his palms and said, “As a monk, I dare not split open meat.” She said, “You are a monk and dare not split meat? Why, the other day at Zimu River you ate the flood-bread in haste, and yet today you want Deng-sha stuffing?” Tripitaka replied, “The flood made the boat go fast, while sinking sand slows the horse.”

In the cracks of the lattice, Wukong listened to the two arguing back and forth. Fearing that Master would lose his true nature, he revealed his true form and drew his Iron Staff, crying, “Abominable beast, you are impertinent!” When the demoness saw him, she exhaled a streak of smoke and covered the flower pavilion, commanding, “Girls, seize the Master.” Then she took up a triple-pronged steel fork, leapt out from the pavilion door, and shouted, “Lazy, insolent monkey! How dare you sneak into my home and spy on my face? Do not run. Take this trident from your old mother.” The Great Sage met her with his staff, and the two fought while pressing and retreating toward the cave mouth. Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing were waiting before the stone screen. At the sight of their furious contest, Zhu Bajie took up the white horse in alarm and said, “Sha Wujing, you guard the baggage and the horse. Let your old pigling come to help in the fight.” The honest fool raised both his spades and hurried up, calling, “Elder brother, move back; let me beat this shameless one.” When the demoness saw Zhu Bajie arrive, she used another art: she shouted once, breath-fire from her nose, smoke from her mouth, shook her body, and the triple-pronged fork swirled out to meet him. She came rolling forward, her head and face hidden, yet of no count of hands. Thus Wukong and Bajie held her at both flanks and fought. The demoness said, “Sun Wukong, you truly know not how to keep distance. I recognize you; you do not recognize me. Even Buddha of the Thunder-Roaring Temple fears me. With these two hairy men, where could you go? Come on, both of you—let me inspect you one by one and beat you properly.” This bout was a rare and fierce contest:

The demoness was long in majesty, and the Monkey King rose in valor. Marshal Tiānpéng and Wukong contended in deeds of valour, wildly lifting pikes and spades to show strength. The one with many hands set down her steel fork, smoke-light coiling tightly. These two, quick-tempered and manful in war, sent dense mist and vapor up and up. The demoness sought a husband only; how could this monk of a man yield his source of life? When yin and yang do not match, each clings and resists; each displays fierce cleverness, and they rage through bitter contention. Yin should rest still and preserve its abundance; Yang should gather and guard love in purity. So there was no peace in either side, as fork and spade and staff gambled on victory. The staff had strength, and the pike seemed stronger; the demoness’s steel fork clanged against it, point for point. Before Poison-Enemy Mountain there was no concession; outside the Pipa Cave, no compassion. That one rejoices at winning Tripitaka as a phoenix-pairing mate; these two must follow the elder monk to win the true scripture. Terrible against heaven and earth, they came to battle, making sun and moon dim and stars and constellations waver. After a long time they fought, but no victor was decided. The demoness then sprang up and used a reverse-horse poison stake, and without warning struck once at the crown of the Great Sage’s head. Wukong cried out, “Agh! It hurts!” and unable to bear it, withdrew in defeat. Zhu Bajie saw the strife had gone wrong and drew back dragging his spade. The demoness, having gained the advantage, withdrew and put away her steel fork.

Wukong held his head, brows knotted, face in pain, and called out, “Peril! Peril!” Zhu Bajie came near and asked, “Brother, why did you, just when the fight was turning well, retreat crying out as if in pain?” Wukong clutched his head and only cried, “It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.” Sha Wujing said, “It seems your head wind has risen.” Wukong jumped up, “No, no.” Zhu Bajie said, “Brother, I never saw you wounded, yet your head hurts. Why is it?” The Great Sage sniffed and said, “No joke. No joke. As we faced him directly, when he saw me break his trident pattern, he sprang up and, I do not know with what weapon, struck my head once. The pain became so hard to endure that I had to leave the field.” Zhu Bajie laughed, “So with such constant boasting in peaceful moments you said your head had been tempered by training, yet you cannot endure this one jab?” Wukong replied, “It is true. This head of mine, since I perfected true being, stole the peaches and immortal wine, stole Laozi’s Golden Elixir, and during the ruckus in Heaven was sent by the Jade Emperor with the Great-Power Ghost King and the Twenty-Eight Constellations to Douniu Palace, where divine generals cut and severed with ax and hammer, and thunder struck and fire burned. And when Laozi later placed me in the Bagua Furnace and refined me for forty-nine days, none of that harmed me. Yet today I do not know what weapon this woman used to wound my head.” Sha Wujing said, “If you let go of your grip, let me see to it. Do not break it yet.” Wukong said, “No, no, do not break it.” Zhu Bajie said, “I will go to Western Liang and fetch some salve for you to apply.” Wukong said, “If it is not to break, how can I apply any salve?” Zhu Bajie laughed. “Brother, I have never had that before and after my birth, and you have managed to make yourself a boil at the brow.”

Sha Wujing said, “Second Brother, stop teasing. It is already dark, Big Brother has hurt his head, and our Master’s life and death are unknown. What are we to do?” Sun Wukong snorted. “Master is safe. When I entered, I turned into a honeybee and flew inside. I saw the woman seated at a flower pavilion. After a while, two maidservants came carrying two trays of mo cakes: one with meat filling, savory; one with dengshā filling, vegetarian. Then two young girls came out and offered to bring Master out so he could eat a calming bite, as if to keep him company. At first Master neither answered the woman nor ate the mo. Later, because of her sweet words, he somehow spoke, and said he wanted the vegetarian one. She split open the vegetarian one and handed it to him. Master gave her the whole savory one. The woman asked, “Why did you not split it apart?” Master replied, “An ordained monk dare not tear apart meat.” She said, “If you do not tear meat, how is it that the other day you drank water at Zimu River and today you are so fond of dengshā filling?” Master did not understand and answered, “The boat had to depart at once, and sand slowed the horse’s stride.” From behind the lattice I heard this and feared Master would lose his composure, so I revealed my true form and struck with my staff. The monster used magic too, spitting out smoke and shouting, “Seize the monk,” then swinging a steel fork, it made holes in Old-Son’s blows.” Sha Wujing heard this, bit his fingers, and said, “That shameless jade-hearted braggart never mind where she came from, yet she came with us and already knew all the details.”

Zhu Bajie said, “If that is how it is, we might as well not rest. Don’t care whether it is dusk or midnight—let us storm her gate, shout and make a din, keep her from sleeping, and stop her from tricking our Master.” Sun Wuking said, “My head hurts. We cannot go.” Sha Wuking said, “No need to force a fight. First, Big Brother has a headache; second, our Master is a true monk and will not let lustful beauty disorder his discipline. Let us remain on the slope below, sit in a sheltered spot tonight, restore our strength, and at daybreak handle it.” So the three of them tied down the white horse, guarded the baggage, and spent the night on the slope, with no further account.”

The demoness cast off her ferocity and arranged her face into delight again, saying, “Children, shut both the front and back doors tightly.” She also put two guards to watch; if they heard any sound at the gate, they were to report at once. Then she ordered, “Girls, set the bedchamber in order; hold the candles and light the incense. Invite Monk Tang, I will unite with him.” She brought the Great Master out from the rear. The demoness assumed a very delicate and alluring manner and said to Tripitaka, “There is a saying: ‘Gold is not the truly precious thing; comfort is worth more.’ Come, let us make merry like husband and wife.” The Master clenched his teeth and made no sound. He wanted to withdraw, but for fear she might take his life, he followed her tremulously into the perfume chamber. He acted as if half-mad and mute, never raising his head or eyes; he did not look at what bedding or curtains were in the room, nor knew of any chests or beauty cases. Even when she spoke in the tones of rain and cloud, he did not hear. A good monk indeed:

He does not look at base sights, nor listen to erotic songs. He takes embroidered loveliness like filthy earth, and gold-and-pearl beauty like mere dust. He loves only meditation all his life, never stepping away from the Buddha realm. What care has he for jade and scented hair, when all he knows is the cultivation of truth and the guarding of nature? She is vivid and lively, with spring longing without edge; this elder monk is still as death, with Chan insight still present. One is like soft jade and gentle fragrance; this one like dead ash, dried wood. One displays the phoenix-pair bed and throbbing lust; this one gathers his robe and keeps a monk’s mind fixed as if on a wall, bound for the mountain to visit Bodhidharma. She undressed, displaying her fragrant skin and soft flesh; Master drew up his robe and tightly hid his rough body and coarse skin. The demoness said, “The bed and quilt are ready—why don’t you sleep?” Tripitaka replied, “With this pounding head, how can I keep you company?” She said, “I would be your former-chapel Lily Cui.” He said, “I am no Yuezhalī monk.” She said, “I am as fair as Xi Shi, still graceful and soft.” He said, “My king of Yue has long lain buried.” She said, “Young Master, do you remember, ‘Better to die beneath blossoms and still be elegant as a ghost?’” He answered, “My true yang is my ultimate treasure; how could I lightly give it to your powdered skull?” Their words and replies continued like that, fighting each other till deep into the night, and Tripitaka remained inwardly unmoving. The demoness pulled and tugged and would not release him; the Master was steady, refusing through and through. It persisted until near midnight when she, annoyed and angry, called, “Girls, bring rope.” Alas, she bound her beloved plaything with a rope into something like a gibbon-shaped knot. She then ordered him dragged to under the veranda, extinguished the silver lamp, and sent everyone to his own bed. It passed as a night without words.

Before they knew it, the rooster called three times. Sun Wukong at the base of the slope bent down and said, “I had this headache earlier, and now it is neither painful nor numb—just a little itchy.” Zhu Bajie laughed, “If it itches, pinch him again; what do you say?” Wukong spat and snapped, “Enough, enough, enough.” Zhu Bajie laughed again, “Enough, enough, enough—my Master had a riotous night, truly a wild one.” Sha Wuking said, “No quarrelling. Daylight is near; hurry and go catch that demon tonight.” Wukong said, “Brother, you stay here and guard the horse, do not stir. Zhu Bajie, go with me.”

The pig monk shook himself awake, smoothed his black brocade robe, and followed Sun Wukong. Each taking weapons, they leapt onto the mountain cliff and went straight to beneath the stone screen. Wukong said, “You stand here. I fear this demon may have harmed Master in the night, so first let me go in and find out. If she has enticed him and spoiled his vital essence, then truly his virtue is broken and our discipline is lost; then we all scatter in flames. If he has not been thrown into confusion and his Chan mind remains unmoved, then hold hard and fight, kill the spirit-beast, and save Master for the Western journey.” Zhu Bajie said, “You are too foolishly quiet. There is a saying: ‘Can one use a cat for a dried-fish pillow?’ Whether this or that, I’ll still grab you a few times.” Wukong said, “Don’t spread reckless doubts. Let me go see.”

The Great Sage turned aside the stone screen, left Zhu Bajie, and changed back into a bee, flying into the gate. He saw two maidservants inside the gate, each resting with handbells tucked under their heads, sleeping soundly. He went to the flower pavilion to look. The demoness, having made a racket the whole half-night, and all the others, seemed not to know it was already dawn; they still slept. Wukong circled behind. He could barely hear nothing but Tripitaka’s voice calling. Suddenly he looked up and saw Tripitaka tied under the corridor with all four limbs bound together. He lightly tapped the Master’s head and called, “Master.” Recognizing the voice, Tripitaka said, “Has Wukong come? Save me quickly.” Wukong asked, “How did matters go last night?” Tripitaka, teeth clenched, said, “I would rather die than consent to this.” Wukong said, “Yesterday I saw her as if she had pity and affection, and yet how has she today reduced you to this humiliation?” Tripitaka said, “She entangled me half the night. My belt was never undone; my body did not touch the bed. When she saw I would not follow her, she bound me here. You must save me and go to fetch the scriptures.”

As the master and disciples were still talking, the demoness was wakened. Though she had become cruel, she still had a lingering attachment, hard to let go. In one turn she rolled over and just then heard the words, “Save me and go get the scriptures.” She came down from the bed, shouted harshly: “If we are not to be husband and wife, then why should he go for scriptures?”

Wukong, flustered, left Master behind, hurriedly spread his wings and flew out. He returned to his true form and called, “Zhu Bajie.” From behind the stone screen, the boar monk said, “Did that matter get settled?” Wukong laughed, “Not yet. Master was not yielding while she teased him, and in her anger she bound him there. He had only just begun telling me the earlier events when that monster woke; I came out in a panic.” Zhu Bajie asked, “What did Master say?” Wukong said, “He said only that his robe was never loosened and his body never touched the bed.” Zhu Bajie laughed, “Excellent, excellent, he is still a true monk. Let’s go save him.”

Zhu Bajie, rough as always and not allowing further words, swung his iron spike and struck the stone gate with all his force, making a loud, clattering crash and hewing it into chunks. Frightened, several maidservants with bells at their heads who had been sleeping ran to the outside of the second gate, crying, “Open the door—the front gate was smashed yesterday by those two ugly men!” The demoness was just stepping out when she heard five maidservants run inside and report: “Madam, those two ugly men who came yesterday have come again and already shattered the front gate.” On hearing this, the monsteress at once called, “Girls, heat water, wash your faces, and comb your hair.” Then she shouted, “Carry in the rope that bound our young Master and put it away in the back room. Wait till I go beat him.”

Imp, come out and face us, holding a three-pronged fork. He shouted, “Muddy monkey! Wild boar! blind fool. How dare you break into my gate?” Zhu Bajie shouted back, “Lewd, base trickster! You first trapped my Master, then dared to snarl at me. My Master is one you lured here to make a husband; send him out at once and I may spare you. If you utter one more word of ‘no,’ this old boar will strike you with my cangue-spike hard enough to shake even a mountain down.” The demon, without giving room for reply, shook his body, resumed his arts, breathed smoke and fire from nose and mouth, and raised the steel fork to jab at Zhu Bajie. Zhu Bajie sidestepped, met it with his spike, and Sun Wukong helped him by driving in with the Iron Staff. The demon again used sorcery, with no one knowing how many hands he had, and blocked them from both sides. After three or five rounds of exchange, with some unknown weapon he even pierced Zhu Bajie on the lip. The glutton dragged off his cangue-spike, mouth twisted in pain, and staggered away to preserve himself. The Great Sage, who had been singed by him too, tossed out a feigned swing, withdrew and retreated. The monster returned victorious and called his attendants to stack stone blocks up before the front gate; no further account is given.

Sha Wujing was out on the slope holding the horse, when he heard Zhu Bajie grunting from that direction. He lifted his head and saw the fool holding his mouth in pain and groaning as he came. Sha Wujing asked, “What happened?” Zhu Bajie groaned, “Unbearable—unbearable. Painful, painful, painful.” He could say no more. Sun Wukong came up then and laughed, “Good fool, yesterday I called it a boil in the forehead; today you’ve even made yourself into a swollen-boil mouth.” Zhu Bajie groaned, “Can’t bear it, can’t bear it. It hurts sharply; this is serious, serious.”

As the three were still in trouble, an old mother appeared, carrying a green bamboo basket in her left hand and coming along the South Mountain path with vegetables. Sha Wujing said, “Eldest brother, that old woman has come near. Let me ask her—what demon is this, what weapon is that, and how can it wound so?” Sun Wukong said, “Hold on. Let old Sun ask.” Sun Wukong looked sharply and saw auspicious clouds covering her head and fragrant mist enveloping her body. He recognized her and called out, “Brothers, kneel at once—the mother is a bodhisattva.” Zhu Bajie, despite his pain, knelt in pain to salute. Sha Wujing pulled the horse and bent low, while Sun Wukong clasped his hands and knelt, calling out, “Namo Greatly Compassionate and Greatly Merciful, Guanyin, Soul-Stirring Bodhisattva of Guanshiyin, Savior of those in suffering and distress.”

Guanyin saw they had recognized her true radiance and stepped on the auspicious clouds, rising into midair, revealing her true form. At first she had been in the likeness of a fish-basket. Sun Wukong hurried into the air, knelt and explained, “Bodhisattva, forgive me for the offense of not receiving you at once. We have been laboring to rescue Tripitaka; we did not know the bodhisattva had descended. Now we face a demon obstruction that we cannot contain. I pray you, please rescue us.” Guanyin said, “That demon is extremely fierce. The three-pronged fork he carries is made from two pincer claws. The thing that makes people cry out in pain is a hook on his tail, called dao-ma poison. In his true form he is a scorpion spirit. Formerly, at Le Yin Temple he heard the Buddha expound the sutras. When the Buddha saw him, he could not even push him away with his hand; the demon immediately turned the hook and stabbed the Buddha’s left thumb once. The Buddha himself could not bear the pain, and ordered the Vajra to seize him. Yet he is here now. If you wish to save Tripitaka, you must summon another helper; I cannot come near this foe. Sun Wukong bowed again and said, “Please indicate, Bodhisattva—who is the one we should summon? I will go at once to invite him.” Guanyin answered, “Go to the Bright Hall at the Eastern Heavenly Gate and petition the Mao-rì Star Officer. Only then can he be subdued.” Saying so, she turned into a shaft of gold light and returned straight to the South Sea.

Sun Wukong then guided the top of his cloud down and said to Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, “Brothers, fear not—our Master has a rescuer now.” Sha Wujing asked, “Where is this rescuer?” Sun Wukong replied, “Just now the bodhisattva instructed me to petition the Mao-rì Star Officer. I am going now, Elder.” Zhu Bajie groaned through his mouth, “Brother, why not ask the Star Officer for some medicine for this pain as well?” Sun Wukong laughed, “No need for medicine—just as yesterday it passed after one night’s pain.” Sha Wujing said, “No need to delay; go quickly.”

Sun Wukong set off quickly and rode the Cloud of the Jidou, and in no time reached the outside of the Eastern Heavenly Gate. Suddenly he saw the Great King Zengzhang standing before him and bowing: “Great Sage, where are you bound?” Sun Wukong said, “I am escorting Tripitaka westward to fetch the scriptures. On the road we are entangled by demon obstruction; I must go to the Bright Hall to see the Mao-rì Star Officer.” Then Tao, Zhang, Xin, and Deng, the Four Great Marshals, asked too where he was headed. Sun Wukong said, “I go to seek the Mao-rì Star Officer to subdue the demon and save my Master.” The marshals said, “The Star Officer this morning, by decree of the Jade Emperor, went to inspect things from the star terrace.” Sun Wukong said, “Can this be true?” Xin Tianjun said, “Your little captains have been with him in the same Douniu Palace; none of us would dare to lie.” Tao Tianjun said, “It has been quite some time; he may have returned by now. Great Sage, go first to the Bright Hall. If he has not come back, then go to the star observatory as well.”

The Great Sage was overjoyed and left them. At the gate of the Bright Hall, there was indeed no one; he withdrew his form and left, when he saw a line of soldiers arrayed by the wall and the Star Officer coming in their wake. The Star Officer still wore ceremonial robes suitable for audience, with a robe all threaded in gold. He appeared as follows:

His crown and hairpin glowed with the golden light of the Five Great Peaks, and his court tablets held jade-like brilliance like mountain and river. His robe hung heavy with clouds of the Seven Stars, and clouds of radiance billowed like a curtain. Tinging pendants chimed in rhythmic notes; his swift speed sounded like bells in the wind. With a green-feathered fan he unfurled the Mao stars, and heavenly fragrance swept through the whole courtyard. The forward soldier saw Sun Wukong standing outside the Bright Hall and quickly turned to report, “Lord, Sun Wukong is here.” The Star Officer drew in the cloud-mist, tidied his ceremonial robes, bade the attendants part on either side, and came forward, bowing: “Great Sage, what brings you here?” Sun Wukong said, “I came only to beg you to relieve one hardship and save the Master.” The Star Officer asked, “What hardship? In what place?” Sun Wukong said, “In Pipa Cave on Mount Dudi in Western Liang.” The Star Officer asked, “What demon is in that cave that you would summon this minor god?” Sun Wukong said, “Guanyin Bodhisattva just manifested a moment ago and said it is a scorpion demon. She specifically recommended you as the one able to cure him, so I have come to ask.” The Star Officer said, “I had intended to report to the Jade Emperor, but now that the Great Sage has come and with Bodhisattva’s recommendation in hand, I fear any delay would fail the task. I will not even dare to request tea; I will go with you to subdue the demon and then later make my court report.”

As soon as he heard this, the Great Sage left at once with him, went through the Eastern Heavenly Gate, and straight to Western Liang, where Mount Dudi was not far. He pointed ahead: “That is the mountain.” The Star Officer pressed down his cloud, and the party arrived below the slope before the stone screen. Sha Wujing saw this and said, “Second brother, stand up. Elder has brought the Star Officer.” The fool, still nursing his mouth, said, “Forgive me, forgive me. I am ill and cannot perform due rites.” The Star Officer said, “You are one who cultivates; what illness is this?” Zhu Bajie said, “Early this morning I fought that demon and he pierced my lip. It still aches.” The Star Officer said, “Come up, let me treat you.” The fool dropped his grip and groaned, “Please heal me thoroughly; when I am well I shall thank you.” The Star Officer touched the wound on the lip and blew once; the pain disappeared. Zhu Bajie joyfully knelt and said, “Wondrous! Wondrous!” Sun Wukong laughed, “Please touch my head as well.” The Star Officer replied, “You are not afflicted by poison. Why would you ask for this?” Sun Wukong said, “Yesterday I was poisoned too; once a night passed, it ceased. There is still some numbness and itching, and I fear latent venom might rise. Please treat me.” The Star Officer truly touched his head and blew once; the remaining poison was cleared, and there was no more numbness or itching. Zhu Bajie, now hardening his spirit, said, “Brother, go strike that vile one.” The Star Officer said, “Exactly, exactly. Call him out together, and then let me subdue him.”

Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie leapt up onto the slope and went to the back of the stone screen. The fool, speaking nonsense through his swollen mouth, muttered, “His hook is like a hauling-claw,” and with one driving blow of the spike he tore apart the stones piled outside the cave-mouth. He forced his way through the first gate, then with another spike-stroke smashed the second gate to dust. A young demon inside cried out in alarm, “Grandmother, those two ugly men have broken through the second gate as well!” The fiend there had been teaching Tripitaka to be released and asking for plain tea and plain grain to eat. Hearing the second gate broken, he at once leapt out of the flower pavilion, lifted his fork and lunged at Zhu Bajie. Zhu Bajie met him with a spike-stroke; Sun Wukong, standing to one side, struck with the Iron Staff. The demon ran close to make poisoned attacks, and Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, recognizing his method, turned and fled back.

After that demon had run past the Stone Screen, the Monkey Monk shouted, “Where is the Mao Star Officer?” At once that Star Officer stood upon the hill slope and revealed his true form. He was in truth a great double-crested cock, raising his head to the height of six or seven feet, and he crowed once at the demon. The demon instantly showed his true form too: a scorpion spirit the size of a pipa. The Star Officer crowed once more, and that monster’s whole body turned limp and soft and died on the slope. A poem gives testimony:

With its flowered crest and embroidered neck, like a twisted plume, its claws firm and hard, its long eyes blazing with wrath. It leaps in virile strength with all five virtues, a towering, mighty form to shame three-fold crowing. What is it to that common bird that cries from a thatch-roofed hut? It is truly a heavenly star revealing a sacred name. A venomous scorpion, wrongly trying to walk as a human, now, returned to source and seen, appears in its true form. Zhu Bajie stepped forward and with one foot pinned the creature on its chest and back: “Curse-beast! This time I’ll not let you use the back-fall venom.” The monster did not move at all; the fool then drove down a single strike with his spiked mace, smashing it into a mass of rotten mash. The Star Officer gathered up his radiance again, mounted the clouds, and departed. The Monk, with Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, faced heaven and thanked him: “You have earned your merit, you have earned your merit. Another day we shall go to the palace and repay our thanks.”

Only after the three had offered their thanks did they pack up their baggage and horses and all go inside the cave. They saw all the maids, both great and small, kneel on both sides and bow, saying: “Master, we are not demons or monsters. We are women of the Xiliang Kingdom, taken here by this scorpion spirit. Your Teacher sits in the rear fragrance chamber and is weeping.” Hearing this, the Monk observed closely and truly saw no demonic aura. He then entered the rear room and called out, “Master.” When Tripitaka saw everyone gathered, he was greatly pleased and said, “Excellent disciples, I have troubled you. How are those women?” Zhu Bajie replied, “That wretch was a great mother scorpion. By Guanyin’s instructions, Senior Brother went to the Heaven Palace and summoned the Mao Sun Star Official to descend, and subdued that thing. Only then did this old pig dare to make it into clay and venture this far in so he could behold the Master’s face.” Tripitaka thanked him without end. They sought some plain rice and plain flour, laid out food, and ate one meal. They drove the women brought here by the spirit back down the mountain and pointed them toward the road home. They lit a torch, burned the few houses to complete ruin. Then they invited Tripitaka to mount, and set out in search of the main road westward. It ran:

Sever the worldly ties, leave behind form and appearance, and with mind unruffled, awaken to the Dharma as in a great metal sea laid dry.

In the end, it is still unknown after how many years they will yet attain true enlightenment. Listen in the next chapter for the full resolution.