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.

There is no need to speak of how heavenly gods crowded around; the Great Sage came to rest. The Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva of Great Compassion and Great Mercy who dwelt on Mount Lao-jia of Putuo in the South Sea, having been invited by the Queen Mother of the West to attend the Peach Banquet in the Hall of Great Splendor, had gone there together with her senior disciple, the Monk Hui'an, and in that same crystal pavilion they beheld desolation, shattered seats and scattered offerings. Although a few heavenly immortals were present, none had taken their places; all argued restlessly in confusion. After meeting the Bodhisattva and all the immortals, they recounted all that had transpired. Guanyin said, “When the feast is not truly in session and no cups are being passed, you should follow this humble monk and go meet the Jade Emperor.” The immortals, all in good spirits, followed. At the gate of the Hall of Radiant Clarity, four Great Heavenly Masters and Chi-jiao Celestial Immortals were already waiting, greeting Guanyin. They explained that the Jade Emperor was troubled: the celestial troops had been dispatched and monsters had been seized, but had not yet been brought back. Guanyin said, “I need to see the Jade Emperor and convey your difficulties.” Qiuhongji, the Great Master, entered the Lingxiao Treasure Hall and announced her arrival. There sat the Supreme Patriarch Lao Jun and behind him the Queen Mother of the West.

Guanyin led the company inside and paid respects to the Jade Emperor, then bowed to Laojun and the Queen Mother, and all took their seats. She asked, “How has the Peach Banquet gone?” The Jade Emperor replied, “Every year we hold it in joy and celebration; this year, because that demon monkey wreaked havoc, it is only an empty invitation.” Guanyin asked, “Where does this demon-monkey come from?” The Jade Emperor answered, “That demon was born from a stone egg on Flower-Fruit Mountain in Aulai of the Eastern Victory Continent. When he was born, his eyes cast out golden light that shot toward the Dipper. At first we paid him no heed. Later he became an adept, subdued dragons and tigers and slew lives at will. When the Dragon King and King Yama submitted reports, I wished to arrest him. It was then that Changeng Star reported: ‘Among the Three Realms, anyone with nine orifices may become an immortal.’ So I taught and instructed him, summoned him up, and made him official in charge of the Jade Horses, a Bima-wun post. He disliked the lowly office and rebelled against Heaven. I then ordered Li Tianwang and Prince Nezha to subdue him; and after issuing an edict of pacification and bringing him up to Heaven, I conferred on him the title Great Sage Equal to Heaven, but with office and no salary. Because he had nothing to do, he roamed east and west. Fearing he would cause trouble, I made him supervise the Peach Garden. He disobeyed the law, devoured all the old-fruiting peaches. When the banquet was arranged he was not among the summoned officials and was not invited. He deceived Chi-jiao Immortal, changed his form and slipped in, then stole all celestial food and wine, stole Laojun’s divine pills, and stole some court wine, and took them back to share with the monkeys on his own mountain. I was vexed, so I deployed ten thousand, no, ten thousand? heavenly soldiers with Heaven-net and Earth-net to capture him. A day has now passed and no troops have returned; the outcome is still unknown.” Guanyin, hearing this, told Hui’an, “Go quickly down to Flower-Fruit Mountain and scout the situation. If you meet him in battle, render one helping hand; make sure you return with a true report.”

Hui’an adjusted his robe and took up an iron cudgel, mounted a cloud, and went straight to the mountain front. He saw the Heaven-Net and Earth-Net layered thick and close, each camp gate with bells and cries; the mountain was enclosed so tightly that nothing could pass through. Hui’an halted and called out, “Tell the camp officers at the gates: I am Mutcha, second prince of Li Tianwang, Hui’an, the Great Disciple of Guanyin of the South Sea, and I have come specifically to scout the military situation.” At once those guards relayed it to the main command tent. Already there were Xu-ri Mouse, Mao-ri Cock, Xing-ri Horse, and Fang-ri Rabbit reporting it to the central camp. Li Tianwang raised a command banner and ordered the Heaven-Net and Earth-Net opened to admit him. At that dawn in the east, Hui’an entered with the banner and saw Li Tianwang and the Four Great Heavenly Kings, and he bowed to them. After the bow, Li Tianwang said, “Boy, from where do you come?” Hui’an replied, “This fool followed the Bodhisattva to the Peach Banquet. The Bodhisattva found the assembly place desolate and the Jade Pool empty, so she took all the immortals and this fool to see the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor said you were sent below to subdue the demon monkey and in a day had no report returned, outcome unknown, so he asked me to probe the truth.” Li Tianwang said, “We camped here only yesterday and set up camp here. I sent the Nine Luminaries to challenge him; this brute used wondrous powers and all Nine Stars were defeated and returned. Later, when we personally brought troops, he scattered our formation. Our ten thousand? actually ten thousand? soldiers and he fought us in mixed combat till dusk; he used a multiplicity-of-bodies method and drove us back. When we later gathered the troops and searched, we only caught a few wolves, insects, tigers, and leopards; not one monkey demon was taken. We have not yet gone out to fight today.

He had barely finished when someone came from outside the gate with the report: “That Great Sage has brought a band of monkey demons and is calling for battle outside.” The Four Great Heavenly Kings, Li Tianwang, and the prince were in the middle of deliberating dispatching troops when Mutcha spoke: “Father, this poor novice, by Guanyin’s instruction, came down to scout and report. If there is battle, I should be able to help. I am not afraid now; let me go and see what kind of Great Sage he is.” Li Tianwang said, “Child, since you have trained under the Bodhisattva these years, you surely have acquired some divine arts. Be careful.”

The fine prince, with both hands brandishing his iron cudgel, knotted his embroidered robe and sprang from the gate, crying aloud, “Which is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?” The Great Sage raised his Ruyi staff and shouted back, “It is Old Monkey. Who are you to dare ask me such a thing?” Mutcha said, “I am Mutcha, the second son of Li Tianwang, now at Guanyin’s seat serving as a disciple-protector. My Dharma name is Hui’an.” The Great Sage said, “You are not even training in the South Sea—why have you come here to face me?” Mutcha said, “My master sent me to inspect the battle. Seeing you so rampant, I have come to capture you.” The Great Sage said, “You dare speak such vain words. Do not run; take this one blow from Old Monkey.” Mutcha was not afraid at all, and swung his iron staff in a cross-handed welcome. The two stood in the midst of the slope outside the gate and the battle was fierce:

棍雖對棍鐵各異，兵縱交兵人不同。一個是太乙散仙呼大聖，一個是觀音徒弟正元龍。 渾鐵棍乃千鎚打，六丁六甲運神功；如意棒是天河定，鎮海神珍法力洪。 兩個相逢真對手，往來解數實無窮。這個的陰手棍萬千兇，繞腰貫索疾如風；那個的夾槍棒不放空，左遮右擋怎相容。 那陣上旌旗閃閃，這陣上鼉鼓鼕鼕。萬員天將團團繞，一洞妖猴簇簇叢。怪霧愁雲漫地府，狼煙煞氣射天宮。昨朝混戰還猶可，今日爭持更又兇。堪羨猴王真本事，木叉復敗又逃生。

The Great Sage and Hui’an fought five or six rounds. Hui’an’s arms became numb and weak; he could not withstand him, gave a false feint, and withdrew from the field in defeat. The Great Sage then withdrew his monkey troops and stationed them outside the cave mouth. At Li Tianwang’s camp gate, great and small heavenly soldiers seized the prince, parted the way, and let him pass straight through the gate. He spoke rapidly, out of breath, to the Four Heavenly Kings, Li Tuo-ta, and Nezha: “Great Sage! Great Sage! His powers are truly vast. I, your son, could not beat him and had to retreat defeated.” Li Tianwang was startled; he immediately ordered a memorial to be written and dispatched Great-Strength Ghost King and Prince Muzha to petition Heaven.

The two did not dare linger. They broke through the Heaven-and-Earth net, then mounted auspicious, radiant clouds and mists. Soon they reached beneath the Hall of Brilliant Clarity, saw the Four Great Heavenly Masters, and were led to the Lingxiao Treasure Hall to submit the memorial. Hui’an also paid homage to the Bodhisattva. Guanyin asked, “How did your scouting go?” Hui’an replied, “As first commanded, I came to Flower-Fruit Mountain and had the heaven-and-earth net gate opened. I saw Father, and he said, ‘Yesterday I fought that monkey king once; only tiger, leopard, lion, and elephant spirits were captured, not a single monkey spirit. While speaking, he challenged again. I, a disciple, fought him with an iron staff for five or six dozen bouts and could not win, then withdrew in defeat.’ So Father sent Great-Strength Ghost King and me to seek help above.” Guanyin lowered her head in thought.

The Jade Emperor opened the memorial and, on seeing the plea for help, laughed: “How dare this monkey demon be so skillful as to stand against ten thousand heavenly soldiers? Li Tianwang has come for help again—are the road gods and heavenly troops really expected to aid him?” Before he finished, Guanyin joined her palms and spoke: “Your Majesty, do not be troubled. This poor monk can name one divine lord who can capture that monkey.” The Jade Emperor asked, “Which god do you name?” Guanyin replied, “It is Your Majesty’s nephew, the Manifest Sage Erlang Zhenjun, who dwells in Guanzhou, at the mouth of the Gan River, receiving incense from below. In former days he completely subdued six demons, and he has with him the six Meishan brothers and twelve-hundred Grass-Head gods before his gate; his powers are vast. Yet he only obeys command-and-support summons, not proclamations. If Your Majesty issues a mobilization order, he can be sent to aid and he will surely seize this monkey.” The Jade Emperor, on hearing this, issued a mobilization edict and ordered Great-Strength Ghost King to carry it.

The ghost king took the decree, mounted the clouds, and went straight to the Ganjiang mouth, reaching the true lord’s temple in less than half an hour. The ghost sentinel at the gate had already reported, “A heavenly envoy is here with the court decree.” Erlang came out with his brothers to receive the envoy, burned incense, and read it. The decree stated:

On Flower-Fruit Mountain the demonic monkey, Great Sage Equal to Heaven, has rebelled. He stole peaches, wine, and elixirs from Heaven, disturbed the Peach-Peak banquet; though ten thousand heavenly soldiers and eighteen layers of heaven-and-earth net were deployed to encircle the mountain and capture him, he has not been taken. Therefore dispatch Your Majesty’s favored nephew and his sworn brothers at once to Flower-Fruit Mountain to suppress him. Great reward awaits after success. Hearing this, the True Lord rejoiced: “Have the envoy return. I will go at once with sword in hand to aid.” The ghost king returned with his report; no further matter is recorded.

The True Lord then summoned the six elder brothers of Meishan—Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li—and the two generals Guo Shen and Zhijian, gathering them before the hall: “Just now the Jade Emperor has dispatched us to Flower-Fruit Mountain to capture this demonic monkey. Let us go together.” All brothers gladly agreed. He then ordered his own divine troops, mounted on eagles and dogs, prepared crossbows and strings, and, as violent wind raged, in an instant crossed the Eastern Ocean and went straight to Flower-Fruit Mountain. Seeing the heaven-and-earth net in dense layers that blocked advance, he called out to the net’s divine commanders: “I am Erlang, the Manifest Sage True Lord, sent by the Jade Emperor to capture the monkey demon. Open the camp gates and let us pass.” The command was relayed layer by layer all at once. The Four Heavenly Kings and Li Tianwang came out through the gate to meet him. After courteous greeting, they inquired about the battle; Li Wang related what had happened. Erlang laughed and said, “As I have arrived, I must fight him through transformation. Do not cover the top with the heaven-and-earth net; close it only tightly around all four sides, and let me wrestle him. If I lose to him, you need not help—you will see my brothers support me. If I win, you need not bind him—you will see my brothers act. Ask only Li Tuo-ta to use a demon-shedding mirror and hold it in the air. Should he at some point be defeated and break away in flight, you must illuminate him clearly so he cannot escape.” The kings each took their positions in the four directions, and all heavenly troops took their battle stations.

Erlang then led out the four marshals, the two generals, and his seven brothers to challenge from camp. He ordered all commanders to guard the encampment and round up all eagle-and-dog troops. The Grass-Head gods obeyed. Erlang came only as far as outside the Water-Curtain Cave and saw the monkeys in strict ranks, arrayed in a coiled-dragon formation. In the center stood one pole banner inscribed with four characters: “Great Sage Equal to Heaven.” Erlang said, “That unruly demon—how can he claim the office of Great Sage Equal to Heaven?” The six brothers of Meishan said, “Stop admiring him; call him out to fight.” A sentry monkey at the camp mouth saw Erlang and ran in panic to report. The Monkey King then snatched up his golden-hooped staff, donned his gold armor, stepped into cloud sandals, tapped his purple-gold crown, sprang through the gate, and opened his eyes wide to look. The True Lord’s appearance was truly unusual, both refined and elegant. In truth, he was:

His appearance was handsome and clear; his appearance noble, shoulders with drooping ears, eyes shining bright. He wore a Three-Mountain flying-phoenix cap, and a robe of pale duck-goose-yellow. Golden-threaded boots with coiled-dragon socks, and a jewel belt adorned with eight precious blossoms. At his waist hung a crossbow of a new-moon form; in hand he held a three-cornered, two-edged spear. With an axe he cleft Peach Mountain, once saving his mother. A single shot struck down the Shanluo pair of phoenixes. Renowned in distant lands for crushing the Eight Demons; bound in righteousness with the seven holy ones of Meishan. Proud in spirit, he would not acknowledge Heaven’s protection; proud by nature, he returns to live as a deity at Guanjuan. Red-Cloud, luminous, efficacious holy spirit-saint; infinitely manifest, he is called Erlang.

The Great Sage saw him and with a laugh lifted up the Gold-Crowned Cudgel and cried out, “What minor general are you that dares to challenge me here so boldly?” The True Lord shouted back, “You blind brute, you cannot recognize me? I am the nephew of the Jade Emperor, the conferred Zhaohui Lingxian, Second Earl Erlang. By Heaven’s order I have come to seize you, this Bimawen monkey that has rebelled against the heavenly court. You still do not know life and death.” The Great Sage said, “I remember when the Jade Emperor’s sister descended as a mortal woman and, with Lord Yang, bore a son who split Peach Mountain with an axe. Is that you? I meant to curse you a bit, though I have no real grudge; I was about to strike you once with my staff—what a pity it would be to take your life. You little lordling, be quick and send for your Four Great Heavenly Kings!” The True Lord in rage said, “Vile monkey, stop your insolence! Take one slash from me!” The Great Sage sidestepped and in one motion swung back with the golden staff. The two now fought fiercely:

Zhaohui Erlang God and Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. This one, proud and deriding the enemy, was that handsome Monkey King; that one, unknown-faced, pressed to subdue him. As the two first met, both were eager for battle. They had never known shallow and deep before; today each learned which was light and which was heavy. The iron bars raced like leaping dragons, the divine blades whirled like dancing phoenixes. Left blocked, right attacked; charges forward and retreat met eye to eye. On one side, Meishan’s six younger brothers raised the wind to stir support; on the other, Ma-Liu’s four generals passed down the commands. Banners waved, drums boomed in unison, shouts and gongs all lent their support. The two swords and iron rods saw their chance and went and returned with no gap between one movement and the next. The Ruyi golden cudgel is a treasure of the seas, whose transformations can fly and soar and win the fight. If your body lags, your life should already be forfeit; once you misstep, you will trip and fall.

The True Lord and the Great Sage fought for more than three hundred rounds with no clear victor. Then the True Lord mustered his divine power and changed form, growing ten thousand zhang tall. He raised in both hands a three-pronged, double-bladed divine weapon; his face was blue, with protruding fangs and vermilion hair, fierce and wrathful, and he came straight at the Great Sage to cut off his head. The Great Sage also used his art and transformed to match Erlang’s build, with face and form the same. He raised one Ruyi golden cudgel, which at once became the pillar upholding heaven atop Mount Kunlun, blocking the Erlang God. This made the horse marshal and Liuyang Marshal tremble so they could scarcely stir the banner; even Bēng and Bā, the two officers, were timid and could not wield their swords and blades. In that formation, Kang, Zhang, Yao, Li, Guo-shen, and Zhijian relayed commands, releasing the Grass-Head gods. They drove out hawks and hounds from beyond Water Curtain Cave, set crossbows and drew bows, and together closed in for the kill. Sadly, the monkey troops and four valiant commanders were thrown into confusion, and two or three thousand spirits were taken. Those monkeys cast away spears and armor, flung down swords and spears, some ran, some shouted, some fled uphill, some returned to the cave. It was like nocturnal birds startled at their roosts, scattering across the sky like stars. The triumph of the brothers need not be detailed.

But as the True Lord and the Great Sage changed and fought in forms spanning Heaven and Earth, in the midst of the duel the Great Sage suddenly saw the demons in his own camp scattered in alarm and, sensing panic in himself, folded up his spell-forms, snatched his staff, and took to flight. Seeing him run, the True Lord came after him quickly: “Where do you think you’re going? Surrender at once and I will spare your life.” The Great Sage did not linger in battle and ran on. Near the mouth of the cave he ran straight into the four Great Commanders Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li, along with generals Guo-shen and Zhijian, who together led their men to block the way, shouting, “Vile monkey! Where are you going?” Startled and flustered, he pinched the staff into a brocade needle and hid it in his ear. In an instant he changed form into a sparrow, perched and stuck at the top of a tree. The six brothers, in a panic, searched front and back and could not find him, and together called out, “The monkey spirit has run away! The monkey spirit has run away!”

At that point, true lord arrived and asked, “Brothers, where did he go? He vanished over there, didn’t he?” The other gods replied, “He was only encircled right here and then disappeared.” Erlang opened his fierce hawk-like eyes and saw the Great Sage transformed into a sparrow, nailed to a tree. He withdrew his true form, cast aside the divine spear, and unstrung his sling. Then he changed at once into a hawk-eagle, flapped out his wings, and flew to strike. The Great Sage saw this and with a sharp rush of wind on one wing shot up and turned into a great cī-lǎo-like bird, rising into the sky. Erlang saw him, hurriedly shook out his plumage, and changed into a great sea-crane, diving up through the clouds like a spear. The Great Sage then sank down, entered the ravine, and became a fish, plunging into the water. Erlang came to the ravine’s edge but saw no trace. In his heart he thought, “This monkey-god surely went into the water and must have changed into fish or shrimp. I’ll change again and seize him.” As sure as thought, he changed into a fish-eagle, drifting over the head of the descending current, waiting a while. The Great Sage, as a fish, was swimming with the current when he saw a flying bird: like a blue hawk, but no blue feathering; like a heron, but no plume on top; like an old stork, but no red legs. “It must be Erlang changing in order to meet me!” he quickly turned his head and, with a flick, took off. Erlang saw this and said, “That fish-like trickster: like a carp, but no red tail; like a bream, no spotted scales; like a catfish, no star on the head; like a sparid, no needles on the gills. Why did he turn back the moment he saw me? It must be that monkey’s transformation.” He charged forward and pecked one beakful. The Great Sage suddenly sprang from the water and changed into a water snake, swimming near the bank and wriggling into the grass. Erlang still could not catch him. Seeing a snake darting out with a splash, he recognized it as the Great Sage. He turned around and changed into a gray crane with a cinnabar crest, its long beak like a pointed pair of iron tongs, and came straight to eat this water snake. The water snake sprang once and changed into a spotted báo bird, dull and unadorned, standing on the reed-bank. Erlang saw him become such a base creature—(the hua-bào is among the most vulgar and licentious birds, mating with anything from phoenix, eagle, and raven onward) and so he did not crowd close. He then resumed his original form, strode over, picked up the sling, drew it full, and with one shot knocked him into a backward spin.

The Great Sage seized the chance, rolled down the cliff, hid there, and changed again, becoming an earthen temple: its mouth wide open like a temple gate; teeth became the gate leaves; tongue became a Bodhisattva; eyes became lattice windows. Only the tail was hard to conceal, so he raised it behind him as a flagstaff. True lord arrived at the cliff’s foot, saw no fallen hua-bò bird, only a tiny temple. He quickly opened his wide eyes and looked carefully; seeing the flagstaff behind, he laughed, “So this is the monkey. Once again he’s deceiving me there. I have seen temples before, and never one with a flagstaff standing behind it. Surely this brute is making sport of me. If he lures me in, he’ll bite me in one go. How could I consent to entering? First I’ll knock at the lattice, then I’ll kick the gate leaves.” Hearing this, the Great Sage shuddered in fear: “How fierce, how fierce! The gate leaves are my teeth, the lattice my eyes. If he breaks my teeth and shatters my eyes, what will become of me?” With one tiger leap he sprang and rose into the air, vanishing.

Erlang rushed chaotically before and behind, and only then saw the Four Great Marshals and the two Generals arriving together and flocking around him, saying, “Elder brother, have you caught the Great Sage?” Erlang laughed, “That monkey just changed into a temple to mock me. I was just about to strike his lattice and kick his gate leaves when he jumped and vanished. How strange, how strange!” All were startled, and looking everywhere there was still no trace. Erlang said, “Brothers, stay here and guard patroling this place. I’ll go up and search for him.” He immediately sprang up, rode the clouds, and appeared in midair. He saw Li the Heavenly King raising high the Truth-Revealing Demon Mirror, with Nezha standing beside him in the clouds. Erlang asked, “Great King, have you seen this Monkey King?” Li Tianwang replied, “I have not come up; from here I have been watching him with the mirror.” Erlang then explained all the shape-shifting tricks and the matter of seizing the troop of monkeys. He added, “He turned into a temple and when I was about to strike him, he escaped.” Hearing this, Li Tianwang again swept the mirror in four directions and laughed, “Erlang, go, go quickly. He used a concealment art and slipped out of the encirclement, heading toward your Guanjiao.” Erlang, hearing this, at once took up his divine spear and returned to Guanjiao to pursue.

By this time the Great Sage had reached Guanjiao mouth, transformed himself into the likeness of Erlang, dropped below the cloud bank, and went straight into the temple. The ghost officials could not recognize him and each one bowed in greeting. He sat in the middle and checked the incense accounts: the three sacrificial victims offered by Li Hu, the protection blessing promised by Zhang Long, Zhao Jia’s petition for a son, and the cure vow of Qian Bing. As he was in the middle of this, someone announced, “Another father-elder has come.” The ghost judges hurriedly looked and were all startled. Erlang asked, “Where is the Great Sage who equals Heaven that has just come here?” The ghost judges said, “We have not seen any Great Sage; only one elder is inside checking the incense.” Erlang burst through the temple doorway. The Great Sage saw him and revealed his true form, saying, “Young lord, no need to shout; this temple has already become the surname Sun.” At once this Erlang raised his three-pronged, two-edged divine spear and struck across the face. The Monkey King used a body shift to let the spear pass. He drew out the embroidered pin, flicked it once, and it spread to the breadth of a basin as it rushed forward, meeting him face to face. The two of them shouted and brawled, fought out of the temple, half in mist and half in cloud, fighting while advancing and then returning to Flower-Fruit Mountain. Alarmed, the four Great Heavenly Kings and the rest tightened the defenses still more. Thus the likes of Commander Kang and Commander Zhang received Erlang and, with unified effort, enclosed the handsome Monkey King—details not repeated here.

After Great Force Ghost King had dispatched Erlang and his six brothers to raise troops and arrest the demon, he returned to the upper realm to report. The Jade Emperor, Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Queen Mother, and the host of immortals were in Lingxiao Hall when he said, “Since Erlang has gone to join the battle, there is still no report returned today.” Guanyin joined her palms and said, “Your Majesty, please take the Patriarch of the Way out beyond the South Heavenly Gate and go yourself to see what is real.” The Jade Emperor said, “What you say is reasonable.” He then mounted and, together with the Path-Ancestor, Guanyin, the Queen Mother, and all the immortals, went to the South Heavenly Gate. Some heavenly soldiers and strong attendants were already there to receive them and open the gate for distant observation. They saw heavenly guards setting a net and surrounding all four sides; Li Tianwang and Nezha held up the Demon-Detecting Mirror in the air; in the center Erlang had the Great Sage encircled, and all around them fierce battle was flashing.

The bodhisattva said to the Old Lord, “How is that Erlang Shen you mentioned? If he truly has divine power, he has already surrounded the Great Sage, only he has not yet captured him. I shall now lend him one move and surely seize him.” The Old Lord said, “Bodhisattva, what weapon will you use? How will you help?” The bodhisattva said, “I will throw down the willow from the pure bottle at the monkey’s head. Even if it cannot kill him, it will at least make him take a hard fall so young Erlang may seize him.” The Old Lord said, “Your bottle is porcelain; if it hits him, good. But if it misses his head and strikes his iron staff, will it not shatter? Do not move yet—let this Old Lord lend him one helping strike.” The bodhisattva asked, “What weapon do you have?” The Old Lord said, “I have it, have it, have it.” He rolled up his sleeves and took a ring from his left upper arm and said, “This weapon is made of tempered kun-steel, refined by me with elixir and infused with spirit-qi. It can transform, is not harmed by fire or water, and can ensnare all things. It is called ‘Jin Gang Zuo,’ also called ‘Jin Gang Tao.’ In the old days when I crossed Huan Pass and converted barbarians into Buddha, it proved very useful. Morning and evening it is most useful for self-defense. Let me cast it down and strike him once.”

After speaking, from above the Heavenly Gate he cast it downward in one sweep, and it came dripping through the air, landing squarely on the Monkey King’s head in the Flower-Fruit Mountain encampment. The Monkey King, intent on fighting the seven saints, did not realize a heavenly weapon had fallen. It struck him and, unable to keep his footing, he staggered and fell once. He tried to rise and run, but Erlang’s little hound ran up, bit his thigh, and yanked him for another fall. He fell face-down and cursed, “Wretch! You did not go to trouble my elder at home, yet you come to bite Old Monk!” He tried to scramble up but could not; the seven saints closed in and held him. They bound him with ropes, then drove a hooked blade through the pipa bone, and he could not transform anymore.

Afterward, the Old Lord collected the Jin Gang Zuo and asked the Jade Emperor, Guanyin, Queen Mother, and all immortals to return together to Lingxiao Hall. Below, the Four Great Heavenly Kings and Li Tianwang and his gods all withdrew their forces, pulled up their camps, and came forward to congratulate the young saint, all saying, “This is the merit of this little saint.” The young saint said, “This is all the Buddha’s great blessing and the power of the heavenly deities; what merit is mine?” Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li said, “Elder brother, no need for many words. Bind this brute and take him to the upper realm to see the Jade Emperor for an edict.” The True Lord said, “Good brother, you have not yet received the heavenly tally and cannot appear before the Jade Emperor. Have the Tianjia soldiers escort him; I will go with the heavenly kings above to report. You four Generals and two commanders should keep your troops here and clear-search the mountain, then return to Guankou. Let me ask for reward and merits, then come back and celebrate together.” The four Grand Commanders and two Generals accepted as told. The True Lord and the hosts then mounted cloud steeds, sang a victory ode, and ascended triumphantly. Soon they came before the Hall of Lingxiao. The Heavenly Master then reported, “The Four Great Heavenly Kings and the others have captured the demon-monkey Qitian Dashi. They are here to await Your Majesty’s judgment.” The Jade Emperor issued an order: “Command Great-force Ghost King and the Heavenly soldiers to take him to the demon-slaying platform and chop this brute to pieces.” Ah! It is exactly as follows:

欺誑今遭刑憲苦，英雄氣概等時休。

In the end, none knows yet how the Monkey King’s life will fare; wait for the next chapter’s unfolding.