Chapter 20: Huangfeng Ridge, Tang Sanzang in Trouble Bajie Competes First on the Mountain Slope

The Dharma inherently arises from the mind and is extinguished by the mind. Who controls this arising and extinguishing? Please distinguish it for yourself.Since all comes from your own mind, what need is there for others to speak? You only need to exert great effort to twist blood from iron.Thread the soft rope through the nose, tie the knot of emptiness. Fasten it to the tree of non-action, so it doesn't run wild.Do not mistake a thief for your son; forget all mental phenomena. Do not let it deceive me; strike it through with one punch.The present mind is also no mind; the present Dharma also ceases. When both person and ox are gone, the blue sky shines clear and pure.Like the full moon in autumn, it is difficult to distinguish between them.”

This gatha was composed by Tripitaka after fully comprehending the Heart Sutra and opening the gateway. The elder, constantly reciting and preserving it, felt a spiritual light shine through.

Meanwhile, the three of them, enduring the elements on their journey, traveling by moonlight and starlight, soon arrived in the scorching heat of summer. They saw:Flowers had withered, and butterflies had ceased their flitting; cicadas buzzed loudly in tall trees. Wild silkworms spun cocoons, fiery pomegranates bloomed, and new lotus appeared in the marshes.

As they traveled that day, evening suddenly fell, and they saw a village house by the mountain road. Tripitaka said, “Wukong, look! The sun is setting behind the western mountains like a fiery mirror, and the moon is rising from the eastern sea like an icy wheel. Fortunately, there’s a house by the road; let’s ask to stay here for the night and continue tomorrow.” Bajie said, “That’s a good idea. I’m a bit hungry myself. Let’s go to that house and beg for some food. With strength, I can carry the luggage better.” Pilgrim said, “You home-loving glutton! You’ve only been away from home for a few days, and you’re already complaining!” Bajie replied, “Brother, I’m not like you, who can live on wind and mist. I’ve been half-starved since I started following Master these past few days. Do you know how that feels?” Hearing this, Tripitaka said, “Wuneng, if your mind is still so attached to home, you are not fit to be a monk. You might as well go back.” The simpleton immediately knelt down in a panic and said, “Master, don’t listen to what Senior Brother says. He always slanders people. I didn’t complain about anything, but he said I did. I’m just a simple-minded fellow. I said I was hungry and wanted to find a house to beg for food, and he called me a ‘home-loving glutton.’ Master, I have taken the Bodhisattva’s vows, and you have shown me mercy. I am willing to serve you on your journey to the West and swear never to turn back. This is called ‘bitter cultivation.’ How can you say I’m not fit to be a monk?” Tripitaka said, “If that is so, then get up.”

The simpleton leaped up, grumbling to himself, and, carrying the luggage, resignedly followed. They soon arrived at the entrance of the roadside house. Tripitaka dismounted, Pilgrim took the reins, Bajie set down the luggage, and they all stood under the green shade. Tripitaka, leaning on his nine-ring staff and adjusting his bamboo-woven cloak, walked to the door. He saw an old man reclining on a bamboo bed, softly chanting Buddhist prayers. Tripitaka did not speak loudly, but slowly called out, “Benefactor, greetings.” The old man quickly jumped up, straightened his robe, and came out to return the greeting, saying, “Elder, I apologize for not welcoming you sooner. Where do you come from, and why have you come to my humble home?” Tripitaka replied, “This humble monk is from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land, sent by imperial decree to Leiyin Temple to worship the Buddha and seek scriptures. As it grew late in this esteemed region, I intended to ask for a night’s lodging at your noble residence. I humbly beg for your convenience.” The old man waved his hand and shook his head, saying, “You cannot go there. It is difficult to get scriptures from the West. If you want scriptures, go to the Eastern Heaven instead.” Tripitaka remained silent, pondering inwardly, “The Bodhisattva instructed me to go west, yet this old man says to go east? How can there be scriptures in the East?” He felt embarrassed and found it hard to speak, remaining silent for a long time.

Pilgrim, feeling defiant, couldn’t hold back and stepped forward, shouting, “Old man, you’re so old, yet you understand nothing! We monks have traveled far to ask for lodging, and you try to scare us away with such unhelpful words. If your house is too small and there’s no place to sleep, we can simply sit under a tree for the night; we won’t bother you.” The old man grabbed Tripitaka and said, “Master, you say nothing, but your disciple, that consumptive demon with a crooked face, protruding jaw, thunder-god mouth, and red eyes, how dare he offend an old man like me!” Pilgrim laughed and said, “Old man, you have no discernment! Those who look handsome are often ‘pleasant to look at but useless.’ Though I, your old Grandpa Sun, am small, I am quite sturdy, a bundle of muscles under this skin!” The old man said, “You must have some abilities.” Pilgrim replied, “I dare not boast, but I’m quite passable.” The old man asked, “Where is your home? And why did you shave your head to become a monk?” Pilgrim said, “My ancestral home is Flower-Fruit Mountain, Water Curtain Cave, in Aolai Country, on the Eastern Purvavideha Continent. From a young age, I learned to be a demon, named Wukong. By my abilities, I earned the title ‘Great Sage Equal to Heaven.’ It was only because I refused heavenly emoluments and rebelled against the Heavenly Palace that I caused a great disaster. Now, having escaped misfortune and averted calamity, I have taken refuge in Buddhism, seeking true enlightenment, and protecting my Tang Dynasty Master on his journey to the West to worship the Buddha. What do I fear from high mountains, dangerous roads, wide rivers, or raging waves! I, your old Grandpa Sun, can also capture monsters and subdue demons. Taming tigers, conquering dragons, kicking the heavens, and stirring wells—I know a bit of everything. Should there be any bricks thrown, tiles broken, pots rattling, or doors opening in your residence, I, your old Grandpa Sun, can surely pacify them.” Hearing these words, the old man burst into laughter and said, “So, you’re just a smooth-talking monk who goes around begging for alms!” Pilgrim retorted, “Your son is the smooth-talker! These days, because of the arduous journey with my Master, I’m too lazy to even speak!” The old man said, “If you weren’t tired and not lazy to speak, you’d probably talk me to death! Since you have such abilities, you can indeed go to the West. How many are in your party? Please come into my humble hut and rest for the night.”

Tripitaka said, “Many thanks to the benefactor for your kindness and not scolding us. There are three of us in my party.” The old man asked, “Where are the others?” Pilgrim pointed and said, “This old man must have poor eyesight. Aren’t they standing under that green shade?” The old man, indeed having poor eyesight, suddenly looked up closely. Upon seeing Bajie’s face, he was so frightened that he stumbled backward, rushing into the house, crying, “Close the door, close the door! A monster has come!” Pilgrim caught up and held him, saying, “Old man, don’t be afraid. He’s not a monster; he’s my junior disciple.” The old man, trembling, said, “Oh, oh, oh! One monk is uglier than the next!” Bajie stepped forward and said, “Old sir, if you judge people by their appearance, you are quite mistaken. We may be ugly, but we are all useful.”

As the old man was talking with the three monks at the door, two young men, an old woman, and three or four small children, dressed in their clothes and barefoot, returned from transplanting rice in the south of the village. Seeing a white horse and a load of luggage making a commotion at their doorstep, and not knowing their origin, they all swarmed forward and asked, “What’s going on?” Bajie turned his head, flapped his ears a few times, and stretched out his long snout, scaring the people so much that they stumbled and fell over. Tripitaka hastily called out, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid! We are not bad people; we are monks on a journey to fetch scriptures.” The old man then came out, supporting the old woman, and said, “Wife, get up, don’t be alarmed. This master is from the Tang Dynasty. Although his disciples are a bit ugly, they are kind-hearted despite their fierce looks. Take the children home.” Only then did the old woman pull the old man inside, and the two young men led the children into the house. Tripitaka sat on the bamboo bed upstairs, complaining, “My disciples, your appearances are ugly, and your words are coarse. You’ve scared this whole family half to death, causing me to accrue bad karma!” Bajie said, “To be honest, Master, I, your old pig, have become much handsomer since I started following you. Back when I was at Gao Family Village, if I simply thrust my snout forward and flapped my ears, I would often scare twenty or thirty people to death!” Pilgrim laughed and said, “Idiot, don’t talk nonsense. Try to hide some of that ugliness.” Tripitaka said, “Look at what Wukong says! Appearance is given by birth; how can he hide it?” Pilgrim replied, “Stuff that rake-like snout into your chest and don’t take it out; flatten those fan-like ears against the back of your head and don’t wiggle them. That’s how you ‘hide it’!” Bajie actually tucked his snout in and flattened his ears, bowing his head as he stood by their sides. Pilgrim brought the luggage into the house and tied the white horse to a post.

The old man then brought in a young man, who carried a wooden tray with three cups of clear tea to offer. After tea, the old man ordered a vegetarian meal to be prepared. The young man then brought out an old, unlacquered table with holes and two broken stools with wobbly legs, placing them in the courtyard, inviting the three to sit in the cool shade. Tripitaka then asked, “Benefactor, may I ask your esteemed surname?” The old man replied, “My surname is Wang.” “How many sons do you have?” he asked. “Two sons and three grandsons,” the old man answered. Tripitaka said, “Congratulations, congratulations!” Then he asked, “How old are you?” The old man replied, “I’m a foolish sixty-one years old.” Pilgrim said, “Good, good, good! You’ve reached a second cycle of sixty years!” Tripitaka then asked again, “Benefactor, why did you initially say that obtaining scriptures from the West would be difficult?” The old man replied, “It’s not that the scriptures are difficult to obtain, but rather that the path there is arduous and hard to travel. About thirty *li* west from here, there’s a mountain called Yellow Wind Ridge, which stretches eight hundred *li*. That mountain is full of monsters. That’s why I said it’s difficult to get there. However, judging by this young elder’s boasts of great abilities, perhaps you can indeed go.” Pilgrim said, “No matter, no matter! With me, your old Grandpa Sun, and my junior disciple, no monster, no matter what kind, would dare to provoke us.”

As they spoke, the son brought the meal and placed it on the table, saying, “Please eat.” Tripitaka immediately clasped his hands and began chanting the meal prayer, while Bajie had already swallowed one bowl. Before the elder finished his few lines of prayer, the simpleton had already eaten three more bowls. Pilgrim said, “This glutton acts as if he’s encountered a hungry ghost!” Old Wang was quite discerning; seeing how fast Bajie ate, he said, “This elder must be truly hungry. Quickly, bring more rice!” The simpleton truly had a huge appetite. Without lifting his head, he ate ten to a dozen bowls in a row. Tripitaka and Pilgrim each ate less than two bowls, but the simpleton kept eating without stopping. Old Wang said, “In haste, we have no special dishes. I dare not press you, but please take a bit more.” Tripitaka and Pilgrim both said, “That’s enough.” Bajie said, “Old man, what are you muttering about? Who’s asking you to tell fortunes with hexagrams? Just keep adding rice!” In one sitting, the simpleton ate all the rice the family had, yet still claimed to be only half full. After clearing away the dishes, they arranged bamboo beds under the gatehouse and lay down to sleep.

The next day at dawn, Pilgrim went to fetch the horse, and Bajie prepared the luggage. Old Wang instructed his wife to prepare some refreshments and soup for them. Only then did the three express their gratitude and take their leave. The old man said, “If you encounter any unforeseen difficulties on your journey, please be sure to return to my humble hut.” Pilgrim said, “Old man, don’t say such inauspicious things. We monks, once we set out, do not turn back.” With that, they spurred their horse and carried their luggage, heading west. Alas! This journey truly offered no easy path to the Western Heaven; there were certainly evil demons bringing great disaster. The three traveled on, and in less than half a day, they indeed came upon a tall mountain, which was incredibly perilous. Tripitaka, on horseback, reached the edge of a cliff, where he lifted his jeweled whip to observe, and indeed, it was—

The high parts were mountains, the steep parts were ridges; the sheer drops were cliffs, the deep parts were ravines; the noisy parts were springs, the fresh parts were flowers. The mountain was so high its peak touched the azure sky; the ravine so deep its bottom seemed to reach the underworld. In front of the mountain, there were billowing white clouds and towering strange rocks, an endless sight of soul-clutching cliffs thousands of feet high. Behind the cliffs were winding dragon-hiding caves, and within the caves were rocks where water dripped with a tinkling sound. They also saw fork-antlered deer, timid deer staring at people, coiling red-scaled pythons, and playful white-faced apes. By evening, tigers sought their lairs in the mountains, and at dawn, dragons emerged from the water, stirring waves, causing cave entrances to rumble. Birds flew up from the grass with a flutter, and beasts moved through the forest with a rustle. Suddenly, a pack of wolves and insects passed by, startling them and causing their hearts to thump. It was indeed a mountain of echoing caves, echoing caves within echoing caves. Green moss dyed thousands of feet of jade-like rock, and emerald mist enveloped countless smoky peaks.

The Master slowly urged his white horse forward, Sun Wukong walked leisurely through the clouds, and Zhu Wuneng trudged along with his burden. As they were observing the mountain, they suddenly heard a strong whirlwind arise. Tripitaka, startled on his horse, said, “Wukong, the wind has started!” Pilgrim said, “Why be afraid of the wind? This is merely the seasonal breath of Heaven. What is there to fear?” Tripitaka said, “This wind is very sinister; it’s unlike natural heavenly winds.” Pilgrim asked, “How can you tell it’s not a natural wind?” Tripitaka said: Look at this wind—

Grand and sweeping, fiercely it blows, vast and boundless, emerging from the azure sky. Passing ridges, only the roar of a thousand trees is heard; entering forests, only tens of thousands of bamboo stalks are seen swaying.Willows by the bank sway to their roots, garden flowers and leaves are blown adrift. Fishing boats pulling in their nets secure their moorings, and passenger boats lower their sails and cast their anchors.Travelers halfway on their journey lose their way, and mountain woodcutters find their burdens hard to carry. Monkeys scatter from fruit-laden forests, and deer flee from thickets of exotic flowers.Junipers and cypresses before the cliff fall one by one, and pine and bamboo leaves below the ravine wither. Soil is scattered, dust flies, sand bursts forth; rivers are churned, seas are stirred, and waves surge.

Bajie stepped forward and grabbed Pilgrim, saying, “Senior Brother, the wind is extremely strong! Let’s find shelter for a bit.” Pilgrim laughed and said, “Brother, you’re useless! If you hide when the wind is strong, what will you do if you come face to face with a monster?” Bajie replied, “Brother, haven’t you heard that one should avoid beauty as one avoids an enemy, and avoid wind as one avoids an arrow? It wouldn’t hurt us to find shelter.” Pilgrim said, “Say no more. Let me grab a handful of this wind and smell it.” Bajie laughed and said, “Senior Brother is telling another tall tale. How can you grab wind and smell it? Even if you could, it would just slip through your fingers.” Pilgrim said, “Brother, you don’t know that I, your old Grandpa Sun, have a method for catching wind.” The Great Sage, letting the head of the wind pass, grabbed its tail and sniffed it. It had a gamey smell. He said, “Indeed, this is not a good wind! This wind smells not of a tiger, but surely of a monster; there’s definitely something strange about it.” No sooner had he spoken than from the hillside, with a flick of its tail and pounding hooves, a striped fierce tiger leaped out. Tripitaka was so startled that he couldn’t sit steadily in his saddle, tumbling head over heels from the white horse, leaning against the roadside, truly terrified out of his wits. Bajie dropped the luggage, drew his rake, and, not allowing Pilgrim to go first, shouted loudly, “Vile beast, where do you think you’re going!” He rushed forward and thrust the rake at its head. The tiger stood bolt upright, lifted its front left paw, clutched its own chest, and with a ripping sound, tore off its skin, standing by the roadside. Behold its terrifying appearance! Oh, its form was—

A blood-soaked, naked body, with reddish, coiled, powerful legs. Its temples were fiery and disheveled, and its eyebrows stood stiffly erect.Four gleaming white steel fangs, a pair of glittering golden eyes. With imposing vigor, it let out a great roar, and with fierce courage, it shrieked loudly.

It shouted, “Stop, stop! I am none other than the Vanguard of the Yellow Wind King. By His Majesty’s strict command, I am patrolling this mountain to capture a few mortals for a feast. Where do you monks come from, daring to wield weapons and harm me?” Bajie cursed, “You vile beast, you don’t recognize me! We are not mere passers-by. We are disciples of Tripitaka, the Emperor’s sworn brother from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land, sent by imperial decree to the West to worship the Buddha and seek scriptures. Get away from here quickly, clear the road, and don’t frighten my Master, and I’ll spare your life. If you continue to be so reckless, when my rake strikes, I will show no mercy!” The monster allowed no further talk, swiftly closing the distance, it adopted a stance and lunged to claw at Bajie’s face. Bajie quickly dodged and swung his rake to strike. The monster, unarmed, turned and fled, with Bajie in hot pursuit. When the monster reached a cluster of rocks at the base of the hillside, it pulled out two red copper sabers, quickly spun around, and raised them to defend. The two fought back and forth at the slope, clashing and colliding. Meanwhile, Sun Wukong helped Tang Sanzang up and said, “Master, don’t be afraid. Sit still for a moment. Let me go assist Bajie; once that monster is defeated, we can continue.” Tripitaka had just sat up, trembling, and silently recited the Heart Sutra.

Pilgrim drew his iron staff and shouted, “Caught you!” At this point, Bajie was invigorated, and the monster retreated. Pilgrim said, “Don’t let it escape; we must catch it!” The two, swinging their rake and raising their iron staff, chased it down the mountain. The monster, flustered, employed the ‘cicada shedding its skin’ stratagem. It rolled over, reverted to its original form, which was still a fierce tiger. Pilgrim and Bajie were unwilling to let it go, chasing the tiger, determined to eradicate it. Seeing them closing in, the monster again clutched its chest, stripped off its skin, and draped it over a reclining tiger-shaped rock. It then shed its true form, transformed into a gust of wind, and headed directly back to the crossroads. At the crossroads, the Master was still reciting the Heart Sutra when the monster seized him, carrying him away on the strong wind. Alas for Tripitaka! His journey was fated to be full of hardship; achieving merit on the path to nirvana was truly difficult.

The monster carried Tripitaka to the cave entrance, subdued the fierce wind, and told the guard, “Go report to His Majesty that the Vanguard Tiger has captured a monk and is waiting outside for orders.” The Cave Lord issued a command: “Bring him in!” The Tiger Vanguard, with two red copper sabers tucked into his waist, presented Tripitaka with both hands, knelt forward, and said, “Your Majesty, your humble general is incompetent, but by your strict command, I was dispatched to patrol the mountain. I unexpectedly encountered a monk, Tripitaka, the Imperial Brother from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land, who is on his way to the West to worship the Buddha and seek scriptures. I have captured him and humbly offer him as a small dish.” Hearing this, the Cave Lord was startled and said, “I heard it rumored that Tripitaka is a divine monk from the Great Tang, sent by imperial decree to retrieve scriptures. He has a disciple named Sun Wukong, who possesses immense magical powers and great intelligence. How did you manage to capture him?” The Vanguard replied, “He has two disciples: the first, who wields a nine-pronged rake, has a long snout and big ears; and another, who uses a golden-banded iron staff, has fiery golden eyes. They were both battling your humble general when I employed the ‘cicada shedding its skin’ stratagem to escape and seize this monk, offering him to Your Majesty as a small token of respect for a meal.” The Cave Lord said, “Do not eat him just yet.” The Vanguard said, “Your Majesty, not eating food when it’s presented is called being feeble.” The Cave Lord said, “You don’t understand. Eating him isn’t the problem; I’m afraid his two disciples will come making a ruckus at our door, and that won’t be convenient. Let’s tie him to the Wind-Settling Stake in the back garden. If they don’t come to disturb us in three to five days, then, firstly, his body will be clean, and secondly, we won’t have to deal with any arguments. Won’t that be to our liking? Whether boiled or steamed, fried or stir-fried, we can then enjoy him leisurely at our convenience.” The Vanguard was delighted and said, “Your Majesty’s foresight is profound; what you say is very reasonable!” He commanded, “Minions, take him away!”

Seven or eight guards swarmed forward, seized Tripitaka, much like a hawk seizing a sparrow, and bound him tightly with ropes. This was the fated Tripitaka, enduring suffering, thinking of Pilgrim; the divine monk in distress, longing for Wuneng. He cried out, “My disciples! I don’t know which mountain you are on, capturing monsters, or where you are subduing demons, but I have been captured by this fiend and subjected to this torment. When will we ever meet again? Oh, the suffering! If you come sooner, you might still save my life; but if you are too late, I will surely not be saved!” He sighed and wept, tears falling like rain.

Meanwhile, Pilgrim and Bajie chased the tiger down the hillside. They saw the tiger collapse, lying prostrate before the cliff. Pilgrim raised his staff and struck with all his might, only to feel his own hand sting from the impact. Bajie struck again with his rake, but its prongs also bounced back. It turned out to be just a tiger skin draped over a tiger-shaped rock. Pilgrim was greatly alarmed and exclaimed, “This is bad, this is bad! We fell for its trick!” Bajie asked, “What trick?” Pilgrim said, “This is called the ‘cicada shedding its skin’ stratagem. He left his tiger skin here and escaped. Let’s hurry back and check on Master, lest he suffer a cruel fate.” The two quickly returned, but Tripitaka was already gone. Pilgrim roared like thunder, “What now! Master has been captured!” Bajie immediately led the horse, tears dripping from his eyes, saying, “Oh heavens, oh heavens! Where shall we search now!” Pilgrim, lifting his head and stomping, said, “Don’t cry, don’t cry! Crying will dampen our spirit. He must be somewhere in this mountain. Let’s go search for him.”

The two indeed rushed into the mountain, crossing hills and ridges. After traveling for some time, they saw a cave entrance rising beneath a stone cliff. They paused to observe it closely, and it was truly menacing. They saw—

Layered peaks and sharp pinnacles, winding ancient paths. Green pines and emerald bamboos stood gracefully, green willows and jade phoenix trees swayed gently. Before the cliff were pairs of strange rocks, and within the forest were pairs of secluded birds. Stream waters flowed far, eroding stone cliffs; mountain springs dripped finely, spreading over sand embankments. Wild clouds drifted in scattered pieces, and luxuriant grasses grew abundantly. Demonic foxes and cunning rabbits scurried about, while antlered deer and fragrant musk deer challenged each other bravely. Ten-thousand-year-old vines hung diagonally across cliffs, and thousand-year-old cypresses were half-suspended in deep ravines. Grand and imposing, it rivaled Mount Hua; falling blossoms and singing birds surpassed even Mount Tiantai.

Pilgrim said, “Brother, you should rest the luggage in that sheltered hollow in the mountain, and let the horse graze, but don’t show yourself. I will go to their gate and fight them. I must capture the demon before we can rescue Master.” Bajie said, “No need for instructions, please go quickly.” Pilgrim straightened his monk’s robe, tightened his tiger-skin skirt, drew his staff, and rushed to the gate. There, he saw six large characters that read “Yellow Wind Cave of Yellow Wind Ridge.” He then stood firmly in a T-stance, holding his staff, and shouted loudly, “Monsters! Bring my Master out quickly, or I’ll overturn your lair and flatten your dwelling!” The small monsters heard this and, one by one, trembled in fear, running inside to report, “Your Majesty, trouble has come!” The Yellow Wind Demon was seated and asked, “What is the matter?” The little demon said, “Outside the cave gate, a hairy-faced monk with a thunder-god mouth has arrived, wielding a very thick iron staff, demanding his Master!” The Cave Lord was alarmed and immediately called the Tiger Vanguard, saying, “I sent you to patrol the mountain to capture some wild cattle, boars, fat deer, and barbarian sheep. Why did you bring Tripitaka, thus attracting his disciple here to cause a commotion? How shall we deal with this?” The Vanguard replied, “Your Majesty, rest easy and have no worries. Your humble general, though incompetent, is willing to lead fifty small demon soldiers out to capture that Sun Wukong and add him to our meal.” The Cave Lord said, “Besides the major and minor leaders, I have five to seven hundred minor soldiers here. You may choose how many to take. As long as you capture that Pilgrim, we can then freely enjoy a piece of that monk’s flesh, and I would even be willing to swear brotherhood with you. But I fear you might not be able to capture him and might get injured yourself. Don’t blame me then.”

The Tiger Monster said, “Don’t worry, don’t worry! Let me go.” He indeed gathered fifty strong little demons, who beat drums and waved flags. He himself wrapped two red copper sabers around his waist, leaped out of the cave, and shouted fiercely, “Where do you monkey-monk come from, daring to shout and yell here?” Pilgrim cursed, “You skin-peeling beast! What kind of ‘shedding skin’ trick did you use to abduct my Master, and then you dare to question me! Bring my Master out quickly and safely, and I’ll spare your life!” The Tiger Monster said, “I captured your Master to make a meal for my King. You’d better know when to retreat! Otherwise, I’ll capture you both and eat you together. Wouldn’t that be getting one and gaining another for free?” Hearing this, Pilgrim was enraged. His steel fangs ground together, and his fiery eyes widened. He drew his iron staff and shouted, “How dare you be so presumptuous and speak such big words! Don’t run! Take this!” The Vanguard quickly held his sabers to block. This was indeed a fierce battle; the two displayed their respective powers. What a fight—

The monster was a true goose egg, Wukong was a pebble. The red copper sabers against the Monkey King were like piled eggs striking a rock.How can a magpie contend with a phoenix? How can a pigeon dare to fight a hawk or falcon? The monster spewed wind, covering the mountain in dust; Wukong exhaled mist, obscuring the sun with clouds.After three to five exchanges, the Vanguard felt his waist weaken, completely drained of strength. He turned to flee in defeat, but Wukong pressed him relentlessly.The Tiger Monster could not hold on, turned, and fled. Having boasted before the Cave Lord, he dared not return to the cave and instead fled directly up the hillside to escape. Pilgrim would not let him go. Holding his staff, he chased after him relentlessly, roaring and shouting without cease, until he caught him in the sheltered mountain hollow. Just then, he looked up and saw Bajie grazing the horse. Bajie suddenly heard the roaring and shouting, turned to look, and saw it was the Tiger Monster being defeated by Pilgrim. He immediately dropped the horse, raised his rake, and thrust it diagonally at the monster’s head. Alas for the Vanguard! He had tried to escape the yellow silken net, but unexpectedly encountered a fisherman casting his net. Bajie’s rake struck him, creating nine bleeding holes, and draining all the marrow from his head. A poem confirms this, it reads:

Three or five years ago, he embraced the true path, observed abstinence, and comprehended emptiness. With a sincere heart, he vowed to protect Tripitaka, thus establishing this merit as a newly ordained monk.

The simpleton pressed his foot onto the monster’s back and swung his rake with both hands to strike again. Pilgrim saw this and was overjoyed, saying, “Brother, that’s it! He led dozens of little demons and dared to fight me, but I defeated him. Instead of running back to his cave, he ran here to seek death. Luckily you intercepted him, otherwise, he would have escaped again.” Bajie asked, “Was it him who caused the wind and abducted Master?” Pilgrim replied, “Exactly, exactly.” Bajie asked, “Did you ask him about Master’s whereabouts?” Pilgrim said, “This monster took Master into the cave to be a meal for some wretched king of theirs. I, your old Grandpa Sun, was angered and fought him here, leading to his demise by your hands. Brother, this merit is yours. You stay here and guard the horse and luggage while I drag this dead monster away and then return to the cave entrance to challenge them again. We must capture that old demon to rescue Master.” Bajie said, “Brother, what you say is reasonable. You go, you go. If you defeat that old demon, chase him back here, and I, your old pig, will intercept and kill him.” The admirable Pilgrim, holding his iron staff in one hand and dragging the dead tiger with the other, went directly to the cave entrance. Indeed: The Master met danger and encountered a demon, while harmonious minds subdued the chaotic fiend. Ultimately, it is unknown whether he can subdue the demon and rescue Tripitaka. Let’s hear the next chapter for the explanation.