Chapter 26: Sun Wukong Seeks the Prescription on Three Islands Guanyin's Sweet Spring and the Living Tree

A poem reads:In life, one must embrace forbearance; in self-cultivation, remember endurance.It is often said that the character for 'blade' signifies life's dealings; yet one must think thrice to curb anger and deceit.The truly noble never contend, a truth passed down since ancient times; saints embrace virtue, leading the age.The strong will always meet those stronger; in the end, all truly becomes emptiness and fallacy.

Meanwhile, Great Immortal Zhenyuan took the Pilgrim by the hand and said, "I know your abilities, and I've heard of your great name. But this time, you've acted against reason and decency. Even with your transformations, you won't escape my grasp. I'll take this matter with you all the way to the Western Heaven, and even if we meet your Buddha, you'll still have to return my Ginseng Fruit Tree. Don't try any more tricks!"

The Pilgrim chuckled, "My dear sir, you're being so petty! If you want the tree to live, what's so difficult? Had you said so earlier, wouldn't we have avoided this whole dispute?"

The Great Immortal replied, "Without this dispute, would I have so readily let you off?"

The Pilgrim said, "If you release my master, how about I return a living tree to you?"

The Great Immortal said, "If you truly possess such power to revive the tree, I will swear brotherhood with you, bowing eight times as a gesture of respect."

The Pilgrim replied, "No problem at all. Release them, and old Sun guarantees you a living tree."

The Great Immortal, judging that Sun Wukong couldn't escape, immediately ordered the release of Tripitaka, Pigsy, and Sandy.

Sandy said, "Master, I wonder what trick Elder Brother is playing now."

Pigsy exclaimed, "Trick? This is what I call a face-saving trick! The tree is dead, how can it be revived? He's just putting on a show, pretending to seek a cure for the tree, only to get away and escape himself. He won't care about you or me!"

Tripitaka said, "He would never abandon us. Let's ask him where he plans to find a cure." He then called out, "Wukong, how did you trick the immortal elder into releasing us?"

The Pilgrim said, "Old Sun speaks the truth, how could I trick him?"

Tripitaka asked, "Where will you go to seek a remedy?"

The Pilgrim replied, "As the ancients say, 'remedies come from the sea.' I intend to go to the Eastern Ocean, visit the three Isles and ten Continents, and seek out immortal elders and sages for a method of resurrection, which will surely revive his tree."

Tripitaka asked, "How long will you be gone?"

The Pilgrim replied, "Only three days."

Tripitaka said, "Very well, then I'll agree to your proposal and give you a three-day limit. If you return within three days, all is well. But if you don't return after three days, I'll recite that mantra."

The Pilgrim said, "Your wish is my command, your wish is my command."

You should have seen him quickly adjust his tiger-skin skirt, and stepping out, he said to the Great Immortal, "Rest assured, sir, I'll be back shortly. But you must serve my master well, providing him with three meals and six teas daily, without any deficiency. If anything is lacking, old Sun will settle scores with you upon my return, starting by smashing your cooking pots. If his clothes are dirty, wash and starch them for him. If his face looks a bit sallow, I won't have it; and if he loses any weight, I won't leave."

The Great Immortal said, "Go, go! I assure you he won't go hungry."

The good Monkey King quickly somersaulted into the clouds, bid farewell to the Wuzhuang Temple, and headed straight for the Eastern Ocean. In mid-air, swift as lightning and fast as a meteor, he soon arrived at the immortal realm of Penglai. He pressed down his cloud and observed carefully, truly a magnificent place! A poem reads:

On Earth, an immortal land where sages dwell, Penglai parts and joins, taming the waves.Jade terraces reflect a cold heavenly heart, while towering gates shimmer high above the ocean.Five-colored mists and clouds hold jade flutes' sound, stars and moon from nine heavens illuminate the golden Ao.The Queen Mother of the West often visits, offering peaches to the three immortals several times.

The Pilgrim, unable to take in all the immortal scenery, proceeded directly into Penglai. As he walked, outside the White Cloud Cave, under the shade of pines, he saw three old men playing Go. The one observing was the Star of Longevity, and the players were the Stars of Fortune and Prosperity. The Pilgrim stepped forward and called out, "My old brothers, greetings!"

The three Stars, seeing him, swept aside their Go board and returned his greeting, "Great Sage, what brings you here?"

The Pilgrim said, "I specially came to have some fun with you all."

The Star of Longevity replied, "I heard the Great Sage abandoned Taoism for Buddhism, risking his life to protect Tang Monk on his journey to the Western Heaven to acquire scriptures, constantly toiling on mountain roads. How do you find leisure to come and play?"

The Pilgrim said, "To be frank with you all, old Sun encountered a slight hindrance on his journey to the West. I've come on a small errand, and I wonder if you would be willing to help?"

The Star of Fortune said, "Where is this place? What is the hindrance? Please explain clearly, so I can judge how to assist."

The Pilgrim replied, "The hindrance occurred when passing the Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain."

The three elders were astonished. "Wuzhuang Temple is the immortal palace of Great Immortal Zhenyuan. Surely you didn't steal and eat his ginseng fruit?"

The Pilgrim laughed, "What's the big deal about stealing and eating them?"

The three elders said, "You monkey, you don't know what's good for you! Just smelling that fruit grants 360 years of life; eating one gives 47,000 years! It's called the Longevity Herb Elixir. Our own Taoist cultivation pales in comparison! He obtains it so easily, gaining longevity equal to heaven. We, however, must nourish essence, refine qi, preserve spirit, harmonize dragon and tiger, and balance the trigrams, not knowing how much effort it takes. How can you say it's not important? There's only this kind of spiritual root in the world!"

The Pilgrim said, "Spiritual root, spiritual root! I've already broken its root!"

The three elders exclaimed, "How did you break its root?"

The Pilgrim recounted, "The other day, we were at his temple, and the Great Immortal wasn't home. Only two young attendants were there, who received my master. They offered my master two ginseng fruits. My master didn't recognize them, thinking they were infants not yet three days old, and repeatedly refused to eat them. The attendants then took them and ate them themselves, without offering any to us. So old Sun went and stole three for myself and my two sworn brothers to eat. Those attendants, not knowing who they were dealing with, kept cursing us, calling us thieves. Old Sun got angry and hit the tree with a staff, knocking it down. All the fruits fell off, branches split, leaves withered, roots exposed, and branches were damaged; it was completely dead. Then those attendants locked us in, but old Sun twisted open the lock and escaped. Early the next morning, the immortal returned home and caught up with us. During our exchange, words turned sour, and we started fighting. He just flashed his sleeve open and swept us all into it. We were tied with ropes, whipped and interrogated, and this went on for a whole day. That night we escaped again, but he caught up and ensnared us once more. He has no weapons, only a duster for defense, yet with our three kinds of weapons, my brothers and I couldn't even touch him. This time, he again tied us up, lacquered my master and two junior brothers in cloth, and then put me into a cauldron of oil. I used my escape trick and got away, smashing his cauldron in the process. He saw he couldn't catch me, and he was quite vexed. So I made a good offer: if he released my master and junior brothers, I would guarantee to revive his tree, and then both parties could have peace. Thinking that 'remedies come from the sea,' I specifically came to this immortal realm to visit you three old brothers, to see if you have any remedies for trees to teach me, so I can quickly rescue Tang Monk from his plight."

The three Stars listened, and feeling distressed, said, "You monkey, you truly don't know who you're dealing with. Zhenyuanzi is the Patriarch of Earth Immortals, and we are the Foremost among Heavenly Immortals. Although you've attained the status of a Heavenly Immortal, you're still a scattered Taiyi Immortal, not yet entered the true stream. How could you escape his grasp? If, Great Sage, you had merely killed a beast, a bird, an insect, or a fish, my millet-sized elixir could revive them. But the Ginseng Fruit is the root of an immortal tree; how can it be cured? There's no remedy, no remedy!"

The Pilgrim, hearing there was no remedy, immediately knitted his brows, his forehead furrowed with a thousand lines.

The Star of Fortune said, "Great Sage, if there's no remedy here, there might be elsewhere. Why do you distress yourself so?"

The Pilgrim said, "Seeking remedies elsewhere is indeed easy. Even if I roam every corner of the world, or pass through all thirty-six heavens, it would be a minor task. However, my Tang Elder is strict and narrow-minded; he only gave me a three-day limit. If I don't return within three days, he'll start reciting the Tight-Fillet Spell!"

The three Stars laughed, "Good, good, good! If it weren't for that spell to restrain you, you'd be soaring into the heavens again!"

The Star of Longevity said, "Great Sage, set your mind at ease, no need to fret. Although that Great Immortal is considered our senior, he is also acquainted with us. Firstly, we haven't visited him in a long time; secondly, this is a favor for the Great Sage. Now, the three of us will go to visit him, explain the situation for you, and tell that Tang Monk not to recite the Tight-Fillet Spell. Forget three or five days; we will only depart after you have found a remedy and returned."

The Pilgrim said, "Many thanks, many thanks! Please, my three old brothers, proceed. I'm off!"The Great Sage then bid farewell to the three Stars, and so the story continues.

Meanwhile, the three Stars rode their auspicious clouds and immediately headed towards Wuzhuang Temple. All the residents of the temple suddenly heard the long cry of cranes in the sky, realizing it was the three elders arriving. And what a sight they were—

A myriad auspicious lights clustered in the sky, fragrant mists wafted through the heavens.A thousand colorful mists protected their feathered robes, and a single light cloud supported their immortal feet.Azure luan flew, vermilion phoenix danced, sleeves trailed fragrant winds across the ground.Dragon-headed staves brought forth joyful smiles, and long white beards brushed their chests like jade.Youthful faces, joyful and without worry, sturdy, majestic bodies full of blessings.Holding star divining sticks, adding to sea-side mansions, gourds and precious talismans hung at their waists.Their fortunes and longevity lasted for myriad eons and millennia, resting wherever fate led them among the ten continents and three islands.They often came to the world to deliver a thousand blessings, and always increased human happiness a hundredfold.Encompassing heaven and earth, honoring fortune and prosperity, boundless joy and longevity they now possessed.The three elders rode their auspiciousness to visit the Great Immortal, and the Hall of Fortune was filled with boundless harmony.

The immortal attendants saw them and quickly reported, "Master, the three Stars from the sea have arrived!" Zhenyuanzi, who was leisurely conversing with Tang Monk and his disciples, immediately descended the steps to greet them upon hearing the report.

Pigsy, seeing the Star of Longevity, approached and grabbed him, laughing, "You old bald-headed fellow, long time no see! Still as carefree as ever, you didn't even bring a hat!" He then took his own monk's hat and plopped it onto the Star of Longevity's head, clapping his hands and roaring with laughter, "Good, good, good! This truly is 'adding a cap for promotion and prosperity'!"

The Star of Longevity threw the hat down and cursed, "You oaf! You're so grown up, yet you don't know your place!"

Pigsy retorted, "I'm no oaf, you lot are truly servants!"

The Star of Fortune said, "You're the oaf, yet you dare to call others servants!"

Pigsy laughed again, "If you're not someone's servants, then why are you called 'Adding Longevity,' 'Adding Fortune,' and 'Adding Prosperity'?"

Tripitaka sharply reprimanded Pigsy and sent him away, then quickly adjusted his robes and bowed to the three Stars. The three Stars then paid their respects to the Great Immortal as juniors, before taking their seats.

Once seated, the Star of Prosperity said, "We have long been absent from your esteemed presence and thus been disrespectful. Today, we've come especially to see you because of the disturbance Sun the Great Sage caused in your immortal mountain."

The Great Immortal asked, "Sun Wukong went to Penglai?"

The Star of Longevity replied, "Yes. Because he damaged your elixir tree, he came to us seeking a remedy. We had none, so he went elsewhere to search. But he fears violating the Holy Monk's three-day limit and having the Tight-Fillet Spell recited. We came, firstly, to pay our respects, and secondly, to ask for an extension."

Tripitaka, hearing this, repeatedly assented, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."

Just as they were speaking, Pigsy ran in again, grabbed the Star of Fortune, and demanded fruit to eat. He started rummaging wildly in his sleeves, patting his waist, and constantly pulling up his clothes to search.

Tripitaka chuckled, "What manners does that Pigsy have!"

Pigsy said, "It's not bad manners; this is called 'fortune in every turn'."

Tripitaka again scolded him and ordered him out.

The oaf stepped out, glared fiercely at the Star of Fortune without blinking. The Star of Fortune asked, "You brute! How have I angered you that you stare at me with such hatred?"

Pigsy said, "It's not hatred; this is called 'looking back at fortune'."

The oaf, having exited, saw a young attendant carrying four tea spoons, just about to fetch cups and serve fruit and tea. Pigsy snatched them away, ran into the hall, grabbed a small chime, and started banging and clanging it wildly, playing with both ends.

The Great Immortal said, "This monk is becoming increasingly disrespectful!"

Pigsy laughed, "It's not disrespect; this is called 'blessings in all four seasons'."

Leaving aside Pigsy's antics and mischief, the story now tells of the Pilgrim, who rode his auspicious cloud away from Penglai and soon arrived at the immortal Fangzhang Mountain. This mountain was truly a beautiful place, as a poem confirms:

Fangzhang rises majestically, a separate heaven, where gods and immortals gather at the Taiyuan Palace.Purple terraces glow along the path of the Three Pure Ones, and the fragrance of flowers and trees floats on five-colored mists.Golden phoenixes often fill the royal palace; who forces jade dew to irrigate the fields of ganoderma?Green peaches and purple plums have just ripened, renewing immortals' faith for ten thousand years.

The Pilgrim brought his cloud down, not in the mood for sightseeing. As he walked, he smelled a rich fragrance and heard the cry of dark cranes, indicating an immortal nearby. And there he saw—

Myriad rays of iridescent light appeared across the sky, colorful mists drifted, light never ceasing.Vermilion phoenixes carried flowers, looking even fresher, azure luans danced with enchanting cries.His fortune like the Eastern Sea, his longevity like a mountain, appearing as a young child yet hale and hearty.Within his gourd lay the elixir of eternal youth, and at his waist hung talismans of unending life.Several times he descended to the human world, bringing auspiciousness, and many times he dispelled misfortune.Emperor Wu once summoned him to bestow longevity, and he frequently attended the Peach Banquets at the Jade Pool.He taught monks to shed worldly attachments, and illuminated the Great Tao with brilliance like lightning.He once crossed the sea to bless for a thousand autumns, and often visited Vulture Peak to pay respects to the Buddha.His sacred title is Emperor Donghua, the foremost immortal among the mists and clouds.

Sun Wukong greeted him face-to-face, calling out, "Emperor, greetings!"

The Emperor hastily returned the greeting, saying, "Great Sage, I apologize for not meeting you earlier. Please, come to my humble abode for tea." He then took the Pilgrim's hand and entered. It was indeed an immortal palace of pearl and jade, with endless jade pools and grand pavilions. Just as they sat down to wait for tea, a young attendant emerged from behind a jade screen. This is how he was adorned—

He wore a Taoist robe shimmering with mists, a silk sash adorned with gleaming patterns around his waist.On his head, a scholarly cap with constellations, and on his feet, straw sandals for treading immortal peaks.He refined primordial truth, shed his mortal shell, achieving joy when his cultivation was complete.He understood the origin of essence, qi, and spirit, recognizing the true master without error.Now delighting in escaping fame with boundless longevity, cycles of sixty years could not restrain him.He turned through corridors, ascended treasure pavilions, having tasted the Peaches of Immortality from heaven three times.Ethereal fragrant clouds emerged from the jade screen; this young immortal was Dongfang Shuo.

The Pilgrim saw him and laughed, "This little thief is here! The Emperor has no peaches for you to steal and eat!"

Dongfang Shuo bowed to the Emperor, then retorted, "Old thief, what are you doing here? My master has no immortal elixirs for you to steal and eat!"

The Emperor called out, "Manqian, stop your foolish talk, bring the tea!" (Manqian was Dongfang Shuo's Taoist name.) He quickly went inside and brought two cups of tea. After drinking, the Pilgrim said, "Old Sun has come here for a matter, and I wonder if you would grant it?"

The Emperor said, "What is it? I shall certainly listen."

The Pilgrim said, "Recently, while escorting Tang Monk on his journey to the West, we passed by Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain. Due to the impertinence of his young attendants, I became enraged and knocked down his Ginseng Fruit Tree. This caused a hindrance, preventing Tang Monk from escaping. I have specially come to your esteemed place to request a remedy for its healing, hoping for your generous assistance."

The Emperor said, "You monkey, you pay no heed to anything, causing trouble everywhere you go! That Zhenyuanzi of Wuzhuang Temple, whose sacred title is 'Co-Ruler of the World,' is the Patriarch of Earth Immortals. How could you offend him so? His Ginseng Fruit Tree is the Herb Elixir of Return. Even stealing and eating them would be considered a crime; but you even knocked down the tree, how could he let it go?"

The Pilgrim said, "Exactly! We escaped, but he caught up, swept us all into his sleeve like handkerchiefs, tied us with ropes, whipped and interrogated us, and beat us for a whole day. That night we escaped again, but he caught up again and ensnared us as before. After two or three attempts, we truly couldn't escape, and I have already agreed to cure his tree. Just now, I sought remedies from the sea, visiting all three islands, but none of the immortals had the ability. Therefore, I am now resolved to sincerely pay my respects and especially appeal to the Bodhisattva, humbly hoping for her compassionate mercy, to bestow a remedy so Tang Monk can proceed quickly to the West."

The Emperor said, "I have a Nine-Revolutions Great Unity Elixir of Return, but it can only heal sentient beings in the world, not trees. A tree is a spirit of water and earth, nourished by heaven and nurtured by the land. If it were an ordinary fruit tree, it might be cured. But Longevity Mountain is a primal blessed land, Wuzhuang Temple is a Grotto-Heaven of Hezhou, and the Ginseng Fruit is a spiritual root born of heaven and earth. How can it be cured? No remedy, no remedy!"

The Pilgrim said, "Since there is no remedy, old Sun bids farewell."

The Emperor still wished to offer him a cup of jade liquid, but the Pilgrim said, "The matter is urgent; I dare not linger." He then rode his cloud to the immortal island of Yingzhou. It was also a beautiful place, as a poem confirms:

Shimmering pearl trees glow with purple mists, Yingzhou's palaces connect to all heavens.Green mountains and clear waters boast vibrant jade flowers, jade liquid and fine oils make iron and stone firm.Five-colored jade chickens crow at the rising sun over the sea, thousand-year vermilion phoenixes inhale red mists.Mortals fail to grasp the scenery within the gourd, while the light of spring beyond forms endures for countless eons.

The Great Sage arrived at Yingzhou and saw, beneath the cinnabar cliffs and pearl trees, several old men with white hair and beards, immortals with youthful faces and crane-like whiskers, playing chess, drinking wine, chatting, laughing, and singing. Truly, they were—

Auspicious clouds filled with light, propitious mists floated fragrantly.Colorful luan birds sang at the cave entrance, dark cranes danced on the mountain peak.Green lotus roots and water peaches served as appetizers, entwined pears and fire dates granted a thousand autumns of longevity.Each of them unheard of in imperial decrees, yet registered in immortal records.They roamed freely, unconstrained, indifferent and serene.Cycles of sixty years could not bind them, earth and heaven merely granted them freedom.Dark apes offered fruits, accompanying them in pairs with much affection; white deer carried flowers, bowing down in pairs with deep devotion.

As those old men were enjoying themselves, the Pilgrim cried out loudly, "What if you let me join the fun?" The immortals saw him and quickly stepped forward to greet him. A poem confirms this:

The spiritual root of the Ginseng Fruit Tree was broken, the Great Sage visited immortals seeking a wondrous remedy.Winding cinnabar clouds emerged from the precious forest, the Nine Elders of Yingzhou came to meet him.

The Pilgrim recognized them as the Nine Elders and laughed, "My old brothers, you're enjoying yourselves!"

The Nine Elders said, "Great Sage, if you had remained righteous back then and not caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, you would be even more at ease than us now. But now it's good, we hear you've returned to truth and are bowing to Buddha in the West. How do you find leisure to come here?"

The Pilgrim recounted the whole story of seeking a remedy for the tree.

The Nine Elders were also greatly astonished and said, "You truly cause too much trouble, too much trouble! We honestly have no remedy."

The Pilgrim said, "Since there is no remedy, I shall take my leave."

The Nine Elders again tried to detain him for jade liquid and green lotus roots. The Pilgrim absolutely refused to sit, only standing to drink a cup of liquid and eat a piece of lotus root, then hastily left Yingzhou, heading directly back towards the Eastern Ocean.

Soon, he saw Mount Luojia not far off, so he brought his cloud down and went directly to Putuo Rock, where he found Bodhisattva Guanyin in the Purple Bamboo Grove, expounding scriptures and Dharma to various Heavenly Deities, Muzha, and Dragon Girl. A poem confirms this:

The sea lord's city is high with rich auspicious aura, and one beholds endless wondrous things.Know that beyond myriad hidden forms, all emerges from a single subtle essence.When the Four Sages imparted, proper enlightenment was achieved; after the six realms listened, they escaped their cages.Shaolin has a unique true flavor, and the fragrance of flowers and fruits fills the trees, red with ripeness.

The Bodhisattva had already seen the Pilgrim arrive and immediately ordered the Mountain Guardian Deity to welcome him. The Deity emerged from the grove and called out, "Sun Wukong, where are you going?"

The Pilgrim looked up and roared, "You bear monster! Am I 'Wukong' to you? If old Sun hadn't spared you back then, you'd already be a corpse-demon of Black Wind Mountain. Now you follow the Bodhisattva, have received good karma, dwell on this immortal mountain, and constantly listen to the Dharma, yet you can't even call me 'Master'?"

That black bear truly had attained the right fruition, guarding Putuo for the Bodhisattva and known as the Great Deity, thanks to the Pilgrim. He could only force a smile and say, "Great Sage, as the ancients say, 'a gentleman does not dwell on old grievances.' Why do you keep bringing it up? The Bodhisattva sent me to welcome you!"

The Pilgrim then became solemn and respectful, and with the Great Deity, entered the Purple Bamboo Grove and bowed to the Bodhisattva.

The Bodhisattva said, "Wukong, where has Tang Monk traveled to now?"

The Pilgrim replied, "He has reached Longevity Mountain in the West Niuhe Continent."

The Bodhisattva said, "On Longevity Mountain, there is Wuzhuang Temple, and Great Immortal Zhenyuan. Have you met him?"

The Pilgrim bowed his head and said, "It was at Wuzhuang Temple. Your disciple, not recognizing Great Immortal Zhenyuan, damaged his Ginseng Fruit Tree and offended him. He then detained my master, preventing us from proceeding."

The Bodhisattva, understanding the situation, chided, "You mischievous monkey, you don't know right from wrong! His Ginseng Fruit Tree is a spiritual root created by heaven and earth. Zhenyuanzi is the Patriarch of Earth Immortals; even I yield him three points of deference. How could you injure his tree!"

The Pilgrim bowed again and said, "Your disciple truly did not know. That day, he was not home, only two immortal attendants were waiting on us. Pigsy Wuneng knew he had fruits and wanted one to taste. Your disciple then secretly stole three, which my sworn brothers and I shared and ate. The attendants, upon realizing, incessantly cursed us. Your disciple became enraged and then knocked down his tree. The next day, he returned and caught up with us, sweeping us all into his sleeve, tying us with ropes, whipping and interrogating us, beating us for a whole day. That night we escaped, but he caught up again and ensnared us as before. After two or three attempts, we truly couldn't escape, and I have already agreed to cure his tree. Just now, I sought remedies from the sea, visiting all three islands, but none of the immortals had the ability. Therefore, I am now resolved to sincerely pay my respects and especially appeal to the Bodhisattva, humbly hoping for your compassionate mercy, to bestow a remedy so Tang Monk can proceed quickly to the West."

The Bodhisattva said, "Why didn't you come to see me earlier, instead of searching on the islands?"

The Pilgrim, hearing these words, secretly rejoiced in his heart, "Fortunate, fortunate! The Bodhisattva surely has a remedy!" He then stepped forward and pleaded. The Bodhisattva said, "The sweet dew water at the bottom of my pure vase is excellent at healing immortal trees and spiritual sprouts."

The Pilgrim asked, "Has it been tested before?"

The Bodhisattva replied, "It has been tested."

The Pilgrim asked, "What was the experience?"

The Bodhisattva said, "Years ago, the Grand Supreme Elder Lord once wagered with me. He pulled out my willow branch, put it in his elixir furnace, roasted it until it was charred and dry, and then sent it back to me. I took it, placed it in the vase, and within a day and night, it regained its green branches and leaves, identical to before."

The Pilgrim laughed, "Truly fortunate, truly fortunate! If something charred dry can be revived, how difficult can it be to heal something merely knocked down!"

The Bodhisattva instructed the assembly, "Guard the grove; I shall go and return." She then held her pure vase in hand, with the white parrot gracefully chirping ahead, and Sun the Great Sage following behind. A poem confirms this:

Her jade whiskers and golden form are hard to describe, truly the compassionate and suffering-saving Venerable One.In past eons, she met the Impeccable Buddha, and to this day, has attained her manifest body.For lifetimes, she calmed the waves of the sea of desires, her heart-field utterly free of dust.Her sweet dew has long been empowered by wondrous Dharma, ensuring the precious tree remains eternally verdant.

Meanwhile, the Great Immortal at the temple was conversing quietly with the three elders, when suddenly they saw Sun the Great Sage bringing his cloud down, calling out, "The Bodhisattva has arrived! Quickly, quickly, welcome her!" Startled, the three Stars, Zhenyuanzi, and Tripitaka and his disciples all rushed out of the main hall to greet her.

The Bodhisattva ceased her auspicious cloud, first exchanged pleasantries with Zhenyuanzi, then saluted the three Stars. After the greetings, she took the seat of honor. At the foot of the steps, the Pilgrim led Tang Monk, Pigsy, and Sandy in bowing to her. The various immortals in the temple also came to pay their respects.

The Pilgrim said, "Great Immortal, no need to hesitate. Quickly set up the incense altar and invite the Bodhisattva to cure that fruit tree of yours."

The Great Immortal bowed and thanked the Bodhisattva, saying, "How could such a small matter of mine dare trouble the Bodhisattva to descend?"

The Bodhisattva said, "Tang Monk is my disciple, and Sun Wukong offended you, sir, so it is proper to compensate you with your precious tree."

The three elders said, "Since that's the case, there's no need for modesty. Please, Bodhisattva, let's all go to the garden to see."

The Great Immortal immediately ordered the setting up of an incense altar and the sweeping of the back garden. He invited the Bodhisattva to proceed first, with the three elders following. When Tripitaka and his disciples, along with the resident immortals, arrived in the garden to observe, they saw the tree lying on the ground, its soil disturbed, roots exposed, leaves withered, and branches dried up.

The Bodhisattva called, "Wukong, give me your hand." The Pilgrim extended his left hand. The Bodhisattva dipped her willow branch into the sweet dew from the vase and drew a life-reviving charm in the Pilgrim's palm. She instructed him to place it beneath the tree's roots, watching for water to emerge as a sign of success.

The Pilgrim made a fist and thrust it beneath the tree's roots. In a moment, a clear spring emerged.

The Bodhisattva said, "That water must not touch any tools of the five elements. You must use a jade ladle to scoop it out, then lift the tree, and pour the water from the top down. Naturally, the roots and bark will mend, leaves will grow, buds will sprout, and green branches will bear fruit."

The Pilgrim said, "Little Taoist boys, quickly bring a jade ladle!"

Zhenyuanzi said, "My humble mountain has no jade ladles, only jade teacups and jade wine cups. Can they be used?"

The Bodhisattva said, "Any jade vessel that can scoop water will do. Bring them for me to see."

The Great Immortal immediately ordered the young attendants to bring out twenty or thirty teacups and forty or fifty wine cups. They then scooped out the clear spring water from beneath the roots. The Pilgrim, Pigsy, and Sandy lifted the tree, set it upright, and piled earth around it. Then, cup by cup, they presented the sweet spring water from the jade vessels to the Bodhisattva.

The Bodhisattva meticulously sprinkled the water with her willow branch, while reciting scriptures and mantras. Before long, all the scooped water was sprinkled. And indeed, the tree was once again verdant with lush green branches and leaves, casting a deep shade, and on it were twenty-three ginseng fruits.

The two attendants, Pure Breeze and Bright Moon, said, "The other day, when the fruits disappeared, we counted only twenty-two. How is it that now, after being revived, there's one more?"

The Pilgrim said, "Time reveals all. The other day, old Sun only stole three. One of them fell to the ground, and the Earth God said this treasure would sink into the earth upon touching it. Pigsy kept complaining that I played unfairly, which led to the misunderstanding. It was only now, after all this trouble, that everything became clear."

The Bodhisattva said, "I just now refrained from using instruments of the five elements because I knew this item is incompatible with the five elements."

The Great Immortal was extremely delighted. He immediately ordered a golden mallet to be brought and knocked down ten fruits. He invited the Bodhisattva and the three elders to return to the main hall, firstly to thank them for their efforts, and secondly, to hold a Ginseng Fruit feast. The young immortals then arranged tables and chairs, laid out elixir trays, and invited the Bodhisattva to sit at the head seat, the three elders at the left seats, Tang Monk at the right seats, and Zhenyuanzi accompanying them at the front. Each of them ate one fruit. A poem reads:

In Longevity Mountain's ancient grotto-heaven, ginseng fruits ripen in nine millennia.Though the spiritual root once showed damaged sprouts and branches, the sweet dew nourished it, making fruits and leaves complete.The three elders joyfully met old acquaintances, the four monks fortunately encountered predestined connections.From now on, all who partake of the ginseng fruit shall be immortals of eternal life.

At this point, the Bodhisattva and the three elders each ate one. Tang Monk, now realizing it was an immortal treasure, also ate one. Wukong and his two brothers each ate one. Zhenyuanzi ate one to accompany them, and the remaining immortals of the temple shared one.

The Pilgrim then thanked the Bodhisattva and returned to Putuo Rock, and saw the three Stars off as they returned to Penglai Island. Zhenyuanzi then prepared vegetarian wine and became sworn brothers with the Pilgrim. This truly was a case of "no discord, no concord," where two families became one. The four members of the pilgrimage were overjoyed, and as night fell, they rested.

As for the Elder, he had the good fortune to eat the Herb Elixir of Return, gaining longevity yet enduring the hardships of demons. What farewell would occur on the morrow, let's hear in the next chapter's explanation.