Chapter 3: All Under Heaven Bow in Submission The Ten Underworld Evils Eliminated

Upon his glorious return to his homeland, the Monkey King, having vanquished the Hybrid Demon King and seized his great saber, diligently drilled his monkey subjects. He taught them to cut bamboo into spears, sharpen wood into swords, fashion flags, and blow whistles. They practiced advancing and retreating, setting up camps, and playing at war for quite some time.

One day, as he sat meditating, he pondered, "We may be playing, but what if this play becomes reality? What if the Human King is alerted, or a King of Birds or Beasts recognizes this as an affront, accusing us of training an army for rebellion, and then marches against us? You are all armed with bamboo poles and wooden knives; how would you defend yourselves? We need sharp swords and halberds. What shall we do?" Hearing this, the monkeys were all terrified. "Your Majesty's foresight is indeed profound," they exclaimed, "but where can we acquire such weapons?" Just then, four old monkeys, two red-bottomed macaques and two long-armed gibbons, came forward. "Your Majesty," they declared, "acquiring sharp weapons is quite easy." "How so?" asked Wukong. The four monkeys replied, "Two hundred miles eastward across the water from this mountain lies the land of Aolai. That kingdom has a king, and its city is teeming with people, including artisans who work with gold, silver, copper, and iron. If Your Majesty were to go there, you could buy or commission some weapons to train us, thereby guarding our mountain home. This would truly be a plan for lasting peace and stability." Wukong was overjoyed upon hearing this. "You all stay here and continue your games," he said, "I shall go and return."

The good Monkey King then soared on his Cloud Somersault, traversing two hundred miles of water in an instant. Indeed, there was a city, with six main streets and three markets, thousands of households and gates, and people bustling about under the bright sun. Wukong mused, "There must be ready-made weapons here. Instead of buying a few, it would be better to use my magic to procure them." He then formed a hand-seal, chanted a spell, inhaled from the southwest, and exhaled with a mighty gust, conjuring a furious wind that stirred up sand and stones, truly astonishing to behold.

Storm clouds arose, shaking heaven and earth,Dark mist and gloom obscured the land.Waves churned in rivers and seas, terrifying fish and crabs,Trees snapped in forests, sending tigers and wolves fleeing.

No merchants were left for any trade,No one could be seen in any walk of life.The king on his throne retreated to his inner chambers,Officials before the steps scurried back to their bureaus.Ancient thrones were all toppled,The Five Phoenix Towers swayed to their roots.

As the wind raged, it scattered the King of Aolai's subjects. The three markets and six main streets hastily shut their doors, and no one dared to venture out. Wukong then lowered his cloud, marched straight into the palace gate, and went directly to the armory and arsenal. When he pushed open the doors, he saw countless weapons: sabers, spears, swords, halberds, axes, battle-axes, sickles, whips, rakes, mallets, bows, crossbows, tridents, and lances—everything imaginable. He was delighted at the sight. "How many can I carry alone?" he wondered. "I'd better use my clone technique to move them." The clever Monkey King plucked a handful of hairs, chewed them to a pulp, spat them out, chanted a spell, and cried, "Change!" They transformed into thousands of small monkeys, who began frantically seizing and carrying. The strong ones took five or seven pieces, the weaker ones three or two, until every single weapon was gone. They then ascended on clouds, used a telekinetic spell to recall the raging wind, and led the small monkeys back to their home.

Meanwhile, the small and large monkeys of Flower Fruit Mountain were playing outside the cave entrance when they suddenly heard the sound of wind. Looking up, they saw an endless, sprawling multitude of monkey spirits in mid-air, terrifying them and sending them scattering in all directions. Soon, the Handsome Monkey King lowered his cloud, dispelled the mist, shook his body to recall his hairs, and piled all the weapons in front of the mountain. "Little ones," he called, "come and claim your weapons!" The monkeys saw Wukong standing alone on the flat ground and rushed to bow, asking for an explanation. Wukong recounted how he had conjured the storm and transported the weapons. After expressing their thanks, the monkeys scrambled to grab swords, snatch spears, seize axes, and contend for lances, pulling bows and drawing crossbows, shouting and cheering as they played for the entire day.

The next day, they resumed their drills. Wukong gathered all the monkeys, numbering over forty-seven thousand. This soon alarmed all the monstrous beasts on the mountain—wolves, insects, tigers, leopards, silly deer, wild boars, baboons, foxes, badgers, raccoons, lions, elephants, suanni, orangutans, bears, deer, wild pigs, yaks, antelopes, blue rhinos, cunning children, and divine mastiffs—a total of seventy-two cave kings. All came to pay homage to the Monkey King as their sovereign. They offered annual tribute and reported for roll call four times a year. Some joined the drills, others collected provisions. Neatly and orderly, they transformed Flower Fruit Mountain into an impenetrable fortress. The demon kings from various territories also brought offerings of drums, colorful flags, and armor. Bustling about, they practiced martial arts and trained troops every day.

As the Handsome Monkey King was filled with joy, he suddenly addressed the assembly, "You are all skilled with bows and crossbows, and proficient with your weapons, but this saber of mine is truly clumsy and does not suit my needs. What am I to do?" The four old monkeys stepped forward and reported, "Your Majesty is a celestial sage; mortal weapons are indeed unworthy. But may we ask, can Your Majesty venture into water?" Wukong replied, "Since I achieved enlightenment, I possess seventy-two earthly transformations and the immense magical power of the Cloud Somersault. I am skilled at invisibility and evasion, at conjuring and controlling spells. I have a path to Heaven and a gate to the underworld. I walk through sun and moon without shadow, enter metal and stone unhindered. Water cannot drown me, fire cannot burn me. What place could I not go?" The four monkeys said, "Since Your Majesty possesses such divine powers, the water beneath our Iron Plate Bridge leads to the East Sea Dragon Palace. If Your Majesty would descend there and seek out the Old Dragon King, asking him for a weapon, would that not be perfectly to your liking?" Wukong was delighted by these words. "I shall go at once!" he declared.

The good Monkey King leapt to the bridgehead, cast a water-repelling spell, formed a hand-seal, and plunged into the waves. Parting the waters, he entered the depths of the East Sea. As he traveled, he suddenly encountered a patrolling night patrolman who blocked his path and asked, "Who pushes these waters aside? Please state your divine name so I may report your arrival." Wukong replied, "I am Sun Wukong, the Natural-Born Sage of Flower Fruit Mountain, a close neighbor of your Old Dragon King. Why do you not recognize me?" Upon hearing this, the Yaksha quickly turned and reported to the Crystal Palace, "Your Majesty, outside is Sun Wukong, the Natural-Born Sage of Flower Fruit Mountain, who claims to be Your Majesty's close neighbor and is about to enter the palace." The East Sea Dragon King, Ao Guang, immediately rose, along with his dragon sons and grandsons, and shrimp and crab soldiers, to greet him from the palace. "Celestial Immortal, please enter, please enter!" he urged. They proceeded into the palace, where they met. After Wukong was seated and offered tea, the Dragon King inquired, "Celestial Immortal, when did you attain the Way, and what immortal arts did you receive?" Wukong answered, "After my birth, I left home to cultivate, achieving a body that is neither born nor perishes. Recently, as I trained my children and guarded my mountain cave, I found myself without a suitable weapon. I have long heard that my esteemed neighbor enjoys the pleasures of the jade palace and pearly pavilions, and must possess surplus divine artifacts. I have specifically come to request one." Upon hearing this, the Dragon King could not refuse. He immediately ordered Commander Perch to bring forth a large saber. "Old Monkey doesn't use sabers," Wukong said, "Please grant me something else." The Dragon King then ordered General Bream to lead Eel Strongmen to carry out a nine-pronged rake. Wukong leapt down, took it in his hand, performed a few maneuvers, then put it down, saying, "Too light, too light! It's not handy! Please grant me another." The Dragon King laughed. "Celestial Immortal, you haven't seen this rake! It weighs three thousand six hundred catties!" Wukong replied, "Not handy, not handy!" Fear gripped the Dragon King's heart. He then ordered Admiral Lamprey and Colonel Carp to carry out a painted halberd. The halberd weighed seven thousand two hundred catties. Wukong saw it, rushed forward to take it in his hand, struck a few poses, performed a few maneuvers, then thrust it into the ground, saying, "Still too light, too light!" The Old Dragon King was even more terrified. "Celestial Immortal," he pleaded, "this halberd is the heaviest weapon in my palace. There are no other weapons left." Wukong chuckled. "As the ancients say, how can the Dragon King of the sea be without treasures? Go search again. If there's something I like, I'll pay a fair price for it." The Dragon King insisted, "There truly is nothing else."

Just as they spoke, Dragon Queen and Dragon Daughter appeared from behind. "Your Majesty," they said, "this Sage is clearly no ordinary being. That divine iron that stabilizes the Heavenly River in our sea treasury has been glowing brightly with auspicious light these past few days. Could it be that it is destined to appear and meet this Sage?" The Dragon King replied, "That was a marker used by Yu the Great during his flood control to measure the depths of the rivers and seas. It is a piece of divine iron. Of what use could it be?" The Dragon Queen said, "Never mind its use or disuse; just give it to him. Let him transform it however he pleases; simply get him out of the palace." The Old Dragon King followed her advice and explained everything to Wukong. Wukong said, "Bring it out for me to see." The Dragon King waved his hand. "It cannot be lifted! It cannot be carried! You must go and see it yourself, Celestial Immortal." Wukong asked, "Where is it? Lead me there." The Dragon King indeed led him to the center of the sea treasury, where a myriad of golden rays suddenly shone forth. The Dragon King pointed. "That which emits light is it." Wukong pulled up his robe and stepped forward. He reached out and grasped it. It was an iron pillar, about a foot thick and over twenty feet long. He grasped it with both hands and said, "It's too thick and too long. It would be useful if it were shorter and thinner." As he spoke, the treasure shortened by several feet and thinned by a foot in circumference. Wukong then weighed it in his hands again. "Even thinner would be better." The treasure truly thinned by several more inches. Wukong was overjoyed. When he took it out of the sea treasury and examined it, he saw that it had two golden bands at either end, a section of dark iron in the middle, and an inscription just inside the bands that read: "As-You-Will Golden-Banded Cudgel, Thirteen Thousand Five Hundred Catties." He secretly rejoiced. "This treasure must indeed follow one's will!" As he walked, he pondered aloud, shaking it in his hand, "Even shorter and thinner would be even better!" When he brought it outside, it was only twelve feet long and the thickness of a bowl.

Behold him displaying his divine powers, performing maneuvers, and circling within the Crystal Palace, frightening the Old Dragon King to the point of trembling, and sending the small dragon princes into a panic. Tortoises, soft-shelled turtles, and alligators all drew in their necks, and fish, shrimp, and crabs all hid their heads. Wukong held the treasure in his hand and sat upon the Crystal Palace throne. He smiled at the Dragon King, "Many thanks for your esteemed neighbor's generosity." The Dragon King replied, "You are too kind, too kind!" Wukong said, "Though this iron is good, there's one more thing." The Dragon King asked, "What else does the Celestial Immortal have to say?" Wukong replied, "If I hadn't acquired this iron, it would be one thing, but now that I hold it in my hand, I have no clothes to match it. What am I to do? If you have any armor here, please be so kind as to give me a set. I will thank you for everything." The Dragon King said, "That, I truly do not have." Wukong said, "A guest doesn't press two hosts. If you don't have it, I won't leave this door." The Dragon King said, "Perhaps the Celestial Immortal could visit another sea; they might have some." Wukong replied, "Rather than visit three homes, it's better to settle with one. I implore you, please provide a set!" The Old Dragon King said, "I truly do not have it. If I did, I would present it at once." Wukong said, "If you truly don't have it, then I'll test this iron on you!" The Dragon King panicked. "Celestial Immortal, please, no violence! Please, no violence! Let me see if my brothers have any; I will send a set." Wukong asked, "Where are your brothers?" The Dragon King replied, "My brothers are Ao Qin, the Dragon King of the South Sea, Ao Shun, the Dragon King of the North Sea, and Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea." Wukong said, "Old Monkey won't go, won't go! As the saying goes, 'three debts are worse than two in hand.' I just hope you can provide a set, however humble." The Old Dragon King said, "The Celestial Immortal need not go. I have an iron drum and a golden bell here. In times of emergency, if the drum is beaten and the bell is rung, my brothers will arrive in an instant." Wukong said, "If that is so, quickly beat the drum and ring the bell!" Indeed, the Alligator General went to ring the bell, and the Turtle Marshal went to beat the drum.

A short while later, as the bell and drum rang, they indeed alarmed the three Dragon Kings of the other seas. Soon they arrived, meeting together outside. Ao Qin asked, "Elder Brother, what urgent matter necessitated the beating of the drum and ringing of the bell?" The Old Dragon King said, "My dear brothers, it is terrible! There is a 'Natural-Born Sage' from Flower Fruit Mountain named Sun Wukong. He came this morning, claiming to be my neighbor. Later, he demanded a weapon. He found the steel rake too small and the painted halberd too light. He himself took out a piece of divine iron from the Heavenly River that stabilizes the sea, performing a few maneuvers with it. Now he sits in my palace, demanding armor. I have none here, so I rang the bell and beat the drum to invite you, my brothers. Do any of you have any armor? Give him a set and send him out, that's all." Upon hearing this, Ao Qin was furious. "Let us brothers muster our troops and seize him!" The Old Dragon King pleaded, "No, no! That iron cudgel, if it barely touches you, you'll die! If it merely bumps you, you'll perish! A slight graze will break your skin, a mere rub will injure your sinews!" Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, said, "Second Brother, do not engage him. Let's just gather a set of armor for him and send him out. Then we can petition Heaven, and Heaven will deal with him." Ao Shun, the Dragon King of the North Sea, said, "That is right. I have a pair of Cloud-Stepping Lotus Slippers here." Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, said, "I brought a set of Golden Chain Mail." Ao Qin, the Dragon King of the South Sea, said, "I have a Phoenix-Winged Purple Golden Crown." The Old Dragon King was overjoyed. He led them into the Crystal Palace to meet Wukong and presented the items. Wukong donned the golden crown, golden armor, and cloud slippers. He then swung his As-You-Will Cudgel, striking his way out, saying to the dragons, "Many thanks, many thanks!" The Four Dragon Kings were greatly displeased and began to discuss petitioning Heaven, a matter for later.

Behold the Monkey King, parting the waters, returning directly to the Iron Plate Bridge. He sprang out, to find the four old monkeys and the other monkeys waiting by the bridge. When they saw Wukong leap out of the waves, not a single drop of water on him, resplendent in gold, and walk onto the bridge, the monkeys all knelt down in unison, exclaiming, "Your Majesty, what splendid attire! What splendid attire!" Wukong, his face radiant, ascended his throne and placed the iron cudgel upright in the center. These monkeys, not knowing its true nature, all tried to lift the treasure, but it was like a dragonfly trying to shake an iron tree; they could not budge it one iota. One by one, they bit their fingers and stuck out their tongues, crying, "Grandpa! It's so heavy! How did you carry it here?" Wukong approached, extended his hand, grasped it, and lifted it easily. He smiled at them, "Everything has its master. This treasure was enshrined in the sea treasury for who knows how many thousands of years, and only this year did it emit light. The Dragon King only recognized it as a black iron, also calling it the Divine Iron that Stabilizes the Heavenly River. Those scoundrels couldn't lift it, so they invited me to take it myself. At that time, this treasure was over twenty feet long and a foot thick. When I grasped it and thought it was too big, it instantly shrank considerably. When I told it to become smaller again, it shrank further. Again, it shrank even more. When I quickly examined it in the sunlight, there was a line of characters on it, which read: 'As-You-Will Golden-Banded Cudgel, Thirteen Thousand Five Hundred Catties.' You all stand back, let me show you how it changes again." He weighed the treasure in his hand and called out, "Small, small, small!" Instantly, it shrank to the size of an embroidery needle, which he could tuck into his ear to conceal. The monkeys cried out in astonishment, "Your Majesty! Bring it out and play with it again!" The Monkey King indeed took it out of his ear, placed it on his palm, and called out, "Big, big, big!" Immediately, it grew to be a foot thick and twenty feet long. When he was overjoyed with his display, he leapt onto the bridge, walked out of the cave, and holding the treasure in his hand, performed a Heaven-and-Earth-Shaking transformation. He bent at the waist and cried, "Grow!" He grew ten thousand feet tall, his head like Mount Tai, his waist like a towering ridge, his eyes like lightning, his mouth like a bloody basin, and his teeth like swords and halberds. The cudgel in his hand reached up to the thirty-third Heaven and down to the eighteenth layer of hell. The tigers, leopards, wolves, and all the monsters on the mountain, along with the seventy-two cave kings, were so terrified that they prostrated themselves, trembling with fright and their souls scattered. In an instant, he withdrew his magical form, transformed the treasure back into an embroidery needle, hid it in his ear, and returned to his cave. The demon kings from various caves, still shaking, came to offer congratulations.

At this time, they set up flags and beat the copper gongs, laying out a lavish banquet of a hundred delicacies and filling cups with coconut nectar and grape wine. They feasted for a long time. Afterwards, they resumed their drills as before. The Monkey King appointed the four old monkeys as his valiant generals, naming the two red-bottomed macaques as Marshals Ma and Liu, and the two long-armed gibbons as Generals Beng and Ba. He entrusted them with all matters of setting up camps, rewards, and punishments. With his mind at ease, he spent his days soaring on clouds and mist, roaming the four seas and enjoying the thousand mountains. He displayed his martial arts, sought out heroes everywhere, and used his divine powers to make many wise friends. At this time, he also befriended six other demon kings, forming a sworn brotherhood of seven: the Bull Demon King, the Flood Dragon King, the Roc Demon King, the Lion Camel King, the Macaque King, and the Barbarian King, with himself, the Handsome Monkey King, as the seventh. They spent their days discussing literature and martial arts, passing cups of wine, playing music, singing, and dancing, returning home in the evening. There was no pleasure they did not enjoy. They regarded distances of ten thousand miles as mere strolls through a courtyard, truly living up to the saying: "A nod spans three thousand miles, a twist of the waist covers eight hundred paces."

One day, in his cave, he instructed his four valiant generals to prepare a banquet and invite his six sworn brothers to feast. They slaughtered oxen and horses, made offerings to Heaven and Earth, and had the monsters dance and sing joyfully. They all drank until they were thoroughly intoxicated. After seeing off his six brothers, he rewarded his chief subordinates and then, under the pine shade by the Iron Plate Bridge, fell asleep in an instant. The four valiant generals and the other monkeys surrounded him protectively, not daring to make a sound. Suddenly, in his sleep, the Handsome Monkey King saw two men holding a warrant with "Sun Wukong" written on it. They approached him, and without a word, put a rope around him, dragging his soul away, stumbling and staggering, until they reached the edge of a city. The Monkey King gradually became sober, and suddenly looked up to see an iron plaque on the city wall. On the plaque were three large characters: "The Underworld." The Handsome Monkey King instantly realized, "The Underworld is where Yama resides. Why have I come here?" The two men said, "Your lifespan has ended today. We have received orders to seize you." Upon hearing this, the Monkey King exclaimed, "Old Monkey is beyond the Three Realms and not within the Five Elements. I am no longer subject to their jurisdiction. How dare you so confusedly come to seize me?" The two soul-reapers merely tugged and pulled, determined to drag him in. The Monkey King's temper flared. He pulled the treasure from his ear, shook it, and it became as thick as a bowl. With a slight lift of his hand, he smashed the two soul-reapers into a bloody pulp. He untied himself, threw off the rope, and, swinging his cudgel, fought his way into the city. The Ox-head demons fled and hid, the Horse-face demons scattered north and south, and the other imps rushed to the Hall of Judgment, reporting, "Your Majesties, disaster, disaster! A hairy-faced thunder-god is fighting his way in!"

The Ten Kings of the Underworld quickly straightened their robes and came out to investigate. Seeing his ferocious appearance, they immediately lined up and respectfully called out, "Celestial Immortal, please state your name! Celestial Immortal, please state your name!" The Monkey King replied, "If you don't recognize me, why did you send someone to seize me?" The Ten Kings said, "We dare not! We dare not! Perhaps the messengers made a mistake." The Monkey King said, "I am Sun Wukong, the Natural-Born Sage of Flower Fruit Mountain and Water Curtain Cave. What are your official positions?" The Ten Kings bowed, saying, "We are the Ten Kings of the Underworld, rulers of the netherworld." Wukong said, "Quickly state your names, or face a beating!" The Ten Kings replied, "We are King Qin Guang, King Chu Jiang, King Song Di, King Wu Guan, King Yama, King Ping Deng, King Tai Shan, King Du Shi, King Bian Cheng, and King Zhuan Lun." Wukong said, "Since you hold the rank of kings, and possess spiritual insight, why are you so ignorant? Old Monkey has cultivated immortality and attained the Way, achieving a lifespan equal to Heaven, transcending the Three Realms, and leaping out of the Five Elements. Why did you send people to seize me?" The Ten Kings replied, "Celestial Immortal, please calm your anger. There are many people with the same name throughout the world. Perhaps the soul-reaper simply made a mistake?" Wukong scoffed, "Nonsense, nonsense! As the saying goes, 'official messengers may err, but the person coming does not err.' Quickly bring the Register of Life and Death for me to see!" Upon hearing this, the Ten Kings invited him to the main hall to examine it.

Wukong, holding his As-You-Will Cudgel, ascended directly to the Hall of Judgment and sat in the center, facing south. The Ten Kings immediately ordered the registrar to bring forth the ledgers for inspection. The registrar dared not delay, and went to the office, returning with five or six registers and ten categories of books, which they examined one by one. There was no mention of his name among worms, furry creatures, feathered creatures, insects, or scaled animals. When they looked at the category for monkeys, they found that monkeys resemble humans but are not listed under human names; they resemble vermin but are not confined by national boundaries; they resemble beasts but are not governed by the Qilin; they resemble birds but are not subject to the Phoenix. There was another ledger, which Wukong personally examined. He found "Sun Wukong" at entry number 1350 under the "Soul" character. It stated that he was a Heaven-born stone monkey, destined to live for three hundred and forty-two years, and to die peacefully. Wukong said, "I don't remember how long my lifespan is, but I will simply cross out my name and be done with it. Bring me a brush!" The registrar hurriedly brought a brush, dipped generously in thick ink. Wukong took the ledger and crossed out all names in the monkey category that were listed. He threw down the ledger and declared, "It's settled, it's settled! From now on, you have no authority over us!" He fought his way out of the Underworld with his cudgel. The Ten Kings dared not approach him and instead went to the Palace of Emerald Clouds to consult with Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva about drafting a petition to Heaven, a matter that need not be detailed here.

The Monkey King fought his way out of the city, and suddenly tripped over a pile of straw, falling head over heels. He abruptly awoke to realize it had all been a dream. As he stretched, he heard his four valiant generals and the other monkeys shouting, "Your Majesty, how much did you drink that you've slept all night and still haven't woken up?" Wukong replied, "Waking up is a small matter. I dreamed that two men came to seize me and dragged me outside the gates of the Underworld. Only then did I awaken. I used my divine powers, fought straight into the Hall of Judgment, argued with the Ten Kings, and examined our Register of Life and Death. Any name belonging to us, I crossed out, so we are no longer subject to their jurisdiction!" The monkeys all bowed and gave thanks. From then on, many mountain monkeys became immortal, as their names were erased from the underworld records. After the Handsome Monkey King recounted the events, the four valiant generals informed the other cave kings, who all came to offer congratulations. Within a few days, his six sworn brothers also came to congratulate him. Upon hearing how he had erased their names, they were all overjoyed, and they continued to feast and enjoy themselves daily, a story that need not be further elaborated.

Now, let us turn to the exalted, sagely, merciful, and benevolent Jade Emperor, the Great Celestial Venerable, the Mysterious Sovereign of the High Heavens. One day, as he sat enthroned in the Golden Palace of Clouds, the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, gathering his civil and military celestial ministers for morning court, the True Man Qiu Hongji suddenly reported, "Your Majesty, outside the Hall of Bright Enlightenment, the Dragon King of the East Sea, Ao Guang, has presented a petition. Awaits Your Celestial Venerable's decree." The Jade Emperor issued an edict, ordering him to be summoned. Ao Guang was led to the foot of the Lingxiao Hall and bowed. An attendant took the petition and presented it. The Jade Emperor read it from beginning to end. The petition stated:

"To the Great Heavenly Sacred Sovereign, the Mysterious Sovereign of the High Heavens, from your humble servant Ao Guang, the small dragon of the East Sea in the Water Element Realm, Eastern Continent of Divine Victory:

Recently, a demon immortal named Sun Wukong, born on Flower Fruit Mountain and residing in Water Curtain Cave, has cruelly oppressed your humble servant, forcibly occupying my aquatic palace. He demanded weapons with magic and might; he demanded armor with ferocity and power. He injured the aquatic creatures and terrified the turtles and alligators, causing the South Sea Dragon King to tremble, the West Sea Dragon King to be utterly miserable, and the North Sea Dragon King to draw in his head and surrender. Your humble servant Ao Guang bowed low, offering the divine iron cudgel, the phoenix-winged golden crown, along with the chain mail and cloud-stepping slippers, respectfully sending him out. Yet, he continued to display his martial arts and divine powers, merely saying 'noisy, noisy!' He is indeed invincible and exceedingly difficult to control. Your humble servant now petitions, humbly awaiting your sacred judgment. I earnestly implore you to dispatch heavenly soldiers to subdue this demon, so that the seas and mountains may be tranquil and the lower realm may be peaceful. Respectfully submitted."

The Sacred Emperor perused the petition and issued an edict: "Order the Dragon God to return to the sea. We shall immediately dispatch a general to capture him." The Old Dragon King bowed his head in thanks and departed. Below, the Immortal Ge also reported, "Your Majesty, King Qin Guang of the Underworld has brought a petition from Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, the Lord of the Underworld." An attendant brought the petition, and the Jade Emperor also read it from beginning to end. The petition stated:

"The Underworld is the nether realm of the Earth. As there are gods in Heaven, there are ghosts on Earth, and Yin and Yang revolve. As creatures are born, so do beasts die, their roles reversed. Life generates life, transforming women into men. This is the natural order, immutable. However, there is a Heaven-born demon monkey named Sun Wukong, from Flower Fruit Mountain and Water Curtain Cave, who has behaved wickedly and violently, refusing to obey summons. He used his divine powers to eliminate the messengers of the Nine Netherworlds; he relied on his might to terrify the Ten Benevolent Kings. He caused great havoc in the Hall of Judgment and forcibly erased names from the register. This has caused creatures of the monkey species to be unrestricted, and many macaques to have extended lifespans, disrupting the cycle of reincarnation, with neither birth nor death for them. Your humble monk now presents this petition, daring to offend Your Celestial Might. I humbly implore you to dispatch divine soldiers to subdue this demon, to regulate Yin and Yang, and to bring eternal peace to the underworld. Respectfully submitted."

The Jade Emperor perused the petition and issued an edict: "Order the Lords of the Underworld to return to the nether realm. We shall immediately dispatch a general to capture him." King Qin Guang also bowed his head in thanks and departed.

The Great Celestial Venerable then summoned his civil and military celestial ministers and asked, "How many years has this demon monkey been born? From what era does he hail, to possess such profound Dao?" Before he had finished speaking, Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear stepped out from the ranks and reported, "This monkey is a Heaven-born stone monkey, born three hundred years ago. At the time, we did not think much of it. We do not know where he has cultivated immortality these past few years, but he has become capable of subduing dragons and tigers and forcibly erasing death records." The Jade Emperor asked, "Which divine general shall descend to subdue him?" Before he finished, the Grand White Venus Star, Tai Bai Jin Xing, stepped out from the ranks and knelt, reporting, "Your Holiness, in the Three Realms, any creature with nine orifices can cultivate immortality. This monkey is a being formed by Heaven and Earth, conceived by the sun and moon. He also stands tall under Heaven and treads upon Earth, feeding on dew and mist. Now that he has cultivated the immortal Dao and possesses the ability to subdue dragons and tigers, how is he different from humans? Your humble servant petitions Your Majesty to consider the benevolence of creation and issue a decree of amnesty, summoning him to the Upper Realm. Grant him a minor official position, enroll his name in the celestial register, and restrain him here. If he accepts the heavenly mandate, he can be promoted later; if he defies it, he can be captured then. This will avoid mobilizing troops and also be a righteous way to acquire an immortal." The Jade Emperor was greatly pleased upon hearing this. "As you have proposed," he said. He immediately ordered the Star Official of Literature to draft the edict and Tai Bai Jin Xing to deliver the amnesty.

Tai Bai Jin Xing received the decree, exited the Southern Heavenly Gate, lowered his auspicious cloud, and arrived directly at Flower Fruit Mountain's Water Curtain Cave. He addressed the small monkeys, "I am a heavenly envoy, dispatched with an imperial decree. I am here to invite your Great King to the Upper Realm. Quickly inform him!" The small monkeys outside the cave relayed the message, layer by layer, to the depths of the cave. "Your Majesty," they reported, "an old man is outside, carrying a scroll. He says he is a heavenly envoy with an imperial decree to invite you." The Handsome Monkey King was overjoyed upon hearing this. "These past two days I've been thinking of visiting Heaven," he said, "and now a heavenly envoy has come to invite me!" "Quickly, invite him in!" he commanded. The Monkey King swiftly straightened his attire and came out to greet him at the cave entrance. Tai Bai Jin Xing entered and stood facing south. "I am Tai Bai Jin Xing from the West," he announced, "I have descended to the lower realm with an imperial decree of amnesty from the Jade Emperor, to invite you to Heaven to receive an immortal title." Wukong chuckled, "Many thanks for the old star's visit." He then ordered, "Little ones! Prepare a banquet to entertain him." Tai Bai Jin Xing said, "I carry an imperial decree and cannot stay long. I ask the Great King to come with me now. After your promotion, we can leisurely converse." Wukong replied, "Thank you for the honor; I must excuse myself!" He immediately summoned his four valiant generals and instructed them, "Diligently train my children and grandchildren. I will go to Heaven to survey the path, then it will be convenient to bring you all up to live there with me." The four valiant generals acknowledged his command. The Monkey King and Tai Bai Jin Xing then soared on clouds, ascending into the celestial firmament. It was truly then that he: ascended to a high immortal rank, his name inscribed in the celestial registry. But what official position he was granted, you must listen to the next chapter to find out.