Chapter 33: Misleading True Nature by Heresy Original Spirit Assists the Mind

The monster, having captured Bajie, led him into the cave and said, "Brother, I've caught one!" The old demon was delighted and said, "Bring him here, let me see." The second demon said, "Isn't this him?" The old demon said, "Brother, you've caught the wrong one. This monk is useless." Bajie quickly chimed in, "Great King, if I'm a useless monk, just let me go! It’s not right to keep me!" The second demon said, "Brother, don't release him. Although he's useless, he's still part of Tang Sanzang's group, named Zhu Bajie. Let's immerse him in the clean pool at the back, soak off his hair, salt him, dry him in the sun, and wait for a cloudy day to have him with wine." Hearing this, Bajie exclaimed, "Oh no! I've run into a monster who deals in cured meats!" The little demons carried Bajie inside and threw him into the water.

Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang sat on the hillside, feeling a burning in his ears, a twitching in his eyes, and a general unease. He called out, "Wukong! Why is Wuneng taking so long to return from his patrol?" Pilgrim said, "Master, you still don't understand his nature." Sanzang said, "What do you mean?" Pilgrim said, "Master, if there were any monsters on this mountain, he wouldn't dare take half a step forward. He would surely make a show of it and run back to inform me. Since he hasn't returned, it must mean there are no monsters, and the path is peaceful, so he's gone straight ahead." Sanzang said, "But if he really has gone on, where will we meet him? This is a desolate wilderness, not like a town or city." Pilgrim said, "Master, don't worry. Please get on your horse. That simpleton is a bit lazy and will certainly be walking slowly. If you urge the horse a little, we will surely catch up with him and continue together." Indeed, Tang Sanzang mounted his horse, Sha Seng carried the luggage, and Pilgrim led the way up the mountain.

The old demon then called the second demon and said, "Brother, since you've caught Bajie, Tang Sanzang must be nearby. Go patrol the mountain again, and don't let him get away." The second demon said, "Right away, right away." He quickly mustered fifty small demons and set off to patrol the mountain. As they walked, they saw auspicious clouds swirling and propitious mists coiling. The second demon said, "Tang Sanzang is coming." The demons asked, "Where is Tang Sanzang?" The second demon said, "A good person has auspicious clouds above their head, while an evil person has black qi rising to the sky. Tang Sanzang was originally Elder Jinchan reincarnated, a good person who has cultivated for ten lifetimes, which is why he has such ethereal clouds." None of the other monsters could see it, so the second demon pointed and said, "Isn't that him?" Just then, Sanzang shivered on his horse. The demon pointed again, and Sanzang shivered again. After three consecutive pointers, Sanzang shivered three times and said, feeling unsettled, "Disciples, why am I shivering?" Sha Seng said, "Shivering might be a symptom of indigestion." Pilgrim said, "Nonsense! Master is walking through these deep mountains and rugged peaks, so you must be prone to unnecessary fears. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid! Let me clear the path with my staff to settle your nerves."

The great Pilgrim, wielding his staff, performed several maneuvers in front of the horse, striking high and low, left and right, all in accordance with the Six Strategies and Three Tactics, displaying his divine powers. The Elder, observing from horseback, saw that it was truly a rare sight in the world, something utterly unique. He cleared a path and advanced, almost frightening the monster. From the mountaintop, the monster saw him and was terrified, nearly losing his soul. He suddenly exclaimed, "For years, I've heard tales of Sun Wukong, and only today do I realize that the rumors are indeed true!" The other monsters stepped forward and said, "Great King, why are you boosting another's morale and diminishing your own prestige? Who are you praising?" The second demon said, "Sun Wukong's divine powers are immense; Tang Sanzang cannot be eaten if he's around." The monsters said, "Great King, if you lack the means, let a few of us go report to the Great King. Tell him to gather all the soldiers from our cave, arrange them in formation, and with combined strength, where can he possibly escape?" The second demon said, "You haven't seen his iron staff; it has the strength to withstand ten thousand men. Our cave only has four or five hundred soldiers; how could they possibly withstand one blow from him?" The demons said, "If that's the case, we can't eat Tang Sanzang, so didn't we make a mistake by capturing Zhu Bajie? Let's return him now." The second demon said, "He wasn't wrongly captured, but we shouldn't simply return him either. We will eventually eat Tang Sanzang, but not yet." The demons asked, "So, will it be a few more years then?" The second demon said, "No, not years. I've observed Tang Sanzang; he can only be acquired through benevolent means, not through force. If we try to capture him by relying on power, we won't even get a whiff of him. We must use kindness to win him over, to make his heart align with ours, then we can devise a plan within that kindness to capture him." The demons asked, "Great King, if you have decided on a plan to capture him, can we be of use?" The second demon said, "You all return to your respective camps, but you are forbidden from reporting this to the Great King. If he is alarmed, the news will surely spread, ruining my plan. I have my own divine transformation to capture him." The demons dispersed, and he alone leaped down the mountain. By the roadside, he transformed into an elderly Daoist. How was he dressed? He was:

His star-crowned cap shone brightly, his crane-white hair was dishevelled. A feathered robe was cinched with an embroidered belt, and his cloud-patterned shoes were adorned with yellow-brown accents. His spirit was clear and his eyes bright like an immortal guest, his body hale and light like an old man of longevity. Why speak of a Daoist riding a green ox? He was even better than a plain-robed scholar. He put on a false appearance like a true one, feigning emotions that seemed real. By the roadside, he feigned being a Daoist with a broken leg, blood oozing from his foot, groaning and repeatedly crying out, "Help! Help!"

Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang, relying on Sun Wukong and Sha Seng, happily advanced. As they proceeded, they suddenly heard a cry: "Master, save me!" Hearing this, Sanzang said, "Goodness me! In this desolate mountain wilderness, with no villages nearby, who could be calling? Perhaps someone has been frightened by tigers, leopards, wolves, or other beasts." The Elder reined in his handsome horse and called out, "Who is in distress? Please come out." The monster crawled out from the bushes and, before the Elder's horse, repeatedly kowtowed. Sanzang, seeing that he was a Daoist and quite old, felt very sorry for him. He quickly dismounted and helped him, saying, "Please rise, please rise." The monster said, "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!" Letting go and looking, Sanzang saw blood flowing from his foot and asked in surprise, "Sir, where are you from? And how did you injure your esteemed foot?" The monster, with cunning words and false sincerity, said, "Master, to the west of this mountain, there is a serene Daoist temple, and I am a Daoist from that temple." Sanzang said, "Why are you idly walking here, instead of serving incense and practicing scriptures in your temple?" The demon said, "A few days ago, a patron in the southern part of the mountain invited Daoists to perform a star-averting ritual and distribute blessings, and we returned late. My disciple and I were walking together. As we reached a deep valley, we suddenly encountered a striped fierce tiger that carried off my disciple. Trembling with fear, I fled for my life, stumbled on a rocky slope, injured my leg, and lost my way back. Today, by great heavenly fate, I have met Master. I earnestly implore Master to show great compassion and save my life. If I reach my temple, I will pledge my body and life to repay your profound kindness." Hearing this, Sanzang believed him and said, "Sir, you and I are both men of destiny. I am a monk, you are a Daoist. Though our attire differs, the principles of our cultivation are the same. If I do not save you, I would not be a true renunciant. I will save you, but you cannot walk." The monster said, "I can't even stand up, how can I walk?" Sanzang said, "Very well, very well. I can still walk; I will let you ride my horse for a while. When you reach your temple, you can return my horse." The monster said, "Master, I am grateful for your great kindness, but my thigh and hip are injured, so I cannot ride a horse." Sanzang said, "That's true." He called out to Sha Seng, "Put the luggage on my horse, and you carry him for a while." Sha Seng said, "I'll carry him." The monster quickly turned his head, shot him a glance, and said, "Master, I was frightened by that fierce tiger, and seeing this Master with an unlucky face makes me even more terrified. I dare not let him carry me." Sanzang called out, "Wukong, you carry him then." Pilgrim readily agreed, "I'll carry him, I'll carry him!" The demon, having settled on Pilgrim, willingly allowed him to carry him, and said no more. Sha Seng chuckled, "This blind old Daoist! He doesn't want me to carry him, but insists on him. If he doesn't see Master, he'll throw you on those three pointed rocks and break all your bones!"

Pilgrim carried him, chuckling as he said, "You wicked demon, how dare you provoke me? You should ask how many years old I am! Your tricks can only fool Tang Sanzang; how dare you try to fool me? I recognize you as a monster from this mountain, and I suppose you want to eat my Master. But my Master is no ordinary person for you to eat! If you want to eat him, you must at least share more than half with me." The demon, hearing Pilgrim's words, said, "Master, I am the descendant of a good family, who became a Daoist. Today, unfortunately, I encountered the peril of tigers and wolves; I am not a monster." Pilgrim said, "If you fear tigers and wolves, why don't you recite the 'Scripture of the Northern Dipper'?" Sanzang, who was just mounting his horse, heard this and scolded, "You impudent monkey! Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Just carry him and be done with it; what's all this talk about Northern Dipper scriptures or Southern Dipper scriptures!" Pilgrim, hearing this, said, "This fellow is lucky! My Master is a compassionate and benevolent person, though a bit superficial. If I refuse to carry you, he'll blame me. I'll carry you, but we must have an understanding: if you need to relieve yourself, tell me first. If it streams down my back, it will be disgustingly smelly and soil my clothes, and there will be no one to wash them." The monster said, "At my advanced age, do you think I don't understand what you're saying?" Pilgrim then pulled him up, carried him on his back, and together with the Elder and Sha Seng, headed west on the main road. In the uneven parts of the mountain, Pilgrim carefully walked slowly, allowing Tang Sanzang to go ahead.

After walking less than three or five *li*, the Master and Sha Seng descended into a mountain hollow, and Pilgrim could no longer see them. He complained in his heart, "My Master, at such an old age, still doesn't understand things. On such a long journey, even without carrying anything, my hands feel heavy, and I wish I could get rid of the weight, yet he makes me carry this monster! Never mind that he's a monster, even if he were a good person of this age, he'd be better off dead. I should just throw him off and kill him; why should I carry him?" As the Great Sage was planning to throw him off, the monster, it turned out, knew it. Being able to command mountains, he employed a magic of moving mountains and overturning seas. On Pilgrim's back, he formed a hand seal and recited a true incantation, sending Mount Sumeru into the air to press down on Pilgrim's head. The Great Sage, flustered, tilted his head, and the mountain pressed onto his left shoulder. He laughed and said, "My dear fellow, what heavy-body spell are you using to press down on me? This isn't really scary, but it's easy to carry a balanced load, and difficult to carry an unbalanced one." The demon said, "One mountain can't hold him down!" He then recited another incantation, sending Mount Emei into the air to press down. Pilgrim again tilted his head, and it pressed onto his right shoulder. Behold him, carrying two great mountains, flying like a shooting star to catch up with his Master! The demon, seeing this, was so frightened that he broke out in a sweat and his whole body became moist. He said, "He can carry mountains!" He composed himself again, recited another true incantation, and sent Mount Tai into the air, pressing it directly onto Pilgrim's head. The Great Sage felt his strength wane and his muscles go numb. Faced with this method of being crushed by Mount Tai, he was so pressed that his three spiritual souls trembled, and blood spurted from his seven orifices.

That formidable demon, having used his divine power to crush Pilgrim, swiftly rode the long wind to catch up with Tang Sanzang. From the clouds, he reached down and snatched the person on the horse. Sha Seng, flustered, dropped the luggage, pulled out his demon-subduing staff, and blocked the demon head-on. The demon raised a Seven-Star Sword and met him in combat. It was a fierce battle—

The Seven-Star Sword and the demon-subduing staff, ten thousand glints of golden light flashed like lightning. One had fierce round eyes like a dark murderous god, the other an iron face, truly the Curtain-lifting General. That monster displayed great power before the mountain, determined to capture Tang Sanzang. This one strove to protect the true monk, determined to die rather than give up. The two spewed clouds and belched fog, obscuring the celestial palace; they scattered dust and stirred up dirt, obscuring the Big Dipper. They fought until the red sun paled and lost its light, and the vast earth and sky were dim and chaotic. They contended back and forth for eight or nine rounds, but unexpectedly, Sha Seng was defeated.

The demon was extremely ferocious, wielding his precious sword with swift, meteoric maneuvers, making Sha Seng weak and unable to cope. Sha Seng turned to flee, but the demon quickly trapped his staff, used his large hand to seize Sha Seng, and pinned him under his left armpit. With his right hand, he snatched Sanzang from the horse, hooked the luggage with his toes, opened his mouth, bit the horse's mane, and used his capturing spell to whisk them all, in a gust of wind, into the Lotus Cave. He loudly roared, "Brother! The monks are all captured!" The old demon heard this and was overjoyed, saying, "Bring them here, let me see." The second demon said, "Aren't these them?" The old demon said, "My dear brother, you've caught the wrong ones again." The second demon said, "You said to capture Tang Sanzang." The old demon said, "Indeed, he is Tang Sanzang, but we haven't caught the resourceful Sun Wukong yet. We must catch him first before we can eat Tang Sanzang. If we haven't captured him, don't touch any of his people. That Monkey King has immense divine powers and many transformations. If we eat his master, will he accept it quietly? He'll come and cause trouble at our door, and we'll never have peace." The second demon chuckled, "Brother, you praise him too much. If we go by your commendation, he's rare in heaven and nonexistent on earth. From my perspective, he's nothing special, without much ability." The old demon said, "Did you capture him?" The second demon said, "He has been pinned under three great mountains by my spell, unable to move an inch. That's why I was able to capture Tang Sanzang, Sha Seng, the horse, and the luggage." The old demon was overjoyed to hear this, saying, "What luck, what luck! With that fellow captured, Tang Sanzang will truly be our meal." He called out to a little demon, "Quickly, prepare some wine, and let's present a cup of honor to our second Great King for his achievement." The second demon said, "Brother, don't drink yet. Tell the small demons to pull Zhu Bajie out of the water and hang him up." So, Bajie was hung in the east corridor, Sha Seng in the west, Tang Sanzang in the middle, the white horse was taken to the stable, and the luggage was brought inside.

The old demon chuckled, "My worthy brother, what excellent skill! You've captured three monks twice. But even though Sun Wukong is pinned under a mountain, we still need a spell to capture him properly for steaming." The second demon said, "Elder brother, please sit. To capture Sun Wukong, we don't need to move ourselves. Just send two small demons with two treasures to capture him." The old demon said, "What treasures should they take?" The second demon said, "Take my Purple Gold Red Gourd and your Mutton-Fat Jade Vase." The old demon took out the treasures and said, "Which two should I send?" The second demon said, "Send Jingxigui (the Meticulous Demon) and Linglichong (the Clever Demon)." He instructed them, "You two, take these treasures, go directly to the highest peak of the mountain. Turn the bottom towards the sky and the opening towards the earth, then call out 'Sun Wukong!' If he responds, he'll be trapped inside. Immediately seal it with a talisman bearing 'By Imperial Decree, as Swift as the Law of Lord Lao Zi,' and he will turn into pus within one and a quarter hours." The two little demons kowtowed, took the treasures, and left to capture Pilgrim.

Meanwhile, the Great Sage, pinned under the mountain root by the demon's spell, thought of Sanzang in his distress and called out to the holy monk in his tribulation. He cried out loudly, "Master! I remember when you came to the Mountain of Two Frontiers, lifted the pressing talisman, and I was freed from great calamity. I embraced the Buddhist faith, grateful for the Bodhisattva's decree, and shared living, cultivation, destiny, appearance, sight, and knowledge with you. Who would have thought that upon reaching this place, I would encounter demonic obstacles and be crushed by a mountain? Pitiful, pitiful! Your death would be deserved, but it's hard on Sha Seng, Bajie, and the little dragon who transformed into a horse! This truly is: 'A tall tree invites the wind, and the wind shakes the tree; a person of high renown loses their life due to renown!'" After sighing, his tears fell like rain. This alarmed the Mountain Gods, Earth Deities, and the Five Directions Guardian Deities. The Golden-Headed Guardian Deity said, "Whose mountain is this?" The Earth Deity said, "It's ours." "Who is pinned under your mountain?" The Earth Deity said, "We don't know who." The Guardian Deity said, "So you don't know? This one pinned beneath is Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, who caused great havoc in the Heavenly Palace five hundred years ago. Now he has converted to the True Path and become a disciple of Tang Sanzang. How dare you lend your mountain to a demon to crush him? You're as good as dead. If he ever escapes, he won't spare you! Even lightly, the Earth Deity would be exiled, the Mountain God banished, and we would also receive a severe reprimand." Only then did the Mountain Gods and Earth Deities become frightened and say, "We truly didn't know, we truly didn't know. We only heard that demon recite the mountain-sending incantation, and we moved the mountain. Who knew it was the Great Sage Sun?" The Guardian Deity said, "Don't be afraid. The law states that those who are ignorant are not punished. I will arrange with you to release him, but don't let him lay hands on you." The Earth Deity said, "That's unreasonable! If he's released, he'll still hit us?" The Guardian Deity said, "You don't know, he has a Ruyi Golden-Banded Cudgel, which is extremely formidable. A direct hit means death, a glancing blow means injury. A slight knock breaks bones, a slight rub peels skin!" The Earth Deities and Mountain Gods, filled with fear, discussed among themselves with the Five Directions Guardian Deities, and then came to the three mountain gates and called out, "Great Sage! The Mountain Gods, Earth Deities, and Five Directions Guardian Deities are here to see you." The great Pilgrim, though thin like a tiger, still possessed his heroic spirit, and his demeanor was naturally imposing. He spoke with a clear, resonant voice, "Why do you wish to see me?" The Earth Deity said, "We inform the Great Sage that we will remove the mountain and ask the Great Sage to emerge, forgiving our disrespectful offense." Pilgrim said, "Remove the mountain, and I won't hit you." He roared, "Begone!" just like an official issuing an order. The deities recited their true incantations and spells, sending the mountain back to its original position and releasing Pilgrim. Pilgrim leaped up, shook off the dust, adjusted his skirt, pulled out his staff from behind his ear, and called out to the Mountain Gods and Earth Deities, "Stick out your ankles, each of you. Let me hit you twice first to relieve my boredom!" The deities were greatly alarmed and said, "Just now, the Great Sage ordered to forgive our offenses, so why has he changed his words and wants to hit us now that he's out?" Pilgrim said, "Good Earth Deities, good Mountain Gods! You're not afraid of me, but you're afraid of the monsters!" The Earth Deity said, "That demon has immense divine power and potent magic. He recites true incantations and spells, summoning us to his cave for a rotating duty, one of us each day!" Pilgrim, hearing the words "rotating duty," was also startled. He looked up at the sky and shouted loudly, "Oh Heaven, oh Heaven! Since the first division of chaos, when heaven and earth were formed, I was born on Flower Fruit Mountain. I sought out enlightened masters everywhere and was taught the secret of immortality. I recall my ability to transform with the wind, subdue tigers, conquer dragons, and cause great havoc in the Heavenly Palace, earning the title of Great Sage. Never did I ever presume to summon the Mountain Gods and Earth Deities as servants. How dare this insolent demon summon the Mountain Gods and Earth Deities as his slaves, making them take turns on duty for him? Oh Heaven! Since you gave birth to me, why did you also create such creatures?"

As the Great Sage was lamenting, he saw a glowing light coming from the mountain hollow. Pilgrim said, "Mountain Gods, Earth Deities, since you are on duty in that cave, what is that glowing object?" The Earth Deity said, "That is the demon's treasure emitting light; it must be a demon bringing a treasure to subdue you." Pilgrim said, "This will be fun! Let me ask you, what kind of people does he associate with in this cave?" The Earth Deity said, "He enjoys alchemy and refining elixirs, and he likes Quanzhen Daoists." Pilgrim said, "No wonder he transformed into an old Daoist and tricked my Master away. Since that's the case, you can all remember this beating and go back. I'll catch him myself." The deities all dispersed into the air. The Great Sage transformed himself into an old Immortal. How was he dressed?

His hair was coiled in two topknots like wild geese, he wore a hundred-patch robe. In his hand, he tapped a fish-drum and a bamboo clapper, around his waist was tied a Lü Gong cord. He leaned by the roadside, waiting specifically for the small demon. Soon the demon arrived, and the Monkey King cunningly set his trap.

Before long, the two small demons arrived. Pilgrim extended his Golden-Banded Cudgel, and the unsuspecting demon tripped and fell with a thud. He scrambled up, then saw Pilgrim, and shouted, "You rogue, you rogue! If it weren't for my Great King's respect for you travelers, I would have certainly fought you!" Pilgrim forced a smile and said, "Fight about what? Daoists meeting Daoists, we're all one family." The demon said, "Why were you lying here, tripping me?" Pilgrim said, "The young Daoist boy, seeing me, an old Daoist, wanted to fall as a meeting fee." The demon said, "My Great King only asks for a few taels of silver as a meeting fee. How can you take a fall as a meeting fee? You must be from a different region; you're certainly not a Daoist from around here." Pilgrim said, "Indeed, I am not. I come from Mount Penglai." The demon said, "Mount Penglai is an island realm of immortals." Pilgrim said, "If I'm not an immortal, then who is?" The demon's anger turned to joy, and he stepped forward, saying, "Old Immortal, Old Immortal! We mortals with our fleshy eyes could not recognize you. Please forgive our rude words, don't be angry, don't be angry." Pilgrim said, "I don't blame you. As the saying goes, 'An immortal body does not tread on mortal ground,' so how could you know? Today I have come to your mountain to guide a good person to immortality. Who among you is willing to follow me?" Jingxigui said, "Master, I'll follow you." Linglichong said, "Master, I'll follow you."

Pilgrim, knowing full well, asked, "Where do you two come from?" The demon said, "From Lotus Cave." "Where are you going?" The demon said, "We are acting on our Great King's orders to capture Sun Wukong." Pilgrim said, "Capture whom?" The demon repeated, "Capture Sun Wukong." Sun Wukong said, "Is it that Sun Wukong who is accompanying Tang Sanzang on his scripture-seeking journey?" The demon said, "Exactly, exactly. Do you know him?" Pilgrim said, "That monkey is rather rude. I know him, and I'm quite annoyed with him too. I'll go with you to capture him; consider it helping you achieve your goal." The demon said, "Master, you don't need to help. Our second Great King has some magic; he has already pinned him under three great mountains, making it impossible for him to move an inch. He told us to bring treasures to capture him." Pilgrim said, "What treasures are they?" Jingxigui said, "Mine is the Red Gourd, and his is the Jade Vase." Pilgrim said, "How do you capture him with them?" The little demon said, "Turn the bottom of the treasure towards the sky and the opening towards the earth, then call his name. If he responds, he'll be trapped inside. Seal it with a talisman bearing 'By Imperial Decree, as Swift as the Law of Lord Lao Zi,' and he will turn into pus within one and a quarter hours." Hearing this, Pilgrim was secretly startled and thought, "Formidable, formidable! Back then, the Duty Officer of the Day reported that there were five treasures; these are two of them. I wonder what the other three are?" Pilgrim smiled and said, "You two, lend me your treasures so I can have a look." The little demons, unaware of any trickery, took out the two treasures from their sleeves and handed them to Pilgrim with both hands. Pilgrim saw them and secretly rejoiced, saying, "Good things, good things! If I just give a flick of my tail, whoosh, I could leap up and run away, and they would consider it a gift to me." Then he suddenly thought, "No, no! If I simply snatch them and run, it would ruin my reputation. That would be called broad daylight robbery." He handed them back and said, "You haven't seen my treasure yet." The demon said, "Master, what treasure do you have? Please lend it to us mortals to look at and ward off disaster."

The great Pilgrim, reaching down, plucked a single hair from his tail, twisted it, and cried, "Change!" It instantly transformed into a large Purple Gold Red Gourd, one foot seven inches long. He took it from his waist and said, "Do you see my gourd?" Linglichong took it and, after examining it, said, "Master, your gourd is large, well-shaped, and good-looking, but it's just not useful." Pilgrim said, "How is it not useful?" The demon said, "Each of my two treasures can hold a thousand people!" Pilgrim said, "Your people-containing ones, what's so rare about them? My gourd can even contain the sky!" The demon said, "It can contain the sky?" Pilgrim said, "It truly can contain the sky." The demon said, "I'm afraid that's a lie. Show us how it contains the sky, then we'll believe it. Otherwise, we definitely won't believe you." Pilgrim said, "If the sky annoys me, I often contain it seven or eight times within a month; if it doesn't annoy me, I might not contain it even once in half a year." Linglichong said, "Brother, let's exchange our sky-containing treasure with him." Jingxigui said, "He contains the sky; why would he exchange it for my people-containing one?" Linglichong said, "If he won't, then let's add this vase to the exchange." Pilgrim secretly rejoiced in his heart, saying, "A gourd for a gourd, and an extra vase on top! One item for two, that's a very good deal indeed!" He immediately stepped forward, grabbed Linglichong, and said, "Can the sky-containing one be exchanged?" The demon said, "If it truly contains the sky, we'll exchange it. If not, I'll be your son!" Pilgrim said, "Very well, very well, I'll show you how I contain it."

The Great Sage, lowering his head, formed a hand seal, recited an incantation, and called out to the Day Patrol God, Night Patrol God, and Five Directions Guardian Deities, "Go immediately and report to the Jade Emperor for me. Tell him that I, your humble Sun Wukong, have converted to the True Path, am protecting Tang Sanzang on his journey to the Western Heaven to acquire scriptures, but our path is blocked by high mountains, and Master has encountered a tribulation. The demon has a treasure, and I wish to trick him into exchanging it. With utmost reverence, I request that Heaven be lent to me to enclose for half an hour, to help achieve success. If he dares to refuse even half a word, I will go up to the Lingxiao Palace and wage war!"

The Day Patrol God went directly to the Lingxiao Palace inside the Southern Heavenly Gate, reported to the Jade Emperor, fully explaining the preceding events. The Jade Emperor said, "This insolent monkey speaks without restraint. Earlier, Guanyin came and said he was to be released to protect Tang Sanzang, and We also dispatched the Five Directions Guardian Deities and Four Duty Officers to guard him in turns. Now he wants to borrow Heaven to contain it—can Heaven be contained?" No sooner had he said it could not be contained than Ne Zha, the Third Prince, stepped forth from the ranks and reported, "Your Majesty, Heaven can indeed be contained." The Jade Emperor said, "How can Heaven be contained?" Ne Zha said, "Since the first division of chaos, the light and pure became Heaven, and the heavy and turbid became Earth. Heaven is a mass of pure qi that supports the Jade Heavenly Palaces. Theoretically, it is indeed difficult to contain. However, Sun Wukong is protecting Tang Sanzang on his journey to the Western Heaven to acquire scriptures, which is truly a blessing as vast as Mount Tai and a benevolence as deep as the sea. Today, we should help him succeed." The Jade Emperor said, "How will you assist?" Ne Zha said, "Please issue an imperial decree to go to the Northern Heavenly Gate and borrow the Black Vulture Banner from Zhenwu. Display it over the Southern Heavenly Gate to obscure the sun, moon, and stars. People won't be able to see each other face to face, and white won't appear white nor black black. This will fool the demon into believing that Heaven has been contained, thus aiding Pilgrim's success." The Jade Emperor heard this and said, "As you have proposed."

The Prince, having received the decree, went to the Northern Heavenly Gate and explained the situation to Zhenwu. The Patriarch immediately handed the banner to the Prince. The Day Patrol God quickly descended and whispered into the Great Sage's ear, "Prince Ne Zha has come to assist in your endeavor." Pilgrim looked up and saw auspicious clouds swirling, indeed a deity. He then turned to the little demon and said, "Let's contain Heaven then." The little demon said, "If you're going to contain it, just do it. Why keep stalling?" Pilgrim said, "I was just now channeling my spirit and reciting incantations." The little demons all stared with wide eyes, watching how he would contain Heaven. Pilgrim threw his fake gourd into the air. Imagine, this was transformed from a single hair, how much could it weigh? The wind on the mountaintop blew it away, drifting and swaying for a full half hour before it finally descended. Meanwhile, above the Southern Heavenly Gate, Prince Ne Zha unfurled the black banner with a flapping sound, obscuring the sun, moon, and stars. It was as if heaven and earth were dyed in ink, and the universe cloaked in indigo. The two little demons were greatly alarmed and said, "Just now it was midday, but how has it suddenly become dusk?" Pilgrim said, "Since Heaven has been contained, you can't distinguish time; how could it not be dusk!" "Why is it also so dark?" Pilgrim said, "The sun, moon, and stars are all contained inside; there's no light outside, so how could it not be dark!" The little demon said, "Master, where are you speaking from?" Pilgrim said, "Aren't I right in front of you?" The little demon reached out and, feeling around, said, "I only hear your voice, but I can't see your face. Master, what place is this?" Pilgrim again tricked him, saying, "Don't move your feet. This is the shore of the Bohai Sea. If you lose your footing and fall, you won't reach the bottom for seven or eight days!" The little demon was greatly alarmed and said, "Stop, stop, stop! Release Heaven! We understand how it's contained. If you keep playing around, we'll fall into the sea and never get home!"

The great Pilgrim, seeing that they believed it to be real, recited another incantation, alerting the Prince, who rolled up the banner. Immediately, the midday sun shone brightly again. The little demon laughed, "Marvelous, marvelous! Such a fine treasure! If we don't exchange it, we truly wouldn't be filial sons!" Jingxigui handed over the gourd, and Linglichong took out the vase. Together, they handed both to Pilgrim. Pilgrim then handed the fake gourd to the demon. Having exchanged the treasures, Pilgrim then sought absolute assurance: he plucked a hair from his navel, blew a puff of immortal qi, and transformed it into a copper coin. He called out, "Young fellow, take this coin and buy a piece of paper." The little demon said, "What for?" Pilgrim said, "I will write a contract for us. You are exchanging your two people-containing treasures for my one sky-containing treasure. Lest anyone's heart be unsettled, and after a long time, there be any inconvenience or regret, we shall each keep a copy as proof." The little demon said, "There's no brush or ink here, what document can we write? Let's just make an oath instead." Pilgrim said, "How shall we make the oath?" The little demon said, "My two people-containing treasures are exchanged for your one sky-containing treasure. If there is any regret, may I suffer plague in all four seasons of the year." Pilgrim laughed and said, "I will certainly not regret it. If I do regret it, I shall also suffer plague in all four seasons, just like you." After making the oath, he leaped, twitched his tail, and landed before the Southern Heavenly Gate, thanking Prince Ne Zha for his assistance with the banner. The Prince returned to his palace to report to the Emperor, and returned the banner to Zhenwu, which is not further mentioned. Pilgrim stood in the celestial heights, watching the little demons. Ultimately, how they were dealt with is unknown. Let's hear it in the next chapter.