Chapter 35: External Forces Oppress True Nature; Mind Monkey Seizes Treasure and Subdues Demons

Naturally enlightened, the path becomes clear; turn around and leap out of the net. Mastering transformation is no easy feat; achieving immortality is far from ordinary. Through cycles of purity and defilement, countless eons are traversed, going east or west as one pleases. Wandering freely for countless millennia, a single divine light forever illuminates the void.

This poem subtly reflects the profound wisdom of Sun Wukong's Dao. After obtaining the demon's true treasure and tucking it into his sleeve, he rejoiced, "That demon tried so hard to catch me, truly like 'fishing for the moon in water.' If I wanted to capture you, it would be like 'playing with ice on fire.'" Hiding the gourd, he quietly slipped out the door, revealed his true form, and shouted loudly, "Monster, open the door!"

A minor demon nearby asked, "Who are you, daring to shout here?" Wukong replied, "Go quickly and report to your old demon, that I, Pilgrim Sun, have arrived." The little demon rushed inside and reported, "Great King, someone called Pilgrim Sun is at the door." The old demon was greatly alarmed. "Brother," he cried, "this is bad! He's brought a whole swarm with him! Pilgrim Sun is already tied up with the Golden-Binding Rope, and Pilgrim Brother is inside the gourd. How can there be another 'Pilgrim Sun'? It must be that several of his brothers have arrived." The second demon said, "Don't worry, elder brother. My gourd can hold a thousand people. I've only just trapped Pilgrim Brother; why should I fear this 'Pilgrim Sun'? Let me go out and see. I'll just capture them all at once." The old demon cautioned, "Be careful, brother."

You should have seen the second demon, carrying his fake gourd, swaggering out with the same bravado as before, shouting, "Where are you from, daring to shout here?" Wukong replied, "You don't recognize me—

My home is Flower-Fruit Mountain, my ancestral dwelling Water Curtain Cave. I stirred up trouble in the Heavenly Palace, but for a long time, I've ceased all strife. Now I'm fortunate to be free from disaster, having abandoned Daoism to serve as a monk. Upholding the teachings, I journey to Thunderclap Monastery, seeking scriptures to return to true enlightenment. I encountered a wild, wicked demon who played tricks with his magical powers. Return my Tang Monk, so he may travel west to meet the Buddhas and Sages. Let both sides cease this conflict and each maintain their peaceful domain. Do not provoke this old Sun, lest you harm my aged life!

The demon said, "Come closer. I won't fight you, but if I call your name, dare you answer?" Wukong chuckled, "If you call me, I'll answer. But if I call you, will you answer?" The demon replied, "When I call you, it's because I have a precious gourd that can trap people. When you call me, what do you have?" Wukong said, "I also have a small gourd." The demon said, "If you have one, show it to me." Wukong then took the gourd from his sleeve and said, "Wicked demon, look!" He flashed it quickly, then hid it back in his sleeve, fearing the demon might snatch it.

The demon was greatly astonished at the sight. "Where did his gourd come from? Why is it exactly like mine? Even if they grew on the same vine, there should be differences in size or shape. How can they be identical?" He then sternly called out, "Pilgrim Sun, where did your gourd come from?" Wukong truly didn't know its origin, so he cleverly echoed the question, "Where did your gourd come from?" The demon, unaware of Wukong's trickery and believing it to be an honest question, began to explain its history from the beginning: "This gourd of mine originated when chaos first divided, and heaven and earth were separated. The Grand Pure One, transforming into Nüwa, refined stones to mend the sky, saving all beings in the Jambudvipa continent. When she reached the Northwest and touched the earth, at the foot of Mount Kunlun, she saw an immortal vine, from which this purple-gold-red gourd grew. It was left by Lord Laozi and has been here ever since." The Great Sage, hearing this, seized the opportunity to retort, "My gourd also came from there." The demon asked, "How do you prove that?" The Great Sage said, "When purity and defilement first separated, and the heavens didn't fill the northwest and the earth didn't fill the southeast, the Grand Pure Daoist Ancestor transformed into Nüwa, completing the mending of the sky. She traveled to the foot of Mount Kunlun, where there was an immortal vine that bore two gourds. The one I got is male, and yours is female." The monster said, "Never mind male or female; as long as it can trap people, it's a good treasure." The Great Sage said, "You're right. I'll let you go first."

The monster was overjoyed. He quickly leaped into the air, holding the gourd, and called out, "Pilgrim Sun!" The Great Sage heard this and, without pausing, answered eight or nine times, yet he could not be sucked in. The demon then fell to the ground, stomping his feet and beating his chest, crying, "Heavens! They say worldly things never change! Even such a treasure fears a husband; a female seeing a male dares not absorb him!" Wukong chuckled, "Put that away. Now it's this old Sun's turn to call you." He quickly performed a somersault, leaped into the air, turned the gourd's bottom toward the sky and its mouth toward the earth, aimed it at the demon, and called out, "King Silver Horn!" The monster dared not keep his mouth shut and could only answer with a single sound. Instantly, he was sucked inside. Wukong then affixed a talisman that read, "By Imperial Decree, as Swiftly as the Law of the Grand Pure One!" He inwardly rejoiced, "My dear fellow, today you get to try out something new!"

He brought down his cloud, holding the gourd, his mind solely focused on rescuing his master, and headed back to the entrance of Lotus Flower Cave. The path on the mountain was uneven and bumpy. Moreover, he was walking with a slight limp, causing the gourd to shake continuously with a sloshing sound. Why the sound, you ask? It was because Sun Wukong's body had been tempered and could not be easily dissolved, whereas the monster, though capable of cloud-somersaulting and mist-riding, only possessed certain magical arts; essentially, he had not shed his mortal form, and thus had dissolved inside the treasure. Wukong, not yet realizing he had dissolved, chuckled, "My dear boy, I wonder if you're urinating or gargling in there. This is a business this old Sun has experience with. I won't open the lid until seven or eight days have passed and you've turned into a thin liquid. What's the hurry? What's so important? Considering how easily I escaped, it would be best if I didn't look for a thousand years!" Talking to himself as he held the gourd, he unknowingly arrived at the cave entrance. He shook the gourd again, and it rattled even more. He said, "This sounds like a fortune-telling cylinder. It's good for fortune-telling. Let this old Sun cast a divination to see when Master will be able to leave." You could see him shaking it continuously in his hand and muttering constantly, "King Wen of Zhou, Confucius the Sage, Master Peach Blossom Girl, Master Guiguzi."

A minor demon in the cave saw this and reported, "Great King, disaster! Pilgrim Sun has trapped the Second Great King in the gourd and is using him for divination!" The old demon heard this news. He was so terrified that his soul scattered, his bones softened, and his muscles became numb. He fell to the ground with a thud and began to wail loudly, "My dear brother! You and I secretly left the Upper Realm, reincarnated in the mortal world, hoping to share glory and forever be masters of this mountain cave. How could I have known that because of this monk, your life would be harmed, severing our bond of brotherhood!" All the demons in the cave cried out in sorrow.

Pigsy, hanging from the beam, heard the whole family wailing and couldn't help but shout, "Demons, stop crying for a moment and let this old Pig tell you something. First came Pilgrim Sun, then Pilgrim Brother, and finally Pilgrim Sun again. These three names, repeated over and over, all refer to my single Elder Brother. He has seventy-two transformations; he somersaulted in, stole your treasures, and trapped your brother. Your brother is already dead, so there's no need to carry on like this. Quickly clean your stoves, prepare some mushrooms, tea buds, bamboo shoots, tofu, gluten, wood ear fungus, and vegetables, then invite my master and us down, and we'll recite a scripture for your deceased brother's rebirth." The old demon's heart burned with rage upon hearing this. "They say Pigsy is honest," he exclaimed, "but he's actually very dishonest! He's making fun of me!" He ordered the minor demons, "Stop grieving for now. Untie Pigsy and steam him until he's mush. Once I've eaten my fill, I'll go capture Pilgrim Sun for revenge." Sandy reprimanded Pigsy, "Well, there you go! I told you not to talk so much; those who talk too much get steamed first!" The foolish fellow also felt quite a bit of fear. A minor demon nearby said, "Great King, Pigsy is not easy to steam." Pigsy exclaimed, "Amitabha! Which brother is it who's accumulating good karma? Indeed, I'm not easy to steam." Another demon said, "If you peel off his skin, he'll be easy to steam." Pigsy panicked and quickly said, "Easy to steam, easy to steam! Although my skin and bones are rough, they'll be tender once the water boils!"

As they were arguing, a minor demon from outside the front gate reported, "Pilgrim Sun is back, yelling at the door again!" The old demon was again greatly alarmed. "This fellow dares to treat me as if I have no one!" he cried. He ordered, "Minions, hang Pigsy back up as before, and check how many treasures are left." The managing minor demon said, "There are still three treasures in the cave." The old demon asked, "Which three?" The manager replied, "There's still the Seven-Star Sword, the Plantain Fan, and the Pure Vase." The old demon said, "That vase is useless. Originally, you'd call a person and if they answered, they'd be sucked in, but you ended up teaching the incantation to Pilgrim Sun, and he used it to trap my own brother. Don't use it. Leave it at home. Quickly bring me the sword and the fan." The manager immediately presented the two treasures to the old demon. The old demon tucked the Plantain Fan into the collar at the back of his neck, grasped the Seven-Star Sword in his hand, and mustered his large and small groups of demons, over three hundred of them. He ordered each to wield their spears, brandish their staffs, swing their ropes, and twirl their swords. The old demon himself wore a helmet and armor, covered by a fiery red silk robe. The horde of demons marched out in formation, intent on capturing the Great Sage. Sun Wukong, already knowing the second demon had dissolved inside the gourd, securely fastened it to his waist, gripped his Golden-Banded Staff, and prepared for battle. Just then, the old demon emerged from the cave, red banners waving. His appearance was as follows—

On his head, his helmet plume glowed brilliantly, around his waist, a sash shimmered like fresh, colorful clouds. He wore scale armor like dragon scales, covered by a red robe, blazing like fire. His round eyes opened wide, flashing like lightning; his steel whiskers fluttered, appearing like swirling smoke. He lightly held the Seven-Star Sword, and the Plantain Fan half-covered his shoulder. His stride was like flowing clouds departing mountains and seas; his voice like thunder shaking mountains and rivers. Awe-inspiring, he defied heavenly generals, leading his demonic horde in fury from the cave entrance.

The old demon immediately ordered his minor demons to form their battle array and cursed, "You impudent monkey! You've harmed my brother, injured my kin, truly hateful!" Wukong cursed back, "You monster seeking death! You can't bear to lose one demon life, yet my Master, my fellow disciples, and even the horse—four living beings—are innocently hanging in your cave! How can I bear it? How can I accept this? Quickly send them out and return them to me, add some travel expenses, and happily send this old Sun on his way, and I'll even spare your dog life, old demon!" The monster would not permit further talk. He raised his precious sword and struck down. The Great Sage raised his iron staff to meet it. What a fierce battle it was outside the cave entrance! Indeed—

The Golden-Banded Staff and the Seven-Star Sword clashed, their radiance like lightning. A lingering cold air was chilling, and swirling dark clouds obscured the mountain ridge. One side, due to fraternal affection, showed no mercy; the other, for the sake of the scripture-seeking monk, allowed no delay. Both harbored similar hatred, both places held deep resentment. They fought until the sky was dark and the earth dim, startling ghosts and spirits, and the sun was faint and smoke thick as dragons and tigers battled. One gnashed his teeth like filing jade nails, the other's angry eyes shot golden flames. Back and forth, they displayed their heroism, the staff and sword ceaselessly swirling.

The old demon and the Great Sage fought for twenty rounds without a clear victor. The demon then pointed the tip of his sword and shouted, "All minor demons, come forth!" The more than three hundred spirits swarmed forward, surrounding Wukong. But the Great Sage, fearless, wielded his staff, charging left and right, parrying behind and blocking in front. The minor demons all had their tricks, pressing forward relentlessly, clinging to him like cotton wool, grabbing at his waist and legs, refusing to retreat. The Great Sage, feeling pressured, immediately employed his Body-Outside-Body technique. He plucked a handful of hairs from under his left armpit, chewed them into pieces, spat them out, and shouted, "Change!" Each hair transformed into a Wukong. You could see the tall ones wielding staffs, the short ones punching with their fists, and the even smaller ones, having no other place to strike, gnawing on ankles and tendons, scattering the minor demons like stars and clouds. They all shouted, "Great King, it's hopeless! It's too difficult! The ground and mountains are filled with Sun Wukongs!" With this Body-Outside-Body technique, the horde of demons was driven back, leaving only the old demon surrounded, forced to flee hither and thither, finding no escape. The demon panicked. Holding his precious sword in his left hand, he reached behind his neck with his right, took out the Plantain Fan, aimed it southeast towards the element of fire, directly at the Li Palace, and gave it a mighty sweep. Instantly, the ground was engulfed in fiery flames. This treasure, it turned out, could conjure fire out of thin air. The monster, truly merciless, fanned seven or eight times in a row, causing a heaven-blazing, earth-scorching inferno to rage. What a fire—

That fire was not heavenly fire, nor furnace fire, nor mountain fire, nor hearth fire. It was a spark of spiritual light naturally drawn from the Five Elements. This fan was not a common earthly object, nor was it man-made. It was a treasure born since the creation of chaos. When this fan was used to fan this fire, it blazed brightly, like bolts of lightning tearing through red silk; it shone brilliantly, like rosy clouds flying over crimson brocade. There was not a wisp of blue smoke, only mountains of crimson flames, burning the pine trees on the ridge into fiery trees and transforming the cypresses before the cliffs into lanterns. The beasts in their dens, clinging to life, rushed west and dashed east; the birds in the forest, cherishing their feathers, flew high and far away. This divine fire, sweeping through the air, burned until rocks crumbled, streams dried up, and the land turned crimson!

Seeing this fierce fire, the Great Sage was also filled with dread. "This is bad!" he cried. "What about my true body? My hairs won't help. If I fall into this fire, wouldn't it be like scorching hair – too easy?" He shook his body, recalling all his hairs, and transformed just one into a false body to escape the fire's disaster. His true self, reciting a fire-avoidance incantation, somersaulted and leaped away, escaping the raging inferno. He headed straight for Lotus Flower Cave, intent on rescuing his master. Reaching the entrance, he brought his cloud down and saw over a hundred minor demons outside the cave door, all with broken heads and limbs, flesh torn and skin split open. It turned out they were all injured by his clone technique, and they were here groaning and moaning, standing in pain. Seeing this, the Great Sage couldn't suppress his mischievous and fierce nature. He swung his iron staff and fought his way in. Alas, all the painstaking efforts these demons made to cultivate human forms were reduced to nothing but their old animal skins!

The Great Sage slaughtered all the minor demons and burst into the cave to free his master. He then saw a blazing fire inside, which startled him so much that his hands and feet became frantic. "That's it, that's it!" he cried. "This fire is burning from the back entrance; it will be hard for this old Sun to save Master!" Just as he was in a state of alarm, he looked closely and exclaimed, "Ah!" It wasn't fire at all, but a golden light. He steadied himself and looked inside. It was the white jade pure vase emitting light. He was secretly delighted. "What a treasure! This vase was once held by that minor demon on the mountain, emitting light, and this old Sun acquired it, but then the monster searched for it again and took it back. Now it's hidden here, and it's glowing!" You should have seen him steal the vase, delighted, and without even saving his master, he swiftly turned and ran out of the cave. Just as he exited, he saw the demon king approaching from the south, holding his precious sword and fan. Sun Wukong couldn't evade in time, and the old demon raised his sword and struck at his head. The Great Sage quickly somersaulted into the clouds, leaped up, and vanished without a trace.

Now, when the monster reached the cave entrance, he saw corpses strewn everywhere—they were all his subordinate demons. In his panic, he looked up to the sky and sighed, then couldn't stop himself from wailing loudly, "Oh, the suffering! Oh, the pain!" There is a poem to attest to this, which reads:

Hateful monkey, stubborn horse, spiritual beings reincarnated into the mortal world. Only because of a wrong thought did they leave the Heavenly Palace, causing them to forget their forms and fall to this mountain. Wild geese lose their flock, their emotions sorrowful; demon soldiers are annihilated, tears stream down. When will their sins be full, their karmic locks undone, allowing them to return to their original forms and ascend to the Imperial Gate?

The old demon was filled with shame and distress. He entered the cave, weeping with every step. He saw that all his belongings and household items were still there, but it was utterly silent, with no sign of a human presence; only a profound sorrow, making the scene even more desolate. He sat alone in the cave, slumped over the stone table, his precious sword leaning against the side of the table, and the fan tucked behind his shoulder. He fell into a dazed sleep, for it is true that when one is joyful, one is energetic, but when sorrow weighs on the heart, sleep comes easily.

Now, Sun Wukong turned his somersault cloud and stood before the mountain, thinking of rescuing his master. He securely fastened the pure vase to his waist and headed straight for the cave entrance to scout. He saw the two halves of the door open, completely silent, with no sound of activity. He then moved softly, sneaking inside. He saw the demon leaning obliquely on the stone table, snoring loudly, the Plantain Fan having slipped out of his shoulder-garment, half-covering the back of his head, and the Seven-Star Sword still leaning against the side of the table. Wukong quietly approached, pulled out the fan, and quickly turned, rushing out with a whoosh. It turned out that the fan's handle grazed the monster's hair, waking him up. He looked up and saw that Pilgrim Sun had stolen it. He frantically grabbed his sword and gave chase. But the Great Sage had already leaped out the door, fastened the fan to his waist, and with both hands, wielded his iron staff, ready to confront the demon. What a fierce battle it was—

The wicked demon king was infuriated, his anger rising like a crown. He wished he could simply snatch and swallow Wukong whole, unable to quell the rage in his heart. With harsh words, he cursed the monkey: "You've constantly played tricks on people, harmed so many of my kin, and now you come to steal my treasures! This battle will not be tolerated; it will determine life or death!" The Great Sage shouted at the demon, "You are truly ignorant! Should a disciple argue with his master? How can piled eggs shatter stone? The precious sword came, the iron staff went; neither side showed mercy or righteousness. Once, twice, they gambled on victory; three, four times, they displayed their martial arts. All for the sake of the scripture-seeking monk, to reach the Buddha-seat on Spirit Mountain, causing metal and fire to clash, disrupting the five elements and harming harmony. They flaunted their might, showed their divine powers, conjuring flying stones and swirling sand with their skills. The clash continued as dusk approached, and the demon king, his strength faltering, retreated first.

The old demon and the Great Sage fought for thirty to forty rounds. As dusk approached, the demon could no longer resist. He retreated from the battle, heading southwest to Dragon-Subduing Cave.

Only then did the Great Sage bring down his cloud and burst into Lotus Flower Cave, freeing Tripitaka, Pigsy, and Sandy. The three, having escaped danger, thanked Wukong and asked, "Where have the demons gone?" Wukong replied, "The second demon is already trapped in the gourd, and I imagine he has dissolved by now. The elder demon was just defeated in battle and has fled southwest to Dragon-Subduing Mountain. Half of the minor demons in the cave were killed by this old Sun's clone technique, and the remaining stragglers who returned were also completely annihilated by this old Sun. Only then could I enter here and free you all." Tripitaka thanked him profusely, saying, "Disciple, you have truly endured much hardship!" Wukong chuckled, "Indeed, it was hard work. You were merely hanging there suffering, while this old Sun never stopped, even more so than a dispatch rider at a courier station, constantly running back and forth, inside and out. It was only by stealing his treasures that I was able to subdue the demons." Pigsy said, "Elder Brother, bring out that gourd and let us see it. Perhaps the second demon has already dissolved." The Great Sage first unfastened the pure vase, then took out the golden rope and the fan, and finally held the gourd in his hand, saying, "Don't look, don't look! He once trapped this old Sun, but I pretended to gargle, tricking him into opening the lid, and that's how I escaped. We absolutely must not open the lid, lest he also somehow makes a fuss and escapes." The master and disciples, delighted, found rice, flour, and vegetables in the cave. They cleaned the stove, prepared a vegetarian meal, ate their fill, and rested in the cave. The night passed without incident, and soon it was dawn.

Now, the old demon headed straight for Dragon-Subduing Mountain, gathering all the female monsters, big and small. He recounted how his mother had been killed, his brother trapped, his demon soldiers annihilated, and his treasures stolen and cheated away. All the female monsters wept in unison. After much sorrow, he said, "You all needn't be so miserable. I still have this Seven-Star Sword. I want to gather you female soldiers, and we'll go behind Dragon-Subduing Mountain to seek aid from our external relatives. We must capture Pilgrim Sun and take revenge." Before he finished speaking, a minor demon from outside the gate reported, "Great King, Old Uncle from behind the mountain is leading a number of soldiers!" The old demon heard this, quickly changed into mourning clothes, and bowed to welcome him. It turned out that Old Uncle was his mother's brother, named King Fox A-Qi. He had heard from the scouting demon soldiers that his sister had been killed by Pilgrim Sun, who then impersonated his sister, stole his nephew's treasures, and had been resisting them on Flat-Top Mountain for days. So, he led over two hundred demon soldiers from his own cave, specifically to assist in the battle, and thus first came to his sister's home to inquire about the situation. As soon as he entered, he saw the old demon in mourning clothes, and the two wept bitterly. After crying for a long time, the old demon bowed down and recounted the previous events. King A-Qi was furious. He immediately ordered the old demon to change out of his mourning clothes, take up his precious sword, gather all the female demons, unite forces, and then, riding the wind and clouds, head directly northeast.

Meanwhile, the Great Sage instructed Sandy to prepare an early meal so they could eat and set off. Suddenly, he heard the sound of wind. Stepping out, he saw a group of demon soldiers approaching from the southwest. Wukong was greatly alarmed. He quickly drew back and called to Pigsy, "Brother, the demons have brought reinforcements again!" Tripitaka heard this and turned pale with fright. "Disciple, what shall we do now?" Wukong chuckled, "Don't worry, don't worry! Bring me all those treasures!" The Great Sage fastened the gourd and pure vase to his waist, tucked the golden rope into his sleeve, and inserted the Plantain Fan behind his shoulder. With both hands, he twirled his iron staff. He instructed Sandy to guard their master, keeping him safe in the cave. He then had Pigsy take his nine-pronged rake, and together they went out of the cave to meet the enemy. The monsters arranged their formation, and at the forefront was King A-Qi. He had a jade-like face with a long beard, steel-like eyebrows, and knife-like ears. He wore a golden chain helmet, chain mail armor, and wielded a halberd. He loudly cursed, "You bold, wicked monkey! How dare you deceive people like this! You stole treasures, harmed my kin, killed divine soldiers, and now you even dare to occupy my cave for so long! Hurry up and stretch out your necks to die, so I can avenge my sister's family!" Wukong cursed back, "You bunch of death-seeking hairy creatures, you don't know your Grandpa Sun's skills! Don't run! Take a blow from my staff!" The monster dodged sideways and used his halberd to strike at Wukong's face. The two fought back and forth on the mountaintop for three or four rounds. The monster's strength faltered, and he retreated from the battle. Wukong pursued, but the old demon intercepted him, and they fought for another three rounds. Just then, King Fox A-Qi returned to attack. Pigsy saw this from his side and quickly drew his nine-pronged rake to block him. One against one, they fought for a long time without a clear victor. The old demon then let out a shout, and all the demon soldiers swarmed forward, surrounding them.

Meanwhile, Tripitaka, sitting in Lotus Flower Cave, heard the earth-shaking shouts and called out, "Sandy, go out and see how your elder brother is faring." Sandy indeed picked up his demon-subduing staff, gave a shout, and charged out, driving back the horde of demons. King A-Qi, seeing the unfavorable situation, turned and fled. Pigsy caught up to him and struck him in the back with his rake, causing nine gouts of fresh blood to spurt out. Alas, his true spirit went forth to its next journey. Pigsy quickly dragged him over and stripped his clothes to see that he was also a fox demon. The old demon, seeing his uncle harmed, abandoned Wukong, raised his precious sword, and struck at Pigsy. Pigsy used his rake to block. While they were fighting, Sandy rushed closer and struck with his staff. The demon could not resist. He rode the wind and clouds, fleeing south, with Pigsy and Sandy in close pursuit. The Great Sage saw this, quickly leaped into the air on his cloud, unfastened the pure vase, aimed it at the old demon, and called out, "King Golden Horn!" The monster, thinking it was one of his own defeated minor demons calling out, turned his head and answered with a single sound. Instantly, he was sucked inside. Wukong then affixed the talisman that read, "By Imperial Decree, as Swiftly as the Law of the Grand Pure One!" The Seven-Star Sword fell to the dust, also returning to Wukong. Pigsy approached and said, "Elder Brother, you've got the precious sword, but where is the monster?" Wukong chuckled, "It's done! He's already in this vase of mine." Sandy heard this, and both he and Pigsy were extremely happy.

Having thoroughly cleared away all evil, they returned to the cave. Wukong announced the good news to Tripitaka, "The mountain is clean, and the demons are gone. Master, please mount your horse, and let's go." Tripitaka was overjoyed beyond measure. The master and disciples ate their early meal, packed their luggage and the horse, and headed west to find their path. As they were traveling, they suddenly saw a blind man dart out from the roadside, step forward, and grab Tripitaka's horse, saying, "Monk, where are you going? Return my treasures!" Pigsy was greatly alarmed. "That's it!" he cried. "It's the old demon coming to reclaim his treasures!" Wukong looked closely and realized it was none other than the Grand Pure One, Lord Laozi. He hastily stepped forward and bowed, asking, "Elder official, where are you headed?" The venerable ancestor swiftly ascended his jade throne, standing in the void of the nine heavens, and called out, "Pilgrim Sun, return my treasures." The Great Sage rose into the air and asked, "What treasures?" Lord Laozi said, "The gourd is for holding my elixirs, the pure vase for holding my water, the precious sword for subduing demons, the fan for fanning my fire, and the rope is a belt for my robe. As for those two monsters, one was my Golden Furnace Boy, and the other my Silver Furnace Boy. They stole my treasures and came down to the mortal realm. I couldn't find them anywhere, but now you have captured them and gained merit." The Great Sage said, "You, elder official, are truly impolite! You allow your attendants to become evil. You should be charged with failing to restrain them properly." Lord Laozi said, "It's not my fault. Don't wrongly blame me. This was the Bodhisattva of the South Sea who borrowed them from me three times and sent them here to transform into demons, to test whether you master and disciples have true sincerity in your journey to the West." Upon hearing this, the Great Sage thought to himself, "This Bodhisattva is truly lazy! At that time, she freed this old Sun and told me to protect Tang Monk on his journey to the West to obtain scriptures. I told her the path would be difficult, and she promised to personally come to my aid in times of urgent need. Now, instead, she uses evil spirits to cause harm. Her words are not trustworthy; she deserves to be a lifelong spinster! If this elder official hadn't come himself, I would never have returned them. Since you say so, take them." Lord Laozi retrieved the five treasures, uncovered the mouths of the gourd and the pure vase, and from them poured out two streams of immortal qi. With a wave of his hand, they transformed back into the Golden and Silver Boys, who stood by his sides. Rays of auspicious light shone in all directions! Indeed! They returned mistily to the Tushita Palace, soaring directly to the Great Veil Heaven. As for what happened next, how Sun Wukong continued to protect Tripitaka, and when they finally reached the Western Heaven, please listen to the next chapter's explanation.