Chapter 39: A Pellet of Golden Elixir Obtained in Heaven, Three Years Later the Old Lord is Born in the World

Sun Wukong, his head throbbing unbearably, pleaded, "Master, stop chanting, stop chanting! Let me cure him!"The elder asked, "How will you cure him?"Wukong replied, "Only by going to the Underworld to find out which Yama King possesses his soul, then inviting it back to save him."Zhu Bajie said, "Master, don't believe him. He originally said he wouldn't need to go to the Underworld, but could revive him in the mortal world, which would truly show his skill."The elder, swayed by these words, began chanting the 'Band-Tightening Spell' again, startling Wukong into full agreement, "I'll cure him in the mortal world, I'll cure him in the mortal world!"Bajie said, "Don't stop, keep chanting, keep chanting!"Wukong cursed, "You idiotic beast, instigating Master to curse me!"Bajie laughed so hard he stumbled, "Brother, oh brother! You only know how to tease me, but you don't know I can tease you back!"Wukong said, "Master, stop chanting, stop chanting! Let your old monkey cure him in the mortal world."Tripitaka asked, "How will you cure him in the mortal world?"Wukong said, "I will now take a somersault cloud, enter the South Heaven Gate, not enter the Dou Niu Palace, nor the Lingxiao Palace, but go straight to the Tushita Palace in the Palace of Grievances, above the Thirty-Three Heavens. I will see the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord and beg one Nine-Revert Soul-Returning Elixir from him. I guarantee it will revive him."Tripitaka was overjoyed to hear this and said, "Go quickly and return soon."Wukong said, "It's already the third watch. By the time I return, it will be dawn. But this person is lying here, so cold and lifeless, not a good sight. Someone needs to mourn and cry over him; then it will be fine."Bajie said, "No need to mention it, this monkey definitely wants me to cry."Wukong said, "I'm afraid you won't cry! If you don't cry, I won't be able to cure him!"Bajie said, "Brother, you go, I'll just cry."Wukong said, "There are several ways to cry. Crying loudly with an open mouth is called 'hao,' and wringing out some tears is called 'tao.' You need to cry with both tears and heartfelt emotion to truly be considered 'hao-tao' (wailing and weeping bitterly)."Bajie said, "Let me show you how I cry." He somehow found a piece of paper, rolled it into a small twist, inserted it twice into his nostrils, and then let out a few sneezes. His eyes welled up with tears, his nose dripped, as he began to cry. He incessantly babbled and complained, truly like someone grieving over a death. As he cried to the point of deep sorrow, even Elder Tang felt tears welling up and his heart ache.Wukong laughed, "Yes, that's exactly the kind of mournful crying! Don't stop for a moment. If you, you fool, trick me into leaving and then stop crying, I'll still hear it! If you keep crying like this, fine, but if you even pause for a bit, I'll give you twenty blows on the shin!"Bajie laughed, "Go on, go on! Once I start crying, I can cry for two days."Sandy, seeing him complain, went to find some incense to offer. Wukong laughed, "Good, good, good! Since everyone has some respect, your old monkey can now get to work."

The great Sage, at this time, around midnight, bade farewell to his master and two brothers. He activated his somersault cloud, went straight through the South Heaven Gate, indeed neither visiting the Lingxiao Palace nor ascending to the Dou Niu Heavenly Palace, but flying directly on a path of cloud light to the Tushita Palace in the Palace of Grievances, above the Thirty-Three Heavens. Just as he entered, he saw the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord sitting in his alchemy chamber, fanning the flames with a palm-leaf fan with his immortal attendants, refining elixirs. When he saw Wukong approach, he immediately instructed the elixir-watching boys, "Be careful, everyone, the elixir-stealing thief is here again."Wukong bowed and smiled, "Old official, why are you so careless, and guarding against me like this? I don't do such things anymore."The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord said, "You monkey, five hundred years ago you wreaked havoc in the Celestial Palace, stealing and eating countless of my spiritual elixirs. The Illustrious Sage Erlang was ordered to capture you and bring you up here, where you were refined in my alchemy furnace for forty-nine days, and who knows how much charcoal was spent. Now you've fortunately escaped, converted to Buddhism, and are escorting Tripitaka to the West to obtain scriptures. Recently, on Flat Top Mountain, you subdued demons, but you were difficult and didn't return my treasures. What brings you here today?"Wukong said, "As for what happened the other day, your old monkey did not delay. I immediately returned your five treasures. Why do you still suspect and blame me?"The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord said, "Why aren't you on your way, sneaking into my palace?"Wukong said, "Since we last parted, we journeyed west to a land called the Wuji Kingdom. The king there was harmed by a demon disguised as a Daoist priest, who summoned wind and rain, secretly killing the king. That demon then impersonated the king and is now sitting on the golden throne. My master was reading scriptures at Baolin Temple one night when the king's ghost came to pay respects to my master, earnestly requesting your old monkey to subdue the demon and discern right from wrong. Your old monkey, lacking concrete evidence, went with my brother Bajie into the garden at night, broke through the garden, and found the burial place: an octagonal glazed well, from which we fished out his corpse, with his appearance unchanged. When we brought him to the temple to see my master, my master, out of compassion, instructed your old monkey to cure him, not allowing me to go to the Underworld to retrieve his soul, but only to save him in the mortal world. Thinking there was no other way to bring him back to life, I specifically came to pay my respects, earnestly hoping that you, the Ancestor of Dao, will take pity and lend your old monkey a thousand pellets of the Nine-Revert Soul-Returning Elixir to save him."The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord said, "This monkey is talking nonsense! What 'a thousand pellets,' 'two thousand pellets'! Are they for eating like rice?! Are they found like clods of earth, so easily? Humph! Go quickly, there are none!"Wukong smiled, "A hundred or so would be fine too."The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord said, "There are none."Wukong said, "Ten or so would be fine too."The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord angrily said, "This impudent monkey is truly persistent! There are none, there are none! Get out, get out!"Wukong smiled, "If there truly are none, I'll go somewhere else to save him then."The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord shouted, "Go, go, go!"The Great Sage turned and began to walk away. The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord suddenly thought, "This monkey is tricky. He says he'll go, and he just leaves. I'm afraid he might sneak back in and steal." He immediately ordered an immortal boy to call him back, saying, "You monkey, your hands and feet are not steady. I'll give you one pellet of this Soul-Returning Elixir."Wukong said, "Old official, since you know your old monkey's skills, quickly bring out the golden elixir and let's divide it four-six. That would be good fortune for you. Otherwise, I'll give you a 'leather strainer' and scoop them all up until nothing is left."The Old Ancestor took out his gourd, turned it upside down, poured out one golden elixir, and handed it to Wukong, saying, "This is all there is. Take it, take it! This one pellet I give you; if it revives the emperor, then it will count as your merit."Wukong took it and said, "Don't be in such a hurry. Let me taste it first, just in case it's fake, so I won't be fooled." With a plop, he threw it into his mouth, startling the Old Ancestor, who rushed forward, grabbed him by the scalp, and raising his fist, cursed, "If this impudent monkey swallows it, I'll kill him on the spot!"Wukong laughed, "What a face! So petty! Who's eating yours! How much is it worth anyway? It's more empty than full, isn't it right here?" It turned out that the monkey had a gizzard-like pouch under his chin, and he had held the golden elixir in that pouch. The Old Ancestor, pinching it, said, "Go, go! Don't come bothering me here again!" Only then did the Great Sage thank the Old Ancestor and depart from the Tushita Palace.

He departed with a thousand auspicious mists leaving the Jade Palace and ten thousand propitious clouds descending to the mortal world. In an instant, he had passed through the South Heaven Gate and returned to the Eastern Tower, where he already saw the sun rising. He pressed down on his cloud and went directly to the outer gate of Baolin Temple. He could still hear Bajie crying. Suddenly, he approached and called out, "Master!"Tripitaka happily said, "Wukong is back! Do you have the elixir?"Wukong said, "Yes."Bajie said, "How could he not have it? He'd even steal some from someone else!"Wukong laughed, "Brother, you can stop now, you're not needed anymore. Wipe your tears and go cry somewhere else." He instructed, "Sandy, get me some water."Sandy hurried to the well at the back, where there was a convenient bucket, and immediately handed half a bowl of water to Wukong. Wukong took the water, spat the elixir out of his mouth, placed it on the emperor's lips, pried open his teeth with both hands, and poured a mouthful of clear water to wash the golden elixir down his throat. For about half an hour, they only heard gurgling sounds from his stomach, but his body remained motionless.Wukong said, "Master, even with my golden elixir, he can't be revived. Is your old monkey's effort in vain?"Tripitaka said, "How can he not live? How could a corpse dead for so long swallow water? This is the immortal power of the golden elixir. Since the golden elixir entered his stomach, his intestines are rumbling, which means his blood vessels are stirring, but his breath has completely stopped and cannot return. Not to mention that he was soaked in the well for three years, even raw iron would rust. It's just that his vital essence is completely gone; if someone could breathe life into him, it would be fine."Bajie stepped forward, ready to breathe into him, but Tripitaka immediately pulled him back, saying, "You mustn't! Let Wukong do it." The Master had a very clear idea. It turned out that Zhu Bajie, from his youth, had committed evil by harming living creatures and eating people; thus, his breath was impure. Only Wukong, who had cultivated himself since childhood, eating pine and cypress, living on peaches and fruits, possessed pure breath.The Great Sage stepped forward, pressed his thunder-god mouth against the emperor's lips, and blew a breath into his throat, down through the 'heavy tower' (trachea), passing the 'bright hall' (chest), directly to the 'elixir field' (lower abdomen), then reversing from 'bubbling spring' (feet) back to the 'mud wall palace' (head). With a loud whoosh, the king's vital energy gathered and his spirit returned. He immediately turned over, clenched his fists, bent his legs, and cried out, "Master!" He knelt on the dusty ground and said, "I remember paying respects as a ghost last night, but how could I have known that this morning I would return to the mortal world as a living spirit!"Tripitaka hastily helped him up, saying, "Your Majesty, it was not my doing. You should thank my disciple."Wukong laughed, "Master, what are you saying? As the saying goes, 'A household has no two masters.' It's not a loss for you to accept a bow from him." Tripitaka felt quite embarrassed, so he helped the emperor up and together they entered the meditation hall, where the emperor then paid respects to Bajie, Wukong, and Sandy before they all took their seats.Just then, the monks of the temple, having prepared the morning meal, came to offer it. Suddenly seeing the emperor in his wet clothes, everyone was startled and full of questions. Sun Wukong stepped forward and said, "Monks, don't be so surprised or suspicious. This is the King of Wuji, your true sovereign. Three years ago, he was killed by a demon, and your old monkey revived him tonight. Now we're going into his city to distinguish between good and evil. If you have any food, bring it out, and we'll eat it before we leave." The monks immediately offered hot water, helped him wash his face, and changed his clothes. They took off the emperor's ochre-yellow robe. The temple's monastic official gave him two plain cloth robes to wear; they untied his Lantian belt and fastened a yellow silk cord around him; they removed his worry-free shoes and gave him an old pair of monk's sandals. Only then did they all eat the morning meal and saddle their horses.

Wukong asked, "Bajie, how heavy is your luggage?"Bajie said, "Brother, I carry this luggage every day, but I don't know how heavy it is."Wukong said, "Divide that load into two. You carry one load, and let this emperor carry the other. We'll hurry into the city to get things done."Bajie happily said, "What good fortune, what good fortune! Back then, carrying him here, who knows how much effort it cost. Now that he's revived, he's actually a substitute!" That simpleton then played a trick, separated the luggage, went to the temple to get a carrying pole, picked up the lighter load himself, and made the emperor carry the heavier one.Wukong laughed, "Your Majesty, dressed like that, carrying a load, and walking with us, would that be an indignity to you?"The king hastily knelt down and said, "Master, you are like my reborn parents. Not to mention carrying a load, I would willingly hold your whip and stirrup, serve you, esteemed sirs, and travel with you to the Western Heaven."Wukong said, "You don't need to go to the Western Heaven; I have a reason. You just need to carry it for forty *li* into the city. Once the demon is captured, you can resume being your emperor, and we will continue our journey to obtain scriptures."Hearing this, Bajie said, "So, he only carries it for forty *li*, while I, Old Pig, am still a long-term laborer!"Wukong said, "Brother, don't talk nonsense. Go and lead the way outside immediately." Truly, Bajie led the emperor forward, Sandy helped Master onto the horse, and Wukong followed behind. They saw the five hundred monks of the temple, all neatly arranged, playing fine music, seeing them off outside the temple gate. Wukong laughed, "Monks, there's no need to see us off so far. I fear that if officials become aware, it might leak our plan, which would be undesirable. Go back quickly! Go back quickly! But clean up the emperor's clothes and regalia. Either this evening or early tomorrow, bring them into the city, and I'll ask for some rewards to thank you." The monks obeyed the command and returned. Wukong strode forward, catching up with his master, and continued straight ahead. Indeed—

In the West, there are secrets to finding truth,Where metal and wood combine to refine the spirit.The elixir mother holds an empty, confused dream,And the infant perpetually regrets its stunted, useless body.One must seek the enlightened ruler at the bottom of a well,And also bow to the Old Lord in Heaven.To comprehend emptiness and return to true nature,Is truly for Buddha to save those with affinity.

The master and disciples were on their way, and in less than half a day, they already saw the city approaching. Tripitaka said, "Wukong, that must be Wuji Kingdom ahead."Wukong said, "Exactly. Let's hurry into the city and get things done." As the master and disciples entered the city, they saw neat figures in the streets, a bustling scene, and soon, phoenix pavilions and dragon towers, exceptionally magnificent. A poem serves as evidence, it reads:

Imperial palaces beyond the sea like a superior realm,Human songs and dances like the former Tang.Flowers greet jeweled fans, wreathed in red clouds,Sunlight illuminates vibrant robes, shimmering with emerald mist.Peacock screens unfurl, releasing fragrant mists,Pearl curtains roll up, colorful flags unfurled.A scene of true peace, worthy of congratulation,Many officials quietly lined up, with no memorials to present.

Tripitaka dismounted and said, "Disciples, let's go straight to the court to exchange our travel pass, to save the trouble of going to another yamen."Wukong said, "That makes sense. All of us brothers should go in; with more people, it's easier to speak."Tripitaka said, "All go in, but don't behave rudely. First perform the rites between ruler and subject, and then speak."Wukong said, "Performing the rites between ruler and subject means bowing down."Tripitaka said, "Exactly, you must perform the great rite of five bows and three kowtows."Wukong laughed, "Master, that's not good. If we bow to him, it would truly be unwise. Let me go in first; I have my own way of dealing with it. If he speaks, let me answer. If I bow, then you bow; if I squat, then you squat." See that trouble-making Monkey King, leading them to the palace gate, and saying to the Keeper of the Inner Gate, "We are envoys sent by the Great Tang of the Eastern Land to go to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. We have now arrived here to exchange our travel pass. Please convey this, your Excellency, so as not to hinder our good mission." The yellow-gated official immediately entered the main gate, knelt on the cinnabar steps, and reported, "Outside the palace gate, there are five monks who claim to be imperial envoys from the Tang Empire of the Eastern Land, on their way to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. They have now arrived here to exchange their travel pass, and dare not enter without permission. They are currently waiting outside the gate for your summons."

The demon king immediately ordered them to be summoned. Tripitaka and his company then entered through the palace gate, with the revived king following them. As they walked, the king could not help but shed tears down his cheeks, thinking to himself, "Alas! Our copper-bucketed kingdom, our iron-walled state, who knew it would be secretly occupied by him!"Wukong said, "Your Majesty, do not be sorrowful, lest the news leak out. This staff is itching in my ear; now is the time to show my skill. I guarantee I will strike down the demon and sweep away the evil creature, and this kingdom will soon return to you." The king dared not disobey, so he merely pulled at his clothes to wipe his tears, and enduring extreme fear for his life, proceeded directly to the Golden Throne Hall. There, he saw the two rows of civil and military officials, four hundred court officials, each one dignified and solemn, with imposing appearances. Wukong led Tripitaka to stand before the white jade steps, standing straight and unmoving. All the officials below the steps were terrified, saying, "This monk is incredibly ignorant and uncouth! Why does he not bow upon seeing our King, nor utter any greetings? He doesn't even make a respectful sound, how bold and disrespectful!" Before they finished speaking, they heard the demon king open his mouth and ask, "Where are you monks from?"Wukong answered proudly, "I am an imperial envoy from the Great Tang of the Eastern Land in Jambudvipa, tasked with journeying to the Western Regions, to the Great Thunderclap Temple in Tianzhu to worship the Living Buddha and seek true scriptures. Having arrived here, I dare not pass through without formality, and have specifically come to exchange my travel pass."Hearing this, the demon king was enraged and said, "So what if you are from the Eastern Land! I do not pay tribute to your court, nor do I have communication with your country. Why do you defy etiquette and not bow to me!"Wukong laughed, "My Eastern Land has long established a celestial dynasty and been known as a superior kingdom, while you are a lower, border country. It has been said since ancient times: the emperor of a superior kingdom is like a father and a sovereign; the emperor of a lower country is like a subject and a son. Not only have you not welcomed me, but you dare to argue about my not bowing?" The demon king was furious and ordered his civil and military officials, "Seize this wild monk!" At the command "Seize him!", all the officials eagerly rushed forward. Wukong roared and pointed his finger, commanding, "Do not approach!" With that single point, he cast a Body-Fixing Spell. All the officials became motionless, truly like: guards before the steps like wooden puppets, generals in the hall like clay figures.

The demon king, seeing that he had immobilized the numerous civil and military officials, swiftly leaped from the dragon throne, intending to seize him. The Monkey King secretly rejoiced, "Good! This is exactly what your old monkey wanted! Even if he had a head cast from raw iron, it would be knocked through by this staff!" Just as he moved, unexpectedly, a saving star emerged from the side. Who do you think it was? It was none other than the Crown Prince of Wuji Kingdom, who quickly stepped forward, tugged at the demon king's imperial robe, and knelt before him, saying, "Father King, appease your anger."The demon asked, "What is it, my son?"The Crown Prince said, "To inform Father King, three years ago, I heard people say that an imperial envoy, a holy monk from the Tang Dynasty of the Eastern Land, was going to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. Unexpectedly, he has only arrived in our kingdom today. Father King's revered nature is fierce, but if you seize and behead this monk, I fear that one day, when the Great Tang learns of this news, they will surely become enraged. Consider that Li Shimin, having claimed the throne and unified the kingdom, is still not satisfied and has even launched overseas expeditions. If he learns that our King has harmed his imperial brother, the holy monk, he will certainly raise an army and cavalry to contend with our King. Since our troops are few and generals weak, it would be too late to regret then. Father King, please follow your son's advice and first question these four monks to clearly ascertain their origins. Let their disrespect in not bowing to the King's presence be established, and only then can their guilt be determined."

This speech was, in fact, the Crown Prince being careful, fearing that Tripitaka might be harmed, and deliberately trying to detain the demon, not knowing that Wukong was poised to strike. The demon king indeed believed his words, stood before the dragon throne, and roared, "Monk, when did you leave the Eastern Land? For what reason did the Tang King send you to seek scriptures?"Wukong answered proudly, "My master is the Tang King's imperial brother, known as Tripitaka. Because under the Tang King's reign, there was a Chancellor named Wei Zheng, who, by celestial decree, dreamt of beheading the old dragon of Jing River. After the Great Tang King dreamed of traveling to the Underworld and returned to life, he established grand water-and-land rituals to save all wronged souls and evil spirits. Because my master expounded scriptures and widely extended compassion, he suddenly received instructions from the Bodhisattva Guanyin of the South Sea to go West. My master made a grand vow, joyful and determined, to faithfully repay the nation, and was granted a travel pass by the Tang King. At that time, it was exactly the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, three days before the full moon in the ninth month, when he left the Eastern Land. He first reached Two-Boundary Mountain and took me as his eldest disciple, named Sun Wukong the Pilgrim; then he went to Gao Village on the border of Wusi Kingdom and took his second disciple, named Zhu Wuneng Bajie; at Sandy River, he took his third disciple, named Sha Wujing the Monk; and the day before yesterday, at the Imperial-Built Baolin Temple, he newly took in a luggage-carrying novice Daoist."Hearing this, the demon king, having no way to inspect Tripitaka, cunningly questioned Wukong, his eyes blazing with anger: "Monk, when you first left the Eastern Land, you were alone, then you gathered four disciples. Those three monks are acceptable, but this Daoist is difficult to tolerate. That novice must have been abducted. What is his name? Does he have a monastic certificate or not? Bring him up for questioning."The emperor was so frightened that he trembled and said, "Master! How should I confess?"Sun Wukong pinched him and said, "Don't be afraid. Let me confess for you."

The Great Sage, stepping forward quickly, loudly declared to the monster, "Your Majesty, this old Daoist is a stammering and mute person, and also a bit deaf. It's only because he traveled to the Western Heaven in his youth and knows the way. I know all the fundamental ups and downs of his story. I hope Your Majesty will pardon him and allow me to confess for him."The demon king said, "Confess for him truthfully and quickly, to avoid punishment."Wukong said:"The novice confessing his sins is old and frail,Foolish, deaf, stammering, mute, and his family fortunes are ruined.His ancestral home was originally here,But five years ago, it met with ruin.

The sky had no rain, the people withered,The king and commoners all fasted and abstained.They burned incense and bathed to pray to Heaven,But for ten thousand *li*, there was no sign of clouds.

The people suffered famine as if hanging upside down,When suddenly a Perfected Realization monster descended from Zhongnan.He summoned wind and rain, displaying supernatural powers,And then secretly took his life.

He pushed him into the garden well,Secretly usurping the dragon throne, a mystery hard to solve.Fortunately, I came, with great merit,Bringing him back to life without hindrance.

Willing to convert and become a novice,To go with the monks to the Western realms.The one who disguised himself as the king is a Daoist;And this 'Daoist' is the true king who will replace him."

The demon king, hearing these words in the Golden Throne Hall, was so frightened that his heart pounded like a deer and his face flushed red. He quickly turned to leave, but had no weapon in his hand. Turning back, he saw a general guarding the hall, with a treasured saber at his waist, who had been immobilized by Wukong's Body-Fixing Spell, standing stiffly as if dazed and mute. He approached, seized the treasured saber, and then rode a cloud into the air, flying away. Sandy was so enraged he was like thunder. Zhu Bajie shouted loudly, complaining that Wukong was an impatient monkey: "If you had just spoken a bit more slowly, wouldn't you have kept him steady? Now he's escaped on a cloud, where are we going to pursue him?"Wukong laughed, "Brothers, don't fuss. Let's call the Crown Prince down to bow to his father, and the imperial concubines out to bow to their husband." He then chanted a spell to release the Body-Fixing Spell, "to let the many officials awaken and return to bow to their sovereign. Only then will they know he is the true emperor, and by letting him recount his past, things will become clear. Then I'll go search for the demon." The great Sage instructed Bajie and Sandy, "Protect well the king, his ministers, his son, his concubines, and my master!" As soon as he said he was going, he vanished from sight.

He had actually leaped into the clouds of the ninth heaven, opening his eyes and looking around for the demon king. He saw that the beast had indeed fled for its life and was heading directly northeast. Wukong pursued until he was close, then shouted, "Where are you going, monster! Your old monkey is here!"The demon king quickly turned his head, drew out his treasured saber, and shouted, "Sun Wukong, you are so meddlesome! My occupying someone else's imperial throne has nothing to do with you, why do you come to fight injustice and reveal my secrets!"Wukong chuckled, "You audacious, wicked monster! Who allowed you to be emperor? Since you know I am your old monkey, you should have fled far away! Why did you still make things difficult for my master and demand a confession! Was that confession just now true or not? Don't run! A true hero will take this blow from your old monkey's staff!" The demon turned sideways to dodge, then drew his treasured saber and returned the attack, slashing towards Wukong's face. The two engaged in combat, a fierce battle indeed—

The Monkey King fierce, the demon king strong,Saber met staff, a worthy match.All heaven and earth shrouded in clouds and mist,All for the establishment of a king on the throne.

The two fought for several rounds. The demon could not withstand the Monkey King and quickly turned back, leaping into the city along his old path, bursting into the midst of the civil and military officials before the white jade steps. With a shake of his body, he instantly transformed to look exactly like Tripitaka, and stood arm-in-arm at the steps. The Great Sage caught up and was about to raise his staff to strike, when the monster said, "Disciple, don't strike, it's me!" He quickly pulled back his staff, intending to strike *that* Tripitaka, but then the other one also said, "Disciple, don't strike, it's me!" Two identical Tripitakas, truly difficult to distinguish. "If I strike and kill the Tripitaka transformed by the demon, it will count as a meritorious deed; but if I strike and kill my true Master, what then shall I do!" He had no choice but to stop, and called Bajie and Sandy, asking, "Which one is truly the demon, and which one is my Master? Point them out to me, so I can strike him."Bajie said, "You two were fighting and shouting in mid-air. I just glanced and saw two Masters; I don't know who is real and who is fake."

Hearing this, Wukong formed a hand seal and chanted a spell, summoning the Guardian Deities of Heaven, the Six Ding and Six Jia, the Five Directional Revealers, the Four Duty Gongcao, the Eighteen Guardian Monks, the local Earth God, and the mountain deities of the area, saying, "Your old monkey is here to subdue a demon. The demon has transformed into my master, and their aura is identical, making them truly hard to distinguish. You, who know in secret, please lead my Master to the main hall, so I can capture the demon." It turned out that the demon was skilled at rising through clouds and mist. Hearing Wukong's words, he quickly let go and leaped onto the Golden Throne Hall. Wukong raised his staff and aimed to strike at Tripitaka. Alas! If not for summoning those gods, that one blow, even if there were two thousand Tripitakas, would have turned them into meat paste! Thanks to the gods who blocked his iron staff, saying, "Great Sage, that monster is skilled at cloud-soaring; he has already gone up to the hall." Wukong rushed up to the hall, but the demon had already leaped down again, grabbed Tripitaka, and mingled in the crowd once more, making them indistinguishable again.

Wukong was displeased, and then saw Bajie sneering nearby. Wukong angrily said, "What's wrong with you, you blockhead? Now there are two Masters, you have one to call, one to answer, one to serve, you're so happy!"Bajie laughed, "Brother, you call me foolish, but you're more foolish than me! Since Master can't be distinguished, why bother exerting yourself? You just endure your headache a bit, and ask my Master to chant that 'thing.' Sandy and I will each support one and listen. The one who can't chant it must be the demon; what's so difficult about that?"Wukong said, "Brother, thanks to you, that's right! Only three people remember that 'thing.' It originated from the mind-bud of our Buddha Tathagata, passed to Bodhisattva Guanyin, and then Bodhisattva passed it to my Master; no one else knows it. Alright then, Master, chant it." Truly, Tripitaka began to chant. How would the demon king know it? He just hummed and hawed incoherently.Bajie said, "This one humming is definitely the demon!" He let go and raised his rake to strike. The demon king leaped up and fled on a cloud. Good Bajie, with a shout, also rode a cloud to catch up. Sandy, in a panic, let go of Tripitaka and drew out his precious staff to strike. Only then did Tripitaka stop chanting the spell. Sun Wukong, enduring his headache, wielding his iron staff, pursued them in the air. Oh! In this battle, three fierce monks surrounded one wicked demon. The demon king was attacked from left and right by Bajie's rake and Sandy's precious staff. Wukong laughed, "If I go again to strike him directly, he might be a bit afraid of me and might run away again. Let your old monkey jump higher and give him a 'garlic-pounding' strike to finish him off."

The Great Sage released his auspicious light, rising into the ninth heaven, just about to deliver a decisive blow, when from the northeast, within a colorful cloud, a sharp voice called out, "Sun Wukong, hold your hand!" Wukong looked back and saw it was Bodhisattva Manjusri. He quickly put away his staff, stepped forward, and bowed, saying, "Bodhisattva, where are you going?"Manjusri said, "I have come to help you subdue this demon."Wukong thanked him, "You have troubled yourself." The Bodhisattva took a demon-revealing mirror from his sleeve and shone it on the monster's true form. Only then did Wukong call Bajie and Sandy to come and greet the Bodhisattva. Looking into the mirror, the demon king appeared incredibly fierce—

Eyes like glazed lamps, head like a refining wok.Body indigo-black like the hottest days of summer, four claws like autumn frost.Two floppy ears, a tail as long as a broom.Green fur emanating fierceness, red eyes emitting golden light.Flat teeth like jade slabs, round whiskers stiff as spears.Viewing his true form in the mirror, he was originally Manjusri's Lion King.

Wukong said, "Bodhisattva, this is one of your blue-maned lions from under your seat. How did he escape and become a demon, and why didn't you subdue him?"Bodhisattva said, "Wukong, he didn't escape. He was sent here by Buddha's decree."Wukong said, "This beast became a demon, usurped the throne, and was even sent by Buddha's decree. While your old monkey suffers protecting Tripitaka, I should also receive a few imperial decrees!"Bodhisattva said, "You don't know; originally, this King of Wuji was benevolent and devout, often feeding monks. Buddha sent me to guide him to the West, to quickly attain the Golden Body Arhatship. Because I could not appear in my true form, I transformed into an ordinary monk and asked him for some alms. He, not knowing I was a good person, found my words a bit difficult, so he bound me with a rope and threw me into the Imperial River, where I was soaked for three days and three nights. Thanks to the Six Jia Golden Body spirits who saved me and brought me back to the West, and reported it to Tathagata. Tathagata then commanded this monster to come here and push him (the king) into the well, soaking him for three years, to avenge my three days of water calamity. Every sip and every peck is predetermined. Now that you have come here, you have achieved merit."Wukong said, "Although you avenged your personal grudge of 'a sip and a peck,' that monster must have harmed many people."Bodhisattva said, "He didn't harm anyone. Since his arrival, for these three years, the winds and rains have been favorable, and the country has been peaceful and the people content. How could he have harmed anyone?"Wukong said, "Although that is true, what about the three empresses? They slept and rose with him, defiling their bodies and ruining countless moral principles and ethics. Do you still say he didn't harm anyone?"Bodhisattva said, "He couldn't defile them; he is a castrated lion."Hearing this, Bajie walked closer, touched him, and laughed, "This demon truly is like 'a stinky nose that doesn't drink wine'—he bears the name in vain!"Wukong said, "Since that's the case, take him away. If the Bodhisattva hadn't come personally, I would certainly not have spared his life." The Bodhisattva then chanted a spell and commanded, "Beast, why do you not return to your true form now! When else will you wait!" Only then did the demon king reveal his true form. The Bodhisattva released a lotus, covering the demon, sat on its back, and, treading on auspicious light, bade farewell to Wukong. Eh! Straight back to Mount Wutai, to listen to scriptures beneath the precious lotus throne.

Ultimately, it is unknown how Tripitaka and his disciples left the city. Let's listen to the next chapter for the explanation.