Chapter 46: Outsiders Bully the Righteous Dharma, Mind Ape Reveals Sanctity and Eliminates All Evils

Upon seeing Sun Wukong's ability to summon dragons and control saints, the King immediately stamped the travel pass with the imperial seal and was about to hand it to Tang Sanzang, allowing them to proceed west. The three Daoists, in a panic, prostrated themselves in the Golden Imperial Hall and pleaded. The Emperor immediately descended from his throne and, with his own hands, quickly helped them up, asking, "State Preceptors, why this great rite today?" The Daoist replied, "Your Majesty, we have toiled for twenty years, supporting the nation and ensuring peace and prosperity. Today, this monk used his magic and stole our glory. Your Majesty's pardon for the crime of murder in exchange for a single rainstorm trivializes our efforts! We beg Your Majesty to hold onto his travel pass. Let my brothers and I challenge him again and see what happens." The King, utterly confused, swayed with every suggestion. He truly took back the travel pass and said, "State Preceptor, what challenge do you propose?" Huli Daxian (Tiger Power Immortal) said, "I will challenge him to a sitting meditation." The King said, "State Preceptor, you are mistaken. That monk comes from the Chan Buddhist tradition; he must be skilled in Chan before daring to seek scriptures by imperial decree. How can you challenge him to this?" The Great Immortal said, "My sitting meditation is different from the usual. It has a special name: 'Cloud Ladder Sacred Manifestation'." The King asked, "What is 'Cloud Ladder Sacred Manifestation'?" The Great Immortal explained, "It requires one hundred tables, fifty tables to form each meditation platform. They must be stacked up, one by one. No climbing with hands is allowed, nor using ladders or stools. Each of us will ascend on a cloud, sit on the platform, and agree not to move for a certain number of hours." The King found this somewhat difficult and immediately issued a decree, asking, "Monk, our State Preceptor wants to challenge you to a 'Cloud Ladder Sacred Manifestation' sitting meditation. Can you do it?" Wukong heard this and pondered without answering. Pigsy said, "Brother, why are you silent?" Wukong said, "Brother, to be honest with you, I can do all sorts of clever tricks: kicking the heavens and stirring the wells, overturning seas and rivers, carrying mountains and chasing the moon, shifting stars and changing constellations. Even beheading, dismembering, disemboweling, and gouging out hearts—unusual acts of transformation—I am not afraid. But when it comes to sitting meditation, I lose. How can I sit still? Even if you chained me to an iron pillar, I would still climb up and down. Don't even think about me sitting still." Sanzang suddenly spoke, "I can sit in meditation." Wukong was delighted, "Excellent, excellent! For how long can you sit?" Sanzang said, "In my youth, I met a Chan Buddhist monk who taught me the fundamentals of life and spirit. I could stabilize my mind and preserve my spirit, even in life-and-death situations, for two or three years." Wukong said, "If Master can sit for two or three years, then we won't get the scriptures! You only need to sit for two or three hours at most, then you can come down." Sanzang said, "Disciple, but I cannot get up there." Wukong said, "You go forward and accept. I will send you up." The venerable monk indeed put his palms together at his chest and said, "This humble monk can sit in meditation." The King ordered the construction of the meditation platforms. The country had the strength to move mountains; in less than half an hour, two platforms were erected on either side of the Golden Imperial Hall.

Huli Daxian descended from the hall, stood at the center of the steps, and with a leap, stepped onto a cloud, directly ascending to the western platform and sitting down. Wukong plucked a hair, transformed it into a fake image, which stood below with Pigsy and Sandy. He himself created a five-colored auspicious cloud, lifted Tang Sanzang into the air, and transported him directly to the eastern platform, where he sat down. Then, Wukong retracted his auspicious light, transformed into a tiny beetle, and flew to Pigsy's ear, saying, "Brother, watch Master carefully. Don't speak to my doppelganger again." The simpleton chuckled, "Understood, understood!" Meanwhile, Luli Daxian (Deer Power Immortal) sat on an embroidered stool, watching for a long time. The two of them remained on their high platforms, with no clear winner. The Daoist then decided to assist his senior brother: he plucked a short hair from the back of his head, rolled it into a ball, and flicked it upwards. It flew directly to Tang Sanzang's head and transformed into a large bedbug, biting the venerable monk. The venerable monk first felt an itch, then pain. According to the rules of sitting meditation, one was not allowed to move; moving meant losing. The pain became unbearable, and he instinctively shrank his head and rubbed the itch with his collar. Pigsy exclaimed, "Oh no! Master is having an epileptic fit!" Sandy said, "No, it's a headache." Wukong heard them and said, "My Master is a sincere gentleman. If he says he can sit in meditation, he can certainly do it. If he says he cannot, he simply cannot. How can a gentleman be mistaken? You two stop talking. Let me go up and see." Good Wukong, with a humming sound, flew to Tang Sanzang's head. He saw a bedbug the size of a bean, biting his Master. He quickly pinched it off with his hand and rubbed and massaged his Master. The venerable monk, no longer in pain or itching, sat upright on the platform. Wukong secretly thought, "A monk's bald head; not even a louse could live there. How could there be such a bedbug? It must be some trick by that Daoist, harming my Master. Haha! This isn't leading to a clear win or loss anyway. Let Old Monkey go mess with him!" Wukong flew away, landing on the beast head ornament of the Golden Hall. He shook his body and transformed into a seven-inch-long centipede, flying directly to the Daoist's philtrum and stinging him. The Daoist could not sit still and tumbled down, almost losing his life. Fortunately, many officials and people rushed to save him. The King was greatly alarmed and immediately ordered the Imperial Grand Tutor to take him to the Hall of Literary Splendor for washing and grooming. Wukong then drove the auspicious cloud, carrying his Master down to the steps. The venerable monk had already won. The King merely ordered them to proceed.

Luli Daxian again pleaded, "Your Majesty, my senior brother has a history of apoplexy. Because he ascended to a high place, he was exposed to the heavenly wind, which triggered his old ailment, thus allowing the monk to win. Please keep him here. Let me challenge him to 'guessing through the partition'." The King asked, "What is 'guessing through the partition'?" Luli said, "This humble Daoist has the ability to know objects through a partition. Let's see if that monk can do it. If he guesses correctly, let him pass. If not, Your Majesty can decide his punishment, avenging the humiliation of my brothers and not tainting our twenty years of service to the nation." Indeed, the King was utterly muddled and listened to this slanderous advice. He immediately issued a decree, ordering an imperial eunuch to carry a vermilion lacquered cabinet into the palace. He instructed the Empress to place a treasure inside. Soon, it was brought out and placed before the white jade steps. The King said to the monk and Daoist, "You two shall each demonstrate your powers and guess what treasure is inside this cabinet." Sanzang said, "Disciple, how can we know what is inside the cabinet?" Wukong retracted his auspicious light, transformed back into a tiny beetle, and landed on Tang Sanzang's head, saying, "Master, don't worry. Let me go take a look." Good Great Sage, he flew lightly to the cabinet, crawled beneath its legs, and found a crack in the board. He squeezed inside and saw a vermilion lacquered tray containing a set of imperial robes: a "Mountain and River, State and Society Robe" and a "Universe and Geography Skirt." He picked them up with his hand, shook them into disarray, bit the tip of his tongue, and spat a mouthful of blood and saliva, shouting, "Change!" It immediately transformed into a tattered, worn-out bell. Before leaving, he also urinated on it. Then he crawled back out through the crack and flew to Tang Sanzang's ear, saying, "Master, just guess it's a 'tattered, worn-out bell'." Sanzang said, "He told us to guess a treasure. What kind of treasure is 'worn-out'?" Wukong said, "Never mind that, just guess correctly." Tang Sanzang stepped forward, about to guess, when Luli Daxian said, "I'll guess first. Inside the cabinet are a 'Mountain and River, State and Society Robe' and a 'Universe and Geography Skirt'." Tang Sanzang said, "No, no. Inside the cabinet is a 'tattered, worn-out bell'." The King was furious, "This monk is rude! How dare he mock our country for having no treasures by guessing some 'worn-out bell'!" He ordered, "Seize him!" The two rows of palace guards were about to act when Tang Sanzang hastily put his palms together and loudly exclaimed, "Your Majesty, please grant this humble monk a moment. Let the cabinet be opened and seen. If it is indeed a treasure, this humble monk will accept the punishment. If it is not, would that not be unfair to this humble monk?" The King ordered it to be opened. The attendant opened it and presented the vermilion tray. Indeed, it was a "tattered, worn-out bell." The King was enraged, "Who put this object in here?" From behind the dragon throne, the three empresses emerged and said, "My Lord, it was I, Your Empress, who personally placed the 'Mountain and River, State and Society Robe' and the 'Universe and Geography Skirt'. We don't know how it transformed into this." The King said, "My Queen, please withdraw. I understand. The items used in the palace are nothing but silk, satin, and brocade. How could there be such a 'worn-out' thing?" He ordered, "Bring the cabinet up! I will personally hide a treasure and try again."

The Emperor then went to the inner palace, picked a large peach, the size of a bowl, from an immortal peach tree in the imperial garden, and placed it in the cabinet. He then had it brought out again for guessing. Tang Sanzang said, "Disciple, they are guessing again." Wukong said, "Don't worry, let me go take another look." With another humming sound, he flew off, re-entering through the crack in the board. He saw a peach, which suited his intention perfectly. He immediately resumed his original form, sat inside the cabinet, and completely devoured the peach, even gnawing clean the two indentations on its sides. He left only the pit inside. He then transformed back into a tiny beetle, flew out, and landed on Tang Sanzang's ear, saying, "Master, just guess it's a peach pit." The venerable monk said, "Disciple, don't play tricks on me. Last time, it was because of my quick guess that I was almost executed. This time, we must guess a treasure. What kind of treasure is a peach pit?" Wukong said, "Don't be afraid, just win him over." Sanzang was about to speak when he heard Yangli Daxian (Goat Power Immortal) say, "This humble Daoist will guess first. It is an immortal peach." Sanzang guessed, "It's not a peach, it's a bare peach pit." The King roared, "It was an immortal peach that I placed! How can it be a pit? The three State Preceptors guessed correctly!" Sanzang said, "Your Majesty, just open it and see." The attendant again lifted it up and opened it, presenting the vermilion tray. Indeed, it was only a pit, with no flesh or skin remaining. When the King saw it, he was startled and said, "State Preceptors, stop challenging him! Let him go. The immortal peach I personally hid is now just a pit. Who ate it? Perhaps there are gods or spirits secretly assisting him." Pigsy heard this and, with Sandy, sneered softly, "He doesn't know that old monkey is an expert at eating peaches!"

While they were speaking, Huli Daxian, having washed and groomed himself in the Hall of Literary Splendor, walked back to the hall entrance. "Your Majesty," he said, "this monk has the art of 'transporting and replacing objects'. Bring the cabinet. I will break his spell, and we will guess again." The King asked, "State Preceptor, what else do you want to guess?" Huli said, "His spell can only replace objects, but not human bodies. We will hide this young Daoist disciple inside; I guarantee he won't be able to switch him out." The young disciple was indeed hidden inside the cabinet. The lid was closed, and it was carried down. The King then said, "Monk, guess again. What treasure is it this third time?" Sanzang said, "Again!" Wukong said, "Let me go take another look." With a humming sound, he flew in again, entering through the crack. He saw a young boy. Good Great Sage, he was indeed perceptive; such transformative skill was rare in the world, and such cleverness was scarce among men! He shook his body and transformed into an old Daoist's appearance. He entered the cabinet and called out, "Disciple." The boy asked, "Master, where did you come from?" Wukong said, "I came by escape technique." The boy asked, "Do you have any instructions for me?" Wukong said, "That monk saw you enter the cabinet. If he guesses 'Daoist boy,' wouldn't we lose again? I specifically came to scheme with you. Let's shave your head, and we'll guess 'monk' instead." The boy said, "As Master wishes, as long as we win. If we lose to him again, not only will our reputation be diminished, but I fear the court will lose respect for us." Wukong said, "Well said. Come here, my son. If we win, I will reward you handsomely." He then transformed his golden-banded cudgel into a barber's razor, embraced the boy, and said, "My good boy, bear the pain, don't make a sound. Let me shave your head." In a moment, the hair was shaved off, rolled into a ball, and stuffed into the crevices at the cabinet's base. Wukong put away the razor, touched the boy's bald head, and said, "My son, your head looks like a monk's, but your clothes don't match. Take them off, and I'll transform them for you." The Daoist boy was wearing a light green, cloud-patterned, embroidered silk crane cloak with a brocade border. He truly took it off. Wukong blew a puff of immortal breath on it and shouted, "Change!" It immediately transformed into a plain yellow monastic robe for him to wear. He then plucked two hairs, transformed them into a wooden fish, and handed it to the boy, saying, "Disciple, listen carefully: if they call out 'Daoist boy,' by no means come out. If they call out 'monk,' then you can push open the cabinet lid, strike the wooden fish, recite a Buddhist scripture, and come out. Only then will we succeed." The boy said, "I only know how to recite the 'Three Officials Sutra,' 'Big Dipper Sutra,' and 'Disaster Aversion Sutra.' I don't know any Buddhist scriptures." Wukong asked, "Can you chant 'Buddha'?" The boy said, "Amitabha Buddha, who doesn't know how to chant that?" Wukong said, "Alright, alright, just chant 'Buddha.' It saves me from having to teach you. Remember this, I'm leaving." He transformed back into a tiny beetle, crawled out, and flew to Tang Sanzang's ear, saying, "Master, you just guess it's a monk." Sanzang said, "This time, he's sure to win." Wukong asked, "How are you so sure?" Sanzang said, "The scriptures say: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are the Three Jewels. A monk is also a treasure."

Just as they were speaking, Huli Daxian said, "Your Majesty, for the third round, it's a Daoist boy." He kept calling, but the boy wouldn't come out. Sanzang put his palms together and said, "It's a monk." Pigsy loudly shouted with all his might, "Inside the cabinet is a monk!" The boy suddenly pushed open the cabinet lid, struck the wooden fish, chanted "Buddha," and crawled out. The two rows of civil and military officials cheered in unison, terrifying the three Daoists into silence. The King said, "This monk is assisted by gods and spirits! How did a Daoist enter the cabinet and turn into a monk? Even if an imperial barber followed him in, he could only shave his head. How could his clothes also fit perfectly, and how could he chant Buddhist prayers? State Preceptor! Let him go!"

Huli Daxian said, "Your Majesty, it's a match of equally skilled opponents, a meeting of fine talents. This humble Daoist will simply use the martial arts I learned in Zhongnan Mountain as a child and challenge him to a final contest." The King asked, "What martial arts?" Huli said, "My three brothers and I all possess some divine powers. We can cut off our heads and reattach them; disembowel and gouge out our hearts, and they will grow back completely; and bathe in a pot of boiling oil." The King was greatly alarmed, "These three acts are all paths to death!" Huli said, "We possess these powers, which is why we dare to speak so boldly. We must challenge him until one of us gives up." The King called out, "Monk from the Eastern Land, our State Preceptor refuses to let you go! He still wants to challenge you to beheading, disemboweling, and bathing in boiling oil!" Wukong, who had been transformed into a bug, reporting events, heard this. He immediately retracted his hair, resumed his true form, and laughed heartily, "What fortune, what fortune! Business has come knocking!" Pigsy said, "These three things are all life-threatening. How can you say business has come knocking?" Wukong said, "You still don't know my abilities." Pigsy said, "Brother, your transformations and tricks are enough. How can you have such other abilities?" Wukong said:"Cut off my head, I can still speak,Chop off my arms, I can still fight.Sever my legs, I can still walk,Disembowel myself, and still be whole, truly divine.It's like making dumplings at home,Just a pinch and it's all complete.Bathing in an oil pot is even easier,Like washing off dirt in warm water."

Pigsy and Sandy laughed heartily upon hearing this. Wukong stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this humble monk can behead himself." The King asked, "How can you behead yourself?" Wukong said, "When I was cultivating in the temple years ago, I met a Chan Buddhist monk who taught me a beheading technique. I don't know if it's good or not, but I'd like to try it out now." The King laughed, "That monk is young and ignorant! How can beheading be 'tried out'? The head is the chief of the six yang organs; once cut off, one immediately dies." Huli said, "Your Majesty, that's exactly what we want, to finally release our anger!" The muddled King believed his words and immediately ordered the setting up of an execution ground.

A single imperial decree, and three thousand Imperial Forest Guards were arrayed outside the palace gate. The King ordered, "Monk, you go first and behead yourself." Wukong gladly responded, "I'll go first, I'll go first!" He cupped his hands and loudly declared, "State Preceptor, forgive my boldness in going first!" He turned and started to walk out. Tang Sanzang quickly pulled him back, saying, "Disciple, be careful. This is not a game." Wukong said, "What's there to fear? Let go of my hand, let me go!"

The Great Sage went directly into the execution ground. He was seized by the executioners, bound tightly, and pressed onto the high earth mound. A shout was heard: "Execute!" With a whoosh, his head was chopped off, and then kicked away by the executioner. It rolled like a watermelon for thirty or forty paces. No blood flowed from Wukong's torso. He only heard a voice from his belly calling, "Head, come!" Luli Daxian, seeing this kind of skill, hastily chanted a spell, commanding the local Earth Gods, "Hold the head! When I defeat this monk and report to the King, I will have your small shrines rebuilt into grand temples, and your clay statues replaced with pure gold images!" It turned out that those Earth Gods, because of Huli's Five Thunder spells, were compelled to obey him. They indeed secretly held Wukong's head down. Wukong again called out, "Head, come!" But the head seemed to have taken root; it wouldn't move. Wukong grew anxious. He clenched his fists, struggled, and instantly broke all the ropes binding him. He roared, "Grow!" With a whoosh, a new head grew from his torso. The executioners were all terrified; the Imperial Forest Guards trembled with fear. The supervising official quickly ran into the court to report, "Your Majesty, that young monk had his head chopped off, and another one grew back!" Pigsy sneered, "Sandy, you didn't know our elder brother had such skills!" Sandy said, "He has seventy-two transformations, so he must have seventy-two heads!" Before they finished speaking, Wukong walked in and called out, "Master." Sanzang was overjoyed, "Disciple, are you tired?" Wukong said, "Not tired, it was quite fun." Pigsy asked, "Brother, do you need any medicine for the wound?" Wukong said, "Why don't you feel it and see if there's any knife mark?" The simpleton reached out and touched, then laughed foolishly, "Amazing, amazing! It grew back perfectly, not even a scar!"

While the brothers were all rejoicing, they heard the King calling for the travel pass, "You are pardoned! Quickly go, quickly go!" Wukong said, "Although we have received the travel pass, the State Preceptor must also go to the execution ground and have his head chopped off, to 'try out' his new skill." The King said, "Great State Preceptor, that monk refuses to let you off either. You gambled with him; don't frighten Us." Huli also had no choice but to go. He was seized by several executioners, tied down, and with a flourish, his head was chopped off and kicked away, rolling for over thirty paces. No blood flowed from his torso, and he also called out, "Head, come!" Wukong immediately plucked a hair, blew a puff of immortal breath, and shouted, "Change!" It transformed into a yellow dog that ran into the field, snatched the Daoist's head in its mouth, and ran straight to the Imperial River, where it dropped it. Meanwhile, the Daoist called out three times, but his head did not return. Unlike Wukong's skill, he could not grow a new one. Red light pulsed from his torso. Alas, he possessed the power to summon rain and wind, but how could he compare to a true immortal of long life? In a short while, he fell into the dust. Everyone looked closely and saw it was a headless yellow-haired tiger. The supervising official again reported, "Your Majesty, the Great State Preceptor had his head chopped off, could not regrow it, and died in the dust. His true form is a headless yellow-haired tiger." The King heard the report, turned pale with fright, and stared wide-eyed at the other two Daoists. Luli stood up and said, "My senior brother's fate has run out. How could he be a yellow tiger! This is all that monk's trickery, a deceptive spell, transforming my senior brother into a beast! I will certainly not forgive him today. I must challenge him to disembowelment and heart-gouging!"

Hearing this, the King finally regained his composure and said, "Monk, the Second State Preceptor wants to challenge you again." Wukong said, "This humble monk has not eaten cooked food for a long time. The other day, coming from the west, I unexpectedly received an invitation for a vegetarian meal at a lay Buddhist's house and ate several extra steamed buns. For the past few days, my stomach has been aching; I suspect it's worms. I was just about to borrow Your Majesty's knife to cut open my belly, take out my internal organs, clean my spleen and stomach, and then it would be good to go to the Western Heaven to see Buddha." The King heard this and ordered, "Take him to the execution ground." Many people tried to support and pull him. Wukong shook them off and said, "No need for support, I'll walk myself. But one thing: don't tie my hands, so I can wash my internal organs." The King issued an order, "Don't tie his hands." Wukong swaggered directly to the execution ground, leaned against a large stake, untied his belt, and exposed his abdomen. The executioner put a rope noose around his neck and another rope around his legs. With a short, ox-eared knife, he swung it and, with one cut to the belly, made a hole. Wukong used both hands to pull open his abdomen, took out his intestines and organs, meticulously arranging them for a long time. Then he put them back inside, coiling them as before, touched his belly, blew a puff of immortal breath, and shouted, "Grow!" It grew back together as before. The King was greatly alarmed. He held the travel pass in his hand and said, "Holy Monk, do not delay your journey west. Take your travel pass and go." Wukong laughed, "The travel pass is a small matter. Please also invite the Second State Preceptor to disembowel and gouge out his heart. How about that?" The King said to Luli, "This matter has nothing to do with Us. You wanted to contend with him; please go, please go." Luli said, "Don't worry, I will certainly not lose to him." You see, he too, like Sun Wukong, swaggered directly into the execution ground. He was tied with ropes by the executioners, and with a swift slash of the ox-eared knife, his abdomen was cut open. He also took out his liver and intestines and began to arrange them with his hands. Wukong immediately plucked a hair, blew a puff of immortal breath, and shouted, "Change!" It transformed into a hungry eagle, spreading its wings and claws. With a whoosh, it snatched all his five organs, heart, and liver, flying off to enjoy them somewhere unknown. The Daoist was left as a hollow-bodied, disemboweled, bloody ghost, a wandering soul without organs or intestines. The executioners pulled down the large stake. They dragged the corpse to examine it. Oh, it was a white-haired horned deer!

The supervising official again hastily reported, "Your Majesty, the Second State Preceptor suffered ill fortune! Just as he was disemboweling himself, a hungry eagle snatched all his organs, liver, and intestines. He died there, and his true form is a white-haired horned deer!" The King was afraid, "How can he be a horned deer?" Yangli Daxian again pleaded, "Since my senior brother is dead, how can he manifest as a beast? This is all that monk's trickery, maliciously harming us! Let me avenge my senior brothers!" The King said, "What powers do you have to defeat him?" Yangli said, "I will challenge him to bathe in a pot of boiling oil." The King then ordered a large pot to be brought, filled with fragrant oil, and told the two of them to challenge each other. Wukong said, "Many thanks for your consideration. This humble monk hasn't bathed in a while, and my skin has been dry and itchy these past few days. It would be good to wash it off." The attendant indeed set up the oil pot, piled dry wood, lit a roaring fire, and boiled the oil, telling the monk to go in first. Wukong put his palms together and asked, "Should I 'civilian-bathe' or 'martial-bathe'?" The King asked, "What is 'civilian-bathing'? What is 'martial-bathing'?" Wukong said, "'Civilian-bathing' means not taking off clothes. Like this, with hands clasped, you go in, roll around once, and come out immediately. You are not allowed to soil your clothes; if there's a single grease stain, you lose. 'Martial-bathing' means taking a clothes rack and a towel, stripping off your clothes, jumping in, and freely tumbling, doing handstands, and bathing as if for fun." The King said to Yangli, "Do you want to 'civilian-bathe' or 'martial-bathe' with him?" Yangli said, "For 'civilian-bathing,' I fear his clothes might be treated with medicine, which would repel the oil. Let's 'martial-bathe'." Wukong again stepped forward, saying, "Forgive my boldness, for always going first." You see him take off his plain monastic robe and his tiger-skin skirt. With a leap, he jumped into the pot, churning waves and frolicking as if playing in water.

Pigsy saw this, bit his finger, and said to Sandy, "We truly underestimated this monkey! All this time, we've teased and played with him, never knowing he had such genuine abilities!" The two of them whispered and praised him endlessly. Wukong saw them and suspected, "That simpleton is laughing at me! It's true that the clever one toils while the clumsy one rests. I'm doing all this showing off, and he's just idling. Let me trick him into getting tied up and see if he's scared." While bathing, he made a splash, sank to the bottom of the oil pot, transformed into a tiny date pit, and did not surface again. The supervising official came forward again and reported, "Your Majesty, the young monk has been cooked to death by the boiling oil!" The King was overjoyed and ordered to fish out his bones for examination. The executioner used an iron scoop to fish in the oil pot. However, the scoop's holes were wide, and Wukong had transformed into a small nail, so he kept slipping through the holes. How could he be fished out! The official reported again, "The monk's body was so slight and his bones so tender that they have all dissolved." The King ordered, "Seize the three monks!" The palace guards on both sides, seeing Pigsy's fierce face, first wrestled him down, tied his back, startling Sanzang, who cried out, "Your Majesty, spare this humble monk for a moment. That disciple of mine, ever since he converted to Buddhism, has repeatedly performed meritorious deeds. Today, he offended the State Preceptor and died in the oil pot. Alas, he who dies first becomes a deity. How dare this humble monk cling to life! It is true that officials govern the common people; if Your Majesty commands this servant to die, how dare this servant not die? I only hope for your generous mercy, grant me half a bowl of cool water and rice, and three paper horses. Allow me to go to the side of the oil pot and burn this paper money to express my master-disciple bond, and then I will accept my punishment." The King heard this and said, "That is true; the people of China are indeed very righteous." He ordered some gruel, rice, and yellow paper money to be given to him. They were indeed brought and handed to Tang Sanzang. Tang Sanzang told Sandy to accompany him. As they reached the steps, several guards were pulling Pigsy by the ear to the side of the pot. Sanzang prayed to the pot, saying: "Disciple Sun Wukong:"Since receiving your vows and joining the Buddhist temple,Your love and protection on our journey west have been deep.I hoped we would both achieve the great Way together,Who knew today you would return to the underworld!While alive, your sole purpose was seeking scriptures,Even in death, your mind still chants Buddha's name.Your spirit, though a thousand miles away, must wait,As a ghost in the netherworld, ascend to the Thunder Sound Temple!"

Pigsy heard this and said, "Master, this is not how you should pray. Sandy, you pour the gruel and rice for me; let me offer the prayer." The simpleton, tied on the ground, angrily grumbled, "Troublemaking wild monkey, ignorant stable-keeper! Damned wild monkey, oil-cooked stable-keeper! Monkey, settle your accounts; stable-keeper, break your roots!" Sun Wukong, from the bottom of the oil pot, heard the simpleton cursing wildly. He couldn't help but reveal his true form, dripping wet, standing at the bottom of the oil pot, saying, "You good-for-nothing brute! Who are you cursing!" Tang Sanzang saw him and said, "Disciple, you scared me to death!" Sandy said, "Big brother is just used to faking death cleanly!" The two rows of civil and military officials were so frightened that they came forward to report, "Your Majesty, that monk is not dead; he crawled out of the oil pot again!" The supervising official, fearing he had misled the court, again reported, "He is dead, yes, but the timing was inauspicious, so the young monk is manifesting his spirit!" Wukong heard this and was furious. He leaped out of the pot, wiped off the oil, put on his clothes, pulled out his cudgel, grabbed the supervising official, and smashed his head into a pulp, saying, "What spirit am I manifesting!" Many officials were so frightened that they quickly untied Pigsy, knelt, and pleaded, "Forgive us, forgive us!" The King descended from his dragon throne. Wukong ascended the hall, seized him, and said, "Your Majesty, don't run! And have your third State Preceptor also go down into the oil pot." The Emperor, trembling, said, "Third State Preceptor, save Our life! Quickly go down into the pot! Don't let the monk hit Me!"

Yangli descended from the hall. Following Wukong's example, he took off his clothes and jumped into the oil pot, also managing to bathe there. Wukong released the King, approached the oil pot, and told the fire tenders to add more wood. He then reached out and felt the oil. "Oh!" The boiling oil was ice-cold. He thought to himself, "It was scalding hot when I bathed, but it's cold when he bathes. I understand now. I don't know which Dragon King is protecting him here." He quickly leaped into the air, chanted the "Yan" mantra, and summoned the North Sea Dragon King, saying, "You horned earthworm, you scaly loach! How dare you assist this Daoist by using a cold dragon to protect the bottom of the pot, allowing him to show off his powers and defeat me!" The Dragon King, trembling, repeatedly said, "Aoshun would not dare to assist him. Great Sage, you do not know. This evildoer has undergone bitter cultivation, shedding his original shell, but he only truly received the Five Thunder Law. All his other skills are heterodox and cannot lead to immortality. This 'Great Dissection' is something he learned on Little Maoshan. His two brothers' magic was already broken by the Great Sage, revealing their true forms. This one's 'cold dragon' is also something he cultivated himself, only good for deceiving common people for fun. How could it deceive the Great Sage? This humble dragon will now withdraw his cold dragon, ensuring his bones shatter and skin burns. What kind of power will he display then?" Wukong said, "Withdraw it quickly, lest I beat you!" The Dragon King transformed into a whirlwind, went to the oil pot, and took the cold dragon down to the sea. Wukong descended and stood before the hall with Sanzang, Pigsy, and Sandy. They saw the Daoist struggling in the boiling oil pot, unable to climb out. He slipped and fell, and in an instant, his bones separated, skin peeled, and flesh rotted.

The supervising official again came to report, "Your Majesty, the Third State Preceptor has dissolved!" The King's eyes filled with tears, and he pounded the imperial desk, crying loudly:"A human body is truly hard to obtain,Do not refine elixirs if you haven't found true transmission.You may have spells to command spirits and control water,But lack pills to prolong life and preserve being.How can you achieve perfect enlightenment and Nirvana?You only waste effort, your fate is restless.If only you had realized how easily you could be broken,Why not secretly hide away and live peacefully in the mountains!"

This is truly: What use is transmuting metal and refining mercury? Summoning rain and wind is all in vain! Ultimately, it is unknown how the master and disciples will maintain their position. Listen to the next chapter for the full explanation.