Chapter 5: Chaos in the Peach Grove as the Great Sage Steals the Elixir Gods of Heaven's Palace Capture the Monster

It is said that the Great Sage Equal to Heaven was, after all, a demon monkey. He cared nothing for official ranks, titles, or high salaries; simply being registered was enough for him. The celestial officials of the two divisions under the Great Sage’s Mansion attended to him day and night. He ate three meals a day, slept on one couch at night, and had no worries, living a life of utter freedom. In his leisure time, he would meet friends and visit palaces, forging bonds of camaraderie. He addressed the Three Pure Ones as "Old Ones" and the Four Emperors as "Your Majesty." To the Nine Luminaries, the Five Directions’ Generals, the Twenty-Eight Constellations, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Twelve Earthly Branches, the Five Elders of Five Directions, the myriad stars, and all the gods of the Milky Way, he treated everyone as brothers, addressing them casually. One day he would wander east, the next day west, coming and going like the clouds, his whereabouts never fixed.

One day, during the Jade Emperor's morning audience, True Immortal Xu Jingyang stepped forward from the assembly, bowed his head, and reported: "The Great Sage Equal to Heaven spends every day in idle wandering, befriending all the celestial stars, regardless of their status. We fear that his idleness may eventually lead to trouble. It would be better to give him a duty to manage, thus preventing any further incidents." Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor immediately issued a decree. The Monkey King arrived, delighted, and asked, "Your Majesty, what promotion do you have for your old subject?" The Jade Emperor replied, "Seeing that you are idle and without duties, I bestow upon you an assignment. You shall temporarily oversee the Immortal Peach Garden. Be diligent in your supervision, morning and evening." The Great Sage happily bowed in gratitude and withdrew.

Without wasting a moment, he entered the Immortal Peach Garden to inspect it. The Earth God of the garden barred his way and asked, "Great Sage, where are you going?" The Great Sage replied, "I have been appointed by the Jade Emperor to take charge of the Immortal Peach Garden, and I have come to inspect it." The Earth God quickly bowed and immediately summoned the laborers responsible for cultivating, watering, pruning, and cleaning the trees. They all came to kowtow before the Great Sage and led him inside. There, he saw —

Vibrant and radiant, countless trees.Vibrant and radiant, flowers filled the trees;Countless fruits weighed down the branches.Fruits hung heavy, like crimson pellets;Flowers clustered on branches, like rouge.Blooming and bearing fruit, ripening over a thousand years;Timeless, enduring for ten thousand ages.The ripest were flushed like drunken faces;The newly formed were still green, with stalks attached.Misty green skin,Reflecting the sun with a fiery glow.Beneath the trees, exotic flowers bloomed,Their colors vibrant and unfading through all seasons.To the left and right, pavilions and halls stood,Often veiled by clouds and rainbows.These were no ordinary mortal plants,But cultivated by the Queen Mother herself in the Jade Pool.

The Great Sage admired the scene for a long time, then asked the Earth God, "How many trees are there in this garden?" The Earth God replied, "There are three thousand six hundred trees. The first one thousand two hundred trees bear small flowers and fruits, ripening every three thousand years. Those who eat them can achieve immortality and light, healthy bodies. The middle one thousand two hundred trees have layers of fragrant, sweet fruit, ripening every six thousand years. Those who eat them can ascend to heaven and live forever. The last one thousand two hundred trees have purple patterns and yellow pits, ripening every nine thousand years. Those who eat them can live as long as heaven and earth, sharing the longevity of the sun and moon." Upon hearing this, the Great Sage was overjoyed. That day, he recorded the number of trees and inspected the pavilions before returning to his residence. From then on, he visited the garden every three to five days for enjoyment, no longer socializing or wandering elsewhere.

One day, seeing that most of the peaches on the old trees were ripe, he desired to taste the first fruits. However, the Earth God, the laborers, and the celestial officials from his mansion were constantly by his side, making it inconvenient. Suddenly, he devised a plan. "You all wait outside the gate while I rest for a moment in this pavilion." The immortals dutifully withdrew. The Monkey King then took off his crown and robes, climbed up a large tree, and picked many perfectly ripe peaches. He enjoyed them freely right there on the branch, eating his fill. Only then did he jump down, put on his crown and robes, called his attendants back, and returned to his residence. Two or three days later, he would again contrive a way to steal peaches, indulging himself fully.

One morning, the Queen Mother held a grand banquet, opening the Treasure Pavilion in the Jade Pool for the Immortal Peach Feast. She dispatched the red-clad, blue-clad, white-clad, black-clad, purple-clad, yellow-clad, and green-clad fairy maidens, each carrying a flower basket, to the Immortal Peach Garden to gather peaches for the feast. The seven fairy maidens arrived at the garden gate, where they found the Earth God of the Immortal Peach Garden, the laborers, and the celestial officials from the Great Sage's two divisions guarding the entrance. The maidens approached and said, "We are here by the Queen Mother's imperial decree to pick peaches for the banquet." The Earth God replied, "Fair maidens, please wait. This year is not like previous years. The Jade Emperor has appointed the Great Sage Equal to Heaven to supervise this garden. We must report to the Great Sage first before we dare open the garden." The maidens asked, "Where is the Great Sage?" The Earth God said, "The Great Sage is inside the garden, feeling tired, and is sleeping in the pavilion." The maidens said, "If that is the case, let us go find him. We must not delay." The Earth God led them inside, but upon reaching the flower pavilion, they found only his clothes, with no sign of him anywhere. In fact, the Great Sage had played for a while, eaten a few peaches, then transformed into a two-inch tall figure and was sleeping among the thick leaves at the very top of a large tree. The seven fairy maidens worried, "We came by imperial decree. How can we return empty-handed if we cannot find the Great Sage?" An attendant nearby suggested, "Since the fair maidens have come by imperial decree, there's no need to hesitate. Our Great Sage is accustomed to leisurely wandering; he must have gone out to meet friends. You should go ahead and pick the peaches, and we will report back for you." The maidens agreed and entered the orchard to pick peaches. They first picked two baskets from the front section of trees and three baskets from the middle section. When they reached the rear section, they found the trees sparsely fruited, with only a few green, undeveloped peaches. All the ripe ones had been eaten by the Monkey King. The seven fairy maidens looked around and spotted only one half-red, half-white peach on a southern branch. The blue-clad maiden pulled the branch down, and the red-clad maiden picked the peach. As she released the branch, it sprang back. It was then that the Great Sage, who had transformed and was sleeping on this very branch, was startled awake. The Great Sage immediately resumed his true form, pulled his Golden-Banded Staff from his ear, shook it, making it as thick as a bowl, and roared, "What kind of monsters are you, daring to steal my peaches!" The seven fairy maidens instantly fell to their knees and pleaded, "Great Sage, please calm your anger. We are not monsters, but the Seven Fairy Maidens sent by the Queen Mother to gather immortal peaches for the grand Peach Banquet in the Treasure Pavilion. Upon arriving, we first met the Earth God and other deities of this garden and searched for you, Great Sage, but could not find you. Fearing we would delay the Queen Mother's imperial decree, we did not wait for you and began picking peaches. We humbly beg your forgiveness!" Hearing this, the Great Sage's anger turned to joy. "Fair maidens, please rise. Who has the Queen Mother invited to this banquet?" The maidens replied, "According to old custom, the previous feasts invited the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Venerable Monks, and Arhats from the Western Heaven; Guanyin from the Southern Ocean; the Sagely Emperor of Profound Grace and the Immortal Elders of the Ten Continents and Three Islands from the Eastern Heaven; the Dark Sage of the Northern Pole from the Northern Heaven; and the Great Yellow-Horned Immortal of the Central Yellow Pole. These are the Five Elders of Five Directions. There are also the Five Dipper Star Lords, and from the Upper Eight Caves, the Three Pure Ones and Four Emperors, and the Taiyi Golden Immortals. From the Middle Eight Caves, the Jade Emperor and the Nine Earthly Realms, and the immortals of the Seas and Mountains. From the Lower Eight Caves, the Lord of the Underworld and the Earth Immortals. All the great and small revered deities from every palace and hall are invited to attend the Peach Feast." The Great Sage chuckled, "Am I invited?" The maidens said, "We haven't heard so." The Great Sage said, "I am the Great Sage Equal to Heaven! Why would it be improper to invite your old subject to be a guest of honor?" The maidens replied, "These are the old rules of the previous feasts. We do not know about this current one." The Great Sage said, "That's true, I can't blame you. Stand still for a moment, and I will go inquire to see if your old subject is invited or not."

The mighty Great Sage, forming a spell and chanting an incantation, said to the fairy maidens, "Stop, stop, stop!" This was a freezing spell, which left the seven fairy maidens standing motionless, eyes wide and unblinking, beneath the peach trees. The Great Sage then mounted an auspicious cloud, leaped out of the garden, and sped directly towards the Jade Pool. As he traveled, he saw —

A sky of auspicious mist shimmered,Five-colored auspicious clouds flew ceaselessly.White cranes trumpeted, their calls echoing from the nine heavens,Purple ganoderma glistened, its myriad leaves distinct.In the midst, an immortal appeared,His countenance dignified, his bearing unique.His divine power danced like rainbows, dazzling the celestial vault,From his waist hung a precious scroll, untouched by birth or death.He was known as the Barefoot Immortal,Specially invited to the Peach Feast to add to the longevity celebration.

The Barefoot Immortal came face to face with the Great Sage. The Great Sage lowered his head, plotting a scheme to trick the true immortal, as he wished to attend the feast unnoticed. He asked, "Where are you heading, Elder Immortal?" The Immortal replied, "I have been invited by the Queen Mother to attend the Peach Feast." The Great Sage said, "Elder Immortal, you are mistaken. Because my somersault cloud is swift, the Jade Emperor has instructed me to invite all the esteemed guests from the five routes to first gather at the Hall of Universal Brightness for preliminary ceremonies, and only then proceed to the banquet." The Barefoot Immortal was an upright and honest person, so he took Sun Wukong's lie as truth. He said, "In previous years, we always performed ceremonies of gratitude at the Jade Pool itself. Why would we first go to the Hall of Universal Brightness to perform ceremonies before going to the Jade Pool for the feast?" Nonetheless, he reluctantly turned his auspicious cloud and headed straight for the Hall of Universal Brightness.

The Great Sage, riding his cloud, chanted an incantation, shook his body, and transformed into the likeness of the Barefoot Immortal. He rushed towards the Jade Pool. In a short while, he reached the Treasure Pavilion, brought his cloud to a halt, and lightly stepped inside. There, he saw —

A jade-like fragrance coiled,Auspicious mists scattered.Jade terraces were adorned with colorful knots,Treasure pavilions diffused a hazy aura.Phoenixes soared and luan birds glided in ethereal forms,Golden flowers and jade calyxes floated and sank.Arranged above were nine-phoenix crimson brocade cushions,And eight-treasure purple rainbow stools.Five-colored gold-painted tables,And thousand-flower jade basins.On the tables were dragon liver and phoenix marrow,Bear paws and ape lips.A hundred exquisite delicacies, each perfect,Exotic fruits and savory dishes, each fresh and new.

The hall was meticulously set, but no immortals had yet arrived. The Great Sage gazed at the endless array, when suddenly a strong aroma of wine assailed his nostrils. He quickly turned his head and saw, beneath a long corridor on the right side, several celestial vintners, lees-turners, water-carrying Daoists, and fire-tending boys washing vats and scrubbing jars. They had already brewed jade liquid and ambrosia, fragrant wine and fine brew. The Great Sage couldn't stop salivating and yearned to drink. However, since all those people were present, he resorted to a magical trick. He plucked a few hairs from his body, threw them into his mouth, chewed them into bits, and spat them out, chanting an incantation, crying, "Change!" Immediately, they transformed into several "sleep bugs" that flew onto the faces of the workers. You could see that group of people, their hands limp, heads bowed, eyes closed, dropping their tools and falling into a deep slumber. The Great Sage then took some of the hundred delicacies and precious foods, exquisite dishes, and walked into the long corridor. He went from vat to vat, jar to jar, and drank to his heart's content. After drinking for a long time, he was completely intoxicated. He mused to himself, "This is bad, this is bad! This calamity is greater than heaven itself. If the Jade Emperor finds out, my life will be forfeit. Run, run, run! I'd better go back to my kingdom in the lower realm!" He then ran out of Tushita Palace, not taking the old path, but escaping through the West Heavenly Gate using an invisibility spell. He directed his cloud and returned to the borders of Flower-Fruit Mountain. There, he saw flags fluttering and spears gleaming. It turned out to be his four valiant generals and the seventy-two demon kings, who were practicing their martial arts. The Great Sage called out loudly, "My little ones! I'm back!" The demons dropped their weapons and knelt, exclaiming, "Great Sage, how carefree you are! You abandoned us for so long and did not return to look after us!" The Great Sage said, "It wasn't long, not long at all!" As he spoke, he continued walking, heading deep into the cave. The four valiant generals tidied the place for his rest. After kowtowing and paying their respects, they all asked, "Great Sage, what official position did you truly hold during your hundred years or so in heaven?" The Great Sage chuckled, "I only remember it being about half a year's time. Why do you speak of a hundred years?" A general replied, "One day in heaven is a year on earth." The Great Sage said, "Well, I'm pleased that the Jade Emperor favored me this time. He indeed appointed me Great Sage Equal to Heaven, built a Great Sage's Mansion, and even established two divisions, Quietness and Spirit Calming, with celestial officials and attendants. Later, seeing me idle, he had me temporarily manage the Immortal Peach Garden. Recently, the Queen Mother held an Immortal Peach Feast, but she didn't invite me. So, without waiting for an invitation, I went to the Jade Pool myself and secretly devoured all her immortal delicacies and wine. After leaving the Jade Pool, I stumbled, quite tipsy, into Laozi's palace and also secretly ate all five gourds of his Elixirs of Immortality. Fearing the Jade Emperor's punishment, I just now fled out of the Heavenly Gate!"

The demons were overjoyed at his words. They immediately prepared wine and fruits to welcome him, pouring a large stone bowl full of coconut wine and offering it to him. The Great Sage took a sip, then scrunched up his nose and said, "Not tasty, not tasty!" Generals Peng and Ba explained, "Great Sage, you've eaten celestial wine and delicacies in the Heavenly Palace, so this coconut wine doesn't taste good to you. As the saying goes, 'Good or not, it's water from one's homeland.'" The Great Sage said, "You are indeed 'kin or not, people from one's hometown.' This morning, when I was enjoying myself in the Jade Pool, I saw many bottles and jars in the long corridor, all filled with jade liquid and ambrosia. None of you have ever tasted it. Let me go steal a few more bottles and bring them back. If each of you drinks half a cup, you'll all become immortal too!" The monkeys could not describe their joy. The Great Sage immediately exited the cave, performed another somersault, and used an invisibility spell to go directly back to the Peach Feast. Entering the Jade Pool Palace, he found the celestial vintners, lees-turners, water-carriers, and fire-boys still soundly asleep. He stashed two large jars under his arms, carried two more in his hands, then turned his cloud and returned. He gathered the monkeys in the cave and held an immortal wine party. Each of them drank a few cups, and their happiness was beyond words.

Meanwhile, the seven fairy maidens, having been subjected to the Great Sage's freezing spell, could only break free after a full celestial day. Each carrying her flower basket, they reported to the Queen Mother, saying, "The Great Sage Equal to Heaven used magic to trap us, which is why we are late." The Queen Mother asked, "How many immortal peaches did you pick?" The maidens replied, "Only two baskets of small peaches and three baskets of medium peaches. As for the rear section, there wasn't even half a large peach left. We believe the Great Sage must have eaten them all. When we were searching, the Great Sage suddenly emerged, acting violently and demanding to know who was invited to the feast. We told him about the previous feasts, and he then froze us, disappearing without a trace. We only just now woke up and returned." Upon hearing this, the Queen Mother immediately went to the Jade Emperor and recounted the entire affair. No sooner had she finished speaking than the celestial vintners and other officials came to report, "Someone has disrupted the Peach Feast and stolen the jade liquid and ambrosia, along with all the eighty-four delicacies!" Then four Grand Heavenly Masters came to report, "The Grand Master of Dao, Laozi, has arrived!" The Jade Emperor and Queen Mother immediately went out to greet him. After Laozi had paid his respects, he said, "In my palace, I had refined some Nine-Cycle Elixirs of Immortality, prepared for Your Majesty's elixir banquet. Unexpectedly, they have been stolen by a thief. I humbly inform Your Majesty of this." The Jade Emperor was struck with fear upon hearing this report. A short while later, celestial officials from the Great Sage's Mansion prostrated themselves and reported, "Sun Wukong neglected his duties. He went out yesterday and has not returned, and his whereabouts are unknown." The Jade Emperor's suspicion deepened. Just then, the Barefoot Immortal bowed and reported, "Your subject was summoned by the Queen Mother yesterday to attend the feast. I happened to encounter the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, who told me Your Majesty had issued an order for him to invite me and other dignitaries to first perform ceremonies at the Hall of Universal Brightness before proceeding to the feast. Your subject, obeying his words, immediately returned to the Hall of Universal Brightness, but found neither Your Majesty's dragon chariot nor phoenix carriage. I rushed back here to await Your Majesty." The Jade Emperor was even more astonished and furious. "That scoundrel! He falsely conveyed an imperial decree and tricked a virtuous minister! Quickly send the Investigating Spirit Official to search for his traces!"

The Spirit Official received the command and immediately left the palace to investigate thoroughly. He gathered all the details and reported back, "The one who disrupted the Heavenly Palace is none other than the Great Sage Equal to Heaven!" He then recounted all the previous incidents in detail. The Jade Emperor was greatly enraged. He immediately dispatched the Four Heavenly Kings, in cooperation with Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li and Prince Nezha, along with the Twenty-Eight Constellations, the Nine Luminaries, the Twelve Earthly Branches, the Five Guardian Bodhisattvas, the Four Duty Gods, the Eastern and Western Star Generals, the Northern and Southern Dual Gods, the Five Sacred Mountains and Four Great Rivers, and all the celestial stars — a total of one hundred thousand celestial soldiers. They were to deploy eighteen layers of heaven-and-earth nets and descend to Flower-Fruit Mountain to surround it and capture that scoundrel for punishment. The gods immediately mustered their forces and departed from the Heavenly Palace. As they went, one could see —

Yellow winds billowed, shrouding the sky in darkness;Purple mists surged, enveloping the earth in gloom.Only because a demon monkey defied the Supreme Emperor,Did the multitude of holy ones descend to the mortal dust.The Four Heavenly Kings, the Five Guardian Bodhisattvas:The Four Heavenly Kings held overall command,The Five Guardian Bodhisattvas marshaled many troops.Pagoda-Bearing Li Jing commanded the central army,Fearsome Nezha was the vanguard.Rahu Star led the charge,Ketu Star followed fiercely.The Lunar Star was full of spirit,The Solar Star shone brightly and clearly.The Five Planets were mighty heroes,The Nine Luminaries loved to contend.The Twelve Earthly Branches, from Zi to You,Each a mighty celestial warrior.The Five Plague Gods and Five Sacred Mountains arrayed themselves east and west,The Six Ding and Six Jia immortals moved left and right.The Four River Dragon Gods divided above and below,The Twenty-Eight Constellations formed dense layers.Horn, Neck, Root, Room acted as commanders,Leg, Stomach, Pleiades excelled at turning the tide.Dipper, Ox, Weaver, Void, Rooftop, Wall,Heart, Tail, Winnowing Basket — each was capable.Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Extended Net, Chariot,Wielding spears and brandishing swords, displaying awesome power.Halting clouds and dropping mists, they descended upon the mortal world,And pitched their encampment before Flower-Fruit Mountain.

A poem says:The Monkey King, born of Heaven, with myriad forms,Stole elixirs and wine, joyful in his mountain den.But for disrupting the Peach Feast,A hundred thousand heavenly soldiers cast their nets.

At that time, Heavenly King Li issued his command, ordering the celestial soldiers to set up camp and surround Flower-Fruit Mountain, sealing it off completely. Eighteen layers of heaven-and-earth nets were deployed above and below. First, the Nine Baleful Stars were sent out to challenge. The Nine Luminaries led their troops directly outside the cave, where they saw large and small groups of monkeys leaping and playing. The star officials loudly bellowed, "You little demons! Where is your Great Sage? We are celestial gods dispatched from the Upper Realm to subdue your rebellious Great Sage. Tell him to surrender quickly! If he utters even half a 'no,' all of you shall be put to the sword!" The little demon rushed in, panicked, reporting, "Great Sage, disaster, disaster! There are nine fierce gods outside, claiming to be celestial gods sent from the Upper Realm to subdue the Great Sage!"

The Great Sage was then sharing immortal wine with the seventy-two demon kings and his four valiant generals. Upon hearing this report, he remained entirely unconcerned, saying, "Today's wine, today's drunkenness. Don't worry about what's right or wrong outside the gate." Before he finished speaking, another small demon rushed in, jumping up and down, exclaiming, "Those nine fierce gods are shouting abusive words and challenging us to battle at the gate!" The Great Sage chuckled, "Don't mind them. Let's enjoy poetry and wine today; don't ask when fame and fortune will be achieved." Before he had finished, yet another small demon reported, "Grandfather! Those nine fierce gods have already broken down the gate and are fighting their way in!" The Great Sage raged, "These impudent hairy gods are utterly disrespectful! I didn't intend to bother with them, but how dare they come to my doorstep and bully me?" He immediately commanded the One-Horned Demon King to lead the seventy-two demon kings into battle, with his old subject and the four valiant generals following close behind. The demon king swiftly led his demon forces out of the cave to meet the enemy, but they were ambushed by the Nine Baleful Stars and pushed back to the Iron Plate Bridge, unable to advance.

Just as the clamor grew, the Great Sage arrived. He roared, "Clear the path!" He pulled out his iron staff, shook it, making it as thick as a bowl and twelve feet long, then took up his stance and charged out. Which of the Nine Luminaries dared to resist? They were instantly repelled. The Nine Luminaries steadied their formation and declared, "You ignorant, death-defying Stable Master! You have committed ten cardinal sins! First, you stole peaches, then you stole wine, disrupting the Peach Feast. You also pilfered Laozi's elixirs and brought imperial wine here for your enjoyment. You are piling sin upon sin! Do you not know this?" The Great Sage laughed, "Those few things, yes, they are true! But now, what will you do?" The Nine Luminaries said, "We have received the Jade Emperor's golden decree to lead our forces here and subdue you. Surrender quickly to spare these creatures their lives. Otherwise, we will flatten this mountain and overturn this cave!" The Great Sage was greatly enraged. "Insignificant hairy gods like you, what power do you possess to utter such foolish words? Don't run! Come and taste a blow from your old subject's staff!" The Nine Luminaries all leapt forward. The Handsome Monkey King was not the least bit daunted. He swung his Golden-Banded Staff, parrying left and right, fighting the Nine Luminaries until their muscles were weary and their bones soft. One by one, they dragged their weapons and fled in defeat, rushing into the central army tent to report to the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li, "That Monkey King is indeed exceedingly valiant! We could not defeat him and have returned in defeat." Heavenly King Li immediately marshaled the Four Heavenly Kings and the Twenty-Eight Constellations to advance together into battle. The Great Sage, unafraid, also summoned the One-Horned Demon King, the seventy-two demon kings, and his four valiant generals, arranging their forces outside the cave entrance. This chaotic battle was truly astonishing —

Cold winds whistled, strange mists darkened the air.On one side, battle flags flew with vibrant colors;On the other, spears and halberds gleamed with brilliance.Helmets shone in swirling light, armor glinted in layers.Swirling helmets brightened by the sun, like clashing silver chimes striking the sky;Layered armor shining, piled on cliffs like pressure-bearing ice mountains.Great sabers, swift as clouds and flashing lightning;Paper-white spears, piercing mist and cloud.Halberds of Fangtian, tiger-eye whips, arrayed like a dense forest;Bronze swords, four-edged shovels, arranged like thick trees in formation.Bent bows, strong crossbows with feathered arrows,Short clubs and serpent spears claimed souls.The Great Sage, with his single Wish-fulfilling Staff,Fought the celestial gods back and forth.The battle was so fierce that no birds dared to pass through the air,And tigers and wolves fled in the mountains.Sand flew and stones rolled, darkening the cosmos;Dust swirled and dirt scattered, dimming the universe.Only the clatter and thud of weapons shook heaven and earth,And fierce roars vibrated, startling ghosts and gods.

This battle, which began at dawn, raged until the sun set in the west. The One-Horned Demon King and the seventy-two demon kings were all captured by the celestial gods. Only the four valiant generals and the other monkeys escaped, hiding deep within the Water Curtain Cave. The Great Sage, with his single staff, held his ground against the Four Heavenly Kings, Pagoda-Bearing Li, and Prince Nezha, all fighting in mid-air for a long time. Seeing that dusk was approaching, the Great Sage plucked a handful of hairs, threw them into his mouth, chewed them into bits, and spat them out, crying, "Change!" Immediately, they transformed into hundreds of Great Sages, each wielding a Golden-Banded Staff. They drove back Prince Nezha and defeated the five heavenly kings.

The Great Sage, having won, retracted his hairs and quickly returned to the cave. He soon saw his four valiant generals at the Iron Plate Bridge, leading the other monkeys, kowtowing to welcome him. They wept bitterly three times, then laughed heartily three times. The Great Sage asked, "Why do you cry and laugh upon seeing me?" The four generals replied, "This morning, when we led our forces to battle against the Heavenly Kings, the seventy-two demon kings and the One-Horned Demon King were all captured by the gods. We escaped with our lives, which is why we cried. But seeing the Great Sage return victorious and unharmed, that is why we laughed." The Great Sage said, "Victory and defeat are common in warfare. As the ancients said, 'For every ten thousand slain, three thousand are lost from one's own side.' Furthermore, the captured leaders are merely tigers, leopards, wolves, badgers, boars, foxes, and raccoons. None of our own kind were harmed, so why worry? Although I repelled them using my divisionary magic, they are still encamped at the foot of our mountain. Let us maintain a tight defense, eat a hearty meal, sleep peacefully, and rest our spirits. At dawn, you will see me employ a great magical power to capture these celestial generals and avenge you all!" The four generals and the monkeys drank a few bowls of coconut wine and went to sleep peacefully.

The Four Heavenly Kings withdrew their forces and ceased fighting. Each reported their accomplishments: some had captured tigers and leopards, some lions and elephants, others wolves, foxes, and raccoons, but not a single monkey demon had been captured. At that moment, they indeed reinforced their encampment and set up a large base. They rewarded the meritorious generals and commanded the heaven-and-earth net soldiers to each ring their bells and shout their challenges, besieging Flower-Fruit Mountain, awaiting the great battle the next morning. Each received his orders and vigilantly guarded his position. This is precisely:The demon monkey caused chaos, shocking heaven and earth;Nets were cast and watched day and night.What would happen at dawn? Listen to the next chapter for the full account.