Chapter 61: Pigsy Helps Defeat the Demon King Sun Wukong's Three Attempts to Retrieve the Banana Leaf Fan

Now, to tell the story: the Bull Demon King caught up with the Great Sage Sun Wukong, only to see him carrying the Banana Fan on his shoulder, walking cheerfully and contentedly. The Demon King was greatly alarmed, realizing, "That monkey has even managed to pick up the knack of using it! If I ask him for it directly, he certainly won't give it to me. And if he fans me, I'll be blown ten thousand eight hundred *li* away, which would be just what he wants, wouldn't it? I've heard that Tripitaka is waiting on the main road. His second disciple, the Pig spirit, and his third disciple, the Sand spirit—I've met them both back when I was a demon. I'll transform into the Pig spirit's likeness and trick him back. I reckon that monkey will be too pleased with his success to be wary." The formidable Demon King also possessed seventy-two transformations, and his martial skills were equal to the Great Sage's, though his body was a bit clunkier, less agile, and not as nimble. He hid his precious sword, recited a spell, and with a shake of his body, instantly transformed into Pigsy's likeness. He cut across the path, met the Great Sage face-to-face, and called out, "Brother, I'm here!" The Great Sage was indeed delighted.

As the old saying goes, "A victorious cat is as joyful as a tiger." Relying solely on his prowess, he didn't discern the newcomer's intentions. Seeing Pigsy's likeness, he called out, "Brother, where are you going?" The Bull Demon King, feigning sincerity, replied, "Master saw you hadn't returned for a long time and was afraid the Bull Demon King's power was too great for you, and that you'd have difficulty getting his treasure. So he sent me to meet you." Wukong laughed, "No need to worry, I've already got it!" The Bull King then asked, "How did you get it?" Wukong explained, "That old bull fought me for over a hundred rounds, with no clear victor. He then abandoned me and went to the Bottomless Pit of Craggy Cave Mountain, to drink with a bunch of dragon and serpent spirits. I secretly followed him, transformed into a crab, stole his Water-Repelling Golden-Eyed Beast, then changed into the old bull's appearance, and went straight to the Banana Cave to trick the Rakshasi. That woman and I formed a temporary, deceptive union, and I managed to trick the fan out of her." The Bull King said, "That was quite a hardship, Brother, you've toiled too much. Let me take the fan." How could the Great Sage Sun Wukong know the truth? He didn't think twice and handed the fan to him.

The Bull King, in fact, knew the secret of shrinking and enlarging the fan. As he took it, he whispered some spell, and it instantly shrank to the size of an apricot leaf. He then revealed his true form and cursed, "Impudent monkey! Do you recognize me?" When Wukong saw this, he inwardly regretted, "This is my fault!" He stomped his foot and cried out in anger, "Well! Having shot geese year after year, today my eyes have been pecked out by a gosling!" Infuriated, he raged like thunder, pulled out his iron rod, and struck him on the head. The Demon King immediately fanned him once. Little did he know that when the Great Sage had transformed into a gnat and entered the Rakshasi's belly earlier, he had held the Wind-Stopping Pill in his mouth and inadvertently swallowed it. Thus, his internal organs were solid, and his skin and bones were firm; no matter how the Bull Demon King fanned, he could not blow him away. The Bull King panicked, popped the treasure into his mouth, and swung his swords with both hands, ready to cut. What a magnificent battle ensued between the two in mid-air—

The Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, and the troublesome Bull Demon King, met over the Banana Fan, each showcasing their strength. The careless Great Sage had tricked someone, and the audacious Bull Demon King had swindled the fan. One wielded his heartless Golden-Hooped Rod; the other, a cunning double-edged sword. The Great Sage displayed his might, spewing colorful mist; the Bull Demon King raged, emitting brilliant light. They fought valiantly, both unyielding, gritting their teeth with fierce determination. They stirred up earth and dust, darkening heaven and earth; flying sand and stones hid even ghosts and gods. One cried, "How dare you ignorantly trick me back!" The other retorted, "My wife allowed you to be her companion!" Their words were vulgar and fierce, their tempers wild and stubborn. One said, "You deserve to die for deceiving another's wife and daughter! You'll face punishment if this goes to court!" The clever Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and the fierce Great Might King, sought only to kill, without a moment's hesitation. Rod struck, sword parried, both exerted their full effort; any slackening meant a trip to the King of Hell.

Leaving their fierce battle for a moment, let us speak of Tripitaka, sitting by the roadside. Firstly, the heat was stifling; secondly, he was anxious and thirsty. He said to the Local Deity of the Flaming Mountains, "May I ask, Venerable Deity, how powerful is that Bull Demon King?" The Local Deity replied, "That Bull King's powers are immense and boundless, truly an equal match for the Great Sage Sun Wukong." Tripitaka said, "Wukong is a fast traveler. Usually, he can cover two thousand *li* in an instant, yet he's been gone for a whole day now. He must be locked in battle with that Bull King." He called out, "Wuneng, Wujing! Which of you will go to meet your senior brother? If you encounter an enemy, you must help him vigorously to get the fan, so I can be relieved of this anxiety and we can quickly cross the mountain and resume our journey." Pigsy said, "It's late in the day. I'd like to go meet him, but I don't know the way to Mount Accumulated Thunder." The Local Deity said, "This humble deity knows the way. Let General Curtain-Bearer stay with your Master, and I will go with you." Tripitaka was overjoyed, "I am greatly indebted to you, Venerable Deity. I shall thank you again when the task is done."

Pigsy roused his spirits, tightened his black brocade cassock, took his rake, and, with the Local Deity, ascended into the clouds, heading east. As they flew, they suddenly heard shouts of battle and saw raging winds. Pigsy held his cloud steady and looked down, seeing Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King locked in combat. The Local Deity said, "Marshal Tian Peng, why aren't you going forward?" The idiot pulled out his rake and loudly cried, "Senior Brother, I'm here!" Wukong grumbled, "You blockhead, you've ruined so many of my plans!" Pigsy said, "Master sent me to meet you. I didn't know the mountain path, so after much discussion, he sent the Local Deity to guide me, which is why I'm late. How did I ruin your plans?" Wukong said, "I'm not blaming you for being late. This rascally bull is incredibly rude! I got the fan from Rakshasi, but this fellow transformed into your likeness, claiming to meet me. In my moment of joy, I handed the fan over to him, and then he revealed his true form and started fighting me here. That's why my plans were ruined!" Pigsy was furious upon hearing this. He raised his rake and cursed him to his face, "You plague-ridden scoundrel! How dare you transform into your ancestor's likeness, deceive my senior brother, and cause discord between us brothers!" You should have seen him, wielding his rake wildly, striking without aiming. The Bull Demon King, partly exhausted and weary from fighting Wukong all day, and partly overwhelmed by Pigsy's fierce rake, could not withstand the assault and fled from the battle. Suddenly, the Local Deity of the Flaming Mountains, leading his Yin Soldiers, blocked his path and declared, "Great Might King, hold your hand! Tripitaka is on his pilgrimage to the Western Heaven, protected by all gods and blessed by all heavens. The Three Realms know, and the Ten Directions support him. Quickly hand over the Banana Fan to extinguish the flames, so he may pass the mountain without disaster or impediment. Otherwise, Heaven will punish your transgressions, and you will surely be slain!" The Bull King roared, "You, Local Deity, are completely unreasonable! That impudent monkey stole my son, bullied my concubine, and tricked my wife! He is utterly lawless! I wish I could swallow him whole and turn him into feces to feed to dogs; how could I possibly lend him my treasure!" Before he could finish, Pigsy caught up, cursing, "You plague-ridden wretch! Hand over the fan quickly, and I'll spare your life!" The Bull King had no choice but to turn back, wielding his precious sword, and resumed fighting Pigsy. Sun Wukong raised his rod to help. What a magnificent battle ensued there—

A pig spirit, a demon bull, plus a heaven-defying, enlightened monkey. Their Zen natures naturally capable of battle and refinement, they had to unite earth and the primal source. The nine-toothed rake, sharp and keen; the precious sword, double-edged, swift yet supple. The iron rod, extending and contracting, served as the main weapon, with the earth god aiding in solidifying their resolve. The three elemental forces clashed fiercely, each displaying heroic talent, seeking to win. To capture the ox for plowing symbolized the growth of wealth; to summon the pig back to the furnace symbolized the drawing in of wood energy. If the mind is not focused, how can one achieve the Way? If the spirit constantly guards its abode, one must rein in the monkey. Wild shouts, bitter pleas, the three weapons clashed with clangs and clinks. Rake struck, sword wounded, with no quarter given; the golden-hooped rod rose with a reason. This one claimed leadership, that one claimed victory. The earth soldiers as witnesses found it hard to judge, as wood and earth contended, rising and falling. These two said, "Why won't you lend the Banana Fan?" That one retorted, "How dare you deceive my wife! The hatred for driving away my concubine and harming my son is unavenged, and now you knock on my door, causing alarm!" This one said, "Beware of my wish-fulfilling rod; a mere graze will break your skin!" That one said, "Carefully avoid the rake's teeth; one wound will make nine holes, bleeding profusely!" The Bull Demon, fearless, unleashed his ferocity, wielding his iron club with swift insight. He turned clouds and stirred rain as he moved, spewing mist and blowing wind at will. In this bitter struggle, they fought with their lives, each harboring evil intentions, delighting in the confrontation. They abandoned pretense, disregarded status, guarding front and back flawlessly. The two brothers worked together, while the single combatant acted alone. They fought from dawn until after the dragon hour; after the battle, the Bull Demon was forced to retreat.

The three, fighting to the death, engaged in over a hundred more rounds. Pigsy, in his characteristic stubbornness, and relying on Wukong's divine power, swung his rake wildly. The Bull King, unable to parry, turned and fled towards the cave entrance, only to find the Local Deity and his Yin Soldiers blocking the way. "Great Might King, where are you going!" they shouted, "We are here!" Unable to enter the cave, the old bull quickly shed his armor, dropped his iron club, and with a shake of his body, transformed into a celestial swan, flying towards the sky. Wukong saw this and laughed, "Pigsy! The old bull is gone!" The idiot was clueless, and the Local Deity also failed to understand, both looking around, searching everywhere around Mount Accumulated Thunder. Wukong pointed, "Isn't that him flying in the sky?" Pigsy said, "That's a celestial swan." Wukong said, "It's the old bull transformed." The Local Deity asked, "If so, what should we do?" Wukong replied, "You two break into this cave, thoroughly destroy all the demons, tear down his lair, cut off his escape route, and I will engage him in a transformation contest." Pigsy and the Local Deity complied, attacking and breaking through the cave entrance.

The Great Sage put away his golden-hooped rod, whispered a spell, and with a shake of his body, transformed into a sea eagle. With a swift beat of its wings, it darted into a cloud, then swooped down, landing on the celestial swan's back, grasping its neck and pecking its eyes. The Bull King knew it was Sun Wukong in disguise. He quickly flapped his wings and transformed into a yellow hawk, turning to peck the sea eagle. Wukong then transformed into a black phoenix, relentlessly chasing the yellow hawk. The Bull King recognized it and transformed into a white crane, letting out a long cry as it flew south. Wukong stood still, ruffled his feathers, and transformed into a vermilion phoenix, letting out a high cry. The white crane, seeing the phoenix, the king of birds, and knowing no other fowl dared to move rashly, swept its wings, swooped down a cliff, and transformed into a musk deer, grazing timidly at the foot of the cliff. Wukong recognized it, also descended, transforming into a hungry tiger, with twitching tail and pounding hooves, ready to chase the deer for food. The Demon King panicked and transformed into a large, spotted golden leopard, intending to wound the hungry tiger. Wukong saw this, faced the wind, shook his head, and transformed into a golden-eyed *suanni*, its roar like thunder, with an iron forehead and bronze head, turning to devour the leopard. The Bull King, in desperation, transformed into a bear-man, and with broad strides, came to seize the *suanni*. Wukong rolled and transformed into a mangy elephant, with a trunk like a long snake and tusks like bamboo shoots, extending its trunk to coil around the bear-man. The Bull King chuckled, revealed his true form: a gigantic white ox, its head like a towering peak, eyes like flashing lightning, two horns like two iron pagodas, and teeth like sharp blades. From head to tail, it was over a thousand *zhang* long; from hoof to back, eight hundred *zhang* high. It bellowed at Wukong, "Impudent monkey! What can you do to me now?" Wukong also revealed his true form, pulled out his golden-hooped rod, bent his waist, and roared, "Grow!" He grew to ten thousand *zhang* tall, his head like Mount Tai, eyes like the sun and moon, mouth like a pool of blood, teeth like gate-panels, and holding an iron rod, he struck at its head. The Bull King stiffened his head and used his horns to butt. This battle truly shook mountains and valleys, startling heaven and earth! There is a poem to attest to this:

The Way rises one foot, the demon a thousand;The ingenious Heart Monkey strives to subdue.If the fiery mountain is to lose its fierce flames,The treasure fan must bring coolness and ease.The Earth Matron dedicated herself to aiding the primal elder,The Wood Mother showed affection, sweeping away the demons.Harmony of the Five Elements leads to true enlightenment,Refining demons and cleansing impurities to ascend to the West.

The two unleashed their great powers, battling on the mountainside. This spectacle startled all the heavenly beings passing through the void, including the Golden-Headed Gārdas, the Six *Jia* and Six *Ding* Deities, and the eighteen Guardian Gālana Bodhisattvas, who all came to surround the Demon King. The Demon King, however, was utterly unafraid. See him, thrusting eastward and westward, his two iron horns, stiff and gleaming, striking back and forth; ramming south and north, his coarse, bulging, hard tail swinging left and right. While Sun Wukong confronted him directly, the many deities attacked from all sides. The Bull King, in desperation, rolled on the ground, returned to his original form, and fled into the Banana Cave. Wukong also retracted his giant form and pursued him with the many deities. The Demon King rushed into the cave and closed the door, while the multitude surrounded the翠云 Mount so tightly that not even a drop of water could escape.

As they were about to attack the door, they suddenly heard Pigsy and the Local Deity with his Yin Soldiers approaching with shouts. Wukong saw them and asked, "How did things go at Mohuanyun Cave?" Pigsy laughed, "That old bull's wife was killed by my rake! When I peeled back her clothes, she turned out to be a jade-faced civet spirit. All those other demons were just donkeys, mules, badgers, foxes, wild boars, deer, goats, tigers, and elk, and they've all been completely slaughtered. We also set fire to their cave dwellings. The Local Deity said the bull still has another home on this mountain, so we came here to clean this place out too." Wukong said, "Good work, brother, excellent! I only futilely competed in transformations with that old bull and haven't won yet. He transformed into an enormously large white ox, and I transformed into a giant form, equal to heaven and earth. Just as we were clashing, fortunately, the gods descended and surrounded him for a long time. He then reverted to his original form and went into the cave." Pigsy asked, "Is that the Banana Cave?" Wukong said, "Precisely! The Rakshasi is right here." Pigsy said fiercely, "Since that's the case, why don't we break in, wipe out that scoundrel, demand the fan, and let him delay, grow wiser, and recount his feelings with his wife!"

That idiot, brimming with power, raised his rake and struck the door. With a loud crash, the stone cliff and the door were knocked down on one side. The serving maid panicked and hurried to report, "Master! Someone has smashed the front gate!" The Bull King had just run in, panting, and was telling the Rakshasi about his fight with Sun Wukong for the fan. Hearing the report, he was enraged. He spit the fan out of his mouth and handed it to the Rakshasi. The Rakshasi took the fan, tears streaming from her eyes, and said, "My King! Give this fan to that monkey, and let him retreat his troops!" The Bull King said, "My dear wife, though the item is small, my hatred runs deep. Just sit there, and I'll go fight him again." The Demon King re-donned his armor, chose two more precious swords, and walked out the door, meeting Pigsy who was still striking the broken gate with his rake. The old bull said nothing, drew his sword, and lunged at Pigsy's face. Pigsy raised his rake to parry, retreating a few steps, and stepping outside. Sun Wukong was already there, swinging his rod overhead. The Bull Demon immediately rode a gust of wind, leaping away from the cave, and they resumed their battle on Cuiyun Mountain. Many deities surrounded them, and the Local Deity's soldiers attacked from left and right. What a fierce battle this was—

Clouds obscured the world, mist enveloped the cosmos. A whistling yin wind rolled with sand and stones, towering anger churned the ocean waves. Two swords were sharpened anew, armor re-donned all over. Their enmity was deeper than the sea, their hatred growing more intense. Look at the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, for his achievements, he disregarded his old acquaintance. Pigsy displayed his might, seeking the fan, while the gods protected the Dharma, capturing the Bull King. The Bull King wielded both hands without rest, parrying left and right with spirited effort. They fought until passing birds dared not fly, but folded their wings; swimming fish dared not leap, but hid their scales. Ghosts wailed, gods roared, heaven and earth grew dark; dragons worried, tigers feared, daylight dimmed!

The Bull King fought with desperate courage, battling for over fifty more rounds. Unable to resist, he lost the battle and fled north. But there, the greatly powerful and formidable Vajras from Secret Demon Cliff of Mount Wutai blocked his way, shouting, "Bull Demon, where are you going! We have been sent by the Buddha Sakyamuni to set up a celestial net and earth snare to capture you!" As they spoke, Sun Wukong, Pigsy, and the other deities caught up from behind. The Demon King frantically turned and fled south, but again collided with the immensely powerful and victorious Vajras from Clear Cool Cave of Mount Emei, who blocked his path and shouted, "I am here by Buddha's decree, ready to seize you!" The Bull King's heart pounded, his legs turned to jelly. He quickly turned to flee east, but encountered the Great Might Vajras of Mount Sumeru's Demon Ear Cliff, who blocked him, crying, "Old bull, where are you going! I have a secret command from the Tathagata to capture you!" The Bull King recoiled in fear, turning to flee west, but met the Indestructible Honored King, the Eternal Dwelling Vajras of Golden Radiance Ridge of Kunlun Mountain, who blocked him and shouted, "Where will this scoundrel flee now! I bear the personal words of the Buddha Elder of the Great Thunder Sound Temple in the Western Heaven, to intercept you here. Who will let you go!" The old bull was terrified and heartbroken, regretting it too late. He saw that on all four sides, Buddhist soldiers and heavenly generals had spread a net from which there was no escape.

Just as he was in a state of panic, he heard Wukong leading the crowd in pursuit. He then rode on a cloud, trying to fly upwards. But there stood Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li and Prince Nezha, leading Fish-Belly Yakshas and Giant Spirit Gods, blocking the sky. "Stop, stop!" they cried, "We are here by the Jade Emperor's decree, specifically to eliminate you!" The Bull King, in desperation, again shook his body and transformed back into a giant white ox, using his two iron horns to gore the Heavenly King. The Heavenly King used his blade to strike. Soon after, Sun Wukong arrived, and Prince Nezha loudly cried, "Great Sage, we are in armor, so we cannot perform the full ceremony. Yesterday, my father and I presented a memorial to the Jade Emperor, stating that Tripitaka's path was blocked by the Flaming Mountains, and the Great Sage Sun Wukong found it difficult to subdue the Bull Demon King. The Jade Emperor then issued a decree, specifically sending my father and his forces to assist." Wukong said, "This fellow's powers are immense! And he has transformed into such a body. What can we do?" The Prince laughed, "Great Sage, have no doubts. Watch me capture him." The Prince then roared, "Transform!" He transformed into three heads and six arms, leaped onto the Bull King's back, and with a swing of his demon-slaying sword at the Bull King's neck, without realizing it, he chopped off the bull's head. The Heavenly King sheathed his blade and only then greeted Wukong. But from the Bull King's severed neck, another head sprang out, spitting black gas and emitting golden light from its eyes. Nezha chopped again, but where the head fell, another sprang forth. He chopped over ten times in a row, and each time ten more heads immediately grew. Nezha then took out his fire wheels and hung them on the old bull's horns, blowing true fire. The flames blazed, scorching the Bull King, who roared and bellowed, shaking his head and tail. Just as he was about to transform and escape, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King used his demon-revealing mirror to fix his original form, preventing him from moving or escaping. He cried out, "Spare my life! I am willing to surrender to the Buddhist faith!" Nezha said, "If you value your life, quickly hand over the fan!" The Bull King replied, "The fan is with my wife in the mountain."

Upon hearing this, Nezha unbound his demon-binding rope, crossed it over the Bull King's neck, grasped his nose, threaded the rope through his nostrils, and led him by hand. Sun Wukong then gathered the Four Great Vajras, the Six *Ding* and Six *Jia* Deities, the Guardian Gālana Bodhisattvas, Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li, the Giant Spirit God, and Pigsy, the Local Deity, and the Yin Soldiers, and clustered around the white ox, returning to the entrance of the Banana Cave. The old bull cried out, "Wife, bring out the fan to save my life!" The Rakshasi, hearing his call, quickly removed her hairpins and bracelets, cast off her colorful robes, styled her black hair like a Daoist nun, and wore simple white like a bhikṣuṇī. With both hands, she presented the twelve-foot-long Banana Fan and came out of the door. Seeing the Vajras, the many saints, and the Heavenly King and his son, she hurriedly knelt on the ground, bowing and kowtowing, saying, "I beg the Bodhisattvas to spare the lives of my husband and me. I am willing to offer this fan to Uncle Sun to help him achieve his goal!" Wukong stepped forward and took the fan. Together with the multitude, they rode auspicious clouds and headed east.

Meanwhile, Tripitaka and Sandy had been standing and sitting, anxiously awaiting Wukong's return for a long time, full of worry. Suddenly, auspicious clouds filled the sky, and propitious light covered the ground. A myriad of gods drifted closer. The Elder was frightened and said, "Wujing! Who are those divine soldiers approaching from over there?" Sandy recognized them and said, "Master, those are the Four Great Vajras, the Golden-Headed Gārdas, the Six *Jia* and Six *Ding* Deities, the Guardian Gālana Bodhisattvas, and the various passing gods. The one leading the ox is Nezha, the Third Prince; the one holding the mirror is Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li; Senior Brother is holding the Banana Fan; Second Senior Brother and the Local Deity are following behind; the rest are guardian divine soldiers." Upon hearing this, Tripitaka changed into his Vairocana cap and put on his cassock. With Wujing, he bowed to greet the many saints, thanking them, "What virtue or ability do I, your disciple, possess to merit the presence of so many venerable saints?" The Four Great Vajras said, "Holy Monk, rejoice! Your great meritorious deeds are almost complete! We have been sent by the Buddha's decree to assist you. You must strive diligently in your cultivation and never be lax for a moment." Tripitaka bowed deeply, accepting their words and his destiny. Sun Wukong held the fan and approached the mountainside. He swung it with all his might, and the Flaming Mountains' flames completely subsided, their light vanishing. Wukong joyfully swung it once more, and only a gentle rustling sound of a faint breeze was heard. With the third swing, dark clouds filled the sky, and fine rain drizzled down. There is a poem to attest to this:

The Flaming Mountains, eight hundred *li* afar,Their fiery glare and renown spread wide.Fire boiled the Five Leakages, the elixir hard to refine,Fire scorched the Three Passes, the Way unclear.Timely borrowing the Banana Fan for rain and dew,Fortunately aided by heavenly generals with divine might.Leading the ox back to Buddha, no longer unruly,Water and fire combined, nature itself finds peace.

At this time, Tripitaka was relieved of his anxiety and vexation, his mind clear and content. The four disciples paid their respects and thanked the Vajras, who then returned to their respective sacred mountains. The Six *Ding* and Six *Jia* ascended to the sky to provide protection, the passing gods dispersed, and the Heavenly King and Prince led the ox directly back to the Buddhist realm to report their success. Only the Local Deity of the mountain remained, holding the Rakshasi, waiting by the side. Wukong said, "Rakshasi, why aren't you going? What are you still waiting for here?" The Rakshasi knelt and pleaded, "I beg the Great Sage to show mercy and return the fan to me." Pigsy roared, "You vile wretch, you don't know your place! Sparing your life is already enough. What fan do you want? We'll take it over the mountain; won't we sell it for money to buy snacks? After all this effort and energy, would we give it to you! It's drizzling, aren't you going back yet!" The Rakshasi bowed again, "The Great Sage originally said he would return the fan after extinguishing the fire. This incident, alas, I truly regret it now. It was my lack of magnanimity that caused such trouble and effort for you all. We too have achieved human form, but have not yet attained true enlightenment. Now that your true forms have appeared and returned to the West, I dare not act rashly again. Please bestow the original fan upon me, that I may reform myself, cultivate my conduct, and nurture my life." The Local Deity said, "Great Sage! Since this woman knows the method of extinguishing the fire and cutting off its root, please return the fan to her. This humble deity lives here in peace, saving the lives of the people in this region; to receive some offerings of blood and food, it would truly be a great kindness."

Wukong said, "I remember when I asked the villagers, they said that even if this mountain's fire is extinguished with the fan, it only allows for one year's harvest before the fire erupts again! How can we treat it so it's permanently rooted out?" The Rakshasi said, "To permanently sever the fire's root, you only need to fan forty-nine times continuously, and it will never erupt again." Upon hearing this, Wukong took the fan, and with all his might, fanned the mountain forty-nine times. Heavy rain poured down on the mountain. It was truly a treasure: where there was fire, it rained; where there was no fire, the sky was clear. His master and disciples stood in the fire-free area, not getting wet from the rain. They rested for the night, and the next morning, they packed their horses and luggage. He returned the fan to the Rakshasi and said, "If I don't give it back to you, people might say I don't keep my word. Take the fan back to your mountain and cause no more trouble. Seeing that you have achieved human form, I'll spare you!" The Rakshasi took the fan, recited a spell, shrunk it into an apricot leaf, and held it in her mouth. She bowed in thanks to all the saints, then lived in seclusion cultivating herself, and later also achieved true enlightenment, her name eternally recorded in the Buddhist scriptures. The Rakshasi and the Local Deity both expressed their gratitude and saw them off. Wukong, Pigsy, and Sandy escorted Tripitaka onward, their bodies cool and their feet refreshed. Truly, as it is said: when water and fire are in harmony, true essence unites, and the Great Way is achieved. But they did not know how many years it would take to return to the Eastern Land. Let us await the next chapter for the explanation.