Chapter 74: Longwang Reports the Devil's Cruelty The Traveler's Mastery of Transformations

The causes of desire are always the same; where there is emotion and desire, things naturally unfold. Many monks practice asceticism; to cut off desire and forget emotion is true Zen.

One must be diligent, with a resolute heart, pure as the moon in the sky. Practice diligently and avoid error. When practice is complete and merit perfected, one becomes a Great Enlightened Immortal.

The story recounts how Tripitaka and his disciples broke free from the net of desire, escaped the prison of emotion, and rode their horses westward. After a long journey, summer was ending and autumn beginning, with a fresh coolness penetrating their bodies. They saw:

Sudden rain dispelled the lingering heat,A single parasol leaf signaled autumn's arrival.Fireflies flitted late along the sandy path,Crickets chirped under the bright moonlight.Yellow mallows bloomed, reflecting the dew,Red knotweed covered the sandy banks.Willows and poplars were the first to wither,Cicadas of autumn sang in harmony with the season.

As Tripitaka traveled, he suddenly saw a tall mountain, its peaks piercing the blue sky, truly touching the stars and obstructing the sun. The elder felt fear in his heart and called out to Wukong, "Look at this extremely tall mountain ahead. I wonder if there's a passable road." The Pilgrim laughed, "Master, what are you saying? As the saying goes, 'Where mountains are high, travelers find a way; where waters are deep, ferrymen provide passage.' How could there be no way through? You can go forward with confidence." Hearing this, the elder's face broke into a happy smile. He cracked his whip, urged his horse forward, and rode directly up the high rock. After only a few *li*, he saw an old man whose temples were disheveled, white hair loosely flowing; his sparse beard, silver strands swaying. Around his neck hung a string of prayer beads, and in his hand was a dragon-headed staff. Standing far off on the hillside, he shouted, "Elder traveling west, please rein in your steed and tighten your bridle! On this mountain is a group of demons who have devoured all the people in the Saha world. Do not proceed!" Hearing this, Tripitaka turned pale with fright. Firstly, the horse's footing was uneven; secondly, he was sitting unsteadily on the saddle. He tumbled off the horse, unable to move, and lay groaning in the grass. The Pilgrim stepped forward, helped him up, and said, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid! I'm here!" The elder said, "You heard that old man on the high rock reporting that there's a group of demons on this mountain who have eaten all the people in the Saha world. Who dares to go ask him for the true details?" The Pilgrim said, "You sit here; I'll go ask him." Tripitaka said, "Your appearance is ugly, and your speech is crude. You might offend him, and then we won't get any reliable information." The Pilgrim laughed, "I'll transform into someone handsomer to ask him." Tripitaka said, "Transform and let me see." The Great Sage, clasping a magical formula, shook his body and transformed into a clean and tidy young monk. He truly had beautiful eyes and clear brows, a round head and a proper face, a refined demeanor, and spoke no vulgar words. He smoothed his brocade monk's robe, stepped forward, and asked Tang Sanzang, "Master, have I transformed well?" Tripitaka was greatly pleased to see him and said, "You've transformed well!" Bajie said, "How could it not be good! You've just made us all look inferior. Even if this old pig rolled around for two or three years, I couldn't transform into something so handsome!"

The Great Sage, leaving them behind, went straight up to the old man and bowed, saying, "Old Sir, this humble monk greets you." The old man saw that he was handsome, young, and light of step. He returned the greeting with some hesitation, then stroked the young monk's head and asked with a smile, "Little monk, where do you come from?" The Pilgrim said, "We come from the Great Tang in the East, specifically to go west to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. Just now, on arriving here, I heard you, Sir, report about a demon. My Master is timid and afraid, so he sent me to ask: What kind of demon is it, that dares to block the path like this? Please, Sir, tell me in detail, so I can send him packing." The old man laughed, "You, little monk, are young and don't know any better; your words aren't very helpful. That demon is incredibly powerful; how can you just say you'll send him packing!" The Pilgrim laughed, "From your words, it seems you have a protective intent towards him. You must be related to him, or a close neighbor or sworn friend. Otherwise, why would you enhance his power and wisdom, and boost his prestige, refusing to reveal his true origins wholeheartedly?" The old man nodded and laughed, "This monk certainly has a glib tongue! You must be traveling with your Master, learning some magic everywhere, perhaps able to drive away spirits and demons, or protect homes and subdue evil. But you haven't encountered a truly formidable monster yet!" The Pilgrim asked, "How formidable?" The old man said, "When that demon sends a letter to Spirit Mountain, five hundred Arhats come to welcome him; when a message goes to the Heavenly Palace, all eleven Great Luminaries respect him. The dragons of the four seas were once his friends, the immortals of the eight caves often associate with him, the ten Yama Kings call him brother, and the local earth gods and city gods treat him as beloved guests." Hearing this, the Great Sage couldn't help but burst into laughter. He pulled the old man by the hand and said, "Stop, stop! For that demon to be brothers and friends with mere juniors like me is nothing grand. If he knew that I, this little monk, was coming, he would have packed up and left last night!" The old man said, "You, little monk, are talking nonsense! You're not worthy of a human being! Which divine being is your junior?"

The Pilgrim laughed, "To be honest with you, I, this little monk, originally lived in the Water Curtain Cave of Flower Fruit Mountain in Aolai Country. My surname is Sun, and my name is Wukong. In those days, I was a demon and accomplished great deeds. Once, while feasting with many demons, I drank too much wine and fell asleep. In my dream, I saw two men with summons to drag me to the Underworld. Instantly enraged, I used my Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod to injure the ghost judges, scare Yama, and almost toppled the Hall of Darkness. The presiding judge was so terrified that he grabbed paper, and the Ten Yama Kings signed and marked it, begging me to spare them and willingly become my juniors." The old man, hearing this, exclaimed, "Amitabha! This monk has spoken such outrageous words, he'll never grow any bigger!" The Pilgrim said, "Sir, I'm big enough as it is." The old man asked, "How old are you?" The Pilgrim said, "Guess." The old man replied, "Seven or eight years old, at most." The Pilgrim laughed, "I'm ten thousand times seven or eight years old! I'll show you my old face; don't be alarmed." The old man asked, "How can you have another face?" The Pilgrim said, "I, this little monk, have seventy-two transformations!" The old man, not understanding the trick, kept questioning him. Wukong then rubbed his face, and instantly reappeared in his true form: fangs bared, mouth agape, eyes blazing red, a tiger-skin skirt around his waist, and the Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod in his hand. Standing beneath the rocky cliff, he looked like a living Thunder God. When the old man saw him, his face turned pale with fright, his legs grew numb and he couldn't stand steadily, falling with a thud. He scrambled up, only to stumble again. The Great Sage stepped forward and said, "Old Sir, don't be needlessly alarmed. We may look fierce, but we are kind-hearted. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid! Just now, I was grateful for your kind intention in reporting the demons. How many demons exactly are there? Please tell me all, so I can thank you." The old man, trembling with fear, was speechless. He pretended to be deaf and didn't respond a single word.

Seeing that he wouldn't speak, the Pilgrim withdrew and returned to the slope. The elder asked, "Wukong, you're back? What did you find out?" The Pilgrim laughed, "It's nothing, nothing serious! There might be a few demons on the way to the West, but the people here are timid and take it too much to heart. It's nothing, nothing! I'm here!" The elder asked, "Did you ask him what mountain this is, what cave, how many demons there are, and which road leads to Leiyin Temple?" Bajie said, "Master, don't mind me saying this. When it comes to displaying transformations, using clever tricks, and playing pranks on people, even three or five of us aren't as good as our elder brother; but when it comes to honesty, even if our elder brother lined up a whole troop, he wouldn't be as honest as I am." Tang Sanzang said, "Exactly, exactly! You are honest." Bajie said, "I don't know how he went headlong without caring about the outcome. He asked two questions and then awkwardly ran back. Let this old pig go ask him for the true information." Tang Sanzang said, "Wuneng, be careful."

The good idiot, tucking his nine-toothed rake into his waist, straightening his black monk's robe, minced and ambled up the hillside. He called out to the old man, "Sir, greetings!" The old man, seeing the Pilgrim return, had just managed to get up by leaning on his staff and was tremblingly about to leave, when he suddenly saw Bajie. He became even more terrified, exclaiming, "Oh my goodness! What a nightmare I'm having tonight, encountering this bunch of evil people! That previous monk, ugly as he was, still had some semblance of a human. But this monk, with his mortar-pestle mouth, palm-fan ears, iron-plate face, and bristly neck, doesn't have an ounce of human essence!" Bajie laughed, "You, old Sir, are not pleased and are rather fond of criticizing people. How do you see me? Ugly as I am, I'm quite watchable, and I'll become handsome in a moment." The old man, seeing that he spoke human language, had no choice but to ask him, "Where do you come from?" Bajie said, "I am Tang Sanzang's second disciple, my Buddhist name is Wuneng Bajie. The one who asked you earlier, called Wukong the Pilgrim, is my elder brother. My Master was upset that he offended you, Sir, and didn't get reliable information, so he specifically sent me to inquire. What mountain and what cave is this exactly? What kind of demon is in the cave? And where is the main road to the West? Please, Sir, give us some directions." The old man said, "Are you honest?" Bajie said, "I have never dared to be dishonest in my life, not in the slightest." The old man said, "Don't be like that monk who just came, who talked nonsense and played tricks." Bajie said, "I'm not like him."

The old man, leaning on his staff, told Bajie, "This mountain is called the Eight Hundred Li Lion Camel Ridge. In the middle of it is Lion Camel Cave, and inside the cave are three demon chiefs." Bajie spat, "You, old man, are too cautious! Just three demons, and you went to all the trouble to come report them!" The old man said, "Aren't you afraid?" Bajie said, "To tell you the truth, for these three demons, my elder brother can kill one with a single blow of his staff, I can strike one dead with a single rake-thrust, and I still have a junior brother who can kill another with one swing of his demon-subduing staff. Once all three are dead, my Master can pass through. What's so difficult about that?" The old man laughed, "This monk doesn't know the depths! Those three demon chiefs are incredibly powerful! As for their subordinate imps, there are five thousand on the southern ridge, five thousand on the northern ridge, ten thousand at the eastern pass, and ten thousand at the western pass; there are four or five thousand scouts, and ten thousand gatekeepers; countless fire-keepers and countless woodcutters. In total, there are forty-seven or forty-eight thousand. These are all registered with name tags, and they specialize in eating people here."

Hearing this, the idiot ran back trembling, nearing Tang Sanzang, but didn't reply. He put down his rake and relieved himself. The Pilgrim saw him and shouted, "Why are you squatting there instead of answering?" Bajie said, "I was so scared I crapped myself! There's no need to talk about it now, let's just make an early escape, each for himself!" The Pilgrim said, "You foolish lump! I asked and wasn't scared at all, but you go and get so flustered and lose your wits!" The elder said, "What's the truth?" Bajie said, "That old man said: this mountain is called Eight Hundred Li Lion Camel Mountain. In the middle of it is Lion Camel Cave, and inside the cave are three old demons with forty-eight thousand small imps, specializing in eating people there. If we even touch the edge of their mountain, we'll become their food; there's no way we can pass!" Hearing this, Tripitaka trembled and shivered, saying, "Wukong, what shall we do?" The Pilgrim laughed, "Master, don't worry, it's nothing major. I suppose there are some demons here, but the people here are timid, so they exaggerate their numbers and size, thus scaring themselves. I'm here!" Bajie said, "Brother, what are you saying! I'm different from you; what I asked was true, with absolutely no falsehoods. The mountains and valleys are full of demons; how can we advance?" The Pilgrim laughed, "You foolish face, don't be needlessly alarmed! As for the demons filling the mountains and valleys, all your Old Sun needs is one sweep of his staff, and he can wipe them all out by midnight!" Bajie said, "Shame on you, shame on you, don't boast! It would take seven or eight days just to call the roll of those demons; how could you wipe them out?" The Pilgrim said, "How do you suggest I fight?" Bajie said, "No matter if you grab them down, tie them down, or use the Body-Fixing Spell to immobilize them, it wouldn't be that fast." The Pilgrim laughed, "No need for grabbing, tying, or binding. I'll just pull both ends of this staff to make it forty *zhang* long; then I'll shake it to make it eight *zhang* in circumference. Roll it once to the south of the mountain, and five thousand will be crushed; roll it once to the north, and five thousand will be crushed; roll it from east to west, and perhaps forty or fifty thousand will be ground into meaty pulp!" Bajie said, "Brother, if you fight them like that, by the second watch of the night, they might all be gone." Sandy Monk, at the side, laughed, "Master, with such divine power from our Senior Brother, what is there to fear! Please mount up and let's go." Seeing them discuss their capabilities, Tang Sanzang had no choice but to compose himself, mount his horse, and set off.

As they proceeded, the old man who had reported the news was gone. Sandy Monk said, "He was a demon, deliberately putting on a show of borrowed power to scare us." The Pilgrim said, "Don't rush, let me go take a look." The Great Sage leaped onto the peak. He looked around; there was no trace of anyone. He quickly turned and saw colorful clouds shimmering in mid-air. He immediately rode on a cloud to catch up and saw it was none other than Taibai Jinxing (the Planet Venus Immortal). He reached his side, grabbed him by the hand, and kept calling out his personal name: "Li Chang Geng, Li Chang Geng! You're so lazy! If you had something to say, it would have been better to tell us face-to-face. Why did you pretend to be an old mountain hermit to deceive me!" Taibai Jinxing hastily bowed and said, "Great Sage, I'm late with the report; please forgive me, please forgive me! This demon chief is indeed immensely powerful and formidable. Only with your transformations, ingenuity, and cunning strategies can you pass. If you're even a little careless, it will indeed be difficult to get through." The Pilgrim thanked him, "Many thanks, many thanks! It is indeed difficult to pass here. I hope you, old immortal, will go to the Upper Heavens and speak to the Jade Emperor, and borrow some heavenly troops to help your Old Sun." Taibai Jinxing said, "Yes, yes, yes! You just take word back; even a hundred thousand heavenly troops can be had."