Chapter 75: Heart Monkey Pierces Through the Yin-Yang Aperture The Demon King Returns to the Great Dao Truth

Now, the Great Sage Sun entered the cave mouth, looking to both sides. He saw—

Skulls like mountains, bones like forests. Human hair was matted into felt, human skin and flesh had rotted into mud and dust. Human sinews wrapped around trees, dry and glistening like silver. It was truly a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, indeed reeking abominably. To the east, small imps flayed the flesh off living people; to the west, fierce demons freshly boiled and cooked human meat. Had it not been for the brave Monkey King, no ordinary mortal could have entered their gates.

In a short while, he walked into the second gate. Ah! This place was different from the outside: it was clean, peculiar, and elegant, beautiful, spacious, and open. To the left and right were jade-like herbs and immortal flowers, while tall pines and green bamboos stood before and behind. After walking another seven or eight *li*, he finally reached the third gate. Peeking stealthily, he saw three old demons seated high up, looking exceedingly fierce. The one in the middle was born with:

Chiseled, saw-like teeth; a round head and a square face. His roar was like thunder, his eyes like lightning. His nostrils pointed to the sky, and his red eyebrows flared like flames. Wherever he walked, all beasts trembled in fear; when he sat down, all demons quaked with dread. This was the king of beasts, the Azure Lion Monster.

The one on his left was born with—

Phoenix-like eyes with golden pupils, yellow teeth, and thick legs. A long nose with silver fur, his head resembled a tail. A round forehead with furrowed brows, his body was massive. His voice was as delicate as a graceful lady's, yet his face was like that of an Ox-Head demon. This was the Yellow-Toothed Old Elephant, who had cultivated his body for many years.

The one on his right was born with—

Golden wings and a Kun-like head, star-like pupils and leopard-like eyes. He soared from north to south, mighty and brave. He transformed and flew high; his feasts made dragons weep in misery. When he gathered wind with his wings, all birds hid their heads; when he stretched his sharp claws, all birds lost courage. This was the Great Peng Bird, who could fly ninety thousand *li*.

Below them, on two rows, stood over a hundred large and small chieftains, each fully armed and armored, looking majestic and radiating murderous intent. When the Pilgrim saw them, he felt delighted and fearless. He strode directly through the gate, took off his clappers and bell, and called out, "Great King!" The three old demons, chuckling, asked, "Little Scout, you're here?" The Pilgrim replied, "Yes, I am." "You went to patrol the mountain, what news of Sun Wukong's whereabouts?" The Pilgrim said, "Great King, I dare not speak of it." The old demon asked, "Why do you dare not speak?" The Pilgrim replied, "I was carrying out your command, clanging my clappers and bell, when I suddenly looked up and saw a person squatting there, sharpening a pole. He looked like a trailblazing god; if he stood up, he'd be over ten *zhang* tall. He scooped some water from the stream onto a cliff rock, sharpened his pole, and muttered something, saying his pole hadn't shown its magic yet, but once sharpened, he would come and strike the Great King. That's how I knew he was Sun Wukong, and I rushed back to inform you." Hearing this, the old demon broke out in a cold sweat, trembling as he stammered, "Brothers, I told you not to provoke Tang Sanzang. His disciple has vast magical powers and has made preparations, sharpening his staff to strike us. What are we to do?" He ordered, "Little ones, call everyone, big and small, from outside the cave in. Close the gates and let him pass!" One of the chieftains who knew reported, "Great King, the small imps outside have already scattered." The old demon said, "Why have they scattered? They must have heard bad news! Quick, close the gates! Quick, close the gates!" The demons clanged shut and securely bolted both the front and back gates. The Pilgrim, feeling a jolt of alarm, thought, "If they close the gates and then ask me about family matters, and I can't answer, won't I give myself away and get caught? I'd better scare them again to make them open the gates, so I can escape." He stepped forward again and said, "Great King, he also said something worse." The old demon asked, "What else did he say?" The Pilgrim replied, "He said he would flay the Great King, disembowel the Second Great King, and pull out the Third Great King's tendons. If you close the gates and don't go out, he can transform, perhaps into a fly, fly in through the cracks, and take all of us away. What would we do then?" The old demon said, "Brothers, be careful! In all these years, there has never been a fly in this cave. If a fly comes in, it must be Sun Wukong." The Pilgrim secretly chuckled, "I'll just turn into a fly and scare them to make them open the gates." The Great Sage slipped to the side, reached behind his head, plucked a hair, blew a puff of immortal breath on it, and commanded, "Change!" It immediately transformed into a golden fly, which flew straight at the old demon and bumped him in the face. The old monster panicked and said, "Brothers! It's not good! That thing has entered the gate!" Terrified, all the demons, big and small, rushed forward with rakes and brooms, swatting wildly at the fly. The Great Sage couldn't help but let out a burst of laughter.

He should not have laughed, for that laugh revealed his true face. The third old demon instantly sprang forward, seizing him and exclaiming, "Brother, he almost fooled us!" The old demon asked, "Brother, who fooled whom?" The third demon said, "That little imp who just spoke is not Little Scout; he is Sun Wukong. He must have encountered Little Scout and killed him somehow, then transformed to trick us." The Pilgrim panicked, thinking, "He recognized me!" He quickly touched his face and said to the old demon, "How can I be Sun Wukong? I am Little Scout, Great King, you're mistaken." The old demon laughed, "Brother, he is Little Scout. He reports for duty three times a day, I recognize him." He then asked, "Do you have your token?" The Pilgrim replied, "Yes," and pulling up his clothes, produced the token. The old demon was fully convinced, "Brother, don't wrong him." The third demon said, "Brother, you didn't see him! Just now, when he sidestepped and laughed, I saw his Thunder God's mouth appear. When I grabbed him, he changed back to this appearance." He commanded, "Little ones, bring ropes!" The chieftains immediately fetched ropes. The third demon tackled the Pilgrim, bound him tightly with "four horses' hooves" (a type of knot), and when they lifted his clothes to look, he was indeed completely a Stable Groom. It turned out that the Pilgrim, with his seventy-two transformations, when changing into birds, beasts, plants, objects, or insects, transformed his entire body. However, when he changed into a human, only his head and face changed; his body could not transform. Indeed, he had a body of yellow fur, two red buttocks, and a tail. The old demon looked at him and said, "It's Sun Wukong's body with Little Scout's face! It's him!" He ordered, "Little ones, first prepare some wine and give your Third Great King a cup for his achievement. Now that Sun Wukong is captured, Tang Sanzang is surely our meal!" The third demon said, "Let's not drink yet. Sun Wukong is cunning and knows the art of escape; he might run away. Tell the little ones to bring out the bottle and put Sun Wukong inside it, then we can enjoy our wine."

The old demon laughed heartily, "Precisely, precisely!" He immediately dispatched thirty-six small demons, who entered, opened the treasury door, and brought out the bottle. How big was that bottle, you ask? It was only two feet four inches tall. Why did it take thirty-six people to carry it? That bottle was a treasure of Yin and Yang energies, containing seven treasures, the Eight Trigrams, and the twenty-four seasonal nodes. It required thirty-six people, according to the number of the Heavenly Spirits, to lift it. Before long, the precious bottle was carried out and placed outside the third gate. They cleaned the area, removed the lid, unbound the Pilgrim, stripped off his clothes, and with a whoosh, he was sucked inside by the immortal energy within the bottle. They covered it with the lid, affixed the seal, and then went to drink wine, saying, "Now that this monkey has entered my precious bottle, he can forget about the path to the Western Heaven! If he can still worship Buddha and seek scriptures, it would only be by being reborn and possessing another's body!" All the demons, big and small, chuckled and went to congratulate each other on their success, a story not to be retold here.

Now, when the Great Sage entered the bottle, his body was constricted and shrunk by the treasure. He simply transformed, squatting in the center. For a while, it was quite cool inside. Suddenly, he couldn't help but laugh out loud, "This demon has a reputation that's all show, with no substance inside. How could they tell people this bottle turns people into pus and blood in an hour and a quarter? If it's this cool, I could live here for seven or eight years without a problem!" Eh! The Great Sage didn't know the true nature of that treasure: if a person were contained within, it would be cool for a year as long as they remained silent, but once they spoke, fire would immediately erupt and burn them. The Great Sage had not even finished speaking when the entire bottle filled with flames. Fortunately, he possessed great skill; sitting in the middle, he performed a fire-avoiding incantation and was completely unafraid. After enduring for half an hour, forty snakes emerged from all sides to bite him. The Pilgrim swung his hands, seized them, and with all his might, crushed them into eighty pieces. In a short while, three more fire dragons appeared, coiling around the Pilgrim from top to bottom. This was truly unbearable, and he felt a surge of panic, thinking, "Other things are fine, but these three fire dragons are troublesome. If I don't get out soon, the fiery energy will attack my heart, and then what?" He then thought, "I'll make myself grow longer and break this thing."

The excellent Great Sage, performing an incantation, recited a spell and cried, "Grow!" He instantly grew several *zhang* tall, and the bottle, pressing tightly against his body, also grew. When he made his body shrink, the bottle also shrank. The Pilgrim was alarmed, "Difficult, difficult, difficult! How is it that when I grow, it grows, and when I shrink, it shrinks? What am I to do?" Before he finished speaking, he felt a pain in his ankle. He quickly reached down to touch it and found it had been softened by the fire. He fretted, "What am I to do? My ankle has softened! I'll become crippled!" He couldn't help but shed tears; this truly was: encountering demons and hardship, remembering Sanzang; facing danger and peril, worrying about the holy monk. He cried, "Master! Back then, when I returned to the right path and was persuaded by Bodhisattva Guanyin to do good, escaping celestial calamities, I endured countless hardships with you over many mountains, defeated numerous monsters, subdued Pigsy, and gained Sandy. Through a thousand trials and ten thousand tribulations, we hoped to jointly reach the Western Heaven and achieve enlightenment. How could I have known that today I would encounter such a poisonous demon, and I, Old Sun, would mistakenly enter this place, losing my life and leaving you halfway up the mountain, unable to proceed! Perhaps it's because of my former high reputation that I face this current tribulation!" Amidst this sorrow, he suddenly remembered that Bodhisattva, back on Snake Coil Mountain, had once given him three life-saving hairs. He wondered if they were still there and decided to search for them. He immediately reached all over his body and felt three extremely stiff hairs behind his head. He was suddenly delighted, "All the other hairs on my body are soft, but only these three are so stiff. They must be meant to save my life!" Gritting his teeth and enduring the pain, he plucked out the hairs, blew a puff of immortal breath on them, and commanded, "Change!" One immediately transformed into a diamond drill, another into a bamboo strip, and the third into a cotton rope. He fashioned a small bow from the bamboo strip, attached the drill, and began drilling swiftly at the bottom of the bottle. He drilled a hole through which light streamed, and he rejoiced, "What good fortune! I can get out now!" As soon as he transformed and escaped, the bottle became cool again. Why did it cool down? Because he had drilled it, and the Yin and Yang energies had leaked out, making it cool.

The excellent Great Sage, having collected his hairs, made himself small and transformed into a *jiao guo* insect, extremely nimble, as thin as a hair, and as long as an eyebrow. He drilled out of the hole and, instead of leaving, flew directly to the old demon's head and clung there. The old demon, who was drinking wine, suddenly put down his cup and said, "Third Brother, has Sun Wukong been transmuted this time?" The third demon chuckled, "Is it that time already?" The old demon ordered, "Bring the bottle!" The thirty-six small demons below immediately lifted the bottle, and it felt much lighter. The alarmed little demons reported, "Great King, the bottle is lighter!" The old demon shouted, "Nonsense! This treasure is the full manifestation of Yin and Yang energies; how could it be lighter?" One hesitant little demon lifted the bottle and said, "See, isn't it lighter?" The old demon removed the lid and saw that it was completely empty inside. He couldn't help but exclaim, "This bottle is empty, *kong*!" From his head, the Great Sage also couldn't help but shout, "My child, *sou*, run!" Hearing this, all the monsters cried, "He's gone! He's gone!" And immediately gave the order, "Close the gates! Close the gates!"

The Pilgrim shook his body, retrieved the clothes that had been stripped off, reverted to his original form, and leaped out of the cave. Turning back, he cursed, "Demons, do not be rude! The bottle is drilled through; it can no longer hold people! You can only use it as a chamber pot!" Joyfully and boisterously, he stepped on a cloud and headed directly back to Tang Sanzang. The Elder was at that moment scooping up earth as incense, praying towards the sky. The Pilgrim paused his cloud, listening to his prayer. The Elder, with palms pressed together, faced the sky and said:

"I pray to the immortals of the clouds and mist, to the Six Ding and Six Jia, and to all the Devas. May you protect my worthy disciple Sun Wukong, whose divine powers are vast and boundless."

Hearing these words, the Great Sage felt even more invigorated. He reined in his cloud light, approached, and called out, "Master, I'm here!" The Elder helped him up and said, "Wukong, you've toiled so hard. You went far to scout the mountains and were gone for so long; I was very worried. What indeed are the fortunes, good or ill, in these mountains?" The Pilgrim chuckled, "Master, this recent trip—first, it's due to the karmic affinity of the monks in the East; second, it's because of Master's boundless and immeasurable merits; and third, it's thanks to your disciple's magic power!" He then recounted in detail the earlier events of disguising himself as Little Scout, being trapped in the bottle, and his escape. "To see your revered face today is truly like being reborn!" The Elder thanked him profusely and asked, "Did you not engage in battle with the demons this time?" The Pilgrim replied, "No, I did not." The Elder said, "Then how can you ensure my passage over the mountain?" The Pilgrim, being competitive, shouted, "Why can't I ensure your passage over the mountain?" The Elder said, "If you haven't decided victory or defeat with them, and it's left so vague, how dare I proceed?" The Great Sage laughed, "Master, you are truly inflexible. As the saying goes, 'a single thread cannot make a line,' and 'one hand cannot clap.' There are three demons and thousands of small imps; how can I, Old Sun, fight them all alone?" The Elder said, "The few cannot defeat the many; it's difficult for you alone. Pigsy and Sandy also have abilities; tell them both to go with you, unite their efforts, clear the mountain path, and escort me through." The Pilgrim pondered, "Master's words are most fitting. Let Sandy protect you, and Pigsy come with me." The dullard panicked and said, "Brother, you have no discernment! I'm clumsy and have little skill; walking against the wind, what good am I to you?" The Pilgrim said, "Brother, though you have little skill, you are still a person, at least. As the saying goes, 'a fart adds wind'—you can also bolster my courage somewhat." Pigsy said, "Alright, alright, I hope you'll look after me. Just don't play tricks on me in a tight spot." The Elder said, "Pigsy, be careful. Sandy and I will wait here."

The dullard, rousing his divine might, flew with the Pilgrim amidst fierce winds and clouds, leaping onto the high mountain and directly to the cave entrance. They saw the cave gate tightly shut, with no one in sight. The Pilgrim stepped forward, gripping his iron staff, and shouted loudly, "Demons, open the gates! Come out quickly and fight Old Sun!" Inside the cave, a small demon reported this. The old demon, trembling with fear, said, "For years, they've said that monkey is fierce, and the rumors are indeed true!" The second old monster on the side asked, "Brother, what are you saying?" The old demon said, "That Pilgrim disguised himself as Little Scout and sneaked in this morning, and we couldn't recognize him. Fortunately, Third Brother recognized him and put him in the bottle. He used his magic, drilled a hole in the bottle, and even took his clothes and escaped. Now he's outside challenging us to battle. Who dares to be the first to fight him?" No one responded. He asked again, and still no one answered; all pretended to be deaf and mute. The old demon grew furious, "We bear an infamous name on the Western road. Today, Sun Wukong defies us like this. If we don't go out and face him in battle, we will lose face. I will risk my old life and fight him for three rounds! If I win the three rounds, Tang Sanzang will still be our meal; if I don't, then we'll close the gates and let him pass." Thereupon, he donned his armor and went to open the gate. The Pilgrim and Pigsy watched from beside the gate; what a monster he truly was:

An iron forehead, a bronze head, wearing a precious helmet; its plume danced, radiating brilliance. His bright, flashing eyes sparked like lightning; his lustrous temples streamed like crimson clouds. His hooked claws were silver, sharp and keen; his saw-like teeth were chiseled, dense and even. His golden armor had no seams, and a dragon-figured cord was tied around his waist, cleverly designed. In his hand, he held a gleaming steel saber, a hero of rare might in the world. With a roar like thunder, he asked, "Who knocks at my gate?"

The Great Sage turned and said, "It's your Grandfather Sun, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven!" The old demon laughed, "You are Sun Wukong? You impudent monkey! I didn't provoke you, so why are you here challenging me?" The Pilgrim said, "Only with wind do waves rise; without a tide, water is calm. If you didn't provoke me, would I come seeking you? It's only because you, a pack of foxes and dogs, have gathered together to scheme to eat my master that I am here to act!" The old demon said, "You come swaggering like this, shouting at my gate, do you intend to fight?" The Pilgrim said, "Precisely!" The old demon said, "Don't be so arrogant! If I were to call out my demon troops, set up formations, wave flags, and beat drums to engage you in battle, it would seem as if I, the 'sitting tiger,' were bullying you. I will fight you one-on-one, no helpers allowed!" Hearing this, the Pilgrim called out, "Pigsy, step aside! Watch how he handles Old Sun!" The dullard indeed stepped to the side. The old demon said, "Come here, first let me use you as a target. I'll strike your bare head with all my might three times with my saber, then I'll let your Tang Sanzang pass. But if you can't withstand it, quickly bring your Tang Sanzang to me to be a meal!" Hearing this, the Pilgrim chuckled, "Monster, if you have paper and brush in your cave, bring them out, and I'll sign a contract with you. From today until next year, even if you chop at me, I won't take you seriously!" The old demon, shaking with ferocity, stood in a T-stance, raised his saber with both hands, and struck down at the Great Sage's head. The Great Sage met the blow with his head, and only heard a 'dai-dai' sound; his scalp didn't even turn red. The old demon was greatly astonished, "This monkey has quite a hard head!" The Great Sage laughed, "You don't know, Old Sun is—

Born with a head of bronze and an iron skull, unrivaled in heaven and earth. Cannot be shattered by axe or hammer, in my youth I entered Laozi's furnace. The Four Dipper Constellations oversaw my creation, the Twenty-Eight Mansions put in their effort. Submerged in water many times, it would not be damaged, covered all around with tough tendons. Tang Sanzang still feared it wasn't strong enough, so he proactively added the purple-gold band."

The old demon said, "Monkey, don't boast! Watch my second strike; I will surely not spare your life!" The Pilgrim said, "What's there to see? It's just another chop, isn't it?" The old demon said, "Monkey, you don't know this saber—

Forged in a golden fire furnace, refined by divine power a hundred times. Its sharp edge follows the Three Strategies, its strength according to the Six Secret Teachings. It's like a fly's tail, yet like a white python's waist. Entering mountains, clouds scatter; descending to the sea, waves surge. Polished countless times, tempered hundreds of times. Left in deep mountains and ancient caves, it has rendered meritorious service in battle. Point it at your monk's skull, and one slice makes two gourds!"

The Great Sage laughed, "This demon has no eye for talent! He takes Old Sun for a gourd-head! Well, no harm done; I'll let you strike once more and see what happens." The old demon raised his saber and struck again. The Great Sage met the blow with his head, and with a 'ping-pang' sound, it split into two halves. The Great Sage rolled on the ground and transformed into two bodies. The demon was startled at the sight, pressing his steel saber down. Pigsy, watching from afar, chuckled, "The old demon chops well with two blows! Aren't there four people now?" The old demon pointed at the Pilgrim and said, "I heard you can use the body-splitting spell, but why are you using it in front of me now?" The Great Sage asked, "What is a body-splitting spell?" The old demon said, "Why did the first strike not affect you, but now one strike makes two people?" The Great Sage chuckled, "Monster, don't be afraid. Chop a thousand times, and I'll give you two thousand people!" The old demon said, "You monkey, you only know how to split your body, not how to gather it back. If you're capable of gathering yourself into one, then strike me with your staff." The Great Sage said, "No lies! You were to chop three times, but you've only chopped me twice. You told me to strike once. If I strike one and a half times, I'll stop being surnamed Sun!" The old demon said, "Exactly, exactly."

The excellent Great Sage gathered his bodies, rolled, and became one body again. He drew his staff and struck directly at the demon's head. The old demon raised his saber to block, saying, "You rude monkey! What kind of mourning stick dares to strike at my gate?" The Great Sage shouted, "If you ask about this staff of mine, it has a famous reputation in heaven and on earth." The old demon asked, "How is it famous?" He said:

"This staff was forged from nine-turn refined iron, personally smelted by Laozi in his furnace. King Yu obtained it and called it 'Divine Treasure,' using it to gauge the four seas and eight rivers. Stars are secretly inlaid in its middle, and its ends are capped with gold. Its intricate patterns astonished gods and spirits, adorned with dragon and phoenix seals. Its name is the Spiritual Yang Staff, deeply hidden in ocean treasuries, rarely seen by men. When it takes form and desires to fly, it emits a swirling five-colored aura. Old Sun gained the Dao and returned to the mountain with it, having endless transformations and vast experience. At times it's thick as a large jar, or tiny as an iron thread. As thick as Mount Heng, as thin as a needle, its length changes at my will. A gentle movement creates colorful clouds; a brilliant flight is like lightning. A chilling air emanates, and streaks of murderous mist appear in the sky. It accompanies me to subdue dragons and tigers, having traveled all over the world. I once used this staff to wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace, scattering the Peach Banquet with its might. The Heavenly Kings could not defeat it in battle, and Nezha found it hard to contend with. The staff struck all gods, leaving them nowhere to hide; the hundred thousand Heavenly soldiers all fled in disarray. The Thunder Generals protected the Hall of Numinous Mists, but I flew up and struck the Hall of Universal Brightness. The presiding celestial envoys were all startled, and the immortal ministers guarding the emperor were thrown into chaos. I raised the staff and overturned the Northern Dipper Palace; turning back, I shattered the Southern Pole Court. The Heavenly Emperor of the Golden Gate saw the staff's ferocity and specifically invited the Tathagata to meet me. The victory or defeat in battle is natural, but my torment and peril were undeniable. I endured five hundred years, thanks to Bodhisattva Guanyin of the Southern Sea who persuaded me. There is a monk from the Great Tang, who made a great vow to Heaven. He delivers ghosts in the City of the Wrongfully Dead and seeks scriptures at the Spirit Mountain Assembly. The path to the West is fraught with demons, making travel most inconvenient. Knowing this iron staff is unrivaled in the world, he begged me to be his companion on the journey. Evil demons that touch it go to the underworld; their flesh turns to dust, their bones to powder. Everywhere, demons die beneath this staff, countless and immeasurable. Above, it smashed the Dipper and Ox palaces; below, it crushed the halls of the underworld. The Heavenly Generals once pursued the Nine Luminaries, and the Underworld's judges who hastened death were injured. Dropped from mid-air, it shakes mountains and rivers, superior to the Grand Marshal's New Splendor Sword. Relying entirely on this staff to protect Tang Sanzang, I have defeated all demons under heaven!"

Hearing this, the demon, trembling with fear, risked his life and raised his saber to strike. The Monkey King, smiling, met him with his iron staff. They first clashed in front of the cave, then leaped into the sky and fought there. What a fierce battle it was—

The Heavenly River's Ocean-Pacifying Divine Iron Staff, its name Ruyi, supreme in the world. Boasting of his skill, the demon lord was enraged, wielding his great sword with formidable power. Fighting outside was still relatively close, but how could they spare each other battling in the air! One changed its face at will, the other stood tall and grew in stature. They fought until the sky was thick with clouds, and mist filled the rugged wilderness. One repeatedly intended to eat Sanzang, the other extensively used its magic to protect the Tang Dynasty. All because the Buddha passed down scriptures, good and evil clearly intertwined in bitter conflict.

The old demon and the Great Sage fought for over twenty rounds without a clear winner. Meanwhile, Pigsy, watching from below and seeing their intense battle, couldn't resist. He wielded his rake, soared up, and thrust it directly at the demon's face. The demon panicked, not knowing that Pigsy was a reckless, intimidating character. He only thought that Pigsy's long snout, large ears, powerful hands, and fierce rake spelled defeat. He lost his composure, dropped his saber, and turned to flee. The Great Sage shouted, "Catch him! Catch him!" The dullard, emboldened, raised his rake and immediately gave chase. Seeing Pigsy approaching, the old demon stopped on the slope, faced the wind, shook himself, revealed his true form, and opened his huge mouth, intending to swallow Pigsy. Pigsy was terrified; he quickly darted into the tall grass, heedless of thorns or scratches to his head, trembling as he listened to the sounds of clashing. Soon after, the Pilgrim arrived. The monster also opened its mouth to swallow him, but this was part of Wukong's plan. He withdrew his iron staff, rushed forward to meet the monster, and was swallowed by the old demon in one gulp. The frightened dullard grumbled in the grass, "This Stable Groom knows no sense of timing! The monster was coming to eat you, why didn't you run? Why did you meet him instead? Swallowed into his belly, you're a monk today, but tomorrow you'll be a pile of dung!" The demon, victorious, left. Only then did the dullard crawl out of the grass and sneak back the way he came.

Meanwhile, Sanzang was on the hillside, waiting with Sandy, when he saw Pigsy running back, panting. Sanzang was greatly alarmed, "Pigsy, why are you in such a state? And why is Wukong not here?" The dullard whimpered, "Elder Brother was swallowed by the demon in one gulp!" Hearing this, Sanzang fell to the ground, and after a long moment, stomped his feet and pounded his chest, crying, "Disciple! I only said you were skilled at subduing demons and would lead me to the Western Heaven to see Buddha. How could I have known you would die by the hand of this monster today! Alas, alas! The merits of my disciples and everyone are now turned to dust!" The master was deeply distraught. And look at that dullard: instead of comforting his master, he called out, "Sandy, bring the luggage; let's divide it!" Sandy asked, "Second Brother, divide what?" Pigsy said, "Divide it, and we each go our separate ways. You go back to the Flowing Sand River and continue eating people; I'll go back to Gao Village and see my wife. We'll sell the white horse and buy a coffin for Master's funeral." The Elder, seething with anger, heard these words, cried out to Heaven, and burst into loud sobs. This is a matter not to be dwelt on further.

As for the old demon, he swallowed the Pilgrim, considering it a successful plan, and returned directly to his cave. All the demons welcomed him, asking about his success in battle. The old demon said, "I caught one!" The second demon joyfully asked, "Brother, who did you catch?" The old demon said, "It's Sun Wukong." The second demon asked, "Where did you catch him?" The old demon said, "I swallowed him whole into my belly!" The third demon was greatly startled, "Elder Brother, didn't I tell you that Sun Wukong is not good to eat?" From inside the belly, the Great Sage muttered, "He's perfectly good to eat! And very filling, so I won't be hungry again!" A small demon, panicked, reported, "Great King, this is bad! Sun Wukong is talking inside your belly!" The old demon said, "I don't care if he talks! I was powerful enough to eat him, aren't I powerful enough to deal with him? Quickly, go boil some salty white broth. I'll pour it down my throat and make him vomit him out, then we can slowly stew him and drink wine." A small demon indeed prepared half a basin of salty broth. The old monster drank it all in one gulp, opened his mouth wide, and forcefully vomited, but the Great Sage was rooted inside his belly and didn't move a jot. The demon then tried to throw up more, holding his throat, and vomited until he was dizzy and his gallbladder burst, but the Pilgrim remained completely still. The old demon gasped, and called out, "Sun Wukong, won't you come out?" The Pilgrim replied, "Too early! It's just right not to come out yet!" The old demon asked, "Why won't you come out?" The Pilgrim said, "You demon, you are very inflexible. Since I became a monk, I've been quite frugal. Now that autumn is cool, I'm still wearing a thin cassock. It's warm inside your belly and not drafty; I'll wait until winter is over before coming out." Hearing this, all the demons said, "Great King, Sun Wukong wants to spend the winter inside you!" The old demon said, "If he wants to spend the winter, I'll go into meditation and use a teleportation spell. If I don't eat all winter, I'll starve that Stable Groom to death!" The Great Sage said, "My child, you don't know a thing! When Old Sun was escorting Tang Sanzang to obtain scriptures, I passed through Guang Province and brought a folding pot to cook giblets. I'll enjoy your liver, intestines, stomach, and lungs bit by bit; there will be enough provisions until Qingming Festival!" The second demon was greatly surprised, "Brother, that monkey can really do it!" The third demon said, "Brother, even if he eats the giblets, where will he set up the pot?" The Pilgrim said, "The three-forked bone would be a good place for the pot." The third demon said, "This is bad! If he sets up the pot and the fire creates smoke, won't the flames reach your nostrils and make you sneeze?" The Pilgrim chuckled, "No problem! Old Sun will just thrust his Golden-Banded Staff right through your crown and make a hole: it'll serve as both a skylight and a chimney!"

Although the old demon claimed not to be afraid, he was inwardly alarmed. He could only stiffen his resolve and call out, "Brothers, don't be scared! Bring me that medicinal wine; let me drink a few cups and drug this monkey to death!" The Pilgrim secretly chuckled, "Five hundred years ago, when Old Sun wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, I ate Laozi's elixirs, the Jade Emperor's wine, the Queen Mother's peaches, and even phoenix marrow and dragon liver. Is there anything I haven't eaten? What kind of medicinal wine dares to drug me?" A small demon indeed brought two pots of strained medicinal wine, poured a full cup, and handed it to the old demon. As the old demon took it, the Great Sage, from inside his belly, smelled the wine and thought, "Don't let him drink it!" The excellent Great Sage twisted his head, transformed it into a trumpet-like mouth, and opened it right below the demon's throat. As the monster swallowed with a gulp, the Pilgrim gulped it down and received it. When the second cup was swallowed, the Pilgrim gulped it down and received it again. He swallowed seven or eight cups consecutively, and Wukong received and drank them all. The old demon put down his cup and said, "I won't drink anymore. Usually, two cups of this wine make my belly feel like fire, but I've just had seven or eight cups, and my face isn't even red!" It turned out that the Great Sage wasn't much of a drinker, but after receiving and drinking seven or eight cups from him, he became tipsy inside the demon's belly. He constantly did handstands, fell in four directions, kicked his legs, grabbed the liver and swung on it like a swing, did headstands, and performed somersaults in a wild dance. The monster could not bear the pain and collapsed to the ground. Whether he lived or died, we shall see in the next chapter.