Chapter 88: 禅到玉华施法会 心猿木母授门人

Tang Monk joyfully bid farewell to the Prefect. On horseback, he said to Monkey, "My dear disciple, this good deed truly surpasses rescuing the children in Bhikshu Kingdom; it is all your doing." Sandy said, "In Bhikshu Kingdom, we only saved one thousand one hundred and eleven children. How can that compare to this great, soaking, nourishing rain that saved tens of thousands of lives! I also secretly admire Senior Brother's boundless magic and immense compassion." Pigsy laughed, "Brother has compassion and good deeds, but he acts kindly outwardly while harboring malicious intentions inwardly. As soon as we walk, he wants to torment people." Monkey said, "When did I torment you?" Pigsy said, "Enough, enough! You constantly want to tie me up, hang me, boil me, steam me! Now that you've bestowed kindness upon tens of thousands in Fengxian Prefecture, you should stay for half a year and let me eat a few hearty meals at ease, instead of constantly urging us to travel!" The Elder heard this and scolded, "You blockhead, why are you only thinking about your appetite! Hurry up and walk, no more quarreling!" Pigsy dared not speak, pursed his lips, carried the luggage, and chuckled, as the master and disciples hurried onto the main road. At this time, time flew by, and it was late autumn again. One could see—

Water marks receded, mountains looked gaunt.Red leaves fluttered, it was the season of yellow flowers.Frosty clear nights felt long, moonlight pierced through windows.Every home had more twilight smoke, everywhere lake water was a cold current.White reeds were fragrant, red knotweed flourished.Oranges were green, tangerines yellow, willows withered, valleys were lush.Wild geese landed on broken reed flowers in desolate villages, chicken crows marked the harvest of beans in roadside inns.

After walking for a long time, they saw the faint outline of city walls again. The Elder raised his whip and pointed, calling out, "Wukong, look, there's another city over there, but I don't know what place it is." Monkey said, "Neither of us has been there, how can we know? Let's walk to the edge and ask someone." Before he finished speaking, an old man suddenly emerged from a thicket of trees, holding a bamboo staff, wearing light clothes, a pair of brown shoes, and a flat belt around his waist. Tripitaka hastily dismounted and stepped forward to greet him. The old man, leaning on his staff, returned the greeting, "Elder, where do you come from?" Tripitaka clasped his hands and said, "This humble monk was sent from the Great Tang in the East to the Thunderclap Temple to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. Now that I have arrived in your precious land, I see city walls in the distance, but I do not know what place it is. I specifically ask the venerable elder for guidance." The old man, hearing this, exclaimed, "Virtuous Zen Master, this humble place of ours is a subordinate prefecture of the India Kingdom, named Jade Flower County. The governor of this county is a member of the Emperor of India's royal family, titled the King of Jade Flower. This King is very virtuous, highly respects monks and Taoists, and dearly loves his people. If the Zen Master goes to meet him, he will surely be greatly revered." Tripitaka thanked him, and the old man went directly through the woods.

Tripitaka turned to his disciples and explained what had just happened. The three of them rejoiced and helped their master mount his horse. Tripitaka said, "It's not far; there's no need to ride." The four then walked to the city gate street to look around. It turned out that the houses in the outer city were full of merchants and peddlers, the population was concentrated, and business was very prosperous. Their voices and appearances were no different from those in China. Tripitaka instructed, "Disciples, be cautious, and absolutely do not be presumptuous." Pigsy lowered his head, Sandy covered his face, and only Sun Wukong supported their master. People on both sides rushed to watch, shouting in unison, "We only have high monks who subdue dragons and tigers here; we've never seen monks who subdue pigs and monkeys." Pigsy couldn't resist; he pursed his mouth and said, "Have you ever seen a monk who subdues a pig king?" This scared the people in the street, who stumbled and scrambled, scattering to both sides. Monkey laughed, "Blockhead, quickly hide your mouth, don't show off, be careful when crossing the bridge." The blockhead lowered his head, just smiling. After crossing the suspension bridge and entering the city gate, they saw wine towers and entertainment halls on the main street, bustling and prosperous, truly a capital city of the divine land. A poem serves as proof; the poem says:

The splendid city, an iron fortress, eternally strong,By water and by mountain, every scene vibrant.A hundred goods flow through the lake, boats enter the market,A thousand homes sell wine, drapes hanging.

Pavilions and terraces everywhere, population vast,Alleys and lanes morning after morning, merchants clamoring.No less beautiful than Chang'an's scenery,Chicken crows and dog barks, all are the same.

Tripitaka secretly rejoiced in his heart, saying, "People say the Western Regions have many foreign lands, but I've never been here. Observing this scene closely, how is it different from my Great Tang! What is called the Land of Ultimate Bliss truly means this." He also heard people say that white rice was four cash per picul, and sesame oil was eight li per catty, truly a place of abundant harvests. After walking for a long time, they finally arrived at the King of Jade Flower's mansion. To the left and right of the mansion gate were the Chief Scribe's office, the Judiciary Hall, the Pantry, and the Guest Lodge. Tripitaka said, "Disciples, this is the mansion. I will go in, pay respects to the King, and have my travel permit verified." Pigsy said, "Master, if you go in, should we just stand in front of the yamen?" Tripitaka said, "Don't you see the words 'Guest Lodge' on this gate! All of you go and sit there. If there's fodder, buy some to feed the horses. If I meet the King and he grants a vegetarian meal, I will call you to enjoy it together." Monkey said, "Master, please go ahead with peace of mind. Your old grandson will handle things." Sandy carried the luggage into the lodge. The lodge attendant, seeing their ugly appearance, neither dared to question them nor dared to ask them to leave, so he just let them sit down, and the story continues.

Meanwhile, the revered Master changed his clothes and hat, took his travel permit, and went directly to the King's mansion. The usher official was already there to greet him, asking, "Elder, where do you come from?" Tripitaka said, "I am a monk sent from the Great Tang in the East to the Great Thunderclap Temple to worship the Buddha and seek scriptures. Now that I have arrived in your esteemed land, I wish to have my travel permit exchanged, and have specifically come to pay respects to Your Highness." The usher official immediately conveyed the message, and the Prince, truly virtuous, immediately issued an order to summon him. Tripitaka bowed in the hall, and the Prince immediately invited him to ascend and granted him a seat. Tripitaka presented his travel permit. The Prince examined it, saw the seals and signatures of various countries, and gladly stamped it with his precious seal, signed his flourish, and put it away on the desk. He asked, "National Teacher, Elder, from your Great Tang to here, having traversed many lands, how many miles is the total journey?" Tripitaka said, "This humble monk has not kept track of the mileage. However, in previous years, Bodhisattva Guanyin manifested before my King and left a verse, stating that the West is one hundred and eight thousand li away. This humble monk has already passed through fourteen winters and summers on the road." The Prince smiled, "Fourteen winters and summers, that means fourteen years. Perhaps there were some delays on the way." Tripitaka said, "It's a long story! Ten thousand monsters and a thousand demons, I don't know how much suffering I endured before arriving in this precious land!" The Prince was very pleased. He immediately ordered the pantry official to prepare a vegetarian meal for them. Tripitaka said, "May it please Your Highness, this humble monk has three young disciples waiting outside. I dare not accept the meal alone, fearing it would delay our journey." The Prince ordered, "Official in charge of the hall, quickly go and invite the Elder's three disciples into the mansion to dine together." The official in charge of the hall went out to invite them, but everyone said, "We haven't seen them, we haven't seen them." A follower said, "There are three ugly-looking monks sitting in the Guest Lodge; they must be them." The official in charge of the hall went with the others to the lodge and immediately asked the attendant, "Which one is the Great Tang scripture-seeking monk's high disciple? Our King has an order, inviting them to dine." Pigsy was dozing off, and hearing the word "dine," he couldn't help but leap up and reply, "We are, we are!" As soon as the official in charge of the hall saw him, he was scared out of his wits, trembling and saying, "It's a pig demon, a pig demon!" Monkey heard this, pulled Pigsy back and said, "Brother, be more refined, don't act like a bumpkin." When the officials saw Monkey, they again said, "It's a monkey spirit, a monkey spirit!" Sandy cupped his hands and said, "Gentlemen, please do not be alarmed. We three are all disciples of Tang Monk." When the officials saw him, they again said, "Kitchen god, kitchen god!" Sun Wukong immediately told Pigsy to lead the horse and Sandy to carry the luggage, and they went with the officials into the King of Jade Flower's mansion. The official in charge of the hall went in first to inform the King.

The Prince looked up and saw such ugliness, and fear arose in his heart. Tripitaka clasped his hands and said, "Your Highness, please set your mind at ease. Although my unruly disciples are ugly in appearance, their hearts are kind." Pigsy bowed towards the Prince and said, "This humble monk offers greetings." The Prince grew even more alarmed. Tripitaka said, "My unruly disciples were all taken in from the mountains and wilderness; they do not know proper etiquette. I beg Your Highness to pardon them." The Prince, suppressing his fear, ordered the pantry official to invite the monks to dine in the Gauze Drying Pavilion. Tripitaka thanked him, took his leave of the King, descended from the hall, and together they went to the pavilion. He then blamed Pigsy, "You brute, you have no manners whatsoever! It would have been better if you just kept quiet, but why were you so crude! One word from you could upset Mount Tai!" Monkey laughed, "It's better that I didn't bow; it saved some effort." Sandy said, "His bow wasn't even proper; he just blurted out a greeting beforehand." Pigsy said, "What a tease, what a tease! Master, the other day you taught me that it's polite to greet people. Now I greet them, and you say it's bad. What am I supposed to do?" Tripitaka said, "I taught you to greet people, but I didn't teach you to be so unruly when greeting a prince! As the saying goes, there are different kinds of things, and different classes of people; why not distinguish between noble and humble?" While they were speaking, the pantry official led attendants to arrange tables and chairs and set out the meal. The master and disciples then fell silent and ate their meal.

Meanwhile, the King retired from the hall and entered the palace. In the palace, his three young princes saw his changed expression and immediately asked, "Father, why are you so frightened today?" The King said, "Just now, a monk sent from the Great Tang in the East to worship Buddha and seek scriptures came to exchange his travel permit. He was truly extraordinary in appearance. I invited him to dine, and he said he had disciples outside the mansion, so I ordered them to be invited in. A short while later, they entered. Seeing that they did not perform a grand bow, but only offered a greeting, I was already displeased. When I looked up, I saw that each of them was as ugly as a demon, and I couldn't help but be shocked, which is why my expression changed." It turned out that the three young princes were different from others; each of them was fond of martial arts and physical prowess. They immediately clenched their fists and rolled up their sleeves, saying, "Could they be mountain demons disguised as humans? Let us take our weapons and go see!" The good princes! The eldest took a staff reaching his eyebrows, the second wielded a nine-toothed rake, and the third used a black oiled staff. They strode out of the King's mansion, imposing and spirited, shouting, "Which scripture-seeking monks? Where are they?" At that moment, the pantry officials and others knelt down and said, "Your Highness, they are dining in the Gauze Drying Pavilion."

The young princes, without distinguishing good from bad, rushed in and shouted, "Are you humans or monsters? Speak quickly, and we will spare your lives!" This scared Tripitaka, whose face turned pale; he dropped his rice bowl and bowed, saying, "This humble monk is from the Tang dynasty, seeking scriptures. I am human, not a monster." The young prince said, "You look like a human, but those three ugly ones are definitely monsters!" Pigsy just kept eating and ignored them. Sandy and Monkey stood up slightly and said, "We are all humans. Although our faces are ugly, our hearts are kind; though our bodies are rough, our natures are good. And who are you three, coming here with such wild and arrogant words?" The pantry officials nearby said, "These three are the Young Highnesses, sons of our King." Pigsy dropped his bowl and said, "Young Highnesses, why are you holding weapons? Are you planning to fight us?" The second prince stepped forward, brandished his rake with both hands, and was about to strike Pigsy. Pigsy chuckled, "Your rake is only fit to be my rake's grandson!" He then lifted his robe, took out his rake from his waist, and shook it. Ten thousand rays of golden light shone, and when he released his hold, there were a thousand streams of auspicious aura, scaring the prince so much that his hands went weak and his muscles numb, and he dared not wield it. Monkey saw the eldest prince wielding a staff reaching his eyebrows, prancing about. He immediately took out his Golden-Hooped Rod from his ear, shook it, and it became as thick as a bowl, standing straight and tall before them, twelve or thirteen feet long. He slammed it into the ground, about three feet deep, and stood it there, laughing, "I'll give you this rod!" The prince heard this, immediately dropped his own staff, and went to take the rod. He tried to pull it with all his strength with both hands, but couldn't move it an inch. He tried again, tilting it and shaking it, but it was as if it had taken root. The third prince, losing his temper, used his black oiled staff to strike, but Sandy parried it with one hand, took out his Demon-Subduing Staff, and twirled it. It emitted brilliant light and shining rays, frightening the pantry officials and others, who stood dumbfounded and speechless. The three young princes all bowed down and said, "Divine Master, Divine Master! We mortals did not recognize you. We beg you to display your powers, so we may bow and receive your instruction." Monkey stepped closer, gently picked up the rod, and said, "It's too cramped here; it's not good to display my skills. Let me leap into the air and perform a sequence for you to see."

What a Great Sage! With a whistle, he somersaulted, stepping on five-colored auspicious clouds, rising into mid-air, about three hundred paces above the ground. He wielded the Golden-Hooped Rod, performing "Scattering Flowers Cover the Head" and "Yellow Dragon Turns Around," up and down, left and right. At first, the man and rod were like adding flowers to brocade; later, the man was invisible, only a sky full of rolling rods was seen. Pigsy cheered from below, and couldn't resist his own hands and feet. He shouted loudly, "Let this old pig go and show off too!" What a blockhead! He rode the wind, also rising into mid-air, casting aside his rake, performing "up three, down four, left five, right six, front seven, back eight," with all his techniques. Only the whooshing sound of wind could be heard. Just as he was performing excitedly, Sandy said to the Elder, "Master, let Old Sandy also go and practice." What a monk! He leaped with both feet, wielding his staff, also rising into the air. One could see the vibrant qi swirling and golden light ethereal. He wielded the Demon-Subduing Staff with both hands, performing "Phoenix Facing the Sun" and "Hungry Tiger Pouncing on Prey," tightly parrying and slowly blocking, swiftly turning and busily thrusting. The three brothers immediately displayed their divine powers, all showing off their might in mid-air. This truly was—

The true Zen spectacle, unlike any other,The cause of the Great Dao fills the sky.Metal and Wood display their might throughout the Dharma realm,The Elixir of Life transforms, achieving perfect penetration.

Divine weapons, sharp and always manifest,Elixir flowers bloom, revered everywhere.Though India is high, it still restrains nature,The Princes of Jade Flower all ultimately return to the center.

This scared the three young princes, who knelt in the dust. All the people in the Gauze Drying Pavilion, from the highest to the lowest, and the old King in the royal mansion, and the military and civilian men and women throughout the city, monks, nuns, Taoists, and common folk, all people, every family chanted Buddha's name and kowtowed, every household lit incense and worshipped. Truly, it was—

Witnessing phenomena and converting all monks,Creating blessings among people, enjoying peace and tranquility.From now on, the fruit of the Bodhi path is righteous,All are people who practice Zen and worship Buddha.

The three of them, each displaying their heroic talent, performed a sequence, then brought down their auspicious clouds, put away their weapons, and came before Tripitaka to greet him, thanking him for his master's grace. They then sat down, and the story continues.

The three young princes quickly returned to the palace and reported to the old King, "Father, rejoice immensely! There is now a great merit! Did you see the display in mid-air just now?" The old King said, "I just saw the auspicious light in mid-air, and I immediately burned incense and worshipped in the palace courtyard with your mother and others. I didn't know what immortal beings had descended." The young princes said, "They were not immortal beings from anywhere else, but the three ugly disciples of the scripture-seeking monk. One wielded a golden-hooped iron rod, one wielded a nine-toothed rake, and one wielded a demon-subduing staff. Compared to them, our three weapons are utterly insignificant. We asked them to perform a sequence, and they complained that the ground was too cramped and not suitable for display, so they said they would rise into the air and perform for us. Then each of them rode their cloud, and auspicious clouds floated and auspicious qi swirled throughout the sky. They just landed and are now sitting in the Gauze Drying Pavilion. We children are extremely happy and wish to take them as our masters to learn their skills and protect our nation. This is truly a great meritorious deed! What do you think, Father?" The old King heard this and readily agreed. Immediately, the father and his three sons, without carriages or canopies, walked to the Gauze Drying Pavilion. The four pilgrims were packing their luggage, intending to enter the mansion to thank the King for the meal and take their leave, when they happened to see the King of Jade Flower and his sons come to the pavilion and bow down. Tripitaka hastily rose and bowed back. Monkey and the others stepped aside, smiling faintly. After everyone had finished bowing, they invited the four pilgrims into the main hall of the mansion to sit. The four pilgrims entered gladly. The old King rose and said, "Master Tang, I have a request, but I don't know if your three esteemed disciples will permit it." Tripitaka said, "Whatever Your Highness commands, my humble disciples dare not disobey." The old King said, "When I first met all of you, I only thought you were traveling monks from the Tang dynasty. Truly, with my mortal eyes and flesh, I was very disrespectful. Just now, seeing Master Sun, Master Pig, and Master Sandy dance in the air, I realized they were immortals or Buddhas. My three sons, who have been fond of martial arts their whole lives, now sincerely wish to become your disciples and learn some martial skills. I earnestly implore you, Master, to open your benevolent heart, extend your compassionate boat, and transmit your knowledge to my sons. I will surely offer the wealth of the entire city as thanks." Monkey heard this and couldn't help but chuckle, "Your Highness, you are truly ignorant! We, who have renounced the world, eagerly wish to transmit our knowledge to disciples. Since your sons have the desire to learn, you must not mention any profit. Just interact with them with sincerity; that is enough to show your affection." The Prince heard this and was overjoyed. He immediately ordered a grand banquet to be prepared in the main hall of the mansion. Ah! With a single command, everything was immediately ready. One could see that—

Ribbons hung majestically, fragrant smoke permeated.Gold-embossed tables draped with silk gauze, dazzling the eyes;Colorful lacquered chairs covered with brocade, adding splendor to the seats.Fresh fruits from trees, fragrant tea steaming.Three to five dishes of light, sweet snacks, one or two meals of plump, clean steamed buns.Steamed pastries and honeyed sweets were even more extraordinary,Fried dough and sugared confections were truly delicious.There were several bottles of fragrant glutinous rice wine, poured out, surpassing jade nectar;Several cups of Yangxian immortal tea, held in hand, its aroma surpassed osmanthus.All kinds of delicacies were complete, every item wondrous.

On one side, entertainers performed singing, dancing, playing instruments, and acting. The master and his disciples, along with the King and his sons, enjoyed themselves for the entire day. Unaware, evening fell, and the banquet dispersed. The King then ordered bedding to be laid out in the Gauze Drying Pavilion, inviting the Master to rest there, and stating that the next morning they would sincerely burn incense and again beg to be taught martial arts. Everyone obeyed, and immediately prepared fragrant water, invited the Master to bathe, and then retired for the night. At this time—

Birds rested high, all sounds hushed,Poets retired, ceasing their rhymes.Milky Way gleamed, sky brightened,Wild paths desolate, grass grew deeper.

Pestles clanging in distant courtyards,Frontier passes far away, stirring homesickness.Cold crickets chirped clearly, understanding human thoughts,Chirping by the bedside, breaking dreams.

One night's scene was described. The next morning, the old King and his sons came again to meet the Elder. Yesterday they met with royal etiquette; today, they observed master-disciple etiquette. The three young princes bowed to Monkey, Pigsy, and Sandy in person and asked, "Esteemed masters, please lend your weapons for your disciples to see." Pigsy heard this, happily took out his rake, and threw it on the ground. Sandy threw out his staff and leaned it against the wall. The second and third princes leaped up to grab them, but it was like a dragonfly shaking a stone pillar. Each struggled until their heads were red and faces flushed, but they could not move them even half an inch. The eldest prince saw this and shouted, "Brothers, don't waste your strength. Our masters' weapons are all divine weapons; who knows how heavy they are!" Pigsy laughed, "My rake isn't very heavy, only a 'Tripitaka's number,' five thousand and forty-eight catties including the handle." The third prince asked Sandy, "Master, how heavy is your precious staff?" Sandy laughed, "It's also five thousand and forty-eight catties." The eldest prince asked to see Monkey's Golden-Hooped Rod. Monkey took a needle from his ear, shook it in the wind, and it immediately became as thick as a bowl, standing straight and tall before them. The King and his sons were all terrified, and all the officials were startled. The three young princes bowed and said, "Master Pig's and Master Sandy's weapons are carried with them under their clothes, so they can be taken out easily. But why did Master Sun take his out from his ear? And why does it grow when it meets the wind?" Monkey laughed, "You don't know that my rod is not an ordinary earthly weapon. This rod is—

Forged from refined iron when chaos first parted,Personally created by the divine Great Yu.Rivers, lakes, and oceans, shallow and deep,This rod accurately measured them.When mountains were split and waters tamed, in times of peace,It remained in the Eastern Ocean, guarding its gate.With time, it emitted radiant light,Capable of shrinking, growing, and shining cleanly.It was my destiny to obtain it,Its transformations are boundless, following incantations.If I wish it large, it fills the universe,If I wish it small, it's like a needle's tip.The rod's name is Ruyi Golden-Hooped Rod,In heaven and on earth, it's unparalleled.It weighs thirteen thousand five hundred catties,It can shrink or grow, appearing and disappearing.It once helped me wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace,It once followed me to attack the Underworld.Subduing tigers and dragons, it's capable everywhere,Refining demons and sweeping away monsters, it's thorough in all directions.Raising it, the sun darkens,All gods and ghosts are terrified.Passed down from primordial immortals until now,It is certainly no ordinary earthly iron.

The princes heard this and paid boundless reverence. The three stepped forward, bowed deeply again, and sincerely begged to be taught. Monkey said, "You three, what kind of martial arts do you wish to learn?" The prince said, "Those who prefer staffs will learn staffs, those who are accustomed to rakes will learn rakes, and those who love staves will learn staves." Monkey laughed, "Teaching is easy enough, but you lack the strength to wield our weapons. I fear you won't learn well, like drawing a tiger but ending up with a dog. As the ancients said, 'If instruction is not strict, it is the teacher's laziness; if learning is not achieved, it is the student's fault.' Since you are sincere, you should go burn incense and bow to Heaven and Earth. I will first impart some divine strength to you, and then I can teach you martial arts." The three young princes heard this and were filled with joy. They immediately personally carried the incense table, washed their hands, burned incense, and bowed to Heaven. After bowing, they invited the Master to transmit the dharma. Monkey turned and bowed to Tripitaka, saying, "Begging your venerable Master to pardon your disciple's offense. Since that year on the Two-Boundary Mountain, when I was saved by your great virtue, Master, and embraced the monastic life, I have traveled west. Although I have not repaid your grace heavily, I have crossed rivers and climbed mountains, exerting all my strength. Now, having come to the land of Buddha, I am fortunate to meet the King's three virtuous sons, who wish to become our disciples and learn martial arts. Since they are our disciples, they are also your Master's grand-disciples. I respectfully report this to my Master so that I may transmit the teachings." Tripitaka was greatly pleased. Pigsy and Sandy, seeing Monkey bowing, also turned and kowtowed to Tripitaka, saying, "Master, we are foolish and clumsy, slow of speech. We hope Master will sit high on the Dharma seat and allow us two to also each take a disciple to amuse ourselves, which will also be a memory of our journey to the West." Tripitaka gladly assented to all of them.

Monkey then led the three princes to a quiet room behind the Gauze Drying Pavilion, where he drew a magical diagram. He told all three to lie prostrate within it, each with their eyes closed and minds calm. Here, he secretly recited true words and chanted incantations, blowing immortal qi into their hearts and stomachs, retrieving their primordial spirits to their original abodes, transmitting oral instructions, and bestowing upon each of them immense physical strength. He then further refined them with fire, like a method of casting off the old and putting on the new. After circulating for a full cycle, the three young princes finally awoke. They all scrambled up, wiped their faces, full of spirit, each with strong bones and robust muscles. The eldest prince could now pick up the Golden-Hooped Rod, the second prince could wield the Nine-Toothed Rake, and the third prince could lift the Demon-Subduing Staff. The old King was overjoyed to see this. He again prepared a vegetarian banquet to express his gratitude to the four pilgrims. At the banquet, each master taught his respective art: those learning the staff practiced the staff, those learning the rake practiced the rake, and those learning the staff practiced the staff. Although they performed a few turns and demonstrated a few techniques, it still required considerable effort. After a short display, they would pant and could not endure for long. This was because their (masters') weapons had transformations; their offense and defense, their shrinking and growing, all possessed the wondrous natural ability to change. These princes were, after all, mortals, how could they immediately achieve such mastery? That day, the banquet dispersed.

The next day, the three princes came again to express their thanks, saying, "We are grateful, Divine Master, for bestowing upon us such strength. Although we can now wield your divine weapons, they are still difficult to manipulate. We wish to order artisans to make similar weapons, reducing their weight, following the style of your divine weapons. We wonder if Master would permit this?" Pigsy said, "Good, good, good! That sounds reasonable. Firstly, you cannot use our weapons, and secondly, we need them to protect the Dharma and subdue demons, so it is indeed right to make new ones." The princes then immediately summoned blacksmiths and purchased ten thousand catties of iron and steel. A workshop was set up in the front courtyard of the royal mansion, and furnaces were built for casting. The day before, the iron and steel were refined. The next day, Monkey and the two others were invited to take out their Golden-Hooped Rod, Nine-Toothed Rake, and Demon-Subduing Staff and place them in the workshop for the artisans to copy. Thus, work continued day and night without stopping.

Alas! These weapons were originally their personal treasures, which they could not be separated from for a moment. Each was hidden within their bodies, emitting much protective radiance. Now, placed in the workshop for several days, their auspicious light filled the sky with ten thousand rays, and auspicious qi covered the earth with a thousand forms. That night, a demon, seventy li away from the city, in a mountain called Leopard Head Mountain, and a cave called Tiger Mouth Cave, was sitting when he suddenly saw the auspicious light and qi. He immediately rode his cloud to investigate. It was the radiance from the county city. He brought his cloud down closer to examine, and it was the light emitted by these three weapons. The demon was delighted and covetous, saying, "What good treasures, what good treasures! Whose are these, left here now? It must be my destiny to take them! To take them!" As his covetous desire stirred, he exerted his power, collected the three weapons at once, and returned directly to his cave. Just as the saying goes—

The Dao must not be separated for an instant;What can be separated is not the Dao.Divine weapons are all lost,Vainly practicing cultivation.

After all, how will they find these weapons? Let's hear the next chapter for the resolution.