Chapter 83

But when the Elder had been escorted out of the cave by the monster, Sha Seng came up and asked, “Master, you are out—where is Elder Brother?” Bajie said, “He has his schemes; he must have exchanged himself for Master.” Sanzang pointed at the monster and said, “Your elder brother is in his belly.” Bajie laughed, “How filthy! What is he doing in the belly? Come out!” The Pilgrim inside shouted, “Open your mouth and let me out.” The monster indeed opened his mouth wide. The Pilgrim made himself tiny, squatted in the throat, and was about to come out, but fearing that the monster might bite him treacherously, he took out his iron staff, blew on it a breath of immortal air, and cried, “Change!” It turned into a date-stone nail, propping up the monster’s upper palate. Then he gave a leap, sprang out of the mouth, and brought the iron staff out with him handily. Straightening his back, he resumed his original dharma-body appearance, raised his staff, and struck; the monster likewise took out two treasured swords and parried with a clang. The two of them fought a fine battle on the mountain top: Two swords danced, flying head-on to parry; The golden cudgel rose, striking straight at the head. One was a monkey-spirit, the Mind-Ape by nature, The other an earth-born elf, the body of the Chaste Maid. These two, hatred in their hearts, From pleasure turned to enmity, a great clash on the field. One sought to take the Original Yang and make a mate, The other would conquer the Pure Yin to form the Holy Embryo. The staff raised, cold mist spread across the sky; The swords met, black dust sifted over the ground. All for the Elder, to worship Tathāgata, In bitter struggle they displayed their great powers. Fire and water could not blend, the Mother Way was harmed; Yin and Yang could not unite, each parted ways. The two fought for many rounds, Till the earth shook, the mountains reeled, and trees were shattered. When Bajie saw them locked in combat, he grumbled and muttered, venting his resentment against the Pilgrim. Turning to Sha Seng, he said, “Brother, Elder Brother is making a mess of it. Just now, when he was in the monster’s belly, he could have swung his fists and given him a bellyful of red, then ripped open his gut and crawled out—wouldn’t that have settled the account? Why did he come out through his mouth instead, and now fight him, letting the monster run wild like this?” Sha Seng said, “That’s true. Yet we must thank Elder Brother for rescuing Master from the deep cave, and now he is battling the monster again. Please let Master sit by himself, and you and I will take our weapons and help Big Brother knock down the monster.” Bajie waved his hand, “No, no, no. He has divine powers; we are of no use.” Sha Seng said, “What talk is that? This is a matter that benefits us all. Even if we are not much use, it is said, ‘Even a fart adds to the wind.’” The blockhead was suddenly stirred; he seized his rake and shouted, “Let’s go!” The two of them, heedless of their master, rode the wind together and rushed forward, raising the rake and wielding the precious staff, raining blows upon the monster. The monster, already unable to withstand the Pilgrim alone, how could he resist when the other two joined in? He turned his head abruptly and fled. The Pilgrim shouted, “Brothers, give chase!” When the monster saw them pressing hard, he took off the embroidered shoe from his right foot, blew on it a breath of immortal air, recited a spell, and cried, “Change!” It transformed into an exact likeness of himself, wielding two swords and dancing forward. Then he shook his body, turned into a clear breeze, and headed straight back. This time, thinking only that he could not overcome them and was fleeing to save his life, how could he have known that such a thing would happen? But Sanzang’s star of calamity had not yet passed. When the monster reached the archway before his cave, he saw the Elder sitting there alone, so he rushed forward, seized him in an embrace, snatched the baggage, bit through the reins, and carried off both the man and the horse once more into the cave—no more of that for now. Meanwhile, Bajie thrust his rake into empty space and knocked the monster to the ground—only to find it was an embroidered shoe. When the Pilgrim saw this, he said, “You two blockheads! You should have kept watch over Master—who asked you to come and claim any merit?” Bajie said, “Sha Seng, what did I say? I told you not to come. This monkey has some brain-fever—we helped him subdue the monster, and instead he blames us.” The Pilgrim said, “Where did you subdue the monster? The monster used a shoe-decoy trick against me yesterday. You left in a hurry, and I don’t know what has become of Master. Let us go and look quickly.” The three hurried back and indeed found Master gone, and even the baggage and the white horse had vanished without a trace. Bajie was so alarmed that he ran about wildly, Sha Seng searched everywhere, and even the Great Sage Sun was agitated and impatient. While they were searching, they saw half a broken rein lying askew by the roadside. He picked it up and could not hold back the tears streaming from his eyes; he cried aloud, “Master! When I left, I took leave of you and the horse, but now I return and find only this rope.” So it is: seeing the saddle, one thinks of the fine steed; shedding tears, one longs for a dear one. When Bajie saw him weeping, he could not help but throw back his head and laugh loudly. The Pilgrim scolded, “You stupid brute, are you thinking of breaking up the band again?” Bajie laughed and said, “Brother, that’s not it. Master must have been carried into the cave by the monster again. As the saying goes, ‘Nothing is accomplished without three attempts.’ You have gone into the cave twice; go in once more, and you are sure to bring Master out.” The Pilgrim wiped his tears and said, “Very well. Since matters have come to this pass, I cannot stop now; I shall go in again. You two, without the baggage or the horse to worry about, had better guard the entrance well.” The splendid Great Sage turned and leaped inside, without using any transformation, but in his true dharma-body form—truly: Strange of visage, fierce of heart, From youth a monster of mighty power. His height and face like a saddle-bow, His eyes blazed with golden light. His body's hair as stiff as steel needles, His tiger-skin kirtle tied with bright jingling flowers. Ascending heaven, he scattered ten thousand clouds; Descending sea, he churned up a thousand layers of waves. He leaned on his strength and struck the Heavenly King, Putting to flight eighty thousand generals. Officially titled the Great Sage, the Monkey King, In his hand he ever wielded the golden cudgel. Now journeying to the Western Heaven to show his might, He came again into the cave to aid Sanzang. See how he halted his cloud-light and went straight to the monster’s dwelling. Finding the gate-tower closed, he paid no heed to good or ill, but raised his iron staff and smashed it open, bursting inside. There all was silent, with no trace of anyone. In the eastern corridor he did not see the Elder; the tables and chairs in the pavilion, and all the household utensils, were gone. Now, the cave extended some three hundred li around, with many monster lairs. The first time the monster had captured Sanzang there, the Pilgrim had found him; this time, after seizing him, he feared the Pilgrim would search again, so he had moved away, and no one knew where. This so enraged the Pilgrim that he stamped his feet and beat his breast, shouting aloud, “Master! You are a Tang Sanzang made of ill luck, a scripture-seeking monk cast from calamity. Alas! This path is quite familiar to us—why are you not here? Where am I, old Sun, to look for you?” Just as he was raging and fuming, he suddenly caught a whiff of fragrant incense. He regained his composure and said, “This incense smoke is wafting from the rear—he must be in the back.” He strode forward, iron staff in hand, and went in to look—but saw no movement either. There were only three rooms facing backward. Near the back wall was spread a carved lacquer altar table with a dragon swallowing the top, and on it a large gilt incense burner from which fragrant smoke curled richly. Above it was set a large golden name-tablet on which was inscribed “The Seat of the Venerable Father, Heavenly King Li”; and slightly below, “The Seat of the Elder Brother, Prince Nezha.” When the Pilgrim saw this, he was filled with joy. He did not search for the monster nor look for Sanzang, but twisted his iron staff into the size of an embroidery needle, tucked it behind his ear, then with both hands seized the tablet and the incense burner, rode his cloud-light straight out of the gate, and at the cave entrance he laughed and chuckled without cease. Bajie and Sha Seng heard this, drew their weapons, and went to the mouth of the cave. They greeted Xingzhe, saying, "Brother, you are so happy; have you rescued Master?" Xingzhe laughed and said, "We don't need to rescue him; we just have to ask this tablet for the person." Bajie said, "Brother, this tablet is not a demon, nor can it speak; how can you ask it for a person?" Xingzhe placed it on the ground and said, "Look." Sha Seng came closer and looked; on it were written "The Seat of Respected Father Li Tianwang" and "The Seat of Respected Elder Brother Nezha, the Third Prince." Sha Seng said, "What does this mean?" Xingzhe said, "This is what the demon's family worships. I broke into its dwelling place and saw no people or things, only this tablet. I think it is the daughter of Li Tianwang and the younger sister of the Third Prince, who, weary of heaven, descended to the mortal realm, disguised herself as an evil spirit, and carried away my master. If I don't ask this tablet for the person, whom should I ask? You two stay here and guard the entrance while I, Old Sun, take this spirit tablet and go straight up to heaven to file a formal complaint before the Jade Emperor, ordering the Heavenly King and his son to return my master." Bajie said, "Brother, as the saying goes, 'Accusing someone of a capital crime incurs a capital crime.' You must have a sound case before you can do this. Moreover, a formal complaint to the Emperor is not something to be undertaken lightly. Tell me first, how will you accuse him?" Xingzhe laughed, "I have my plan: I'll use this tablet and incense burner as evidence, and I'll also prepare a written complaint." Bajie said, "What will you write on the complaint? Recite it for me." Xingzhe said: "The complainant, Sun Wukong, whose age is registered in the census, is a disciple of the monk Tripitaka of the Great Tang in the East who journeys to the Western Heaven to fetch scriptures. The complaint is about the abduction of a person by a false demon: Now, Li Jing, the Heavenly King Who Bears the Pagoda, together with his son Nezha, the Third Prince, have been negligent in guarding their inner chambers, allowing their own daughter to slip out and, in the lower world, transform into an evil spirit in the Bottomless Cave of Trapped-Empty Mountain, where she has bewitched and killed countless people. She has now abducted my master into a winding and hidden place, with no trace to be found. If I do not lodge this complaint, I fear that this father and son are unrighteous, deliberately letting their daughter become a spirit to harm the multitudes. I beg for your compassion and approval to issue a warrant to bring them to court, to subdue the evil and rescue my master, and to clearly pronounce their guilt. This would be a great kindness. I submit this above." When Bajie and Sha Seng heard his words, they were very pleased and said, "Brother, your complaint is reasonable; you will surely gain the upper hand. But be sure to come back quickly; if you delay, I fear the demon may harm Master's life." Xingzhe said, "I am swift, I am swift—I'll be back when the rice is cooked, or even when the tea is boiled." The Great Sage, holding the spirit tablet and incense burner, leaped up, rode the auspicious cloud, and went straight to the Southern Heavenly Gate. At that time, the Great Strength Heavenly King and the Nation-Protecting Heavenly King who guarded the gate saw Xingzhe, and they all bowed with backs bent and bodies humbled, not daring to obstruct him, and let him enter. He went all the way to the Hall of Clear Understanding, where the four great celestial masters Zhang, Ge, Xu, and Qiu greeted him with salutations and asked, "Great Sage, why have you come?" Xingzhe said, "I have a written complaint; I need to accuse two people." The celestial masters were startled and said, "This scoundrel—I wonder whom he wants to accuse?" But they had no choice but to lead him into the Lingxiao Hall to present the matter, and by imperial decree he was summoned in. Xingzhe set down the tablet and incense burner, completed the courtesies toward the throne, and presented the complaint. The Immortal Elder Ge received it and spread it on the imperial desk. The Jade Emperor read it from beginning to end, and seeing what it said, he immediately endorsed the original complaint as a sacred decree and ordered Taibai Jinxing, the Great White Planet of the West, to receive the decree and go to the Yunlou Palace to summon Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, to appear. Xingzhe stepped forward and said, "I hope Your Heavenly Majesty will punish him severely; otherwise, there will be more trouble." The Jade Emperor further ordered, "The plaintiff shall also go." Xingzhe said, "Old Sun is to go too?" The four celestial masters said, "His Majesty has already issued the decree; you may go with the Planet." Xingzhe indeed followed the Planet, rose on the clouds, and soon arrived at Yunlou Palace. It turned out to be the Heavenly King's residence, named Yunlou Palace. When the Planet saw a young attendant standing at the palace gate, the attendant recognized the Planet and went inside to report, "The venerable Taibai Jinxing has arrived." The Heavenly King came out to welcome him. And seeing the Planet holding the decree, he ordered incense to be burned. But when he turned around and saw Xingzhe following in, the Heavenly King became angry. Why was he angry? In the years when Xingzhe had caused havoc in Heaven, the Jade Emperor had appointed the Heavenly King as Grand Marshal for Subduing Demons and appointed Nezha as the God of the Three Altars and Oceanic Assembly, commanding heavenly troops to capture Xingzhe, but after repeated battles they could not defeat him. There was still residual anger from that defeat five hundred years ago, and he resented him, hence his anger. Unable to contain himself, he said, "Old Chang Geng, what decree do you bear?" The Planet said, "It is a complaint filed by Sun the Great Sage against you." The Heavenly King was already annoyed, and upon hearing the word "complaint," he flew into a thunderous rage and said, "What does he accuse me of?" The Planet said, "He accuses you of abducting people by means of a false demon. Burn the incense and open and read it yourself." The Heavenly King, fuming, set up an incense table, faced the sky, and gave thanks for the imperial favor. After bowing, he unfolded the decree and read it. When he saw that it was precisely this and that, he was so enraged that he struck the incense table with his hand and said, "This monkey has wrongfully accused me." The Planet said, "Calm down. There are the spirit tablet and incense burner in the imperial presence as evidence, saying that she is your own daughter." The Heavenly King said, "I have only three sons and one daughter. The eldest son is named Jinzha; he serves Tathagata as a front-line protector. The second son is named Muzha; he follows Guanyin in the South Sea as a disciple. The third son is named Nezha; he stays by my side, attending court and guarding the imperial carriage morning and evening. My daughter is only seven years old, named Zhenying; she has not yet even learned the ways of the world—how could she become a demon? If you don't believe me, I'll bring her out for you to see. This monkey is utterly impolite. Not to mention that I am a meritorious minister in Heaven, invested with the authority to execute first and report later—even a common mortal in the lower world should not be falsely accused. The law says: 'False accusation adds three degrees to the penalty.'" He ordered his subordinates, "Take the Demon-Binding Rope and tie up this monkey." At that moment, the soldiers arranged in the court, including the Giant Spirit God, the Fish-Belly General, and the Brave Yaksha Commander, all rushed forward and bound Xingzhe. The Planet said, "Li Tianwang, do not court disaster. I received the decree together with him in the imperial presence to summon you. Your rope is quite heavy; if you hurt him, it will cause trouble." The Heavenly King said, "Planet, with such false and deceitful accusations, should I tolerate him? Sit down for a while, and let me take the Demon-Slaying Saber to cut down this monkey, and then I will go with you to see His Majesty and report back." When the Planet saw him take up the saber, he was terrified and said to Xingzhe, "You have done wrong. Is a complaint to the Emperor something to be made lightly? You didn't even verify the facts. If you mess around like this and he takes your life, what then?" Xingzhe showed no fear at all, and said with a smile, "Old official, don't worry; there is nothing at all. Old Sun's business has always been done this way—first lose, then win." Before he finished speaking, the Heavenly King swung the saber and aimed it at Xingzhe's head. But the Third Prince quickly stepped forward and blocked it with the Demon-Slaying Sword, crying, "Father King, calm down." The Heavenly King was greatly startled. Alas! When a father sees his son parry a sword with a sword, he ought to shout him back, so why was he instead greatly startled and turned pale? It turned out that when the Heavenly King begot this son, on his left palm was the character "Nā" and on his right palm the character "Zhā," hence his name was Nezha. This prince, on the third day after his birth, went down to the sea to bathe and stirred up trouble: he kicked over the Crystal Palace, seized a flood dragon, and wanted to pull out its sinews to make a sash. When the Heavenly King learned of this, he feared future calamity and wished to kill him. Nezha, enraged, took a knife in hand, cut off his flesh to return to his mother, and stripped off his bones to return to his father, giving back his father's essence and mother's blood. His single soul went straight to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss to appeal to the Buddha. The Buddha was just then expounding scriptures with the multitude of bodhisattvas when he heard someone beneath the banners and canopies call out: "Save me!" The Buddha, with his wisdom-eye, saw that it was Nezha's soul, and immediately took green lotus roots for bones and lotus leaves for clothing, intoned the true words of resurrection, and Nezha thereby regained his life. He then exercised his divine power and subdued the demons of ninety-six caves by magic, his supernatural powers vast and great. Later he wanted to kill the Heavenly King to avenge the enmity of having his bones stripped. The Heavenly King, having no way out, begged the Buddha Tathagata for help. Tathagata, holding harmony as supreme, bestowed upon him an exquisite, translucent, and radiant pagoda of wish-fulfilling golden relics. On every level of that pagoda there were Buddhas, blazing with brilliant light. He called on Nezha to take the Buddha as his father, thus resolving their enmity. That is why he is called the Heavenly King Who Holds the Pagoda. Now, because he was at leisure at home that day and had not held the pagoda, he feared that Nezha might harbor thoughts of revenge, hence he was greatly startled and turned pale. Then he immediately turned back, took the golden pagoda from its stand, and held it in his hand, asking Nezha: "My child, you parried my sword with yours—what have you to say?" Nezha cast aside his sword and kowtowed, saying: "Father King, there is a daughter down in the lower realm." The Heavenly King said: "My child, I have only given birth to you four siblings—where is there another daughter?" Nezha said: "Father King, have you forgotten? That daughter was originally a demon. Three hundred years ago she became a monster and stole the fragrant flower and precious candle from Mount Ling to eat. Tathagata sent our father-and-son heavenly troops to capture her. When captured, she should have been killed, but Tathagata commanded: 'Raising fish in stagnant water never leads to angling; feeding deer in deep mountains looks to long life.' At that time he spared her life. Grateful for this mercy, she honored you, Father King, as her father, and me, your child, as her elder brother. She set up a spirit tablet below, offering incense and fire. Unexpectedly, she became a demon again and plotted against Tang Sanzang, but Sun Wukong searched her lair, took the spirit tablet, and used it as evidence to file an imperial complaint. This is an adopted daughter of obligation, not our own sister by blood." When the Heavenly King heard this, he was alarmed and startled, saying: "My child, I have truly forgotten. What is she called?" The prince said: "She has three names: by her original origin she is called the Golden-Nosed White-Haired Mouse Spirit; because she stole the fragrant flower and precious candle, she changed her name to Half-Bodied Guanyin; now that she has been spared and sent to the lower realm, she has changed it again to Lady Earthsurge." Only then did the Heavenly King come to his senses. He put down the pagoda and personally came to untie the Traveler. The Traveler then began to act stubborn, saying: "Who dares to untie me? If you must, carry me in ropes to see His Majesty—only then will my case be won." This so flustered the Heavenly King that his hands went weak, the prince was speechless, and all the household generals retreated in defeat. The Great Sage rolled and brawled, insisting that the Heavenly King appear before the throne. The Heavenly King, having no scheme, pleaded with Old Star to put in a good word. Old Star said: "As the ancients said: 'In all things, be lenient.' You acted too hastily—you bound him and wanted to kill him. This monkey is a famous rascal. How do you expect me to handle it now? If we go by what your son said, even though she is an adopted daughter, not a blood daughter, still the affection of a late adoption is weighty; no matter how you argue, you will still bear some blame." The Heavenly King said: "Old Star, if you can put in a good word, then I will be without fault." Old Star said: "I too wish to reconcile you, but I have no grounds to speak." The Heavenly King said: "Just tell him about the matter of the memorial for amnesty and the appointment to office—that will suffice." So Old Star stepped forward and touched the Traveler, saying: "Great Sage, for my meager face, let the ropes be untied so we can go to court." The Traveler said: "Old officer, no need to untie—I know a rolling spell; I can roll all the way there." Old Star laughed and said: "You monkey, you are too heartless. I once showed you some kindness, and now you won't even agree to this little thing?" The Traveler said: "What kindness have you shown me?" Old Star said: "When you were a monster on Flower-Fruit Mountain, subduing tigers and dragons, forcibly erasing your name from the registers of death, gathering a host of demons and running wild, Heaven wanted to capture you. It was I who strenuously memorialized, and a decree of amnesty was issued, summoning you to the celestial court and appointing you as Protector of the Horses. You drank the Immortal Wine of the Jade Emperor, and later when you were again offered amnesty, it was again I who strenuously memorialized, and you were appointed 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven.' But you did not keep your place—you stole peaches, stole wine, and stole the Old Lord's elixirs. All that happened, and only thus did you achieve immortality. If not for me, how could you have come to where you are today?" The Traveler said: "The ancients said well: 'When dead, do not share a tomb with an old man.' How cleanly you pick on people! I merely served as Protector of the Horses and caused a ruckus in Heaven—nothing more serious. Oh, very well, very well—for the sake of your old face, let him come untie me himself." Only then did the Heavenly King dare to step forward, untie the bonds, and invite the Traveler to dress and take a seat, each in turn stepping forward to bow. The Traveler turned to Old Star and said: "Old officer, what do you think? I said I would lose first and win later—business is always done this way. Quickly urge him to go to court; don't delay my master." Old Star said: "Don't hurry—after all this commotion, let's have a cup of tea." The Traveler said: "If you drink his tea, you accept his private favor; you release a prisoner, you slight the imperial decree—what crime would you incur?" Old Star said: "No tea, no tea. You are even slandering me now. Li Tianwang, hurry, hurry." The Heavenly King dared not go, fearing that he might make something out of nothing, play rascal, and babble nonsense—how could he argue with him? Having no alternative, he again begged Old Star to put in a good word. Old Star said: "I have one thing to say—will you abide by me?" The Traveler said: "For your sake, I've already overlooked the rope-binding and sword-slashing; what else have you to say? Speak, speak. If it's well said, I'll follow; if not, don't blame me." Old Star said: "One day's litigation takes ten days to try. You have filed an imperial complaint, saying the demon is the Heavenly King's daughter; the Heavenly King says she is not. The two of you will only go back and forth in argument before the throne. I say, one day in Heaven is one year in the lower realm. During that year, that demon will have your master trapped in her cave—not to mention marrying him, but if she conceives and bears a son, she will have given birth to a little monk—wouldn't that ruin the great matter?" The Traveler lowered his head and thought: "Right, I left Eight Precepts and Sand Monk, saying I'd return when the meal was cooked or when the tea boiled. Now I've spent this long—won't I be late? Old officer, since I'll follow your advice, how do I deliver the imperial decree?" Old Star said: "Tell Li Tianwang to muster troops and go down with you to subdue the demon; I will go back to report the decree." The Traveler said: "How will you report?" Old Star said: "I will only say that the plaintiff has escaped, and the defendant is excused from summons." The Traveler laughed and said: "Good, I spared you for your sake, but you say I escaped. Tell him to muster troops and wait for me outside the South Heavenly Gate. I will go with you to report the decree and withdraw the complaint." The Heavenly King, fearful, said: "If he goes and speaks ill of me, it would be a minister turning against his sovereign." The Traveler said: "What kind of person do you take old Sun for? I too am a true man: 'A word spoken is chased by four horses; it cannot be taken back.' How could I slander you with foul words?" The Heavenly King then thanked the Traveler. The Traveler and Old Star went back to report the decree. The Heavenly King mustered his own heavenly troops and went straight out of the South Heavenly Gate. Venus and the Great Sage returned together to see the Jade Emperor and reported, "The one who entrapped the Tang Monk was an essence formed from a white-haired, golden-nosed mouse, who had falsely set up the spirit tablets of the Heavenly King and his son. The Heavenly King, having learned of this, has already mustered troops to subdue the monster. We beg Your Celestial Majesty to pardon our offenses." The Jade Emperor, already aware of the matter, extended his heavenly grace and exempted them from further inquiry. The Great Sage immediately returned on his cloud radiance. Arriving outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, he saw the Heavenly King and the Crown Prince arraying heavenly soldiers, waiting. Ah! Those divine generals—winds rolling, mists surging—greeted the Great Sage and together descended from the clouds, soon arriving at Mount Pitfall. Eight Rules and Sha Monk had been watching anxiously when they saw the heavenly troops and the Great Sage arrive. The idiot stepped forward, saluted the Heavenly King, and said, "Much trouble, much trouble." The Heavenly King said, "Marshal Heavenly Reeds, you are unaware. It was only because my father and son received a stick of incense from that creature that the fiend acted without reason and trapped your master. Forgive our late arrival. Is this Mount Pitfall? But I do not know which way the mouth of her cave faces." The Great Sage said, "I know this road well enough, but this cave is called the Bottomless Cave, stretching over three hundred li around, with many dens and lairs of monsters. Earlier, my master was in that gate-tower with the dripping water; now it is utterly silent, not even a ghostly shadow—who knows where she has moved them?" The Heavenly King said, "No matter what thousand schemes she devises, she cannot escape the net of heaven and the snare of earth. Let us reach the cave mouth and then decide." They all advanced. Indeed! After some ten li or so, they arrived at that great boulder. The Great Sage pointed to the jar-mouth-sized opening and said, "There it is." The Heavenly King said, "Unless one enters the tiger's den, how can one catch the tiger's cub? Who will lead the way?" The Great Sage said, "I shall lead." The Third Crown Prince said, "I have received the Jade Decree to subdue the fiend—I shall lead." Then the idiot blustered and shouted loudly, "For the vanguard, it should be old Pigsy!" The Heavenly King said, "No need for such clamor. Just follow my deployment: Sun the Great Sage and the Crown Prince shall lead the soldiers and generals down into the cave; we three shall guard the entrance above, coordinating outside and within, so that she has no road to heaven and no door to earth—only then will we show a little of our skill." Everyone answered in unison, "Yes." Now observe the Great Sage and the Third Crown Prince leading the troops and generals, shooting straight into the cave. They mounted their cloud radiance and looked up—truly a fine cave indeed: Still the paired wheels of sun and moon shone, Illuminating hills and streams as before. Pearl-deep pools and jade wells, warm haze enfurled— And much more to admire. Layered crimson towers and painted pavilions, Lofty red cliffs and green fields. Willows of spring and lotuses of ninth-month autumn— Truly a rare fairy cave. In an instant they halted their cloud radiance and went straight to the fiend's old dwelling. They searched door by door, shouting and calling, layer after layer, place after place, trampling every blade of grass across those three hundred li—but where was any fiend? Where was Tripitaka? All they could say was, "This cursed beast must have left this cave long ago and gone far away." Little did they know that she was in the pitch-black southeastern corner; looking down, there was another small cave. Inside that cave was a tiny door and a low hut, with several kinds of flowers in pots and several stalks of bamboo by the eaves, dark vapors swirling, faint fragrance wafting. The old monster had carried off Tripitaka and moved him here, pressing him to marry her. She thought the Great Sage would never find them—who knew her fate was sealed. The little monsters inside were all chattering and huddling together. Among them, one bolder one stretched out his neck and took a brief look outside the cave, only to bump right into a heavenly soldier, who shouted, "Here they are!" The Great Sage, stirred to fury, clenched his golden-banded staff and burst straight in. The space inside was narrow, with a whole nest of fiends crammed in. The Third Crown Prince then roused the heavenly troops, and they surged forward together—where could any of them flee? The Great Sage found Tang Monk, along with the dragon horse and the luggage. The old monster, seeing no way out, faced Prince Nezha and kowtowed repeatedly, begging for her life. The Crown Prince said, "This is a Jade Decree to arrest you—no small matter. My father and I, merely because we received a stick of incense, nearly ended up like a monk dragging timber—making a 'temple' (a pun meaning 'trouble')." With a shout, the heavenly soldiers took down the Demon-Binding Ropes and bound all the fiends. The old monster could not escape her share of suffering. They turned back their cloud radiance and emerged together from the cave. The Great Sage chuckled and giggled as he went. The Heavenly King pulled open the cave mouth, greeted the Great Sage, and said, "Now at last we see your master." The Great Sage said, "Many thanks, many thanks." Then he led Tripitaka to bow in thanks to the Heavenly King, and then to the Crown Prince. Sha Monk and Eight Rules only wanted to hack the old fiend to pieces, but the Heavenly King said, "She is taken by Jade Decree and cannot be dealt with lightly. We still must return to report the decree." On one side, the Heavenly King together with the Third Crown Prince led the heavenly soldiers and divine generals, escorting the fiend, to present her before the Celestial Court and await disposition. On the other side, the Great Sage escorted Tang Monk, Sha Monk gathered the luggage, Eight Rules reined the horse, and they asked Tang Monk to mount. All together they took the great road. Thus: They cut the silk vines across the golden sea, Opened the jade lock and left the cage. But if you do not know what happened next, listen to the explanation in the following chapter.