A poem says:
Deluded thoughts need not be forcibly suppressed; the true nature need not be anxiously sought. The original self is cultivated before the Buddha; confusion and enlightenment do not dwell in before or after. Enlightenment is achieved in an instant; delusion sinks one through countless kalpas. If one can unite a single thought with true cultivation , the sins as numerous as the Ganges’ sands will be extinguished.
Now, Bajie and Sha Monk had fought the demon for thirty rounds without either side gaining the upper hand. Do you know why they could not prevail? If we were to speak of true skill, not just two monks, but even twenty would be no match for that fiend. It was only because the Tang Monk ’s destiny was not yet exhausted that guardian spirits protected him in secret. In the heavens, the Six Ding and Six Jia Spirits , the Five Directions Revealers , the Four Duty Gods , and the Eighteen Vajra Guardians of the Faith all lent their hidden aid to Bajie and Sha Monk.
Let us set aside their battle for a moment and speak instead of the Tang Monk, who wept bitterly in the cave. Thinking of his disciples, tears streaming down his face, he said to himself: “Wuneng, I wonder in which village you have found a charitable soul and, greedy for a vegetarian meal, refuse to return. Wujing , you have gone to search for him, but will you ever meet? And who would have thought that I would encounter such a demon and suffer here! When will I see you again, escape this great calamity, and hasten to the Spirit Mountain?”
As he was weeping and worrying, he suddenly saw a woman emerge from the depths of the cave. Leaning against the soul-fixing pillar , she asked: “Venerable Monk, from where have you come? Why has he bound you here?”
Hearing this, the Tang Monk wiped his tears and stole a glance at her. She appeared to be about thirty years old. “Bodhisattva,” he said, “do not trouble yourself to ask. I am a man already condemned to death, having stumbled into your home by mistake. If you wish to eat me, then eat me. Why bother asking?”
The woman replied: “I am not one who devours men. My home lies over three hundred miles west of here, in a city called the Precious Elephant Kingdom . I am the king’s third daughter, known in childhood as Hundred-Color Fragrance . On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival , thirteen years ago, I was admiring the moon when this demon snatched me away on a whirlwind and brought me here. I have been his wife for thirteen years and borne him children, but have never had a chance to send word to my family. I think of my parents every day but cannot see them. Where have you come from that he captured you?”
“I am a humble monk on a pilgrimage to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures,” said the Tang Monk. “I wandered carelessly and stumbled into this place. Now he intends to capture my two disciples as well and steam us all together for a meal.”
The princess smiled and said: “Venerable Monk, set your heart at ease. Since you are a scripture pilgrim, I can save you. The Precious Elephant Kingdom lies on your westward road. If you will deliver a letter to my parents for me, I will beg him to release you.”
“Bodhisattva,” said Tripitaka, nodding, “if you can save my life, I am willing to carry your letter.”
The princess hurried to the rear of the cave, quickly wrote a letter, sealed it, and returned to the pillar. She untied the Tang Monk’s ropes and placed the letter in his hands. Once free, he held the letter and said: “Bodhisattva, I thank you for your life-saving grace. When I pass through the Precious Elephant Kingdom, I will surely deliver this letter to the king. But I fear that if too much time has passed, your parents may not acknowledge you. What then? Do not blame me for speaking boldly.”
“Do not worry,” said the princess. “My father the king has no sons, only us three daughters. When he sees this letter, he will surely recognize me.”
Tripitaka tucked the letter securely into his sleeve, thanked the princess, and prepared to leave. But she stopped him, saying: “You cannot leave through the front gate! Outside, all the great and small demons are waving banners, beating drums, and shouting, helping their king fight your disciples. Go out through the back gate. If the king catches you, he might interrogate you first; but if a lesser demon catches you, he may not bother to ask who you are and simply kill you. Let me go and plead with him. If he agrees to release you, wait for your disciples to come, and leave together.”
Hearing this, Tripitaka kowtowed and followed her instructions. He slipped out through the back gate but, afraid to travel alone, hid himself among the thorns and brambles.
Meanwhile, the princess, having formed a plan, hurried to the front gate. Parting the throng of lesser demons, she heard the clang and clash of weapons—Bajie, Sha Monk, and the demon were locked in battle midair. The princess called out loudly: “Lord Yellow Robe !”
Hearing his wife’s voice, the demon king immediately disengaged from Bajie and Sha Monk, descended on his cloud, put down his steel blade, and supported the princess. “Wife,” he asked, “what is the matter?”
“My lord,” said the princess, “I was sleeping in my tent just now when a golden-armored spirit appeared to me in a dream.”
“Which golden-armored spirit?” asked the demon. “What business did he have with me?”
The princess replied: “When I was a child in the palace, I secretly made a vow to the spirits: if I married a good husband, I would visit famous mountains and sacred temples, and feed monks and give alms. Since marrying you, we have lived in harmony, and I never mentioned this vow. Just now, that golden-armored spirit came to demand that I fulfill my promise. The noise woke me, and I realized it was only a dream. I quickly dressed and came to tell you, and there I saw a monk tied to the pillar. I beg you, my lord, for my sake, show a little compassion and release that monk. Consider it part of my almsgiving and vow-fulfillment. Would you be willing?”
“Wife,” said the demon, “you worry too much! What is such a trifle? If I want to eat human flesh, can I not find it anywhere? Let that monk go.”
“My lord,” said the princess, “let him leave by the back gate.”
“Why bother with such trouble!” said the demon. “Let him go, and that is the end of it. What difference does the front or back gate make?” So saying, he picked up his steel blade and shouted: “Zhu Bajie, come here! It is not that I fear you or am unwilling to fight, but for my wife’s sake, I spare your master. Go quickly to the back gate, find him, and head westward! If you dare trespass on my territory again, I will show no mercy!”
Hearing this, Bajie and Sha Monk fled as if escaping the gates of hell. They hurriedly led the horse and shouldered the luggage, running to the back gate of the Moon-Wave Cave . There they called out: “Master!”
Recognizing their voices, the Tang Monk answered from among the thorns. Sha Monk parted the brambles, helped his master up, and hastily mounted him on the horse. Truly:
He narrowly escaped the cruel blue-faced demon, thanks to the kindness of Hundred-Color Fragrance. Like a giant turtle slipping off a golden hook , it wagged its tail and swam freely through the waves.
Bajie led the way, and Sha Monk followed behind. They emerged from the pine forest and found the main road. The two disciples grumbled and blamed each other, while Tripitaka constantly tried to soothe them. At night they found lodging; at cockcrow they resumed their journey. Stage by stage, post by post, they traveled two hundred and ninety-nine miles without noticing it. Suddenly, they looked up and saw a great city—it was the Precious Elephant Kingdom. What a magnificent place it was:
Clouds stretched far and wide; the road wound endlessly on. Though the land lay a thousand miles away, its scenery was rich with abundance. Auspicious mists and fortunate clouds shrouded it; clear winds and bright moons beckoned. The jagged and towering distant mountains unfolded like a great painting; the murmuring and gurgling streams splashed like shattered jade. Fertile fields crisscrossed with paths; abundant harvests of dense, new seedlings. A few fishing families by the winding streams; a woodcutter with a load of brushwood on his shoulder. Walls and battlements, city and ramparts, as firm as metal and as solid as a vat; homes and households, each vying in carefree ease. Lofty pavilions rose like palaces; terraces soared a thousand feet like banners. There were the Supreme Ultimate Hall, the Canopy Hall, the Incense-Burning Hall, the Literature Hall, the Proclamation Hall, and the Prolonged Excellence Hall—hall after hall with jade steps and golden stairs, lined with civil and military officials. There were the Great Brilliance Palace, the Shining Sun Palace, the Eternal Joy Palace, the Pure Splendor Palace, the Establishing Grandeur Palace, and the Endless Palace—palace after palace with bells, drums, pipes, and flutes, scattering the melancholy of the inner chambers. In the forbidden gardens, dew-kissed flowers adorned delicate faces; by the imperial moats, wind-swept willows danced with slender waists. On the broad thoroughfares, some wore caps and girdles, with dignified bearing, riding five-horse carriages; in the secluded byways, some carried bows and arrows, parting the clouds to shoot a pair of vultures. In the lanes of flowers and willows, on the towers of strings and pipes, the spring breeze was no less lovely than at Luoyang Bridge. The scripture-seeking elder, looking back at Chang’an, felt his heart and liver split; the disciples accompanying their master, resting at a small post station, saw their dreams and souls dissolve.
The three masters and disciples could not finish admiring the sights of the Precious Elephant Kingdom. They gathered their luggage and horse and lodged at the post station.
The next day, the Tang Monk walked to the gate of the imperial palace. He said to the gatekeeper: “A monk from the Tang Dynasty has come especially to pay homage to the king and exchange the travel permit. Please trouble yourself to announce me.”
The officer in charge of palace memorials hurried to the white jade steps and reported: “Your Majesty, there is a holy monk from the great Tang Dynasty who wishes to pay homage and exchange his travel permit.”
The king, hearing that the visitor came from the great nation of Tang and was a holy monk, was overjoyed. He immediately granted an audience, saying: “Summon him in.”
Tripitaka was led into the Golden Throne Hall and performed the kowtow. The civil and military officials on both sides sighed in admiration: “One from a superior nation indeed! How refined in manners and bearing!”
The king asked: “Venerable Monk, what business brings you to my kingdom?”
“I am a monk of the Tang Dynasty,” said Tripitaka, “sent by my emperor to fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven. I originally carried a travel permit, and upon reaching Your Majesty’s kingdom, it is proper to have it endorsed. Therefore, I have presumed to come and disturb Your Majesty. I beg your forgiveness.”
“Since you have the Tang Emperor’s permit,” said the king, “let me see it.”
Tripitaka presented the permit with both hands. The king unrolled it and placed it on his imperial desk. The permit read:
The Tang Emperor of the Great Tang, in the Southern Continent of Jambudvipa, by the Mandate of Heaven, issues this permit:
I, of meager virtue, have inherited the great foundation. I serve the spirits and govern the people, treading as if on thin ice and standing at the edge of a deep abyss, in constant anxiety day and night. Previously, failing to save the Old Dragon of the Jing River, I incurred the punishment of the August Heaven above. My three souls and seven spirits were suddenly taken to the underworld to become a guest of impermanence. Because my allotted lifespan was not yet exhausted, the Lord of the Underworld mercifully allowed me to return to life. I then held a great assembly of good deeds and established a salvation ceremony for the departed. Moved by the appearance of the golden body of the Compassionate Bodhisattva Guanyin, who pointed out that in the West there is a Buddha with scriptures that can save the dead and liberate solitary souls, I have specially dispatched the Dharma Master Xuanzang to travel across a thousand mountains and seek the sutras and verses. Should he arrive in the various kingdoms of the Western Regions, do not extinguish this good affinity. In accordance with this permit, allow him passage. This permit is hereby issued.
Issued on an auspicious autumn day in the thirteenth year of the Zhenguan era of the Great Tang, bearing nine imperial seals.
After reading the permit, the king affixed his own jade seal and signature, then handed it back to Tripitaka.
Tripitaka thanked His Majesty, received the permit, and then submitted another memorial: “I have come not only to exchange the travel permit, but also to deliver a letter to Your Majesty.”
The king was delighted. “What letter?” he asked.
“Your Majesty’s third daughter, the Princess Hundred-Color Fragrance,” said Tripitaka, “was captured by the Yellow Robe Demon of the Moon-Wave Cave on Bowl Mountain. I happened to meet her, and she entrusted me with this letter.”
Hearing this, the king’s eyes filled with tears. “Since the princess disappeared thirteen years ago,” he said, “I do not know how many civil and military officials have been demoted, nor how many palace maids and eunuchs have been beaten to death. Everyone said the princess had left the palace on her own and lost her way, and we searched every household in the city without finding any trace. Who would have thought she was captured by a demon! To hear this news today grieves me to the point of tears.”
Tripitaka took the letter from his sleeve and presented it. The king took it, and seeing the words “Peace” on the envelope, his hands grew so weak he could not open it. He ordered the Imperial Academy scholar to be summoned to read it aloud. The scholar immediately ascended the hall, and both the civil and military officials before the throne and the empress and consorts behind it leaned forward to listen.
The scholar unsealed the letter and read loudly:
Your unfilial daughter, Hundred-Color Fragrance, bows her head in reverence:
A hundred times I bow before the great and virtuous father king on his dragon-phoenix throne, before the three palaces and the empress mother in the Shining Sun Palace, and before the entire court of civil and military ministers.
Your unworthy daughter was fortunate to be born in the palace and is deeply grateful for the myriad toils of my parents. But I have been unable to exert myself to bring joy to your faces or fulfill my filial duties. Thirteen years ago, on the auspicious night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, by my father king’s gracious command, feasts were arranged in every palace to admire the moonlight and celebrate the clear night. In the midst of our revelry, a fragrant wind suddenly arose, and a demon king with golden eyes, a blue face, and green hair appeared. He seized me and, riding an auspicious cloud, carried me to a desolate spot deep in the mountains. There, unable to argue or resist, I was forced by the fiend to become his wife. Thus, I have endured thirteen years and borne two demon children, all of them the spawn of evil. This truly defiles human morality and injures public decency, and I should not have sent a letter to bring shame upon the family. But I fear that after I die, the truth will never be known.
While nursing my grievances and longing for my parents, I unexpectedly encountered the holy monk of the Tang Dynasty, who was also captured by the demon. I wrote this letter through my tears, boldly released him, and entrusted this scrap of paper to express my humble feelings. I humbly beg my father king to take pity and send a general to the Moon-Wave Cave on Bowl Mountain to capture the Yellow Robe Demon and rescue me, that I may return to the court. My gratitude would know no bounds. This hastily written note is not respectful; I await the opportunity to speak face to face.
Your rebellious daughter, Hundred-Color Fragrance, bows her head again and again.
After the scholar finished reading, the king wept aloud. The empress and consorts of the three palaces also shed tears, and the civil and military officials were all grieved. There was not a single person in or out of the palace who was not sorrowful.
The king wept for a long time, then asked his assembled officials: “Who is willing to lead an army to capture the demon and rescue my Princess Hundred-Color Fragrance?” He asked several times, but no one dared to answer—the military officers were like wooden carvings, the civil officials like clay statues. The king’s distress only deepened, and his tears flowed like a spring.
At that moment, the officials knelt together and submitted: “Your Majesty, do not grieve for now. The princess has been missing for thirteen years without any word. Now, thanks to the holy monk of Tang, we have received this letter, but we do not know if it is true or false. Moreover, we are but ordinary men, learned only in the art of war and strategy, capable of deploying formations and defending cities to protect the kingdom from invasion. That demon can ride clouds and summon mists; we cannot even see his face, let alone rescue the princess. It seems to us that this holy monk from the Eastern Land is a man of superior cultivation from a great nation. It is said that ‘when the Dao is high, dragons and tigers submit; when virtue is heavy, gods and spirits revere.’ He must possess the power to subdue demons. From ancient times it has been said, ‘The one who speaks of a dispute is the one involved in it.’ It would be better to ask this venerable monk to subdue the demon and rescue the princess. This is the most comprehensive plan.”
Hearing this, the king quickly turned to Tripitaka and said: “Venerable Monk, if you have the power and can use your arts to capture the demon and rescue my daughter, even if you do not go to the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha, I will allow you to let your hair grow long and return to lay life. I will swear brotherhood with you, and we will share the dragon throne and enjoy wealth and honor together. What do you say?”
Tripitaka hastily submitted: “Your humble monk only knows how to chant the Buddha’s name; I truly do not know how to subdue demons.”
The king asked: “If you do not know how to subdue demons, how dare you go to the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha?”
Unable to conceal the truth any longer, Tripitaka had to mention his two disciples. “Your Majesty,” he said, “I could never have come this far alone. I have two disciples who are skilled at opening roads through mountains and building bridges across rivers. They have protected me and brought me here.”
The king scolded: “You monk are too inconsiderate! Since you have disciples, why did you not bring them in to see me? Even if I had no valuable gifts, I could at least provide them with a vegetarian meal.”
“My disciples are hideously ugly,” said Tripitaka, “and I dared not bring them into the court rashly, lest they frighten Your Majesty.”
The king laughed. “You speak strangely, monk! Do you think I would be afraid of them?”
“It is not that I dare to speak presumptuously,” said Tripitaka, “but my senior disciple is surnamed Zhu, with the Dharma name Wuneng and the nickname Bajie. He has a long snout and protruding fangs, stiff bristles and fan-like ears, a stout body and a huge belly, and he walks with a wind. My second disciple is surnamed Sha, with the Dharma name Wujing. He is twelve feet tall, with arms three spans thick. His face is like indigo, his mouth like a blood bowl, his eyes are terrifying, and his teeth are arranged like nails. With such appearances, I dared not bring them into Your Majesty’s presence.”
“Now that you have told me,” said the king, “what is there for me to fear? Summon them in.” He immediately issued a golden token and sent it to the post station to summon Bajie and Sha Monk.
When the Fool heard that someone had come to summon them, he said to Sha Monk: “Brother, you see! The benefit of delivering that letter is already showing! The master must have presented the letter, and the king said, ‘We must not treat the messenger lightly.’ He is certainly going to prepare a feast. Knowing that the two of us have large appetites, and hearing that we are his disciples, he sent a golden token to summon us. Let us go and have a good meal first, so we can travel more easily tomorrow.”
“Elder Brother,” said Sha Monk, “whatever the reason, let us go and see first.”
The two of them entrusted the luggage and the horse to the station officials, took their weapons, and followed the imperial messenger into the court. They soon reached the white jade steps and stood on either side, making a slight bow to the king and then standing motionless.
The civil and military officials were all terrified and whispered among themselves: “These two monks are ugly enough, but they are also so ill-mannered! When they see the king, they do not kneel. They just bow and stand there stiffly! Strange! Strange!”
Bajie heard them and said: “Gentlemen, do not discuss us. At first glance, we are indeed a little ugly, but if you look longer, we are actually quite pleasant to the eye.”
The king, already unnerved by their ugliness, was so startled by the Fool’s words that he lost his balance and fell from his dragon throne. Fortunately, the attending officials caught him. Tripitaka knelt in panic before the hall, kowtowing repeatedly and saying: “Your Majesty, I deserve to die ten thousand deaths! I told you earlier that my disciples were ugly and dared not bring them to court for fear they would startle you, and now they have indeed frightened Your Majesty!”
Trembling, the king stepped forward and helped Tripitaka up. “Venerable Monk,” he said, “it is fortunate that you warned me in advance. If you had not, and I had seen them suddenly, I would certainly have been scared to death!”
After the king had calmed his mind for some time, he asked: “Venerable Zhu, Venerable Sha, which of you is skilled in subduing demons?”
The Fool, not knowing his own limits, answered: “Old Pig can subdue demons.”
“How do you do it?” asked the king.
“I was originally the Marshal of the Heavenly Reeds,” said Bajie, “but because I violated heavenly law, I was banished to the mortal world. Fortunately, I have now returned to the right path and become a monk. From the Eastern Land to this place, no one is better at subduing demons than I.”
“Since you are a heavenly general descended to earth,” said the king, “you must be skilled in transformations.”
“I dare not boast,” said Bajie, “but I can manage a few transformations.”
“Show me one,” said the king.
“Please tell me what to transform into, and I will do it,” said Bajie.
“Transform into something large,” said the king.
Bajie possessed thirty-six transformations. He immediately began to show off his skills before the steps. He made a hand seal, chanted a spell, and shouted: “Grow!” He arched his back and instantly grew to eighty or ninety feet tall, looking like a giant road-opening spirit. The civil and military officials trembled with fear, and the entire court was stunned.
A palace general then asked: “Venerable Monk, if you can grow this tall, how tall will you go before you stop?”
The Fool, speaking foolishly again, replied: “It depends on the wind. An east wind is fine, and a west wind will do. But if a south wind blows, I might poke a huge hole in the blue sky!”
The king was greatly alarmed and said: “Put away your divine power quickly! I know you can transform.”
Bajie shrank his body back to its original size and stood before the steps.
The king asked again: “Venerable Monk, when you go to fight the demon, what weapon will you use?”
Bajie pulled his rake from his belt and said: “Old Pig uses this rake.”
The king laughed. “That is hardly a proper weapon! I have whips, maces, melon-hammers, spears, swords, halberds, axes, lances, and sickles. You may choose any that suits you. What kind of weapon is a rake?”
“Your Majesty,” said Bajie, “you do not understand. Although my rake is crude, it is the weapon I have carried since childhood. When I was Marshal of the Heavenly River Mansion, commanding eighty thousand water soldiers, I relied entirely on this rake. Now that I have descended to the mortal world to protect my master, I use it to smash the dens of tigers and wolves when crossing mountains, and to overturn the lairs of dragons and serpents when crossing rivers. Everything depends on this rake.”
Hearing this, the king was both pleased and convinced. He immediately ordered his nine consorts: “Take the whole bottle of imperial wine I usually drink and bring it here to see the venerable monk off.” He then filled a cup and handed it to Bajie, saying: “Venerable Monk, this cup of wine is a token of my gratitude. After you have captured the demon and rescued my daughter, I will prepare a great banquet for you and reward you handsomely.”
The Fool took the cup. Although he was a rough man, he still had some manners. He bowed to Tripitaka and said: “Master, this wine should rightfully be offered to you first, but since it is a gift from the king, I dare not refuse it. I will drink it first to boost my spirits for capturing the demon.”
The Fool drained the cup in one gulp, then refilled it and handed it to his master. Tripitaka said: “I do not drink wine. You brothers drink it.”
Sha Monk stepped forward and took the cup. By then, Bajie had already mounted a cloud and flown into the air. The king exclaimed: “Venerable Zhu can ride clouds and mists!”
After the Fool had flown away, Sha Monk also drained his cup and said: “Master! When the Yellow Robe Demon captured you, the two of us fought him to a draw. Now that Second Elder Brother is going alone, I fear he may not be able to overcome him.”
“You are right, disciple,” said Tripitaka. “Go and help him.”
Hearing this, Sha Monk also mounted a cloud and flew upward.
The king was frightened and grabbed Tripitaka, saying: “Venerable Monk, stay and keep me company. Do not fly away on a cloud too!”
“Alas! Alas!” said Tripitaka. “I cannot even take a single step!”
And so the two of them sat talking in the hall. We will leave them for now.
Meanwhile, Sha Monk caught up with Bajie and said: “Elder Brother, I have come.”
“Brother,” said Bajie, “why have you come?”
“The master sent me to help you,” said Sha Monk.
Bajie was overjoyed. “Well said! You have come at the right time! If the two of us join forces to capture that demon, even if we do not have much skill, we will at least make a name for ourselves in this kingdom.”
Look at them:
With dense auspicious clouds, they left the borders of the kingdom; with thick, fortunate vapors, they departed the capital. Bearing the king’s decree, they came to the mountain cave, striving with united hearts to capture the demonic spirit.
Before long, they reached the cave and descended on their clouds. Bajie raised his rake and struck the stone gate of the Moon-Wave Cave with all his might, smashing a hole as big as a peck measure in it.
The lesser demon guarding the gate was terrified and quickly opened the door. Seeing who it was, he rushed inside to report: “Great King, it is terrible! Those two monks—the one with the long snout and big ears and the one with the dark face—have come back and smashed our stone gate!”
The demon was startled. “Zhu Bajie and Sha Monk again!” he said. “I spared their master! How dare they come to break my gate!”
“Perhaps they forgot something and came back to get it,” said the lesser demon.
The old demon roared: “Nonsense! Would they dare to break down my gate just because they forgot something? There must be another reason!” He quickly put on his armor, picked up his steel blade, and went out. “You monks,” he shouted, “I spared your master! How dare you come back to break down my gate?”
“You fiendish scoundrel!” said Bajie. “What a fine thing you have done!”
“What fine thing have I done?” asked the old demon.
“You abducted the third princess of the Precious Elephant Kingdom into your cave and forcibly made her your wife,” said Bajie. “Thirteen years have passed, and it is time to return her! I have come on the king’s decree to capture you. Go back inside, tie yourself up, and come out, so Old Pig does not have to use his strength!”
The old demon was enraged. Look at him: he ground his steel-like teeth, glared with his round eyes, and raised his blade with a fierce air. With reddened eyes, he swung at Bajie. Bajie dodged to the side and met the blow with his rake, while Sha Monk raised his staff and joined the attack.
This battle on the mountainside was different from the previous one. Truly:
Harsh words and wrong speech provoked anger; venomous intent and wounded feelings gave rise to fury. The demon king’s great steel blade struck straight at the head; Bajie’s nine-pronged rake met it head-on. Sha Wujing swung his precious staff, and the demon king parried the divine weapon. One fierce fiend, two divine monks—they came and went, and the fight seemed even. This one said: “You deceived the kingdom, a crime worthy of death!” That one said: “You meddle in others’ affairs, fighting for an unjust cause!” This one said: “You forced the princess into marriage, injuring the kingdom’s honor!” That one said: “It is none of your business—do not stir up strife!” In the end, it was all because of the delivery of a letter that the monk and the demon were thrown into turmoil.
After eight or nine rounds on the hillside, Bajie gradually began to weaken. He could no longer lift his rake, and his strength was failing. Do you know why he could not prevail? In the previous battle, because the Tang Monk was in the cave, the guardian spirits had secretly aided Bajie and Sha Monk, allowing them to fight to a draw. Now, all those spirits were in the Precious Elephant Kingdom protecting the Tang Monk, so the two of them were no match for the old demon.
The Fool said: “Sha Monk, you go up and fight him for a while. Let Old Pig go and relieve himself.”
Without waiting for Sha Monk to reply, he slipped away into a thicket of wormwood, creepers, thorns, and kudzu vines. Not caring whether his scalp was scratched or his face cut, he burrowed in, rolled over, and lay down, not daring to come out again. He left only one ear exposed to listen for any sound.
Seeing Bajie flee, the demon lunged at Sha Monk. Caught off guard, Sha Monk was seized by the demon and dragged into the cave. The lesser demons bound his hands and feet.
What will become of Sha Monk? Listen to the explanation in the next chapter.