After the Bodhisattva Guanyin finished reciting the Golden Fillet Mantra , the Red Boy felt no more pain. He rose and saw that golden bands were fastened around his neck, wrists, and ankles, squeezing him painfully. He tried to remove them, but they would not budge—these treasures had already taken root in his flesh, and the more he touched them, the more they hurt. The Pilgrim laughed and said, “My good child, the Bodhisattva feared you might not grow up properly, so she specially gave you a neck ring and bracelets!”
Hearing this, the Red Boy flew into a rage. He grabbed his long spear and lunged wildly at the Pilgrim. The Pilgrim quickly dodged behind the Bodhisattva and shouted, “Recite the spell! Recite the spell quickly!”
The Bodhisattva dipped a willow branch into some sweet dew and sprinkled it gently, crying out, “Join!” Instantly, the Red Boy dropped his spear. His hands came together involuntarily before his chest and could not separate. To this day, the common folk speak of the “ Guanyin Twist ,” which refers to this very event. Unable to open his hands or hold his weapon, the Red Boy finally understood the depth of the Bodhisattva’s divine power. With no other choice, he knelt and kowtowed, begging for mercy.
The Bodhisattva recited a true mantra , then turned her pure vase upside down, drawing back all the seawater she had poured out earlier, not a single drop remaining. She said to the Pilgrim, “Wukong, this fiend has surrendered, but his wild nature has not yet been tamed. I must make him prostrate himself with every step, all the way to Mount Putuo , to dissolve his violent energy. You must now go quickly into the cave and rescue your master!”
The Pilgrim turned and kowtowed, saying, “I have troubled you to travel so far, Bodhisattva. Let me see you off for a ways.” The Bodhisattva replied, “There is no need to see me off. Do not delay saving your master’s life.” Hearing this, the Pilgrim joyfully took his leave. Later, the Red Boy achieved true enlightenment, following the Bodhisattva through the “ Fifty-Three Prostrations ,” worshipping Guanyin at every step, and became the famous Sudhana , the Boy of Good Wealth.
Let us leave aside the matter of the Bodhisattva accepting her disciple. On the other side, Sha Monk had waited in the pine forest for a long time without seeing the Pilgrim return. He placed the luggage on the horse, took up his demon-subduing staff in one hand, and held the reins in the other. Walking out of the forest and looking south, he saw the Pilgrim approaching in high spirits. Sha Monk went up to him and said, “Brother, you went to invite the Bodhisattva, but why have you only returned now? I was worried to death!”
The Pilgrim replied, “You do not yet know. Old Sun has already invited the Bodhisattva, and she has subdued the fiend.” He then recounted in detail how the Bodhisattva had used her divine power to subdue the Red Boy. Sha Monk was overjoyed, saying, “Quickly, let us rescue the master!”
The two of them leaped over the mountain stream and rushed to the entrance of the Fire-Cloud Cave. After tying up the horse, they charged into the cave together, weapons raised. They wiped out all the little fiends, then untied the leather sack and released Zhu Bajie. Bajie thanked the Pilgrim and said, “Brother, where is that fiend? Let me give him a few rakes with my rake to vent my anger!” The Pilgrim said, “Finding the master is the most important thing.”
The three of them went straight to the rear courtyard, where they saw Tang Sanzang tied up, naked, weeping. Sha Monk quickly untied the ropes, and the Pilgrim fetched clothes for the master to put on. The three knelt before Tang Sanzang and said, “Master, you have suffered.”
Tang Sanzang thanked them and asked, “Worthy disciples, you have worked hard. How did you subdue that demon?” The Pilgrim once again recounted the story of inviting the Bodhisattva and subduing the Red Boy. Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang immediately knelt and kowtowed toward the south. The Pilgrim said, “There is no need to thank the Bodhisattva. In truth, we helped her—we got her a disciple.” Later, people would say, “The boy worships Guanyin; with fifty-three prostrations, he sees the Buddha,” referring to this event. The Pilgrim then told Sha Monk, “Gather all the treasures in the cave, and find some grain to cook a meal so the master can fill his stomach.” This elder owed his life entirely to the Great Sage Sun; to obtain the true scriptures, he also had to rely on this Handsome Monkey . The four of them left the cave, mounted the horse, and continued their journey, their hearts set on the West .
After traveling for over a month, they suddenly heard a thunderous roar of water. Tang Sanzang was startled and said, “Disciple, why is there the sound of water again?” The Pilgrim laughed and said, “Master, you are far too suspicious. Does that befit a monk? The four of us are walking together; why is it that only you hear the sound of water? Have you forgotten the Heart Sutra?”
Tang Sanzang said, “The Heart Sutra was taught to me personally by the Crow’s Nest Chan Master on Floating-Tu Mountain . It has fifty-four lines and two hundred and seventy characters. I memorized it on the spot and have recited it constantly ever since. Which line do you claim I have forgotten?”
The Pilgrim said, “Master, you have forgotten the line, ‘No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind.’ We who have left the family do not look at beauty with our eyes, do not listen to noise with our ears, do not smell fragrance with our noses, do not taste flavors with our tongues, do not feel cold or heat with our bodies, and do not harbor delusions in our minds—only then can we eliminate the ‘ Six Thieves .’ But now, because you seek to obtain the scriptures, you put everything on your mind: you fear fiends and are unwilling to risk your life; you think about food and set your tongue to work; you love sweet smells and use your nose; you are startled by sounds and fix your gaze on sights—have you not summoned all the ‘Six Thieves’? How can you reach the Western Heaven to see the Buddha?”
Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang fell silent and sighed, then recited a poem: “Since that year I parted from the holy lord, I have toiled day and night with great diligence. My hempen sandals have worn through the mist on the mountains; my bamboo hat has parted the clouds on the peaks. How lamentable is the cry of the ape in the still night; how unbearable is the cawing of the crow beneath the bright moon. When will I complete the threefold path and obtain the Tathagata’s wondrous dharma?”
Hearing this, the Pilgrim could not help but clap his hands and laugh heartily, saying, “Master, you are homesick! What is so difficult about completing the ‘threefold path’? As the saying goes, ‘When the work is done, success will come naturally!’”
Bajie turned his head and said, “Brother, if we run into such powerful fiends every day, we won’t reach the Western Heaven even if we travel for a thousand years!” Sha Monk said, “Second Brother, you and I are both clumsy with words. Don’t provoke Big Brother. As long as we follow the master and keep traveling diligently, we will succeed one day.”
As the master and disciples were talking, they did not stop moving. The horse ran swiftly, and soon they saw a black river ahead with surging, turbulent waves. The horse could not cross at all. The four of them halted at the cliff’s edge and carefully observed the water: layer upon layer of thick waves, wave upon wave of murky currents. The thick waves churned like black ink; the murky currents rolled like dark oil. Seen from close up, they did not reflect a person’s shadow; seen from afar, it was difficult to make out the shapes of trees. It rolled like a sheet of ink across the earth, surging like a thousand miles of gray ash. The foam floating on the surface looked like piled-up charcoal; the splashing spray seemed like churning coal. Neither cattle nor sheep would drink from it; crows and magpies dared not fly over it. Cattle and sheep loathed its deep blackness; crows and magpies feared its vast expanse. Only the reeds on the bank knew the seasons, and the flowers and grass on the shoals competed in greenness and strangeness. Lakes, rivers, and seas exist everywhere under heaven; streams, springs, and caves are found throughout the world. Everyone in life has a place to meet, but who has ever seen such a Black Water River in the West!
Tang Sanzang dismounted and said, “Disciple, why is this water so muddy and black?” Bajie said, “Perhaps someone has spilled an indigo vat here.” Sha Monk said, “No, it might be where someone washed their inkstone and brush.” The Pilgrim said, “Stop your wild guesses. First, let’s find a way to get the master across.”
Bajie said, “If I were to cross this river, it wouldn’t be difficult—I could either ride a cloud or swim underwater. I could be across in the time it takes to eat a meal.” Sha Monk said, “I could do it too—ride a cloud and be on the other bank in no time.” The Pilgrim said, “It’s easy for us, but difficult for the master.”
Tang Sanzang asked, “How wide is this river?” Bajie said, “About ten miles wide.” Tang Sanzang said, “The three of you should discuss who will carry me across.” The Pilgrim said, “Bajie can carry you.” Bajie said, “It’s not easy to carry! If I carry the master while riding a cloud, I can’t get three feet off the ground—as the saying goes, ‘Carrying a mortal is as heavy as a mountain.’ If I carry him underwater, I might sink down with him.”
As the master and disciples were deliberating by the river, they suddenly saw a man paddling a small boat downstream toward them. Tang Sanzang was delighted and said, “Disciple, there’s a boat coming! Call him over to ferry us across.” Sha Monk shouted loudly, “Boatman, come over and ferry us across!”
The man in the boat said, “This is not a ferryboat. How can I ferry people across?” Sha Monk said, “In heaven and on earth, convenience is most important. Even if you are not a ferryman, we will not trouble you often. We are envoys from the East, Buddhist disciples going to the Western Heaven to obtain the scriptures. Please do us this kindness and ferry us across, and we will thank you.”
Upon hearing this, the man paddled the boat to the cliff’s edge, steadied himself with the oar, and said, “Master, my boat is small, and you are many. I cannot ferry you all at once.” Tang Sanzang looked closely and saw that the boat was carved from a single log, with only one hatch in the middle that could hold at most two people. Tang Sanzang said, “What can we do?” Sha Monk said, “Then we will cross in two trips.”
Bajie, wanting to be lazy, rolled his eyes and said, “Wujing, you and Big Brother stay here and watch the luggage and the horse. I will first escort the master across, then come back for the horse. Big Brother can ride a cloud and jump across by himself.” The Pilgrim nodded and said, “You are right.”
Bajie helped Tang Sanzang onto the boat. The boatman pushed off and paddled toward the middle of the river. But just as they reached the center, suddenly a thunderous crash erupted. Huge waves rolled, blotting out the sky and the sun. A fierce wind howled—truly a terrifying gale: A cannon-like cloud burst into the sky; a thousand layers of black waves rose high. Flying sand on both banks blinded the sun; trees fell on all sides, shaking the heavens with their roar. The churning river and sea frightened even the dragon spirits; the swirling dust and earth withered flowers and trees. It roared like the thunder of spring; it howled violently like a starving tiger. Crabs, turtles, fish, and shrimp all bowed in submission; flying birds and running beasts lost their nests. Boats on all five lakes met with disaster; families on the four seas lost their lives. Fishermen in the creeks could not hold their rods; boatmen on the river could not wield their poles. Roof tiles were torn off, bricks were thrown down, houses collapsed; heaven and earth shook, and Mount Tai itself trembled.
It turned out that the boatman was none other than a fiend of the Black Water River. He watched as Tang Sanzang and Bajie, together with the boat, sank into the water, disappearing in an instant. No one knew where he had carried them off to.
Sha Monk and the Pilgrim on the bank were alarmed and said, “This is terrible! The master meets with disaster at every step! He has only just escaped the clutches of the Red Boy, traveled a short distance in peace, and now he is in danger again on the Black Water River!” Sha Monk said, “Could the boat have capsized? Let’s search downstream.”
The Pilgrim said, “It wasn’t a capsizing. If the boat had capsized, Bajie knows how to swim and would have carried the master back up. I thought there was something wrong with that boatman from the start. He must have stirred up this fierce wind and dragged the master underwater.” Sha Monk said, “Brother, why didn’t you say so earlier! You watch the horse and the luggage. I’ll go into the water and search!” The Pilgrim said, “The color of this water is strange. I’m afraid you won’t be able to go.” Sha Monk said, “This water is nothing compared to the Flowing-Sand River where I once lived. I can go! I can go!”
Good Sha Monk! He took off his outer robe, rubbed his hands and feet, swung his demon-subduing staff, and with a splash, parted the water and plunged into the river, striding forward with large steps. As he walked, he suddenly heard voices. Sha Monk hid to the side and peered ahead. He saw a pavilion before him, with eight large characters written above the gate: “The Black Water River God’s Mansion at Hengyang Valley.” From inside, he heard a monster sitting on a dais say, “After all this hard work, I have finally caught something good today! This monk is a good man who has cultivated for ten lifetimes. Eating just one piece of his flesh will grant immortality. I have been waiting for him for a long time, and today my efforts have not been in vain.”
The monster continued to give orders: “Little ones! Quickly bring out the iron cage. Steam these two monks whole, then write an invitation to invite my Second Maternal Uncle to come and celebrate my birthday!” Hearing this, Sha Monk could no longer contain his rage. He raised his staff and struck the gate wildly, cursing, “You vile fiend! Give me back my master and my senior brother Bajie at once!”
The little fiends inside the gate were terrified and ran to report, “Calamity! Calamity!” The old fiend asked, “What calamity?” The little fiend said, “Outside, there is a dark-faced monk who is beating on the gate and cursing. He wants his master!”
Hearing this, the old fiend immediately ordered the little fiends to bring his armor. The little fiends brought out the armor, and the old fiend dressed himself fully. In his hand, he carried a steel whip made of bamboo joints. He strode out of the gate—a truly ferocious and venomous sight: His square face and round eyes shone with a rosy glow; his curled lips and huge mouth were red as a blood basin. A few iron-wire-like sparse whiskers swayed on his chin; his disheveled hair hung down from his temples like cinnabar. In form, he resembled a mighty, manifesting Grand Duke of the Year; in appearance, he was like an enraged, furious Thunder God. He wore an iron breastplate, bright and patterned, and a golden helmet studded with precious gems. In his hand, he carried a bamboo-jointed steel whip; when he moved, a rolling, raging wind followed. Born as a creature of the waves, he had shed his original form to become a fierce monster. If you ask the true name of this evil fiend, in his former life he was called the Little Crocodile Dragon.
The old fiend roared, “Who is it that dares to strike my gate?” Sha Monk said, “You ignorant, vile fiend! You dared to disguise yourself as a boatman and kidnap my master! Return him at once, and I will spare your life!” The old fiend sneered and said, “You monk, you have no idea whether you live or die! Your master is indeed in my grasp. I am about to have him steamed and invite guests! Do you dare to come up and fight me? If you can defeat me in three rounds, I will return your master. If you cannot, I will steam you along with him and eat you. Don’t even think of going to the Western Heaven!”
Sha Monk flew into a towering rage. He swung his staff and struck at the fiend’s head. The old fiend raised his steel whip and hurriedly blocked the blow. The two of them began a fierce battle at the bottom of the water: The demon-subduing staff and the bamboo-jointed whip; both men, enraged, vied for supremacy. One was a thousand-year-old fiend of the Black Water River; the other was an immortal from beyond the Hall of Miraculous Mist. One coveted the flesh of Tripitaka for his meal; the other fought to protect the life of the pitiable Tang Monk. They clashed at the bottom of the water, each determined to achieve his goal, neither willing to yield. The battle was so fierce that fish and shrimp hid their heads and fled; crabs and turtles shrank back and dived. From the water mansion, the sound of war drums rolled; before the gate, the clamor of fiends filled the air. Truly, this Sha Monk, Wujing, displayed his power and authority single-handedly! Leaping waves and churning water, neither could gain the upper hand; whip met staff, staff met whip, locked in an endless struggle. All this was for the sake of the Tang Monk, who sought the true scriptures to worship the Buddha in Heaven.
After thirty rounds, neither side could claim victory. Sha Monk thought to himself, “This monster is my equal in strength. I cannot defeat him with my power alone. I should lure him to the shore and let Big Brother help me fight.” So Sha Monk deliberately left an opening and, dragging his staff, retreated.
But the fiend was cunning and did not pursue. He said, “Go ahead! I will not fight you any longer. I still have to write invitations and invite my guests!”
Sha Monk, fuming with rage, leaped out of the water. He saw the Pilgrim and said, “Brother, this monster is utterly insolent!” The Pilgrim asked, “You were down there for so long. What kind of fiend is it? Did you find the master?”
Sha Monk said, “Inside, there is a pavilion with a sign that reads, ‘The Black Water River God’s Mansion at Hengyang Valley.’ I hid myself and listened. He said he was going to steam the master and Bajie and invite his maternal uncle to celebrate his birthday. I could not contain my anger and struck the gate. The monster came out with a bamboo-jointed steel whip and fought with me for a long time. After thirty rounds, neither of us could win. I wanted to lure him out so you could help, but he would not take the bait. He insisted on going back to invite his guests, so I had to come up.”
The Pilgrim asked, “Do you know what kind of fiend he is?” Sha Monk said, “From his appearance, he looks like a giant turtle, or perhaps a crocodile dragon.” The Pilgrim asked further, “Do you know who his maternal uncle is?”
As they were speaking, an old man emerged from a bend in the river downstream. From afar, he knelt down and called out, “Great Sage, the Black Water River God kowtows to you!” The Pilgrim said, “Could you be that boatman fiend, come to deceive me again?” The old man kowtowed and wept as he said, “Great Sage, I am not a fiend. I am the true river god of this Black Water River. Last May, that fiend came here from the Western Sea, riding a great tide, and fought with me. I am old and could not defeat him. He then seized my Black Water God’s Mansion at Hengyang Valley and wounded many of my water creatures. I had no choice but to go to the sea to lodge a complaint. But the Dragon King of the Western Sea is his maternal uncle and would not accept my petition. Instead, he told me to yield my mansion to the fiend. I wanted to appeal to Heaven, but my rank is too low, and I cannot see the Jade Emperor. Now, hearing that the Great Sage has arrived, I have come especially to beg for your help. Save my life and avenge my wrongs!”
Hearing this, the Pilgrim said, “If that is the case, then all the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas are guilty! That fiend has now captured my master and my junior brother. He said he was going to steam them and invite his maternal uncle to celebrate his birthday. I was just about to capture him when you came to report. It is fortunate. You and Sha Monk stay here and watch the horse and luggage. I will go to the sea and bring the Dragon King here to make him capture this fiend.” The river god quickly thanked him, saying, “Many thanks to the Great Sage for this great kindness!”
The Pilgrim immediately mounted his cloud and headed straight for the Western Ocean. He recited the water-repelling spell and parted the waves as he walked. He soon ran into a black fish spirit carrying a gilt-edged invitation box, shooting up from downstream like an arrow. The Pilgrim blocked his path, raised his golden-banded staff, and struck the black fish spirit on the head. The poor fish spirit’s brains splattered, his cheekbones broke, and with a gurgle, he floated to the surface. The Pilgrim opened the box and saw a slip of paper inside, which read: “Your ignorant nephew, Crocodile Jie, bows a hundred times and presents this to my Second Maternal Uncle, the venerable Ao. Previously, I received your care and am endlessly grateful. Now I have caught two rare things—monks from the Land of the East. I dare not eat them myself. Thinking that your birthday is near, I have prepared a modest feast to wish you longevity. I earnestly beg you to come quickly. Please do me the honor of your presence.”
The Pilgrim laughed and said, “This wretch is quite good! He has handed me a written confession first!” He tucked the invitation into his sleeve and continued on his way. Before long, a sea-searching yaksha spotted the Pilgrim and hurried back to the Crystal Palace to report, “Great King, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun the Pilgrim, has arrived!” Ao Run, the Dragon King of the Western Sea, immediately led his water creatures out of the palace to welcome him, saying, “Great Sage, please come into the palace and sit. I will offer you tea.”
The Pilgrim said, “I have not yet drunk your tea, but you have already incurred the crime of deserving a penalty drink!” The Dragon King laughed and said, “Great Sage, ever since you converted to Buddhism, you have abstained from meat and wine. When have you ever invited me to drink?” The Pilgrim said, “You have not drunk my wine, but you have committed a crime that deserves punishment!” Ao Run was greatly startled and asked, “How am I guilty?” The Pilgrim took the invitation out of his sleeve and handed it to the Dragon King.
When the Dragon King saw that the invitation stated that the Crocodile Dragon was going to steam Tang Sanzang, his soul nearly fled from his body. He quickly knelt and kowtowed, saying, “Great Sage, spare my life! That fiend is the ninth son of my younger sister. My sister’s husband was once beheaded in a dream by the human minister Wei Zheng, by decree of the Jade Emperor, for committing errors in the distribution of wind and rain and for not sending enough rain. My sister had nowhere to go, so I took her in to raise her children. The year before last, my sister unfortunately passed away. This child had no place to live, so I let him cultivate his nature on the Black Water River. I never imagined he would do such an evil deed! I will send someone immediately to capture him and bring him to you to apologize!”
The Pilgrim asked, “How many sons did your sister have? Where are they all causing trouble?” The Dragon King said, “My sister had nine sons. Eight of them are very well-behaved: The eldest, Little Yellow Dragon, lives in the Huai River; the second, Little Black Dragon, lives in the Ji River; the third, Green-Back Dragon, occupies the Yangtze River; the fourth, Red-Beard Dragon, guards the Yellow River; the fifth, Hard-Working Dragon, helps the Buddha ring the bell; the sixth, Steady-Beast Dragon, helps the immortals hold up the ridgepoles of their palaces; the seventh, Respectful-Bell Dragon, helps the Jade Emperor guard the great celestial pillar; the eighth, Mirage Dragon, guards Mount Tai for my eldest brother. This ninth one is the Crocodile Dragon. Because he is young and has no post, he was sent to the Black Water River last year to cultivate his nature, so that when he has developed his abilities, he can be transferred elsewhere. I never imagined he would disobey my commands and offend the Great Sage!”
The Pilgrim laughed and said, “How many husbands did your sister have?”
Ao Run said, “Only one husband. He was the Dragon King of the Jing River, who was executed years ago. My sister remained a widow until she passed away the year before last.”
The Pilgrim said, “One husband, one wife—how did they give birth to nine sons of such different kinds?”
Ao Run said, “This is what is meant by ‘A dragon gives birth to nine kinds, and each of the nine is different.’”
The Pilgrim said, “I was just feeling annoyed. I was thinking of taking this invitation as evidence and going to Heaven to accuse you of conspiring with a fiend and kidnapping people. But from what you have said, it seems this wretch does not listen to instruction. I will forgive you this time. First, I consider the face of you brothers. Second, I blame only this wretch’s youth and ignorance. You are not entirely to blame. Send someone quickly to capture him, rescue my master, and then we will decide what to do.”
Ao Run immediately called for the Crown Prince Mo’ang and said, “Quickly take five hundred shrimp soldiers and fish generals and capture the Little Crocodile Dragon to be punished! Also, prepare a feast to apologize to the Great Sage.”
The Pilgrim said, “Dragon King, do not be overly concerned. Since I have forgiven you, there is no need to prepare a feast. I must go back with your son. First, my master is still in distress; second, my junior brother is waiting for me. We cannot delay.”
The old Dragon King could not detain the Pilgrim. He then had the Dragon Princess serve tea. The Pilgrim drank a cup of tea, bid farewell to the old Dragon King, and followed Mo’ang as he led his troops out of the Western Sea. They soon arrived at the Black Water River. The Pilgrim said, “Worthy Crown Prince, capture the fiend well. I will wait for you on the bank.”
Mo’ang said, “Great Sage, rest assured. I will capture him and bring him before you first to be punished. Then I will return your master, and finally take him back to the sea to see my father.” The Pilgrim joyfully took his leave. He recited the water-repelling spell, leaped out of the water, and returned to the eastern bank.
Sha Monk and the river god came up to him and asked, “Brother, when you left, you flew up into the sky. How is it that you have returned from the water?” The Pilgrim recounted in detail how he had killed the black fish spirit, obtained the invitation, confronted the Dragon King, and how Mo’ang had led his troops to capture the fiend. Sha Monk was overjoyed, and the two of them stood together on the bank, waiting for the master.
Meanwhile, Crown Prince Mo’ang ordered his soldiers to first go to the gate of the Crocodile Dragon’s water mansion and announce, “The Crown Prince Mo’ang of the Western Sea, son of the old Dragon King, has arrived!”
The Crocodile Dragon was sitting inside when he heard that Mo’ang had come. He thought to himself, “I sent the black fish spirit to deliver an invitation to my maternal uncle. There has been no reply yet. Why has my uncle not come, but my cousin has arrived instead?”
As he was thinking, the patrol river fiend came again to report, “Great King, on the western side of the river, a troop of soldiers has set up camp. Their banner reads, ‘Mo’ang, the Young Marshal and Crown Prince of the Western Sea.’”
The Crocodile Dragon said, “This cousin is far too arrogant! My uncle must not be able to come, so he sent him to attend the feast. But if he is coming to a feast, why bring soldiers? Hmph, there is something wrong!”
He gave orders: “Little ones, bring my armor and my steel whip, just in case. I will first go out to greet him and see what the situation is.” The little fiends quickly prepared, each one rubbing his fists and flexing his palms.
The Crocodile Dragon went out of the gate and saw that a troop of water soldiers had indeed set up camp on the western side. He observed: The war banners fluttered with embroidered ribbons; the halberds were arrayed like bright clouds. The precious swords gleamed with a brilliant light; the long spears had tassels wrapped around them. The bows were bent like the crescent moon; the arrows were inserted like wolf’s fangs. The large swords shone brightly; the short clubs were hard and firm. Whales, giant turtles, clams, and mussels; crabs, turtles, fish, and shrimp—all were arranged, large and small, and the weapons were as dense as hemp. Without the commander’s order, who would dare to advance recklessly!
The Crocodile Dragon walked up to the camp gate and shouted loudly, “Big Cousin, I am here waiting for you. Please come in!” A patrol conch spirit hurried to the central tent to report, “Your Highness, the Crocodile Dragon outside is inviting you!” Mo’ang adjusted the golden helmet on his head, tightened the precious belt around his waist, took up a three-edged mace in his hand, and strode out of the camp. He asked, “Why have you come to see me?”
The Crocodile Dragon bowed and said, “Younger brother sent an invitation to my maternal uncle this morning. I suppose my uncle was busy and sent you, cousin, in his place? Since you have come to the feast, why have you brought soldiers? Why are you not setting up camp in the water mansion, but instead wearing armor and carrying weapons?” Mo’ang asked, “Why did you invite my uncle?” The Crocodile Dragon said, “Younger brother has always been grateful for my uncle’s kindness in letting me live here. It has been a long time since I saw him, and I wished to show my filial piety. Yesterday, I caught a monk from the Land of the East. I heard that he is a true body that has cultivated for ten lifetimes, and eating him will grant long life. I wanted to invite my uncle to come and see him, and then have him steamed to celebrate my uncle’s birthday.”
Mo’ang shouted, “You fool, you are far too ignorant! Do you know who that monk is?”
The Crocodile Dragon said, “He is a monk from the Tang Dynasty, going to the Western Heaven to obtain the scriptures.”
Mo’ang said, “You only know that he is Tang Sanzang, but you do not know how powerful his disciples are!”
The Crocodile Dragon said, “He has a long-snouted monk called Zhu Bajie. I have caught him too, and I am going to steam him along with Tang Sanzang. He has another disciple called Sha Monk, a dark-faced man with a gloomy look, who carries a staff. Yesterday, he came to my gate to demand his master. I led my river soldiers and drove him away with my steel whip. He was not particularly formidable.”
Mo’ang said, “You truly do not know! He has another, greater disciple. He is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, a Supreme Gold Immortal who five hundred years ago caused great havoc in Heaven. He is now protecting Tang Sanzang on his journey to obtain the scriptures. The Bodhisattva Guanyin persuaded him to turn to good, and he changed his name to Sun Wukong. You have picked a fight for no reason and stirred up a great calamity! He ran into your messenger in the sea, seized the invitation, and went straight to the Crystal Palace, accusing us father and son of ‘conspiring with a fiend and kidnapping people.’ You must quickly send Tang Sanzang and Bajie to the riverbank and return them to the Great Sage Sun. I will help you apologize, and you may still save your life. If you utter a single word of refusal, do not expect to live here any longer!”
The Crocodile Dragon flew into a rage upon hearing this and said, “You and I are blood cousins, the sons of a brother and a sister! Yet you side with an outsider! According to you, I should just send Tang Sanzang back? There is no such easy thing under heaven! You may fear him, but do you think I fear him too? If he has any ability, let him come to the gate of my water mansion and fight me for three rounds. If he wins, I will return his master. If he cannot defeat me, I will capture him as well and steam him. I will not invite any relatives. I will close the gates and let the little fiends sing and dance while I sit above and eat in comfort!”
Mo’ang cursed him, saying, “You vile fiend, you truly do not know good from evil! There is no need for the Great Sage Sun to fight you. Do you dare to fight me?”
The Crocodile Dragon said, “If one wants to be a hero, one must not fear a fight!” He shouted, “Bring my armor!” The little fiends quickly brought his armor and steel whip. The two of them immediately changed their expressions, each displaying his abilities. They ordered the