As the two little demons held the fake gourd, bickering and examining it, they suddenly looked up to find the old immortal had vanished. Sharp-Wit said, “Brother, even immortals can be deceivers! He said he’d trade treasures to make us immortals, so why did he leave without a word?” Fine-Grain replied, “We’ve made out like bandits—we traded his heaven-filling treasure for our two. How dare he leave? Give me the gourd, I’ll try to fill the sky and give a demonstration!” He tossed the fake gourd into the air, but it fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Sharp-Wit panicked, “How can it not fill the sky? Could it be that Sun the Pilgrim turned into an immortal and tricked us out of our real treasures?” Fine-Grain said, “Don’t be ridiculous! Sun the Pilgrim is pinned under three mountains . How could he possibly escape? Give it to me, I’ll try chanting those incantations !” He too threw the fake gourd skyward, muttering, “If there is even half a word of refusal, I will bring the sword and spear to the Hall of Miracles !” Before he could finish, the gourd fell back down with another thud.
The two little demons stared at each other in dismay. “It can’t fill the sky! It can’t fill the sky! It must be a fake!”
As they argued, the Great Sage Sun, hovering in midair, heard everything clearly. Fearing they might dawdle and let the secret slip, he shook his body and withdrew the hair that had transformed into the gourd. The little demons’ hands were suddenly empty. Fine-Grain said, “Brother, where’s the gourd?” Sharp-Wit replied, “Wasn’t it in your hand? Heavens! It’s gone!” They scrambled on the ground, searching through the grass, patting their sleeves, and digging into their pouches, but found nothing.
The little demons were terrified out of their wits. “It’s over! It’s over! The Great King entrusted us with the treasures to capture Sun the Pilgrim, and now we haven’t caught him, and we’ve lost the treasures! How can we report back? We’ll surely be beaten to death! What do we do?” Sharp-Wit said, “Let’s run!” Fine-Grain replied, “Run where? Going back and saying we lost the treasures means death; running and being caught also means death! Better to go back. The Second Great King has always treated you decently. I’ll say you lost the treasure. If he’s willing to spare you, we might keep our lives. If he beats us, at least we’ll die in the cave, which is better than starving out here!” Having decided, the two little demons steeled themselves and trudged back.
The Pilgrim, watching from midair as they returned, shook his body again and transformed into a fly, buzzing down to follow them. If you ask where he put the treasures after turning into a fly—he couldn’t leave them on the road for someone to find, spoiling all his efforts. But these treasures, like his Golden-Banded Staff, were “ Ruyi Buddhist Treasures ” that could shrink or grow. He had already made them tiny and hidden them on his person. The fly buzzed down, closely following the little demons.
Soon they arrived at the Lotus Flower Cave . The two demon lords, Gold Horn and Silver Horn, were seated, drinking wine. The little demons knelt before them, while the Pilgrim alighted on the doorframe, listening intently. The little demons stammered, “Great King…” The elder demon set down his cup. “You’ve returned?” The little demons replied, “We… we have.” The elder demon asked again, “Did you capture Sun the Pilgrim?” The little demons could only kowtow, not daring to speak. After the elder demon asked three times, the little demons prostrated themselves, weeping. “We beg the Great King to spare our lives! We took the treasures to the mountainside and met an immortal from Penglai Mountain . He asked where we were going, and we said to capture Sun the Pilgrim. The immortal was also angry with Sun the Pilgrim and offered to help. We didn’t let him, but told him about the treasures’ power to trap people. He had a gourd too, one that could fill the sky. We thought it was a good trade, so we exchanged your red gourd and jade pure vase for it. Who knew that an immortal’s treasure cannot be held by mortals? While we were testing it, he and the treasure vanished! We beg the Great King for mercy!”
The elder demon slammed the table in fury. “Pah! This must be Sun the Pilgrim, disguised as an immortal, tricking you! That monkey has vast magical powers and friends everywhere. I wonder which petty god released him!” Silver Horn said, “Brother, don’t be angry! That monkey is utterly insolent. Escaping is one thing, but daring to steal our treasures is another! If I cannot capture him, I will never again be a demon on the Western Road!” The elder demon asked, “How will you capture him?” Silver Horn replied, “We have five treasures. We’ve lost two, but three remain. I have the Seven-Star Sword and the Plantain Fan with me, and there’s also the Golden Cord at my old mother’s place in the Crushing Dragon Cave on Crushing Dragon Mountain . Let’s send two little demons to invite our old mother to come eat Tang Sanzang’s flesh and bring the Golden Cord. That will surely capture Sun the Pilgrim!” The elder demon said, “Who should we send?” Silver Horn glared at Fine-Grain and Sharp-Wit. “These useless ones won’t do!” He then called out, “ Mountain-Crushing Tiger and Sea-Leaning Dragon !”
The two little demons knelt, and Silver Horn instructed them, “Be careful!” They replied in unison, “Careful!” “Be thorough!” “Thorough!” Silver Horn asked, “Do you know the old lady’s residence?” “We know it!” “Then go quickly. Tell the old lady we invite her to eat Tang Sanzang’s flesh, and be sure to bring the Golden Cord to capture Sun the Pilgrim!”
Mountain-Crushing Tiger and Sea-Leaning Dragon took their orders and set off, unaware that the Pilgrim had heard everything. He spread his wings, flew over, and alighted on Mountain-Crushing Tiger’s body. After flying two or three miles, the Pilgrim thought of killing them with one blow of his staff, but then reconsidered. “Killing them is easy, but I don’t know where the old demon lives, and I won’t get the Golden Cord. Better to ask first, then act.”
Good Pilgrim! He buzzed away, and when the little demons had gone a hundred paces, he shook his body and transformed into a little demon himself. He wore a fox-fur cap and cinched his tiger-skin skirt upside down, then ran after them, shouting, “Hold up, travelers! Wait for me!” Sea-Leaning Dragon turned back and asked, “Who are you?” The Pilgrim said, “Good brother, don’t you even recognize one of your own?” The little demon said, “There’s no one like you in our group.” The Pilgrim replied, “I’m from an outer shift. You haven’t seen me before. The Great King was afraid you’d be slow and waste time, so he sent me to hurry you along!”
The little demons, seeing he spoke the truth, accepted him as one of their own and hurried on. After another eight or nine miles, the Pilgrim asked, “How far are we from home?” The little demon said, “About fifteen or sixteen miles.” The Pilgrim asked again, “How much farther?” Sea-Leaning Dragon pointed ahead. “The dark forest up ahead!” Seeing the dark forest was not far, the Pilgrim knew the old demon was inside. He stopped, let the little demons go ahead, then drew out his Golden-Banded Staff and swept it across their heels. Pitiful little demons! They didn’t even have time to groan before they were flattened into meat cakes. The Pilgrim dragged their bodies into the grass and hid them. He then plucked a hair, transforming it into Mountain-Crushing Tiger, while he himself became Sea-Leaning Dragon. Pretending to be earnest, they headed toward the Crushing Dragon Cave to invite the “ old grandmother .” Truly, the power of the Seventy-Two Transformations is vast; the skill of transforming objects is supreme.
In a few strides, he leaped into the dark forest. Seeing a pair of stone doors half-open, the Pilgrim dared not enter rashly, so he called out, “Open the door! Open the door!” A female demon came out, opened one door halfway, and asked, “Who are you?” The Pilgrim said, “We are from the Lotus Flower Cave on Flat-Top Mountain, come to invite the old lady.” The female demon said, “Enter.”
Once inside the third gate, the Pilgrim peeked in. Seated in the center was an old woman, who looked like this: Her snow-white hair was wildly disheveled, but her eyes shone like stars. Her face was rosy with many wrinkles, and though her teeth were sparse, her spirit was strong. Her face was like a chrysanthemum after frost; her body like an old pine after rain. Her head was wrapped in a white silk scarf, and from her ears hung earrings inlaid with gold and jewels.
When the Great Sage Sun saw her, he dared not enter. He stood outside the second gate and deliberately began to cry. You may ask why he cried. He who was not afraid of the nine-tripod oil cauldron—would he fear an old demon? It was because he recalled the hardships of Tang Sanzang’s journey to fetch the scriptures. To save his master, he had to endure the humiliation of bowing to a demon. The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt, and tears fell. Yet he calculated in his heart: “I’ve come disguised as a little demon to invite her. I can’t just stand and talk; I’ll have to kowtow. In all my life, I’ve only bowed to three people: the Buddha in the Western Heavens, the Bodhisattva Guanyin of the Southern Seas, and my master who saved me at Two Realms Mountain. For my master, I would give my heart and soul, yet today I must bow to this demon! If I don’t bow, I’ll certainly be exposed… Alas! It’s all because my master is in trouble that I must suffer this humiliation!”
With no other choice, the Pilgrim steeled himself and burst in. He knelt and said, “Grandmother, I kowtow to you.” The old demon said, “My child, rise.” The Pilgrim secretly rejoiced, “Good! She called me ‘child,’ so it won’t be easy to be exposed!” The old demon asked, “Where do you come from?” The Pilgrim replied, “We are from the Lotus Flower Cave on Flat-Top Mountain. The two Great Kings invite you, Grandmother, to eat Tang Sanzang’s flesh, and they also ask you to bring the Golden Cord to capture Sun the Pilgrim.” The old demon was delighted. “What filial sons!” She then ordered the sedan chair to be brought out.
The Pilgrim thought to himself, “Good heavens! Even a demoness rides in a sedan chair!” From the back chamber, two female demons carried out a sedan chair made of fragrant rattan, hung with a blue silk curtain. The old demon rose, left the cave, and sat in the sedan chair. Several little female demons, carrying cosmetics, a mirror stand, a towel, and an incense box, prepared to follow. The old demon scolded them, “What are you following for? I’m going to my son’s house; am I afraid of not having attendants? All of you go back and lock the door to guard the house!” The little female demons withdrew, leaving only the two sedan chair bearers.
The old demon asked, “What are your names?” The Pilgrim quickly replied, “His name is Mountain-Crushing Tiger, and mine is Sea-Leaning Dragon.” The old demon said, “You two lead the way.” The Pilgrim smiled bitterly to himself. “What rotten luck! I haven’t fetched the scriptures yet, and I’m already a lackey for a demon!” But he dared not disobey and had to shout and lead the way ahead.
After walking five or six miles, the Pilgrim sat down on a rocky cliff and shouted, “Let’s rest! My shoulders are aching!” The little demons carrying the sedan chair, not knowing the trick, set it down. Behind the sedan chair, the Pilgrim plucked a hair and transformed it into a large baked cake, which he held and began to eat. The sedan chair bearers asked, “Sir, what are you eating?” The Pilgrim said, “Don’t even mention it. Coming all this way to invite the Grandmother, I didn’t bring any food. This is just a bit of dry rations to fill my stomach.” The bearers said, “Give us a bit to eat too!” The Pilgrim laughed. “We’re all family, no need for ceremony!”
The little demons crowded around to snatch the cake. Suddenly, the Pilgrim drew out his Golden-Banded Staff. With a single blow, he smashed one little demon to a pulp. The other, grazed by the blow, groaned twice and fell still. The old demon in the sedan chair heard the groans and stuck her head out to look. The Pilgrim leaped forward and brought his staff down on the sedan chair. The old demon’s brains splattered and blood gushed forth. When he dragged her out, she was a nine-tailed fox. The Pilgrim laughed. “You beast! You still dare to call yourself ‘Grandmother’? By seniority, you ought to call me ‘Great-Great-Grandfather’!”
Good Monkey King! He searched the fox’s body, found the Golden Cord, and tucked it into his sleeve, overjoyed. “That brazen demon may have skill, but now all three treasures belong to Old Sun!” He then plucked two more hairs, transforming them into Mountain-Crushing Tiger and Sea-Leaning Dragon, and two more into sedan chair bearers. He himself took on the appearance of the old grandmother, sat in the sedan chair, and had them carry him to the Lotus Flower Cave.
Soon they arrived at the cave entrance. The little demons transformed from hairs shouted, “Open the door! Open the door!” The little demon guarding the gate opened it. “Mountain-Crushing Tiger and Sea-Leaning Dragon have returned?” The hair-demons replied, “We have.” “And the old lady?” The hair-demons pointed to the sedan chair. “She’s in there!” The little demon said, “Wait here. I’ll go report first.”
The little demon entered and reported, “Great King, the old lady has arrived!” Gold Horn and Silver Horn immediately ordered an incense table to be set up for the welcome. The Pilgrim heard this and secretly rejoiced. “What luck! Now it’s my turn to enjoy myself! Earlier, as a little demon, I kowtowed once. Now, as his mother, he’ll have to kowtow four times! Even if it’s nothing else, I’ve earned two extra bows!”
Good Great Sage! He got out of the sedan chair, shook out his clothes, and withdrew the four hairs. The little demon at the gate carried the empty sedan chair inside, while the Pilgrim, imitating the old demon’s manner, minced and swayed his way in, all coy and affected. All the demons, big and small, knelt to receive him. Drums and music played, and the smoke from incense burners curled in the air. The Pilgrim sat down in the center of the main hall. The two demon lords fell to their knees with a thud and kowtowed. “Mother, your sons kowtow to you!” The Pilgrim said, “My children, rise.”
Now, Zhu Bajie, who was hanging from the beam, suddenly let out a loud laugh. Sha Wujing said, “Second Brother, we’re about to be steamed and eaten, and you’re laughing?” Bajie said, “Brother, I have a reason for laughing.” Sha Wujing asked, “What reason?” Bajie said, “I thought the real old demoness had come to have us steamed. But it’s not her—it’s an old acquaintance!” Sha Wujing asked, “What old acquaintance?” Bajie laughed. “It’s the ‘Horse-Tending Official’!” Sha Wujing asked, “How do you know?” Bajie replied, “When he bent over and said, ‘My children, rise,’ a monkey’s tail was sticking out from behind! I’m hanging high, so I saw it clearly!” Sha Wujing said, “Don’t talk. Listen to what he says.” Bajie said, “Right, right. Let’s listen first.”
The Great Sage Sun, seated in the middle, asked, “My children, why have you summoned me?” The demon lords said, “Mother, we haven’t been filial to you lately. This morning, we captured the Tang Monk from the East. We dared not eat him ourselves, so we invited you to taste this rare treat. We’ll steam him to nourish your body and extend your life.” The Pilgrim said, “My children, I’m not really interested in Tang Sanzang’s flesh. But I’ve heard that Zhu Bajie’s ears make excellent appetizers with wine. Cut them off and prepare them for me!”
When Bajie heard this, he was terrified and cursed under his breath, “That accursed monkey! He’s come to trick me out of my ears! If I cry out, how shameful it would be!”
Alas! Because of the Idiot’s one extra word, the secret of the Monkey King’s disguise was leaked. Several little demons who patrolled the mountain and guarded the gate rushed into the cave, flustered, and reported, “Great King, disaster! Sun the Pilgrim killed the old lady and has transformed into her form to trick his way into the cave!”
When the demon lords heard this, they didn’t wait for explanations. Silver Horn drew his Seven-Star Sword and slashed at the “old lady’s” face. Good Great Sage! With a shake of his body, a flash of red light filled the cave, and he was gone. He possessed the divine power of “gathering to form a body, dispersing to become energy.” This skill was truly formidable! The elder demon lord was terrified out of his wits, and the other demons wrung their hands and shook their heads in fear.
The elder demon said, “Brother, let’s return Tang Sanzang, Sha Wujing, Zhu Bajie, the white horse, and the luggage to Sun the Pilgrim. Let’s close the cave and avoid disaster!”
But the second demon refused. “Brother, what nonsense are you talking! I put so much effort into capturing those monks, and now, because I fear Sun the Pilgrim’s petty tricks, I should give them all back? That’s not the act of a true man! You sit there and don’t worry. I’ve heard of Sun the Pilgrim’s great powers, but I’ve never actually fought him. Bring me my armor. I’ll go and have three rounds with him. If I win, Tang Sanzang is still ours. If I lose, we can return him then!”
The elder demon said, “Worthy brother, you’re right!” He immediately ordered the little demons to bring out the armor.
The little demons brought out the armor. The second demon dressed himself fully, grasped his Seven-Star Sword, and went out the door, shouting loudly, “Sun the Pilgrim! Where have you run off to?” At that moment, the Great Sage was already on a cloud. Hearing himself called, he looked down and saw the second demon, magnificent in his battle array: On his head he wore a phoenix helmet that rivaled white snow; his body was clad in battle armor that gleamed like forged iron. His belt was made of python-dragon sinew; his pink leather boots were folded like plum blossoms. His face was like the living True Lord of Guankou; his appearance was no different from the Great Spirit. The Seven-Star Sword was held high in his hand; his anger soared to the heavens, fierce and majestic.
The second demon shouted loudly, “Sun the Pilgrim! Return my treasures and my mother to me quickly, and I will spare your master and disciples to go west and fetch the scriptures!”
The Great Sage could not help but curse. “You muddled demon, you’ve mistaken me! I am your grandfather Sun! Quickly return my master, my junior brothers, the white horse, and the luggage, and give me some traveling expenses to head west. If you dare to utter half a word of refusal, find a rope and hang yourself, to spare your grandfather the trouble!”
Hearing this, the second demon swiftly rode his cloud into the air and thrust his sword at the Great Sage. The Great Sage quickly drew out his Golden-Banded Staff and met the blow head-on. They fought in midair, and the scene was incredibly fierce: They were evenly matched, a general meeting a worthy opponent. When chess masters meet, they cannot hide their delight; when generals meet their match, they can fully display their skill. These two divine generals clashed like a Southern Mountain tiger fight, like a Northern Sea dragon struggle. Where the dragons fought, scales and armor gleamed; where the tigers battled, claws and fangs flew. Claws and fangs scattered like silver hooks; scales and armor shone like iron leaves. One turned and twisted, using a thousand techniques; the other came and went, never idle for a moment. The Golden-Banded Staff was only three-tenths of an inch from the crown of the head; the Seven-Star Sword aimed for the heart, a hair’s breadth away. The one’s fierce aura chilled the Dipper stars; the other’s anger surpassed the danger of thunder and lightning.
They fought thirty rounds without either gaining the upper hand.
The Great Sage secretly rejoiced. “This demon can actually withstand my Golden-Banded Staff! I’ve already taken three of his treasures. Why am I still fighting him to a standstill, wasting time? I should use the gourd or the pure vase to trap him. That would be much simpler.” But then he reconsidered. “No, no! As the saying goes, ‘A tool must obey its master.’ If I call him and he doesn’t answer, it would be a waste of effort. Better to use the Golden Cord to snare him.”
The Great Sage was truly resourceful. With one hand, he used his staff to block the second demon’s sword. With the other hand, he threw the Golden Cord, which shot out and wrapped around the second demon. But this second demon knew both the Tightening Spell and the Loosening Spell. When used to snare an enemy, one chants the Tightening Spell to prevent escape; when used on one’s own people, one chants the Loosening Spell to avoid harm. Recognizing his own treasure, he immediately chanted the Loosening Spell. The cord loosened and he slipped free. Instead, he threw the cord back at the Great Sage, binding him tightly.
The Great Sage tried to shrink his body to escape, but the second demon immediately chanted the Tightening Spell. The cord tightened more and more, and he couldn’t break free. The cord slid down to his neck and formed a golden circlet around it. The second demon pulled the cord, dragged the Great Sage over, and struck him on the head with his sword seven or eight times. But the Great Sage’s scalp didn’t even redden.
The second demon said, “You monkey, your head is so hard! I won’t cut you anymore. I’ll take you back to the cave and deal with you there. Quickly return my two treasures to me!”
The Great Sage said, “When did I ever take your treasures? Why are you asking me for them?”
The second demon searched the Great Sage thoroughly, found the gourd and the pure vase, then led him back to the cave with the cord, shouting, “Big Brother, I’ve caught him!”
The elder demon asked, “Caught who?”
The second demon said, “Sun the Pilgrim! Look, look!”
When the elder demon saw the Great Sage, his face lit up with joy. “It’s him! It’s him! Tie him to a pillar with a long rope, and let’s have some fun!” So they tied the Great Sage to a pillar, and the two demon lords went to the inner hall to drink.
As the Great Sage struggled at the base of the pillar, he happened to disturb Zhu Bajie. Bajie, hanging from the beam, laughed heartily. “Brother, now you won’t be able to steal my ears to eat!”
The Great Sage said, “Idiot! Are you comfortable hanging there? I’ll be out soon, and I’ll surely rescue you.”
Bajie said, “Stop boasting! You can’t even free yourself, and you want to save others? Forget it! Let’s all die together, master and disciples. We can ask for directions together in the underworld!”
The Great Sage said, “Don’t talk nonsense! Watch, I’ll be out in a moment.”
Bajie said, “I’d like to see how you get out.”
As the Great Sage spoke to Bajie, he kept his eyes on the demons. He saw the two demon lords drinking in the inner hall, with little demons running back and forth carrying plates, cups, and wine pots. The guard was a bit lax. Seeing no one nearby, he cast a spell, secretly drew out his Golden-Banded Staff, and blew a breath of immortal energy on it, saying, “Change!” The staff immediately turned into a pure steel file. The Great Sage bent the golden circlet around his neck, filed it three or five times until it broke in two, pried open the file mark, and slipped free. He then plucked a hair, said “Change,” and transformed it into a fake Great Sage tied to the pillar. He himself shook and turned into a little demon, standing nearby.
Bajie, still on the beam, shouted again, “Bad news! Bad news! The one tied up is a fake; the one hanging is the real one!”
The elder demon set down his wine cup and asked, “What is Zhu Bajie shouting about?”
The Great Sage, now transformed into a little demon, stepped forward and said, “Zhu Bajie is urging Sun the Pilgrim to change his form and escape. Sun the Pilgrim refuses to go, so he’s just shouting nonsense.”
The second demon said, “I thought Zhu Bajie was honest. It turns out he’s not so honest! He should be slapped twenty times or so on the mouth!”
The Great Sage went to get a stick to hit him, but Bajie said, “Hit me lightly. If you hit too hard, I’ll shout again. I recognize you!”
The Great Sage said, “I changed my appearance to save you. Why are you giving me away? None of the demons in this cave recognize me. How is it that you alone do?”
Bajie said, “You changed your face, but you didn’t change your backside! Those two red marks on your buttocks are still there. That’s how I recognized you.”
The Great Sage quickly went to the inner hall, slipped into the kitchen, scooped up a handful of black soot from the bottom of the pot, and blackened his buttocks. Then he returned to the front hall. When Bajie saw him, he laughed again. “That monkey has been somewhere rubbing his backside black.”
The Great Sage stood nearby, scheming how to steal the demons’ treasures. He soon came up with a plan. He walked into the main hall, bowed to the second demon, and said, “Great King, look at Sun the Pilgrim tied to the pillar. He’s struggling so much that he’s worn out the golden cord. We need to find a thicker rope to replace it.”
The elder demon said, “You’re right.” He untied the lion-skin belt from his waist and handed it to the Great Sage.
The Great Sage took the belt, tied up the fake Great Sage with it, and removed the Golden Cord. He secretly rolled up the cord and hid it in his sleeve. He then plucked another hair, blew on it, and transformed it into a fake Golden Cord, which he handed to the second demon with both hands. The second demon, absorbed in drinking, didn’t examine it closely and accepted it. This was the Great Sage’s skill—using a hair to swap for the real Golden Cord.
Having obtained the treasure, the Great Sage quickly turned, leaped out of the cave, and resumed his true form, shouting, “Demon!”
The little demon guarding the gate asked, “Who are you, shouting here?”
The Great Sage said, “You go in quickly and report to your demon lord that Zhe Xingzhe has arrived.”
The little demon hurried in to report. The elder demon was shocked. “We’ve already caught Sun Xingzhe. How can there be another Zhe Xingzhe?”
The second demon said, “Big Brother, why fear him? All the treasures are in my hands. I’ll take the gourd and trap him inside.”
The elder demon said, “Brother, be careful.”
The second demon, holding the gourd, walked out of the mountain gate. He saw that this Zhe Xingzhe looked exactly like Sun Xingzhe, only slightly shorter. He asked, “Where do you come from?”
The Great Sage said, “I am Sun Xingzhe’s younger brother. I heard you captured my elder brother, so I’ve come to settle accounts with you!”
The second demon said, “It was I who captured him. He’s locked up in the cave. Since you’ve come, you must want to fight. But I won’t fight you. I’ll call your name. Dare you answer?”
The Great Sage said, “Am I afraid of you? Call a thousand times, and I’ll answer ten thousand!”
The second demon raised the treasure, leaped into the air, turned the gourd upside down with the mouth facing down, and shouted, “Zhe Xingzhe!”
The Great Sage dared not answer. He thought, “If I answer, I’ll be sucked inside.”
The second demon said, “Why don’t you answer me?”
The Great Sage said, “My ears are a bit deaf. I didn’t hear you. Call louder.”
The second demon shouted again, “Zhe Xingzhe!”
The Great Sage below counted on his fingers. “My real name is Sun Xingzhe. This made-up name is Zhe Xingzhe. The real name can be trapped, but a made-up name shouldn’t be trappable, right?” As he thought, he couldn’t help but answer. In an instant, he was sucked into the gourd. The second demon quickly sealed it with a talisman.
In truth, this treasure cared not whether the name was real or fake. As long as there was a breath of response, it could trap a person.
Inside the gourd, the Great Sage was in pitch darkness. He pushed his head upward, but it wouldn’t budge. The space was extremely tight. He grew anxious. “Earlier, when I met those two little demons on the mountain, they told me that whether it’s the gourd or the pure vase, after trapping someone for a short while, it turns them into pus and water. Could I also be melted?” But then he reconsidered. “No matter! I can’t be melted! Five hundred years ago, when I caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, Lord Laozi put me in the Eight-Trigram Furnace and refined me for forty-nine days. I was forged with a golden heart, silver lungs, a bronze head, an iron back, and fiery golden eyes. How could I be melted in just a short while? I’ll just go along with him and see what he does.”
The second demon, carrying the gourd, returned to the cave and said, “Big Brother, I’ve trapped him.”
The elder demon asked, “Trapped who?”
The second demon said, “Zhe Xingzhe. I’ve got him in the gourd.”
The elder demon said happily, “Brother, sit down. Don’t move it. Wait until you hear a sound inside the gourd before removing the talisman to look.”
The Great Sage heard this and thought, “With my big body, how could I make a sound when shaken? Only if I turn into mush could it rattle. Better to pee. If he hears a sound, he’ll remove the talisman, and I can escape!” But then he thought again, “No, no! Peeing might make a sound, but it will dirty my clothes. When he shakes it, I’ll gather some saliva, rinse my mouth, and make a gurgling noise to fool him into removing the talisman, then I’ll escape.”
The Great Sage was ready, but the demon, absorbed in drinking, didn’t shake the gourd at all. The Great Sage then used a trick. He deliberately cried out, “Oh! My ankles are melting!” But the demon still didn’t shake it. The Great Sage cried out again, “Mother! Even my waist is melting!”
The elder demon said, “It’s melted to the waist. It must be all gone. Remove the talisman and take a look.”
Hearing this, the Great Sage quickly plucked a hair and said, “Change!” He transformed it into half a torso lying at the bottom of the gourd, while he himself turned into a tiny cicada-like insect and perched on the rim of the gourd’s mouth.
The second demon removed the talisman and looked. The Great Sage had already flown out. He rolled over and transformed again into a little demon named “Sea-Leaning Dragon”—the same one who had gone to invite the old demon’s mother. After his transformation, he stood nearby. The elder demon peered into the gourd’s mouth and saw the half-torso moving. Without distinguishing real from fake, he quickly shouted, “Brother, cover it! Cover it quickly! It’s not fully melted yet!” The second demon hastily resealed it with the talisman. The Great Sage laughed to himself nearby. “Little did they know I was already out!”
The elder demon picked up the wine pot, filled a cup to the brim, and handed it to the second demon with both hands. “Brother, I toast you.”
The second demon said, “Big Brother, we’ve been drinking for so long. Why this toast?”
The elder demon said, “Capturing Tang Sanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing goes without saying. But you also captured Sun Xingzhe and trapped Zhe Xingzhe. You’ve accomplished such great deeds, I should toast you many cups.”
Seeing his elder brother so courteous,