All beings share one nature, vast as the ocean that holds all rivers. A thousand thoughts and ten thousand worries lead only to illusion; every form and color must eventually merge into harmony. When the day comes that the task is complete and the practice is fulfilled, the radiant Dharma nature shall rise high. Let no differences lead you astray, east or west; hold fast to the truth. Gather it and place it within the elixir furnace , refine it until it glows as red as the Golden Crow . Bright and brilliant, dazzling and beautiful, then you may ride the dragon wherever you wish.
Now, having heeded the Bodhisattva's command and taken Wukong back into the fold, Tang Sanzang, along with Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, cast aside their distracting thoughts, reined in their restless minds and wandering wills, and pressed forward together toward the Western Heaven with one heart and one purpose. The days flew by, and soon the sweltering summer had given way to the season when frost blanketed the skies. The scene along the road was this:
Thin clouds scattered as the western wind blew sharp and cold; cranes called out from distant peaks where frost painted the forests like brocade. The landscape was bleak and desolate; the mountains stretched on forever, the rivers longer still. Migrating geese arrived from the northern passes; dark swallows returned to the southern paths. A traveler's road is a lonely thing, and a monk's robe offers little warmth against the chill.
The four masters and disciples journeyed onward, and gradually they felt a wave of heat pressing in upon them. Sanzang reined in his horse and said, "It is clearly autumn now. Why is it so hot instead?"
Bajie replied, "Master, there is something you do not know. On the road to the West, there is a kingdom called Sihali , the place where the sun sets, commonly called 'the Edge of Heaven .' Every afternoon around three or four o'clock, the king sends men up the city walls to beat drums and blow horns, their sounds mingling with the roar of the churning sea. The sun is true fire; when it falls into the Western Sea, it is like quenching a blazing torch in water, and the sea boils and surges. If the drum and horn sounds did not drown out the noise, the children in the city would be shaken to death by the thunder. The heat here is so intense—perhaps we are nearing that place."
The Great Sage could not help but laugh. "Fool, stop your nonsense! As for Sihali Kingdom, it is still far, far away. With the master's way of rushing and then dallying, delaying our journey at every turn, even if a child grew old, then became a child again, and cycled through three lifetimes of reincarnation , you would never reach it."
Bajie asked, "Brother, if you say it's not where the sun sets, then why is it so hot?"
Wujing said, "Perhaps the weather is just abnormal this year, with autumn as hot as summer."
As the three of them were arguing, they saw a manor by the roadside. The roof tiles were red, the courtyard walls were red brick, the gate was painted red, and even the beds and couches inside were red lacquer—everywhere the eye could see was red. Sanzang dismounted and said, "Wukong, go ask at that household what the situation is. Find out the real reason for this heat."
The Great Sage put away his Golden-Banded Staff, straightened his clothes, put on a refined air, left the main road, and walked to the gate. Just then, an old man came out of the door. He wore a long gown of coarse linen that was neither yellow nor red; on his head was a bamboo sun-hat that was neither blue nor black. In his hand he leaned on a bamboo staff that was neither bent nor straight, its joints still showing; on his feet were a pair of slippers that were neither new nor old. His face was like red copper, his beard like white silk. Two long eyebrows of longevity shaded his green eyes, and when he opened his mouth, you could see golden teeth.
The old man looked up and saw Wukong. Startled, he leaned on his bamboo staff and shouted, "What strange creature are you? What business have you at my gate?" Wukong bowed and said, "Old benefactor, do not be afraid. I am no monster. I am a monk from the Great Tang in the East, sent to the Western Heaven to fetch the scripture s. Our company of four masters and disciples passed by here and, seeing the intense heat, wished to know both the cause and the name of this place. I have come especially to ask you."
Only then did the old man relax. He smiled and said, "Venerable Sir, do not take offense. My eyesight is poor; I did not recognize you as a high monk." Wukong replied, "I dare not presume." The old man asked again, "Where is your master?" Wukong pointed southward. "The one standing on the main road!" The old man hurriedly said, "Invite him over quickly! Invite him over quickly!" Wukong cheerfully waved his hand, and Sanzang, together with Bajie and Wujing, leading the white horse and carrying the luggage, came over. All bowed to the old man.
The old man saw Sanzang's dignified appearance and Bajie and Wujing's strange looks. He was both astonished and delighted, and quickly invited them inside to sit. He ordered his family to serve tea and prepare a meal. Sanzang rose to thank him and asked, "Old sir, here in autumn, why is it so hot instead?" The old man said, "This place of ours is called Flaming Mountain . There is no spring or autumn here; it is hot all year round."
Sanzang asked, "In which direction is Flaming Mountain? Will it block our path to the Western Heaven?" The old man said, "You cannot go to the Western Heaven! That mountain is about sixty miles from here, and it lies directly on the only road to the West. But the mountain is covered in flames for eight hundred miles, and not a single blade of grass grows around it. Even if you had a head of copper and a body of iron, you would melt into liquid trying to cross it." When Sanzang heard this, his face turned pale with fear, and he dared not ask further.
Just then, a young man outside the gate pushed a red cart up to the door and shouted, "Cakes for sale!" The Great Sage plucked a single hair and transformed it into copper coins, then went to buy a cake from the young man. The young man took the money without even looking at it, lifted the cloth covering the cart, and took out a steaming hot cake to hand to Wukong. As soon as Wukong took it, the cake felt like a burning coal from a fire-pan or a red-hot nail from a stove. He tossed it from his left hand to his right, then back again, crying out, "Hot, hot, hot! Hard to eat, hard to eat!"
The young man laughed and said, "If you're afraid of the heat, don't come here. It's always this hot around here." Wukong said, "You fellow, you make no sense! As the saying goes, 'If it's not cold and not hot, the five grains will not grow.' If it's so hot here, where did you get the rice flour to make these cakes?" The young man replied, "If you want to know where the rice flour comes from, you'll have to seek the Iron Fan Immortal ." Wukong asked, "What about the Iron Fan Immortal?" The young man said, "The Iron Fan Immortal has a plantain fan . If you can obtain that fan, one wave puts out the fire, two waves bring the wind, and three waves bring the rain. Only then can we plant and harvest, and only then do we have food to eat. Otherwise, not even a blade of grass can grow."
When Wukong heard this, he quickly turned and went back inside. He handed the cake to Sanzang and said, "Master, do not worry. Don't fret about the heat just yet. Eat this cake, and then I will tell you something." Sanzang took the cake and said to the old man, "Old sir, please have a piece of this cake too." The old man said, "I haven't even served you tea and a meal yet. How could I be so bold as to eat your cake?" Wukong laughed and said, "Old sir, there is no need for tea or a meal. I ask you, where does the Iron Fan Immortal live?"
The old man asked, "What do you want with him?" Wukong replied, "The cake-seller just said that this immortal has a plantain fan. If you ask for it, it can extinguish the fire, bring the wind, and bring the rain, allowing you to plant and harvest. I want to go and borrow the fan to put out the flames on Flaming Mountain, so that we can cross, and also so that the people here can plant their crops on time and live in peace." The old man said, "There is indeed such a story, but if you do not bring gifts, I am afraid that saintly being will not lend it to you."
Sanzang asked, "What gifts does he require?" The old man said, "The people here only go to ask him once every ten years. They must bring four pigs, four sheep, along with silk brocade, fine incense, fresh fruits, chickens, ducks, and fine wine. First, they bathe and pray with sincere hearts, and only then do they go to the immortal mountain to invite him out of his cave to help." Wukong asked, "Where is that immortal mountain? What is its name? How far is it from here? I will go borrow the fan right now." The old man said, "The immortal mountain lies to the southwest. It is called Green Cloud Mountain, and within it is the Plantain Cave. When our people go to the immortal mountain, it takes them a month to make the round trip. The distance is about one thousand four hundred and fifty or sixty miles."
Wukong laughed and said, "That is nothing. I will go and be back in a flash." The old man quickly said, "Wait! Eat some tea and a meal first, prepare some dry provisions, and you should also find someone to accompany you. There are no houses along that road, and it is full of wolves, tigers, and leopards. It is not a journey that can be made in a single day. Do not treat it as a joke." Wukong laughed again and said, "No need, no need. I am off!" And with that, he vanished in an instant. The old man was flustered and said, "By Heaven! So he is a divine immortal who can ride the clouds and mists!"
Leaving aside how this family later lavishly entertained Sanzang, let us speak only of the Great Sage. In the blink of an eye, he arrived at Green Cloud Mountain. He stopped his auspicious cloud and was looking for the cave entrance when he suddenly heard a "clang, clang, clang" sound. It was a woodcutter in the mountains, chopping firewood. Wukong quickened his pace and went over, and he heard the woodcutter singing:
Among the clouds, I recognize the old forest I love; the path is hard to find among the broken cliffs and wild grass. Looking west from the mountain, I see the morning rain coming; when I return south along the mountain stream, the crossing is deep.
Wukong stepped forward and bowed. "Woodcutter brother, I trouble you."
The woodcutter put down his axe and returned the bow. "Venerable Sir, where are you going?"
Wukong asked, "May I ask, woodcutter brother, is this Green Cloud Mountain?"
The woodcutter said, "It is indeed."
Wukong asked again, "There is a Plantain Cave where the Iron Fan Immortal lives. Where is it located?"
The woodcutter laughed and said, "There is a Plantain Cave, but there is no Iron Fan Immortal. There is only a Princess Iron Fan, also called Rakshasi."
Wukong asked, "People say she has a plantain fan that can extinguish the flames of Flaming Mountain. Is it her?"
The woodcutter said, "Yes, it is her. This saintly being has that precious treasure and is skilled at putting out fires, protecting the people of this region. That is why everyone calls her the Iron Fan Immortal. We people here do not need to ask her for anything; we only know her as Rakshasi, the wife of the Great Sage Bull Demon King."
When Wukong heard this, his face turned pale with fright, and he thought to himself, "I have run into an enemy again! When I subdued Red Boy back then, I heard that he was her son. Before this, at the Broken Child Cave on Jieyang Mountain, I met her brother-in-law, and he would not even lend me water, wanting instead to take revenge. Now I have run into her parents. How can I possibly borrow the fan?"
The woodcutter saw Wukong frowning and sighing, so he laughed and said, "Venerable Sir, you are a man who has left the world. What is there to worry about? Follow this small path eastward, and in less than five or six miles you will reach the Plantain Cave. Do not be anxious." Wukong said, "To be honest with you, woodcutter brother, I am the senior disciple of Tang Sanzang, the monk from the Great Tang in the East who is going to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. Two years ago, at the Fire Cloud Cave, I had a small disagreement with Red Boy, the son of Rakshasi. I am afraid she holds a grudge and will not lend me the fan. That is why I am worried." The woodcutter said, "A true man acts according to circumstances. Just say you want to borrow the fan, and do not mention past affairs. You will surely be able to borrow it." Wukong quickly made a deep bow. "Thank you for your guidance, woodcutter brother. I am on my way."
Wukong took leave of the woodcutter and went straight to the entrance of the Plantain Cave. He saw that the two large doors were tightly shut, and the scenery outside the cave was beautiful—truly a wonderful place! Behold:
The mountain had rock for its bones, and the rock was the essence of the earth. Mist and haze held the lingering moisture of the night; moss and lichen lent a fresh green to everything. The towering, jagged peaks rivaled the immortal isles of Penglai; the quiet, secluded fragrance of flowers was like the mythical sea-isle of Yingzhou. Several tall pine trees sheltered wild cranes; a few sparse willows echoed with the songs of mountain orioles. Truly, this was a thousand-year-old relic, a ten-thousand-year-old trace of the immortals. On green parasol trees, colorful phoenixes sang; in the flowing waters, azure dragons lurked. Creepers and vines hung down from the winding paths; rattan and wisteria climbed over the stone steps. Apes cried out on the green cliffs, delighted by the rising moon; birds sang in the tall trees, rejoicing in the clear sky. The bamboo groves on both sides cast a coolness like rain; the flower-strewn path was so thick it buried the embroidered silk. From time to time, white clouds came from distant peaks, drifting aimlessly with the wind.
Wukong stepped forward and knocked on the gate. "Brother Bull, open up! Open up!" With a creak, the cave door opened, and out came a maidservant dressed in coarse cloth, carrying a flower basket in her hand and a hoe over her shoulder. Though her clothes were plain and without ornament, her face was full of spirit and carried an air of immortality. Wukong greeted her with palms pressed together and said, "Maidservant, I trouble you to announce me to the princess. I am a monk on a pilgrimage for the scriptures. I cannot cross Flaming Mountain on the road to the West, and I have come especially to borrow the plantain fan."
The maidservant asked, "Which temple are you from, and what is your name? I will announce you." Wukong said, "I am from the Eastern lands, and my name is Sun Wukong." The maidservant turned and went back into the cave. She knelt before Rakshasi and said, "Milady, outside the cave gate there is a monk named Sun Wukong, from the East, who wishes to see you. He begs to borrow the plantain fan to cross Flaming Mountain."
The moment Rakshasi heard the name "Sun Wukong," it was like throwing salt into a fire. Her rage blazed up instantly. Her face flushed crimson, and she shouted angrily, "That damned monkey! Today he has come to deliver himself into my hands!" She cried out, "Maidservant, bring my armor and my weapons!" In no time, she had donned her armor and taken up two swords of green-blue steel. She arranged herself and came out. Wukong, hiding to one side outside the cave, stole a look at her appearance:
Her head was wrapped in a patterned silk kerchief; her body was clad in a robe of embroidered brocade. Around her waist was a double belt of tiger sinew, and beneath it peeked the embroidered edge of her skirt. On her feet were three-inch embroidered shoes shaped like phoenix beaks, and her knee-length trousers were trimmed with gold dragon-thread. In her hands she held a pair of swords, and her voice was high with rage. She was as fierce as the Moon Goddess Chang'e transformed into a different being.
Rakshasi came out of the gate and shouted loudly, "Where is Sun Wukong?" Wukong stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Sister-in-law, Old Sun is here to pay his respects to you." Rakshasi cursed him, "Who is your sister-in-law! Who wants your respects!" Wukong said, "Your husband, the Bull Demon King, and I once swore brotherhood long ago. We were seven sworn brothers. Now that I hear the princess is the wife of Brother Bull, how could I not call you sister-in-law?"
Rakshasi said, "You damned monkey! If you are a sworn brother, then why did you harm my son?" Wukong pretended to be puzzled. "Who is your son?" Rakshasi said, "My son is the Holy Child King Red Boy of the Fire Cloud Cave on the Withered Pine Stream of Hao Mountain. You have ruined him! We have been looking everywhere to take revenge on you. Today you come to our door to die. How could I possibly spare you!"
Wukong put on a full-faced smile and said, "Sister-in-law, you are mistaken. You have wronged me. That year, your son captured my master and wanted to steam him or boil him. Fortunately, the Bodhisattva Guanyin took him in and made him a disciple, the Sudhana Youth, thereby saving my master. Now he is by the Bodhisattva's side, having achieved the true fruit. He is beyond birth and death, beyond filth and purity, and can share the same lifespan as Heaven and Earth, the same age as the Sun and Moon. You do not thank me for saving his life, but instead blame me. What kind of logic is that!"
Rakshasi said, "You smooth-tongued, glib-talking damned monkey! Even if my son did not lose his life, he can never return to my side. When will I ever get to see him again?" Wukong laughed and said, "Sister-in-law, what is so difficult about wanting to see your son? First, lend me the fan. I will fan out the fire, send my master across, and then go to the Bodhisattva's palace in the Southern Sea to invite him to come see you. Then I will return the fan to you. What is wrong with that? At that time, you can see if he has suffered even a single injury. If he has, you would be justified in blaming me. But if he is even more spirited than before, you should still thank me."
Rakshasi said, "Damned monkey, less of your nonsense! Stick out your head and let me chop it a few times with my sword! If you can bear the pain, I will lend you the fan. If you cannot bear it, I will send you to see the King of Hell a little early!" Wukong folded his arms and stepped forward with a smile. "Sister-in-law, say no more. Old Sun will stretch out his bald head. You may chop it as many times as you like. As soon as you are too tired to swing your sword anymore, then you can lend me the fan."
Rakshasi did not argue further. She swung both swords with both hands and brought them down on Wukong's head with a clatter and a bang, more than a dozen times. But Wukong was completely unharmed. Rakshasi was terrified. She turned to flee. Wukong said, "Sister-in-law, where are you going? Hurry up and lend me the fan!"
Rakshasi said, "My precious treasure is not something I can just lend out casually."
Wukong said, "Since you refuse to lend it, then taste your old uncle's staff!"
What a valiant Monkey King! With one hand, he grabbed hold of Rakshasi, and with the other, he pulled the Golden-Banded Staff from his ear. He shook it, and it became as thick as a rice bowl. Rakshasi wrenched herself free, raised her swords, and met his attack. Wukong swung his staff and struck. The two of them fought before Green Cloud Mountain, setting aside all kinship and counting only old grudges. The battle was truly fierce:
The woman in her skirt and hairpins was originally a fiend who had cultivated her powers. For the sake of her son, she hated the wild monkey. The Pilgrim, though fierce and angry, held back his ferocity and showed patience, because his master's path was blocked and he had to deal with this woman. First, he spoke of borrowing the plantain fan with proper courtesy, not displaying his valor but remaining gentle. Rakshasi, ignorant, swung her swords and hacked at him; the Monkey King, with purpose, tried to explain the whole affair. But how could a woman contend with a man? In the end, masculine strength overpowers the feminine. His golden-banded staff was fierce and savage; her frosty blades and green steel were tight and dense. He struck at her face, she aimed for his head; they fought bitterly, neither willing to stop. He blocked left and parried right, displaying his martial arts; she met him head-on and countered from behind, deploying her cunning schemes. They fought until they were deep in the heat of battle, and before they knew it, the sun was setting in the West. Rakshasi hastily took out her true fan, and with one wave, she stirred up a wind that would frighten even ghosts and gods!
Rakshasi and Wukong fought until dark. Seeing that his staff was heavy and his techniques were tight and impenetrable, she knew she could not defeat him. So she immediately took out the plantain fan, shook it, and with one wave fanned up a sinister wind that blew Wukong away without a trace. He could not stop himself. Having won the battle, Rakshasi returned to her cave.
The Great Sage was blown about, drifting and tumbling. When he tried to sink down to the left, he could not land; when he tried to fall to the right, he could not stop. He was like a fallen leaf in a whirlwind, a withered blossom in a rushing stream. He rolled through the entire night, and only at dawn did he land on a mountain peak, clutching a rock with both hands. He steadied his mind for a long while, and when he looked carefully, he recognized this as Little Sumeru Mountain. The Great Sage let out a long sigh. "That woman is truly formidable! How did she manage to blow Old Sun all the way here? I remember that years ago, I came here to ask the Bodhisattva Lingji to subdue the Yellow Wind Monster and save my master. The Yellow Wind Ridge is over three thousand miles south of here. Now, I have been blown from the West to the Southeast. I do not know how many tens of thousands of miles that is. Let me go down and ask the Bodhisattva Lingji for news, so I can find my way back."
As Wukong was hesitating, he heard the clear sound of a bell. He quickly went down the mountain slope and went straight to the meditation temple. The Daoist at the gate recognized Wukong's appearance and immediately went in to announce him. "The hairy-faced Great Sage who came two years ago to ask the Bodhisattva to subdue the Yellow Wind Monster is here again!" The Bodhisattva Lingji knew it was Wukong and quickly descended from his jeweled throne to welcome him. The two of them entered the hall and exchanged courtesies. The Bodhisattva said, "Congratulations! Have you finished fetching the scriptures and returned?" Wukong replied, "Not yet! We have not even reached the Thunder Monastery. We are still far, far away!"
The Bodhisattva Lingji said, "If you have not yet reached the Western Heaven, then why have you returned to this desolate mountain of mine?" Wukong said, "Ever since last year, when I was fortunate enough to have your help in subduing the Yellow Wind Monster, I have suffered untold hardships along the way. Now we have reached Flaming Mountain and can go no further. I asked the locals, and they said there is an Iron Fan Immortal who has a plantain fan that can put out the fire. So I went specially to find her. It turns out that the Iron Fan Immortal is the wife of the Bull Demon King and the mother of Red Boy. She told me that I sent her son to be a disciple by the Bodhisattva Guanyin's side, preventing her from seeing him, and so she regards me as an enemy. She refused to lend me the fan and even fought with me. When she saw that my staff was too heavy for her to withstand, she used her fan to blow me away. I was blown about, drifting and tumbling, until I landed here and stopped. That is why I have come to your meditation temple, to ask about the way back, and also how far it is from here to Flaming Mountain."
The Bodhisattva Lingji laughed and said, "That woman is called Rakshasi, also known as Princess Iron Fan. Her plantain fan is a spiritual treasure born from Heaven and Earth since the dawn of creation, from behind the Kunlun Mountains. It is the essence of the lunar star's leaves, and therefore it can extinguish fire. If this fan is used to fan a person, that person will drift eighty-four thousand miles before the sinister wind stops. This mountain of mine is only a little over fifty thousand miles from Flaming Mountain. It is only because you, Great Sage, have the ability to retain your cloud that you were able to stop. If it had been an ordinary person, they would have drifted away without a trace."
Wukong said, "Terrible! Terrible! Then how can my master ever get across?" The Bodhisattva Lingji said, "Great Sage, do not worry. Your coming here is also a part of Tang Sanzang's destiny, and it is fated that you should succeed." Wukong asked, "What do you mean by succeeding?" The Bodhisattva Lingji said, "Years ago, I received the command of the Tathagata Buddha. He bestowed upon me a Wind-Calming Pill and a Flying Dragon Staff. The Flying Dragon Staff has already been used to subdue the Yellow Wind Monster. This Wind-Calming Pill has never been used. Now I give it to you. With it, no matter how Rakshasi fans you, you will surely not move an inch. Then you will be able to take the fan and put out the fire. Will that not be a great achievement!"
Wukong bowed his head and expressed his boundless gratitude. The Bodhisattva took a brocade pouch from his sleeve, produced the Wind-Calming Pill, and sewed it into the collar of Wukong's garment. He saw him to the gate and said, "There is no time to stay for tea. Head northwest, and you will be in Rakshasi's territory."
Wukong took leave of the Bodhisattva Lingji, mounted his somersault cloud, and went straight back to Green Cloud Mountain. In no time at all, he had arrived. He struck the cave gate with his iron staff and shouted, "Open up! Open up! Old Sun has come to borrow the fan!" The maidservant inside the cave, flustered, ran in to announce, "Milady, the one who came to borrow the fan is here again!"
When Rakshasi heard this, fear seized her heart. "That damned monkey is truly skilled! My precious treasure fans a person eighty-four thousand miles before they stop. How did he just get blown away and then come right back? This time, I will fan him two or three times in a row, so he can never find his way back!" She quickly rose, put on her clothes, took up her swords with both hands, and walked out the gate. "Sun the Pilgrim! You are not afraid of death, and you come again to throw your life away!"
Wukong laughed and said, "Sister-in-law, do not be so petty. Just lend it to me for a while. Once I have escorted my master across the mountain, I will return it to you. I am a man of honor and integrity, not a petty person who borrows things and never returns them."
Rakshasi cursed him again. "Damned monkey! You have no sense of right and wrong! The grudge of you stealing my son has not yet been avenged, and you still want to borrow the fan? No chance! Do not run! Taste my sword!" The Great Sage was not afraid at all. He raised his iron staff and met her attack. The two of them went back and forth for five or seven rounds, and Rakshasi's hands grew weak. She could not defeat Wukong. Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, she took out her fan and fanned it at Wukong. But Wukong did not move an inch.
Wukong put away his iron staff and said with a grin, "This time is different from last time! No matter how you fan, if Old Sun moves so much as a single step, I would not be worthy of the name 'hero'!" Rakshasi fanned him twice more, and indeed, Wukong remained completely still. Rakshasi was panic-stricken. She quickly put away her fan, turned around, and ran back into her cave, slamming the door tightly shut behind her.
Seeing that she had closed the door, Wukong performed a transformation. He unstitched his collar, took the Wind-Calming Pill into his mouth, shook himself, and turned into a tiny cicada-like insect. He slipped in through the crack in the door. Inside, he saw Rakshasi shouting, "I am thirsty! I am thirsty! Bring tea quickly!" The maidservant beside her quickly brought a pot of fragrant tea and filled a bowl to the brim, with tea froth bubbling over the edge. Wukong was delighted. With a buzz, he flew over and landed beneath the tea froth.
Rakshasi was parched with thirst. She took the bowl and downed it in two or three gulps. Taking the opportunity, Wukong slipped into her stomach. He changed back into his original form and shouted loudly, "Sister-in-law, lend me the fan to use!"
Rakshasi's face turned pale with terror. She asked, "Little ones, is the front gate closed?"
The maidservants all replied, "It is closed."
She said again, "Since the gate is closed, how is Sun the Pilgrim calling out from inside the house?"
The maidservant said, "He is calling out from inside your body!"
Rakshasi asked, "Sun the Pilgrim, what kind of trickery are you up to?"
Wukong said, "Old Sun never uses trickery in his entire life. Everything is true skill! Right now, I am playing around inside your belly. I can even see your lungs and liver! I know you are also thirsty and hungry. First, let me give you a 'sitting bowl' to quench your thirst!" With that, he pushed down hard with his foot. Rakshasi's lower belly immediately ached unbearably, and she sat down on the ground, crying out in pain.
Wukong said again, "Sister-in-law, do not refuse. Let me give you another 'snack' to fill your stomach!" He then rammed his head upward.
Rakshasi's heart ached even more fiercely. She rolled on the ground, her face turning yellow and her lips turning white, and she only cried out, "Uncle Sun, spare my life!"
Only then did Wukong withdraw his hands and feet. "So you finally recognize me as your uncle? For the sake of Brother Bull, I will spare your life. Hurry up and bring me the fan to use."
Rakshasi said, "Uncle, there is a fan! There is a fan! Come out and take it!"
Wukong said, "First, show me the fan, and then I will come out."
Rakshasi quickly ordered a maidservant to bring a plantain fan and hold it up beside her. Wukong stuck his head out from her throat and saw the fan. He said, "Sister-in-law, since I have spared you, I will not poke a hole in your ribs. I will come out through your mouth instead. Open your mouth three times." Rakshasi indeed opened her mouth. Wukong changed back into the cicada-insect and flew out, landing on the plantain fan. Rakshasi did not see him. She opened her mouth three times in a row and shouted, "Uncle, come out quickly!"
Wukong changed back into his original form, took the fan, and said, "Am I not right here? Thank you for lending me the fan! Thank you for lending me the fan!" With that, he strode away. The maidservants quickly opened the gate and let him out of the cave.
The Great Sage turned his cloud around and flew straight eastward. In no time at all, he landed his cloud and stood outside the red-brick-walled manor from before. When Bajie saw him, he shouted happily, "Master, the elder brother is back! He is back!" Sanzang, along with the old master of the manor and Wujing, came out together to welcome