Now, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven was, after all, a monkey demon at heart. He understood nothing of official rank or salary, caring only that his name was inscribed on the celestial registry . The immortal clerks of his two departments, Anqueting and Spiritsoothing , attended him morning and evening, but he did nothing but eat three meals a day and sleep through the night, free from all worry. In his idle hours, he roamed the Heavenly Court, visiting friends and befriending immortals of every stripe. When he met the Three Pure Ones , he called them "Old Man"; when he encountered the Four Emperors , he addressed them as "Your Majesty." As for the Nine Bright Shiners , the Five Generals of the Four Quarters , the Twenty-Eight Constellations , the Four Heavenly Kings , the Twelve Time Lords , the Five Ancients of the Five Regions , and all the star spirits and river immortals , he treated them all as brothers, regardless of rank or station. Today he roamed east, tomorrow west, drifting on clouds without a fixed course.
One morning at the Jade Emperor's early court, the Immortal Xu Jingyang stepped forward from the ranks of officials and presented a memorial : "The Great Sage Equaling Heaven has nothing to do. He spends his days in idle wandering, befriending the stars and constellations, calling everyone 'brother' regardless of their station. This could breed trouble. It would be wise to give him some official duty to keep him occupied."
The Jade Emperor agreed and immediately summoned Sun Wukong. The Monkey King came cheerfully and asked, "Your Majesty, have you called me for a promotion or some reward?"
The Jade Emperor replied, "I see you have nothing to do, so I am giving you a task. You are to take charge of the Peach Garden of Immortality . Tend it carefully, day and night."
The Great Sage joyfully thanked his lord, bowed briefly, and withdrew.
Eager to assume his post, he went straight to inspect the Peach Garden. The local Earth Spirit blocked his path and asked, "Where is the Great Sage going?"
The Great Sage said, "By the Jade Emperor's decree, I am to manage this Peach Garden. I have come to survey it."
The Earth Spirit quickly bowed and summoned the Tree-Hoeing Laborer , the Water-Carrying Laborer , the Peach-Tending Laborer , and the Sweeping Laborer . All kowtowed to the Great Sage, then led him into the garden. The scene within was truly magnificent:
Lush and radiant, each tree and every branch. Lush and radiant, peaches filled the trees; each branch and bough, fruit weighed down the limbs. The fruit hung like brocade balls, the blossoms clustered like rouge. They bloomed and bore fruit in cycles, ripening over a thousand years, untouched by summer or winter, lasting ten thousand seasons. The ripe ones blushed like drunken faces; the unripe ones bore green stems and pale skins. Mist clung to their green flesh; sunlight revealed their crimson beauty. Beneath the trees grew rare flowers and exotic herbs, blooming all four seasons without fading. Pavilions and towers rose on every side, and the sky above was always veiled in rainbow clouds. These were no common peaches of the mortal world; they were planted by the Queen Mother of the West herself in her Jade Pool garden.
The Great Sage admired the sight for a long while, then asked the Earth Spirit, "How many peach trees are in this garden?"
The Earth Spirit replied, "There are three thousand six hundred in total. The first twelve hundred have small blossoms and small fruit; they ripen once every three thousand years. Anyone who eats them becomes an immortal, healthy and light as a swallow. The middle twelve hundred have large blossoms and sweet fruit; they ripen once every six thousand years. Anyone who eats them can ascend to heaven and achieve immortality, never aging. The last twelve hundred bear peaches with purple veins and pale yellow pits; they ripen once every nine thousand years. Anyone who eats them lives as long as heaven and earth, sharing the same lifespan as the sun and moon."
The Great Sage was overjoyed. That day, after counting the trees and inspecting the pavilions, he returned to his mansion. From then on, he visited the Peach Garden every three to five days, ceasing his wandering and friend-making.
One day, seeing that most of the peaches on the old trees were ripe, he craved a fresh taste. But the Earth Spirit, the laborers, and the clerks from his mansion were always following him, making it inconvenient. He suddenly devised a plan. "Wait for me outside the garden gate," he said. "I want to rest for a while in this pavilion."
The spirits withdrew. The Monkey King took off his robe and hat, climbed a large tree, and picked many of the ripest peaches. He sat on a branch, eating them leisurely. When he was full, he jumped down, put on his clothes, and called his attendants back to the mansion. After that, every two or three days, he found a way to steal peaches and feast on them.
One day, the Queen Mother of the West decided to hold a grand banquet. She opened her precious pavilion in the Jade Pool for the " Peach Festival of Immortality ." She sent seven fairies —one in red, one in green, one in white, one in black, one in purple, one in yellow, and one in blue—each carrying a flower basket, to pick peaches for the feast.
The seven fairies arrived at the garden gate and found the Earth Spirit, the laborers, and the clerks of the two departments standing guard. The fairies stepped forward and said, "We come by the Queen Mother's decree to pick peaches for the banquet."
The Earth Spirit said, "Please wait, immortal maidens. This year is different from the past. The Jade Emperor has appointed the Great Sage Equaling Heaven to manage this garden. We must inform him before opening the gates."
The fairies asked, "Where is the Great Sage?"
The Earth Spirit replied, "He is in the garden, sleeping in the pavilion, for he is tired."
The fairies said, "Then let us find him. We must not delay the appointed hour."
The Earth Spirit led the fairies into the garden. When they reached the Flower Pavilion , they did not see Sun Wukong, only his robe and hat left on the ground. They searched everywhere but could not find him. The Great Sage, after playing for a while and eating a few peaches, had transformed himself into a tiny man no more than two inches tall and was sleeping soundly among the thick leaves at the top of a large tree.
The seven fairies said, "We came by decree to pick peaches. If we cannot find the Great Sage, how dare we return empty-handed?"
A clerk nearby said, "Since you come by decree, immortal maidens, do not hesitate. Our Great Sage is fond of wandering. He has probably left the garden to visit friends. Go ahead and pick the peaches. We will explain matters to him when he returns."
Hearing this, the fairies entered the grove and began picking. First, they filled two baskets from the front trees, then three baskets from the middle trees. When they reached the back trees, they found the fruit sparse—only a few small, fuzzy, green peaches remained, for the ripe ones had all been eaten by the Monkey King.
The seven fairies looked around and spotted a single peach, half-red and half-white, on a southern branch. The green fairy reached up and pulled the branch down; the red fairy plucked the peach, then let the branch spring back.
Now, the Great Sage had transformed himself and was sleeping on that very branch. The fairies' movement woke him. Instantly, he resumed his true form, pulled the Golden-Banded Staff from his ear, shook it to the thickness of a bowl, and roared, "Where are you monsters from, daring to steal my peaches?"
The seven fairies fell to their knees in terror. "Great Sage, calm your anger! We are not monsters. We are seven fairies sent by the Queen Mother of the West to pick immortal peaches for the grand Peach Festival in her precious pavilion. When we arrived, we first met the Earth Spirit and the other spirits here. We could not find you, Great Sage. Fearing we would delay the Queen Mother's decree, we began picking without your permission. We beg your forgiveness."
The Great Sage's anger subsided, and he smiled. "Rise, immortal maidens. Since the Queen Mother is opening her pavilion for a feast, whom is she inviting?"
The fairies replied, "The Peach Festival follows ancient tradition. The guests include the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Holy Monks, and Arhats of the Western Paradise; the Guanyin of the Southern Sea; the Holy Emperor of Highest Grace of the East, along with the immortal elders of the Ten Continents and Three Islands; the Mysterious Spirit of the North Pole; and the Great Immortal Yellow-Horn of the Center—these are the Five Ancients of the Five Regions. Also invited are the Lords of the Five Dippers; the Three Pure Ones, Four Emperors, and Great Immortals of the Upper Eight Caves; the Jade Emperor, the Nine-Layered Heavens, and the Sea and Mountain Immortals of the Middle Eight Caves; and the Lords of the Underworld and the Earthly Immortals of the Lower Eight Caves. All the great and small immortals of every palace and hall will attend the Peach Festival."
The Great Sage laughed. "Was I invited?"
The fairies said, "We have not heard of any invitation for you."
The Great Sage said, "I am the Great Sage Equaling Heaven. Even if they made me the honored guest of the feast, what would be wrong with that?"
The fairies replied, "This is the ancient custom. Whether you are invited this time, we do not know."
The Great Sage thought for a moment. "That is reasonable. I cannot blame you. Wait here. I will go and find out whether I am invited."
Brave Great Sage! He made a hand seal and recited a spell, then said to the fairies, "Stop! Stop! Stop!" This was his Body-Binding Spell. The seven fairies instantly became rigid, their eyes wide and staring, frozen in place beneath the peach trees.
The Great Sage mounted his auspicious cloud, leaped out of the Peach Garden, and flew straight toward the Jade Pool. As he traveled, he saw ahead:
Celestial light shimmered and swayed; five-colored auspicious clouds streamed endlessly. White cranes cried out, their calls echoing through the nine heavens; purple mushrooms spread their thousand leaves in splendor. In the midst appeared an immortal, his bearing proud and his features extraordinary. His divine form danced with rainbows that spanned the Milky Way; at his waist hung a sacred book, untouched by birth or death. His name was the Barefoot Immortal of the Great Luo Heaven, and he was on his way to the Peach Festival to add to the celebration of longevity.
The Barefoot Immortal met the Great Sage face to face. The Great Sage lowered his head, scheming. He decided to deceive this true immortal so he could secretly attend the feast himself. "Where are you going, old Taoist?" he asked.
The immortal replied, "I have been invited by the Queen Mother to attend the Peach Festival."
The Great Sage said, "Old Taoist, you may not know. The Jade Emperor, because my cloud somersault is so swift, has sent me to invite all the immortals from the five directions. But first, you must go to the Hall of Universal Brightness to pay your respects, and only then proceed to the feast."
The Barefoot Immortal was an honest and straightforward man. He took the lie at face value and said, puzzled, "In previous years, we always paid our respects at the Jade Pool. Why must we go to the Hall of Universal Brightness first this year?" Nevertheless, he turned his cloud around and headed straight for the Hall of Universal Brightness.
The Great Sage mounted his cloud, recited a spell, shook himself, and transformed into the exact likeness of the Barefoot Immortal. He then sped toward the Jade Pool. Soon he reached the precious pavilion. He stopped his cloud, slipped inside quietly, and saw:
Jade incense swirled, and auspicious mists billowed. The Jasper Terrace was draped in colored silk; the precious pavilion emitted a fragrant haze. Phoenixes danced and sinurghs soared in ethereal forms; golden flowers and jade calyxes floated and sank. In the hall were arranged nine-phoenix crimson screens and eight-treasure purple cloud thrones. There were tables painted in gold with a thousand flowers, and basins of emerald jade. On the tables were dragon liver and phoenix marrow, bear paws and monkey lips. A hundred rare delicacies were laid out, each more exquisite than the last; exotic fruits and fine dishes shone with fresh colors.
Everything was arranged perfectly, but no immortals had yet arrived. As the Great Sage looked around, he suddenly caught the scent of wine. Turning his head, he saw in the right corridor several immortal wine-makers, dreg-stirrers, water-carriers, and fire-tenders, all washing vats and scrubbing jars. They had already brewed jade nectar and fragrant, exquisite wines.
The Great Sage could not resist. His mouth watered, and he wanted to drink, but the workers were all there. So he used his divine power. He plucked a few hairs from his body, chewed them into pieces, and spat them out, crying, "Change!" The hairs instantly turned into sleep bugs that flew into the faces of the workers. Their hands and feet went limp, their heads drooped, their eyes closed, and they all fell asleep, dropping their tools.
The Great Sage grabbed some rare delicacies and fine dishes, walked into the corridor, and, leaning against the wine vats, began to drink freely. He drank for a long time until he was thoroughly drunk and dizzy. Then he thought, "This is bad! This is very bad! If the invited immortals arrive and find me here, they will surely blame me. If I am caught, it will be terrible! I had better go back to my mansion and sleep."
Brave Great Sage! Staggering and swaying, he wandered drunkenly and took a wrong turn. Instead of returning to his mansion, he ended up at the Tushita Heavenly Palace. When he saw it, he realized his mistake. "The Tushita Palace is in the thirty-third heaven, the place of the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord, Lord Laozi. How did I end up here? Oh, well! I have always wanted to visit the Elderly Lord but never had the chance. Today I might as well go in and see him."
He straightened his clothes and walked straight in, but found no one inside. The place was empty. Lord Laozi was at that moment on the Vermilion Mound Altar in the three-story high pavilion, discoursing on the Dao with the Ancient Buddha Dipankara. All the immortal youths, generals, officials, and clerks were attending him, listening to the sermon.
The Great Sage went straight to the elixir chamber. He did not find Lord Laozi, but he saw that the furnace was still burning. On either side of the furnace were five gourds, all filled with refined Golden Elixir pills. The Great Sage was delighted. "These are the treasures of the immortals! Since I attained the Dao, I have understood the principle of inner and outer harmony. I have wanted to refine some Golden Elixir to save people, but I have never had the time. Today, by fate, I have encountered these pills. Since Lord Laozi is not here, I will eat a few to taste them."
He poured out all the pills from the five gourds and ate them all, like a man eating fried beans.
Soon, having eaten too many pills, his drunkenness wore off, and he began to worry. "This is bad! This is very bad! This disaster is greater than heaven itself. If the Jade Emperor finds out, I will not survive! I must flee! I must flee! I had better go back to the mortal world and become king again!"
He ran out of the Tushita Palace, did not take his original path, but used his Invisibility Spell to escape through the Western Heavenly Gate. Then he lowered his cloud and descended to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. There he saw flags fluttering and weapons gleaming. The Four Stalwart Generals and the seventy-two cave demon kings were drilling their troops.
The Great Sage shouted loudly, "Little ones! I am back!"
The demons dropped their weapons and knelt. "Great Sage, how could you be so carefree? You abandoned us for so long and never came back to see us!"
The Great Sage said, "It has not been that long! It has not been that long!" As he spoke, he walked straight into the depths of the Water Curtain Cave. The Four Stalwart Generals cleaned his dwelling, kowtowed, and asked, "Great Sage, you spent a hundred years in heaven. What official post did you actually hold?"
The Great Sage laughed. "I remember only about half a year passing. Why do you say a hundred years?"
The Stalwart Generals replied, "One day in heaven is one year in the mortal world."
The Great Sage said, "Well, the Jade Emperor treated me well this time. He truly appointed me 'Great Sage Equaling Heaven' and built a mansion for me, with two departments and immortal clerks as attendants. Later, seeing I had nothing to do, he put me in charge of the Peach Garden. Recently, the Queen Mother held a 'Peach Festival' and did not invite me. I did not wait for her invitation. I went to the Jade Pool myself and ate all her immortal delicacies and drank all her immortal wine. Leaving the Jade Pool, I was dizzy and took a wrong turn to Lord Laozi's palace, where I also ate all the Golden Elixir pills from his five gourds. Fearing the Jade Emperor's punishment, I fled through the Heavenly Gate and came back."
The demons were overjoyed. They immediately prepared wine and fruit to welcome the Great Sage back, pouring him a large bowl of coconut wine. The Great Sage took a sip and frowned. "This is terrible! This is terrible!"
The Generals Beng and Ba said, "The Great Sage has grown used to immortal wine and celestial delicacies in heaven, so this coconut wine tastes bad to him. But as the saying goes, 'Sweet or not, it is the water of one's homeland.'"
The Great Sage replied, "And you are my 'dear ones, the people of my homeland.' This morning, when I was drinking in the Jade Pool, I saw many vats and jars of jade nectar in the corridor. You have never tasted such things. Let me go and steal a few bottles for you. Each of you can have half a cup, and you will all become immortal."
The monkeys were overjoyed. The Great Sage immediately left the cave, turned a somersault, used his Invisibility Spell, and went straight back to the Peach Festival. Entering the Jade Pool palace, he saw the wine-makers, dreg-stirrers, water-carriers, and fire-tenders still snoring loudly. He tucked two large wine jars under each arm and carried two more in his hands. Then he turned his cloud around and returned to the cave, where he held a "Immortal Wine Feast" with the monkeys. Each drank a few cups and was extremely happy. But we will leave them for now.
Meanwhile, the seven fairies, bound by the Great Sage's spell, could not move for an entire day. When they finally could, they picked up their flower baskets and returned to report to the Queen Mother. "The Great Sage Equaling Heaven used his magic to immobilize us, which is why we are late," they said.
The Queen Mother asked, "How many peaches did you pick?"
The fairies replied, "We only picked two baskets of small peaches and three baskets of medium peaches. When we reached the back grove, there was not a single large peach left. They must have all been eaten by the Great Sage. As we were looking for him, he suddenly appeared, questioned us about the feast, and then used his spell to freeze us. He vanished, and we did not know where he went. Only now could we move, and we hurried back to report."
Hearing this, the Queen Mother went immediately to see the Jade Emperor and told him everything in detail. Before she had finished speaking, the immortal wine-makers and laborers also came to report. "Someone has disrupted the Peach Festival! The jade nectar and all the rare delicacies have been stolen and eaten!"
Then the Four Great Heavenly Masters stepped forward and announced, "The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord has arrived." The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother went out to greet him. After bowing, Lord Laozi said, "I was refining some 'Nine-Cycle Golden Elixir' in my palace, intending to present it to Your Majesty for the 'Elixir Festival.' But it has been stolen by a thief. I have come to inform Your Majesty." The Jade Emperor was shocked and alarmed.
Soon after, the clerks of the Great Sage's mansion came to kowtow and report. "The Great Sage Sun has not kept to his duties. Yesterday he went out wandering and has not returned. No one knows where he is." The Jade Emperor grew even more suspicious.
Then the Barefoot Immortal stepped forward and said, "Yesterday, I received an invitation from the Queen Mother to attend the Peach Festival. On the way, I met the Great Sage Equaling Heaven. He told me that Your Majesty had decreed that all immortals must first go to the Hall of Universal Brightness to pay their respects before proceeding to the feast. I followed his words and went to the hall, but I did not see Your Majesty's dragon carriage or phoenix chariot. So I hurried here to wait."
The Jade Emperor was even more astonished. "This rebellious monkey dares to forge my decree and deceive a worthy minister like you! Send the Investigating Spirit Officer at once to find the traces of this monkey!"
The Spirit Officer received the decree and immediately went out to investigate. He uncovered the whole affair and returned to report. "The one who disrupted the Heavenly Court is the Great Sage Equaling Heaven." He then detailed Sun Wukong's theft of the peaches, the wine, and the Golden Elixir.
The Jade Emperor flew into a rage. He immediately ordered the Four Heavenly Kings, together with Heavenly King Li and his son Prince Nezha, to muster the Twenty-Eight Constellations, the Nine Bright Shiner Officials, the Twelve Time Lords, the Five Revealers of the Four Quarters, the Four Duty Spirit Officers, the Eastern and Western Stars, the Northern and Southern Spirits, the Five Sacred Mountains and Four Great Rivers, and all the star spirits of heaven—a total of one hundred thousand heavenly soldiers. They were to set up eighteen layers of heavenly nets and snares, descend to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, surround it, and capture Sun Wukong for punishment. The gods immediately set out, leaving the Heavenly Court. Their departure was a sight to behold:
Yellow wind rolled, darkening the sky; purple mists swirled, shrouding the earth. All because a monkey demon dared to defy the Lord of Heaven, causing the saints to descend to the mortal world. The Four Heavenly Kings and the Five Emperors of the Five Regions: the Four Heavenly Kings held supreme command; the Five Great Saints deployed the vast army. Heavenly King Li, bearing his pagoda, commanded the central army; the fierce Nezha led the vanguard. Rahu the Star Lord inspected the troops; Ketu the Star Lord followed with fierce energy. The Moon Star radiated spirit; the Sun Star shone brightly. The Five Planet Stars were all heroes; the Nine Bright Shiner Stars loved to fight. The Time Lords, marking the hours of the day, were all mighty heavenly warriors. The Five Plague Spirits and Five Sacred Mountains lined up east and west; the Six Ding and Six Jia spirits marched left and right. The Dragon Spirits of the Four Rivers were arranged above and below; the Twenty-Eight Constellations were packed in dense ranks. The Horn, Neck, Root, and House Constellations led the host; the Gullet, Wolf, Stomach, and Pleiades Constellations specialized in swift maneuvers. The Dipper, Ox, Girl, Void, Roof, House, and Wall Constellations, and the Heart, Tail, and Winnowing Basket Constellations—each was a master of his art. The Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Spread, Wing, and Axle Constellations brandished spears and swords, displaying their divine power. They stopped their clouds and descended their mists to the mortal world, pitching their camp before the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit.
A poem says:
The Heaven-born Monkey King, with his myriad transformations, stole the elixir and the wine, delighting in his mountain lair. But because he disrupted the Peach Festival, one hundred thousand heavenly soldiers spread their nets and snares.
At that time, Heavenly King Li issued orders for the heavenly soldiers to pitch their camp and surround the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit completely, cutting off all escape. After setting up the eighteen layers of heavenly nets and snares above and below, he first sent the Nine Bright Shiner Stars to challenge the enemy. The Nine Bright Shiner Stars led their troops straight to the cave entrance, where they saw large and small monkeys leaping and playing.
The Star Lords shouted loudly, "You little demons! Where is your Great Sage? We are heavenly spirits dispatched from the upper realm to subdue your rebellious Great Sage! Tell him to come out and surrender at once! If you utter a single 'no,' we will slaughter every one of you!"
The little demons scurried into the cave to report. "Great Sage, trouble! Great trouble! Nine fierce gods are outside. They say they are heavenly spirits sent to capture you."
At that moment, the Great Sage was sharing the immortal wine with the seventy-two cave demon kings and the Four Stalwart Generals. Hearing this, he paid no attention. "Today I have wine, so today I will be drunk. Let the troubles at my door be what they may," he said.
Before he had finished speaking, another group of little demons ran in. "Those nine fierce gods are speaking most insultingly! They are cursing us at the cave entrance!"
The Great Sage laughed. "Ignore them. Let us enjoy our poetry and wine today. Do not ask about fame or glory."
Hardly had he spoken when another group of little demons reported, "Grandfather! Those nine fierce gods have broken down the gate and are charging in!"
The Great Sage was enraged. "These insolent gods! I was willing to ignore them, but they dare to bully me at my own door!" He immediately ordered, "Unicorn Ghost King, lead the seventy-two cave demon kings out to meet the enemy! I, Old Sun, will follow with the Four Stalwart Generals."
The Unicorn Ghost King hastily led the demon troops out to fight, but they were immediately surrounded by the Nine Bright Shiner Stars at the Iron Plank Bridge and could not break through.
In the midst of the chaos, the Great Sage arrived and shouted, "Make way!" He pulled out his Golden-Banded Staff, shook it to the thickness of a bowl and twelve feet in length, and charged out, swinging it fiercely. None of the Nine Bright Shiner Stars dared to face him, and they were quickly driven back.
The Nine Bright Shiner Stars steadied themselves and said, "You reckless BanHorse Plague! You have committed ten heinous crimes: first you stole the peaches, then you stole the wine, disrupted the Peach Festival, stole Lord Laozi's Golden Elixir, and even brought the imperial wine here to enjoy yourself. Crime upon crime! Do you not know this?"
The Great Sage laughed. "All these things, yes, I did them! I did them! But what can you do to me now?"
The Nine Bright Shiner Stars said, "We come by the Jade Emperor's decree, leading a host to subdue you. Surrender at once, and spare these creatures from death. Otherwise, we will level this mountain and overturn this cave!"
The Great Sage was furious. "You hairy gods, what abilities do you have to speak such big words? Do not run! Taste Old Sun's staff!"
The Nine Bright Shiner Stars charged at him together. The Beautiful Monkey King showed no fear. He swung his Golden-Banded Staff left and right, blocking and striking, until he had worn out the Nine Bright Shiner Stars. One by one, they dragged their weapons and fled in defeat, rushing to the central army tent to report to Heavenly King Li. "That monkey king is indeed extremely fierce! We could not defeat him and have retreated in defeat."
Heavenly King Li immediately deployed the Four Heavenly Kings and the Twenty-Eight Constellations to join the battle against Sun Wukong. The Great Sage showed no fear either. He called out the Unicorn Ghost King, the seventy-two cave demon kings, and the Four Stalwart Generals, and arrayed his forces outside the cave. The ensuing melee was truly earth-shattering:
A cold wind howled; strange mists darkened the air. On one side, banners fluttered with brilliant colors; on the other, spears and halberds gleamed. Helmets flashed in rolling waves; armor shone in layered sheets. Helmets flashed in rolling waves, reflecting the sun like silver chimes striking the sky; armor shone in layered sheets, piled up like icy mountains pressing down on the earth. Long-handled sabers flew like lightning; white-tasseled spears pierced through mist and cloud. Square-tined halberds, tiger-eye whips, lined up like a forest of hemp; bronze swords, four-bright spades, arrayed like a dense grove. Bows and crossbows with carved arrows, short clubs and snake-spears, all struck terror into the soul. The Great Sage's single As-You-Will Staff whirled and twirled as he battled the heavenly hosts. The fighting was so fierce that no bird dared fly through the sky, and tigers and wolves fled into the mountains. Sand and stones flew, darkening heaven and earth; dust and dirt rose, shrouding the cosmos. The crashing and banging shook heaven and earth; the fierce and fearsome sounds terrified the gods and demons.
The battle began with the deployment at the Hour of the Dragon and lasted until the sun set in the west. The Unicorn Ghost King and the seventy-two cave demon kings were all captured by the heavenly soldiers. Only the Four Stalwart Generals and the monkeys escaped, hiding in the depths of the Water Curtain Cave. The Great Sage, with his single Golden-Banded Staff, held off the Four Heavenly Kings, Heavenly King Li, and Prince Nezha, as they all fought in midair.
After a long struggle, the Great Sage saw that night was falling. He plucked a handful of hairs from his body, chewed them into pieces, and spat them out, crying, "Change!" Instantly, the hairs turned into a thousand copies of the Great Sage, each wielding a Golden-Banded Staff. They drove back Prince Nezha and defeated the Five Heavenly Kings.
Having won the victory, the Great Sage gathered his hairs back and hurriedly turned to return to the cave. As he reached the Iron Plank Bridge, he saw the Four Stalwart Generals leading the monkeys in kowtowing to welcome him. The monkeys first wailed loudly three times, then laughed heartily three times.
The Great Sage asked, "When you see me, you cry and laugh. What is the meaning of this?"
The Stalwart Generals replied, "This morning, we led our troops to battle the Heavenly King. The seventy-two cave demon kings and the Unicorn Ghost King were all captured by the heavenly soldiers. We barely escaped, so we had reason to cry. But now we see the Great Sage returning victorious, unharmed, so we have reason to laugh."
The Great Sage said, "Victory and defeat are common in war. As the ancients said, 'Kill ten thousand of the enemy, and lose three thousand of your own.' Besides, those who were captured are all tigers, leopards, wolves, worms, badgers, river deer, foxes, and the like. Not a single one of our monkey kind was hurt. Why worry? Although I drove them back with my multiplication magic, they will surely set up camp again at the foot of the mountain. Let us hold our defenses tightly, eat a good meal, and sleep soundly to regain our strength. Tomorrow at dawn, watch me use my great divine powers to capture those heavenly generals and avenge everyone."
The Four Stalwart Generals and the monkeys drank a few bowls of coconut wine and then slept peacefully. We will leave them for now.
Meanwhile, the Four Heavenly Kings recalled their troops. The heavenly soldiers reported their achievements: some had captured tigers and leopards, some had captured lions and elephants, some had captured wolves, worms, foxes, and the like. But not a single monkey spirit had been caught. They immediately set up camp again, established a great stockade, rewarded the meritorious officers, and ordered the soldiers guarding the heavenly nets and snares to take turns ringing bells and shouting watchwords, surrounding the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. They would wait for the next morning to renew the battle. The officers and soldiers received their orders and took up their posts.
Truly:
The monkey demon's rebellion shook heaven and earth; nets and snares were spread, watched day and night without rest.
What would happen to Sun Wukong when dawn came? Listen to the explanation in the next chapter.