Let us set aside for now the matter of the heavenly soldiers surrounding Flower-Fruit Mountain like an iron bucket, and the Great Sage resting peacefully. We turn instead to the Guanyin Bodhisattva , the Goddess of Mercy who hears the cries of the world and delivers all beings from suffering, residing on Mount Potalaka in the Southern Sea . She had previously accepted an invitation from the Queen Mother to attend the Grand Peach Banquet . Together with her senior disciple, the Hui'an Pilgrim , she ascended to the Precious Pavilion of the Jade Pool , only to find it desolate and cold, the banquet in utter disarray. Though a few celestial immortals remained, none had the heart to take their seats, and they gathered in scattered, murmuring groups.
The Bodhisattva greeted the assembled immortals, who then recounted in detail how the Monkey King had disrupted the Peach Festival. The Bodhisattva said, “Since the grand feast has come to nothing and no one has passed the cup in celebration, you may all accompany me to see the Jade Emperor.” The immortals gladly agreed and followed the Bodhisattva.
When they reached the Hall of Universal Brightness , they were met by the Four Heavenly Masters , the Barefoot Immortal , and others who had been waiting there. They immediately told the Bodhisattva that the Jade Emperor was troubled by the affair of the monstrous monkey and had sent heavenly troops to capture him, but as yet there was no news of their return. The Bodhisattva said, “I wish to see the Jade Emperor. May I trouble you to announce my arrival?”
The Heavenly Master Qiu Hongji promptly entered the Hall of Miraculous Mist to report to the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor issued a decree summoning the Bodhisattva inside. At this time, the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord was in the hall, and the Queen Mother stood behind him. The Bodhisattva led the immortals into the hall, first bowing to the Jade Emperor, then greeting the Elderly Lord and the Queen Mother. After they had all taken their seats, the Bodhisattva asked, “How did the Peach Festival proceed?”
The Jade Emperor replied, “Every year the Peach Festival is a grand and joyful affair. But this year, a monstrous monkey has thrown everything into chaos, and all our preparations have been wasted.”
The Bodhisattva asked, “What is the origin of this monstrous monkey?”
The Jade Emperor said, “This monkey was hatched from a stone egg on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit in the Land of Aolai , in the Eastern Continent of Superior Divinity . At his birth, beams of golden light shot from his eyes, piercing straight to the Heavenly Palace. At first, I paid him no heed. Later, he cultivated himself into a spirit, gaining the power to subdue dragons and tigers, and even erased his own name from the Book of Life and Death . When the Dragon King and the King of Yama reported this to me, I intended to send troops to capture him. But the Great White Planet Venus memorialized, saying, ‘Among the Three Realms , any creature with nine orifices can cultivate immortality.’ So I sought to civilize him, summoning him to Heaven and appointing him as the Protector of the Horses in the Imperial Stables. But he considered the rank too low and rebelled, fleeing the Heavenly Palace. I sent Heavenly King Li and Prince Nezha to subdue him, and later issued an amnesty, summoning him back and bestowing upon him the title of ‘ Great Sage, Equal to Heaven ’—though it was a title without salary. With nothing to do, he spent his days wandering idly. Fearing he would cause more trouble, I put him in charge of the Peach Garden . But he again broke the rules, devouring all the large peaches from the ancient trees. When the time came for the Peach Festival, since he was an idle official without salary, he was not invited. So he devised a trick, deceiving the Barefoot Immortal, and taking his form, he infiltrated the banquet, consuming all the celestial dishes and wines. He also stole the Elderly Lord’s elixir and numerous jars of imperial wine, carrying them back to Flower-Fruit Mountain to enjoy with his monkey subjects. I have been troubled by this affair. I dispatched a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers, who spread a net of heaven and earth to capture him, but a day has passed without news, and I know not who has prevailed.”
Upon hearing this, the Bodhisattva immediately said to the Hui'an Pilgrim, “Go quickly down to the Heavenly Palace, to Flower-Fruit Mountain, and scout out the military situation. If you encounter a battle, lend a hand in the fight. Be sure to return and report the true state of affairs.”
The Hui'an Pilgrim straightened his robes, took up an iron staff, and rode his cloud out of the Heavenly Palace, heading straight for the foot of Flower-Fruit Mountain. He saw that the net of heaven and earth was spread in layer upon layer, and the heavenly soldiers at each camp gate were ringing bells and shouting commands, encircling the mountain so tightly that not even water could leak through. The Hui'an Pilgrim halted and called out, “Heavenly soldiers at the camp gate, I trouble you to announce my arrival: I am Muzha , the second son of Heavenly King Li, and also the disciple of the Guanyin Bodhisattva of the Southern Sea, known as Hui'an. I have come specifically to scout the military situation.”
The divine soldiers of the Five Sacred Peaks in the camp immediately relayed the message to the camp gate, and from there, it was passed by the Daytime Void Rat , the Sun Rooster , the Sun Horse , and the Daytime Hare to the central command tent. Heavenly King Li ordered the command flag raised, and the heavenly soldiers opened the net of heaven and earth to let the Hui'an Pilgrim enter. At this time, the eastern sky was just beginning to lighten. The Hui'an Pilgrim followed the flag into the camp, and upon seeing the Four Heavenly Kings and Heavenly King Li, he stepped forward and bowed.
After the bow, Heavenly King Li asked, “My son, where have you come from?”
The Hui'an Pilgrim replied, “I was accompanying the Bodhisattva to the Peach Festival. When the Bodhisattva saw that the grand feast was desolate and the Jade Pool empty, she led the immortals and me to see the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor spoke of how Your Majesty had descended to the mortal realm to subdue the monstrous monkey, but that a day had passed without news, and he did not know who had won or lost. So the Bodhisattva sent me here to scout out the true situation.”
Heavenly King Li said, “We arrived here yesterday and set up camp. First, we sent the Nine Luminaries to challenge him, but that monstrous monkey’s divine powers are vast, and he drove all Nine Luminaries away in defeat. Later, we led the troops into battle ourselves, and he also deployed his forces. Our hundred thousand heavenly soldiers fought a chaotic battle with him until nightfall, when he used his body-doubling technique to drive us back. After we withdrew our troops and took stock, we captured only a few miscellaneous monsters—wolves, tigers, leopards, and the like—but not a single monkey spirit. Today, we have not yet begun to fight.”
Before he had finished speaking, a report came from outside the camp gate: “The Great Sage is outside, leading a host of monkey spirits, and he is challenging us to battle!”
The Four Heavenly Kings, Heavenly King Li, and Prince Nezha were just discussing whether to send out troops when Muzha said, “Father, I am here by the Bodhisattva’s command to scout for information. The Bodhisattva also said that if I encountered a battle, I should lend a hand. Now I wish to go and meet this fellow, to see what kind of ‘Great Sage’ he truly is!”
Heavenly King Li said, “My son, you have been cultivating under Guanyin for these past years, and you must have learned some divine powers. But be careful!”
The good prince, wielding his iron staff with both hands and tightening his robes, leaped out of the camp gate and shouted at the top of his voice, “Which of you is the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven?”
The Great Sage, holding his As-You-Will Gold-Banded Staff at the ready, answered the call, “Old Sun is right here! Who are you, to dare ask me?”
Muzha said, “I am Muzha, the second son of Heavenly King Li, and now a disciple of the Guanyin Bodhisattva, charged with protecting the faith. My religious name is Hui'an.”
The Great Sage said, “You are not cultivating in the Southern Sea. Why have you come here looking for me?”
Muzha replied, “I am here by my master’s command to scout the military situation. Seeing you so arrogant and reckless, I have come specifically to capture you!”
The Great Sage laughed, “You dare to speak such big words! Don’t run! Taste Old Sun’s staff!”
Muzha was not at all afraid. He raised his iron staff to meet the blow head-on. The two of them fought halfway up the mountain, outside the camp gate. This was a truly fierce battle: The iron staffs clashed, though one was of iron and the other unlike it; the weapons met, but the warriors were of different kinds. One was a rogue immortal of the Grand Unity, calling himself the Great Sage; the other was a disciple of Guanyin, a true dragon of the primal source. The mixed iron staff had been forged through a thousand hammer blows, with the Six Ding and Six Jia spirits channeling their divine power into it. The As-You-Will Staff was the pillar that held the Heavenly River steady, a divine treasure of immense power that calmed the seas. The two met as true opponents, their exchanges and counters boundless and endless. This one wielded his staff with an underhand grip, fierce and deadly, circling the waist and striking with the speed of wind. That one thrust with his staff, never missing a mark, blocking left and covering right—how could he be contained? On one side, flags and banners glittered; on the other, alligator-skin drums rumbled. Ten thousand heavenly generals swirled in a tight ring, while a whole cave of monkey fiends clustered thickly. Strange mists and sorrowful clouds spread across the underworld; wolf-smoke and baleful vapors shot up to the Heavenly Palace. Yesterday’s chaotic battle was bad enough, but today’s contest was even more ferocious. Truly admirable was the Monkey King’s genuine skill, as Muzha, defeated once more, fled for his life.
The Great Sage and the Hui'an Pilgrim fought for fifty or sixty rounds. The Hui'an Pilgrim’s arms grew sore and numb, and he could no longer withstand the assault. Feigning a strike, he turned and fled in defeat. The Great Sage also withdrew his monkey troops and set up camp outside the cave gate.
The heavenly soldiers at Heavenly King Li’s camp gate received the Hui'an Pilgrim and cleared a path for him. The Hui'an Pilgrim entered the camp gate and said breathlessly to the Four Heavenly Kings, Heavenly King Li, and Prince Nezha, “What a Great Sage! What a Great Sage! His divine powers are truly vast! I could not defeat him and have returned in defeat!”
Heavenly King Li was startled by this. He immediately ordered a memorial written to request reinforcements, and sent the Great Strength Ghost King and Prince Muzha together up to Heaven to report to the Jade Emperor.
The two did not dare to delay. They burst through the net of heaven and earth, mounted their auspicious clouds, and soon arrived at the Hall of Universal Brightness. After being received by the Four Heavenly Masters, they were led into the Hall of Miraculous Mist, where they presented the memorial. The Hui'an Pilgrim then bowed to the Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva asked, “What have you discovered?”
The Hui'an Pilgrim replied, “I went to Flower-Fruit Mountain as commanded. I called out to open the net of heaven and earth and saw my father. I told him the reason for my master’s sending me. My father said that yesterday they fought a battle with that Monkey King, capturing only a few tiger, leopard, lion, and elephant monsters, but not a single monkey spirit. While we were speaking, that Monkey King came again to challenge us. I fought him with my iron staff for fifty or sixty rounds, but could not win and returned to camp in defeat. My father therefore sent the Great Strength Ghost King and me up to Heaven to request assistance.”
The Bodhisattva lowered her head, pondering a strategy.
Meanwhile, the Jade Emperor opened the memorial and saw that it was a request for reinforcements. He laughed and said, “What great power can this monstrous monkey have, to dare oppose a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers! Heavenly King Li has come again to ask for help. Which divine troops should I send to assist him?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Bodhisattva pressed her palms together and memorialized, “Let Your Majesty be at ease. This humble one recommends a certain immortal who can capture this monstrous monkey.”
The Jade Emperor asked, “Whom do you recommend?”
The Bodhisattva replied, “He is Your Majesty’s nephew, the Illustrious Sage and True Lord, Erlang. He now resides at the mouth of the Guan River in Guan Prefecture, enjoying the incense offerings of the mortal world. In the past, he fought with great ferocity and slew six monsters. He also has the Six Brothers of Plum Mountain and twelve hundred spirit soldiers of the grass at his command. His divine powers are vast. However, he has always been one who responds only to deployment, not to summons. Your Majesty can issue a decree of deployment, sending him to help. He will surely be able to capture the monstrous monkey.”
Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor immediately issued a decree of deployment and sent the Great Strength Ghost King to deliver it.
The Great Strength Ghost King received the decree, mounted his cloud, and sped straight to the mouth of the Guan River. In less than half an hour, he arrived before the temple of the True Lord Erlang. The ghostly gatekeepers at the entrance immediately went in to report: “Outside, there is a heavenly envoy bearing a sacred decree.”
The True Lord Erlang and the Six Brothers of Plum Mountain came out together to receive the decree. After burning incense, they opened and read it. The decree read: “The monstrous monkey of Flower-Fruit Mountain, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, has rebelled. He stole peaches, wine, and the golden elixir in the Heavenly Palace, disrupting the Grand Peach Banquet. I dispatched a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and spread eighteen layers of the net of heaven and earth to surround Flower-Fruit Mountain, but they could not subdue him. Now I specially deploy you, my nephew, and the Brothers of Plum Mountain to go immediately to Flower-Fruit Mountain to help eradicate him. When the deed is done, there will surely be promotion and rich rewards.”
The True Lord Erlang was overjoyed. He said, “Let the heavenly envoy return. I will set out to help at once!” The Great Strength Ghost King went back to report, and we will leave him for now.
The True Lord Erlang immediately summoned the Six Brothers of Plum Mountain—the Four Grand Protectors Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li, and the Two Generals Guo Jia and Zhi Jian. They gathered before the hall, and he said, “The Jade Emperor has just issued a decree, deploying us to Flower-Fruit Mountain to subdue the monstrous monkey. Let us set out together!”
All the brothers were eager to go. They immediately mustered their own divine troops, brought their hawks and hounds, took up their bows and arrows, and mounted a fierce wind. Soon they had crossed the Eastern Ocean and arrived at Flower-Fruit Mountain. Seeing the net of heaven and earth spread in layer upon layer, making it impossible to advance, they called out, “Hear this, divine generals of the net of heaven and earth! I am the Illustrious Sage and True Lord Erlang, here by the Jade Emperor’s sacred decree to capture the monstrous monkey. Open the camp gate quickly and let us pass!”
The heavenly soldiers relayed the message layer by layer. The Four Heavenly Kings and Heavenly King Li came out together to the camp gate to welcome them. After exchanging greetings, Heavenly King Li recounted in detail the circumstances of the previous battles.
The True Lord Erlang laughed and said, “Now that I am here, I must match him in the art of transformation. You, gentlemen, open the top of the net of heaven and earth, sealing only the four sides, and let me contend with him. If I lose, none of you need help me; I have my own brothers to support me. If I win, none of you need bind him; my brothers will do the deed. I only ask that the Heavenly King who holds the Pagoda use his Demon-Reflecting Mirror in the sky above, for I fear that if he is defeated, he may flee to some other place. You must help me see clearly, and not let him escape.”
Heavenly King Li took his men and stationed them at the four cardinal directions. The heavenly soldiers also arranged themselves in battle formation. The True Lord Erlang, together with the Four Grand Protectors and the Two Generals—seven brothers in all—went out from the camp to challenge the enemy. He instructed the various generals to guard the camp and keep watch over the hawks and hounds, and the spirit soldiers of the grass all received their orders.
The True Lord Erlang arrived outside the Water Curtain Cave. He saw a troop of monkeys drawn up in perfect formation, a coiled-dragon array, with a banner standing in their midst bearing the four characters “Great Sage, Equal to Heaven.” The True Lord said, “This brazen fiend! Does he deserve the title of ‘Equal to Heaven’?”
The Six Brothers of Plum Mountain said, “Stop lamenting here. Go and challenge him first!”
The little monkeys at the camp gate saw the True Lord Erlang and hurried in to report. The Great Sage immediately drew his Gold-Banded Staff, straightened his golden armor, stepped into his cloud-walking shoes, adjusted his purple-gold crown, and leaped out of the camp gate. Opening his eyes wide, he saw that the True Lord Erlang was indeed handsome in appearance, his attire refined and elegant. Truly he was: His bearing was pure and handsome, his countenance dignified; his ears hung to his shoulders, and his eyes shone with light. On his head he wore a cap shaped like the Three Mountains with a flying phoenix; his robe was of a light goose-yellow hue. His gold-thread boots were lined with coiled-dragon socks; his jade belt was adorned with the eight treasures in a floral pattern. At his waist hung a pellet bow shaped like the new moon; in his hand he held a three-pointed, double-edged spear. With an axe he had split Mount Peach to rescue his mother; with his pellets he had struck down the paired phoenixes. By force he slew eight monsters, his fame spreading far; in righteousness he bonded with the Seven Sages of Plum Mountain. Proud of heart, he did not acknowledge his heavenly kin; haughty in spirit, he became a god and dwelled at the Guan River. With a sincere heart, he was the Bright and Illustrious Sage, whose transformations were boundless—known as Erlang.
When the Great Sage saw him, he grinned and raised his Gold-Banded Staff, shouting, “Where are you from, you little general, that you dare to come here and challenge me?”
The True Lord Erlang bellowed, “You brazen monkey, you have eyes but cannot see! You do not even recognize me! I am the Jade Emperor’s nephew, the imperially appointed King of Illustrious Brightness, Erlang! By the Jade Emperor’s decree, I have come to capture you, the Protector of the Horses who rebelled against Heaven, you macaque! You do not even know whether you are alive or dead!”
The Great Sage said, “I recall that in days past, the Jade Emperor’s younger sister descended to the mortal world and married a man named Yang, and they had a son. This son once used an axe to split Mount Peach to rescue his mother—that must be you! I had intended to curse you a few times, but we have no grievance or enmity. I thought of striking you with my staff, but I would regret taking your life. You young fellow, hurry back and send the Four Heavenly Kings to face me instead!”
When the True Lord Erlang heard this, he flew into a rage. “Brazen monkey! Have some manners! Taste my blade!”
The Great Sage dodged to the side and swiftly raised his Gold-Banded Staff to meet the blow. The battle between these two was truly spectacular: The Illustrious Sage Erlang, and the Great Sage Sun, Equal to Heaven. One, proud of heart, despised the Handsome Monkey King; the other, meeting him for the first time, pressed down upon this true pillar of Heaven. The two met for the first time, each staking his very spirit. Never before had they known each other’s depth and shallowness; only today did they learn each other’s lightness and weight. The iron staff raced like a flying dragon; the divine blade whirled like a dancing phoenix. Blocking left, attacking right; meeting the front, covering the rear. On this side, the Six Brothers of Plum Mountain added to his might; on that side, the Four Generals of the Horse and Stream passed on military commands. Waving flags and beating drums, each was of one mind; shouting and sounding gongs, they all added to the excitement. The two steel blades were keen and wary; back and forth, they left no gap or seam. The Gold-Banded Staff was a treasure of the sea, and through transformations and flight, it could secure victory. If one were slow, his life would be forfeit; but if he made a misstep, he would stumble.
The True Lord Erlang and the Great Sage fought for over three hundred rounds, with neither gaining the upper hand. The True Lord Erlang then exerted his divine might. With a shake of his body, he grew to a height of ten thousand fathoms. His two hands raised his three-pointed, double-edged blade, which towered like the peak of Mount Hua. His face was green, his fangs bared, and his hair was red. With terrible ferocity, he brought the blade down toward the Great Sage’s head.
The Great Sage also displayed his divine powers, growing to the same height as the True Lord Erlang, his face and features exactly matching. He raised his As-You-Will Gold-Banded Staff, which stood like the pillar of Mount Kunlun, and blocked Erlang’s strike. This sight so terrified the two Marshals of the Horse and Stream that they trembled and could not even wave their flags. The two Generals Beng and Ba were so frightened that their hearts quaked, and they could not even hold their swords and spears.
On the battlefield, Kang, Zhang, Yao, Li, Guo Jia, and Zhi Jian issued orders, commanding the spirit soldiers of the grass to release their hawks and hounds outside the Water Curtain Cave, draw their bows, and charge in together for the slaughter. Alas for the monkeys! They were scattered in all directions. The Four Stalwart Generals also fled in confusion. Over two thousand of the smaller monkey spirits were captured! The host of monkeys abandoned their weapons. Some ran, some screamed. Some scrambled up the mountain, some fled back into the cave. It was like night owls startling roosting birds—they scattered wildly in all directions. The Six Brothers of Plum Mountain had won a great victory. We will leave them for now.
Meanwhile, the True Lord Erlang and the Great Sage were locked in their Heaven-and-Earth-sized forms, locked in combat. Suddenly, the Great Sage saw that his own monkey spirits in the camp had been scattered. His heart seized with panic. He withdrew his dharma-body, tucked his Gold-Banded Staff under his arm, turned, and fled. When the True Lord Erlang saw him trying to escape, he strode after him in great steps, shouting, “Where do you think you’re going! Surrender now, and I will spare your life!”
The Great Sage had no desire to continue the fight. He only wanted to run. As he neared the cave mouth, he ran straight into the Four Grand Protectors Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li, and the Two Generals Guo Jia and Zhi Jian. They had deployed their troops and were blocking the path, shouting, “Brazen monkey! Where do you think you’re going!”
The Great Sage was flustered. He quickly pinched his Gold-Banded Staff into the size of an embroidery needle and hid it in his ear. With a shake of his body, he transformed into a sparrow, flying to the top of a tree and perching there. The Six Brothers of Plum Mountain searched frantically, high and low, but could not find the Great Sage anywhere. They all shouted together, “That monkey spirit has escaped! That monkey spirit has escaped!”
As they were clamoring, the True Lord Erlang arrived. He asked, “Brothers, where did you lose sight of him when you were chasing him?” The assembled gods replied, “He was right here, surrounded by us, but in the blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace.” Erlang narrowed his phoenix eyes and looked carefully. He saw that the Great Sage had transformed into a sparrow, clinging to a tree. So he withdrew his Heaven-and-Earth dharma-body, cast aside his three-pointed, double-edged blade, and removed his pellet bow. With a shake of his body, he transformed into a hawk, spread his wings, and flew over to strike.
When the Great Sage saw this, he gave a “whoosh” and took flight, transforming into a large cormorant, shooting straight up into the sky. Seeing this, Erlang quickly shook his feathers, transformed into a great sea crane, and drilled into the clouds to peck at him. The Great Sage then dove downward, landing in a mountain stream, where he transformed into a fish and slipped into the water.
Erlang pursued him to the edge of the stream, but saw no trace. He thought to himself, “That macaque has certainly gone into the water. He has probably transformed into a fish or a shrimp. Let me change my form again and capture him!” Sure enough, he transformed into a fish hawk, floating on the surface of the downstream water, waiting for a while.
The Great Sage, now a fish, was swimming with the current when he suddenly spotted a water bird. Its feathers were not the green of the green heron; its head lacked the crest of the egret; its legs were not the red of the old stork. The Great Sage thought, “This must be Erlang in disguise, waiting for me!” He quickly turned his head, flicked his tail, and tried to flee.
Erlang saw this and muttered to himself, “This fish, flicking its tail—it doesn’t have the red tail of a carp, nor the spotted scales of a mandarin fish, nor the star-spots on the head of a snakehead, nor the sharp spines on the gills of a bream. Why does it run as soon as it sees me? It must be that monkey in disguise!” He rushed forward and, with a “shua,” pecked at it.
The Great Sage immediately burst out of the water, transforming into a water snake, and slithered to the shore, slipping into the grass. Erlang had missed his peck. Seeing the water splash and a snake dart out, he recognized it as the Great Sage. He quickly turned and transformed into a gray crane with a vermilion-embroidered crest, stretching out its long, pointed beak like a pair of iron tongs, to eat the water snake.
The water snake gave a leap and transformed into a flower-bustard, standing foolishly on a sandbar overgrown with smartweed. When Erlang saw that he had transformed into such a base creature—the flower-bustard being the most lowly and lecherous of birds, willing to mate with phoenixes, hawks, or crows indiscriminately—he was too disgusted to approach. He immediately returned to his original form, walked over, picked up his pellet bow, drew it to the full, and shot a pellet that sent the Great Sage tumbling head over heels.
The Great Sage took advantage of the fall to roll down the cliff. Lying flat on the ground, he transformed again, this time into a small temple to the Earth God. He opened his mouth wide to form the temple gate, his teeth became the door panels, his tongue became the Bodhisattva statue, and his eyes became the lattice windows. Only his tail proved troublesome, so he stood it up behind the temple, turning it into a flagpole.
Erlang pursued him to the foot of the cliff. He did not see the flower-bustard that had been shot, but only a small temple. He quickly narrowed his phoenix eyes and looked carefully. Seeing a flagpole standing behind the temple, he laughed and said, “This macaque is trying to trick me again! I have seen many temples in my time, but never one with a flagpole behind it. This must be the beast’s trick! If he lures me inside, he will certainly bite me. I won’t fall for it! Let me first smash in the lattice windows with my fist, then kick the door panels to pieces!”
The Great Sage heard this and was terrified. “How vicious! How vicious! The door panels are my teeth, and the lattice windows are my eyes. If he smashes my teeth and blinds my eyes, what will I do?” He immediately gave a tiger’s leap and vanished into the air.
Erlang chased frantically, back and forth, when the Four Grand Protectors and the Two Generals came running over together. They asked, “Elder Brother, have you captured the Great Sage?” Erlang laughed and said, “That monkey just now transformed into a temple to fool me. I was about to smash his lattice windows and kick in his door panels when he leaped away and vanished again. How strange!”
All the others were astonished. They looked in every direction but saw no trace. Erlang said, “Brothers, keep watch and patrol here. I will go up and search for him.” So saying, he leaped onto his cloud and rose into the air. He saw Heavenly King Li holding his Demon-Reflecting Mirror, standing on a cloud with Nezha. Erlang asked, “Heavenly King, have you seen that Monkey King?”
The Heavenly King replied, “I haven’t seen him come up here. My Demon-Reflecting Mirror has been fixed on him all along.” Erlang recounted the story of their contest of transformations, the display of divine powers, and the capture of the monkeys. He concluded, “He transformed into a temple, but just as I was about to strike, he fled.”
Upon hearing this, Heavenly King Li swept his Demon-Reflecting Mirror across the four quarters. He laughed and said, “True Lord, go quickly! Go quickly! That monkey has used his invisibility technique to escape the encirclement. He has gone to your Guan River mouth!”
As soon as Erlang heard this, he took up his three-pointed, double-edged blade and sped off toward the Guan River mouth.
Meanwhile, the Great Sage had already arrived at the Guan River mouth. With a shake of his body, he transformed into the likeness of Erlang, descended from his cloud, and walked straight into Erlang’s temple. The ghostly gatekeepers did not recognize him, and each kowtowed in welcome. The Great Sage sat down in the central seat and began to inspect the incense offerings. He saw the three sacrificial animals that Li Hu had vowed to offer, the blessings and gifts that Zhang Long had promised, the written prayer of Zhao Jia for a son, and the plea of Qian Bing for healing from illness.
As he was looking through these things, someone came to report, “Another lord has arrived!” The ghostly gatekeepers hurried to look, and every one of them was terrified. Erlang walked in and asked, “Has someone called the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, been here?”
The ghostly gatekeepers replied, “We have seen no Great Sage. Only a lord is inside, inspecting the incense offerings.”
Erlang burst through the door. When the Great Sage saw him, he reverted to his original form and said, “Don’t make a fuss, little one. This temple now belongs to the Sun family!” Erlang immediately raised his three-pointed, double-edged blade and slashed at his face. The Great Sage dodged with his body technique, took the embroidery needle from his ear, shook it into a Gold-Banded Staff as thick as a rice bowl, and met Erlang’s blow.
The two of them, quarreling and fighting, burst out of the temple gate. They fought as they went, half in mist, half in cloud, all the way back to Flower-Fruit Mountain. This so terrified the Four Heavenly Kings and the others that they tightened their defenses. The Grand Protectors Kang and Zhang and the others met Erlang and together surrounded the Handsome Monkey King. We will leave them for now.
Meanwhile, the Great Strength Ghost King, having deployed Erlang and the Six Brothers to capture the demon, had returned to the Heavenly Court to report. The Jade Emperor, along with the Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Queen Mother, and the assembled celestial ministers, were speaking in the Hall of Miraculous Mist. The Jade Emperor said, “Since Erlang has already gone to engage him, why has a day passed without any news?”
The Guanyin Bodhisattva pressed her palms together and said, “This humble one invites Your Majesty and the Patriarch of the Way to go out of the Southern Heavenly Gate and see for yourselves how matters stand.”
The Jade Emperor said, “What you say is reasonable.” He immediately ordered his carriage prepared, and together with the Patriarch of the Way, the Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Queen Mother, and the assembled celestial ministers, they went to the Southern Heavenly Gate. Heavenly soldiers and guardians were already there to welcome them. The gate was opened, and they looked into the distance. They saw the heavenly soldiers spreading their net, encircling the four sides. Heavenly King Li and Nezha stood in midair, holding the Demon-Reflecting Mirror. Erlang had the Great Sage surrounded in their midst, and the two sides were locked in a fierce battle.
The Bodhisattva said to the Elderly Lord, “What do you think of the True Lord Erlang that this humble one recommended? He truly has divine powers. He has already surrounded the Great Sage, but has not yet captured him. Let me now lend him a hand, and we will surely catch this monkey!”
The Elderly Lord asked, “What weapon will the Bodhisattva use? How will you help him?”
The Bodhisattva replied, “I will throw my Pure Vase and Willow Branch down to strike that monkey head. Even if I cannot kill him, I will knock him down, so that Erlang can capture him.”
The Elderly Lord said, “Your Pure Vase is made of porcelain. If it strikes his head, it will be fine. But if it misses his head and hits his iron staff instead, will it not shatter? Do not act yet. Let me help him instead.”
The Bodhisattva asked, “What weapon do you have?”
The Elderly Lord replied,