As the demon dragged Eight Rules into the cave, he said to Gold Horn Great King , "Brother, I've caught a monk!" The elder demon said happily, "Bring him here, let me see." Silver Horn pushed Eight Rules forward: "Look, it's him!" The elder demon looked and frowned, saying, "Brother, you've caught the wrong one! This monk is useless."
Eight Rules quickly pleaded, "Great King, since I'm useless, just let me go! Accumulate some virtue!" Silver Horn said, "Brother, don't let him go! Though he's useless, he's one of Tang Sanzang's company, named Zhu Bajie. Throw him into the back garden's clean water pool to soak, scrape off the pig hair, salt him and dry him in the sun, to have as a snack with wine on a rainy day!" Eight Rules said with a mournful face, "What rotten luck! I've run into a demon who sells cured meat !" The little demons carried Eight Rules off and threw him into the pool. We'll leave that for now.
Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang sat on the hillside, feeling his ears burning and his eyelids twitching uncontrollably, his heart unsettled. He called out, "Wukong! Wu Neng went on patrol such a long time ago—why hasn't he returned yet?" The Pilgrim said, "Master, don't you know his nature yet?" Tang Sanzang asked, "What nature does he have?" The Pilgrim replied, "Master, if there were monsters on this mountain, he couldn't take a single step, so he'd certainly make a big show of running back to report. But if there were no monsters and the road was easy, he'd probably wander off slowly and take his time."
Tang Sanzang said, "If he really has wandered far, where would we meet up? This wilderness has no towns or inns—it would be hard to find him." The Pilgrim said, "Master, don't worry. Hurry and mount the horse! That fool is lazy and walks slowly. If we urge the horse on, we're sure to catch up to him and travel together." Hearing this, Tang Sanzang mounted the horse, Sha Monk shouldered the load, and the Pilgrim led the way, continuing up the mountain.
Now, Gold Horn Great King said to Silver Horn, "Brother, you've caught Eight Rules, so Tang Sanzang must be nearby. Go patrol the mountain again—don't let him escape!" Silver Horn said, "Fine, I'm on my way!" He summoned fifty little demons and went up the mountain to patrol.
As they walked, Silver Horn suddenly saw auspicious clouds swirling and auspicious vapors spiraling ahead. He immediately said, "Tang Sanzang is coming!" The little demons asked, "Great King, where is Tang Sanzang?" Silver Horn said, "Good people have auspicious clouds above their heads; bad people have black vapors . That Tang Sanzang is the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada Elder , a good man who has cultivated for ten lifetimes , hence these auspicious clouds." The little demons still couldn't see, so Silver Horn pointed with his finger: "There he is!"
Tang Sanzang on his horse suddenly shivered. Silver Horn pointed again, and he shivered again. He pointed three times in a row, and Tang Sanzang shivered three times, his heart fluttering: "Disciple, why do I keep shivering?" Sha Monk said, "Shivering—maybe you've eaten something bad." The Pilgrim said, "Nonsense! Master is traveling through these deep mountains and steep ridges, so he's bound to be a little nervous. Don't be afraid! I'll perform a few staff techniques to calm your nerves."
The good Pilgrim, he danced his Golden-Hooped Staff in front of the horse, displaying his skills—up three, down four, left five, right six—all divine techniques following the rules of warfare. Tang Sanzang watched from the horse, seeing skills rarely matched in the world.
As the Pilgrim cleared the path ahead, he terrified Silver Horn on the mountaintop, who couldn't help saying, "I heard years ago about Sun the Pilgrim's prowess, but only today have I witnessed it—truly, his reputation is well-deserved!" The little demons said, "Great King, don't boost others' morale at the expense of your own! Who are you praising?" Silver Horn said, "Sun the Pilgrim's divine powers are vast; we won't be able to eat Tang Sanzang."
The little demons said, "Great King, if you lack the ability, let us report to the Elder Great King. He can summon the entire cave's troops, array them in battle formation, and capture him together. How could he escape?" Silver Horn said, "You haven't seen his Golden-Hooped Staff. He has the courage to withstand ten thousand! Our cave has only four or five hundred soldiers—how could they withstand a single blow from his staff?" The little demons said, "If that's the case, then we can't eat Tang Sanzang? Was catching Zhu Bajie a mistake? We should send him back quickly!"
Silver Horn said, "It wasn't a mistake to catch him, but I can't simply send him back. I'll eat Tang Sanzang sooner or later, just not right now." The little demons asked, "So how many years do we wait?" Silver Horn said, "No need for years. As I see it, with that Tang Sanzang, you can only use soft tricks to deceive him, not brute force. If you try to capture him by force, you can't even touch his shadow. You have to move him with benefits, make him trust me, and then seize the opportunity." The little demons said, "Great King, if you've settled on a plan, do you need our help?" Silver Horn said, "All of you return to your own posts. Don't let the Elder Great King know. If word leaks out, my plan will fail. I have my own shape-shifting powers to capture him."
After the little demons dispersed, Silver Horn leaped down the mountain alone. By the roadside, he shook himself and transformed into an aged Daoist priest . Behold his appearance: a star-crown glittering brightly, white hair in disarray. His feathered robe was tied with an embroidered sash , his cloud-shoes adorned with yellow palm fibers . His eyes were clear and bright like an immortal's, his body light and agile like the Star of Longevity. Even the Old Lord riding the green ox was not as convincing a true immortal as this Daoist. The false appearance was made to look real; the fabricated emotion was made to seem genuine.
He pretended to have broken his leg by the main road, blood flowing from his foot, groaning and calling out, "Help! Someone help!"
Now, Tang Sanzang, relying on the Pilgrim and Sha Monk by his side, continued forward without worry. As they walked, he heard someone calling, "Master, save me!" Tang Sanzang said, "Blessings, blessings! In this desolate wilderness with no villages, who could be calling? Probably frightened by tigers and wolves." He reined in his horse and called out, "Who is in trouble? Come out!"
The monster crawled out from the grass and kowtowed incessantly before Tang Sanzang's horse. Seeing from his horse that it was an old Daoist priest, advanced in years, Tang Sanzang felt pity. He quickly dismounted and helped him up: "Get up quickly! Get up!" The monster said, "It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!" Tang Sanzang let go and saw that his foot was still bleeding. Startled, he asked, "Sir, where have you come from? How did you hurt your foot?"
The monster fabricated a false story, putting on a pitiful appearance: "Master, to the west of this mountain there is a quiet Daoist temple. I am a Daoist from that temple."
Tang Sanzang said, "If you are not at the temple managing incense and chanting scriptures, why are you walking on this road?"
The monster said, "A few days ago, a benefactor from south of the mountain invited us to perform a Daoist service . After the service, it was late. I was walking with my disciple , and when we reached the deep mountains, a striped fierce tiger suddenly leaped out and carried my disciple away. I was so frightened I ran for my life, tripped on a rocky slope, and injured my leg. Now I can't find my way back. Today, by fate, I have met you, Master. I beg you to have great compassion and save my life. If I can return to my temple, even if I have to sell myself into slavery, I will repay your great kindness!"
Tang Sanzang believed him completely and said, "Sir, we all share the same life. I am a monk, and you are a Daoist. Our robes may differ, but the principles of cultivation are the same. If I do not save you, I cannot be considered a man of religion. I can save you, but you cannot walk."
The monster said, "I can't even stand—how can I walk?"
Tang Sanzang said, "Very well. I can still walk. Let me give you the horse to ride for a stretch. Once we reach your temple, you can return the horse to me."
The monster said, "Master, thank you for your kindness, but my hip is injured from the fall. I cannot ride a horse."
Tang Sanzang said, "That's true." He turned and called Sha Monk: "Sha Monk, move the luggage onto my horse, and you carry him for a while." Sha Monk said, "I'll carry him, then."
The monster quickly turned back and glared at Sha Monk, saying, "Master, I was terrified by the tiger. Seeing this dark-faced master frightens me even more. I dare not let him carry me."
Tang Sanzang said again, "Wukong, then you carry him." The Pilgrim agreed repeatedly: "I'll carry him! I'll carry him!"
The monster immediately chose the Pilgrim and obediently waited for him to carry him, saying no more. Sha Monk laughed and said, "This blind old Daoist! He won't let me carry him, but insists on Wukong. If he can't see Master, he'll throw you onto a sharp rock and break every bone in your body!"
The Pilgrim knew the truth in his heart, but laughed and said, "You reckless demon, you dare to provoke me! You didn't even ask who Old Sun is! That pack of lies of yours might fool Tang Sanzang, but you think you can fool me? I've known all along that you're a monster from these mountains, wanting to eat my master! My master is no ordinary man—can you just eat him as you please? Even if you were to eat him, you'd have to give me the biggest share!"
Hearing the Pilgrim say this, the monster quickly said to Tang Sanzang, "Master, I am the descendant of a good family, a Daoist priest. Today I unfortunately encountered tigers and wolves. I am not a monster!"
The Pilgrim said, "Since you're afraid of tigers and wolves, why don't you recite the Beidou Sutra to ward off evil?"
Tang Sanzang was about to mount his horse when he heard this. He cursed, "You reckless monkey! 'Saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.' What's the harm in carrying him for a stretch? And you babble on about the Beidou Sutra or the Nandou Sutra!"
The Pilgrim said, "You're lucky! My master has a kind heart, though he's soft on the outside and hard on the inside. If I don't carry you, he'll blame me. I can carry you, but we need to get one thing straight: if you need to relieve yourself, tell me first. If you crap on my back, it'll be stinking and filthy, and no one will wash my clothes!"
The monster said, "At my age, don't I understand your meaning?"
The Pilgrim pulled him up and carried him on his back, then continued westward with Tang Sanzang and Sha Monk. The road was uneven, and the Pilgrim deliberately walked slowly, letting Tang Sanzang go ahead.
After walking less than three or five miles, Tang Sanzang and Sha Monk entered a mountain hollow. The Pilgrim could no longer see them, and he grumbled to himself, "Master is so old—how can he be so clueless? On such a long road, even walking empty-handed is tiring, and he makes me carry a monster! Even if he weren't a monster, at his age he ought to be dead. I might as well throw him to his death—why carry him?"
Just as the Great Sage was pondering how to throw him off, the monster already knew. He was skilled in the magic of "moving mountains and overturning seas." While on the Pilgrim's back, he formed a hand seal and recited a spell, summoning Mount Sumeru through the air, which came crashing down directly on top of the Pilgrim. The Pilgrim quickly tilted his head, and the mountain landed on his left shoulder. He laughed and said, "My boy, using such a heavy trick on me? I'm not afraid of this—it's just that 'a balanced load is easy to carry, but an unbalanced one is hard to bear.'"
The monster said, "One mountain can't hold you down!" He recited another spell, summoning Mount Emei to press down on the Pilgrim. The Pilgrim tilted his head again, and the mountain landed on his right shoulder. Behold him, carrying two mountains on his shoulders, still swiftly chasing after his master! Seeing this, the monster was drenched in cold sweat: "He can actually carry mountains!"
The monster steadied himself and recited another spell, summoning Mount Tai to come crashing down directly on top of the Pilgrim. The Great Sage immediately felt his entire body go weak and his bones and sinews go numb. Under this crushing magic of Mount Tai, his three souls trembled and blood flowed from his seven orifices.
The good monster, having pinned the Pilgrim down with his divine power, immediately rode the long wind to chase after Tang Sanzang. He reached out from the clouds to grab him. Sha Monk, in a panic, dropped the luggage, drew his Demon-Subduing Staff, and stepped forward to block him. The monster raised his Seven-Star Sword and struck at Sha Monk.
This battle was truly fierce: the Seven-Star Sword and the Demon-Subduing Staff clashed, their golden light shining upon the sun. One with round eyes fierce as the Black Killer God, the other with an iron face, the very Curtain-Raising General. The monster displayed his might before the mountain, his heart set on capturing Tang Sanzang. Sha Monk fought desperately to protect his master, refusing to retreat even in death. They spewed clouds and mist, obscuring the Heavenly Palace; they raised dust and dirt, blocking the starlight. They fought until the sun lost its brilliance and the world between heaven and earth turned a hazy yellow. They went back and forth for eight or nine rounds, but Sha Monk could not overcome the monster and was defeated.
That monster was incredibly ferocious. He danced his sword like a shooting star as he charged. Sha Monk couldn't withstand him and was about to flee, but the monster blocked his staff, grabbed him in one motion, and tucked him under his left arm. The monster then reached out with his right hand and grabbed Tang Sanzang. He hooked the luggage with his toes, bit the horse's mane with his mouth, and using his magic, swept them all away like a gust of wind into the Lotus Flower Cave. He shouted loudly, "Brother! I've captured Tang Sanzang and his whole company!"
Hearing this, Gold Horn Great King said happily, "Bring them here, let me see." Silver Horn pushed Tang Sanzang and Sha Monk forward: "Look!" Gold Horn said, "Worthy brother, you've made a mistake again!" Silver Horn said, "You said to capture Tang Sanzang—this is him!" Gold Horn said, "This is indeed Tang Sanzang, but you haven't captured that capable one, Sun the Pilgrim. You must capture him before you can eat Tang Sanzang. If you haven't caught him, by no means touch Tang Sanzang—that Monkey King's divine powers are vast and his transformations endless. If we eat his master, will he let it go? When he comes clamoring at the cave entrance, we won't have a moment's peace."
Silver Horn laughed and said, "Brother, you're overrating him! According to you, he's rare in heaven and peerless on earth. But in my eyes, he's nothing special." Gold Horn said, "Did you capture him?" Silver Horn said, "I used three great mountains to press him down at the foot of the mountain. He can't move an inch! That's how I captured Tang Sanzang, Sha Monk, the horse, and the luggage."
Gold Horn was overjoyed and said, "Excellent! Excellent! With him captured, Tang Sanzang becomes a dish on our table!" He called to the little demons: "Quickly prepare wine! Let's first celebrate the Second Great King's achievement!" Silver Horn said, "Brother, let's not drink yet. Have the little demons fish Pig Bajie out of the water and hang him up." The little demons immediately hung Eight Rules on the eastern porch, Sha Monk on the western porch, and Tang Sanzang in the middle. The white horse was led to the trough to be fed, and the luggage was stored inside the cave.
Gold Horn laughed and said, "Worthy brother, excellent work! In two tries, you've captured three monks! But although Sun the Pilgrim is pinned under the mountain, we still need to think of a way to bring him here and steam him together." Silver Horn said, "Elder brother, just sit back. There's no need for us to act. Send two little demons with two treasures, and they can bring him here in a vessel." Gold Horn asked, "Which treasures shall we take?" Silver Horn said, "Take my Purple-Gold Red Gourd and your Sheep-Fat Jade Pure Vase."
Gold Horn produced the treasures: "Who shall we send?" Silver Horn said, "Send Fine Ghost and Clever Bug." He then instructed them: "You two take these two treasures to the mountaintop. Turn the treasures upside down, with the mouth facing the ground. Call out 'Sun the Pilgrim.' If he answers, he'll be trapped inside. Then paste on the talisman that says 'By Order of the Most High Lord Laozi, As Urgent as the Law.' Within the time of a single watch, he'll dissolve into pus."
The two little demons kowtowed, took the treasures, and went to capture the Pilgrim. We'll leave them for now.
Now, the Great Sage was pinned at the foot of the mountain by the monster's magic. His heart was filled with thoughts of Tang Sanzang. Whenever he encountered disaster, he would think of his master, and he cried out loudly, "Master! I remember when you came to Two Realms Mountain, tore off the seal, and I escaped from my great calamity. I followed you to become a monk. The Bodhisattva bestowed the decree, and we lived together, cultivated together, shared hardships and joys alike. But now, here I am, meeting this demonic obstacle, and being pinned under a mountain by him again! Pitiful! Pitiful! If you die, that would be one thing, but it would be a shame for Sha Monk and Eight Rules, and for the little dragon who turned into a horse! Truly, 'a tall tree catches the wind, and the wind shakes the tree; a man's fame brings him danger, and fame destroys the man.'" After lamenting, tears fell like rain.
The Pilgrim's crying soon alarmed the mountain god, the earth spirit, and the Five Directions Revealers of the region. The Gold-Headed Revealer grabbed the earth spirit and asked, "Is this mountain under your jurisdiction?" The earth spirit quickly nodded: "It is under this minor deity's." The Revealer asked again, "Do you know who is pinned under this mountain?" The earth spirit said in panic, "I do not know! I do not know!"
The Revealer said urgently, "You don't know! This is the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, Sun Wukong, who caused havoc in Heaven five hundred years ago! Now he has taken refuge in the Buddhist faith and is following Tang Sanzang to fetch scriptures. How dare you lend your mountain to a demon to press him down? You are seeking death! If he ever gets free, will he let you off? Even with a light punishment, the earth spirit would be exiled, the mountain god would be sent to hard labor, and we Revealers would also be punished!"
The mountain god and earth spirit were finally terrified and said hastily, "This minor deity truly did not know it was the Great Sage! We only heard that demon reciting the Mountain-Moving Spell, so we moved the mountain over. How were we to know it was him!" The Revealer said, "Don't panic. The law says, 'ignorance is no crime.' Let's discuss this quickly and release him, before he starts beating us." The earth spirit asked in confusion, "Why would he beat us even after we release him?" The Revealer said, "You don't know. That As-You-Will Golden-Hooped Staff of his is terrifying—hit and you die, touch and you're injured, bump into it and your bones break, brush against it and your skin splits!"
The mountain god and earth spirit's hearts trembled with fear. They consulted with the Five Directions Revealers and came to the gate of the three mountains, calling out: "Great Sage! The mountain god, earth spirit, and Five Directions Revealers have come especially to pay our respects!"
Although the Pilgrim was pinned down, his majesty was undiminished, and his voice was still loud and clear: "Why do you come to see me?" The earth spirit quickly said, "We beg to inform the Great Sage. We will now move the mountains away and invite you out. We beg the Great Sage to forgive this minor deity's offense of disrespect!" The Pilgrim said, "Move the mountains away, and I won't beat you." Then he gave a great shout: "Rise!" The tone was like an official issuing a command.
The deities immediately recited the spell, moved the three mountains back to their original positions, and released the Pilgrim. The Pilgrim leaped up, dusted off his clothes, straightened his robe, and pulled the Golden-Hooped Staff from behind his ear. He said to the mountain god and earth spirit, "Stretch out your ankles. I'll give each of you two strokes to relieve Old Sun's boredom!"
The deities were greatly alarmed: "Great Sage, you just said you would forgive our crime. Why do you change your mind as soon as you're out and want to beat us?"
The Pilgrim said, "Fine mountain god! Fine earth spirit! You're not afraid of Old Sun, but you're afraid of that monster!"
The earth spirit said aggrievedly, "That demon's divine powers are vast. He can recite a spell to summon us to his cave, and we have to take turns serving him one day at a time. We dare not disobey!"
When the Pilgrim heard the words "taking turns serving," he was also startled. He looked up to heaven and cried out, "Heavens! Heavens! Ever since the chaos first parted and heaven and earth were separated, Flower-Fruit Mountain gave birth to me. I have traveled far and wide to seek out famous masters and learn the art of longevity. I can transform with the wind, subdue tigers and dragons, and caused havoc in Heaven, calling myself the Great Sage. I have never bullied a mountain god or earth spirit. But now this demon dares to treat you as slaves and have you take turns serving him! Heavens! Since you gave birth to Old Sun, why did you also give birth to such a fiend?"
As the Great Sage was lamenting, he suddenly saw a flash of colored light coming from a mountain hollow. He asked the mountain god and earth spirit, "You serve in that demon's cave. Do you know what that shining object is?" The earth spirit said, "That is the demon's treasure glowing. It must be that some little demon is bringing a treasure to capture you." The Pilgrim laughed and said, "This is interesting! Let me ask you again. Who in that cave does he often associate with?" The earth spirit said, "He enjoys alchemy and medicine-making, and only associates with Quanzhen Daoist priests." The Pilgrim said, "No wonder he transformed into an old Daoist to trick my master away! Enough, I'll let you off this time. Go back, and let Old Sun deal with him myself." The deities immediately soared into the air and dispersed.
The Pilgrim shook himself and transformed into an old Daoist priest. Behold his appearance: his hair was tied in two topknots, and he wore a robe of a hundred patches. In his hand he tapped a fisherman's drum and bamboo clapper, and around his waist he tied a Lü Dongbin-style sash. He leaned against the side of the main road, waiting especially for the little demons to arrive. He wanted to trick them out of their treasures, and the Monkey King secretly set his plan in motion.
Before long, the two little demons—Fine Ghost and Clever Bug—came along. The Pilgrim quietly extended his Golden-Hooped Staff across the middle of the road. The little demons didn't notice and tripped, stumbling. They got up and saw it was an old Daoist priest, muttering, "What rotten luck! If it weren't for my Great King's respect for Daoist priests, I'd have words with you!"
The Pilgrim smiled apologetically and said, "Words? What words? A Daoist meeting a Daoist—we're all family." The little demon said, "Why are you sleeping here, tripping me up?" The Pilgrim said, "Little Daoist boy, when you meet an old Daoist like me, you have to fall down once as a greeting gift." The little demon said, "The greeting gift my Great King wants is a few taels of silver. Since when is a fall a gift? You must be a Daoist from somewhere else, aren't you?" The Pilgrim said, "I'm from Penglai Mountain." The little demon said, "Penglai Mountain is where the immortals live!" The Pilgrim said, "I am an immortal. Who else could I be?"
The little demon immediately turned from anger to joy, stepped forward, and bowed: "Old Immortal! We have mortal eyes and failed to recognize you. If we said anything offensive, please don't take it to heart!" The Pilgrim said, "I don't blame you. As the saying goes, 'an immortal's body does not tread on mortal ground.' How could you recognize me? I came to this mountain today to find a good person worthy of becoming an immortal. Which of you is willing to go with me?" Fine Ghost said, "Master, I'll go with you!" Clever Bug also said, "Master, I'll go too!"
The Pilgrim knew perfectly well but asked anyway, "Where have you come from?" The little demon said, "From the Lotus Flower Cave!" "Where are you going?" "By order of the Great King, we're going to capture Sun the Pilgrim!" "Which Sun the Pilgrim is that?" The little demon said, "The one who's going to fetch scriptures with Tang Sanzang!" The Pilgrim said, "Oh, him! That monkey is utterly rude. I'm angry with him too. Let me go with you to capture him and help you earn some merit!"
The little demon said, "Master, no need for your help! Our Second Great King knows magic. He used three great mountains to press him under the mountain. He can't move at all. He only told us to take the treasures and put him in a vessel." The Pilgrim asked, "What treasures are so powerful?" Fine Ghost took out the Purple-Gold Red Gourd: "This is my red gourd." Clever Bug took out the Sheep-Fat Jade Pure Vase: "This is my jade pure vase." The Pilgrim said, "How do you use these treasures to put him in a vessel?" The little demon said, "Turn the treasures upside down, with the mouth facing the ground. Call out 'Sun the Pilgrim.' If he answers, he'll be trapped inside. Then paste on the talisman that says 'By Order of the Most High Lord Laozi, As Urgent as the Law.' Within the time of a single watch, he'll dissolve into pus!"
The Pilgrim was secretly startled: "Formidable! Earlier the Merit Officer said he had five treasures. These are only two. I wonder what the other three are." But on the surface, he laughed and said, "You two, let me borrow those treasures for a look." The little demons didn't think much of it and handed them over with both hands. The Pilgrim was secretly delighted: "Excellent treasures! If I pluck a strand of hair and change into a double, then take the treasures and run, how easy would that be!" But then he reconsidered: "No, that would be daylight robbery. It would ruin Old Sun's reputation." He handed the treasures back and said, "You haven't seen my treasure yet." The little demons said, "Master, what treasure do you have? Lend it to us for a look to ward off disaster!"
The good Pilgrim, he plucked a strand of hair from his tail, rubbed it, and called out, "Change!" It immediately transformed into a large Purple-Gold Red Gourd, one foot seven inches long. He took it out from his waist and said, "What do you think of my gourd?" Clever Bug took it and looked it over, saying, "Master, your gourd is big and nice-looking, but it's useless." The Pilgrim asked, "Why is it useless?" The little demon said, "Each of our two treasures can hold over a thousand people!" The Pilgrim said, "What's so special about holding people? My gourd can hold the sky!"
The little demons' eyes went wide: "Can it really hold the sky?" The Pilgrim said, "Of course! If the sky makes me angry, I can put it in seven or eight times a month. If it doesn't provoke me, I might not put it in even once in six months." Clever Bug pulled Fine Ghost aside and whispered, "Brother, let's trade with him. A treasure that can hold the sky is so powerful!" Fine Ghost said, "If his can hold the sky, will he be willing to trade with ours that only holds people?" Clever Bug said, "If he's not willing, we can throw in the pure vase too!"
The Pilgrim overheard this and quickly stepped forward to grab Clever Bug: "You're willing to trade for the sky-holding one?" The little demon said, "As long as it can really hold the sky, I'll trade! If not, I'm your son!" The Pilgrim said, "Good! I'll show you how it's done!"
The good Great Sage, he lowered his head, made a hand seal, and recited a spell, summoning the Day-Wandering Spirit, the Night-Wandering Spirit, and the Five Directions Revealers: "Go quickly and report to the Jade Emperor. Tell him that Old Sun has taken refuge in the true fruit, protecting Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West to fetch scriptures. On the road, I was blocked by high mountains, and my master is in trouble. That monster has treasures, and I want to trick them away. I beg the Jade Emperor to lend me the sky for half an hour to help me succeed. If he says a single 'no,' I'll go straight to the Lingxiao Hall and take up arms!"
The Day-Wandering Spirit immediately hurried to the Southern Heavenly Gate, entered the Lingxiao Hall, and reported to the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor said, "That reckless monkey speaks too arrogantly! Previously, Guanyin said to release him to protect Tang Sanzang, and I even sent the Five Directions Revealers and the Four Duty Deities to take turns protecting him. Now he wants to borrow the sky to hold it. How can the sky be held?" Just as he said it couldn't be held, Third Prince Nezha stepped out from the ranks and reported, "Your Majesty, the sky can be held." The Jade Emperor said, "How can it be held?"
Nezha said, "Ever since the chaos first parted, the light and clear qi became the sky, and the heavy and turbid qi became the earth. According to principle, the sky is supported by pure qi, so it's hard to hold. But Sun the Pilgrim protecting Tang Sanzang on his journey to fetch scriptures is a great merit, and we should help him succeed." The Jade Emperor asked, "What method do you have?" Nezha said, "I beg Your Majesty to issue a decree to go to the Northern Heavenly Gate and borrow the Black Eagle Banner from True Martial Great Emperor. Unfurl it at the Southern Heavenly Gate to cover the sun, moon, and stars. When people can't see each other face to face, and day turns to night, we can trick those little demons into thinking the sky has been held. This will help the Pilgrim succeed." The Jade Emperor said, "So be it."
Nezha received the decree, went to the Northern Heavenly Gate to see True Martial Great Emperor, and explained the situation. True Martial Great Emperor gave him the Black Eagle Banner. The Day-Wandering Spirit quickly descended and whispered into the Pilgrim's ear: "Prince Nezha has come to help you!" The Pilgrim looked up and indeed saw auspicious clouds drifting over. He turned to the little demons and said, "I'm starting to hold the sky now!" The little demons said, "If you're going to do it, do it! Don't dawdle!" The Pilgrim said, "I'm reciting spells and gathering my power!"
The little demons stared wide-eyed as the Pilgrim tossed the fake gourd into the air. This gourd was transformed from a strand of hair and had no weight. It was blown by the mountain wind and drifted for half an hour before falling. At that moment, at the Southern Heavenly Gate, Prince Nezha unfurled the Black Eagle Banner with a great whoosh, instantly covering the sun, moon, and stars. The world between heaven and earth became as dark as if it had been dipped in ink—pitch black.
The little demons screamed in terror: "It was just noon! How is it suddenly dusk?" The Pilgrim said, "The sky has been put into the gourd. There's no telling the time, so of course it's dusk!" The little demons said, "Why is it so dark?" The Pilgrim said, "The sun, moon, and stars are all inside the gourd. There's no light outside. How could it not be dark?" The little demons said in panic, "Master, where are you speaking from?" The Pilgrim said, "I'm right in front of you!" The little demons reached out to touch him, but they could only hear his voice and couldn't see him. They were even more terrified: "Master, where is this place?" The Pilgrim tricked them, saying, "Don't move around! This is the shore of the Bohai Sea. If you fall in, it'll take seven or eight days to reach the bottom!"
The little demons were scared out of their wits: "Enough! Enough! Let the sky go! We believe you! If you hold it any longer, we'll fall into the sea and never make it home!"</p