The Great White Planet and the Handsome Monkey King emerged together from deep within the Water Curtain Cave , and the two of them rode their clouds up into the sky. Now, Wukong's somersault cloud was different from others; it was exceptionally fast, leaving the Planet far behind as he flew first to the Southern Heavenly Gate . Just as he was about to slow his cloud and enter, he was blocked by the Heavenly King of Growth , along with Generals Pang, Liu, Gou, Bi, Deng, Xin, Zhang, and Tao , as well as a host of mighty celestial soldiers , all armed with spears, swords, halberds, and staffs, who refused to let him pass.
Wukong fumed, "This old man, the Great White Planet, is a deceitful fellow! If he invited me, Old Sun, to Heaven, why are there people with weapons blocking the gate, refusing me entry?" Just as he was shouting, the Great White Planet arrived quickly. Wukong immediately confronted him in anger: "Old man, why have you tricked me? You said you came with the Jade Emperor 's edict of amnesty to invite me, so why are these men blocking the Heavenly Gate and not letting me in?"
The Planet smiled and said, "Great King, calm your anger. You have never been to Heaven before, nor do you have an immortal name . These celestial soldiers have never met you; how could they let you in casually? Wait until you see the Jade Emperor; once your name is registered among the immortals and you are granted an official post, who will dare stop you when you come and go in the future?"
Wukong said, "If that's the case, then I won't go in."
The Planet quickly reached out and grabbed him: "You should still come in with me."
As they neared the Heavenly Gate, the Planet shouted loudly, "Heavenly soldiers and generals at the gate, all officers great and small, make way! This is an immortal from the lower realm , and I am bringing him by order of the Jade Emperor's sacred decree ." Only then did the Heavenly King of Growth and the celestial soldiers put away their weapons and step aside. The Monkey King finally believed the Planet's words and followed him slowly through the gate, looking around as he walked. This Heavenly Court was truly magnificent.
For the first time, he ascended the celestial realm ; for the first time, he entered the Heavenly Palace . A thousand beams of golden light rolled with crimson rainbows; ten thousand wisps of auspicious vapor sprayed purple mist. There before him was the Southern Heavenly Gate, deeply azure, crafted from glazed tiles ; dazzling and bright, adorned with precious jade . On either side stood dozens of celestial marshals , each leaning against pillars, holding weapons and raising banners; below were arrayed a dozen golden-armored deities , each gripping halberds, hanging whips, holding swords, and shouldering blades. The outside was grand enough, but entering inside was even more astonishing: the inner walls had several great pillars entwined with golden-scaled, sun-facing Red-Whiskered Dragons ; and there were several long bridges, upon which circled crimson-crowned Phoenixes with brilliant feathers, soaring in the high sky. Bright clouds shimmered, reflecting the heavenly light; azure mists shrouded the Dipper's mouth .
In this Heaven there were thirty-three celestial palaces , such as the Cloud-Dispatching Palace , the Vaishravana Palace , the Five-Illumination Palace , the Sun Palace , the Palace of Transforming Bliss ... upon the ridges of each palace roof sat golden-devouring stable beasts ; and there were seventy-two precious halls , such as the Court-Assembling Hall , the Void-Soaring Hall , the Precious Light Hall , the Heavenly King Hall , the Spirit Official Hall ... beside the pillars of each hall stood jade Qilin beasts . On the Terrace of Longevity were famed flowers that never withered for a thousand years; beside the Elixir-Refining Furnace grew fragrant herbs evergreen for ten thousand years.
Arriving before the Pilgrimage Pavilion, one could see the crimson gauze robes of the officials glittering like constellations; their lotus-shaped crowns shone with golden light and dazzling jade. All wore jade hairpins and red shoes, tied with purple sashes and hung with golden seals. When the golden bell chimed, immortals from the Three Realms, holding memorials, approached the crimson steps; when the heavenly drum thundered, sages of all paths came to pay homage to the Jade Emperor.
Then they reached the Hall of Miraculous Mist. The doors were studded with golden nails and inlaid with jade; upon the vermilion gates, colorful phoenixes danced. The winding corridors and cloisters were exquisitely carved and translucent everywhere; the triple-layered eaves and four-sided pavilions each had dragons and phoenixes soaring and dancing. Atop the main hall was a great golden gourd finial, majestic and radiant, round and bright, glistening and dazzling; below, heavenly maidens held ceremonial fans, and jade girls bore immortal scarves. There were also fierce-looking celestial marshals holding heaven-pointing poles, and spirited imperial guards. In the center, upon a glazed tray, were piled many layers of Supreme Unity Elixirs; in an agate vase were inserted several twisted branches of coral trees. Truly, the Heavenly Palace possessed every rare treasure, unseen in the mortal world. Within the Golden Que, the Silver Luan Hall, and the Purple Mansion, magical flowers, immortal herbs, and jade blossoms abounded everywhere. The Jade Hare, paying homage to the Jade Emperor, passed by the altar; the Golden Crow, worshipping the sages, flew below. The Monkey King, blessed by fate to enter this celestial realm, had not a speck of earthly dust upon him.
The Great White Planet led the Handsome Monkey King to the outside of the Hall of Miraculous Mist. Without waiting for the Jade Emperor's summons, the Planet went directly before the Jade Emperor to pay his respects and present his report. Wukong, however, stood upright to the side, not only refusing to bow but also cocking his ear to listen to the Planet's memorial.
The Planet reported, "Your servant, in accordance with the sacred decree, has brought the demon immortal."
The Jade Emperor, lowering the curtain, asked, "Which one is the demon immortal?"
Only then did Wukong bend slightly and reply, "Old Sun is the one."
The immortal officials were all terrified, their faces turning pale, and they said, "This wild monkey! Why doesn't he kneel and pay homage? He even dares to answer, 'Old Sun is the one'! He deserves death! He deserves death!"
The Jade Emperor issued a decree: "This Sun Wukong is a demon immortal of the lower realm. He has only recently cultivated a human form and does not understand the etiquette of the Heavenly Court. For now, let him be pardoned."
The assembled immortals shouted in unison, "Give thanks for the mercy!" Only then did the Monkey King clasp his hands in a perfunctory bow towards the Jade Emperor.
The Jade Emperor instructed the civil and military immortal officials to see which department lacked an officer and assign Sun Wukong to a post. The Minister of Military Affairs, the Star Lord Wu Qu, stepped forward and reported, "In the Heavenly Court, all palaces, halls, and departments have their full complement of officers. Only the Imperial Stables lack a chief administrator."
The Jade Emperor decreed, "Then appoint him as the 'Keeper of the Horses'."
The officials shouted, "Give thanks for the mercy!" and Wukong again only clasped his hands in a bow towards the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor then sent the Wood Virtue Star Lord to escort him to the Imperial Stables to assume his post.
At that time, the Monkey King happily followed the Wood Virtue Star Lord to take up his duties. When the formalities were completed, the Wood Virtue Star Lord returned to his own palace. Wukong, in the Imperial Stables, gathered all the officials, great and small, including the stable supervisors, deputy supervisors, record keepers, and laborers, and investigated the affairs of the stables. He found that there were only a thousand heavenly horses here.
These horses were all of the finest breeds: Hualiu, Qiji, Xianli; Longmei, Ziyan, Xieyi, Sushuang; Yin, Feihuang; Fanyu, Chitu, Chaoguang; Yuhui, Mijing, Tengwu, Shenghuang; Zhuifeng, Juedi, Feihe, Benxiao; Yi, Piao, Chidian, Tongjue, Fuyun; Conglong, Hu, Juechen, Zilin; and also Siji, Dayuan, Bajun, Jiuyi, and Qianli Juequn. These fine horses, every single one, could ride the wind and chase lightning, full of spirit; they trod on mist and mounted clouds, their strength surpassing all others.
The Monkey King examined the documents and counted the horses. In the Imperial Stables, the record keepers were responsible for preparing fodder; the laborers were responsible for washing the horses, chopping hay, giving them water, and cooking their feed; the supervisors and deputy supervisors helped with oversight; and the Keeper of the Horses, himself, stayed awake day and night, devoting all his attention to raising the horses. It was easy enough to look after them during the day, but he was especially watchful at night: whenever a horse lay down to sleep, he would drive it up to eat grass; whenever a horse ran wild, he would catch it and tie it by the trough. Seeing him, those heavenly horses all obediently pricked up their ears and tucked in their hooves, and were raised until they were plump and sleek.
Before he knew it, over half a month had passed. One day, during a moment of leisure, the various stable officials prepared a feast, partly to welcome Wukong and partly to congratulate him. Just as they were drinking happily, the Monkey King suddenly set down his cup and asked, "This 'Keeper of the Horses' of mine, what kind of official rank is it, exactly?"
The men said, "The official title is exactly 'Keeper of the Horses'."
Wukong asked again, "What grade is this office?"
The men replied, "It has no grade."
Wukong said, "No grade? Then it must be the highest office."
The men said, "No, no, it is not great at all. This office can only be considered 'unranked'."
Wukong asked, "What does 'unranked' mean?"
The men replied, "It means it is the very lowest office. This kind of office is the smallest of the small, only good for tending horses. Even if you, like you have done since arriving, are so diligent and raise the horses so fat, the best you can hope for is a compliment of 'good job.' If the horses are even a little thin, you will be reprimanded. If the horses are seriously injured, you will be punished, made to pay compensation, or even tried for a crime."
Hearing this, the Monkey King was instantly filled with rage. Grinding his teeth in fury, he said, "How dare they think so little of Old Sun! I was a king and an ancestor in the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, and you tricked me into coming here to raise horses for the Jade Emperor? Raising horses is a lowly job for young boys; how could they make me do it! I quit! I quit! I'm leaving!"
With a loud crash, Wukong overturned the table. He pulled the Golden-Banded Cudgel from his ear, shook it until it was as thick as a rice bowl, and, wielding the staff with a series of flourishes, charged straight out of the Imperial Stables, all the way to the Southern Heavenly Gate. The celestial soldiers, knowing he had already been registered among the immortals as the Keeper of the Horses, dared not stop him and let him blast his way out of the Heavenly Gate.
Soon, Wukong lowered his cloud and returned to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. He saw the Four Stalwart Generals and the demon kings of various caves drilling their troops. The Monkey King shouted loudly, "Little ones! Old Sun has returned!"
A host of monkeys came forward, kowtowing, and welcomed him deep into the Water Curtain Cave. They invited him to ascend his throne and hastily prepared a feast to welcome him back. Everyone said, "Congratulations, Great King! You have been in Heaven for over a decade; you must have returned in great glory, right?"
Wukong said, "I was only gone for a little over half a month; where did a decade come from?"
The monkeys said, "Great King, you cannot feel the passage of time in Heaven. One day in Heaven is a year in the lower realm. May we ask, Great King, what office did you hold in Heaven?"
The Monkey King waved his hand and said, "Don't mention it! Don't mention it! It's utterly shameful! That Jade Emperor does not know how to use people. Seeing my appearance, he appointed me to some 'Keeper of the Horses' post, which turned out to be just tending his horses, the lowest and most unranked office. I didn't know when I first took up the post, and I was quite happy playing around in the Imperial Stables. But today I asked my colleagues and found out how base this office is. I was so furious I overturned the table, resigned the post, and came back."
The monkeys said, "It's good that you're back! It's good that you're back! The Great King is a king here in this blessed land and cave heaven, so majestic and happy; why would you be willing to be a horse groom for the Jade Emperor?" They then ordered, "Little ones, quickly prepare wine to dispel the Great King's melancholy!"
As they were drinking happily, a report came: "Great King, outside the gate there are two single-horned Ghost Kings who wish to see you."
Wukong said, "Let them in."
The two Ghost Kings straightened their clothes, ran into the cave, knelt, and kowtowed. The Handsome Monkey King asked them, "What business do you have in coming to see me?"
The Ghost Kings said, "We have long heard that the Great King recruits the worthy and the able, but we never had the opportunity to pay our respects. Today, hearing that the Great King has received a salary from the Heavenly Court and has returned in glory, we have come especially to present a robe of reddish-brown ochre as a gift of congratulations. If the Great King does not disdain our lowliness and is willing to take us in, we would be happy to serve you like dogs or horses."
The Monkey King was overjoyed. He put on the robe, and the monkeys and the Ghost Kings all happily lined up to pay him homage. The Monkey King appointed the Ghost Kings as Vanguard Commanders of the Forward Division. After thanking him for the favor, the Ghost Kings asked, "The Great King spent so long in Heaven; what office were you granted?"
Wukong said, "The Jade Emperor looks down upon men of true ability. He only appointed me to some 'Keeper of the Horses' post!"
Hearing this, the Ghost Kings reported further, "The Great King possesses such vast supernatural powers; how could you be a horse groom for the Jade Emperor? Even if you were to proclaim yourself the 'Great Sage, Equal of Heaven,' what would be wrong with that?"
The Monkey King was delighted beyond measure. He said "Good! Good! Good!" repeatedly, and then ordered the Four Stalwart Generals, "Quickly make me a banner. Write the four words 'Great Sage, Equal of Heaven' on it, set it up on a pole, and hang it. From today onward, you may only call me the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, and you must not call me Great King anymore. Also, spread this news to the demon kings of every cave so that they all know." Let us leave this for now.
Let us speak instead of the Jade Emperor at his court the next day. He saw the Celestial Master Zhang leading the stable supervisors and deputy supervisors, who kowtowed at the crimson steps and reported, "Your Majesty, the newly appointed Keeper of the Horses, Sun Wukong, resented his lowly office and rebelled, leaving Heaven yesterday."
As he was speaking, they also saw the Heavenly King of Growth from the Southern Heavenly Gate leading a host of celestial soldiers to report, "The Keeper of the Horses, for some unknown reason, has fled out of the Heavenly Gate."
Hearing this, the Jade Emperor immediately issued a decree: "Let both companies of deities return to their posts. I will dispatch heavenly soldiers to capture this demon."
From the ranks of officials stepped forth the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li and the Third Prince Nezha. They came forward and reported, "Your Majesty, your humble servants, though unworthy, request permission to go down and subdue this demon."
The Jade Emperor was very pleased and immediately appointed the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing as the Great Marshal for Subduing Demons, and the Third Prince Nezha as the Great God of the Three Altars and the Oceanic Assembly. He ordered them to lead troops down to the lower realm at once.
Heavenly King Li and Nezha kowtowed, thanked him for the favor, and returned to their own palace. They mustered the three armies, leading the assembled generals. They appointed the Mighty Spirit God as the vanguard, the Fish-Belly General as the rear support, and the Yaksha General to urge the troops forward. In a short while, they had passed through the Southern Heavenly Gate and arrived directly at the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. After setting up camp on a level stretch of ground, they ordered the Mighty Spirit God to go and challenge the enemy.
The Mighty Spirit God, receiving the order, donned his full armor, swung his Flower-Embellished Axe, and came to the outside of the Water Curtain Cave. He saw many demons outside the cave gate, all sorts of wolves, insects, tigers, and leopards, milling about in confusion, wielding spears and brandishing swords, jumping and shouting.
The Mighty Spirit God bellowed, "You beasts! Go quickly and tell that Keeper of the Horses that I am a great general from Heaven, sent by the Jade Emperor's sacred decree to subdue him. Tell him to come out and surrender at once, or else you will all be injured!"
Those demons, in a panic, ran into the cave and reported, "Trouble! Trouble!"
The Monkey King asked, "What trouble?"
The demons said, "Outside the gate there is a heavenly general who says he has come by the Jade Emperor's decree to subdue you. He calls you the Keeper of the Horses and tells you to come out and surrender quickly, or else he will take our lives."
Hearing this, the Monkey King ordered, "Bring me my armor!" He quickly donned his Purple-Gold Crown, put on his Golden Armor, stepped into his Cloud-Treading Boots, and took up his As-You-Will Golden-Banded Cudgel. He led the host of monkeys out of the cave and arrayed them in battle formation.
The Mighty Spirit God opened his eyes wide and saw that the Monkey King was truly awe-inspiring: He wore a golden breastplate, bright and gleaming, and a golden crown whose light shone far and wide. In his hand he raised a single Golden-Banded Cudgel, and his cloud-treading boots were a perfect match. His pair of strange eyes were like bright stars, and his two ears, extending past his brows, were angular and hard. His tall, sturdy frame held countless transformations, and his voice was clear and resonant as a bell or a chime. With his sharp mouth and protruding teeth, this Keeper of the Horses, his heart set high, aspired to be the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven.
The Mighty Spirit God shouted in a harsh voice, "You insolent monkey! Do you recognize me?"
The Great Sage, hearing this, hastily asked, "Which deity are you? Old Sun has never seen you before. Quickly state your name."
The Mighty Spirit God said, "You ungrateful macaque! You don't even recognize me! I am the vanguard of the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li of the High and Supreme Divine Heaven, the Mighty Spirit Heavenly General! Today, by the Jade Emperor's sacred decree, I have come to subdue you. You had better take off your armor and surrender to the Heavenly Court, or else all the demons on this mountain will be killed. If you utter a single word of refusal, I will grind you to powder this instant!"
The Monkey King was enraged and said, "You insolent god, spare me your big talk and your sharp tongue! I was originally going to kill you with one blow of my staff, but I was afraid there would be no one to carry the message back. I will spare your life for now. Go quickly back to the Heavenly Court and tell the Jade Emperor that he is utterly incapable of using men! Old Sun has vast supernatural powers; how could he make me his horse groom? Look at the words on my banner. If he promotes me according to these words, I will not move a single soldier or weapon, and Heaven and Earth will naturally be at peace. If he does not comply, I will immediately storm the Hall of Miraculous Mist and make his dragon throne unstable!"
Hearing this, the Mighty Spirit God quickly looked up against the wind and, sure enough, saw a tall pole erected outside the cave gate, from which hung a banner with the four words "Great Sage, Equal of Heaven." The Mighty Spirit God sneered three times and said, "You insolent monkey, you are so ignorant and still dare to be so reckless! You are worthy of being called the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven? Take my axe!" As he spoke, he swung his axe at Wukong's head.
That Monkey King was a true veteran; he was not flustered at all. He raised his Golden-Banded Cudgel to meet the attack. This battle was truly spectacular: The staff was called the As-You-Will, and the axe was named the Flower-Embellished. The two of them had just met and did not know each other's depth; the axe and the staff clashed from left and right. One concealed divine subtlety, the other boasted loudly. As they worked their magic, they spewed clouds and spat mist; as they extended their hands, they churned up dust and sand. The heavenly general's divine powers followed the Dao, but the Monkey King's transformations were truly boundless. When the staff was raised, it was like a dragon playing in the water; when the axe came down, it was like a phoenix threading through flowers. The Mighty Spirit God's fame had spread throughout the world, but his skill was no match for his opponent. The Great Sage lightly swung his iron staff, and with one blow to the head, the god's whole body went numb.
The Mighty Spirit God was no match for Wukong. As the Monkey King's staff came crashing down on his head, he quickly tried to block it with his axe. With a loud crack, the handle of the axe was broken in two. He immediately withdrew and fled in disgrace, thoroughly beaten. The Monkey King laughed and shouted, "Weakling! Weakling! I have already spared you! Go quickly and report! Go quickly and report!"
The Mighty Spirit God ran back to the camp gate and went directly to see the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King. Flustered and panicked, he knelt down and said in a trembling voice, "That Keeper of the Horses is truly supernaturally powerful! Your humble general could not defeat him and has returned in defeat to beg forgiveness."
Heavenly King Li was furious: "You useless waste! You have blunted my sharp edge! Take him out and behead him!"
The Nezha Prince, who was standing by, quickly stepped forward, knelt, and begged for mercy: "Father King, calm your anger. Spare the Mighty Spirit God for now. Let your son go and fight one battle, and we will know the depths of this demon monkey's abilities." The Heavenly King, heeding the advice, temporarily allowed the Mighty Spirit God to return to camp to await punishment, placing him in charge of camp affairs.
This Nezha Prince donned his armor, leaped out of the camp, and went straight to the outside of the Water Curtain Cave. Wukong was about to withdraw his troops when he saw Nezha coming with great momentum and ferocity. This prince was truly extraordinary: His hair was tied in twin knots just covering his fontanel, and his fine baby hair had not yet grown to cover his shoulders. He was divinely clever and quick-witted, with a refined and handsome bone structure. He was truly a Qilin from Heaven, a colorful phoenix immortal of the misty clouds. A dragon's offspring was naturally not of common appearance; his youthful grace was unlike anything in the mortal world. He carried six divine weapons on his person, and his ability to fly and transform was vast and boundless. Now, by the golden decree of the Jade Emperor, he was appointed the Great God of the Three Altars and the Oceanic Assembly.
Wukong stepped forward and asked, "Whose young master are you? Why do you barge into my territory? What business do you have?"
Nezha shouted, "Insolent demon monkey! Do you not recognize me? I am the third prince of the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, Nezha! Today, by the command of the Jade Emperor, I have come to capture you!"
Wukong laughed and said, "Little prince, your milk teeth haven't even fallen out yet, and your baby hair isn't even dry. How dare you speak such big words? I will spare your life for now and not strike you. First, look at the words written on my banner. Go back and tell the Jade Emperor that if he grants me this official title, there will be no need to send troops, and I will naturally submit. But if he does not satisfy my wishes, I will definitely storm the Hall of Miraculous Mist!"
Nezha looked up and saw the words "Great Sage, Equal of Heaven" on the banner. Enraged, he said, "What great powers do you, a demon monkey, possess, that you dare to use this title! Don't be afraid! Taste my sword!"
Wukong said, "I will stand right here without moving. Feel free to slash at me a few times."
Nezha was burning with fury. He shouted, "Change!" and instantly transformed into a form with three heads and six arms, looking fierce and terrible, holding six weapons: the Demon-Slaying Sword, the Demon-Cutting Blade, the Demon-Binding Rope, the Demon-Subduing Pestle, the Embroidery Ball, and the Fire Wheel. Densely packed, they all struck at Wukong.
Seeing this, Wukong was startled inwardly: "This young master does have some skills! Don't be rude! Watch my divine power!" The Great Sage also shouted, "Change!" and likewise transformed into a form with three heads and six arms. He shook his Golden-Banded Cudgel, which became three, and each of his six hands took one, blocking Nezha's weapons.
This battle shook the earth and moved the mountains; it was spectacular to the extreme: The six-armed Nezha Prince and the heaven-born Stone Monkey King met as true opponents, confronting each other in their primal natures. One was sent down to the lower realm on a mission, the other, with an arrogant heart, was stirring up trouble in the Dipper and Bull constellations. The Demon-Slaying Sword was sharp and swift; the Demon-Cutting Blade was so fierce it made even ghosts and gods grieve. The Demon-Binding Rope flew like a python; the Demon-Subduing Pestle was shaped like a wolf's head. The Fire Wheel flashed like lightning, blazing and bright; the Embroidery Ball rolled back and forth. The Great Sage's three As-You-Will Staffs, guarding front and back, deployed his strategies. They fought fiercely for several rounds with no one gaining the upper hand, and the prince's heart refused to yield. He transformed all six of his weapons, throwing millions and billions of them at Wukong's head. The Monkey King, unafraid, laughed heartily, his iron staff swirling as he deployed his own plans. One became a thousand, a thousand became ten thousand, dancing wildly in the sky, rivaling flying dragons. The demon kings of every cave were terrified and shut their doors; all the ghosts and monsters on the mountain hid their heads. The divine soldiers' anger made the clouds dark and gloomy; the Golden-Banded Cudgel clanged and whistled through the air. On that side, the celestial soldiers shouted, striking fear into all; on this side, the monkey monsters waved their banners, each one full of anxiety. Both sides, enraged, fought with all their courage; no one could tell which was strong and which was yielding.
The Third Prince and Wukong each displayed their divine might, fighting for thirty rounds. The prince's six weapons became thousands upon thousands, and Sun Wukong's Golden-Banded Cudgel also became tens of thousands, filling the sky like raindrops or shooting stars, with no clear victor.
Now, Wukong was quick of eye and deft of hand. In the chaos of the battle, he plucked out a single hair, shouted "Change!" and the hair instantly transformed into a double of himself, holding a staff, continuing to tangle with Nezha. His true body, however, leaped around to behind Nezha and struck the prince's left arm with his staff. Nezha was in the middle of casting his spells when he suddenly heard the whistling sound of the staff. He hurriedly tried to dodge, but it was too late. He was hit squarely, and, enduring the pain, fled. He withdrew his magic, returned the six weapons to his body, and retreated in defeat back to the camp.
The Heavenly King Li on the battlefield had already seen this and was about to lead his troops forward to help when Nezha, flustered and panicked, ran before him and said, trembling, "Father King! That Keeper of the Horses is truly powerful! Your son, with all his vast magical powers, could not defeat him, and he even injured my arm."
The Heavenly King was greatly alarmed: "This demon monkey is so supernaturally powerful! How can we defeat him?"
The Prince said, "Outside his cave gate, he has erected a flagpole with the words 'Great Sage, Equal of Heaven' written on a banner. He also said himself that if the Jade Emperor would grant him this office, he would cease hostilities and submit. If this office is not granted, he vows to storm the Hall of Miraculous Mist!"
The Heavenly King said, "If that is the case, let us not confront him for now. Let us first return to the Heavenly Court, report this matter to the Jade Emperor, and then send more heavenly troops to capture him." The Prince was injured and could not fight any longer, so he and the Heavenly King returned to the Heavenly Court to make their report. Let us leave this for now.
Let us turn back to the Monkey King, who, having won his victory, returned to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. The seventy-two cave demon kings and his six sworn brothers all came to offer their congratulations. They drank and made merry in the blessed land and cave heaven of the Water Curtain Cave, utterly joyful. Wukong said to his six brothers, "Since I have proclaimed myself the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, you may also call yourselves Great Sages."
Among them, the Bull Demon King immediately cried out, "Worthy brother speaks well! I will call myself the Great Sage, Pacifier of Heaven."
The Dragon Demon King said, "I will call myself the Great Sage, Overturner of the Seas."
The Roc Demon King said, "I will call myself the Great Sage, Confounder of Heaven."
The Lion King said, "I will call myself the Great Sage, Mover of Mountains."
The Macaque King said, "I will call myself the Great Sage, Penetrator of the Winds."
The Gorilla King said, "I will call myself the Great Sage, Driver of the Gods."
Thus, the seven Great Sages each took their own titles and had a day of great pleasure before they all dispersed.
Let us speak again of the Heavenly King Li and the Third Prince, who, leading their generals, returned to the Hall of Miraculous Mist and reported to the Jade Emperor: "Your servants, by your sacred decree, went down to the lower realm to subdue the demon immortal Sun Wukong. Unexpectedly, his supernatural powers are vast, and we could not defeat him. We beg Your Majesty to send more troops to annihilate him."
The Jade Emperor said, "He is just a demon monkey. How great can his powers be, that we need to increase our troops?"
The Prince stepped forward again and reported, "We beg Your Majesty to forgive your servants their crime of death! That demon monkey, using an iron staff, first defeated the Mighty Spirit God and then injured your servant's arm. Outside his cave gate, he has erected a flagpole with the words 'Great Sage, Equal of Heaven' written on it. He says that if he is granted this office, he will come and submit; if he is not, he will storm the Hall of Miraculous Mist."
Hearing this, the Jade Emperor exclaimed in surprise, "How dare this demon monkey be so arrogant! Let the generals go and kill him at once!"
Just as he was saying this, the Great White Planet again stepped forward from among the officials and reported, "That demon monkey is just speaking recklessly; he does not know the immensity of Heaven and Earth. If we send troops to fight him, I fear we will not subdue him quickly and will only exhaust our forces. It would be better for Your Majesty, in your great mercy, to issue another amnesty decree and simply appoint him as the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven. Give him an empty title, with an official name but no salary."
The Jade Emperor asked, "What do you mean by 'an official name but no salary'?"
The Planet said, "It means his title will be 'Great Sage, Equal of Heaven,' but he will not be put in charge of any specific duties, nor will he be given any salary. For now, we can keep him in the Heavenly Court to curb his rebellious heart and prevent him from being so arrogant. This way, Heaven and Earth will be at peace, and the Four Seas will be calm."
The Jade Emperor, hearing this, said, "Let it be as you say." He immediately ordered a decree to be written and sent the Great White Planet once again to offer amnesty.
The Planet again left the Southern Heavenly Gate and arrived at the Water Curtain Cave on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. He saw that this time it was different from before. The cave entrance was majestic and imposing, filled with a murderous aura.