Bajie leaped down the mountain and found a small path to follow. After walking two or three miles, he suddenly spotted two female spirits drawing water from a well. How did he recognize them as spirits? The two women wore strange, old-fashioned hair buns over a foot tall, woven from bamboo strips—utterly out of style. The Fool stepped forward and shouted, "Demons!"
The female spirits flew into a rage and said to each other, "This monk is utterly rude! We've never met him before, never provoked him, and yet he calls us demons right to our faces!" They grabbed the wooden poles they used to carry water and swung them at his head.
Bajie had no weapon with him and couldn't dodge. After taking several heavy blows, he clutched his head and ran back up the mountain, shouting, "Brother, let's go back! The demons are too fierce!"
Wukong asked, "How fierce?"
Bajie replied, "There are two female demons drawing water in the valley. I just called them 'demons,' and they hit me three or four times with their poles!"
Wukong laughed. "That's not enough."
Bajie said, "Easy for you to say! My head is swollen, and you say it's not enough?"
Wukong said, "'Gentleness lets you travel the world; stubbornness keeps you from taking a single step.' They are local spirits, and we are monks from afar. Even if you had a hundred hands, you should still be polite. You opened your mouth and called them demons—who else would they hit? 'Always greet others with courtesy first.'"
Bajie said, "I don't know about any of that!"
Wukong said, "Back when you lived in the mountains and ate people, you must have known about two kinds of wood, right?"
Bajie said, "No, what wood?"
Wukong said, "One is willow wood , and the other is sandalwood. Willow wood is soft and pliable. A skilled craftsman can carve it into a sacred image or a statue of the Tathagata Buddha, gild it with gold , paint it with colors , inlay it with jade , and carve it with flowers . Thousands of people will burn incense and bow before it, receiving boundless blessings . Sandalwood is hard and stubborn. An oil press will use it to make a ram , binding it with iron hoops and hammering it down with iron mallets —all because it's too rigid, and that's the suffering it endures."
Bajie said, "Brother, if you'd told me this earlier, I wouldn't have been beaten."
Wukong said, "Go back and ask them for information."
Bajie said, "They already recognize me. If I go back, I'll get beaten again!"
Wukong said, "Change your appearance."
Bajie said, "Brother, if I change my appearance, how will I ask them anything?"
Wukong said, "Go in disguise, walk up to them, and bow. First, judge their age: if they're about our age, call them 'Young Lady'; if they're older, call them 'Grandmother.' Then, coax the information out of them."
Bajie laughed. "That's a stretch! We're in a strange place so far from home—what family ties are we claiming?"
Wukong said, "It's not about claiming family; it's about getting information! If they've actually captured the master, we can make our move. If they haven't, we won't waste time and can search elsewhere."
Bajie said, "That makes sense. I'll try again."
Good Fool! He tucked his rake into his belt, went down into the valley, shook himself, and transformed into a dark, fat monk. He swayed and swaggered up to the female spirits, bowed deeply, and said, "Grandmother, this humble monk pays his respects to you."
The two female spirits were delighted. "This monk knows his manners; he can bow and address people properly." They asked, "Elder, where do you come from?"
Bajie said, "From elsewhere."
They asked, "Where are you going?"
He replied, "Elsewhere."
They asked again, "What is your name?"
He answered, "I am called by my name."
The female spirits laughed. "This monk is a decent fellow, but he has no background—he only speaks in pat phrases ."
Bajie said, "Grandmother, what are you drawing water for?"
The female spirits said, "Monk, don't you know? Our old lady has captured a Tang Monk and brought him to the cave tonight. She wants to entertain him well. The water in our cave is not clean, so the old lady sent us to fetch this pure water of yin-yang union . She's preparing a vegetarian feast for the Tang Monk to eat, and tonight she's going to marry him!"
As soon as the Fool heard this, he turned and ran back up the mountain, shouting, "Sha Monk, bring the luggage over! Let's split it up and go our separate ways!"
Sha Monk said, "Second Brother, why are we dividing the luggage again?"
Bajie said, "It's better this way! You go back to the Flowing Sands River and eat people, I'll go back to Gao Laozhuang to visit my family, the elder brother can go back to Flower-Fruit Mountain and be king, and the White Dragon Horse can return to the sea and become a dragon. The master is getting married in the demon's cave—why are we still going to fetch the scriptures? Let's all go our own ways and live well!"
Wukong said, "This fool is spouting nonsense again!"
Bajie said, "Who's spouting nonsense? The two water-drawing demons just said they're preparing a vegetarian feast for the Tang Monk, and after he eats, he's getting married!"
Wukong said, "The demon has trapped the master in the cave. He's staring at us, hoping we'll save him, and here you are talking defeat!"
Bajie said, "How do we save him?"
Wukong said, "You two lead the horse and carry the pole. We'll follow those two female spirits as guides, and when they lead us to the cave entrance, we'll all strike together."
The Fool had no choice but to follow. Wukong watched the two female spirits from afar as they gradually disappeared into the deep mountains. After walking seven or eight miles, the female spirits suddenly vanished.
Bajie exclaimed in alarm, "The master must have been captured by a daytime ghost !"
Wukong said, "You have sharp eyes. How did you see their true forms?"
Bajie said, "Those two demons were carrying water, and then they just disappeared. What else could they be but daytime ghosts?"
Wukong said, "They must have slipped into a cave. Let me go take a look."
Good Great Sage! He quickly opened his fiery golden eyes and scanned the entire mountain. There was indeed no sign of them. He only saw, in front of a steep cliff, an exquisitely carved, multi-colored, three-eaved, four-tiered archway . He, Bajie, and Sha Monk approached and saw six large characters on the archway: " Trapping Emptiness Mountain , Bottomless Cave ."
Wukong said, "Brothers, the demon has placed this archway here, but I don't know where the cave entrance is."
Sha Monk said, "It can't be far. Search carefully!"
The three of them turned and looked closely. At the base of the cliff beneath the archway, there was a huge stone, dozens of miles in circumference. Right in the middle was a hole the size of a jar's mouth , its edges worn smooth .
Bajie said, "Brother, this must be the entrance the demons use!"
Wukong looked at it and said, "Strange! Old Monkey has protected the Tang Monk for a long time and captured many demons, but I've never seen a cave like this. Bajie, go down first and test its depth, so I can go in and save the master."
Bajie shook his head. "No way! Old Pig is heavy. If I slip and fall in, who knows if I'll even hit the bottom in two or three years!"
Wukong said, "Is it really that deep?"
Bajie said, "See for yourself!"
The Great Sage lay down at the cave entrance and looked down—alas! It was truly deep! It was over a hundred miles around. He turned back and said, "Brothers, it is indeed very deep!"
Bajie said, "Let's go back. The master can't be saved!"
Wukong said, "Nonsense! 'Don't give in to laziness; don't let your spirit flag.' First, put down the luggage and tie the horse to the archway pillar. You take your rake, and Sha Monk takes his staff, and guard the entrance. I'll go in and scout. If the master is truly inside, I'll use my golden-banded staff to drive the demon out from within. When she reaches the entrance, you two block her from outside—we'll work together from inside and out, kill the demon, and save the master."
The two nodded and did as they were told.
Wukong leaped into the cave. Ten thousand colorful clouds rose beneath his feet, and a thousand layers of auspicious vapors swirled around him. In no time, he reached the depths. The cave was bright and clear, with sunlight, the sound of wind, and even flowers, plants, and fruit trees. Wukong was delighted. "What a fine place! When Old Monkey was born, heaven bestowed upon me the Water Curtain Cave. This, too, is a blessed cave-heaven!"
As he looked around, he saw another gatehouse with a double-eaved roof, surrounded by pines and bamboo, with many buildings inside. He thought, "This must be the demon's residence. I'll go and scout—no, if I go directly, they'll recognize me. Better to change my appearance." He shook himself, recited a spell, and turned into a fly. He flew softly to the gatehouse and eavesdropped.
He saw the demon sitting high in a thatched pavilion. Her appearance was even more bewitching than when she had been rescued in the pine forest or seen through in the temple:
Her hair was coiled like a raven-black cloud, and she wore a green velvet patterned vest. A pair of golden lotuses were half-revealed, and her ten fingers were slender as spring bamboo shoots. Her powdered face was round like a silver basin, and her vermilion lips were bright like cherries. She was the very image of a beautiful woman, surpassing even the moon goddess Chang'e. Today, she had captured the scripture-seeking monk, and she wished to share a bed of joy with him.
The Pilgrim did not speak; he continued listening. After a while, the demon opened her cherry-like mouth and said happily, "Little ones, quickly set out the vegetarian feast! Tonight, I am going to marry the Tang Monk."
The Pilgrim chuckled to himself. "So it's true! I thought Bajie was just talking nonsense. Let me fly inside and find the master first, and see if his heart is moved—if he truly is tempted, then let him stay here." He spread his wings and flew inside. On the eastern veranda, he saw a red paper lattice, bright above and dark below, and the Tang Monk was sitting inside.
The Pilgrim crashed through the lattice, flew onto the Tang Monk's head, and whispered, "Master."
San Zang recognized the voice and urgently called out, "Disciple, save my life!"
The Pilgrim said, "Master, don't worry! The demon is preparing a feast to marry you after you eat. If you have a son or daughter, it will be your monk's offspring—what are you worried about?"
The elder ground his teeth and said, "Disciple, ever since I left Chang'an and took you in at Two Realms Mountain, I have been traveling west. When have I ever touched meat or had an impure thought? Now I am captured by a demon and forced into marriage. If I lose my true yang essence, I will fall into the cycle of reincarnation, be banished behind the Dark Mountain, and never be reborn!"
The Pilgrim laughed. "Stop swearing oaths. If you truly want to fetch the scriptures, I will take you out of here."
San Zang said, "I have forgotten the way in."
The Pilgrim said, "Don't mention it. This cave isn't entered by walking in; it's burrowed into from above. To save you now, we have to burrow out from below—if we're lucky, we'll reach the entrance; if we're unlucky, we might suffocate inside."
Tears filled San Zang's eyes. "It's so difficult. What can we do?"
The Pilgrim said, "There is a way! The demon will surely invite you to drink wine. You must reluctantly drink one cup. When she pours another, make her pour it quickly so it froths. I will turn into a tiny insect and fly into the froth. When she swallows it in one gulp, I will tear apart her heart and lungs, kill the demon, and you can escape."
San Zang said, "Disciple, isn't that too cruel?"
The Pilgrim said, "This is no time for compassion! The demon is a creature that harms people. If you pity her, who will pity you?"
San Zang said, "Very well, very well. But you must stay close to me."
Truly, the Great Sage Sun was protecting the Tang Monk, and the scripture-seeking monk relied entirely on the Handsome Monkey King. Before the master and disciple had finished their discussion, the demon had already arranged the feast. She came to the eastern veranda, unlocked the door, and called out, "Elder."
The Tang Monk dared not answer. She called again, and still he dared not respond—he feared that "once the mouth opens, the spirit scatters; once the tongue moves, trouble is born." Yet he also feared that the demon, with her cruel heart, might kill him in a fit of rage. He was caught between a rock and a hard place, his heart asking his mouth, "Should I answer?" and his mouth asking his heart, "Do I dare to reply?"
While he hesitated, the demon called out again, "Elder."
The Tang Monk had no choice but to respond: "My lady, I am here."
That single response felt like setting down a thousand-pound burden. Everyone knew the Tang Monk was a true monk seeking the scriptures—how could he speak to a female demon? But at this critical moment of extreme danger, he was utterly helpless. Though his mouth answered, there was not a single impure thought in his heart.
When the demon heard the elder's response, she pushed open the door, helped him up, took his hand, pressed her shoulder against his, and whispered in his ear. She displayed a thousand charms and ten thousand seductions, but little did she know that the Tang Monk's heart was filled with worry. The Pilgrim chuckled to himself, "The master is being coaxed by her like this. He might actually be tempted."
The true monk, tormented by evil, encountered a bewitching maiden. The demon's graceful figure was truly admirable. Her faint green eyebrows were like willow leaves, and her full red face was set off by peach blossoms. Her embroidered shoes revealed a hint of phoenix-shaped hooks, and her cloud-like hair was piled high on her head like a raven. She smiled as she took the master's hand, and the fragrance of orchids and musk filled his cassock.
The demon led San Zang to the thatched pavilion and said, "Elder, I have prepared a cup of wine. Let me drink with you."
San Zang said, "My lady, this humble monk does not eat meat or drink wine."
The demon said, "I know you don't eat meat. Because the water in the cave is not clean, I specially sent my little ones to the mountain peak to fetch the pure water of yin-yang union. I have prepared vegetarian fruits and vegetables to help you pass the time."
The Tang Monk followed her inside and saw that everything was indeed exquisitely arranged. The entrance was hung with embroidered festoons, and incense burned in censers in the courtyard. There was a black-lacquered, inlaid table and a red-lacquered bamboo-woven tray. On the inlaid table were rare vegetarian delicacies; in the bamboo-woven tray were rare fruits and vegetables—Chinese pear, olive, lotus seed, grape, torreya nut, crab apple, hazelnut, pine nut, lychee, longan, mountain chestnut, water caltrop, jujube, persimmon, walnut, ginkgo, kumquat, and fragrant orange—all fresh fruits from the mountains. The vegetables were even fresher: tofu, gluten, wood ear, bamboo shoot, mushroom, fragrant mushroom, yam, yellow essence, agaric, and daylily stir-fried in green oil; green beans and cowpeas seasoned with cooked sauce; cucumber, bottle gourd, ginkgo, and turnip; eggplant sliced like quail; winter melon carved into elegant shapes; taro slowly stewed and mixed with sugar; white radish boiled and dressed with vinegar; pepper and ginger, pungent and fragrant; all flavors harmoniously balanced between salty and light.
The demon stretched out her jade-like fingers, picked up a sparkling golden cup, filled it with fine wine, and handed it to the Tang Monk. In a coquettish voice, she said, "Elder Brother, what a fine man you are! Drink a cup of wedding wine with me."
The Tang Monk blushed as he took the cup. He poured a little wine onto the ground as an offering and silently prayed: "Dharma-protecting devas, Five Directions Revealers, Four Duty Deities! Disciple Chen Xuan Zang came from the East, entrusted by the Bodhisattva Guanyin to have you secretly protect me as I go to the Thunderclap Monastery to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures. Now, on the road, I have been captured by a demon and forced into marriage. She has handed me this cup of wine. If it is vegetarian wine, your disciple will reluctantly drink it and continue my quest for the scriptures. If it is meat wine, breaking my precepts, I will fall forever into the cycle of reincarnation!"
The Great Sage Sun had become light and was clinging to the back of the Tang Monk's ear, like a whispering spirit—only the Tang Monk could hear him. He knew that the master usually liked to drink vegetarian wine made from grapes, so he urged the master to drink a cup.
The master had no choice but to drink. Then he quickly filled another cup and offered it back to the demon, making sure to create a froth. The Pilgrim immediately turned into a tiny insect and flew gently into the froth.
The demon took the cup but did not drink. She set it down on the table, bowed twice to the Tang Monk, and whispered a few sweet words. When she picked up the cup again, the froth had dissipated, and the tiny insect was exposed. The demon did not recognize it as the Pilgrim in disguise; she thought it was just an ordinary bug. She flicked it away with her little finger.
Seeing that his plan had failed and he could not enter her stomach, the Pilgrim immediately turned into a hungry eagle. Truly:
With jade talons, golden eyes, and iron wings, its majestic spirit soared to the clouds. Foxes and cunning hares feared it; a thousand miles of mountains and rivers quickly hid from its sight. When hungry, it chased birds against the wind; when full, it perched high at the gates of heaven. Its iron-hard talons were most dangerous when they struck, and in its triumph, it even disdained the closeness of the celestial palace.
The eagle flapped its wings, swooped down, and with one claw overturned the table. The vegetarian fruits and vegetables, plates, and bowls all shattered. Abandoning the Tang Monk, it flew straight out of the cave.
The demon was terrified out of her wits, and the Tang Monk was also numb with fear. The demon, trembling, embraced the Tang Monk and said, "Elder Brother, where did that creature come from?"
San Zang said, "This humble monk does not know."
The demon said, "I went to so much trouble to prepare a vegetarian feast to accompany you, and I don't know where that feathered beast came from to smash everything!"
The little demons said, "Lady, smashing the things is one thing, but all the vegetarian dishes have been spilled on the ground and dirtied. How can we use them?"
San Zang knew full well that it was the Pilgrim's doing, but he dared not say anything.
The demon said, "Little ones, I understand! It must be because I have trapped the Tang Monk that heaven and earth cannot tolerate it, and so they sent this creature. Clear away the broken things and prepare more wine and food—meat or vegetarian, it doesn't matter. I will take heaven as my matchmaker and earth as my dowry. Today, I must marry the Tang Monk!"
Having said this, she led the elder back to the eastern veranda and had him sit down.
Meanwhile, the Pilgrim flew out, revealed his true form at the cave entrance, and called out, "Open up!"
Bajie laughed and said, "Sha Monk, the elder brother is back!" The two of them put away their weapons, and the Pilgrim jumped out. Bajie stepped forward, grabbed him, and asked, "Are there demons? Is the master inside?"
The Pilgrim said, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Bajie asked again, "Is the master suffering inside? Is he tied up or bound? Is he going to be steamed or boiled?"
The Pilgrim said, "None of that. It's just that the demon has prepared a vegetarian feast and wants to do the marriage business with the master."
Bajie laughed. "You're so lucky! You got to drink the wedding wine before coming back!"
The Pilgrim said, "Fool! The master's life is hanging by a thread, and you talk about wedding wine!"
Bajie said, "Then why did you come out so quickly?"
The Pilgrim recounted how he had seen the Tang Monk, turned into a tiny insect, been flicked away by the demon, and then turned into a hungry eagle to overturn the table. He said, "Brothers, stop your wild thoughts. The master is indeed inside. I am going back now, and I will surely save him."
With that, he turned around and re-entered the cave. He again turned into a fly and clung to the gatehouse to eavesdrop. He heard the demon sitting angrily in the pavilion and giving orders: "Little ones, bring everything—meat or vegetarian. I will use heaven and earth as my matchmaker. Today, I am determined to marry him!"
The Pilgrim chuckled to himself. "This demon has not a shred of shame. In broad daylight, she locks a monk up in her cave and makes trouble. Don't worry. I'll go in and see how the master is doing." With a buzz, he flew to the eastern veranda and saw the master sitting inside, tears streaming down his cheeks. The Pilgrim flew over, landed on his head, and called out again, "Master."
The elder recognized the voice, jumped up, and ground his teeth. "You macaque! Other people's courage is their body wrapped around their guts; your courage is your guts wrapped around your body! It's one thing that you used your magic to break things, but you've stirred up the demon's lustful desires. Now she's preparing everything, meat and vegetarian, and is determined to consummate the marriage with me. What am I to do?"
The Pilgrim laughed secretly and said, "Master, don't be angry. I have a way to save you."
The Tang Monk said, "How?"
The Pilgrim said, "When I flew out just now, I saw a garden behind the cave. Lure her into the garden to take a walk, and I will save you."
The Tang Monk said, "How can you save me in the garden?"
The Pilgrim said, "When you go to the garden with her, stop when you reach the peach trees. I will fly onto a peach branch and turn into a red peach. You say you want to eat fruit, and pick the red one first—the red one is me. She will surely also pick one. Give the red one to her. When she takes a bite, I will be in her stomach. I will smash her five viscera and six entrails, kill her, and you can escape."
San Zang said, "You have the power to fight her directly. Why must you crawl into her stomach?"
The Pilgrim said, "Master, you don't understand. This cave is inconvenient to enter and exit, and the paths are winding. If I fight her directly, her whole nest of old and young will come to grab me. How can I escape? Only by doing it this way can we finish things cleanly."
San Zang nodded in trust and only admonished, "Stay close to me."
The Pilgrim said, "I know! I'm on your head."
Once the master and disciple had agreed on the plan, San Zang leaned forward, supported himself on the lattice, and called out, "My lady! My lady!"
The demon heard him, laughed, and ran over happily. "Wonderful man, what is it?"
San Zang said, "My lady, I came from Chang'an, traveling through mountains and rivers all the way. Yesterday, I stayed at the Zhenhai Temple and caught a chill, falling seriously ill. Today, I sweated it out and feel a little better. Then, thanks to your kindness, I was brought to this immortal abode. I've been sitting all day, and now I feel restless and uneasy. Could you take me somewhere else to relax?"
The demon was overjoyed. "My wonderful man has some spirit! I'll take you to the garden to play." She immediately ordered, "Little ones, get the keys and open the garden gate! Sweep the paths!" The little demons scurried off to prepare.
The demon opened the lattice and helped the Tang Monk out. All the little demons, with their oiled hair and powdered faces, graceful and slender, crowded around the two of them and led them toward the garden. What a Tang Monk! In the midst of this splendor and seduction, he remained unmoved. Amidst the brocade and finery, he played deaf and dumb. If it weren't for his iron determination to worship the Buddha, any ordinary mortal would have long since abandoned the quest for the scriptures.
The group reached the garden gate. The demon said softly, "Wonderful man, let's play here. It will surely help you relax." The Tang Monk took her hand and entered the garden. He looked up and saw that it was truly a fine place:
Winding paths were all dotted with moss; elegant latticed windows were everywhere veiled by embroidered curtains. A gentle breeze stirred, lightly spreading brocades from Shu and silk from Wu. The light rain had just stopped, revealing delicate jade-like forms. The sun shone evenly on the fresh apricots, red as an immortal drying her rainbow-colored robes. The moon reflected on the plantains, green as the Grand Pure One waving her feathered fan. On all four sides of the whitewashed walls, ten thousand willows sheltered orioles singing. Around the quiet pavilions, the entire courtyard was filled with butterflies fluttering over crab apple blossoms. There were the Pavilion of Condensed Fragrance, the Pavilion of the Green Moth, the Pavilion of Sobering Up, and the Pavilion of Yearning—layer upon layer, reflecting each other, with red curtains and hooks shaped like lobster antennae. There were the Arbor of Nurturing Sourness, the Arbor of Wearing White, the Arbor of Painting Eyebrows, and the Arbor of Four Rains—each one towering, with elegant plaques bearing bird-like seal script. There were the Pool of Bathing Cranes, the Pool of Washing Cups, the Pool of Delighting in the Moon, and the Pool of Cleansing Tassels, where green duckweed and water plants shimmered with golden scales. There were the Studio of Ink Flowers, the Studio of Strange Boxes, the Studio of Suiting One's Fancy, and the Studio of Yearning for Clouds, where jade cups and goblets floated with green wine froth.
Around the ponds and pavilions were Taihu stones, purple mica stones, parrot-perching stones, and brocade river stones, all planted with green tiger-beard rushes. To the east and west of the studios were wood rockeries, emerald screens, wind-howling peaks, and jade mushroom peaks, everywhere thick with phoenix-tail bamboo. There were racks of tea flowers and roses, next to a swing rack, all like a brocade tent and silk curtain. There were pavilions of pines and cypresses, and arbors of magnolia, facing an arbor of mock orange, like a city of jade and an embroidered canopy. There were beds of peonies and clusters of tree peonies, red and purple vying in splendor. There were terraces of night-blooming flowers and railings of jasmine, year after year growing in charm. Dewdrops glistened on smiling violet flowers, a scene worthy of painting. The brilliant red of the cotton rose blazed against the sky, a subject fit for poetry. In terms of scenery, one need not boast of the Fairy Isles or Paradise. In comparing beauty, one need not count the rare peonies. If one were to play the grass-comparing game in the third month of spring, the only thing missing from this garden would be the jade qiong flower.
The elder, hand in hand with the demon, strolled through the garden, taking in the endless array of exotic flowers and rare plants. They passed many pavilions and arbors and gradually approached the peach grove. The Pilgrim gently pinched the master's head, and the elder immediately understood.
The Pilgrim flew onto a peach branch, shook himself, and turned into a red peach, so red it was utterly lovely. The elder said to the demon, "My lady, your garden is full of fragrant flowers and ripe fruit. Bees gather the fragrance of flowers, and birds peck at the ripe fruits. But on this peach tree, some fruits are green and some are red. Why is that?"
The demon laughed. "If heaven had no yin and yang, there would be no sun or moon. If earth had no yin and yang, there would be no plants or trees. If humans had no yin and yang, there would be no distinction between male and female. The peaches on the sunny side are ripened first by the sun, so they are red. Those on the shady side have not yet seen the sun, so they are green—this is the principle of yin and yang."
San Zang said, "Thank you, my lady, for your instruction. This humble monk truly did not know." So saying, he stepped forward and picked a red peach. The demon also picked a green one.
San Zang bowed and offered the red peach to the demon. "My lady, you love the red one. Eat this red one, and give me the green one."
The demon truly exchanged them, secretly delighted. "Good monk! He truly has a sincere heart. We haven't even been husband and wife for a day, and he already cherishes me so much."
The demon took the red peach with joy, while the Tang Monk began to eat the green one. The demon accompanied him and opened her mouth to bite the red peach. She had just parted her vermilion lips and revealed her silver teeth, but before she could bite down, the Pilgrim, impatient as ever, somersaulted into her throat and landed straight in her stomach. The demon was startled and said to San Zang, "Elder, this fruit is very strange! It rolled down before I could even bite it!" San Zang said, "My lady, the fruits from a newly opened garden are delicious, so they go down quickly." The demon said, "It slid down before I could even spit out the pit." San Zang said, "My lady was eating with such pleasure that she simply forgot to spit out the pit."
Inside the demon's stomach, the Pilgrim transformed back into his true form and shouted, "Master, stop talking to her. I've got her!"
San Zang said, "Disciple, be gentle."
The demon heard the voice and asked, "Who are you talking to?"
San Zang said, "I am talking to my disciple, Sun Wukong."
The demon said, "Where is Sun Wukong?"
San Zang said, "He's in your stomach. The red peach you just ate was his transformation."
The demon panicked. "It's over! It's over! This monkey has crawled into my stomach. I'm dead! Pilgrim Sun, why have you gone to all this trouble to crawl into my stomach?"
The Pilgrim said from inside, full of resentment, "I don't want to do anything! I just want to eat your six-leafed liver and lungs, your three-haired, seven-hole heart, rip out all your five viscera, and turn you into a hollowed-out demon!" The demon was terrified out of her wits. Trembling, she embraced the Tang Monk. "Elder! I thought we were bound by a red thread from a past life, destined for deep harmony and mutual love. I never expected the mandarin ducks to be parted, the phoenixes to fly east and west! The bridge at Blue River is flooded, making our union impossible; the smoke at the Xian Temple has sunk, and our happy meeting is in vain. I put all my heart into this, and now we must part again. In what year will I meet you again?"
Inside her stomach, the Pilgrim heard this and feared that the elder's heart would soften and he would be fooled by her. He immediately began to swing his fists, kick his feet, brace his frame, and stretch his body, nearly tearing the demon's belly apart