Once Tang Sanzang and his disciples arrived at the Temple of the Forest of Chan at Zhenhai , the monks came to greet them and prepared a meal. After the four of them had eaten, the woman also received some food. As darkness fell, lamps were lit in the abbot's quarters . The monks gathered around the light, partly to hear the story of Tang Sanzang's journey to fetch the scriptures and partly to steal a few more glances at the woman.
Sanzang addressed the senior lama monk he had first met: "Abbot, when we leave your esteemed temple tomorrow, will the road west be easy to travel?" The lama immediately knelt down. The elder hurriedly pulled him up: "Abbot, please rise. I was merely asking about the road. Why do you kneel?" The lama said, "Venerable Master, the road west from here is smooth and requires no worry. But there is a matter at hand that troubles me. When you first arrived, I dared not speak for fear of offending you. Now that the meal is finished, I take the liberty to inform you: You, Master, have traveled far and endured hardship, and it is easy enough to lodge you and your disciples in the small monks' quarters. But this laywoman—where can she stay? I know not where to arrange her bed."
Sanzang said, "Abbot, do not be suspicious. Do not think that we masters and disciples harbor any ill intentions. This morning, while crossing the Black Pine Forest , I saw this woman tied to a tree. My younger disciple Sun Wukong was unwilling to save her, but I, in my compassion, took her down. Now, I leave it to your arrangement to send her somewhere she can stay."
The lama gave thanks: "Since the Venerable Master is so generous, let her go to the Hall of the Heavenly Kings . Spread some dry grass behind the statue of the Heavenly King, and let her sleep there." Sanzang said, "Good, good." Then a young monk led the woman to the rear hall to rest. The elder told the abbots in the abbot's quarters to go about their own business, and everyone dispersed.
Sanzang instructed Wukong: "You have worked hard. Sleep early and rise early tomorrow." The masters and disciples all stayed together. Wukong did not dare to leave, guarding his master's side. The night grew deep. It was indeed: The jade rabbit rose high and all sounds grew still, the celestial streets were silent with no one walking. The Silver River stretched bright and the stars shone brilliantly, drums sounded from the watchtowers marking the changing hours. The night passed without incident. At dawn, Wukong rose and called for Bajie and Sha Wujing to pack the luggage and saddle the horse, then invited the master to set out. But the elder was still sleeping soundly and had not awakened. Wukong stepped forward and called, "Master." The master lifted his head but had no strength to answer. Wukong asked, "Master, what is wrong?" The elder groaned, "How is it that my head is dizzy and my eyes are swollen, and all my bones ache?"
When Bajie heard this, he reached out and touched the master, feeling some heat. He laughed and said, "I know! Last night he saw the food was free and ate a few too many bowls. He slept on his stomach and got indigestion." Wukong shouted, "Nonsense! Let me ask the master what is truly wrong."
Sanzang said, "I got up in the middle of the night to relieve myself and did not put on my hat. I fear I was caught by the wind." Wukong said, "That makes more sense. Can you walk now?" Sanzang said, "I cannot even sit up now. How can I mount the horse? But do not let this delay the journey!"
Wukong said, "Master, what words are these! As the saying goes, ' One day as teacher, a lifetime as father .' We are your disciples, and we are like your sons. Besides, ' Raising a son does not require gold and silver; just be attentive to the situation .' Since you are unwell, why speak of delaying the journey? A few more days of rest will do no harm!"
The brothers took turns caring for the master. Unnoticed, time passed from morning to noon, from noon to dusk, one day after another, and soon three days had gone by. On this day, the master forced himself to sit up and called, "Wukong, in these past two days I have been so ill that I have not had the chance to ask: Has anyone been sending food to that rescued laywoman?"
Wukong laughed and said, "Why bother about her! First, take care of your own illness." Sanzang said, "Yes, yes. Help me up. Bring my paper, brush, and ink, and also borrow an inkstone from the temple." Wukong asked, "What do you need those for?" The elder said, "I want to write a letter. I will seal it together with the travel permit, and you will deliver it to Chang'an for me, to give to Emperor Taizong."
Wukong said, "That's easy! Old Monkey may not be good at many things, but delivering letters is the fastest in the world. Write the letter and give it to me. One somersault and I will be in Chang'an handing it to the Tang Emperor. Another somersault and I will be back, and your brush and ink will not even be dry yet. But why are you sending a letter? First, read me the meaning of the letter. After I hear it, you can write it."
The elder shed tears and recited: Your subject monk kowtows three times and prostrates, hailing the sage lord with a thousand voices; may the civil and military officials all witness this, and all the four hundred ministers know: In those years I received the imperial decree and left the Eastern Land, hoping to reach Spirit Mountain and see the World-Honored One . Unexpectedly, I encountered calamities on the road; who would have thought there would be disasters halfway? The monk is gravely ill and cannot advance; the Buddha's gate is deep and stretches to Heaven's gate . To have the scriptures but no life is but vain toil; I memorialize the present emperor to send another in my place. When Wukong heard this, he could not help but burst into loud laughter: "Master, you have no backbone! You fall back at the first sign of a minor illness. If your illness is severe and you are at death's door, just ask me! Old Monkey has the ability. I ask you: Which King of Hell would dare to touch you? Which judge would dare to issue a warrant for you? Which ghostly messenger would dare to come for you? If they anger me, I will put on the temper I had when I caused havoc in Heaven, smash my way into the Underworld with my staff, grab the Ten Kings of Hell, and pull out their sinews one by one. I will show no mercy!"
Sanzang said, "Disciple, I am gravely ill. Do not speak such boasts anymore."
Bajie stepped forward and said, "Elder Brother, the master says he is unwell, and you insist on saying nice things! If it really comes to the worst, let us discuss it now. First, sell the horse, pawn the luggage, buy a coffin, and give him a proper send-off before we all go our separate ways."
Wukong said, "Fool, you are talking nonsense again! You do not know that our master is the second disciple of our Buddha Tathagata. He was originally the Elder of the Golden Cicada . It was because in those days he slighted the Dharma that he must undergo this great ordeal."
Bajie said, "Brother, since the master slighted the Dharma and was banished back to the Eastern Land, he was reborn as a human and made a vow to fetch the scriptures. Along the way, he has been tied up by goblins and hung up by fiends. He has suffered so much—surely that is enough. Why must he also fall ill?"
Wukong said, "You do not understand. When the venerable master was listening to the Buddha preach the Dharma in the old days, he dozed off. As he slipped down, a single grain of rice fell from his left foot. In the mortal world, that is why he must suffer this three-day illness."
Bajie exclaimed in alarm, "If that is the case, then with the way I scatter and drop my food, I do not know how many ages of illness I will have to suffer!"
Wukong said, "Brother, the Buddha does not argue with ordinary men like you. You do not understand. The ancients said, 'At noon we hoe the grain, sweat drips on the soil beneath the grain. Who knows that the food in the bowl, every grain is the fruit of toil!' The master will be ill only for today. Tomorrow he will be better."
Sanzang said, "Today I feel worse than yesterday. My throat is terribly dry. Go and see if there is any cool water for me to drink a few mouthfuls." Wukong said, "Excellent! If the master asks for water, it means he is getting better! I will go fetch water."
Wukong picked up the alms bowl and went to the kitchen behind the temple to get water. There he saw the monks, all with red eyes, weeping quietly, not daring to make a sound. Wukong said, "You monks are too stingy! We stay a few days, and when we leave, we will thank you. We will pay for the firewood by the day. Why are you so petty!"
The monks hurriedly knelt down: "We dare not! We dare not!"
Wukong said, "Dare not? Then is it because my long-mouthed junior brother ate too much and emptied your larder?"
The monks said, "Lord, although this wild mountain of ours is poor, we have over a hundred monks. If each one were to provide for you, Lord, for a single day, we could support you for a hundred days. How would we dare to complain about the food!"
Wukong said, "Since you do not complain, why are you crying?"
The monks said, "Lord, we do not know where a goblin has come from to hide in the temple. At night, we sent two young monks to strike the bell and beat the drum. We only heard the bell and drum sound, but the men did not return. The next day we went to look. We only found their monk's hats and shoes discarded in the rear garden. The men had been eaten; only their bones remained. In the three days you have stayed, the temple has already lost six monks. We brothers are both afraid and grieved. Seeing that your master is ill, we dared not speak. But we could not help secretly shedding tears."
When Wukong heard this, he was both startled and delighted: "There is no need to ask. It must be a goblin doing harm here! Wait until I get rid of it for you."
The monks said, "Lord, goblins all have magical powers. They can ride clouds and mists, and go in and out of the underworld. The ancients said, 'Do not trust the straightness of the straight; beware of the unkindness of men.' Lord, do not blame us for speaking too much: If you can catch the goblin and rid this wild mountain of its blight, it will be a blessing for three lifetimes. But if you cannot catch it, you will be in great trouble."
Wukong said, "What great trouble?"
The monks said, "To tell you the truth, we monks all left home when we were young. When our hair grew, we sought a knife to shave it; when our robes were thin, we patched the tears. In the morning, we wash our faces, fold our hands and bow, and take refuge in the Great Way. At night, we put things away and burn incense, devoutly click our teeth and recite the name of Amitabha. When we lift our heads, we see the Buddha, the nine grades of the lotus, the three vehicles, the boat of compassion and the clouds of the Dharma. We wish to see the World-Honored One in the Jeta Grove. When we lower our heads, we see our hearts. We receive the five precepts, save the great thousand, and in the midst of all dharmas, we wish to awaken to the emptiness of obstinacy and the emptiness of form. When benefactors come, old and young, fat and thin, each one strikes the wooden fish and rings the golden chime, crowding together to recite the Lotus Sutra and the Liang Emperor Repentance. When benefactors do not come, new and old, raw and ripe, each one folds his hands and closes his eyes, sitting peacefully on the rush mat and closing the mountain gate. No matter how the orioles sing and the swallows quarrel outside, none of it disturbs our compassionate Dharma. Therefore, we cannot subdue tigers and dragons, nor do we recognize goblins and ghosts. If you anger the goblin, our hundred or so monks will not be enough for a single meal. First, it will cause us to fall into the cycle of reincarnation. Second, it will destroy this Chan forest and ancient site. Third, it will bring shame upon our Buddha Tathagata. This is the great trouble!"
When Wukong heard the monks say this, anger immediately rose in his heart and wickedness surged in his mind. He raised his voice and said, "You monks are truly foolish! You only know to fear the goblin, but do you not know the abilities of Old Monkey?"
The monks whispered, "We truly do not know."
Wukong said, "Today I will tell you. Listen well: I once subdued tigers and dragons on Flower-Fruit Mountain. I once ascended to Heaven and caused havoc in the Celestial Palace. When hungry, I took the Old Lord's elixir and casually bit off two or three pellets. When thirsty, I took the Jade Emperor's wine and lightly drank six or seven cups. With my pair of golden eyes, neither black nor white, Heaven grows dark and the moon dims. With my golden-banded staff, neither short nor long, I come without shadow and go without trace. What need is there to speak of great goblins or small fiends? I fear not even the most stubborn and vile! If I chase them, they run, they tremble, they hide, they panic. If I catch them, I file them, burn them, grind them, pound them. Truly, it is like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each displaying his own divine power! You monks, when I catch this goblin and show him to you, then you will know Old Monkey!"
When the monks heard this, they nodded secretly: "This monk has a big mouth. Perhaps he truly has some background." They all nodded and agreed. Only the senior lama monk said, "Wait! Your master is still ill. It is one thing for you to go catch the goblin, but as the saying goes, 'A gentleman at a feast either gets drunk or is full; a warrior on the battlefield either dies or is wounded.' If you fight, and by some chance you implicate your master, it will not be good."
Wukong said, "Well said! I will first take some cool water to the master and then come back." He picked up the alms bowl, filled it with cool water, left the kitchen, and returned to the abbot's quarters. He called out, "Master, drink some cool water." Sanzang was suffering terribly from thirst. He lifted his head, took the alms bowl, and drank it all in one gulp. Truly, "A drop in time of thirst is like sweet dew; when the medicine is right, the illness departs." Wukong saw that the master's spirit was somewhat better and his brows had relaxed. He asked, "Master, would you like some soup or rice?"
Sanzang said, "This cool water is like a divine elixir. My illness is half cured. I could eat some soup or rice." Wukong called out loudly, "My master is better! He wants some soup and rice!" The monks hurriedly busied themselves, washing rice and cooking it, rolling out dough and baking flatcakes, making noodle soup. They laid out four or five tables. Tang Sanzang only ate half a bowl of rice gruel. Wukong and Sha Wujing ate one table. The rest was all devoured by Bajie. After the dishes were cleared away and the lamps were lit, the monks dispersed.
Sanzang said, "How many days have we been staying here?" Wukong said, "Exactly three full days. Tomorrow evening will be the fourth day." Sanzang said, "Three days have delayed the journey considerably." Wukong said, "Master, this is no delay. We can leave tomorrow." Sanzang said, "Yes, even if I am still ill, there is no help for it." Wukong said, "Since we are to leave tomorrow, I will catch the goblin tonight."
Sanzang was startled: "What goblin are you catching now?" Wukong said, "There is a goblin in this temple. I will get rid of it." Tang Sanzang said, "Disciple, my illness is not yet cured. Why must you stir up trouble again! What if that goblin has magical powers and you cannot catch it? Will you not harm me again?"
Wukong said, "Do not dampen my spirits! Old Monkey has subdued demons everywhere. Have you ever seen me fear anyone? As long as I make a move, I am sure to win."
Sanzang grabbed him and said, "Disciple, as the saying goes, 'Do a good turn when you can; forgive others when you can. How is worrying better than keeping a good heart? How is striving better than being patient?'"
The Great Sage Sun saw that the master was earnestly trying to dissuade him from subduing the goblin. He had to tell the truth: "Master, to be honest with you, that goblin has already eaten people." Tang Sanzang was greatly shocked: "What people has it eaten?" Wukong said, "In the three days we have been here, it has already eaten six young monks of the temple." The elder said, "'The fox mourns the death of the hare, and all creatures grieve for their own kind.' Since it has eaten the monks of this temple, and I am also a monk, go ahead. But be careful." Wukong said, "Rest assured. As soon as I make a move, I will get rid of it."
Then Wukong, in front of the lamp, instructed Bajie and Sha Wujing to watch over the master. He himself leaped out of the abbot's quarters with great excitement. When he reached the Buddha hall, there were stars in the sky, but the moon had not yet risen. The hall was pitch black. He blew out his true fire and lit the glazed lamp. He beat the drum on the east side and struck the bell on the west. After the sounds died away, he shook his body and transformed himself into a young monk of twelve or thirteen, wearing a yellow silk robe and a white linen tunic, holding a wooden fish in his hand and reciting scriptures.
He waited until the first watch—no movement. At the second watch, the waning moon rose. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew. What a fierce wind! Black mist obscured the sky and made it dark; gloomy clouds covered the earth and made it dim. The four directions were like splashed ink; everything was dyed a uniform indigo. At first, it raised dust and scattered soil; then it uprooted trees and overturned forests. When it raised dust and scattered soil, the starlight appeared; when it uprooted trees and overturned forests, the moonlight grew dark. It blew so hard that the Moon Goddess tightly embraced her cassia tree, and the Jade Rabbit ran in circles looking for its medicine mortar. The Nine Luminaries all closed their doors; the Four Dragon Kings all shut their gates. The City God in the temple searched for his ghostly messengers; how could the celestial maidens ride their clouds? The King of Hell in the Underworld looked for his Horse-Face; the judges ran about chasing their head wraps. It moved the stones on the summit of Mount Kunlun and rolled up the waves of the rivers and lakes until they were all muddled.
As soon as the wind had passed, he smelled a fragrance of orchids and heard the tinkling of jade pendants. Wukong looked up and saw a beautiful woman walking straight into the Buddha hall. Wukong pretended to recite scriptures, mumbling and muttering incessantly. The woman came close, threw her arms around him, and said, "Little elder, what scripture are you reciting?"
Wukong said, "A vow I made."
The woman said, "Everyone else is asleep. Why are you still reciting scriptures?"
Wukong said, "I made a vow. How could I not recite it?"
The woman hugged him and kissed him, saying, "Let me take you to the rear for some fun."
Wukong deliberately turned his head away: "You really do not know how to behave!"
The woman said, "Do you know physiognomy?"
Wukong said, "I know a little."
The woman said, "What do you think my background is?"
Wukong said, "I think you are a woman who was driven out by her in-laws for adultery."
The woman said, "You are wrong! You are wrong! I was not driven out by my in-laws, nor did I steal food or commit adultery. But my fate in life was thin. I was married to a young man. He did not understand the wedding night. I ran away from my husband. Now, under the starlight and moonlight, it is also fate that brings us together from a thousand miles. Let us go to the rear garden and enjoy the pleasures of the bridal chamber."
Wukong laughed to himself: "Those monks were seduced by her beauty and lost their lives. Now she is trying to trick me." But he said aloud, "Lady, I am a young monk. I do not know anything about such pleasures."
The woman said, "Come with me. I will teach you."
Wukong laughed secretly: "Good. I will go with you and see what tricks you play."
The two of them, arm in arm and hand in hand, left the Buddha hall and went to the rear garden. The goblin tripped Wukong with her foot and threw him to the ground. She called him "my heart, my liver, my brother" and reached out to grab his vital spot. Wukong said, "My child, do you really want to eat Old Monkey!" He grabbed her hand, used a small sitting-throw technique, and flipped the goblin over onto the ground.
The goblin still cried out, "My heart, my liver, my brother, why do you throw your mother down!"
Wukong thought, "If I do not strike now, when will I? Truly, 'The one who strikes first is strong; the one who strikes later suffers calamity.'" So saying, he crossed his hands, arched his waist, leaped up, and revealed his true form. He swung his golden-banded staff and struck. The goblin was startled and thought, "This little monk is so fierce!" She opened her eyes wide and saw that it was Tang Sanzang's disciple, Sun Wukong. But she was not afraid. She casually raised her pair of swords and clashed with him, parrying left and blocking right.
An eerie wind rose from the ground; the waning moon dimmed. The two fought a great battle in the rear garden: An eerie wind rose from the ground; the waning moon cast a faint light. The quiet Buddha hall stood still; the small ghostly corridors were deserted. The rear garden became a battlefield: The Great Sage Sun, a holy one from Heaven; the seductive maiden, a queen among women. They competed in divine powers, neither willing to yield. One, with a twisted fragrant heart, hated the black bald one; the other, with round, wise eyes, loathed the new makeup. Two swords flew, no longer recognizing the female bodhisattva; a single staff struck, fierce as a living vajra. Where it sounded, the golden band was like a lightning flash; in an instant, the iron-white staff shone like a star. The jade tower was shattered, the golden hall broken. Apes cried under the small Ba moon; wild geese called across the long Chu sky. The eighteen Arhats secretly applauded; the thirty-two devas were all alarmed.
The Great Sage Sun was in high spirits, and his staff made not a single mistake. The goblin knew she could not win. Suddenly, she frowned and a plan came to mind. She turned and ran. Wukong shouted, "Wicked creature! Where do you think you are going! Surrender quickly!" The goblin paid no attention and only retreated. When Wukong got close, she took off the embroidered shoe from her left foot, blew a mouthful of immortal breath, and recited a spell: "Change!" The embroidered shoe immediately transformed into her form, holding a pair of swords and striking. Her true body, however, turned into a gust of clear wind and fled.
This was truly Sanzang's calamity! The goblin flew straight to the abbot's quarters, snatched Tang Sanzang up onto a cloud, and in an instant arrived at Trap-and-Empty Mountain. She entered the Bottomless Cave, ordered the little demons to prepare a vegetarian feast, and said she wanted to marry Tang Sanzang. That story will not be told here for now.
Meanwhile, Wukong was fighting with great vigor and did not notice. With one blow from his staff, he knocked the "goblin" to the ground. But it was only an embroidered shoe. Wukong knew he had been tricked. He immediately turned around to look at the master, but there was no trace of him! He only saw Bajie and Sha Wujing there, mumbling something. Wukong's anger flared up. Without caring about anything, he raised his staff and struck, shouting repeatedly, "I will kill you! I will kill you!"
Bajie was so frightened he had nowhere to hide. Sha Wujing, after all, was a general from Spirit Mountain and had seen much. He hurriedly knelt down gently and said, "Elder Brother, I understand. You want to kill the two of us, then go rescue the master yourself, and then return to Flower-Fruit Mountain, is that it?"
Wukong said, "I will kill you, and then of course I will go rescue him!"
Sha Wujing smiled and said, "Elder Brother, what words are these! Without the two of us, it is truly 'a single strand of silk does not make a thread; one hand alone cannot clap.' Brother, who will watch the luggage and the horse? Better to learn from Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya sharing their gold than to imitate Sun Bin and Pang Juan fighting with their wits. Since ancient times it has been said, 'To fight a tiger, you need blood brothers; to go into battle, you need father and son soldiers.' I beg you, Elder Brother, do not strike. When dawn comes, let us be of one mind and work together to find the master."
Although Sun Wukong was vastly powerful, he was also reasonable. When he saw Sha Wujing earnestly pleading, he relented: "Bajie, Sha Wujing, get up. Tomorrow, when we look for the master, you must do your utmost." When Bajie heard that there would be no more beating, he was almost ready to thank Heaven and Earth: "Brother, leave this to me!" The three brothers were filled with anxiety and did not sleep all night. They wished they could hurry the dawn, blowing away the countless stars.
At daybreak, the three gathered their things and prepared to leave. The temple monks blocked the door and asked, "Lord, where are you going?" Wukong laughed and said, "Do not mention it! Yesterday I boasted to you that I would catch the goblin. Not only did I not catch the goblin, but I also lost my master. We are going to find him."
The monks were frightened and said, "Lord, a small matter has implicated the venerable master. Where will you look for him?" Wukong said, "There is a place to look." The monks said, "Since you are leaving, first eat some breakfast." They hurriedly brought out two or three basins of soup and rice. Bajie ate them all clean and said, "Good monks! When we find our master, we will come back and play with you."
Wukong said, "We will come back and eat your food! Go to the Hall of the Heavenly Kings and see if that woman is still there." The monks said, "Lord, she is not there, she is not there! She stayed one night, and the next day she was gone."
Wukong happily took his leave of the monks. He told Bajie and Sha Wujing to lead the horse and carry the load, and they headed straight east. Bajie said, "Brother, you are going the wrong way. Why are you going east?" Wukong said, "You do not understand! That woman who was tied up in the Black Pine Forest the day before yesterday—my fiery golden eyes saw through her long ago. You all took her for a good person. The one who ate the monks today is her, and the one who kidnapped the master is also her! Such a good laywoman you saved! Now that she has kidnapped the master, we can only trace back along the original path."
The two sighed in admiration: "Good, good, good! Truly, there is subtlety in roughness! Let us go, let us go, let us go!"
The three hurried back to the Black Pine Forest. There they saw: Clouds were thick, mists were vast; rocks were layered, paths were winding. Fox tracks and rabbit trails crisscrossed; tigers, leopards, jackals, and wolves ran back and forth. Within the forest, there was no trace of any goblin. They knew not where Sanzang was. Wukong was anxious. He pulled out his golden-banded staff, shook his body, and transformed back into his original form from when he had caused havoc in Heaven—three heads and six arms, six hands holding three staffs, wildly thrashing about in the forest. Bajie said, "Sha Wujing, the elder brother has gone mad. He is so angry from not finding the master that he has lost his senses."
Unexpectedly, as Wukong struck his way along, he brought out two old men. One was the Mountain God and the other was the Local Land Spirit. They came forward and knelt down, saying, "Great Sage, the Mountain God and the Local Land Spirit pay their respects." Bajie said, "How effective! With one round of striking, he brings out two mountain gods and land spirits. With another round, even the God of the Year will come out!"
Wukong asked, "Mountain God, Local Land Spirit, how dare you! Are you in league with the robbers here? When the robbers succeed, they buy pigs and sheep to sacrifice to you. And you are in league with the goblin, helping to kidnap my master! Where are they hiding now? Confess quickly, and spare yourselves a beating!"
The two spirits were terrified: "Great Sage, you wrong us! That goblin is not on our mountain and is not under our jurisdiction. But when the wind blew last night, we knew a little of the situation." Wukong said, "Since you know, speak quickly!"
The Local Land Spirit said, "That goblin kidnapped your master and went due south, about a thousand miles from here. There is a mountain called Trap-and-Empty Mountain, and in that mountain there is a cave called the Bottomless Cave. It was a goblin from that mountain who came here, transformed, and kidnapped him."
When Wukong heard this, he was secretly alarmed. He dismissed the Mountain God and the Local Land Spirit, withdrew his dharma body, and transformed back to his original form. He said to Bajie and Sha Wujing, "The master has been taken far away." Bajie said, "If it is far, we will ride the clouds and catch up!"
Good fool! He first stirred up a fierce wind. Then Sha Wujing also mounted a cloud. The white horse was originally a dragon prince, and with the luggage on its back, it also stepped onto the wind and followed. The Great Sage mounted his somersault cloud and flew straight south. Before long, they saw a great mountain blocking the path of the clouds. The three stopped their clouds and reined in the horse. They saw this mountain: Its summit brushed the azure sky; its peaks reached the blue firmament. Around it, countless tangled trees grew; birds flew back and forth, chattering and squawking. Tigers and leopards walked in herds; musk deer and roe deer moved in packs. On the sunny side, rare flowers and jade-like grass gave off a fragrant scent. On the shady side, snow and stubborn ice did not melt. Rugged and steep ridges, sheer cliffs and hanging precipices. Upright high peaks, winding deep ravines. Pines were lush, rocks were jagged; any traveler who saw them would be terrified. Woodcutters were nowhere to be seen; herb-gathering immortal boys left no trace. Before their eyes, tigers and leopards could summon mists; everywhere, foxes and wolves stirred up the wind.
Bajie said, "Brother, this mountain is so steep and dangerous. There must be a goblin here." Wukong said, "There is no need to say more. 'A high mountain always has a monster; a steep ridge will not lack a goblin'! Sha Wujing, you and I will wait here. Let Bajie first go down into the hollow to scout and see which road is easy to travel, whether there is any cave dwelling, and where the entrance is. Find out everything clearly, and then we will go together to find the master and rescue him."
Bajie said, "Old Pig has the worst luck! I am always the one sent to scout!" Wukong said, "Last night you said this matter was on you. Why are you making excuses now?" Bajie said, "Do not shout. I am going." The fool put down his rake, straightened his clothes, and with empty hands leaped down the mountain to find the way and scout.
Whether Bajie would be able to find out any information, let us hear in the next chapter.