As the story goes, the Great Sage Sun squeezed Sha Wujing with his left hand and pinched Zhu Bajie with his right. The two instantly understood and sat upright on their platform, their faces stern and silent. No matter how the Taoist priests lit lamps and searched all around, the three of them remained motionless, like clay or wooden statues.
The Tiger Strength Immortal muttered in confusion: "I see no intruders, yet how have all the offerings been devoured?" The Deer Strength Immortal said, "It looks as though someone has eaten them—the skins have been peeled from what had rinds, the pits have been spat out from what had stones—but where are the culprits?" The Goat Strength Immortal ’s eyes darted: "Elder Brother, do not be suspicious! We have recited the scriptures with sincere hearts and invoked the authority of the court. Surely we have moved the Celestial Venerables . The Three Pure Ones themselves must have descended to enjoy the offerings! While the immortals are still here, let us quickly beg them for some sacred elixir or holy water to present to the king. This will grant His Majesty eternal youth and also highlight our achievements!"
The Tiger Strength Immortal nodded: "Well said!" He immediately ordered: "Disciples, strike up the music and chant the scriptures. Also, bring my ritual robe. I will pray to the Celestial Venerables!" The junior priests hurried to comply, lining up in two rows. With a "clang" of the stone chime, they began chanting the * Yellow Court Classic of the Dao and Virtue * in unison.
The Tiger Strength Immortal donned his ritual robe, held a jade tablet before him, and began to dance and bow on the altar. Prostrating himself, he prayed: "Your humble servant trembles in awe as he kowtows to the Three Pure Ones. We have revived the Daoist path , gazing upward toward the immortals. We have eradicated the Buddhist monks and spread the glory of the Dao. His Majesty has decreed the building of this precious hall and the creation of this temple courtyard. We have laid out vast offerings, hung high the dragon banners , lit lamps throughout the night, and burned incense all day long. Our wholehearted sincerity reaches the Celestial Court, and every ounce of our reverence is dedicated to the immortals. Now that the Celestial Venerables have descended and have not yet returned to their palaces, we beg you to bestow upon us the sacred elixir and holy water, to be presented to His Majesty, that his lifespan may be as enduring as the Southern Mountain ."
When Bajie heard this, his heart began to pound. He whispered to the Pilgrim: "Elder Brother, we are in trouble! We have eaten the offerings and still haven’t left, and now they are begging for holy water. How are we going to handle this?" The Pilgrim pinched him again, then suddenly spoke out, mimicking the voice of an immortal: "Junior immortals, cease your prayers. We come from the Peach Banquet and have brought no sacred elixir or holy water with us. We will bestow them upon you another time."
When the Taoist priests heard the immortal speak, they all trembled with fear and kowtowed, shouting: "Grandfather! A living Celestial Venerable has descended to the mortal world! Please do not leave! We beg you to grant us the method of immortality!"
The Deer Strength Immortal hurried forward to bow again: "Your humble servant kowtows to you with a sincere heart. I have submitted to the Three Pure Ones, prostrating myself in worship. Ever since I arrived in this region, I have promoted the Dao and eradicated the monks. The king is delighted and holds us in high regard. We have held a great cosmic offering, reading scriptures through the night. Fortunately, the Celestial Venerables have not scorned us and have descended upon this temple. We beg the Venerables to take pity on us and grant us some holy water, so that we may prolong our lives and achieve immortality."
Sha Wujing quietly tugged at the Pilgrim: "Elder Brother, they are begging again. What do we do now?" The Pilgrim said, "We will give them some."
Bajie whispered in complaint: "Where would we get holy water?"
The Pilgrim said, "Leave this to me. I have mine, and you two have yours as well."
After the Taoist priests had finished their music and chanting, the Pilgrim spoke again: "Junior immortals, there is no need to bow anymore. I had originally intended not to leave any holy water, for fear of cutting off your Daoist lineage. But to give it to you so easily seems too trivial."
The assembled priests immediately kowtowed: "We beg the Celestial Venerable to look upon our sincerity! Even a single drop would suffice! We will surely spread the Daoist teachings far and wide and make the king revere our faith even more!"
The Pilgrim said, "Since this is the case, bring vessels to hold the holy water." The priests hurriedly kowtowed in thanks. The Tiger Strength Immortal, eager to show off, had a large vat carried into the hall. The Deer Strength Immortal placed a sand basin on the altar table. The Goat Strength Immortal removed the flowers from a porcelain vase and set it in the middle.
The Pilgrim said, "All of you withdraw from the hall and close the lattice doors. Do not let the celestial secrets leak out, and I will bestow the holy water upon you." The priests all knelt in unison at the foot of the steps and shut the temple doors.
The Pilgrim immediately stood up, lifted his tiger-skin kilt, and urinated into the porcelain vase. When Zhu Bajie saw this, he said gleefully: "Elder Brother, in all the years I’ve been your brother, you’ve never played this trick on me! I’ve just eaten, and I’ve been wanting to do this myself!" He too lifted his robe and, with a sound like a great river bursting its banks, filled the sand basin to the brim with his urine. Sha Wujing also urinated into the vat, filling it halfway. The three of them then sat back in their original positions, pretending to be dignified, and called out: "Junior immortals, come and receive the holy water."
The Taoist priests pushed open the lattice doors, kowtowed in thanks, and then poured the "holy water" from the vat, basin, and vase together. "Disciple, bring me a cup to taste," said the elder priest. A junior priest handed him a teacup. The old priest scooped up a cupful and drank it, puckering his lips as he savored the taste. The Deer Strength Immortal asked, "Elder Brother, is it good?" The old priest pursed his lips and said, "It doesn’t taste very good. There’s a bit of a fishy, foul odor." The Goat Strength Immortal also took a sip: "It even has the smell of pig urine!"
When the Pilgrim heard this from above, he knew they had been found out. He laughed and said, "I might as well leave my name!" Then he shouted loudly: "Daoist titles! Daoist titles! Do not let your minds run wild! When have the Three Pure Ones ever descended to the mortal world? I will tell you my true name—we are monks from the Great Tang, under imperial decree to journey to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. With nothing to do last night, we came to your temple for a stroll, ate the offerings, and sat here for fun. Since you bowed to us, we had nothing else to give you in return, so we gave you some ‘holy water’—what you drank was nothing but my urine!"
When the Taoist priests heard this, they were so enraged that they blocked the temple doors and grabbed pitchforks, rakes, brooms, and stones, hurling them wildly at the three. The Great Sage Sun tucked Sha Wujing under his left arm and Zhu Bajie under his right, charged out the door, and flew away on his cloud, heading straight back to the abbot’s quarters at the Temple of Wisdom and the Source . Fearing they might wake their master, the three of them quietly lay down and continued to sleep.
In the blink of an eye, it was the fifth watch, just before dawn. The king of the Chechi Kingdom was holding court. All the civil and military officials had gathered. The palace halls were brightly lit with lanterns, and incense smoke curled from the burners. Tang Sanzang awoke and called out: "Disciples, hurry and attend to me. I must go and exchange the travel documents." The Pilgrim, Sha Wujing, and Bajie quickly got up, put on their clothes, and stood beside him, saying: "Master, this benighted king believes in Taoists and persecutes Buddhists. We must be careful in what we say. If he refuses to seal our documents, we will protect you and argue with him."
Tang Sanzang was overjoyed. He put on his brocade kasaya. The Pilgrim carried the travel documents. He instructed Sha Wujing to hold the alms bowl and Bajie to take the monastic staff. They left their luggage and horse in the care of the monks at the Temple of Wisdom and the Source, and the four of them made their way to the Five Phoenix Tower. When they reached the tower, the Pilgrim bowed to the gate official: "We are monks from the Great Tang in the East, journeying to fetch the scriptures. We have come to have our travel documents sealed. May we trouble you to announce our arrival?"
The gate attendant entered the hall, knelt on the golden steps, and reported: "Outside, there are four monks who claim to be from the Great Tang in the East, journeying to fetch the scriptures. They wish to have their travel documents sealed. They are now waiting before the Five Phoenix Tower for Your Majesty’s command." The king became angry at once: "These monks have tired of living! How dare they come here to seek death! Why hasn’t the patrol officer arrested them?" The Grand Preceptor, who was standing nearby, quickly memorialized: "Your Majesty, the Great Tang in the East is a great kingdom, tens of thousands of miles away. There are many demons along the way. These monks must possess some magical powers to have dared to come this far. It would be better to summon them in, examine their documents, and thus show some courtesy to the Great Tang."
The king approved the memorial and ordered Tang Sanzang and his disciples to be brought before him. The four masters and disciples stood at the foot of the steps and handed the travel document to the king. Just as the king was opening it to read, the gate official reported again: "Your Majesty, the three National Masters have arrived." The king hastily put away the document, descended from his dragon throne, and ordered his attendants to set out embroidered stools. He went forward to greet them personally. Tang Sanzang turned his head and saw three Taoist priests swaggering in, followed by two young boys with disheveled hair and topknots. All the civil and military officials bowed low, none daring to raise their heads. The Taoist priests ascended the hall and did not even bow to the king.
The king said with a smile, "National Masters, I did not summon you. Why have you come?" The old Taoist priest asked, "Where did those four monks come from?" The king said, "They are from the Great Tang in the East, journeying to fetch the scriptures. They have come to exchange their travel documents." The three Taoist priests clapped their hands and laughed loudly: "I said they wouldn’t get far! So they are still here!"
The king was astonished: "National Masters, what do you mean by this? They have only just announced themselves. I was about to arrest them and hand them over to you as servants, but the Grand Preceptor said we should show courtesy to the Great Tang, so I summoned them in to examine their documents. Have they offended the National Masters?" The Taoist priest said, "Your Majesty does not know! Yesterday, they killed two of my disciples at the East Gate, freed five hundred imprisoned monks, smashed several vehicles, and last night, they broke into the Three Purities Temple, destroyed the statues of the Three Pure Ones, and stole the imperial offerings! We were deceived into thinking the Celestial Venerables had descended, and we begged them for holy water, only to have them fool us with their urine! We were just about to capture them, but we never expected them to be hiding here. Truly, enemies are destined to meet on a narrow road!"
The king flew into a rage and was about to order the execution of Tang Sanzang and his disciples. The Great Sage Sun pressed his palms together and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, calm your anger and allow us to speak a few words."
The king said, "You have offended the National Masters. Can the words of the National Masters be wrong?"
The Pilgrim said, "He says we killed two of his disciples. Who witnessed this? Even if we did it, at most we would be paying for two lives with two lives. Let two of us go and fetch the scriptures instead. He says we smashed the vehicles and freed the imprisoned monks, but there is no evidence for this either. That crime does not warrant death. We could pay for it with another monk’s life. But when he says we destroyed the statues of the Three Pure Ones and caused a disturbance in his temple, that is a false accusation! We are from the East. We have only just arrived here and are not even familiar with the roads. How could we have gone to his temple in the middle of the night? Even if we urinated there, why didn’t they catch us at the time? Why are they only now naming us? There are many people in the world with the same names. How can they be so sure it was us? I beg Your Majesty to look into this carefully!"
The king was muddle-headed to begin with. After hearing the Pilgrim’s words, he became even more indecisive. While he was still hesitating, the gate official reported again: "Your Majesty, there are many village elders outside seeking an audience."
The king asked, "What is the matter?"
The village elders were summoned into the hall. Thirty or forty old men knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, there has been no rain this spring. We fear a summer drought. We beg the National Masters to pray for rain and save the people."
The king said, "Village elders, withdraw for now. There will be rain shortly."
After the elders had thanked him and withdrawn, the king said to Tang Sanzang: "Do you know why I revere the Dao and persecute the monks? In years past, when we prayed for rain, the monks could not produce a single drop. Fortunately, Heaven sent the National Masters to save the people. You have come from a great distance and offended the National Masters. You deserve punishment, but I will give you a chance. Do you dare to compete with the National Masters in a rain-praying contest? If you can bring rain and save the people, I will pardon your crimes, seal your travel documents, and let you go on your way to the West. If you cannot, I will have you beheaded as a warning to others!"
The Pilgrim laughed and said, "This humble monk can also pray for rain." When the king heard this, he immediately ordered that the altar grounds be swept clean. He also said, "Prepare my carriage. I will ascend the Five Phoenix Tower to watch." The officials quickly made the arrangements. In a short while, the king had ascended the tower. Tang Sanzang, followed by the Pilgrim, Sha Wujing, and Bajie, stood below. The three Taoist priests accompanied the king, sitting on the tower. Soon, an official came to report: "The altar grounds are ready. We request the National Master to ascend the altar."
The Tiger Strength Immortal bowed slightly with his hands folded, took leave of the king, and descended from the tower. The Pilgrim stepped forward to block his way: "Sir, where are you going?" The Immortal said, "I am going to ascend the altar to pray for rain." The Pilgrim said, "You are being far too discourteous. Can’t you let us monks, who have come from afar, go first? Oh well, ‘a strong dragon cannot overpower a local snake.’ You go first, but you must make one thing clear to His Majesty." The Immortal asked, "What is there to say?" The Pilgrim said, "We are both going to pray for rain. When the rain comes, how will we know whether the credit is yours or mine?"
When the king heard this from the tower, he was secretly pleased: "This young monk speaks with reason." Sha Wujing also chuckled to himself: "He hasn’t even shown all his tricks yet!" The Immortal said, "There is no need to divide the credit. His Majesty will naturally know." The Pilgrim said, "Although His Majesty will know, we have only just met. If we start accusing each other later, it will be troublesome. We must make it clear now." The Immortal said impatiently, "When I ascend the altar, I will use the command tablet as a signal. At the first sound of the tablet, the wind will rise. At the second sound, clouds will gather. At the third sound, thunder and lightning will come. At the fourth sound, rain will fall. At the fifth sound, the clouds will disperse and the rain will stop." The Pilgrim laughed and said, "Excellent! I have never seen this before. Please, go ahead!"
The Immortal strode forward, with Tang Sanzang and the others following behind, until they reached the gate of the altar grounds. Looking up, they saw a high platform over three *zhang* tall. On the left and right sides of the platform were planted the flags of the Twenty-Eight Constellations. On top of the platform was a table, upon which sat an incense burner with curling smoke. On either side, candles in their holders burned brightly. Beside the burner leaned a golden tablet inscribed with the name of the Thunder God. Below the table were five large vats filled with clear water, on which floated willow twigs. The twigs held up iron plaques inscribed with the talismanic characters of the Thunder Command. To the left and right of the platform were five large stakes, each bearing the name of the Five Directional Thunder Envoys. Beside each stake stood two Taoist priests holding iron hammers, ready to strike. Behind the platform, other priests were writing documents. In the center was a paper furnace, and nearby were several paper effigies of the Envoys Who Carry the Talismans and the Earth Gods.
The Immortal showed no courtesy. He went straight up the high platform and stood there. A junior priest handed him several yellow paper talismans and a precious sword. The Immortal took the sword and began to recite a spell. He burned one of the talismans over the candle flame. The priests below took the paper effigies and documents and set them on fire as well. Then, with a "bang," the command tablet was struck. A gust of wind drifted leisurely through the air. Zhu Bajie muttered, "This is bad! This Taoist priest really has some skill. At the first sound of the tablet, the wind blows!" The Pilgrim said, "Brother, keep quiet. You two watch over the master. I am going to take care of things."
The Great Sage plucked out a single hair, blew a puff of immortal breath upon it, and transformed it into a double of himself, which stood beside Tang Sanzang. His true form then released his primordial spirit and flew up into midair, shouting: "Who is in charge of the wind?" The Old Woman of the Wind quickly pinched her wind bag shut, and the Young Master of the Xun Trigram tightened the mouth of the rope. They stepped forward and bowed. The Pilgrim said, "I am protecting the holy monk of the Great Tang on his journey to fetch the scriptures. We are passing through the Chechi Kingdom, and I am in a rain-praying contest with this demonic Taoist. Why are you helping him instead of me? I will spare you this time. Withdraw the wind! If there is so much as a single breath of wind that stirs the Taoist’s beard, I will give you twenty strokes of my iron staff!" The Old Woman of the Wind hurriedly said, "We dare not! We dare not!" She immediately withdrew the wind.
Bajie could not help shouting: "Old Taoist, come down! You’ve struck the tablet, but where is the wind? You are useless! Let us have a try!" The Taoist priest had no choice. He took another talisman, burned it, and struck the tablet a second time with a "thump." In an instant, the sky was filled with clouds and mist. The Great Sage Sun charged up again and shouted: "Who is in charge of the clouds?" The Youth Who Pushes the Clouds and the Young Lord Who Spreads the Fog quickly came forward and bowed. The Pilgrim told them about the contest. The two of them also withdrew the clouds and fog. The sun came out, and the sky was clear for ten thousand miles. Bajie laughed again: "This old Taoist can only fool the emperor and deceive the people. He has no real skill! He struck the tablet twice, and there isn’t even a cloud!"
The Taoist priest was both anxious and flustered. He let his hair down, took up his precious sword, recited a spell, burned a talisman, and struck the tablet for the third time. From within the Southern Gate of Heaven, the Heavenly Lord Deng, along with the Duke of Thunder and the Mother of Lightning, came rushing forth. When they saw the Pilgrim, they quickly bowed. The Pilgrim asked, "Why have you come? By whose order?" The Heavenly Lord Deng said, "This Taoist priest’s Five Thunder Method is genuine. He sent out his documents and burned his summons, which moved the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor issued an edict ordering us to come and help him produce thunder and rain." The Pilgrim said, "Since that is the case, do not act yet. Wait for my arrangements." The thunder ceased to rumble, and the lightning stopped flashing.
The Taoist priest became even more frantic. He added more incense, burned another talisman, recited another spell, and struck the tablet for the fourth time. In midair, the four Dragon Kings of the Four Seas came flying together. The Pilgrim went up to them and shouted: "Ao Guang! Where are you going?" Ao Guang, Ao Shun, Ao Qin, and Ao Run quickly bowed.
The Pilgrim told them about the contest once more: "I troubled you before without success. Today, I still hope for your help."
The Dragon Kings said, "We obey your command!"
The Pilgrim also thanked Ao Run: "A few days ago, I was indebted to your son for capturing the Alligator Dragon and rescuing my master."
The Dragon King said, "That wretch is still locked up in the sea. I was just thinking of asking the Great Sage to deal with him."
The Pilgrim said, "Dispose of him as you see fit. But for now, help me first. That Taoist priest has already struck his tablet four times. It is my turn now. I do not know how to send out documents, burn summons, or strike command tablets. You must all obey my commands."
The Heavenly Lord Deng said, "How would we dare to disobey the Great Sage’s commands? But we must have some signal, or else the thunder and rain will be chaotic, and it will look as though the Great Sage has no rules." The Pilgrim said, "I will use my golden-banded staff as a signal." The Duke of Thunder was greatly alarmed: "Grandfather! We cannot withstand a single blow from your staff!" The Pilgrim said, "I am not going to strike you. When I point my staff upward once, the wind will rise. When I point it a second time, the clouds will gather. When I point it a third time, thunder and lightning will come. When I point it a fourth time, rain will fall. When I point it a fifth time, the sky will clear. Do not make any mistakes."
The Old Woman of the Wind and the Young Master of the Xun Trigram quickly assented: "We will bring the wind!" The Youth Who Pushes the Clouds and the Young Lord Who Spreads the Fog said, "We will bring the clouds!" The Duke of Thunder and the Mother of Lightning said, "As you command! As you command!" The Dragon Kings said, "We obey! We obey!" After giving his orders, the Pilgrim descended from the clouds, took back the hair he had transformed, and the mortals below noticed nothing. The Pilgrim called out from the side: "Sir, you have struck your tablet four times, but there has been no wind, no rain, no thunder, and no lightning. It is my turn now, isn’t it?"
The Taoist priest had no choice but to come down from the altar and let him take over. Pouting, he went up the tower to see the king. The Pilgrim followed to listen. The king asked, "I have been waiting here. You struck the tablet four times, but why has there been no rain?" The Taoist said, "The dragon spirits are not at home today." The Pilgrim said in a stern voice, "Your Majesty, the dragon spirits are all at home. It is just that this National Master’s magic is not effective. He cannot summon them! Wait until the monk summons them, and you will see." The king said, "Then go quickly and ascend the altar. I will wait here for the rain."
The Pilgrim received the order. He turned and pulled Tang Sanzang: "Master, you ascend the altar."
Tang Sanzang said, "Disciple, I do not know how to pray for rain."
Bajie laughed and said, "He is tricking you! If there is no rain, we will tie him to a pile of firewood and burn him!"
The Pilgrim said, "You may not know how to pray for rain, but you know how to recite sutras. I will help you." Tang Sanzang had no choice but to ascend the altar. He sat down properly and began to recite the *Heart Sutra* silently.
Just as he finished, an official came to ask: "Monk, why have you not struck the command tablet or burned the talismans?"
The Pilgrim answered in a loud voice: "There is no need! We use the method of silent prayer." The official went back and reported this.
When the Pilgrim saw that his master had finished reciting the sutra, he took out his golden-banded staff from his ear. Shaking it in the wind, it became twelve feet long and as thick as a rice bowl. He pointed it into the air. The Old Woman of the Wind quickly opened her wind bag, and the Young Master of the Xun Trigram loosened the rope. A great "whoosh" of wind arose, tearing up roof tiles and overturning bricks throughout the city, whipping up sand and stones—this wind was far more ferocious than the one before: it snapped willows and damaged flowers, and tore through forests, toppling trees. The walls and beams of the palace halls crumbled and shook. The Five Phoenix Tower itself trembled. The red sun in the sky lost its light, and yellow sand swirled across the ground. The military officers in the drill hall trembled with fear, while the civil officials in the assembly halls dared not come out. The hair of the three palace consorts was blown into disarray, and the buns of the six-courtyard concubines were undone. The golden crowns of the lords and earls lost their tassels, and the black gauze caps of the chancellors were blown away. The king dared not speak the words he wanted to say, and the eunuchs could not present the memorials they held. The gold fish and jade belts of the officials were thrown into chaos, and their ivory tablets and silk robes lost all order. The painted pavilions and emerald screens were all destroyed, and the green windows and vermilion doors were all shattered. This fierce wind was truly terrifying, so much so that the king and his sons dared not show their faces, the six streets and three markets were emptied of people, and the doors of a thousand households were all tightly shut!
Just as the violent wind was raging, Sun the Pilgrim displayed his divine powers once more. He thrust his golden-banded staff into the air and pointed again. Immediately, the Youth Who Pushes the Clouds and the Young Lord Who Spreads the Fog came rushing forth: the Youth Who Pushes the Clouds unleashed his divine might, and masses of dark clouds, like rolling boulders, surged out from the mountains and hung low over the horizon; the Young Lord Who Spreads the Fog also exerted his power, and a thick, impenetrable fog, like dense smoke, spread across the land. In the blink of an eye, the three markets became pitch dark, and the six streets were shrouded in mist, so that one could not tell east from west. This fog and clouds drifted in from the sea with the wind, and rolled out from the Kunlun Mountains with the promise of rain. In an instant, they covered heaven and earth, and in a few moments, they had wrapped the entire Chechi Kingdom in a blur of chaos, so that even the shadow of the Five Phoenix Tower could not be seen.
At this time, the dim fog was thick, and the heavy clouds were piled high. Sun the Pilgrim thrust his staff into the air again and pointed a third time. This time, the Duke of Thunder and the Mother of Lightning were alarmed: the Duke of Thunder, in a fury, rode his fire beast backwards and charged down from the Southern Gate of Heaven; the Mother of Lightning, also enraged, came rushing from the Northern Dipper, her golden serpent-like lightning crackling and hissing. With a sudden "crackling" roar, a thunderbolt exploded, as if it were about to shatter the Iron Fork Mountain; the "drizzling" lightning, like red silk, shot forth from the side of the Eastern Ocean. The thunder rumbled continuously, like countless chariot wheels rolling across the sky; the lightning flashed brilliantly, like golden rice grains scattering in the air. All things were awakened by this thunder, and even the hibernating insects crawled out from their burrows. The king and his ministers on the Five Phoenix Tower trembled with fear, and the merchants in the streets were terrified by the sound.
The thunderclaps followed one after another, and the lightning illuminated heaven and earth, the noise like mountains collapsing and the earth splitting. The people of the entire city, terrified, burned incense in every household and every person prayed by burning paper money. Sun the Pilgrim shouted to the heavens: "Old Deng! Keep a sharp eye out for those corrupt officials who take bribes and those unfilial children who do not respect their parents. Strike them with a few more thunderbolts as a warning!" As soon as he said this, the thunder grew even louder, shaking the tiles on the palace roof.
Next, the Pilgrim pointed his iron staff into the sky once more. Immediately, the four Dragon Kings issued their commands, and rainwater instantly filled heaven and earth—the rain came down like the Silver River had burst its banks, pouring from the sky, and like clouds swiftly flowing through the sea gate, turbulent and rapid. The rainwater from the eaves dripped and dripped, forming continuous lines, and the rain outside the window rustled and hissed, weaving a curtain. The rain from the sky was like the Heavenly River being poured upside down, and the water on the streets surged like white waves, with a constant "gurgling" sound, as if being poured from a large jar, and a "rolling" force that never ceased, as if being splashed from a huge basin. In remote villages, the water was almost up to the rooftops; beside the wild riverbanks, the flood was about to overflow the little bridge. Truly, mulberry fields were turned into vast oceans, and in the blink of an eye, the land was covered by the surging waves. It was all thanks to the divine dragons coming to help, as if they had lifted the entire Yangtze River and poured it down.
This rain began to fall at the hour of the Dragon and continued until around the hour of the Horse, drenching the entire city of Chechi inside and out, so that the water on the streets was deep enough to cover one’s ankles. The king quickly issued an edict: "Enough rain! Enough rain! If it continues, the crops will be damaged, and that will be bad!" The officer in charge of listening for commands below the Five Phoenix Tower rode his horse through the rain and came to report: "Holy Monk, the rain is enough!"
When the Pilgrim heard this, he pointed his golden-banded staff upward once more. In an instant, the thunder ceased, the wind died down, the rain stopped falling, and the dark clouds dispersed. The king was filled with joy, and all the civil and military officials praised him: "What a monk! Truly, ‘there is always a stronger hand among the strong’! Even if our National Master’s prayers for rain are effective, when it comes to clearing the sky, he still needs half a day of light rain before it clears. But this monk—he says clear and it clears, and in the twinkling of an eye, the sun comes out, and the sky is clear for ten thousand miles!"
The king ordered a return to the palace, preparing to seal the travel documents and let Tang Sanzang proceed westward. Just as he was about to stamp the document with the imperial seal, the three Taoist priests suddenly stepped forward and blocked him: "Your Majesty, this rain was not the monk’s achievement at all. It was still the power of our Daoist teachings!" The king was puzzled: "You just said a moment ago that the Dragon King was not at home and you could not pray for rain. He went up and prayed in silence, and the rain came. How can you now claim the credit?"
The Tiger Strength Immortal argued deceitfully: "When I ascended the altar, I sent out my documents, burned my talismans, and struck my command tablet. How would the Dragon King dare not to come? It must be that the gods of wind, clouds, thunder, and rain were being summoned elsewhere at the same time. They happened not to have gone, and upon hearing my summons, they rushed over. It was purely by chance that I came down just as he went up, and he took advantage of the opportunity to make it rain. In the final analysis, it was I who summoned the Dragon King and I who prayed for the rain. How can this be counted as his achievement?"
The king was muddle-headed to begin with. After hearing these words, he became indecisive once more. The Pilgrim stepped forward, pressed his palms together, and memorialized: "Your Majesty, these heterodox and unorthodox methods of magic do not count as true achievement, and one cannot distinguish whose merit it is. Right now, the four Dragon Kings are still in the sky. I have not allowed them to leave, so they dare not withdraw. If the National Master can summon the Dragon King to appear in his true form, then I will count it as his achievement."
The king was overjoyed: "In the twenty-three years that I have been emperor, I have never seen what a living dragon looks like! Let both of you display your powers. Whether monk or Taoist, the one who can summon the Dragon King to appear will be credited with the achievement. The one who cannot will be considered guilty!"
How could that Taoist priest have such an ability? Even if he tried to summon them, the Dragon Kings, seeing the Great Sage was there, would not dare to appear. The Taoist priest had no choice