The Great Sage Sun Wukong, leading the horse and carrying the pole, searched the mountain ridges calling for his master. Suddenly he saw Zhu Bajie running toward him, huffing and puffing with anger, and asked, "Brother, what are you shouting about?"
The Pilgrim replied, "The master is gone. Did you see him?"
Bajie complained, "I only followed Tang Sanzang to be a monk, but you had to trick me into being some vanguard who clears the path! I fought for my life against the demon and barely escaped with my skin. The master was under your watch and Sha Monk's, yet you come asking me?"
The Pilgrim said, "Brother, I'm not blaming you. You must have been distracted, and the demon slipped past you to seize the master. When I went to fight the demon, I told Sha Monk to watch the master, and now even he is gone."
Bajie laughed, "Maybe Sha Monk accompanied the master to relieve himself."
No sooner had he spoken than Sha Monk arrived. The Pilgrim asked urgently, "Sha Monk, where did the master go?"
Sha Monk said, "Both of you were deceived. The demon slipped past you and grabbed the master! When I went to fight the demon, the master was still sitting properly on his horse."
The Pilgrim stamped his feet in fury, "We've fallen for his trick! We've fallen for his trick!"
Sha Monk asked, "What trick?"
The Pilgrim said, "This is the ' Plucked Plum Blossom Stratagem '! They lured the three of us away, and while we were scattered, the demon seized the master! Heavens above ! What are we to do?" Unable to hold back, he began to weep.
Bajie said, "Stop crying! Weeping will only make you a coward! The demon's lair can't be far—it's on this very mountain. Let's go find it!"
With no other choice, the three of them entered the mountain to search. After traveling about twenty miles, they saw a cave dwelling beneath a cliff. The cave was truly extraordinary: Peaks rose in jagged splendor, strange rocks towered in rugged majesty. Exotic flowers and rare grasses exuded a sweet fragrance, while red apricots and green peaches bloomed in vivid brilliance. Before the cliff stood ancient trees, their frosty bark weathered by rain, forty spans in girth; outside the gate, green pines rose into the sky, their dark emerald hue reaching two thousand feet into the heavens. Pairs of wild cranes often danced in the clear breeze at the cave's entrance; flocks of mountain birds perched on branches, singing through the bright daylight. Clusters of yellow vines hung like ropes, rows of misty willows drooped like strands of gold. A square pond gathered water, and deep caverns nestled against the mountain. The square pond concealed the hidden scales of a dragon not yet transformed; the deep caverns housed a ancient fiend that had feasted on humans for many years. Truly, it rivaled the realm of immortals —a lair where wind gathered and essence concentrated .
When the Pilgrim saw it, he leaped to the cave gate in two or three bounds. The stone door was tightly shut, and above it was a stone slab carved with eight characters : " The Interlocking Cave of the Folded Summit on the Hidden Mist Mountain ."
The Pilgrim said, "Bajie, get to work! This is surely the demon's lair, and the master must be inside!"
The Fool, fueled by a surge of energy, raised his rake and struck the stone door with all his might, smashing a large hole in it. He shouted, "Demon! Hand over my master at once! Otherwise, I'll tear down your door with one rake and destroy your whole family!"
The little demon guarding the gate rushed inside to report, "Great King, disaster has struck!"
The old fiend asked, "What disaster?"
The little demon said, "Someone outside the cave has smashed the stone door and is shouting for his master!"
The old fiend was greatly alarmed, "I wonder who has come for us?"
The vanguard who had devised the earlier plan said, "Don't be afraid! Let me go and see."
The little demon ran to the front gate, peered through the broken hole, and saw it was Bajie, with his long snout and big ears. He turned back and shouted, "Great King, don't worry! It's only Zhu Bajie. He has no real skill and wouldn't dare act recklessly. If he tries anything, we'll open the door, capture him, and steam him along with the others. The one to fear is that hairy-faced, thunder-mouthed monk ."
Bajie heard this from outside and said, "Brother, he doesn't fear me, but he fears you! The master must be inside. You go first!"
The Pilgrim cursed, "Vile demon! Your grandfather Sun is here! Hand over my master at once, and I'll spare your life!"
The vanguard rushed back in panic, "Great King, trouble! Sun the Pilgrim has also come!"
The old fiend complained, "This is all your fault for coming up with that 'Plucked Plum Blossom Stratagem'! Now disaster has arrived at our doorstep! What do we do?"
The vanguard said, "Great King, don't worry and don't blame me. I remember that Sun the Pilgrim is a monkey who loves flattery. Though his powers are vast, he yields to soft words, not hard force. Let's take a fake human head out to deceive him and flatter him a bit, saying his master has been eaten by us. If we can fool him into leaving, Tang Sanzang will still be ours. If that doesn't work, we'll think of another plan."
The old fiend asked, "Where will we get a fake human head?"
The vanguard said, "I'll make one!"
The demon took a steel knife and axe , carved a willow root into the shape of a human head, sprayed it with human blood to make it filthy, and had a little demon carry it on a lacquered tray to the cave entrance, shouting, "Great Sage, Lord Sun, calm your anger and listen to this humble one's report!"
Sun the Pilgrim, indeed susceptible to flattery, heard himself addressed as "Great Sage, Lord Sun" and stopped Bajie, saying, "Hold your hand. Let's hear what he has to say."
The little demon carrying the tray said, "Your master was captured by our Great King and brought into the cave. The little demons here don't know any better—some swallowed, some gnawed, some grabbed, some bit—and they've eaten your master. Only his head remains."
The Pilgrim said, "If he's been eaten, so be it. Bring out the head and let me see if it's real or fake."
The little demon tossed the fake head out through the hole. When Zhu Bajie saw it, he burst into tears, "How pitiful! Our fine master went in, and only his head comes out!"
The Pilgrim said, "Fool, check if it's real or fake before you cry!"
Bajie said, "Shameless! How can a head be real or fake?"
The Pilgrim said, "This one is fake."
Bajie asked, "How do you know it's fake?"
The Pilgrim said, "A real head makes no sound when thrown, but a fake head makes a hollow thud like knocking on wood. If you don't believe me, I'll toss it for you to hear." He picked up the fake head and smashed it against a rock, producing a loud "clang."
Sha Monk said, "Brother, it made a sound!"
The Pilgrim said, "A sound means it's fake. Let me show you its true form!" He quickly drew his Golden-Hooped Rod and struck the fake head with a crack, breaking it apart.
Bajie looked and saw it was a willow root. He couldn't help cursing, "You pack of demons! You've hidden my master in your cave and tried to fool your ancestor Zhu with a willow root! Was my master turned into a willow spirit?"
The little demon carrying the tray trembled with fear and ran back, stammering, "Impossible! Impossible! Impossible!"
The old fiend asked, "Why so many 'impossibles'?"
The little demon said, "Zhu Bajie and Sha Monk were fooled, but Sun the Pilgrim knows his goods. He saw through the fake head at a glance! Now we have to give him a real human head, and maybe he'll leave."
The old fiend said, "Where will we get a real human head? Aren't there plenty of human heads in our Skinning Pavilion that we haven't finished? Pick one!"
The little demons immediately went to the Skinning Pavilion, selected a fresh human head, scraped the scalp clean until it was smooth, and carried it on a tray again, shouting, "Great Sage, Lord Sun, that one earlier was indeed a fake. This is the real head of Lord Tang! Our Great King kept it to guard the house, but now he offers it specially!" With a thud, they tossed the head out through the hole, where it rolled on the ground, dripping with blood.
When Sun the Pilgrim saw it was a real human head, he could no longer hold back his tears. Bajie and Sha Monk also wailed aloud.
Bajie said through his tears, "Brother, don't just cry. The weather is bad, and the head will rot soon. Let me take it and bury it while it's fresh, then we can cry."
The Pilgrim said, "You're right."
The Fool, not minding the filth, picked up the head, held it to his chest, and ran to a cliff. He found a sunny, sheltered spot, used his rake to dig a pit, buried the head, and piled up a small grave mound. Then he called out to Sha Monk, "You stay here and cry with Brother. I'm going to find something to offer to the master's spirit."
He ran to a mountain stream, broke off several large willow branches, picked up some smooth pebbles, and returned to the grave. He planted the willow branches on either side of the grave and piled the pebbles in front of it.
The Pilgrim asked, "What are you doing?"
Bajie said, "These willow branches will serve as pines and cypresses to shade the master's grave; these pebbles will serve as pastries to offer to the master's spirit."
The Pilgrim shouted, "You blockhead! The man is dead! What use are pebbles as offerings!"
Bajie said, "It's just a way to show my respect and fulfill my filial duty."
The Pilgrim said, "Stop this foolishness! Sha Monk, you stay here—first, to guard the master's grave, and second, to watch over the luggage and the horse. Bajie and I will tear down the demon's lair, capture the fiend, and chop him into a thousand pieces to avenge the master!"
Sha Monk wept and said, "Elder Brother is right. You two be careful. I'll stay here and keep watch."
Good Bajie! He took off his black monk's robe, tightened his undergarment, raised his rake, and followed the Pilgrim. The two charged forward without another word, smashing the stone door even wider, their shouts shaking the heavens: "Return our living Tang Sanzang to us!"
The little demons inside the cave were terrified out of their wits and all blamed the vanguard for causing the trouble. The old fiend asked the vanguard, "These monks have come to our door. What do we do now?"
The vanguard said, "As the ancients said, 'Once your hand is in the fish basket, you can't pull it out.' There's no turning back now. Great King, lead the little demons and fight them to the death!"
The old fiend had no choice but to give the order, "My little ones, be of one mind! Take your sharpest weapons and follow me out to face the enemy!"
The demons shouted in unison and charged out of the cave. The Great Sage and Bajie quickly retreated to an open space on the mountain, blocked the crowd of demons, and shouted, "Which one is the leader? Which demon captured my master?"
The demons formed ranks and shook a colorful embroidered banner. The old fiend, wielding an iron pestle, answered with a loud cry, "Vile monk, don't you know me? I am the Great King of the Southern Mountain, and I've been living happily here for hundreds of years! Your Tang Sanzang has already been eaten by me. What can you do about it?"
The Pilgrim cursed, "Bold demon! You've only lived a few years, yet you dare call yourself 'Southern Mountain'? Lord Laozi is the founder of heaven and earth, and he only sits to the right of the Grand Pure One. The Tathagata Buddha is the Buddha who rules the world, and he sits beneath the Golden-Winged Great Peng. Confucius is the founder of the Confucian school, and he is only called 'Master.' You beast, you dare to call yourself 'Great King of the Southern Mountain' and boast of living happily for hundreds of years! Don't run! Taste your grandfather's staff!"
The fiend dodged sideways, blocked the Golden-Hooped Rod with his iron pestle, and glared, "You monkey-faced creature, you dare to spout such big talk to intimidate me! What skills do you have to act wildly before my door?" The Pilgrim laughed, "You nameless demon! You don't even know Old Sun! Stand firm, be brave, and listen to me—" He then recited: "My ancestral home is in the Great Divine Continent of the East, embraced by heaven and earth for countless autumns. On the Flower-Fruit Mountain, an immortal stone egg gave birth to my roots. Born not of mortal womb, my sacred body was nurtured by the sun and moon. My nature was self-cultivated, no small feat; my heavenly gifts allowed me to comprehend the great Elixir. I was officially appointed the Great Sage, dwelling in the Cloud Palace, relying on my power to fight the constellations. A hundred thousand divine soldiers could not approach me; the stars of the sky were easily subdued. My fame spreads throughout the universe, known in every corner; my wisdom penetrates heaven and earth, leaving traces everywhere. Now, by good fortune, I have taken refuge in Buddhism, supporting the elder on his journey west. I open roads through mountains with no one to stop me; I build bridges across rivers, causing demons to worry. In the forests, I display my might to capture tigers and leopards; before the cliffs, I turn my hand to seize pixiu beasts. Having attained the true fruit in the East, I come to the Western Regions—what demon dares to show his head! You beast, harming my master is truly hateful; I'll make sure your life ends this very hour!"
When the fiend heard this, he was both shocked and enraged. Gnashing his teeth, he leaped forward and struck at the Pilgrim with his iron pestle. The Pilgrim easily parried with his staff and was about to speak further, but Bajie could no longer contain himself. He raised his rake and charged at the vanguard, smashing wildly. The vanguard led the little demons in a full assault.
They clashed in a chaotic battle on the mountain clearing. The scene was truly fierce: The monk from the noble land of the Eastern Tang Empire journeyed to the Western Paradise for the true scriptures. The great leopard of the Southern Mountain spewed wind and mist, blocking the path through the deep mountains, displaying his unique power. He used clever tricks and cunning schemes, ignorantly capturing the Tang monk of the Great Tang. But the Pilgrim met him with boundless divine power, and even Bajie, with his famous name, joined the fray. The demons fought in chaos on the level ground, dust flying so thick that the sky grew dim. On one side, the little demons howled as they raised their spears and swords; on the other, the divine monks shouted as they wielded their rakes and staves. The Great Sage was unmatched in valor, and Bajie, full of vigor, delighted in his divine strength. The old fiend of the Southern Mountain and his vanguard, all for a morsel of Tang Sanzang's flesh, were willing to sacrifice life and limb. These two were enemies over the master's life; those two were driven by extreme malice for Tang Sanzang. They fought back and forth for many rounds, colliding and charging without either side gaining victory.
The Great Sage Sun saw that the little demons were fierce and could not be driven back, so he used his technique of multiplying his body. He plucked a handful of hairs, chewed them in his mouth, spat them out, and shouted, "Change!" The hairs transformed into countless miniature Pilgrims, each identical to him, each wielding a Golden-Hooped Rod. They charged from the front toward the cave.
The two hundred or so little demons could not guard the front and the rear, nor shield the left and the right. Each one thought only of saving his own skin, and they fled in defeat back to the cave. The Pilgrim and Bajie fought their way out of the formation. It was a pity for those ignorant demons—those struck by Bajie's rake bled from nine wounds, and those hit by the Pilgrim's Golden-Hooped Rod were crushed to bone and mud!
The Great King of the Southern Mountain, terrified, summoned a wind and mist and fled desperately back into the cave. The vanguard, unable to transform, was struck down by the Pilgrim's staff and revealed his true form—a wolf monster with an iron-gray back.
Bajie stepped forward, grabbed its leg, and flipped it over, saying, "This wretch has stolen and eaten countless piglets and lambs since he was young!"
The Pilgrim shook his body and withdrew his hairs, saying, "Fool! Don't waste time! Hurry after the old fiend and save the master's life!"
Bajie turned around and saw that all the miniature Pilgrims had vanished. He said, "Brother, your clones are all gone!"
The Pilgrim said, "I've taken them back."
Bajie said, "Wonderful! Wonderful!" The two of them, delighted with their victory, headed back.
Meanwhile, the old fiend had fled back into the cave and ordered the little demons to move rocks and pile earth, sealing the front gate completely. The little demons who had escaped trembled with fear and quickly blocked the front gate tight, not daring to show their faces again.
The Pilgrim led Bajie to the cave entrance and shouted, but no one answered from inside. Bajie raised his rake to strike, but could not even dent the barrier. The Pilgrim understood the situation and said, "Bajie, don't waste your strength. They've sealed the front gate."
Bajie asked, "If the gate is sealed, how will we avenge the master?"
The Pilgrim said, "First, let's go back to the grave and see Sha Monk."
The two returned to the place where the head was buried and found Sha Monk still weeping. Bajie grew even more sorrowful. He threw down his rake, threw himself onto the grave, and patted the earth with his hands, wailing, "My poor master! My master from a distant homeland! I'll never see you again!"
The Pilgrim said, "Brother, don't grieve. Since the demon has sealed the front gate, there must be a back gate. You two wait here. I'll go look again."
Bajie said through his tears, "Brother, be careful! Don't let yourself be captured too, or our crying will be all confused: one moment we'll cry for the master, the next for our elder brother!"
The Pilgrim said, "Don't worry! I have a plan!"
Good Great Sage! He put away his Golden-Hooped Rod, straightened his robe, and strode around the mountain slope. Suddenly he heard the gurgling sound of water. Turning around, he saw a mountain stream flowing down. On the other side of the stream was a gate, and to the left of the gate was a hidden drainage ditch, from which red water flowed.
He thought to himself, "No need to ask! This must be the back gate. If I go in my original form, the little demons might see and recognize me. I'll turn into a water snake and slip in... No! If I turn into a snake, the master's spirit might know and blame me, a monk, for turning into a reptile. I'll turn into a small crab... No, that's no good either—the master would scold me for having too many legs." So he transformed into a water rat, darted across with a whoosh, and slipped through the drainage ditch into the courtyard of the cave, where he poked his head out to observe.
In a sunny spot, several little demons were laying out strips of dried human meat. The Pilgrim thought, "Heavens! This must be the master's meat, dried for rainy days because they couldn't eat it all. If I reveal my true form and smash them with one blow, it would show I'm brave but not clever. Better to change my appearance again, go inside, find the old fiend, and see what's happening."
He leaped out of the ditch, shook himself, and turned into a winged ant. Truly: Small in strength and body, called the dark steed, it hid and cultivated for a long time until it grew wings and flew. It idled by the bridge, forming ranks; it delighted in coming under the bed to compete with the immortals. It knew when rain was coming and often sealed its nest; it piled up dust until it turned to ash. Agile and light, it could slip through unnoticed, and many times it passed through the wicker door without being seen.
The ant-shaped Pilgrim spread his wings and flew silently into the main hall. He saw the old fiend sitting with a worried frown. Suddenly, a little demon ran in from the rear and reported, "Great King, a tremendous piece of good news!"
The old fiend asked, "Where does this joy come from?"
The little demon said, "I was just inspecting the mountain stream behind the back gate when I heard someone crying loudly. I climbed to the top of the hill and saw Zhu Bajie, Sun the Pilgrim, and Sha Monk weeping before a grave! They must have buried that fake head thinking it was Tang Sanzang's, and now they're mourning at the grave!"
The Pilgrim, listening from the shadows, rejoiced inwardly, "So my master is still hidden here, not eaten! Let me search further, see if he's alive or dead, and then decide what to do."
Good Great Sage! He flew around the main hall, looking in all directions. He noticed a small side door that was tightly shut, so he slipped through the crack—and found himself in a large garden, from which faint crying could be heard. He flew straight to the deepest part, where he saw two people tied beneath a clump of large trees. One of them was Tang Sanzang!
When the Pilgrim saw this, he could not contain himself. He immediately revealed his true form, stepped forward, and called out, "Master!"
The elder recognized him at once and said through his tears, "Wukong, you've come! Save me quickly! Wukong! Wukong!"
The Pilgrim said, "Master, don't keep calling my name. There may be ears around, and news might leak out. Since you're still alive, I can certainly save you. That demon thinks he's eaten you and tricked us with a fake head. We fought a bitter battle with him. Master, bear with it a little longer. Once I've dealt with the demon, I'll come to save you."
The Great Sage recited a spell, transformed back into an ant, and flew back to the main hall, where he perched on the main beam. He saw the little demons who had not been injured crowding together, chattering noisily. Suddenly, one little demon stepped forward and said, "Great King, now that they see the front gate is sealed and they can't get in, they must have given up on Tang Sanzang. They buried the fake head and made a grave. Today they'll cry, tomorrow they'll cry again, and after the third day, when the 'First Seven' is past, they'll leave. Once they're gone, we'll drag Tang Sanzang out, chop him up, add plenty of spices, and boil him until he's fragrant. We'll all share him and achieve immortality!"
Another little demon clapped his hands and said, "Don't boil him! Steaming him makes the flavor better!"
Another said, "Boiling saves firewood!"
Yet another said, "He's a rare treasure. Let's salt him and preserve him—he'll last a long time!"
The Pilgrim, listening from the beam, burned with rage. "My master has no grievance with you, yet you scheme to eat him like this!" He immediately plucked a handful of hairs, chewed them in his mouth, and gently blew them out. Silently reciting a spell, he transformed the hairs into sleep bugs, which flew toward the faces of the little demons. One by one, the sleep bugs crawled into the demons' nostrils. The little demons gradually grew drowsy, and soon they were all fast asleep.
Only the old fiend could not settle into sleep. He rubbed his head and face with both hands, sneezing and pinching his nose. The Pilgrim thought, "Has he noticed? I'll add a 'double insurance'!" He plucked another hair, turned it into a sleep bug, and tossed it toward the old fiend, where it crawled into his nostril. With two sleep bugs—one entering from the left, one from the right—the old fiend stretched, yawned twice, and also fell into a deep, snoring sleep.
The Pilgrim rejoiced inwardly. He leaped down, revealed his true form, drew his Golden-Hooped Rod from his ear, shook it until it was as thick as a duck's egg, and smashed the side door with a loud crash. He ran to the back garden and shouted, "Master!"
The elder said, "Disciple, untie the ropes quickly! The bindings are hurting me!"
The Pilgrim said, "Master, don't rush. Let me kill the demon first, then I'll untie you." He turned to go back to the main hall, then stopped. "No, I'd better untie you first, then fight." He returned to the garden, then hesitated again. "Better to kill the demon first, then save the master—that's safer." He wavered like this two or three times before finally bounding into the garden.
When the elder saw him, he was both sad and joyful. "Monkey, are you so happy to see me alive that you don't know what to do with yourself, jumping around like that?"
The Pilgrim stepped forward, untied the ropes, and helped the master to his feet. At that moment, the man tied to the tree opposite called out, "Honored sir, have mercy and save my life too!"
The elder stopped and said to the Pilgrim, "Wukong, untie him as well."
The Pilgrim asked, "Who is he?"
The elder said, "He was captured a day before me. He's a woodcutter. He said his mother is old and misses him greatly. He's a filial man. Let's save him together."
The Pilgrim did as he was told, untying the woodcutter's ropes. The three of them left through the back gate, climbed a stone cliff, and crossed a steep ravine. The elder thanked him, "Worthy disciple, you saved both him and me! Where are Wuneng and Wujing?"
The Pilgrim said, "They're still there crying for you. If you call out, they'll know."
The elder shouted loudly, "Bajie! Bajie!"
The Fool, crying until he was dazed, wiped his nose and tears and said, "Sha Monk, has the master's spirit appeared? Where is he calling us from?"
The Pilgrim stepped forward and shouted, "Blockhead! What spirit? Isn't this the master himself!"
Sha Monk looked up and immediately knelt on the ground. "Master, how much suffering you've endured! How did Elder Brother manage to rescue you?"
The Pilgrim recounted what had just happened.
When Bajie heard this, he ground his teeth in fury. He could not help but raise his rake and furiously smash the fake grave, digging up the fake head and pounding it to pulp.
Tang Sanzang asked, "Why are you hitting it?"
Bajie said, "Master, I don't know whose dead head that was, but I cried over it for half a day!"
The elder said, "It's thanks to this fake head that my life was spared. When you came to the door demanding me, the demon used it to fob you off. Otherwise, I would have been killed long ago. Bury it again, as a small kindness from us monks."
The Fool listened, buried the pile of shattered bone and flesh, and piled up another small grave.
The Pilgrim laughed and said, "Master, sit here for a while. I'm going to finish off the demon once and for all." With that, he leaped down the stone cliff, crossed the ravine, and returned to the cave. He took the ropes that had bound Tang Sanzang and the woodcutter into the main hall. Seeing the old fiend still asleep, he tied him up hand and foot, lifted him with his Golden-Hooped Rod, and carried him on his shoulder, going straight out through the back gate.
Zhu Bajie saw him from afar and said, "Brother, why is it you're always the one carrying heads! Couldn't you find something else to carry it with?"
The Pilgrim walked up and put the fiend down. Bajie raised his rake to strike, but the Pilgrim said, "Wait! There are still little demons in the cave to deal with."
Bajie said, "Brother, take me in to fight!"
The Pilgrim said, "Fighting would take too long. Better to gather some firewood, set a fire, and wipe them out root and branch!"
When the woodcutter heard this, he immediately led Bajie to a hollow in the eastern hill, where they gathered broken bamboo, withered leaves, hollow willows, broken vines, yellow sage, old reeds, rushes, and dry mulberry branches, carrying them to the back gate. The Pilgrim lit the fire, and Bajie fanned the flames with his ears. The Great Sage leaped onto the roof, shook his body, and withdrew the sleep bugs. The little demons had just woken up when they found themselves surrounded by fire. Not one escaped. The cave dwelling was burned to ashes, and only then did the Pilgrim return to see his master.
The master heard the old fiend wake up and shouted, "Disciple, the demon is awake!" Bajie stepped forward and struck the old fiend with his rake, killing him. The fiend revealed his true form—a leopard spirit with a patterned hide like mottled artemisia leaves.
The Pilgrim said, "This patterned leopard could not only eat tigers but also transform into a human! Now that he's dead, the trouble is truly ended!"
The elder thanked them repeatedly, mounted his horse, and prepared to continue the journey. The woodcutter said, "Honored sir, not far to the southwest is my home. Please come to my house and sit for a while, see my mother, and let us, mother and son, thank you for saving our lives before seeing you off on your way."
The elder was delighted. He dismounted and walked together with the woodcutter and the four disciples. After traveling southwest for a short distance, they indeed saw a dwelling: Stone paths were overgrown with moss, and the wicker gate was entwined with creepers and flowers. On all sides, mountain light connected; a forest of birds chattered noisily. Dense pines and bamboos intertwined in emerald green, while exotic flowers and strange herbs bloomed in profusion. In this remote, cloud-shrouded place stood a thatched cottage with a bamboo fence.
From afar, they saw an old woman leaning against the wicker gate, weeping and calling for her son. When the woodcutter saw his mother, he left the elder and quickly ran to the gate, knelt down, and said, "Mother! I've returned!"
The old woman embraced him and said, "My son! You didn't come home for several days. I thought the mountain lord had captured and killed you. My heart ached so! Since you weren't harmed, why did you only return today? Where are your firewood and your axe?"
The woodcutter kowtowed and said, "Mother, I was indeed captured by the mountain lord and tied to a tree, nearly losing my life. Thanks to these honored gentlemen—they are arhats from the Tang Empire in the East, journeying to the Western Heaven for scriptures. This elder was also captured by the mountain lord and tied to a tree. His three disciples possess vast divine powers. They killed the mountain lord, who turned out to be a leopard spirit with a patterned hide, and burned all the little demons to death. They saved the elder and also saved me. This is a tremendous kindness! Without them, I would surely have died. Now the mountain is safe, and I can travel even at night without worry."
When the old woman heard this, she bowed with every step to welcome the elder and the four disciples, inviting them into the thatched cottage to sit. Mother and son kowtowed and thanked them profusely, then hurried to prepare a vegetarian meal.
Bajie said, "Brother Woodcutter, I can see your home is not wealthy. Just prepare some simple food; don't trouble yourself too much."
The woodcutter said, "To tell you the truth, honored sir, this mountain is indeed poor. We have no fragrant mushrooms, tree ears, Sichuan peppercorns, or spices. I only have a few plates of wild greens to show my gratitude."
Bajie laughed, "No trouble at all, no trouble at all. Just be quick about it—we're hungry."
The woodcutter said, "It will be ready in a moment!" And indeed, in no time, he set the table and brought out several plates of wild greens. There were: tender blanched daylily buds, sour pickled white dandelion greens, purslane and sow thistle, river shepherd's purse and wild goose intestine leaves. Swallow-wort, fragrant and tender; tender sprouts, crisp and green. Thoroughly