Chapter 33: The False Way Bewilders True Nature; the Primal Spirit Comes to the Heart's Aid

Now to return to the tale. The second demon carried Bajie into the cave and called out, "Brother, I have brought one in."

The old monster was pleased. "Bring him here and let me look."

The second demon said, "Is this not one?"

The elder demon said, "Brother, you have grabbed the wrong one. This monk is useless."

Bajie, hearing this, said at once, "Great King, if I am useless, let me go. I am no proper person for you to keep."

The second demon said, "Brother, do not let him go. Though he is useless, he still belongs to Tang Sanzang's party. His name is Zhu Bajie. Put him in the clean-water pool at the back for now. Soak the hair off him, salt him, dry him in the sun, and keep him for drinking on a cloudy day."

Bajie cried out, "Bad luck for me! I have run into a monster that deals in pickles and cured meat!"

The little devils carried him inside and flung him into the water. We need not speak more of that.

Tripitaka, meanwhile, sat on the slope with hot ears and jumping eyes, his body uneasy. He called out, "Wukong, why has Wuneng been gone so long on this mountain patrol and not returned?"

Wukong said, "Master, have you not yet understood his mind?"

Tripitaka asked, "What mind is that?"

Wukong said, "If this mountain has a monster, he will not dare go half a step farther. He will surely come running back to report to me. If there is no monster, then the road is peaceful and he has only gone ahead."

Tripitaka said, "But if he really has gone, where are we to meet him? This is wild mountain country, not a town with inns and shops."

Wukong said, "Master, do not worry. Please ride on. That fool is lazy and slow by nature. Push the horse forward a little and we will surely catch him. Then we can all go together."

So Tripitaka mounted, Sha Wujing shouldered the luggage, and Wukong went ahead to lead the way up the mountain.

Now the old demon called the second demon and said, "Brother, since you have taken Bajie, there must surely be a Tang monk as well. Go scout the mountain once more and do not let him slip by."

The second demon said, "At once, at once."

He quickly gathered fifty little monsters and went up to patrol.

As they walked, they saw clouds of good omen drifting and turning in the sky. The second demon said, "The Tang monk is coming."

The little monsters asked, "Where is the Tang monk?"

The second demon said, "Good men have auspicious clouds over their heads; evil men have black vapor rising to the sky. That Tang monk is the incarnate body of the Golden Cicada Elder, cultivated through ten lives, and so he carries these clouds."

But the others could see nothing at all.

The second demon pointed. "Is that not him?"

Tripitaka, riding on horseback, shivered once.

He pointed again, and Tripitaka shivered again.

He pointed a third time, and Tripitaka shivered a third time.

The elder grew uneasy and said, "Disciples, why do I keep shivering?"

Sha Wujing said, "That shiver may be a stomach ailment."

Wukong said, "Nonsense. The master is only riding through steep mountains and feels a little fright. Do not fear. Let Old Sun swing the staff along the road and calm his nerves."

The Great Sage spread the staff wide, flourished it before the horse, and tossed out several techniques. Up and down, left and right, he played the whole set of maneuvering arts, using all the methods of the Six Stratagems and the Three Military Classics, and wielded his divine skill to the full.

Tripitaka watched from the saddle and thought it a sight rare in the world, unmatched under heaven.

Wukong cut the road open and walked on before them. He nearly scared the monster to death.

The demon, looking down from the mountain top, lost all soul and color. He cried out, "For years I have heard of Sun Wukong, and only today do I know the tales were true."

The other monsters crowded up and said, "Great King, why are you killing your own morale and praising another man's strength? Whom are you praising?"

The second demon said, "Sun Wukong's powers are vast indeed. The Tang monk is not one we can eat so easily."

The monsters said, "Great King, if you have no means, let us send a few men to report to the Great Elder and have the whole cave armed. We can set the ranks and stand together. Where could he go then?"

The second demon said, "Have you not seen his iron staff? It has the strength to face ten thousand men. In this cave we have only four or five hundred troops. How could we withstand one blow from that rod?"

The monsters said, "If that is so, then if we cannot eat the Tang monk, have we not at least wrongly seized Zhu Bajie? We should send him back."

The second demon said, "Taking him was not a mistake, and sending him back is not something we can do lightly. The Tang monk will be eaten in the end, only not at this moment."

The monsters asked, "Then does that mean we must wait years?"

The second demon said, "No need for years. I can see that Tang monk can only be won by kindness and not taken by force. If we rely on strength, we could not even smell him, much less seize him.

"We must use kindness to move him, trick his heart until his mind and ours agree. Then we can plan from the inside and work by goodness."

The monsters asked, "If the Great King has a plan to seize him, can he use us?"

The second demon said, "You all go back to your own stronghold, and do not report to the Great Elder. If he is alarmed, the wind will leak out and spoil my plan. I have my own power of transformation and can take him."

The monsters dispersed.

He alone leapt down the mountain, stood beside the road, and shook himself into an old Taoist.

How was he dressed? His starry cap shone bright, his crane hair was fluffy and loose. His feather robe was girded with an embroidered sash, and his cloud-shoes were laced with yellow hemp. His spirit was clear and his eyes bright like an immortal guest; his body was vigorous and light like a long-lived elder. He looked more convincing than any plain country Daoist or temple recluse.

There he stood beside the road, disguised as a man with a twisted and broken leg. Blood ran from the foot, and he groaned as though in pain, crying, "Help me! Help me!"

Tripitaka, relying on Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing, came forward in high spirits. Just then he heard the cry.

"Master, help me!"

Tripitaka heard it and said, "Goodness! In this wide mountain waste there is not a single village house for miles. What sort of man can be crying out here? He must have been frightened by tigers, leopards, or wolves."

He turned his horse around and called, "Who is in trouble there? Come out."

The demon crawled out of the grass and fell to his knees before the horse, banging his head on the ground.

Tripitaka saw that he was a Taoist, and moreover an old and dignified one, and felt sorry for him at once. He hurried down from the horse and helped him up.

"Please rise, please rise."

The demon cried, "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"

When Tripitaka let go, he saw blood running from the foot.

"Sir," Tripitaka asked, "where have you come from, and how did you hurt your foot?"

The demon answered with sweet words and a false face. "Master, west of this mountain there is a quiet temple. I am a Daoist from that temple. A few days ago my master and I were invited by a patron family on the south slope to perform rites and pray away disasters. We left late, and in a deep road we ran into a striped tiger. He carried off my fellow Daoist in his mouth. I was so frightened that I slipped on the rocks and broke my leg. I do not know the way back. Today Heaven has truly favored me, for I have met you. I beg you, Master, have mercy and save my life. If I can make it back to the temple, I will sell my body if need be to repay your great kindness."

Tripitaka believed it to be true.

"Sir, you and I are both living beings with one life to guard. I am a monk and you are a Daoist. Our robes differ, but the principle of cultivation is the same. If I do not save you, I should not count as one of the tonsured. I will save you, but you cannot walk."

The demon said, "I cannot even stand. How could I walk?"

Tripitaka said, "Very well. I can still travel. Let me lend you my horse for a while and take it back when we reach your temple."

The demon said, "Master, I am grateful beyond measure. But my hip and thigh are hurt from the fall. I cannot ride."

Tripitaka said, "So it is."

He called to Sha Wujing. "Carry the luggage on my horse and bear him on your back for a stretch."

Sha Wujing said, "I will carry him."

The demon turned and looked at him, then said, "Master, I was already frightened by the tiger. Seeing this gloomy-faced master frightens me even more. I dare not have him carry me."

Tripitaka called, "Wukong, you carry him."

Wukong answered at once, "I will carry him. I will carry him."

At once the demon took him for the one to trust, and without another word let him carry him.

Sha Wujing laughed. "What a blind old Daoist. I offered to carry him and he would not have it, but he must have Wukong instead. If he cannot keep his eyes on Master, I will snap his sinews at the three-point stone."

Wukong laughed too, but under his breath he said, "You vile monster, how dare you come and provoke me? Do you not know how many years Old Sun has lived? Do you think I cannot see through your nonsense? You can only deceive Tang Sanzang, not me. I know you for a creature of this mountain. I suppose you mean to eat my master. My master is no ordinary monk. Is he food for you? If you are going to eat him, you will have to share a good half with Old Sun."

The demon heard Wukong muttering and said, "Master, I am the child of a proper family and have become a Daoist. Today, by bad luck, I met with a tiger-and-wolf calamity. I am not a monster."

Wukong said, "If you fear tigers and wolves, why not recite the Northern Dipper Scripture?"

Tripitaka, already mounted, heard this and scolded him. "You wicked monkey! To save one life is better than building a seven-tier pagoda. Carry him and be done with it. What is all this chatter about the Northern Dipper and the Southern Dipper?"

Wukong said, "This fellow has good luck. My master is a kind and charitable man, but he has a few twists hidden in his goodness. If I refuse to carry you, he will blame me. Very well, I will carry you, but listen carefully. If you have to relieve yourself, tell me first. If you let it run down onto my back, the stink will be unbearable and it will foul my robe, and no one will wash it for me."

The demon said, "I am this old - do you think I do not understand your meaning?"

Only then did Wukong hoist him up and carry him on his back. With Tripitaka and Sha Wujing they set off west along the main road.

Wherever the road grew steep or uneven, Wukong took care to walk slowly and let Tripitaka ride on ahead.

They had gone only three or five li when the master and Sha Wujing descended into a hollow and Wukong could no longer see them. He grumbled to himself, "Master, at such an age you still know nothing of the world. On so long a road, even an empty load would feel heavy on the arms, and I should like to fling him off. Yet instead I am carrying this monster. Never mind whether he is a monster or a good man, at this age he is already suited for the grave.

"Better to drop him dead and be done with it. Why carry him?"

Just then the Great Sage, meaning to throw him down, was seen through by the demon, who also understood the mountain spell. He used a power that could shift mountains and overturn seas. While still on Wukong's back he pinched a sign, chanted a true spell, and sent Mount Sumeru down from the sky to press on Wukong's head.

The Great Sage was startled, twisted his head, and took the mountain on his left shoulder.

He laughed. "My boy, what heavy body-changing spell are you using to press Old Sun? This one is nothing to fear. It is only that a straight load is easy to bear, and an angled load is hard."

The demon said, "One mountain is not enough."

He chanted again and sent Mount Emei down from the sky.

Wukong twisted his head to the other side and took it on his right shoulder.

There he stood, carrying two great mountains, hurrying through the sky and pursuing Tripitaka.

The demon looked on and broke into a sweat.

"So he can carry mountains."

He gathered himself, muttered the true spell again, and sent Mount Tai down from the heavens to press upon Wukong's crown.

The Great Sage's strength failed, his sinews went numb, and under the pressure of Mount Tai he was crushed until his three corpse spirits snapped and his seven apertures spouted blood.

The demon, having used his spell to beat down Wukong, drove a fierce wind and went after Tripitaka. From the cloud he stretched down his hand and snatched at the monk on horseback.

Sha Wujing was so frightened that he threw down the baggage, drew out the demon-quelling staff, and blocked the blow.

The demon raised a seven-star sword and came on to meet him.

It was a fierce battle:

Seven-Star Sword and Demon-Quelling Staff flashed with a hundred reflections of light.
One had a round face fierce as a black spirit; the other was truly the Curtain-Lifting General.
The demon displayed his power before the mountain, set on seizing Tang Sanzang.
The other fought with all his strength to guard the true monk and would die before letting him go.
They breathed clouds and mist that blotted out the celestial vault, and dust and sand rose to hide the constellations.
The red sun dimmed and lost its light; earth and sky were dark and obscure.
Back and forth they held each other through eight or nine rounds, until Sha Wujing was beaten back.

The demon was fierce beyond measure. With his precious sword and swift cloud-stepping style, he drove Sha Wujing into weakness and then turned to flee. But Wujing had no chance to escape. The demon pressed his staff aside, seized him with one hand, and tucked him under his left arm. With the right hand he snatched Tripitaka from the horse, hooked the luggage with a toe, bit the horse's mane with his mouth, and used a capturing spell to carry them all in a single wind to Lotus Cave.

He cried out, "Brother! I have brought the monks."

The old demon was delighted. "Bring them here and let me look."

The second demon said, "Is this not them?"

The old demon said, "You have made another mistake, brother."

The second demon said, "You told me to capture Tang Sanzang."

The old demon said, "It is Tang Sanzang, yes, but we have not yet captured the one with true skill, Sun Wukong. We must seize him first before we can eat Tang Sanzang. If we do not catch the monkey, then if we touch his master he will make a great fuss at the door, and we will never have peace."

The second demon laughed. "Brother, you flatter him too much. If we listen to your praise, he is unrivaled in heaven and unmatched on earth. To my mind, he is only so-so and not much to fear."

The old demon asked, "Have you caught him?"

The second demon said, "He is already under three great mountains that I sent down, and he cannot move a single step. That is why I could bring Tang Sanzang, Sha Wujing, the horse, and the luggage home."

The old demon was overjoyed. "Good fortune, good fortune! Now that we have captured that fellow, Tang Sanzang is indeed food for our mouths."

He called to the little devils, "Quickly bring the wine. Let me drink a cup of victory with the second master."

The second demon said, "Brother, do not drink yet. Let the little ones haul Zhu Bajie out of the water and hang him up."

So they hung Bajie on the eastern beam, Sha Wujing on the western side, and Tripitaka in the middle. The white horse was sent to the stall, and the luggage was carried inside.

The old demon laughed. "Brother, you have fine skill. Twice now you have captured three monks. But even if Sun Wukong is pinned beneath the mountains, we still need a way to bring him here and steam him. That would be best."

The second demon said, "Brother, please sit down. If we want to seize Sun Wukong, we need not even move from the cave. Let two little monsters carry two treasures and fetch him for us."

The old demon asked, "What treasures?"

The second demon said, "My purple-gold gourd and your jade purity vase."

The old demon brought them out and asked, "Which two little monsters should go?"

The second demon said, "Fine Ghost and Quick-Wit."

He called them up and said, "You two carry these treasures, go straight to the top of the high mountain, turn the bottoms to the sky and the mouths to the earth, and call, 'Sun Wukong.' If he answers, he will be taken inside at once. Then paste on the note that says, 'By decree, from Laozi, hurry, hurry, in accordance with the law!' and in no time he will turn into pus."

The little devils kowtowed, took the treasures, and hurried off.

Now Wukong, crushed under the mountain spell, thought only of Tripitaka in his suffering, and of the holy monk in his danger.

He cried out in a loud voice, "Master! When you came to Mount of Two Boundaries back then, you lifted the seal and freed Old Sun from great disaster. I entered the monk's gate because of your saving grace. The Bodhisattva gave me the precepts, and I have followed you in practice and cultivation. We share the same fate, the same appearance, the same seeing and knowing. But now, just as I have reached this place, I am once more trapped by a demon and pinned beneath the mountains. Alas, alas! You deserve to die at the hands of fate, but it is hard on Sha Wujing, Zhu Bajie, and the little dragon who turned into a horse. Truly, as the saying goes, 'A great tree draws the wind; the wind shakes the tree. Those who rise high in fame lose their fame by it.'"

As he sighed, tears rolled down like rain.

He startled the mountain gods, earth spirits, and the five directional guardian spirits.

The Golden-Headed Guardian asked, "Whose mountain is this?"

The earth spirit said, "It is ours."

The guardian asked, "And who is pinned under it?"

The earth spirit said, "We do not know."

The guardian said, "Then you truly know nothing."

He said, "What is pressed here is Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven who made havoc in the Heavenly Palace five hundred years ago. He has now taken refuge in the true fruit and become a disciple of Tang Sanzang. How could you lend your mountain to a demon and let him pin Wukong down? If he ever gets free, do you think he will spare you? At the lightest, the earth spirits will be sent to forced labor, the mountain gods to military exile, and the rest of us will have to take the blame."

The mountain gods and earth spirits trembled.

"We did not know. We truly did not know. Only when the monster began chanting his mountain-moving spell did we carry the mountain over. How were we to know it was the Great Sage?"

The guardian said, "Do not be afraid. The law says, 'If one does not know, there is no guilt.' Let us work it out and release him. Only do not let him strike us."

The earth spirit said, "That makes no sense. If you let him out, he will still strike us."

The guardian said, "You do not understand. He has the Ruyi Jingu Bang, and it is fearsome indeed. A blow from it kills; a drag of it wounds; even a graze can snap the sinews or flatten the skin."

The mountain gods and earth spirits, frightened by this, came with the five guardians to the outside of the three mountains and called, "Great Sage, the mountain gods, earth spirits, and five guardians come to see you."

Wukong, though his body was thinned by grief, still had a fierce heart and a grand bearing.

"What do you want with me?"

The earth spirit said, "We beg the Great Sage to know that the mountains are ready to be moved away. Release us from our impoliteness."

Wukong said, "Move the mountains away, and I will not hit you."

He shouted, "Rise up!"

The gods and spirits chanted their spells and returned the mountains to their proper place, freeing him.

Wukong sprang up, brushed the dirt from his body, tightened his skirt, pulled the staff from behind his ear, and told the gods and spirits, "All of you stretch out your knees. I should like to give each of you two blows and ease my anger."

The spirits were alarmed.

"Just now the Great Sage told us our crime was forgiven. Why, once you are free, do you suddenly talk of striking us?"

Wukong said, "Good earth spirit, good mountain god, do you think I am afraid of Old Sun? Why should I fear a demon?"

The earth spirit said, "That monster has vast powers and high sorcery. He chanted spells and summoned us into his cave. We take turns serving there one day at a time."

When Wukong heard the words "take turns serving," his heart tightened too.

He looked up at the sky and cried out, "Heaven above, Heaven above! From the first opening of chaos, when heaven was set apart from earth, Flower-Fruit Mountain gave birth to me. I sought famous masters and learned the secret of long life. I could change with the wind, subdue tigers and dragons, and once raised havoc in the Heavenly Palace. Men called me Great Sage, yet I never used mountain gods or earth spirits as servants. Now this monster has gone so far as to make mountain gods and earth spirits his slaves, taking turns to serve him. Heaven above, why was Old Sun born, if such creatures were to be born after him?"

As he lamented, bright red light blazed from the hollow of the mountain.

Wukong asked, "Mountain gods, earth spirits, since you take turns serving in the cave, what treasure is shining there?"

The earth spirit said, "That is the monster's treasure shining. I suppose some demon has brought treasure to subdue you."

Wukong laughed. "Now that is something to play with."

He asked, "Who visits him in the cave?"

The earth spirit said, "He likes to refine cinnabar and elixir, and he favors Daoists of the True School."

Wukong said, "No wonder he could disguise himself as an old Daoist and trick my master. Since that is so, you all take your beating later and go back. Old Sun will deal with him himself."

The gods all vanished into the sky.

The Great Sage shook himself and changed into an old Daoist.

How was he dressed? His hair was tied in two topknots, and he wore a patched robe. In one hand he tapped a fisherman's drum; around his waist he tied a Lu Gong sash. He leaned beneath the road and waited only for the little demons. In a moment the monsters arrived, and the Monkey King laid his trap.

Before long, the two little devils came down the road.

Wukong stretched out the staff. The demons were unprepared and tripped over it, falling flat.

When they got up and saw Wukong, they shouted, "You lazy fellow! If our Great King did not honor you as a traveler, we would settle accounts with you!"

Wukong smiled. "What accounts?"

"Daoist meets Daoist; we are all one family."

The demons said, "Why are you lying here to trip us?"

Wukong said, "A little apprentice wanted to see this old Daoist, so he tripped me in greeting."

The demons said, "Our Great King only gives a few taels of silver for an introduction. Why would you make us trip as an introduction? You do not look like one of us. You must be a stranger here."

Wukong said, "I am no stranger. I am from Mount Penglai."

"Mount Penglai is a fairy island," they said.

"If I am not an immortal, who is?" Wukong replied.

The little devils' anger turned to delight. They hurried up and bowed.

"Old Immortal, Old Immortal, we have blind eyes and mortal flesh. We did not recognize you. Forgive our rude words."

Wukong said, "I do not blame you. As the saying goes, 'An immortal body does not tread the soil of the world.' How should you know? Today I have come to your mountain to convert a good man into immortality. Which of you will follow me?"

Fine Ghost said, "Master, I will follow you."

Quick-Wit said, "Master, I will follow you."

Wukong asked as though he did not know, "Where have you two come from?"

"From Lotus Cave," they answered.

"Where are you going?"

"On the orders of our Great King, to capture Sun Wukong."

"Capture whom?"

"Sun Wukong."

Wukong asked, "The same Sun Wukong who travels with Tang Sanzang to fetch the scriptures?"

"Exactly, exactly. Do you know him?"

Wukong said, "That monkey is rather rude. I know him, and I am a little angry with him."

"I will go with you to catch him, and count it as helping your work."

The little devils said, "Master, you need not help us. Our second master has some spells. He sent down three mountains and pinned that fellow under them so he cannot move a step. That is why we have come with treasures to take him."

Wukong asked, "What treasures?"

Fine Ghost said, "Mine is the purple-gold gourd; his is the jade purity vase."

Wukong asked, "How do you take him?"

The little monster said, "Turn the bottom of the treasure to the sky and the mouth to the earth, call his name, and if he answers, he will be taken inside. Then paste on the note that says, 'By decree of Laozi, hurry, hurry, according to the law.' In a moment or three he will melt into pus."

Wukong heard this and grew alarmed.

"Dangerous, dangerous! The day-duty spirit had reported there were five treasures, and now two of them have already shown themselves. I wonder what the other three are."

He laughed and said, "Brothers, let me look at your treasures."

The little devils knew no trickery and took the two treasures from their sleeves, holding them out with both hands.

Wukong looked at them and was secretly delighted.

"Fine things, fine things. If I only twist the tail a little and fly away, it will be as though you had presented them to Old Sun."

Then he thought again. "No, no. If I snatch them by force, I will only spoil my own reputation. That would be stealing in broad daylight."

So he handed them back and said, "You have not yet seen my treasure."

The little devils asked, "What treasure do you have, Master? Let us see it so we can ward off calamity."

Wukong pulled out a single hair from the end of his tail, pinched it, and cried, "Change!"

At once it became a big purple-gold gourd, a foot and seven inches long. He took it from his waist and said, "Look at my gourd."

Quick-Wit took it in hand and looked it over.

"Master, your gourd is long and handsome, and it has style, but it is not much use."

Wukong asked, "How is it not useful?"

The little devil said, "Each of our treasures can hold a thousand men."

Wukong said, "What is so rare about holding people? My gourd can hold heaven itself."

The little devil said, "It can hold heaven?"

Wukong said, "It truly can."

The little devil said, "You may be lying. Show it to us, and then we will believe you. Otherwise we will never trust you."

Wukong said, "If heaven vexes me, I can hold it seven or eight times in a month. If it does not vex me, I may not hold it even once in half a year."

Quick-Wit said, "Brother, trade for his heaven-holding treasure."

Fine Ghost said, "How could he trade a treasure that holds heaven for our treasure that holds people?"

Quick-Wit said, "If he will not trade, then we can give him our jade vase instead."

Wukong was secretly delighted.

"A gourd for a gourd, with the jade vase thrown in besides. One for two - that is quite fair."

He stepped forward and took the little devil by the sleeve.

"Will you trade for one that holds heaven?"

The little devil said, "If it holds heaven, we will trade. If not, I am your son."

Wukong said, "Very well. I will show you."

The Great Sage lowered his head, pinched a sign, and muttered a spell. Then he called to the sun patrol gods, the night patrol gods, and the five directional guardians.

"Go at once and report to the Jade Emperor for me. Say that Old Sun has taken refuge in the true fruit, and is protecting Tang Sanzang on his road to the Western Heaven for scripture. The road is blocked by a high mountain, and my master is in hardship. The demon has treasure, and I want to trick him into trading it. Bow ten thousand times for me, and lend me the heaven for half an hour so I can bring success to my work. If he does not consent, I will go straight to the Hall of Mirrored Heavens and start a fight."

The day-patrol god went directly to the South Heaven Gate and up to the Hall of Mirrored Heavens to report the whole matter to the Jade Emperor.

The Jade Emperor said, "This wicked monkey speaks without restraint. Earlier Guanyin came and asked that he be spared to protect Tang Sanzang. We have already sent the five directional guardians and the four-duty officials to stand watch in turn. Now he asks to borrow the heaven and cover it - can heaven be covered?"

Just as he said this could not be done, Nezha the Third Prince stepped out of the ranks and said, "Your Majesty, heaven can be covered."

The Jade Emperor asked, "How can heaven be covered?"

Nezha said, "From the first separation of chaos, the light and pure rose to become heaven and the heavy and turbid sank to become earth. Heaven is but a mass of pure breath supporting the jade palaces. By ordinary reasoning it is truly hard to cover. But since Sun Wukong is protecting Tang Sanzang westward, this is indeed a blessing as great as Mount Tai and a fortune as deep as the sea. Today we should help him succeed."

The Jade Emperor asked, "How would you help him?"

Nezha said, "Please issue an edict and send me to the North Heaven Gate to borrow the black-banner of Xuanwu. Let it be spread at the South Heaven Gate so that sun, moon, and stars are all hidden. No one can see anyone; black and white cannot be told apart. Then we may deceive the demon by saying heaven has been covered, and thus help Wukong succeed."

The Jade Emperor approved.

Nezha obeyed the decree and went to the North Heaven Gate, where he saw Zhenwu and explained everything. The patriarch then handed over the banner.

The day-patrol god came back to Wukong's ear and whispered, "Prince Nezha has come to help."

Wukong looked up and saw clouds circling and folding. Truly, divine aid was present.

He turned to the little devils and said, "Cover the heaven then."

The little monsters said, "If you want to cover it, cover it. Why keep mumbling and making a fuss?"

Wukong said, "I am drawing in divine breath and chanting."

The little devils stared wide-eyed to see how he would cover heaven.

Wukong tossed the false gourd into the air.

Think of it: since the gourd was only made from a hair, how heavy could it be? The wind on the mountain top carried it, drifting and turning for a good half an hour before it came down. At that very time, on the South Heaven Gate, Prince Nezha unfolded the black banner with a rustle, and sun, moon, and stars were all sealed away.

It was as though heaven and earth had been dipped in ink, and the universe had been dyed with indigo.

The two little devils cried out in alarm. "Just now it was noon. How has evening come so suddenly?"

Wukong said, "Since heaven has been covered, how could it not be evening?"

"Why is it so black now?"

"Because the sun, moon, and stars are all inside the treasure. There is no light outside, so how could it not be dark?"

The little devil asked, "Master, where are you speaking from?"

Wukong said, "Am I not right in front of you?"

The little devils reached out and felt for him.

"We can hear you speaking, but we cannot see your face. Master, what place is this?"

Wukong deceived them again. "Do not move your feet. This is on the shore of the Bohai Sea. If you miss your step and fall in, it will take you seven or eight days to reach bottom."

The little devils were terrified.

"Enough, enough. Let the heaven be uncovered. We believe you now. If we keep this up for long, we will fall into the sea and never get home."

Wukong saw that they were truly convinced, so he muttered the spell again. The prince rolled up the black banner, and already daylight stood at noon.

The little monsters laughed. "Marvelous, marvelous! Such a treasure would be worth trading for even if it were not fit for a householder's son."

Fine Ghost handed over the gourd, Quick-Wit brought out the jade vase, and both of them gave them to Wukong at once.

Wukong then passed over the false gourd in exchange.

After the trade, he did yet another trick. He pulled a hair from beneath his navel, blew upon it with immortal breath, and turned it into a copper coin.

"Little one, take this coin and buy a sheet of paper."

The little devil asked, "What for?"

Wukong said, "I will write out a contract. You have swapped your two people-catching treasures for my one heaven-covering treasure. I fear the human heart is unstable. If, after a long time, you feel regret, it will be inconvenient. So let us write it down and each keep a copy."

The little devil said, "There is no brush or ink here. Why write? Let us swear an oath instead."

Wukong asked, "How would we swear it?"

The little devil said, "If we trade our two treasures that hold people for your one treasure that holds heaven, and later regret it, may we suffer plague in all four seasons for a year."

Wukong laughed. "I will never regret it. If I do, let me also suffer plague in all four seasons."

They made the vow, and Wukong leapt away. He flicked his tail and jumped up to the South Heaven Gate, where he thanked Prince Nezha for his help with the banner. Nezha returned to court and gave back the banner to Zhenwu, which need not be told in detail.

Wukong stood in the sky and watched the little monsters below.

But how he would deal with them next, that must wait for the following chapter.