Chapter 51: The Mind-Monkey Wastes a Thousand Schemes; Water and Fire Cannot Refine the Demon

Now then: the Great Sage, empty-handed, had lost the field and taken refuge behind Golden Mountain. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he cried, "Master, I had hoped that by following you we might share the Buddha's grace together, born together and raised together, living together and cultivating together, merciful together and mindful together, our hearts joined in true accord. Who would have thought that now I stand with no staff in hand, no fist to throw, and no shoes on my feet!"

After grieving for a long while, he thought to himself, "That fiend recognized me. On the field he boasted that I was one of the sort who had made havoc in Heaven. He is certainly not an ordinary monster. He must be some star from the upper realm who has come down in a fit of longing for the world below. I had better go up and make inquiries."

The Great Sage turned on his heel, rose up on a cloud of auspicious haze, and went straight to the Southern Heavenly Gate. Looking up, he saw the Broad-Eyed Heavenly King come forward to greet him with folded hands.

"Great Sage, where are you going?"

Wukong said, "I have business with the Jade Emperor. What are you doing here?"

Broad-Eyed said, "Today it is my turn to keep watch at the Southern Gate."

Before he had finished speaking, the Four Great Marshals - Ma, Zhao, Wen, and Guan - came forward to salute him.

"Great Sage, we failed to receive you properly. Please come in for tea."

Wukong said, "I have business."

He dismissed Broad-Eyed and the four marshals and went straight through the Southern Heavenly Gate to Lingxiao Hall. There he found Zhang Daoling, Ge Xianweng, Xu Jingyang, and Qiu Hongji already waiting at the front of the hall, together with the Six Offices of the Southern Dipper and the Seven Rulers of the Northern Dipper. They all came forward to greet him and asked, "Great Sage, what has brought you here? Has the merit of escorting Tripitaka been completed?"

Wukong said, "Still early, still early. The road is long and the demons are many. Only half the work is done. Right now we are blocked at Golden Mountain and Golden Cave. There is a Rhinoceros King there who has seized Master and locked him in the cave. Old Sun went to his door and fought him, but that fellow has vast powers and snatched my Golden-Hooped Rod away. So I cannot bind the fiend.

"I suspect some evil star from Heaven has come down in a fit of longing for the world below, but I do not know where he came from. So I have come to ask the Jade Emperor to inspect the matter and see whether his discipline has slipped."

Xu Jingyang laughed. "That monkey is still as unruly as ever."

Wukong said, "I am not being unruly. Old Sun only has a firm mouth. If I do not speak plainly, I cannot get to the root of a thing."

Zhang Daoling said, "No need for further talk. Let us report at once."

Wukong thanked him and waited. Soon the four heavenly masters carried the petition into Lingxiao Hall and summoned him before the Jade Throne. The Great Sage bowed deeply and said, "Old lord, I trouble you again. Old Sun is escorting Tripitaka to the Western Heaven to seek the scriptures, and the road has been full of danger and hardship. There is no need to go into that now.

"We have come to Golden Mountain and Golden Cave, where a Rhinoceros King has seized Tripitaka and is keeping him in the cave. Old Sun went to fight him and found that the fiend had real powers. He snatched away my Golden-Hooped Rod, and so I could not bind him. I fear he may be one of Heaven's evil stars, come down in a fit of longing for the world below. That is why I have come to report. I beg Your Majesty to look into the matter, send down a command, and send troops to wipe out the demon.

"Old Sun shakes all over with fear as he makes this report."

He bowed again and said, "I have spoken."

Ge Xianweng stood nearby and laughed. "That monkey is still coming on rough and going off smooth."

Wukong said, "I would not dare. It is not rough going smooth. Old Sun has simply lost his staff, so I have to be a little firm in speech."

The Jade Emperor immediately issued a decree to the Registering Lord, ordering him to inspect all the stars in heaven and all the gods of the constellations, whether anyone had slipped down to the mortal world out of longing for it, and to report back at once.

The Registering Lord accepted the decree and went with the Great Sage to make the inspection. First they checked the wardens of the four gates. Then they checked the great and little spirits in the three enclosures. They checked the thunder generals Deng, Zhang, Xin, and Tao, and the others of the lightning divisions. At last they checked the thirty-three heavens, all in order and at peace. Then they checked the twenty-eight mansions, east, west, south, and north, and found each one settled and sound. They also checked the sun, moon, water, fire, wood, metal, and earth, and the four remaining stars, as well as the eclipsing nodes. All the stars in heaven were there; not one had slipped down to the world below.

Wukong said, "Since that is how it is, I need not go up to Lingxiao Hall and trouble the Jade Emperor. It would be most inconvenient. Please return the command and say that I will wait here for your reply."

The Registering Lord obeyed.

When he had made a full report, the Jade Emperor said, "Let Sun Wukong choose a few heavenly generals and send them down to seize the fiend."

The four heavenly masters carried the decree back out of Lingxiao Hall and said to Wukong, "Great Sage, the Jade Emperor has shown his mercy. There is no god in Heaven who has wandered down in longing. He tells you to choose a few heavenly generals and go down to capture the demon."

Wukong lowered his head and thought to himself, "There are many heavenly generals better than Old Sun, but few who are stronger. When I made havoc in Heaven, the Jade Emperor sent a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and laid nets of heaven and earth, and not one of them dared face me. It was only later that the Little Sage of the Jiao River, Erlang, became my match. But now that monster's methods are even stronger than Old Sun's. How am I to win?"

Xu Jingyang laughed. "The times are different now, and the matter is not the same. As the saying goes, one thing subdues another."

"You have already violated the decree. Do not delay or waste time. Choose your generals as you see fit."

Wukong said, "Since that is so, I thank Heaven for its favor. But if I am to go back empty-handed, I will not have earned the trouble. Please tell the Jade Emperor to send only Pagoda-Bearing Li Jing and Prince Nezha. He still has a few demon-subduing weapons. Let them go down and fight that fiend once to see what happens. If they can catch him, it will be Old Sun's good fortune. If they cannot, we will think again."

The heavenly master took up the report, and the Jade Emperor immediately ordered Li Jing and his son to lead the heavenly troops down to help Wukong. Li Jing at once came to meet him.

Wukong said to the heavenly master, "I am deeply grateful to the Jade Emperor for sending Li Jing. There is one more matter I beg you to report. If two thunder lords could be used, then when Li Jing is in battle, let the thunder gods let loose a bolt from the clouds and strike the demon on the crown of his head. That would be a fine plan."

The heavenly master laughed. "Good, good."

He went back to report, and the Jade Emperor issued another decree, ordering Deng Hua and Zhang Fan, the two Thunder Lords, to go with Li Jing and help him capture the demon and save the disaster. Then Li Jing, the Great Sage, and the thunder gods all went down through the Southern Heavenly Gate.

In no time they had arrived. Wukong said, "This mountain is Golden Mountain, and in the middle of it is Golden Cave. Which one of you wants to go first and challenge him?"

Li Jing paused his cloud and stationed the heavenly troops below the southern slope of the mountain. He said, "Great Sage, my son Nezha has long since subdued ninety-six caves of demons. He is skilled at transformation and carries demon-subduing weapons with him at all times. He should go first."

Wukong said, "If that is so, let me take the prince with me."

Nezha drew up all his heroic spirit and leaped with the Great Sage to the high mountain, going straight to the cave mouth. The gate was shut tight, and no spirit showed at the threshold. Wukong stepped forward and shouted, "You filthy fiend! Open the gate at once and return my master."

The little monster at the gate saw them and hurried to report, "Great King, Sun Wukong has brought a young child and is shouting for battle."

The demon king said, "That monkey had his staff taken from him, so he has no hand to stand against me. He must have brought reinforcements."

He called for his weapon and went out to look. The little child had an uncommon face and a powerful body. Truly he was:

A jade face, tender beauty, bright as the full moon;
red lips and a square mouth showing silver teeth.
His eyes flashed like lightning, his pupils fierce and bright;
his broad brow was clouded with a gathered knot of hair.
Embroidered sashes fluttered in the wind like burning colors;
his brocade robe flashed in the sun like gold flowers.
Bright girdle cords hung sparkling at his waist;
shining armor gleamed over his battle boots.
Small in body, yet with a voice of thunder and a heroic bearing:
this was Nezha, the fierce protector of the Three Heavens.

The monster laughed. "You are Li Jing's third son, Nezha the Prince. Why have you come here shouting at my gate?"

Nezha said, "Because you, filthy monster, are stirring trouble and trapping the holy monk from the Eastern Land. By the Jade Emperor's decree I have come to seize you."

The monster roared with anger. "So Sun Wukong sent you. I am the demon who is after that holy monk. With your little body and little skill, how dare you speak so boldly? Do not run. Take my spear."

Nezha raised his Demon-Cleaving Sword and met him head-on. The two of them had only just set to fighting when the Great Sage hurried up the mountain slope and shouted, "Where are the thunder gods? Quickly strike that monster with a thunderbolt and help the prince subdue him."

Deng and Zhang mounted their cloud-light and were about to strike when Nezha suddenly changed shape and became three-headed and six-armed, each hand holding a different weapon. He rushed at the monster and cut down at him. The monster also changed into three heads and six arms and met him with three long spears.

Nezha then sent his six weapons flying. What were they? The Demon-Cleaving Sword, the Demon-Slicing Knife, the Demon-Binding Rope, the Demon-Subduing Pestle, the embroidered ball, and the fire wheel. He shouted once, "Change!"

They changed from one to ten, ten to a hundred, a hundred to a thousand, a thousand to ten thousand, all the same sort of weapon, falling like a sudden rain of hail and ice toward the monster. The fiend did not fear them at all. With one hand he took out that white-glinting ring, tossed it into the air, and shouted, "Catch!"

With a rush, all six weapons were swept away. Nezha fled for his life with empty hands. The monster returned victorious.

Deng and Zhang laughed to themselves in the clouds. "It was lucky that we saw the lay of the fight first and did not release our thunderbolt. If it had been swept away too, how could we have faced the Heavenly Lord?"

They lowered their clouds and went with Nezha down to the southern slope. There Li Jing said, "That fiend really does have vast powers."

Wukong laughed. "His powers are only that. It is the ring that is troublesome. I do not know what treasure it is, but whenever he throws it up, it can sweep in everything."

Nezha said angrily, "Great Sage, that is a poor thing to say. We have lost our weapons and been beaten back, and you are laughing. Why are you so happy?"

Wukong said, "You say you are troubled. Do you suppose Old Sun is not troubled too? I have no plan and cannot even cry, so I have no choice but to laugh."

Li Jing said, "How are we to finish this?"

Wukong said, "However you work it out, anything the ring cannot sweep away can be seized."

Li Jing said, "What it cannot sweep away is only fire and water. As the old saying goes, water and fire are without mercy."

Wukong said, "That makes sense. Stay here and wait while I make one more trip."

Deng and Zhang asked, "What now?"

Wukong said, "Old Sun will not trouble the Jade Emperor again. I will go straight to the Tushita Palace, ask Lord Lao for help, and have him bring the Fire Virtue Star Lord to set fire to that fiend. If the fire burns the ring to ashes, we can take the monster alive. First we will get your weapons back and send them up to Heaven. Second, we may yet save my master."

Nezha was delighted. "Do not delay. Great Sage, go quickly and come back quickly. We will wait here."

Wukong rose again on auspicious light and returned to the Southern Heavenly Gate. Broad-Eyed and the four marshals came forward and asked, "Great Sage, why have you come again?"

Wukong said, "Li Jing has sent the prince into battle, but one round later the monster swept away all six of his weapons. I am now going to Tushita Palace to ask the Fire Virtue Star Lord for help."

The four marshals dared not hold him back, and he went in.

At the Tushita Palace he saw the fire gods, and one of them went in at once to report, "Sun Wukong seeks an audience with our lord."

The South Pole Fire Virtue Star Lord dressed himself and came out to meet him.

"Yesterday the Registering Lord inspected my palace and found no one who had descended in longing," he said.

Wukong said, "I know. But Li Jing and the prince have lost their battle and their weapons, so I have come to ask you for help."

The Star Lord said, "Nezha is the divine guardian of the Three Altars and the Sea Assembly. When he was born, he subdued ninety-six cave-demons. His powers are great. If he cannot do it, how could I dare hope to?"

Wukong said, "That is not the point. Li Jing and I worked it out. Between Heaven and Earth, only water and fire are the most powerful. That fiend has a ring that can sweep away all manner of objects. We do not know what sort of treasure it is. So I say fire can burn everything. I beg the Star Lord to take the fire troops down below and set the demon alight, so that my master may be saved from his trouble."

The Fire Virtue Star Lord accepted the plea, ordered the troops of his own division, and went with Wukong to the southern slope of Golden Mountain. There they met Li Jing and the thunder gods. Li Jing said, "Great Sage, go call the fiend out again. I will fight him. When he brings up the ring, I will dodge aside, and the Fire Virtue Star Lord can send his troops to burn him."

Wukong laughed. "Exactly so. Come with me."

The Fire Virtue Star Lord, the prince, and the thunder gods all stood on the high ridge and watched for battle.

Wukong went to the cave mouth again and shouted, "Open the gate! Hurry and return my master!"

The little monster ran in and reported, "Sun Wukong has come again."

The fiend led his troops out of the cave. Seeing Wukong, he sneered, "You wretched monkey, who have you invited now?"

At that moment Li Jing shouted from the other side, "You filthy monster, do you know me?"

The monster laughed. "Li Jing, I suppose you have come to avenge your son and take back your weapons."

Li Jing said, "There is revenge to settle and weapons to recover. Do not run. Taste my sword."

The fiend twisted away, raised his long spear, and met him.

The two of them fought a fierce battle before the cave:

The king's blade chopped, the monster's spear met it;
the blade flashed with frost and flung out fire, the spear returned with sharp-edged cloud.
One was a foul fiend born of Golden Mountain; one was a heavenly god sent down from Lingxiao Hall.
One used his power to bully a monk, one brought justice for his master's trouble.
The heavenly king moved his spell and sent stone and sand flying; the monster fought back and raised earth and dust.
Dust darkened heaven and earth, sand blurred the rivers and streams.
Both sides strained for merit, each for the sake of Tripitaka's bow before the World-Honored One.

As soon as the Great Sage saw them fighting, he turned and leaped to the high ridge, where he said to the Fire Virtue Star Lord, "Let the South Fire division take care and watch closely."

The monster and the heavenly king were fighting just at the right pitch when the fiend took out the ring again. Li Jing saw it and at once drew back his auspicious cloud, defeated and in retreat.

The Fire Virtue Star Lord on the ridge gave a swift order, and the fire gods all set their weapons loose. This battle was a fearsome one. Truly:

The scriptures say, "The south is the essence of fire." Even the smallest spark can burn ten thousand qing of fields; how much more the power of the three energies, which can change fire into a hundred forms. There were fire guns, fire knives, fire bows, and fire arrows, all in the hands of different spirits. Fire crows flew and screamed overhead; fire horses galloped across the mountain tops. Red rats paired off, fire dragons paired off. The red rats spat fierce flame, turning ten thousand li crimson; the fire dragons breathed thick smoke, turning ten directions black. Fire carts rolled, fire gourds scattered. Fire banners shook into a sky of red haze; fire staffs churned up a ground of blazing scatter. Do not speak of Ningtis beating the ox or of Zhou Yu at Red Cliff. This was heaven's own fire, and it was no ordinary blaze.

But the monster had no fear of fire. He tossed the ring into the air again with a single cry, and with a rush he swept up the fire dragons, fire horses, fire crows, fire rats, fire guns, fire knives, fire bows, and fire arrows all at once. He carried them back into his cave and retired with victory.

The Fire Virtue Star Lord stood there with only an empty banner in his hand. He gathered back his troops and joined Li Jing on the southern slope. "Great Sage, this fiend is truly rare. I have now lost all my fire gear. What is to be done?"

Wukong laughed. "No need to complain. Wait here a while. Old Sun will go once more."

Li Jing said, "Where are you going now?"

Wukong said, "Since that monster is not afraid of fire, he must certainly fear water. As the saying goes, water overcomes fire. I will go to the North Heavenly Gate and ask the Water Virtue Star Lord to bring his forces down and flood his cave. We will drown the monster and take back your weapons."

Li Jing said, "The plan is clever enough, but I fear your master will be drowned too."

Wukong said, "No matter. If my master is drowned, I have my own way to bring him back to life. It is rude of me to keep you waiting here."

The Fire Virtue Star Lord said, "If that is so, go quickly."

The Great Sage mounted his somersault cloud and went straight to the North Heavenly Gate. Broad-Eyed Heavenly King met him there and asked, "Great Sage, where are you bound?"

Wukong said, "I need to go to the Water Palace and see the Water Virtue Star Lord. What are you doing here?"

Broad-Eyed said, "Today it is my turn to keep watch."

Just then Pang, Liu, Gou, and Bi came forward to offer their bows and tea.

Wukong said, "No need, no need. I am in a hurry."

He took leave of the gate gods and went straight to the Water Palace, where the water officials were told to announce him at once.

The officials reported, "The Great Sage Equal to Heaven Sun Wukong has arrived."

The Water Virtue Star Lord heard this and sent away the rulers and dragon kings of the four seas, five lakes, eight rivers, four great streams, three major rivers, and nine branches. Then he straightened his cap and belt, came out of the palace gate, and welcomed Wukong inside.

"Yesterday the Registering Lord inspected my palace," he said, "and I was still checking the gods of the rivers and seas. There was no one who had descended in longing."

Wukong said, "That monster is not a river god. He is a spirit of great wideness and strength. First the Jade Emperor sent Li Jing and his son, together with two thunder gods, to seize him. The fiend used that ring of his and swept away all six divine weapons. Then I went to the Tushita Palace and asked the Fire Virtue Star Lord to send fire, but he swept away all the fire dragons, fire horses, and fire weapons with a single toss of the ring.

"I reasoned that since he was not afraid of fire, he must be afraid of water. So I have come to ask the Star Lord to raise the flood, help me capture the fiend, return the heavenly generals their weapons, and save my master's life."

The Water Virtue Star Lord accepted the plea and ordered the Yellow River Water Marquis to go with the Great Sage and help with the work. The Water Marquis drew a white jade bowl from his sleeve and said, "I have this vessel for carrying water."

Wukong said, "How much can it hold? How could it drown a monster?"

The Water Marquis said, "To tell the truth, Great Sage, this bowlful is the Yellow River. Half a bowl is half a river. One bowl is one whole river."

Wukong was delighted. "Half a bowl is enough."

So he took his leave of the Water Virtue Star Lord and went out of Heaven with the Yellow River god.

The Water Marquis filled the jade bowl with half a bowl of Yellow River water and followed the Great Sage back to Golden Mountain. On the southern slope he met Li Jing, the prince, the thunder gods, and the Fire Virtue Star Lord, and explained what had happened.

Wukong said, "No need to explain in detail. Let the Water Marquis come with me. When I call the gate open, do not wait for him to come out. Pour the water straight into the door. The whole nest of monsters will surely drown. I will go in and fetch my master's body, and then I can revive him at once."

The Water Marquis obeyed and followed close behind as Wukong turned around the slope and went straight to the cave mouth.

"Monster, open the gate!"

The little monster at the gate heard Sun the Great Sage's voice and hurried to report, "Sun Wukong has come again!"

The fiend came out with his treasure and spear. The stone gate opened with a crash. The Water Marquis tipped the white jade bowl and poured. The monster saw the water, dropped his spear at once, and hurriedly took out the ring to block the second gate. But the water still rose and rolled, pouring back out in a great surge. Sun Wukong was so alarmed that he leaped with a somersault, and the Water Marquis jumped up to the high ridge.

Li Jing and the others floated their clouds and stood before the ridge to watch. The water below surged and expanded in wild waves. It was no ordinary flood.

One bowlful of water, and already its force was beyond measuring. Only divine power could set it in motion and make it spread to a hundred rivers. The sound of it shook the ravines; the waves roared up to heaven. Its power was like thunder running loose, its torrent like a snowstorm turned upside down. A thousand zhang of water rose over the road, and ten thousand layers of waves struck the rocks. It rippled cold as rinsed jade, and rolled like a plucked string. Against the stones it burst into white fragments; in the backwash it spun into round whirlpools. It flowed low and high alike, and every ditch and gully became one with the stream.

Wukong looked at it and cried, "Bad! The water is flooding the fields and drowning the people. It has not entered his cave at all. What now?"

He called to the Water Marquis to stop the water at once.

The Water Marquis said, "This little god knows how to let water out, but not how to call it back. As the saying goes, spilled water is hard to gather."

The mountain itself was steep and high, so the flood simply ran to the low places. Before long it had drained back into the gullies and ravines.

Then a few little monsters leaped out of the cave entrance, shouting and brandishing their fists, sleeves rolled and staffs in hand, still happy and at ease.

Li Jing said, "The water never entered the cave. All that trouble for nothing."

Wukong could not hold back his anger. He flung up his fists, charged to the demon king's gate, and shouted, "Where are you going? Take this!"

The little monsters were frightened out of their wits. They dropped their spears and clubs and ran back inside to report, "Great King, disaster! They are beating their way in!"

The fiend lifted his long spear and came out to meet him. "You wretched monkey, you are truly shameless. So many times you have been no match for me, and now even water and fire cannot get near me. Why are you here again to throw away your life?"

Wukong said, "You have it backward. Who is throwing away a life - me, or you? Come here and take a punch from your old grandfather."

The monster laughed. "This monkey really is a pest. I use a spear, and he wants to use his fists. That little bone fist of his is only the size of a walnut. How can he call that a hammer? Very well. I will lay aside my spear and go a round with you hand to hand."

Wukong said, "Good enough. Come on."

The monster tucked up his robe, stepped forward, and took a stance, raising both fists like a pair of iron hammers. The Great Sage moved his feet and body with quick, shifting steps, opening and closing his fist-work before the cave gate. It was a fine exchange.

He shifted into wide-rooted stances, snapped out flying kicks, and struck with elbow, chest, and shoulder. He pointed like an immortal, rode his hips like Laozi on a crane. A starving tiger pounced with the force to wound, and a dragon at play in the water could be fierce indeed. The monster used a serpent roll; Wukong answered with a deer-horn slip. One sprang with toes striking the ground like a dragon's claws; the other twisted his wrists like a sky hook. A green lion opened its mouth; a carp rolled over its back. He struck with a blossom sweep and wound around the waist like a rope. One moved like a fan in the wind, one like a sudden rain beating down flowers. The monster used a Guanyin palm; Wukong answered with Luohan legs. Long palms spread open with ease; short fists were all snap and sudden force. They held each other for several dozen rounds, and neither had the upper hand.

The two of them were still fighting at the cave gate when Li Jing up on the high ridge shouted his approval and the Fire Virtue Star Lord clapped and praised them. Deng and Zhang, together with Nezha, urged the heavenly troops forward to help. On the other side, the monsters shook their banners and pounded their drums, swinging swords and spears to defend their master. Seeing that things were turning bad, the Great Sage plucked a handful of hairs, blew them into the air, and cried, "Change!"

At once they turned into thirty or fifty little monkeys, who rushed forward and swarmed the monster, some clinging to his legs, some pulling his waist, some clawing at his eyes, some plucking at his fur.

The fiend was startled and quickly took out his ring. Seeing the ring set to catch everything, the Great Sage and the others turned their clouds and fled up the ridge, escaping the net. The monster tossed the ring high. With one crash, it swept up the thirty or fifty hair-changed little monkeys and restored them to their true form, taking them back into the cave. He won the field and closed the gate to celebrate.

Nezha said, "Sun the Great Sage is still a true man. That round of fistwork was as lovely as flowers on brocade, and the split-body trick was the very sign of standing out before men."

Wukong laughed. "What do you think of that fiend's power?"

Li Jing said, "His fists are loose and his feet are slow. He is not as quick and tight as the Great Sage. When he saw us coming, he was already in a hurry. Then when you used your split-body trick, he panicked and pulled out that ring."

Wukong said, "The monster is easy enough to handle. The ring is the hard part."

The Fire Virtue Star Lord and the Water Marquis said, "If we are to win, we must first get hold of that treasure. Only then can the fiend be seized."

Wukong said, "How am I to get it? I would have to steal it."

Deng and Zhang laughed. "If anyone can do a stealthy job, it is Great Sage. Think of the old days when you raised havoc in Heaven: stealing the imperial wine, stealing the peaches from the Queen Mother's orchard, stealing dragon liver, phoenix marrow, and Lord Lao's elixir. What a hand you had then! Today is the time to use it."

Wukong said, "Easy enough. Since that is so, wait here while I go and find out more."

The Great Sage leaped down from the ridge and came secretly to the cave mouth. He shook himself and turned into a tiny gray fly. Truly he was delicate and nimble:

His wings were thin as bamboo skin; his body was smaller than the heart of a flower.
His feet and legs were finer than hairs; his eyes were bright as stars.
He knew how to smell fragrance and follow a scent, and when he flew he rode the wind at once.
Small as he was, he was still worthy of a proper weighing, and useful enough indeed.

He flew lightly onto the gate and crawled to the crack. Then he slipped inside.

There he saw the great and small monsters all singing, dancing, and eating. The old demon king sat high on the platform, and before him were bowls of snake meat, deer jerky, bear paws, camel hump, mountain greens, and fruit. There was a celadon wine pot, fragrant sheep's cheese and coconut wine, and great bowls for free drinking.

Wukong landed among the little monsters and turned into a badger-headed spirit. He moved slowly toward the platform and looked all around, but he could not see where the treasure was stored.

He slipped behind the platform and saw a rear hall where fire dragons were hanging and calling, and fire horses were neighing.

He looked up and saw his Golden-Hooped Rod leaning against the east wall. So pleased was he that his heart itched and he could not restrain himself. Forgetting all caution, he walked forward, took up the iron staff, resumed his true form, and opened a path by brute force, beating his way out.

The whole swarm of monsters was frightened out of its wits, and the old demon king was caught flat-footed. Wukong shoved three down, knocked two flat, and opened a bloody road straight out of the gate.

This is what the poem says:

The demon's pride left him careless, and the master's rod returned to its master.

But how it all ended is another matter; that must wait for the next chapter.