Chapter 79: Seeking the Cave and Capturing the Demon; Meeting the Star of Longevity; The True Ruler Saves the Infants

The brocade-clad officers dragged the fake Tripitaka out of the hostel and, with the imperial guards all around him, escorted him straight to the palace gate. There they said to the eunuch, "We have brought Tripitaka here. Please report it to the throne."

The eunuch hurried inside and, speaking as they had told him, made his memorial to the foolish king. The king then sent for him to be brought in.

The ministers all knelt on the steps, but the fake Tripitaka stood upright in the middle of them and cried in a loud voice, "Why has the Bhikshu King invited this poor monk?"

The king said with a smile, "I have long been ill and have not recovered. Happily, your father-in-law has given me a prescription, and the medicine is already prepared in full. Only one ingredient remains as a draught to lead it down. I have specially invited the reverend master to ask for that medicine guide. If I recover, I will build a shrine for you and make offerings in all four seasons, so that your incense and candles will endure forever in my kingdom."

The fake Tripitaka said, "I am only a monk. I came here alone. I do not know what it is that Your Majesty has asked the father-in-law for as the guide."

The foolish king said, "We are asking the reverend master for his heart."

The fake Tripitaka said, "To tell Your Majesty the truth, a heart can come in several colors. I do not know which kind you want."

The father-in-law, standing by, pointed and said, "Monk, he wants your black heart."

The fake Tripitaka said, "If that is so, bring me a knife at once. I will split open my chest and belly. If there is a black heart, I will certainly obey."

The king was delighted and thanked him. He ordered the chamberlain to fetch a short ox-ear knife and handed it to the fake monk.

The fake monk took the knife, loosened his robe, lifted his chest, smoothed his left hand over his belly, and held the knife in his right. With a ripping sound he split open his belly, and there was a great rolling mass of hearts within. The civil officials turned pale and the military men went numb with shock.

The father-in-law on the hall said, "This is a monk of many hearts."

The fake monk lifted those hearts, one by one dripping with blood, and showed them to everyone. They were all red hearts, white hearts, yellow hearts, miserly hearts, profit-seeking hearts, jealous hearts, calculating hearts, competitive hearts, aspiring hearts, contemptuous hearts, murderous hearts, vicious hearts, frightened hearts, cautious hearts, wicked and wandering hearts, hearts of nameless hidden darkness, and all sorts of unwholesome hearts. There was not a single black heart among them.

The foolish king was so frightened that he stood there dazed and speechless, shivering all over, and ordered, "Put them away, put them away."

The fake Tripitaka could not bear it any longer. He gathered in his magic heart, resumed his true form, and said to the king, "Your Majesty has no eye for people at all. Monks like us are all one good heart. Only your father-in-law is the one with a black heart, and he would make the proper medicine guide. If you do not believe me, let me take it out for you and show you."

When the father-in-law heard that, he opened his eyes wide and looked closely. Only then did he see that the monk had changed his face and was not the same figure as before.

Ah! It was Sun Wukong of old, a famous name from five hundred years ago.

He turned away and rose on the wind, but Wukong somersaulted after him and leaped into the sky, shouting, "Where are you going? Taste my staff!"

The father-in-law met him with his coiled-dragon staff. Those two fought a fine battle in midair:

The Ruyi Jingu Bang and the coiled-dragon staff met amid a sheet of clouded sky.
The father-in-law was in truth a demon, and so he hid his strange daughter under a tender face.
The king's lust brought sickness on his body, while the demon sought to butcher children.
The Great Sage showed his divine might and captured the monster, rescuing the people from disaster.
The iron staff came down with fierce force, and the cane rose to meet it in praise.
They fought until the mist darkened the city and the whole place lost its color.
The civil ministers' souls flew away, the consorts and embroidered maids all changed face.
The bhikshu-foolish king was so alarmed that he hid himself in confusion, shivering and shaken.
The staff rose like a tiger leaping from the mountain; the cane whirled like a dragon leaving the sea.
This time the Biqiu kingdom was thrown into uproar, and right and wrong became clear at last.

The demon and Wukong fought for more than twenty rounds, but the coiled-dragon staff could not withstand the Golden-Hooped Rod. The demon made a false motion, changed himself into a streak of cold light, and dropped into the inner palace, where he carried the tribute queen away from the hall gate and vanished, still as cold light, no one knew where.

The Great Sage lowered his cloud and came down before the palace hall. To the ministers he said, "Your good father-in-law there!"

The ministers all bowed and thanked the holy monk.

Wukong said, "Do not bow yet. Go look for your foolish ruler first."

The ministers said, "When our lord saw the struggle, he was frightened and hid himself. We do not know which palace he has gone into."

Wukong immediately ordered, "Search quickly. Do not let the beauty queen be carried off too."

The ministers heard this and, without distinction of inside or outside, ran with the Great Sage first to the beauty queen's palace. But there was no trace there either, and the beauty queen herself had also disappeared.

The main queen, the eastern queen, the western queen, and all the women of the six courts came to thank the Great Sage.

Wukong said, "Please rise. This is not yet the place for thanks. Go find your sovereign."

Before long four or five eunuchs came supporting the foolish king from behind the Upright Body Hall. The ministers all prostrated themselves and cried in unison, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Thanks to the holy monk's arrival, good and bad have now been made clear.

"The father-in-law was a demon, and the beauty queen has also disappeared."

When the king heard that, he immediately invited Wukong out of the inner palace and into the treasure hall, where he bowed in thanks and said, "Reverend master, you were so handsome this morning. Why have you changed your face now?"

Wukong laughed. "To tell Your Majesty the truth, the one who came this morning was my master, Tripitaka, the Tang king's younger brother. I am his disciple Sun Wukong. I have two junior brothers, Zhu Wuneng and Sha Wujing, and they are now at the Golden-Pavilion Hostel. Since I knew you had believed the demon's lies and meant to take my master's heart for a medicine guide, I changed into my master's form and came here myself to subdue the fiend."

When the king heard this, he immediately sent orders for the grand ministers to go at once to the hostel and invite the monkly party to court.

Tripitaka, hearing that Wukong had revealed himself and was subduing the demon in midair, was so terrified that his soul nearly fled his body. Happily, Bajie and Sha Wujing protected him, and his face was still coated with a layer of stinking mud.

He sat there in unhappy gloom until he heard a voice call out, "Holy master, we are the king's grand ministers. Please come to court and receive thanks."

Bajie laughed. "Master, do not be afraid. This is not another request to take your heart. It must be that senior brother has won, and they want to thank you."

Tripitaka said, "Even if it is a victory invitation, how can I show my face with this filthy mud on it?"

Bajie said, "There is no help for it. Let us go and see senior brother first. There will be some explanation."

So the elder had no choice. He went with Bajie and Sha Wujing, while they carried the luggage and led the horse, and they followed the ministers to the hostel hall. The grand ministers looked at them and grew afraid.

"Oh! They look like fiends and demons!" they cried.

Sha Wujing said, "My lords, do not blame our ugliness. We are born this way. As for my master, if he comes to meet my senior brother, he will be handsome."

The three of them went together with the officials to court. They did not wait for a summons but went straight up to the hall below. Wukong saw them, turned and came down the steps, and with one hand wiped the mud from his master's face. He blew a breath of immortal air and cried, "Change!"

Tripitaka at once resumed his true form, and his spirit grew brighter and more lively than before.

The king came down from the hall to receive him in person, calling him "holy master, old Buddha."

The pilgrims tied up the horse and went up to the hall together to meet him.

Wukong said, "Your Majesty, do you know where that monster came from? Let Old Sun go and capture him for you so that no trouble remains."

The three palaces and six courts, the consorts and concubines, all stood behind the jade screen and heard Wukong say that he would remove future trouble. They did not avoid the question of inside and outside, men and women, but all came forward together and knelt to beg him.

They said, "We beg the holy monk, old Buddha, to use your great power and cut the weed down to the root, so that he may be destroyed completely. That would truly be a boundless kindness, which we will surely repay."

Wukong quickly returned the courtesy and only asked where the king said the demon lived.

The king said, with shame, "Three years ago, when he came, I asked him. He said he did not live far from the city, only seventy li south of here, in the Qinghua Manor of Willow-Ridge Slope. The father-in-law was old and childless, and only his younger wife had given birth to a daughter, now sixteen years old and not yet married. He wished to present her to me. Because I loved the girl, I accepted her and kept her favored in the palace. Then I unexpectedly fell ill, and the court physicians had no cure.

"He said, 'I have an immortal prescription, and it only needs a broth of children's hearts as a guide.' I was unworthy and believed him lightly, so I selected children from the common people and set today at noon for the knife to be opened and their hearts removed. I did not expect the holy monk to descend and, by chance, make the cages disappear altogether. Then he said that because you had cultivated truth for ten lifetimes and your original yang had never leaked away, your heart would be worth ten thousand times more than a child's. It was a mistake, and I did not know the holy monk had already seen through the demon. I dare hope you will use your great power to cut off the future trouble, and I will repay you with all the wealth of the kingdom."

Wukong laughed. "To be honest, the children in the cages were hidden by my compassionate master. But do not speak of wealth and thanks. Once I have caught the demon, that will be my merit."

He called, "Bajie, follow me."

Bajie said, "I obey, brother, but I am empty in the belly and not much use for a hard fight."

The king immediately issued orders for the Court of Imperial Feasts to prepare vegetarian food at once. In no time the meal arrived. Bajie ate his fill, shook himself, and went with Wukong into the clouds. The king, the empresses, and the civil and military officials were all so frightened that they bowed toward the sky and said, "A true immortal, a true Buddha, has descended to the mortal world!"

The Great Sage led Bajie straight south for seventy li, lowered the wind and clouds, and searched for the demon's place. They only saw a clear stream, with willow trees lining both banks and countless millions of them. They still could not tell where Qinghua Manor was. Truly:

Ten thousand acres of wild fields could not be fully seen, and a thousand embankments of misty willows hid every trace.

Wukong searched and could not find it. He pinched a spell and spoke the true sound of "Om," calling forth the local Earth God. The Earth God came trembling forward and knelt. "Great Sage, this is the Earth God of Willow-Ridge Slope."

Wukong said, "Do not be afraid. I will not strike you. I ask you: where is Qinghua Manor on Willow-Ridge Slope?"

The Earth God said, "There is a Qinghua Cave here, but there is no Qinghua Manor. I know that the Great Sage must have come from Biqiu Kingdom."

Wukong said, "Exactly. The king of Biqiu was deceived by a demon. I went there, saw that it was a demon, and fought it back. It changed into a streak of cold light and vanished. When I asked the king of Biqiu, he said that three years ago, when the beauty was brought in, he asked where the demon lived, and the monster said he lived at Qinghua Manor on Willow-Ridge Slope, seventy li south of the city. Now I have come here and found only the willow slope, not Qinghua Manor, so I ask you."

The Earth God bowed low. "May the Great Sage forgive me. The king of Biqiu is also my lord, and I should have watched more closely. But the demon has such great divine power and magic that if I leaked his affairs, he would come and bully me. That is why I have not been able to report it. Great Sage, go now to the root of the lone poplar on the nine-branch point of the south bank. Turn left three times, turn right three times, slap the tree with both hands, and call 'Open the door' three times. At once Qinghua Cave will appear."

When Wukong heard this, he sent the Earth God back and leaped across the stream with Bajie to look for the poplar. Sure enough, it had nine branching forks all growing from one root. Wukong instructed Bajie, "Stand far away for now. When I call the door open and find the demon, I will drive him out, and you can take up the chase."

Bajie obeyed and stood half a li from the tree. Wukong did as the Earth God had said: he circled the root three times left, three times right, slapped the tree with both hands, and shouted, "Open the door! Open the door!"

In an instant there was a loud crash, and the doors flew open in a rush. The tree itself vanished.

Inside there was bright radiance and rosy color, and no sign of people or smoke. Wukong followed his divine power and forced his way in. It was a very fine place:

Mist and rosy clouds shone bright, and the sun and moon lost some of their light. White clouds came often out of the cave, and green moss spread in wild growth across the courtyard. A path of strange flowers vied in color, and all the steps were lined with jade grasses and fragrant herbs. The air was warm and springlike, as though this were a fairy garden no less than the Isles of the Blest. Slippery benches clung to long vines, and level bridges hung with tangled creepers. Bees carried red petals into the rocky grotto, and butterflies played in hidden orchids beyond the stone screen.

Wukong hurried in and looked carefully at the front, where he saw four large characters on the stone screen: "Qinghua Immortal Manor."

He could not hold back. He leaped over the screen and looked inside, and there he saw the old demon embracing a beauty in his arms, panting hard and talking about the Biqiu affair. The two of them cried at once, "A good chance has come! Three years' work can be finished today. It was broken up by that monkey-head."

Wukong rushed forward, drew his staff, and shouted, "You hairy clods! What good chance? Taste my staff!"

The old demon dropped the beauty, raised his coiled-dragon staff, and hurried to block the blow. Those two fought before the cave, and this battle was even fiercer than the first:

The staff rose and burst into golden light, and the cane whirled with savage air.
The demon cried, "You dare come brazenly into my gate."
Wukong cried, "I have come with a mind to subdue demons."
The demon cried, "I love the king, and that has nothing to do with you. Why do you interfere?"
Wukong cried, "A monk who cultivates government and teaching must be compassionate, and cannot bear to see children put to death."
Words rose against words, each side burning with hatred; the staff met the cane at the heart of the fight.
They crushed the strange flowers underfoot and kicked up the slippery green moss.
The cave's rosy brightness was dimmed, and all the fragrant blossoms on the cliffs were pressed down.
Birds could not fly in the clatter and shock, and the beauty in the cave was startled apart.
Only the old demon and the Monkey King remained, while a crazy wind swirled across the ground.
Just as they fought their way toward the gate, Bajie, in his foolish spirit, came into the fray.

Bajie had been waiting outside. Hearing the shouting inside, he was so excited that his hands itched. He drew the rake and toppled the nine-branch poplar, then struck it again and again until fresh blood poured out and it seemed to cry. "This tree has become a spirit! This tree has become a spirit!"

Just as he was about to strike again, Wukong led the demon out. The Foolish One did not bother with words; he rushed up and struck with the rake.

The old demon had already found Wukong hard to handle, and now, seeing Bajie's rake, he panicked even more and lost the fight. He shook himself and changed into a streak of cold light, fleeing eastward. The two of them would not let him go and chased him to the east.

At that very moment there came again the cry of cranes and the radiance of auspicious clouds. Looking up, they saw the Star of Longevity of the South Pole.

The old man held the cold light in place and called out, "Great Sage, slow down. Tianpeng, do not chase. This old Daoist is here to pay respects."

Wukong returned the bow at once. "Brother Star of Longevity, where have you come from?"

Bajie laughed. "The old man with the meat face has pinned down the cold light. He must have caught the demon."

The Star of Longevity said with a smile, "Here he is, here he is. I beg both of you to spare his life."

Wukong said, "The old demon has nothing to do with you, so why are you pleading for him?"

The Star of Longevity smiled. "He was one of my riding beasts. He escaped without my noticing and became this demon."

Wukong said, "If he is your property, then let us see his true form."

The Star of Longevity at once released the cold light and shouted, "Wretch! Resume your true form at once, and I will spare your life."

The monster turned once around and was revealed to be a white deer. The Star of Longevity picked up his staff and said, "This wretch even stole my staff too."

The deer lay prostrate on the ground, unable to speak, and only kept bowing with tears streaming down. He looked like this:

His body was dappled like white jade, and his antlers spread in seven crooked branches.
For years of hunger he had learned to search herb gardens; in thirsty seasons he drank from the flowing clouds.
Long years had taught him to soar, and over time he had perfected a face that could transform.
Now that his master had called him, he showed himself and pressed his ears down in the dust.

The Star of Longevity thanked Wukong and mounted the deer to leave. Wukong grabbed him and said, "Brother, wait a moment. There are two more matters not yet finished."

The Star of Longevity said, "What more is unfinished?"

Wukong said, "There is still the beauty queen, and I do not know what sort of monster she is. I must also go with you to the kingdom of Biqiu and show her true form so the king can receive an answer."

The Star of Longevity said, "If that is so, I will wait. You and Tianpeng go down into the cave and capture the beauty queen. Then we can go together and reveal the true forms."

Wukong said, "Brother, wait a little. We will be back at once."

Bajie shook himself and followed Wukong straight into Qinghua Immortal Manor, shouting, "Capture the demon! Capture the demon!"

The beauty queen, trembling all over, could not escape. Then she heard the shouting swell louder and louder, so she turned back inside the stone screen and found no rear door to flee through. Bajie shouted, "Where do you think you are going? You stinking spirit who tricks men, taste my rake!"

The beauty queen had no weapon in hand and could not meet the attack. She slipped away and turned into a streak of cold light, running for the exit. The Great Sage blocked the light with one staff blow. The creature could not hold its footing, fell into the dust, and revealed her true form, which was a white-faced fox.

The Foolish One could not hold back his hands. He raised the rake and gave her a blow on the head. Alas, the beauty that could have overturned a kingdom and a city, with her thousand-fold smiles, was reduced to a furry fox creature.

Wukong called out, "Do not smash her. Leave this body whole so she can be shown to the foolish king."

The Foolish One, not caring about filth, seized the tail and dragged her along, following Wukong out the door.

There stood the old Star of Longevity, stroking the deer's head and scolding it. "You wretch! Why did you betray your master and flee here to become a monster? If I had not come, the Great Sage would certainly have beaten you to death."

Wukong leaped out and asked, "Brother, what are you saying?"

The Star of Longevity said, "I am talking to the deer. I am talking to the deer."

Bajie threw the dead fox down before the deer and asked, "Is this your daughter?"

The deer nodded his head and stretched out his muzzle to sniff it several times. He gave a low cry, as though he could not bear to part with it.

The Star of Longevity smacked him on the head. "Wretch! It is enough that I have spared your life. Why do you keep sniffing at her?"

He took off his robe sash, bound it around the deer's neck, and led him up. "Great Sage, I will now go with you to the kingdom of Biqiu."

Wukong said, "Wait. Let us sweep this place clean first, so that no demons can grow back later."

When Bajie heard that, he raised his rake and smashed at the willow trees in all directions.

Wukong then muttered the true "Om" sound and again called forth the local Earth God. He said, "Find some dry firewood and light a fierce fire. Clear away the demon's evil from this place once and for all."

The Earth God turned at once. The yin wind rose in gusts, and he led the yin soldiers to fetch last year's dry and withered grass, autumn grass, smartweed, mountain herb stems, mugwort brushwood, dragon-bone wood, and reed stalks, all fully dried from the year before. They caught fire as if they had been soaked in oil.

Wukong said, "Bajie, do not bother with the trees. Just use this to fill the cave and set it on fire until everything is burned clean."

Once the fire began, it truly turned the whole Qinghua demon dwelling into a fire pit.

Only then did they dismiss the Earth God and, with the Star of Longevity leading the deer and dragging the fox, all returned to the palace steps.

Wukong said to the king, "Is this your beauty queen? Would you like to play around with her?"

The king trembled all over.

Then he saw the Great Sage leading the Star of Longevity and the white deer up to the hall, and the king, the ministers, and the consorts all knelt at once in fright.

Wukong stepped forward, took hold of the king, and laughed. "Do not bow to me yet. This deer is your father-in-law. Bow to him instead."

The king was ashamed beyond measure and could only say, "I thank the holy monk for saving the little children of my kingdom. It is truly Heaven's grace."

He immediately ordered the Court of Imperial Feasts to prepare a vegetarian banquet and opened the East Hall wide to invite the Star of Longevity and Tripitaka's four pilgrims to sit together in thanks.

Tripitaka paid respects to the Star of Longevity, and Sha Wujing did the same. They all asked, "Since the white deer belongs to the Star of Longevity, how did he come here to do harm?"

The Star of Longevity laughed. "Earlier, the Emperor of the Eastern Pure Realm visited my poor mountain. I kept him to play chess, and before the game was finished, this wretch ran away. When the guest left, I went looking for him but could not find him. So I counted with my fingers and learned he had run here. I came in person to look for him, and then I happened to meet the Great Sage showing his power. If I had come any later, this beast would have been done for."

They had not yet finished when a report came in: "The banquet is ready."

The vegetarian feast was splendid:

Five colors filled the hall, and strange fragrance filled the whole room.
Embroidered table hangings shone with brocade; red carpets shone with rosy light.
Within the braised duck dishes, sandalwood smoke curled up; before the imperial table, the vegetable dishes were fragrant and fresh.
On the platters, tall fruit towers were built like pavilions, and sugar dragons twined around beasts.
Sugar cakes in the shapes of mandarin ducks and lions looked exactly like the real things; sugar cups and sugar ladles in the shapes of parrots and herons seemed alive.
Every fruit on the table was full and plentiful; every dish was finely prepared.
Round chestnuts and fresh lychees and peaches were piled high.
Dates, persimmons, pine nuts, and grapes gave off a rich, sweet smell.
There were many kinds of honey sweets and steamed pastries.
Fried, sugared, and flower-shaped dishes were stacked in glittering heaps.
Great buns were piled high in golden platters, and fragrant rice sat in silver bowls.
Spicy soups, long noodle threads, mushrooms, wood ear fungus, tender bamboo shoots, and yellow flowers filled the whole spread.
Ten-flavor vegetarian dishes and a hundred rare delicacies were beyond counting.
There was no pause in moving to and fro, and every kind of dish was amply provided.

The seating was arranged: the Star of Longevity in the first seat, the elder in the second, the king in front, and Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing on the side. Two or three other masters also sat nearby.

The king took up a purple-gold cup and offered wine to each in turn. Tripitaka alone would not drink. Bajie said to Wukong, "Brother, let the fruit go to you. As for soup and rice, please let me have them to my fill."

The Foolish One did not care about order and fell upon the food all at once, eating everything that came to him until nothing was left.

When the banquet was done, the Star of Longevity took his leave. The king again came forward and knelt before him, asking for the methods of health and long life. The Star of Longevity laughed. "I came searching for the deer and did not bring any elixir. I could teach you methods of self-cultivation, but your sinews are weak and your spirit is worn, so you cannot refine the elixir now. I only have three dates in my sleeve. They were offered with tea to the Emperor of the Eastern Pure Realm, and I did not eat them. I will give them to you."

The king swallowed them and gradually felt his body grow light and his illness retreat.

All who later obtained long life traced it back to this.

Bajie saw this and called out, "Old Star, you have fiery dates. Give me some to eat!"

The Star of Longevity said, "I did not bring any. I will send you a few jin another day."

Then he left the East Hall, thanked them, cried to the white deer once, and mounted it to ride away on the clouds.

The king, the consorts, and all the people in the city bowed in worship, so there is no need to speak further of them.

Tripitaka said, "Disciples, pack up. We must take our leave of the king."

The king still begged them to stay and instruct him further.

Wukong said, "Your Majesty, from this point on, desire should be kept low and hidden merit should be gathered more often. In all things, make up for weakness with length, and that will be enough to cast off illness and extend life. That is the teaching."

He then took out two platters of loose gold and broken silver and offered them as travel expenses. Tripitaka firmly declined and would not accept a single coin.

The king had no choice. He ordered the royal carriage to be brought out and invited Tripitaka to sit in the phoenix carriage and dragon chariot. The king and the consorts all pushed the wheels and turned the axles themselves to send him out of court. The six streets and three markets, the common people and city folk, all brought clear water in cups and burned true incense to see him off out of the city.

Suddenly there came a wind in the sky, and on both sides of the road one thousand one hundred and eleven wicker cages fell from above. Inside were children crying. In the darkness, the former guardians of the city god, the Earth God, the local shrine deities, the true officials, the Five Regions' Revealer, the Four Time Functionaries, the Six Ding and Six Jia, and the protective guardians all cried out in one voice, "Great Sage, we did as you ordered before and carried off the children's wicker cages. Now that we know the Great Sage's work is complete and you are setting out, we return them all."

The king, the consorts, and the ministers all bowed again.

Wukong looked up and said, "Much trouble to you all. Please each return to your shrines. I will have the common people make offerings and thank you."

The wind rustled and swept them away.

Wukong called for the city folk to come and claim the children. News spread at once, and everyone hurried out to identify the children in the cages. They were overjoyed. They hugged the children and cried out, "Brother! My little flesh and blood!" They jumped and laughed and all said, "Hold on to the Tang dynasty lord and come to my house so I can thank him for saving my child."

Young and old alike, whether boys or girls, cared nothing for the pilgrims' ugly faces. They lifted Zhu Bajie, hoisted Sha Wujing, carried Sun Wukong on their shoulders, tossed Tripitaka in the air, led the horse, and bore the luggage, all in a great crowd back to the city.

The king could not stop them.

This house held banquet after banquet; that house set out a feast after feast. Those who could not invite them in time made monk's caps, monk's shoes, short coats, and cloth stockings, and brought clothing of every sort, inside and out, large and small.

They stayed on like that for about a month before they could leave the city. They even spread spirit-images and set up tablets, bowing and burning incense in worship.

Truly:

Hidden merit piled high, as weighty as a mountain of gratitude.
They saved and brought back ten thousand lives.

But what happened after that, no one yet knows. That must wait for the next chapter.