Chapter 74: Gold Star of the West Brings Word of Fierce Monsters; the Great Sage Shows His Skill in Transformation

A verse says:

Desire and emotion are one and the same;
where there is feeling, desire is born of itself.
The monks who cultivate the Way in all the world
must cut desire and forget feeling if they would call it Chan.
Set your heart on the mark, and keep it firm;
let not a speck of dust stain the moon at midheaven.
Walk the path and do not let your steps go wrong;
when conduct is complete and merit fulfilled, one is a great awakened immortal.

Now to return to Tripitaka and his disciples. They had broken out of the net of desire and escaped the prison of the heart. They mounted their horse and again took the road west. Before long summer was ending and autumn beginning, and a cool new freshness touched the skin.

Sudden rain washed away the remaining heat; a phoenix leaf startled the eye.
Fireflies flew late along the grassy path; crickets sang beneath the moonlight.
Yellow mallows opened in the dew; red smartweed spread across the sandy shoals.
The willows and poplars shed their leaves first; the cold cicadas cried according to the season.

Tripitaka was riding along when he suddenly saw a high mountain, its peaks stabbing into the blue sky, truly reaching up to block the sun. The elder's heart trembled, and he called to Wukong, "Look at that mountain ahead. It is terribly high, but I do not know whether there is any road through it."

Wukong laughed. "Master, what are you saying? As the old saying goes, 'Where the mountain is high, travelers will find the road; where the water is deep, there will be a ferryman.' How could there be no way through? Please travel on in peace."

Tripitaka heard this and, reassured, urged his horse forward. They went straight up the steep slope. After a few li they saw an old man on the hillside: his sideburns were bushy and his white hair flew loose, his beard was thin and silver, a string of prayer beads hung about his neck, and he held a staff whose head was carved like a dragon.

He called from far away, "Holy monk traveling west, stop your horse for the moment and tighten the reins. Up on this mountain there is a nest of demons who have eaten all the people of the human world. You cannot go forward."

Tripitaka was so frightened that his face changed color. First the road under his horse was uneven, and second his saddle was not steady. He slipped from the horse and fell to the grass, unable to get up, only groaning there.

Wukong hurried over to support him. "Do not be afraid. I am here."

Tripitaka said, "Did you hear the old man on the high slope warning us that this mountain is full of demons who have eaten all the people of the human world? Who would dare go ask him the truth?"

Wukong said, "Sit down for a while and let me go ask."

Tripitaka said, "Your face is ugly and your words are rough. I am afraid you will offend him and learn nothing."

Wukong laughed. "I will change into something a little more handsome and go ask him."

Tripitaka said, "Then let me see your change."

The Great Sage pinched his fingers, muttered a charm, and changed himself into a clean and proper little monk. He truly had bright eyes and a clear brow, a round head and an even face; his movements were graceful, and when he opened his mouth no coarse words came out. He shook out his brocade robe and stepped forward. "Master, how do I look?"

Tripitaka was delighted. "Very good."

Bajie said, "How could it not be good? It has only made the rest of us look worse. Even if I rolled around for two or three years, I could never turn into such a handsome little monk."

Wukong moved away from them and went directly to the old man, bowing. "Old sir, this poor monk greets you."

The old fellow saw that Wukong was handsome, youthful, and light on his feet. He hesitated, then returned the bow and touched Wukong's head with a smile. "Little monk, where are you from?"

Wukong said, "We are from the Eastern Great Tang. We are on our way west to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures. Just now, hearing that you warned us there were demons here, my master grew timid and sent me to ask: what sort of monsters are they that dare block the road like this? Please tell me in detail, so I may send them packing."

The old man laughed. "Little monk, you are young and do not understand the world. Your words are off the mark. Those demons are truly strong and mighty. How could you speak of sending them packing?"

Wukong laughed back. "From what you say, it sounds as if you are protecting them. You must be close to them, or maybe a neighbor, or a sworn friend. Otherwise why would you build up their power and refuse to tell us plainly where they came from?"

The old man nodded and laughed. "This monk really knows how to talk. Perhaps you are traveling with your master and have learned a little sorcery along the way, maybe even how to bind ghosts and lay demons to rest in a house. You have not yet run into any truly dreadful fiend."

Wukong said, "How dreadful?"

The old man said, "That demon can send a letter to Lingshan and five hundred arhats will come out to meet him. With a single note to the heavenly palace, the Eleven Luminaries all show him respect. The dragons of the four seas are his friends, the immortals of the Eight Caves gather with him, the judges of the ten underworld courts call him brother, and the village gods and city gods treat him as an honored guest."

The Great Sage could not help laughing aloud. He took the old man by the arm and said, "Do not say another word. That demon may be brothers with my little servants and not seem terribly grand. If he knew that I, little monk, had come, he would pack up and run that very night."

The old man said, "You little monk are talking nonsense. You are no human being. That sacred one is your little servant?"

Wukong laughed. "To tell you the truth, I, this little monk, was born and raised in the Water-Curtain Cave of Flower-Fruit Mountain in Aolai Country. My surname is Sun, my given name is Wukong. Long ago I too was a demon and did many great things.

Once, after drinking too much at a gathering of demons, I fell asleep. In a dream two men hauled me down to the underworld. In my rage I struck the ghost officers with my Golden-Hooped Rod, frightened King Yama, and nearly overturned the Hall of Ten Thousand Judgments. The judge at the desk was so scared he fetched paper, and all ten Yama kings signed their names and seals, begging me to forgive them. They said they would rather be my little servants."

The old man cried, "Amitabha! This monk has said too much. You may as well never grow up."

Wukong said, "Sir, I am already grown enough."

The old man said, "How old are you?"

Wukong said, "Guess."

The old man said, "Seven or eight years old, perhaps."

Wukong laughed. "Seven or eight years a million times over. I will show you my old face, but do not be startled."

The old man said, "What do you mean, another face?"

Wukong said, "I, little monk, truly have seventy-two faces."

The old man did not understand and kept pressing him. Wukong rubbed his face once, and at once his true appearance came out: fangs and a fierce mouth, two legs bright red, a tiger-skin skirt around his waist, and the Golden-Hooped Rod in his hand. He stood beneath the rocky cliff like a living thunder god. The old man was so frightened that the color drained from his face. His legs went weak and he fell down; when he got up again he stumbled and lurched.

The Great Sage went forward and said, "Old sir, do not be alarmed. We may look evil, but our hearts are good. Do not be afraid. Just now you kindly warned us about the demons. How many are there, truly? Please tell me everything, and I will thank you for it."

The old man was shaking all over. He could not speak and only pretended to be deaf, not answering a word.

When Wukong saw that he would not speak, he turned and went back up the slope. Tripitaka asked, "Wukong, you are back? What did you learn?"

Wukong laughed. "Nothing serious, nothing serious. There really are a few demons on the western road, but this place is full of timid people, so they have made them sound far greater than they are. Do not worry, do not worry. I am here."

Tripitaka said, "Did you ask him what mountain this is, what cave it is, how many demons there are, and which road leads to Thunderclap Monastery?"

Bajie said, "Master, do not blame me for saying this. If it comes to bold disguises and quick tricks, there are three or five of us who are not as good as Senior Brother. But if it comes to honesty, even if you lined up a whole squad of him, they still would not equal me."

Tripitaka said, "Just so, just so. You are the honest one."

Bajie said, "He did not ask properly. He only poked around for a bit, then ran back without rhyme or reason. Let this old pig go ask and get the plain truth."

Tripitaka said, "Wuneng, be careful."

The Foolish One tucked his rake at his waist, smoothed his black robe, and went up the slope in a shy, mincing way. He called to the old man, "Old sir, I make my bow."

The old man, seeing that Wukong had gone back, had just managed to steady himself with his staff and was trembling to leave, when he suddenly saw Bajie. His fear grew even greater. "Heaven help me! What nightmare is this, that I should meet such monsters? The one just now was ugly, but at least he still had three parts of a human face. This one looks like a pestle mouth, fan ears, an iron face, and a hairy neck - not a scrap of human nature left."

Bajie laughed. "Old sir, you have no taste. You know how to belittle people. How do I look to you? I may be ugly now, but just wait a little and I will turn handsome."

The old man saw that he spoke like a human being and had no choice but to answer. "Where are you from?"

Bajie said, "I am the second disciple of Tripitaka, and my religious name is Wuneng Bajie. The one who came asking just now, the Pilgrim, is my senior brother. Master thought he had been rude to you and had not learned the truth, so he sent me specially to pay my respects and ask again. What mountain is this? What cave? What kind of demon lives there? Which road leads west? Please tell me plainly."

The old man said, "Will you really speak honestly?"

Bajie said, "I have never in my life dared utter one false word."

The old man said, "Do not act like the first monk, who talked nonsense and slipped away."

Bajie said, "I am not like him."

The old man leaned on his staff and said, "This mountain is called Lion Camel Ridge, eight hundred li long. In the middle there is Lion Camel Cave. Inside there are three demon kings."

Bajie spat. "Old fellow, you are overthinking it. Three demons, and you have gone to such trouble just to report them?"

The old man said, "You are not afraid?"

Bajie said, "To tell you the truth, these three demons would be easy for my senior brother to beat with one staff, and easy for me to smash with one rake. I still have a junior brother, and if he struck with his demon-subduing staff, he could beat down the third one. Once the three of them were dead, my master could simply pass through. What would be so hard?"

The old man laughed. "This monk does not know the depth of the water. Those three demon kings have vast powers.

Under them are countless lesser fiends. On the south ridge there are five thousand, on the north ridge five thousand more; at the east roadhead ten thousand, at the west roadhead ten thousand; four or five thousand patrol the hills, and ten thousand guard the gates; there are no end of those who tend the fire or cut firewood. All told there are forty-seven or forty-eight thousand. They all have names and plates, and they eat people here as their special business."

When the Foolish One heard this, he trembled all over and ran back. He went near Tripitaka, said nothing, set down his rake, and there relieved himself in his panic.

Wukong saw this and shouted, "Why are you crouching there without answering?"

Bajie said, "I was scared so badly I shit myself. At this point there is no need to say more. We had better each look after our own lives."

Wukong said, "You fool, I went to ask and was not frightened at all, but when you went you became this panic-stricken."

Tripitaka said, "What is the truth?"

Bajie said, "That old man said this mountain is called Lion Camel Ridge, eight hundred li wide. In the middle is Lion Camel Cave. Inside are three old demons and forty-eight thousand little demons, and they eat people there on purpose. If we step into even the edge of the mountain, we will go straight into their mouths. There is no way we can pass."

Tripitaka was so frightened that his hair stood on end. "Wukong, what are we to do?"

Wukong laughed. "Master, do not worry. There is no great matter here. It is probably only a few demons. These locals are timid, so they make a few into many and a little into much, frightening themselves. I am here."

Bajie said, "Brother, that is not the same thing at all. I asked for the plain truth. I am not making it up. There are demons in the hills and valleys from end to end. How can we go forward?"

Wukong laughed. "Fool, do not put on a scared face. If the whole mountain and valley are full of demons, Old Sun only needs one staff and a single night to beat them all clean away."

Bajie said, "You are not ashamed. Do not brag. It would take those demons seven or eight days just to call the roll, and you say you can finish them all?"

Wukong said, "How would you have me beat them?"

Bajie said, "Even if you grabbed them, tripped them, or fixed them with a paralysis spell, it would not be that quick."

Wukong laughed. "No need for grabbing, catching, trapping, or binding.

If I pull this rod at both ends and call, 'Long!' it can grow to forty zhang. If I shake it and call, 'Thick!' it can become eight zhang around. If I roll it south across the mountain, I will crush five thousand. Roll it north, another five thousand. Roll it from east to west, and I fear forty or fifty thousand will be ground to meat paste."

Bajie said, "Brother, if you really mean to batter them flat like that, maybe we can be done by the second watch."

Sha Wujing laughed from the side. "Master, with Senior Brother's powers, what is there to fear? Please mount up and go."

Tripitaka saw them discussing their methods and had no choice but to mount again in peace and travel on.

As they were moving along, the old man who had brought the warning was gone. Sha Wujing said, "He was a demon, pretending to be a harmless old man and coming to frighten us."

Wukong said, "Do not hurry. Let me go have a look."

The Great Sage leaped to a high peak. He searched the four sides but saw no trace. Then he turned his head and saw colored clouds flashing in the sky. He rode up to look and found it was the Gold Star of the West. When he came near, he seized him by the hand and kept calling his private name. "Li Changgeng, Li Changgeng, you lazy rascal. If you have something to say, just say it to my face. Why dress up as some forest hermit and frighten Old Sun?"

The Gold Star quickly bowed. "Great Sage, I sent my warning too late. Please forgive me, please forgive me. These demon kings truly have vast powers and a fierce presence. Only if you make full use of your changes and clever devices can you get past. If you grow careless even a little, it will truly be hard to leave."

Wukong thanked him. "I am grateful, grateful. It is indeed hard to travel here. Please go to the upper realm and tell the Jade Emperor for me to lend me some heavenly soldiers to help Old Sun."

The Gold Star said, "Yes, yes. Just send word by mouth, and even ten thousand heavenly soldiers can be had."

The Great Sage parted from the Gold Star and lowered his cloud. When he reached Tripitaka, he said, "The old fellow just now was actually the Gold Star of the West, who came to warn us."

Tripitaka joined his palms. "Disciple, hurry after him and ask whether there is any other road so that we may turn back."

Wukong said, "We cannot turn back.

This ridge runs straight through for eight hundred li, and all around it there is no telling how many other roads there may be. How could we turn back?"

Tripitaka heard this and could not hold back his tears. "Disciples, with such hardship, how can one worship the Buddha?"

Wukong said, "Do not cry, do not cry. If you cry, you will only become a soft fool. What he told us must contain a few falsehoods. He only meant for us to pay close attention. As the saying goes, 'Even the warning itself may be in error.' Come down from your horse and sit a while."

Bajie said, "What else is there to discuss?"

Wukong said, "There is nothing much to discuss. You keep a good watch on Master here, and Brother Sha, take care of the baggage and horses. Let Old Sun go up the ridge first and scout things out. I will see how many demons there are front and back, capture one, question him closely, make him write down his name and rank, check all the old and young one by one, and tell him to shut the cave gate and stop blocking the road. Then I will have Master pass through quietly and show my skill."

Sha Wujing only said, "Be careful, be careful."

Wukong laughed. "No need to remind me. This trip of mine could clear a road across the Eastern Sea, and even an iron-wrapped silver mountain could be bored through."

The Great Sage whistled once and rode the somersault cloud up to the peak. Grabbing vines and climbing rocks, he looked over the mountain. It was utterly quiet, with no one in sight. He suddenly cried out, "Wrong, wrong. I should not have let that Gold Star go. He was only trying to frighten me.

There is not a single demon here. If they come out to play and show off, they must be practicing spear and staff techniques. How can there be none at all?"

While he was making up his mind, he heard clanging and rattling behind the mountain, the sound of clappers and bells. He quickly turned and looked. It was a little demon carrying a command flag, a bell hanging at his waist and a clapper in his hand, walking from north to south. Looking closely, he was more than a zhang tall.

Wukong laughed to himself. "He must be a runner, likely delivering documents and notices. Let me listen to what he is saying."

The Great Sage pinched a spell, muttered an incantation, and changed himself into a fly. He floated lightly onto the demon's cap and listened with one ear. The little demon was walking the mountain road, beating his clapper and ringing his bell, muttering, "We mountain patrolmen must all be on guard against Sun Wukong. He can change into a fly."

Wukong heard this and was secretly shocked. "Has this fellow seen me? If he has not seen me, how does he know my name and know that I can turn into a fly?"

In truth the little demon had not seen him at all. The demon kings had somehow told him to say this, and it was only rumor made into nonsense.

Wukong did not know this and thought the demon had seen him, so he was about to take out his staff and strike him. Then he stopped and thought, "I remember when Bajie questioned the Gold Star, he said the three demon kings had forty-seven or forty-eight thousand little demons. Even if there are several times more, that is no great concern. What I do not know is how much ability those three old fiends really have. Let me ask him first and only then make my move."

Now tell me, how did the Great Sage go about asking? He dropped from the cap onto the treetop and let the little demon go a few steps ahead. Then he turned himself about and transformed into another little demon, copying exactly the clapper, bell, command flag, and clothing. He was only three or five inches taller than the first, and even his muttering matched the other. He hurried after him and called out, "Road-walker, wait for me a moment."

The little demon turned back and said, "Where did you come from?"

Wukong laughed. "Good brother, do you not recognize one of your own?"

The little demon said, "I do not know you."

Wukong said, "How can you not know me? Look again."

The little demon said, "You look unfamiliar. I do not know you at all."

Wukong said, "Of course I look unfamiliar. I am one of the fire-tenders. You have seen me less often."

The little demon shook his head. "No, no. Even the fire-tenders in our cave do not have a mouth as sharp as yours."

Wukong thought to himself, "This clever mouth has sharpened a little too much."

He lowered his head, covered his mouth with his hand, rubbed it once, and said, "My mouth is not sharp."

Sure enough, it was no longer sharp. The little demon said, "Just now your mouth was sharp. How did it stop being sharp after a rub? Strange creature, it is very hard to tell what you are. You do not seem to be one of us. We have to be careful. Our great king's laws are strict: fire-tenders tend fire, patrolmen patrol the mountain. Surely he would not have you tend the fire and then send you to patrol the mountain?"

Wukong was quick-witted and came right over. "You do not know. The great king saw that I am good at tending the fire, so he promoted me to mountain patrol."

The little demon said, "Very well. Our mountain patrols have forty men in a squad and ten squads make four hundred. Each one has his own age and rank, and the great king fears that if we get mixed up, it will be hard to call the roll. So each household gets a gold-painted token as its sign. Do you have a token?"

Wukong had only imitated the demon's dress and the way he moved about. Since he had not seen the token, he had none on him.

The Great Sage did not say he had none. He answered readily, "How could I not have a token? I have only just received a new one. Take out yours and let me look at it."

The little demon knew nothing of the trick and lifted his robe, showing a gold-painted token tied close to his body with a green silk cord. He handed it over for Wukong to see.

Wukong saw that on the back the token was engraved with the words "Subduer of All Demons," and on the front were three true characters: Little Drill-Wind.

He thought to himself, "Need I say more? Anyone on mountain patrol must have the word 'wind' in his rank."

He said, "Put your robe back down and walk ahead a little. Let me take out my token and show you."

Then he turned around, reached behind himself, plucked out one of the fine hairs from the tip of his tail, pinched it, and said, "Change!"

At once it changed into a gold-painted token, with a green silk cord as well, and on it were written three true characters: Chief Drill-Wind.

He took it out and handed it over. The little demon was greatly shocked. "We are all called Little Drill-Wind. How is it that you are called Chief Drill-Wind?"

Wukong was excellent at inventing things and spoke in a way that fit the occasion. He said, "You truly do not know. The great king saw that I am good at tending the fire and promoted me to be a patrol wind. He also gave me a new token called Chief Patrol Wind, telling me to oversee your forty-man squad."

When the demon heard this, he hurriedly bowed. "Officer, officer! Since you have just been assigned, you are truly unfamiliar to us. If my words were rude, please forgive me."

Wukong returned the bow and smiled. "I will not blame you, but there is one thing: I need a meeting fee. Each of you must produce five taels."

The little demon said, "Do not hurry, officer. Let me gather the men at the south ridge head and then we can pay together."

Wukong said, "In that case, I will go with you."

So the little demon walked ahead, and the Great Sage followed behind.

After a few li they came to a Brush Peak. Why was it called Brush Peak? A ridge grew up on the top of the mountain, some four or five zhang high, just like a brush standing in a rack, and so it was given that name. Wukong went to the side, tucked his tail, jumped up, and sat on the tip of the peak.

He called out, "Drill-Wind, all of you come over."

The little Drill-Winds below bowed and said, "We are here, officer."

Wukong said, "Do you know why the great king chose me?"

The little demons said, "We do not know."

Wukong said, "The great king wants to eat Tripitaka. But he fears that Sun Wukong is tremendously powerful and can change shape, so he may transform into a little Drill-Wind and slip in here to scout the road. That is why he promoted me to Chief Drill-Wind, to inspect whether there are any fakes among your ranks."

The little Drill-Winds all said at once, "Officer, we are all genuine."

Wukong said, "If you are genuine, then do you know what abilities the great king has?"

The little Drill-Wind said, "I know."

Wukong said, "Then speak quickly and let me hear it. If you speak in a way that matches what I know, then you are genuine. If you get even a little wrong, then you are fake, and I will take you before the great king for punishment."

Seeing him sitting high up and acting all clever and imperious, the little Drill-Wind had no choice but to tell the truth. "Our great king has vast powers and fierce skill. He once swallowed one hundred thousand heavenly soldiers in a single mouthful."

Wukong let out a sniff. "You are fake."

The little Drill-Wind panicked. "Officer, lord, I am genuine. Why do you say I am fake?"

Wukong said, "If you are genuine, why talk nonsense? How big could your great king's body be, that he could swallow one hundred thousand heavenly soldiers in one mouthful?"

The little Drill-Wind said, "Officer, you really do not know. Our great king can change shape. When he wants to be big, he can fill heaven and hold it up; when he wants to be small, he is no bigger than a mustard seed. The year Queen Mother Wang had a Peach Banquet and invited all the immortals, he was not invited. Our great king wanted to fight Heaven, and the Jade Emperor sent one hundred thousand heavenly soldiers to subdue him. Then our great king changed his true body, opened his mouth like a city gate, and swallowed them with one great effort. He scared the heavenly soldiers so badly that none dared fight, and the South Heavenly Gate was shut. That is why it is said he once swallowed one hundred thousand soldiers."

Wukong heard this and thought with a smile, "If it comes to talking hard and bragging, Old Sun has done that too."

He asked again, "What ability does the Second Great King have?"

The little Drill-Wind said, "The Second Great King is three zhang tall, with sleeping-silk brows, phoenix eyes, a woman's voice, broad buckteeth, and a nose like a dragon. If he fights anyone, he only needs to roll them up with one sweep of his nose. Even an iron-backed, bronze-bodied man will lose his soul at once."

Wukong said, "A monster who can roll people up with his nose is easy enough to deal with."

He asked again, "What about the Third Great King? How much skill does he have?"

The little Drill-Wind said, "Our Third Great King is no ordinary monster. His title is Dapeng, the Roc That Flies Ten Thousand Li in a Day. When he moves, he gathers wind and drives the seas, striking north while aiming south. He carries a treasure called the Bottle of Yin and Yang Qi. If he puts a man into that bottle, in the space of a blink or two he turns him into a bowl of liquid."

Wukong heard this and was secretly alarmed. "I am not afraid of the demons themselves, only that I must watch carefully for that bottle."

He asked, "The powers of the three great kings are much as I know them too, and you have not spoken wrongly. But which great king wants to eat Tripitaka?"

The little Drill-Wind said, "Officer, do you not know?"

Wukong barked, "I know less than you do. I am asking you carefully because I fear you fellows do not know the full background."

The little Drill-Wind said, "Our Great Great King and Second Great King have long lived in Lion Camel Cave on Lion Camel Ridge. The Third Great King does not live here. His own home is four hundred li to the west. There is a city there called Lion Camel Kingdom. Five hundred years ago he ate the king of that city and all the civil and military officials, and all the men and women in the city were eaten clean away. He took over the kingdom for himself. Now it is all demons.

Some year he heard that the Tang court in the East had sent a monk west to fetch the scriptures, and that this Tang monk was a good man who had cultivated for ten lives. If anyone ate one piece of his flesh, he would gain long life and immortality. But he feared that the monk's disciple Sun Wukong was too formidable for him to handle alone, so he came here and formed sworn brotherhood with our two great kings, and the three of them have one mind and one plan - to catch that Tang monk together."

Wukong was furious. "That filthy demon is beyond rude. I am protecting Tripitaka so he may attain the right fruit. How dare he scheme to eat my man?"

He gave a hard cry, ground his steel teeth, drew out his iron rod, leaped down from the high peak, and smashed the staff against the little demon's head. Alas, the blow flattened him into a lump of meat.

When Wukong saw what he had done, he could not bear it. "Ah! He meant well and told me everything in plain language. How could I have finished him off with one blow? Well, well. It is what it is."

The Great Sage had no choice, only because his master was blocked on the road. He took off the demon's token and tied it at his own waist, slung the command flag across his back, hung the bell from his belt, and struck the clapper in his hand. Facing the wind, he pinched a spell and muttered an incantation. With one shake he transformed into the likeness of Little Drill-Wind.

He turned around and went back by the old road to scout the cave and learn the truth of those three old demon kings. Truly:

The Monkey King can change in a thousand ways,
and his transformations are truly skilled in ten thousand forms.

He plunged into the deep mountain and followed the old road. As he was walking, he suddenly heard the shouting of men and the neighing of horses. Looking up, he saw that outside Lion Camel Cave there were tens of thousands of little demons lined up with spears, sabers, swords, halberds, banners, and standards.

The Great Sage was secretly delighted. "Li Changgeng's words were no lie, no lie at all."

Their formation had some order to it: every two hundred and fifty made one large company. He saw forty long banners of mixed colors flapping wildly in the wind, and he knew there must be ten thousand troops.

He then thought it over to himself. "If Old Sun goes in disguised as Little Drill-Wind, and the old demon asks about my patrol, I must answer smoothly. But if I misspeak even once and he recognizes me, how can I slip away? If I try to run back out, the gate guards will stop me. How can I get out? To seize the demon kings inside the cave, I must first clear away the fiends at the gate."

How was he to clear them away? The Great Sage thought, "That old demon has not even met me, yet he already knows my reputation. I will lean on that reputation and on my own bearing. I will boast a little and frighten him. If the people of the Central Land have good fortune and are destined to receive the scriptures, then a few heroic words from me will scare away the fiends at the gate. If they have no such fortune and cannot obtain the true scriptures, then even if I speak so brilliantly that lotuses bloom from my mouth, I still cannot sweep away the monsters outside the western cave."

So he asked his heart, his mouth, and his mouth his heart, considered the plan, beat the clapper, rang the bell, and walked straight to the mouth of Lion Camel Cave. At once a little demon in the outer camp stopped him. "Little Drill-Wind has returned?"

Wukong did not answer and kept his head down as he walked on.

When he reached the second camp, another demon grabbed him and said, "Little Drill-Wind has returned?"

Wukong said, "Yes."

The demons said, "When you went out on patrol this morning, did you see any Sun Wukong?"

Wukong said, "I saw him. He was over there grinding his staff."

The demons were frightened. "What does he look like? What was he grinding?"

Wukong said, "He was squatting by the stream and looked like a road-opening god. If he stood up, he must be ten zhang or more tall. In his hand he held an iron rod, as thick as a bowl, and he took a scoop of water from the cliff and ground it there while muttering, 'Rod, rod, I have not brought you out to show your power for some time. This time there will be one hundred thousand demons, and I will have you kill them all for me. After I have slain the three demon kings, I will offer them to you.' He was ready to grind you flat first, before killing the ten thousand fiends at your gate."

When the little demons heard this, every one of them was shaken in soul and spirit.

Wukong went on, "Gentlemen, Tripitaka's flesh does not weigh many catties, and it will not be divided up among us. Why should we carry this burden for him? We might as well scatter and save ourselves."

The demons all cried, "That is right. Let us each look after our own lives and go."

These creatures were all wolves, bugs, tigers, leopards, wild beasts, and flying birds. With one whoosh they all ran off in a great uproar. It was just like Old Sun saying a few words and then the sound of Chu songs scattering eight thousand soldiers.

Wukong was delighted inwardly. "Good. The old demon is as good as dead. Since they flee just from hearing about him, how would they dare meet him face to face? If I use this same line after I go in, that will be best. But if I speak it wrong and one or two of these little demons run in and listen, would that not leak the news?"

See how his mind settled on the old cave and his courage carried him into the deep gate. As for what good or ill he would meet when he saw the old demon king, listen to the next chapter for the explanation.