Chapter 92: The Three Monks Battle on Qinglong Mountain; the Four Wood Stars Seize the Rhinoceros Demons

Now then: Sun the Great Sage, with his two junior brothers in tow, rolled with the wind and rode the clouds northeast. In an instant they reached the mouth of Xuanying Cave on Qinglong Mountain and set down their cloud. Bajie was already eager to strike the door.

Wukong said, "Hold on. Let me go in first and see whether Master is alive or dead before we fight them properly."

Sha Wujing said, "The gate is tightly shut. How can we get in?"

Wukong said, "I have my own powers."

The Great Sage gathered up his staff, pinched a spell, and recited a charm. "Change!"

At once he turned into a firefly. Truly nimble was he. See him:

Its wings flashed with starlike light. As the old saying goes, rotten grass turns to fireflies.
Its magic and transformations could not be taken lightly. It had the nature of wandering and circling.
It flew up close to the stone gate and hovered there,
then slipped through a crack in the wall and into the inner court,
where it went to scout the monsters' movements.

Flying in, he saw several cattle lying huddled and stretched out, each snoring like thunder, all in deep sleep. In the main hall there was no sign of movement at all. The doors throughout were all shut. No one knew where the three demons were sleeping.

Just as he turned the hall and looked toward the rear, he heard weeping. It was Tripitaka, locked to a rear veranda pillar and crying.

Wukong listened closely to what he was saying and heard him cry:

It has been more than ten years since I left Chang'an;
I climbed mountains and crossed rivers through toil and misery.
Happily I came to the Western lands at a fine festival;
gladly I reached Jinping and the Lantern Festival.
Not knowing the false Buddha figures in the lanterns,
I was only caught because my fate held such a trial.
My worthy disciples pursue the chase and show their might;
I only hope the heroes can stretch forth all their power.

When Wukong heard this, he was overjoyed. He spread his wings and flew close to his master.

Tripitaka wiped away his tears and said, "Ah! The Western land has a different scene. It is the first month of the year, and hibernating insects are only just waking. Why is there already a firefly?"

Wukong could not hold back and called out, "Master, I am here."

Tripitaka was delighted. "Wukong, I was wondering how there could be a firefly in the first month. So it was you."

Wukong then showed his true form and said, "Master, because you could not tell false from true, we have lost so much road and spent so much effort. I kept saying those were not good people, and still you bowed to them. Then those demons used the dark lamp light to steal the clarified butter oil and carried you away with one gust, too.

"I told Bajie and Brother Sha to go back to the monastery and guard the horse and baggage, while I followed the wind here. I did not know the place. Fortunately the Four Duty Officers reported the name: Qinglong Mountain, with Xuanying Cave within it. I fought those demons until evening and only then returned. I told my brothers everything in detail, and the three of us did not even sleep. We came here together. I feared it would be hard to fight at night, and I still did not know where you had been taken, so I changed myself and came in to find out."

Tripitaka said happily, "Are Bajie and Brother Sha out there too?"

Wukong said, "They are outside. When I looked just now, the demons were all asleep. Let me open the lock and break the door so I can lead you out."

Tripitaka nodded and thanked him.

Wukong used a lock-opening spell. He brushed the lock with his hand, and it opened at once. Leading his master forward, he had only gone a few steps when the demon kings in the inner hall shouted, "You underlings, shut the doors tight and be careful with fire and candles. Why are the night-watch bells not sounding? Why is there no patrol?"

It turned out that the little demons had fought all day and, worn out to the bone, had fallen asleep. Hearing the shouting, they woke up at last. As the bells rang, several armed demons came from the rear carrying gongs, and happened to meet the master and disciple.

The little demons all shouted, "Hey, monk, where do you think you are going after unlocking the lock?"

Wukong would not let them finish. He drew his staff, shook it once, and made it as thick as a bowl. Then he struck. At the first swing he killed two. The rest dropped their weapons and rushed toward the main hall, pounding on the door and calling out, "Great Kings, disaster! Disaster! The monkey-faced monk is killing people in the house!"

The three demons heard this and rolled right up, shouting only, "Seize him! Seize him!"

Tripitaka was so frightened that his hands and feet went weak. Wukong did not care for him and swept forward with his staff. The little demons could not hold him back. He knocked over two or three, then pushed over two or three more.

He opened several layers of doors and went straight out, calling, "Brothers, where are you?"

Bajie and Brother Sha were waiting outside with rake and staff in hand. They cried out, "Brother, how did it go?"

Wukong told them how he had gone in by transformation and freed the master. But then the demons had been alarmed, so he could not care for the master and had to fight his way out. He explained the whole affair.

The demon kings seized Tripitaka again and locked him with iron chains as before. They held knives and axes and lit all the lamps, then asked, "How did you open the lock? How did that monkey get in? Tell us plainly and we may spare your life. If not, we will cut you in two."

Tripitaka, trembling from head to toe, knelt and said, "Great King, my disciple Sun Wukong knows seventy-two transformations. Just now he turned into a firefly and flew in to rescue me. Unfortunately you became aware of him, and the little kings came upon him. My disciple did not know how to handle it. He injured two of them, the others shouted, and they raised soldiers and set fire. Then he could not care for me and ran out."

The three demon kings laughed loudly. "It is fortunate we woke in time and he did not get away."

They told the little demons, "Shut the front and back gates tight and make no noise."

Sha Wujing said, "If they shut the doors and make no noise, they are probably doing something secret to Master. Let us act now."

Wukong said, "Right. Hurry and break the gate."

Bajie showed off his powers, lifted the rake, and smashed with all his might. He broke the stone door to powder and shouted, "You oil-thieving beasts! Send out my master at once!"

The little demons inside were frightened and ran in to report, "Great Kings, disaster! The front gate has been smashed by the monks."

The three demon kings were extremely vexed. "These fellows are outrageously rude."

They at once ordered their armor strapped on, each took up weapons, and led the little demons out to meet the enemy. It was about the third watch. The moon shone bright as day. When they came out, they did not waste any words. They struck at once.

Here Wukong held off the halberd-axe, Bajie resisted the great blade, and Brother Sha met the vine staff.

This battle was fierce:

Three monks, three staffs, and three demon kings; each side fought with doubled spirit.
Halberd-axe, steel blade, and vine staff, all whirling in a storm of dust.
At the first crossing, they breathed out clouds of gloom; afterward, they flashed and scattered like colored haze.
The rake in full technique rolled with the body; the iron staff was even more to be praised.
The demon-subduing staff was rare in the human world; its master would not yield in his heart.
The halberd-axe flashed with a sharp point; the vine staff was covered all over in rough knobs.
The great blade shone like a door panel; the monks' powers surpassed even theirs.
This side fought with fury for Master's life; that side would not let Tripitaka's face be struck.
Axes chopped and staffs answered, rakes whirled and blades hacked,
while the vine staff and demon-subduing staff turned over and over, showing all their skill.

The three monks and the three demons fought for a long time without any clear winner.

Then the Great King of Defying Cold shouted and called, "Underlings, come up!"

The little demons all rushed forward with their weapons and, in no time, tripped Bajie and knocked him to the ground. Several water buffalo spirits seized and dragged him into the cave to be locked up.

When Brother Sha saw that Bajie was gone, he only saw the whole herd of cattle shouting. He drew his precious staff, feinted toward the Great King of Defying Dust as if to flee, but the monsters swarmed him at once, twisted him over, and he could not get free. He too was seized and locked up.

Wukong saw that the situation had become difficult. He rode away on his somersault cloud and escaped.

At that moment Bajie and Brother Sha were dragged before Tripitaka. When Tripitaka saw them, tears streamed down his face. "Poor you two. You have also fallen into their poisonous hands. Where is Wukong?"

Brother Sha said, "When senior brother saw us captured, he fled."

Tripitaka said, "Since he has gone, he must surely have gone to seek help somewhere. But we do not know when we will be able to slip the net."

The master and disciples were miserable beyond words, so we need not dwell on it here.

Now then: Wukong rode his somersault cloud back to Ciyun Monastery. The monks came out to meet him and asked, "Was Holy Master Tang saved?"

Wukong said, "It is hard, hard. Those demons have great powers. The three of us fought the three of them for a long time. Then they called in their little demons and first seized Bajie, then seized Brother Sha. Old Sun only just escaped."

The monks were afraid. "Grandfather, with such cloud-riding power and such skill, you still could not capture them. Then surely the holy master has already suffered injury."

Wukong said, "No matter, no matter. My master has secret protection from the temple guardians, the Five Direction Patrol Gods, and the Six Ding and Six Jia gods, and he has also eaten the Grass-Returning Elixir before, so he should not be harmed. Only the demons are formidable. You must keep the horse and baggage safe while I go up to Heaven for reinforcements."

The monks said in fear, "Grandfather, can you really go to Heaven too?"

Wukong laughed. "The Heavenly Palace was once my old home. In those days I was the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Because I upset the Peach Banquet, the Buddha subdued me. Now I have no choice but to protect Tripitaka and fetch the scriptures, using merit to offset my old sins. My master was meant to suffer this trial. You do not yet understand it."

The monks heard this and bowed again. Wukong stepped out the door, gave a whistle, and in an instant was gone.

The Great Sage soon reached the outer gate of the Western Heaven. There he saw the Gold Star of the West speaking with the Growth Heavenly King and the four great spirit officials Yin, Zhu, Tao, and Xu. When they saw Wukong arrive, they all hastened to bow.

"Great Sage, where are you going?" they asked.

Wukong said, "While protecting Tripitaka, I reached Mintian County in the eastern border of India. My master was kept by the monks of Ciyun Monastery to enjoy the Lantern Festival. At Golden Lamp Bridge there were three golden lanterns. The lamps were lit with fragrant clarified butter oil, worth more than fifty thousand taels of silver, and every year a false descent of the Buddhas is said to bring blessings and use them up. As we were looking, three Buddha images really did descend. My master, not knowing better, bowed on the bridge.

"I said they were not good people, but before long they darkened the lantern light and carried away both the oil and my master in one gust. I followed the wind and chased them. By dawn I reached a mountain, where the Four Duty Officers reported that the mountain is called Qinglong Mountain and the cave there is Xuanying Cave. The cave has three demons, the Great King of Defying Cold, the Great King of Defying Heat, and the Great King of Defying Dust. I rushed up to the gate to demand the master and fought with them for a round, but could not win. So I changed myself, went inside, saw that Master was locked up but unharmed, and tried to free him. Then they found out and I had to flee. After that I fought them again with Bajie and Brother Sha, but they captured the two of them and locked them up as well.

"For this reason I have come especially to ask the Jade Emperor to look into their origins and order their subduing."

Gold Star laughed coldly. "Since you fought with the demon, could you not see where they came from?"

Wukong said, "I know them. They are a pack of ox spirits. But they are far too magical and cannot be subdued at once."

Gold Star said, "They are three rhinoceros spirits. Because they have signs in the heavens and have cultivated for years, they have truly attained something and can also ride clouds and walk through mist. These monsters love cleanliness above all and are always annoyed by their own shadow, always wanting to go to water and wash.

"They have many forms and names: the bull rhinoceros, the male rhinoceros, the ox rhinoceros, the spotted rhinoceros, the Huomao rhinoceros, the Duoluo rhinoceros, and the sky-piercing flower-marked rhinoceros. They all have one nostril, three hairs, and two horns, and when they travel through rivers and seas they can open a path through the water. Beings like Defying Cold, Defying Heat, and Defying Dust all have noble horned auras, and so they are called by those titles and honored as kings.

"If you want to seize them, only the Four Wood Stars need appear before them and they will submit."

Wukong quickly bowed and asked, "Which are the Four Wood Stars? Please, old Lord Long Life, explain them one by one."

Gold Star smiled. "Those stars are arrayed beyond the Dousu Palace, spread through heaven and earth. Go report to the Jade Emperor and you will see clearly."

Wukong clasped his hands in thanks and went straight into the Heavenly Gate.

Before long he reached the base of the Tongming Hall and first saw the four Great Heavenly Masters Ge, Qiu, Zhang, and Xu. The masters asked, "Where are you going?"

Wukong said, "I have recently traveled to Jinping Prefecture. Because my master grew lax in his meditations and went out to admire the lanterns on the first full moon, he was seized by demons. I could not subdue them, so I have come especially to report to the Jade Emperor and seek help."

The four masters at once led Wukong to the Hall of Divine Mists to present the memorial. When the formal bows were finished, they explained the whole matter in detail.

The Jade Emperor issued his decree. "Which troop of heavenly soldiers should be sent?"

Wukong said in reply, "When Old Sun reached the Western Heaven gate, I met the Gold Star, who said the monsters are rhinoceros spirits, and only the Four Wood Stars can subdue them."

The Jade Emperor then ordered Master Xu to go with Wukong to the Dousu Palace and summon the Four Wood Stars to descend and subdue the demons.

When they reached the outer palace, the twenty-eight constellations had already come out to receive them. The master said, "By imperial decree I have come to summon the Four Wood Stars and the Great Sage Sun to descend and subdue the demon."

At once the stars of Jiaomu Jiao, Doumu Xie, Kui Mulang, and Jingmuhan stepped forward and called out in one voice, "Great Sage Sun, where are we summoned to subdue demons?"

Wukong laughed. "So it is you. That old Gold Star was hiding the matter. I did not understand him. If he had said from the start that they were the Four Wood Stars among the twenty-eight constellations, Old Sun would have come straight to invite you. Why trouble the decree?"

The Four Wood Stars said, "Great Sage, what are you talking about? Without imperial command, who would dare leave on his own? Just tell us where it is, and quickly."

Wukong said, "Qinglong Mountain, in the northeast corner of Jinping Prefecture, Xuanying Cave. The monsters there are rhinoceros spirits."

Doumu Xie, Kui Mulang, and Jiaomu Jiao said, "If they are rhinoceros spirits, there is no need for us. Just send the Jing star. He can go up mountains and eat tigers, or go into the sea and seize rhinoceroses."

Wukong said, "These rhinoceroses are not the sort that gaze at the moon. They are cultivated beings with the Way, each with a thousand years of life. The four of you must go together. Do not push it off. If one of you cannot seize them by himself, would that not only create more trouble?"

The master said, "What sort of talk is that? Since the decree names all four of you, how could you not go? Hurry and fly. I will return to report."

So the master took his leave.

The Four Wood Stars said, "Great Sage, do not delay. You go first and provoke battle so they come out. We will follow behind and strike."

Wukong went up and cursed, "You oil-thieving beasts! Return my master!"

By then Bajie had already broken the gate, and the little demons had used boards to shore it up from inside.

When they heard the insults, they hurried in to report, "Great Kings, Sun the monk is outside cursing."

The Great King of Defying Dust said, "He was defeated and fled. Why is he here again today? He must have gone to fetch some reinforcements."

The Great Kings of Defying Cold and Defying Heat said, "What reinforcements should we fear? Bring the armor at once.

"All the underlings must be alert and keep close watch. Do not let him get away."

The monsters knew nothing about life and death. Each of them took up spear and blade, waved banners, and beat drums as they came out of the cave to shout at Wukong.

"You monkey who does not fear a beating, you are back again."

What Wukong hated most was that word monkey. He gritted his teeth, hardened his heart, and lifted his iron staff to strike.

The three demon kings drove the little demons in a circle and boxed Wukong in at the center.

Then the Four Wood Stars each raised their weapons and said, "You evil beasts, do not move."

When the three demon kings saw the Four Stars, they were naturally frightened. They cried out, "Bad! Bad! They have come to finish us off. Underlings, save your lives and run!"

At once there was a roar of gasping and shouting. The little demons all revealed their true forms and turned out to be mountain ox spirits, water ox spirits, and yellow ox spirits, running wildly over the hills.

The three demon kings also revealed their true forms, dropped their hands, and changed into four-hooved beasts like iron cannonballs, running straight northeast.

The Great Sage led Jingmuhan and Jiaomu Jiao in close pursuit and did not loosen up at all.

Only Doumu Xie and Kui Mulang swept through the eastern hollows, ridges, streams, and valleys, killing, capturing, and gathering up every cow spirit they found. Then they went into Xuanying Cave and freed Tripitaka, Bajie, and Brother Sha.

Brother Sha recognized the two stars and bowed with them. He asked, "How did you two come here to save us?"

The two stars said, "We were summoned by the Great Sage Sun under the Jade Emperor's command to subdue the monsters and save you."

Tripitaka wept again and said, "Why do I not see my disciple Wukong?"

The two stars said, "Those three old monsters are three rhinoceroses. When they saw us, each one thought only of his own life and fled northeast. The Great Sage Sun led Jingmuhan and Jiaomu Jiao in pursuit. We two stars swept the herd of cattle here and came to release the holy monk."

Tripitaka bowed again and again, then bowed to Heaven as well. Bajie helped him up and said, "Master, too many bows usually mean some trickery. There is no need to keep bowing. The Star Officers are here by the Jade Emperor's decree, and second because of senior brother's ties. Since the demon herd has now been swept away, we still do not know how the old demons will be subdued. Let us first gather up some small valuables, overturn this cave to cut off the root, and go back to the monastery to wait for senior brother."

Kui Mulang said, "Marshal Tianpeng speaks reasonably. You and the Curtain-Lifting General should protect your master back to the monastery and rest. We will return to the northeast corner and meet the enemy again."

Bajie said, "Yes, yes. The two of you should work together to capture them. Only when they are all wiped out can you report back."

The two stars at once set out in pursuit.

Bajie and Brother Sha searched the cave and hauled out a great heap of fine treasures - coral, agate, pearls, amber, jade ornaments, precious stones, fine jade, and good gold. It filled a stone's worth. They carried it outside and asked the master to sit on a cliff ridge. Then they went back in and set the cave on fire, burning it to ash. Only after that did they lead Tripitaka back along the road to Ciyun Monastery in Jinping.

Truly:

The scripture says, "When peace reaches its height, decline will follow." Good fortune and misfortune are indeed neighbors.
When one grows fond of lanterns and flowers, the monastic heart turns wild;
when one delights in scenic play, the Way-minded heart grows thin.
The great elixir must be held fast from the beginning;
once it is lost, one suffers all the way to the end.
Keep the latch shut tight and do not grow lax;
for even a moment's slackness brings disorder.

Let us not speak of the three of them returning to the monastery alive.

Now to return to Doumu Xie and Kui Mulang. The two star officers rode their clouds straight northeast to pursue the demons, but when they looked in the air, they could no longer see them. Only when they reached the Western Ocean did they see the Great Sage shouting on the sea.

The two of them lowered their clouds and asked, "Great Sage, where did the monsters go?"

Wukong said bitterly, "Why did you not come to chase them down? And now you ask so carelessly?"

Doumu Xie said, "We saw the Great Sage and the stars of Jing and Jiao fight the demons and give chase, so we thought you must have already captured them. We two instead swept the herd of spirits, entered Xuanying Cave, rescued your master and junior brothers, searched the mountain, burned the cave, and entrusted your master to your two junior brothers to bring him back to the prefectural city and Ciyun Monastery. Since we did not see the carriage return for a long time, we came looking for you here."

When Wukong heard this, he was at once pleased and grateful. "Then you have done good service. Much trouble, much trouble.

"But the three demons I chased here have now plunged into the sea. Jing and Jiao are pursuing them closely. Let Old Sun hold them off from the shore. Since you two are here, keep the shore blocked while I go after them again."

The Great Sage brandished his staff, pinched a spell, opened a water path, and went straight down into the depths of the waves.

There the three demon kings were fighting desperately with Jingmuhan and Jiaomu Jiao. Wukong leaped close and shouted, "Old Sun is here."

The demons were already pressed by the two stars and could not act in time. Just then they heard Wukong shout and, caring only to survive, turned and ran into the middle of the sea.

It turned out that the horns on those monsters were excellent at opening the water. One only heard the swish-swish-swish of the sea dividing as a clear road opened before them. Behind them came the two stars and the Great Sage together in pursuit.

Now in the Western Sea there was a sea-scouting yaksha and a patrolling water soldier. They saw the rhinoceroses parting the water and also recognized the Great Sage and the two stars. At once they rushed to the Crystal Palace and reported in panic, "Great King, three rhinoceroses are being chased here by the Great Sage Equal to Heaven and two star officers!"

The old Dragon King Ao Shun heard this and immediately called for Prince Aomang. "Quickly muster the water troops. It must be that the rhinoceros demons Defying Cold, Defying Heat, and Defying Dust have provoked Sun Wukong. Since they have come to the sea, hurry and draw your swords to help."

Aomang received the order and at once assembled the troops.

In an instant the turtles, pelts, eels, carp, shrimps, crabs, and all the rest each took up spears and blades, shouted together, and surged out of the Crystal Palace to block the rhinoceros demons.

The rhinoceroses could not go forward. They were forced back, but then Jing and Jiao and the Great Sage blocked them from behind as well. Panicked, they lost their formation and scattered in all directions. At last the Great King of Defying Dust was surrounded by the old Dragon King and his troops.

When the Great Sage saw this, his heart was full of joy. "Hold on, hold on. Take them alive, not dead."

Aomang obeyed the order and rushed forward with his men. They overturned Defying Dust on the ground, pierced his nose with an iron hook, and bound him fast by all four hooves.

The old Dragon King then gave another order to send part of the force after the other two and help the two stars capture them.

At once the little dragon prince led the troops forward. There he saw Jingmuhan in his true form, pinning down the Great King of Defying Cold and biting him, one mouthful after another. Aomang shouted, "Jing star! Jing star! Do not bite him to death. The Great Sage wants them alive, not dead!"

He shouted several times, but the neck had already been bitten through.

Aomang told the shrimps and crabs to carry the dead rhinoceros back to the Crystal Palace, then went forward again with Jingmuhan in pursuit.

Soon they saw Jiaomu Jiao driving back Defying Heat, and he ran smack into the Jing star. Aomang led the turtles and pelts and spread out a basket-shaped formation around him.

The monster only cried, "Spare me, spare me."

Jingmuhan came up and seized him by the ear, snatched away his blade, and said, "I will not kill you, I will not kill you. I will hand you over to the Great Sage Sun for judgment."

At once they laid down their weapons and returned to the Crystal Palace outside, reporting, "They are all captured."

Wukong saw one lying dead, covered in blood on the ground, and another held by the ear by Jingmuhan and forced to kneel.

He went up and looked closely. "This head was not damaged by any soldier's blade."

Aomang laughed. "If I had not shouted in time, even the body would have been eaten by the Jing star officer."

Wukong said, "If that is so, then so be it. Bring a saw. Saw off those two horns and peel off the skin to take back.

"The rhinoceros meat I will leave for the old Dragon King and his worthy son to enjoy."

Then he had Defying Dust's nose pierced and told Jiaomu Jiao to lead him; Defying Heat's nose was also pierced and handed to Jingmuhan to lead. "Take them to the prefectural chief of Jinping Prefecture and make the matter plain. Ask him how these long years of false Buddhas harmed the people, and only then decide."

Everyone obeyed.

They bade farewell to the Dragon King and his son and left the Western Sea. Leading the rhinoceroses and meeting up with the two stars of Kui and Dou, they rode the clouds straight back to Jinping Prefecture.

Wukong stood on auspicious light and called out in midair:

"Hear me, the prefect of Jinping Prefecture, the assistant officials, and all military and civilian people inside and outside the city. I am a holy monk from Great Tang in the Eastern Land, sent west to seek the scriptures. Your prefecture has long offered golden lamps every year, pretending that Buddhas descend in blessing. The monster behind all this is these rhinoceroses. When we passed through here and watched the Lantern Festival, we saw these monsters carry away the lamp oil and my master. It was I who begged the heavenly gods to subdue them.

"Now we have already cleared the mountain cave and wiped out the demons. They may not do harm again. From now on your prefecture must never again offer golden lamps, for it wastes the people's labor and money."

In Ciyun Monastery, Bajie and Brother Sha had just protected Tripitaka to the gate when they heard Wukong speaking from midair. At once they abandoned the master, dropped the baggage, and rode the wind and clouds up into the air to ask about the demon-subduing. Wukong said, "One was bitten to death by the Jing star. I have already sawn off his horns and peeled his skin to bring back. The other two are alive and captured here."

Bajie said, "Let us simply drop these two into the city so the officers and people can see them. Then they will know that we are gods and saints. We have already troubled the four star officers to bring the clouds down to earth. Let them all come to the prefectural hall and judge these monsters. Since the crime is already clear, what more need be said?"

The four stars said, "Marshal Tianpeng, you are becoming reasonable and lawful. Very good."

Bajie said, "After being a monk these years, I have learned a little."

The gods indeed shoved the rhinoceroses down. In a cluster of colored clouds they descended to the prefectural hall. The officials of the prefecture and the people in and out of the city were so frightened that each household set out incense tables and each house bowed to the gods.

After a short while the monks of Ciyun Monastery had the elder carried into the prefectural gate in a sedan chair. When he met Wukong, he did not stop saying thank you.

"You high star officers worked hard to rescue us. Since I did not see your worthy disciple, I have been worried all along. Now, happily, you have returned victorious. But how were these monsters captured after all?"

Wukong said, "After I left you the day before, Old Sun went up to Heaven to search for them. I was fortunate that Gold Star recognized the demons as rhinoceroses and instructed me to ask for the Four Wood Stars. I then presented the matter to the Jade Emperor and received the imperial command. We fought at the cave entrance, and the demon kings fled. Then Dou and Kui saved you, holy master. Old Sun, together with Jing and Jiao, pursued the demons straight to the Western Ocean. Thanks to the old Dragon King sending out his prince and troops to help, we were able to capture them and bring them here for judgment."

The elder praised them and thanked them without end.

There, too, the prefect and his deputy officials were burning fine candles and offering incense while bowing to Heaven.

After a while Bajie lost patience. He drew his monk's knife and cut off Defying Dust's head with one stroke, then cut off Defying Heat's head with another. After that he took a saw and sawed off all four horns.

The Great Sage had still another plan. He ordered the four star officers to take those four rhinoceros horns up to Heaven as tribute and to return them with the imperial command.

He kept one of the two he had brought himself in the prefectural hall as a token against ever again having to raise lantern oil. He took the other to offer to the Buddha of Lingshan.

The four stars were delighted. They took their leave of the Great Sage and suddenly rose on colored clouds to return to court.

The prefecture chief kept the master and disciples there and held a lavish vegetarian banquet, inviting all the local officials to attend. At the same time he issued a proclamation telling the military and civilian people that from the next year on they were not to set up golden lamps again, and the great households would be forever freed from the burden of buying oil.

At the same time he ordered the butchers to skin the rhinos and tan and smoke the hides into armor, and he distributed the meat to the officials and the people.

At the same time he used fines and forfeitures to buy up public land and build a temple for the Four Stars that Subdued the Demons, and also built shrines for Tripitaka and his party. He set up stone tablets and inscribed them all to last for a thousand ages, as thanks.

The master and disciples accepted all this with complete ease. Then those two hundred and forty great households that had supplied lamp oil this one invited, that one begged them, without a moment of rest. Bajie was especially content and pleased, and he tucked some of the valuables they had searched out of the cave into his sleeves to use as gifts for the various banquets.

They stayed there for nearly a month and still could not depart.

Tripitaka instructed, "Wukong, give all the remaining treasure to the monks of Ciyun Monastery as a payment of thanks. Hide it from those great households. We will leave before dawn. If we keep on delighting in comfort, we will delay the scriptures and incur the Buddha's blame, which would only bring more calamity. That would be most improper."

Wukong then arranged everything one by one as ordered.

The next day, before the fifth watch, he rose early and called Bajie to prepare the horse.

The fool, after drinking his easeful wine and eating his fill, had been sleeping in a daze. He muttered, "Why prepare the horse so early?"

Wukong snapped, "Master says we are to get on the road."

The fool wiped his face. "Again this holy elder is being unreasonable. The two hundred and forty great households have all been treating us. We have eaten more than thirty full vegetarian meals. Why keep making old Pig go hungry?"

The elder scolded him. "You gluttonous fool, stop speaking nonsense. Get up at once. If you still talk back, I will have Wukong beat your teeth with the Golden-Hooped Rod."

When Bajie heard there would be beating, he grew flustered. "Master has changed this time. In the past he always pitied me, loved me, and protected me because I was simple and clumsy. Whenever senior brother wanted to strike, he would plead for me. Why is he now being so ruthless and ordering a beating?"

Wukong said, "The master blames you for your mouth and says you are delaying the road. Hurry up and pack the baggage and prepare the horse if you want to avoid a beating."

Bajie was truly afraid of a beating. He sprang up, dressed himself, and shouted at Brother Sha, "Get up quickly. We are being beaten into moving!"

Brother Sha also jumped up at once, and all the preparations were soon done.

Tripitaka waved his hand and said, "Silently, quietly. Do not wake the monks of the monastery."

They quickly mounted and opened the mountain gate, then found the road and went on their way.

This was truly:

Secretly unhooking the jade cage let the colored phoenix fly;
quietly opening the golden lock let the flood dragon slip away.

As for how the various families they had thanked behaved at daybreak, that must wait for the next chapter to explain.