Chapter Summaries

Jiang Shang joined Ji Chang in Xiqi and later helped Ji Fa establish Zhou and rebel against Great Shang. As the war advanced, Kong Xuan was lured away and converted by the Western Sect, while Shen Gongbao brought Wandering Immortals to halt Zhou’s army; a childlike warrior then arrived as Jiang Shang faced another crisis.

• Jiang Shang resigned from Great Shang, reached Xiqi, and persuaded Ji Chang to recruit him by fishing with a straight hook and asking Ji Chang to pull his carriage.
• Jiang Shang helped Xiqi gather strength, and after Ji Chang died, he assisted Ji Fa in founding Zhou and launching its campaign against Great Shang.
• Wen Zhong returned to court and restrained Su Daji, but after he left to suppress another rebellion, she seized power, persecuted the Queen, and promoted Fei Zhong and You Hun.
• Jiang Shang’s army stalled at Three Mountains Pass, so Randeng arranged for the Golden Winged Great Peng Bird to lure Kong Xuan away, allowing Jie Yin and Zhun Ti to bind and convert him.
• Shen Gongbao returned to Chaoge with Wandering Immortals, who stopped Zhou’s army and inflicted heavy losses.
• A childlike warrior descended before Jiang Shang, who was at a loss against the immortal reinforcements.

Nezha joined Jiang Shang’s campaign, but the war between Shang and Zhou escalated into a devastating conflict between the Chan Sect and the Intercept Sect, ending with Shang’s fall and the Investiture of the Gods. Later, the Future Self imbued a Five-Colored Divine Stone with Dark Source, and its Spirit Embryo grew up among monkeys and became the Handsome Monkey King.

• Nezha arrived to help Jiang Shang, and Shen Gongbao recruited Intercept Sect disciples to oppose the Chan Sect’s forces.
• The anti-Zhou army defeated Shang; Yin Zi Shou died by fire, and Jiang Ziya completed the Investiture of the Gods before receiving authority over gods and mortals.
• The Future Self gave the six saints the Fallen-Saint Elixir, barring them from entering the Primordial World, while Parallel Chi Yu Consciousness advanced to Peak Primordial Walker.
• The Future Self sent Dark Source into the Five-Colored Divine Stone, and its Black Qi killed a man and three women who had come to take it.
• The stone broke open, and the Spirit Embryo emerged, joined a troop of monkeys, and discovered the Water Curtain Cave Grotto-Heaven behind a waterfall.
• The monkeys entered the cave and acknowledged the Spirit Embryo as their king, honoring him as the Handsome Monkey King.

Sun Wukong learned immortal arts from Subhuti, returned to Flower Fruit Mountain, and reclaimed it from Hun Shi. After befriending several demon kings, he visited the East Sea Dragon Palace to seek a weapon and was offered Great Yu's sea-quelling treasure.

• The Handsome Monkey King learned that mortals died of old age and left Flower Fruit Mountain to seek immortality.
• After reaching Spirit Platform Square Inch Mountain, the Handsome Monkey King waited through the winter at Subhuti's gate until an attendant brought him inside.
• Subhuti named him Sun Wukong, taught him the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends Techniques and the Grand Heavenly Immortal Art, then sent him away with a Somersault Cloud.
• Sun Wukong returned to Flower Fruit Mountain, defeated Hun Shi, and swore brotherhood with Hun Shi, the Bull Demon King, Peng Demon King, Jiao Demon King, and other demon kings.
• At the Bull Demon King's suggestion, Sun Wukong went to the East Sea Dragon Palace to find a weapon, but rejected the weapons the East Sea Dragon King offered as too light.
• The East Sea Dragon King offered Sun Wukong the treasure Great Yu had used to quell the sea, if Sun Wukong could lift it.

Sun Wukong took the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle Iron from the East Sea and accepted armor from the Four Seas Dragon Kings without returning it. After celebrating on Flower Fruit Mountain, he was dragged to the Netherworld, where he rejected King Yama’s claim that his lifespan had ended and demanded to see the Life and Death Book.

• Sun Wukong shrank the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle Iron and pulled it from the seabed, shaking the East Sea.
• The East Sea Dragon King invited the other three Dragon Kings, and they gave Sun Wukong an Armor Set in exchange for the needle, but he left with both treasures.
• Sun Wukong showed the needle to the monkeys and demon kings, while the Jade Emperor saw it reach the Heavenly Realm and said not to panic.
• After a days-long feast, two Ghost Messengers took Sun Wukong’s soul to King Yama’s Palace, claiming his mortal lifespan had ended.
• Sun Wukong denied that his lifespan could have ended, summoned the needle, and demanded that King Yama bring him the Life and Death Book.

After Sun Wukong altered the Life and Death Book, the Dragon King and King Yama accused him before the Jade Emperor, who sent Li Jing to capture him. Li Chang Geng later invited Sun Wukong to Heaven to take an official post, and Sun Wukong reached the Southern Heaven Gate, where the gatekeepers mocked his claim.

• Sun Wukong tore up his page in the Life and Death Book and crossed out the monkey category before returning to Flower Fruit Mountain.
• The East Sea Dragon King and King Yama accused Sun Wukong before the Jade Emperor, who appointed Li Jing to lead Heavenly Soldiers against him.
• Sun Wukong defeated Giant Spirit God, escaped Li Jing’s Exquisite Treasure Pagoda, and left Li Jing to report a false victory.
• Li Chang Geng persuaded the Jade Emperor to invite Sun Wukong to Heaven for an official position and carried the invitation to Flower Fruit Mountain.
• Sun Wukong accepted the invitation and flew to the Southern Heaven Gate, where the heavenly generals mocked him until Li Chang Geng arrived.

Sun Wukong became the Imperial Horse Administration’s Stable Master and took the Heavenly Horses to graze by the Celestial River, where he defeated Tian Peng. After the horses grew wings, Wuqu Star Lord arrived to requisition them and found the stables empty, prompting Sun Wukong to return.

• The Jade Emperor appointed Sun Wukong Stable Master, an unranked post, and Li Chang Geng escorted him to the Imperial Horse Administration.
• Sun Wukong ignored the Blessing and Protection Two Officials’ warnings, released the Heavenly Horses, and took them to graze by the Celestial River.
• Sun Wukong fought Tian Peng after the marshal ordered him to leave and knocked him into the river.
• Sun Wukong continued grazing the horses by the river, where they grew plump and developed wings, alarming the Blessing and Protection Two Officials.
• Wuqu Star Lord came to requisition horses, found the stables empty, and sent the Blessing and Protection Two Officials to find Sun Wukong.
• Sun Wukong rode the winged white horse back to the Imperial Horse Administration as the officials drove the herd after him.

After learning that his Stable Master post was considered too low to hold rank, Sun Wukong abandoned Heaven and named himself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. The Jade Emperor sent Li Jing and a heavenly army to attack Flower Fruit Mountain, but Sun Wukong broke the Exquisite Treasure Pagoda and forced their retreat.

• Wuqu Star Lord berated Sun Wukong for neglecting his duties, and Sun Wukong learned from the Blessing and Protection Two Officials that the Stable Master post was low-ranking.
• Sun Wukong stripped off his official robes and returned to Flower Fruit Mountain, where Bull Demon King and the other demon kings urged him to grant himself a title.
• Sun Wukong named himself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and the Jade Emperor ordered Li Jing to lead Nezha and two hundred thousand heavenly soldiers against Flower Fruit Mountain.
• Nezha fought Sun Wukong and urged him to abandon the title, but Sun Wukong refused, and Nezha returned to Li Jing.
• Sun Wukong halted the Wind Rain Thunder Lightning Gods' storm and cracked Li Jing's Exquisite Treasure Pagoda, forcing the heavenly army to retreat.

The Jade Emperor accepted Taibai Jinxing’s plan to placate Sun Wukong with an empty title and appointed him Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Sun Wukong settled into his new residence, then was assigned to guard the Peach Orchard, where he secretly ate and ruined the peaches before falling asleep in disguise.

• Taibai Jinxing persuaded the Jade Emperor to grant Sun Wukong the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven without real authority, and volunteered to deliver the decree.
• The monkeys seized Li Chang Geng at Flower Fruit Mountain and pulled out most of his beard before Sun Wukong ordered them to bring him in.
• Sun Wukong accepted the decree, went to Heaven, and moved into the Great Sage Equal to Heaven Residence, pleased by the respect he received.
• Sun Wukong visited the immortals’ residences and drank with Nezha, who revealed the truth about his appointment, but Sun Wukong did not take it seriously.
• An official ordered Sun Wukong to guard the Peach Orchard, and the Peach Orchard Land Deity warned him not to pick the Queen Mother’s peaches before the Peach Banquet.
• Sun Wukong transformed into a honeybee, ate and spoiled many peaches, then disguised himself as a peach and fell asleep among the branches.

Chi Yu secretly altered the Peach Orchard incident while the Future Self’s Black Qi drove Sun Wukong to attack phantom fairies. Afterward, Sun Wukong set out to crash the Peach Banquet, leaving the real Seven Fairy Maidens confused and unaware of what had happened.

• Parallel Chi Yu planted Black Qi in Sun Wukong while he slept in peach form, and Chi Yu waited at the orchard entrance for the Seven Fairy Maidens.
• The Seven Fairy Maidens entered to pick peaches, found the fruit small and damaged, and discovered Sun Wukong hiding as an excellent peach.
• Sun Wukong learned he had not been invited to the Peach Banquet, froze the Seven Fairy Maidens, and the Black Qi seized control of his consciousness.
• Chi Yu replaced the real fairies with illusions, and Sun Wukong attacked the phantoms while Chi Yu privately confined the real fairies in a Golden Light space.
• The Black Qi dispersed, Sun Wukong fled in confusion, and Chi Yu released the real Seven Fairy Maidens, who gathered peaches and left for the banquet.
• Sun Wukong met the Barefoot Immortal, transformed into his appearance, and headed to the Peach Banquet to disrupt it.

Sun Wukong wrecked the Peach Banquet, stole immortal food and Lord Lao’s pills, then fled to Flower Fruit Mountain. Yang Jian answered Guanyin’s call and fought Sun Wukong, who escaped by transforming into a small temple.

• Sun Wukong disguised himself as the Barefoot Immortal, ruined the Peach Banquet, and stole its immortal fruits and Jade Nectar.
• Sun Wukong raided Tushita Palace for immortal pills and fled to the Lower Realm before the Jade Emperor and Lord Lao discovered the thefts.
• After the Barefoot Immortal and the seven fairy maidens revealed what had happened, the Jade Emperor ordered Sun Wukong captured, and Guanyin recommended Yang Jian.
• Yang Jian agreed to capture Sun Wukong and led his forces to Flower Fruit Mountain, where he and Sun Wukong fought for five hundred exchanges without either gaining the advantage.
• Sun Wukong fled by transforming into a Silver Carp and then a small temple, but Yang Jian followed and inspected the temple.

Yang Jian and Sun Wukong fought until Lord Lao struck Sun Wukong down and brought him to the Heavenly Court, where the Jade Emperor ordered him punished and then sent to be refined in the Eight Trigrams Furnace. At a banquet, Tian Peng was sentenced to the mortal world for harassing Heng'e, and Chi Yu appeared at the Cold Palace to protect her from the Jade Emperor.

• Sun Wukong impersonated Yang Jian at Guanjiang Estuary, but Yang Jian exposed him and chased him into another prolonged battle.
• Lord Lao struck Sun Wukong unconscious with the Vajra Bracelet, carried him to the Heavenly Court, and brought him to the Punishment Platform.
• The Jade Emperor's Five Elements Immortal Officials and Wind Rain Thunder Lightning Gods failed to harm Sun Wukong, so Lord Lao sealed him in the Eight Trigrams Furnace to refine him for forty-nine days.
• At the Heavenly Court banquet, the Jade Emperor sentenced the Curtain Lifting General to the Lower Realm after he knocked over a cup.
• Tian Peng tried to seize Heng'e, and the Jade Emperor cast him into the mortal world, where he was reborn as a pig.
• The Jade Emperor headed toward the Cold Palace after Heng'e, but Chi Yu arrived first and told her he had come to protect her.

Heng'e was protected from the Jade Emperor’s assault by Chi Yu’s white light, while Sun Wukong emerged from the Eight Trigrams Furnace and wreaked havoc in Heaven. He sought the Heavenly Emperor’s throne and accepted Tathagata’s wager, setting off to escape the Buddha’s palm.

• Chi Yu vanished after shielding Heng'e and the Jade Rabbit, and they speculated that he might be the ancient Demon Emperor Dijun.
• The Jade Emperor entered Heng'e’s palace and tried to force himself on her, but Chi Yu’s white light blasted him off the Moon Star.
• Sun Wukong emerged from the Eight Trigrams Furnace with Fiery Eyes and Golden Gaze, smashed Tushita Palace, and attacked the Hall of High Heavens.
• Sun Wukong declared that he would claim the Heavenly Emperor’s throne, summoned Bull Demon King and the other demons, and joined the battle against Heaven’s forces.
• Tathagata confronted Sun Wukong and wagered that he could not escape from the Buddha’s palm, offering him the Heavenly Emperor’s throne if he succeeded.
• Sun Wukong accepted the wager and somersaulted away from Tathagata’s hand.

Sun Wukong lost his wager with Tathagata and was imprisoned beneath Five Finger Mountain, while Heng'e secretly descended to the Lower Realm. Future Self later tried and failed to free Sun Wukong, leaving him still trapped beneath the mountain.

• Sun Wukong wrote his name on a pillar beyond Tathagata's fingers, but Tathagata revealed the deception and pressed him beneath Five Finger Mountain.
• Tathagata sent a Buddhist Mantra to Five Finger Mountain, calming the mountain and keeping Sun Wukong pinned while the Jade Emperor celebrated with the Buddhas.
• The Jade Emperor searched the Moon Palace for Heng'e, but Wu Gang said he had not seen her leave, and the emperor abandoned his search.
• Heng'e secretly descended to the Mortal Realm with the Jade Rabbit and hid in a cave she created in the mountains.
• Future Self tried to use Source Lord Authority to free Sun Wukong, but Five Finger Mountain did not move, so he returned to the Void.

Chi Yu transformed Yaochi into an Endless Source Lord while the Seven Fairy Maidens discovered they were pregnant and blamed Sun Wukong. Yaochi confronted the imprisoned monkey, but Chi Yu told her he was not responsible, and the maidens asked her to spare him for their unborn children.

• The Future Self failed to break the mantra suppressing Sun Wukong and concealed himself in the Void.
• The Seven Fairy Maidens noticed their swollen bellies and went to Lord Lao, who told them they were pregnant.
• Chi Yu revealed to Yaochi that he was Qing Chen, master of the Myriad Heavens' Time-Spaces, and transformed her into an Endless Source Lord.
• The Seven Fairy Maidens suspected Sun Wukong had made them pregnant, and Yaochi took them to confront him beneath Five Finger Mountain.
• Sun Wukong admitted what happened, but Chi Yu told Yaochi that the matter had nothing to do with him.
• The Seven Fairy Maidens asked Yaochi to spare Sun Wukong for the sake of their unborn children, and she agreed.

Chi Yu explained the illusory fetuses to Yaochi, whose understanding of transcendence deepened, while the Jade Emperor failed to speak with her. In the Mortal Realm, Jade Rabbit became a demon king and was assigned a tribulation, as Golden Cicada completed nine deaths and began his tenth life.

• Chi Yu told Yaochi that the Seven Fairy Maidens carried illusory fetuses he had created, and Yaochi’s state of mind transformed as she accepted his view of transcendence.
• The Jade Emperor came to speak with Yaochi but lost his nerve when she appeared, then returned to the Hall of High Heavens.
• After nearly a century in the Mortal Realm, Jade Rabbit became the Hundred Li Demon King, and Pineapple Head Bodhisattva made her one of the Eighty-One Tribulations of the westward journey.
• Tathagata cast Golden Cicada into reincarnation, and Golden Cicada died on the westward journey in each of his first nine lives, repeatedly devoured at the Ten Thousand Li Flowing Sand River.
• After Golden Cicada’s ninth death, a white mist held his soul as Tathagata announced that his tenth life would begin the westward journey and lead to Buddhist fruition.

After Golden Cicada’s soul entered the Human Dao, Chen Zhichong became the top scholar, married Zhang Shi, and she conceived. Bandits killed Chen Zhichong and his family on the river, then the chief impersonated him and took Zhang Shi to Yin Prefecture, where he kept her under his control.

• Chen Zhichong caught Zhang Shi’s embroidered ball, and her family agreed to their marriage.
• Chen Zhichong and Zhang Shi married, and Golden Cicada’s soul entered Zhang Shi’s womb that night.
• Chen Zhichong and his family boarded a boat for Yin Prefecture after he received an appointment, but bandits attacked them on the river.
• The bandit chief killed Chen Zhichong and his family, took his appointment documents, and forced Zhang Shi to accompany him.
• The bandit chief impersonated Chen Zhichong in Yin Prefecture and used Zhang Shi’s unborn child to keep her from resisting.

Chen Zhang Shi’s son was raised as the monk Xuanzang, while Yuan Shoucheng exposed the Jing River Dragon King’s violation of the rain decree and sent him to seek help from Emperor Tang. Despite the Emperor’s promise to restrain Wei Zheng, Wei Zheng executed the Dragon King in a dream, and the dead dragon began tormenting the Emperor.

• Chen Zhang Shi placed her infant son in a wooden basin and sent him down the river, where a temple abbot found him and later named him Xuanzang.
• Eighteen years later, Yuan Shoucheng’s accurate fishing forecasts angered the Jing River Dragon King, who wagered with him about the next day’s rainfall.
• After secretly withholding rain in defiance of the Jade Emperor’s decree, the Jing River Dragon King learned from Yuan Shoucheng that Wei Zheng would execute him.
• The Jing River Dragon King asked Emperor Tang to keep Wei Zheng from carrying out the execution, and the Emperor ordered Wei Zheng to stay home.
• Wei Zheng reached the Dragon Execution Platform in a dream and beheaded the Jing River Dragon King despite the Emperor’s order.
• The Jing River Dragon King’s soul entered Emperor Tang’s dreams and tormented him with nightmares.

After Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva returned Li Shimin to life, the Emperor promoted Buddhism and held a Water and Land Dharma Assembly with Xuanzang preaching in Chang'an. Guanyin, disguised as a traveling monk, offered a Kasaya and Khakkhara, prompting Li Shimin to summon Xuanzang to the palace.

• Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva sent Li Shimin's soul back to his body, and the Emperor awoke during his funeral.
• Li Shimin issued an edict promoting Buddhism and ordered a Water and Land Dharma Assembly, where Xuanzang preached before the Emperor and gathered monks.
• Guanyin, disguised as a traveling monk, listened to people discuss Xuanzang and then sold a Kasaya and Khakkhara around Chang'an.
• Li Shimin heard Guanyin's offer during the assembly and later summoned her to Taiji Hall to ask the price of the treasures.
• Guanyin asked Li Shimin whom he intended to give the Kasaya and Khakkhara, and he ordered palace officials to summon Xuanzang.

Xuanzang received Emperor Tang Li Shimin’s blessing and began his journey west to seek Mahayana scriptures, but a tiger killed his attendants at Two Boundaries Mountain before a hunter rescued him. At Five Finger Mountain, he met the imprisoned Sun Wukong, who asked him to remove the Buddhist Mantra so he could escape and become Xuanzang’s escort.

• Guanyin revealed herself in Taiji Hall, named Xuanzang Sanzang, and told him to travel west for the scriptures; Emperor Tang Li Shimin prepared his journey and swore brotherhood with him.
• Xuanzang left Chang'an with a white horse, a Purple Gold Alms Bowl, and an imperial travel document, while the impersonator of Chen Zhichong was executed and Chen Zhang Shi was freed.
• At Two Boundaries Mountain, a tiger killed Xuanzang’s attendants, but a hunter wounded the tiger and guided him safely out of the forest.
• Guanyin told Sun Wukong that Xuanzang would free him if he agreed to escort the scripture seeker, and Sun Wukong eagerly accepted.
• Xuanzang met Sun Wukong pinned beneath Five Finger Mountain, learned he had been waiting to escort the scripture seeker, and heard that removing the Buddhist Mantra would free him.

Xuanzang freed Sun Wukong from Five Finger Mountain, and the two began their journey west after Sun Wukong received the Dharma name Xingzhe. Guanyin set a test involving the three souls of Sun Wukong’s hearts, and the chapter left Xuanzang trapped by Mountain Bandits as Sun Wukong returned and watched from above.

• Xuanzang removed the Buddhist Mantra from Five Finger Mountain, freeing Sun Wukong, who thanked him and received a set of pilgrim’s clothes.
• Xuanzang gave Sun Wukong the Dharma name Xingzhe and refused to let him shortcut the pilgrimage, so the pair headed west on foot and horseback.
• At Tathagata’s instruction, Guanyin released three souls representing Sun Wukong’s arrogance, mania, and rudeness, then arranged a thatched cottage and an old man for a trial.
• Several days later, Sun Wukong bounded ahead through a dense forest and left Xuanzang behind.
• Three Mountain Bandits trapped Xuanzang in a net and went to seize his white horse and luggage.
• Sun Wukong returned, spotted Xuanzang and the Mountain Bandits from the sky, and felt his playful nature stir.