Chapter Summaries

Sun Wukong tracked the stolen Buddhist Robe to Black Wind Cave and joined Guanyin in a plan to recover it. After Guanyin subdued the demons, she spared the Black Bear Demon and placed a Tightening Hoop on it, while Sun Wukong reclaimed the cassock to continue escorting Xuanzang westward.

• Sun Wukong discovered demonic energy in Guanyin Monastery and learned that the Black Bear Demon had stolen Xuanzang's cassock.
• Sun Wukong found the cassock in Black Wind Cave and encountered Guanyin, who agreed to help retrieve it.
• Guanyin transformed into the Green Snake Demon, while Sun Wukong disguised himself as a pill and was fed to the Black Bear Demon.
• Sun Wukong tortured the Black Bear Demon from inside its stomach, and Guanyin revealed herself and bound the demons and Old Abbot.
• Sun Wukong killed the Demon Kings and Old Abbot, but Guanyin stopped him from killing the Black Bear Demon and placed a Tightening Hoop on it.
• Sun Wukong took the cassock and prepared to rejoin Xuanzang and continue westward.

Xuanzang and his disciples arrived at Five Villages Temple, where Zhen Yuan Da Xian’s Taoist boys offered them Ginseng Fruit. After Xuanzang refused to eat it, Sun Wukong learned how to pick the fruit and secretly stole more than ten with Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk; the Taoist boys discovered the loss and went to confront the Tang monks.

• Xuanzang and his disciples reached Five Villages Temple and were welcomed by two Taoist boys on Zhen Yuan Da Xian’s orders.
• The Taoist boys offered Xuanzang four Ginseng Fruit, but he refused, believing they looked like little people.
• Zhu Bajie overheard the Taoist boys eating the fruit and told Sun Wukong, who tried to pick some but watched them vanish.
• Sun Wukong learned the proper picking method, then recruited Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk to steal Ginseng Fruit with the Golden Striker.
• The brothers divided the stolen fruit, but Xuanzang refused his share and Zhu Bajie ate his two portions.
• The Taoist boys counted the Ginseng Fruit, discovered that ten were missing, and went to confront Xuanzang and his disciples.

Sun Wukong destroyed Zhen Yuanzi’s Ginseng Fruit Tree and was forced to seek a way to restore it after Zhen Yuanzi captured Xuanzang and his companions. With Guanyin’s help, the tree was revived, the group was released, and Sun Wukong became sworn brothers with Zhen Yuanzi before resuming the journey.

• Sun Wukong knocked down the Ginseng Fruit Tree and fled Five Villages Temple with Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sand Monk, but Zhen Yuanzi captured them in his Sleeve Universe technique.
• Zhen Yuanzi demanded that Sun Wukong restore the tree, while Sun Wukong sought help from the Heavenly Court and then learned from Longevity Star that Guanyin possessed Three Lights Divine Water.
• Sun Wukong brought Guanyin to Five Villages Temple, where she used Three Lights Divine Water to restore the tree and its fruit.
• Zhen Yuanzi released Xuanzang and the others, then became sworn brothers with Sun Wukong.
• After several days at Five Villages Temple, Xuanzang’s group departed and continued their journey west.

Zhu Bajie was captured by the spider demons after finding them bathing, and their leader captured Tang Xuanzang and Sand Monk as well. The White Dragon Horse witnessed the abduction, while the spider women brought their captives back to their cave.

• Xuanzang rested beneath a tree and sent Zhu Bajie to find water while Sun Wukong stayed with the group.
• Zhu Bajie found a lake where seven or eight women were bathing, transformed into a fish, and was caught in their webs after revealing himself.
• The older woman learned that Zhu Bajie was traveling with a scripture-seeking party and went to find Tang Xuanzang.
• After Sun Wukong flew off, the spider woman paralyzed Sand Monk and Xuanzang with poisonous threads and carried them away in cocoons.
• The White Dragon Horse witnessed the abduction as the spider woman returned to the cave and revealed the unconscious Sand Monk and Xuanzang.

Sun Wukong rescued Tang Xuanzang and his companions from the Spider Demons, but their ally Heavenly Centipede later poisoned the pilgrims and captured them. Sun Wukong escaped in fly form and went to the Heavenly Court, where Mao Ri Xing Guan directed him to seek help from his mother.

• Sun Wukong learned from the White Dragon Horse that a Spider Demon had captured Tang Xuanzang and Sand Monk, then went to the Nine Palaces Mother's cave.
• Sun Wukong defeated the Spider Demons, killed two of them, rescued Xuanzang and the others, and burned down their cave.
• The surviving Spider Demons sought help from Heavenly Centipede, who later welcomed Xuanzang's party to his temple and poisoned their food.
• After everyone but Sun Wukong collapsed, he left his body as a fly and escaped while Heavenly Centipede bound the others and locked them away.
• Sun Wukong went to the Heavenly Court for information, and Mao Ri Xing Guan told him that his mother had a treasure capable of subduing Heavenly Centipede.

Bih Lan Po Bodhisattva helped Sun Wukong defeat Heavenly Centipede and rescue Xuanzang and his companions. After they continued west, Sun Wukong learned that Gold and Silver Horn planned to capture Xuanzang, killed the Nine-tailed Fox, and took her place as the demons prepared to meet them.

• Sun Wukong found Bih Lan Po Bodhisattva and asked her to save Xuanzang, and she agreed to help.
• Heavenly Centipede prepared to kill Xuanzang and his disciples, but Sun Wukong returned to his body and fought him.
• Bih Lan Po Bodhisattva struck Heavenly Centipede with a Golden Needle, subdued the Spider Demons, and rescued Xuanzang and the others.
• After traveling for half a month, Sun Wukong discovered that Gold and Silver Horn planned to abduct Xuanzang and had sent demons to invite the Nine-tailed Fox and borrow her Immortal Binding Rope.
• Sun Wukong took the rope, killed the Nine-tailed Fox, transformed into her likeness, and went with the Little Demons toward the Gold and Silver Cave Residence.
• A patrolling demon spotted Xuanzang and his group resting in a rocky hollow and reported their arrival to Gold and Silver Horn.

King Golden Horn captured Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sand Monk with the Golden Gourd, then accidentally trapped Sun Wukong while he was disguised as the Nine-tailed Fox demon. Sun Wukong escaped and returned in successive disguises, but King Golden Horn eventually tricked him into answering to his real name and sucked him into the gourd again.

• King Golden Horn used the Golden Gourd to capture Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk, then bound Xuanzang and brought them to the Gold and Silver Cave Residence.
• The disguised Sun Wukong warned King Golden Horn and King Silver Horn about Sun Wukong, but was caught in the gourd after King Golden Horn called his name.
• King Silver Horn ordered the Little Demons to stew Zhu Bajie while the brothers celebrated and assumed Sun Wukong had dissolved inside the gourd.
• After Sun Wukong escaped as smoke, a little demon reported that Sun Xingzhe had come to the cave, and King Golden Horn captured the disguised Sun Wukong again.
• Sun Wukong returned disguised as Zhexing Sun, resisted the gourd when called by that name, then was sucked inside after King Golden Horn called him Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong forced Lord Lao to reclaim Golden Horn and Silver Horn, then rejoined Tang Xuanzang’s party as they resumed their pilgrimage and entered the Western Liang Woman's Kingdom. After drinking from the Womb River, Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sand Monk discovered they were pregnant, and Sun Wukong left them without a solution.

• Sun Wukong told Lord Lao that Golden Horn and Silver Horn had taken his magical treasures, and Lord Lao reclaimed his attendants and carried them back to Heaven.
• Sun Wukong freed Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sand Monk from the steamer, then the pilgrims left the cave and continued west.
• After years of travel, Xuanzang and his disciples arrived in the Western Liang Woman's Kingdom and drank from the Womb River.
• The innkeeper summoned a physician, who told Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sand Monk that they were pregnant because of the river water.
• Zhu Bajie begged Sun Wukong to find a way to end the pregnancies, but Sun Wukong laughed at him.

After drinking Womb River water, Xuanzang and his disciples obtained Abortion Divine Water from Wishful True Immortal with Red Boy’s help. In the Western Liang Woman's Kingdom, the Queen pursued Xuanzang, who refused her advances, and the chapter ended with his disciples speculating about their chances together.

• Sun Wukong learned that Abortion Divine Water from Wishful True Immortal could cure Xuanzang and his disciples’ pregnancies.
• Wishful True Immortal attacked Sun Wukong over Red Boy’s entry into Buddhism, then agreed to give him water if he resolved the family dispute.
• Sun Wukong brought Red Boy from Mount Luojia, and Wishful True Immortal let him fill a bottle from the Abortion Divine Spring.
• Xuanzang and his disciples drank the water, recovered, and went to the palace to exchange their Travel Permit.
• The Western Liang Woman's Kingdom Queen summoned Xuanzang and declared her interest, but he rejected her advances and returned to the inn.
• The Queen issued a decree inviting Xuanzang to tour the city, while Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk discussed whether the two might become a couple.

Tang Xuanzang left the Western Liang Woman's Kingdom with Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing, and Zhu Bajie later caught up with them in the Yellow Sand Land. After Sun Wukong rescued Xuanzang from a Scorpion Demon, the group reached Flame Mountain, where Sun Wukong learned its fire came from the fallen Eight Trigrams Furnace.

• Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing urged Tang Xuanzang to leave the Western Liang Woman's Kingdom, and Xuanzang decided to resume the scripture journey.
• The Western Liang Woman's Kingdom Queen gave Xuanzang a stamped Travel Permit and asked him to return after completing his westward journey; Xuanzang left with Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing without Zhu Bajie.
• Zhu Bajie returned to the inn after half a month and, finding the others gone, flew after them; meanwhile, Sun Wukong defeated the Scorpion Demon with help from Mao Ri Xing Guan and rescued Xuanzang.
• Sun Wukong learned from the local earth deity that the group’s scorching route was Flame Mountain, then tried and failed to have the East Sea Dragon King extinguish its fire with rain.
• At the Hall of High Heavens, Fire Tune Star Lord told Sun Wukong that Flame Mountain was formed when the Eight Trigrams Furnace fell into the Mortal Realm and that its flames were the Six Ding Divine Flame.

Sun Wukong went to Iron Fan Princess's residence to borrow the Banana Palm Fan and discovered she had given him a fake. After he returned in disguise to learn where the real fan was, the Bull Demon King arrived and confronted him.

• Sun Wukong learned the Rakshasa Fan was in Iron Fan Princess's hands, left Xuanzang and the others with food and water, and sneaked into her residence as a fly.
• Sun Wukong entered Iron Fan Princess's stomach and forced her to lend him the Banana Palm Fan by making her suffer; she gave him a fake fan that intensified Flame Mountain's fire.
• Sun Wukong returned disguised as the Bull Demon King and coaxed Iron Fan Princess into revealing that she had hidden the real fan and given him a fake.
• Sun Wukong revealed himself and demanded the real Banana Palm Fan, but Iron Fan Princess refused and called for help as the Bull Demon King arrived.

Sun Wukong and Bull Demon King reconciled after fighting, and Iron Fan Princess lent Sun Wukong the real Banana Palm Fan to extinguish Flame Mountain. Xuanzang’s group reached drought-stricken Fengxian County, where Sun Wukong learned from the Jade Emperor that rain depended on the prefect resolving a mysterious transgression.

• Sun Wukong explained to Bull Demon King why he had fought Red Boy and asked why Red Boy did not resemble an ox, prompting Bull Demon King to reconsider his suspicions about the child’s parentage.
• Bull Demon King and Sun Wukong persuaded Iron Fan Princess to lend the real Banana Palm Fan, and Sun Wukong extinguished Flame Mountain before returning the fan.
• After traveling west for half a year, Xuanzang’s group arrived in Fengxian County and learned that a long drought had ruined the crops.
• Sun Wukong watched the prefect’s rain-prayer ceremony fail, then flew to the Heavenly Court to question the Jade Emperor.
• The Jade Emperor told Sun Wukong that rain would come after the Noodle Mountain and Rice Mountain were eaten and the Lamp Fire Broken Rope was severed, and said the prefect knew the reason for the drought.
• Sun Wukong returned to Fengxian County to ask the prefect about the cause.

Sun Wukong uncovered why the Jade Emperor had withheld rain from Fengxian County, secured justice for a wronged woman, and forced the rain to fall. After Xuanzang’s group reached Jisai Country, a strange wind stole the Golden Light Temple’s relic and carried Xuanzang away, prompting White Dragon to pursue the Nine-Headed Insect into its river lair.

• Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie ate Rice Mountain and Noodle Mountain, but both reappeared, so Sun Wukong demanded an explanation from the Jade Emperor.
• The Fengxian County prefect recalled that he had overturned the Jade Emperor’s offerings and admitted the reason the county’s rain had been withheld.
• The prefect punished his wastrel son for abducting a common woman, and Sun Wukong later forced the Jade Emperor to send rain to Fengxian County.
• After months of travel, Xuanzang’s group reached Jisai Country, where a strange wind stole the Golden Light Temple’s relic and swept Xuanzang away.
• Sun Wukong learned from the Earth Deity that the Nine-Headed Insect lived beneath a nearby river, and White Dragon plunged into the water to rescue Xuanzang.

Sun Wukong rescued Tang Xuanzang while White Dragon and Zhu Bajie fought Nine-Headed Insect, who was captured by the West Sea Dragon King. After the Golden Light Sarira was recovered and Xuanzang's group was cleared of suspicion, they crossed the river, received the Jisai Country Seal, and continued their journey.

• White Dragon battled Nine-Headed Insect while Sun Wukong learned from the River Earl that Xuanzang was imprisoned in the River Earl Palace.
• Sun Wukong freed Xuanzang and returned him to Golden Light Temple, then joined White Dragon and Zhu Bajie in battling Nine-Headed Insect.
• The West Sea Dragon King arrived and took Nine-Headed Insect away in chains.
• The River Earl returned the stolen Golden Light Sarira, clearing Xuanzang's group of suspicion at Golden Light Temple.
• The River Earl carried Xuanzang and his disciples across the river, and they later received the Jisai Country Seal in the capital before departing.

At Thorny Ridge, Zhu Bajie cleared a path through the thorns, then fell for a marriage scheme set by Mount Li's Old Mother and the Bodhisattvas and was punished for his lust. The pilgrims resumed their westward journey and reached a vast Buddhist temple that Xuanzang believed might be the Great Thunderclap Temple.

• Zhu Bajie transformed into a Black-haired Wild Boar and charged through the thorns, opening a road for Xuanzang and the others.
• At an estate, Sun Wukong recognized Mount Li's Old Mother and identified the three daughters as Guanyin, Lingji Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva in disguise.
• Zhu Bajie agreed to become a Live-in Son-in-Law, tried to claim all three daughters and their mother, and put on the woven garments they offered.
• The next day, Xuanzang, Sun Wukong, and Sha Wujing found themselves in a Desolate Forest, where Zhu Bajie was hanging in a net; the Bodhisattvas lectured him and took the net away.
• The pilgrims continued west, saw a vast Buddhist temple on a distant mountain, and climbed its white jade steps after Xuanzang wondered if it was the Great Thunderclap Temple.

Xuanzang and his disciples entered a false Thunderclap Temple, where the Yellow-Browed Demon revealed his disguise and captured them. Trapped beneath the demon’s Golden Cymbal, Sun Wukong escaped in spirit form and found Buddha Ancestor Maitreya, who identified Yellow-Browed as his runaway boy and sent Sun Wukong back to lure him out.

• Xuanzang and his disciples entered Little Thunderclap Temple, where the supposed Buddhas transformed into demons led by Yellow-Browed Old Buddha.
• Sun Wukong fought Yellow-Browed Old Buddha, but the demon trapped him beneath a Golden Cymbal and had Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing seized.
• Yellow-Browed Old Buddha ordered Zhu Bajie boiled and discussed eating Xuanzang, while Sun Wukong failed to escape the Golden Cymbal.
• When Yellow-Browed Old Buddha opened the cymbal, Sun Wukong’s spirit slipped away, and he encountered Buddha Ancestor Maitreya disguised as a melon farmer.
• Maitreya revealed that Yellow-Browed Old Buddha was his runaway boy and told Sun Wukong to return to the cave and lure him out.

Sun Wukong defeated Yellow-Browed Old Buddha with Buddha Ancestor Maitreya’s help and rescued Xuanzang and the others. After two more years of travel, they reached Lion Camel Ridge, where three demon kings prepared to capture Xuanzang while Sun Wukong was away.

• Yellow-Browed Old Buddha chased Sun Wukong to Buddha Ancestor Maitreya, who subdued him and stopped Sun Wukong from killing him.
• Sun Wukong freed Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sand Monk from the cave, then burned it and resumed their journey with them.
• Two years later, Xuanzang and his disciples reached Lion Camel Ridge, where a village girl warned them about its demons and three powerful demon kings.
• Zhu Bajie accepted the village girl’s food and ate it while Xuanzang and Sand Monk refused.
• Xiao Zuanfeng reported that Xuanzang was at the foot of the mountain, and the Blue-Faced Lion and White-Faced Elephant planned to abduct him while one of them held off Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong returned to Lion Camel Ridge and found Tang Xuanzang had been abducted by White Elephant while Azure Lion distracted him. Disguised as a demon called Chief Drill Wind, Sun Wukong infiltrated Lion Camel Cave and found Xuanzang bound, but White Elephant stopped him before he could leave.

• A village girl warned Xuanzang's group that three demon kings ruled Lion Camel Ridge, and a patrolling demon reported their presence to Azure Lion and White Elephant.
• Azure Lion attacked Sun Wukong to hold him back while White Elephant summoned a divine wind that carried Xuanzang away; Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk entered the ridge to search for him.
• Sun Wukong defeated Azure Lion, returned to the entrance, and learned from White Dragon Horse that Xuanzang had been taken and the others had gone after him.
• Sun Wukong disguised himself as a demon, tricked Xiao Zuanfeng into giving him his patrol badge and flag, and entered Lion Camel Cave as Chief Drill Wind.
• Sun Wukong found Xuanzang bound to a stone pillar and pretended not to recognize him, but White Elephant rose and stopped him as he was about to leave.

Sun Wukong infiltrated Lion Camel Cave, escaped White Elephant’s Yin Yang Treasure Bottle, and damaged it while the demon kings were distracted. A mysterious woman freed Tang Xuanzang, and the chapter ended with Azure Lion and White Elephant heading to Lion Camel Kingdom to seek Peng King.

• White Elephant suspected Xiao Zuanfeng was Sun Wukong, but Azure Lion accepted Sun Wukong’s badge as proof and let him stay.
• Sun Wukong brought wine to Azure Lion and White Elephant, then revealed himself and tried to free Tang Xuanzang when they fell asleep.
• White Elephant caught Sun Wukong in the Yin Yang Treasure Bottle, but Sun Wukong escaped by poking a hole through its bottom with the Ocean Stabilizing Divine Needle.
• After the damaged bottle revealed Sun Wukong’s escape, Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk fought Azure Lion and White Elephant outside Lion Camel Cave.
• A woman in a golden gauze dress freed Tang Xuanzang with a Peacock Feather Fan and took him away while the others fought.
• When the demon kings discovered Tang Xuanzang was gone, they blamed Sun Wukong and flew to Lion Camel Kingdom to seek Peng King.

On Peacock Mountain, Peacock Sister tried to awaken Xuanzang’s memories of his past life as Golden Cicada and carried him away after he fainted. Sun Wukong and his companions battled the demons of Lion Camel Kingdom until Tathagata captured Golden Winged Great Peng, then sent Manjushri and Samantabhadra with Wukong to subdue Azure Lion and White Elephant.

• Peacock Sister teased Xuanzang and urged him to remember their bond from his past life, but he insisted on continuing his pilgrimage; she used her Peacock Cattail Fan to make him faint and carried him away.
• Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk smashed into Lion Camel Cave but found Xuanzang and the demon kings gone; after Sun Wukong returned, the Mountain God told them Azure Lion and White Elephant had gone to Lion Camel Kingdom.
• Azure Lion and White Elephant reported to Golden Winged Great Peng, who grew furious over the destruction of his Yin Yang Treasure Bottle.
• Sun Wukong and his companions fought Golden Winged Great Peng and the other two demon kings, but Great Peng’s power overwhelmed Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk.
• Sun Wukong drew Golden Winged Great Peng to Spirit Mountain, where Tathagata subdued him and made him return to the Lotus Platform.
• Tathagata sent Manjushri and Samantabhadra with Sun Wukong to Lion Camel Kingdom to subdue Azure Lion and White Elephant.