Chapter Summaries

Yang Jian and Nezha attacked the six demon kings at Green Cloud Mountain, forcing them to scatter and abandon their Great Sage titles. Later, Sun Wukong visited Zhao Gongming’s palace and wondered how many subordinates his mansion could support, prompting Bixiao to accuse him of falsely claiming salaries and Zhao Gongming to offer him money.

• Haotian ordered Taibai Jinxing to stop the lower-realm demons from gathering, and Taibai assigned Yang Jian and Nezha to deal with them.
• The six demon kings celebrated at Green Cloud Mountain, but the Bull Demon King discouraged the Rhesus Monkey King from seeking Heavenly Court recognition.
• Yang Jian and Nezha attacked the six demon kings and their forces, burned their banners, and drove them to flee.
• The Bull Demon King returned to find Green Cloud Mountain devastated and chose not to raise his banner again; the six demon kings dispersed.
• Sun Wukong visited Zhao Gongming’s palace and asked how many subordinates his mansion could support.
• Bixiao accused Sun Wukong of wanting to falsely claim salaries, then told him to ask Zhao Gongming for money, and Zhao Gongming offered to help.

Sun Wukong asked Zhao Gongming and the Three Heavens to secure places in the Heavenly Court for his Flower-Fruit Mountain monkeys, and they arranged a way to support three thousand Monkey Head Army soldiers there. After Sun Wukong left to have Qiongxiao write the memorial, Yunxiao warned Zhao Gongming that he had opened the back door too wide, but he dismissed the concern.

• Sun Wukong asked Zhao Gongming and the Three Heavens why they treated him so well, and Zhao Gongming concealed that Wu Tian had arranged it.
• Zhao Gongming asked how much merit Sun Wukong needed, but Sun Wukong explained that he wanted official positions and support for his Flower-Fruit Mountain monkeys.
• Zhao Gongming advised Sun Wukong to establish a three-thousand-strong Monkey Head Army at Flower-Fruit Mountain, with Heavenly Court provisions, salaries, and equipment.
• Sun Wukong agreed and asked how to proceed, so Zhao Gongming told him to submit a memorial and had Qiongxiao offer to write it.
• After Sun Wukong returned to his mansion, Yunxiao warned Zhao Gongming that his favor was excessive, but Zhao Gongming said he did not care who criticized him.

Sun Wukong secured Heavenly Court funding and three thousand soldiers for Flower-Fruit Mountain, then grew close to Zhao Gongming, Yang Jian, and Nezha. After Wang Lingguan accused him of causing trouble, Haotian assigned him to supervise the Peach Garden, and Sun Wukong eagerly accepted.

• Sun Wukong presented a memorial requesting that Flower-Fruit Mountain become his fief and that the Heavenly Court fund three thousand Monkey Head Army soldiers.
• Zhao Gongming and other Immortals backed Sun Wukong’s request, and Zhao Gongming secretly negotiated financial arrangements with Haotian until Haotian approved it.
• Sun Wukong visited Zhao Gongming, Yang Jian, and Nezha often, while Yang Jian taught him to manage the monkeys and sent subordinates to Flower-Fruit Mountain.
• Wang Lingguan impeached Sun Wukong for drinking and causing trouble with Nezha, but Haotian brushed off the accusation and asked Taibai Jinxing about vacant posts.
• Taibai Jinxing suggested the Peach Garden supervisor post, and Sun Wukong cheerfully accepted the assignment.

Zhao Gongming warned Sun Wukong not to steal peaches and gave him three Flat Peaches, leading Sun Wukong to reconsider his plan to rebel against the Heavenly Court. Sun Wukong behaved himself through the Peach Banquet and left for Flower-Fruit Mountain, leaving Haotian baffled.

• Zhao Gongming brought Sun Wukong to his palace, warned him against taking peaches from the garden, and gave him three six-thousand-year Flat Peaches.
• Sun Wukong recognized Zhao Gongming and the other immortals' sincerity and decided not to play into the plans of those plotting against him.
• Sun Wukong ate the peaches and sparred with Zhao Gongming, gaining strength from the fight.
• Sun Wukong spent the following days tending the Peach Garden and sparring with his friends instead of causing trouble.
• Sun Wukong remained obedient during the Peach Banquet, and the Seven Fairies harvested the Flat Peaches without incident.
• Haotian secretly asked Taibai Jinxing where Sun Wukong was and learned that he had taken leave to visit Flower-Fruit Mountain.

Sun Wukong returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain, where he reunited with his vigorous, cultivating monkeys and gave the Four Valiant Generals Flat Peach pits to plant. At the Jade Pool, Guanyin learned that Wukong had left the Heavenly Court and found Zhao Gongming unwilling to let Mount Ling interfere with his junior brother.

• Sun Wukong returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain and was welcomed by the monkeys, many of whom had reached the Celestial Immortal realm.
• Sun Wukong gave the Four Valiant Generals Flat Peach pits and joined the monkeys in celebrating at Water Curtain Cave.
• Guanyin arrived at the Jade Pool and asked about Sun Wukong after Haotian emphasized that the Flat Peaches were especially delicious.
• Taibai Jinxing told Guanyin that Sun Wukong had returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain and indicated Zhao Gongming was especially close to him.
• Guanyin privately told Zhao Gongming that Duobao Tathagata had instructed her, but Zhao Gongming refused to let Wukong be used as a pawn.

Guanyin Bodhisattva reported Zhao Gongming, Yang Jian, and Nezha’s connection to Sun Wukong to Tathagata, who asked her to test Sun Wukong with a trial of love and separation. He promised to help her find the origin of the Pure World White Lotus, and Guanyin went to Haotian to enlist his aid.

• Guanyin Bodhisattva ignored Zhao Gongming’s provocation at the banquet and silently observed what happened before returning to Mount Ling.
• Guanyin Bodhisattva told Tathagata that Zhao Gongming, Yang Jian, and Nezha had become close to Sun Wukong.
• Tathagata wondered whether Sun Wukong’s connections stemmed from his origins or Lord Martial Ancestor, then asked Guanyin Bodhisattva to test him with love, hatred, parting, and separation.
• Tathagata offered to help Guanyin Bodhisattva seek the origin of the Pure World White Lotus if she arranged the trial, and told her to involve Haotian.
• Guanyin Bodhisattva went to the Heavenly Court, where Haotian reacted with shock to the plan to test Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong settled into his life guarding the Peach Garden and grew close to Fairy Zixia, prompting Zhao Gongming to check whether fate had bound them together. Meanwhile, Guanyin persuaded Haotian to exploit Zixia in a scheme designed to provoke Sun Wukong, and Haotian tacitly approved it.

• Sun Wukong left Flower-Fruit Mountain with monkey wine and gave some to Juling Shen at the South Heaven Gate.
• Sun Wukong diligently guarded the Peach Garden and became increasingly familiar with Fairy Zixia, who often visited him to ask about Flower-Fruit Mountain.
• Bixiao wondered whether Sun Wukong had fallen in love, so Zhao Gongming and Bixiao checked Yue Lao Hall and found no red thread or marriage fate linking him to Zixia.
• Guanyin told Haotian that the plan did not require romantic love and proposed using Zixia's punishment to provoke Sun Wukong before she was cleared and released.
• Haotian understood Guanyin's scheme and tacitly approved it before ending their conversation.

After learning that Zixia had been arrested for loving him, Sun Wukong decided to stop enduring the schemes against him and set out to save her. He harvested the Flat Peaches and tried to uproot one of the trees, shocking Zhao Gongming and Yang Jian with the danger of disturbing the Peach Garden.

• The fairies told Sun Wukong that the Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers had taken Zixia away because she had fallen in love with him, and they gave him her unfinished Seven-Colored Cloak.
• Sun Wukong realized that Zixia's arrest was meant to provoke him, promised to save her, and froze the fairies and the Peach Garden's Earth God.
• Sun Wukong gathered the Flat Peaches and stored them in his robes before deciding to take peach trees home for his disciples.
• Zhao Gongming, Yang Jian, and the others arrived, recognized that the arrest might be a scheme, and prepared to advise Sun Wukong.
• Sun Wukong tried to uproot a peach tree, shaking the entire garden, while Zhao Gongming and Yang Jian realized he was disturbing the nine thousand trees tied to the Innate Peach Tree and Heavenly Court's fortune.

Sun Wukong avoided involving Zhao Gongming and the others, then raided Tushita Palace for Lord Taishang’s pills and treasures. He toppled the Eight Trigrams Purple Gold Furnace and fled as its flames erupted.

• Sun Wukong struck Zhao Gongming and the others to keep them out of his plans, then escaped the Peach Garden.
• Zhao Gongming, Yang Jian, and Nezha decided to let Sun Wukong act and returned to the God of Wealth’s Palace.
• Sun Wukong flew to Tushita Palace, put Golden Horn and Silver Horn to sleep, and took every gourd of pills he found.
• Lord Taishang watched Sun Wukong raid Tushita Palace while Haotian and Guanyin Bodhisattva attended his lecture.
• Sun Wukong toppled the Eight Trigrams Purple Gold Furnace with his Golden Cudgel and fled as its flames burst outward.

Sun Wukong ransacked Tushita Palace, then fought his way toward the Lingxiao Treasure Hall while Haotian and the gathered immortals watched. Haotian sought someone to stop him, but Yang Jian and Nezha refused to volunteer, leaving Zhao Gongming under Haotian’s gaze.

• Taishang Laojun returned to Tushita Palace, where Golden Horn and Silver Horn complained that Sun Wukong had ransacked the palace and beaten them; he restored the furnace and gathered its flames.
• Haotian complained to Guanyin Bodhisattva about the failed plan, while she said events had still moved forward and then vanished as Sun Wukong approached.
• Wang Lingguan reported that Sun Wukong had rebelled over a fairy maiden, and Sun Wukong charged toward the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, cursing Haotian and declaring he would take the throne.
• Wang Lingguan, Juling Shen, and other Heavenly Soldiers and Generals tried to stop Sun Wukong, but he sent the first defenders flying before the crowd overwhelmed him.
• Haotian called on Li Jing to act, and Li Jing urged him to send Yang Jian and Nezha; Yang Jian turned away, Nezha looked eager to join Sun Wukong, and Haotian then looked to Zhao Gongming.

Sun Wukong escaped the Heavenly Court and returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain with stolen peaches, Immortal Pills, and other treasures to share with his monkeys. As Haotian considered a campaign against him, Zhao Gongming reported the losses and claimed Sun Wukong had taken sixty thousand Flat Peaches and thirty thousand Immortal Pills.

• Zhao Gongming signaled Sun Wukong to leave, and Sun Wukong fought his way through the South Heaven Gate and fled the Heavenly Court.
• Taibai Jinxing urged Haotian to restore order before attacking Flower-Fruit Mountain, and Haotian agreed.
• Sun Wukong returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain, told the monkeys he had rebelled, and shared stolen treasures with them.
• Haotian prepared to discuss who would lead an expedition against Sun Wukong, but Zhao Gongming stepped forward to present an account of the Heavenly Court's losses.
• Zhao Gongming claimed Sun Wukong had taken sixty thousand Flat Peaches and thirty thousand Immortal Pills, alarming Haotian and the immortals and prompting Lord Taishang to suspect Zhao Gongming was padding the losses.

Haotian ordered Li Jing to lead the Heavenly Court’s forces against Sun Wukong after Zhao Gongming and Lord Taishang claimed losses from the havoc in Heaven. Sun Wukong strengthened Flower-Fruit Mountain’s forces and wondered whether Haotian was cursing him as the Heavenly Court prepared to pursue him.

• Zhao Gongming blamed Sun Wukong for stealing thirty thousand Immortal Pills, and Lord Taishang claimed Wukong had also taken his stored pills and damaged his furnace.
• Haotian ordered Li Jing to lead the Heavenly Court’s forces and bring Sun Wukong back, while Lord Taishang implied he would step in if needed.
• Zhao Gongming worried that Lord Taishang might act against Sun Wukong, then reassured himself that Taiqing would not dare oppose his Master.
• Li Jing asked to mobilize the Heavenly Court’s forces, but Nezha and Yang Jian’s status as gods in the flesh made him hesitate to command them.
• Sun Wukong distributed the stolen treasures, taught the little monkeys cultivation methods, and watched Flower-Fruit Mountain’s troops drill.
• Sun Wukong sneezed and wondered whether Haotian was cursing him.

Sun Wukong fought Li Jing’s army at Flower-Fruit Mountain while the six demon kings stayed away, wary of being punished by the Heavenly Court. As the Chan Sect disciples proved ineffective, Taishang Laojun finally made his move by throwing the Diamond Bracelet at Sun Wukong, who recognized it and swung his Golden Cudgel to meet it.

• Sun Wukong wondered why the Bull Demon King and the other five demon kings had not joined his rebellion, while they stayed in their caves and watched from afar.
• Li Jing led one hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals to Flower-Fruit Mountain, where Sun Wukong confronted them.
• Juling Shen blocked Sun Wukong’s opening strike, but Sun Wukong defeated and captured him again.
• Sun Wukong scattered the Heavenly army and found that the Chan Sect disciples could barely withstand his attacks.
• Haotian watched the battle through the Haotian Mirror and looked to Taishang Laojun for help.
• Taishang Laojun threw the Diamond Bracelet toward Sun Wukong, who recognized it and swung his Golden Cudgel at it.

Sun Wukong was captured by Taishang Laojun’s Diamond Bracelet, while Yang Jian protected the monkeys on Flower-Fruit Mountain from Li Jing’s troops. At Lingxiao Treasure Hall, Taishang Laojun took Sun Wukong away to refine him in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, citing the stolen Immortal Pills.

• Sun Wukong’s transformations failed to evade the Diamond Bracelet, which bound him and carried him toward the Heavenly Court.
• Yang Jian stopped Li Jing from killing the monkeys and placed Flower-Fruit Mountain under the protection of three thousand Grass Head Gods.
• At Lingxiao Treasure Hall, Haotian ordered Wang Lingguan to name Sun Wukong’s crimes and proposed sending him to the Execution Immortal Platform.
• Taishang Laojun claimed Sun Wukong had stolen tens of thousands of Immortal Pills and took him away to be refined in the Eight Trigrams Furnace for forty-nine days.
• Zhao Gongming suspected Taishang Laojun was destroying evidence and was relieved that he would not have to explain the accounts to Sun Wukong.

Lord Taishang imprisoned Sun Wukong in the Eight Trigrams Purple Gold Furnace, where furnace fire began refining the spiritual energy and essence blood within him. As the furnace shook from the awakening blood energy, Nuwa trusted that the ordeal would help Wukong grow stronger.

• Lord Taishang captured Sun Wukong and put him in the Eight Trigrams Purple Gold Furnace for forty-nine days while Golden Horn and Silver Horn fanned the flames.
• In the Faith True Realm, Nuwa grew angry that Lord Taishang had targeted Sun Wukong, but Queen Mother of the West persuaded her that he intended to refine Wukong's accumulated treasures and help Wu Tian.
• Wu Tian told Nuwa that the furnace could refine and fuse the essence blood they had given Wukong, and she agreed to return with him.
• Inside the furnace, nine phantom Golden Crows protected Sun Wukong with True Sun Fire until Lord Taishang strengthened the flames and overwhelmed them.
• Sun Wukong's cultivation refined the spiritual energy and medicinal power inside him, strengthening his body until the two kinds of dormant essence blood erupted and shook the furnace.

Sun Wukong absorbed the furnace’s fire and two kinds of saint’s essence blood while Taishang Laojun secretly let him cultivate, then broke out after forty-nine days with the Golden Eyes of Truth. He emerged unharmed and demanded compensation from Taishang Laojun for falsely reporting how many Immortal Pills he had eaten.

• Taishang Laojun suppressed the furnace lid when Sun Wukong’s power nearly forced it open, then ordered Golden Horn and Silver Horn to keep fanning the flames.
• Sun Wukong unconsciously refined the saint’s essence blood and absorbed the Eight Trigrams Purple Gold Furnace’s power, weakening its fire.
• Taishang Laojun personally used Golden Horn’s Banana Leaf Fan to intensify the flames as the forty-ninth day approached.
• Sun Wukong awoke, expanded into his Law, Heaven and Earth form, and struck the furnace from within with his Golden Cudgel.
• Taishang Laojun allowed Sun Wukong to break out, and Sun Wukong emerged with the Golden Eyes of Truth and recognized Golden Horn and Silver Horn’s origins.
• Sun Wukong accused Taishang Laojun of exaggerating how many Immortal Pills he had eaten and demanded compensation.

After Sun Wukong emerged from Taishang Laojun’s furnace, his newfound strength sent him rampaging toward Lingxiao Treasure Hall. Haotian ordered Taibai Jinxing to invite Tathagata Buddha Ancestor to stop him.

• Sun Wukong failed to get compensation from Taishang Laojun, then left Tushita Palace after trying to kick over the furnace again.
• Taishang Laojun caught the furnace and told Golden Horn and Silver Horn that Haotian would handle what came next.
• Sun Wukong fought his way toward Lingxiao Treasure Hall, while the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals fled before him.
• Haotian asked the assembled immortals to capture Sun Wukong, but none volunteered, and he recognized how much stronger the monkey had become.
• Taibai Jinxing warned Haotian that Sun Wukong was approaching and urged him to prepare.
• Haotian sent Taibai Jinxing to the Western Sect to invite Tathagata Buddha Ancestor.

Tathagata arrived at the Heavenly Court and tried to subdue Sun Wukong with Buddha Kingdom in the Palm, but Sun Wukong fiercely resisted the overwhelming attack. Just as Tathagata moved to suppress him again, a streak of five-colored light broke into the divine ability and took Sun Wukong away.

• Tathagata arrived at the Heavenly Court with the people of the Western Sect and greeted Haotian before confronting Sun Wukong.
• Tathagata accused Sun Wukong of rebelling against the Heavenly Court, but Sun Wukong attacked him with the Golden Cudgel instead of submitting.
• Tathagata activated Buddha Kingdom in the Palm and trapped Sun Wukong beneath his enormous golden hand.
• Sun Wukong expanded with Law, Heaven and Earth and struck the Buddha palm, briefly shattering its space and shocking Tathagata.
• Tathagata reinforced Buddha Kingdom in the Palm and tried to suppress Sun Wukong again, but a streak of five-colored light cut through the space and carried Sun Wukong away.

Kong Xuan intervened when Tathagata tried to take Sun Wukong, challenged him to a fight, and returned Wukong afterward. He then took Zhao Gongming, Yang Jian, and Nezha away, leaving Tathagata with Wukong.

• Kong Xuan used his Innate Five-Colored Divine Light to break Tathagata’s Buddha Kingdom in the Palm and confronted him over Sun Wukong.
• Kong Xuan rebuked Zhao Gongming and Yang Jian for standing by while Wukong was bullied, and they explained that Wukong needed to undergo tribulations.
• Kong Xuan challenged Tathagata to fight for Sun Wukong, and the two disappeared into another layer of heaven to battle.
• Kong Xuan and Tathagata reappeared, and Kong Xuan released Sun Wukong from his Five-Colored Divine Light.
• Kong Xuan swept Zhao Gongming and Yang Jian into his divine light, then left with Nezha as Tathagata watched Sun Wukong.

Tathagata suppressed an incarnation of Sun Wukong beneath Five Finger Mountain for five hundred years while pretending to have captured the real monkey. Kong Xuan revealed that he had sent the real Sun Wukong to the Faith True Realm to temper him through battle, where he would remain until the five hundred years had passed.

• Tathagata suppressed Sun Wukong beneath Five Finger Mountain and sentenced him to five hundred years, while Haotian realized the monkey was an incarnation.
• Tathagata privately told Haotian to accept the arrangement, and Haotian publicly praised Tathagata to preserve their performance.
• Kong Xuan brought Zhao Gongming and Yang Jian to the Origin Realm, beat them up, and explained that he had not sent the real Sun Wukong back.
• Kong Xuan said Sun Wukong needed battle to refine his newly gained strength, not five hundred years of confinement beneath Five Finger Mountain.
• Kong Xuan revealed that he had sent Sun Wukong to the Faith True Realm, and Nezha showed interest in going there too.