Chapter Summaries

Sun Wukong tracked down Zhu Ganglie, beat him into admitting he was meant to join Tang Sanzang’s pilgrimage, and brought him back to Gao Family Village. Tang Sanzang accepted Zhu Ganglie as a disciple, and Zhu Bajie ended the chapter by asking Sun Wukong to untie him.

• Zhu Ganglie fled to his cave, but Sun Wukong followed and smashed it open.
• Zhu Ganglie boasted about his Nine-Toothed Rake, and Sun Wukong let him strike his head before beating him.
• Zhu Ganglie admitted the Bodhisattva had sent him to wait for Tang Sanzang and escort him to the West.
• Sun Wukong bound Zhu Ganglie and carried him back to Gao Family Village, where Zhu Ganglie greeted Elder Master Gao as his father-in-law.
• Zhu Ganglie explained his mission to Tang Sanzang, who accepted him as a disciple named Zhu Wuneng, commonly known as Zhu Bajie.
• Zhu Bajie called Sun Wukong Senior Brother and asked him to untie his junior brother.

After joining Tang Sanzang’s scripture-seeking journey, Zhu Bajie reluctantly accepted that he could not stay with Gao Cuilan and tried to secure Immortal Pills for her. Sun Wukong refused, then hinted that Tang Sanzang himself might be a source of a great Immortal Pill, leaving Zhu Bajie stunned by his senior brother’s suggestion.

• Sun Wukong freed Zhu Bajie, who thanked him and told Elder Master Gao he intended to return to care for Gao Cuilan after completing the scripture journey.
• Elder Master Gao objected to Zhu Bajie returning, but Zhu Bajie argued that he had never mistreated Gao Cuilan and asked to see her.
• Sun Wukong warned Zhu Bajie against romantic attachments, and Zhu Bajie argued that people still needed to have children before agreeing to leave Gao Cuilan behind.
• Elder Master Gao hosted Tang Sanzang and his disciples, and Zhu Bajie pleaded for permission to eat meat and drink a little vegetarian wine.
• Zhu Bajie asked Sun Wukong for Immortal Pills to help Gao Cuilan cultivate, but Sun Wukong denied having any and hinted that Tang Sanzang could provide a great Immortal Pill.

At Gao Family Village, Zhu Bajie asked Tang Sanzang for blood to help Gao Cuilan live longer, after Sun Wukong suggested the idea. The Bodhisattva interrupted before Tang Sanzang could prick his finger, and she realized Sun Wukong had helped set the scheme in motion.

• Sun Wukong scolded Zhu Bajie for thinking of eating Tang Sanzang, then suggested that a few drops of Tang Sanzang’s blood might help Gao Cuilan.
• Zhu Bajie went to Tang Sanzang’s room after the banquet and pleaded for blood, bringing a large bowl and eventually an embroidery needle.
• Tang Sanzang hesitated but agreed after Zhu Bajie appealed to his compassion and promised to stand by him.
• The Bodhisattva arrived, stopped Tang Sanzang from pricking his finger, and bound Zhu Bajie with willow branches.
• Sun Wukong entered, pulled Zhu Bajie by the ear, and told him to apologize to Tang Sanzang and the Bodhisattva.

Guanyin Bodhisattva stopped Zhu Bajie from taking Tang Sanzang’s blood and warned Sun Wukong not to disrupt the scripture-seeking journey. She promised Sun Wukong a magical treasure if he continued the journey properly, while Zhu Bajie still asked him to find a way to help with his longing for Cuilan.

• Guanyin Bodhisattva tightened the Willow Branch around Zhu Bajie, and Tang Sanzang pleaded for his release after learning that sharing his blood could damage his cultivation and the mission.
• Sun Wukong teased Zhu Bajie about asking Guanyin Bodhisattva for help, but she scolded Zhu Bajie for dwelling on worldly attachments before releasing him.
• Guanyin Bodhisattva took Sun Wukong aside, questioned his disruptions, and promised him a magical treasure if he properly continued the journey.
• Sun Wukong returned to find Zhu Bajie consoling Tang Sanzang, then kicked Zhu Bajie up and told him they would set out the next day.
• Zhu Bajie praised his own loyalty to Sun Wukong and asked him to find another way to help, while Sun Wukong accused him of never having had the chance to betray him.

Sun Wukong used his connection to the God of Wealth to obtain offerings, gave Zhu Bajie a Fire Jujube for Gao Cuilan, and continued west with Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie. The pilgrims reached Futuo Mountain, where Zhu Bajie said Chan Master Wuchao lived.

• Zhu Bajie pressed Sun Wukong for help, and Sun Wukong used a village statue to contact Zhao Gongming and receive spiritual fruits and immortal delicacies.
• Sun Wukong kept the offerings and gave Zhu Bajie one Fire Jujube, warning him that Gao Cuilan could not safely protect herself if she received a Flat Peach.
• Zhu Bajie went to find Gao Cuilan, then joined the next day's departure with a cheerful expression.
• Elder Master Gao offered travel silver, which Zhu Bajie accepted, while Sun Wukong gave two ingots to Gao Cai.
• Sun Wukong shared immortal fruits with Tang Sanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Little White Dragon as the group traveled west.
• The pilgrims arrived at Futuo Mountain, and Zhu Bajie identified Chan Master Wuchao as its resident cultivator.

Sun Wukong met Chan Master Wuchao at Futuo Mountain and received the Golden Hoop and a gift that strengthened his Golden Eyes of Truth. Chan Master Wuchao hinted that his connection to the God of Wealth would become clear after the Journey to the West, while Sun Wukong sensed a striking change in him.

• Sun Wukong wondered how Chan Master Wuchao knew the future and why he had intervened to subdue the Black Bear Spirit.
• The Scripture Seeking Group reached Futuo Mountain, where Chan Master Wuchao welcomed Tang Sanzang and recited the Heart Sutra and a poem about their future tribulations.
• Sun Wukong experienced an apparent vision of the group departing, then realized Chan Master Wuchao was still before him and saw the Black Bear Spirit tending the mountain’s flowers.
• Chan Master Wuchao gave Sun Wukong the Golden Hoop and taught him its incantation, but declined to explain his relationship with the God of Wealth.
• Chan Master Wuchao sent golden light into Sun Wukong’s eyes, greatly strengthening his Golden Eyes of Truth and giving them the power to unleash True Sun Fire.
• Chan Master Wuchao told Sun Wukong that he had a few words to give him.

Sun Wukong reflected on Wu Tian’s advice to focus on the key point of the scripture-fetching journey and concluded that Tang Sanzang’s well-being was central. He offered to teach his exhausted master a method to strengthen his body, leaving Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie wondering what he had in mind.

• Wu Tian secretly advised Sun Wukong to seize the key point of the journey before sending him back to the Scripture-Fetching Team.
• Wu Tian reassured Chan Master Wuchao that losing to Daoist Duobao was no disgrace and told him to visit his mother in the Origin Realm.
• Sun Wukong suspected that the figure who advised him was not Chan Master Wuchao and pondered what the key point of fetching the scriptures might be.
• Sun Wukong noticed Zhu Bajie caring for the exhausted Tang Sanzang and realized the Bodhisattvas reacted swiftly when Tang Sanzang was in danger.
• Sun Wukong offered to teach Tang Sanzang a method to strengthen his body and help him run faster from demons.

Sun Wukong persuaded Tang Sanzang to practice a boxing routine and gave him a spiritual fruit to recover his strength. As Tang Sanzang’s training transformed him, Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie discovered they could not reproduce or remember the routine’s original form, and Tang Sanzang demonstrated it for them.

• Sun Wukong convinced Tang Sanzang to learn boxing by telling him it would strengthen his body and help the scripture pilgrimage.
• Tang Sanzang learned the routine, practiced three sets, and ate a spiritual fruit Sun Wukong gave him.
• Tang Sanzang began training every day, and the routine grew more forceful as his body and temperament changed.
• Zhu Bajie asked Sun Wukong to teach him the boxing, explaining that he could not remember its original form.
• Sun Wukong tried to demonstrate the original routine but could not reproduce it, so Tang Sanzang stepped in and showed them how it should be done.

Tang Sanzang grew stronger through daily boxing practice and began walking confidently alongside Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie. The three reached a manor near the Yellow Wind Monster’s territory, where Sun Wukong resolved to make the coming trial different from before.

• Sun Wukong praised Tang Sanzang’s boxing and urged Zhu Bajie to learn from him, but Zhu Bajie refused despite regretting the missed opportunity.
• Tang Sanzang continued exercising during their journey, growing strong enough to walk instead of riding White Dragon Horse without slowing the group.
• When Zhu Bajie complained about the lack of food and mentioned Gao Family Village, Tang Sanzang sharply told him to return there if he did not want to continue westward.
• Zhu Bajie apologized, took the luggage from White Dragon Horse, and followed Tang Sanzang toward a nearby manor.
• Sun Wukong sensed demonic aura from the mountains, recognized that the Yellow Wind Monster awaited them, and vowed not to let the matter end as it had before.

Tang Sanzang and his disciples reached the mountain where Tiger Vanguard served Great King Yellow Wind, and Sun Wukong recognized the demon as it attacked them. While Zhu Bajie fought Tiger Vanguard, Tang Sanzang steadied himself with the Heart Sutra and felt a strange excitement beneath his fear.

• Tang Sanzang, Sun Wukong, and Zhu Bajie stayed with old Wang, who warned them about the Yellow Wind Monster, but Tang Sanzang resolved to continue their journey.
• A sudden gale rose as the travelers reached the mountain, and Sun Wukong used his Golden Eyes of Truth to spot a demon within it.
• Tiger Vanguard charged down the mountain in tiger form and frightened Tang Sanzang off the White Dragon Horse.
• Zhu Bajie struck Tiger Vanguard, who revealed his identity as an officer under Great King Yellow Wind before retreating to fetch two steel sabers.
• Sun Wukong left Tang Sanzang to help Zhu Bajie, while Tang Sanzang recited the Heart Sutra and calmed himself despite his churning blood and strange excitement.

Tang Sanzang unexpectedly fought and killed Tiger Vanguard with his bare fists after Sun Wukong’s training method awakened his strength. He questioned Sun Wukong about what had happened, while Sun Wukong concealed the truth and praised his talent.

• Sun Wukong teased Zhu Bajie, prompting him to overpower Tiger Vanguard with the Nine-Toothed Rake.
• Tiger Vanguard escaped as a gale and tried to seize Tang Sanzang, but Sun Wukong’s Golden Cudgel struck and badly injured him.
• Tiger Vanguard’s gale swallowed Tang Sanzang, but Tang Sanzang’s stance held firm and his boxing drove the demon out of the wind.
• Tang Sanzang beat Tiger Vanguard with his fists, and Sun Wukong pulled Zhu Bajie away so Tang Sanzang could face the demon alone.
• Tang Sanzang asked Sun Wukong how the training method had made him so strong, and Sun Wukong pretended not to know while praising his talent.

After Sun Wukong persuaded Tang Sanzang that killing demons did not violate his Buddhist path, the pilgrims continued toward Great King Yellow Wind’s territory. Great King Yellow Wind learned that Tiger Vanguard had been killed and demanded to know who was responsible.

• Sun Wukong reassured Tang Sanzang that subduing demons and eliminating evil aligned with Buddha’s will, and Tang Sanzang accepted his reasoning.
• Sun Wukong ordered Zhu Bajie to skin Tiger Vanguard, then decided to keep leading the group forward so Tang Sanzang could grow accustomed to fighting demons.
• Sun Wukong urged Tang Sanzang to continue the journey, and Tang Sanzang mounted White Dragon Horse while telling himself he could handle ordinary demons.
• A minor demon reported Tiger Vanguard’s death to Great King Yellow Wind, who erupted in fury and asked who had killed his subordinate.
• The minor demon said the killers were several strangely dressed monks.

Great King Yellow Wind confronted the Scripture Seeking Group after Tiger Vanguard was killed, and Sun Wukong fought him while Zhu Bajie held off the demons. When a little demon reached Tang Sanzang, the monk killed it with one punch and discovered his strength as he rushed to help Zhu Bajie.

• Great King Yellow Wind armed himself and confronted Tang Sanzang and his disciples, demanding to know who had killed Tiger Vanguard.
• Sun Wukong claimed that Tang Sanzang had killed Tiger Vanguard and challenged the Yellow Wind Monster when he attacked the monk.
• Zhu Bajie fought off the little demons while Sun Wukong battled Great King Yellow Wind.
• A little demon slipped past Zhu Bajie, and Tang Sanzang killed it with a single punch.
• Tang Sanzang realized he possessed extraordinary strength and called to Zhu Bajie that his master was coming to help.

Tang Sanzang unexpectedly fought Yellow Wind Cave’s demons barehanded, then endured the Samadhi Divine Wind and awakened a vision of his Six-Winged Golden Cicada past life. Sun Wukong vowed to kill the Yellow Wind Monster and confronted the Five Directions Ksitigarbha over their failure to protect his master.

• Tang Sanzang charged into battle and knocked down the lesser demons while Zhu Bajie protected him and fed more demons into the fight.
• After Tang Sanzang subdued the demons, Zhu Bajie killed the fallen ones, and the enraged Yellow Wind Monster unleashed the Samadhi Divine Wind.
• Tang Sanzang absorbed the wind as it tempered his body, and a Six-Winged Golden Cicada phantom appeared behind him as his past-life true form awakened.
• Sun Wukong dispersed the gale and found Tang Sanzang in pain, then declared he would destroy the Yellow Wind Monster; Tang Sanzang silently agreed.
• Sun Wukong summoned the Five Directions Ksitigarbha and threatened to report them to the Buddha Ancestor for failing to protect Tang Sanzang.

Sun Wukong led Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie to Yellow Wind Cave after Tang recovered from the Samadhi Divine Wind, and they slaughtered the demons inside. As Sun Wukong moved to kill Yellow Wind Monster, an unknown figure intervened and called for mercy.

• Golden Head Ksitigarbha gave Sun Wukong medicine for Tang Sanzang and sent Silver Head Ksitigarbha and Copper Head Ksitigarbha to report the situation to Lingji Bodhisattva and the Bodhisattva.
• Tang Sanzang recovered, and Sun Wukong led the group to Yellow Wind Cave without seeking Lingji Bodhisattva's Wind-Calming Pill.
• Sun Wukong fought Yellow Wind Monster through the Samadhi Divine Wind while Zhu Bajie and Tang Sanzang entered the cave and killed its demons.
• Tang Sanzang saw the human remains in the cave, helped slaughter the demons, and recited the Rebirth Sutra after Zhu Bajie buried the cave.
• Sun Wukong knocked Yellow Wind Monster to the ground and prepared to strike again, but an arriving figure halted the blow and told him to show mercy.

Lingji Bodhisattva arrived to take Yellow Wind Monster back to Mount Ling, and Sun Wukong challenged the idea that repentance erased the monster’s crimes. Tang Sanzang let the Bodhisattva take him, but remained troubled by the dead villagers, while Sun Wukong privately considered that doubt useful.

• Yellow Wind Monster begged Lingji Bodhisattva to save him, prompting Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang to suspect the Bodhisattva had backed the monster.
• Lingji Bodhisattva explained that Yellow Wind Monster had stolen Glazed Lamp oil and said the Buddha Ancestor had ordered him to escort the monster back for judgment.
• Sun Wukong questioned whether Yellow Wind Monster could become a Buddha after his crimes, then asked Tang Sanzang to decide his fate.
• Tang Sanzang agreed to let Lingji Bodhisattva take Yellow Wind Monster, though he wondered whether the innocent victims had died for nothing.
• Lingji Bodhisattva took Yellow Wind Monster away, and Tang Sanzang continued reciting the Rebirth Sutra at Yellow Wind Cave.
• Sun Wukong told Zhu Bajie to stop probing and privately decided that leaving Tang Sanzang with doubts was better than killing Yellow Wind Monster.

Guanyin learned that Tang Sanzang had begun cultivating and decided to inspect the pilgrimage herself at the Flowing Sand River. There, Tang Sanzang struck away an attacking demon with a punch, and Zhu Bajie confronted the demon.

• Guanyin reprimanded Silver Head Ksitigarbha for failing to report Tang Sanzang's changes sooner, then said she would handle the matter herself.
• Tang Sanzang continued training his fist art through the winter, while Zhu Bajie asked Sun Wukong to teach him cultivation again and was refused.
• Sun Wukong spotted the Flowing Sand River ahead and led the group there without revealing that he knew what awaited them.
• At the river, Tang Sanzang worried about crossing until a demon burst from the water and he knocked it away with a punch.
• Zhu Bajie charged at the demon with his Nine-Toothed Rake, called it ugly, and the demon roared back at him.

Tang Sanzang learned that Sha Wujing had killed his nine previous lives and, with Sun Wukong protecting him, decided to fight the demon himself. Bodhisattva arrived at the Flowing Sand River and was shocked to see Tang Sanzang battling Sha Wujing.

• Zhu Bajie fought Sha Wujing while Sun Wukong blocked the demon's escape route.
• Tang Sanzang recognized the skulls around Sha Wujing's neck, and Sun Wukong explained that they belonged to Tang Sanzang's nine previous lives.
• Sun Wukong urged Tang Sanzang to avenge his past lives, and Tang Sanzang chose to fight Sha Wujing to protect the river's inhabitants.
• Sun Wukong intervened whenever Sha Wujing threatened Tang Sanzang, allowing Tang Sanzang to keep fighting and grow stronger.
• Bodhisattva left Mu Zha behind and hurried to the Flowing Sand River, where she was stunned to see Tang Sanzang battling Sha Wujing.

Tang Sanzang subdued Sha Wujing and accepted him as his third disciple, then learned how the group could cross the Flowing Sand River. Guanyin discovered that Tang Sanzang’s body was cloaked in powerful vitality and questioned Sun Wukong about his strength, but Sun Wukong claimed he had only taught him the Five Animal Frolics.

• Sha Wujing asked who Tang Sanzang and his companions were, and Zhu Bajie identified Sanzang as the scripture pilgrim from the Eastern Tang Dynasty.
• Guanyin appeared and explained that Sha Wujing was meant to become Tang Sanzang’s disciple; Sha Wujing apologized and joined the group.
• Tang Sanzang warned Sha Wujing to stop eating people, and Guanyin used her willow branch to give him an honest-looking human appearance.
• Sha Wujing turned the prayer beads made from his past-life skulls into a raft that could carry the group across the Flowing Sand River.
• Guanyin examined Tang Sanzang with her divine sight, found his body hidden behind scorching vitality, and questioned Sun Wukong about how he had become so strong.
• Sun Wukong said he had taught Tang Sanzang the Five Animal Frolics and joked that his master could now fight all the way to Western Spirit Mountain.

The Bodhisattva warned Sun Wukong about Tang Sanzang’s growing martial strength, but Wukong defended the change and arranged for Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing to train with their master. After reporting the situation to Tathagata, she learned that he knew the change had been concealed but would not oppose the powerful figure behind it.

• The Bodhisattva urged Sun Wukong to escort Tang Sanzang diligently and warned that Tathagata might suppress him, but Wukong argued that Tang Sanzang’s cultivation could help the journey.
• Sun Wukong told Tang Sanzang that the Bodhisattva had urged him to cultivate, and Tang Sanzang agreed to train on the road.
• Sun Wukong made Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing serve as Tang Sanzang’s sparring partners, turning the scripture journey into a path of cultivation.
• The Bodhisattva went to Western Spirit Mountain and told Tathagata that Tang Sanzang had begun cultivating and grown much stronger.
• Tathagata realized someone had concealed Tang Sanzang’s changes and said he had his own plans, while the Bodhisattva understood he would leave the matter alone.