Chapter Summaries

Tathagata decided the Journey to the West would proceed as usual, and the Scripture Seeking Group reached a wealthy widow’s manor. Zhu Bajie agreed to marry the widow’s three daughters, while Sun Wukong recognized the encounter as a test by four great beings.

• Tathagata told the Bodhisattva that everything would proceed as usual despite the changes to Sanzang.
• The Scripture Seeking Group reached a manor, where Zhu Bajie hoped to rest and find food.
• The widow, whose surname was Jia, invited Tang Sanzang and his disciples to marry her and her three daughters, Zhenzhen, Aiai, and Lianlian.
• Tang Sanzang refused to marry, and Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing also declined to stay behind.
• Zhu Bajie volunteered to remain and asked to marry all three daughters, and the widow agreed to hold the wedding that day.

Zhu Bajie chose to stay with the three women, who were Bodhisattvas testing Tang Sanzang’s devotion, and was punished after trying to marry them. The group found him trapped in a net and Sun Wukong mocked him before deciding whether to free him.

• Zhu Bajie decided he wanted to stay behind with Lianlian, Aiai, and Zhenzhen, and Tang Sanzang accepted his choice.
• Tang Sanzang, Sun Wukong, and Sha Seng went to sleep, then awoke in a forest with the manor gone.
• Sun Wukong explained that the women had been Bodhisattvas testing Tang Sanzang, and Tang Sanzang read their note and paid his respects.
• Zhu Bajie cried for help, and Tang Sanzang asked Sun Wukong to rescue him.
• Sun Wukong found Zhu Bajie trapped in a tightening net and teased him about his wife before Zhu Bajie begged to be freed.

After Zhu Bajie repented for abandoning the pilgrimage, the master and disciples resumed their journey and reached Longevity Mountain. Sun Wukong recognized Five Villages Temple and approached it cautiously, while Zhen Yuanzi prepared to welcome the Scripture Seeking Group.

• Sun Wukong teased Zhu Bajie about his attachment to Gao Cuilan, and Zhu Bajie apologized to Tang Sanzang and promised to continue the pilgrimage.
• Zhu Bajie read the Bodhisattvas’ note, offered them a respectful salute, and helped Tang Sanzang and Sha Wujing with the journey.
• The master and disciples reached a towering mountain, and Sun Wukong identified it as Longevity Mountain, home of Five Villages Temple.
• Zhen Yuanzi appeared in Five Villages Temple as an incarnation, greeted Qingfeng and Mingyue, and ordered them to pick five Ginseng Fruits for their guest.
• Zhen Yuanzi waited at the temple for the Scripture Seeking Group to arrive.

Tang Sanzang's group learned that Five Villages Temple was home to the powerful Great Immortal Zhenyuan and arrived prepared to pay their respects. Sun Wukong discovered that the temple attendants were Grand Dao beings and was stunned to learn that Zhenyuan had returned early to receive Tang Sanzang.

• Sun Wukong teased Zhu Bajie for leaving the luggage to Sha Wujing, then asked him about Five Villages Temple.
• Zhu Bajie explained that Great Immortal Zhenyuan was the Ancestor of Earth Immortals and described the rare Ginseng Fruit Tree.
• Tang Sanzang told his disciples to behave respectfully, and they went to Five Villages Temple to request a vegetarian meal.
• Qingfeng and Mingyue welcomed Tang Sanzang and said their master had returned specially to receive him.
• Sun Wukong used his Golden Eyes of Truth and realized Qingfeng and Mingyue were Grand Dao beings.
• Sun Wukong was shocked that Zhenyuan was already at the temple, earlier than he expected.

At Five Villages Temple, Zhen Yuanzi welcomed Tang Sanzang and his disciples and shared Ginseng Fruits with them, using one to strengthen Tang Sanzang. After Sun Wukong joked about becoming sworn brothers, Zhen Yuanzi revealed that he was connected to Wukong and could be considered his elder, leaving Wukong wondering about his lineage.

• Zhen Yuanzi greeted Tang Sanzang and his disciples and offered them Ginseng Fruits.
• Tang Sanzang mistook the fruit for a child, so Zhen Yuanzi revealed its true essence and transformed one into vital energy that strengthened him.
• Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing ate their fruits, and Zhen Yuanzi sent Qingfeng to give the last one to the White Dragon Horse.
• Sun Wukong joked that Zhen Yuanzi might want to become sworn brothers, and Zhen Yuanzi laughed and warned that Wukong might regret it.
• Sun Wukong realized Zhen Yuanzi had moved Tang Sanzang and the others into another space, then heard Zhen Yuanzi say that he was Wukong's elder and should be called Martial Uncle.

Zhen Yuanzi gave Sun Wukong the Sleeve Universe divine ability and a golden hair that could summon the earth gods, then urged him to return if the westward journey brought him hardship. Sun Wukong stayed at Five Villages Temple to ask Zhen Yuanzi about cultivation, while Zhu Bajie challenged Qingfeng and Mingyue for another Ginseng Fruit.

• Zhen Yuanzi called Sun Wukong his martial nephew, gave him the Sleeve Universe divine ability and a golden hair, and offered him refuge at Five Villages Temple.
• Sun Wukong returned to the main hall and, seeing Zhu Bajie bicker with Qingfeng and Mingyue over Ginseng Fruit, suggested they settle the dispute by comparing divine abilities.
• Zhu Bajie wagered that the winner would receive another Ginseng Fruit, and Qingfeng and Mingyue accepted before leading him to the training ground.
• Tang Sanzang went with Zhu Bajie, while Sun Wukong stayed behind to drink tea and ask Zhen Yuanzi about cultivation.
• Zhen Yuanzi expounded the Dao to Sun Wukong in a space where time flowed differently, and Sun Wukong awoke to Zhu Bajie's cries from the training ground.

Sun Wukong received guidance from Zhen Yuanzi at Five Villages Temple, while Zhu Bajie was healed and rewarded with more Ginseng Fruit after Qingfeng and Mingyue beat him. After Tang Sanzang’s group departed, Wu Tian revealed to Zhen Yuanzi that Sun Wukong was an important link in the Primordial World’s plans for the Faith True Realm.

• Sun Wukong thanked Zhen Yuanzi for his guidance, and Zhu Bajie entered bruised after losing to Qingfeng and Mingyue.
• Zhen Yuanzi healed Zhu Bajie and ordered Qingfeng and Mingyue to bring seven more Ginseng Fruits, which Tang Sanzang and his disciples received.
• Tang Sanzang’s group rested, then reluctantly left Five Villages Temple the next day.
• Wu Tian met Zhen Yuanzi at the temple and questioned how much he had helped Sun Wukong; Zhen Yuanzi said the disciple needed encouragement as well as hardship.
• Wu Tian told Zhen Yuanzi that the Primordial World would devour the Faith True Realm after the Journey to the West Tribulation, and that Sun Wukong was an important link.
• Wu Tian and Zhen Yuanzi watched Tang Sanzang’s group from the void, and Sun Wukong sensed something behind him but saw nothing.

After Zhen Yuanzi helped Tang Sanzang absorb the Ginseng Fruit’s power, Tang’s strength surged, and the Bodhisattva reluctantly accepted Five Villages Temple as a trial after Zhen Yuanzi confronted her. The group reached a perilous mountain, where Sun Wukong flew off to find fruit, anticipating the White Bone Spirit’s arrival.

• Tang Sanzang sparred with Sha Wujing and knocked him away, then Sun Wukong kicked Zhu Bajie toward him for another beating.
• The Bodhisattva watched the group and questioned whether Five Villages Temple counted as a trial until Zhen Yuanzi appeared and insisted that it did.
• Zhen Yuanzi praised the Bodhisattva’s improvement since her time in the Chan Sect, then vanished; she abandoned her plan to speak with Sun Wukong and returned to her sacred ground.
• After traveling for several more days, the group reached a steep, dangerous mountain, where Tang Sanzang asked Sun Wukong to find vegetarian food.
• Sun Wukong spotted fruit on a hillside and flew off to get it, thinking that the White Bone Spirit would soon arrive.

The White Bone Spirit disguised herself as a young woman to approach Tang Sanzang, but Tang Sanzang suddenly recognized her and attacked. The White Bone Spirit escaped, leaving Sun Wukong stunned by his master's unexpected change.

• After Sun Wukong left, the White Bone Spirit discovered Tang Sanzang traveling with Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng and transformed into a young woman.
• The White Bone Spirit offered Tang Sanzang a vegetarian meal, while Zhu Bajie welcomed her and Tang Sanzang questioned why she had appeared in the remote mountains.
• Sun Wukong's monkey hair observed that Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng had failed to recognize the demon, and Sun Wukong hurried back with fruit.
• Tang Sanzang suddenly called the maiden a demon and struck the White Bone Spirit with powerful punches.
• The White Bone Spirit fled in a gust of demonic wind as Tang Sanzang pursued her, and Sun Wukong arrived stunned by what he saw.

After Tang Sanzang recognized the White Bone Spirit, he buried her first victim and led his disciples to destroy the demon’s lair. As his compassion earned him more merit, Sun Wukong wondered whether his master might attain Buddhahood before reaching Mount Ling.

• Tang Sanzang mourned the dead girl, ordered Zhu Bajie to bury her, and chanted sutras while Sun Wukong noticed a faint ring of merit behind him.
• Tang Sanzang resolved to hunt down the White Bone Spirit, and Sun Wukong led the group toward her cave after they ate peaches.
• Tang Sanzang entered the cave with Zhu Bajie while Sun Wukong guarded the entrance, and they returned after the demon was executed.
• Sun Wukong explained that demons who ate humans sought forbidden shortcuts, while Zhu Bajie said demons avoided Great Tang because the Human Dao flourished there.
• Tang Sanzang set aside his doubts and chanted sutras for the victims, drawing down more merit as Sun Wukong wondered if he would attain true fruition before reaching Mount Ling.

Tang Sanzang and his disciples encountered Kui Mulang at Wanzishan Boyue Cave, where Tang Sanzang attacked him after hearing the lesser monsters threaten to eat the monks. Sun Wukong joined the fight, and Kui Mulang begged him to show mercy, claiming they were on the same side.

• Tang Sanzang and his disciples reached a golden tower that Sun Wukong recognized as a monster's lair, Wanzishan Boyue Cave.
• Kui Mulang emerged with his lesser monsters and recognized Sun Wukong, but one of his underlings threatened to turn Tang Sanzang into food.
• Tang Sanzang charged Kui Mulang and killed several lesser monsters before Kui Mulang struck him back with magic.
• Sun Wukong attacked Kui Mulang with his Golden Cudgel, and Kui Mulang begged him to stop, saying they were on the same side.

Sun Wukong subdued Kui Mulang and let Tang Sanzang decide his fate. After Tang Sanzang ordered the cave’s demons killed and Princess Baihua Xiu rescued, Sun Wukong proposed a public trial to hear Kui Mulang’s explanation.

• Kui Mulang recognized Sun Wukong and surrendered, and Sun Wukong had Zhu Bajie tie him up.
• Sun Wukong asked Tang Sanzang what to do with Kui Mulang, and Tang Sanzang decided to enter the cave and kill the demons.
• Kui Mulang pleaded for the little demons, but Tang Sanzang refused to spare them, and Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing killed them inside the cave.
• Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing escorted Princess Baihua Xiu out of the cave, and Zhu Bajie identified her as the princess of the Baoxiang Kingdom.
• Sun Wukong accused Kui Mulang of abducting and violating women, then called for a three-court trial so Kui Mulang could explain himself.

After learning that the princess had no affection for him and that Zhu Bajie had killed their children, Kui Mulang faced Tang Sanzang’s judgment for the crimes committed under his protection. Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong killed Kui Mulang, whose soul Haotian drew into the Investiture of the Gods, leaving the Heavenly Court wary of the group’s next actions.

• The princess said she remembered nothing of her past life and only wanted to return to the Baoxiang Kingdom, while Kui Mulang learned Zhu Bajie had killed their two children.
• Zhu Bajie reassured the princess and the group decided to escort her home, leaving Kui Mulang’s fate to Tang Sanzang.
• Tang Sanzang judged Kui Mulang responsible for the demons’ crimes and announced that he would kill him and bear any consequences.
• Sun Wukong struck Kui Mulang with the Golden Cudgel as Tang Sanzang punched him, shattering his body and sending his soul toward the Investiture of the Gods.
• Haotian drew Kui Mulang’s soul into the Investiture of the Gods and concluded that the group’s brutal actions meant they would need to be more careful.

Sun Wukong learned that Golden Horn and Silver Horn occupied the mountain ahead with powerful treasures, then left Tang Sanzang’s party to seek Zhao Gongming’s help. He proposed that they pull off a big scheme together.

• A disguised Merit Official warned Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong that demons with five powerful treasures occupied the mountain ahead.
• Sun Wukong struck the Merit Official, who revealed his identity and fled after delivering the warning.
• Sun Wukong told Tang Sanzang that two demons held the mountain and claimed he would consult old friends about their troublesome treasures.
• Sun Wukong left Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing to escort Tang Sanzang and flew to the Heavenly Court.
• Sun Wukong visited Zhao Gongming and proposed that they pull off a big one together.

Zhao Gongming gave Sun Wukong an Innate Water-Element Gourd to hide Taishang Laojun's treasures in the Origin Realm and keep them as leverage for compensation. Meanwhile, Silver Horn captured Zhu Bajie with a gourd and returned to consult Golden Horn about Sun Wukong and the others.

• Zhao Gongming explained that Taishang Laojun could reclaim his treasures, then arranged for Sun Wukong to borrow Yunxiao's gourd as a way to hide them in the Origin Realm.
• Sun Wukong accepted the gourd, took spirit fruits and immortal brews from Bixiao, and hurried back to escort Tang Sanzang.
• Golden Horn and Silver Horn discussed their grudge against Sun Wukong and planned to capture Tang Sanzang and his disciples.
• Sun Wukong sent Zhu Bajie ahead to scout, and Zhu Bajie nervously called out to his eldest brother whenever he saw a rock or tree.
• Silver Horn called Zhu Bajie's name and sucked him into a gourd, then headed back to discuss the nearby travelers with Golden Horn.

Sun Wukong captured Silver Horn Great King and Golden Horn Great King, reclaimed their treasures, and helped Tang Sanzang deal with the demons at Lotus Cave. As the group resumed their journey, an old man appeared and demanded that Sun Wukong return his treasures.

• Silver Horn Great King disguised himself as an injured old Taoist and tricked Tang Sanzang into carrying him, but Sun Wukong exposed him and seized his treasures.
• Sun Wukong forced Silver Horn Great King into the Purple Gold Gourd and then took Tang Sanzang to Lotus Cave to rescue Zhu Bajie.
• Sun Wukong defeated Golden Horn Great King and captured him in the Purple Gold Gourd.
• Tang Sanzang spared the little demons who had done no evil and preached to them, while Sun Wukong killed Golden Horn and Silver Horn's old mother and seventh maternal uncle and recovered the Gold Binding Rope.
• After the group resumed its journey, an old man appeared and asked Sun Wukong to return his treasures.

Lord Taishang confronted Sun Wukong over the stolen treasures, but Wukong traded them back for five Nine-Turn Golden Elixirs. He fed all five to Tang Sanzang, whose body began refining their power as the group prepared to continue west.

• Lord Taishang revealed that Golden Horn and Silver Horn had been his furnace boys and demanded the return of his five treasures, but he could not sense them because Sun Wukong had hidden them in the Origin Realm.
• Sun Wukong accused Lord Taishang of arranging the journey’s tribulations and threatened to abandon the quest, unsettling Tang Sanzang’s faith in the scriptures.
• Sun Wukong bargained with Lord Taishang and secured five Nine-Turn Golden Elixirs in exchange for returning the treasures and releasing Golden Horn and Silver Horn.
• After Lord Taishang and the others vanished, Sun Wukong refused to share the elixirs with Zhu Bajie and declared that Tang Sanzang needed them because his body was frail.
• Sun Wukong shot all five elixirs into Tang Sanzang’s mouth, and Tang Sanzang began punching as he refined their powerful energy.

Tang Sanzang grew stronger after taking the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir and led the Scripture Seeking Group through ordeals with increasing confidence, disrupting the intended course of their journey. At Golden Mountain Dipper Cave, Green Ox’s Diamond Bracelet stopped them, and Sun Wukong went to confront Taishang Laojun.

• Sun Wukong kicked Zhu Bajie into a fight with Tang Sanzang, whose golden dragons defeated Zhu Bajie and revealed his growing strength.
• Tang Sanzang continued west, refining the elixir and taking the lead against demons instead of asking Sun Wukong what to do.
• At Wuji Kingdom, Tang Sanzang’s group killed the demon before Manjushri Bodhisattva could intervene, and Tang Sanzang explained that he had acted to stop the demon’s wrongdoing.
• Tang Sanzang saw through Red Boy and struck him with his golden dragons, while the group continued to subdue demons across later ordeals.
• At Golden Mountain Dipper Cave, Green Ox used the Diamond Bracelet to take the group’s magic treasures, including Tang Sanzang’s golden dragons.
• Sun Wukong obtained eighteen grains of Golden Elixir Sand from Tathagata, kept them, and went to Tushita Palace to confront Taishang Laojun.

After leaving Green Ox behind, Tang Sanzang and his disciples entered the Western Liang Women's Country, where the women mistook them for breeding stock. The Queen learned that Tang Sanzang had arrived and resolved to marry him so their country could have male heirs.

• Lord Taishang returned the stolen magical treasures, then departed while Tang Sanzang privately reflected on the powerful beings behind many of their past enemies.
• Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie drank from the Mother-Child River, and Sun Wukong fetched Abortion Spring Water after killing True Immortal Ruyi; the ordeal purified Tang Sanzang's body.
• The group reached the Western Liang Women's Country, where the women mobbed them and called them breeding stock until Zhu Bajie revealed his true face and frightened them away.
• A female official escorted the disciples to Yingyang Posthouse and reported Tang Sanzang's arrival to the Queen.
• The Queen decided to summon Tang Sanzang and marry him, hoping their union would provide male heirs and preserve the Women's Country.

The Queen of Western Liang Women's Country decided to marry Tang Sanzang and sent the Grand Tutor to arrange the match. Tang Sanzang refused, so Sun Wukong urged him to play along until he met the Queen and could get the Travel Permit.

• The Queen asked about Tang Sanzang's appearance and decided to offer him the country as a bride price while letting his disciples continue west.
• The Grand Tutor visited Yingyang Posthouse, praised Tang Sanzang, and announced the Queen's marriage proposal.
• Tang Sanzang refused because he was a monk, but the Grand Tutor ordered the posthouse decorated for the wedding.
• Sun Wukong joked that Tang Sanzang should marry the Queen, while Zhu Bajie wondered what she looked like.
• Tang Sanzang asked Sun Wukong for help, and Sun Wukong proposed that he pretend to agree, obtain the Travel Permit, and escape later.