Chapter Summaries

Sun Wukong stopped Zhu Bajie from killing Yellow Wind Great King and turned their clash into a friendly alliance. As the group entered Yellow Wind Cave to feast with Qi Yu, Lingji Bodhisattva waited on Little Mount Sumeru for the Scripture Seeker to ask for help.

• Yellow Wind Great King unleashed the Samadhi Divine Wind against Zhu Bajie, who called for Sun Wukong to save him.
• Sun Wukong froze and dispelled the divine wind, then stopped Zhu Bajie from attacking Yellow Wind Great King.
• Sun Wukong helped Yellow Wind Great King up, assured him that Qi Yu was safe, and invited him to become his brother.
• Yellow Wind Great King welcomed Sun Wukong and the others into Yellow Wind Cave and ordered a banquet, where Qi Yu was already eating.
• Lingji Bodhisattva wondered why the Scripture Seeker had not come to Little Mount Sumeru for help.

Yellow Wind Great King invited Qi Yu to explain Buddhism, but Qi Yu revealed that Sun Wukong’s Buddhist knowledge surpassed his own and urged Wukong to teach instead. After Wukong lectured on the Diamond Sutra for three days and three nights, Yellow Wind Great King asked him to accept him as a disciple.

• Zhu Bajie apologized to Yellow Wind Great King, and the group shared food and drink in Yellow Wind Cave.
• Yellow Wind Great King asked Qi Yu to explain Buddhist teachings and remove the last trace of evil energy within him.
• Qi Yu revealed Sun Wukong’s deep Buddhist attainment and urged him to teach Yellow Wind Great King instead.
• Sun Wukong recognized a flaw in Yellow Wind Great King’s cultivation and recited the Diamond Sutra to him and the gathered demons for three days and three nights.
• Yellow Wind Great King bowed to Sun Wukong in gratitude and asked him to accept him as a disciple.

Yellow Wind Great King joined Sun Wukong’s pilgrimage team and heard Wukong explain his new Buddhist doctrine. When Lingji Bodhisattva arrived to capture him, Wukong stopped Yellow Wind from facing the fight alone and led the way out of Yellow Wind Cave.

• Yellow Wind Great King accepted Sun Wukong as his master and joined the Westward Pilgrimage Team.
• Sun Wukong explained his new Buddhist doctrine, and Qi Yu and the others saluted him in awe.
• Lingji Bodhisattva called Yellow Wind out, and Yellow Wind revealed that he was a Yellow-furred Sable Mouse who had fled Spirit Mountain after stealing clear oil from the Glazed Lamp.
• Yellow Wind prepared to fight Lingji and told Tiger Vanguard and the other demons to remain in the cave, but Sun Wukong struck him and ordered him to follow behind his teacher.
• Lingji Bodhisattva waited outside Yellow Wind Cave, frustrated that Guanyin had not provided support.

Sun Wukong protected his new disciple Yellow Wind Great King from Lingji Bodhisattva and challenged Lingji to withstand one staff strike. Lingji was knocked unconscious, and he resolved to report Guanyin to Spirit Mountain.

• Lingji attacked Yellow Wind Great King with his Flying Dragon Treasure Staff, but Sun Wukong struck the dragon aside and cracked the staff.
• Sun Wukong declared Yellow Wind his disciple, defended his past theft of lamp oil, and told Lingji to ask Tathagata for compensation.
• Lingji threatened Sun Wukong and tried to leave, but Sun Wukong demanded an explanation and offered to let him go if he took one staff strike.
• Lingji accepted the challenge and used his Flying Dragon Treasure Staff and Wind-Fixing Pill to block Sun Wukong’s blow.
• Sun Wukong’s strike shattered Lingji’s staff and knocked him unconscious, leaving Lingji determined to report Guanyin to Spirit Mountain.

Sun Wukong knocked Lingji Bodhisattva unconscious and took the Yellow Wind Monster as his disciple, disrupting the Buddhist Sect's plan for the westward journey. After hearing Lingji's complaint, Tathagata ordered Guanyin to awaken Golden Cicada's memories, while Sun Wukong's party continued west and spotted a river.

• Sun Wukong protected the Yellow Wind Monster, knocked Lingji Bodhisattva unconscious, and set off west with his group.
• After waking three days later, Lingji flew to Spirit Mountain and complained to Tathagata about Sun Wukong and Guanyin, including the destruction of his Flying Dragon Treasure Staff.
• Guanyin told Tathagata about the changes to Xuanzang and Sun Wukong, and suggested that Xuanzang had recovered Golden Cicada's cultivation but not his memories.
• Tathagata ordered Guanyin to awaken Golden Cicada's memories and prevent Xuanzang from straying from the plan, then compensated Lingji with the Glazed Bead.
• More than a month after leaving Yellow Wind Ridge, Zhu Bajie spotted a great river ahead.

Qi Yu’s party reached the ominous Flowing Sand River and was attacked by a fierce river demon. Zhu Bajie gained the upper hand, but the demon escaped into the water, leaving Qi Yu wary of crossing.

• Ao Lie and Zhu Bajie sensed that the lifeless Flowing Sand River held an ominous presence, so Qi Yu told the party to stay cautious.
• As Ao Lie prepared to carry the party across, a red-haired demon rose from the river and attacked after learning Qi Yu was a scripture seeker.
• Zhu Bajie fought the demon across the waves and held the advantage, while Qi Yu stepped back and watched.
• Ao Lie rushed in to help, and the demon forced Zhu Bajie back before fleeing into the river.
• Zhu Bajie scolded Ao Lie for interrupting his battle and claimed the party could cross safely, but Qi Yu shook his head and said there was no hurry.

Sun Wukong drained the Flowing Sand River with his mastery of water, allowing Qi Yu to confront the red-haired demon in its cave. As Qi Yu prepared to kill the demon for eating people, a holy white light intervened and called on Xuanzang to spare him.

• Qi Yu decided to convert the Flowing Sand River demon before the group continued west.
• Sun Wukong used water laws to lift the river’s waters into the sky and expose its bed.
• Qi Yu entered the demon’s cave, where the red-haired demon attacked him with a staff and a poison-coated claw.
• The demon admitted that he ate people, and Qi Yu sent him flying with a punch before raising his fist to finish him.
• A holy white light appeared and called on Xuanzang to spare the demon.

Guanyin tried to persuade Qi Yu to accept General Curtain-Roller as a disciple and escort him west, but Qi Yu refused after learning that Curtain-Roller had killed and eaten people. Qi Yu declared that he would send Curtain-Roller to meet Buddha, leaving Guanyin alarmed.

• Guanyin arrived and warned Qi Yu not to kill the red-haired monster, explaining that he was meant to protect the scripture journey.
• Zhu Bajie recognized the monster as General Curtain-Roller, and Curtain-Roller regained his senses and explained that the Heavenly Emperor had punished him for breaking the Glazed Lamp.
• Guanyin urged Qi Yu to accept Curtain-Roller as a disciple, but Qi Yu refused after accusing him of killing and eating people.
• Curtain-Roller admitted he had eaten people while suffering the Flying Swords piercing his heart, and Guanyin tried to excuse his actions and offer him a chance to reform.
• Qi Yu rejected Guanyin's defense, called Curtain-Roller no different from demons, and said he would send him to meet Buddha.

Qi Yu killed General Curtain-Roller despite Guanyin's attempt to protect him, prompting Guanyin to decide to awaken Golden Cicada and replace Xuanzang on the scripture journey. She attacked Qi Yu and his companions with the Buddha Post and her thousand-hand divine ability, while Sun Wukong and the others stood against her.

• Qi Yu shattered Guanyin's protective white lotus and killed General Curtain-Roller, whose Primordial Spirit was also destroyed.
• Guanyin confronted Qi Yu and decided to use the Buddha Post to awaken Golden Cicada's Primordial Spirit.
• Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Xiong Pi, the Yellow Wind Monster, and Ao Lie joined Qi Yu to oppose Guanyin.
• Guanyin activated the Buddha Post and Sheep Fat Jade Pure Bottle, but Sun Wukong knocked the bottle aside and drove her back.
• Guanyin manifested a thousand hands and attacked Sun Wukong and the others.

Qi Yu attacked Guanyin from afar to aid Sun Wukong and the others, then angered her with an awkward compliment. Watching through the Hao Tian Mirror, Hong Yun accidentally called Qi Yu his son and left himself surrounded by his furious wives.

• Guanyin attacked Sun Wukong and his companions with a thousand palms, shattering the banks of the Flowing Sand River as they defended themselves.
• Qi Yu dodged the Buddha Post and struck at Guanyin from a hundred thousand li away, catching her off guard and nearly knocking her from her Lotus Throne.
• Qi Yu tried to praise Guanyin by calling her thick-skinned and tough-fleshed, while Sun Wukong teased her and made her even angrier.
• Hong Yun watched the fight through the Hao Tian Mirror, and Nuwa and the other women remarked that Qi Yu spoke like him.
• Hong Yun denied having a foolish son, then froze after he accidentally called Qi Yu his son, prompting Nuwa and the other women to surround him with weapons.

Hong Yun explained that Qi Yu was his adopted son and was forced to accept a year of taking turns with Nuwa and the other women to discuss having children. At Flowing Sand River, Guanyin tried to awaken Golden Cicada within Qi Yu, but the chapter ended with Qi Yu still himself and hungry.

• Hong Yun convinced Nuwa and the six women that Qi Yu was his adopted son, and Nuwa ordered him to spend the next year discussing having children with them in turn.
• Guanyin attacked Qi Yu and Sun Wukong at Flowing Sand River while Tathagata's Buddha Post pursued Qi Yu.
• Sun Wukong struck Guanyin with the Golden Cudgel, but Guanyin used the opening to bind Qi Yu and let the Buddha Post seal him.
• Guanyin blocked Sun Wukong and the others as she tried to awaken Golden Cicada's Primordial Spirit inside Qi Yu.
• Qi Yu removed the faded Buddha Post, yawned, and said he was hungry, leaving Guanyin stunned that Golden Cicada had not appeared.

Qi Yu rejoined his companions after the battle and revealed that he had awakened memories from several past lives, while Golden Cicada’s spirit was gone. Guanyin reported the loss to Tathagata, who was left speechless when she repeated his own rebuke back to him.

• Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and the others confirmed Qi Yu was their real Master, and Zhu Bajie went to fetch him meat.
• Qi Yu said he remembered Golden Cicada and several earlier lives but did not know where Golden Cicada had gone, leaving Guanyin to conclude that Golden Cicada had fallen.
• Hong Yun admitted he had sealed Golden Cicada’s Primordial Spirit within Qi Yu and set off for Longevity Mountain to meet Zhen Yuanzi about the Journey to the West tribulation.
• Guanyin hurried to Great Leiyin Temple and told Tathagata that Golden Cicada had fallen.
• Tathagata demanded an explanation, and Guanyin mocked him by repeating his warning about maintaining his composure.

Guanyin told Tathagata that someone had secretly broken the seal on Golden Cicada and refined his Primordial Spirit, leaving Tathagata to suspect the Saints but unable to identify the culprit. As Qi Yu's group traveled through the snow, Guanyin, Puxian, Manjushri, and Old Mother Lishan prepared a trial to test their resolve with wealth and beauty.

• Guanyin reported the Flowing Sand River incident to Tathagata, who concluded that only a Saint could have secretly tampered with Golden Cicada's seal.
• Tathagata considered Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian as possible culprits, then decided to wait rather than act without knowing who was responsible.
• Sun Wukong explained his new Dharma to Qi Yu and the others as they traveled through heavy snow, and the group stopped to seek shelter for the night.
• Guanyin watched the Scripture Seekers from the clouds with Puxian, Manjushri, and Old Mother Lishan.
• Old Mother Lishan proposed transforming a forest clearing into a wealthy manor and disguising herself and the three bodhisattvas as a rich widow and her daughters to test the Scripture Seekers.

Sun Wukong and the scripture-seeking party found an imposing manor in the snowy mountains and accepted its mistress’s offer of lodging. After she proposed that one of them marry into her family, Sun Wukong pretended to welcome the offer, leaving the group poised to play along with the trial.

• Sun Wukong used his Truth-Seeing ability to sense immortal intent in the manor and warned the others that it was no ordinary household.
• Ao Lie knocked at the gate, and the richly dressed mistress welcomed Qi Yu and his companions inside for the night.
• The mistress served them tea and vegetarian food, then asked Qi Yu for guidance on Buddhist doctrine.
• After learning that the party included immortals and divine generals, the mistress described her three unmarried daughters and asked one of the men to become her son-in-law.
• Sun Wukong acted delighted by the proposal and asked the mistress whether she truly meant it.

Old Mother Lishan and the three Bodhisattvas tested the scripture-seeking party by offering marriage to her three beautiful daughters and a life of wealth. Sun Wukong and the others all refused, leaving the Four Sages stunned by how little their temptation affected them.

• Sun Wukong asked to see Old Mother Lishan’s daughters, and Guanyin, Puxian, and Manjushri appeared disguised as the three young women.
• Sun Wukong recoiled after seeing through the Bodhisattvas’ disguises, then refused the marriage offer and said he loved Yang Chan.
• Zhu Bajie praised Sun Wukong’s wealth from Flower Fruit City, while Sun Wukong signaled the others not to accept the offer.
• Qi Yu refused the women and said he could sell his Brocade Kasaya if he needed money; Ao Lie also declined, citing his royal family and arranged marriage.
• Xiong Pi and Yellow Wind refused the offer, and Zhu Bajie said he would go to Flower Fruit City after the scripture journey rather than become a live-in son-in-law.
• The Four Sages were left stunned when none of the Scripture Seekers accepted their test.

Sun Wukong exposed Guanyin, Old Mother Lishan, Manjushri, and Puxian during their test of the scripture-seeking party, ending the trial in awkwardness. As the pilgrims resumed their journey west, Brother Hongyun entrusted his final disciple and adopted son to Zhen Yuanzi, while Guanyin looked ahead to the next trial at Wuzhuang Temple.

• Sun Wukong recognized Guanyin and exposed the Four Sages, who revealed their true identities and ended the test.
• Guanyin praised Xuanzang’s party, especially Zhu Bajie, while Zhu Bajie and Xiong Pi embarrassed Manjushri and Puxian by recalling their transformed appearances.
• Guanyin and the other sages departed, leaving the pilgrims in the snowy wilderness; Qi Yu’s party packed up and continued west.
• Puxian blamed Sun Wukong for ruining the test, while Old Mother Lishan apologized and warned that the next trial at Wuzhuang Temple would be difficult.
• Brother Hongyun entrusted his final disciple and adopted son to Zhen Yuanzi before leaving for Floating Island.
• Zhen Yuanzi thought of Brother Hongyun as his best brother, while Great Emperor Fengdu Minghe sneezed and assumed Hongyun was thinking of him.

Qi Yu and his companions reached Longevity Mountain and discovered that its Daoist temple was Wuzhuang Temple, the dwelling of the formidable Great Immortal Zhenyuan. Sun Wukong recognized the mountain’s power, while Zhen Yuanzi secretly watched them and reacted to Wukong’s remark about his relationship with Dao Venerable Hong Yun.

• Qi Yu’s group reached a towering immortal mountain, and Sun Wukong saw its immense spiritual energy, earth-vein array, and mysterious yellow radiance.
• Zhu Bajie reassured Sun Wukong that the mountain showed no killing intent, and the party climbed toward its summit.
• The group arrived at an ancient Daoist temple on Longevity Mountain and read its imposing couplet.
• Ao Lie and Zhu Bajie recognized the place as Wuzhuang Temple, the dojo of Great Immortal Zhenyuan.
• Zhu Bajie identified Zhenyuan as a close friend of Dao Venerable Hong Yun, and Sun Wukong called him the one with the second-best relationship with Hong Yun.
• Zhenyuan secretly observed the party and froze when he heard Sun Wukong describe his relationship with Hong Yun as second-best.

Zhen Yuanzi welcomed Qi Yu and the scripture-seeking party to Wuzhuang Temple after learning they were Hong Yun’s family. The meeting ended with Zhen Yuanzi claiming he had been close friends with Qi Yu’s father, leaving Qi Yu stunned by his dead father’s unexpected connections.

• Zhen Yuanzi grew angry at hearing that Minghe supposedly had a closer relationship with Hong Yun than he did and decided to rally his Earth Immortals to counter the rumor.
• Qingfeng and Mingyue greeted Qi Yu, Sun Wukong, and their companions at Wuzhuang Temple and escorted them inside.
• The group smelled the Ginseng Fruit tree and learned that Hong Yun had visited the temple about half a month earlier.
• After regretting that they had missed Hong Yun, the group entered the reception room and bowed to Zhen Yuanzi.
• Zhen Yuanzi called Qi Yu his worthy nephew and said he had been a close friend of Qi Yu’s father, Qi Tongwei, leaving Qi Yu bewildered.

Qi Yu learned that Zhen Yuanzi had been close friends with his supposedly dead father, Qi Tongwei, and heard the immortal praise him as a peerless hero. Meanwhile, Hong Yun’s wives used Zhen Yuanzi’s recollections to confront him, leaving Qi Yu and his companions baffled by the contrast between the praise and Qi Yu’s memories.

• Qi Yu was shocked when Zhen Yuanzi claimed to know his father and asked him to call him uncle.
• Zhen Yuanzi recalled meeting Qi Tongwei in Chaos and described their long friendship.
• Nuwa and the other five women watched Zhen Yuanzi’s memories and confronted Hong Yun over his relationship with him.
• Hong Yun declared himself a straight man and fled to the sleeping palace, where his six wives followed him.
• Zhen Yuanzi praised Qi Tongwei as righteous, powerful, virtuous, and indifferent to fame and treasure.
• Sun Wukong and the others admired Qi Yu’s father, while Qi Yu privately doubted Zhen Yuanzi’s account of the deadbeat father he remembered.

Qi Yu and his companions feasted on Zhen Yuanzi’s rare spiritual fruits and received his offer of cultivation guidance at Wuzhuang Temple. Three months later, Guanyin panicked when the expected Heavenly Dao arrangement had not unfolded.

• Qi Yu pretended to be hungry, prompting Zhen Yuanzi to invite him and his companions to eat.
• Zhen Yuanzi served them precious spiritual fruits, including Flat Peaches, Immortal Apricots, Yellow Middle Plums, and thirty-six Ginseng Fruits.
• Qi Yu and his companions enjoyed the feast, and Zhen Yuanzi offered to guide them in cultivation.
• Guanyin waited at Luojia Mountain for the Scripture Seekers to reach Wuzhuang Temple and follow the expected trial.
• Three months later, Guanyin realized the Heavenly Dao’s predicted events had not happened and grew anxious.