Chapter Summaries

After Martial Virtue Star Lord humiliated Sun Wukong over refusing the Bimawen post, Sun Wukong attacked him and fled Heaven for the lower realm. The Jade Emperor authorized Martial Virtue Star Lord to lead 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals to capture him.

• Martial Virtue Star Lord appointed an eager intern as the new Bimawen and taunted Sun Wukong for refusing the post.
• Sun Wukong threw his official cap at Martial Virtue Star Lord, tore his robe, and swung the Jingu Bang at him, but Martial Virtue Star Lord dodged.
• Sun Wukong escaped through the Southern Heavenly Gate while the Four Heavenly Kings failed to stop him.
• After hearing the report in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, the Jade Emperor asked Taibai Golden Star what should be done, and Taibai Golden Star left the decision to him.
• The Jade Emperor granted Martial Virtue Star Lord an imperial edict and 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals to capture Sun Wukong.

After returning to Flower Fruit Mountain, Sun Wukong told the monkeys and his sworn brothers that Heaven had tricked him into becoming a horse keeper, then faced an army sent to capture him. The chapter ended as Martial Virtue Star Lord ordered the Nine Luminaries Star Lords to seize Sun Wukong, who stood with the Bull Demon King and the other Demon Kings.

• Sun Wukong returned to Flower Fruit Mountain, where the monkeys welcomed him and asked about his new position in Heaven.
• Sun Wukong explained that Taibai Golden Star had deceived him and that Bimawen was a lowly job tending the Jade Emperor’s horses.
• Sun Wukong summoned the Demon Kings, including the Bull Demon King, and held a ten-day feast that lasted for a month.
• Martial Virtue Star Lord arrived with a vast army of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals and accused Sun Wukong of committing crimes.
• Martial Virtue Star Lord ordered the Nine Luminaries Star Lords to capture Sun Wukong, who mocked him and drew the Bull Demon King forward.

Sun Wukong’s sworn brothers abandoned him as the Heavenly Court’s forces attacked, but he defeated the immortals and drove the heavenly army into retreat. The Heavenly Court was left stunned by the demon monkey’s immense power.

• Sun Wukong introduced the Bull Demon King and his other sworn brothers to Martial Virtue Star Lord, but the immortals mocked them.
• The Bull Demon King and the other Demon Kings made excuses and fled, leaving Sun Wukong to face the Heavenly Court alone.
• Martial Virtue Star Lord ordered the Nine Luminaries Star Lords and other immortals to attack Sun Wukong, but they could not defeat him.
• Sun Wukong created an army of hair-clone monkeys, routed the immortals, and struck Martial Virtue Star Lord through the heavenly soldiers, sending him flying.
• The heavenly soldiers and immortals fled in defeat as the demons hailed Sun Wukong as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
• The Heavenly Court learned of the crushing defeat and was shocked that its forces had failed to capture Sun Wukong.

The Jade Emperor summoned the Heavenly Court’s immortals after Sun Wukong repeatedly defeated the forces sent against him. Taibai Golden Star argued that the monkey should be invited back to Heaven and given an official position.

• Zhang Bairen called an assembly in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall and demanded a plan to restore the Heavenly Court’s dignity.
• The immortals argued over whether to attack Sun Wukong again, while several blamed Martial Virtue Star Lord for the repeated defeats.
• Zhang Bairen silenced the quarrel and asked Taibai Golden Star for advice.
• Taibai Golden Star defended Sun Wukong’s record at the Imperial Horse Bureau and blamed Martial Virtue Star Lord for assigning him the lowly Stableman position.
• Taibai Golden Star advised Zhang Bairen to invite Sun Wukong back to Heaven and appoint him as an official.

The Jade Emperor approved Taibai Golden Star’s proposal to give Sun Wukong the empty title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven to placate him. Taibai brought the decree to Flower Fruit Mountain, where Sun Wukong accepted it and prepared to return to Heaven.

• Martial Virtue Star Lord and the other immortals opposed inviting Sun Wukong back, but the Jade Emperor challenged them to solve the problem themselves.
• Taibai Golden Star proposed granting Sun Wukong a high-ranking sinecure, and the Jade Emperor agreed to make him Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
• The Jade Emperor had Literary Star Lord draft the decree and sent it to the mortal realm.
• Sun Wukong’s monkeys bound Taibai Golden Star and brought him into the Water Curtain Cave, where Taibai explained that he had come with good news.
• Sun Wukong accepted Taibai Golden Star’s explanation about his previous appointment and agreed to go to Heaven after learning that his new title was Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Sun Wukong accepted the Jade Emperor’s decree naming him Great Sage Equal to Heaven and went with Taibai Golden Star to the Heavenly Court. After mocking the defeated Martial Virtue Star Lord, he greeted the Jade Emperor, who asked why Sun Wukong thought he had been summoned.

• Sun Wukong suspected the decree was a trap, but Taibai Golden Star assured him it was genuine and promised the Heavenly Court would leave Flower Fruit Mountain alone.
• Sun Wukong agreed to go to Heaven and told the monkeys he would return for them, promising they could live forever and eventually become officials there.
• Sun Wukong complained to Taibai Golden Star that the demon kings who had sworn brotherhood with him fled when the Heavenly Court attacked.
• At the Southern Heavenly Gate, Sun Wukong inspected the pillars, then entered the Heavenly Court with Taibai Golden Star.
• Sun Wukong mocked Martial Virtue Star Lord in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall before greeting Zhang Bairen, who asked why he thought he had been summoned.

Sun Wukong received the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven but spent his days wandering Heaven and disrupting official duties. With the Jade Emperor overwhelmed by complaints, Taibai Golden Star proposed giving him a post to keep him occupied, and Sun Wukong was summoned to court the next day.

• Sun Wukong boasted in the great hall, insulted the immortals, and threatened Martial Virtue Star Lord before Taibai Golden Star calmed the gathering.
• The Jade Emperor appointed Sun Wukong Great Sage Equal to Heaven, gave him clerks and a residence, and dismissed court.
• Sun Wukong briefly watched the construction of his residence, then left his subordinates to supervise while he roamed Heaven, chatting with immortals and joining their banquets.
• Sun Wukong began following the Judicial Heavenly God on demon-subduing missions, forcing the officials to hold back their strength and damaging the Demon-Subduing Judicial Hall's credibility.
• The Jade Emperor received a flood of memorials blaming Sun Wukong, and Taibai Golden Star advised assigning him a post or sending him back to the lower realm.
• Taibai Golden Star invited Sun Wukong to the next day's court after he had missed morning court for many days.

Sun Wukong was summoned to Lingxiao Treasure Hall, where the Jade Emperor confronted him for disrupting the Heavenly Court’s offices. After Sun Wukong admitted his mistake and asked for work, Zhang Bairen sent him to obtain Three Lights Divine Water from the Dao Sect in exchange for a fine post.

• Sun Wukong arrived at Lingxiao Treasure Hall drunk and asked Taibai Golden Star whether the Jade Emperor had summoned him to assign him work.
• While the Heavenly Court’s departments reported, Sun Wukong grew bored and fell asleep, prompting the immortals to laugh when Taibai Golden Star woke him.
• The Jade Emperor told Sun Wukong that immortals had complained he disrupted their work and disturbed the Heavenly Court’s order.
• Sun Wukong admitted he had interfered while trying to help and explained that he had been looking for something to do.
• Zhang Bairen tasked Sun Wukong with asking the Dao Sect for a few drops of Three Lights Divine Water, promising him a fine post if he succeeded.
• After court adjourned, Sun Wukong went to find Taibai Golden Star.

Sun Wukong questioned Taibai Golden Star about the Dao Sect and Three Lights Divine Water, then traveled to the Dao Sect to request some. After the Dao Sect’s disciples verified his identity and let him wait, he wandered off to watch a sparring match and joined in.

• Sun Wukong invited Taibai Golden Star for a drink and asked about Three Lights Divine Water and the Dao Sect.
• Taibai Golden Star explained the water’s healing power and warned Sun Wukong that the Dao Sect was filled with experts capable of destroying the Heavenly Court.
• Sun Wukong flew across the Primordial Wilderness to the Buzhou Mountain Ruins and found the Dao Sect’s quiet immortal mountain.
• Two gatekeeping disciples doubted Sun Wukong’s claim to be the Great Sage Equal to Heaven until they checked his token, then summoned someone to welcome him.
• A guide led Sun Wukong to a side hall to wait for the Three Lights Divine Water, and Sun Wukong slipped out to join a group of sparring disciples.

Sun Wukong barged into Wuzhiqi’s courtyard and challenged him for punishing the Immortals who had stopped sparring to look at him. Wuzhiqi spared them, placed a Divine Ability imprint on Sun Wukong’s brow, and an Immortal guide hurried Sun Wukong away.

• Sun Wukong entered Wuzhiqi’s courtyard and offered to spar with the Immortals there.
• Wuzhiqi ordered the Immortals to train in the Refinement Realm for ten thousand years because they had lost focus.
• Sun Wukong objected to the punishment and asked Wuzhiqi to spare the Immortals for his sake.
• Wuzhiqi praised Sun Wukong’s loyalty, spared the Immortals, and placed a Divine Ability imprint on his brow.
• An Immortal guide arrived, bowed to Wuzhiqi, and led Sun Wukong out of the courtyard.

Sun Wukong collected the Three Lights Divine Water from the Dao Sect, but its immortal mountain vanished when he tried to return. Back in the Heavenly Court, the Jade Emperor appointed him overseer of the Peach Garden, and Sun Wukong eagerly imagined sharing its peaches with his monkey descendants.

• The guiding Immortal hurried Sun Wukong out of the Dao Sect after giving him ten drops of Three Lights Divine Water.
• Sun Wukong turned back to investigate, but found the immortal mountain had vanished without a trace.
• Sun Wukong decided to ask Taibai Golden Star about the disappearance, swallowed seven drops of the divine water, and returned to the Heavenly Court with three.
• The Jade Emperor accepted the three drops and appointed Sun Wukong overseer of the Peach Garden, ordering him to use the water to nourish its Innate Spirit Plants.
• Sun Wukong eagerly anticipated tasting Peaches of Immortality and bringing his monkey descendants to Heaven.

After court, Sun Wukong asked Taibai Golden Star about the Dao Sect and learned that it was powerful enough for even the Heavenly Court to avoid offending. He then went to take up his appointment as Peach Garden manager, where an Earth God verified his credentials and welcomed him in.

• Sun Wukong invited Taibai Golden Star for drinks, but Taibai Golden Star said he had to travel to Spirit Mountain on official business.
• Sun Wukong described the mysterious Dao Sect, and Taibai Golden Star warned him that its Grand Unity Golden Immortal gatekeepers and Quasi-Saint disciples made it far too dangerous to provoke.
• Sun Wukong tried and failed to comprehend the life-saving Divine Ability Old Monkey had placed between his brows.
• An Immortal official escorted Sun Wukong to the Peach Garden, where an Earth God explained its valuable spiritual plants and questioned his right to enter.
• Sun Wukong showed the Earth God his appointment documents, and the Earth God apologized before guiding him into the Peach Garden.

Sun Wukong toured the Peach Garden, learned about the Peach Immortal Banquet, and boasted that his rank qualified him to attend. He realized the Jade Emperor had sent him to deliver Three Lights Divine Water to ripen the peaches and asked the land god how it was usually applied.

• The land god showed Sun Wukong the Peach Garden and explained the peaches’ different ripening cycles and effects.
• Sun Wukong asked about the Peach Immortal Banquet, and the land god described it as a prestigious feast for eminent figures across the Three Realms.
• Sun Wukong recounted his battles with the Heavenly Court and claimed his title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven made him eligible for the banquet.
• After touring the garden, Sun Wukong worried that the peaches were still unripe, and the land god explained that Three Lights Divine Water hastened their ripening.
• Sun Wukong realized the Jade Emperor had sent him to provide the water and asked the land god how the envoys applied it.

Sun Wukong used Three Lights Divine Water to nourish the Peach Garden, then gave in to temptation and ate most of its Peaches of Immortality. The chapter ended with the Seven Fairies arriving to pick peaches while he slept, unaware of the damage.

• The Earth God explained the Great Zhou Heavenly Spirit Rain Technique and Three Lights Divine Water to Sun Wukong.
• Sun Wukong studied the garden, then used four drops of Three Lights Divine Water to bring the peach trees to full bloom and fruit.
• After struggling to resist the peaches, Sun Wukong returned drunk and ate most of the garden’s finest fruit, then continued eating over the following days.
• The Seven Fairies arrived with the Earth God to pick peaches for the Peach Immortal Banquet, but Sun Wukong was asleep.
• Sun Wukong woke when he heard someone calling for him.

Sun Wukong asked the Seven Fairies whether he was invited to the Peach Immortal Banquet, but their ridicule made him furious. He smashed the Peach Garden and vowed to prevent the banquet from taking place.

• The Seven Fairies arrived to pick Peaches of Immortality and scolded Sun Wukong for neglecting his duties and checking their paperwork.
• Sun Wukong asked when the Peach Immortal Banquet would begin because he expected to attend as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
• The Seven Fairies mocked Sun Wukong and listed the honored guests, insisting he had no place at the banquet.
• Sun Wukong erupted in anger, smashed the Peach Garden with the Jingu Bang, and sent the Seven Fairies flying into the ruins.
• Sun Wukong vowed to make the Jade Emperor regret excluding him and to ensure the Peach Immortal Banquet never happened.

Sun Wukong destroyed the Peach Garden after learning he had been excluded from Queen Mother Niangniang’s banquet, then stole wine and Pills from Heaven. He escaped through the Southern Heavenly Gate, but the Heavenly Court ordered the gate sealed specifically to stop him.

• Sun Wukong smashed the Peach Garden, took its Peaches of Immortality and spirit herbs, and left the Seven Fairies fainting.
• Sun Wukong confirmed he had not been invited to the Peach Immortal Banquet, transformed into Martial Virtue Star Lord, and stole imperial wine, immortal brews, and Pills.
• Sun Wukong wandered into Tusita Palace, swallowed its Pills, and felt his cultivation surge toward the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Perfect Stage.
• Sun Wukong kicked the sleeping Green Ox, who transformed into a man and went to the Lingxiao Treasure Hall to report his grievance.
• Sun Wukong passed through the Southern Heavenly Gate, but a divine general arrived afterward with the Jade Emperor’s order to seal it and prevent Sun Wukong from leaving.

After Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Court, the Four Heavenly Kings revealed that he had already left through their gate, while he prepared Flower Fruit Mountain for retaliation. Nearly a year later, the Heavenly Court army finally appeared, and Sun Wukong rallied his hundred thousand demons to fight.

• Wang Lingguan told the Four Heavenly Kings that Sun Wukong had stolen the Peaches of Immortality, destroyed the Peach Garden, stolen imperial wine and Immortal Elixirs, and angered the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother Niangniang.
• Mo Lihong admitted that Sun Wukong had left through the Southern Heavenly Gate more than half an hour earlier, and Wang Lingguan departed to report the matter.
• Sun Wukong distributed Peaches of Immortality and Immortal Elixirs among the monkeys and recruited demons, then trained his forces while refining his medicinal power and reaching the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Perfect Stage.
• After more than half a year passed without an attack, Sun Wukong grew confident that the Heavenly Court would not punish him, but nearly a year after his return, dark clouds gathered above Flower Fruit Mountain and the Heavenly Court army arrived.
• Sun Wukong rallied over a hundred thousand demons, promising to make them immortals if they helped him defeat the Heavenly Court, and they roared in readiness for battle.

Martial Virtue Star Lord led the Heavenly Court forces to Flower Fruit Mountain, where Sun Wukong’s demon army prepared to fight. After the immortals discussed their options, Li Jing and his sons went down to challenge Sun Wukong, leaving the battle about to begin.

• Over a hundred thousand demons gathered beneath Flower Fruit Mountain, emboldened by Sun Wukong’s promises of wealth and immortality if they stormed Heaven.
• Martial Virtue Star Lord and the other immortals discussed killing the demons, and one suggested calling in the feared Killing Cessation Bureau.
• Martial Virtue Star Lord asked for volunteers to capture Sun Wukong, but no one stepped forward, so he ordered Li Jing and his sons to confront the monkey.
• Li Jing brought Jin Zha, Muzha, and Nezha above Flower Fruit Mountain and challenged Sun Wukong.
• Sun Wukong mocked the four, and Jin Zha and Muzha flew into a rage and charged at him.

Sun Wukong and Nezha fought fiercely while Li Jing waited for a chance to capture the monkey. Li Jing trapped both fighters in the Exquisite Pagoda and sealed it with divine talismans.

• Sun Wukong sent Gui Yuan and Hu Shan to fight Jin Zha and Muzha, while Li Jing urged Nezha to attack and planned to capture the monkey.
• Nezha descended to challenge Sun Wukong after Li Jing invoked the Martial Virtue Star Lord, and Sun Wukong mocked him until Nezha charged.
• Nezha and Sun Wukong exchanged powerful blows, but Sun Wukong proved stronger and drove Nezha back.
• Li Jing dropped the Exquisite Pagoda over Nezha and Sun Wukong, trapped them inside, and sealed it with restrictions and divine talismans.

Li Jing trapped Sun Wukong and Nezha inside the Exquisite Pagoda, but Nezha revealed that Li Jing could not properly wield the treasure. Sun Wukong laughed at Li Jing’s futile attempts to provoke them, while Nezha’s challenge to escape—and earn the title of big brother—remained unresolved.

• Li Jing caught Sun Wukong and Nezha off guard and imprisoned them inside the Exquisite Pagoda.
• Sun Wukong mocked Nezha, then tried growing larger and shrinking smaller to escape, but the pagoda matched his size and offered no opening.
• Nezha told Sun Wukong that he could leave by breaking through the pagoda’s top and promised to call him big brother if he got them out.
• Li Jing shook the pagoda to provoke the prisoners, while Nezha explained that Li Jing could not activate the treasure’s powers and was waiting for them to trigger its restrictions.
• Sun Wukong understood Nezha’s explanation and burst into derisive laughter.