Chapter Summaries

Chu Yang, Zhu Bajie, and Sun Wukong cleared most of the Evil Qi from the stone cavern so the Earth God could repair the earth-vein node. The Earth God restored the earth vein’s circulation, and Chu Yang prepared to leave him the Wind Spirit Jade Token for protection against the Serpent Demon.

• Chu Yang proposed that Zhu Bajie flush the Evil Qi with Water Spirit Qi while Chu Yang used the Soil Cultivating Bead’s Earth Spirit Qi to drive it into the hidden passage, and Zhu Bajie agreed to enter the cavern.
• Zhu Bajie and Chu Yang’s combined spiritual energies forced most of the Evil Qi and Serpent Venom into the hidden passage, exhausting the Soil Cultivating Bead.
• Sun Wukong found no sign of the Serpent Demon returning, and Chu Yang asked him to bring the Earth God to the crack to repair the node.
• The Earth God entered the cavern, while Chu Yang decided to leave him the Wind Spirit Jade Token so he could defend himself if the Serpent Demon came back.
• After nearly two hours, the Earth God’s earthen-yellow light shone from the crack as the earth-vein’s spiritual energy grew purer and resumed circulating in both directions.

Chu Yang, Sun Wukong, and Zhu Bajie finished repairing Zaohua Valley’s earth veins and returned to a village beginning to regain hope. Tang Monk showed that he had started helping the villagers in practical ways, and Chu Yang ended the night with a little girl’s wildflower in his hand.

• The Earth God reported that the earth veins were circulating again and gave Chu Yang’s Wind Spirit Jade Token and Tiger Vanguard’s sabre to keep for protection.
• Chu Yang, Sun Wukong, and Zhu Bajie left Black Pine Ridge and returned to Zaohua Village, where villagers welcomed them and learned that the land and water would need three to five months to recover.
• At Sun Datou’s home, Chu Yang found Tang Monk safe and heard how he had comforted sick children, helped draft a disaster report, taught villagers to purify water, and mapped the wells.
• Sun Wukong gave the wild rabbit he had caught to Sun Datou’s wife to stew for the village children, and everyone shared a meal.
• A little girl offered Chu Yang a wilted but living yellow wildflower.

Lady Bai Gu learned that Tang Monk's party would reach White Tiger Ridge in five or six days and focused on the seemingly low-level Chu Yang, whose influence over the group threatened to complicate her plan to capture Tang Monk. She ordered scouts and Xi Shu to investigate Chu Yang and determine whether he knew about her.

• A scout reported that Tang Monk's party was traveling toward White Tiger Ridge with Chu Yang, who had helped devise a plan to cleanse a ley line in Zaohua Valley.
• Lady Bai Gu learned that Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Tang Monk treated Chu Yang as a trusted companion, despite his Qi Refining Stage cultivation.
• Lady Bai Gu considered her plan to deceive Tang Monk and separate him from Sun Wukong, then ordered Ah Yin to track the party and report Chu Yang's every word and action.
• Lady Bai Gu summoned Xi Shu and ordered it to follow the group and find out how much Chu Yang knew, especially whether he knew a White Bone Demoness awaited them.

Xi Shu discovered that Chu Yang knew it was following him and understood Lady Bai Gu’s plan, then returned to White Tiger Ridge with his message. Lady Bai Gu ordered Ah Yin to prepare three disguises and continue the plan as the pilgrimage party reached the villages below the ridge.

• Lady Bai Gu sent Xi Shu to investigate Chu Yang, and Xi Shu shadowed the pilgrimage party for three days.
• At a ruined temple, Chu Yang inspected a suspicious well and let Xi Shu sense that he might have noticed its surveillance.
• At a market, Chu Yang left a hidden mark on his old shoe, then drew a map pointing toward White Tiger Ridge at camp.
• Chu Yang told Xi Shu to report that the plan could continue and that he would cooperate, so Xi Shu hurried back to Lady Bai Gu.
• Xi Shu recounted what it had witnessed, and Lady Bai Gu told Ah Yin to bring out disguises for a village girl, an old woman, and an old man.
• The pilgrimage party reached scattered homes at the foot of White Tiger Ridge.

Chu Yang recognized that Cui'er was likely a demon but persuaded Tang Monk to let her join the journey, intending to keep her close until she revealed herself. The party camped for the night with Cui'er among them, and she continued earning Tang Monk's trust the next morning.

• At the village entrance, Chu Yang noticed strange vapor in an old locust tree and kept his hand near his Black Short Blade.
• Chu Yang stopped Sun Wukong from confronting Cui'er and persuaded Tang Monk to invite her to travel with them to Qinghe Town.
• Cui'er packed supplies and joined the party, while Chu Yang told Zhu Bajie that she would not risk exposing herself by attacking Tang Monk.
• At camp, Cui'er cooked for the group and pretended to be hurt when Sun Wukong refused her food, prompting Chu Yang to reassure her.
• Chu Yang spoke with Cui'er after the others settled down, and she reacted strangely when he said he was there to protect her.
• The next morning, Cui'er presented Tang Monk with his cleaned and mended kasaya, and Chu Yang supported her staying with the party.

Chu Yang kept Lady Bai Gu with Tang Monk by turning her desire to stay close into a trap, and she resumed Cui'er's disguise after her true form was exposed. At Ciyun Temple, Cui'er slipped away while the group sought lodging, but Chu Yang expected her to return.

• Chu Yang revealed that he had sealed the earth veins around the cliff, preventing Lady Bai Gu from escaping, and asked her to keep following Tang Monk as Cui'er.
• Lady Bai Gu returned to her village-girl form, apologized to Tang Monk, and continued the journey with the group.
• The group reached Ciyun Temple, where Cui'er claimed she could not enter because of women's matters and disappeared into the bushes.
• Sun Wukong questioned Chu Yang about letting Cui'er leave, and Chu Yang said she would return because she could not bear to leave.

Chu Yang kept Cui'er close while exposing the false accusation against Sun Wukong, and Cui'er returned to the group with another story. After a golden light appeared in the forest, Chu Yang went to meet Guanyin Bodhisattva, leaving the others at the cave.

• Chu Yang explained to Sun Wukong that he had been pretending to trust Cui'er so she would become reluctant to leave, while Tang Monk worried about her outside Ciyun Temple.
• At a mountain fork, an old woman accused Sun Wukong of killing Cui'er, but Chu Yang challenged her story until she fled; he later told Zhu Bajie that the old woman had been Cui'er in disguise.
• Cui'er returned to the group at night, claimed her uncle had abducted her, and blamed the old woman's accusation on a village conspirator; Tang Monk welcomed her back despite Sun Wukong's suspicions.
• A golden light appeared beyond the cave, and Chu Yang told Sun Wukong he would investigate while the others stayed behind.
• Chu Yang found Guanyin Bodhisattva standing in the forest near a bluish stone.

Guanyin arranged for Lady Bai Gu to briefly abduct Tang Monk so the White Bone Demoness trial could count as passed, while Chu Yang watched the ordeal conclude. After the group reached Laifu Inn, Sun Wukong and Chu Yang investigated a disturbance in the neighboring courtyard and found a man beating a young man with a broken leg.

• Tathagata approved Guanyin's plan to stage Tang Monk's abduction, but warned her not to underestimate Chu Yang.
• Guanyin lured Sun Wukong and Chu Yang away from the cave while Lady Bai Gu approached Tang Monk, who revealed he had known Cui'er's identity and hoped she could turn back.
• Guanyin appeared in the cave, restrained Lady Bai Gu, and later explained that the staged abduction completed the trial; Chu Yang noticed a fresh scratch on the sheath of his Black Short Blade.
• The group traveled to a small town and settled in Laifu Inn, where Sun Wukong sensed blood and heard a disturbance next door.
• Sun Wukong and Chu Yang entered the neighboring courtyard and saw Zhen Donghu raise his Water-Fire Cudgel over a young man with a broken leg; Sun Wukong struck the cudgel with his Golden Staff.

Sun Wukong left Tang Monk after Tang Monk rebuked him for beating Master Hu, but Chu Yang found him hiding in a dry well and shared wine with him. After talking through their differences, Sun Wukong admitted that he wanted to return to the group because he could not bear to leave the place he had found with them.

• Sun Wukong beat Master Hu and his thugs after they injured Li Shitou, then left when Tang Monk reprimanded him.
• Tang Monk arranged for a doctor to treat Li Shitou and later wondered whether he had handled Sun Wukong badly.
• Chu Yang found Sun Wukong hiding in a dry well and brought wine to share with him.
• Chu Yang told Sun Wukong that he believed he had done right, while acknowledging that his path clashed with Tang Monk's ideals.
• Sun Wukong spoke about his past and questioned Chu Yang about his mysterious possessions, but accepted his answer that he had picked them up.
• As dawn approached, Sun Wukong told Chu Yang that he wanted to return to Tang Monk because he could not bear to leave their companionship.

Sun Wukong returned to Tang Monk and apologized, and the pilgrimage party continued to Baoxiang Kingdom. There, Yellow Robe Monster attacked them, then had them arrested; as they reached the palace, Chu Yang hinted that a good show was coming.

• Chu Yang encouraged Sun Wukong to return to Tang Monk, and Sun Wukong apologized and reconciled with his master.
• Tang Monk, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Chu Yang entered Baoxiang Kingdom and stayed at the Peaceful Inn.
• Kui Mulang, the Yellow Robe Monster, attacked Tang Monk’s group, and Sun Wukong fought him and broke his shoulder.
• Kui Mulang summoned soldiers and accused the group of attacking him and trying to abduct the Princess, so the commander arrested them and escorted them toward the palace.
• Kui Mulang entered the palace to report to the Princess, while Chu Yang told Sun Wukong not to rush because a good show would soon unfold.

Chu Yang exposed the Yellow Robe Monster’s false accusations, and Guanyin captured him as Kui Mulang, clearing Tang Monk and his disciples before they left Baoxiang Kingdom. Three days into their journey west, Zhu Bajie complained of hunger as the group traveled through a remote mountain forest.

• The Yellow Robe Monster accused Tang Monk of abducting Baihua Xiu, but Chu Yang pointed out that she was present in the palace and questioned whether she had ever been abducted.
• When Baihua Xiu feigned a collapse, the Yellow Robe Monster fled with her, and Sun Wukong and Chu Yang pursued them into the imperial garden.
• Kui Mulang revealed his true form and fought Sun Wukong until Guanyin arrived, bound him, and declared Tang Monk’s trial passed.
• The King apologized, promised to clear the pilgrims’ names, and hosted a banquet; Tang Monk declined Baihua Xiu’s jade pendant before the group departed the kingdom the next morning.
• Three days later, Zhu Bajie complained that he was hungry as Tang Monk, Sun Wukong, Chu Yang, and the others traveled along a remote mountain trail.

Sun Wukong and Chu Yang visited Qingxu Temple with Tang Monk’s party and asked its master, Qingxu Zi, to teach them Taoist cultivation methods. Qingxu Zi agreed to guide them and brought them to the alchemy room to begin.

• Chu Yang and Tang Monk calmed Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie’s argument as the party continued through the mountains.
• Sun Wukong spotted Qingxu Temple, and the party went there seeking lodging and food.
• A young acolyte welcomed the travelers, explaining that Qingxu Zi had foreseen their arrival and was waiting for them.
• Qingxu Zi greeted Tang Monk and his disciples, then served them tea and a vegetarian meal.
• Sun Wukong and Chu Yang asked Qingxu Zi to teach them Taoist cultivation, and he agreed to offer basic guidance.
• Qingxu Zi led Sun Wukong and Chu Yang to the alchemy room and invited them to sit.

Sun Wukong and Chu Yang received cultivation guidance from Qingxu Zi, learning a Heart Calming Incantation and the Wind Control Technique. After Tang Monk thanked Qingxu Zi, the travelers settled into guest rooms for the night before continuing west the next morning.

• Sun Wukong asked Qingxu Zi how to overcome his impatient temper, and Qingxu Zi taught him the Heart Calming Incantation, which Chu Yang also memorized.
• Chu Yang told Qingxu Zi he had only reached Late Qi Refining and asked for systematic guidance, so Qingxu Zi taught him the Wind Control Technique.
• Chu Yang practiced floating and moving with the wind, while Sun Wukong quickly mastered the technique and flew around the alchemy room.
• Qingxu Zi told Sun Wukong to practice the Heart Calming Incantation and Chu Yang to keep training the Wind Control Technique before they returned to Tang Monk.
• Tang Monk thanked Qingxu Zi, who invited the travelers to rest in prepared guest rooms and continue their journey west after breakfast.

After leaving Qingxu Temple, Tang Monk and his companions reached Women's Country, where the King welcomed them and offered Tang Monk her hand and the kingdom. Tang Monk declined so he could continue his scripture journey, leaving the King's response unresolved.

• Sun Wukong and Chu Yang cultivated through the night at Qingxu Temple, improving their Heart Calming Incantation and Wind Control Technique.
• Qingxu Zi gave Tang Monk a bottle of medicinal pills, and the group left the temple after breakfast.
• Three days later, Chu Yang spotted the capital of Women's Country, and its guards escorted Tang Monk and his companions to the palace.
• The King of Women's Country hosted a banquet and showed clear admiration for Tang Monk, while Chu Yang anticipated the coming trial and the danger of Abortion Spring.
• After dismissing the others, the King asked Tang Monk to remain as her husband and offered to entrust him with the kingdom; Tang Monk politely refused because he had to obtain the scriptures.

Tang Monk rejected the King of Women's Country and passed his trial of love before leading his disciples safely out of the city. As they continued west, Chu Yang warned them that the powerful demons of Lion Camel Ridge lay ahead.

• The King offered to give up her throne for Tang Monk, but he declined and accepted her embroidered handkerchief before leaving the palace.
• Chu Yang advised the group to avoid Abortion Spring and told Tang Monk to face his farewell to the King alone; the disciples waited at an inn outside the city.
• Tang Monk bid the King farewell that night, returned to the inn, and resolved to continue the journey for the scriptures.
• At dawn, Tang Monk and his disciples left Women's Country by the western road and avoided Abortion Spring.
• Chu Yang warned Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie that the Three Great Demon Kings of Lion Camel Ridge awaited them ahead.

After leaving Women's Country, Chu Yang and the others stopped to rest beneath a locust tree, where Chu Yang met A Niu, a villager who offered to lead them to Li Family Village. Sun Wukong returned with wild fruit and met A Niu, who eagerly asked to see his transformations.

• Tang Monk, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Chu Yang resumed their journey west and stopped beneath a locust tree to rest.
• Sun Wukong went into the woods to find wild fruit while Chu Yang, Tang Monk, and Zhu Bajie waited.
• Chu Yang investigated movement in the forest and found A Niu, a young villager from nearby Li Family Village.
• A Niu offered to guide the group to Li Family Village and mentioned Granny Wang's vegetarian food.
• Sun Wukong returned with a sack of wild fruit, and A Niu excitedly asked him to demonstrate his Seventy-two Transformations.

A Niu led Tang Monk and his companions to Li Family Village, where they learned that the Black Wind Monster had been stealing grain and abducting young villagers. Sun Wukong promised to confront the monster after eating, and the group learned that firelight weakened it.

• Sun Wukong entertained A Niu with transformations while Zhu Bajie complained of hunger, and A Niu offered to guide the travelers to Li Family Village.
• A Niu told Tang Monk, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Chu Yang about the Black Wind Monster’s attacks and missing villagers, and Sun Wukong vowed to defeat it.
• A Niu brought the group to Li Family Village, where Uncle Li welcomed them and arranged for them to rest and receive vegetarian food.
• At the Welcome Inn, Boss Wong explained that the Black Wind Monster lived in Black Wind Cave on Black Wind Mountain and usually attacked at dusk or night.
• Boss Wong told Tang Monk that the Black Wind Monster feared firelight and that torches weakened its powers and drove it away temporarily.

Sun Wukong and Chu Yang traveled to Black Wind Cave to rescue villagers captured by the Black Wind Monster. After silently killing the two guards and finding the captives, Sun Wukong confronted the monster while Chu Yang moved to free them, and the two demons began fighting.

• At the inn, A Niu and Granny Wang served a meal, and A Niu told Sun Wukong and Chu Yang where Black Wind Cave was and warned them about its guards.
• Sun Wukong and Chu Yang set out with torches while Zhu Bajie stayed behind to protect Tang Monk.
• Sun Wukong and Chu Yang killed the two imps guarding Black Wind Cave without alerting the Black Wind Monster.
• Inside the cave, Chu Yang spotted the captured villagers and moved to rescue them while Sun Wukong challenged the Black Wind Monster.
• The Black Wind Monster attacked Sun Wukong with a black iron staff, and Sun Wukong met the blow with his Golden Staff and declared the monster inferior.

Sun Wukong defeated the Black Wind Monster while Chu Yang rescued the captured young people, and the two spared the demon after he promised to reform and protect Li Family Village. They returned the young people safely to their families, who welcomed them with gratitude.

• Chu Yang freed the captured young people while Sun Wukong fought the Black Wind Monster and wounded him.
• Sun Wukong knocked the Black Wind Monster down, but Chu Yang and the rescued young people persuaded him to spare the demon if he reformed.
• Chu Yang gave the Black Wind Monster healing pills and ordered him to remain on Black Wind Mountain and never harm mortals.
• Sun Wukong and Chu Yang escorted the rescued young people back to Li Family Village, where their families and Elder Li thanked them.
• The villagers celebrated the rescue and prepared to reward Sun Wukong and Chu Yang.

After accepting a meal from the grateful villagers of Li Family Village, Tang Monk and his disciples continued west toward Lion Camel Ridge. Chu Yang and Sun Wukong recognized the danger ahead and flew toward the demon stronghold to infiltrate it and gather intelligence.

• Sun Wukong accepted the villagers’ invitation to eat, and Tang Monk and Zhu Bajie joined the meal at Li Family Village.
• The villagers gave Tang Monk and his disciples provisions, and the group departed westward.
• Chu Yang warned the group that Lion Camel Ridge was home to three powerful demon kings and forty-eight thousand imps.
• Sun Wukong and Chu Yang agreed to scout Lion Camel Ridge while Zhu Bajie stayed behind to protect Tang Monk, White Dragon Horse, and the luggage.
• Sun Wukong and Chu Yang reached the mountain and planned to transform into imps to infiltrate the demon stronghold.