Chapter Summaries

Wukong searched for food for Xuanzang and encountered two suspicious pairs of figures in the snow. After the second pair warned him about the One-Horned Rhinoceros King at Jindou Mountain, they revealed they knew Wukong had seen through their disguises.

• Wukong disguised himself as a novice monk and begged for food at a snowy village, but the old man there sent him away and the entire dwelling vanished.
• Suspecting the old man had tried to lure him away from Xuanzang, Wukong turned back toward his companions.
• Wukong met an old man and a young servant on a snowy slope, and they gave him cooked rice and roasted mountain yam.
• The old man warned Wukong that the One-Horned Rhinoceros King was blocking the road at Jindou Mountain and urged him to be careful.
• After Wukong flew away, the old man and servant dropped their disguises and agreed that Wukong had recognized them.

The Mountain God and Earth God reflected on Wukong’s status as they waited for him to return to Jindou Mountain. At the ice house, a false Wukong brought food, but Xuanzang recognized the impostor, and the demon drove the group into a fight inside a great hall.

• The Earth God rebuked the Mountain God for saying Wukong was no longer the Great Sage, and they hoped Wukong would return in time.
• A Wukong arrived at the ice house with food, but Xuanzang declared that he was not Wukong.
• Bajie, Little White Dragon, and Sha Wujing attacked the impostor while A-Hu carried Xuanzang out through the shattered wall.
• The group emerged in a great hall, where the false Wukong overpowered Bajie and Little White Dragon as Sha Wujing shielded Xuanzang and A-Hu.
• Bajie accused the impostor of imitating Wukong and warned that the real Wukong would return, while the demon claimed the group had trespassed in his Cave Abode.

Great King Si revealed himself after trapping Xuanzang and his disciples in a stone cave, then overpowered and bound them. He taunted A-Hu for claiming to be Xuanzang’s disciple and demanded to know his name, leaving A-Hu unable to answer.

• Bajie tried to distract Wukong while signaling A-Hu to flee, but Wukong knocked Xuanzang unconscious and exposed their surroundings as an illusion.
• Wukong transformed into Great King Si and tossed Xuanzang to A-Hu as the lesser demons emerged from the cave.
• Great King Si defeated Sha Wujing, Bajie, and Little White Dragon in battle, then bound all three with black cords.
• A-Hu shielded Xuanzang and declared that he was both Xuanzang’s disciple and Sun Wukong’s junior, but Great King Si mocked him as a nameless beast.
• Great King Si asked A-Hu to name himself, and A-Hu fell silent as the demon insisted that he was only a mount.

A-Hu defended Tang Sanzang and his companions in Golden Pouch Cave while Great King Si went to face Sun Wukong. Wukong found the cave and fought Great King Si to a stalemate, leaving the captives’ fate unresolved.

• Great King Si mocked A-Hu’s name and ordered the demons to seize Tang Sanzang and restrain A-Hu, but A-Hu shielded the monk and fought them off.
• Wukong returned from gathering alms and found his companions missing, then followed the demonic aura to Golden Pouch Cave.
• Wukong demanded that Great King Si return Tang Sanzang and his companions, and Great King Si challenged him to survive three exchanges.
• Wukong and Great King Si fought fiercely for thirty exchanges without either gaining the upper hand.

Wukong fought Great King Si outside the cave, then tried to reach A-Hu after hearing him roar inside. Great King Si used a white ring to capture Wukong’s clones and Golden Cudgel, forcing Wukong to flee while the king returned to the cave in triumph.

• Wukong and Great King Si fought evenly until a roar from inside the cave revealed that A-Hu was under attack.
• Wukong rushed to the cave entrance, but Great King Si blocked him and rallied the lesser demons to guard it.
• Wukong held back from charging in, then asked how Great King Si had breached his protective circle; Great King Si claimed his treasure had overcome it.
• Wukong created many Body Outside Body doubles to distract the demons, but Great King Si revealed a white ring that sucked up the clones and captured Wukong’s Golden Cudgel.
• Wukong escaped on his Somersault Cloud, and Great King Si returned to the cave as the lesser demons praised him; a thin, wiry demon briefly showed a golden gleam in his eyes.

Great King Si tried to persuade A-Hu that it did not belong with Xuanzang and the Pilgrims, then captured the group. A scrawny demon secretly contacted A-Hu, who agreed to go along with Great King Si while waiting for a chance to be rescued.

• Great King Si showed A-Hu the captured Golden Cudgel and claimed its eldest senior brother had abandoned it.
• Great King Si told A-Hu it was not truly one of the Pilgrims, but A-Hu defended Xuanzang and insisted it had chosen to be his disciple and mount.
• Great King Si seized Xuanzang, restrained A-Hu, and ordered the lesser demons to take the group away.
• A scrawny demon secretly loosened A-Hu's cords and told it that he would find a chance to rescue everyone.
• A-Hu stopped resisting and let the demons carry it, telling Great King Si to release the others first while secretly following the scrawny demon's instructions.

Wukong disguised himself as a lesser demon and secretly replaced Xuanzang with a transformed rock so he could infiltrate the cell holding Bajie, Little White Dragon, and Sha Wujing. He reached Bajie and silently warned him not to move, while A-Hu remained in Great King Si’s grasp.

• Great King Si ordered Wukong, disguised as a scrawny demon, to carry Xuanzang away for cleaning and imprisonment while A-Hu was dragged toward the stone chamber.
• Wukong put the two escorting demons to sleep, shrank Xuanzang into a pebble, and created a false Xuanzang from a rock and one of his hairs.
• Wukong woke the demons and carried the false Xuanzang to the cell where Bajie, Little White Dragon, and Sha Wujing were bound and unconscious.
• Wukong tied the false Xuanzang beside Bajie, secretly touched Bajie’s wrist, and warned him not to move.

Wukong freed Bajie, Little White Dragon, and Sha Wujing from the demons’ prison, then led them in disguise to retrieve their weapons. They recovered the monks’ weapons, but Wukong’s Golden Cudgel remained elsewhere as he prepared to rescue A-Hu.

• Wukong secretly woke Bajie, Little White Dragon, and Sha Wujing and told them to stay quiet while they regained their strength.
• Wukong and the others knocked out three little demons, confirmed that their captive Xuanzang was a fake, and learned that the monster had captured A-Hu.
• Wukong disguised the three unconscious demons as Bajie, Little White Dragon, and Sha Wujing, while the four companions disguised themselves as little demons.
• The disguised group convinced the cave guards to let them into the storeroom and recovered the Nine-Toothed Rake, the Silver Spear, and the Demon-Subduing Treasure Staff.
• Wukong told Bajie that his Golden Cudgel was still up front, then planned to get Xuanzang to safety before returning to rescue A-Hu.

Wukong disguised himself as an inspector and led Bajie, Little White Dragon, and Sha Wujing through Golden Pouch Cave, reclaiming the Golden Cudgel while keeping the demons busy. In the western stone chamber, A-Hu realized Great King Si had known the little demon was his senior brother all along.

• Wukong intimidated the rear storeroom guards into keeping quiet and directed him toward the front hall.
• Wukong ordered the dice-playing demons to clean and stoke the braziers, then retrieved the Golden Cudgel when it flew to him.
• Wukong lectured the cave guards about their duties and led Bajie, Little White Dragon, and Sha Wujing out of the cave.
• Great King Si offered A-Hu an orange while A-Hu remained bound in Black Cords.
• A-Hu told Great King Si that he had known the little demon was A-Hu's senior brother, and Great King Si confirmed it.

Great King Si revealed that he had deliberately toyed with Sun Wukong and the others, then told A-Hu it had been formed from Tang Xuanzang’s seven emotions as an obstacle to his cultivation. He restrained A-Hu and began reciting a teaching about Heaven and transformation, leaving his promised opportunity unexplained.

• Great King Si told A-Hu that he had let Sun Wukong rescue Xuanzang and leave because he was bored and wanted amusement.
• Great King Si explained that A-Hu had been formed from Xuanzang’s seven emotions and was meant to be subdued as an obstacle on the path to cultivation.
• A-Hu demanded to know what Great King Si had done to Xuanzang, and Great King Si said he had veiled Xuanzang’s mind and made him sleep.
• Great King Si pinned A-Hu in place with an orange peel and offered it an opportunity.
• Great King Si made A-Hu hear only his tapping before reciting a teaching about Heaven, life and death, and transformation.

Wukong and his companions discovered that Great King Si had deliberately sealed Xuanzang’s heart aperture, then Wukong and Little White Dragon went to rescue A-Hu and steal the demon’s hoop. Wukong sneaked into Great King Si’s chamber, but the demon caught him in the act and taunted him about robbing what he could not steal.

• Bajie diagnosed that Daoist qi had sealed Xuanzang’s heart aperture and said he would need time to draw it out.
• Wukong concluded that Great King Si was deliberately toying with them and assigned Bajie to wake Xuanzang while Sha Wujing guarded him.
• Wukong and Little White Dragon headed back to the mountain to rescue A-Hu, and Wukong planned to steal Great King Si’s hoop.
• Wukong transformed into a fly, slipped into Great King Si’s chamber, and found the demon asleep with the hoop on his arm, but A-Hu was nowhere in sight.
• As Wukong reached for the hoop, Great King Si woke and confronted him; Wukong attacked and demanded to know where A-Hu was, but the demon told him to guess.

Wukong fought Great King Si through Jindou Cave and out into the snow, demanding to know where A-Hu was. Little White Dragon joined the fight, and Great King Si called for You Ren as footsteps approached from inside the cave.

• Wukong attacked Great King Si with his fists after learning A-Hu might still be alive, and Great King Si agreed to fight without weapons.
• Wukong and Great King Si fought through the Stone Chamber, Stone Corridor, and Front Hall, trading blows until Wukong struck Great King Si in the back and made him stumble.
• Wukong and Great King Si fought outside the cave, where Little White Dragon joined Wukong and helped drive the king back with his spear.
• Great King Si complained that Wukong and Little White Dragon had ganged up on him, while Wukong offered to send Little White Dragon away if the king returned A-Hu.
• Great King Si ignored Wukong's offer and called for You Ren, as footsteps sounded inside the cave and the wind rose.

Wukong and Great King Si began a fierce spear-and-cudgel duel while Little White Dragon fought You Ren, whom he believed was A-Hu. Little White Dragon briefly stirred her memories, but the ring on her ankle chimed and her gaze darkened again.

• Great King Si sent You Ren to fight Little White Dragon, and she attacked him with her twin blades.
• Little White Dragon recognized her as A-Hu, but she insisted her name was You Ren and continued fighting.
• Great King Si summoned the Steel-Pointed Spear and challenged Wukong to fight with weapons.
• Wukong and Great King Si clashed in a fast, evenly matched duel.
• Little White Dragon urged You Ren to remember A-Hu and said Master was waiting for her, making her briefly withdraw.
• You Ren's ankle ring chimed, and she raised her blades again with her gaze darkened.

Little White Dragon shattered the golden ring controlling You Ren and caught her as she returned to her tiger form, but both collapsed from their injuries. Wukong reached them, Sha Wujing began healing them, and Bajie recognized Great King Si as the group prepared to fight again.

• Little White Dragon broke the golden ring with his dragon horns, freeing You Ren from its control before she transformed back into a tiger and fell unconscious with him.
• Wukong tried to reach Little White Dragon and A-Hu, but Great King Si blocked him, and Wukong used transformed hairs to create an opening and carry them away.
• Great King Si intercepted Wukong, but Bajie and Sha Wujing arrived and joined the confrontation.
• Wukong handed Little White Dragon and A-Hu to Sha Wujing, who used a white elephant's healing light to treat their injuries.
• Bajie told Wukong that Tang Sanzang had awakened and sent them to help, then recognized Great King Si and said he remembered who he was.

Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing fought Great King Si, who revealed his Diamond Ring and turned the battle in his favor. He knocked Wukong down and took Bajie and Sha Wujing’s weapons, leaving the three without their weapons as he taunted them.

• Wukong stopped Bajie from identifying Great King Si and urged him to fight alongside him.
• Bajie attacked Great King Si, but the demon repelled him and continued battling Wukong and Bajie without being disadvantaged.
• A-Hu woke up, carried the unconscious Little White Dragon toward Master, and told Sha Wujing to help the others.
• Sha Wujing joined the fight, and Wukong struck Great King Si’s shoulder hard enough to break a bone.
• Great King Si used his Diamond Ring to hit Wukong on the head, then collected Bajie’s Rake and Sha Wujing’s staff.
• Great King Si returned the Diamond Ring to his arm and challenged the disarmed trio to keep fighting.

After Wukong’s fight with Great King Si, Bajie and Sha Wujing dragged him away before he could attack again. Wukong then flew off to settle accounts with the old fellow, while Bajie and Sha Wujing headed back toward their master.

• Wukong tried to resume the fight, but Bajie and Sha Wujing restrained him and dragged him away from Great King Si.
• After the others left, Great King Si revealed his injuries and complained that the old man had misled him about the fight.
• Behind the mountain, Wukong told Bajie and Sha Wujing to protect their master and said he would settle accounts with the old fellow.
• Bajie encouraged Wukong to demand plenty from the old fellow, and Wukong flew off on a Somersault Cloud.
• Bajie told Sha Wujing that Heaven’s secrets must not be revealed, then started walking the wrong way back to their master.

Sun Wukong stormed into Doushuai Palace to confront the Dao Ancestor, but learned the master was away and found Fox Aqi unconscious in the Ox Pen. Suspecting the old fellow was avoiding him, Wukong left for Lingxiao Treasure Hall with a plan to make him owe more and more.

• Sun Wukong rushed through the South Heaven Gate and headed straight for Doushuai Palace, intent on settling a score.
• Ayu welcomed Wukong, corrected the Immortal Children for failing to recognize him, and told him her master had stormed out the day before.
• Ayu led Wukong to the Ox Pen, where they found Fox Aqi unconscious and the Ox Lord missing.
• Wukong confirmed Fox Aqi was breathing, told Ayu she had not lied, and concluded the old fellow was hiding from him.
• Wukong reassured Ayu that Fox Aqi would recover, then announced he was going to Lingxiao Treasure Hall.

Wukong went to Heaven to ask the Jade Emperor for help against the Rhinoceros Monster at Jindou Cave, describing its weapon-capturing ring and accusing it of possibly being tied to Heaven. He left the Jade Emperor and the assembled immortals considering his request, while Taibai Jinxing reacted nervously to Wukong’s pointed suspicion.

• Wukong arrived at Lingxiao Hall and told the Four Celestial Masters that a Rhinoceros Monster at Jindou Cave had captured Xuanzang and his junior brothers with a powerful white ring.
• Wukong asked the Four Celestial Masters to announce him to the Jade Emperor, insisting that he wanted to observe proper manners as Xuanzang’s disciple.
• The Jade Emperor summoned Wukong, who entered Lingxiao Hall and lodged a complaint about the monster striking his head and taking his companions’ weapons.
• Wukong suggested that the monster might be a heavenly being who had descended without permission and asked the immortals to investigate missing stars, attendants, mounts, and treasures.
• Wukong noticed Taibai Jinxing trembling and asked him why he was trembling.

After Wukong asked the Jade Emperor to identify the demon who had stolen his companions’ weapons, the heavens inspected their ranks and found no missing stars or officials. The Jade Emperor let Wukong choose heavenly generals to join him, and Wukong recruited Li Jing and Nezha for the expedition to Jindou Cave.

• Wukong asked the Jade Emperor to investigate whether a heavenly being’s creature had descended to cause trouble and demanded compensation if one was responsible.
• The Jade Emperor ordered Ke Han Si Zhangren True Lord to inspect the heavens, and Wukong declined to accompany him after receiving a promise that he would lose nothing.
• Ke Han Si Zhangren True Lord inspected the heaven gates, celestial divisions, stars, and heavenly officials, finding none absent or descended to the mortal world.
• Wukong mocked the inspection’s findings and asked to choose heavenly generals to capture the demon, and the Jade Emperor agreed.
• Li Jing volunteered to lead troops with Wukong, and Nezha arrived, asked to join them, and promised Wukong a favor.

Wukong arranged for Nezha, Li Jing, and the Thunder Gods Deng Hua and Zhang Fan to accompany him to Jindou Mountain and capture the demon. At the cave, Great King Si steeled himself to fight rather than flee, and Nezha confronted him under the Jade Emperor’s decree.

• Wukong persuaded the Jade Emperor to send Li Jing, Nezha, Deng Hua, and Zhang Fan with him to subdue the demon, with the Thunder Gods waiting in the clouds for his signal.
• Wukong secretly told Nezha to use plenty of weapons so the demon would take them, hoping to profit from the enemy’s powerful master.
• The heavenly party reached Jindou Mountain, and Wukong and Nezha went to challenge the demon at Jindou Cave.
• After hearing that Wukong had brought Nezha, Great King Si considered fleeing but chose to defend his reputation before his underlings.
• Great King Si came out with his Steel-Pointed Spear, and Nezha declared that he had come by the Jade Emperor’s decree to seize him.