Chapter Summaries

Xuanzang explained that Six-Eared Macaque’s boundless knowledge risked turning into dead emptiness, leaving him indifferent to life, and that he needed to follow the Middle Way through compassion and action. He said Wukong would help awaken him, then the group continued on after Wukong and Six-Eared Macaque returned from dealing with the bandits.

• Xuanzang told Bajie, Sha Wujing, and Little White Dragon that Manjushri sent Six-Eared Macaque to form karmic ties and protect him from losing his awareness through believing nothing mattered.
• Xuanzang explained that Six-Eared Macaque risked falling into dead emptiness, mistaking detachment for wisdom and disregarding his own life.
• Xuanzang taught that Six-Eared Macaque needed to follow the Middle Way by contemplating emptiness while maintaining compassion and entering karmic ties.
• Xuanzang said Wukong had a role in breaking Six-Eared Macaque’s dead emptiness, and instructed the others to treat him as they normally would.
• Wukong and Six-Eared Macaque returned after handing over the bandits and stolen goods and explaining what had happened.

Little White Dragon brought Six-Eared Macaque to ask an old woman for alms, encouraging him to try despite knowing he would be turned away. As they returned empty-handed, Six-Eared Macaque foresaw that the women would bring food to them.

• Wukong, Bajie, Sha Wujing, and the others found a cottage and Xuanzang sent Little White Dragon and Six-Eared Macaque to ask for alms.
• Little White Dragon asked Six-Eared Macaque to do the talking, urging him to act even though he foresaw the old woman’s reaction.
• The old woman was frightened by Six-Eared Macaque and refused to host the monks, so Little White Dragon and Six-Eared Macaque left politely.
• Little White Dragon explained that Six-Eared Macaque’s first attempt at asking for alms was reason enough to let him try.
• When Xuanzang asked what would happen next, Six-Eared Macaque foresaw that the women would bring food to them.

Six-Eared Macaque’s first alms round ended with an offering of leftover rice after his courtesy changed the old lady’s mind. Xuanzang explained that the exchange forged a bond of kindness, and Six-Eared Macaque asked to seek alms again as the group considered how to teach him.

• Six-Eared Macaque told the group that the old lady and her daughter-in-law were bringing them leftover rice and warm water.
• Xuanzang accepted the offering, and Six-Eared Macaque thanked the women as the old lady praised his manners and apologized for turning him away.
• Bajie teased Six-Eared Macaque for obtaining rice on his first alms round, while Little White Dragon reminded him that he had been the one to receive it.
• Xuanzang explained that the offering created a bond of kindness between Six-Eared Macaque and the women, beyond the meal itself.
• Six-Eared Macaque asked Xuanzang if he could seek alms again the next day, and Xuanzang agreed; Little White Dragon said Six-Eared Macaque would do the talking.
• After the group ate and rested, Wukong asked how they should teach Six-Eared Macaque, and Bajie urged them to make a schedule.

Wukong and his companions discussed what they could teach Six-Eared Macaque, who eagerly agreed to learn from each of them. They settled on lessons in sleep, reading, daily practice, and minor spells, while their cultivation methods remained restricted by their masters' rules.

• Bajie explained that he could not pass on his inherited cultivation methods without his former master's permission, then offered to teach Six-Eared Macaque his self-developed Sleep Skill and lessons in dealing with people.
• Six-Eared Macaque agreed to learn Bajie's Sleep Skill, and Xuanzang approved of it as a way to restore oneself and find stillness.
• Little White Dragon offered to teach Six-Eared Macaque classics, histories, and the teachings of various schools because his Dragon Tribe cultivation method could not be passed on.
• Sha Wujing first suggested teaching chores and shared morning and evening practice, then offered to teach minor spells he had learned while traveling.
• Wukong watched the others teach Six-Eared Macaque and suddenly felt that the scene was familiar.

Wukong and Bajie arranged for Six-Eared Macaque to receive the supplies and instruction he needed, only to find that Miaole had already brought what Bodhisattva Manjushri entrusted to him. Miaole gave Six-Eared Macaque a staff, nourishing pills, and a book on medicinal ingredients, while teaching A-Hu a communication technique; Bajie then asked what Wukong would teach.

• A-Hu agreed to ask Miaole for a suitable weapon and pills for Six-Eared Macaque, while Xuanzang cautioned Wukong and Bajie against pressuring her through friendship.
• Six-Eared Macaque sensed someone approaching, and Miaole arrived with the supplies Bodhisattva Manjushri had entrusted to him.
• Miaole gave Six-Eared Macaque an As-You-Will Iron Staff, which could change size, and nourishing pills to use under the Great Sage's guidance.
• Miaole offered to teach Six-Eared Macaque pill refining, gave him a book on identifying medicinal ingredients, and taught A-Hu a communication technique.
• Bajie declared that everything was covered, then asked Wukong what he would teach Six-Eared Macaque.

Wukong punished Six-Eared Macaque for wanting to learn many things at once, while the others reassured him and Miaole taught him how to put away his Iron Cudgel. The travelers reached a village, where Bajie taught Six-Eared Macaque how to sleep; in the middle of the night, barking woke him.

• Wukong tapped Six-Eared Macaque on the head and forbade him from using his divine ability for a few days as punishment for wanting to learn everything.
• Bajie, Sha Wujing, and Little White Dragon comforted Six-Eared Macaque and told him Wukong cared about him.
• Miaole showed Six-Eared Macaque how to transform the Iron Cudgel into a monkey hair and then took his leave.
• Xuanzang led the group to a village, where the village elder offered them a room for the night.
• Bajie taught Six-Eared Macaque a sleeping posture, then fell asleep while Six-Eared Macaque followed his instructions.
• Six-Eared Macaque woke in the middle of the night when several dogs barked outside.

Six-Eared Macaque met Wukong beneath a jujube tree at midnight, where Wukong warned him not to misuse his listening ability and discussed how he could learn from the others. Wukong agreed to teach him martial and staff skills after he built his foundation and got their master's permission, but Six-Eared Macaque's question about why everyone was willing to teach him remained unanswered.

• Six-Eared Macaque slipped out while Bajie slept and found Wukong beneath the jujube tree.
• Wukong warned Six-Eared Macaque not to eavesdrop on teachings people did not choose to share, and suggested he meet Diting.
• Six-Eared Macaque said Bajie had taught him a sleeping technique, and Wukong encouraged him to keep learning from Bajie.
• Wukong offered to teach Six-Eared Macaque martial and staff skills after he mastered his foundation and their master approved.
• Six-Eared Macaque asked why everyone was willing to teach him, and Wukong told him to ask questions instead of relying on his ability before leaving the question unanswered.

Wukong explained why he had welcomed Six-Eared Macaque as a brother and promised to teach and protect him. He also shared lessons from his own past, leaving Six-Eared Macaque to find his own way as they continued west.

• Wukong told Six-Eared Macaque that he considered him family and that he and the others would teach him wholeheartedly.
• Wukong explained how Bajie, Little White, A-Hu, and Miaole had each shown their care for Six-Eared Macaque.
• Six-Eared Macaque offered to help the others with their daily tasks, and Wukong warned him not to agree if Bajie asked him to copy scriptures.
• Wukong promised to guide and protect Six-Eared Macaque, then described how his past mistakes taught him that power did not justify acting without thought or consequence.
• Six-Eared Macaque asked whether Wukong understood freedom and his own lessons completely, and Wukong replied that he was still walking west.

Wukong encouraged Six-Eared Macaque to speak openly and seek help from his brothers, then brought him to Xuanzang to ask his former master for permission to teach him. Xuanzang’s dharma form conveyed that Wukong’s master had agreed, leaving Six-Eared Macaque poised to begin learning Wukong’s abilities after building a strong foundation.

• Wukong reassured Six-Eared Macaque that trouble was part of his own path and urged him to ask his brothers for help and speak up when he disagreed.
• Wukong told Xuanzang he wanted to teach Six-Eared Macaque his cultivation methods and divine abilities, and asked Xuanzang to speak to his former master.
• Xuanzang manifested his Golden Cicada Bodhi dharma form beneath the jujube tree, and Wukong and Six-Eared Macaque bowed before it.
• Wukong introduced Six-Eared Macaque to his master and explained that he would first study diligently and build a solid foundation before learning the method of immortality.
• Xuanzang opened his eyes and told Wukong that his fellow Daoist had agreed.

After Xuanzang agreed to let Six-Eared Macaque travel with them and learn from the group, the pilgrims continued west, teaching him scriptures, medicine, and fighting skills. Over the next month, Six-Eared Macaque grew quickly and settled into life with the group, while Bajie’s lessons and teasing made him increasingly like his brothers.

• Xuanzang agreed to Six-Eared Macaque’s request, and the next morning the group left the village and continued west.
• Six-Eared Macaque studied scriptures and medicine with Little White Dragon and A-Hu, helped Sha Wujing with chores, and learned staff techniques from Wukong.
• Bajie sparred with Six-Eared Macaque, who struck his shin with a feint; Bajie hid the pain and promised to practice with him again.
• Over the next month, Six-Eared Macaque kept up his lessons, woke Bajie early, and began carrying the alms bowl and helping people they met.
• As Six-Eared Macaque grew taller, Bajie teased him for resembling Wukong, and Wukong pointed out that Bajie had taught him his mischievous habits.

Wukong taught Six-Eared Macaque the Way of longevity, and Six-Eared Macaque began cultivating it while the group continued west. Near Flaming Mountain, they found a strange red manor, and Six-Eared Macaque warned everyone not to enter the village.

• Wukong gained Xuanzang's permission to teach Six-Eared Macaque the Way of longevity and passed on the formula in private.
• Six-Eared Macaque memorized the formula and began cultivating daily while continuing his other studies and training.
• Wukong and the others traveled west for another month as autumn turned unexpectedly hot and the land grew dry.
• Six-Eared Macaque identified the approaching Flaming Mountain and said it lay directly across their path.
• The group spotted an entirely red manor, but Six-Eared Macaque stopped Little White Dragon and warned Xuanzang and Wukong not to enter the village yet.

Six-Eared Macaque revealed that Wukong’s past actions had created Flaming Mountain and that the Bull Demon King had convinced its suffering people to blame him. The villagers had depended on Iron Fan to relieve the fire, but Wukong had taken her away, leaving their fate uncertain.

• Six-Eared Macaque warned the group that Flaming Mountain was impassable, and Bajie questioned why they should not take a route without fire.
• Six-Eared Macaque admitted that the locals recognized Wukong and cursed him, explaining that Wukong had created Flaming Mountain by kicking over the Eight Trigrams Furnace five hundred years earlier.
• Six-Eared Macaque said the Bull Demon King had revealed the mountain’s origin to the villagers after forcing the local earth god to testify.
• Six-Eared Macaque explained that Iron Fan had used her Banana Leaf Fan once every ten years to put out the fire and help the villagers grow crops.
• Six-Eared Macaque told Wukong that the Bull Demon King now blamed him for taking Iron Fan away, so she could no longer save the people.

Wukong and his companions entered a village whose elderly, suffering residents blamed him for kicking over the furnace and taking Princess Iron Fan away. The villagers attacked and cursed the group, demanding vengeance, while Wukong stood without resisting.

• Six-Eared Macaque told Wukong that someone was waiting for him at Flaming Mountain, and Wukong said he would speak with him later.
• Xuanzang insisted that the group enter the village and face its residents together.
• An old man recognized Wukong, and villagers gathered to throw stones and curse him while Bajie and the others tried to protect the group.
• The villagers blamed Wukong for taking Princess Iron Fan and leaving them without hope, and Wukong admitted that he had kicked over the furnace.
• A grieving old man punched Wukong and demanded his son's life back as other villagers called for the group to pay with their lives and cursed Xuanzang.

Over a year earlier, the Bull Demon King lived comfortably with Jade-Faced Fox at Cloud-Rubbing Cave, though thoughts of his son and old ties troubled him. At a feast, he heard that the Pilgrims had killed the Holy Infant Great King of Hao Mountain, and demanded to know who had said it.

• The Bull Demon King grew melancholy, and Jade-Faced Fox accused him of planning to visit Princess Iron Fan and Green Cloud Mountain under the pretext of seeing his son.
• The Bull Demon King promised to stay with Jade-Faced Fox and agreed to attend a feast with her guests.
• At the feast, the Bull Demon King dismissed his connection to Sun Wukong as guests discussed rumors about Tang Sanzang and the Pilgrims.
• An Aquatic Tribe demon mentioned that the Pilgrims had killed Tuolong, and another guest added that they had also killed the Holy Infant Great King of Hao Mountain.
• The Bull Demon King froze and demanded to know who the guest had named.

The Bull Demon King learned that Iron Fan had gone with Sun Wukong to rescue Red Boy and might have traded her life for his. Finding his wife and son missing, he blamed Sun Wukong, then suppressed his demonic aura before his eyes turned blood-red.

• At the Cloud-Rubbing Cave, the Bull Demon King heard that Sun Wukong had supposedly killed the Holy Infant Great King of Hao Mountain and left to check on his family.
• At Green Cloud Mountain, the Bull Demon King learned Iron Fan had gone with Sun Wukong to rescue Red Boy and had not returned.
• The Bull Demon King opened Iron Fan's letter and found that she had taken Red Boy's Fire Seed Bead and left the Banana Leaf Fan with instructions to extinguish the fires of Flaming Mountain if she did not return.
• The Bull Demon King rushed to Fire Cloud Cave, found it empty, and shouted that Iron Fan should not have traded her life for Red Boy's.
• The Bull Demon King blamed Sun Wukong, unleashed his demonic energy, then suppressed it when he sensed possible movement in the sky; his eyes later turned blood-red.

The Bull Demon King searched for Iron Fan and their missing son, but learned nothing about their whereabouts. He tried to sever his ties with Jade-Faced before leaving to find Iron Fan, but she refused to let him go alone.

• The Bull Demon King searched Hao Mountain and questioned former followers from Fire Cloud Cave, but none had seen Iron Fan.
• He repeatedly visited Banana Cave and later sent a letter to Second Uncle asking him to help find Iron Fan and their son.
• The Bull Demon King told Jade-Faced he wanted to divorce her and leave to search for Iron Fan.
• Jade-Faced tore up his written declaration that they had no ties and insisted on going with him.
• The Bull Demon King warned Jade-Faced that she would die if she followed him.

The Bull Demon King left Jade-Faced and traveled to Flaming Mountain, where he confronted the Earth God. He forced the Earth God to blame Sun Wukong for the mountain’s fire, while insisting that everyone had driven him to this point.

• Jade-Faced challenged the Bull Demon King’s decision to leave, but he set down the letter of repudiation and departed with his Iron Cudgel.
• Jade-Faced ordered her cave and mountain sealed and refused visitors, including the Bull Demon King.
• The Bull Demon King used the Banana Leaf Fan to extinguish Flaming Mountain’s flames and summoned the Earth God.
• The Earth God demanded that the Bull Demon King remove the fire’s root and explained that Iron Fan had promised to do so after Red Boy left.
• The Bull Demon King seized the Earth God and ordered him to tell the villagers that Sun Wukong had caused the fire, threatening to destroy the fan if he disobeyed.
• The Bull Demon King accused others of driving him to this, insisting that Sun Wukong had caused the trouble and asking why they would not let him go.

Xuanzang and his disciples endured the villagers’ attacks while he sought to learn the truth about the deaths and hardships blamed on Wukong. The chapter ended with Xuanzang questioning how the village survived Flaming Mountain’s fires, as the villagers’ account revealed their dependence on Immortal Iron Fan and the Earth God.

• Xuanzang stopped his disciples from fighting back and accepted blows from the villagers while explaining the Buddhist practice of patience.
• Xuanzang urged Wukong not to assume blame before they learned what had happened, then sat down and led the group in chanting.
• A villager accused Wukong of causing the five-hundred-year fire by kicking over the furnace, while Xuanzang questioned when and where the villager’s son had died.
• Xuanzang asked how the villagers survived the fire, and they explained that Immortal Iron Fan brought rain every ten years so they could harvest grain.
• The villagers said the Earth God made each harvest sustain them for ten years and taught them how to store the grain, prompting their leader to demand why Xuanzang was asking.

Xuanzang questioned the estate’s residents about their worsening hardship and found that scorching heat had recently ruined their stored grain and livestock. He challenged the claim that Wukong alone caused the fire and resolved to investigate and extinguish it for good.

• Xuanzang pressed the old man about the estate’s past prosperity and learned that the heat had worsened over a year ago, spoiling grain despite the residents following their traditional storage methods.
• The elderly woman showed Xuanzang scorched, crumbling grain, while the old man explained that many residents had fled and his son had recently died.
• Xuanzang questioned Wukong about the furnace bricks and pointed out that their path from Doushuai Palace to the mortal realm remained unexplained.
• Xuanzang learned that Immortal Iron Fan lived at Banana Cave on Green Cloud Mountain and that the Earth God had told the residents she could extinguish the fire.
• Xuanzang noted the timing of the fire’s changes and Iron Fan’s absence, rejected blaming Wukong alone, and vowed to extinguish the fire for good.

Over a year before Sun Wukong’s group reaches Flaming Mountain, the Bull Demon King uses the Earth God to rally the surrounding villagers against Sun Wukong and his promised redemption. He intends to make the people curse and hinder Sun Wukong, while the Earth God remains unable to stop him.

• The Bull Demon King orders the Earth God to summon villagers and agrees to extinguish the mountain’s flames only after the Iron Fan Immortal returns.
• The Earth God tells several hundred villagers that Sun Wukong kicked over the Eight Trigrams Furnace and caused Flaming Mountain.
• The Bull Demon King tells the villagers that Sun Wukong took his wife, Princess Iron Fan, and warns that she may not return to help them.
• The Bull Demon King silences the Earth God with demonic energy and urges the villagers to stay and confront Sun Wukong when he arrives.
• After the villagers leave, the Bull Demon King tells the Earth God he wants them to curse and sicken Sun Wukong and condemn the Holy Monk.