Chapter Summaries

The Bull Demon King learned that Ruyi True Immortal had died and blamed Sun Wukong, abandoning his search for Iron Fan to prepare for a final confrontation. He unleashed Flaming Mountain’s fire, subdued the Earth God, and swallowed the Banana Leaf Fan.

• The Bull Demon King threatened to destroy the Banana Leaf Fan unless the Earth God kept silent until Sun Wukong arrived.
• Over the following months, the Bull Demon King continued searching for Iron Fan while refusing to extinguish Flaming Mountain’s fire.
• The Bull Demon King sensed Ruyi True Immortal’s death and decided Sun Wukong was responsible, despite having no proof.
• The Bull Demon King gave up searching for Iron Fan and vowed to kill Sun Wukong when he came to Flaming Mountain, or die trying.
• The Bull Demon King unleashed demonic wind to spread the flames, then sealed the Earth God’s magic and transformed him into a Carved-Beak, Fish-Gilled Demon.
• The Bull Demon King swallowed the Banana Leaf Fan.

Xuanzang and his companions learned that the Flaming Mountain villagers blamed Wukong for the fire, but Bajie questioned the story and urged them to seek the Iron Fan Immortal and the Earth God. Little White Dragon restored the village’s water and cooled its stores, though the growing fire still threatened them.

• Xuanzang said they needed to find Princess Iron Fan and the Flaming Mountain Earth God to discover how to stop the fire.
• Bajie challenged the villagers’ belief that Wukong had caused their suffering and suggested the Great Strength King had misled them.
• The old man admitted the villagers had acted out of anger, apologized, and invited Xuanzang’s group to rest.
• Little White Dragon raised water from the wells, made ice in the cellars, and cooled the granaries, but warned that his help would not stop the fire from worsening.

Xuanzang and his companions discussed ways to extinguish the Flaming Mountain’s fire while investigating why it had burned for five hundred years. Wukong planned to seek help from Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Diting, but the discussion was interrupted when the village Earth God returned with food.

• Bajie proposed asking Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear to find the Iron Fan Immortal, but Little White Dragon warned that the disordered times might prevent them from helping.
• Little White Dragon offered to invite the Bodhisattva, and A-Hu suggested asking Miaole for a way to extinguish the fire.
• The old man challenged Bajie to explain why the fire had burned for five hundred years, and Xuanzang said they needed to uncover both how to put it out and why it remained.
• Wukong said he would visit Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Diting to find help, and he planned to leave Six-Eared Macaque with them for a time.
• Bajie smelled food, and the Earth God arrived with a ghost carrying a basin of vegetarian dishes; the old man and villagers recognized him and welcomed him back.

The Earth God returned with food and promised the villagers that Wukong and his companions would put out the Flaming Mountain's fire. After the villagers left, Bajie asked the Earth God how they were supposed to extinguish it.

• The Earth God arrived with the Carved-Beak, Fish-Gilled Demon carrying a basin of food, and Bajie welcomed him while Wukong watched him closely.
• Little White Dragon cooled the scorching food, and Bajie declared that the group would head for the hottest part of the mountain and put out the fire.
• Villagers gathered to complain about the heat, and the Earth God announced that the fire would be extinguished now that Wukong and his companions had arrived.
• Xuanzang offered the food to the villagers, who accepted it and left to prepare lodging and spread the news.
• After the courtyard emptied, Bajie noted the villagers' trust in the Earth God and asked how they were supposed to put out the fire.

Wukong tried to reassure the Bull Demon King that his family was safe and Ruyi might be resurrected, but the Bull Demon King rejected his explanation and demanded a fight. He revealed that the Banana Leaf Fan was in his stomach and set a deadly confrontation with Wukong for three days later on Flaming Mountain.

• Wukong explained that the Bull Demon King's wife and son were safe, and that Ruyi's spirit might one day be resurrected.
• The Bull Demon King refused to call Wukong his brother and questioned the identities of Wukong and Six-Eared Macaque.
• Bajie tried to calm the Bull Demon King and urged him to help put out the fire before resolving the family's affairs.
• The Bull Demon King announced that he and Wukong would fight to the death in three days on Flaming Mountain, revealing that the Banana Leaf Fan was in his stomach.
• Wukong urged the Bull Demon King to release the Earth God and fight him immediately, but the Bull Demon King said he did not want to fight Wukong and repeated his deadly challenge.

The Bull Demon King offered to trade the fan for Six-Eared Macaque, but Wukong refused and let him leave. After the group reassured Six-Eared Macaque, Wukong said he had to face the Bull Demon King, and Six-Eared Macaque blamed himself for their coming.

• Bajie confronted the Bull Demon King about misleading the villagers, and the Bull Demon King proposed giving him Six-Eared Macaque in exchange for the fan.
• Wukong blocked the Bull Demon King's hand and warned him not to target his companions, while the group lowered their weapons because villagers were nearby.
• The Bull Demon King offered to hand over the fan if Wukong gave him Six-Eared Macaque, but Wukong refused and the Bull Demon King left for Flaming Mountain.
• Wukong and the others comforted Six-Eared Macaque, and Wukong explained that he had to keep his promise and face the Bull Demon King.
• Six-Eared Macaque said he knew the confrontation would end only when one of them died, then blamed himself for the group having come.

Six-Eared Macaque tried to stop Wukong from confronting Bull Demon King, fearing the fight would end in death. He revealed that he could no longer hear the reasons behind people’s actions, leaving the group to face his unexplained loss of insight as they prepared to go.

• Six-Eared Macaque warned Wukong that Bull Demon King wanted him to kill him and asked whether Wukong would do so.
• Wukong and the others explained that they still intended to face Bull Demon King and try to save or subdue him, killing him only if it became necessary.
• Wukong asked Six-Eared Macaque what he was afraid of, and the group pressed him to explain what was wrong.
• Xuanzang observed that Six-Eared Macaque could no longer hear it, prompting the others to check on him.
• Six-Eared Macaque explained that he heard Bull Demon King wanted to die but could not hear why, and admitted he feared what might happen if Wukong went.

Xuanzang and his companions tried to understand why the Bull Demon King’s heart seemed consumed by fire and traced the Flaming Mountain’s mysteries back to the Eight Trigrams Furnace. They identified unresolved questions about the furnace keeper and the fire’s journey, then A-Hu pointed to Princess Iron Fan’s Banana Leaf Fan as another clue.

• Wukong reassured Six-Eared Macaque after he became frightened by his inability to hear clearly, while Bajie teased him and Xuanzang.
• Xuanzang said he could not see clearly into the Bull Demon King’s heart and described seeing only raging flames.
• Xuanzang led the group in tracing their unanswered questions to the Eight Trigrams Furnace and the fire that fell into the mortal world after Wukong escaped.
• Six-Eared Macaque identified the Earth God as the former furnace keeper, and the group questioned why he had been demoted and sent to the Flaming Mountain.
• A-Hu named Princess Iron Fan’s Banana Leaf Fan as another thing connected to fire.

Xuanzang and the others connected the Flaming Mountain’s fire and the Banana Leaf Fans to a possible hidden seal, while Wukong revealed that he had lost contact with his six sworn elder brothers after rebelling against Heaven. Xuanzang speculated that the Heavenly Court imprisoned them in Doushuai Palace and that Bull Demon King escaped during Wukong’s Havoc in Heaven, stealing the fire-extinguishing fan.

• Bajie connected the two Banana Leaf Fans, the Eight Trigrams Furnace, and the Earth God’s knowledge of Princess Iron Fan, while Little White Dragon questioned how the fan had reached her.
• Xuanzang and the others speculated that the Flaming Mountain’s fire might suppress something beneath it and considered whether the seal related to Bull Demon King’s demonic madness.
• Wukong recounted how his six sworn elder brothers fought alongside him, then disappeared after he went to Heaven, and admitted he had never asked what became of them.
• Xuanzang proposed that the six brothers had fought the Heavenly Court without Wukong and lost, after which Bull Demon King was confined in Doushuai Palace.
• Xuanzang speculated that Bull Demon King escaped during Wukong’s Havoc in Heaven, stole the Banana Leaf Fan, and used the Furnace Brick as cover to reach the Flaming Mountain.

Wukong and his companions set out to question Heaven and the South Sea about the old affair and how to extinguish the fire, while Xuanzang stayed behind with Six-Eared Macaque. The chapter left Sha Wujing helping villagers carry water as the others pursued answers.

• Xuanzang reasoned that the group needed to ask Miaole, the Dao Ancestor, the Heavenly Court, and the South Sea about the past and the fire.
• A-Hu tried to contact Miaole, but he did not respond, so Xuanzang sent Wukong, Bajie, and A-Hu to Heaven and Little White Dragon to the South Sea.
• Wukong told Six-Eared Macaque to stay at the estate while the group departed on clouds.
• An old villager asked Xuanzang for help carrying water, and Xuanzang sent Sha Wujing with him to deliver it to the village households.

Xuanzang asked Six-Eared Macaque to explain what he had heard and why he lied, while Wukong, Bajie, and A-Hu searched for answers in Heaven. A-Hu received a bottle meant for Six-Eared Macaque and recalled Bull Demon King’s demand for him, leaving his reasons unclear.

• Xuanzang waited until he and Six-Eared Macaque were alone, then asked him what he had heard and why he lied.
• Wukong, Bajie, and A-Hu went to the Doushuai Palace, but Ayu told them that her master and Miaole had left without saying where they had gone.
• Wukong and Bajie set out to find Taibai, while A-Hu stayed behind at Ayu’s invitation.
• Ayu secretly gave A-Hu a small bottle that Miaole had left for Six-Eared Macaque.
• A-Hu remembered that Bull Demon King had demanded Six-Eared Macaque in exchange for the fan, and wondered why he wanted him.

A-Hu left the Heaven of Parting Hatred to find Sun Wukong and the others, while Ayu escorted her toward Qiming Palace. There, Wukong and Zhu Bajie discovered that the Taibai Jinxing before them was only a dharma body, as A-Hu and Ayu continued their journey after getting directions.

• A-Hu took the porcelain bottle from Ayu, decided to return to the mortal realm, then changed course to find Taibai Jinxing and the others.
• Ayu warned A-Hu that traveling alone through Heaven was dangerous and offered to guide her to Qiming Palace.
• Wukong asked Taibai Jinxing about the other six demon kings, but Taibai said he had no records or authority to investigate.
• Bajie questioned Taibai about past encounters, and Wukong realized that the Taibai before them was a dharma body.
• Ayu led A-Hu through the Cloud Sea, lost her way at a fork, then asked two immortal maidens for directions to Qiming Palace.

Little White Dragon went to Mount Luojia seeking Guanyin and Dragon Maiden for help with Flaming Mountain, but found both away at Dao Lord Zhenyuan’s gathering. At Qiming Palace, Wukong learned that several powerful figures were also absent, and Ayu and A-Hu arrived as he and Bajie debated what to do next.

• Little White Dragon learned from Mucha that Guanyin and Dragon Maiden had gone to Dao Lord Zhenyuan’s gathering beyond the heavens.
• Little White Dragon told Mucha about the Bull Demon King’s challenge and asked about Red Boy and another way to extinguish Flaming Mountain’s fire; Mucha knew neither Red Boy’s whereabouts nor a way to quench the furnace fire without Guanyin present.
• Little White Dragon decided to return to Flaming Mountain and report that they would likely need the Banana Leaf Fan.
• Wukong learned from Taibai that his true self, Daoist Brother Miaole, and others had gone to Dao Lord Zhenyuan’s gathering, and Bajie urged him to discuss the situation with their master.
• Ayu and A-Hu arrived at Qiming Palace, where Wukong and Bajie recognized them.

A-Hu questioned why the Bull Demon King wanted Six-Eared Macaque and concluded that Master had deliberately sent them away. Wukong rushed back to find Master, while A-Hu and Bajie followed him.

• A-Hu brought Wukong and Bajie a porcelain bottle of pills that Miaole had left for Six-Eared Macaque.
• A-Hu pointed out that the Bull Demon King had offered to trade the Banana Leaf Fan for Six-Eared Macaque despite already planning to fight Wukong to the death.
• A-Hu concluded that Master had deliberately sent them away, and Wukong recalled that Master had also sent Little White Dragon and Old Sha away.
• Wukong ordered Bajie to take A-Hu back and rushed toward the South Heaven Gate to return to Master.
• A-Hu explained that Little Six was the only one left with Master, then urged Bajie to follow Wukong, and the two set off after him.

Ayu got lost while trying to return to Doushuai Palace, while Sha Wujing stayed in the village helping distribute water. A lookalike of Sun Wukong abducted Xuanzang and Six-Eared Macaque, and the real Wukong returned to find them gone.

• Ayu admitted to a palace guard that she did not know the way back to Doushuai Palace, and he offered to escort her.
• Sha Wujing helped an old man deliver water and worried about Six-Eared Macaque as he returned to the courtyard.
• A figure resembling Wukong knocked Xuanzang down, injured Sha Wujing, subdued Six-Eared Macaque, and carried both away.
• The real Sun Wukong returned to the wrecked courtyard and found Xuanzang and Six-Eared Macaque missing.
• Sha Wujing told Wukong that the two had been taken away by him.