The Ten Kings of Hell asked what had brought him there.
Wukong said, "I came to investigate a few souls."
Hearing this, the Ten Kings of Hell hurriedly invited Wukong inside and served him tea. "Which souls would the Great Sage like to investigate?"
Wukong said, "Twenty-six children were sacrificed in past years at Chen Family Village beside Tongtian River. One has now been brought back to life, leaving twenty-five. Find out who collected their souls, where they are now, whether they've reincarnated, and how that one was brought back. Report every detail to Old Sun."
The Ten Kings of Hell promptly ordered the Court Clerk Judge to fetch the Book of Life and Death and investigate.
The judge searched carefully through the records until he found Chen Family Village. All twenty-six children Wukong had mentioned had died unnatural deaths. Their souls were not in the underworld and had not entered the cycle of reincarnation. As for the one who had come back to life, there was even less indication of how that had happened. He reported his findings.
Wukong said, "Then where are their souls now?"
King Yama said, "These people all died unnatural deaths. Their souls are presumably still wandering the mortal world. Please be patient, Great Sage. I shall have Ox-Head and Horse-Face take the Soul-Summoning Banner and summon their souls back."
Wukong said, "Go quickly! Quickly!"
King Yama immediately ordered Ox-Head and Horse-Face to summon the souls.
Taking the Soul-Summoning Banner, Ox-Head and Horse-Face went to the Mouth of the Yellow Springs. They erected the banner, aimed it toward Chen Family Village in the mortal world, and chanted spells to summon the souls.
As their magic surged, the Soul-Summoning Banner danced up and down, yet it could summon nothing in.
Ox-Head and Horse-Face returned and reported,