Chapter Summaries

Tang Sanzang and his disciples received generous care from the stonecutter’s family, whose good fortune had begun after bandits injured the stonecutter. When Bajie realized the family might recognize them as responsible, Tang Sanzang understood that the family’s suffering came from his earlier decision to spare the robbers and broke down in remorse.

• The stonecutter cared for the injured Tang Sanzang, and his child showed him the stone fragments he had learned to identify.
• Old Granny stopped Bajie from eating the wild-green cakes because they were offerings to Buddha, then explained that a monk’s blessings had sustained the family after bandits crippled her son.
• The stonecutter’s family fed Tang Sanzang and his disciples and arranged for them to sleep in the side room.
• Bajie warned Tang Sanzang that the stonecutter’s family might discover the disciples had spared the robbers who later injured the stonecutter, and urged everyone to flee.
• Tang Sanzang realized the family’s hardship stemmed from his own actions, fell to his knees, and repeatedly begged Buddha’s forgiveness.

Ao Tu escaped Mahamayuri Bodhisattva with help from a mysterious old Daoist, while Wukong abandoned his pursuit of Six-Eared Macaque and returned to find Tang Monk. The Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions reported to the Celestial Worthy Jade Emperor and persuaded Wang Lingguan to prioritize their Golden Elixirs.

• Ao Tu fled Mahamayuri Bodhisattva across the realms, changing forms to hide, but the Bodhisattva swallowed the creatures and landscapes around him while pursuing him.
• An old Daoist hid Ao Tu beneath a pine and misdirected Mahamayuri Bodhisattva, then vanished before Ao Tu could learn his name.
• Wukong stopped chasing Six-Eared Macaque as dusk fell and returned to find Tang Monk after the immortals told him the pilgrims had left by the rear of the mountain.
• The Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions reported their mission to the Celestial Worthy Jade Emperor, who praised them and ordered Golden Elixirs for their injured eyes.
• Kui Mulang, Kang Jinlong, and Mao Riji gave Wang Lingguan gifts and persuaded him to arrange their Golden Elixirs ahead of other waiting immortals.

Ao Tu recovered his treasures and discovered that Yang Meng’s soul contained immense baleful resentment, which the Third-Grade White Lotus purified before Ao Tu sent the soul to reincarnation. Wukong reunited with Tang Sanzang, Bajie, and Sha Wujing at the stonecutter’s home, where he learned what had happened with the bandits as the Stonecutter’s Wife overheard their conversation.

• Ao Tu’s Demon Emperor Incarnation returned safely, increasing his demon emperor bloodline’s fusion and bringing back its treasures and Yang Meng’s soul.
• The Third-Grade White Lotus purified the baleful resentment from Yang Meng’s soul, and Ao Tu gathered the resentment into a bead and sent the soul into reincarnation with the Primordial Golden Dipper.
• Wukong followed the White Dragon Horse to the stonecutter’s home and reassured the Stonecutter’s Wife that he was Tang Sanzang’s disciple.
• Wukong found Tang Sanzang kneeling in remorse and learned that his injured leg and regret came from the affair with the bandits, not the monsters.
• Bajie and Sha Wujing explained the bandit affair to Wukong while the Stonecutter’s Wife overheard them, and Bajie urged the group to leave quickly.

Tang Sanzang struggled with whether to return and apologize to the stonecutter's family, while Wukong concealed a healing elixir and frightened him with a fabricated account of their revenge plans. Tang Sanzang returned with the pill, apologized, and the stonecutter's leg was healed.

• The Stonecutter's Wife overheard Tang Sanzang and his disciples discussing how the bandits who crippled her husband had acted on their instruction, and she told her family.
• Bajie and Sha Wujing hurried Tang Sanzang away, while Wukong stayed behind, heard the family's anger, and left them a blessing with one of his hairs.
• Wukong told Tang Sanzang the family planned to kill them, but Tang Sanzang spent the night troubled by his conscience and decided to return and apologize.
• Wukong revealed the elixir from Perfected Lord Taixi, and Tang Sanzang chose to take it back to the stonecutter's family rather than use it for his own injury.
• Tang Sanzang apologized in person and offered the elixir, while Wukong admitted he had invented the family's threats.
• The stonecutter took the elixir, which restored his leg, and thanked Tang Sanzang and his disciples.

After the stonecutter recovered, his family resolved to support themselves without relying on Buddha’s gifts, and Tang Sanzang joined them in giving thanks. Their offering revealed a golden Buddha statue that looked exactly like Tang Sanzang, leaving everyone astonished.

• Old Granny prepared a meal to celebrate the stonecutter’s recovery while the Stonecutter’s Wife remained away on Back Mountain.
• Wukong followed the stonecutter and found the Stonecutter’s Wife worrying that Buddha had stopped bestowing gifts; the couple reunited and returned home together.
• The stonecutter told Old Granny he would go into town to work and support the family, and Tang Sanzang advised Wukong to turn bandits over to the authorities when possible.
• Old Granny offered four wild-green cakes to Buddha and led her family in kowtowing, while Wukong helped Tang Sanzang kneel and give thanks.
• The clay Buddha statue cracked apart to reveal a small golden statue, and Wukong identified it as Tang Sanzang.

Tang Sanzang mistook Ao Tu’s deception for a Buddhist trial and repented, while Wukong realized the Bodhisattva and Buddha were fake. Wukong and Bajie set out to fetch a physician, leaving Tang Sanzang under Sha Wujing’s protection.

• The stonemason’s Buddha statue cracked open to reveal a golden likeness of Tang Sanzang, and the family concluded that he was the Buddha.
• Wukong transformed into several figures until Old Granny identified Mahamayuri Bodhisattva as the visitor who had given them the statue.
• Old Granny recounted Ao Tu’s instructions, and Tang Sanzang concluded that the family’s suffering was karmic retribution caused by his own past mistakes.
• Wukong, Bajie, and the stonemason went into town to fetch a physician while Sha Wujing stayed behind with Tang Sanzang.
• Wukong told Bajie that the Bodhisattva and Buddha had been fake, and Bajie speculated about the journey’s hardships before Wukong teased him about Gao Village.

Wukong and Bajie gained the craftsmen’s trust and agreed to help move a sacred statue after learning the foreman’s predicament. Wukong hired a physician for Tang Sanzang and returned to tell him that Bajie was helping the city, without mentioning the promised reward.

• The stonemason asked his foreman for ten taels of silver to hire a physician for Tang Sanzang, but the foreman and craftsmen mistook his story for a swindle.
• Wukong and Bajie startled the craftsmen, then Wukong lifted a great bluestone boulder to prove his powers and earn their trust.
• The foreman explained that the craftsmen had to carve and transport a flawless sixteen-foot statue of the Peacock Great Wisdom King Bodhisattva, and Wukong offered Bajie’s help.
• Bajie agreed to do the work in exchange for plentiful food and the craftsmen’s future reward, while Wukong took the hundred taels they offered.
• Wukong hired a physician and returned to Tang Sanzang, telling him Bajie was helping people in the city without mentioning the reward.

Wukong brought a physician to treat Tang Sanzang’s badly broken leg, and the group stayed with the stonecutter’s family while he recovered. After half a year, Tang Sanzang healed and the pilgrims resumed their westward journey, while Ao Tu pushed Jiangzhu away in the Heaven of Parting Sorrow.

• The old physician diagnosed Tang Sanzang’s leg as broken in three pieces, drained the pus and blood, set the bones, and prescribed medicine.
• Sha Wujing cared for Tang Sanzang as he recovered, while Tang Sanzang taught the stonecutter’s son to read.
• Half a year later, Tang Sanzang’s injury had healed, and Wukong took him and Sha Wujing to watch Bajie carry the completed statue of Mahamayuri Bodhisattva into place.
• The prefect offered Tang Sanzang a tray of gold, but Tang Sanzang refused it and suggested the prefect reward the craftsmen instead.
• As the pilgrims set out westward, Wukong secretly gave Bajie a bag of leftover medicine money, and Bajie tucked it into his robes.
• In the Heaven of Parting Sorrow, Ao Tu pushed Jiangzhu away from his embrace.

Ao Tu examined the rewards he had received in the Flower Realm and tested the Book of Life and Death Fragment before refining the broken Ancestral Dragon horn. The three bloodlines merged, and Ao Tu reached across time to kick Ananda in the past as Ananda confronted his younger self.

• Ao Tu received rewards including Jianmu, a Book of Life and Death Fragment, and surplus days that carried over to the Flaming Mountain side quest.
• Ao Tu used the Book of Life and Death Fragment to reveal Yang Meng's past lives, accidentally killed a puppy by erasing the entry, and found no record for Li Shimin.
• Ao Tu decided to make the most of the Flaming Mountain ordeal and began refining the broken Ancestral Dragon horn while Jiangzhu guarded him.
• The Ancestral Dragon essence blood overwhelmed and merged with Ao Tu's Ancestral Shaman and Demon Emperor bloodlines, bringing him closer to the Great Dao.
• Ao Tu saw his past self serving as Bell Keeper at Spirit Mountain and kicked Ananda across time, causing Ananda to stumble as he asked the younger Ao Tu to descend to the lower realm.

After failing to break through to Great Luo, Ao Tu recovered his confidence, spent time with Jiangzhu, and headed for the Daughter Kingdom while sending out two clones. One clone, the Blood Sea King, escorted the Wild Boar Spirit and Frog Spirit toward Green Cloud Mountain, where an eagle demon blocked their way.

• Ao Tu failed to break through to Great Luo but realized his essence, qi, and spirit had improved, then regained his resolve.
• Ao Tu embraced Jiangzhu before leaving the Flower Realm for the Daughter Kingdom and splitting off two clones.
• The Blood Sea King met the lost Wild Boar Spirit and Frog Spirit, learned they were going to Green Cloud Mountain, and offered to guide them there.
• The Blood Sea King and the two little demons traveled west until an eagle demon serving the Mighty Bull Demon King stopped them.

Ao Tu visited Princess Iron Fan and the Bull Demon King, borrowed the Plantain Fan, and settled at Flaming Mountain to cultivate. Meanwhile, Tang Monk and his disciples resumed their journey and approached the mountain, where the heat began to trouble them.

• Ao Tu reached Tiger Vanguard's territory, learned that the Bull Demon King lived at Cloud-Rubbing Cave, and picked up White Bone Spirit on the way to Green Cloud Mountain.
• Ao Tu reunited with Red Boy and met Princess Iron Fan, who sent Red Boy to fetch the Bull Demon King.
• The Bull Demon King returned to Banana Cave, welcomed Ao Tu, and gave him the Plantain Fan to study for three years.
• Ao Tu declined to drive away the local people who came seeking help with Flaming Mountain's fires, then traveled there with Tiger Vanguard and White Bone Spirit and built a safe cave using the Fire-Repelling Pearl.
• After Tang Monk recovered, he and his disciples resumed their westward journey, and Bajie complained that the autumn road was growing unbearably hot.

Tang Sanzang and his disciples learned that Flaming Mountain blocked their westward journey and that only the Iron Fan Immortal’s fan could extinguish its flames. Wukong and Bajie headed for Banana Cave on Green Cloud Mountain to seek her help, and Wukong found a woodcutter there.

• Tang Sanzang and his disciples reached a wealthy household, where the old man explained that Flaming Mountain’s flames made the western road impassable.
• Bajie bought cakes from a youth, and the old man explained that the people relied on the Iron Fan Immortal to bring rain and extinguish the flames.
• Wukong learned that the Iron Fan Immortal lived in Banana Cave on Green Cloud Mountain and recognized it as Red Boy’s former home.
• Wukong and Bajie left Sha Wujing to protect Tang Sanzang and flew toward Green Cloud Mountain.
• Wukong followed a woodcutter’s song and found him near the cave.

Wukong and Bajie reached Banana Cave to ask Princess Iron Fan for her fan to extinguish Flaming Mountain. She refused to help the Journey to the West, leaving them without a way forward.

• A woodcutter warned Wukong that Princess Iron Fan might reject them because their goals now put them on opposing sides.
• Wukong and Bajie met Red Boy and Princess Iron Fan at Banana Cave, and Bajie distracted the conversation with stories and a feast.
• Princess Iron Fan objected when Bajie reached for meat, and Red Boy arranged for a vegetarian meal instead.
• After the meal, Wukong admitted he had come to borrow the plantain fan to put out Flaming Mountain's fire.
• Princess Iron Fan refused, citing Red Boy's past suffering at the hands of the scripture pilgrims, and told Tang Sanzang to cross the mountain himself.

Wukong and Bajie failed to borrow Princess Iron Fan’s Treasure Fan, and Red Boy gave them gifts before urging them to abandon the Journey to the West. Back at the old man’s home, Tang Sanzang ordered Bajie to return the gifts, and Sha Wujing suddenly announced that he had a plan.

• Wukong and Bajie pleaded with Princess Iron Fan for the Treasure Fan, but she refused because of her grudge over their Journey to the West.
• Red Boy followed Wukong and Bajie out of Banana Cave, gave them gold, silver, and cloud brocade, and invited them to stay at Green Cloud Mountain instead of continuing west.
• Bajie accepted Red Boy’s gifts and joked with him before he and Wukong returned to Tang Sanzang and the others.
• Wukong told Tang Sanzang that Princess Iron Fan had refused to lend the fan, leaving the group to search for another solution.
• Sha Wujing discovered Bajie hiding Red Boy’s gifts, and Tang Sanzang ordered Bajie to return them the next morning.
• After the group failed to find another way forward, Sha Wujing suddenly said he had a plan.

Sha Wujing devised a scheme for Wukong and Bajie to disguise themselves as locals and request Princess Iron Fan’s fan with gifts. Princess Iron Fan recognized the ruse, took the gifts, and shut them outside, so Wukong transformed into a gnat and slipped into Banana Cave.

• Sha Wujing persuaded Tang Sanzang to send Wukong and Bajie in disguise to request the fan, while the old man prepared ceremonial gifts using Bajie’s money.
• Wukong and Bajie transformed into locals named Sun Datu and Zhu Erneng and traveled to Banana Cave with the gifts.
• Princess Iron Fan questioned them, demanded that they kowtow, and had her maids carry the gifts inside.
• Princess Iron Fan shut the cave door and mocked Wukong, demanding two hundred more kowtows before she might lend the fan.
• Wukong and Bajie reverted to their true forms, and Wukong turned into a gnat and slipped through a crack in the door.

Wukong stole what he believed was Princess Iron Fan’s Treasure Fan, but it proved to be a fake and intensified the flames of Flaming Mountain. The Flaming Mountain Local God told Wukong that the Bull Demon King could help him obtain the real fan, then revealed that Wukong himself had originally set the mountain on fire.

• Wukong sneaked into Banana Cave as a Jiaoliao Insect, took a Treasure Fan, and replaced it with a hair transformed into its likeness.
• Wukong returned to Tang Sanzang and the others, and they continued west with the fan the old man identified as genuine.
• Wukong tried to fan out Flaming Mountain’s flames, but the fake fan made the fire surge and forced Tang Sanzang and his companions to flee.
• The group stopped beneath a withered tree, where Bajie and Sha Wujing argued over the failed plan until Wukong stopped them.
• The Flaming Mountain Local God brought the group food, identified Wukong’s fan as fake, and advised him to seek the Bull Demon King’s help for the real one.
• The Flaming Mountain Local God revealed that Wukong had originally set the fire on Flaming Mountain.

Wukong tried to reach the Bull Demon King to borrow the Fan but was repeatedly blocked by Six-Eared Macaque. While Wukong and his companions made another attempt, Tang Sanzang received guidance from Great Sun King Buddha to cross Flaming Mountain by planting bodhi trees.

• The Earth God of Flaming Mountain explained that Wukong had created the mountain by kicking bricks from Taishang Laojun's furnace and directed him to the Bull Demon King's stronghold at Accumulated Thunder Mountain.
• Six-Eared Macaque intercepted Wukong, fought him, and summoned demons to surround him, forcing Wukong to retreat without reaching the Bull Demon King.
• Wukong returned to Tang Sanzang, and after the group considered their options, Tang Sanzang urged Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing to try again while the Earth God guarded him.
• The Earth God brought water for Tang Sanzang, but Tang Sanzang had gone to a mountain temple after seeing Buddha-Light and left behind only a mound of earth.
• Great Sun King Buddha told Tang Sanzang he could plant bodhi trees on Flaming Mountain to hold back its flames, and Tang Sanzang found tools and supplies behind the temple and resolved to begin.

Wukong raced ahead to Accumulated Thunder Mountain while Bajie and Sha Wujing were captured by Six-Eared Macaque and his demons. At Cloud-Rubbing Cave, Wukong confronted Jade-Faced Fox, and the Bull Demon King returned to find them struggling over her sleeve.

• Tang Sanzang worked the soil, planted trees, and watered them while Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing fought Six-Eared Macaque at Accumulated Thunder Mountain.
• Wukong escaped on his Somersault Cloud, but Six-Eared Macaque and two thousand little demons captured Bajie and Sha Wujing.
• Wukong reached Cloud-Rubbing Cave and pressed Jade-Faced Fox to reveal where the Bull Demon King had gone, but she refused and tried to get away.
• The Bull Demon King returned from Jade Wave Pool, learned from Six-Eared Macaque that Wukong had entered the mountain, and rushed to Cloud-Rubbing Cave.
• The Bull Demon King found Wukong holding Jade-Faced Fox by the sleeve, accused him of mistreating his beloved concubine, and Jade-Faced Fox sobbed in his arms.

Wukong sought the Bull Demon King’s Treasure Fan to extinguish Flaming Mountain, but their old friendship collapsed into a fierce fight. The Bull Demon King released Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing without lending the fan, and Wukong returned to Flaming Mountain only to discover that Tang Sanzang was missing.

• The Bull Demon King returned and, after hearing the Jade-Faced Fox’s account, fought Wukong for tugging at her before asking why he had come.
• Wukong asked to borrow the Treasure Fan, but the Bull Demon King refused and revealed that he had cleared demons from the pilgrims’ route; their argument over the fan and old grievances turned into a battle.
• Six-Eared Macaque joined the fight and struck Wukong from behind, allowing the Bull Demon King’s demons to overpower and surround him.
• The Bull Demon King released Wukong for the sake of their past bond, then freed Bajie and Sha Wujing after Bajie offered silver for the injured followers.
• The Bull Demon King refused Wukong’s further requests to contact Princess Iron Fan, so Wukong fled with Bajie and Sha Wujing without the fan.
• As the three returned to Flaming Mountain, Bajie and Sha Wujing argued over who should carry Tang Sanzang, and Wukong spotted that their master was gone.

Wukong and his companions discovered that Tang Sanzang had vanished and suspected the Bull Demon King had taken him. Their search at Plantain Cave ended in a fight with Princess Iron Fan and Red Boy, so they headed for Blazing Thunder Mountain while Red Boy went to summon his father.

• Wukong, Bajie, Sha Wujing, and the Flaming Mountain Local God found Tang Sanzang missing and learned that the Bull Demon King was the most likely captor.
• Bajie tried to divide the luggage and abandon the pilgrimage, but Wukong stopped him and led the group to search Emerald Cloud Mountain.
• At Plantain Cave, Princess Iron Fan misunderstood Wukong's question about Tang Sanzang and attacked him; Sha Wujing fought her until Wukong knocked her sword away and injured her hand.
• Red Boy attacked the group with Samadhi True Fire, forcing Wukong and the others to flee and decide to search Blazing Thunder Mountain.
• Princess Iron Fan sent Red Boy to fetch the Bull Demon King, threatening that he should stay with the fox spirit if he would not return.